Michigan Legislative Liaison Kurt O’Keefe was awarded the Convention of States Challenge Coin at the 2022 Summit in Orlando Florida. The Challenge Coin recognizes volunteers for “confirming the legacy of our Founding Fathers who labored to form a more perfect union.”
Kurt’s reflections on receiving the award from Mark Meckler
Not long ago, I rewatched the 1966 classic film, winner of Best Picture and Best Actor, A Man For All Seasons. The film tells the story of Sir Thomas More, the patron saint of lawyers, and his refusal to sign the loyalty oath recognizing Henry VIII as the leader of the Church in England.
Moore resigned as Chancellor over this dispute but his sterling reputation for integrity and honesty gave him enormous credibility among the people of England.
As is common with tyrants, King Henry VIII felt threatened by this and brought increasing pressure on Moore to sign. This included arrest and a year of increasingly harsh conditions in the Tower of London before perjured testimony was used to convict him of high treason.
Among his last words before being beheaded, Sir Thomas Moore said, “I am the king’s good servant, and God’s first.”
Processing my thoughts in light of the example of now Saint Thomas Moore, I composed what I call my Beheading Statement:
You have no control over my actions other than what I surrender to you.
I choose to surrender nothing.
You have no control over my attitude other than what I give to you.
I choose to grant you nothing.
You have no control over my choices.
I have given you my choices as they are mine, and mine alone, to determine.
My God will not fail me.
Any faltering is my failure - and mine alone.
So do your worst.
Overly dramatic? Perhaps.
Beheading has gone out of style in Western countries. Today this will play out as canceling you. Shunning you. Pressuring your employer to fire you, neighbors to castigate you, friends to abandon you, and family to desert you so that you stand alone before the world.
With nothing other than your principles.
Make no mistake. Some of our opponents believe the ends justify the means. Many of them are in positions to abuse tremendous governmental powers to oppress their enemy.
Us.
They correctly recognize that Convention of States is an existential threat to them.
For those not at the 2022 Summit who question this, check out the recent physically and, more importantly, mentally, and emotionally, coercive arrest of James O’Keefe (no relation.).
Read The Intimidation Game, especially Chapters 19 and 20 about the 2013 Wisconsin John Doe attacks on Eric O’Keefe (relation) and others.
Ask Mark Meckler about New York city gun laws.
Be fully committed to this cause if you discern that your calling is from God. As I do.
Entertain no illusions about what this commitment means. Understand what you can, and cannot control. Watch the phenomenal, free-streamed series, The Chosen. Understand that it is not our task to feed the five thousand but to bring the loaves and fishes.
For the miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, Jesus did not manifest enough food to feed the masses out of thin air. First, the apostles told him “There is not enough to feed all the gathered mass of people; send them home now!”
Jesus did not say, “No worries, I've got this!” and snap his fingers to create the food out of thin air. He told them, “Gather what you can and bring it to me.” All they could gather were 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. He took what they brought and multiplied it.
They did what they could and left the results to Him.
And so must we – do what we can and leave the results to Him.
Will he work the miracle of a Convention of States to restore liberty in our Republic?
If it is His will, in His time.
After the surprise of being awarded a Convention of States Challenge Coin at the 2022 Summit, my thoughts returned to my Beheading Statement.
After hearing Mark Meckler, again, pledge his life, his treasure, and his sacred honor, to each of us in Convention of States, I am laying down this marker, now.
It is my goal to be worthy of the unsurpassable honor of the recognition of one’s peers, of receiving the Challenge Coin and so I make the same pledge, to all in Convention of States to all those born, and yet unborn, who heed the call of God to the duty to witness to His truth.
I pledge to strive, through God’s grace, always available to those who do His will, to abide by my Beheading Statement if or when that time comes.
I pray not to be put to the test.
But I must be prepared
