One of the activities I truly enjoy is running, as it is an opportunity to unplug for a brief time. I can take a break from phone calls, emails, text messages and my normal daily routine to be alone with my thoughts.
My mind often comes back to what our awesome grassroots team has taught me. This is a chance to reflect on our history, the Framers, First Principles and the tremendous constitutional scholars within the COS movement.
There is no denying the current assault on our republic and the Constitution. Even the terms of the debate have changed over the last couple decades.
We used to have debates over the proper role of government and public policy. Now, public discourse tends to be personal. This happens from both sides of the political spectrum and it's most prevalent from those who favor more government power over individual sovereignty.
My mind often comes back to what our awesome grassroots team has taught me. This is a chance to reflect on our history, the Framers, First Principles and the tremendous constitutional scholars within the COS movement.
There is no denying the current assault on our republic and the Constitution. Even the terms of the debate have changed over the last couple decades.
We used to have debates over the proper role of government and public policy. Now, public discourse tends to be personal. This happens from both sides of the political spectrum and it's most prevalent from those who favor more government power over individual sovereignty.
It takes discipline to respond to these personal attacks. In fact, we often experience personal attacks when advocating for the Convention of States process. It is aggravating to hear others slander the Framers, distort our history and make claims based on emotion instead of rational thought. It’s difficult at times to maintain composure when engaging in discussions against these objections.
What is this mindset that focuses on personalities and not policies? Why do some reject absolute truths in favor of moral relativism? How do some reach the conclusion that America is oppressive instead of the wonderful engine of opportunity it is?
The Framers stated we are endowed by our Creator with rights man has no authority to violate. The acknowledgement of a Creator is the prerequisite to a limited form of government. This is the fundamental reality upon which conservatism and constitutionalism is based. Judeo-Christian values establish a fixed standard of right and wrong. This means human beings do not have the authority to take certain actions, that some things are innately good in themselves.
The other side of the coin is postmodern liberalism. This ideology rejects a superior authority to man. Consequently, man should be able to do anything he chooses to promote the 'common good' or 'equality.' The policies produced by this mindset have no limitations. These policies almost always violate a person’s individual rights, and as a result, our Constitution. Since they depend on a specific situation instead of a set of defined principles, the standard of right and wrong is fluid. We see this reflected in polling results where six out of ten Gen Xers do not believe in a fixed standard of right and wrong. It’s impossible to maintain a civil society if 180 million people do not agree to what is right and wrong.
The point here is this mindset results in arguments based on passions and emotion instead of moral reason. This is why it can be so maddening to have discussions with someone speaking from this perspective. We must adapt to craft arguments based in fact that can also connect on an emotional level.
The first step in this process is to understand and anticipate what objections our opposition might present. Fortunately for us, our opposition has parroted the same arguments for decades. These arguments are rooted in a postmodern liberal ideology first advanced in the 1960s. We have a couple excellent resources which aid in understanding these oppositional claims and how to defeat them.
The first can be found at Convention of States Objections. This page explains the origins of these objections, rebuttals to them and the scholarship that supports the rebuttals. Another resource in video format is our COS 200 course at www.cosuniversity.com.
Make sure you are acquainted with these materials. They will help you anticipate claims and be more comfortable rebutting them when they are presented. Additional support is provided if you choose to volunteer for a leadership position.
We are putting together a special educational opportunity for you. We will have more information in the coming weeks. Be sure to watch these blog posts and your email for an opportunity you won't want to miss!
Thank you for your support of the Convention of States Project. This truly is the constitutional solution as big as the problems.
In Liberty,
Brett
We are putting together a special educational opportunity for you. We will have more information in the coming weeks. Be sure to watch these blog posts and your email for an opportunity you won't want to miss!
Thank you for your support of the Convention of States Project. This truly is the constitutional solution as big as the problems.
In Liberty,
Brett
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