This past year has been a test for all Americans like no other in our lifetime. While we’ve been through and seen many struggles, we’ve also learned a few things.

We have come to understand the importance of family, friends, and realized we need each other. We have been shown that without love and community we become a society of compassionless people who succumb to our base instincts. Our social media is rife with people expressing anger, outrage, anxiety, and a lack of compassion. Too many have lost the ability to speak to one another with respect.

For me, the biggest takeaway is that we need physical and emotional connections with one another to survive. By survival, I mean a meaningful life filled with joy, success, love, and the exercising of free will. I have also come to understand how quickly it could all be taken away from me and how little control I have.

I am reminded daily how lucky I am to have three healthy beautiful daughters, a son-in-law I would be proud to call my own, and one amazing grandson. My wife is my blessing, she is the true north in my life, and the one who keeps me grounded and focused…well at least she tries lol.

She is the reason why the USFC has gathered support from both sides of the aisle. She is the reason why my words have heart and soul. This is because she is my reminder of why we started this and what we are advocating for. We will never forget the people we lost this year and how many we can help fight this disease.

Equally, we have to remember the people now struggling to provide for their families. People are trying to keep businesses afloat that they have put their blood, sweat, and tears into. Scared to lose their homes, deplete their savings, pensions, and children’s college funds.

These are difficult times to navigate and sometimes we need to be reminded of the reasons behind our actions, for me, it’s my wife. So as you continue to read this blog please understand that I will never quit and I will give you everything I have. I will also care about everyone who thinks differently and who has suffered real loss during this pandemic.

I will also ask as you read this to remember who you are…an American.
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The Governors of the United States were granted executive powers to manage unprecedented times in our history. While the situation with covid still exists, the need for emergency orders has passed. Yet, instead of relinquishing those executive powers, many have chosen to use them as political weapons, inflicting unnecessary harm to those they took an oath to keep safe.

They have destroyed entire industries with fear and false narratives. What they should have been focusing on was uplifting the country and encouraging people to stay fit and get healthy.

We are not a nation that is controlled by fear. The governors need to lead with a calm voice of reason. One that uplifts us to be better and do better.

What these enforced lockdowns have done is prohibited people from moving forward with any hope. People have lost their businesses and homes. Many are suffering from depression and anxiety, with suicides on a steep incline. Alcoholism is up with domestic abuse is at an all-time high. We are in the most significant period of civil unrest since the 1950s and people are fleeing these poorly governed states at an alarming rate.

In New York, our Governor still inflicts fear and enforces lockdowns with an infection rate that has hovered around 1% for over four months now. How can this be allowed to be left unchecked?

The government officials have let us all down. We must act now, or we will forever ruin what it means to be free and to be an American.

#StrongerTogether
Charlie Cassara