I recently attended my Senatorial Convention as a Delegate for the first time and couldn’t help but see the glaringly obvious. Most people were the age of my grandparents. I know many of these wonderful people have been involved in their local politics for decades. It’s a thankless effort on behalf of the rest of us who may vote if we feel like fitting it into our schedules and if nothing more important takes precedent on our calendars.
These sage wise men and women don’t get paid to give of their time on behalf of their communities but they come from a generation that believes service to our country involves more than an email forward or a Facebook status update.
I have been guilty of it myself with the very best of you and the rest of society. But I am realizing more and more everyday that a true conviction means you must be willing to pay a price.
In the beginning of our nation’s history, the high price our Founders had to consider for a cause that seemed almost impossible to pull off would be inconsiderable to most people today. They faced the loss of everything dear- their children, wives, families, friends, careers, reputations and their own lives. It was undoubtedly assured to them that the moment they put pen to paper and signed their names on that Declaration of Independence they would be forever labeled a traitor.
Today, when liberty is a word tossed around and the cost paid for it is rarely put to thought, I can fully appreciate the white heads in the room. But as I sat in that meeting I couldn’t help but wonder what the future was for liberty if this current generation doesn’t step up. In a room with more than 150 people gathered from my district I could count on both of my hands those that looked to be under 35 years old. That worries me and the same time brings forth a level of disgust and frustration at my own generation.
Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t lounge around reading politics and the news all day long and I enjoy some of the same mindless shows and activities that the next person enjoys. But when I sit across from someone around my own age and bring up a topic that is relevant politically and all over every form of news via television, radio and the internet and get nothing but a blank stare in return, I do have a hard time with it.
When your passion for American Idol surpasses your passion for the REAL American Idols – like our military, our Founders, and the Conservative men and women who get up each and every day to fight the fight and take the bullets for the cause of our ongoing liberty, I do have a problem with it.
Many of you are in your twenties and thirties and I know that you might be “singing in the choir” because you are involved and active! You stay up with the world around you, you make time in your day to read and understand what’s happening in this country and you know that eventually it’s all going to trickle down and affect you somehow. So you make sure you vote- even if it’s “just the primaries.” I applaud you… my hat is off to you and we wholeheartedly thank you for your efforts on behalf of your country and community!
But too many of you are sitting around and letting the rest of us carry your water! Sure you might know a little bit of what’s going on but only because it was on the headline of AOL when you flipped on your computer. And you might even vote in the “big elections” but you can’t be bothered enough for all of them…especially if it’s “just a primary.”
To you I cry, “WAKE UP!” Turn off the Kardashians, your sports games and your XBOX! You aren’t allowed to gripe about healthcare, taxes or anything else going on in this country that negatively effects you unless you are willing to turn off the TV, put away the childish things for awhile and get involved on the most basic levels.
Most importantly, stop justifying your apathy by telling yourself you can’t do anything about it. It was said the very best by Edmund Burke when he stated, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”
This cause needs you! There is a struggle right now within our country between good and evil. Tyranny is being forced down our throats everywhere we turn. The Powers That Be want to control your every decision, from how much toilet paper we can use, to what our thermostat has to be set at, to what light bulb we use, what cars we are allowed to drive, how much salt we are allowed to consume, all the way to who determines our healthcare needs and the value of each of our individual lives! We are being taxed and regulated to death and freedom dies a little bit each time Congress shows up to work.
Socialism and communism creep in ever so quietly while we are too busy “playing life” and enjoying the benefits of freedom, never recognizing the erosion whittling away the heritage our parents and grandparents fought for. Your grandparents and parents won’t be around forever to keep “the powers that be” from raping our inheritance of Freedom and what has been their war is soon to be ours!
For those of you who ARE involved at the basic levels by at least voting, I would urge you to step it up even more! Get out of your comfort zones and get involved in your townhall meetings, your conventions, your party meetings and clubs. We need new young leadership and brand new blood, starting at the very bottom- from the precincts, all the way to the top for future Presidential Candidates.
I vote Republican because in the past it’s been the closest party to my principles. But I define myself as a Conservative FIRST because too often we’ve seen the party melt away from our principles and betray everything we stand for. It’s going to take NEW leadership to change this and we have an opportunity like never before to take back control of this ship and put it back on course. Educate yourself on the issues, sharpen your skills and understand why you believe what you do, and find out you can get involved in much deeper ways. It’s satisfying and rewarding when you know you have a hand in defining the platform of your party and that as an Individual you can actually make a difference.
Our rights are being stolen each day and unless THIS generation is willing to stand up and, with a resounding voice and backbone, defend them to the fullest, our children and grandchildren will only be left with a memory of what America used to be.
You hold power, whether you realize it or not, and you can be effective if you make the decision to be. Be examples of leadership to your children so that one day they can look back and be proud that mom and dad stood up for what they believed in, that they were willing to make their voices heard whether it was popular or not. I want my kids to be able to look back with respect and know without a doubt that their mom did her best to further the cause of freedom and liberty for them to enjoy with their children.
“Effective resistance to usurpers is possible only provided the citizens UNDERSTAND their rights and are disposed to DEFEND them.” ~Alexander Hamilton
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I couldn’t agree more. I am so tired of trying to share a conversation with those my age who are completely oblivious to what’s going on around them in this country! How can you NOT care about your future as an American citizen & the future of our children in this country? Ignorance is spreading like a disease in America & we need to do all we can now to educate those around us, young & old!
Nicely said. I wish you success in getting your points through to the youngsters.
Bless you.
Brittany, a resounding CONGRATULATIONS on your website. I’m very impressed with what I’ve read so far, and look forward to following you. You are absolutely correct about today’s youth — it seems there is only a miniscule percentage of them who have even the slightest interest about what’s going on in Washington D.C. Sadly, it’s like the frog in a pot of cool water who never realizes he is going to be boiled alive because the water heats up so slowly he doesn’t feel it until it’s far too late.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!
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