When I woke up last Wednesday morning, I felt like I’d been kicked in the gut. Sadly, this has become an all too familiar feeling. Going into Tuesday’s off-year election I had hopes the Virginia House of Delegates would flip and there would be Republican Party control of both legislative chambers. I didn’t want this for the Republican Party’s sake. What I hoped for was that more innocent human lives would be protected from the barbaric procedure of abortion. Even though our Convention of States volunteers were directly involved with five races that won, the House of Delegates in Virginia switched party control. In Ohio, State Issue 1 passed by a 13% margin. It codified abortion up to the time of delivery in their state constitution.
How did this happen?
President Ronald Reagan once spoke of the need for the Republican Party to proclaim its principles in “bold colors. No pale pastels.” What he meant by that is clearly stating the party’s principles instead of bending under the pressure of the winds of the day, pop culture or the talking heads.
This was not a new or novel concept. The Founders of our republic clearly stated in the Declaration of Independence our principles and the reasons for separating from England. Imagine if Washington, Jefferson, Franklin and their fellow countrymen would have urged compromise with the British Crown. Imagine the results . . . A punitive tax structure and no say in how taxes would be spent wasn’t a big deal. Forced worship according to the commands of the Anglican Church of England was something we could live with. Having the British Regulars invade our homes, eat our food and take our private property would simply be dismissed as “just the way it is.” It’s easier to compromise with an abuser than to fight for our liberty.
It certainly would have been easier to acquiesce to the tyranny of the Crown than to fight for independence. But, that’s not why our forefathers risked or lost their lives traveling to the New World in rickety ships across the Atlantic Ocean. The Founders of our country sought freedom to live and worship according to their Judeo-Christian principles.
They pleaded their case to King George III. They tried to find “common ground” where our principles would be adhered to and the cost of conflict and struggle would be avoided. All these efforts were greeted with increased tyranny. The compromises only flowed in one direction, and the colonies were constantly on the losing end of the negotiation.
It was from this backdrop that the revolutionaries decided this state of existence was intolerable. The compromises they offered the Crown were beginning to violate our principles, which was unacceptable. They drafted the Declaration of Independence to state our principles, our belief of government’s proper role, where government’s authority was derived and what to do if this new government acted in ways to violate the previously stated principles. These were the “bold colors” of which Reagan spoke.
The Founders pointed out that for centuries the arc of human history was for man to be dominated by government and made to suffer. That could be rationalized and tolerated rather than expend the effort to break out of our comfort zones to change our circumstances. This is why only about one-third of the colonists supported doing whatever was necessary to change their circumstances. These colonists were willing to fight for their families and those who desired freedom. They were willing to fight for America’s clearly stated principles.
We can cheat history, that’s the key thing, our founders gave us a tool to cheat history. – Dr. Tom Coburn
America’s Founding Fathers did not articulate our Founding Principles because they sounded good. They were not adopted because they would make a snappy commercial or a pithy handbill. They settled on these principles because they studied history and understood the causes of tyrannical government that always led to despotism. They defended these principles unapologetically and boldly. Yes, they compromised on policy and tactics, but they did not compromise on principles.
Right now, the United States needs patriots willing to fight for our principles. We need patriots to be bold and unapologetic advocates for freedom. The Founding Fathers lived under a tyrannical government. They risked their lives to escape it and establish a new nation. There is no question we are heading back toward the tyranny so many of our ancestors fought to escape. This will happen only if we allow it.
It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us… that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. - President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
We have just celebrated Veterans Day honoring those who sign on the dotted line to protect us, our way of life, defend the Constitution and inspire the world to freedom. They pledged their lives to this purpose. It is up to each of us to honor them by committing to our duty to fight for these principles. Go to https://conventionofstates.com/take_action for ways you can be part of The Framers’ solution that is as big as the problems.
In liberty,
Brett
Please bookmark the Missouri Information Page and share it with family and friends.
Past Blog Posts
Did you miss last week's blog post? No worries, we've got you covered!
Click here to access our archive and see the full history of the blog.
