Harriet Hageman: “Instability and volatility, it sounds like.”

In Gallup’s 25-year patriotism survey, just 17 percent, or less than 1 in 5 American adults, reported that they were ‘very proud’ of being an American.

I am, in fact, optimistic that those festivities we’ve already enjoyed are currently inspiring a new sense of purpose in our national identity.

I hope that by focusing on America’s 250th anniversary – and looking back over that history with honesty and accuracy — we will reverse these declines.

We must stop pretending that America is just an idea, or that we have no shared culture worth fighting for.