In every way, it was a lovely day. Not for the first time, the Declaration of Independence was being read aloud in Berkshire County Massachusetts. If there was a dark cloud anywhere, it was the nagging feeling that there were similarities between what was happening then, July 4, 1776, and now, July 4, 2026.

There will always be those struggling to be free; asking for laws to be fair; asking that every human be given an equal chance to succeed. Just as there will always be those who disagree.

They believe that there are superior and inferior humans. Believe the superior ones deserve more. They always will use might, money, or guile to take from others. They do not believe in the rule of law equally applied; they believe laws should favor the elite. They believe might makes right. As long as the people want democracy, they will have to want it enough to fight for it. Want it enough to pledge, “our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” So it was and so it shall always be.

How did we arrive at the notion that everyone would support democracy because it was an intellectually superior form of government? All human history contradicts that notion. How did we arrive at the notion that we were entitled to democracy? Somehow, we did. When it began to slip away, we just stood and watched in disbelief rather than knowing we had to guard it and fight for it.

I know we kept thinking everyone agreed with us but were afraid to say so. Really? There were always those who disagreed. I know we kept waiting for “them” to come around and reject the bad guys and their bad ideas. I know we did not plan what we were being called upon to do. I know that is costing us our most precious values and the laws meant to underpin those values. It is a real puzzle how exactly we spent the last nine years believing everyone actually agreed with us small-d-democrats but was afraid to say so. Feels like hubris to ignore the fact that some see things differently and disagree with us. Even a cursory glance at recent history seems to clearly demonstrate that a pro-oligarchy faction was always present in our country.

So, is it too late? Yup. If we are unwilling to fight them and conned into fighting each other. Let’s not do that. Instead let’s triumph in certainty that our children and grandchildren will wish America a Happy 300th Birthday.