The ties that bind us

"...we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

This final line of the Declaration of Independence is one that I have been re-reading lately.

Nearly 250 years ago, a group of men––including three from Georgia––came together to chart the course for our republic. They declared themselves, through their words and deeds, free from tyranny.

Lifetimes later, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would also call for freedom from tyranny. Channeling the spirit of our founding fathers, he reminded Americans that we are "caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."

Cobb County was recently, once again, the target of anti-Semitic actions intended to terrorize our neighbors. Instead, our county came together to acknowledge and reiterate that sacred pledge –– that we are one community. When dark forces seek to divide us, our bonds become stronger. Our commitment to our neighbors––to each other––is unwavering.

May God grant us the strength and the courage to "mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

Have a happy Independence Day,

Sheriff Craig D. Owens, Sr.