John Green "Ben Franklin famously said, "You've got a republic, if you can keep it." That warning is particularly haunting now, because we seem on the verge of losing it — not from foreign invasion, not from revolution, but because we stopped caring about it.
"America was founded on the principles of individual liberty and equal treatment under the law. These are the foundational principles required for equality and prosperity. Yet we've been creeping away from those principles for many years. In the last 12 years, that creep has become a sprint. The world's beacon of freedom is dying, and we're acting as if trading liberty for "safe spaces" is a great deal.
"The press has become the propaganda ministry. These people no longer report the news. Instead, they craft narratives. Many of those narratives seem designed to create civil unrest — playing Americans against one another. Apparently, hatred and riots are good for ratings. Consumers of this "news" no longer have an accurate picture of what's happening in politics or society. They're simply pawns playing their parts in the script.
"Our schools have become little more than re-education camps. They're no longer preparing our children for adult life. Math, science, and reading have taken a back seat to Critical Race Theory and intersectionality indoctrination — and our children's test scores show it. Schools don't teach critical thinking or value differing views. They're demanding conformity with their chosen ideology. The generation that is just now approaching adulthood, doesn't understand the importance of individual liberties and doesn't seem to care.
"Our Legislative Branch has stopped debating. Speaker Pelosi would rather tear up speeches than have an open discussion with those she disagrees with. Her priority is insider trading of Tesla shares, not actual leadership. Maxine Waters would rather encourage the rioters than talk about the root causes of societal issues. When it comes to legislation, we're simply told, "We have to pass the bill to find out what's in it." Our rulers just want us to shut up and accept whatever they intend to do. They're no longer representing their constituents. Yet somehow, they all manage to become wealthy after a few years in office." . . .
“From whence shall we expect the approach of danger? Shall some trans-Atlantic military giant step the earth and crush us at a blow? Never. All the armies of Europe and Asia...could not by force take a drink from the Ohio River or make a track on the Blue Ridge in the trial of a thousand years. No, if destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men we will live forever or die by suicide.”
Abraham Lincoln
