"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves." Abe Lincoln
- With all of the news breaking in the last several months regarding the attacks by our own government on our freedoms and liberties, I contend this Independence Day is one of the most important in our history.
- While it does not rank with the first Independence Day or the Independence Days during the Civil War and WW II, it's significance today cannot be mitigated or diminished.
- This current administration and Congress have managed to deeply divide the country---as well as damaging our relationships with other countries. Our confidence in government and many governmental institutions is the lowest its been in our history.
- Yet, as we did so many times before, we will overcome these injuries to this great nation. One can imagine what was going through the minds of millions of Americans during our own Civil War. The deep division during that period in our history must have been devastating to the nation's psych. But the nation was blessed by one great man as its leader, Abraham Lincoln (Who never lead from behind). When Lincoln told the American people, "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing," they understood what Lincoln meant. Lincoln knew that the disunity in the country during those years of the Civil War was not the country's destiny. Lincoln rightly recognized---as our Founders did---our core values of freedom and liberty could overcome any challenges and obstacles thrown in the path of the nation . It's what this country is all about. It's what this country has always been about.
- Our ideals of patriotism, liberty and freedom are on parade this week. We will reaffirm those principles this week as we've always done in our history. It's because of this and more, I'm confident we'll overcome the trials and hardships. As James S. Robbins, author, recently wrote: "There is nothing wrong with the USA that couldn't be fixed if the country had more American patriots." I believe George Washington would agree with that statement if he were alive today.
