The United Kingdom has fallen. The United States of America is the last, best hope of mankind; and it must stay that way. 

In 1964, Ronald Reagan delivered one of the greatest pieces of oratory of all time—he called it “A Time For Choosing,” others simply referred to it as “The Speech.” In it, he committed, “we’ll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we’ll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.” At that time, I don’t think the future President was exactly correct, other places in the world were still free, and capable of standing up to the forces of Communism and enslavement spreading throughout the world. This fact is exemplified in the creation of NATO. America wasn’t the only hope of the world, though we were definitely the strongest. 

Now, however, those words can almost be interpreted as prophetic. In 2020, we are the last bastion of freedom. Other competitors for this position, even with their amazing history of freedom preservation, have dropped out, with probably the most prominent being the U.K. The country that once influenced our country to become what it is now, isn’t recognizable today. 

Though the U.K. occupied and often fought with other countries, it was the 20th century that would prove where the Kingdom’s true loyalties lied. In World War One and World War Two, the United Kingdom was effectively the only power standing between world domination of fascism, and freedom—it was the force keeping evil, in the form of Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and fascistic Italy, at bay. Even before those two great wars that tested the fortitude of the great nation, it was the ideas put forward by Great Britain—equality and freedom for all regardless of skin color or creed—that would help shape a new nation founded upon those same values, with even more potential: the United States. 

Fast forward seven decades. The U.K. has now effectively banned firearms, and throws people into prison for speech, expression, and social media posts. Less than a week ago, for instance, a 12-year-old boy was arrested for sending racist messages to an adult soccer player. Obviously, this is wrong, but it proves a point. Ever wonder why so many people would do anything to immigrate into our country? It’s because they know to be true what Ronald Reagan observed back in the 1960s: we, the united States of America, are the only refuge of freedom the world has left. As such, we have no choice but to preserve it. 

This is why I get so frustrated at politicians who want certain policies and say things like “we are the only civilized nation in the world that doesn’t offer or have [insert policy here],” or “we are the only country that hasn’t banned or severely restricted [insert issue here].” My thought immediately after is well, duh, that’s the whole point of our country. This idea is usually followed up by a question social justice warriors and politicians would do well to ask themselves: yes, we aren’t like other countries, but do we really want to be? 

Instead of trying to fundamentally change this country through vast swaths of legislation into something it was never meant to be, and something for which the Constitution doesn’t allow, just take a simpler approach: move. Want universal healthcare? Move to Canada. Don’t like freedom of the press, expression, or association? Take a long trip to China. Want to live in a society without freedom of speech? Try the United Kingdom. Don’t like guns? Japan, the State of Eritreais, or basically any other country is where you’ll find a home! Want a society totally without freedom? Move to North Korea. Like anarchy? Want socialism, communism, or a monarchy? There’s definitely a country out there for you! But it’s not the United States. So, move. Ruin another country, and leave America for the people fleeing those places.

In the movie Knives Out, Don Johnson’s character gets into a heated political discussion with his fictitious family and states, “you’re not gonna like to hear this, but America is for Americans!” Though this line is obviously meant to be construed as somewhat xenophobic, he’s right. As the Founders and shapers of this country made abundantly clear, the United States is a giant melting pot of races, people, ideas, and everything in between—that’s part of the reason this country is so successful. The only prerequisite for becoming an American is agreement to our common creed—the ideas set forth by our Declaration of Independence and other founding documents, “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In this way only, America is for Americans—this country is for those who agree with the fundamental truths set forth by our visionary Founders, aren’t scared of being free, and want the adventure and promise of the American Dream.

To everyone who doesn’t agree with those principles, including people already in America—white supremacists and supporters of communism, alike—leave the United States alone, strictly reserved to forever be the land of the free, and the home of the brave.