By Aaron Helstrom

There has to be a basic moral standard that serves as the backbone of our laws — something everyone agrees to live by, no matter their religion or background. When we walk away from the principles this country was built upon, we risk watching it fall apart.

As a retired master sergeant who led Marines in combat and later served in local roles like the RE-2 School District Accountability Committee, I’ve seen this erosion up close. It’s not some theory — it’s hurting families, schools, and communities right here in Teller County.

It started back in the 1800s with Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels’ Communist Manifesto, which pushed for government control of education. In the 1960s, radicals promoted the “Long March through the Institutions” — slowly taking over schools, media, government, corporations, and culture from the inside. Most regular Americans didn’t fully see the cultural war being waged against them during the ’60s and ’70s. By the ’80s, people got distracted by Hollywood celebrities, fashion, and national news. All that distraction left folks confused and on their own, and tight-knit communities started drifting apart.

These ideas — especially the push for “equity,” identity politics, and critical theory — sound good on the surface but are damaging America. Equity treats people differently based on race, gender, or class instead of treating everyone equally under the law. That undermines the rule of law, which is supposed to be blind and fair to all. When government and institutions start picking winners and losers to force equal outcomes, it creates resentment, division, and a system where connections and identity matter more than merit or character. Personal responsibility gets thrown out the window. Instead of encouraging people to work hard, take ownership of their lives, and build strong families, it teaches dependence and grievance.

Today, trust in our institutions is down. Schools often push ideology over real learning, critical thinking, and basic American values. Families feel undermined when schools override parental authority. Polarization is tearing us apart.

This isn’t progress — it’s a departure from what made America great: the idea that every person has God-given dignity, equality under the law, limited government, and personal responsibility. Our Founders understood human nature and built a system that rewards virtue and liberty. We’re losing that.

As a Christian and former Battalion Maintenance Chief who built teamwork across all backgrounds, I believe shared moral standards matter more than politics. Proverbs 18:21 says the tongue has the power of life and death. We need to speak life over country.

We can turn this around by getting involved in our local schools, supporting school choice, electing leaders who stand for the Constitution, and rebuilding through churches, veterans groups, and community organizations. Here in Teller County, let’s lead on wildfire mitigation, supporting veterans, and education that builds real character.

America at 250 is tough and resilient. The spirit that got us through Valley Forge and tough Marine battles can still renew us. Let’s return to those moral foundations. Our kids and grandkids deserve it.