By Senator Joyce Krawiec

When I have an opportunity to communicate with you, I always want to let you know how honored I am to serve you in the North Carolina Senate. The citizens of Forsyth and Davie Counties are my utmost concern and I never forget who I represent. I take this honor very seriously and I am most thankful.

As I write, we are nearing the celebration of the birth of our nation. July 4th. Independence Day is recognized as the date our nation was founded and it has been a big celebration every year. I love it. It is one of my favorite holidays.

Last year, I missed the parades and fireworks and all the socializing that previously took place. The fun activities were halted because of the pandemic, and it was not the same. I am hoping that there will be some celebrations taking place this year.

We have a lot to celebrate on Independence Day. We are blessed to live in the greatest country in the world. This is a place where it matters not where you start in life, you have a chance to achieve great things. We are not a perfect country. There are still many improvements that must be made. But even with all the imperfections, we are still the best place in the universe. There is no utopia on earth. We have to wait for Heaven to experience that, but this is a great place to wait for it.

There are some sordid historical times in our past, but we have overcome. There are many who try to keep us in those dark ages and continue to remind us of the sins of our fathers. But the future is bright for all who are blessed to be Americans.

Times have definitely changed and not always for the good. Children no longer learn the important lessons in life, The Ten Commandments, The Golden Rule, and the documents that define our nation. Many have no idea what the Constitution says and does. Many have no clue of the Bill or Rights or who our founding fathers were. They probably know more about the sins of our founders than about the accomplishments that made this country the beacon of freedom and the envy of the world.

I know I sound like such an “old timer” when I speak of my love for this country. I am reminded of the sacrifices made by so many in order for us to live as we do today. Those who traveled across the country in covered wagons to settle the prairies, built factories, and towns, and cities; they went through great hardships. There are those who sacrificed everything to make America what she is today. It was not an easy task and we have reaped the benefits of many who were willing to pay the price.
In earlier times, we learned about the history of this country. We learned about the founding and our forefathers, and the heroic acts they performed. Today, our children probably know more about their slave ownership than about the contributions that they made.

We also learned about the Biblical connections to the founding of our nation. The Commandments of the Bible contain concepts of mercy, justice, care for the poor, and equality before the law. This was the foundation for Judeo Christian laws instilled in many of our documents.

“We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights.” The Declaration of Independence explains that human rights are gifts directly from God and are not privileges bestowed upon us by the state. They cannot be taken away by a ruler or by any Government.

Freedom is our greatest commodity. Thankfully, we have always had brave men and women willing to defend that freedom.

Society has changed but America has not. We are still the most diverse country on earth, still very wealthy, enjoy more freedoms, and continue to be blessed beyond measure. History does not change. It is what it is, no matter how many times attempts are made to rewrite it. We must protect our historical past, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

We learn far more from our mistakes than we ever learn from successes. Even the bad and the ugly must be protected. Remember, those who choose to ignore history are bound to repeat it. Some things must never be repeated.

We must never forget the rights that we are guaranteed as Americans. If we do not know what they are, how will we know when attempts are made to take them away?

I hope you will celebrate our Independence Day in a traditional manner. Whatever that might be for you and your family, enjoy it and remember the meaning.