The Promise of America: E Pluribus Unum
By Mitch Siegler, Founder

As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day, we’re reminded of the enduring promise of the American experiment.

Yes, the United States is far from perfect and there are painful episodes in our history that are uncomfortable to recount, like the brutal treatment of Native Americans and the enslavement and persecution of Black Americans.

But the ideas and ideals at the foundation of this country are noble and profound. The words of the Declaration of Independence are stirring: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness – That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

These words are no less true because their author, Thomas Jefferson, owned slaves. In fact, the ideas behind them led to the abolition of slavery, which had been a societal norm throughout history. The evils in America’s past are failures to live up to our promises, not problems with the promises themselves.

The U.S. has given millions of people from all ethnic and racial backgrounds a stake in a shared future. Recent immigrants are some of our country’s proudest patriots because they appreciate the opportunity represented by the Stars and Stripes.

Those pushing radical ideologies in our K-12 schools have no such gratitude. They demonize American history and heroes as irredeemably genocidal and “settler colonialist,” losing sight of the astonishing progress we’ve achieved through consensus and compromise. There is no nuance – and certainly no humility – for them; everything is black or white.

Not only is this wrong-headed history, but it is terrible for our children – and for the future of our nation. This extremist ideology undermines the very civic foundations that bind us together, replacing them with resentment, guilt, and even hatred.

THINC Foundation believes in telling the full American story, warts and all. But we firmly reject the narratives that propound heritable guilt and reduce children to static categories of oppressors and oppressed based on their identity.

This race essentialism denies the individual dignity of each child and teaches them to view people not as unique human beings, but as avatars of religion, ethnicity, sexuality, and class. There could be no better recipe for division. The logical end point of this “education” – if taken seriously and implemented in everyday life – is segregation or worse  History teaches powerful lessons about societies where ideologues and absolutists use power and propaganda to demonize and repress those with whom they disagree.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. certainly recognized the profound flaws of our nation, but he also recognized the promise in our founding documents. He called on our nation to judge people “not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” In our nationwide survey of nearly 1,500 parents of school-age children, 93% of respondents supported Dr. King’s vision, and 81% believe it is important that their children be taught the colorblind values at the core of that vision.

Dr. King’s dream is quintessentially American – and diametrically opposed to race essentialism.

Ethnic studies is a good idea that should promote understanding, mutual respect, and civic unity, not grievances and group-based blame. A healthy democracy requires an educated citizenry capable of critical thinking, not one brainwashed to repeat lazy slogans and view history through present-day morality.

This Independence Day, let’s recommit to our nation’s promise. Let’s teach our children the beauty of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Let’s equip them with the tools of open inquiry, respectful debate, and civic engagement. Let’s teach them the importance of gratitude and patriotism – not blind loyalty, but an appreciation for how the freedoms we all enjoy were conceived, sometimes betrayed, and bravely defended throughout our history.

At THINC, we stand for an education that uplifts rather than divides, one which equally values all students for the individuals that they are – not as tokens of whatever identity group they happen to belong to. Children should be challenged and inspired by American ideals regardless of their background.

On this Independence Day, we invite you stand with us in defense of common striving, individual dignity, and a hopeful vision of America.

This is a great country, and we all have a role to play in continuing to make it even greater.