As our nation prepares to observe the 225th anniversary of the ratification of the U.S. Bill of Rights, some of us might be excused for wondering if the individual liberties we have come to cherish will survive another two centuries.

Although such a thought might seem preposterous in a country that prides itself — and rightly so — as the shining example of freedom in the world, intolerance of opposing ideas and values has been simmering for decades, and it appears to have reached the boiling point more recently.

While there is nothing wrong with disagreeing on how to attack the issues we face, we Americans have divided ourselves into camps unlike any time since the Civil War. This division is being fed from both extremes of the political spectrum, fueled by ideologies about government as diametrically opposed as when our nation divided itself between North and South, ripping families apart in the process.

Our Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, traces its ratification back to Dec. 15, 1791. Those first additions to the newly minted Constitution laid the necessary groundwork for the freedom of expression needed to foster active citizen participation in government. A number of those rights also have served to protect us from an overzealous or even tyrannical government.

While all 10 amendments are vitally important, the First Amendment provides the basis for every other individual freedom.

Even though it is a sickening thought, ponder with me for a moment where we would be without those guaranteed rights of expression in America.

If our citizens could no longer speak out freely on important societal issues, the public’s participation in our democracy would crater, greatly increasing the possibility for corruption, despotism and cronyism.

If we didn’t feel safe to exercise our right to peaceably assemble, to march in protest and to petition our government for a redress of our grievances, the likelihood that we could continue to make progress toward a better society and a better world most certainly would be diminished.

If Americans no longer could freely make decisions about their religious life, they might quickly find themselves ostracized if they didn’t go to the “right” church or follow the same beliefs as the majority.

If our nation’s journalists could not continue to rely upon unfettered access to the decision-makers and the decision-making processes of government, public officials might be even more encouraged to serve narrow special interests rather than the common good.

And if we were barred from utilizing all those rights to question authority and scrutinize law enforcement and our court system, then our nation’s future surely would be in jeopardy.

Even though we Americans say we cherish the fundamental right to speak our minds — and most of us are not bashful about doing just that — it has become more difficult for a variety of reasons. Certainly, the burgeoning growth of social media, fake news sites and politicians who put “beliefs” before “facts” have all contributed to the division in our country.

Rather than quell speech we don’t like, the answer to this cacophony of voices actually is “more speech.” The marketplace of ideas is how we find common ground, even though it can often be a messy process.

So, will we ever be talking of our guaranteed right to free expression in the past tense? For our sake, let’s hope not, for it would certainly sound the death knell for the greatest experiment in self-government in the history of the world.

On this 225th anniversary of one of our nation’s finest hours, let’s celebrate the individual rights we have as Americans. And let’s pledge to make sure those rights survive attacks from those who believe “their” way is the “only” way.

Doug Anstaett is executive director of the Kansas Press Association.

It happened to me last Saturday morning. I was halfway across town after a trip to the grocery store when I realized I didn’t have my purse. With my heart pounding and my stomach churning, I raced back to the store to search for it. Nope, nothing in my parking space or at the checkout lane I’d used. But when I hurried to the customer service desk, the clerk smiled and said “A lady turned this in a little while ago.” Sure enough, there was my missing purse- completely intact, with phone and cash and credit cards all in place. Such an immense relief!

What could have been a disastrous start to the Christmas season instead became a reaffirmation that there are a lot of good people in the world. It was a touching way to lift my spirits- and calm my rattled nerves- at the beginning of the Christmas season. (And to the unknown “Christmas Angel” who rescued my purse at the Dillons store on Vine Street around noon on Saturday, I give my most sincere and heartfelt thanks!)

Last week I attended the funeral of a wonderful person whose family suggested that in lieu of memorial contributions, friends could do random acts of kindness in memory of their loved one. What a great way to get into the holiday spirit and spread it to others.

I remember the time before Christmas several years ago when a stranger paid for our meal at a restaurant in Garden City. My husband and I marveled at how wonderful it felt to receive an anonymous gift of kindness when we were least expecting it. It inspired us to look for ways to spread the joy and touch the lives of others with the holiday spirit, too.

How about you? You may be able to lift someone’s spirits with your own small act of kindness. It doesn’t even have to cost any money to surprise and delight someone with your thoughtfulness. If you need inspiration, the internet is full of ideas, stories and surprises that can jog your imagination and creativity.

A great place to start is the list of “Kindness Ideas” at the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation website. It’s huge! Check it out at www.randomactsofkindness.org.

As we embark upon the Christmas season, I encourage you to look for ways to share kindness and love with others- those you know and those you don’t know. It will make our world a better place to live.

Linda K. Beech is Ellis County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.

By RON WILSON
Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

“On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer and Vixen! On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen!” Those words tell us that Santa’s reindeer are on their way. But what if we could see an actual, living reindeer? Today, in the conclusion of this special two-part holiday Kansas Profile, we’ll learn about a rural Kansas family that is incorporating reindeer into their remarkable agritourism operation.

Last week we learned about the Corbin family at Fulton Valley Farms in Butler County. David and Betty Corbin are the fifth generation on their family farm. Through the years, they diversified the operation to include a commodities brokerage and a wedding venue. Their son Richard is now a part of the operation.

One year they needed a venue for their son’s wedding reception. The wedding was in a small church but there was not enough room in the fellowship hall. They decided to clean out a barn and host the wedding reception themselves, right there on the family farmstead. It was so successful that another lady wanted to use the barn for her reception.

That was the beginning of the building which the Corbins call the Boot Scootin’ Barn. It was their first wedding venue and they found there was a lot of interest in rural, outdoor weddings. The Corbins invested in the materials and infrastructure to expand the wedding operation.

“Through the rural electric cooperative, we got a couple of big telephone poles which let us build a bridge over the creek to the woods next to the barn,” Richard Corbin said. “We used a skid steer to clear out some of the deer trails in the woods. We didn’t take out any trees, but we made nice paths for the people to walk.”

The Corbins have continued to expand and improve facilities, and use creative ideas and good customer service to grow the business. They are located in a pretty, rural setting, just minutes from Wichita and El Dorado.

Over time, they have converted buildings to offer places for meetings and retreats as well as weddings. Today the farm offers six venues: The Boot Scootin’ Barn which can hold up to 350, lodging for up to 16 in The Creek House, several outdoor wedding sites, a secluded dining location in the woods called The Bower, a corporate meeting place called The Woods Conference Center, and smaller meeting places in the Cattle Shed and the Hayloft.

In their first year of wedding operations, the Corbins hosted a half-dozen events. By 2015, they hosted 75 weddings at the farm.

Then came the holidays. “Mom loves Christmas,” Richard said. They strung lights up to 45 feet in the air through the trees across the creek and hosted Country Christmas dinners. “This year we’ll have close to 50,000 lights, all blinking in time to the music.”

The Corbins even thought about getting reindeer. It turns out one doesn’t just buy reindeer down at the sale barn. In fact, they were nowhere to be found in Kansas.

The Corbins finally found a breeder in Minnesota, but they had to order the reindeer in advance, pay a deposit, and be placed on a waiting list. Now the Corbins have them. Guests can sit in a sleigh and get their pictures taken with an authentic reindeer. Richard also takes the reindeer out on location. This year the reindeer will make 35 appearances, as far away as Omaha, Nebraska.

Visitors to Fulton Valley Farms can walk through the light displays, enjoy hot chocolate, and visit a live nativity scene.

“With all the weddings plus other special events, we figure we had nearly 20,000 people at the farm in the last year,” Richard said.

“It’s been amazing,” Betty Corbin said.

That’s certainly impressive for a place near the rural community of Towanda, population 1,319 people. Now, that’s rural.

For more information, see www.fultonvalleyfarms.com.

We commend Dave, Betty and Richard Corbin and all those involved with Fulton Valley Farms for making a difference with entrepreneurship in agritourism. “Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!”

Wishing you happy holidays, for the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development.