It’s party time on the prairies!  Summer has finally made it to the Heartland and we have something to celebrate as Independence Day 2011 approaches.  It is not something that can be seen, heard, tasted, smelled or touched in a tangible sense, but rather something in another dimension—something which deeply affects how we experience the world we live in.

That “something” is Freedom….

                                                Liberty…..

                                                                The American Ideal

And the number one thing it offers the people who live it is HOPE—a vision for the future that breathes life into the heart and soul of man.  No matter what the extenuating circumstances of life—and there are many right now—this one thing is still something which gives due cause for celebration.

So with that introduction, I want to extend my personal invitation to you for several celebrations across North Dakota this summer!  The North Dakota Tea Party Caucus (NDTPC) is hosting a kick-off for their efforts with events planned to include communities across the state.  The goal is to make it feasible for as many folks as possible to attend. (See schedule below)

Check out this link to register:  http://ndtpc.com/

Although social in nature with a cook-out planned for each gathering, these events have a unique purpose.  Each is a call to action from the grass roots of North Dakota—the neighborhoods and communities which are home to the most precious natural resource of all—the people who live, grow and give to this state and country.

As a charter member of the NDTPC, I wholeheartedly support this effort to encourage active participation by the average citizen in the political process—it is the very bedrock of what made America great and the very essence of what is required to restore her to a position of greatness again.  As folks connect and find concrete ways to act as they volunteer time and talent to the process, the very fiber of this nation will be restored.  As one writer in the tea party movement states,

“This movement is not a revolution, but a restoration to our founding principles and  foundations.”

Often it is a crisis which brings forth the best of what the individuals in a society have to offer.  In modern history this rang true in Germany in the face of National Socialism and the impending threat to   the people of Germany and the free world.  One philosopher and member of a religious order who was martyred at Auschwitz by the Nazis wrote these words in a letter discovered posthumously:

“A nation doesn’t need what we have, it needs what we are”                                                                                                                                                               Edith Stein

I believe this to be true.  This country needs what you are—her citizens, her electorate, and the guardians of freedom for the future.

The most important thing you can do for your country is to bring what you are to events like these and get involved in a way that works for you and furthers the cause.  Once you have decided to attend one of these events, please RSVP on our website www.ndtpc.com.  This will help up us plan accordingly.  On the website you will find the NDTPC Charter with our mission statement and objectives.  You can sign up with your e-mail address to receive information and updates on upcoming events and activities of interest.

These informal gatherings are in no way intended to declare the NDTPC as the official organization of the Tea Party in North Dakota.

The NDTPC was conceived as and hopes to emerge as an organization which exists to network with individuals, groups and coalitions of like mind and values.  In numbers and by working together, our voices will be heard in the political process which determines the policies so essential to the maintenance of individual rights and personal freedom.

Please feel free to offer your ideas, suggestions, critique, questions or comments on the website or to me personally.  My e-mail address is garyemineth@me.com.

Below please find the scheduled events, a few excerpts from the NDTPC brochure, and a brief summary of the agenda for the parties with purpose!

The time has come for us to act!

Let’s Party!!

Gary Emineth

All times are 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

• July 7  -  Grand Forks (Guest House International)
• July 14 – Wahpeton (Frying Pan Restaurant  8:00 pm)
• TBA-  Minot (TBA)
• July 21 -  Williston (International Inn)
• July 28  -  Dickinson (exact location tba)
• August 4  -  Bismarck (Expressway Suites)
• August 11  -  Jamestown (VFW)
• August 18  -  Fargo (Expressway Suites)
• October  -  Bismarck (Annual NDTPC Statewide Event)

I hear freedom echoing in the hallways of state government these days – especially in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and New Jersey. Is it possible that it’s the same kind of freedom that rang throughout the cities and countryside as the news spread about the British surrender at Yorktown?

If it is, let me remind you of this: It comes with a price. The high cost of freedom is shared by each person who enjoys the unique privileges of liberty. The price to maintain and protect freedom is responsibility. I believe it is one free people inherently know – it is theirs to pay– until someone tells them otherwise.

I remember the first time I opened the grocery store with my own keys and Dad stayed home.

“You’re on your own now,” he said in his gruff kind of way. But I heard more than that. I heard, “I trust you. You are capable. I wouldn’t have sold you this store if I didn’t think you had it in you to make it work.” I was only 21, newly married and scared, but I was willing to take on the weight of responsibility for the opportunity of freely pursuing my dreams.

“The World Turned Upside Down,” was perfect background music for the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown to end the Revolutionary War. I feel myself humming a few bars each time I switch on the television and catch a glimpse of the Union workers protesting. Last year it was Tea partiers calling for the government to act responsibly. Now folks are walking off the job to demand the state or local governments to spend money they don’t have.

What has changed? The economy is about the same. Is it possible this is about the simple request to consider a responsible solution to budget deficits? Union bosses are taking their place at the table to demand their rights. It seems reasonable to me to trade a small percentage of a benefit package in order to avoid excessive lay-offs.

The responsibility part of the equation is either missing or forgotten. What about the line in “America the Beautiful” ‘…who more than self thy country loved, and mercy more than life.’?

Granted, it may not look so beautiful today with a flagging economy and a high unemployment rate, but in the long run, if concessions are made without undue tax burdens added, won’t that make for a better tomorrow? All the political promises from charismatic leaders can’t change things. But there is something that can. That something, I believe, is Courage.

One example of the power of courage to change things is happening in the state of New Jersey. Against the odds, Chris Christie, a Republican, was taking on Jon Corizine, the incumbent democrat in a gubernatorial race with little if any hope of winning. When the night was over, the blue color, blue state, home of “the Boss”, whose constituency had voted over 57 percent in favor of Barack Obama in November, elected Christie as their Governor.

He would take his post as the first Republican to hold that office in over 12 years. Probably because he campaigned as a fiscal conservative, the voters elected him to deal with a financial state of emergency. There was no plan of action in place besides an appeal for handouts from Washington or a hefty tax increase or both. So, with roughly a 3 point margin over Corizine, the “Courageous” Christie takes office and the story begins.

Two of my favorite lines in all the video clips I’ve watched of Christie on Youtube (and re-watched!) are the following: “Why are we cutting a small percent from the state’s portion of your retirement fund? Because the state is broke and unlike the Feds, we don’t have a machine or the authority to print money.” And this is even better: “I was elected by the people of New Jersey to manage this fiscal debacle and I came here to do that. I came here to govern, not to worry about getting re-elected.”

Imagine that!

Doesn’t it seem ironic that it is largely the same people who want me to share my money as a private sector business owner in the form of higher taxes, so they are able to maintain their lifestyle, who are protesting a request to share some of their benefits for limited time, simply so others can keep their jobs? Something has to give, but it’s not them. This sounds more like an entitlement program. I’m required by law to pay more out of my pocket in taxes so you don’t have to suffer?

How did we get here? In my opinion, voters in America have elected people to office who lack the strength, integrity and courage to lead. Sound fiscal management is trumped by unnecessary expenditures to garner votes for the next election. A sound economy fosters freedom. Deficit spending leads to servitude.

Christie’s words, “Less spending, lower taxes and less government.” Less is more. In any family or privately owned business, there are times when the only way to stay afloat is to cut back. Saving and sacrifice have become taboos in American political campaign rhetoric.

It takes courage to stand up to a teacher, a fire-fighter, or a policeman and call a spade a spade. These people are invaluable to our communities. But as Christie said, “I’m sorry I have to be the first guy to tell you the truth. The politicians, who made these fairy-tale promises to you in order to get your vote, couldn’t keep them and they knew it when they made those promises.”

It all boils down to choices like anyone in the private sector has to make when business is slow. Either benefits are cut or positions are cut. There are no other options when the money train comes to a halt.

Men and women of courage are usually not the most popular people in the pack. Most great leaders have endured far more criticism than praise.

But courage is more than just bravado and a stern tone of voice; true courage requires preparation for the task and the ability to carry it out to completion. It requires a firm conviction that the path you are leading others along is one which is going in a good direction.

One thing about Governor Christie, when he is asked a question, he has an answer and most of the time, the information to back it up.

Other qualities that go with true courage would include, discipline, perseverance, resolve and patience. These are virtues recognized by most people as moral virtues, regardless of their creed. How often do you hear anyone getting an award for virtue? How can it be encouraged? En-courage-to inspire one with courage. Courage to do what’s right.

Courage is contagious and motivational. Alexander the Great’s horse, Bucephalus, was a war horse of great heart and valor. Just his presence would cheer a column of fatigued soldiers and give them the stamina to march on when they wanted to stop. Long after he was retired from “active duty”, the majestic steed traveled with his master to boost morale when things looked bleak.

MANY JOBS ARE LOST BECAUSE THE UNIONS WON’T MAKE SMALL CONCESSIONS ON EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS TO HEALTH CARE COSTS.

DOES ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE WONDER WHO THE UNIONS ARE FIGHTING FOR ANYWAY?

DO WE HAVE THE COURAGE TO FIGHT BACK?

It is an inspiration to see Scott Walker holding his ground, day after day, unwilling to give into the badgering by professional bullies and attacks by the mainstream media. I admire his courage. It gets me off my chair and renews my confidence in the people of this great country.

It renews my hope.

Recently I came across the simple quote “Leaders are those who lead.” A big following is not always the sign of a great leader. Sometimes it gets lonely out front, and I know from a little experience, it’s never pleasant to be the one taking the heat. But I have to say, I feel a surge of energy after I watch a Youtube clip of Governor Christie standing his ground.

Courage. It may be one of the few things in American government we could use a little more of.

Join Her as She “Walks the Talk”

I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.

Tony Robbins

If you have any experience in your past life with Sunday school or catechism you’ve heard at least one lecture or lesson on “Walking the Talk.” One bishop puts it this way to the young people on the eve of their confirmation: “Go out and share the Good News which you have discovered; take words with you, but use them only if you have to!” We all know the old adage, “Actions speak louder than words”, but how many people do YOU know who actually live as if they believe it?

In the world of politics and politicians it seems like a rarity—even an anomaly. And maybe it is, but my experience with Michele Bachmann has encouraged me and given me hope that integrity is still alive in America! She doesn’t just talk back to Washington or talk about taking back Washington—she is walking the talk about taking it back!

I met the Congresswoman when I was (as Chairman of the ND GOP) out scouting for a headliner for the first ever, “Take Back Washington” rally. The purpose of the event was for the candidates to hear what the grassroots had to say. The people would do the talking and the candidates would simply listen. The keynote speaker would be someone who could speak to the issues of concern from a conservative viewpoint.

When Michele agreed to come, I was really excited. Not only had she been elected to another term as a Congresswoman from the 6th District in Minnesota, she was gaining national recognition as a spokesperson for the T.E.A. Party movement and, of course, someone who meant what she said as verified by a voting record consistent with her well-articulated conservative philosophy.

As a social and fiscal conservative, much of what she shared that night in February of 2010 in front of a crowd of close to a thousand people resonated with their beliefs and concerns, but what stood out to me was what she said about personal conviction and integrity. When asked about her experience as a member of Congress her answer was prefaced by the sentence,
When you go to Washington to serve the people who elected you, you’d better be sure of who you are.

My first thought as I heard her say it was, “I wonder what she means by that” and as it went through my mind, I heard her talking further about knowing what you believe and the willingness to act on those beliefs. She even said a thing or two about conscience! She sounded a lot like the Founding Fathers speaking about an informed electorate and the importance of the Constitution upheld as a guide for a people committed to morality and truth.

The moment those thoughts got running in my head, they were chased by a whole raft of others looking for a place to land. I decided to put them down on paper. After I did so, I compared notes with what Michele presented that night in Bismarck and the following ten tenets were the result.

Ten Tenets of Freedom

Freedom is a necessary pre-requisite to equality

Freedom is not free: Individual freedom comes with the price tag of individual responsibility

Freedom is only one generation from extinction: it must be “caught not just taught”

The Government is of, by and FOR the people, not the other way around

Economic freedom is the foundation of personal and political freedom. Economic freedom requires fiscal responsibility from the people and the government.

Freedom is not absolute autonomy and self-sufficiency based on the human potential to reason; to thrive it needs the support of the great religious traditions of humanity

Freedom requires that the people stand their ground against the nationalization of health care, the media, and big business

Freedom flourishes in the company of an informed and involved electorate. Without an educated electorate, freedom becomes a farce or a tragedy or both

Truth is the foundation for freedom; freedom is tied to a measure of reality which is the truth. It has limits and boundaries; My right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is the protection of the same rights of another.

Because of the finite nature of man, there will never be a state of perfection or utopia on earth, therefore there is a need for some rule of law and order in place to attempt to establish justice.

These tenets of freedom create a context and a body of ideas upon which many of the laws which are in place to keep order in this society we live in. America may well be the best example of this attempt at freedom which other countries have tried, but because these countries were not walking the talk they sacrificed their freedom on the altar of apathy and irresponsibility.

When my wife and I accompanied the Congresswoman to the airport, we talked about life, faith and the challenges and experiences she faced in public service at such a high profile. She has been called names, been viciously maligned by other members of Congress and even criticized by her own party. The night of the Take Back Washington rally in Bismarck, most of the candidates were unwilling to take the stage for a photo-op with Michele. Why? I didn’t ask. All I know is that the event which was allegedly supposed to be a “train wreck” in the words of a party operative was an overwhelming success and the first of many more in the country.

September marked the first T.E.A. Party rally in Washington DC where thousands of citizens gathered peaceably to be seen and heard. Congresswoman Bachmann was there speaking once again for the cause. After the election in November as a member of the Majority party in the House of Representatives she has started the T.E.A. Party caucus and continues to stand, fight and deliver.

She takes the mandate of her constituents seriously. She Walks the Talk and works tirelessly to keep America Free. Her intent is to keep her promises and vote her conscience.

She is a Voice of Freedom to be reckoned with—maybe on the Republican ticket for President of the United States in 2012!

The day that marked the victory of the Solidarity union effort against Communist oppression was a great day for Poland. It is a moment in history which lives on; the memory of it is recorded in words which impact the world today and forever.

But in another day, nearly a generation before the uprising in the shipyards at Gdansk, another such movement was spawned. Nearly imperceptible in the wake of Panzer tanks devouring the verdant landscapes of Poland, a quiet resolve would sow the seeds of solidarity in the life of a young man.

To the young German theologian and pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, there was no other choice than to stand in solidarity with the cause of the people of Germany. Ignoring the pleas of friends and fellow students he had come to know at Harvard University, he decided upon hearing the news of war back home to rejoin his people and embrace his destiny. And so the stuff of legends—the life and death of a modern-day martyr, patriot, resistance fighter and hero—was born.

But while there may be other stories like this, it is a rare thing for a well-educated man from an upper-class family to take a stand which eventually put him at odds with the politics, religion, and culture of his own country and ultimately cost him his life. Many factions of the times have tried to adopt him as their spokesman and inspiration: revolutionaries, pacifists, anarchists and religious fundamentalists. It may be appropriate to raise the question about the legacy of Bonhoeffer, “Who is Dietrich Bonhoeffer?” His story leads to the crux of this series on freedom and the question, “How does the message of freedom resound from the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer?”

To answer these questions from the context of Bonhoeffer’s life and thought, it is truly necessary to understand what was going on in Germany as he grew up in the early 20th century. The impact of the death, destruction and violence imposed on their country during World War One was magnified by the death of the oldest Bonhoeffer son, Karl Friedrich.

Developments after the war set many of the family members on a crash course with destiny. Every day brought new dangers in the unstable Weimar Republic (Germany). As the currency lost value and became worthless, fear gave way to the sacrifice of freedom on the altar of compliance and security. The rise of the Reich ensued and eventually the transfer of power from the people to Hitler’s regime was complete. When World War Two was over, the Bonhoeffers had lost two more sons and two sons-in-law who had participated in the resistance.

Acts of public terror such as that of the infamous “Kristellnacht” (German for “the night of broken glass) in November of 1938 set the stage for the Nuremburg laws restricting the freedom and privileges of the German citizens of Jewish ancestry. Many were forced from their businesses and homes and were ostracized by their communities.

The press was in the hands of the Reich, and Hitler’s chief propagandist, Josef Goebbels, became the voice of “truth” to the German people. Bonhoeffer preached until he was barred from the pulpit as a result of a conscientious objection to the teachings and guidelines of the Reich appointed Bishop Mueller.

In a bold demonstration of solidarity to one another and the truth of the Christian faith, Bonhoeffer and a handful of pastors went underground. The Confessing church (as opposed to the official Lutheran Church) was conceived. A seminary was started with a group of students at Finkenwalde and it was here that Bonhoeffer taught and lived out the truths of solidarity and commitment to his beliefs. The text which was written during the years at Finkenwalde, “Life Together”, is a treatise of sorts on his idea of solidarity and the importance of community in the proliferation of freedom.

To him there was a higher calling and a higher purpose in life than his own self-preservation. To study and interact with Bonhoeffer’s thought is a window into the importance of duty and responsibility as they relate to the concept of personal freedom. John Adams once wrote, “Duty is the handmaiden of freedom. Duty is necessary,” Adams argued, “in order that personal freedom does not dissolve into selfishness, license and anarchy.”

For Bonhoeffer, the ideal of freedom was a gift given to all humankind. It came with being human and was not relegated to any select group by virtue of race, gender or nationality. As such, it flew in the face of National Socialism and set him at odds with anyone who was sympathetic with the Nazi party and Hitler in any way. He held fast to the preservation of freedom and human rights in the face of gross inequality and prejudice as perpetrated by the Reich against Jews, gypsies, the handicapped and those who were resistors.

Once imprisoned in 1943 and after a series of moves between concentration camps, he reached his final destination at the death camp at Flossenburg. In the space of two long years, while uncertainty and constant fear of torture and death were his companions, he continued to study, write and develop his thoughts about religion and faith and their influence in the public square. Although he had little firsthand knowledge of the fate of relatives and friends, he developed a code encrypted in the library books exchanged with his parents. These efforts enabled communication and preserved some of his work.

In his work in the underground Church and as a spy for the resistance, he kept his focus firmly fixed on his goal—to be true to what he believed. Intended as a magnum opus of his life’s work, the unfinished manuscript entitled “Ethics” was retrieved and edited by Eberhard Bethge for publication posthumously. Dietrich Bonhoeffer had counted the cost of discipleship and showed the full extent of his willingness to pay it in full. His commitment to his fellow prisoners never waned and he continued his ministry to these brothers in Christ, preaching his last sermon at a communion service the day before he died.

Like others before him, he endured harsh criticism from his peers and the sacrifice of personal happiness and posterity. As a faithful disciple of Christ who had sowed the seeds of solidarity with the truth, he reaped the consequences of that commitment. Echoing through the ages from the pages of his life and death, this voice of freedom asks the core questions on the final test of life. Is freedom precious enough to pay the ultimate price to obtain? Is it worth dying for?

The final chapter in his story did not come from his hand and his last spoken words recorded by his cellmate read as follows:
“This is the end; for me it is the beginning of life…”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s, epitaph is imprinted on a simple plaque which hangs on the tree where he was hanged on April 9, 1945

“Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a witness of Jesus Christ among his brethren, born February 4, 1906, Breslau; died April 9, 1945, Flossenburg.”

I would say his answer is “Yes”.

Why do I bother disrupting the prospect of a relaxing evening at home (especially when I’ve been gone all week) to go to a Lincoln Day dinner–on an off election year when I’ve been to a hundred of them in my lifetime? The answer didn’t come immediately, but bear with me as I try to explain.

We went to the dinner and true to Lincoln Day dinner form, the decorations were simple in red white and blue, the faces familiar (although names not as readily accessible!), the menu and program predictable and pleasant.

But it was the table decorations which caught my attention and triggered the urge to write these thoughts to you. A black cut-out of the silhouette of Abraham Lincoln adorned each table. Glued on a bi-fold card, it was in front of me the whole night and I couldn’t help but have flash-backs of elementary school art-projects—replete with scissors and the smell and feel of Elmer’s glue on my hands—in my little country school in McKenzie, ND. It seemed like we always did “Profiles of the Presidents” in February right before Valentine’s Day.

Why did we do that? What do I remember about Lincoln that has anything to do with what I want to say to you? Among other things, I remember that Lincoln had a lot of failures in his bids for office, but once elected President, he was resolved to preserve the unity of the country and like most men in his position, Lincoln wrestled with the legacy he would leave behind.

I’ve told the story numerous times about the experience I had while reading Doris Kearns-Goodwin’s biography of Lincoln, “A Team of Rivals” and how it was the inspiration for me to re-enter the world of politics after a long sabbatical. What struck me about Lincoln at the time was the lament as a young man that he faced a time with no opportunities for greatness such as those presented to the founders less than 100 years before him.

Yet he continued on. Later he was quoted as he reflected on his first term as President, “If we forget where we have been, we won’t remember who we are.

As his life unfolded into the great conflict which erupted into civil war—the bloodiest war in American history—it was evident that Lincoln had maintained the integrity of his character—he had not lost touch with who he was as an American and a leader who understood the importance of great sacrifice for the cause of freedom. Even more, he saw the future through the eyes of humility, charity and collaboration with others to preserve the nation.

As I left the dinner, his words from the address at Gettysburg sounded the Voice of Freedom from across the annals of time, echoing through the memories of the challenges which his successors have faced and overcome.

We cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men (and women) who have fought here have hallowed it far beyond our ability to add or detract….it is for us the living to be dedicated to the unfinished task—so that these honored dead will not have died in vain—and that the government of the people, by the people, and for the people will not perish from the earth.

To remember the contribution of others is a reminder to me of why it matters.
I am an American and they did it for me. And I have a responsibility to pass it on.

At the end of the day, what began as a sigh, ended in a satisfying sense of an evening well spent.

“This aggression will not stand”

George H.W. Bush declaring intent to liberate Kuwait

“This terrorism will not stand”

George W. Bush after the attack on 9/ll

There’s something to be said for a man whose first inclination in the face of a crisis is to pray, and whose benediction after the most difficult public address of his career is the 23rd Psalm.

That something is this: George W. Bush is a man who is securely grounded personally and who stands firm politically on the underpinning of freedom laid by the Founders of the nation he served as forty-third President.

Faith in God, respect for the integrity of the family and an unwavering commitment to the preservation of freedom are building blocks in the platform from which he led America through the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and all that came after. I am confident that the unveiling work of history will vindicate his leadership.

No doubt it was a great advantage to grow up in a family with George and Barbara Bush as parents. To have the privilege of a secure and happy childhood followed by an excellent education set George W on a path to a successful life in business and politics. There was little about his early life, however, that would have set him apart as a potential candidate for the presidency. In order to hear the heartbeat of this man it is necessary to trace his footsteps as he walked through the crisis of 9/11 and beyond; to understand his words and actions begs a look into his past.

Most Americans remember when the media brought it to their attention that George Bush – Republican candidate for President–had a history of alcohol abuse. Far fewer of those Americans know the story behind his decision to stop drinking and the dramatic impact that decision had on his future.

Very simply and without much fanfare he describes it in his memoir “Decision Points” as a deliverance from the slavery of drinking with a brief description of what he had discovered about why he drank. He goes as far as to say he would never have been President if he had not made the decision to stop.

For him it was a taste of what it was like for the Iraqis to go from the oppression of a dictator to the freedom of democracy. In some ways he had experienced what he would later offer to those who had never felt free to make a choice in their lives. His dependence on alcohol to help him cope with life had summarily robbed him of God’s greatest gift and once freed he was impassioned to share his freedom with the others in significant ways.

All that leads to the fateful day in America’s history when, in his own words as he addressed the nation “….our way of life was put in jeopardy.” It was in the wake of the first attack on the continental US directed to a non-military target since the American Revolution, that the character, conviction and commitment of George W. Bush were most evident to those looking for leadership.

Invoking the “God of grace and God of glory” for wisdom and strength, he then wrote a note to his Father expressing his internal conflict about decisions he knew he would have to make. Finally, his undivided attention was directed toward the fulfillment of what he believed to be his twofold purpose as President of the United States-to protect the people and to defend freedom.

At one point during these first few days, he remembered a morning in church with his mother when she leaned over and whispered, “He (the preacher) is talking to you.” The message was based on the life of Moses and God’s provision for the power to perform insurmountable tasks. A gentle reminder to trust God for wisdom and strength from a God-fearing parent was the brick and mortar needed to reinforce foundations when feelings of powerlessness threatened to overwhelm him in the face of tragedy.

Perhaps no one knows better than this former President—who continues to “work on his anonymity”—the adage recorded in the Scriptures: “He who exalts himself will be humbled; he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

We know without a doubt that if we follow his example to stand on these same foundations will mean that terrorism and acts of aggression will NOT stand.

The forty-third President heard that from his father and it is worth passing along.

In just two weeks, on November 2, 2010, will take place what I believe could be the most significant election in my lifetime-maybe even in the history of this country. Some people would say I am making an overstatement. I don’t think so. From my perspective, if we allow things to continue down the path they have been on, especially for the last two years, we may well be on our way to destroying the freedom and independence the Founders envisioned for our country.

However, if we the People regain the voice in Congress that was lost through a misguided idealism facilitated by extreme partisanship not witnessed since the early days of the Republic, we have a huge task ahead of us. I think most of us here would agree that the government has to be reined in or we are on a collision course with disaster. In this watershed election, much, much, hangs in the balance.

Hello, Washington! This is why we, and so many of our fellow citizens, are up in arms! This is why we are here today.

What hangs in the balance as the days go by leading to November 2 is really quite simple:
What hangs in the balance is the future of the America and the destiny of individual freedom and representative democracy on this planet. Sound exaggerated? Maybe.

That is until you look around, read the news, and talk to your neighbors, relatives and friends. Even the lukewarm citizen and the apolitical “I don’t want to talk about it” co-worker are out looking for voter’s guides. Why?

Let me break the Why into two parts: the What and the Who. What and Who is behind the greatest surge of active interest in the ranks of the American electorate in a non-presidential election year in a long time, maybe ever!

My answer to the “What” is the rest of this address; and I firmly believe I am standing right in front of the “Who”!

The Who is You!… In a recent Washington Post poll–42% of Democrats, 57% of Republicans, 74% of those who identify themselves as Tea-Party folks (82% of those actively involved)—that is the who… it’s YOU…
Now to the What!

The Founding Fathers laid it out 234 years ago in the Declaration of Independence and later forged those principles into a blueprint for living in a free society that we the People have agreed upon, and which our elected officials of the highest rank have sworn an oath to preserve, protect, and defend—the United States Constitution. And you, and others like you, have passionately stepped forward to preserve what was laid out as the foundation of our government. You picked it a copy of that document, and you opened it, and you read it, and you kept reading it, and as you got very familiar with it you began comparing notes with the practices and policies coming out of Washington and you realized something: The blueprint (the Constitution) and the actual policies of those sworn to adhere to and protect that blueprint do not match!

You can see this and (like me) you’re not even a lawyer. Something is going on in this country that anyone with any common sense can see.

Some have made these observations and done no more with them than write an obnoxious monologue for late night television and make fun of politicians and potential candidates for public office—treating a serious situation as a joke that no one should take seriously. Guess those people have never met you.

While comedians and pundits are talking-you have decided to start walking! You’re out here on a Saturday afternoon at a political rally…many of you have posted signs in your yard for local candidates in the upcoming election…others of you have volunteered to go door to door, to make phone calls for get out the vote efforts…donated money….hosted a coffee party for neighbors to help them understand the issues…written letters to the editor.

Some of you are like me. You grew up in the anti-establishment mood of the sixties and seventies. Who would have thought that we would become political activists!

Recently I was in Washington DC at a Faith and Freedom Coalition conference. Two of the founders of the Tea Party Patriots group spoke. Now I am a Reagan Republican and I listened, and as I listened I looked around and saw in a room full of high-profile Republicans listening with me and nodding in agreement to what they were hearing.

These speakers were talking about a Tea Party organization boasting some 2800 groups around the country.
They were talking about with an energy and an engagement that those of us in a more traditional partisan context hadn’t been able to muster in years. Some of you here know what I mean.

Let’s face it. We have a problem if we’re actually going to change the future landscape of this country that involves communicating our convictions about liberty—we have not articulated those ideals adequately to our young people. We need to do a better job if we’re going to pass the heritage of freedom on to the next generation.

I have a challenge for you that I would like to expand on later—a challenge for any of you who believe in the things I am saying—to go a step beyond gatherings like this-and make your voice heard in other venues.
On a more encouraging note, at the same hotel in DC where the conference hosting the Tea Party meeting, I came across a meeting room with a sign that read, “The Sharon Statement-celebrating 50 years.” This celebrated the young conservative group started by William F. Buckley Jr. and others in 1960, and was really the precursor to the modern conservative movement in this country.

I stood by the welcome table and read a copy of the “Sharon Statement” that was displayed, and I realized it sounded a lot what I had just heard from the Tea Party leaders in the room down the hall!

As a member of the platform committee for the Republican National Committee in 2008, I was reminded of the principles we had written for the Republican Party platform some forty-eight years later!

I am not trying to become partisan here, but would we not miss a huge opportunity if we do not get together on the things we can all agree on—the eighty, or eighty-two, or ninety percent we agree upon? I don’t know the exact percentage … but what I do know that when I compare these principles and precepts I just described with what the current administration in Washington and Congress is legislating the numbers are flipped.

What does this mean? Well, let me illustrate from our common heritage. In the days leading up to the American Revolution, there was another Tea Party—one held in Boston Harbor and it caused quite an uproar. The American colonists involved and watching didn’t agree on everything either! John Adams feared lawless behavior, Samuel Adams was ready to fight, John Hancock was resolved to protect his own business interests, etc., but they discovered one thing: they must UNITE or DIE!

What we share and agree on is far more basic, essential and critical than what we disagree on. History lessons can be so valuable at time like this. Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan both said something to the effect that, “If we forget our history-where we came from-we forget who we are.” Edith Stein, a Jewish woman who became a Catholic nun, and who was put to death at Auschwitz said it this way: A nation doesn’t simply need what we have—it needs who we are.

WHO ARE WE? Is it possible that this may be the most important question of the day?

I believe that it is. The most foundational, fundamental, and significant civil document we share, our blueprint for living as Americans in a free society, the Constitution of the United States, begins with these words-words that answer this question–words unlike any other.

It begins like this:
WE THE PEOPLE…. That’s You and Me…
There’s a lot of talk out there today that this system of government we enjoy in America is not the most conducive to freedom and equality. Could such a suggestion have anything to do with who is running the show?
• They say, America is on the way to becoming a third world country
• They are also saying, Capitalism and free enterprise/markets cannot be trusted to create jobs—more government regulation is required to stabilize the economy.
• Equality must be established for true freedom to exist-in the interim individual freedom must be sacrificed.
• Some even think a benevolent dictatorship would be better than a corrupt Republic.

Outrageous? Have you heard any of this rhetoric lately? I have, and it both saddens and sickens me.

What I think Washington especially needs to hear is what most Americans believe:
1. The raison d’être of the American Revolution: we will not tolerate oppressive taxation, particularly without representation. Summer patriots and sunshine soldiers shrink back, and tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered, but the People said, “Give me liberty or give me death.”

2. What the Greatest Generation affirmed: The United States hesitated to get into a global war in which they naively did not see national security at stake until they were challenged and inspired by the English people, led by Winston Churchill, who stood up to Hitler with a resolve to “Never give up.” Just at the point when it was apparent France would fall to the Nazi armies, he was asked what would happen if the Germans crossed the English Channel and he replied, “We’ll drown as many as possible and if any manage to make it up on the shore-we’ll beat them back with our fists.” When freedom-loving Americans realized he wasn’t giving in, they joined the good fight.

3. That this is a time when our basic freedoms are being threatened. We have reached a critical juncture when we are told that security is more important than freedom, that hard-earned wealth should be redistributed because a few are greedy, and that individualism and personal liberties must be curtailed to achieve the utopian dreams of agenda-driven elitists.

4. That the virtue we once sought as a people has gone the way of moral relativism. There are many of us who still believe America is an exceptional nation, where generosity toward others flourishes while we seek to eliminate injustice without sacrificing liberty—continuing to seek to create a more perfect (that is, more complete, improving) union. We do not deny we have faults, nor that there is greed, hatred, and bigotry among us that must be rooted out. But with John Adams we see that the strength of the Blueprint is Rule of Law. It is moral and just to play by the rules, and we expect our government to do the same.

Adams put it this way: “The Constitution of the United States was written to govern a moral and religious people, and is unfit to govern any other.”

You are the people of the hour.

You have the Blueprint.

You read the Blueprint and you believe it should be followed justly.

You are not Sunshine Patriots.

You are the ones to remind our fellow Americans about the Blueprint.

You will spark the New Birth of Freedom so that the “government of the people , by the people, and for the people will not perish from the earth.”

It is not what you have to offer—education or special talents—as much as the fact that you are Americans with a legacy of freedom: Born free, courageous, and willing to do what it takes to live free. Ronald Reagan said, “There is no arsenal on earth more powerful than the moral courage of free men and women.”

What must we do?
1. Educate yourself and others about the issues: informed consent is a requirement for a free society, otherwise governance becomes a farce, or a tragedy, or both.

2. Encourage your elected officials to listen to their constituents and to carry out what they promised they would do when they asked for your vote and we need to hold them accountable. It is not only happens on November 2 but November 3, 4, and so on, and January when the Legislature meets, or when Congress goes in session, and after. Be vigilant.

3. Engage in the political process at whatever level you are able, but engage somewhere. It requires watchfulness on the part of its stewards to keep a Republic alive. Let’s keep the energy to stay involved.

If you are not willing to be involved in politics-you must be satisfied with being governed by whatever comes your way. Is that a risk you are willing to take by becoming ambivalent?

Haven’t you had enough?

]]> http://garyemineth.com/2010/10/17/a-call-to-unite-for-freedom/feed/ 0 garyemineth http://garyemineth.com/2010/08/09/an-introduction-to-voices-of-freedom/ http://garyemineth.com/2010/08/09/an-introduction-to-voices-of-freedom/#comments Mon, 09 Aug 2010 03:29:31 +0000 Gary Emineth http://garyemineth.com/?p=40 ]]> ”What have we got?” An anxious woman asked Benjamin Franklin at the close of the 1787 Constitutional Convention. To which he replied, “A Republic…if you can keep it.”

It’s about time…  Everywhere you go there are voices clamoring for attention.  In a high-tech world like ours, we are overloaded with input.  In a word, we live in a culture of NOISE.  In his timeless classic, The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis speaks through his character, Uncle Screwtape, (the senior tempter), with these instructions for Wormwood, (his nephew and an inexperienced demon):

Noise—just create constant noise—that way they will never be aware of what’s really happening or have time to check in to their inner sense of right and wrong.  If we can keep them from doing that, the rest will be easy.

Lewis was using this dialogue to address his English audience during a time when the German dictator Adolf Hitler was weaving his message of deception throughout Europe.  Lewis was referring to an influence which leads to deception and ultimately becomes a form of control.  History proved his insight to be accurate.  Nearly 70 years later, we live in a culture of noise and constant distraction; we are an easy target for the mind control alluded to by Lewis.

So—it’s about time that you and I and every freedom-loving American take the time to STOP, LOOK and LISTEN in order to hear what really matters—the sound of the voices of freedom crying out to be heard.

We don’t get the message by accident–it doesn’t sink in by osmosis.  It requires intention to stop and get quiet in order to hear these voices—voices drowned out by the propaganda from a government which has nearly convinced us of the need for “professionals” to run this country.

These words are a short preface to a series of reflections on the many voices I have heard in moments of intentional quiet and solitude in the course of a busy life.

To begin with, I have consulted the instruction manual for the government of this United States of America and it’s not a variation on a “Handbook for Community Organizers.”  It’s the Constitution.  It is the only document created for the purpose of guiding a country which begins with the words, “We the People.”  Most others are introduced by the phrase, “We the government.”

If the framers of the Constitution meant what they said, you and I have a job to do that goes beyond the one we work at to provide for our families.  It requires us to become informed, get involved and spread the word.

I will not write about freedom and its incumbent responsibilities from an abstract, conceptual or polemical perspective, but from the vantage point of a listener.  I will attempt to articulate what I have learned as I have interacted in various contexts and through a number of different mediums  with the lives of freedom lovers, freedom fighters and in a word—patriots.

Freedom to be understood, in my opinion, must be experienced and that happens only by living in an environment which is structured to foster true liberty.  I have been fortunate enough to live in the longest running engagement of a free republic in history—and most of you have too.  Many of the people I have run into can say the same; others cannot.  All have had a taste of something which keeps us wanting more.

I have encountered Presidents, magistrates, Popes and revolutionaries, dissenters and dissidents, martyrs and moms.  I have frequented English pubs, lions’ dens, backyards, prisons, cathedrals and catacombs.  I have time-traveled in science fiction-like manner to pivotal points in history and I think I may have had a peek or two at the future.

In all, I hope the accounts of my travels and those I have walked with will shed some light on the subject—that of hanging on to this Republic for one more generation.  Thanks for joining me on the journey.