It has become obvious to me that what we need is the Rugged Independence that won the west; and, most importantly, we also need the Rugged Individualism, that set the ground work for a new country.

The Great Basin States are some of the fastest growing areas of population, in the U.S, but we take for granted the fact, that someone had to tame this harsh land. People came hear looking for open land, a place where they could practice religion, unmolested. Some others came to help spread their faith.
Many lost family members on the harsh trail that led them westward, but there was no time to be victims. They had to get to work when they arrived in the new territory, because just getting to their destination, wasn't enough. The hardships would, most certainly, continue. In fact history tells us that many of the Great Basin area settlers died soon after arriving.
These Ancestors of the West were, for the most part, a hearty people. They raised families, farms, and industry where there had been none and little of the resources they were used to having.

Likewise those brave folk, who declared independence over 200 years ago, had a distinctive rugged nature. Theirs was a vision, and heartiness, which had to endure through a long war, and internal national struggle. Each founder of our country had an integral part of the early days because of a different and independent perspective.

What does Rugged Independence, or Rugged Individualism, mean and which virtues guide their lives in a modern context.

• Independence.

Rugged Individualists have a distinct distrust of government, in fact they would prefer to attack any issue by themselves, or with their neighbors. They feel that success comes from hard work and the never giving up. Rugged independence does, not however, mean not being politically active, on the contrary, they vote and they know the issues both nationally and locally. They read books and 'the news.'

• Charity

They feel that God gives each person talents, skills, means and family, to spread the cause of good in the name of the Creator. To not share with others in need, or not in need, would be selfish and offensive. They believe in something greater than themselves which guides them to serve others. They see charity as an act of Love; but, when faceless entities, like government (federal, state etc.) get involved in helping others, the Love part is taken away. Serving other is a gift to the server not a chore.

• Individualism.

To make ones mark in the world, is not by done by being, or dressing, louder than everyone around them. Rather, they make their mark by creating, and pushing to achieve survival under great difficulty. The idea of showing individualism by getting a tattoo, or by having the nicest new stuff, is beyond unnecessary. What identifies a rugged individualist is that they needn't stick out by appearance at all. In a matter of fact, they are noticeable by their manner in speaking, their family cohesiveness, the passion by which they confront the day and their humility pertaining to them always knowing that they are servants to someone greater than they are. Perhaps by most of the world’s perspective, this explanation does not seem 'in touch,' perhaps one could even call these Individuals 'old fashion,' but a Rugged Individual never looks to 'the crowd' for guidance or acceptance.

• Passion.

The reason Rugged Individualists are often successful is that they don't take their professions, or even hobbies, lightly. Like Martin Luther King Jr. said;

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

The late great leader, of the Civil Rights Movement is correct, any Rugged Independent, Individualist would agree. The way we grow, in the mind of a rugged individualist, is to take pride and passion in our work, family and life. Whatever they create, or fix or write, or sell, must be the best, and can always be improved. They don't fear complication because they can innovate, streamline and improve processes. Because their livelihood is their passion, the only help they need is support of friends and their family. To accept such aid from outside their trusted circle is opposite their nature, and accepting outside, faceless, help insults their deep-seated pride, honor, and passion.

Passion for our, country is integral to the make up a Rugged Individualist. To fight and die for their country is the greatest form of national service that any person can commit. They wave the flag with pride, sing our National Anthem as if every breath relied on those words. They have great difficultly tolerating those who don't feel the same way, but they realize that freedom means tolerating those who have values they don't understand. They admire the troops, and admire anyone who fights for the freedom of the country. They see that striving to spread freedom at home and abroad is serving their own family and increasing liberty everyone we go.

Marriages are so important, to such a person, that they are made to weather difficult times. To them there is no quick answer to marital strife, because family and their, spouse compose the most important passion that anyone can have. They also realize that when we make a commitment, it must be honored, and marriage is the most important commitment that any mortal can make to another mortal.

• Integrity.

To a Rugged Independent a Man's (or Woman's) word must be their bond. A handshake is worth more than signature, or a legal contract. The honesty of these people can never be in question. A society that can't count on character and integrity will crumble, and will most likely invite other nations to see the dishonest nation as vulnerable, and untrustworthy.

When we are in the presence of a person, who we know will keep their word; there is a great comfort there. If we had leaders who had this ethic of honesty, we would have much more confidence in the direction of our country.

• Optimism.

One of the greatest cancers that a society can endure is pessimism. For a rugged individualist there is cause for optimism. When things were difficult in our time in the building in our country, especially in the west, these ruggedly independent people would not give up. They knew that they were building something bigger than themselves, bigger than the moments of down turns. (Don't we need this attribute now more than ever?) They had faith that they were driven to do unseen, and unaccomplished, feats. They were driven by an unchanging vision and one moment of being pessimistic could lead to a very destructive end.

Today we have issues that require these attributes but we see few of our leaders have the character of our fore fathers. Just like in those days, leadership will have to come from persons with meager influence and means as well as those with quite a bit of these. We must see that the Great Experiment, of the United States, is enduring but timeless, as well as fragile. There can be no time when we allow our country to so drastically be changed that Freedom, Rugged Independence and Rugged Individualism are no longer honored.

Perhaps we see that we have only some of these attributes. This will do, because we will find others who have the attributes that we lack and we can stand together to ensure that Capitalism, Religious Freedom, Liberty and our Civil Rights stay intact.