The dawn of a new year often prompts a flurry of resolutions and reflections. For some, it’s a time to draft ambitious goals, while others see it as a gentle farewell to the festive cheer of Christmas, marking the first holiday of the year. However, as we step into 2026, I urge you to embrace a different approach. Let’s transform our initial thoughts from lamenting the perceived decline of our nation to actively participating in its reformation.

In Ecclesiastes, we’re reminded that there is a season for everything: “a time to be born and a time to die… a time to weep and a time to laugh… a time to tear and a time to mend… a time for war and a time for peace.” Reflecting on this wisdom, it’s time we shift our focus from despair to action. So many of us have become fixated on the negative, mourning a perceived decline. Yet, we must remember the resilience of our forebears, who braved oceans and overcame formidable challenges to lay the foundation of this nation.

Today, however, it seems as if courage has waned. Incidents like the charging of Daniel Penny, who intervened to protect others, highlight the growing contradictions in our legal system. Public servants in conservative administrations face indictments from prosecutors linked to influential figures, while those who terminate pregnancies are shielded by law. Meanwhile, individuals who stand up for the unborn face arrest. Educational institutions drain resources while churning out graduates who lack a grasp of history and display disdain for foundational national values.

Years ago, former North Carolina senator and vice presidential candidate John Edwards spoke of “two Americas.” His assertion rings true today. On one hand, individuals present at the Capitol on January 6th are pursued relentlessly, while on the other, organizations like Antifa operate with apparent impunity despite their visible acts of violence. Progressive activists seem to flout laws without consequence, while conservatives navigate a climate of fear, concerned about job security, financial exclusion, or even prosecution for their traditional beliefs.

Governor Ron DeSantis in Florida has had to remind citizens that they have the right to protect themselves from violent mobs, emphasizing a basic tenet of self-defense. This necessity underscores the pressing issue: we are like the proverbial frog in boiling water, slowly acclimating to increasingly dangerous conditions. Now is the time to stir from complacency and actively work toward revitalizing the values that once defined our great nation.

In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis (R) felt compelled to make clear that Americans in his state are allowed to drive themselves out of violent mobs, rather than sit and helplessly wait for martyrdom, because there are people who think the most basic of self-defenses are controversial. The list goes on for volumes. We have chosen to be the frog in the pot of water, and it’s boiling.

This is a nation with laws on the books, but we sit idly by pretending that modern-day Bolsheviks and foreign invaders are exempt. Somalis financially pillage the nation, while the conquest goals of radical Islamists are enabled by those who believe that evil is protected by the 1st Amendment. In no previous century would Americans have so easily rolled over en masse. Complaining about the state of affairs does nothing to slow the cancerous spread of pagan-fueled progressivism devouring our homeland. The do-nothing lament tactic is lazy, and too many among us are guilty of it. Professional mourners are useful for funerals, but do nothing to stop advancing armies, change policy, or preserve worthy civilizations.

So I propose that as the calendar turns, so does your attitude and decision-making. If you are reading this within the United States of America, you are the fortunate beneficiary of sacrifices made by those who came before. When did we abandon our heritage and hand our institutions and civic power to transgressives who think gender is fluid, obesity is authentic, ordered liberty is bad, and math is racist? Who thought that people who celebrate the sexual mutilation of children are sane enough to wield influence responsibly? 

Clearly, the ball is dropped. Whining won’t recover it. We must get back on the field and play like a team. That begins with a moment of introspection. Pause for a moment and ask yourself this question: