July 4, 1776: The United States of America declares itself a sovereign nation independent of British rule.

This memorable date marks the beginning of our prosperous country, a country as revolutionary in its thinking as it was in its first conflict. Acting as a melting pot of culture, innovation, and dream, the United States is certainly an unprecedented nation, which raises the question: how do you define such an extraordinarily diverse nation? Are we defined by our borders and physical geography? Are we defined by our American culture and values? Or are we defined by our role in international affairs? Perhaps it is a careful blend of all three that characterizes this nation, or any nation for that matter.

Merriam-Webster defines a nation as a “community of people composed of one or more nationalities and possessing a more or less defined territory and government.” From its formal definition, a nation is in part detailed by the borders that contain the sovereign territory. Therefore, it is sensible for these borders to be secure and for defense of the borders to be of high priority. From the Great Wall of China to the Israeli West Bank barrier, countries have recognized for centuries that protecting their nation starts with protecting their borders. Similarly, President Donald Trump pledges to protect America’s southern border by constructing a wall stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic, following the Mexican border. While the plausibility of the wall is questionable, its purpose for the prevention of illegal immigration is sound. After all, illegal immigration is, shockingly, against the law.

After initially breaking the law and entering the US, many undocumented immigrants continue to commit crimes on our turf, threatening Americans and wasting government money. A 2017 report from the Texas Department of Public Safety reveals that “over the period from June 1, 2011, to February 28, 2017, the 215,000 criminal aliens who were booked into Texas jails were collectively charged with 566,000 offenses, including 1,167 homicides and 6,098 sexual assaults, with a total of 257,000 convictions.” Situated directly on the Mexican border, Texas will obviously see relatively high amounts of illegal immigration compared to other states, yet these numbers pale in comparison to the illegal immigration statistics of California, which has more than double the criminal alien jail and prison population of Texas. Furthermore, their stay is being paid for by Texas and California taxpayers. America is wasting money by failing to acknowledge the need for border protection, a basic part of being a nation. While proposed solutions are heavily debated, it is undeniable that some form of additional border security is necessary for America to present itself as a strong nation.

A nation must not only hold its borders but also maintain a sense of self identity. In America, this unifying self identity is established in the proud, American ideal of freedom. The United States proudly displays its obsession with the doctrine that “all men are created equal,” a doctrine as old as the nation itself. From this doctrine we defined American culture, making changes along the way to expand the equal rights of “all men” to include all citizens regardless of gender or race. Freedom of speech, religion, press, and assembly led the way in the Bill of Rights, but in modern times, these freedoms are being threatened by political correctness. Politically correct culture, found in especially high concentrations in liberal universities, is destroying the freedoms of thought that our founding fathers strove to ratify. Sensitive Americans are attempting to silence others from speaking out about important issues like terrorism because the special snowflakes find it slightly offensive. It is never beneficial to offend someone, but some social justice warriors like some students and faculty at the University of New Hampshire are taking political correctness to absurd lengths. At the university, a “Bias-Free Language Guide” was released, which, among other absurdities, suggests that the use of term “American” is offensive. If the term “American” offends you, then maybe you’re living in the wrong country. This level of political correctness in our universities is unsettling. What’s next? Will we allow Muslims to kill infidels and stone women because disallowing Sharia law in our country would be “offensive”? Political correctness is a slippery slope away from the freedoms that make this country so inspiring and give definition to the identity of our nation.

Ever since the Monroe Doctrine established in 1823, the US has acted as the policeman of the world. It began solely in the western hemisphere, then quickly spread international at the onset of World War I. In modern times, we continue to uphold our position as the global policeman, but not always to the benefit of the nation. International affairs can be expensive, and they are not necessarily the best use of resources for our nation. Why mettle internationally when there are problems that deserve attention right here at home? Instead of frivolously spending money overseas, the government could allocate funds to help combat unemployment, alleviate poverty, support our veterans, or establish a comprehensive health care reform. When on an airplane, you put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others. This nation is suffocating, and it is about time that America places its oxygen mask around the head, over the nose and mouth, and secures it with the elastic strap.