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Volunteer Voice 27th Edition

Published in Blog on October 05, 2022 by Jim MacDonald

COSA Patriots – Freedom Fighters for Battle

By Jim MacDonald

America was founded on religious liberty and people’s desire to be self-governed. So, the Founders designed a republican form of government that was just strong enough to protect our rights without intruding on them. Moreover, they limited their power by dividing it and instilling checks and balances. As a result, the people could train their children to be self-governing Christians, and God blessed our nation.

Faith and morality were the cornerstones to the design of our laws and the education of our children. Following God’s Biblical principles led to absolute moral standards, the rule of law, and a sound economy. Therefore, America became free and prosperous.

Unfortunately, the evil nature of man, combined with a generation of complacent people whose struggle has diminished over time, led to the rise of Marxism.

But how could this happen in America?

Gradualism is a tool used for social and political change in small, discrete increments rather than in abrupt strokes such as revolutions or uprisings. In 1905, five young college students started an organization called Intercollegiate Socialist Society. Their mission was to introduce Marxism to young men and women in college.

Utilizing this method of gradualism:

“By 1912, there were chapters in forty-four colleges. By 1917, there were sixty-one chapters in schools and twelve in graduate schools. In 1921, they changed their name to the League for Industrial Democracy…By the mid-1930s, there were 125 chapters…”—The American Covenant

Today, due to their efforts, Marxism has a positive connotation and is recognized as a viable option on college campuses around the country. Despite the fact, it’s never worked elsewhere. Generations of students have been instructed under the tutelage of these dictates. They currently educate our students in all grade levels and run our government and businesses. In addition, they overwhelmingly dominate the media and entertainment business.

Is there a solution for our nation’s woes?

Fortunately, there is a solution as big as the problem—the Convention of States Action.

God is raising an amazing group of people who still love America and desire for her to return to the Godly principles she's founded on. These are dedicated, loyal, devoted, enthusiastic patriots who are grateful for what they’ve been given and will dedicate their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to restore victory to America.

People of all ages and backgrounds strive to seek and share the truth in a world full of lies and deceit. But unfortunately, the tremendous level of misinformation and fake news designed to destroy the greatest nation the world has ever known can certainly frustrate America-loving people.

Thank God for organizations like Patriot Academy, Campfire Revival, and Convention of States Action’s training programs; we are raising Freedom Fighters for battle. All we need is more like-minded people to come and join our team!

Servants, Not Masters

By Brian Harris

Recently I had the privilege to visit the birthplace and home of John Adams and John Quincy Adams, the second and sixth presidents of the United States, in Quincy, Massachusetts. The historical marker in front of the birthplace contained the following quotation:

“While embroiled in the politics of creating a nation, John Adams wrote: I should have thought myself, the happiest Man in the World if I could have retired to my little hut and forty Acres, and lived on Potatoes and Seaweed.”

John Adams, the signer of the Declaration of Independence, author of the Constitution of Massachusetts, orator of liberty, first Vice President of the United States of America, and second President of the United States of America, yearned to return to his hut and subsist on a diet of potatoes and seaweed.  He was a lawyer by trade but a gentleman farmer at heart. He was the “Colossus of Independence.”  Throughout forty-plus years of service to his country, Adams longed to retire to his little hut where he could farm.

This desire of Adams reminds me of similar desires of other founding fathers. George Washington was Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and led the colonies to independence on the battlefield. At the cease of hostilities, he resigned his military commission on December 23, 1783. He said before the Congress assembled:

“Having now finished the work assigned to me,  I retire from the great theatre of action, and, bidding an affectionate farewell to this august body, under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my commission, and take my leave of all the employments of public life.”

The soldier desired to return to his beloved Mount Vernon to resume the tranquil life of a citizen farmer. But, his country would call on him again and again. First, Washington would be elected President of the Constitutional Convention and then be twice elected President of the United States by his countrymen. He is the “Father of His Country.”

Thomas Jefferson, another planter of renown, answered the call to serve his country and is known as “The Father of the Declaration.” Inventor, musician, and architect are just a few of the pursuits of Mr. Jefferson. A lawyer by trade, he served his country for forty years yet was always “a great lover of out-of-doors, and an advocate, through all his long life, of field and forest and a farmer’s life.”  After serving as Governor of Virginia, he was named Minister to France in 1784. Washington called him out of retirement in 1789 to be the first Secretary of State. After serving one term, Jefferson retired to Monticello again. He answered his country’s call again as Vice President in the Adams administration and was elected third President of the United States after that.

Several things strike me when pondering the writings of our first three presidents. First, they served their fellow man in pursuing liberty but would have gladly remained on their farms. Each retired to private life when their service was complete.  They were servants. They were not seekers of power and profit through their office. Second, they possessed traits of character that are sorely lacking in most politicians today. Finally, each man, following George Washington’s lead, served not more than two terms as President. If you study the early history of America, you will find that many wanted George Washington to be King. Constitutionally, he could have remained President for as long as he continued to be re-elected.

It was not until ratifying the Twenty-Second Amendment in 1951 that the two-term limit was instituted. For 150 years, our highest elected officials voluntarily limited themselves to two terms until the presidency of FDR. What traits did these men possess that made them voluntary servants who would gladly retire to private life when their service was complete? In the book of Exodus, Jesse, father-in-law of Moses, instructs him to “select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating bribes” to serve as officials (Exodus 18:21). Washington, Jefferson, and Adams, undeniably, possessed these qualities. Can the same be said for the leaders of today? Pelosi, Schumer, Obama, McConnell, and Biden, have become enriched and old in office. They won’t go away. But that is our fault.

We need to look no farther than the man in the mirror. As long as we keep re-electing them, our problems will remain. In 1798 John Adams stated, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government than any other.”  Our federal system requires a citizenry that can govern itself, and government of oneself is only possible through virtue. As human morality crumbles, our troubles increase. And what a mess we are in today!

It cannot be expected that mortal people will elect moral politicians. The founders were not in favor of term limits. Alexander Hamilton was in clear opposition to them in Federalist No. 72. A moral and virtuous people would not stand for the abuse from a repugnant politician and would speak with their ballots. If we cannot repair our moral fiber, it may now be time for term limits for federal elected office as well as for the administrative state.

Visit the Convention of States to see how we can fix the mess we are in.

Let’s Put the Labor Back in Labor Day

By Joseph Sheeley

Labor Day started in the United States as a celebration of unions and the labor movement.  There would be parades with factory workers marching down the streets with placards, union leaders driving by in convertibles, and marching bands, all celebrating the unions and the working man.  The unions played an important part in the early days of industrialization, where powerful factory owners who controlled large segments of the labor market ignored safety rules and paid substandard wages.  As individuals, there was little workers could do since there were only a few owners, and one would get fired at the drop of a hat if one spoke up.  Workers discovered, however, that they had power in groups where they could shut down production to improve salaries and work conditions.

Unions could have been (and could still be) great things.   The unions could become worker-owned providers of services, negotiating higher salaries from employers in exchange for guarantees of better-trained and motivated workers and a high level of quality.  “Sure, you could just hire anyone and pay a little less, but if you hire from XYZ Union, we’ll provide a trained workforce of skilled craftsmen who watch each other to ensure everyone is giving his/her best work every day.”  Instead, they adopted socialist practices where pay and layoff order are based on seniority, and work performance matters little since union workers must be used and it is impossible to fire someone, and the pooling of money from all members into a few hands, leads inevitably to corruption.  So, while unions were needed and useful when Labor Day was established, they’ve largely outlived their usefulness.

Labor Day has also largely lost its purpose and significance.  Today Labor Day means picnics and barbecues, a last weekend on the lake, a sale at the mall, or just the end of summer.  Gone are the big parades and celebrations of the working man, now augmented by a growing number of women.  Instead, the event has just become another three-day weekend.

But along with the decline in celebration of the working man has come a decline in the respect and reverence for good, honest, hard work itself.  First, the youth were sold on the idea that you were a second-class citizen if you didn’t go to college. So the numbers of those that did and built useful and needed things declined and were replaced by large numbers of people who produced corporate documents and policies, creating nothing necessary for life.  Next came the pandemic government shutdowns of workplaces where people were either told they were non-critical and sent home to live on government largess or forced to undergo indignities such as constant mask wearing and repeated COVID tests.  Truck drivers were particularly abused, some being forced to wear masks when driving alone, and indoor dining and rest areas were shut down, leaving nowhere for them to sit down for a meal or wash up while they were being told that hand washing was critical to avoid illness.

But as people are rediscovering, there is a dignity to work.  One’s soul needs the nourishment of doing something useful that helps other people and gives one a purpose in this world.  One cannot get this nourishment even when physical needs are met through charity or welfare.  Indeed, people who would be considered “poor” but spend their days busy at work are often found far more happy and satisfied with their lives than millionaires living a pointless life on trust fund payments.

Theologians such as C.S. Lewis would say that this need was placed there by God as a way to have an influence in this world without causing the massive disruptions actually stepping into this world and acting directly would bring about.  Capitalism is a wonderful system to fill this need since the whole system is based on doing things for others.  Even those who are selfish by nature will find they’re more successful when they think of other people before themselves in how they spend their days.

Perhaps it is time for us to reimagine Labor Day.  Given that there are now eleven Federal holidays instead of the traditional ten since Juneteenth was added, maybe Labor Day should be made a working day again, but one where the virtues and dignity of work are extolled.  People bring their children to work on that day to show them the important jobs parents are doing and pass on the work ethic to the next generation.  Large job fairs are held where those not working are encouraged to find work or connected with trade schools to learn the skills needed to become skilled craftsmen.  Statistics of how many people returned to the workforce and entered trade schools would be gathered and published to show our progress.  Maybe we bring back the parades, but this time focus on workers and the dignity that is brought about by work itself instead of the labor unions.

This idea may seem superfluous to the mission of the Convention of States Action (COSA), but a strong and independent labor market is critical to achieving the goals of limited government.  The larger the number of people who are not working and living off of the government, the more influence those who wish to keep a large government will have.  A family who generates for its own needs sees no need for government hand-outs and finds disgust in their need.  A community with most people spending their time producing will have plenty left to take care of those truly unable to care for themselves through private charity.  Government welfare came about because the churches and charities were not taking care of the truly needy, then quickly expanded as those who were selfish and lazy saw a way to survive without putting in work themselves.  Today those same people, living in an emptiness they don’t understand, are pushing to make payments for basic needs from the government (taken by force from those who are producing) a human right.

Promoting self-sufficiency and living up to one’s potential should be a key activity of the COSA. Making Labor Day a time to celebrate the value and dignity of work would be one way to accomplish this goal.

For Such a Time as this

By Jim MacDonald

As we look to the future and see our economy tanking, the federal government is printing and spending money which means inflation only has one way to go—Up. The Feds raised interest rates again, causing the housing market to fall like a ton of bricks. Savings and 401K investments are slip-sliding away. And worst yet, it’s all by design—highway robbery!

When it comes to the southern border, anything goes. The current administration could care less about the American people. Countries like Venezuela send their convicts to our border for entry, solving one of their problems. China and the cartels are sending fentanyl to kill the youth in our nation.

And if that wasn’t enough, we face a crime rate as we’ve never seen before. Cities like New York, Baltimore, Detroit, Chicago, and Philadelphia are experiencing record crimes above and beyond what would be considered normal or acceptable. And unfortunately, it’s moving to a town near you.

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?—Psalms 8:3-4 

As these dominoes continue to fall, are the American people waking up? Or, more importantly, do the Christians in this nation recognize the Holy Spirit calling them to rise and reclaim what is rightfully ours?

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?—Esther 4:14

The good news is that the Lord’s purposes will prevail.

As we endure the chaos in every aspect of our lives, we can find comfort knowing that God reigns on high and is in control. This, in no way, means it will be easy or that we will like the outcome, just that God has our back.

Remember when Joseph was second in command of Egypt, and there was a famine in the land?

And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.—Genesis 41:57

Jacob and his other eleven sons with their families moved to Egypt at Joseph’s urging. They were fruitful and multiplied. Before Joseph and his 11 brothers died, Joseph saw the third generation of his son Ephraim’s children.

Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.—Exodus 1:8  

This new king had no regard for the blessing Joseph brought to Egypt and had the Israelites enslaved until God sent Moses, after 400 years, to free them and bring them to the Promised Land.

Life was great for a time. Complacency set in, and approximately 600 years later, the Israelites were taken back into captivity and exiled to Babylon.

Today, a very similar situation exists. We the people have become complacent, and our political leaders, with no regard for what God and our founders did for America, are working to put the American people into serfdom.

Obedience to God and following His principles outlined in the Bible leads to prosperity and happiness. Conversely, evil prevails when we rebuke and fail to follow God’s commands.

Over time, Americans have had less and less respect for the Creator of the universe. As a result, we’ve transformed from a Biblical worldview to a secular-humanistic worldview.

So how do we get back into God’s good graces? 

Americans MUST engage! That’s the bottom line. If we don’t put down the entertainment channels of our life and get involved in rebuilding the country, the corrupt elite progressive left will prevail. As a result, freedom and liberty will be lost forever—not just in America but worldwide.

Below are three steps American-loving people need to begin immediately:

  1. Prayer and a deep dive into learning God’s Word.
  2. Become Biblical citizens, utilizing Patriot Academy’s Biblical Citizenship in Modern America as a tool for teaching “We the People” how.
  3. Get actively involved with the Convention of States Action.

These three steps are critical to the preservation of our republic.

The best example I can give to make the point is this. In 1381, John Wycliffe, an Oxford University-educated clergyman, converted the Bible into the English language. His thought was to get the Word of God into the hands of the people; he felt it would reform their lives—then the church and society. Time has proven that he was right.  

The new king (the Washington elites) have little regard for America’s original values and principles. Instead, they’ve put a new cover on old failed ideas.

Fortunately,  you and I are here for this exact time and God’s purposes—for such a time as this.

I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?—Jeremiah 32:27

Let’s get to work!

Important Voter Information

As a fellow supporter of the Convention of States, I'm sure you take our Constitution as seriously as I do. And I'm sure you would agree, any amendment to the Constitution deserves deliberate study before being voted on.

Well, as a citizen of the free and independent state of Tennessee, the same should be true of our state constitution as well. Voting is one of the core components of self-governance. The best kind of voter is an INFORMED one!

This November's election will have four proposed amendments to the Tennessee Constitution on the ballot. It is extremely important that every Tennessean know what these are before going to the polls.

The 4 proposed amendments are:

Amendment 1:

This amendment is commonly referred to as the “Right to Work Amendment.”

This amendment would add a new section to article XI of the Tennessee
Constitution to make it illegal for any person, corporation, association, or the State of Tennessee or its political subdivisions to deny or attempt to deny employment to any person because of the person’s membership in, affiliation with, resignation from, or refusal to join or affiliate with any labor union or employee organization.

Amendment 2:

This amendment is commonly referred to as the “Acting Governor Amendment.”

This amendment would add to article III, section 12 of the Tennessee Constitution a process for the temporary exercise of the powers and duties of the governor by the Speaker of the Senate—or the Speaker of the House if there is no Speaker of the Senate in office— when the governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor. While a Speaker is temporarily discharging the powers and duties of the governor, the Speaker would not be required to resign as Speaker or to resign as a member of the legislature; but the Speaker would not be able to preside as Speaker or vote as a member of the legislature. A Speaker who is temporarily discharging the powers and duties of the governor would not get the governor’s salary but would get the Speaker’s salary. The amendment would also exempt a Speaker who is temporarily discharging the powers and duties of the governor from provisions in the Constitution that would otherwise prohibit the Speaker from exercising the powers of the governor and from simultaneously holding more than one state office.

Amendment 3:

This amendment is commonly referred to as “Removing Slavery Amendment.”

This amendment would remove language from the Tennessee Constitution that allows the use of slavery and involuntary servitude as criminal punishments. The ballot measure would replace the language with the statement,” Slavery and involuntary servitude are forever prohibited.” The ballot measure would also state that the language does not prohibit an inmate from working when the inmate has been duly convicted of a crime. 

Amendment 4:

This amendment is commonly referred to as the “Remove Religious Ministers Amendment”

This amendment would remove the ban of clergy serving in public
office by repealing Section 1 of Article IX of the Tennessee Constitution. While the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in McDaniel v. Paty, 435 U.S. 618 (1978), that forbidding clergy to serve in public office was unconstitutional, the provision remains in the Tennessee Constitution.

To see the exact language that will appear on the ballot, which will include a summary of each amendment written by the Tennessee Attorney General's office, visit the Secretary of State website at sos.tn.gov/amendments.

Important Voting Dates:

Voter registration deadline is Tuesday, October 11.
Absentee Ballot Request Deadline is Tuesday, November 1
Early voting Is Wednesday, October 19 - Thursday, November 3
General Election is on Tuesday, November 8 
Be an informed voter. Be prepared to stand up, show up, and speak up this election.

Tennessee on the Move...

Tullahoma Patriots on a Block Walk

Sevierville Patriots on a Block Walk

Patriots from Gallatin

Patriots at the Robertson County Fair

Sevierville Patriots reading the Constitution on Constitution Day!

Patriots at the Tennessee Firearms Association Legislative Action Committee

 

Patriots delivering Constitutions to Tennessee schools courtesy of the 917 Society

Upcoming Meetings and Events

Note: the COSA leadership will be in Orlando, FL for the annual COSA Convention. Therefore many of the meetings for October will be schedule for later in the month or next month. 

Chattanooga, TN. Friday, October 21st from 6:00 - 8:00 pm, Patriot Potluck at Apison Baptist Church 11127 Old E. Brainerd Rd, Apison, Dean McGhan

Jamestown, TN. Saturday, October 8th from 9:30 to 11:00 at Fentress County Courthouse, 101 N. Main St., Jamestown, TN 38556 Larry Wilke

Loudon, TN. 1st Wednesday of every month at the Tellico Village Rec Center, Room D at 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at 145 Awohili Dr. - Call Terri Hult for more information: 865-304-6997 

Powell, TN. Saturday, Oct 8th, 12:00 till 1:00 p.m. at Shoney’s on Emory Road, Powell, or the second Saturday of each month, Ann and Doug

Soddy-Daisy, TN. Friday, October 28th, from 5:30 till 7:00 p.m. at Rehoboth Baptist Church, 12622 Dayton Pike, 4th Friday of each month, Jay Walling

BattleCry

Join Mark Meckler for the BattleCry every Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. EST on Facebook and Rumble. 

For the most up-to-date schedule, visit the Tennessee COS Facebook page. Convention of States Tennessee

Click here to get involved!
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