July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

This year as I watched the Fourth of July fireworks, my heart was heavy and I wanted to cry. The crowd cheered as the night sky burst in red, white, and blue sparkles, and yet something was off. 

The music that accompanied the fireworks - more specifically the lyrics hit me hard. I was again reminded of lessons I taught in eighth grade. And the fact that this song, written and performed by Neil Diamond*, was a teaching moment…immigrants risking it all to come for a new life in a foreign land. A land they hoped would greet them with open arms. Diamond’s lyrics struck me to the point of tears…

“Far

We’ve been traveling far

Without a home

Not without a star

Free

Only want to be free

We huddle close

Hang on to a dream

Home

To a new and a shiny place

Make our bed and we'll say our grace

Freedom's light burning warm

Everywhere around the world

They're coming to America

Every time that flag's unfurled

They're coming to America

Got a dream to take them there

They're coming to America

Got a dream they've come to share

They're coming to America

My country 'tis of thee

Sweet land of liberty

Of thee I sing

Today”

I’m not sure any of this is true today. The hope. The dream of a better life. The promise of freedom. If immigrants did not leave Europe in the 1600s looking for a better life - free from tyranny and religious persecution - would we have a United States of America today?

My thoughts shifted to the Declaration of Independence - the colonies’ letter of complaint to King George. I suppose there are different ways to interpret that document. Again in my classroom we saw those brave colonists as fighting tyranny and taxation without representation…BUT what if it was really about rich white slave owners who didn’t want to pay their taxes? Puts a different spin on it, doesn’t it? I’m coming to believe it may have been a little of both.

We fought for the right to govern ourselves - to put in motion an idea that had never been tried before. To risk it all for a better life. Hope. The promise of freedom. 

We embraced all who held those same ideals. The melting pot - the rich tapestry that is America. Let’s pray that we have not squandered all that our forefathers dreamed we could be. 

*lyrics have been edited, by me.