As I continue my Walk Across America through the great state of North Carolina, I have heard from folks up north that "the South is America’s problem." These friends of mine, who are not so familiar with this region, often think of it as the nation’s hotbed of backwardness, where the lingering echoes of slavery, segregation and Confederate nostalgia fuel divisive debates over race, guns and social progress. They believe this region is mired in poverty and prejudice and forever locked into battles over old monuments. But they’re outsiders who’ve never walked the backroads I have.
I have met farmers, factory hands, professors, business people, churchgoers, chefs and veterans, and I am calling it like I see it: These outsiders are flat-out wrong.
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The truth is that the South — and North Carolina especially — is the backbone of what makes America strong. People forget that I spent the first 12 years of my life in the South, in Kenton, Tennessee. We all grew up with a deep faith in God and in America. We believed in rock-solid families, a work ethic that doesn’t quit, and a resilience that sees us through adversities of all kinds. I see all that today as I walk, and I have been thanking the Lord for these sights, for they strengthen me.
When Hurricane Helene slammed into the North Carolina mountains last year, flooding out small towns, the feds were worse than the Keystone Kops. But the churches? They moved into action. Volunteers from all around saved what could be saved, tarped the roofs and cleared debris.
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I met a retired couple, and they told me that their home sat under nine feet of mud and water. A team of church folks they had never met came and prayed over the ruins. Then they built it back, wall by wall. The wife told me, "Pastor, we lost our home but never our faith, and it is because of that that God’s people showed up."
I’ve also seen great family values in this state. One morning in a diner, I read in the local paper that the North Carolina House of Representatives created Opportunity Scholarships for every family, using a sliding scale based on income. The aim of this program is to free kids from failing schools. As the state's website explains, "The Opportunity Scholarship helps North Carolina families pay for tuition and other required fees to attend registered private schools."
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When I talked about this with a family that I met, they informed me that there were also programs like All Pro Dads & Responsible Fatherhood that teach men to step up for their families.
On the cultural front, the legislature has kept girls’ sports for biological girls only, yanked explicit books from elementary shelves, and cut taxes so hardworking moms and dads keep more of their paycheck — personal income tax is down to 4.25% this year, with triggers for further cuts if revenues hold.
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I have long hated the government for the dependency it created in communities like mine on the South Side of Chicago, but this feels different. It’s our money being used to create agency, responsibility and accountability. That, in the long run, saves the state money. And, in the end, it is up to the individual to take advantage — or not.
Speaking of the individual, I have seen a hardcore work ethic everywhere I go. I’ve walked through factory towns where folks don’t chase viral fame — they chase the ability to provide for their families. North Carolina’s manufacturing jobs hit 473,000 last year, and they say there will be 3.5% growth through 2032, adding more than 16,000 jobs.
But it’s the stories that stick. Over 20,000 veterans are transitioning out of the armed forces this year, and they bring that military discipline straight to the shop floor. And the numbers back it up.
This is a record year for jobs — 33,745 new ones announced, with $23 billion invested. JetZero is dropping $4.7 billion on an airplane plant in Guilford County for 14,500 jobs; Vulcan Elements, $918 million in Benson for 1,000 magnet factory spots; Novartis, $771 million in Durham for 700 pharma roles. These aren’t handouts — they’re jobs for men and women who show up on time, work overtime and thank God for the opportunity.
The South has its sins and struggles like anywhere. But the claim that it is a drag on America is false. The South is the lift — the faith that rebuilds, the family that fights for what’s right, the work that provides and the patriotism that unites.
As 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, if my people humble themselves and pray, God heals the land. North Carolina is living that out, and it’s a model for the nation. This is where America’s heart still beats strong.
