Editor’s Note: As with all articles published on Data or Die, we strive to provide a platform for all viewpoints, opinions, and suggestions that come from a place of a genuine desire to promote positive change. While we as a company and individuals that compromise it might agree with an opinion presented, they do not always reflect the positions of The Burr Project. In this case, this article was written by Nicolas D’Agostino, one of our interns, highlighting his thoughts on Independence Day – Vince Santore, CEO of The Burr Project

We are the heirs to a great promise that we celebrate on this auspicious day. However, it seems that in the day of endless political infighting people need to be reminded of this promise that all men are endowed with unalienable rights. It seems that this day has become another touchstone in the ongoing culture wars surrounding this nation. We should instead look past these fractious debates and the issues surrounding them and look at the promise of America as of yet unfulfilled. The hypocrisy of the founders and most of all the writer of the Declaration of Independence the signing of which we celebrate today. This hypocrisy is among the most prominent stories of American history with its presence in some of the greatest crimes in our history. It is difficult to reconcile the fact that the men who preached liberty and justice for all also participated in the practice of slavery and in the elimination of native peoples from the continent.

It is these historical facts that lead one to question and in many cases resent the founders and their prevailing influence on American society. It might lead one to think that this country is rotten to the very core and unable to be saved without massive change. However, it is my view that this view purposefully ignores the higher ideals that make up the founding and best expressed in the Declaration and in the philosophical influences of the founding. These ideals are those that are or should be universally accepted and regardless of the obvious moral failings of the men who eloquently expressed them. These are the ideals upon which this nation was founded and built upon and while these higher ideals have often been lacking from the laws of this nation they still are present in the back of our minds as we continue to move forward to fulfilling them.         

This is a day for great celebration but also one that is necessary to recognize our nation’s own imperfections while charting the road ahead and finally fulfilling the promise this nation was built upon and truly creating a place with justice for all. We should take this day to celebrate the ideals this nation was built upon while at the same time recognizing that we need to work harder to achieve them. This is a day we celebrate the founding of this nation of hypocrisy and greatness, a nation of higher ideals and serious moral failings. This is a day for us to celebrate our nation and for us to look to tomorrow where we can fulfill the true promise of the revolution once and for all.