Happy Fourth of July. But for many on the left, that greeting might feel out of step with their political views. As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, a growing number of Americans—particularly those under 30—express little interest in celebrating the country's founding. This raises a provocative question: what day, if any, will the left choose to replace Independence Day?
Douglas MacKinnon, a former White House and Pentagon official, argues that the left's dominance in media, academia, and entertainment is reshaping national sentiment. He points to a Cato poll showing half of Americans unaware of July 4's meaning and a Fox News poll where 49% of registered voters said they are not excited about the 250th anniversary. Among Democrats, only 45% feel pride in American citizenship, according to another survey.
MacKinnon highlights the rise of democratic socialist candidates who, he claims, view the nation's founding as something to be dismantled and rebuilt. He also notes that more than half of adults under 30 believe democracy is not essential to the country's identity—a statistic he attributes to educational narratives that portray the Founding Fathers as white supremacists and slave owners.
This skepticism is not limited to young people. The Beacon Research-Shaw and Company Research-Fox News poll found the nation split evenly on enthusiasm for the 250th. Such division would have been unthinkable before the Trump era, MacKinnon writes, but now it is the accepted norm.
If the left continues to disavow July 4th, what might replace it? MacKinnon suggests May 1—International Workers' Day, a date celebrated by communist regimes—as a possible candidate. He asks whether figures like Thomas Jefferson and John Adams might be swapped for Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, or Mao Zedong. Alternatively, he speculates that those suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome might look to January 20, 2029, the final day of Donald Trump's potential second term.
The erosion of reverence for the Founding Fathers is not just a cultural shift; it has political implications. A related piece on America's broken institutions explores how national despair is fueling this trend. MacKinnon, author of "The 56," a book about the signers of the Declaration of Independence, warns that if current trends continue, the left may soon find a new date to glorify—and the nation may face a future without a unifying Independence Day.
