I’m not feeling proud to be an American on this Fourth of July

I've never been a flag-waving sort of American. Yet I consider myself patriotic. I vote in every election. I'm active in my community. I want the United States to be an international leader, helping bring democracy and prosperity to other less fortunate countries. 

But on this Fourth of July, when we celebrate our Declaration of Independence from Great Britain, I'm not feeling great about my country. I've got a lot of company from my fellow Democrats, only 36% of whom are extremely or very proud to be an American.

There's a simple reason. In 2015 80% of Democrats were extremely or very proud to be an American. This was at the tail end of Obama's presidency, when we had a decent human being in the White House who embodied core American values of compassion and caring.

After Trump became president in 2016, then was elected again in 2024, it became much more difficult for liberals like me to feel good about our country. And this wasn't because a Republican occupied the White House.

I'm old enough to have experienced quite a few Republican presidents: Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, H.W. Bush, W. Bush, and now Trump. Until Trump came along, I never was ashamed of my county under GOP leadership. I just disagreed with many of the policies embraced by Republican presidents.

Now, though, Trump is an embarrassment.

His character flaws are horrendous. Trump never exhibits genuine concern for anyone who doesn't subscribe to his childish MAGA'ism. He has no idea what truly makes America great: our diversity, equity, and inclusion, three words that Trump has ordered stricken from the federal government, along with a big chunk of private entities such as universities. 

We used to be a magnet for people around the world who wanted a better life for themselves and their children. Now this image reflects our international reputation.

Previous Republican presidents upheld the core of our American norms and values even as they tinkered around the edges of them to make this country more conservative. Those presidents didn't demonize anyone who disagreed with them, as Trump does. 

Trump has no interest in being a president for all Americans. I've never heard him reach out to Democrats, saying something like "Though we may disagree, we are united in wanting to make our country better." Trump is a narrow-minded autocrat who admires authoritarianism and detests democracy. 

In 1776 the United States said NO to being ruled by a king. In 2025, as the massive No Kings protests last month made clear, we're equally opposed to being ruled by King Trump. He's the first president to make a mockery of our democracy and, worse, be supported in this by almost all Republican politicians and a majority of the Supreme Court.

That leaves it up to the American people to keep alive the values enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, which says that it is the Right of the People to resist despots. In 1776 the tyranny was from an external king. In 2025 the tyrant is home grown and resides in the White House.