Have you seen the incredible, impressive increase in patriotism? It’s enough to bring tears to your eyes.

Men, women, and children are breaking out into spontaneous singing of the national anthem, like the chanteuse at Rick’s American Café in Casablanca. The song spreads among the crowd into a mighty chorus.

The flag is once again recognized everywhere and hailed as a symbol of our independence and courage. It’s impossible not to notice.

Even in the legislature, every elected official stands as one and sings the national anthem with vigor and resolve. Opera houses, everyone from the professional sopranos and tenors to the ushers and the well-dressed audience in the balconies, burst forth with the same song. In far-flung cities, in the ragged remains of apartments and city squares, the voices rise to the sky — ringing with love of country and the yearning for freedom.

No longer do the people doubt who they are and that, irrespective of their history and political differences, they have a common creed and shared aspirations. Men as young as 17 and in their 60s or older line up to join the military and defend the country.

I know you share my joy at seeing such an outburst of patriotism and seeing the media celebrating the end of national self-hatred. You’ve seen it, right? The return of a spirited nationalism grounded in eternal beliefs.

What, you’re not seeing it?

Well, maybe you have already figured out I am not talking about a rebirth of patriotism in America. The scenes I am describing are from Ukraine. They are inspirational. The American media is emotional describing and praising this patriotism.

But, here’s my question. Why do the same leftists in the media and the popular culture who love Ukrainian patriotism condemn every manifestation of American patriotism?

“Nationalist” has been the worst slur you could utter about a fellow citizen. National anthem kneelers are praised. Our national newspaper of record spent the last July 4 celebration publishing a columnist complaining how the very sight of our flag disturbed her. The contempt for deplorables and their flag-bedecked pick-up trucks was palpable.

Do some of these media voices and political elites now sense the contradiction? Do they know the Ukrainian people we rightfully honor now have their own checkered history to reckon with, including the crimes of Ukrainian collaborators with Nazi Germany at Babi Yar?

We pray for peace and the survival of Ukraine. But let’s not forget to pray for forces in our own country who can see the heroism in other nations but ignore it in ours. Maybe even they will come to see that while no nation is perfect, America is extraordinary and teaching our children to cherish it is the only way we endure.

“We’ll not spare either our souls or our bodies to get freedom.” The words of that Ukrainian poem are what they sang at the Metropolitan Opera and Royal Albert Hall. Isn’t that the essence of our anthem too?

He Knows Nothing

There is an old saying that “even a stopped clock has the right time twice a day.” President Biden is testing that axiom. Every foreign policy move he makes is wrong. Teddy Roosevelt said in foreign affairs, “speak softly and carry a big stick.” Biden yells foolish things and carries no stick. His big mouth and weak spine are hurting us badly.

The Wall Street Journal just reported that Saudi Arabia is in active talks with communist China on allowing them to buy Saudi oil with the Chinese currency, the yuan. Remember, the Saudis are not returning Biden’s phone calls. They are talking to China instead.

The world’s reserve currency is the U.S. dollar. Virtually all commerce is “settled out” in our currency. This fact gives us great economic leverage around the world. If the Saudis decide to accept the yuan instead of the dollar it would have huge negative effects on the U.S. down the road. It would help China in their long-term goal of having the yuan replace the dollar.

Why are Saudis so angry at the U.S.? They aren’t. They are angry at Biden. In 2020 he called them a “pariah state.” Way to go, Joe! He attacks the U.S. oil industry then he attacks our major foreign supplier of oil.

But don’t’ worry, he will send Kamala to straighten it all out.

Suffer The Little Children

The masking of millions of our children and the closing of thousands of their schools during the battle against the communist Chinese virus caused a massive self-inflicted wound that we may never fully recover from. Powerful teachers’ unions, cowardly politicians, and a politicized public health bureaucracy combined to victimize the youngest most vulnerable Americans. This disaster had nothing to do with “following the science” — no science supported these bad public policy decisions.

Over the last two years brave dissenters in a variety of fields tried to warn the country that we were harming our children’s learning and likely contributing to depression and mental health issues. All this even though healthy children were at very low risk from COVID’s deadly outcomes unlike the elderly with comorbidities. Those dissenters were banned from social media platforms and endured the “scorn” of cancel culture warriors.

Now that COVID insanity is ebbing the truth is coming out in actual research. The Washington Post this morning published a front-page story showing that the children in urban liberal-controlled cities who went all in for remote learning and then all in on masks when schools reopened have suffered a major decrease in academic skills. In contrast, districts in conservative-leaning counties who reopened schools as quickly as they could, and didn’t require masking, made gains in reading and held their own in other areas. At the same time these schools reported no major problems from COVID.

Here’s my question: Where do our children go to get their apology? The teachers’ unions? Fauci? Biden?

Summit Ministries

Young Americans are veering left at an alarming rate. Despite what they see in countries like Venezuela, they are dismissive of the right to speak and worship freely. Many are embracing socialism and are confused about important moral issues.

Sadly, the radical left thrives on confusion. When Americans become confused about our heritage and values, the left wins.

That’s where Summit Ministries comes in. My daughter attended Summit’s life-changing program as a teenager. It inspired confidence in her faith and provided a clear sense of direction.

At Summit’s summer conferences, students ages 16 to 22 learn the facts about our Judeo-Christian history. Summit is pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-Constitution, and pro-economic freedom. Students hear from respected experts and learn conversational techniques to articulate the truth.

In-person conferences will be held this summer, starting in May, in Colorado and Georgia. (An online conference will be offered in July.) Student conferences fill up quickly, so please take a few minutes right now and go to summit.org to reserve a seat for a young adult you love. Rates go up March 31st, so don’t delay!