By PJ O’Connor, President, OC Reilly, Inc.
(June 30, 2023)–“Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth,” said George Washington, who certainly would know about that particular subject.
Let’s pause for a moment to think about the burden that our Founding Fathers took on: to establish a framework for a nation to lead the world into a new frontier of possibilities – founded in the name of God – with the knowledge that we the people would constantly need to fight to maintain it. The knowledge that such an ongoing struggle would not always be viewed as clearly good vs. evil, and often would require the ultimate sacrifice. The knowledge that this plant of liberty could easily go awry and would constantly need good people to tend to it.
We are reminded that the roots established for that plant are intended to allow all people to benefit from its fruits, but that enjoying the benefits of that harvest might be more challenging for some than others. This is very apparent in today’s confused, complicated, and confounding modern world.
But we are wise to listen to President Washington. He characterized liberty as a plant that takes root and then grows. Plants need constant tending, fertile soil, rain, and sunlight, to flourish. The cause of liberty requires at least that same level of attention and action.
All of us at OC Reilly pledge to respect our fellow citizens and promote the benefits this great country brings, founded on the rock-solid foundation of liberty, this Fourth of July and all year through. This is what it means to be a patriot.
As we wish you a safe and happy Independence Day, we close with a quote from another Founding Father and Washington’s successor as President, John Adams, as he defined how this uniquely American holiday would be marked down through the years: “It will be celebrated with pomp and parade, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other.” And indeed it will be, once again, to celebrate our liberty.
May God bless the USA.
© 2023 OC Reilly, Inc.