1819 News Opinion
Read the latest opinion piece from our opinion columnists at 1819 News.

I wish I were half the man my dog is.

For 250 years, Americans have benefited from the courage of those who came before us. America still needs people with that same sense of duty, with that same courage and determination to ensure that America continues to be “a shining city on a hill” that makes us like no other nation in the history of the world.

I want a nine-year-old today to have the same opportunity I have to one day to celebrate “America 300” with the same fervor and understanding, knowing that their story is an American one and that they are a pivotal part of this great American nation.

That Adams and Jefferson should die on July 4, 1826, a half-century after the Declaration's adoption, seems almost too fitting to be true. The two men who helped define American independence left the world together on the anniversary of the nation's birth they helped midwife.

The next 250 years will not be determined by government alone. They will be shaped by parents who teach their children to love this country, churches that proclaim the truth, communities that strengthen families, and citizens who refuse to take freedom for granted.

School choice isn’t a replay of 1776, but it is rooted in the same enduring principles. It begins with the belief that government exists to protect the rights of families, including the right to responsibly direct the education of their children.

If at all possible, a person should wear what they like no matter the material nor the epoch from which it sprang. For me, this has become the clothes of my childhood, the clothes I vaguely remember my parents wearing, and those I wore myself till the frightening ’80s came along. The attire of the ’70s was classic, manly and American, and it fits well in our nation’s 250th year.

We are expecting another big crowd for breakfast this weekend for America’s 250th, and if you want an opportunity to talk one-on-one with one of our state's GOP primary winners, there's a good chance they will be there.

The only firm basis for unalienable rights is the recognition that these rights come from a higher Source than man and his institutions. And what Source could that be but God? Jefferson answered that question clearly, eloquently and succinctly – “by their Creator.” 

We are obliged to cherish the living while they remain in reach, to honor the ones who had a hand in the making of us, and to keep carrying them on the short walk to the graveside – and in our memory for the long walk.

So, rather than merely playing the victim of circumstance or pretending individualism can set us free – the recognition of sin liberates us to see we are not alone in community yet must also take personal responsibility for our own and other’s suffering through humility to the Word. 

In short, the idea of America has always been that with God’s help, its citizens are the captains of their own destinies. This is part of the inheritance we received from the American founders, and it is part of the inheritance we should pass along to those who follow us.

Time, after all, is less interested in importance than texture. It keeps the sound of laughter longer than the details of a funeral.

True miracles are those that defy all natural explanation, testifying directly to God’s power. Further, the power to perform miracles is never given to men apart from God’s sovereign purpose.

Once upon a time, doctors treated the same patients for decades, forming strong relationships with them. Modern commercialized medicine, however, has created a barrier between patients and healthcare providers, leaving many wondering whether our doctors are genuinely interested in our well-being.

But don’t forget the subtle beauty of unsterilized imperfection. As you go about your day today, let your quirks show. Be proud of every wrinkle, blemish, and scar you own—you earned them fair and square.

The truth is that God sent his Son to die to make men holy. This grants us all equality and rights. This gives us freedom in Christ. And this message has emboldened our founders and Americans for 250 years to fight to make men free – all while God is marching on!

Congress should not rush to pass a bill based on supposed “support,” fluffed-up news coverage, or the desire to tell people back home you are doing something to “fix college sports” during an election year.

I did not bleed for some watered-down, guilt-ridden version of America. I did not fight so my children could grow up apologizing for the very flag I wore on my shoulder. I did not watch good men die just to watch politicians sell our sovereignty, borders and future.

To me, this solar farm is a $350 million investment in Baldwin County that will provide over $50 million in property taxes alone. That will provide all citizens of Baldwin County with more funding for schools, roads, parks, and other county-wide services.

As a friend observed, Gen X will probably take the hit of losing our Social Security benefits to preserve money for our children. We grew up watching Charlie Brown get the football ripped out from under him every Thanksgiving, so it feels normal to be told we’ll never receive our benefits. Being raised on hose water and neglect toughens you up.

The Judeo-Christian recognition of equality did not involve Marxist notions of redistribution of wealth. “By nature all men are equal in liberty, but not in other endowments,” Thomas Aquinas said.

The Riverchase Galleria helped define who we are as a city, and with the right partners and the right vision, its best days can still lie ahead. 

To truly know someone depends much more on what’s within the depths of a broken and contrite heart than anything that can be observed by the naked eye.

Ask yourself… what do you live for? Who holds first place in your heart?

The Declaration is less an argument invented than a mind discovered, a consciousness arriving at self-knowledge through its own prose.

The battle over our founding principles is no longer fought with muskets and cannons. It is fought in classrooms, on social media, in newsrooms, and throughout our culture. And far too many of our children are walking into that battle completely unarmed.