By Ryan Christie, Humboldt County Republican Party Communications Chairman
The American Way, what is it? A good understanding lays in Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota, the famous monument to past presidents, specifically George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. When you see Mt. Rushmore, what do you see? Unfortunately, far too many people simply see four historical figures, long dead, completely irrelevant to their day-to-day life. Worse still, too many people see them as malevolent bigots, figures to be condemned and erased. But in the lives of these great men, we see examples to live by and the spirit that makes this country great.
George Washington was not only our first President, but a lifelong soldier who commanded the forces in the American Revolution. This is a testament of the importance of military service in our country, as just as it was back then as now, the freedom of this country relies on the service of the armed forces. In his farewell address as President, Washington spoke of the importance of national unity and warned of the political dangers of regionalism, partisanship, and foreign influence- exactly the problems plaguing modern America. This is a reminder that there is truth and relevance in old wisdom.
Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, was a brilliant man. A polymath, his interests outside politics and philosophy ranged from architecture, food, biology and linguists. His expedition to the Pacific, a daunting journey through thousands of miles of wilderness, a journey that brought immense knowledge about the topography, environment and Native Americans that lived there. A nation is made strong by ambition, daring and intellectual curiosity.
Abraham Lincoln entered the White House in 1860- one of the most trying and tumultuous times in our country’s history. A decade’s long dispute over slavery cumulated into civil war, but the Union remained intact, and the 13th Amendment was passed, ending slavery once and for all. Lincoln was a master orator and a gifted writer, a reminder that one needs a strong voice to combat moral wrongs in society.
Theodore Roosevelt was considered the President that brought America into the 20th century, a man with a strong vision for the future. Roosevelt strengthened the United States Navy into what would be the most powerful naval force in the world and orchestrated the construction of the Panama Canal. He modernized many laws relating to child labor, environmental conservation, and monopolistic practices by certain businesses. This belief in investing in the future, of an America confident and optimistic would make The United States the superpower it was through the twentieth century and through the present.
The American Way is not just some slogan; it is a mindset and a philosophy. It requires a respect for the past and of the wisdom of those that came before but also a consideration for the future; the refusal or inability to do either is a road to ruin.