The following arrests were made by local law enforcement agencies. Minden Police Department (MPD), Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office (WPSO), Louisiana State Police (LSP) and others which are named.
June 28
Tamara J. Howard, 24, of the 100 block of S. Pecan St., Waldo, Ark., was arrested by Springhill Police on traffic violations. She was found to have a felony warrant through Union County, Ark.
June 29
Sara Elizabeth Davis, 31, of Noble, La., was arrested by MPD after surrendering to the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office. She is charged with criminal conspiracy, principal and second degree robbery.
June 30
William B. Cherry, 55, of the 1100 block of Mimosa Lane, Shongaloo, was arrested by WPSO on a warrant for aggravated assault with a firearm.
July 1
Dominqueca L. Jaynes, 32, of the 100 block of Harris St., Doyine, was arrested by WPSO on a warrant for speeding.
Daniel Williams, 35, of the 100 block of Thornberry Rd., Sarepta, was arrested by WPSO for aggravated assault with a firearm by pointing a handgun at a subject and his dog.
Courterius Dontay Moore, 32, of the 200 block of West Union, Minden, was arrested by MPD for felony domestic abuse battery with child endangerment after attempting to injure the complainant and locking her out while her infant child was inside. Moore is also charged with resisting by force/violence (3 counts).
July 2
Jacob Monroe Heckendorn, 27, of Smith Loop, Sarepta, La., was arrested by WPSO on a warrant for failure to appear (in court) on a distribution of narcotics charge and a warrant for failure to appear for possession of narcotics.
Kelsie Marie Hicks, 26, of the 1200 block of East St., Minden, was arrested by MPD for felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile, for a relationship with a 16-year-old male.
April Lucille Hollands, 30, of the 100 block of N. Sibley St., Benton, was arrested by Dixie Inn Police for possession of methamphetamine.
Amber Nicole Butcher, 19, of Taylor, Ark., was arrested by Springhill Police for possession of methamphetamine.
July 3
Percy D. Robinson, 20, of the 200 block of Nursery Rd., Sibley, was arrested by WPSO for cruelty to a juvenile (15 years old).
Evan Braxton Thomas, 19, of the 8200 block of Hwy. 371, Sibley, was arrested by LSP-G for driving while intoxicated.
July 4
Reginald Wade Bass, 35, of the 100 block of Wiggins Lane, Minden, was arrested by LSP-G for driving while intoxicated, hit and run and failure to report an accident.
Ky’Airah Crow, 19, of the 200 block of Ash St., Minden, was arrested by MPD for illegal possession of a stolen firearm.
July 5
Ralph G. Smith, 42, of the 300 block of Reynolds St., Springhill, was arrested by WPSO on a warrant for simple burglary.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Rosary: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 8, 2023, Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Bossier City.
Memorial service: 10:30 a.m. immediately following Rosary.
Webster Parish Journal publishes paid complete obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or wpjnewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Above death notices are free of charge.)
A break in the weather made an almost perfect scenario for the annual Fourth of July ceremony at Eagle Park on Turner’s Pond in Minden.
Wiley Pevy Post 74 and others who served in the military performed the changing of the flags while a special wreath was placed for loved ones who are missing in action, were killed in action or have since died as Taps was played.
Special commendations were made to the families of Roy Kirkham and Terry Snook. Snook’s plaque will be placed on the Wall of Honor at Eagle Park.
It’s a sign of the times when signs can no longer be used to let residents know about water issues.
Minden Mayor Nick Cox said up until recently, door hangers were used in cases like the Beech Street water main split last week, however, it’s not considered a safe practice any more.
“If Eric (Lee) and his men are out working on a water main break at 6 o’clock at night, and let’s say everything’s tied back together and working by 11 p.m.,” Cox said, speaking of the city’s water crew, “guess what they have to do? They’ve been out there in 100-degree weather, covered in mud or sewage … whatever. Historically, by practice, they have to go flag every house that was affected.”
Cox pointed out that not everyone is awake at that time and expecting a knock on their doors.
“It’s not practical to walk up to someone’s door at 1 a.m.,” Cox said. “In the past, we’ve had police called on us. There have been times when we’ve walked up to a door in pitch dark, and there’s been a big dog on the porch. We don’t want to put our workers at risk. These are things the citizens don’t really know.”
And door hangers are possibly a waste of time.
“Most people tell us, they may not see a hanger placed on their front door for days,” Cox said. “They use their carport or back doors, and we are not going into someone’s backyard at 1 a.m. for a door hanger, and residents are not going outside at 1 a.m. to check for boil advisories.”
Public Works Director Tyler Wallace said most of the time, the hangers are to inform citizens of a boil advisory after the main has been repaired.
“A boil advisory means there is nothing wrong with the water, but there is a potential for an issue with the water,” Wallace said.
A boil order is different.
“In that case, people should definitely take heed and boil their water, until we tell them differently,” he said.
Cox said the city uses social media and other media outlets to let residents know when there is an issue and when it is resolved.
“People tell us there is a concern about older people who don’t use social media,” he said. “That’s why we use other forms of media. Many people who don’t use Facebook, or whatever, do listen to KASO radio or read the paper.
“It’s not that the city is sitting back trying to determine how we can get out of more work or cut services that are helpful to the citizens,” the mayor added. “The intent is to keep everyone as safe as possible.”
You may have seen a cute little lemonade stand set up at Turner’s Pond on Saturday with an even cuter pair of workers.
St. Jude patient and local hero Cole Benson with the help of his brother, Cooper, and under the supervision of their mother, Ashleigh, beat the heat to take up the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s monthly challenge.
Each month St. Jude encourages families and community supporters to participate in different monthly challenges to help raise money that will be donated to the hospital. This money will help to ensure that the families who find themselves at the doors of St. Jude will not have to spend a dime on travel, treatments, housing, food or other expenses that may come up during their stay.
As a current patient at St. Jude, this is personal for Cole and his family.
He said, “It helps St. Jude to keep helping kids like me get better.”
Cole’s grandfather Morris Busby built the stand that he and his brother sold lemonade and sno cones out of from 8 – 11 a.m. Saturday morning.
“A lot of people came by and gave a lot of money and thank you to all those people,” said Benson.
In just three hours, the duo sold close to $800 dollars that they will donate to the annual Minden St. Jude Auction in February.
The Lemonade Challenge is the St. Jude July challenge. Other challenges for the month include 100 crunches a day, swimming 15 miles, grilling, 31 acts of kindness, biking for 50 miles or playing 45 games of pickleball. All of these can be accomplished while raising money that can be donated to help the kids of St. Jude and their families.
July has just begun which means you have almost all month to get moving and get to donating.
Things came full circle for President, Chairman and CEO of Home Federal Bank (HFB) Jim Barlow as they held the bank’s official ground-breaking ceremony this past Thursday, June 27. This future location at 410 Homer Road will be the eleventh full-service HFB in Northwest Louisiana.
“On a personal note, this is very special for me,” said Barlow. “Expanding into Minden actually brings my career full circle. When I graduated from Glenbrook, I went to Louisiana Tech and found out fairly quickly, maybe with a little push from my dad, that I needed a part-time job to earn college expense money. So, I took a part-time job at a bank and who would know that 34 years later I would have a banking career that would bring me back to Minden, my hometown, and put up a facility like this?”
HFB has been serving customers in Northwest Louisiana for 100 years.
“That means we have survived the Great Depression in the 30s, World War II in the 1940s, the Savings and Loan Crisis in the 1980s, more recently the Great Recession, which I am sure all of us personally lived through,” said Barlow. “That means we are strong and stable, and we can weather any economic circumstances that are currently happening today.”
HFB is also the only publicly traded company headquartered in Northwest Louisiana and listed on a major stock exchange.
Barlow said, “There are a lot of benefits of being a publicly traded company. One of them is that we can actually go to Wall Street and bring capital back to Main Street or in this case Homer Road.”
Since establishing their temporary location in Park City, HFB has been able to invest in organizations such as the Greater Minden Chamber, Minden Charity Classic, as well as a couple of local high schools.
“It’s a pretty simple equation for us at HFB. Keeping money locally makes for strong businesses and strong businesses make for strong communities,” said Barlow.
All HFB locations offer a wide range of services including commercial and small-business loans, home mortgage loans, consumer lending, deposit accounts, 24-hour ATM and drive-through teller windows.
Barlow mentioned that he hoped they would be holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Homer Road location in the coming months, but until then you can receive friendly and knowledgeable service at the temporary location at 306 Homer Road.
If I were asked to rank the holidays my family and I celebrate, Christmas would go down as an easy number one. I have such fond memories of childhood Christmases. Today, along with the reason for the season, it’s the time my family gets together in a more meaningful way than the other times of the year when we gather, and the food is great.
Thanksgiving would rank second on my list because of two of the aforementioned reasons, family, and food. The weather is nice in South Mississippi for both Christmas and Thanksgiving, and it’s during football season. In my childhood home, and today, the meal we serve on Christmas Eve is the same exact meal we serve on Thanksgiving Day.
Easter would land third place on my list. Again, there’s the obvious reason for the season, but the bonus is that it’s spring. South Mississippi is typically waking up from our relatively mild winters and— other than massive clouds of pine pollen blowing across the streets and lawns— the temperature is mild. Things are blooming and one of my favorite dishes, leg of lamb, is plentiful and appropriate. My memories of childhood Easters are as fond as my memories of childhood Christmases and Thanksgivings because of my family situation.
It wasn’t that I was raised in a well-off, upper-middleclass situation. I was raised by a single mom who was a public school art teacher. It’s just that I was surrounded by loving family members, wonderful friends, and great cooks. It’s family, friends, and food that create my fondest memories.
Halloween would probably rank somewhere in the order, more so in childhood than today. Memorial Day and Labor Day were monumental in my youth, but not for the right reasons. Back then, school was out before Memorial Day and didn’t start back until after Labor Day. The days between offered a true summer vacation from school.
Fourth of July has never been a biggie for me. Don’t get me wrong, I am a proud American and am grateful for all this country has offered my family and me. I am glad that 247 years ago we showed England what a true Brexit looks like. I love my country and I honor and celebrate the anniversary of our independence. But I live in South Mississippi. July is brutally hot in this part of the world. I’m not a beach person, and even if I was, I wouldn’t choose this week to go there. I am clean and sober, so alcohol holds no sway over whether I enjoy Independence Day, or not. But most of our restaurants close that day, so it is almost a “true” day off.
I’ve worked full-time jobs since I was 15 years old, and that’s what the Fourth of July has typically been for me. A day off. Again, I would never discount how much our nation gaining its independence means to our everyday life as Americans, but I can appreciate that monumental achievement every day of the year and don’t need beer and fireworks to do so.
During my childhood, the McArthur family always held a huge Fourth of July celebration at their lake house. It seemed like hundreds of people from dozens of families were out there every year. In my mind’s eye I see my friends swimming in the lake. I see myself drinking ice cold lemonade from an Igloo cooler, and watching an impressive fireworks display at the end of the day. That annual event probably went a long way into developing my understanding of community and the importance of family and friendships. The McArthur’s held that celebration for decades. I’m grateful for the joy several generations of that family gave to others.
My wife could care less about beer and fireworks, but she loves throwing a party. I love gathering around a table with friends as much as anyone, but she is an entertaining junkie. She’s has perfected the act of hosting a party. She lives for it and is good at it. Therefore, the Fourth of July is no longer a day off, but a time to cook and entertain. I love spending time with friends and family, so it’s an easy sell for me.
This year we hosted a few dozen friends and family at the lake, and we were lucky to have our son in town from culinary school in Upstate New York. In addition to being able to spend time with him, he offered to take on some of the cooking duties, a task I was more than happy to pass along.
I have been a vocal dissenter when it comes to Blackstone Grills, as I prefer smoke and charcoal to a flat top griddle. But I finally gave in and purchased one to handle grilling burgers and hot dogs for large crowds (and look forward to cooking pancake breakfasts soon). He caramelized some onions for the burger bar, then he and I manned the griddle to prepare burgers, dogs, and buns for our guests. There were a dozen or so racks of ribs that needed to be reheated so we used the griddle for that, too. BBQ purists will scoff, but the oven was filled with blackberry pies, and we had no choice but to reheat, in foil, on the flat top. It worked fine.
It was hot. South-Mississippi-in-July hot, and a 36” griddle at 500 degrees creates even more heat with that amount of surface area. The heat didn’t matter. I was cooking with my boy. Side by side. Father and son. I thought back to when I taught him how to scramble his first egg and was impressed with how far he has come. I am grateful for the dedication he has started to show in this profession we both share. In that moment, all was right with the world.
Cooking with my son may have changed my mind about Fourth of July parties.
My strongest and fondest memories come from childhood. Those memories still dictate my thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Will these current events create similar memories for my son and his future family? I can only hope.
Happy birthday, America!
Onward.
Cracked-Pepper Burger with Mustard Cognac Sauce
3 pounds Lean Ground Beef
1 recipe Mustard Cognac sauce
2 tsp Steak Seasoning
1/3-1/2 cup Black Pepper, cracked
6 Kaiser Rolls
6-8 leaves Romaine Lettuce
8-10 slices Ripe Tomato
Divide the ground beef into 6 equal parts and form burger patties, about 1-1/2” in thickness.
Divide the mustard cognac sauce in half. Use a pastry brush to coat the surface of the hamburger patties with the mustard cognac sauce. Sprinkle the patties with the steak seasoning. Firmly press the cracked black peppercorns onto the hamburger patties.
Prepare grill. Cook over direct high heat for 8-10 minutes.
Brush the inside surfaces of the hamburger buns with the remaining mustard cognac sauce. Grill over medium direct heat for 2-3 minutes. Place the burgers on the grilled buns and top with the sliced tomatoes and a lettuce leaf. Serve with Dijon mustard on the side.
Yield:
6 Great Burgers
Mustard Cognac Sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1 Tbl shallot, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup cognac
2 Tbl brown sugar
1/2 cup Veal demi glace (page xxx)
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbl Dijon mustard
Heat olive oil in a small sauté pot over low heat. Add garlic, shallots, and salt and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add cognac and brown sugar and cook 5-6 minutes, until thick and syrupy. Add demi glace* and cook until the mixture has reduced by half. Add the cream and cook until the sauce has reduced by half. Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard.
(Robert St. John is a chef, restaurateur and published cookbook author who lives in Hattiesburg, Miss.)
Firearms and safety instructor Det. Ryan Barnette is the guest speaker at the Lions Club on Thursday, July 6.
Barnette, who will be introduced by Lion George French III, is a former Minden Police detective and current detective for Claiborne Parish Sheriff Sam Dowies.
He is certified in SWAT, as an active Shooter Emergency Response instructor, Tactical Medical Training for first responders, NRA certified Handgun and Louisiana Concealed Carry instructor, owner of 9&1 Tactical LLC and has many other awards and certifications.
Barnette is a columnist for Webster Parish, Claiborne Parish and Bienville Parish journals. And his columns were funny, erudite, practical and enjoyable to read.
He has a unique perspective in all these areas that listeners will find engaging, thought-provoking and very helpful. He will always take questions at Ryan@9and1tactical.com
Minden Lions meet at noon every Thursday at American Legion Hall on Pine Street.
UCAP is open from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at 204 Miller Street, Minden, for food, utility and rent assistance. Clothing is dispersed on Wednesdays only.
The Minden Lions Club recognized two of its members during Thursday’s club meeting. Lion Tommy Davis (right) was presented a plaque in honor of his past year of service as club president. Lion Preston Gray now assumes the gavel.
Lion Dr. Richard Campbell (left) received the M.E. “Pat” Brown Lions Membership Recruitment Award for successfully recruiting five or more new Lions into club membership during the 2022-23 year. The Minden Lions Club thanks both Lions for their outstanding service!
Lakeside fired up the offense in the first inning, when Gage Williams singled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring one run.
The Warriors scored three runs in the fourth inning. Big bats were led by Brock Case, Williams, and Noah Redding, all knocking in runs in the inning.
Williams was the winning pitcher for Lakeside. The bulldog lasted one inning, allowing zero hits and zero runs while striking out two and walking zero. Eli Santelices, Peyton Gray, and Jake Glass all put in work in relief out of the bullpen, steering their team towards the victory.
Doyline’s hurler went two and two-thirds innings, allowing nine runs on nine hits and striking out four.
Lakeside racked up nine hits on the day. Santelices, Williams, Glass, and Redding all had multiple hits for LakesideWarriors. Redding, Glass, Williams, and Santelices all had two hits to lead LakesideWarriors.
Warriors clinch lead in fourth to defeat Panthers
Lakeside stole the lead late in the game in a 5-3 victory over Doyline in the second game Wednesday. In the bottom of the fourth Jon Jon Dick drew a walk, scoring one run.
The Warriors got on the board in the first inning when Matthew Aguilera grounded out, scoring one run.
Eli Campbell earned the victory on the hill for LakesideWarriors. The pitcher lasted two innings, allowing two hits and two runs while striking out two and walking one. Dick and Aguilera entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game in relief.
Doyline’s pitcher allowed two hits and five runs over four innings, striking out six.
Hunter Sutton started the game for Lakeside. Sutton allowed zero hits and zero runs over one inning, striking out two and walking zero
Campbell and Aguilera all had one hit to lead theWarriors.
Lakeside beats Red River
Lakeside beat Red river 5-1 Thursday.
The Warriors got things moving in the first inning, when a sacrifice bunt by Brock Case scored one run for LakesideWarriors.
Gage Williams got the win for Lakeside. The hurler surrendered one run on one hit over three innings, striking out four. Peyton Gray threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen.
Red River’s pitcher went four innings, allowing five runs on six hits, striking out two and walking one.
Noah Redding went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead the Warriors in hits.
Close contest between Warriors, Bulldogs ends in tie
Red River tied the game on a error in the seventh inning as Lakeside tied Red River 5-5 in the second game Thursday.
Lakeside opened up scoring in the first inning.
The Warriors racked up ten hits. Peyton Gray and Jon Jon Dick each racked up multiple hits. Gray led with four hits in four at-bats. The Warriors stole seven bases during the game as two players stole more than one. Eric Jones led the way with three.
Red River racked up five hits on the day. Two players managed multiple hits for Red river.
(“Powered by Narrative Science and GameChanger Media. Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.” Any reuse or republication of this story must include the preceding attribution.)
Send non-profit calendar events to wpjnewsla@gmail.com .
Every Saturday in July
9 a.m. until noon, Minden Farmer’s Market, at The Farm, corner of Highway 80 and Talton Street.
July 10
Minden City Council session from July 3 to 6 p.m. Monday, July 10. The workshop has also been moved to 4:30 p.m. July 10.
July 10, 11, 12
6 until 8 p.m., Vacation Bible School, First Baptist Church of Sibley. Stompers & Chompers for preK through 5th grade.
July 17-21
5:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. Vacation Bible School, First Methodist Church, Minden, 903 Broadway. Ages PreK through 6th. Snack supper provided each night. For more information, contact Katheryn Webb, 318-299-0597
July 29
10 a.m. until noon, Young Women’s Service Club Back to School Bash, Victory Park.
August 26
Minden Junior Service League “Mamma Mia” Girls Night Out, Minden Civic Center.
September 9
Vintage Car Club of Minden’s annual car show in downtown Minden. More information when available.
September 28 through 30, Oct. 1
Minden High School 30th Class Reunion
Sept. 28 – 6 until 9 p.m. Meet and Greet, Under Dawgs Sports Grill, 605 Main St., Minden, La.
Sept. 29 – 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., Meet and Greet, Under Dawgs Sports Grill, 605 Main St., Minden, La.
The following arrests were made by local law enforcement agencies. Minden Police Department (MPD), Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office (WPSO), Louisiana State Police (LSP) and others which are named.
June 28
Dekarlos Dandrez Harrison, 35, of the 400 block of Patrick St., Minden, was arrested by MPD and WPSO for driving without a license, no vehicle light and criminal neglect of family.
Deatrice Diane Lee, 34, of Bossier City, was arrested by WPSO on a warrant for theft.
Edna Gordon, 48, of Magnolia, Ark., was arrested by WPSO on an active warrant.
Christopher V. Wallace, 47, of Taylor, Ark., was arrested by LSP-G for driving while intoxicated, open container and driving left of center on U.S. Hwy. 371.
June 29
Kiara Sims, 24, of the 200 block of North Middle Landing, Minden, was arrested by MPD on four active bench warrants and simple battery.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Graveside service: 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 5, 2023, Gardens of Memory, Minden.
Virginia Hanisee Patton
June 1, 1949 – May 26, 2023
Bossier City, La.
Rosary: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 8, 2023, Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Bossier City.
Memorial service: 10:30 a.m. immediately following Rosary.
Miranda Renee Robinette
Oct. 12, 1995 – June 30, 2023
Castor, La.
Funeral service: 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 5, 2023, Martin Baptist Church.
Burial: Martin Cemetery.
Webster Parish Journal publishes paid complete obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or wpjnewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Above death notices are free of charge.)
The United States of America is nearly 250 years old. Happy Birthday! Now let’s just call it how it is. No Fox News fireworks and fake rah-rah and no MSNBC “the sky is falling shtick.”
Truth is, we’ve stumbled along the way at some points. We’ve bickered and argued and generally not been excellent to each other despite the call to do so by Bill and his friend Ted.
Some are unhappy with the red, white and blue and the ire isn’t exclusive to those outside our borders. Inside these states, I don’t say United because there’s not much unity in the Western world of social media and demagoguery and fear and hate mongering, there’s a divide that appears to have no hope of ever seeing bridges cross its well-defended edges.
There’s continued talk of two nations and woeful laments on either side of that Grand Canyon sized expanse between Red and Blue, R’s and D’s, conservatives and progressives (I don’t use the term liberal because it’s been appropriated as a derisive and pejorative exclamation by politicians who revel in scaring people more than any Hollywood monster ever could; chances are if you call yourself a conservative, you’d have been considered a radical liberal just 20 or so years ago, but that’s another story).
Simply put – a lot of people just ain’t happy and they most definitely want to tell you about it.
And that’s ok, that’s the whole point of this place. It’s our first amendment after all. And I’m not saying which side is right and which is wrong because it’s not as black and white as all that despite what the politicians and bumper sticker and keyboard crowd will tell you. There’s a lot of gray in there. That’s usually the case. Gray areas. A little bit of truth here and there and little bit of lies and misinformation and misunderstanding everywhere else. But not always because no matter where you fall on the political spectrum nor what race, sex, or gender you claim, no matter what god you pray to, there are two irrefutable truths when it comes to this nation.
The first irrefutable truth is that the American Dream is an enduring ideal that has captivated individuals across generations. It embodies the belief in boundless opportunities and the pursuit of happiness. It signifies the freedom to dream, aspire, and forge one’s own path, irrespective of background or circumstances.
While dreams of prosperity, freedom, and happiness have permeated various cultures and civilizations, the American Dream stands apart in its remarkable fusion of opportunity, individualism, and social mobility.
Unlike many historical notions of destiny or predetermined social hierarchies, the American Dream is rooted in the belief that individuals possess the agency to shape their own destinies. It rejects the notion that one’s fate is irrevocably tied to the circumstances of birth, offering instead a vision of meritocracy and the promise that hard work and determination can propel individuals beyond their starting point.
Moreover, the American Dream’s emphasis on inclusivity sets it apart from other historical narratives. While it has faced challenges and struggles in the pursuit of equality, the dream has consistently sought to transcend divisions of race, religion, and social class, inviting all who seek its promises to partake in its pursuit. This inclusive character has contributed to the melting pot nature of American society, enriching it with diverse perspectives, talents, and contributions.
We move forward. We always move forward. Even when there are a few steps back, we always move forward in time. America belongs to all of us.
The American Dream’s enduring appeal lies not only in its lofty aspirations but also in its resilience throughout history. It has weathered periods of economic upheaval, social strife, and ideological shifts, adapting and evolving to address the shifting needs and aspirations of each generation. It is a living ideal that continues to inspire individuals from all walks of life, both within the United States and beyond its borders.
From all corners of the world, people still come en masse to America to make a better life.
The second irrefutable truth is that despite claims to the contrary, the American Dream remains alive. It’s not a promise of success. You may fail a thousand times. You may never accomplish what you seek. The difference is you have the chance to keep trying.
The American Dream will only keep on living, though, if we all keep it alive.
Never stop fighting. Never stop letting your voice be heard. Never stop fighting for your First Amendment. It’s the most important one after all. Shout, cry, fight and never give up. The American Dream is not for the weak of will. It’s a clarion call to take action. There’s no king keeping you down. There’s no system of feudalism ruled by a monarch’s undisputed decree.
Langston Hughes wrote “America was never America to me.”
“ O, yes,
I say it plain,
America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath—
America will be!
Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain—
All, all the stretch of these great green states—
And make America again!”
So once again, the Dream that is America will only keep on living if we all keep it alive. That means fighting and not going gently into the night.
Never stop fighting because America is worth it. The promise of America is worth it.
You are worth it.
(Josh Beavers is an award winning writer and author. He has earned more than 40 individual writing awards and is syndicated in 12 North Louisiana news journals. The Louisiana Press Association has recognized him five times for excellence in opinion writing, and he has earned numerous Best Investigative Reporting Awards and Freedom of Information Awards for exposure of governmental corruption in Webster Parish.)
