The Mineola Club House was the destination for a Convention of States meeting of Senate District 1 last week.
Much of Northeast Texas was represented by around 38 Texans from all over including Pittsburg, Winnsboro, and even New Boston up near Texarkana and another from Rusk south of Tyler. Susan Hamilton is the Regional Captain of District 1 and opened the meeting with Bill Stone, her co-captain of Smith County.
The meeting opened with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Ms. Hamilton had asked Bill Stone to provide a flag, and he did: a small, 4x6 size.
“Well, I didn’t tell him how big,” she laughed. The flag may have been small, but that didn’t affect our pledge to it.
John Van Compernolle then spoke to us and delved into a condensed history of the principle of freedom. He mentioned the Magna Carta, the first document in history that required the leading ruler of the country to acquiesce to the demands of some of his subjects. (I say some, because only the lords were represented and therefore received the freedoms granted.)
He also mentioned an interesting principle put forth by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. who served as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice from 1902 through 1931. Justice Holmes said that, from a philosophical point of view, the only human rights that one can say to actually possess are the ones he fights for.
Of course, from a constitutional point of view, human rights are not to be violated whether one fights for them or not. But it is interesting food for thought.
Mr. Van Compernolle has a comprehensive understanding of the legislative process as well as the importance of testifying in legislative issues. He has travelled to Austin 12 times in the past few months to take part in representing COS--as well as his own views--to our Texas legislators.
We heard from Erika Hatfield who directs the grassroots enlistments. District Captain Josiah Ferraro from House District 6 also said a few words, and Ms. Hamilton closed the meeting.
Several people said later that they enjoyed themselves and learned a lot. So often the Constitution is seen as an old legal document that’s dry as dust, but that really isn’t so. It’s only a little over 4,400 words long. It’s rather incredible to read it and then ask yourself, “So what document is Washington, D.C., following? Because I didn’t see anything in my Constitution about the federal government’s authority to do most of what they’re doing today.”
That is what Convention of States is all about: reining in those who would abuse authority and pile power up themselves for their own profit while undermining the country they profess to love.
But more volunteers are needed. We need an army of patriots who are willing to make the calls, write the emails and letters, and voice their opinion.
Patriots ensure that those who represent them are doing just that, because they know what the people really want. And you don’t have to be a professional to do it. John Van Compernolle has only been a part of this for two years, and look at how much knowledge he had to teach us.
