A Time to Reflect: The Fourth of July and the Erosion of Our Freedoms
Cheryl Schultz, Chair of the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party
As we prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks, flags, and family gatherings, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on why we celebrate this day. At its heart, Independence Day marks our nation’s founding commitment to liberty — the kind of freedom President Franklin D. Roosevelt famously outlined in his 1941 State of the Union address: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.
Here in Evansville, those ideals are carved into stone at our Four Freedoms Monument, standing proudly along the riverfront as a testament to the values we hold dear. But this year, those freedoms feel more fragile than ever.
In a deeply concerning decision, the United States Supreme Court has ruled to limit the use of nationwide injunctions — a vital judicial tool that allows federal courts to block unlawful actions by the government on a broad scale. For decades, nationwide injunctions have been used to halt harmful policies affecting millions of Americans — whether it was to stop discriminatory immigration bans, prevent restrictions on reproductive healthcare, or protect voting rights.
Without this tool, the courts — one of the last lines of defense against federal overreach — will be far more limited in their ability to shield Americans from unconstitutional laws and executive actions. The implications are sobering: justice and protection may now depend on your zip code rather than your rights as an American.
This isn’t just a legal issue. It’s a freedom issue.
Freedom of speech is meaningless if the government can punish dissent in one state while another court is powerless to act. Freedom from fear cannot exist when marginalized communities must wait, state by state, for relief from federal injustice. The erosion of nationwide injunctions chips away at our ability to respond swiftly and decisively when constitutional rights are under threat.
On this Fourth of July, the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party urges all citizens to recommit to the core freedoms our nation was built on — and to stay vigilant. Democracy depends on more than celebration; it demands participation. Let’s honor our Four Freedoms not just with fireworks, but with action, organizing, and a fierce defense of liberty for all.
Because freedom, once lost, is not easily regained.
