BRIEFING ROOM

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, we pause not only to celebrate our history, but to reflect on what that history demands of us.
 

Over two and a half centuries, America has steadily expanded the promise of freedom and democracy to more people than the founders ever imagined. But history has taught us a difficult truth: progress is never inevitable, and rights secured through struggle can be lost.

Two hundred and fifty years ago, ordinary citizens refused to accept leaders who ignored their voices, dismissed their rights, and governed without accountability. They organized, challenged power, and risked everything to build a nation founded on the revolutionary idea that government exists to serve the people — not its leaders. 
 

Over generations, Americans carried that work forward. Abolitionists fought to end slavery. Suffragists demanded equality. Civil rights leaders dismantled segregation. Advocates expanded freedom and opportunity for millions long denied both. At every pivotal moment, citizens insisted that America live up to its promise, and when it failed, they pushed harder.

Today we stand at this great moment, but something feels different.
 

Across the country, many Americans feel that rights once considered secure have become increasingly fragile. Freedoms once assumed permanent now feel uncertain. Trust in our democratic institutions is weakening. The protections that prevent the government from using religion as a sword, one of our nation’s founding principles, are under growing strain. Too many people are beginning to question whether democracy can still deliver on its promise.
 

But history also reminds us that moments like this are not a signal to retreat. Those who fought for our independence never did. They seized the moment, and they acted despite setbacks and challenges. America was born through political activism.



At JAC, we understand what the founders understood: democracy survives only when citizens are willing to fight for it. So this July 4th, amid the parades, BBQs, and celebrations, the greatest tribute we can offer our democracy is not simply remembering how it began, but recommitting ourselves to its future. Freedom endures only when we do the work necessary to defend it.

Let’s get to work.