This may have been the saddest Fourth of July I can recall. On a day we celebrated how our ancestors declared independence, choosing democracy over monarchy, we are living through a national nightmare.
The Supreme Court of the United States has taken away the right of women to choose and crowned the president as king. All of this makes clear that the well-accepted doctrine of precedent may no longer govern legal decision-making
In addition, we continue to experience and suffer from the residual but significant consequences of the Trump presidency, as well as the increased likelihood that he will return to the White House. Our government institutions are not viewed as legitimate; the concepts of truth, rationality and civility no longer guide political discourse; and public officials repeatedly escape accountability for their words and deeds.
Put simply, we are losing our democracy and dignity — and the great experiment is in serious jeopardy. My wish is that in November we remember the true significance of July 4. In this spirit my hope is that American citizens come to their senses and prevent our democratic republic from being destroyed and replaced with an autocratic dictatorship. Time is running out.
