“Okay, Houston, we’ve had a problem.”
Nearly 51 years ago, over 205,000 miles above the Earth, Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert, sent this message to Mission Control.
Apollo 13 suffered multiple system failures and found itself in uncharted territory. The series of maneuvers necessary to bring the capsule safely back to earth had never been tried before. The danger, of course, was that the maneuvers could fail. But not acting guaranteed failure.
Likewise, an Article V Convention of States has never been tried before, but it must be done. Otherwise, our beloved country is guaranteed to fail.
Americans are facing a crisis like never before. Naysayers like Representative Keith Kidwell (NC HD 79) clearly confuse (intentionally, or out of ignorance) an Article V convention with a constitutional convention.
Does he not understand the ratification process? Fear-mongering will never solve the threats to our freedoms. The federal government is completely out of control, and it is obvious that they have no intention of righting the ship. It is time we act.
In a crowded meeting room in Raleigh on March 31, 2021, primary sponsor Representative Dennis Riddell (NC HD 64) introduced the Convention of States resolution (HJR 233) to the Judiciary 4 committee.
“We’ve been given the ability to intervene on behalf of the future of our country," Riddell said.
Representative Jon Hardister (NC HD 59), another legislative sponsor, talked about how our Founders intended government to be mostly local, not federal. COS would bring about the paradigm shift necessary to return power to the state level.
Rep. Riddell pointedly asked, if you had a child addicted to drugs, would you not step in to help them? Our federal government is addicted to spending our money. Only we can stop them. Clearly, they cannot or will not stop themselves.
The committee heard several proponents and one opponent to the Convention of States proposal. The single opponent spoke of her fear of a runaway convention, echoing Kidwell’s misunderstanding of the mechanism of a COS.
Convention of States Action President Mark Meckler spoke succinctly and powerfully in support of the measure. He remarked on the large number of supporters in the room as well as throughout the state.
Army Veteran Jim Womack, who represented the Conservative Coalition NC, shared how he was previously against the resolution. He researched COS and now acknowledges that it is the only way to restore the country.
Brett McWhorter is a young father who was never interested in politics until he saw his first child’s heartbeat on a sonogram. He spoke very passionately of the necessity of saving this country for our children.
Robert Muela, a first-generation Hispanic American, spoke of how distressing it is that so many Americans--even American lawmakers--are ignorant of the Constitution and the rights and responsibilities that we are afforded by this amazing document.
One of the most moving speakers was Laidis Derosier. Ms. Dersosier was born in Cuba. Her father was a doctor whose practice was shut down by the communist Cuban government. He killed himself in despair when she was just five years old.
She and her mother immigrated to the U.S. just a few years later. Having seen and suffered so much at the hands of an out-of-control government, she strongly supports a COS as the only way to restore America to what it was meant to be: a beacon of freedom.
At the end of the testimonies, Rep. Jeffrey McNeely (NC HD 84), a co-sponsor of HJR 233, called for a vote on the motion. A voice vote was called, and the resolution passed resoundingly. Now, it goes to the Rules Committee for further consideration.
Our Founders left us the road map which will take us back to freedom. It hasn’t been tried before, but it is up to us to fly the ship.
“The only real security that you can have for all your important rights must be in the nature of your government. If you suffer any man to govern you who is not strongly interested in supporting your privileges, you will certainly lose them.” -Roger Sherman, November 22, 1787
