Sitting comfortably in our homes enjoying the peaceful presence of our family and friends it is altogether too easy to to forget that there are countless millions living in fear and oppression. Some live in distant lands such as North Korea, Ukraine, China, Eritrea, and Zimbabwe. Others are closer to home: abused children and elders, victims of human trafficking, the poor. Sitting comfortably in our homes we find ourselves distracted by the latest celebrity scandal, the latest hit game, or Facebook. Public discourse is reduced to ten second soundbites and sophistry designed to drive us apart.
The purpose of politics is to unite and not drive us apart. It is how we communicate and reach decisions. Human beings are at their best when they unite around a common cause. For too long, demagogues on both sides of the aisle have hijacked the political process to suit their own ends. Rather than make a logical and persuasive argument for their positions they resort to calling their opponents RINOs, Statists, etc. Politicians, Republicans and Democrats, must now tread carefully or face personal attacks by various factions within their own parties. This has led to dysfunction at all levels of the political process. Such dysfunction only serves to discredit the government and create social instability.
What then, can we do? We must overcome our own personal fear and oppression. We must stop being afraid of the "other" and united face the future unafraid. When we communicate with one another, talking to each other and not at each other, I believe we will find that we have more in common than we now realize. We will be able to end human trafficking, protect the weak, and help the poor. Then we will be able to truly sit comfortably in our homes.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Chairman's Notes-February 13, 2014
Yesterday was the 205th birthday of Abraham Lincoln. Growing up, Lincoln was my hero. The first book I read was a biography of him, I collected Lincoln memorabilia, I even had a giant poster of him hanging on the wall at the foot of my bed. I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. To me he embodied what it meant to be an American. Of humble origins, with little education, and a thin reedy voice he rose to become the leader of his nation and guide us through a terrible civil war. A lesser man would have given up but he had faith that right made might.
Nowhere is that faith better embodied than in his Second Inaugural Address. Often people like to quote the last paragraph where he speaks of binding up the nations wounds "With malice toward none, with charity for all..." I, however, like the third paragraph where he states, "Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away." Hope. People may think that hope came with Barack Obama but it did not. Hope has always been here. Hope was here when the civil rights movement was roiling the nation. Hope was here when the nation mobilized for war after suffering disaster in Pearl Harbor and the devastation of the Great Depression. Hope was here marching with the suffragettes, shuffling through the lines with the immigrants at Ellis Island, and huddling around meager camp fires in Valley Forge. Hope is an action, hope is a prayer borne in breast of all who dream.
There are those today who say that there is no hope. That men and women are not capable of bettering themselves or this land. They say that we need the government to tell us how we are to live our lives and interact with our fellow human beings and environment. They say that only the government can give us hope and change. Some in government even say that they must dictate social policy for our own good. They are wrong. History bears witness to the fact that hope and change can only come from within and that social policy must come from the people if it is to have a lasting impact. Government of the people, by the people, and for the people is what the Republican Party has always stood for. From our abolitionist beginnings to today we have stood for the peoples right to self determination. We still proclaim "FONDLY DO WE HOPE" in a loud and clear voice and may we never stop doing so.
In this supposedly enlightened time when the political atmosphere is more poisonous than ever I urge everyone to read Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (link provided at bottom). What does it say to you? Thank you and God love you.
http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres32.html
Nowhere is that faith better embodied than in his Second Inaugural Address. Often people like to quote the last paragraph where he speaks of binding up the nations wounds "With malice toward none, with charity for all..." I, however, like the third paragraph where he states, "Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away." Hope. People may think that hope came with Barack Obama but it did not. Hope has always been here. Hope was here when the civil rights movement was roiling the nation. Hope was here when the nation mobilized for war after suffering disaster in Pearl Harbor and the devastation of the Great Depression. Hope was here marching with the suffragettes, shuffling through the lines with the immigrants at Ellis Island, and huddling around meager camp fires in Valley Forge. Hope is an action, hope is a prayer borne in breast of all who dream.
There are those today who say that there is no hope. That men and women are not capable of bettering themselves or this land. They say that we need the government to tell us how we are to live our lives and interact with our fellow human beings and environment. They say that only the government can give us hope and change. Some in government even say that they must dictate social policy for our own good. They are wrong. History bears witness to the fact that hope and change can only come from within and that social policy must come from the people if it is to have a lasting impact. Government of the people, by the people, and for the people is what the Republican Party has always stood for. From our abolitionist beginnings to today we have stood for the peoples right to self determination. We still proclaim "FONDLY DO WE HOPE" in a loud and clear voice and may we never stop doing so.
In this supposedly enlightened time when the political atmosphere is more poisonous than ever I urge everyone to read Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (link provided at bottom). What does it say to you? Thank you and God love you.
http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres32.html
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Chairman's Notes-February 06, 2014
One week ago today, I was elected the new Chairman of the Pima County Young Republican Club. Since then I have been thinking of ways in which we can grow the clubs membership, support the county party, and work to spread Republican ideals and principals so that Pima County will have a brighter future. As part of this process I have been actively seeking the counsel and input of the clubs executive board and others who have an interest in the future of our party. The following are some initiatives that have come out of those conversations.
Social media outreach is important to the future of the party. Therefore, I am happy to announce that the Pima County Young Republican Club is now on Twitter! Follow us on Twitter @PimaYRs and like us on Facebook as well (https://www.facebook.com/groups/pimayrs/). Over the coming year, I hope to grow our presence online by rebuilding our website, weekly blog posts, an email newsletter, and possibly creating a YouTube channel. Stay tuned for updates on these efforts.
I realize, however, that no matter how good our website is or how many videos we make it is all for naught if we are not reaching out to our fellow Republicans. The Republican Party is a big tent party. We are made up of many groups with differing philosophies. All too often we choose to focus on what separates us rather than on what unites us. This causes conflict within the party that only benefits the Democrats. Over the coming months I hope to meet with various groups to see how we can work together on the issues that we agree on while respecting each others positions on the issues that we do not agree on. One of the principals that have helped to make this country great is that of E Pluribus Unum...Out of many, one. That one is not monolithic uniformity but rather it is monolithic like the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is made up of many panels, each one different. Separately each panel is a perfectly acceptable sheet of copper with its own unique design but, only when those sheets of copper are combined with the edges that they hold in common do you get Lady Liberty.
Lastly, I would like to announce that this months meeting will be held on the 27th at Denny's on Speedway (3655 E. Speedway Blvd.). We will have a social time beginning at 6:30pm with the meeting itself starting at 7:10pm. This months speaker will be Damien Kennedy who is running in the Republican primary for the 3rd Congressional District. Learn more about him on his webpage http://www.kennedy4congress.com/ or like him on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KennedyForCongress2014. Thank you for your time and I look forward to working with you this year.
Social media outreach is important to the future of the party. Therefore, I am happy to announce that the Pima County Young Republican Club is now on Twitter! Follow us on Twitter @PimaYRs and like us on Facebook as well (https://www.facebook.com/groups/pimayrs/). Over the coming year, I hope to grow our presence online by rebuilding our website, weekly blog posts, an email newsletter, and possibly creating a YouTube channel. Stay tuned for updates on these efforts.
I realize, however, that no matter how good our website is or how many videos we make it is all for naught if we are not reaching out to our fellow Republicans. The Republican Party is a big tent party. We are made up of many groups with differing philosophies. All too often we choose to focus on what separates us rather than on what unites us. This causes conflict within the party that only benefits the Democrats. Over the coming months I hope to meet with various groups to see how we can work together on the issues that we agree on while respecting each others positions on the issues that we do not agree on. One of the principals that have helped to make this country great is that of E Pluribus Unum...Out of many, one. That one is not monolithic uniformity but rather it is monolithic like the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is made up of many panels, each one different. Separately each panel is a perfectly acceptable sheet of copper with its own unique design but, only when those sheets of copper are combined with the edges that they hold in common do you get Lady Liberty.
Lastly, I would like to announce that this months meeting will be held on the 27th at Denny's on Speedway (3655 E. Speedway Blvd.). We will have a social time beginning at 6:30pm with the meeting itself starting at 7:10pm. This months speaker will be Damien Kennedy who is running in the Republican primary for the 3rd Congressional District. Learn more about him on his webpage http://www.kennedy4congress.com/ or like him on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KennedyForCongress2014. Thank you for your time and I look forward to working with you this year.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
It's a new year and exciting things are happening with the Pima County Young Republicans! At our meeting in January we had our club elections. Our new officers are as follows:
Chairman: Absalom Hall
Vice Chairman: Julia Koval
Treasure: Tyler Mott
Secretary: Melissa Lanning
This year we hope to play an important role in the mid-term elections; connecting our members with the various candidates, informing the voters of Republican principals, and reaching out to the community to make Pima County a better place for all. Within the next month we hope to get our new website up and running as well as a twitter account. Stay tuned for details and more announcements.
Chairman: Absalom Hall
Vice Chairman: Julia Koval
Treasure: Tyler Mott
Secretary: Melissa Lanning
This year we hope to play an important role in the mid-term elections; connecting our members with the various candidates, informing the voters of Republican principals, and reaching out to the community to make Pima County a better place for all. Within the next month we hope to get our new website up and running as well as a twitter account. Stay tuned for details and more announcements.
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