Happy 250th birthday, America. Now what?

Congratulations, America. We have reached our semiquincentennial. Across the country we celebrate with parades, picnics, fireworks and gatherings with family and friends. As we celebrate, I would also suggest setting aside time to read the document that set this nation in motion, and to reflect on the “host of worthies” who pledged their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor” to secure its promise. Our republic was founded on the radical idea, “that all men are created equal.” No other nation in the history of mankind has begun with such a revolutionary claim about individual rights, liberty, and self-government. The Declaration of Independence is a mere 1,320 words. It can be read in about 15 minutes, yet understanding its full meaning takes considerably longer. When I read it to clearly grasp the meaning of the words, I often consult resources from the Founding era to better understand the words as the Founders understood them. Modern tools, including artificial intelligence, can also help clarify older language, though we should always be mindful of the sources those tools rely on. Slowing down in this way deepens comprehension and helps bring the document’s meaning into sharper focus. Why should Americans take the time to read the Declaration of Independence? Because it is still relevant today as when written. As citizens, we must understand the foundational ideas of this nation, along with the earlier works that shaped them, from the Greeks and Romans to the thinkers of the Enlightenment. Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Marcus Tullius Cicero’s On the Commonwealth, and John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government all belong to the canon of political thought that informed the American Founding. When citizens are unfamiliar with these key works of political philosophy, they are at a disadvantage in confronting modern political movements that reject or diminish the principles of the American Founding. It is not enough to merely label bad ideas, we must understand why they are flawed. We must be able to explain why liberty, private property, rule of law, and constitutional government offer a better path for human flourishing than ideologies that seek to centralize power and control economic life. To defend Western civilization, we must be prepared to expose unsound reasoning and failed policy, not with slogans, but with knowledge, persuasion, and enthusiasm. We must remain happy warriors. Some post-modernist critics may roll their collective eyes and challenge the assumptions behind them. Yet their own version of reshaping humanity through political will deserves scrutiny even more. History teaches that human nature is not malleable. Those who have studied history, sought truth, and used reason understand even more that liberty is the responsible exercise of freedom; it is tied to human dignity, morality, and self-restraint. Political schemes built on envy, resentment, or the promise of a perfect society have repeatedly produced suffering and death rather than justice. So, what comes next for America? How do we defend and continue the legacy of our Judeo-Christian Western inheritance? I offer a few suggestions. First, our reason and rhetoric must be stronger than the opposition’s. We should know both sides of the argument and resist the temptation to answer farce with farce. Instead, we should engage as the Founders did; with bigger and better ideas, evidence, moral clarity, and persuasive language. The arguments we need are already available in the writings of the Founders and the thinkers who influenced them. Our task is to use classical and timeless words and phrases and translate those ideas into modern language for conversations, essays, speeches, and our public life. We must use those ideas of the American Founding in our stories that make the point about why freedom benefits our fellow citizens more than government coercion ever can. We should listen seriously to the concerns of young activists and distinguish between misguided ideas and the people who hold them. That distinction matters. There are powerful examples of intellectual conversions including the economist and author Thomas Sowell and David Horowitz, founder of the Horowitz Freedom Center. Both were once drawn to socialist and communist ideas in their youth but later rejected them and became ardent advocates for the American experiment. Their experiences remind us that persuasion is possible. We must keep the hope of the American idea in focus; without it, we risk losing common ground that makes self-government possible. Now is the time to stop making excuses about being too busy or too uncertain to act. Each of us has talents and skills to make a positive difference in our town, state, and country. Drop the “not” from “cannot” and decide that you can. Show up. Speak up. Defend capitalism, liberty, freedom, family, and the future of America. In this battle of ideas, leadership must not be outsourced entirely to elected representatives. This responsibility belongs to you. If the American idea is to remain exceptional, it must be understood, defended, and lived by the people who are the custodians of our republic. https://kimmonson.com/featured_articles/happy-250th-birthday-america-now-what/

I received a text, “Thirsty? We need to have a beer soon.” I replied, “I can’t tonight, I have an Optimist Club Meeting. How about next week.” His response, “We all need a little optimism, pick a day and time.” My retort was, “Monday, 6:30 PM, at a local watering hole.” The day and time rolled around and I met my neighbor for a beer. Dick and I served on our HOA Board together. He lives one street away in a similar looking reproduction of a Victorian house. His house is three shades pink, mine three shades of purple. We live in a unique colorful neighborhood. Over the years our conversations have been colorful as well. At Christmas he invites me to his eggnog party. On Halloween I invite him to my costume party. I once had a HO train layout that I built and then grew tired of so I asked him if his son would want it. Dick and his son were soon over carrying out the 4×8 board of tracks out of my basement and over to his house. He grew up a Republican and became a Democrat. I was just the opposite. To say our conversations are vibrant is an understatement, yet over the years we have come to respect that we have different world views yet continue to battle our differences and philosophies over a pint of beer much like our Founders did. Our recent tit-for-tat focused on words that the Founders debated in our founding documents and how they apply to today. Until recently, Dick worked in environmental remediation, so his understanding of the word “regulation” is based on his expertise on compliance, rules, and official requirements. As a businessman and a student of history my understanding of the word “regulation” is based on the root word “regular” from the colonial period as it was meant as “conforming to a rule or an established discipline.” This is important to understand since the phrase in the Constitution, “a well-regulated militia” includes the word “regulated” which was understood as well-ordered, or functioning as it should, or properly disciplined, not controlled by the heavy hand of government as is today’s understanding. Dick questioned the necessity of relying on Samuel Johnson’s “A Dictionary of the English Language” a widely used reference during the Founding Era, which was accessible at the time the Constitution was drafted. My understanding is that the educated people at the time used this and other sources during that period leading up to the American Founding to understand the meaning of words. These included Giles Jacob’s “A New Law Dictionary” for legal meanings and William Blackstone’s “Commentaries on the Laws of England,” Nathan Bailey’s “Universal Etymological English Dictionary.” Thomas Dyche and William Pardon’s dictionary, in addition to many other sources such as books and pamphlets of the time. Our healthy debate on words, ideas, and the Founding was enjoyable since we both took the time to listen to one another, responding to the others’ point of view backed by stories, examples, and personal experiences that allowed our differences to be understood. There was some agreement on some things and disagreement on others, yet we each made our points. This was not a “more perfect” discussion, yet like our Founders, we hashed out our differences and went away friends, not hating each other because we have differences of opinion. This was the Founders hope in building a “more perfect union,” discussing our differences through talking and listening, not from authority and force. We both could have benefited from using techniques to encourage further inquiry, such as asking, “why do you think that” or “can you share a source for your idea.” We could then offer our own sources, and after reviewing them together, we could discuss our findings. This would tone down some of our trying to top one another. Also, restating a comment and saying, “Did I hear what you said correctly” and repeat what you heard to help to clarify the other’s position. Imagine if more people had the discipline to use their minds and their self-regulation to use words in a way that were non-incendiary. Imagine not using one’s smart phone during a conversation to prove a point but using thought, logic, and reason to make a moral argument. Today’s rhetoric is no different than our Founders’ time except a bit speedier with technology. The Colonial discussions were robust and often heated. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were friends and then became enemies until their waning years, then picked up their pens and wrote letters to make amends remembering what brought them together. Imagine doing that again. Just as every grain of sand on a beach is unique, so are people’s views on significant matters, full of both differences and shared perspectives. The changing tide constantly adds new grains and removes others, refreshing the shoreline much like our evolving opinions and beliefs. As Americans, we need to wash away the nastiness we heap on each other and use our passionate and feisty discussions to find common ground. However, when we vehemently disagree, we should have the maturity to walk away from our differences without using violence or revenge. I would agree with Dick. In a world full of anger and angry discord, we all need a little more discussion, a little more listening, and a little more optimism. https://kimmonson.com/featured_articles/talking-politics-over-a-beer/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Polis%20commuted%20Tina%20Peters%20s%20sentence%20after%20five%20months%20of%20silence&utm_campaign=W20-2026-05-17%20-%20Segment%206&vgo_ee=zeiXwKAm%2BkvfPeTLU9SY2TmqhtJsShlOpN1RS4Em8z%2Fv22Xg2aWV1L9Y%3AC82XQQB6YK4Q0rSrYzmpzcUMxqoTyUtD

A tiny mark carries significant weight

Did you know when you write the lower-case letter “i” or “j” that the little dot directly above it has a name? It is known as a tittle. This tiny dot may seem insignificant, yet it is a crucial punctuation. The dot rises above the main body of the letter as a distinguishing mark. The word gains meaning, just like this dot brings it to life. This idea of a tittle, or examining the most minute part of something, often reveals the one piece of a puzzle that creates a breakthrough in intention, invention, or ideas. Serendipity has driven new discoveries. X-rays revolutionized medical imaging. Penicillin launched the antibiotic era. The finding of the DNA double helix became the foundation for modern genetics. These revelations at the time of discovery transformed people’s lives with new scientific information. Just as these scientific breakthroughs began with small observations, so too did America’s founding principles emerge from seemingly minor but profound ideas. Benjamin Franklin and his experiment with a kite did not discover electricity, yet it showed that lightning is a form of electricity. That spark of discovery was a catalyst for a curious mind by revealing a hidden realm that was always part of everyday existence. It became visible only when someone articulated it as a concept. The American Founding did the exact same thing but with an impact that changed the world with the discovery and recognition that “All men are created equal.” The founding of America was based on a unique idea, and the new country’s acceptance of this concept remains one of the most important achievements in history. Instead of emerging all at once, it developed over time as various prominent thinkers, writers, speakers, and debaters contributed to this idea. These individuals came from various backgrounds and traditions, yet they all contributed dots of discovery like the tittle to create a world that allowed for men to speak, live, and dream about freedom in a way that we take for granted today. The concept of individual rights, having control over one’s own being and the right to self-ownership, emerged from a groundbreaking shift in thought. The phrase “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” from the Declaration of Independence is frequently highlighted and makes it essential for readers to recognize its significance. These words express our country’s purpose as a free and independent nation. However, the most impactful tricolon appears in the closing line “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” The repeated emphasis on “Lives” and “Life” highlights that true freedom and independence are only possible when we take ownership of our own existence. We create our “Fortunes” through “Liberty,” which comes from responsibly using our freedoms. The phrase “our sacred Honor” refers to the integrity that one is committed to upholding without compromise. This moral commitment is a profound personal pledge that deserves protection, requiring us to safeguard our reputation even above concerns for safety or security. These seemingly simple words exclaim a greater weight than a tittle because they define the reason for the Founders’ experiment in self-government. A people with a moral character understands that self-restraint allows one’s happiness. We preserve liberty by upholding “our sacred Honor,” fulfilling our personal responsibilities, respecting our roles as citizens, and always striving to develop greater virtues. Although this pledge carries great significance, today it is uncommon for anyone beyond our military, police, and a handful of citizens to read, discuss, and fully grasp the meaning of these small marks on paper. More than just expressions, they are the foundational principles to which we must recommit. This is why I would encourage you to purchase a copy of this document and, like the 56 Founders who signed their names to the Declaration of Independence, you do the same. By personally signing the document, individuals acknowledge the significance of their commitment and recognize the substantial consequences that may result from a lack of determination to uphold the principles outlined in it. The analogy of the tittle extends further into our everyday lives. Just as the dot completes a letter, modern acts of integrity, such as volunteering or standing up for what is right, are today’s tittles that sustain our republic. Consider the example of Scott Presler, the activist whose dedication to voter registration and fair elections exemplifies how one person’s commitment can catalyze nationwide change. Or think of Isabel Brown, the podcaster whose commentary on culture, family, and Gen Z issues recently went viral when at a conference she suggested women should have more babies. These individuals remind us that the smallest acts or words are modern tittles that can ignite lasting transformation. Soon we will celebrate our nation’s 250th founding. It has been said that Benjamin Franklin once commented to a woman known as Mrs. Powell when she asked what kind of government the delegates had created. Franklin responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Franklin’s words, like those tiny marks above lower-case letters, were an admonition as well as a momentous achievement of the mind, only if we commit ourselves today as the Founders did then. https://kimmonson.com/featured_articles/a-tiny-mark-carries-significant-weight/

PLUGing in to Connect

A favorite story about persuasion is about a student who asked a sage how he was so good at persuading others, especially when they were certain that they were right. The sage walked the student over to a stone well in the village square and lowered the bucket into the water. “See the stone rim,” said the sage, “these indentations were not created by a hammer, but by the slow and steady drip of water from the well.” The student replied, “But water is soft and weak.” “Ah, but it has shaped the rim of the stone well,” said the sage. “So too, it is with words. Coarse words may win the moment, but soft truth spoken with respect can change a heart.” For the past twelve years I have been participating in a networking event called PLUGin. It is a programmed event at the end of the Leadership Program of the Rockies (LPR) Retreat. The purpose of the LPR program is to train top influencers from all walks of life about the American Founding Principles and Free Market Capitalism. The PLUGin event enforces these ideas in the form of a speech competition while engaging the audience and demonstrating how a person’s outside activities and organizations can promulgate those concepts. These ideas consist of studying and understanding individual rights, the proper role of a limited government, and being an active and engaged citizen, all based on the American ideal. It is with joy that I get to recruit the presenters who are called Connectors and conduct the PLUGin event for the alumni and current class members going through the program. I help guide them using structured techniques taught in class for a three-minute or less speech. The Connector’s use the power of persuasion by captivating an audience for their vote. The challenge is further enhanced since the Connector’s cannot ask for money in their presentation or they are disqualified. Our Connectors attempt to appeal to the audience with their public policy cause through their non-profit organization or a new idea that can affect civil society and public policy. If someone in the audience likes what they hear, they can make connections with a cause that evening. The Connector’s presentation is voted on and three are awarded cash prizes of $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second place, and $1,000 for third place that is donated to their organization by a generous sponsor. A panel of judges and audience members help select the winners. An LPR alumnus created an app that has all the Connector’s contact information and their organization’s purpose along with a photo of them on a landing page so the audience can vote and follow up with any of the presenters after the event. The Connectors receive a list of these voters and reach out through their organization to request support; this could include volunteering, offering specific skills, or providing mentorship. After the Connector’s presentation, alumni of the program, current class members, and their guests can enjoy conversation and refreshments. This occasion presents an excellent opportunity to network with distinguished leaders from Colorado and across the country who are making significant contributions in their fields. This year’s winners were as varied as starting a Classical Charter Academy, which will focus on American Founding principles and teaching the skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic as well as the classical virtues. Another winner presented on their organization that protects the individual rights of women and children from the dark evils of sex trafficking and is working to provide resources for survivors. Another winner focused on civic engagement with a civic-tech initiative designed to help everyday citizens get involved in shaping their communities by discovering and serving on local boards and commissions. A follow-up prize is awarded to a Connector who has the most engagement after six months from the audience members that voted for them. That Connector wins $500 for their organization and two hours of priceless consulting time with LPR’s President. The PLUGin event has helped to launch or expand several organizations over the years including a startup that recruits grandparents to get involved in their grandchildren’s education and advocates for their well-being, to a liberty themed oral communication and leadership skills development program which has received national recognition. The Connectors at the PLUGin networking event are like the water from the stone well. It is not with coarse words that win the moment but rather with soft-spoken words of respect that can persuade others to understand a point of view. Humility and humor often win the event over hubris. As the great Orison Sweat Marden once said, “The world makes way for the man with an idea.” PLUGin is an event that connects people with an organization or an idea. https://kimmonson.com/featured_articles/plugging-in-to-connect/?vgo_ee=jZlS0RtmMeIk1QihrZrJYrp12%2BXXgQrec8m6Gmul4FZ1osTwWA40QEtO%3A3Pu9HMw1Lykd3MZT3FHpLcCecmv9%2BZUS

An Engraved Mark

My dad and I were having a conversation about what I was going to do after high school. I always worked a part time job when I was old enough. Early on I was a paper-boy, then I tried telephone sales and worked in retail as a stock clerk and a sales associate. I even delivered milk and dairy products on weekends to help an older gentleman who disliked running out of his truck to porch his residential customers’ orders. Yet, I knew I wanted to go to college and focus on my studies without having a job. The discussion unexpectedly became intense, and before I realized it, I blurted out, “You owe me a college education.” My dad had a different opinion, and he picked me up by my collar and held me up against the kitchen wall. I brushed against the clock that was hanging there and knocked it down to the floor. Staring intensely into my eyes, he replied, “I don’t owe you crap.” After my dad let go of me, I realized I had said the wrong thing, and I was left dangling by my shirt collar from the nail that used to hold the clock. My dad walked out of the room, and I was shocked by how much anger my comment had provoked him. At that moment, I needed to figure out how to free myself from the nail. I eventually slid out of my shirt and picked up the clock that had survived the fall. Neither I nor the clock sustained any physical harm; however, my ego took a hit and my previously arrogant expectations of him were humbled. Time healed my ego and my respect for my dad only increased. Sometimes an obstinate kid needs to learn about life the hard way. This was one of the greatest lessons my dad gave me. Simply said, nobody owes you anything. It took some self-reflection to understand why he became so angry at my assumption that my needs were his responsibility at eighteen years old. This was not about my dad’s moment of anger; instead, it was something truly valuable to be treasured forever. I found similarities in a yearly e-mail a friend sends me about a Christmas letter written by Harry Browne, who once ran as a Libertarian presidential candidate. This e-mail always reminds me of my experience with my dad. Browne wrote a letter to his then nine-year-old daughter about what he wished he had learned when he was her age. The letter, written in love, was better than any toy or game his daughter could have received. The lesson being nobody owes you anything. Like Browne, I have incorporated this philosophy of personal accountability and self-reliance that allows for the responsible exercise of freedom. The idea took me time to grasp as I matured, that people live for their own happiness, not yours. Life and the love of it are a gift and should not be an obligation by someone else once you are an adult. The responsibility for your happiness is you. When one understands the need to be self-restrained in your appetites and desires, one can create a life that is released from the expectations that others have a responsibility for your happiness. Your life and the love of it are blessings and one should have gratitude for it. My dad, like Harry Browne, gave me the key to understanding and a way to live a more fulfilling life. Once you rely on yourself for happiness and no longer have the feeling of entitlement, you make your own life complete. When you respect and trust acquaintances, friends, and family without expecting anything in return, it deepens your connections with them and allows you to genuinely appreciate others. Living with respect for yourself and generosity brings one a greater sense of fulfillment. When you let go of the belief that the world owes you something, you begin to appreciate everything you already possess. I wish I had that clock from the kitchen wall. It would have been a daily reminder of how valuable time is, and that life’s lessons often come when reality forces us to pay attention by engraving a mark on our character. As Harry Browne once said, “A great burden was lifted from my shoulders the day I realized that no one owes me anything.” https://open.spotify.com/episode/3XrmYY3b1Pxr5C9dmoAthK