The New Face Of July 4th

After signing the Declaration of Independence, John Adams wrote "I believe [today, July 4th] will be celebrated by succeeding generations as a great anniversary festival ... it ought to be celebrated by pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other ... "

Two hundred and twenty-six years later, the spectacle Jon Adams envisioned has been realized as the largest, grandest, most expensive yearly celebration in America, a multi-million dollar display broadcast throughout the world.

The event this year promises to be breathtaking. President Bush has repeatedly expressed his own excitement as July 4th draws near, saying Americans "ought to be joyous in their celebration and celebrate the fact that we're fortunate enough to be Americans."

But there's also an undeniable shadow cast over July 4th this year, perhaps epitomized by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's declaration that Americans should enjoy themselves both because they are patriotic and because, through their enjoyment, they can "stick it to the terrorists ... [our celebration] will show them that we are not afraid and that they have not succeeded."

It seems, this year, that our patriotic celebration will be largely influenced by the politics of September 11th.

It's for this reason that Mohamed El Filali, a resident of Paterson, New Jersey, will not be attending any Fourth of July parades or firework displays. "As a Muslim, especially during this specific holiday, I have a concern of being racially profiled by the police and the federal agents. Police officers have been, by the nature of the state of affairs we are in, put on high alert, and under scrutiny not to leave any room for problems," El Filali said. "I personally do not want to fall prey to an overreaction of either fellow citizens in a large crowd or by overprotective security agents."

"I know so many Muslims who would love to take part in July 4 celebrations but are afraid of what some ignorant people might do, either members of the public or uninformed law enforcement officers," said Hani Awadallah, president of the Arab-American Civic Organization in Paterson.

Aysha Mirza, a Rutgers University student from Woodbridge who has decided to take part in the fireworks Thursday night, said: "Anyone who covers and wears hijab and is Muslim-looking, I can understand that they would be scared. But my loyalty to [America] and my patriotism is not something to be questioned. We love [America] as much as anybody else does."

The state of alert caused by terrorist warnings has made others choose not to venture out to the parade because of a more generalized fear of attack. "I don't want to travel, not even by car," said Madeline Bobbin, of Mandeville, La. "There's too much uncertainty out there."

"Especially after [September 11th], it's nice to do more family things, close to home," said mother Edith Konrady. "I think that matches with a national trend of people doing things closer to home, and doing a lot more family things."

Many have been waving flags to ease these fears, a new study done by the College of William and Mary suggests.

"The flag business was once a quiet, predictable industry, but that all changed with Sept. 11," said Thomas D'Amico, president of online retailer American Flags Express.

"[After September 11th], in the face of such uncertainty, people didn't know what to do," said J. Timmons Roberts, a College of William and Mary professor who directed the survey done by undergraduates in his sociology research class. "[Buying a flag] was something simple, concrete they could do."

"Does flying the flag make America more able to deal with terrorist attacks? Probably not," said Roberts, who put a flag sticker on his car window after the attacks. "But does it help individuals get up the next day and go to a dangerous work place or cross the bridge they're afraid will blow up? Maybe."

The same survey found that one in three American workers felt more stressed on the job since the Sept. 11 attacks and the anthrax attacks, and that nearly one in four workers felt their jobs became more dangerous after those events.

Those who do head out to the parade this year will notice changes in the usual order of affairs.

This year, combat jets will patrol skies in New York, Washington and other cities and plainclothes FBI agents will walk parade routes. In New York, heavily armed anti-terrorism teams will be deployed, while National Guard troops will monitor bridges and tunnels.

In California, all 30 highway patrol aircraft will be watching from the skies. And in Boston, the traditional early morning race for the best lawn seats for celebrations along the Esplanade won't take place this year because of tighter security.

Washington will have all 3,600 police officers on the street, as well as 500 Capitol police. In Milwaukee, there will be security cameras and random pat-downs to monitor the 100,000 people expected. And in Seattle, which the local head of the FBI recently warned may be an "easy target" due to low law enforcement staff levels, more than 500 officers are on duty.

At Mount Rushmore, where 25,000 people are expected, officials erected temporary fencing and closed airspace around the monument to presidents. The FAA also established no-fly zones over the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.