Here we are: just a week past an epic milestone for our country. We’ve been continuing this experiment in constitutional democracy for 250 years now; historians would say that only 20-30 countries have ever achieved that birthday. The events surrounding Independence Day this year were somewhat disrupted by weather and by mayhem, but we made it through, nonetheless. The line in the sand of history was defined by the opening stanza of our Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights; that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Is that still binding?

            In the modern era, everyone seems to be viewing life through permanently affixed political filters. Public voices are switched off if they’re affiliated with “the other side.” Because of that, the President’s comments on July 3^rd – at Mt Rushmore – were immediately disregarded by adherents of the national party currently out of power.

            In his speech, he included these comments: “Communism is the exact opposite of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It’s death, tyranny, and the pursuit of evil. The godless communist morality states that anything is justified to bring about inhuman visions and to really propose what’s good. They don’t want good. They don’t love God, and they don’t want God. They don’t love religion and they don’t want religion and they won’t have it. But we will not let them win. They have no chance against us… Very simply, communism represents the worst ideas and abuses in history by the worst people. The American founding represents the best ideas and traditions in history by the best people like you.

You can be loyal to Karl Marx or you can be loyal to America. You can be a communist or you can be a patriot. You cannot be both.”

            Common wisdom (regrettably extinct in 21^st Century America) always maintained that one must not bring up “religion” or “politics” in polite conversation. If that standard was operative today, it seems that no one would be talking to anyone, anytime, about anything.

            Historically, I have maintained this Monday musing for over 40 years with an unapologetic focus on faith-based subjects – “religion,” in the minds of most – while consciously avoiding “politics.” Hunker down for a rare exception to that firewall…

            The President was reacting to recent electoral victories by extreme-left candidates who are flying under the banner of “Democratic Socialists,” but are one click on the political spectrum from classic communism. In America’s two-party system, there have always been people who embrace biblical faith represented by both sides of the figurative “aisle.” In our generation, those distinctions have become even more pronounced. And now, the emergence of an ideology that opposes biblical truth is no longer off-shore or unwelcome: it represents the ultimate objective of a growing movement among younger and radicalized firebrands who hope to reinvent America and scrap our history.

            Here it is, in the simplest terms possible: America was founded by people who believed in God’s supremacy. Our culture was framed by Christians, and informed by biblical truth. Communism rejects God and places government in His rightful place. Communism sees followers of Jesus as opponents.

            Lee Greenwood is aging-out, but I hope the message of his signature ballad outlives him: “If tomorrow all the things were gone I’d worked for all my life, and I had to start again with just my children and my wife. I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today, ‘cause the flag still stands for freedom, and they can’t take that away. And I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died who gave that right to me. And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today. ‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land; God bless the USA!

 — Bob Shank