A message from the team at PRRS – Independence Day 2026
As we approach this 4th of July, there are perhaps even more reasons to celebrate this year, not least the fact that the signing of the Declaration of Independence took place a whole 250 years ago. A quarter of a millennium. Think about that for a moment.
And yet, surveys suggest that a growing number of Americans are planning to sit this one out. According to recent polling, fewer people intend to mark Independence Day than in previous years. No cookout. No fireworks. No flag on the porch. Just another day.
We get it. Life is busy, the news cycle is relentless, and it can be hard to feel celebratory when the daily headlines seem designed to grind you down. But we’d like to make a case, a compelling one, we think, for why this particular July 4th is absolutely worth marking, and why the freedom that underpins this great nation is something none of us should take for granted.
The Thing About Freedom Is That We Forget We Have It
The thing about independence, AKA freedom, is that, like oxygen, its value becomes apparent only when it is threatened or lost. We can take it completely for granted while we have it. And freedom only came to us at great struggle and cost to our predecessors, who obviously thought it was worth fighting for rather than remaining subject to the control of the English king.
Thanks to their sacrifice, the Declaration of Independence set a global precedent: henceforth, governments would derive their legitimacy only from the consent of the governed. This new idea, a contract in which people had the freedom to consent to being governed, was and remains a remarkable thing. It was radical in 1776. It still matters enormously today.
So, the question is worth asking: did it work? Did the protection of personal and intellectual freedoms pave the way for greater social, scientific, and cultural advancement? The answer, by any measure, is a resounding yes.
What 250 Years of Freedom Actually Built
Over its first 250 years, the United States transformed from a string of 13 struggling colonies into the world’s most powerful economic and technological superpower. A massive, diversified capitalist economy that transformed natural resources into unprecedented wealth, spawning global corporate giants and establishing the U.S. dollar as the world’s primary reserve currency.
U.S. innovators shaped global transit and connectivity with the electric grid, the telegraph, the assembly-line automobile, and the airplane. American ingenuity birthed the transistor, the personal computer, the smartphone, and monumental medical breakthroughs that have saved and extended countless lives around the world.
The U.S. mobilized critical military and industrial power to decide the outcomes of both World Wars and played a central role in defeating the Axis powers. Post-WWII, America championed the creation of international alliances and economic frameworks that shaped global stability for generations. Then, in perhaps the most iconic moment of the 20th century, the U.S. led the international Space Race, becoming the first and only nation to land humans on the Moon in 1969, and pushing the boundaries of deep-space exploration and observation ever since.
And along the way, the promise of independence was progressively extended to more Americans through milestones such as the abolition of slavery in 1865, the securing of women’s suffrage in 1920, and the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. Freedom, it turns out, has opened a lot of doors.
And if none of the above impresses you, remember this: if it weren’t for our ancestors 250 years ago, we would be condemned to lives of drinking tea, playing cricket, and paying too many taxes. So, there’s that.
“But Things Aren’t Perfect”. We Know. Celebrate Anyway.
We hear the objection. America in 2026 isn’t without its tensions, its divisions, or its frustrations. There are legitimate debates to be had about the direction of the country. There always have been, and that, too, is a feature of freedom, not a bug.
But independence was never a destination. It was, and always has been, a direction of travel. The fact that we can have those debates openly, vote for the leaders we choose, start businesses without permission from a king, build communities on our own terms, and live largely as we see fit, that is the experiment the founders launched 250 years ago. And by any historical comparison, it has been an extraordinary success.
Choosing not to celebrate doesn’t protest against today’s problems. It just means you missed a moment to acknowledge something genuinely worth honoring. And this year, of all years, with a 250th anniversary on the calendar, that would be a real shame.
From All of Us at PRRS: This One’s Personal
Here at PRRS, the 4th of July resonates with us in ways that go beyond the cookout and the fireworks display, though we are here for both of those things.
Many of our team members have stood for freedom in the most literal sense of the word as members of the United States Armed Forces before coming to work with us. They know what it costs. They know what it means. And they would tell you, without hesitation, that it is worth celebrating.
We are proud of this country and grateful for the personal freedoms that we have. We think that freedom is worth celebrating, and we absolutely intend to celebrate this special milestone year.
Our work at PRRS is, in its own small way, an expression of the same values that underpin Independence Day. We believe in fairness, in order, and in creating value for the public. By ensuring that parking facilities are used as intended, we help property owners reduce costs and ensure consumers always have spaces available when they need them. Functioning communities, managed fairly, for the benefit of everyone. It’s not the Declaration of Independence, but the spirit isn’t so different.
So, this July 4th, wherever you are and whatever your plans, we’d encourage you to take a moment. Light the grill. Watch the fireworks. Fly the flag. Raise a glass to 250 years of an idea that changed the world, and that, for all its imperfections, continues to be worth fighting for.
Happy Independence Day from everyone at PRRS. Here’s to the next 250 years.
