Since I was a kid, I’ve always had a special affinity for Independence Day. Back in the good old days, Northfield, my hometown just north of Chicago, held a day-long festival that culminated with a spectacular fireworks display.
The day began with a parade led by firetrucks and cool cars. Us kids would cover our bikes with as much red, white, and blue American regalia as we could find, hoping we’d earn a prize in the bike decoration contest. Then, we would meet at Clarkson Park for a day full of fun and games. The highlight for me and my brother was the footrace, an opportunity to beat our friends in a 40-yard dash in front of the whole town! For my sister, the hula hoop contest was the day’s pinnacle moment.
Back then, the Park District was a small entity with only a few employees. As such, the parents performed much of the planning, coordination, and oversight of the day’s events. The dads manned the grills while the moms kept order and made sure everything ran smoothly.
Looking back, the thing I most remember about those Independence Day celebrations was the overwhelming sense of patriotism and gratitude for America. Almost everyone, even the die-hard liberals, participated in the day’s festivities, wore their red, white, and blue, and expressed their joy as Americans.
Today, such is not the case. According to a recent Gallup poll, “A record-low 58% of U.S. adults say they are “extremely” (41%) or “very” (17%) proud to be an American, down nine percentage points from last year and five points below the prior low from 2020.”
In 2001, 87 percent of U.S. adults were “extremely” or “very” proud to be an American. Specifically, this included 90 percent of Republicans, 87 percent of Democrats, and 84 percent of Independents.
In 2025, 92 percent of Republicans are “extremely” or “very” proud to be an American whereas only 53 percent of Independents and 36 percent of Democrats say the same.
Another concerning trend is that young Democrats are especially prone to be less proud to be Americans. “Notably, more Gen Z Democrats say they have little or no pride in being an American (32%) than say they are extremely or very proud.”
In the 30 years or so since I stopped attending the Northfield Independence Day celebration, an entire generation has been brainwashed into believing that the United States is an illegitimate nation built upon slavery and stolen land.
This is a very narrow and inaccurate picture of the birth of America.
In truth, the Founding Fathers of this nation were forward-thinking, heroic men who prized individual liberty above all else. As someone who also cherishes individual freedom, I look up to these men for putting everything on the line so that future generations could have the gift of freedom.
Unfortunately, this is not the story being told to millions of American children in our nation’s public schools. As a former high school history teacher who taught and substituted in several schools in Illinois and South Carolina, I can personally attest to the fact that nearly all public-school history teachers are among the growing portion of Americans who are not proud to be Americans.
During my entire career as a public high school teacher, I can literally count on one hand how many of my colleagues I would have considered “extremely” or “very” proud to be an American.
Over time, this gradual indoctrination has accelerated. Now, many college campuses have crossed the Rubicon; they are teaching that socialism is great and that American capitalism is bad. No wonder New York City’s young, white, educated progressives overwhelmingly voted for an avowed communist to be their next mayoral candidate for the Democratic Party!
The good news is that these America-haters remain a minority, a very vocal minority at that.
Most of us are indeed proud to be Americans, and we have a whole lot to celebrate this Independence Day.
Not only is President Trump on the cusp of signing the keystone of his legislative agenda, the big, beautiful bill, but he is also moving ahead at full speed in implementing his U.S. energy dominance plan. With the price of a gallon of gasoline getting lower by the week and inflation totally tamed, Trump has already delivered big on his core campaign promises. This is just the beginning. Just wait until next year, when we mark the nation’s 250-year anniversary on July 4, 2026.
Chris Talgo (ctalgo@heartland.org) is editorial director at The Heartland Institute.
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