Voices of Freedom

Martin Luther – the Champion of Conscience and Personal Freedom

I’ve been accused of being a guy who marches to his own drum. My wife has often been stumped by the question, “And what does your husband do?”  Knowing full well they are inquiring about my line of work, she has either responded with, “That’s a good question!” or tossed it to others who know me as, “How would you answer that question?”

Voices of Freedom:  St. Patrick

Last evening, I discovered a new holiday to celebrate.  I was at my favorite local establishment with some family members and friends to celebrate a landmark birthday when I spied a gigantic mug of green beer on a tray.  While I’m sometimes a bit confused about dates and time (a fact my wife knows well), I was sure that St. Patrick’s Day did not arrive until the following day.  No sooner did that thought cross my mind and I overheard someone telling a companion why he was drinking green Bud light beer-the day before St. Patrick’s Day is now known as St. Practice Day.  

My immediate reaction was an undetectable eye-roll and a silent “whatever” as I shook my head and made my way back to the table.   In a more reflective moment later in the evening, I found myself wondering how many people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with very little idea as to the significance of this man’s life.  Until the resident historian in our home filled me in a few years ago, I have to admit that I knew virtually nothing except that he was an Irish saint.  As you can guess, someone close to me set me straight on that misinformation right away!

With all that as mere backdrop for this entry in the “Voices of Freedom” travelogue, I would like to give you a glimpse into an extraordinary life-the life of a man who literally became the messenger of true freedom to the Irish people.

By way of introduction, suffice it to say that there is very little firsthand information available about the life of St. Patrick.  His original writings consist of two documents, the Declaration and Confessions and neither one is a detailed historical account.  What looms large in these works is his passion for the people of Ireland and his perseverance in the propagation of the message.  What makes his story intriguing is the way it began and the turn of events which led to the answer to the call of God on his life.

Born in Roman Briton to a distinguished family, his given name was Patricius.  He lived a disciplined and orderly life under the authority of Rome in the area of Cumbria on what is now the British Isles.  At the age of 16, his world was upended by Irish rogue pirates who captured the young man and hauled him off to Ireland.  

For the next six years, he served as a slave and spent his days and nights often without adequate food and clothing.  Here in a foreign land with little hope for rescue or escape, he began calling out to the God of his upbringing-the God of Christianity.   He became fluent in the Celtic tongue which would serve him well in his later work.

It was here that his heart was converted and true faith formation began.  Like David from ancient Hebrew times, he learned to pray without ceasing because his desperate need was before him at all times.   Tradition says that he heard an angel’s voice urging him to escape and return to his homeland.  

He was able to do so, but no sooner did he arrive home he shared his vision and call to return to Ireland to share the Good News of Redemption and freedom.  After serving as an apprentice to a missionary and the necessary education to become a priest, he began the journey back to Ireland.  Eventually after the death of Bishop Palladius was assigned to Ireland, he received ordination from Pope Celestine and was sent back to Ireland as her Apostle.

Upon his return, he immediately paid the ransom price of a slave for his freedom to his former master and shared with him the gospel message. For the Irish people, this was a message that reached in to the very core of their culture and Patrick knew he must first reach the kings and local leaders and the people would follow.  Theirs was a very spiritual culture but devoid of any significant Christian influence.

Locked in a centuries old maze of folklore and superstition, the only guidance came from the druids who were local equivalents of a priest.  They held sway over the villages using fear tactics and force.

Consequently, outsiders (and even the former bishop) had little success to penetrate this island with either the progress of Western Civilization or the hope of Christianity.

This translated into a society cut off from the influences of Western Civilization such a short distance away in Briton where education and rational thought had given way to progress and a degree of economic prosperity.

When local leaders met Patrick with his message of faith in a reasonable and rational God who could be known and trusted , a settled confidence in the promise of eternal life transformed the lives of individuals.  As the Irish people began to turn from superstition and a reliance on the whims of capricious deities, they were free to do what was necessary to move in the direction which would transport them to exercise choice, creativity and conscience. 

Later in the development of monasteries and cells across Ireland and surrounding islands, important work was accomplished in places like Iona where Scriptures were copied and preserved through the ages.  These havens created space for learning and commerce which had far reaching effects throughout the medieval times and into the middle ages.

Patrick and his converts were known for their strength in doing battle with the strongholds of paganism in this country now known for a long history of faith-based struggle and conflict.  One of the most famous of Patrick’s original writings is a verse from the lengthy prayer  known as the Lorica

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

 Christ be with me,

Christ within me,

Christ behind me,

Christ before me,

Christ beside me,

Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort and restore me.

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ in quiet,

Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love me,

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

If this is what St. Patrick’s day commemorates-the life of man who did battle with primarily the shield of faith as his defense and the power of prayer as a weapon, perhaps St. Patrick’s day should have a little different focus.

At the very least one should consider drinking Irish beer.

416–it’s the number on the mile-marker salvaged from the abandoned railroad bed behind the property adjacent to mine.  Not long ago, I was informed by my wife, Deone, that 4-16 is the birth date of this month’s Voice of Freedom – Pope Benedict XVI.  Just over three weeks ago, the marker went up in the yard at the west entrance to our home.  Why am I sharing this?

Although we are not Catholic, Deone is a devotee of this elderly man; she thinks Benedict XVI who is in his sixth year as Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church–is the most brilliant man on the planet!  (She has read ALOT of his work).  Consequently, I feel like I HAVE READ ALOT OF HIS WORK!

But last week she gave me an article written by George Weigel about the trip the Pope made to England last September (did YOU know that was the first official visit of a Pope to England since the Protestant Reformation almost 500 years ago – I didn’t- but now you do too!)

The article is entitled, “The Future of Western Democratic Society” and frankly, it stopped me in my tracks.  All I could think was, “This Benedict guy has something to say”.  As I thought about the issues he addressed- his concern about the secularization of Europe and the outcomes which historical evidence could predict- I realized that he was putting words to how I was feeling about the dynamics of Western Civilization and their relationship to what is going on in our country.

And the timing is perfect.  I am in the process of announcing the formation of a non-profit organization called Freedom Roots.  The mission of this initiative is simple – to cultivate the grass roots for the cause of liberty.  Benedict’s discussion of the “three dimensions which constitute Western democracy” resonates with this mission and provides fodder for an image to help me communicate my objectives.

If I picture these three dimensions as roots supporting a large tree with a taproot going even deeper for connection with the truth, I can attempt to define the challenges facing free society and move toward practical actions and strategies to protect it.  Ultimately that is what Freedom Roots is all about – my attempt to move toward a greater degree of involvement in the political process in order to be a part of the restoration of America to her roots.

I “met” George Weigel last winter – once again via my wife.  As I transferred her, my son Austin, a couple of backpacks and a few cases of burritos into the van of a good friend at 6:30 in the morning (it was February and the wind chill was -45 degrees), I remember thinking, “I hope this Weigel is worth it.”  They were headed 700 miles west to Wyoming Catholic college to visit our friend’s daughter who is a student there, to meet George Weigel and hear him speak.

George Weigel is probably best known as an author and Catholic theologian; his latest work is the second volume in the biography of the late predecessor to Pope Benedict, Blessed John Paul II.  He has written extensively on the subject of religion in the public square and is a senior fellow at the National Ethics and Policy Council in Washington DC.   With all the research on the impact of John Paul II on the demise of Communism at the end of the last century, he brings a trained eye and important perspective to the analysis of Benedict’s work as well.

The article was actually a follow-up to one written last September shortly before Benedict traveled to England.  One of his objectives was to meet with Prime Minister David Cameron and present his views on the problems Europe is facing in regards to its future.  What Weigel presents about Benedict and his message to Europe applies to us across the Atlantic in America; we have a President intent on patterning our future on what Europe does—and we can see where that leads!

It became clear as I read that this Pope (formerly Josef Ratzinger) is a European world – class intellect with a decidedly conservative bent!  Here was someone who had actually grown up in Nazi Germany, served (albeit reluctantly) for a short time in the German army and eventually made his way into the clerical life.   Perhaps it is a combination of all of these things -along with the ability to articulate his thoughts clearly – that make him a voice to listen to if not a force to be reckoned with.

The three dimensions or “roots” of freedom in Benedict’s mind can be summarized in what seems like me as a “tale of three cities.”   Weigel labels these dimensions  Jerusalem, Rome and Athens and lays them out as the three basic building blocks of Western Civilization:  Judeo-Christian religion, Greek thought and reason and Roman jurisprudence (the Rule of Law).  Simply stated it is like the three “R’s” – Religion, Rationality, and Rule of Law.

He also refers to these three entities as “legs which support” which conjures up the image of the three-legged stool.  Of course the implication from this analogy is that if any one of the three becomes weak or “wobbly”, the support or foundation is threatened and the whole system is endangered.

Citing examples from post WWI Germany, Pope Benedict makes a compelling argument for why sheer reason without the moral underpinnings of Christianity or Judaism created a vacuum in the Weimar Republic which resulted in a dictatorship (this alone made me want to shut down the office for a day and read the entire historical background on Hitler’s rise to power).  He gives a chilling account of how Max Weber’s theory as presented in “The Spirit of Capitalism” did not have the necessary components to stand against National Socialism and the Nazi’s lust for power.

From there he shifts to argue that religion breaks down when reason is ignored.  As he  points to early Christianity, he takes a quick tour of Church history and presents the eventual rise of monasticism and the age of the Scholastics as precursors to the Renaissance.  As a rebirth of Greek influence on the ancient world was awakening the hearts of those in the academic world, a new day was dawning for the West.

And it was about freedom.  The Protestant Reformation rocked the European continent as the whole idea of freedom from oppression was brought to bear in the wake of the works of Luther and Calvin. The printed word enabled the message to travel quickly.  As the Catholic Church responded in the Counter – Reformation, a clearer representation of the role of the Church in the world and its relationship to the State emerged. Regardless of one’s perspective, the world was changing as individuals began to stand against tyranny of any kind and the foundations were strengthened for the rebirth of democracy in the West – eventually of course in America itself.

Certainly this is but a cursory overview of the thought and message of this great man who is speaking out with a voice of freedom which distinctly states, “freedom is inextricably linked with truth.”  When Pope Benedict visited the United States in 2008 he had much to say to the people of this country.  He spoke not only of the incredible privileges we enjoy as Americans, but he called each of us to defend our liberty in order to preserve it for the benefit of the rest of the world.  In essence, he exhorted the citizens of the Western world not to “hide our light under a bushel basket”- but to let it shine!

Like I said at the beginning, I stood up and took notice.  To me, it helps to have the philosophy and thought behind the actions I take.  His thoughts certainly brought more depth and meaning to the things I want to do, but my action plan is still essentially the same.  As I develop Freedom Roots, I hope to incorporate the ideas which represent the American experiment in self-government and liberty via these root systems.

It is why I read and why I listen (though sometimes reluctantly) to my wife as she feels compelled to share everything SHE’S reading with me.  Every once in awhile I hear a voice worth listening to – Pope Benedict the XVI is certainly one of those Voices of Freedom.

Gary Emineth

President and Founder of Freedom Roots

We must NOT let our rulers load us with perpetual debt…I place economy among the first and most important of Republican virtues, and public debt as the greatest of the dangers to be feared… 

Thomas Jefferson

 When 2010 rolled around, Jim DeMint was tired.  He was tired of Washington politics-he’d been in Congress for over 10 years.  He was tired of fighting uphill battles-battles which seemed fruitless at times and at other times as if he had no reinforcements. 

There was literally no one to back him up.  He nearly decided not to run for reelection to his second term in the US Senate.  Being in the minority for most of his career as a member of Congress was hard enough, but being abandoned on key issues-particularly fiscal issues-by members of his own party was another ballgame altogether.

But when it came right down to the wire and it was time to make a decision it was two others who cast the dissenting votes and changed his mind; quite unexpectedly it was his reluctant  wife and God who stepped in and convinced him that it was his duty to run for office for the sake of freedom.  As a committed Christian and a wise husband, he knew he had to listen!

After a year with Obama, Reid and Pelosi leading the country deeper into debt and topping it off with a slam dunk on Obamacare, Jim DeMint began in earnest to raise the funds for what he thought would be a big challenge in November 2010; as it turned out, he was able to divert most of the money to other races. 

It was at this point he started the Senate conservative fund and began promoting Tea Party candidates in key races around the country.  In his new book, ”The Great Awakening of America” he describes the personal price he has paid for standing up for what is not only right but what used to be considered Republican values and principles.

That is definitely changing…

“We don’t necessarily need to change what we say-we talk about being conservative in terms of limiting government, promoting growth for the economy, and following the Constitutional guidelines set by the Founders.  We just need to get a lot better at doing what we say.” 

In 2006 Republicans lost vital seats in Congress and the White House to one of the most liberal administrations in history. 

Although the tide was turned in 2010 by regaining the majority in the House and making gains in the Senate, there is much damage to be undone.

And it is up to us to get on it-like Jefferson was quoted at the beginning of this article-  

“We must not allow our leaders to load us with perpetual debt…” 

It takes vigilance to maintain freedom as it was handed to us by the Founding Fathers after the Constitutional Convention.

And vigilance requires a vigilante-a Lone Ranger- until others begin to be emboldened to follow.  He lost friends from the ranks of the Senate and has lived with criticism and isolation.  But he knows the cause is worth it. 

Just recently, he has become more hopeful; as the leader of the Senate, Mitch McConnell came out in support of DeMint’s efforts to ban earmarks on legislation.  The next hurdle is to pass avoid an increase in the debt ceiling and to pass a balanced budget amendment. 

Jim DeMint believes that economic freedom is a pre-requisite for political and personal freedom.  To quote F.A. Hayek, “Without freedom in the marketplace, we are on the road to serfdom.”

The Club for Growth is backing candidates for 2012 as this is written.  The voting records of prospective candidates have been scrutinized and those candidates ranked from most to least conservative.  The parameters are simple and typically fall into categories outlined and explained in such documents as the Republican platform-which if examined qualifies as supportive of Constitutional limits on government.

The key again lies with the electorate and the voice of Jim DeMint is calling out to the Tea Party groups (like the North Dakota Tea Party Caucus) for involvement and a pro-active commitment to a successful election.

I recently came across a quote by a 1916 minister and outspoken advocate for liberty, his name is William J.H. Boetcker.  He published a pamphlet entitled

 ”The Ten Cannots”

• You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
• You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
• You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
• You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
• You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence.
• You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
• You cannot lift the wage earn by pulling down the wage payer.
• You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
• You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
• You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.

To state it another way…The government cannot give to anybody what it does not first take from somebody else!

There you have… I believe Senator DeMint would say…  Amen

Gary Emineth

 from an op-ed in the New York Times

This entry in my journal, if you have been following this series since I started, is a departure from the typical voices of freedom message.  Perhaps you won’t sense the difference as much in the content of this message as in the style and source.

The voice you will meet and hear through my pen belongs to an immigrant, an icon and a messenger bearing gifts.  You may find her voice to be unlike any which comes to mind as you ponder these clues.

Before she actually speaks, I will preface her words with a brief explanation as to why I chose her in this communicae and how and why the idea of possibility became the theme.  

Essentially, I chose her because Independence day is fast approaching. July 4 is the day we celebrate our independence from Great Britain–the day our status as a country went from mere colony to the idea which lives today in the United States of America.  

She was truly an immigrant and she carried with her the heart-felt congratulations from the French.  Sculpted in copper by artist Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, the statue which would one day stand 151 ft. above the New York harbor, was intended as a gift to commemorate the 100th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence in 1876. 

In reality, she did not make it to her final destination for another 10 years due to logistical and financial issues with the transport.  

Originally entitled “Liberty Enlightening the World,” this iconic likeness of a woman  soon became the light shining for the whole world from the eastern gateway of the “city on the hill”–that  phrase immortalized from the Holy Scriptures in reference to the new world of America from the deck of the Mayflower in 1620.

Most of us are at least vaguely familiar with the words from a sonnet written by Emma Lazarus which are inscribed on the metal plate affixed to the pedestal on which the Statue of Liberty stands.  ”The New Colossus” was the winning entry in one of the many art and literary contests held as fund-raising efforts to facilitate the completion of the foundation where she would stand on what is now known as Liberty Island.

As providence would have its say, it would be poetry and not mere prose which would deemed the fitting inscription for this messenger of hope.  

Poetry–the medium which became the metaphor for POSSIBILITY through the genius of Emily Dickinson–another American poet of the same period.  In the following lines, she presents a powerful image which limits the inextricable connection between possibility and human freedom and so aptly represents the American ideal.

She wrote:

I dwell in possibility

A fairer house than prose

More numerous for windows

Superior for Doors

For Chambers as the Cedars

Impregnable to eye

And for an everlasting roof

The gambrel of the sky

And fairest is the visitor

Whose occupation this

The spreading wide my narrow hands

To gather paradise

 From Dickinson we hear things about poetry which, whether we’ve actually experienced them or not, seem to ring true.  Poetry takes one somewhere and leaves the hearer to discover just where that is or what it means.  At times it can confuse or frustrate and we demand to know what was in the mind of the poet.  I have felt it and yet for all the best efforts of my seventh grade English literature teacher and even the contribution of a Sparknotes download to help me with a Shakespearean sonnet, does anyone know what he really meant?

 The images of windows and the sky as a roof certainly gives a sense of the expansive nature of poetry.  What an invitation to wonder, reflect, ponder and dream–to spread open the horizons of our minds to imagine, create and experience this freedom!

POSSIBILITY is not something which makes one feel comfortable or secure, but it definitely offers choice.  

 However, choice carries an incumbent requirement–to respond by following a path, to the exclusion of others, which leads to an uncertain destination.  Uncertainty brings anxiety and often leaves the human soul wishing the choice wasn’t necessary; yet few would willingly give it to another.  

 As you read the words of Emma Lazarus which follow, hear her set the stage for the invitation by Lady Liberty to the land of possibility:

 Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame

With conquering limbs astride from land to land

Here at our sea washed sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch; whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name 

Mother of exiles; for from her beacon-hand 

Glows world-wide welcome and mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbors which twin cities frame

This is not the triumphal procession of the conqueror leading the conquered.   Here is the gateway to the power and energy of freedom by one who call the exiled to their new home.  She commands with a kind and gently eye and offers them something far different than the lands of their origin.

 “Keep ancient lands your storied pomp,” cries she

With silent lips, “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore

Send these, your homeless tempest-tossed to me

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

 What drew them here was the promise of freedom–the lure of potential to make a life for themselves and their children–a life free from restrictions which bound them even before birth.  But because possibility is only potential for success and not a guarantee or entitlement to a certain standard of living, it is risky business and the responsibility rests on the individual and not government or society.  And they understood that and were still willing to give it a chance.

 America still calls out with this invitation of possibility today and there are those who clamor to cross her borders and enter for a better life.  Yet immigration has become a hot button for politicians and leaders because somewhere along the way the rules which accompanied those at Ellis Island no longer seem to apply.   Instead of inspection and rigorous questioning as to health and eligibility to work and make a living, we hold out the promise of citizenship for children born on American soil regardless of the status of their parents.  

 There are no language restrictions–instead the public schools must accommodate even the children of illegal immigrants.  Certainly it was difficult for my Norwegian grandmother to attend school in an English speaking country, but she learned quickly as did scores of others.  Do we not do a disservice to those who came before and obeyed the laws and bore the consequences of ineligibility when we advocate to open the borders without restrictions?  I believe that we do.  We owe it to those who desire to become citizens of this country the dignity of doing it by the book.  Most of the legal immigrants I know feel the same way.

 There were not welcome wagon hostesses, no free gifts from local business owners–no one with food stamps or housing assistance vouchers waiting for those disembarking from the Ellis Island ferry boats.  All that lay before those working class people was the possibility of employment and prosperity in exchange for hard work and thrift.

 As we celebrate Independence Day this weekend, let’s stop and give thanks to those many immigrants who courageously traded familiarity and a degree of certainty for the unfamiliar and uncertain and became those who “dwell in possibility”And passed the same POSSIBILITY to the next generation–

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)

Capitalism:  A Moral Philosophy?

“Our elected officials would do well to remember that the most prosperous countries are those that allow consumers-not governments-to direct the use of resources.”

                                                                                                Charles Koch

More than once in my zeal to promote my latest idea in the marketplace, I have found myself in an awkward position-you know the proverbial “mouth in motion before the brain is engaged”  phenomenon.

The day I “discovered” Koch Industries was one of those times.  As an independent retailer owner in a small town, I had purchased some   convenience store/gas stations in a neighboring community.  Always dreaming about ways to increase customer traffic and build sales and loyalty, I had begun to think about gas pumps and grocery stores-together.

Characteristic of my personality and temperament, I began to act on the hunch that this might work.  One of my managers suggested I call Koch Industries and float the idea-he knew they were in the refinery business and might be a contact for fuel.

Without further adieu (or research for that matter), a conference call was held with Koch’s fuel marketing team.  As conference calls go, the cordial executive introduced me as a retailer with an idea to tie gas and grocery together and I was off to the races.  After about thirty minutes, I took a breath, and the question was posed, “Gary, do you know anything about Koch Industries.?”

The pit in my stomach told me I had done it again.  Ah, no, not really.  Just that they are in the oil refining business.  The very polite moderator went on to give me the stats on Koch and I felt like a fool.  As I began to apologize, one of the others on the call stopped me in mid-sentence with this, “We’ve been researching this for a year and in 30 minutes you just articulated our entire business plan off the top of your head.”  The call ended with a simple question, “How soon can you be in Wichita?”

Koch Industries-at the time was the second largest privately held company on the North American Continent at roughly 30 billion dollars in annual revenues. Rather than chiding me for my audacity and presumption, they offered me a consulting contract for the next two years.  True to Koch’s philosophy, belief in the power of an idea arising out of economic necessity in a free society is a much better risk than a bureaucratic mandate.

Of course Koch Industries is in the news of late.  Often touted by the left as a potential conspirator against the government, has consistently followed their commitment  to  ”support only policies,” as Charles Koch says in a WSJ opinion published March 1, 2011, ” that enhance true economic freedom.”

It’s a stubborn principle which seems to keep coming up.  Statistics show that society consistently benefits-at all levels-from greater economic freedom.   Freedom from excessive taxation and regulation by the government leads to more opportunities for the businessman or entrepreneur to try new ideas to promote their business.

Charles Koch, the CEO of Koch Industries says it like this in the preface to his 2007 book, “The Science of Success.”

 “Through my work in building a great company and my study to identify the principles that lead to prosperity and societal progress, I encountered the ideas of …good thinkers which fit my observations in the natural world.  I learned that prosperity is only possibly in a system where property rights are clearly and properly defined and protected, people are free to speak, exchange and contract, and prices are free to guide beneficial action”

In other words, freedom to succeed involves the risk of failure.   If the product doesn’t sell, it is not the right product.  Period.   If an idea is a good one, it will succeed; if it isn’t it should be changed.

Whether or not one agrees with Koch’s philosophy of free market economics and a smaller, smarter government, it is hard to argue with the numbers.  Roughly 12 years after I first “met” Koch Industries, they have grown to become the largest privately held company on the planet and 80 billion dollars in sales, providing upwards of 50,000 US based jobs.

In a world where both Republicans and Democrats have failed to address the issues necessary to succeed in balancing the budget, Koch industries continues to invest in a “variety of intellectual and political causes working to address these problems and provide sustainable solutions.”  In a word, to create incentive and opportunities to create wealth rather than to heap a crippling tax burden on the productive members of society.

I experienced this first hand some twelve years ago as an independent retailer

with an idea-the Koch brothers put their money where their philosophy lies..

Just one more voice in the fan club of freedom.

God Bless America

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Wall Street Journal – March 1, 2011

Why Koch Industries Is Speaking Out

Crony capitalism and bloated government prevent entrepreneurs from producing the products and services that make people’s lives better.

By CHARLES G. KOCH

Years of tremendous overspending by federal, state and local governments have brought us face-to-face with an economic crisis. Federal spending will total at least $3.8 trillion this year-double what it was 10 years ago. And unlike in 2001, when there was a small federal surplus, this year’s projected budget deficit is more than $1.6 trillion.

Several trillions more in debt have been accumulated by state and local governments. States are looking at a combined total of more than $130 billion in budget shortfalls this year. Next year, they will be in even worse shape as most so-called stimulus payments end.

For many years, I, my family and our company have contributed to a variety of intellectual and political causes working to solve these problems. Because of our activism, we’ve been vilified by various groups. Despite this criticism, we’re determined to keep contributing and standing up for those politicians, like Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who are taking these challenges seriously.

Both Democrats and Republicans have done a poor job of managing our finances. They’ve raised debt ceilings, floated bond issues, and delayed tough decisions.

In spite of looming bankruptcy, President Obama and many in Congress have tiptoed around the issue of overspending by suggesting relatively minor cuts in mostly discretionary items. There have been few serious proposals for necessary cuts in military and entitlement programs, even though these account for about three-fourths of all federal spending.

Yes, some House leaders have suggested cutting spending to 2008 levels. But getting back to a balanced budget would mean a return to at least 2003 spending levels-and would still leave us with the problem of paying off our enormous debts.

Federal data indicate how urgently we need reform: The unfunded liabilities of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid already exceed $106 trillion. That’s well over $300,000 for every man, woman and child in America (and exceeds the combined value of every U.S. bank account, stock certificate, building and piece of personal or public property).

The Congressional Budget Office has warned that the interest on our federal debt is “poised to skyrocket.” Even Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is sounding alarms. Yet the White House insists that substantial spending cuts would hurt the economy and increase unemployment.

Plenty of compelling examples indicate just the opposite. When Canada recently reduced its federal spending to 11.3% of GDP from 17.5% eight years earlier, the economy rebounded and unemployment dropped. By comparison, our federal spending is 25% of GDP.

Government spending on business only aggravates the problem. Too many businesses have successfully lobbied for special favors and treatment by seeking mandates for their products, subsidies (in the form of cash payments from the government), and regulations or tariffs to keep more efficient competitors at bay.

Crony capitalism is much easier than competing in an open market. But it erodes our overall standard of living and stifles entrepreneurs by rewarding the politically favored rather than those who provide what consumers want.

The purpose of business is to efficiently convert resources into products and services that make people’s lives better. Businesses that fail to do so should be allowed to go bankrupt rather than be bailed out.

But what about jobs that are lost when businesses go under? It’s important to remember that not all jobs are the same. In business, real jobs profitably produce goods and services that people value more highly than their alternatives. Subsidizing inefficient jobs is costly, wastes resources, and weakens our economy.

Because every other company in a given industry is accepting market-distorting programs, Koch companies have had little option but to do so as well, simply to remain competitive and help sustain our 50,000 U.S.-based jobs. However, even when such policies benefit us, we only support the policies that enhance true economic freedom.

For example, because of government mandates, our refining business is essentially obligated to be in the ethanol business. We believe that ethanol-and every other product in the marketplace-should be required to compete on its own merits, without mandates, subsidies or protective tariffs. Such policies only increase the prices of those products, taxes and the cost of many other goods and services.

Our elected officials would do well to remember that the most prosperous countries are those that allow consumers-not governments-to direct the use of resources. Allowing the government to pick winners and losers hurts almost everyone, especially our poorest citizens.

Recent studies show that the poorest 10% of the population living in countries with the greatest economic freedom have 10 times the per capita income of the poorest citizens in countries with the least economic freedom. In other words, society as a whole benefits from greater economic freedom.

Even though it affects our business, as a matter of principle our company has been outspoken in defense of economic freedom. This country would be much better off if every company would do the same. Instead, we see far too many businesses that paint their tails white and run with the antelope.

I am confident that businesses like ours will hire more people and invest in more equipment when our country’s financial future looks more promising. Laying the groundwork for smaller, smarter government, especially at the federal level, is going to be tough. But it is essential for getting us back on the path to long-term prosperity.

Mr. Koch is chairman and CEO of Koch Industries, Inc. He’s the author of “The Science of Success: How Market-Based Management Built the World’s Largest Private Company” (Wiley, 2007).

As printed in The Wall Street Journal

The Common Sense of Thomas Paine

“The sun never shone on a cause of greater worth”

                                                                                                                                    ….from Common Sense

Although I remember learning about Paine and his contribution to the American Revolution at its inception, I can honestly say I knew little of his life and work beyond the pamphlet, Common Sense.  And to be quite honest, until my wife started quoting him in our frequent discussions about Founding Principles and the early history of America, I hadn’t even read much more than the introduction! Once I got a real dose of his thinking, however, I realized I wanted more.  As a result, I decided he was another voice to be part of this series.

As I started reading about Paine, it became clear that it was more than being at the right place at the right time which set him apart from the chorus of voices heralding the cause of liberty and justice on the American continent in the mid 1700s.  His philosophy was in sync with the leaders of the fomenting rebellion and he had a way of communicating his ideas in a manner which resonated with the ordinary laborer as well.  Although a newcomer on the scene (he emigrated from England in November of 1774), he embraced the cause of the Americans as if he were one of them.

Thomas Paine was a writer of only modest reputation as a young man in England.  Many have speculated as to what happened once he arrived in America.  One biographer says it this way:

“…he contributed essays, poems and scientific reports (in his new career as a journalist in America), and like many a fortunate immigrant before and since, he wrote as if reborn, his words manifesting a phenomenal sense of renewal, elation, and possibility.”[i]

Far from being just another impassioned writer, however, Paine was dogged in his determination to stay on message.  In this movement toward independence, it was his radical notion that the foundation or the root of the ideas which fueled the fire of revolution could not simply reflect the “corrupt models of the old world…..it was the opportunity for beginning the world anew.”[ii] 

For all the thoughts and ideas of his contemporaries about the nature of his success, I find Paine’s explanation most satisfying.  He attributed the effect of Common Sense[iii][iv] not to its content or style, per se, but to its audience.  In his mind, the American people were the stuff of a successful revolution because of the qualities and values they had embraced and now embodied as individuals in a unique cultural milieu.  In his words:

“…here the value and quality of liberty, the nature of government, and the dignity of man were known and understood and the attachment of Americans to these things produced the American revolution as almost a natural result.”[v]

When Ronald Reagan quoted Thomas Paine in his acceptance speech in July of 1980, these were the thoughts and ideas he was connecting to concerning the “power to start the world all over again.”  The power is in the people of this country; it always has been and it always will be.  Whenever the government and the individuals or parties in power forget this fact and stray too far, it as if we can be sure someone will rise to the occasion and lead the way back to where we started.  I believe it is this phenomenon that is driving the Tea Party movement and others like it in America today.

If this is true about the American people, then Paine is an important voice to hear and to heed.  I’m not calling for revolution, but I ;am calling for a return to our roots.   Paine has been called a radical; I have been called radical; maybe you have, too.  But when I looked up the word radical, I found something I didn’t expect.  The definition has suffered from the evolution of language, but the derivation points to the word radix which is Latin for root.  Essentially, a radical is one who returns to the root of the idea or problem and argues from that posture.  Think of that image up against the one of a progressive looking for change for the sake of change. Hmmmm.

Paine had the courage in Common Sense to call for Americans to stop and think about the simple categories of right and wrong.  He began the pamphlet with a statement on moral relativism which would be a great subject for a debate on a high school debate team.  To him, society, circumstance and the mood of the moment do not determine our actions.  It is truth which is the final arbiter of any debate.

As he developed his philosophy and ideas in the work which followed on the heels of Common Sense, one can see a sophistication of sorts– a reflective, thoughtful and passionate voice in the making.  At the end of 1776 as the Continental Army struggled to maintain the ranks due to discouragement and impending despair, he sat in the candlelight by a campfire in Washington’s camp with pen and ink and paper stretched over a drum head to write these words:

“These are the times that try men’s souls.  The summer soldier or the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis,  shrink back from the service of their country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.  Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us….that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.  What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly.…it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.  Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated”[vi]

As Washington read these words to the troops on Christmas Eve 1776, the revolution was reignited.  The next day, much to the surprise of the Hessian soldiers on guard in Trenton, out of the fog on the Jersey shore of the Delaware River, emerged the Continental Army.  And the rest, of course, is history.

To conclude this introduction to Paine and his work, it could be said that, above all, he believed in the natural rights of man.  He develops this philosophical idea in a later work entitled The Rights of Man. [vii] I find his discussion of the difference between natural or inherent rights to be resonant of the foundation of the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.  No government has the power to confer civil rights on its citizens, no matter how benevolent that bequest may be.  Instead man has certain rights by virtue of his humanity which are conferred (if by anyone), by his Creator.  Therefore, they are a possession to be protected rather than a gift or a benefit to be given or taken away.

Whether  a Christian or just a Deist, he certainly had a firm faith in the Providence of a transcendent  God who ordered the universe.  To me, THAT is Common Sense to believe in!

                                                                                                                                                                John Henry Neumann

This statement always stops me in my tracks.  My paraphrase?  Beliefs have consequences.   What kinds of beliefs and choices am I referring to?

To begin with, anything from personal life choices to a political philosophy, from how to spend money to how to prioritize my time would be on the list.  Certainly, what I think about spiritual issues, morality and truth would be significant.

Now, I think most people would agree that beliefs have consequences.  What a person believes directly affects the choices made and those choices are subject to some form of judgment or evaluation.

On the political scene,  what’s going on in Washington and out here in North Dakota—is not only a war of ideologies, but a crisis of conscience as well.  On the one hand, there are those who believe that the government is better equipped to run our lives than we are.   Leaders elected by the people aren’t really accountable for what they decide to do.  They believe tax increases and more spending are the solution to huge deficits and high unemployment—even if history and their constituents disagree.

On the other hand, there are those who believe they have a moral obligation or mandate to carry out the wishes of those who put them in office.   They act on the premise set before the American people in  her  founding documents—this is a government of, by and for the people.  If the electorate has asked for no new taxes or unnecessary new spending, then every effort must be made to comply with their requests.

In between these two ideological poles are a group of lawmakers and officials who call themselves one thing and make decisions which reflect a philosophy which is quite different.

What the American people witnessed as an unpopular piece of legislation was rammed through both houses of Congress last year is an example of this crisis of conscience—and the outcome!

The members of Congress may have exercised their  freedom—Believe what you choose.  What happened at the ballot box was the judgment which ensued—You will be judged by what you choose to believe.

I believe that the platform of the Republican party is a reflection of the values and principles that this country was founded upon; many of the ideas presented in this platform form the basis for my choice to be a Republican.

Given the response to the majority party in the 2010 elections, I have a hunch there are others like me—others who expect those who align themselves with a party to believe what the party stands for and act accordingly.

I think the people in America—AND IN ND– are awake, watching and ready to act.

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.

But this movie turned out to be an exception—entitled Inception it was a sci-fi mind bender about the use of dreams to enter the subconscious of another person or persons and to –at the penultimate level—influence the “inception” of an idea.  Put simply, to put an idea in someone’s head without their knowledge or consent.

It was Leonardo DiCaprio’s statement at the outset of the 2½ hour dramatic interplay between the real world and dream land that caught my attention and kept it.   It made enough of an impression to get me thinking about the power of an idea in the mind of a human being.

Leonardo’s character’s quote:  “What’s the most resilient parasite?  An idea.  A single idea from the human mind can build cities.  An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules.”

What resonates with me on the edge of a New Year is what the power of an idea can do to inspire me (and others like me) because of its effect on the rational mind.  I say rational to compare the human mind to the animal kingdom.   Have you ever tried really changing the thought processes of a dog or cat? I rest my case.
Whenever I get to thinking about these kinds of things, my mind turns to the thought and writings of Ayn Rand.  Best known for her novels written at a popular level, The Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged, she was also a guru of something called Objectivism—a philosophy of thought combining the existential realities of humanity with the capacity of the rational mind.

This year, I am embarking on a new phase in a business venture, exploring some opportunities to interact with the world of politics, turning over the last page of the Bible to start over again and to make some meaningful New Years’ Resolutions so that my life leaves a ripple in my boys’ mind that lasts at least five minutes after I die.  This cursory tour through Ayn Rand’s thought is my springboard into the uncharted waters of 2011.
Just a word of background for anyone who is not familiar with Ayn Rand—she was born in St. Petersburg Russia in 1905 and showed real prowess for creative thought and expression at a very young age.  However, her homeland was on the verge of cataclysmic change—revolution to be exact.  When she was twelve years old she was an eyewitness of the Bolshevik Revolution, which her family denounced at the outset.  They fled to Crimea where they suffered the effects of the communist takeover and collectivization of the society they knew.  Her father’s pharmacy was confiscated and they experienced deprivation and near starvation until returning to Russian after her high school graduation.

But in her years as an exile and high school student in Crimea, she discovered the history of America.  Coupled with her foundational beliefs and life experiences in the face of communism, she turned to America as a model of what a nation of free men could become.  From her interest in theatre to a visit to America and an inevitable movement to permanent life here, her career as a screenwriter, novelist and ideological proponent of Objectivist philosophy was born.  Her books are considered modern classics and of course, true to the nature of an idea, the effects of her writings and thought live on and beg to be passed on to successive generations.

As an idea changed her life—these and related concepts and philosophies have been and continue to be a significant portion of the moorings of my life.  This is not because they are necessarily the most popular—that goes without saying in the world we live in today—but because I believe they are essentially true.
I want to begin this next segment with a quote from the last chapter of her novel, Atlas Shrugged. It is the radio address of the protagonist of the story, the brilliant and enigmatic John Galt. In it he essentially lays out her philosophy of life.

“The man, who does no more than physical labor, consumes the material value of his own contribution.  But the man who produces an idea in any field of rational endeavor—the man who discovers new knowledge—is the permanent benefactor of humanity.  Material products can’t be shared—they belong to some ultimate consumer.  It is only the value of an idea that can be shared with an unlimited number of men making all sharers richer at no one’s sacrifice or loss, raising the productive capacity of whatever labor they perform.”
That’s just a long way of saying that an investment in innovation through the provision of incentive is the way to make the world a place that fosters true freedom.  Rand has established the liberating idea that free enterprise –the basis for free market capitalism and economic freedom—is the necessary foundation for political and personal freedom.  In her thinking, being the basically non-religious person she is, this is sacred ground.

It is precisely the condition of freedom that is the center point of my emphasis here—freedom as a backdrop for life to the fullest—life as it was intended to be on this earth as human beings.

This is a point of departure for me from the thought and conclusions of Ayn Rand.  While I agree with her that man is capable of amazing things when freed up to think, create and propagate ideas, I also believe he is limited by his own bent towards selfishness if not checked at some point.

When I say checked, I don’t mean squashed or stifled.  It would be far more accurate in my view to say that the motives and agendas we bring with our approach to life should be held up to the light of absolute truth and a moral compass.  And here’s where it gets interesting.  What is the source of this light or direction?  Is it God?  Is it a Higher Power?  Is it intelligence from another planet?

It is at this juncture that I find myself tempted to impose my belief system—to plant the idea of what I believe is true into someone else’s mind—not even necessarily because I want to control their thoughts or their lives.  However, as I have grown older (and hopefully a bit wiser), I realize that the self-discovery of truth wields much more power to change someone’s life than coercion or even suggestion ever could.
Most of the world religions, save a few, embrace this objective truth to some degree.  As a Christian, I read the Bible and the history of a people created by an all powerful God who, although able, refuses to control their thoughts and actions, but gifts them with a choice.

Just like it turned out to be a good and profitable choice for me to watch a movie with my boys (which I would have never chosen without their invitation), sometimes the best choice I can make is to submit to someone else who may have an idea that is (gulp) better than my own.