With national attention riveted on Ottawa County like no other time in our nation's history, I suggest that now is the time for those of us "in the middle" to stand up to politicians on the fringes and declare, "Enough is enough."

Like many of you, I am deeply concerned with the tenor of American politics today. The loudest voices have isolated themselves in their self-imposed silos. From their protected towers, they spread the misguided belief that because you think differently than I do, you are a threat to be contained. They even declare that those who think differently are actually "un-American", and that somehow, we need to "make America great" again. But we know that nothing could be further from the truth. 

From its birth, the American experiment has been one of consensus-building through compromise and collaboration. Our Founding Fathers were both insightful and contentious men with varied beliefs and biases. We forget today that in their time, a farmer from South Carolina was as far removed from the life and experience of a New Hampshire fur trader, as we today in Michigan are removed from a family living in, say, England or France. And yet, they found a way to set aside regional and religious differences for the greater good of a young nation. We have lost sight of this reality. 

The America of which I'm most proud and the future to which we all must strive is one that protects everyone's right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, regardless of race, gender, religious belief, or creed. It's a future where the dream is one that says, freedom must ring for all, not just for a few. Your dream may be different from mine. But that difference is not a reason for me to see you as my enemy. Because for you to gain does not mean that I must lose. Rather, when you and I both gain liberty as we each define it, compromising when we must and accepting differences as we must, when we recognize that with rights come responsibilities, that is when true freedom rings, and the sound of that freedom bell will ring loud enough to be heard across the land. It starts with us, right here in Ottawa County where you belong.