A NATIONS IDENTITY IN CRISIS

America stands at a crossroads, her identity under siege. We are a nation forged in the fires of liberty, bound by the sacred principles of our Constitution, yet today, we teeter on the edge of division. President George Washington warned us in his farewell address that “Religion and Morality are indispensable supports” for political prosperity. He declared that no patriot could claim loyalty while undermining these pillars of human happiness. So, I ask: Who have we become? Are we producers, giving back to our communities, or mere consumers, taking without thought for future generations? Where is our pride in being American?

Our strength lies in unity, not the fractured discord sown by those who seek to redefine us. The Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land, a beacon of order and justice. Yet, laws like SB 003-25 and HB 1312, which defy its principles, threaten our foundation. Silence is consent, and we cannot afford to retreat from the public square. We must stand, speak, and engage. Hopelessness, the enemy of justice, has crept in since COVID, driving some to despair. We must reconnect as communities, rallying around our founding ideals, refusing to let differences become weapons that pit us against one another.

Washington cautioned that morality cannot endure without religion, a truth as vital now as it was then. “Reason and experience,” he said, forbid us to expect national morality absent religious principles. John Locke echoed this, warning that those who decry Christianity undermine the moral foundation essential for free governments. Our Constitutional Republic protects all to worship or not, as they choose—not as the government dictates. Good government, as Washington noted, encourages religion and morality, not attacks it.

What is our purpose? Is it to chase wealth or fleeting pleasures? If our Founders believed that, America would never have been born. The Declaration of Independence reveals their heart: “We pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” They lived selflessly, daring to stand in the arena. We must do the same, rejecting the rhetoric of “experts” who tell us what to think. Common sense and critical thinking are our tools to discern truth. Let us judge not by skin color but by character, as Dr. King dreamed.

Leaders must unite, not divide, “We the People.” But we, too, must act—attending town halls, engaging in civic life, and discussing the issues that matter. The change we spark locally will shape generations. Our Constitution and our children demand unrelenting resolve. The ground we surrender today is their inheritance tomorrow. Our past failures do not define us; our enemies seek to steal our identity and the American Dream. We must reclaim it.

Let us set aside what divides us and build on what unites us. The Constitution and Bill of Rights proclaim that all are created equal. By standing together, we honor our Founders’ sacrifices and secure a future where liberty thrives. America’s identity is not lost—it awaits our courage to reclaim it.

https://gazette.com/pikespeakcourier/a-nations-identity-in-crisis-guest-column/article_647a14dc-a6e4-4d6f-993e-ce6d39d7700e.html

OpEd from Pikes Peak Courier, June 25, 2025 by Aaron

flag of USA on grass field
flag of USA on grass field

Aaron Testifying Before Colorado State Senate Committee on SB003-25