When we think of holidays, we may think of time off work, family outings, and colorful celebrations. But the word "holiday" is derived from the phrase "holy day": a sacred event, to be observed with reverence and appreciation. While this connection may be seen most clearly in religious holidays, I believe it also applies to America's Independence Day observance on July 4th. Amid the fireworks and parades, we should take some time to consider the significance of that day.
First to be recognized is the unique nature of the Declaration of Independence. This was not a nation throwing off the yoke of foreign oppression, as had happened many times before (and since). Most residents of the Colonies had come from England, and many still considered themselves loyal British citizens. Nor was it a nation replacing its government: the Colonies already had legislatures which they wanted to keep. Rather, it was a statement of principle that one nation could not "own" another, even when it had been responsible for that nation's creation. The Declaration of Independence marked the beginning of the end of colonialism, although it took centuries for the principle to become universally accepted. (Indeed, it is only today that one of the last remaining British colonies, Hong Kong, is being transferred to Chinese rule.)
The second and most important point is the identification of people's rights. This idea was not new: English law had over the years been developed along those principles. But never had it been stated so clearly as in the Declaration of Independence. When Thomas Jefferson wrote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident,--that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", he built the foundation for all liberation movements throughout the world, from Civil Rights to the Feminist Movement to the human rights protests in China. The United States constitution (and, more specifically, the Bill of Rights) was formed with those truths in mind.
Finally, the Declaration of Independence advanced the cause of representative government. The main complaint of the Colonies against England was that they had no representation in the British Parliament, and they saw the stubbornness of King George and his ministers as the primary obstacle. As a result, when America formed its new government, it did away with royalty entirely, selecting its leaders through election by the people. That idea, too, was slow to spread; but today there are no monarchs with absolute power, and even the remaining dictatorships try to legitimize their rule through staged elections. The "divine right of kings" has been replaced by the Creator-endowed right of people to govern themselves.
So Independence Day should be a time of reflection as well as celebration. John Adams expressed it best, perhaps, in a letter to his wife Abigail (although he thought the day would be July 2, when a resolution of independence was first passed, rather than July 4 when the Declaration was adopted). He wrote, "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward for evermore." Let's make his vision a reality this year.