Idaho Remains Red, White, and Blue for America 250

Remember that 250 years ago, nobody had ever heard of Idaho, and the name was mostly made up by an entrepreneur who impressed the federal government with an exaggeration about his knowledge of indigenous culture.  But a large number of people who live in the state can trace ancestry to the colonial era, and I believe most Americans still have a love of country, even if some polls give an indication they may not quite know how to express it.

I Was at the Heart of the Bicentennial

Looking back 50 years, I was in Washington, D.C. at the beginning of July.  Washington also didn’t exist in 1776.  My memory is that its reputation as a hot, sticky swamp was well earned.  I traveled there with a history club from school.  On a rattling old yellow bus.  The city was packed, and many of the people on the streets were foreign tourists.  It told me that despite the anti-Americanism common on streets elsewhere around the world, we were still fascinating others.

We’re Still One Nation

1976 was a unifying experience and followed a very turbulent previous 15 years.  Some people fear the 250^th jubilee won’t bring us together.  Look, those rent-a-mobs you see on TV and online are actually a small fraction of America.  Picnics in the park don’t make news.  Riots and tear gas get the attention of newsrooms.  There are still far more picnics.

The recent Memorial Day commemorations were reverential.  Independence Day 2026 is going to be a party.  The media focus will be on President Trump and a festival far away.  Meanwhile, across Idaho, grills will be fired up, and we’ll be proud to be Americans.

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