We were, at one time, a nation that believed in mythology about itself.

Love of country can be like other forms of love. Sometimes a mother so loves her daughter that she refuses to see signs of problems, such as addiction. Or a man so loves his partner that he refuses to see that they are cheating on him. So goes it with America.

Just a mere 10 years ago, the idea that we’d be here would not just result in ridicule, but outright hostility. We elected a Black president, and therefore, we are becoming post-racial. American exceptionalism was reality, not an ideal. If you dared suggested otherwise, especially if you were a person of color, you were given a very stern lecture.

That a clown like Donald Trump, who had already demonstrated open racism, could be president not just once, but twice, was a laughable concept on July 4, 2015. And yet, here we are. A country capable of voting someone like Donald Trump into the most powerful office in the world, and then doing it again.

Last night, I was at a gathering of folks to watch a July 3 fireworks event here in central Pennsylvania. It was at a friend of mine who lives in a house on an old forestry biology research facility, and it’s a beautiful property up one of the hollow roads that wind through the ridges and valleys of this region.

What is interesting about this gathering is it’s a group of mostly Democrats, many of whom are OG hippies, most of whom are not exactly sure what to celebrate on July 4, like me. And right next door is the fireworks event, in an open Pennsylvania field, featuring food, music, and fireworks.

If MAGAs could fly, this would be an airport. It is rural central Pennsylvania, so the musical soundtrack includes Lee Greenwood’s horrible contribution to the American musical canon, “God Bless the U.S.A.” Plenty of American flags, and as my wife and I noted, a house on the other side of the field flies a confederate flag.

These people have a very different view of the current moment than I do. They are thrilled because they are going to get all the racism, theocracy, and xenophobia they’ve ever wished for. They are also going to see their local hospital shut down, lose healthcare, lose jobs, and more. Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do…I guess.

So what can we, the people who are not cultists, authoritarianism enthusiasts, and racists, celebrate today? My First Draft colleagues Cassandra and Adrastos have some ideas. I suggest celebrating the past and using this day to rest up for the fight. This is not over, and there’s no reason why we can’t eventually have a country that matches its ideals. Lots of work to be done.

The last word goes to Woody Guthrie.