If you noticed a slightly smaller number of folks at your local Independence Day celebration yesterday, here may be a reason why: A Gallup Poll conducted last month revealed its lowest-ever level of those being “extremely proud” to be an American. Naturally, analysts such as Hot Air’s Allahpundit quickly figured out the reason why, buttressed by this explanation from Gallup:

The latest overall declines in patriotism are largely driven by Democrats, whose self-reported pride has historically been lower and has fluctuated more than (that of) Republicans. Democrats’ latest 22% extreme pride reading is the group’s lowest in Gallup’s 19 years of measurement, and is half of what it was several months before Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory.

When you take a deeper dive, though, the reason may be as simple as the information received. Take the example of one of the Left’s house organs, The New York Times, and its “misleading” look at how rotten they believe America is. Adding to this thought, as Gary Bauer explains, “Some may be tempted to dismiss the results of the (Gallup) poll as merely a partisan reflection on the presidency. That would be a mistake. When [Barack] Obama was president, the percentage of Republicans who were ‘extremely proud’ never dropped below 68%.”

Even those of us who weren’t Obama fans agree that not all about America is great — although the aspects we think are subpar may not be the same ones those on the Left continually carp at and caterwaul about — but we retain our faith in the American system, initially spelled out in the Declaration of Independence, and shaped even further by the Constitution after its initial Articles of Confederation proved to be insufficient. (If you want a blank stare, ask a young person about the Articles of Confederation. It’s likely they weren’t taught its role in our history.)

And that’s the beauty of this nation — we retain the freedom to take a mulligan. If we don’t like a president, four years later he can be tossed out, as found out most recently by George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter. Countless senators, congressmen, and state and local officials haven’t been satisfactory to the electorate so they got the ole heave-ho at the next opportunity.

Unfortunately, those on the extreme Left who make up the 8% of liberals who aren’t proud to be Americans often advocate for a system where a dissatisfied public can’t change things as easily. One final regret for millions in the last century was finding out the system they thought would make their life easier or get them even with those they envied for having more than their share was the tyranny that would cost them their lives through any number of means, including war, starvation, or execution for being deemed disloyal.

Yet we’re allowing politics to divide us, forgetting the fact that we could get together with family and friends as a private gathering, take advantage of one of the public celebrations of our nation’s birthday, or simply choose to relax and enjoy having a midweek holiday, is part of the beauty of independence. It’s a blessing ensured, however, by thousands who sacrifice their holiday time to serve and protect us as our military and first responders to whom we owe a debt of gratitude. Fortunately, Independence Day’s position on the calendar often lends itself to becoming a holiday weekend, as it does this year, so they’ll have time to celebrate as well.

Thus, it goes without saying that those of us in our humble shop, understanding the miracle and blessing it’s been to have a land such as ours — one that yesterday embarked on its 244th year as an independent, free, and strong nation; one available to be a shining city on a hill for the world — are extremely proud to be Americans. Its actions may not give us pride — and sometimes we wish we could hide in our shame — but as a whole this nation still presents a lot to be proud of after all these years.