July is a time we celebrate our country's independence and reflect on the promises of equal protection under the law, protection of inalienable rights, and a separation of powers.

Those founding promises were a little like an online dating profile that says what we are striving to be and not what we were at the time. Over the years, America has come closer to what our country listed on its dating profile, but we must remain vigilant and protect these ideals if we want to stay on course.

Our government is constantly tempted to make so many rules that it becomes bloated and instead of protecting our rights, it only allows their exercise under very limited conditions. With over-spending, which threatens the security of our future, treating people unequally and falling back into bigotry, and concentrating power in itself, our government seems to strive to reign supreme over its little fiefdom rather than protecting the tenets of our foundation.

This Independence Day we must recommit to those promises the founders of our country made all those years ago and say “No” to Governors who want to suspend our constitutional rights, “No” to those who want present and future discrimination in our government, “No” to reckless spending, “No” to regulating every facet of our daily lives.

This Independence Day may we remember that America is the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave and we must do our part to keep it that way!