It would be almost too easy to write a snarky column about America's 250th birthday celebrations in Washington, where crowds this week are avoiding the Trump-inspired Great American State Fair, a needlessly partisan white elephant focused on Christianity and a narrow view of US history.
But instead of being a hater, I find myself wanting to acknowledge the positives about America, my adopted home for the best part of 20 years.
Barely a week goes by without a new poll painting a picture of a country that has lost its footing, but that's true of many western nations. A recent Gallup survey found only one third of Americans are “extremely proud” to be American, the lowest level in the poll’s 25-year history.
Only 21 per cent said they were satisfied with the country's direction, while nearly 60 per cent said they were pessimistic about the “American Dream”.
Yet a Gallup poll last year found the US remains the most sought-after destination for aspiring migrants.
As someone who came here on holiday in 2003 and ended up staying, I can relate. I almost instantly fell in love with the place. Having grown up in rainy and often surly southern England, I couldn't get my head around Colorado's big blue skies, dizzying peaks, friendly locals and their can-do attitude.
In the years since, I quickly became more cynical and learnt that delights like these are often tempered by horrors, like the normalisation of gun violence, America's addiction to war and the acceptance of a multitiered health care system that leads to millions of bankruptcies and early deaths.
But at the same time, I often find myself marvelling at US ingenuity – its ideas, inventions and contributions to global culture. And despite what you see on social media, I maintain that Americans are among the friendliest people on the planet.
The country's manic swings of the political and cultural pendulum are confounding to me and so many others across the world. Perhaps the constant shifts are an inevitable consequence of the contradictions encoded in the country's DNA. The Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 was written by slave owners who said all men are created equal.
The US in 2026 is more polarised than it was 20 years ago, and it has always been a land of opposing forces and extremes. I find the blind adherence to any one set of ideas or politicians (including President Donald Trump) to be something of a betrayal of American values.
There is much to complain about here and I probably do more than my fair share of it.
The Great American State Fair on the National Mall is a case in point. Its deserted fields, ersatz neoclassical buildings made of plywood and the cheesy Trump iconography are a travesty.
But, to be objective, some of those attending were happy with the event and excited about Saturday's fireworks display.
“It's very festive, seeing a lot of people all dressed up and patriotic,” said Carrie, who had travelled to Washington from Indiana to celebrate July 4. “It's beautiful … just soaking up the American culture and patriotism and ambience.”
So this weekend, instead of ridiculing the fair and the algal bloom that has turned the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool green, I will be standing by a barbecue, waving a spatula and wishing everyone a Happy Fourth.
