Wicker: To Be American Is To Debate
Founders Invite USA to Negotiate Disagreement
June 29, 2026
Some headlines proclaim that America’s 250th anniversary celebrations are arriving at a time of peak division. Surveys indicate that partisanship is up and trust in institutions is down. Pollsters have found that young adults disagree with their elders on patriotism and civic responsibility. In one study, only half of respondents said the American Dream is alive and well, with the other half pessimistic. In this election year, the contention feels particularly sharp.
These tensions can make our present moment seem unique. Some have even claimed that Americans have never been more divided. But that view is shortsighted.
Thumbing through the pages of U.S. history puts today’s problems in context. It reminds us that our nation has persisted despite periods of intense division. In fact, time and again, we have proven to be adept at navigating disagreement and emerging stronger.
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence, we do well to remember that the founding itself was the product of vigorous debate. The delegates of the Second Continental Congress insisted that they approve the Declaration of Independence unanimously. And that consensus emerged only after spirited negotiations. No single delegate got everything he wanted, but by signing together, every delegate changed the course of history.
When they wrote that the government’s power should come from the “consent of the governed,” the delegates did more than rebel against King George. They replaced royal decree with democratic deliberation. In doing so, they made debate central to the American way of life. In the Declaration of Independence and later in the Constitution, the founders compelled Americans from all regions, backgrounds, and points of view—and for generations to come—to sit down at the common negotiating table.
Despite today’s apparent divisions, one data point shows a path forward. In one survey, participants were asked what it means to be an American. Nearly 90 percent of respondents said that an American is someone who believes in the principles of the Declaration of Independence. In that spirit, I believe our 250th anniversary is an ideal time to revive an old July 4th ritual: a reading of the document that gave birth to our nation.
When the delegates of the Second Continental Congress affixed their signatures to the parchment, they knew they were igniting a revolution and arguably committing high treason. But the drama of that moment did not make the evening news. In fact, it took several weeks for the Declaration of Independence to reach the King of England and all of his now-former 13 colonies.
Many heard the words of the founding document during public readings. The first of these were held simultaneously in Pennsylvania and New Jersey on July 8, 1776. The next day, General George Washington had the document read to his soldiers in New York City.
Eventually, a tradition emerged. In the early decades of the nation, Americans marked July 4th with parades, prayers, and public readings of the Declaration of Independence. The Mississippi congressional delegation paid honor to that tradition in 2024 when all six of us recorded a video reading portions of the text.
As we celebrate this year’s historic Independence Day, we acknowledge that 2026 is a time of division in our nation. But we are also reminded that—over the course of 250 remarkable years—we have successfully negotiated intense debates. We will have to do the same as we enter the next 250.
These tensions can make our present moment seem unique. Some have even claimed that Americans have never been more divided. But that view is shortsighted.
Thumbing through the pages of U.S. history puts today’s problems in context. It reminds us that our nation has persisted despite periods of intense division. In fact, time and again, we have proven to be adept at navigating disagreement and emerging stronger.
To be American is to Debate
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence, we do well to remember that the founding itself was the product of vigorous debate. The delegates of the Second Continental Congress insisted that they approve the Declaration of Independence unanimously. And that consensus emerged only after spirited negotiations. No single delegate got everything he wanted, but by signing together, every delegate changed the course of history.
When they wrote that the government’s power should come from the “consent of the governed,” the delegates did more than rebel against King George. They replaced royal decree with democratic deliberation. In doing so, they made debate central to the American way of life. In the Declaration of Independence and later in the Constitution, the founders compelled Americans from all regions, backgrounds, and points of view—and for generations to come—to sit down at the common negotiating table.
July 4th Traditions Inform Today’s Division
Despite today’s apparent divisions, one data point shows a path forward. In one survey, participants were asked what it means to be an American. Nearly 90 percent of respondents said that an American is someone who believes in the principles of the Declaration of Independence. In that spirit, I believe our 250th anniversary is an ideal time to revive an old July 4th ritual: a reading of the document that gave birth to our nation.
When the delegates of the Second Continental Congress affixed their signatures to the parchment, they knew they were igniting a revolution and arguably committing high treason. But the drama of that moment did not make the evening news. In fact, it took several weeks for the Declaration of Independence to reach the King of England and all of his now-former 13 colonies.
Many heard the words of the founding document during public readings. The first of these were held simultaneously in Pennsylvania and New Jersey on July 8, 1776. The next day, General George Washington had the document read to his soldiers in New York City.
Eventually, a tradition emerged. In the early decades of the nation, Americans marked July 4th with parades, prayers, and public readings of the Declaration of Independence. The Mississippi congressional delegation paid honor to that tradition in 2024 when all six of us recorded a video reading portions of the text.
As we celebrate this year’s historic Independence Day, we acknowledge that 2026 is a time of division in our nation. But we are also reminded that—over the course of 250 remarkable years—we have successfully negotiated intense debates. We will have to do the same as we enter the next 250.