The United States of America is not a people or a plan, it is the spirit of “Liberty for All” that is in our veins no matter what our economic status and no matter where we were born. That gives us all the right to live our lives as we choose, as long as in doing so we do not wrongly deprive other people of their rights to do the same.
Those rights have been enshrined in our Declaration of Independence, signed on the 4th of July 250 years ago, and in the Bill of Rights, which takes the form of the First Ten Amendments to our Constitution. Among other things, this means that we have the right to stand up to and criticize our governments without fear of retribution.
So how have we been doing?
Well, of course, life can be complicated, and so we have had some problems. Obviously, our country permitted slavery and thereafter segregation. But we have exterminated the former, and have come a long way in reducing the latter. So now our country is much more aligned with our founding ideals as we continue to strive to become a “more perfect Union.”
Our Founding Documents have so far kept us from being governed by a monarchy or aristocracy to which we are subservient. Of course, things can often be messy and there are always conflicts regarding the role of government as well as the power of the presidency. But, over our 250-year history, “We the People” have persisted in keeping those powers in check – and may it always be so!
Of equal importance, the principles upon which our country was founded have resulted in us fundamentally having a capitalistic instead of socialistic economic system. That means that all people can profit from their planning, labors, diligence and successes, instead of relying upon the government to enrich their existence (which only really works for politicians). And that is true for our immigrants as well. According to the American Immigration Council, “nearly half of Fortune 500 companies in 2025 were founded by immigrants or their children.” Most countries in the world are not able to make any of those claims.
Yes, of course we care about people who are poor or prone to diseases, and we have institutions to address their needs. And, yes, we can always do a better job at this. But in America – because of the freedoms from our founding documents of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution – appeals to “victimization” by “the system” do not get people very far.
I remain proud of our judiciary, where most of the judges have worked diligently to make judicial decisions that are faithful to our founding principles. So this works as a “check and balance” upon the accumulation of power by any other group in our country, whether they be public or private. It is the responsibility of each one of us to keep up these efforts.
As such, we should celebrate the 250 years since the birth of our America! As one of our Founders John Jay said: “Every member of the State ought diligently to read and to study the constitution of his country, and teach the rising generation to be free.” Those words are true, and we should celebrate and perpetuate them.
So, in that spirit, let’s celebrate the Great American Experiment, and wish a Happy 250th anniversary to our country!
James P. Gray served as a judge in Orange County for 25 years and previously served as a defense attorney in the Navy JAG Corps and a prosecutor in Los Angeles. He is the author of “All Rise: The Libertarian Way with Judge Jim Gray”