As Americans gather to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks, cookouts and parades, we do so at a moment of growing strain in the very government our founders entrusted to “We the People.”

It’s tempting to blame “the government” as if it were some distant, faceless entity. But the Fourth of July reminds us of a deeper truth: the government is us. It is not a foreign force; it is a system we built, designed to serve the people because it is made up of the people, by the people and for the people.

We must remember this truth when we hear about budget cuts to schools, veteran services, healthcare and food assistance. These are lifelines for our neighbors, our families and, often, ourselves. When we allow cynicism or division to erode trust in our institutions, we risk weakening the foundation of American democracy: the idea that we govern ourselves for the common good.

This Independence Day, patriotism isn’t just waving a flag, it’s showing up to school board meetings, voting in local elections, volunteering in our communities and holding leaders accountable not just for cutting costs, but for upholding values. It’s remembering that investment in education, infrastructure, safety and dignity is not wasteful, it’s how a free and self-governed society honors its people.

As we celebrate the vision of 1776, let us renew our commitment to that vision, not just with fireworks, but with action, engagement and a shared belief that democracy is worth investing in. Government is not a business, it exists to provide services and when we starve government, we starve ourselves.

Let us not forget: the government is not them. It is us.

Chris McPherson, Allegany town supervisor