Celebrations of our nation’s 250th anniversary are underway, yet America’s malcontents—who wallow in negativity—are predictably upset at all the hoopla. “Don’t forget about slavery,” they bellow.
The best of individuals have a dark side, and so do the best of nations. No news there. But if they are among the best, isn’t that something to cheer about? Why harp on shortcomings when the biography of good individuals, and the history of good nations, is much more positive than negative?
Here’s a sample of America’s malcontents.
The 250th Birthday of the U.S. Is Just a Few Years Away. Get Ready for Controversy” — TIME (March 31, 2022)
Argues the 250th anniversary should be used to rethink how Americans tell the story of the nation’s founding, with greater emphasis on slavery and other historical injustices.
“The anniversary provides an opportunity to reshape public understanding and ensure an enduring and inclusive legacy.”
“America 250 Cannot Celebrate Freedom While Honoring Slaveholders” — TIME (March 30, 2026)
The article argues that America should reconsider celebrating founders who owned slaves during the 250th anniversary. The author contends that honoring figures such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson creates a conflict with modern ideals of equality and liberty.
“America’s 250th should not become an active celebration of people who enslaved other human beings.”
“America’s 250th Is Repeating a Familiar Mistake” — TIME (April 7, 2026)
This article argues that those who planned America’s 250 celebratory events did not place enough emphasis on slavery and its role in American history.
“Our disagreements about the history of slavery, or of the founders, are never simply about the past.”
“How Jefferson’s Faults and Contradictions Reveal the Paradox at the Heart of the American Story” — Washington Post (February 17, 2025)
This article examines Thomas Jefferson through the lens of slavery and race and argues that those issues are central to understanding his legacy. As the author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson is presented as a symbol of the contradictions within America’s founding.
“For more than two centuries, Jefferson’s friends, family and defenders have all tried to create a more perfect Jefferson.”
“Ranking Member Huffman Blasts Whitewashing & Corruption Surrounding America’s 250th Birthday” (Rep. Jared Huffman) — House Natural Resources Democrats (May 20, 2026)
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) argues that the anniversary is presenting an overly favorable version of American history. He accuses organizers of minimizing the country’s failures and controversies.
“The darker parts of our past are airbrushed out.”
“Brianna Turner Says WNBA Should Not Wear ‘USA 250’ Patches Due to History of Slavery” — New York Post (June 6, 2026)
Phoenix Mercury player Brianna Turner criticized plans to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, arguing that the country’s history of slavery and discrimination makes such celebrations inappropriate.
“We are some of the most elite female athletes. 250 years ago we would have been breeders or in the fields working all day.”
“The Celebration of the Nation’s Birth Is Still a Sham” — The Nation (June 9, 2026)
This article argues that America has not lived up to its founding principles and therefore has little reason to celebrate its 250th anniversary.
“The Celebration of the Nation’s Birth Is Still a Sham.”
So who are these people? A look at them upfront shows they don’t come to the table with clean hands.
Time and the Washington Post both treated Hitler with kid gloves. Time featured him on the cover several times, highlighting the military strength of the Nazis and its economic prowess, not what happened during the Holocaust. Similarly, the Washington Post editorial board has been criticized for decades for not hammering Hitler for his murderous rampage against Jews. Just as bad, The Nation is infamously known as the great defender of Joseph Stalin.
Rep. Jared Huffman showcased his anti-Catholic muscles in 2021 when he threatened to take away the tax-exempt status of the Catholic Church. He did so simply because the Church is against abortion. Brianna Turner’s criticisms of slavery in the U.S. fall flat when we learn that she never condemns slavery that exists today in places like Africa. Moreover, her support for biological men to crash women’s sports shows her contempt for women’s rights.
These malcontents will never be happy with America, but the good news is that they are outliers. Most Americans are proud of their country, justly so. And they don’t pretend to come to the table with clean hands.
