BY CAVALIER JOHNSON, 45TH MAYOR OF MILWAUKEE
Two-and-a-half centuries ago, the founders of the United States came together to free the American colonies from the tyranny of a British king. They were unified by their grievances, and more importantly, committed to the ideal that the people should determine their leaders and laws.
The signers of the Declaration of Independence came from a range of different backgrounds. They included ministers, farmers, lawyers, merchants and physicians – people with diverse perspectives who focused not on differences, but on what they shared in common.
Our country’s formal name, first coined in 1776, is the United States of America, which clearly prioritizes our commonality. In the summer of that momentous year, the Continental Congress agreed on the specific points that defined what we share.
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The Declaration says leaders must have the consent of the governed and that people determine our government and priorities. It is a Declaration of equality and the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These were powerful unifying principles.
It is important to reflect on what we share, particularly in this time of harsh political polarization. Yes, we will have differences of opinion; that was fully understood by our nation’s founders. But in contemporary times, we have hardened divisions and elevated adversarial discourse. That is an impediment to effective governance.
My own political awakening came in the immediate aftermath of the attacks on 9/11. It was a situation, unique in my lifetime, where people of all political persuasions came together in horror and outrage at the terrorism directed at the United States. As a 14-year-old, I saw the power of unity and the importance of leadership. It motivated me to enter public service.
This anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is an appropriate time to come together again, to celebrate equality and liberty, and to bridge the divides that dominate our government. America was founded on our unalienable rights, not on personalities and political parties. Our celebration of independence should be a celebration of what we share.
