A set of World Cup videos posted by visiting fans is shedding new light on the everyday moments that define America’s character. This opinion piece, penned by Mary McNamara, spotlights how outsiders can sometimes see and share what locals might overlook.

Once celebrated for offering refuge to the oppressed, the United States now faces criticism for embracing what one editorial calls “fascism” and “sadism,” particularly in Minneapolis. This shift, attributed to changes that took hold around 2025, raises concerns about the nation’s core values and future direction.

In a brief but urgent letter to the Fargo Forum, John A. Jorgensen asks his fellow citizens to rethink what it means to live “in the land of the free.” Disillusioned with both major parties and nostalgic for a time when they still conversed civilly, he issues a simple call: save our democracy.