NYC fireworks 2015
This year's fireworks on New York's East River. They were shifted further north to give Queens residents a better view.

Photo: Sharlene Spingler

On July 4, 1776, approximately 2.5 million people lived in the 13 colonies of King George III. Today 321.2 million of us live here in these United States.

The Declaration of Independence, which marks this day, was drafted by five men—Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston. Fifty-six signed the document.

John Hancock, President of the Second Continental Congress, was the first signer.
Benjamin Franklin, 70, who represented Pennsylvania, was the oldest of the signers.
Edward Rutledge, age 26, of South Carolina was the youngest.

America is a great country.

In the United States, you can say what you wish without being concerned about reprisal. You can go to the church of your choice. You have access to the necessary resources and the ability to make something positive happen for yourself and for those dear to you. And you do not have to be concerned or fearful about what you do regarding your future.

No other place in the world has these same freedoms.

That said, America is facing some tough challenges today, both from around the world and within our own borders.

Domestically, our economy is still struggling, our healthcare system and schools need fixing, and our lack of direction needs serious consideration. Faith in our government is abysmal.

Bipartisanship and reaching across the aisle are perceived by far too many as weaknesses instead of good government. Civility, at times, seems like a thing of the past.

Internationally, after more than a decade of war in Afghanistan and Iraq, the region is more volatile and dangerous than ever. Our friends and allies expect more. Terrorism knows no borders. The very freedoms we cherish are threatened every minute of every day. Just think back to the words of Ronald Reagan:

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”

So how we respond to these challenges will go a long way toward determining whether we can remain what he so famously called “a shining city on a hill.”

We are still the beneficiaries of the stand taken on July 4, 1776. As we honor America and celebrate our freedoms, we should learn from the example set by our nation’s founders.

Each of us needs to look in the mirror and ask, “Have I done enough to ensure the America we love will continue to progress and thrive?”

When President Reagan left office in 1989, he had this assessment for America:

“She’s still a beacon, still a magnet for all who must have freedom, for all the pilgrims from all the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness, toward home.”

More than twenty-five years later, America is still a beacon to the world. It is up to each and every one of us to ensure she remains so for generations to come.

So as you eat hot dogs and hamburgers this weekend and see the $247.1 million worth of fireworks, most imported from China, think about what President Reagan said and what our next President is going to have to do.

* * *

Robert L. Dilenschneider is founder and chairman of The Dilenschneider Group, a global public relations and communications consulting firm headquartered in New York City. The former CEO of Hill and Knowlton, Inc., he is also author of more than a dozen books, including the best-selling "Power and Influence."