An American Girl, Raised on Promises

On loving America and deserving a larger share of the birthday cake

Growing up my birthdays were a pretty big deal. There were parades, fireworks, and millions of Americans celebrating alongside me.

Turns out most were actually celebrating America’s birthday, not mine, but July 4th is a pretty great day for a birthday.

Or, it was.

For years now my relationship status with America has been: it’s complicated. That complexity is never more top of mind for me than when celebrating our shared birthday.¹

I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.

James Baldwin

I consider myself an American patriot —undoubtedly, not the typical embodiment which comes to most minds, I love the subversion—but damn if America doesn’t test my devotion more every year as of late.

At times America recalls a petulant toddler trying the limits of their parent’s patience. Like that toddler we might not enjoy so much when insistent upon repeatedly sticking their fingers into electrical outlets, we love them through it, in spite of it, believing one day they won’t be so hellbent on self destruction.

My love for America is not predicated upon perfection, though that’d be nice. It’s not compulsory, nor rooted in some whitewashed version that neglects our imperfections, or dark history (and present).

Sincere love requires honesty and truth, acceptance and faith.

My love for this country is rooted with the revolutionaries who believed in this democratic experiment and all the Americans who came before us offering their blood, sweat, and tears in service of a more perfect union.

I’m well aware declaring yourself a patriot in the progressive circles I inhabit is more likely to be considered cringe or delusional than celebrated. Understandably, American pride has hit a new low, especially among progressives.2 I’d love to see that change. I’ll be damned if I’m going to abandon patriotism or this country to those who stand in direct opposition of the democratic ideals upon which our nation was founded: liberty, justice, and equality. We've never fully realized those ideals, but if enough of us continue to believe in us and value those bedrock principles, and are willing to work for us and them, I believe we one day can.

We don’t have to be proud of everything we do, but we should be proud of who we are at our core: a diverse nation strengthened by our differences, united in a once radical belief of self-determination.

It’s dangerously easy to lose sight of just how radical an experiment our system of governance is, the risks assumed and sacrifices made to get us to today; to take for granted democracy as a destination at which we’ve arrived, rather than a continued practice in which every generation must actively value and tend.

And so today, I will continue loving my country through growing pains, acknowledging our shortcomings as well as our potential, our times of darkness and light, clinging ever tighter to our founding principles, and doing my part to help us be our best selves.

This isn’t an excuse to turn a blind eye, or take a backseat, simply waiting for better to arrive, but it is permission to spend a day (or at least part of a day) celebrating what makes us great and reminding ourselves why those ideals matter, are worth fighting for, preserving, and honoring because that’s what Independence Day is all about.

I’m not saying America isn’t invited to our annual celebration, but I’m undoubtedly deserving of a larger share of the birthday cake.

And in conclusion, may I please remind you that it does not say "RSVP" on the Statue of Liberty.

Cher Horowitz

Happy 4th of July! I will return to your inboxes next week with regularly scheduled programming.

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1. My husband’s birthday is also July 4th—weird, I know! He’s a better birthday twin, not only because he doesn’t insist on dropping indefensible SCOTUS decisions or passing heinous legislation just in time to expect celebration, but also because he mostly cedes the day to me.