As we start the Fourth of July weekend, I reflect on the promise of America and what we see happening today.

“All men are created equal.” That’s the promise. And we still struggle to live up to that, with more restrictions being pushed on LGBTQ people, promotion of Christian theocratic norms, women’s body autonomy vanishing overnight in many places, voting laws that discriminate based on systemic racial issues, immigrants made to feel like they’re not wanted, and more.

As a financially secure, straight, cisgender, white male, it’s not me that these discriminatory laws and practices and hatred are after- but lots of people I love.

“Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” America is set up to be majority role with rights of the minorities protected. But we’re losing both of those. The majority of Americans disagree with many recent rulings and laws. Yet the system has been rigged to ram through minority opinions. And the minority rights that are supposed to be protected are being eroded.

Minority rule without protecting rights- that’s fascism. A word thrown about so much lately that’s it’s lost its impact.

I truly love America. I love the promise of what it should be. That’s why we keep pushing to make it better.

So as you think about or celebrate America’s birthday this year, ponder: is America what it should be? If not, what am I going to do about it?