An added dimension to this year’s Independence Day celebrations is what seems to be an awakening to the duties that go along with the rights of citizenship.

More directly, more and more Americans are opting to think for themselves rather than “throw in” with Democrats or Republicans as if the choice were the same as deciding whether to be a fan of Ole Miss or Mississippi State.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Although the national media continue to position every issue in the context of whether it’s “good” or a “win” for one party or the other. This “who’s in, who’s out” mentality often completely bypasses the only aspect that matters — and that’s whether or not an idea is good for America.

Evidence for this new wave of thinking can be seen in the number of incumbents of both parties who are seriously being challenged by “unknown” and “underfunded” candidates who are not on the talk show circuit and don’t have teams of consultants managing their public images.

Today, liberals and conservatives and moderates and those who are completely apolitical join together at concerts, fireworks shows and with family and friends to celebrate a bold decision made in 1776. Going forward, it will be a healthy sign if more and more people continue to think broadly and to recognize, as no less than President Barack Obama has said, that no single party has all the answers. Partisan politics is a trap. Citizens have a duty to be informed, not to march in lockstep.