What the Fourth of July asks of us

Evanston’s Fourth of July parade and celebrations are run by the Evanston Fourth of July Association, an independent non-profit organization. The Association manages parade entries and establishes its own rules and guidelines. The decision to include Evanston for a Free Palestine in the parade was made by that organization, not the City of Evanston.

That said, I strongly support their decision to accept the application of the Evanston for a Free Palestine marching unit. In my view, doing anything else would have been a violation of and an insult to the very ideals we gather to celebrate on the Fourth of July.

I understand the intensity of local sentiment surrounding Israel and Palestine, and the concern that public events touching on the Middle East can generate. My approach has been consistent: it would be inappropriate for the government to censor opinions that are peacefully voiced. That principle has held regardless of the viewpoint being expressed, from the encampments at Northwestern University to the recent local visit by a member of the Israel Defense Forces.

Beyond that fundamental principle, I believe this is an important moment to reemphasize the distinction between criticism of the Israeli government, support for the Palestinian people, and antisemitism. Criticism of the Israeli government — like criticism of the American government or any other — is a legitimate form of political expression. Solidarity with the Palestinian people, the overwhelming majority of whom are civilians enduring immense suffering, is an expression of humanitarian concern. Neither is antisemitism, nor were the messages that I have seen shared by the Evanston for a Free Palestine parade participants. At the same time, antisemitism is real, it is rising, and it has no place in Evanston. We can and must hold both truths at once: protecting free expression while standing firmly against hatred directed at any of our neighbors.

That is what the Fourth of July asks of us. The freedoms we celebrate matter most when they are tested. They are not reserved only for popular opinions or comfortable moments. A parade that welcomes the full range of our community’s voices, even those that spark disagreement, is a reminder of why we celebrate Independence Day in the first place.