I grew up in Pueblo, the 6th generation of my Garcia family tree to call Southern Colorado home. Like many people in Southern Colorado, my parents raised me to get the job done.
That same lesson from my upbringing took on a new meaning when I enlisted in the Marines and was deployed to Iraq. I didn’t care about the political opinions of the person next to me because we all were determined to accomplish the mission at hand.
It was that same determined attitude that made me decide to run for office because Coloradans deserve elected officials that can deliver results they can feel in their communities. Years of gridlock in D.C. convinced far too many Americans that expecting their representatives to put their differences aside and get the job done was a waste of time. Coloradans deserve so much more than elected officials who shrug their shoulders and give up when it comes time to work with their colleagues. So, I won my seat in the Colorado House of Representatives and showed up to work ready to do what wasn’t being done in Washington D.C.
As I introduced myself to my new colleagues, I noticed that our name tags displayed just our name and our titles. The purposeful absence of any symbol of party affiliation quietly reinforced my belief that if you put your head down and focus on real issues rather than petty political grievances, campaign promises can turn into tangible results that Coloradans can feel. It was nearly a decade ago that I first assumed my role as an elected official, and approximately twice as long since I first enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and deployed to Iraq. I have spent over half of my life challenging and reaffirming my understanding of patriotism and what it means to me.
This weekend, as we celebrate the Fourth of July, I am overwhelmed by the contrasts between today’s festivities, and our circumstances precisely 365 days ago. Over the last year, we experienced one of the most tumultuous moments in our history, marked by ever-increasing partisan division, dangerous extremism, and an unexpected pandemic that claimed the lives of over 600,000 Americans. People lost their jobs, their life-savings, their loved ones and – in many ways – their drive to keep going. When the pandemic hit our nation, we looked to our elected officials to push their political differences aside to help Americans in need.
So, as harmful and divisive behavior expanded beyond the confines of the internet and spilled over into the real world, I retraced our steps and revived the “people first,” and “political party last” rule I internalize when I was first sworn into office.
When I and the other leaders in Colorado’s General Assembly convened a special session last fall, we didn’t let partisan bickering keep us from helping the people we represent. We took matters into our own hands – because we weren’t going to let struggling Coloradans continue to suffer without the support they need to bounce back and recover – that’s simply not the Colorado Way. We rose to the occasion and passed meaningful legislation with significant bipartisan support to provide targeted relief to uplift families, small businesses and our workforce while working to generate a strong economic recovery to make Colorado more financially resilient going into the future. But we knew that we needed to do much more than simply recover.
During the 2021 legislative session we were faced with immeasurable challenges, but we didn’t let our differences get in the way of helping Coloradans. This session, we exemplified patriotism in its purest form as we began to turn the page on the darkness of the last year and pave the way for a brighter future – a future where every Coloradan can achieve the American Dream.
My path toward achieving the American Dream was made possible by my decision to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. In the years since I enlisted, deployed to Iraq, and returned back to civilian life, my understanding of what patriotism means evolved as I did. I have learned that patriotism isn’t a synonym for superiority or a justification for tribalism – rather, it’s about serving with a purpose greater than your own. It’s about putting partisan divides aside and using the diversity of the community around you to achieve excellence. As your Senate president, I have always led with these values in mind and remain devoted to protecting, serving and meeting the needs of Coloradans who graciously entrusted me to fulfill my duty to serve.
When I think about patriotism and the challenges we have faced throughout the course of our long history, I think about the countless times we have come together as Americans – not just as Democrats and Republicans – to simply do what’s best for the people we serve. This session was an example of that, and the many things we accomplished with the help of our friends from across the aisle are certainly something to celebrate and be proud of this Independence Day.
The Fourth of July is more than just a day off – it’s a reminder of the need to recommit ourselves to the vision of patriotism engrained with an ideal much older than America itself: a more perfect union is possible if we continue to work for it.
Leroy Garcia is the president of the Colorado Senate and represents Senate District 3 in Pueblo.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.
