EDITORIAL: Nation’s birthday reminds us: Opposing views are necessary

We come to the Fourth of July amid times that arguably are the most unstable since the 1960s. Mass murders seem to occur nearly every day. Anti-immigrant sentiment has manifested itself in openly racist policies and millions of taxpayer dollars are being spent shuttling migrants around the country not to provide them any help, but to make political points. Our governor has flooded our southern border with National Guard troops, state troopers and others in a show of force against an exaggerated image of immigrant invaders. He has spent millions on border walls and now barrier buoys within the Rio Grande. He and other governors, including some in states that don’t even have international borders, have made their political fortunes on anti-foreigner sentiment. Obstinacy within our two major parties has reached a point where gridlock has become something we’ll just have to live with for the foreseeable future.

Happy birthday, America.

Our national angst might lead many Americans to feel that this holiday offers little reason to celebrate; our great experiment in democracy and governance by the governed has been put to the test in the minds of many people.

It’s unfortunate that many of our public debates have degraded into hateful speech and even violence. Many Americans sorely need to be reminded that frank debate on the issues is one of the primary elements that make our country great.

Let us look back at our nation’s creation and the conditions in which it occurred. Not only did the 13 upstart colonies choose to go to war with what was one of if not the most powerful military forces in the world, they did so to assume rights that would require that they make their own decisions and forge their own futures — for better and for worse. There was much resistance, with many colonists convinced that the benefits of living under the British Crown outweighed the uncertainty of unfettered freedom.

However, our founding fathers had great confidence in the people’s ability to overcome any difficulties they encountered, and move their new nation forward in ways — and to ends — that man had never reached before.

They were right. Just a few years after gaining its independence, the United States, still dwarfed by larger and older populations throughout Europe and Asia, became the world’s greatest economic power and one of the most influential politically. Our success became the inspiration for freedom-seeking people around the world, and our Constitution, which codifies ground-up governance and limited federal powers, is the most copied code of laws since the Ten Commandments.

On this July Fourth, let us remember that our forefathers probably overcame difficulties much greater than those we endure today, and be grateful that we have the freedom to debate in pursuit of the greater good. It’s been said that the greatest freedom begets the most complaints; where there is tyranny there is less dissent, but greater misery.

Let us appreciate our freedom to debate, and remember that opposing views neither render ours invalid nor are invalid themselves. Only by listening to all sides of the issues can we make the best decisions, and help move our country ever forward.