In today’s divided political climate, what does patriotism mean? Hear from Kansas Citians
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas Citians view July 4th as a celebration of freedom and togetherness
- Views on patriotism range from honoring veterans to acknowledging U.S. growth
- Fireworks remain a unifying tradition across political and generational divides
Tune into the news in the last week and you would be hard pressed to hear anything about Independence Day or July 4th coming up. With as divided as our political climate is currently, you’d be even harder pressed to hear people discussing what it means to them.
The Star went to fireworks stands across the Kansas City metro area to check the people’s temperature on the holiday and to ask them important questions such as “what’s your favorite firework?” and “what does patriotism mean to you?”
The resounding sentiment was Independence Day being a celebration of “freedom”, where people can get together with friends and family on a day off, to enjoy some good barbecue, (hopefully) good weather, and a light show provided by tons of explosives.
When it comes to patriotism, the sentiment shifted a bit. Some people see it meaning showing respect for our veterans and being grateful that they have been born in a free country.
“God and country. USA. I’m proud of it,” says Zeke Young, owner of Red X Fireworks in Riverside. “People don’t always agree, but again, we gotta be proud. We need to be one. We are the United States.”
Another view point shared was that patriotism could mean seeing how far the country has come, but also how much farther we can go.
“To me it means to be proud of America and where we’ve come from, but also kind of acknowledging that we have not been perfect,” says Adrian Taylor of Overland Park.
Whatever your opinion on patriotism, most people enjoy good fireworks. From 500 lb. cakes and mortar shells to sparklers and “Doggie Doo Doo”’s, even the most sensory sensitive amongst us enjoy some type of firework display. See some of the best places to see fireworks in the Kansas City area here.
Watch the video to hear more about people’s thoughts on the holiday and on patriotism.
