Everyone has a reason why they chose to volunteer for the Convention of States Project. On the heels of celebrating Father’s Day yesterday, I’d like to tell my story. The reason I volunteer for the Convention of States Project has much to do with my father.
My father had a difficult childhood. His father had made a few mistakes. The result caused him to be a guest of the State of Oklahoma penitentiary system. Through these and other difficulties, his parents divorced. His mother, Minnie, was his rock. They were very poor and Minnie worked very hard to provide for her and my father. At some point, Minnie remarried.
My dad and his step-father did not get along well at all. Again, Minnie stepped in on my father’s behalf to provide support. Sadly, Minnie fell ill and passed away when my father was 16. My father was very athletic. He was also quite headstrong. His step-father would not allow him to play in any high school sports. Defiant, my father played baseball and football during his senior year. He was a good baseball player but an even better football player. So good, that he earned a full scholarship to attend Texas Wesleyan College in Ft. Worth, TX after only one year of high school competition.
After a successful college career being the first in our family to attend college, he was off to serve in the Army Air Corps in World War II. He was stationed in Northern Africa and Southern Italy as a Staff Sergeant leading an aircraft maintenance unit. Post-war he had a successful career in the transportation industry before passing away in 1997 at the age of 79.
I was incredibly blessed to have two parents who provided a loving and stable home despite the fact they had neither in their childhood. They worked hard to provide for our family. They were honest people of integrity and instilled a strong work ethic in me. I am not aware of any time where they went back on their word.
I became interested in politics and history at an early age even though my parents were not political. I tried to educate myself on the issues and the history behind them. Like most of you, I voted in every election and attended a few political events when candidates came to town. It was during a speaking event for Jack Kemp in 1996 where it became apparent that D.C. had become disconnected from We the People. I was a big Kemp fan but halfway through his speech I had no idea what he was talking about, and I was fairly up on the issues. It occurred to me that if I could not follow the political speak, there was no chance the ‘average’ voter could.
Fast forward to 2013. Mark Levin had been teasing his upcoming book on his radio show. He referred to a provision in the Constitution where the states could restrain the federal government. Listening to his vague references for a few weeks, I still had no idea what he was referring to. I was a policy wonk and had read the Constitution. What is this mysterious provision?
As fate would have it, The Liberty Amendments and the Convention of States Project went public almost simultaneously. Armed with the understanding that D.C. is unwilling and incapable to solve the problems they created, this seemed to be a possible solution. As I studied Article V, The Framers’ writings and the history behind the convention process, it became clear. This was the peaceful and constitutional solution that could properly address the problems D.C. created.
Unlike my father, I did not serve in the military. He took an oath pledging his life to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. Maybe this was a way I could follow in his footsteps and in some measure, do what I could to serve my country? He was dealt a less than ideal hand growing up. In many countries today and throughout history, his lot in life would have been cast. But not here, not in America.
We were quickly losing the ability to live the American Dream. We were losing these opportunities due to the growth of government and a loss of our culture. The Convention of States Project is proving to be the catalyst for the political, spiritual and cultural rebirth we need in order to restore the greatness of our country.
That’s my story. If you’d like to tell your story, e-mail me at brett.sterley@cosaction.com and we will make that happen. We have a great team assembled but we need help. It is election season and we have over 350 candidates running for the State Legislature. We are reaching out to contact and educate these candidates about the Convention of States Project. If you want to help, go to www.conventionofstates.com/take_action and get involved.
We have a country to save.
In liberty,
Brett
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