This erosion of respect results not only from the tone and substance of recent media coverage of government, but also from our heritage. On July 4th, more than two centuries ago, delegates of the 13 colonies declared independence from what they regarded as oppressive colonial government and from that time to today, there have been those who opposed what they regarded as intrusive government. In addition, in every succeeding generation, our country has been renewed by immigrants, many of whom had fled oppressive power and been accustomed to seeing government in a negative light. And finally, we have not been immune from periodic incidents of governmental corruption and abuse of power. So our mistrust of government has genuine and deep roots.

But we need to remember that the ideal of independence which we celebrate on the 4th was not merely freedom from authority. Rather, the ideal is of self government -- the freedom of independent citizens to govern themselves. That was the founding concept and it still frames our country today. What makes it work is the citizenry’s capacity to be innovators, both in and out of government.

The government we established two hundred years ago is not static, but rather continues to respond as the needs of the governed change. We have remained faithful to our founders’ ideals, but we have also had the courage to adapt. We have amended the constitution 27 times since its ratification in 1788. We fought a civil war to end slavery, and in this century we established a social security system which helps protect many of our elderly from poverty. We have and will continue to have healthy and vigorous debates about other changes.

Contrary to what many now believe, our government has handled all this change and contention pretty well, and with its own innovation, has continually spurred important improvements in our lives. Many of government’s most creative acts from the past are now so familiar that we forget their origin in our experiment with self-government. The Morrill Act, for example, created an extraordinary network of public institutions of higher learning. The GI Bill enabled an entire generation to go to college, buy homes, and fuel a growing economy. And in scientific research as well as space exploration, government has helped prepare the nation for the future.

Public authorities and private citizens acting together continue to respond creatively to the needs of the governed. The Boston police department, area clergy and community groups have persuaded teen gangs to participate in a pact that has reduced firearm homicides among youth by 64 percent. In San Antonio, a partnership between government, corporate and non-profit agencies is placing former welfare clients in high-wage, high-tech jobs. And, in Florida, a state program extends broad, private health care coverage to more than 20,000 previously uninsured children by using school districts to create large insurance pools. These are just a few of the thousands of creative initiatives that public agencies begin each year

Perhaps on July 4th, one of those breathtaking, many-colored bursts of fireworks should be in tribute not just to the struggle to become independent, but to self-government and to the work of talented public servants. In doing so, we may help to create a better balance between healthy skepticism and the support our admirable form of government deserves.

Susan V. Berresford is president of the Ford Foundation, which gives annual awards to innovative local, state, and federal government programs.