In rural Livingston, Tennessee, I was raised to hold conservative values and in many ways still do. It is important to stay humble by remembering our roots and knowing our own human limitations. We’re meant to be selfless and show kindness to others. We value honesty and stay true to our principles. We work hard and take responsibility for our lives. We respect our elders and conduct ourselves in a dignified manner. Most importantly we protect those who cannot defend themselves.
Anyone that grew up in rural America was likely taught that these are the guiding principles for our lives. It is and honorable life based on morality and good deeds. Why does it seem like this way of life is no longer found in our political climate? The Republican Party has proudly boasted it’s adherence to conservative values for years, but for some reason they have abandoned them for a more extreme viewpoint. We have allowed our politicians to twist us into hating everyone different from us. It’s as if the ends justify the means even if it we must sell our souls to achieve them. Why do we willingly give power and influence to people who have absolutely nothing in common with us? We vote against our own self interests and abandon everything we believe in due to allegiance to a political party. At one point the Republican Party was meant to represent us and align with our values but it has become unrecognizable. How do we return Tennessee to a focus on actual conservative ideals and distance ourselves from the radicals that have hijacked our political system?
We used to go on missionary trips to build schools in foreign countries, but now we want to exclude immigrants from public schools in our own State?
Rich Men North of Richmond was a hit song, but then we turned around and voted for the world’s richest men to run the entire country?
The United States was meant to be a Constitutional Republic, but now we’re trampling on the very Constitution we swore an oath to uphold.
The 1st Amendment of the United States Consitution states that we have freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to peaceably assemble, and the right to petition our government for redress of grievances. In 2025 alone we have designated a single religion as superior to others; removed legal citizenship from people who voiced their opinions; sued news organizations and threatened removal of access and licenses; banned public protests on college campuses; and taken revenge against law firms deemed unloyal as well as made it more difficult to take up cases against the government. We are literally dismantling the system that protects the freedoms previous generations fought and died for.
The hypocrisy of our current leaders are a disgrace to our nation. We used to be a beacon of freedom in the world, but are now on a global watchlist due to the degradation of human rights. Extremism is causing generations worth of damage to our country that will not easily be repaired. The only way to stop the hemorrhaging of our freedoms is to remove these populist demagogues from power and begin to reverse the harm they have caused. If we continue our descent into extremism we might not ever recover. It is time for us to return to true conservative values. We need more servant leadership and fewer leaders that serve themselves. Tennesseeans must reject false conservatism and return to the principles that we were raised to believe.