Hundreds of grassroots leaders from across the country gathered in Dallas, Texas last week to learn how to more effectively advance the principles of freedom in public policy at every level of government.
Phyllis Schlafly, founder of Eagle Forum, explained how Congress has allowed federal judges to run amok and issue decisions that grossly distort the clear language of the U.S. Constitution. She pointed to the 1954 Supreme Court decision that effectively changed the language of the Fifth Amendment. The Constitution says that government may take private property only for public use. The Supreme Court, however, interprets this clear language to mean public benefit. This abuse of judicial power was re-affirmed in the Kelo vs. New London decision rendered in 2005.
Despite the clear language of the Constitution, this decision allows government to take private property from one citizen and give or sell it to another, for any reason that can be labeled a “public benefit.” Congress could prevent this judicial legislation, if it had the backbone. Schlafly called on the attendees of the 9th Annual Freedom21 National Conference to put some backbone back in Congress in November.
Dr. Jerome Corsi detailed how the federal government is ignoring the U.S. Constitution by continuing to “integrate and harmonize” regulations between Mexico, Canada, and the United States through the Security and Prosperity Partnership. He traced the progress of the efforts to create a new, “North American Community,” with the development of the European Union. The U.S. Constitution provides a procedure for entering into treaties with other nations. The SSP process is deliberately designed to ignore the Constitutional requirement, and avoid congressional involvement.
Dr. Allen Quist, a founder of
EdWatch along with colleague Michael Chapman, demonstrated the great strides the federal government has made toward taking complete charge of educational curriculum in the United States. They showed precisely how public schools have replaced teaching of historic and scientific facts with a process designed to change attitudes, values, and behaviors. Setting curricula for public schools is not among the enumerated powers set forth in the U.S. Constitution.
Chapman traced liberal efforts to remove God from public life. He too, pointed to the Supreme Court’s abuse of its power in such cases. He and Quist made clear that the role of the Supreme Court is not to “interpret” the law; the courts’ responsibility is to decide disputes that arise as others interpret the law. The idea that the Constitution forbids recognition of God in public life is as ridiculous as the idea that marriage forbids recognition of love in wedded life.
It is a silly notion that cannot withstand a cursory analysis. If the authors of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution wanted God excluded from public life, they would have excluded reference to God and to the Creator from their documents. Had not our forefathers fully recognized the Creator as the author of freedom, why would Moses and the Ten Commandments look down on the entrance to the Supreme Court building?
In modern times, a new crop of self-appointed zealots believe they have more wisdom than the nation’s founders. It is this new batch of folks that are offended by references to God, and want to strip such references from all pubic life and from those who are not offended by the references. These are the folks who want to re-interpret the Constitution into a meaningless mess of interpretations designed to accommodate their special interests. These forces have been successful in recent years, but they will no longer operate with impunity.
Zeldon Nelson, from the
Center for Constitutional Studies, described a program aimed at getting every voter to read the Constitution before Election Day. More than a million copies have already been distributed, and a million more copies are now ready for distribution. Every organization represented at the conference is promoting the idea that every voter – and candidate - should read the Constitution before voting.
People are reading the Constitution, and other related materials. People in small local groups and national organizations are coalescing and coordinating their efforts to block freedom-robbing policies, and to advance the principles of freedom wherever possible.
Attendees were inspired by the actions of several states that have stood up to say “no” to the federal government that wants to force a national I.D. system upon every state. Attendees also were encouraged to learn that several states have enacted state law that prohibits mandatory imposition of a National Animal Identification System. Attendees stood and applauded loudly when Oklahoma State Representative Randy Brogdon declared that the NAFTA Supercorridor would stop at the Red River, and never cross into Oklahoma.
As each speaker
connected the dots to sustainable development, it became clear how these policies are eroding freedom at every level of government. This could not happen were the U.S. Constitution respected, honored, and invoked. The Freedom21 advocates in Dallas are determined to revive the Constitution. Candidates, pay attention!
