What the Way July 4th is Celebrated Says About America's Divides

My newest Substack is up, which uses the July 4th holiday to think about America's historical continuities. I use Jefferson Cowie's recent books to talk about how ideologies of extreme individualism and a definition of freedom rooted in white supremacy continue to damage our polity. I see these dysfunctions coming out clearly in the recent Supreme Court cases. 

I also don't just want to write about my Substack this time. A friend and longtime reader put a question to me that I would like to investigate. He splits his time between Pittsburgh and rural Pennsylvania, and noted how much of a big deal the July 4th holiday is in the latter place. He was wondering whether this represents another facet of our country's cultural divide.

I grew up in a rural area and lived in other rural spaces during parts of my adulthood, and I indeed can say that July 4th is a more intense event in those places compared to other, more urban places I have lived. When I was back in my hometown a few years ago for the holiday I was struck by the volume of fireworks people were letting off in their yards. As we drove on the outskirts of town to get to the official fireworks, the low end of the horizon was constantly illuminated. 

Some of this is structural. In small towns it's easier to organize communal events.There's also the boredom factor. If there's not a lot going on, a parade and blowing things up is pretty exciting. That's at least how I felt as a kid. To my friend's point, some of it is more about political culture.

July 4th celebrations in small towns tend to engage in a very uncomplicated version of nationalism (which gets called "patriotism.") It's not necessarily an aggressive or hateful nationalism, but it is certainly one that leaves little room for ambivalence or hybrid identities. Go to one of these places on the 4th, and it will feel like a real throwback to a pre-1960s form of public life. Again, it is not overtly malicious and in fact can be a lot of fun to participate in. When I was back in my hometown six years ago, my kids got to take part in the children's 4th of July parade, and we all had a blast. 

Beneath it all, however, lies the "real Americans" assumption. The overwhelmingly white and native-born crowds in these small towns see themselves as the "real Americans." They see the United States as a place made up of them and FOR them. (Hence the "take our country back" rhetoric.) It's very easy to wave the flag so hard when you are not celebrating an abstract nation but instead are affirming your concrete self.

I can contrast this with what I saw on social media yesterday, when lots of progressive and lefty folks were posting their ambivalence or even outright dislike towards the holiday. I actually found this almost as irritating as the loud jingoism I heard in other quarters. The kvetching certainly comes from real feelings and critiques, but it's intended to get internet street cred by being edgy, like me as a teen poo-pooing any and all popular music. Just as the left needs to articulate a new definition of freedom, it would serve them politically to come up with a new kind of patriotism. Dunking on the USA in public all the time will not help win converts, especially in "real America."