Liberty Exposé: Goodbye Patriotism, Hello Partisanship
The modern world is one of constant change. Progress, as the idiom is often quoted, marches on to the beat of its own drum. Ideas once held as constant, perhaps indisputable, are either retired in favor of the updated model or cast aside completely, deemed archaic in nature and out of vogue with the zeitgeist of the time. Nothing guaranteed today is apt to remain tomorrow. Amidst this ever-evolving landscape, the sagacious words of Thomas Jefferson resonate with as much clarity as they did nearly 250 years ago. That “in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.”
While it may seem bold of Liberty Exposé to expand upon what is possibly Jefferson’s most famous proverb, the political arena of 21st Century America has unfortunately created another indisputable certainty. One that crosses both party lines and many demographics, leaving no American unaffected by its all pervasive reach. The uncomfortable truth that from sea to shining sea, partisan dogma and political polarization have displaced any resemblance of what used to be the unifying force of patriotism.
George Washington might’ve predicted the detriments spurred on by the rise of political parties, but it’s hard to believe that Washington, or any of the other Founding Fathers, could have ever conceived of a nation so politically fractured and civically disjointed as the America of today. Whatever common ground that previously allowed for the healthy discourse of disagreement has arguably all but eroded underneath us.
The United States is quickly approaching the 250th anniversary of our country’s founding. On paper, a milestone such as this should be considered a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of national unity and civic reflection for every American. Instead, it’s become just another casualty in the culture war perpetually dividing our nation. The cancellation of Freedom 250 concert series during the ‘Great American State Fair’ serves as a somber reminder that there is little consensus between Americans across the political divide, even on something as innocent as attending the same party commemorating the birth of our nation.
The Great American State Fair
Anniversaries are always special, even more so an anniversary 250 years in the making. What do you get for the Union that has everything? A patriotic celebration of our nation’s founding spanning 16 days seemed like the perfect gift. Featuring exhibits from all fifty states, complete with family-friendly attractions, headlined by American musicians and hosted on the National Mall, the ‘Great American State Fair’ was envisioned to be a celebration befitting of the nation’s Semiquincentennial.
Spearheaded by Freedom 250, a “national, non-partisan organization”, the public-private partnership’s CEO Jack Krach stated their flagship project aimed to honor “traditions, innovation, music, military heritage, freedom and entrepreneurial spirit that define our nation,” and serve as “a moment for America to come together.” An event marketed as such could hardly draw any opposition. But controversy has become commonplace, especially when President Trump is involved in the tagline.
Following Freedom 250’s announcement of their ‘Great American State Fair’ concert lineup, nearly all of the nine performers initially billed soon ended their involvement with the celebration. Although the dissenting musicians differed in genre, their reasonings for detaching themselves from the event were largely the same. Many of the self-removed artists claimed they were misled by claims of nonpartisanship from event organizers, with country star Martina McBride, rapper Young MC, funk and soul group The Commodores and others voicing their opposition on various social media platforms.
After the departure of the majority of performers, save rapper Vanilla Ice, Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli, and Flo Rida, Trump quickly took to social media, criticizing artists and urging for the event’s cancellation. Through a series of Truth Social posts on May 30th, Trump suggested “bringing the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World,” and offering a “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY, for 250, instead of having overpriced singers, who nobody wants to hear, whose music is boring, and yet who do nothing but complain.” Trump soon actualized his alternative, unveiling a revised lineup to replace cancelled acts, featuring Lee Greenwood and opera singer Christopher Macchio, with the president himself headlining the June 24th start date of the ‘Great American State Fair’.
Patriotism Over Partisanship
“This is a question about what looks best for the Democrats, because I don’t think that looks good. It looks like you are just what people say about you. You don’t really love America. It looks like you think Trump is more important than the country itself.” — Bill Maher
Love him or hate him, it’s hard to deny the influence Trump exerts on nearly every facet of American life. Yet, perhaps it was more than just a personal resentment for the president that led to the massive pullback of artists from the ‘Great American State Fair’. Freedom 250 may self-assert itself as a nonpartisan entity, but the organization was established through Task Force 250 under Executive Order 14189. Task Force 250 allowed the president to “mobilize all the federal agencies in support of the 250th anniversary”, but “Freedom 250 will lead the delivery of the President’s national signature events.” Moreover, Task Force 250 is chaired by the president himself, with Vice President JD Vance serving as vice chair, and Freedom 250 “isn’t subject to congressional oversight” allowing for “more latitude in its plans.”
Having two organizations, public or private, overseeing the Semiquincentennial is confusing enough. But the plot thickens, as there was already a “congressionally created U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission” in 2016 that has “spent nearly a decade planning commemorations nationwide.” A nonpartisan nonprofit, America250 has “received only $25 million of the $100 million it expected from the Trump administration as of April”, and critics allege the Trump administration has illegally redirected funds allocated to America250 to fund Freedom 250 events while offering “incentives to donors that would be illegal from a government agency”.
Would the massive artist withdrawal be prevented if potential acts were presented all the facts up front? Maybe. But even if they were given information from every angle, as late night comedian Bill Maher quipped, “Wouldn’t it be better to play this gig?” Maher continued by stating what should be the obvious, “Lots of people like just celebrating America. Can’t we all just celebrate America itself and leave Trump out of it?” Unfortunately, it does not appear so, because regardless of whatever unifying aspect the Trump-backed Freedom 250 events may have had, they are now solidified in the media narrative as “just a big MAGA rally.”
Partisanship has once more overtaken patriotism as the driving force of American culture, dividing rather than unifying. Further catalyzing the controversy and confusion surrounding the Semiquincentennial celebration, CNN “will broadcast an expansive slate of must-see programming”, hosted by Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. As Americans scramble to figure out which celebration best aligns with them politically, the patriotic spirit of America continues to dwindle away, increasingly amongst younger Americans.
Americans didn’t need two Super Bowl Halftime Shows, all that accomplished was splintering viewership ratings and divided households. Neither does the nation need competing celebrations of its 250th anniversary, and Americans should have a more vested interest in their nation than their favorite NFL teams. The die has already been cast, but perhaps some remnants of patriotism can be salvaged from the affair.
A house divided against itself cannot stand, and Americans have been at each other’s throats for so long that it’s surprising the baseboards of our Democratic Republic are still standing at all. How long can it continue on like this? It’s beyond time for a turning point in the relationship between conflicting members of our national family.
Celebrations are often occasions of reflections, and there is no better birthday than our nation’s 25oth for a moment of national inflection. Like any other family, children learn from the examples set by their parents. Republicans are just as at fault for driving a wedge between Americans as their Democratic counterparts, and a change for the better must be made starting with our federal and state leaders.
Regardless of who resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, everyone should be proud to be an American. Otherwise, there may no longer be another birthday party to attend.
