On July 4, celebrate truth and freedom. An enduring democracy requires both.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” These, the most famous words of the 1776 Declaration of Independence, go on to conclude: “We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America in General Congress assembled … mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our Sacred Honor.”

This pledge was not to be taken lightly. Signing the declaration meant taking arms against King George III, head of the most powerful empire in the world. If the war were lost, the signers would hang for treason.

Wisely, our founding fathers chose George Washington to lead the war. He gathered his troops on New York’s common and read them the solemn words of the declaration. Washington, whose strength and strategy led the United States to victory in the War of Independence and through the nation’s formative first two presidencies, has become a national icon, the father of the nation.

His very name is linked with truth. When Washington was a child, so the legend goes, he was given a new hatchet. He wandered through his father’s cherry orchard and damaged a tree. When asked he said “I cannot tell a lie … I did cut it with my hatchet.” Then Washington’s father embraced him and rejoiced that his son’s honesty was worth more than a thousand trees.

But, over time, this foundational view of the importance of truth has been gradually forgotten. Once, lying to the public was an impeachable offense. But not now. Former President Donald Trump was impeached for other reasons, but not for his blatant dismissal of the dangers of COVID-19.

“It’s going to disappear … it’s like a miracle, it will disappear,” he tweeted in February 2000. Partially as a result of this misinformation from a trusted source, more than 600,000 people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19 setting an unenviable international record. Cartoonist Garry Trudeau recently depicted former president Trump in retirement with blood dripping from his hands.

Though President Joe Biden’s victory over former president Donald Trump was duly certified on Jan. 6-7, 2021, our country came perilously close to being overthrown.

Many of Trump’s followers continue to dwell in the echo chambers of their own opinions and deny the truth of Biden’s victory. Even worse, Republican members of Congress who deny this truth are well-educated and -informed. Congressmen such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and most other Republicans are knowingly and blatantly lying, hoping that they can feed the public their own “truth.” They voted down the establishment of an independent bipartisan commission that would have fully examined what happened when the Capitol was attacked on Jan. 6.

This is particularly disturbing given that the party controlled by the president usually loses seats in the next congressional election.

Perhaps these Republican congressmen do not realize that a sure sign of takeover by a tyrant is promotion of self-serving lies and discrimination against one group of people or another — both characteristics of former president Trump. Like her or not, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney did a fine thing when she said, “We cannot both embrace the Big Lie and embrace the Constitution.” For this, she was punished by others in the House Minority — demoted from her position as the third-ranking Republican in the House.

President Joe Biden has taken strong and constructive steps at the start of his presidency by emphasizing that our democracy is based on principles of truth and equality as stated in the Declaration of Independence. He began by telling the public, “I will not lie to you.” At press conferences, he encourages and appreciates truthful reporting.

His appointments to public office demonstrate his inclusiveness regardless of color, creed or sexual orientation. Criteria for serving in his administration are based on ability, not irrelevant characteristics.

He seeks to build consensus and has gained the necessary skills and old friends during 44 years in national governmental service, eight years as vice president for President Barack Obama and 36 years in Congress as U.S. senator from Delaware. So, he was well equipped to gain the June 24 bipartisan infrastructure agreement crafted by 10 U.S. senators, including Alaska’s own Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

Regardless of whether they are Republicans or Democrats, people will soon come to welcome the tangible and obvious results of Biden’s achievements: First, the direct financial support provided through the American Rescue Plan Act, and soon, the enhanced employment opportunities and clear evidence of bipartisan achievement in an infrastructure act. As Biden put it, “in tandem” with an infrastructure act, will be passage of the American Families Act, a raft of programs and expenditures lifting those who have been struggling economically.

As President Biden stated during his European trip, democracy “doesn’t happen by accident. We have to defend and strengthen it and renew it.” So when you see fireworks on July 4, remember that the celebration is for truth and freedom.

Janet McCabe and her husband David came to Alaska in 1964. She is a graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a member of Alaska Common Ground and Commonwealth North.

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