By Kathy Solberg / Herald Forum
Two years ago, writing for the Fourth of July, I reflected on freedom as an “opportunity of life”; words borrowed from a survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. I distinguished between “freedom to” and “freedom from,” celebrating America’s foundation built on the former while acknowledging our ongoing struggles with the latter. Today, as I prepare to observe Independence Day again, I find myself questioning how to celebrate freedom when it feels increasingly fragile and even elusive.
In July 2023, I wrote about freedom as “the state of being when you live within the value and belief system of your choosing.” I marveled at our country’s rich tapestry; the diversity of thinking, culture, and being that came together to create possibilities unavailable elsewhere. Americans celebrated innovation, the freedom to start businesses, and forge new livelihood paths. Our “freedom to” had always been our greatest strength.
Yet today, I witness Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents establishing roadblocks and conducting raids that evoke darker chapters of history. A U.S. city stands occupied by federalized National Guard and Marines; without the governor’s invitation or consent. The parallels to authoritarian overreach feel impossible to ignore, and I wonder: What would our founders think of federal forces deployed against state sovereignty?
The international perspective I’ve gained through my global network with The Weaving Lab tells a sobering story. Partnering with individuals from the Netherlands, Belgium, Kenya, Argentina, Germany, and beyond, I’m struck by how I’m now greeted. There’s a present empathy for me as an American; empathy typically reserved for those living under repressive governments. Friends from Japan, Germany and Switzerland, with whom I’m currently traveling, speak cautiously about our country’s direction. Many in my international community will no longer consider visiting the United States; several have canceled World Cup plans for 2026. The country that once symbolized welcome and possibility is no longer seen as either.
This shift represents more than policy disagreements; it fundamentally questions who we are. The very diversity that made us innovative, the “freedom to” that enabled entrepreneurship and cultural exchange, feels under siege when communities live in fear of raids and roadblocks. How do we celebrate independence when basic freedoms feel dependent on geography, documentation status or political affiliation?
In my 2023 article, I referenced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its recognition of “the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family.” I noted that “when we realize that we are not separate from one another, the possibility of freedom can be found.” This wisdom feels both more urgent and more challenging to practice today.
The irony is stark: Just two years separate these reflections, yet the distance feels vast. The “freedom from” protections I wrote about — freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, from excessive government force— seem compromised. Meanwhile, the “freedom to” innovations that built our economy and culture are threatened when entire communities fear engaging in daily life.
But perhaps this moment of tension offers opportunity. The same diversity of thought and culture that created American innovation can guide us through this crisis. Our founders understood that independence isn’t just declared once; it must be continuously earned and protected. True independence means neither blind celebration nor helpless despair, but active engagement with the difficult work of democracy.
This requires what I call unweaving and reweaving, dismantling systems that separate us while rebuilding connections based on our shared humanity. It means fostering cultures of belonging where everyone matters.
The path forward demands that we show up differently in uncertain times. We can lead by listening to those whose freedoms feel most threatened. We can innovate solutions that honor both individual liberty and collective responsibility. We can build bridges across divides, remembering that our differences have always been our strength when approached with curiosity rather than fear.
Freedom was established through our founding documents and has been fought for and defended throughout our history. The current threat isn’t that we lack a legitimate claim to these freedoms, but that they’re under assault and need active protection.
Having marked this Independence Day and as we prepare for next year’s 250th, perhaps the question isn’t whether we can celebrate freedom, but how we can protect and redefine it for our time. True independence means having the courage to protect freedoms that are under threat while redefining what they mean in practice. It means recognizing that freedom isn’t a fixed state but an ongoing practice; one that requires all of us to participate.
The opportunity of life that freedom represents remains available, but only if we’re willing to do the hard work of protecting it for everyone, not just some. That work begins with each of us choosing to lead, even in — especially in — uncertain times.
Kathy Solberg leads a consulting business, CommonUnity. Learn more at www.commonunity-us.com.
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