It was a cloudy, overcast early Saturday morning. We were headed to a COS breakfast meeting 45 minutes out of town. Regional Team member Melissa Martin and I were going to support the new House District 90 District Captain Greg Hall. His Senator, Eddie Settle, is not sure his constituents want to see the COS Resolution HJR235 passed, so we were determined to find more supporters and petition signers to convince him to take a stand.
What I preferred to do on this early Saturday morning on my day off, was sleep in and have my coffee at home. However, as soon as we arrived and saw Reepicheep, the Liberty Llama and mascot of freedom for North Carolina COS Patriots, it seemed like the sun was shining inside this quaint coffee shop in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and my enthusiasm and energy level surged before my first cup.
The pet-friendly River Roast Coffee Shop in Jonesville was bursting with life! We had just missed the regulars, some dozen or so dogs and their masters, but several remained, along with the llama and our table of 10, who were all smiles.
Reepicheep’s large brown eyes seemed to knowingly say “I can see freedom here, and this is where I belong." He had ridden up on the back seat of Greg’s car, like the devoted pet that he is, and now stood like a greeter inside the front door.
The COS guests were already in full conversation with Greg, as he explained the COS mission, the process of filing the Resolution, and where we are now in terms of progress in North Carolina.
The frustration simmered out, evident just knowing that 9 years have passed since the COS Resolution was first introduced in North Carolina, and the debt has grown from $16 billion at that time to a whopping $35 Trillion; and just hearing our Senators say they are fearful of what could happen ten years from now if the Convention doesn’t happen until then!
Why don’t they just conduct the only mandate required of them in the whole Constitution, Article V, and pass the resolution since we elected them to stand up for us, and are our voice both in North Carolina and in Washington DC on this matter?
Meanwhile, a steady flow of new customers all received a social media card with the COS QR code for signing the petition. Most stopped to get their picture taken with the Liberty Llama and learn something more about COS.
As we gathered on the patio to say goodbye, I could see the llama’s thick coat of fur was still drenched wet from the previous night’s rain and thunderstorms but his hat - high on his head; and the red, white, and blue star scarf, along with the COS name tag, made me think of the perseverance of these dedicated grassroots volunteers.
Rain or shine, we continue to stand to answer the call of duty for our Republic and push forward with the truth of a better tomorrow that is within our grasp if we will just take it.
If you haven’t signed the petition, go to conventionofstates.com and sign it now. If you are in North Carolina, call your state Senator and insist they answer their call to duty by passing HJR235. Over 100,000 other petition signers across the state stand with you!
