There is little doubt that the 70 straight days I spent on the ARISE USA tour in 2021 were some of the most impactful of my life. It needed to be because of the sacrifices made by the family I left at home. When Amanda Radke from Mitchell, South Dakota, suggested that we have a reunion of some of the ARISE supporters in Keystone, South Dakota, on July 4 at the base of Mount Rushmore, I was all in.
We are going, are you?
This year’s event will be called “Bridging America: How food security unites us all.” The other aspect that will be front and center in Keystone is the sacrifice that so many military families have made. I recently learned about a North Dakota project called the Wall of Honor that features local veterans and a brief biography of each one. Currently, 7% of the United States population are veterans and I believe not only are they responsible for our nation’s freedom in the past but also for our future.
I know that every single one of them took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and protect “We the People.” That oath does not cease to exist when they are no longer in service. These men and women are ready, on a minute’s notice, to be there defending freedom once again if need be.
If you have a loved one that you would like to nominate for the Wall of Honor, submit that information online at WallOfHonor.org.
The 2022 Bridging America event will include Kevin Jenkins of New Jersey, Radke, South Dakota state Sen. Julie Frey-Mueller, John Bolin of Indiana, and Rebecca Cunningham of Red Flyer Media from Texas. Additionally, Dr. Mollie James of James Clinic in St. Louis, Missouri, and Theresa Thibodeau of Omaha plan to attend. A full-fledged music program is planned with Allen and Jill Kirkham, who were part of the cowboy church service a year ago.
What has changed in the 52 weeks since we last visited Keystone? Americans seem to have a much better sense of the severity of the food security issue. We certainly have a much larger labor problem than we did one year ago, not to mention the fact that fuel prices have more than doubled in 12 months. The real question is what can we do about it?
The answer is exactly the same as it was 52 weeks ago: Folks need to engage at the local level with schools, sheriffs and county commissioners.
In closing, the answer is quite simple to me—tell the federal government that it has exceeded its authority and we now fully understand that we have been forfeiting our rights to the state and federal government for far too long. We truly must begin bridging America for all of our futures.
Editor’s note: The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the views of High Plains Journal. Trent Loos is a sixth generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show, Loos Tales, and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. Get more information at www.LoosTales.com, or email Trent at [email protected].