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I am currently enrolled in a writing class as part of my intern experience at Heritage.  This class meets once a week for training with the Op-Ed editor for the McClatchy Tribune.  It is quite the experience.  We must write an Op-Ed each week and submit it for review and criticism.

Last week, we were assigned to write a unique piece for the Fourth of July.  He did not want something about the founders or even something patriotic.  He wanted something different.  Well, my Op-Ed is below. 

I will be posting one of these Op-Eds each week, so return often for the updates!

A HOT DOG TODAY, AND SPAM TOMORROW

 

By Nathan Guinn

 

 

I would hate to be the Fifth of July.  The Fourth of July is quite the act to follow.  Today, our whole country will skip work, grill meat, and explode fireworks.  You can’t beat that. 

 

So what does the Fifth of July have to offer?  We need something to celebrate.  Time has been kind to the Fourth of July.  It has a place in history.  Surely the Fifth of July has not been completely overlooked.

 

Thankfully, it has not.  A few fine, brave citizens of the United States have placed this day in the trophy case of history.  For on this day, in the year nineteen thirty-seven, SPAM was revealed to the world.  Americans invented a new food.  Lunch, possibly dinner and breakfast, has never been the same.

 

Now, one might argue there are more important events to be celebrated on this day.  For example, Newton published his Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica July 5^th, 1687.  This work established Newton’s laws and changed physics forever.

 

Or one might even argue that the public introduction of the bikini in Paris, France on July 5^th, 1946 transcends all other events of this day.  

 

However, as with many things in life, perspective is everything: 

 

There was a grandmother who loved her grandson very much.  He was not perfect, but she perfectly loved him.  And spoiled him.  Every Sunday the grandson would visit her house in anticipation of being served like a king.  Now the grandson feels guilty for such an attitude, but the grandmother was happy to serve.

 

The grandmother was not a nutritionist.  Her menu regularly featured hot fudge cake, fried chicken, and fried potatoes.  However, her bestseller was consistently the SPAM sandwich.  The grandson knew that only her old, seasoned skillet could fry SPAM so perfectly. 

 

The grandmother served the sandwich on whole wheat bread with just a little mayonnaise.  At times, she could slip a piece of lettuce in the sandwich and the grandson would not protest.

 

The grandson loved to eat his sandwiches on the front porch.  The grandmother had labored to build the front porch with her own hands; just for moments like these. 

 

As the evening crept on, the sun would set and time would bring another day to an end. 

 

The grandmother is gone, and I miss her.  But she is not forgotten.  SPAM holds a special place in my heart (figuratively, it is hoped not literally) because of a special person.  However, I was not the only one she touched.  She has a legacy of service that continues to display her story in many people’s lives.    

 

The events of the past may seem monumental and impossible to follow, but do not be intimidated by their greatness.  Instead, be encouraged that men can leave a legacy that outlives their physical bodies.

 

Observe these days gone by and learn their lessons.  The Fourth of July is not just an excuse to picnic, but it is a memorial, established to inspire the next generation. 

 

Whether it is July 4^th or July 5^th, there is a reason to celebrate.  Celebrate by observing the past and embracing the future.  Live each day with the big picture in mind. 

 

My grandmother lived a bold life of sacrificial service.  And today, her story is being told once more.  Everyday heroes are rare and should be cherished, appreciated, and remembered. 

 

So, let’s celebrate our founding fathers and everyday heroes like my grandmother:  A hot dog today, and SPAM tomorrow.

 

“Economic leveling is not economic progress.”

- Russell Kirk, The Conservative Mind

People with some power will use their power to get more power.

I believe that we must not forget a crucial part of conservatism that is often overlooked: the “Belief in a transcendent order, or body of natural law, which rules society as well as conscience.” It seems many conservatives have given up fighting for a spiritual perspective that recognizes Providence’s place in the world. I think we should, at times, attempt to elevate debate to a higher level because “political problems, at bottom, are religious and moral problems.”

This is the same fight Edmund Burke embraced 200 years ago. Radicalism at the end of the 18th century argued that “if there is divine authority in the universe, it differs sharply in its nature from the Christian idea of God…man naturally is benevolent, generous, healthy-souled, but in this age is corrupt by institutions.” Burke “conceded his enemies not one premise. He began and ended his campaign for the conservation of society upon the grand design of piety; in his reverent eyes, the whole of earthily reality was an expression of a moral order.” Do we need to focus on “legislating morality”(whatever that means)? Probably not. However, neglecting the fight for Christian principles is an invitation, that the left will not decline, to legislate immorality. It is time for conservatives to humbly defend an eternal perspective that is increasingly unpopular in our world of radical change.