Liberty is not merely a statue, and monuments do not make a nation great. Washington, D.C., does not need another stone pillar, just as it does not need another member of the ruling class.

Throughout history, Babylon, Egypt, Rome, and the Ottoman Empire worshipped at the altar of stone and mortar, only to see their tyrannical and monarchical powers crumble under the weight of their own edifices. What truly makes America great is not the foundation of our infrastructure, but the roots of our conviction: that every person is endowed by their Creator with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

No physical structure can protect a soul’s freedom. Let the world judge us by our bold actions and our respect for the common man, rather than by hollow idols built for vanity. If our leaders were as obsessed with the essence of liberty as they are with erecting monuments to claim it, we would truly be—and forever remain—that shining city on a hill.