We Choose the Arena

Conservatives must follow in the footsteps of President Theodore Roosevelt.

During a trip to Europe in 1910, President Theodore Roosevelt delivered one of the most defining speeches of his life – “Citizenship in a Republic.” Its most enduring passage, remembered simply as “the man in the arena,” has echoed across generations, inspiring the builders of this nation not to sit in judgment from the stands, but to step forward, risk the fall, and take part in the great work of shaping their homeland.

More than a century later, Teddy’s words still ring true, cutting to the heart of what it means to be an American. Ours is a moment defined by commentary, not courage. Yet, as ever, it is the doers who will steady the nation’s hand. As Roosevelt charged, “the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena... whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly, who errs, who comes short again and again.” Those willing to live that calling — to do the work, to take the hits, and to lead — will be the ones who shape what comes next.

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena... whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly, who errs, who comes short again and again.” - President Theodore Roosevelt

For Roosevelt, the “man in the arena” was more than a metaphor for civic duty; it was the story of his own life. Few understood the responsibility of the citizen better than the man who became America’s greatest conservationist. After the same day claimed both his wife and his mother, he retreated to the Badlands of the American West — a place that would reshape his life. There, Roosevelt came to understand the duty of stewarding our natural inheritance, ensuring that future generations could draw strength and prosperity from the land. Reflecting that conviction, Roosevelt would go on to double the size of the national parks system during his presidency.

Roosevelt saw stewardship not as a burden, but as a birthright: a duty and privilege shared by all Americans. Yet, this understanding has fallen out of favor among modern environmental groups, who favor litigation and red tape over hands-on care for the land. In place of conservation — the active tending of nature — a rigid preservationism has taken root, one that confuses neglect for virtue and sidelines the human role in keeping the land healthy and alive. Too many would sooner see a forest swept to ash than allow the active management that keeps it standing.

President Roosevelt never would have stood for it, and neither will the growing number of conservatives who are once again stepping into the arena to reclaim his legacy of stewardship.

Conservatives conserve. We protect what is good, true, and lasting within our homes, our communities, and our country. It has never been more important to reclaim our natural heritage – the land itself – as part of what we so passionately defend. Ours is a tradition of farmers, hunters, outdoorsmen, and builders. Our connection to the land cannot be disputed, and we must boldly stake claim to it.

No longer can we allow loud, progressive protesters to claim the moral high ground on caring for creation. So we step into the arena – not for spectacle, but because the work of conservation must belong to those willing to get their hands dirty. We embrace and revive Roosevelt’s bold, rugged environmentalism–born of the Badlands. His vision stands apart from the strain of environmentalism my generation has been taught to accept. We reject doomerism and lectures from ivory towers. Instead, we will champion an environmentalism grounded in stewardship, ingenuity, and a promise of true abundance.

The time for these ideas is now, and the place is The Bully Pulpit — a forum for those willing to enter the arena and lead with conviction. Here, thinkers and doers alike will come together to shape the future of conservative environmentalism — weaving the policies that advance our vision with the stories that give it life. In this work, we hope to build more than a publication. We hope to build a home for a movement. The Bully Pulpit will become the home of conservative environmental thought and action.

As Roosevelt remarked on that fateful day in Paris, “...there are many who confine themselves to criticism of the way others do what they themselves dare not even attempt.” We will not sit by in the stands. We choose the arena.

Danielle Franz is the CEO and a founding member of the American Conservation Coalition (ACC). She lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband and son. Follow her on social media @daniellebfranz.