America Is a Big Place Full of Big Ideas ...
... And our communities are the backbone on which America stands. The Advance is an integral part of our community -- this weekend, help us make it 400 Times STRONGER
By Martin Davis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
It’s easy to forget just how big America really is.
I frequently drive nearly 6 hours — mostly through undeveloped parts of Virginia and North Carolina — to reach the mountains of North Carolina and the tiny town of Todd. As my mother was fond of saying when we made that trip in my youth, “You think you’re going to fall off the end of the earth before you get there.”
Some 60 years later, she still repeats that phrase when driving there.
It’s important on Independence Day to remember just how big this country is. Not just in terms of space, but in terms of ideas, too.
Whether you are cheering the Big, Beautiful Bill’s passage this morning, finding in it the seeds of the rebirth of American liberalism; or are examining anew the relationships between liberalism and democracy, on this much we can all agree: American communities are where the rubber hits the road, and American communities will be what keeps America strong into the future.
Strength Times 400
Local journalism is the cornerstone of American freedom. And the FXBG Advance is in the vanguard of the rebirth of American journalism.
We are building a community where thoughtful people across the political, cultural, racial, and whatever other divides one cares to name, can find a home to express their views, debate important ideas, and find innovative pathways forward.
The emphasis is on the word “thoughtful.” The reactionary screaming that defines social media has no home here.
Our approach is distinctive. We embrace “multipartisanship.” This idea is simple: We believe that there are thoughtful people across this expansive region we call home who have something to contribute to making our community stronger.
Something wonderful happens when thoughtful sides hear one another out. Those traits that make us American begin to emerge. The New Dominion Podcast bears testimony to this every week. So do the range of thoughtful pieces that daily appear in our pages.
Undergirding it all is powerful, hard-hitting reporting that holds government to account, asks the hard questions of those who lead the public and private institutions in our lives, and explores the reams of data that almost daily emerge to explain the world around us.
And we make our readers a key part of the equation.
We value your input, your thoughts, and your questions. And we do that by putting your ideas on our pages as letters to the editor and opinion pieces. (To learn more about submitting, see our About page.)
Far from journalistic outliers, these pieces by our readers and others form the heartbeat of FXBG Advance, and American journalism writ large.
We value your voice.
Because journalism takes all of us.
Journalism also isn’t free. Yes, we make everything available to the public because we believe in the importance of an educated citizenry.
We also do it because this community has supported our work.
We are asking you to help us grow that support.
The Advance is looking to grow by 400 Paid Subscribers over the next 12 months.
This ambitious goal will ensure that the Advance always has a place in our community.
We’ve never needed journalism more. Journalism that is multipartisan. That values all voices. And believes that its readers have something to offer the community.
Here’s how we can reach that goal
If You Are a Paid Subscriber
Share the Advance (www.fxbgadvance.com) and encourage people to subscribe
Gift a subscription to someone you know
Share stories via social media, and share our subscription links, as well.
If You Are a Free Reader
THANK YOU for reading the Advance. Now, take the next step and support our work!
If you can’t afford $8 a month, consider a renewable gift of $1 to $5 a month. Every dollar counts, and every dollar we receive goes directly to support journalism — not buildings, not bling, but journalism.
If a monthly renewable subscription isn’t in the cards, please consider a ONE-TIME gift in any amount.
This Independence Day, celebrate by doing your part to ensure that the Advance continues the critical work of strengthening our local community.
Become one of the 400 NEW PAID SUBSCRIBERS to the Advance
America is a big place. And our community is where the rubber meets the road in terms of ensuring that America remains a strong, viable place and idea.
Support the Advance with an Annual Subscription or Make a One-time Donation
The Advance has developed a reputation for fearless journalism. Our team delivers well-researched local stories, detailed analysis of the events that are shaping our region, and a forum for robust, informed discussion about current issues.
We need your help to do this work, and there are two ways you can support this work.
Sign up for annual, renewable subscription.
Make a one-time donation of any amount.
Local Obituaries
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This article is published under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND. It can be distributed for noncommercial purposes and must include the following: “Published with permission by FXBG Advance.”