Remembering our shared ideals this Independence Day

Terry Ward, Publisher

As fireworks light up the skies across North Central Washington, we are reminded of the celebration at the heart of Independence Day—a commemoration of our nation’s founding ideals: liberty, equality, and unity.

It’s easy to get caught up in the noise of today’s political landscape. Social media rewards outrage, headlines thrive on division, and even conversations among neighbors can feel tense. But July Fourth calls us to something higher. It asks us to look beyond the divisions and remember what binds us together as Americans.

In the early days of our republic, fierce disagreements were common. The framers of our Constitution argued passionately—often bitterly—about the direction our young country should take. But they shared a fundamental belief in the possibility of a better future, built on the idea that a free people could govern themselves with respect, dignity, and mutual responsibility.

That ideal still lives here in North Central Washington. I see it in the way our communities come together after a wildfire, in the volunteers who show up to support their neighbors, and in the local leaders who try—despite differences—to find common ground.

This Independence Day, let’s celebrate not just with barbecues and fireworks, but with a renewed commitment to our shared values. We won’t always agree—and that’s okay. But we owe it to one another, and to the generations who came before us, to argue with integrity and listen with respect.

The future of our nation isn’t written in the halls of Washington, D.C. alone. It’s written right here—in our neighborhoods, our school boards, our town halls. And in how we choose to treat one another when the spotlight is off.

This Fourth of July, may we honor the spirit of independence not by standing apart, but by standing together.

Terry Ward is the CEO of Ward Media and the publisher of NCW News, Cashmere Valley Record, Lake Chelan Mirror, The Leavenworth Echo, Quad City Herald, and the Wenatchee Business Journal. He can be reached at terry@ward.media.