Women's View Magazine July 2021

VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 7 JULY | 2021 Inspiring, educating, empowering and celebrating women in our community MAGAZINE FFrierestdom More inside: Essays on Books for Direct Red, White Liberty from the Beach: Marketing -- and Blue Speech to Reviews Financial Foods for Assemblage Inside Freedom or Me and Debt Trap? for You

Close Letter from the Editor VOLUME 15 ISSUE 7 H ow do you define PUBLISHER freedom? Miriam Bill Bowman, F & B Publications Webster lists [email protected] 10 meanings or MANAGING EDITOR interpretations that stem from the April Olsen quality or state of being free or of [email protected] a political right. I asked writers this EDITOR Crissy Neville month to conjugate this often- [email protected] overused word into what it means GRAPHIC DESIGNER Dylan Hooker according to our First Amendment [email protected] rights ― and to each of them. So, OPERATIONS DIRECTOR for the pages ahead, ready yourself Paulette Naylor to read essays on American [email protected] freedoms: religion, speech, MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE Linda McAlister petition, assembly, of the press and [email protected] to bear arms. Each author speaks DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR/ with candor and conviction, given SALES ADMINISTRATOR Laurel Handforth the freedom to do so. [email protected] There's also freedom from ― derived by the absence of JULY CONTRIBUTORS constraint in choice or action. Kalin Williams Contributor Allison Davis' well- Danielle Durante researched article on natural wellness tackles this topic, as she educates readers on ways to alleviate pain. If goals and dreams seem out of reach, try the tangible and Margaret Dickson visual vehicle of an affirmation board to help transport you to your desired ends. Alison Hurley Megan Gordon, the 2014 Miss Collegiate America and 2017 Miss South Carolina USA Mindy Love ― the first and third African American to be crowned, respectively ― did, aiding her Michelle Hallas ascent to top ranks in the 2019 Miss World America competition. Writer Taneshia Kerr hones the topic of freedom from financial scams and debt, reminding us to keep Leslie Corpening careful watch on our wallets. Megan Gordon Bonnie Patterson Great reads on military females who fight for and protect our freedoms ― including Paulette Naylor right here at Fort Bragg ― foods to help us celebrate the red, white and blue, books Allison Davis that free up and engage our minds and more round out this month's offerings. Taneshia Kerr Why a whole magazine about freedom? Ronald Reagan said it best. Lynne Smith Keyuri Parab “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” PHOTOGRAPHY An Abundance of Flavor food blog Are you interested in writing? Consider contributing an article or pitching a story idea to WVM. We want to elevate your voice. For more information, email WOMEN'S VIEW MAGAZINE 2 | J U [email protected]. Be sure to like us and leave comments 208 ROWAN ST. FAYETTEVILLE, NC, on our Facebook page. 28301 2 | J U LY 2 0 2 1 PHONE: 910-484-6200 FAX: 910-484-9218 Women’s View Magazine is for, by and about women in Cumberland County. Published by F&B Publications in conjunction with Media Marketing Management. ©2021 by F&B Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertisement without permission is strictly prohibited. Various vector sources credited to © Freepik and © Vecteezy. Association of Community Publishers

Inside July 4 WOMAN'S SPOTLIGHT 12 FREEDOM OF PETITION First Lt. Kristin Coleman is an 82nd Airborne Division soldier — the fourth generation member Here's the personal story of the local activist of her family to do so — and a great example of who challenged the school shutdown during the what female leadership on Fort Bragg looks like. pandemic and spearheaded a movement. 5 THE FOURTH ESTATE 16 THE POWER OF POSITIVITY A free press is an integral part of a free republic, and something writer Margaret Dickson says Whether you call these creations affirmation or currently is endangered. inspiration boards, the visual reminder of goals and dreams can be a powerful tool for good. 6 RED, WHITE AND BLUE FOODS FOR ME AND YOU 18 THE SECOND AMENDMENT Local food blogger Kalin Williams wants you to have a patriotic plate this Independence Day. Firearms enthusiast Danielle Durante presents a synopsis of the American right to bear arms and 8 BOOKS FOR THE BEACH how you can exercise it. Pick up one of reviewer Alison Hurley's book recommendations to go in your beach bag this 22 COUNTRY ROADTRIP summer — right alongside your sunscreen and Stedman, here we come! This month the regular favorite beverage. feature of \"A Woman's World\" ventures out east of the river. Native Paulette Naylor is our guide. 10 FREEDOM AND FEMALES Contributor Mindy Love takes us on a woman 26 LIVE WITH MORE LIBERTY warrior tour of Fort Bragg — a who's who list of Apple Crate Naturals wellness manager Alison names to recognize and remember. Davis wants to help you find your way to freedom from aches and pains — the natural way. 22 00 22 11 JJ UU LLYY || 33

Woman's Spotlight First Lt. Kristin Coleman By Keyuri Parab F irst Lt. Kristin Coleman of the candidates picked for 82nd Airborne Division is a the XO position based on fourth-generation military seniority, organizational member who says serving is in skills and the ability to her blood. handle the demands of the job. Born in Texas and having lived in numerous states, including Alabama “I think this job puts an and New York, Coleman was a military officer in a good position brat growing up. She attended for taking command Hampton University in Virginia and in the future because earned her bachelor’s in sociology while you learn to understand being a part of Army Reserve Officers' property, have access to Training Corps. different systems and learn not be too reliant on someone else “Initially I didn't want to go into because you will already be familiar with the Army, but just study and do the process,” she said. independent research on post- traumatic stress and the effects it Coleman starts her day at 5:30 a.m, has on soldiers, ultimately working in physically training from 6-8 a.m. and behavioral health,” Coleman said. “My from there working on the job from 9:30 grandfather, uncle, father, brother and a.m. until the end of the day. A new XO’s cousins were in the military, so I felt like I job today may be a little different from just had to do it.” the past, but she’s versatile, she said. After graduating in 2018, Coleman went Apart from her regular job in the Army, they have someone they can report to, to Fort Knox, Kentucky, for training, Coleman also serves as a sexual assault talk to, that can help them,” then to Oklahoma for an officer course victim advocate in her unit. She’s Coleman said. in field artillery instruction and next passionate about spreading awareness to Airborne school in Georgia before about sexual violence and harassment Any challenges Coleman has moving to Fort Bragg. after losing her younger sister to a case encountered have not stopped her of stalking and sexual violence. from moving forward and inspiring She was recently selected for the role of others. After graduating Jumpmaster executive officer from a pool of 47 to 50 “I don't know if she even had the school, she encouraged other women in lieutenants and is excited to take on the awareness to know that it was her unit who looked up to her to follow new role, she said. harassment,” she said. “As women, you their aspirations as well. know we sometimes don't even know “I am an XO who is an assistant to a that it's harassment in so many ways if “I feel good about being a woman in a commander, so I manage properties you don't identify certain things leadership position; it kind of makes me and such. It’s like being the behind- as harassment.” feel like I have a voice because when the-scenes person and coordinating you know what you’re talking about, everything and reporting statuses Coleman can help those affected by people typically want to listen to you,” back,” Coleman said. “The XO handles these issues in confidence as well as she said. “It makes me feel empowered the administrative aspects of the unit, come up with different ways to combat and motivates me to do well.” with a focus on day-to-day operations, the issue, she said. and is the second in command in the unit.” “That's why I decided to be a victim advocate, because I wanted to not only Coleman was among three other educate people, but let them know that Keyuri Parab is the editorial assistant for Up & Coming Weekly. She loves writing, news and cooking. Keyuri graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington and moved to the Fort Bragg/Fayetteville area in 2020. Originally from Mumbai, India, she speaks four languages: English, Hindi, Marathi and French. 4 | J U LY 2 0 2 1

Essays on Liberty Our Precious First Amendment and The Freedom of the Press By Margaret Dickson W e Americans are proud of our First Observer is now owned by a national newspaper chain. With Amendment ― a guarantee that such consolidation have come “synergies,” which translate government at any level cannot restrict into fewer local jobs and much less local news. freedom of speech in the United States ― and we should be. It safeguards our own individual speech Estimates vary, but The New York Times reports that 1 in 5 and that of the “press.” Originally the press was defined by newspapers in the U.S. have shut down. Researcher Penny our primary news and opinion medium ― newspapers― but Abernathy at UNC-CH’s School of Journalism and Media puts today translates to “media,” encompassing print and digital the number at about 1,800 since 2004, roughly 100 a year. platforms, ones common to me and those I have never heard Actual closure of local broadcasting outlets is not as dramatic, of and will likely never use. but the existence of fewer newsrooms and reporters is taking a toll. Local news media are shadows of their former selves, But I am nervous about our First Amendment and and many U.S. communities are now local news deserts. particularly, the freedom of the press. As you and I speak with millions of different voices and opinions, local media is So why should we care that news outlet voices are decreasing speaking less and less. That means we know less and less and that less local, state and regional news coverage exists? about what is happening in our own communities. We should care because how else will we know what our local and state elected officials are up to? What is Fayetteville City The press, which began with relatively few voices, has long Council doing with downtown development? How are our since morphed into millions of voices with a versatile range. law enforcement agencies handling diversity issues? What From television networks with distinct points of view and is the Cumberland County Board of Education doing to help unrestricted social media comments to individual blogs and students recover from a year away from in-person classes? podcasts representing every viewpoint and experience How is the General Assembly going to fund the UNC and under the sun, a lot is being said. We are all free to partake community college systems? Unless you plan to attend every of as much or as little of this as we please. We can and do meeting of every elected body, you will be unaware that local read, watch and listen to voices that agree with ours, relaxing media coverage is absent. Don’t even think about trusting with our own choir in an echo chamber that preaches only random social media posts for accurate local news. To read to us and those like us. Successful politicians of all stripes more on this, see the Brookings Institute 2019 report “Local know to keep their friends close and their enemies closer. Journalism in Crisis: Why America Must Revive Its Otherwise, we have no clue what others are thinking and Local Newsrooms.” doing. It is as if we are living in the tower of Babel, an existence dangerous indeed. Thomas Jefferson, Frederick Douglas, Patrick Henry and other earlier Americans who saw a need for eternal vigilance to Dangerous as well is the consolidation of media throughout preserve liberty could not have imagined today’s cacophony our nation. Gone from most places, including Fayetteville of voices. That we struggle to agree on basic facts about our and Cumberland County, are locally owned and operated nation would astound them, but that is our present state. We news outlets, including newspapers and radio and television do not have to agree with much less like the views of other stations. Cape Fear Broadcasting, a local media company people and news outlets, but we ignore them at our own and that carried local news and broadcast editorials, was sold to our nation’s peril. a publicly traded corporation 20 years ago. The Fayetteville It is up to us to protect our precious First Amendment by keeping ourselves informed as best we can, even about events, ideas and points of view with which we disagree. Especially about those with which we disagree. Margaret Highsmith Dickson is a Fayetteville native who spent most of her career in a family broadcasting and wireless communications company. She later served in the North Carolina House of Representatives and the Senate. She is the mother of three and grandmother of one — proud North Carolinians all. 2 0 2 1 J U LY | 5

Celebrating Freedom Red, White and Blue By Kalin Williams S pruce up your Fourth of July cookout this year with an array of festive red, white and blue food. From snacks to sweets, these recipes were crafted for the whole family to enjoy on a hot July day. There’s nothing like having a little patriotic flare on our plates as we celebrate America’s birthday! July “4” Berry Ice Cream Firecracker Roasted Red Pepper Dip Serves 8 Serves 8 A must-have dessert this summer is July “4” Berry Ice cream! Firecracker Roasted Red Pepper Dip is like a fireworks The foundation of homemade vanilla ice cream couldn’t be explosion of flavor in your mouth. Sweet red peppers, creamy easier with this three-ingredient, no-churn recipe. Adding in feta cheese and blue corn tortilla chips come together in this four kinds of fresh berries creates a picture-perfect Fourth of snack dip for a savory and festive dish. July treat to help beat the heat. Ingredients Ingredients 3 red peppers 2 cups heavy cream 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon pepper ¼ cup diced strawberries 3 garlic cloves ¼ cup diced blueberries 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar ¼ cup diced raspberries ½ teaspoon paprika ¼ cup diced blackberries ½ teaspoon oregano Optional red, white and blue toppings ― berries, whipped ¼ cup feta cheese cream, sprinkles Instructions Instructions Heat the oven to 400° degrees. Cut the red peppers in half In a blender or by hand, mix heavy cream, sweetened and remove the ribs and seeds. Place garlic and pepper cut condensed milk and vanilla extract for about 30 seconds until side down on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive well combined. oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a loaf pan or other freezer-friendly Bake for 30 minutes or until the pepper skin has blackened. container. Stir in diced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries Remove from the oven and place the peppers in a plastic and blackberries. storage bag for 10 minutes to soften. Gently peel off the skins and discard them. Cover and freeze overnight. Set out for 15 minutes at room temperature to soften before serving. Place the peppers and garlic cloves in a food processor with 1 tablespoon olive oil, red wine vinegar, paprika and oregano. Top with red, white and blue toppings if desired and Pulse until combined. serve immediately. 6 | J U LY 2 0 2 1 Top with feta cheese and serve with blue corn tortilla chips for a red, white and blue appetizer.

Patriotic Watermelon Pizza Serves 16 A sweet and refreshing treat, Patriotic Watermelon Pizza was made for a day in the sun. Juicy watermelon is topped with a light cream spread and mixed berries for an all-American snack. Ingredients 1 seedless watermelon 2 ounces cream cheese, softened ½ cup Greek yogurt ¼ cup powdered sugar ½ orange, juiced 1-2 cups of mixed berries ― raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries Instructions Slice the watermelon into 2-inch thick rounds. Cut each round into wedges. Beat the cream cheese and Greek yogurt in a small bowl. Mix All-American Charcuterie Board in the powdered sugar and orange juice until combined. Serves 8-10 Spread the mixture onto each watermelon wedge and top with mixed berries. Serve and enjoy immediately. Grab all your red, white and blue foods and get ready to assemble this can’t-miss all-American Charcuterie Board. No table is complete without a meat and cheese board, and the Fourth of July spread should be no different. Filled with salty, sugary and savory snacks alike, this shareable appetizer has something for everyone. Ingredients “Red” foods ― strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, red pepper, pepperoni “White” foods ― variety of cheeses, popcorn, marshmallows, crackers “Blue” foods ― blueberries, blackberries, blue corn tortilla chips, olives Instructions To create a striped board, start by grouping the blue foods in opposite corners of the serving board. Use small bowls if needed. In a wide section around each set of the blue foods, lay out the various white foods. Set the crackers in a fun pattern and place any soft cheeses toward the edges of the board. Fill out the remaining center of the board with the red foods. Fold the pepperoni or use small toothpicks to create a floral feel. Decorate with flag toothpicks and themed napkins to round out this food display of patriotism. 2 0 2 1 J U LY | 7

Star-Spangled Lemonade Serves 8-10 Classic homemade lemonade turned up a notch with the refreshing flavors of watermelon. At your holiday picnic, serve up glasses of Star-Spangled Lemonade to quench your thirst and satisfy your sweet tooth. Ingredients 1 seedless watermelon 8-10 medium-sized lemons, halved 8 cups water, divided 1½ cup sugar Blackberries or blueberries, to garnish Instructions Red, White & Blue Cheeseburgers Juice the lemons and refrigerate the lemon juice until cold. Serves 4 Blend the watermelon and stir in the lemon juice. Celebrate July 4 with the most American burger of all ― Red, Heat sugar and 1 cup water in a pot over medium-high heat, White & Blue Cheeseburgers. These burgers are stuffed with or until the sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature and creamy blue cheese that packs loads of flavor. then refrigerate until cold. Combine juice, simple syrup and 7 cups of cold water. Pour over ice and serve fresh. Garnish each glass with berries for a pop of blue color. Ingredients 1 pound ground beef 1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled 2-3 teaspoons steak seasoning 1 white onion, sliced 1 tomato, sliced 1 head of lettuce, as needed 4 buns, toasted Instructions In a bowl, break up the ground beef until it is easily stirred. Add in the blue cheese and steak seasoning and stir to combine. Divide into 4 equal parts. Shape each section into a patty with a slight dent in the middle. Grill the onion for up to 5 minutes or until translucent. Grill the patties for 2-3 minutes per side for a medium burger. Place each burger on a bun and top with lettuce, tomato and grilled onion. Through her food blog, Abundance of Flavor, Kalin Williams loves encouraging others in the kitchen to step out of their comfort zone and try something new. A Fayetteville native, she now lives in Chapel Hill where she loves trying new local restaurants and exploring different cuisines. Connect with her and find recipes and cooking tips at AbundanceofFlavor.com. 8 | J U LY 2 0 2 1

Books for the Beach By Alison Hurley Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina! We are blessed to live in a beautiful state, complete with white sand beaches and majestic mountain views. You can travel the state with these summer reads that all take place in our home state. Diane Chamberlain Big Lies in a Small Town Taking place in alternating timelines in Edenton, North Carolina, this book tells the stories of two young women ― Morgan in 2018 and Anna Dale in 1939. With vivid descriptions and rich imagery, you feel as though you are there in Edenton, both present and past. Many themes prevail in this novel ― love, loss, racial tension, mental illness and the restorative power of a second chance. I must thank my book club for choosing this one and introducing me to this very talented author. Most of her books are set in North Carolina, and they are all now on my to-read list. Megan Goldin The Night Swim The Night Swim is about Rachel, a podcaster whose first season, an overnight success, freed a wrongly convicted man. Now the pressure is on to create an even more talked-about second season, and this story begins here. Set in a fictional North Carolina beach town of Neapolis, Rachel covers the trial of the town’s golden boy. Set for Olympic-swimming stardom, he has been accused of raping the granddaughter of the police chief. While there, Rachel begins receiving letters from an unknown sender, asking her to investigate the death of a local girl 25 years earlier. Officially, Jenny Sills’ death was an accident, but the letter’s sender, her younger sister, insists she was murdered. This book asks you to think about the price of a reputation. Can people in a small town ever change their perceptions about what they believe to be true? Megan Miranda The Girl from Widow Hills When Arden was 6-years-old, she was swept away during a storm while sleepwalking. After being missing for several days, she was found clinging to life in a storm drain. Similar to real-life accounts, her story garnered national attention and unwanted fame. Twenty years later, she has moved away, changed her name to Olivia and is working and living in a remote North Carolina town. This is her life until she starts sleepwalking again and discovers the body of someone from her past life. A true psychological thriller, this read will have you second-guessing everything you think you know about the characters and their actions. This book is an exciting look at memory and how trauma shapes what we think we know about our pasts. Joy Jordan-Lake Under a Gilded Moon “Books can remind you, you can make of your life what you want it to be.” That’s what Kerry, the main character, has learned from her teachers. She comes from a poor and abusive home and is striving for a better life. However, after two years at college, she is called back home to the North Carolina mountains to help care for her dying father. She is forced to get a job to provide for her family, and the only place hiring is the Biltmore Estate. Many moving parts exist in this novel ― race and classism, eugenics, immigration and murder! However, it’s the attention to detail describing the beautiful mountain area, the people and their culture and the fantastic Biltmore Estate that stuck with me. After you finish, be sure to read the author’s notes ― she did her research for this one ― and check out her website . Then, you can plan your first or next trip to Asheville! Alison Hurley has been an educator for over 18 years, serving as an information specialist, media coordinator, gifted education consultant and regular classroom teacher. A Fayetteville resident, she is married with two children. 2 0 2 1 J U LY | 9

Essays on Liberty The Female Influence on Our Freedom, Locally and Beyond By Mindy Love E ach Independence Day, Americans go to cookouts aircraft and balloons used by artillery spotters. with friends, eat burgers and hotdogs and watch fireworks. Although the holiday has morphed into a During World War I, women contributed to the war effort by picnic event over the last several decades, the fourth working in numerous volunteer organizations such as the of July means much more. American Red Cross, Salvation Army and The Women’s Land Army. They mobilized to ensure the men were available to Freedom is defined as the power or right to act, speak or think enter combat in Europe. as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Similar words include independence, self-governance, liberty, individualism Over 9 million women left their homes to work in factories, and self-sufficiency. These words rang true to the colonists in mines, chemical manufacturing, farms, munitions plants and the 1760s and 1770s as much as they do to Americans today. even alongside the men in the military. They were mechanics, nurses, truck drivers, radio operators, instructors and clerks Fayetteville, the military and World War I performing critical duties in the war effort. Many served in this capacity two years before they earned the right to vote in 1920. While Fayetteville’s ties to freedom and the military go back to before the town and the country were created, its most The Era of Rosie the Riveter and the motto, significant tie today is Fort Bragg and Pope Army Air Field. “We Can Do It.” Camp Bragg was created in 1918 as a World War I artillery In World War II, approximately 350,000 women joined the training ground due to its resources, terrain, location and military alongside factory workers and others to support the proximity to the railway. Pope Field was opened in 1919 for war effort once again. They worked as nurses, clerks, chemists, 10 | J U LY 2 0 2 1

engineers and truck drivers, as well as repaired and flew airplanes. Rosie the Riveter became the symbol of the World War II factory worker: independent, tough, feminine. Almost 7 million women once again filled jobs nationwide to free up men for the fight, proving the slogan used on a wartime poster declaring “We Can Do It” true. Military women served in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps 10 female pilots volunteered in 1976. Since then, women have and the Navy’s Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency continued to serve as pilots. Today, 708 of the 10,964 Air Force Service. Women eventually also served in the ranks of the pilots are female. Coast Guard and Marine Corps. Women served the wartime effort at Fort Bragg, Pope Field, the Laurinburg-Maxton Army Women stationed at Fort Bragg continue to break barriers, Air Base, Camp Davis and Fort Fisher. with the first African American woman promoted to Command Sergeant Major of the 82nd Airborne Division In 1943, the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron with the in April 2021. Command Sergeant Major Tonya Sims is both Women’s Flying Training Detachment merged to create The the highest-ranking enlisted person in the 82nd Airborne Women’s Airforce Service Pilots. Division and the highest-ranking enlisted person in the 82nd Sustainment Brigade. WASPS in World War II Least of all, one should never forget the military spouses that This band of all-women pilots was considered civil service support soldiers and airmen while at home and deployed. A and not recognized by the military. Although they were shining example of support comes from R. Riveter Handbags, responsible for ferrying planes from factories to bases, a retailer with its flagship store in neighboring Southern Pines. transporting cargo and carrying out simulated missions Creators Lisa Bradly and Cameron Cruse took the iconic idea for military training, they were not given full military status of Rosie the Riveter and out of many, one, a traditional motto until 1977. of the United States, and infused that into their company. They not only create handbags, but also support military spouses These heroic women were trained on and flew every type of by giving them meaningful jobs that can move with them as military aircraft. They took to the skies on noncombat missions they relocate. in the airways above the Cape Fear region in North Carolina. They worked out of Camp Davis and Fort Fisher, as well as Sweet land of liberty across the South. America, unlike any country in the world, grants constitutional Notable women with ties to the military rights to its citizens. In no other place on the planet can a person wake up in the morning, set a goal and then go about In June 2020, Chief Master Sergeant JoAnne S. Bass was accomplishing that goal. The sky is truly the limit. selected to become the 19th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. She is the first woman in history to serve as the highest- Women have been blazing trails throughout history. In the ranking noncommissioned officer of U.S. Military service. Bass United States, they fulfill important roles within the home and began her notable career in 1993 at Pope Air Force Base and, the workforce. Thanks to others who paved the way, women in 27 years, rose to the top position in the U.S. Air Force. today can be anything: mothers, scientists, astronauts, police officers, doctors and military personnel ― to name a few The United States Army Special Forces graduated the choices ― and nothing can hold us back. first female Green Beret in July 2020. While her name was withheld due to personnel security reasons, she completed all As with other July 4th holidays, Americans should reflect on the training in the Special Forces Qualification Course at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg. what freedom means. Americans will not always agree with For Women’s History Month in March 2021, 80 female each other. But we are free to disagree and yet come together paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, Pope Army Airfield and the 437th Airlift Wing from under one flag. Remember the definition of freedom? The Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, gathered on two C-17 Globemaster IIIs, joining an all-female flight crew for a power or right to act, speak or think as one wants without historical flight and jump. hindrance or restraint is the foundation of this republic. Let While women flew in the second world war, women in the military were not recruited to fly again until 1975, and the first freedom ring! 2 0 2 1 J U LY | 11

Essays on Liberty Exercising the Right to Petition By Michelle Hallas L iving here in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the sights and sounds of our American freedoms can be seen and heard most every day ― from seeing the soldier next door to hearing the military range miles away. The great military members of our community fight continuously for our country and in doing so, allow the United States of America to maintain its freedom, most notably ensuring that our rights guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution stay intact. One of these constitutional rights we Americans have is the right to petition. Petitioning is a very common practice dating back to the 18th century that allows citizens to assemble peacefully and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Put in simple terms, this means to try to create change for the greater good when we citizens feel that the government is not making the correct decisions. Realizing rights the absence of in-person learning was having on our children, but even more importantly, to their mental health. When I must confess that I had personally never utilized the right to compared to our children’s risk of dying from SARS-CoV-2, petition until recently, always trusting that our local, state and the psychological damage ― that included a rise in suicide, federal government officials were making the right choices depression and addiction ― left no counter. Countless parents and decisions. When SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19 and citizens like me knew our children desperately wanted or the coronavirus, first appeared in spring 2020, forcing the and needed to be back in the classroom. country to close down, my stance changed. Call to action During the pandemic, one of the most affected groups were our local school-aged children. While most families were in So, I kicked in my right to petition, starting with written agreement about school closings for the first few months, communication. I sent emails to local public school officials it became apparent throughout the summer that our and school board members, county commissioners, the government leaders did not adequately have the medical mayor and city councilmen and women, but very few were background to make the very difficult decisions of the day: answered. However, what was most concerning was that whether our public schools should continue to stay closed none of the answers I did receive adequately explained at the potential detriment of our children or open up to scientifically why school was closed and when our children allow our children their right to an equal educational would be allowed to return to the classroom. opportunity no matter their race, religion, ethnic or socio- economic background. When it became apparent that the local school board chose to keep schools closed based on, in my opinion, personal When Governor Roy Cooper announced that schools in fears and not actual scientific evidence, my petition efforts our state could open back up in the fall of 2020, he left the increased. I started a Facebook group, Cumberland County decisions to local school boards to make the choice whether Families and Teachers to Reopen Schools Safely, and began schools were to open in a hybrid model or continue to stay sharing my views. I rallied together parents, educators, closed and operate virtually. Being a health care professional newspaper reporters and anyone who would listen and and a public school parent, I daily monitored SARS-CoV-2 educated them on SARS-CoV-2, its effects on school-aged statistics and analyzed research data. I began to methodically children and the issues our children would struggle with for understand that the greater risks were of our children being years to come by missing classroom time now. In a short time, out of the classroom. I saw the devastating academic impact Michelle Hallas lives in Fayetteville with her husband and two college-age daughters. She is a health care professional in the pharmaceutical industry and an active member of the community. 12 | J U LY 2 0 2 1

our membership grew to almost 3,500 members ― all local When our grievance was still not addressed adequately or citizens ready to see changes made and action occur. As a satisfactorily, our group petitioned our state senators and local group, we shared graphs and data, opinions and views and representatives. Daily, I posted email addresses and phone testimonies of the effects on our children, and we shared numbers. Daily, I asked Facebook group members to reach information on the next steps that needed to be taken to get out to them. Daily, Facebook group members made phone our schools open. calls and sent letters and sent emails. As a group, we were making our voices heard! From virtual to visual and live petitions Hard work pays off You may have seen our Reopen Schools yard signs ― visual signs of petition ― that were distributed to group members. When it became time for our state congressmen and Such print media methods were needed to show our local congresswomen to vote on a North Carolina bill before the officials that we, Cumberland County citizens, were not happy Senate that would take the school reopening decision away with the decisions being made on behalf of our children. from county school boards, they had each heard from so Additionally, we organized a pep rally ― attended by parents, many of our Cumberland County Facebook group members children, educators and members of the media ― as a means that the result ultimately went in our favor. to show our grievance against the local school board. In assembling, we asked for school officials to give parents a While I may have embarked on this journey as just a mom choice and a voice in the decision-making process. Did we fighting for my children’s education, I am now able to look think that returning to live instruction was in the best interest back and see what a difference my First Amendment right of our families? Did school officials wish to know our views? to petition had on the 50,000 children enrolled in local public Parents spoke on behalf of their children and the issues they schools. With the dedication and assistance of thousands were facing, and students spoke to have their voices and of parents and educators, our group led the path for the opinions heard. families across this great state and also here at home in Cumberland County. A year into the pandemic, we parents When circumstances revealed that our voices were not being were finally given a choice regarding our own children’s public heard, our group tried a different approach. With local school education: either return to live instruction or remain home board elections right around the corner, we reached out to for virtual learning. More was to come in the Reopen Schools and endorsed potential candidates that supported schools movement, but we relished this victory that, long into the reopening. Working election polls, going door-to-door and pandemic, at last gave public school families options. using social media platforms, our Reopen Schools Safely group was instrumental in turning over one of the school As Americans, isn’t choice what life here is all about? board member positions, ultimately proving beneficial. 2 0 2 1 J U LY | 13

Essays on Liberty Freedom of Speech: What’s Protected, What’s Not By Leslie Corpening shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.\" What does the phrase \"abridging the freedom of speech\" actually mean? It means that the government cannot interfere, punish, censor or oppress you because of what you communicate. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the path to freedom was long and arduous. Taking nearly 200 years to establish firm constitutional limits on the government's power to punish “seditious” and “subversive' speech,” the Supreme Court has wrestled with what speech is protected. During times of national stress, upheaval and war, people have been censored, fined and jailed for speaking out. An ACLU article at https://www.aclu.org/other/freedom-expression recounts that in 1798, during the French-Indian War, Congress passed the Alien and Sedition Acts, four laws that restricted the activities of foreign residents in the country and limited freedom of speech and of the press. The policies made it a crime for anyone to publish \"any false, scandalous and malicious writing\" against the government. It was used by the then-dominant Federalist Party to prosecute prominent Republican newspaper editors during the late 18th century. In the 19th century, sedition, criminal anarchy and criminal conspiracy laws suppressed the speech of abolitionists, religious minorities, suffragists, labor organizers and pacifists. T he governments of countries like China, Russia The ACLU details a case in point that happened in Virginia and North Korea don't grant their citizens the right before the Civil War. Anyone who \"by speaking or writing to speak freely. Once a person's speech has been maintains that owners have no right of property in slaves\" was deemed offensive by such governments, reprisal is subject to a one-year prison sentence. In further examples, often swift and final. The right to say or express what you want in 1912, feminist Margaret Sanger was arrested for giving a in America is a staple of our democratic society. lecture on birth control, trade union meetings were banned, and courts routinely granted injunctions prohibiting strikes Our freedom of speech was cemented in the U.S. Constitution. and other labor protests. Violators were sentenced to prison. In the 1800s, and the British colonies located in America Peaceful protesters opposing U. S. entry into World War I were wanted the same rights as the English people in Britain. The jailed for expressing their opinions. British government would not grant the colonies full rights but demanded that they pay taxes, eventually leading to the Freedom of speech or expression covers both verbal and Revolutionary War. written speech as well a symbolic speech. Symbolic speech includes demonstrating, protesting, wearing paraphernalia Four years after the war's end in 1787, the Constitution was (hat, shirt, button, etc.) that exhibit a message and flag signed into law. The First Amendment states, \"Congress burning. The First Amendment protects speech in public places but not private, as the article “The First Amendment: Where It Is Implicated and Where It Is Not,” written by Leslie M. Corpening has worked as a communication instructor at Fayetteville Technical Community College for the past 17 years. Having taught at numerous other institutions of higher learning, Corpening is also the founder and owner of LesCorp Communication Consulting, a human communication services provider. Learn more at www.lescorpcc.com. 14 | J U LY 2 0 2 1

Ford Harrison of JD Supra, points out. He wrote, “The First S o At Amendment does not prohibit private individuals, companies and employers from restricting speech.” Join Us Consequently, a private employer can fire an employee over 2021 what he or she says or tweets. Still, a government employer Gallery Events can't fire an employee unless the speech falls into specific restricted categories. For instance, the First Amendment August 10th does not protect a government employee from threatening November 9th speech, rhetoric that incites violence or obscene expression. What is deemed protected and unprotected expression as 2 0 2 1 J U LY | 15 interpreted through the lens of the courts has been a juggling act for centuries. Many legal battles have been fought and won to establish precedent concerning what's protected and what's not protected under the law. The website Uscourts.gov provides several court cases that highlight these issues. What's Protected • The right not to salute the flag, West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette, 1943 • The right to burn the flag in protest, Texas V. Johnson 1989; United States v. Eichman, 1990 • The right to use certain offensive words and phrases to convey political messages, Cohen v. California, 1971 What's Not Protected • The right to incite actions that would harm others, Schenck v. United States, 1919 • The right to make or distribute obscene materials, Roth v. United States, 1957 • The right of students to advocate illegal drug use at a school-sponsored event, Morse v. Frederick, 2007 From the so-called \"communist\" McCarthy era to the \"we shall overcome\" civil rights movement to the current \"information superhighway\" social media craze, free speech has remained constant and as controversial as ever. Five years ago, former NFL player Colin Kaepernick set off a firestorm when he kneeled during the playing of the National Anthem. Explaining this act of protest he said, \"There's a lot of things that need to change. One specifically? Police brutality.\" The reaction was immediate and swift. He was criticized for being unpatriotic by some and hailed as a hero by others. Former President Donald Trump was recently banned from his social media accounts after the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riots. Trump's supporters decried that his First Amendment rights were being infringed upon, while his critics countered that free speech didn't apply to private social media companies. Both cases are highly charged and politicized, lending to the debate of what is protected or unprotected expression. Regardless of your opinion. the point that we can debate them is the key. Benjamin Franklin once said, \"Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government; when this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins.\"

Think, Dream and Affirm Your Goals with Affirmation Boards By Megan Gordon You may be wondering, what the heck is an affirmation board, and how do I make one? W hat better time to reset, refocus and refresh than midyear? The summer has always been a great I’m glad you asked because you’ll be super excited once you time to relax, recharge and reassess. Whether it be realize how easy, inexpensive and effective they are. personal hopes, career aspirations or family dreams, now’s the time to write these goals down and place them in a • Step One Be honest with yourself. What is it that space where you can see them regularly. you really want? No one can answer that but you. In six A visual approach to goals helps us to stay motivated and months’ time, what do you want to have accomplished, on target for what we’re hoping to achieve. A practical way started, ended or achieved? in which I create this visual is through creating what I call affirmation boards. • Step Two Write these things down on a sheet of paper I have been involved with pageants for many years. During my or in a journal. You must be specific and not generalize. I time preparing for Miss USA, I found my thoughts, goals and personally like to break mine down into different topics: dreams were all over the place. I took great pride in being Miss South Carolina USA, and from the moment I was crowned, Example: Personal Goals I knew I wanted to experience so much within that year –– many places I wanted to visit, and even more people I wanted If you’d like to work on your fitness, instead of writing to reach. Journaling helped move all of my jumbled thoughts “workout more,” you could write “workout twice a week at out of my head and onto paper, but the moment I finished Gym Happy Place.” Then put why you are making this a writing, I’d close the journal, place it on my bookshelf and only goal. Why does it matter to you? return to it once I needed to dump my thoughts again. Example: Financial Goals How can I stay motivated when times get hard? How can I continue making a difference? How can I remind myself of Instead of saying, “save more” as a goal, you could write why I even got started in the first place? “transfer 10% of each paycheck to a separate savings account,” or “pay off 30% of my credit card debt by December.” Again, why is this important to you? How do you view money? During the stress and excitement of pageant preparation and Example: Relational Goals competition, these questions were ones I’d constantly ask myself. In the past, I’d never been a huge fan of vision boards. Instead of saying, “be a better friend,” you could write Even though I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with “Sept. 7 is my friend’s birthday. I will plan and budget in them, I just knew personally I needed more than cute pics advance to send her flowers or invite her to dinner that out of a magazine to stay motivated (Instagram and Pinterest week.” Or, “I will schedule a 30-minute call to check in already do that for us, right?). Instead, I needed my own words, with my friends.” It’s not about the materialistic things, my own vision written down in a place where I could see it but again why is showing up in your relationships regularly. I needed to affirm myself daily and remind myself of important to you? who I was. Start small. Don’t overwhelm yourself with tons of goals and Then came the light bulb moment ― I could make an things to do. Focus on the things you really want to work on affirmation board! and jot them down. Instead of making a “to-do” list, think of these as lifestyle changes you want to incorporate into your everyday life. Megan Gordon, Miss South Carolina USA 2017, Miss Collegiate America 2014 and Miss Southeast, was a Top 5 finisher in the 2016 Miss USA pageant and first runner-up in the 2019 Miss World America. A registered nurse, she also works as an author, blogger, motivational speaker, pageant coach and youth developer. Her first book is \"The Ultimate Crown: Living for the Audience of One.\" 16 | J U LY 2 0 2 1

So now that we Happy 4TH of july! have our bigger thoughts and desires Please join us in our celebration recorded and are of independence. clear on why we want these changes Have fun and safe celebrations. implemented, we Please call us at 910-609-6710 if can now put our board together. we can assist you with any Here’s what you hospice needs. will need: Look no further.BR9rFoau2odys0dneH:ent9Bhtayaeke1rasovwDyvii0hgudiianelA-fShmlrslpu4yereLgst,RShr,Gaot8.atSiAsIuIeNlsniMbr0lNoIoNUnD.rraCNcuR-metnyrtGuYGltoY1oLitoidGh2Doenm0slLeOwnllo8tLuTgIc1ow,EigsnbVOfi30,EaOvAthpgesOh1nLewKgye4eeAODmoRdIearAyNctseDunloOCRioktDrildGtgoaVEEfiKusuotVslwolDAEao!nIorEFapNwrNvMnnInaOyNeetGiT.nhdnhtRTfrwhUeehgsablUtwewimfivRoioTSuzotkReihpaOHInyytriFaNbOWhnyroiAUntEOGedsofuS,ughGUDIodor,usSwIU,R’D,sevONLSmtrVmPhYeiielmEnOGlNEaoyealKlbRrLaoDeNWgoLoosobEmerOvFNOsaEEnkevTeuuheaEOtsiknOeiUnTyPhaorewnRDMiKoltu!dRwEdEWhtogcaEAIfCnoArsOisioCuNNyAanksLi,sRafteLkLtU.r-iDrGTohnsDuAlnIiuE,eMblEnoNSrVeIgrhFATIn5kuOtgmeDr’,EuGOhrm5,olsItfBoeNaNsOoIG5eeLRwmrftoTacrLcwtTAurNEy!hbSikaarOulaEUntDeohIeeieAhnSncNsnnuReYsageDmatdiBHgGrOnuoytsnenRhiLLogIytUmlaoldPkooid,EfEiauoEfwDSotfiwn.Auaed!trlaloAyfLigorrsMDrfuIyayoseO,Rsnmltpt.I.oLhshuuSIgVfOMGabwviaoNeSAenIarriOuewtrKNwImmUenilvDuGsoaLNotltDRdeiIathGYsuftOeYnNliwGyehlotCIonTacwrkLygoVOAobG.gniavLaGEgOosEtiuShOsnDeedwfhnK,EnuDIU’oevNFsaLRVDmdIacmynrYeNnOyAOGslEoeCoeRlkbiAoLatdotGNgRlDuLEOosEhferiuOvDsrotaElwTDeVeeAKaiuo!OTtrFaVznlUhrEnonMIpIanHOKaEyNolRNvWtnhorid.htINnREheedOfGiohNiATwkeeInsrlasTkeUD,i-iDGUwmOTivhgzniUthnSepaVOHRhigNFIakWgRr’,iEOOWmEedsiEFfOnNoILrRUsOrD,grOUtTAu,!hSSh,ROUnDNSIeaNnRWYsEgiGOnu What: A cute board It’s what I do. (pick a size that works best for you; I prefer small-sized boards), GET TO A BETTER STATE™. colorful sticky notes and tape CALL ME TODAY. When: Create this board whenever you feel motivated to do so! Summer is a great time because of its vacation time and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, relaxed vibe. I also enjoy making a board in September around State Farm Indemnity Company, State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, my birthday! Where: Hobby Lobby and Michael’s are the Holy Grails of such State Farm General Insurance Company, Bloomington, IL supplies. Between these two stores, you will find everything you need. 1101201 Next, take a sticky note and write an affirmation that 2 0 2 1 J U LY | 17 correlates with the goals you jotted down earlier. If you can’t think of a one, feel free to use words from quotes, movies, Scripture or books that inspire you. For example, I wrote my personal goal affirmation, and it reads: I am intentional about my health. I am putting in the work to become physically fit. I am committed to my weekly workouts. My body is becoming stronger and better every day. I used a favorite quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson to affirm my financial goals: The desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means of freedom and benefit. I used Proverbs 18:24 as a relational goal motivator to remind me to be a better friend: Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family. So, you see, whether it’s an affirmation in your own words or ones sourced from other places or people, your affirmation board can provide the inspiration and motivation to propel you to act. While competing in pageants, I’d make these boards, and instead of writing, Win Miss Universe, I focused more on how I wanted to make people feel during my reign. Winning at the highest level would’ve been incredible, but when I thought about the endgame, I knew much more was at stake. Dozens of girls were looking up to me, and I knew I had a purpose to fulfill during my time in pageantry. Referring to my affirmation boards over time reminded me to never give up. Filling my cup with positive, productive affirmations helps me stay mentally fit. It grows me spiritually when I place biblical text on my board and builds my discipline and confidence when I’m actually living out the things I write on those sticky notes. As my cup overflows, I am able to go out into my community and pour into other young women who are looking to achieve their goals in life as well. What about you? Affirm your goals and go for them today.

Essays on Liberty TAhmeeSndecmoenndt By Danielle Durante National Sporting Goods Association protecting yourself physically, you documented a 43.5% increase in should consider the legal side as well. S itting quietly at home watching female hunters from 2003 to 2013. An Laws are different from state to state, the evening news and seeing estimated 5.4 million-plus women and considering legal coverage helps reports of the escalating crime participate in the U.S. Target Shoot for protect you and your family. in America, you may think to yourself, different reasons, from hunting and what can I do to keep safe? Whether sport shooting to sharpening their If you employ a firearm in protecting or not to buy a firearm may next cross self-defense skills. yourself, all parties involved will be your mind. The American founding part of the follow-up investigation, fathers ensured we all have the right Protection is the leading reason resulting in charges against either to own a gun. The inclusion of the or both sides. In an instant, you may Second Amendment in the Bill of women purchase firearms, according have protected the ones you love, Rights was based on their previous to both www.PewResearch.org only to find later your freedom at experiences and to prevent future and Guns and Ammo magazine. A stake. Legal defense programs for Americans from experiencing the firearm is a great equalizer against personal protection such as U.S. same. Over time, the right to bear another individual or animal, no LawShield provide members with a arms has evolved for many reasons, matter your size, but merely owning criminal lawyer and a complimentary including personal protection, a firearm is not enough. Receiving hotline you can call 24/7. The relatively hunting, competition and other types proper training is key to knowing low annual cost of these types of of recreation. how to defend yourself. Fayetteville coverages gives you peace of mind. has many ranges that offer individual As we celebrate our independence and group lessons. One in particular, The safety of children in regards to during July, remembering our 37 PSR Gun Club, offers multiple guns is always a concern. An essential American rights is essential. The personal defense courses that focus skill to teach kids is that if they see a Second Amendment, often referred on various skills required to defend firearm to stop, don’t touch and tell to as the right to bear arms, is one of yourself effectively. You don’t need an adult. In 1988, the National Rifle the 10 amendments that form the Bill your concealed carry license to take Association launched the Eddie Eagle of Rights, ratified in 1791 by the U.S. these courses. The lessons they teach GunSafe program, a gun accident Congress. The text of the amendment can be applied across many scenarios prevention program that seeks to help reads in full: “A well-regulated Militia, that may arise in life. In addition to being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Although it may be controversial in today's society, this liberty is still vital. Recent years have seen an increase in firearm ownership, especially among groups that traditionally did not exercise this right as much in the past. The National Shooting Sports Foundation has documented a 77% rise in female gun ownership since 2005. Moreover, the Danielle Durante is a firearms enthusiast who loves teaching other women how to be safe and comfortable around firearms. Raised in Connecticut and Georgia, Danielle graduated from Georgia Southern University, where she met her husband David, and soon became an Army wife. She has lived in Fayetteville with her husband and daughters on and off for over 14 years. 18 | J U LY 2 0 2 1

Wild Turkey Federation. All these league. I started off just enjoying time programs support the outdoor on the range, but I quickly moved experiences of camping, hiking, into competitive shooting, and I’m hunting or fishing and introducing now exploring turkey hunting. Three them to people with limited to no years ago, I started the Fayetteville previous experience. A Girl & A Gun chapter to help guide and educate other women in their Recreational shooting is also shooting interests. To find out more about A Girl & A Gun, visit popular, as hunting is not for everyone. www.agirlandagun.org. I am also The Fort Bragg’s Clay Target Center a certified instructor through the is one of the largest skeet and trap National Rifle Association, teaching shooting ranges in the state. Located classes in Concealed Carry Weapon, off base in Spring Lake, the site is Pistol, Rifle and Refuse to Be A Victim. open to the public. All levels of I hold the position of chief range safety shooters, from beginners to experts, officer, which means I can certify those are welcome. interested in becoming a range safety officer at their respective ranges. Competition is a great way to step out from that static target practice at the range and broaden your skillset. Learning to draw from a holster, shooting while moving, reloading under stress and mentally working out a scenario are essential skillsets for a competitive shooter. Depending on your interests, different competitions exist for your choosing. parents, law enforcement, community If you like drawing from concealment, The common theme in the shooting groups and educators navigate a topic the International Defensive Pistol community is safety and responsibility. paramount to our children’s safety. Association is your type of competition. All responsible firearms owners The mission of this program is to help If standing and shooting as fast as recognize five basic rules: teach pre-K through fourth-graders you can at a steel target is up your • Always keep the gun pointed in a what to do if they come across a gun. alley, Steel Challenge is the way to To learn more about the program, visit go. If you want mentally challenging safe direction. the website https://eddieeagle.nra.org. and longer stages, either the United • Always keep your finger off the States Practical Shooting Association or Multigun, also known as 2-Gun or trigger until ready to shoot. Hunting comprises the second 3-Gun, may be your cup of tea. Ready • Always keep the gun unloaded to step back into the Old West? Try most common reason women decide your hand at Cowboy Action. Those of until ready to use. to purchase a firearm. According you who like the extra challenge of a • Be sure of your target and what is to Southwick Associates, a market 1000-yard shot, get ready for Precision research, statistics and economics Rifle. Several local ranges around town, behind it. firm specializing in hunting, shooting, such as Cross Creek Rifle & Gun Club • Always secure your firearms sport fishing and outdoor recreation and 37 PSR, offer such events. If you markets, women now represent the are interested but a little hesitant, from others. fastest-growing segment within the then go and watch a match first. In hunting and shooting communities. this competitor-friendly environment, If you have never thought of going Those new to hunting should begin you won’t leave without one of the to the range, trying a little friendly by taking a North Carolina Hunter other participants convincing you to competition or spending time in the Safety Course. This official training try a stage. woods hunting, I would encourage you program meets the standards for to try. You never know; you may find National Hunter Safety Education I began my journey of supporting a new and empowering passion. Be Certification. After this first step, many the Second Amendment six years safe, have fun and safely exercise your broaden their horizons by taking part ago when I became a member of Second Amendment right. in programs such as Backcountry the A Girl & A Gun women’s shooting Hunters and Anglers, Becoming an Outdoors Woman and the National 2 0 2 1 J U LY | 19

EFrsseaedyos monofLRibeelrigtyion By Lynne Smith M any freedoms exist of which, ashamedly, I take for granted. I enjoy these liberties every day because of the sacrifice of those coming before me, and the dedication of the ones now serving. But the greatest of these rights to me is freedom of religion ― the freedom to gather and publicly worship the God I love, to live by my conscience and to live consistent with what I believe without fear of government interference. Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right, regardless of faith. This liberty is not mandated by the opinion of those currently in charge, but rather a God-given privilege and freedom that no man or government has the authority to take away. Past and Present Exercising religious freedom No one understood this more than our country’s God- How we exercise our right to religious freedom crosses all fearing ancestors, who fled hundreds of years ago to the faiths, although I can only personally speak to my faith in unknown in search of religious liberty. The United States Jesus Christ. The U.S. Constitution states that no person was founded on the idea that all citizens are free to exercise should be restricted or demeaned by the government in their religion daily. In an immense sense, our country is the exercising his or her religion. If our constitutional rights poster child for all nations to preserve religious freedom. are important enough for people to die for, they are Our right to worship freely is one of our most significant certainly important enough to preserve, even in the most commitments to a watching world, and yet never has our challenging times. If, as a country, we defend others’ rights right to worship been more tested than during the recent to worship where worship is deemed illegal, then assuredly, pandemic. From bans on singing, caps on attendance to as Americans, one would think we would always take a firm outright prohibiting gatherings and worship services, our stand when individual religious freedom is threatened. government ― in many cases ― failed to acknowledge its God-ordained boundary and jurisdiction. We live in Although I am a citizen of the United States of America, troubled times, so maintaining our right to worship has I am first a citizen of the Kingdom of God. It is God alone never been more crucial. who sets authorities and nations in place throughout all history. God expects me to obey the government He has placed me under, even when I disagree with it. But I am Lynne Smith is a Fayetteville native who worships with her family at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church. She has a hard-working husband of 36 years, two sons who aim to be just like their dad, two God-given beautiful daughters and one very well-loved grandson. She is in her sixth year serving as a Snyder MOPS mentor. 20 | J U LY 2 0 2 1

related discussion and commentary and when doctors are asked or required to compromise personal beliefs regarding the right to preserve life. The price of freedom You see, freedoms, to the majority of us, are just that ― free, without personal cost. But somebody paid the price, a high price. For many years, my mother worked at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. I will never forget this place, where men and women gave so very much for my freedoms and yours. Here an exit sign reads, “The price of freedom is visible here.” That message has now been put on the front entrance of the medical center ― and rightly so. only to follow that power up to the point that they usurp My rights to worship God, serve and gather with like- God’s rightful authority on my life. This declaration may minded others, bow my head in public and give thanks not sound politically correct, but it’s biblically correct. I and study and live by unchangeable truths are mine to believe our forefathers anticipated that problems would embrace because of God’s commands and because others arise; therefore, they guaranteed our rights to civil liberties have given all so that these rights will persevere. One and all and religious freedom in the Constitution. Not exercising are God-established freedoms, and since God set them in my free right to worship would be irresponsible, especially place, these ordinances supersede any government official when the cost to win that freedom was so very high. or imposed mandates. So, what does this freedom to worship look like? Publicly, This truth is one none of us can afford to forget or take I exercise this right when I gather with others for an lightly. Why? Because it’s not a matter of if we will face interdenominational prayer walk such as The AsOne Prayer opposition to our religious freedoms in the future but rather Walk, an annual Fayetteville event where people of various where and when. The stakes are too high to ignore. If we as ages, ethnicity, religious denominations and backgrounds citizens are not diligent in protecting the right to practice gather for one purpose ― to unite in prayer as one massive our faith, then we are on a slippery slope; civil liberties travel body and proclaim the greatness of our God. together. Where one is lost, another will soon follow. Corporately, this freedom plays out when my church As citizens of the most privileged nation ever to exist, we participates in hosting an interdenominational spring event have an obligation to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, for the residents of Windsor Terrace, part of Operation to the next generation and to God Himself to protect our InAsMuch. We can share our faith and share the gospel by freedom of religion. On this earth, I will always live under serving others. the reign of a government or authority, but in the end, I will only answer to the One Who reigns in my heart, the One Personally, this right means I can study God’s Word through Who holds all power, the One Who created the freedom to the Bible Study Fellowship program, connected to believers worship. I am forever thankful for the freedom of religion. not only here in Fayetteville but throughout the world and unafraid of what man may do to me. At home, freedom of religion means that I, as a parent and grandparent, have the right and responsibility to raise children in a faith-based environment when I feel God has called me to do so. In the world of work, freedom of religion asserts that no employee has to put aside the sincerity of his or her religious beliefs when at work. In the school setting, it means that a third-grade school girl in Mississippi should not have been told to remove her “Jesus Loves Me” COVID mask and threatened with disciplinary action. Freedom of religion and the threat to it extends into other areas of life, too, as seen when social media muzzles faith- 2 0 2 1 J U LY | 21

It’s a Woman’s World: Stedman’s Small Town Feeling By Paulette Naylor I f you Google Stedman, North Carolina, you will find that it was settled in 1841, later incorporated in 1917 and currently has a population of approximately 1,400. The web giant will tell you it's a small community about 10 miles east of Highway 301 in Fayetteville and that it “hosts local merchants, churches, daycares, public schools, a dental office, doctor offices, a volunteer fire department and post office.” What you will not learn on the internet is what a wonderfully friendly little community it is. Stedman has been my home for the majority of my life. My family has farmed, worshipped and raised families in this small community, plus owned and operated the local grocery store until finally selling out to the Carroll family many years ago. My grandmother worked in the cafeteria at the local \"junior high\" school. As time passes, the farmland surrounding the Stedman of my youth is being subdivided and developed into lovely neighborhoods to accommodate people who have learned of her charm. And so far, I must say the nicest of people have joined our community. When Nina Morton looked for a location change about 10 an excellent place for children to be educated. Part of the years ago, she found Stedman. It was the peacefulness and Cumberland County Schools system, the school is small friendliness of the people that attracted her, so she decided but healthy with parental volunteers. Proven through to attend some town hall meetings to get a glimpse of what both my years in Stedman schools and my children's time was going on behind the scenes before making her final there, children are much more settled when their parents decision. Nina said, laughing, \"The thing that stuck out most are involved. for me was the police chief's report. He always apologized that there was nothing to report, and the one time he did But, if you are looking for nontraditional school or preschool report a domestic dispute, it appeared that everyone knew options, those exist in our little community as well. Some who it was even though he didn't mention any names or are hosted by local churches, presenting the possibility of further details.\" As Nina realized, most people in Stedman having your worship family ― if you choose to attend ― also know their neighbors, watch out for one another, care and assist in the education and care of your treasured little ones. pray for one another and lend a hand when needed. Speaking of worship, 12 churches operate in the immediate So, what else does Stedman have to offer? area, including the protestant denominations of Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal and nondenominational ones. The local elementary school ― now divided between the previous elementary and junior high school buildings ― is With a bachelor’s degree in business and accounting from Methodist University, Paulette Naylor is the operations manager at F&B Publications. She lives on her family farm in Stedman where she enjoys reading and being close to nature. 22 | J U LY 2 0 2 1

If outdoor activities get you excited, go on over to Ernest Freeman Park on Front Street, where you’ll find several lovely gazebos and grills for family get-togethers complete with playground equipment ― swings and jungle gyms for the kiddos and a basketball court. If you happen by on a holiday, you may find yourself in the middle of a community festival complete with music, food trucks and vendors. If you are into team sports, the Cumberland County Parks and Recreation Department Stedman location offers seasonal team sports, summer programs for the youth and classes and workshops for adults and seniors. Oh, but the ultimate summer outdoor activity also involves the tummy. Yes, I'm talking farmers market! Bunce Brothers' Farm has been running its market for over 30 years. David Bunce says that his parents built the family farmhouse in the 1940s and that the market started as a means of keeping all the local traffic away from the operation of the commercial side of the business. \"We tried to scale back a few years ago, but the community wouldn't let us. They just kept coming,\" Bunce said, “and you know, we’re happy to be here for them.” The busy season usually starts up around Easter time with the strawberry season. Every year, I pick up strawberries, squash, cabbage, asparagus, potatoes, kale, eggplant, cucumbers, corn and onions. And this fall, the farm is trying something new –– Bunce Brothers Corn Maze. Look for pumpkins and cider, for sure –– and more. They've already started preparations, scheduling hours to run Fridays -Sundays, Sept. 24-Nov. 7. I know some of you might not cook. If that's the case, Stedman has a few options for you as well, including the newest venue, Jonathan's Café, just down from the elementary school where the old feed and seed store used to be. Owner Carmen Headden opened up right in the heat of COVID-19. \"People thought we were crazy, but we had a mission and had already invested a lot into the restaurant,\" Headden said. Jonathan's Café is open Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. They celebrated their anniversary June 5. Through the help of people like Headden and other lifelong Stedman? Yep, we can offer you most, if not all, of the business leaders, Stedman has stepped up to the needs of conveniences you'd find anywhere else. And a hug! And, if a growing community. Our fire department is no longer a you can't find what you need in our town, depending on small volunteer organization, but a combination of full time, whom you listen to, \"it's not far away\" or \"you probably don't part time and volunteer personnel. It’s 43 men and women really need it anyway.\" strong, trained and ready to handle fire and rescue needs. In addition, these folks love the community ― decking out 2 0 2 1 J U LY | 23 their rigs and driving Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny around the area to see the kids during the pandemic last year. This fire department has a wonderful way of exemplifying “being there for your community.”

Financial Freedom or Debt Trap? Guidance to help you decide By Taneshia Kerr T he global pandemic made business with low startup and overhead 2020 a profitable year for direct costs.” Avon Products, for example, was selling businesses, also known founded in 1886 and still uses the direct as multilevel marketing companies. selling model on which it was based. According to the Direct Selling Avon prides itself on having offered Association, 59% of its members women a way to start a business and reported that the coronavirus pandemic earn independent wages nearly 35 years had a “positive impact” on revenue. before being given the right to vote. Direct selling companies operate in over With no need to fund overheads 100 countries worldwide, with 6 million such as storefronts, facilities or large sellers generating over $34 billion in equipment, direct selling startup costs 2018 in the United States alone. Chances can range from as low as $25 up to a are, you or someone you know has been few hundred dollars on the high end. involved with one or another of these With the added benefit of setting your multilevel selling organizations. Direct schedule or working part-time ― as selling companies have snowballed in 89% of sellers do, according to the DSA the last five years, with global industry ― these companies continue to be revenue expected to reach $650 billion very attractive to busy parents, military by 2025. spouses, retirees, stay-at-home moms and others looking for flexibility in their A similar spike parallels these numbers work-life balance. in lawsuits as many MLMs skirt the line between being a direct selling company Low barriers for entry and promises and a pyramid scheme. According to of high earnings and lavish rewards the Federal Trade Commission, pyramid are why it’s essential to know if your schemes “promise consumers or new business opportunity is a path to investors large profits based primarily financial freedom, a pyramid scheme or on recruiting others to join their worse ― a debt trap. The term pyramid program, not based profits from any scheme gets thrown around easily, but real investment or sale of goods to where it rightly rests is something only the public.” the FTC can determine. Legal filings have shown that some In the meantime, here are a few points companies present a “product” that is to keep in mind about direct selling little more than a shield to hide the fact opportunities. that they are a pyramid scheme. This has led the DSA to define for the FTC Actual Products the differences between legal MLMs and pyramids clearly. The simplest but most critical benchmark for a potential opportunity Direct selling is one of the oldest is to ask if there is an actual product. business models. Put simply, a seller Be wary of companies that offer a connects with a consumer in a nonretail product, but emphasize, “Sign up three environment, for example, a home friends, and you’ll get your money party, to acquire goods or services. The back.” Also, steer clear of companies DSA describes it as “an avenue where with complicated compensation entrepreneurial-minded Americans plans or plans that tie most of your can work independently to build a earnings to recruitment. As the name Taneshia Kerr is a marketing communicator, licensed counselor and member of the Forbes Business Council. With 18 years of experience in the direct selling industry, she has mentored over 500 distributors. 24 | J U LY 2 0 2 1

“direct selling” suggests, there must immediate circle. Many distributors company could be your path to be a product you can sell and earn never expand beyond this circle, as financial freedom, it is more likely to commissions on said sales, with your family and friends can buy only be a debt trap if you are not careful recruitment as an optional so much lipstick, leggings, jewelry or and objective. Most recruits ― up to revenue stream. home essentials. This limited reach 90% of distributors ― will lose money, leads to constant product pitches, according to some studies. The most Monthly Minimums party invites and recruitment offers to important thing you can do is to look the same people repeatedly, inevitably beyond recruitment marketing and Be aware that an opportunity with straining personal relationships. assess the opportunity the way any monthly order minimums or one that serious investor would. The dream requires you to maintain an inventory Earning Potential is alluring, but becoming garage is a considerable risk. This model qualified and buried in debt is also allows the company to make money, The average direct selling company very likely. whether or not their distributors can would have you believe that you can resell their products at a profit. The quit your day job and live a lavish 2 0 2 1 J U LY | 25 direct selling industry is riddled with lifestyle full of exotic trips and millions stories of former sellers who became in revenue in a matter of months. “garage qualified,” meaning they But, before you sign on the dotted spent thousands of dollars acquiring line, you should do a quick check of inventory to maintain their status in the company’s published disclosure the company but were unable to sell statement. Additionally, if the direct quantities that matched what they selling company does not publish an were required to buy. income disclosure statement, you should consider that a huge red flag. In February 2021, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson Age of the Company announced that LuLaRoe would pay $4.75 million to resolve a consumer Before joining a direct selling protection lawsuit that asserted the company, part of your due diligence company was operating a pyramid should be to research customer scheme. The lawsuit contended complaints and pending lawsuits, a that the company made unfair good indicator of potential problems and deceptive misrepresentations you could run into as well. Another regarding the profitability of being an good indicator is the age of the independent retailer. company. Some industry veterans use 50 years and up as the One LuLaRoe distributor who spoke benchmark before joining a with BuzzFeed News claims to have company. One 2018 report of the invested $10,000 in inventory to start 15 most hated MLMs, ranked her business, growing to $80,000 at by lawsuits and distributor her peak. By the time she was ready complaints, included only one to quit, the company’s complicated company older than 50 years return policy ― the basis of another and two between 40 and law suit ― had left her unable to return 50 years old. the 3000 pieces she had on hand to get her money back. Out of options Like all other types of and $50,000 deep in credit card debt, business, direct selling this distributor was forced to sell her has excellent earning 3000 pieces for whatever she could potential but also get. She says she sold her last $500 significant risk. If you piece for $1 to get rid of it. On top of are not prepared that, she still had to cash out her 401(k) to approach it and to pay everything off. manage it like a traditional business, Difficult To Grow being taken by a pyramid scheme One of the most common complaints is not the most regarding direct sellers is that significant risk everyone has a revolutionary new you face. The product they are trying to push on a fact is that friend. Companies strongly encourage while joining new distributors to tap into their a direct warm market ― the people in their selling

&FrePeadinosmthferoNmatuArcahl Wesay By Alison Davis curcumin extract, blended with turmeric essential oils that enhance absorption, gives life-changing results. W hen the going gets tough, the tough get going, or so the saying goes, but going can be difficult Consider this study on rheumatoid arthritis where 45 when joint pain threatens to keep you from individuals were randomized to three groups: Group one doing some of your most beloved or necessary activities. received 50 mg of diclofenac sodium twice daily, group When pain strikes, you dread even the simplest activities, two received 500 mg high-absorption curcumin twice like walking through the grocery store, playing in the yard daily and group three received both diclofenac sodium with the kids or spending time in the garden. and the curcumin. When dealing with these issues, many people are at a loss High-absorption curcumin was more effective than of where to turn for answers. Most people respond to knee diclofenac sodium at reducing joint pain and swelling. and joint pain by taking over-the-counter pain relievers like Taking the curcumin with the drug was no more effective aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen. But those options can than using the botanical alone, and taking the drug alone take a tremendous toll on the stomach and liver and have was less effective. life-threatening, adverse effects. They reduce pain, but at a price. This collaboration between Apple Crate Naturals and TerryTalksNutrition.com will give you a host of additional tools to help you stay active. We Need Our Knees Pain is a barrier to keeping active. If your knees and joints Laboratory studies on kidney and liver function, blood hurt, even the most moderate exercise like a simple walk sugar and a complete blood count were performed before around the block can feel impossible. However, taking and after participation. No significant changes in these care of the pain is only half of the equation. Nutrients that measurements were recorded in any of the three groups. reduce the inflammation ― which damages joint cartilage One laboratory analysis adverse event was reported in the and other tissue ― and build up the structure of the first group of individuals taking diclofenac sodium. knees and other joints can help restore healthier levels of In the high-absorption curcumin groups, no dropouts due functioning. Using such nutrients in combination works to adverse effects occurred, but in the diclofenac sodium best because for as strong as they are individually, what group, 14% withdrew due to adverse effects. That ratio they accomplish together is even more impressive. makes a pretty strong case for going with an effective, natural alternative. A natural approach to knee and joint health includes ingredients that combine the integrative practice of traditional medicine with recent, cutting-edge research. Two of the strongest players in natural pain and inflammation relief are curcumin and boswellia. Curcumin, the active compound from turmeric, (Curcuma longa), has long been used as a treatment for inflammatory diseases. One of its limiting factors, however, has been absorption. The fact is standard curcumin’s absorption is poor. Boswellia is another traditional herb that reduces Because of this poor absorption, clinical trials have used inflammation and relieves pain. Boswellia, also known increasingly larger dosages ― up to 10-12 grams daily ― in as Indian frankincense, is an herbal extract taken from order to put even a small amount into the bloodstream. the Boswellia serrata tree. Resin made from boswellia While no toxicity is associated with curcumin, at these extract has been used for centuries in Asian and African very high dosage levels, cost, comfort and compliance folk medicine. It’s believed to treat chronic inflammatory can be a difficult issue to resolve for many people. In my illnesses as well as a number of other health conditions and is available as a resin, pill or cream. work in health and wellness, I have seen that Allison Davis is the wellness manager at Apple Crate Naturals. Working in the natural industry for 11 years, she loves bringing the newest and best products to Fayetteville. 26 | J U LY 2 0 2 1

BOONE TRAIL The majority of anti-inflammatory activity in boswellia is HOME OF THE 30-MINUTE WORKOUT linked to the array of boswellia acids in the extract. Research studies show that this herb is especially potent at reducing CLASSES the joint pain associated with arthritis, as it inhibits the inflammatory enzyme, 5-LOX. Boswellia also contains a Monday - Thursday: compound ― beta-Boswellia acid ― that interferes with its 5:30am/6:15am/8am/8:45/10:30am inflammation-blocking activity. I believe the best boswellia should have the beta-boswellia acid reduced to low levels 4pm/4:45/5:30pm/6:15pm and be standardized to contain acetyl-11-keto-boswellia Friday: acid, AKBA. This formula makes for a strong extract, one different from standard boswellia extracts which aren’t 5:30am/6:15am/8am/8:45/10:30am as effective. Saturday: Curcumin and boswellia hold the two key positions in the Sa8asmsy/8S:4e0naiomrs: combination you want, reducing the activity of the two most significant pain pathways in the body ― COX-2 Tues/Thurs 10 am • Sat 9:30 am and 5-LOX. DINAH GOODMAN In fact, a unique combination of high-absorption curcumin and boswellia was judged to be superior to the prescription Master Coach Personal Trainer arthritis drug, celecoxib, the generic of the brand name Celebrex®, in a clinical study of osteoarthritis. The unique 3039 Boone Trail Ext. combination showed better results than celecoxib 910-889-1155 in relieving pain, walking distance and joint line tenderness scores. www.facebook.com/FitBodyBooneTrail/ Not surprisingly, efficacy and tolerability of the herbal combination used in the current study was shown to be superior to those of celecoxib for treating active osteoarthritis. When it came to relieving pain, 64% of those taking the herbal ingredients versus 29% in the drug group improved to such a high degree that they were able to move from having “moderate to severe arthritis” to “mild to moderate arthritis.” Of course, better health is not just about relieving pain; it’s about relieving the tissue-damaging inflammation that causes pain ― the reason these two ingredients are so important. They actually help heal the damage done over time to joints. When you use curcumin and boswellia, you’re not just “covering up” the pain signals your body sends out; you’re helping your body to heal. To learn more, visit Apple Crate Naturals at either of the two Fayetteville locations. Since 1997 Apple Crate has connected the community to organic food and healthy natural alternatives. Make a wellness connection today to help free yourself from pain and inflammation. 2 0 2 1 J U LY | 27

Essays on Liberty The Right to Assemble By Bonnie Patterson The First Amendment established or your religious views when you facts in mind, the words of Martin assemble. They can require a permit Luther King, Jr. come back to me: in 1791 states, “Congress can make to ensure the protestors’ and the “Nonviolence is a powerful and just no law respecting an establishment civilians’ safety and ensure traffic is not weapon which cuts without wounding of religion, or prohibiting the free disrupted on public streets. and enables the man who exercise thereof or abridging wields it. It is a the freedom of speech, or the An assembly of the people is powerful, sword that heals.” press or the right of the people to but we must be aware that power can peacefully assemble and to petition be used for evil. The question is, what As communities, the Government for a redress of is the difference between a mob and we cannot grievances.” The Library of Congress an assembly? The Oxford dictionary tolerate defines freedom of assembly as “A defines a riot as a violent disturbance violence at peaceful public assembly. Government of the peace by a crowd. The right to protests or officials cannot simply prohibit a assembly does not include rioting or violence toward public assembly at their discretion. violence of any kind. The Major Cities police. If even Still, the government can impose Chiefs Association ― comprised of 69 7% of protests restrictions on the time, place, and large cities law enforcement heads ― abuse the right manner of peaceful assembly provided compiled data and documented 8,700 to assemble and constitutional safeguards are met.“ protests last year. Of these, 574 were turn violent, we declared riots with violence, including could lose The First Amendment is neither looting, arson, murder, shootings the right left-wing, right-wing, conservative or and a total of 2,000 law liberal. It can be used to push for social enforcement injuries. and political change or to oppose With these change. The First Amendment is for everyone. The government cannot limit you by your speech, your political beliefs Bonnie Patterson worked as a registered nurse for 10 years and has been a military wife for 15 years. In the past three years, she has enjoyed living in Fayetteville as a mother of two, church volunteer and worship leader. 28 | J U LY 2 0 2 1

permanently. We must work hand in hand with law enforcement and speak out, sometimes to our friends and neighbors, that violence is not acceptable so we can ensure everyone’s safety. Today our right to assembly is endangered and often dependent on the political climate. People using their First up social justice may lead you to the You can still speak out on social media, Amendment right to National Association for Advancement to your family, co-workers, schools and assemble have stopped of Colored People and the assembly churches where you go every week. war, gained women and events it sponsors. Surfing for anti- In my opinion, it is best not to let your minorities the right to abortion campaigns may lead you to words be weapons but instead bridges vote and stopped the the 40 days for Life organization. of peace. How can we expect others to racial injustices of Jim Another avenue is to find a church, listen to us if we are unwilling to listen Crow laws. Lecretia Mott, community civic group or volunteer to others? How much can you listen to Elizabeth Stanton and agency that works with the population others if you are shouting in anger? Susan B. Anthony are you feel called upon to help, whether famous for assembling as it is the underserved immigrants or You can also write to your local, state advocated for women’s poor or those afflicted with a specific and U.S. representatives on your beliefs right to vote in the 19th disease(s). Then look for events listed and opinions on current legislation. Amendment. Martin under the group’s website or under All these leaders first started as Luther King, Jr. organized a tab like “How to Get Involved.” The concerned citizens who wanted to sit-ins through churches activity might be a fundraiser or a stand up for what they believe. and marches for equal treatment for walk. Note that many groups are solely all races in public places and schools. advertising on Facebook or Twitter Assembling for a good cause and The American Federation of Labor and feeds. Also, note that many events protesting injustice inspires others to Congress of Industrial Organizations have been canceled or postponed over use their voices and assemble as well. helped organize laborers picketing for the last year because of COVID-19 or Protesting or going to a rally can spark livable wages, safe working conditions fears of violence. awareness of a problem, inspire others and health care benefits. to fundraise for a good cause or take What can we do in pandemic times action to become a volunteer. The first time I exercised my freedom when we want to assemble, but we of assembly was in college in 2005. feel personally it is not safe? You can Whatever your beliefs, political I had seen on the news the Texas educate yourself and speak up verbally leanings or causes, you have the right Senate representatives were voting and in writing. Information is powerful. to assemble. When confronted with whether gay or lesbian couples would But make sure you are looking at a good cause, imagine what significant be allowed to foster children. I made variety of truthful, reliable websites for change we can make when we a sign and chanted with two dozen information on history, statistics and stand together and exercise our First others on behalf of gay foster parents current news and not just one person’s Amendment right and and foster children. The second time view or beliefs. peacefully assemble. I used my right to assemble was with 40 days for Life in 2012. We silently 2 0 2 1 J U LY | 29 prayed and walked on the sidewalk with signs saying, “God loves you and your baby.” Whether you succeed in your cause or not, we are blessed to be able to assemble and protest any wrongs in society without fear of jail. How do we exercise the right to assemble? Search for an important topic for you. Searching for women’s rights for equal pay may lead to the National Organization of Women Foundation and its activities. Looking

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