Freedom Of Religion

I keep hearing people talk about the US being founded on ‘Judeo-Christian beliefs’, to quote John Oxendine.

No it wasn’t, it was founded by people who had been persecuted for the religious beliefs in their homeland and were fleeing that persecution, and they literally had to go halfway around the world to get away from it. The colonies of Rhode Island and Connecticut – and possibly a couple of others in the immediate Massachusetts area – were founded because a couple of generations later, the people of Massachusetts had begun persecuting those with religious beliefs different from THEIRS. Hence my comment in the John Oxendine and Liberty, Part 1: Transportation and Georgia Values post that Mr. Oxendine probably needs to go back to middle school, because it seems that is roughly when I learned those lessons.

But getting to what I really wanted to say in this post:

State Senator Rogers Responds to Ray McBerry Campaign

The following is State Senator Chip Rogers’ response to the letter from the Ray McBerry campaign posted here on SWGA Politics (and many other places) this morning:

Dear Jenny,

Thanks for your message.

If you intended to email me directly, my address is readily available ChipRogers21@comcast.net. Feel free to use it for email directed to me.

However, if your intent is to air your complaint in a public manner, I trust you are satisfied.

I assume, based upon your Biblical quotations, you value truth. If this is indeed the case you are aware that I did not state “it doesn’t really matter which candidate you get behind, as long as they have an R next to their name.”

My position Saturday was as the host of the event. It would have been in disgustingly poor taste for me to encourage the college republicans to support any specific candidate, particularly in light of the fact that most of the candidates were in attendance and could speak for themselves.

My statement, which you mischaracterized, was almost verbatim “I am not here to tell you to support any specific candidate. I am glad you are here and involved in the process.”

I trust the students are intelligent enough to listen to each candidate and determine for themselves who to support.

As you are also aware, the specific focal point of my speech was that elections matter. Who we elect to public office does indeed make a difference as we see with the current administration in Washington D.C.

Finally, it is not my place to give you advice but in this case I will. I have never found it a successful practice to go out of my way to try and make enemies of anyone, particularly those who would most likely be my friend.

I pray for you and that you will see we all fall short in the eyes of God. The same blood of redemption was shed for the least of us as the greatest of us.

Senator Pearson Responds to SWGA Politics Post

Senator Pearson has responded to last week’s post on SB 632!

Here’s his email:

Dear Jeff,

Thank you for taking the time to contact our office. SR 632 was not an April Fool’s Day joke, but a way to communicate with the Federal Government that they can not continue to waste our hard earned money. This Resolution received strong support from both Republicans and Democrats and the final vote count was 43 to 1, with Sen. Ramsey casing the dissenting opinion. I have copied my latest column below for additional clarification.

Thanks,

Chip Pearson

(Note, I had corrected last week’s blog AFTER I emailed him, so he had no way of knowing that I had caught my own error.)

Independence Day Tea Party?

The Next Big Thing!

As one of the people that helped organized one of the thousands of Tea Parties across our nation on tax day, I believe that the effort was a huge success. I heard that a conservative estimate of the turnout nationwide was more than 260,000 people. With all of those individuals, one might conclude that there would be at least one incidence of violence, destruction, or lawlessness. There was not a single report of such. Not one.

This lack of violence is a reflection of the Tea Party attendees as much as it was of the organizers. The people that came out wanted a chance for their voices to be heard. So often we feel like our letters and e-mails to our Representatives and Senators fall on deaf ears. If we get a reply at all, it is nothing more than a form letter sent out to all of the citizens that complained about that particular issue. Is anyone listening?

Following the Tea Party in Albany, a gentleman approached me to ask what we can do to change the course in America. He sees how fast the face of our nation is changing and he fears that just replacing Congress in 2010 is too late. What can we do? That is the million dollar question. Now that we have the attention of Congress, we need to keep the fire stoked. Some in our grassroots movement are calling for another big event on the 4th of July. Others think that such a gathering on the holiday will not work. What do you think? I would love to hear your input. Contrary to the remarks of some of the members of Congress, we were not funded by a television channel or bankrolled by a handful of wealthy conservatives. This is a movement of the people, by the people and for the people. You may comment at the bottom of this blog or send your suggestions to me directly at wmwaller@bellsouth.net

Yours in Liberty,

Bill Waller

Ray McBerry Campaign Responds to State Senator Chip Rogers

Dear Senator Chip Rogers,

Your speech on Saturday to the statewide College Republicans included, “it doesn’t really matter which candidate you get behind, as long as they have an R next to their name.”

I would submit to you that this is precisely what is wrong with the Republican party.

In a Republican controlled government, we have the advance of Fascism (an appearance of private property, when in fact the government controls and regulates everything in the private sector), the most restrictive gun laws in the nation (yeah, we even beat California), an un-Constitutional (the Georgia Constitution, that is) and illegal voting system, the most liberal abortion law in the nation, a 30% drop out rate in our schools, we are 49th in the nation for education, and business regulations in the private sector are out of control and appalling.

This is not a record to be proud of. I would hope that you would reconsider this position, and begin to preach real freedom.

The arbiters of tyranny in our state are Republicans. We have found the enemy, and he is us.

It is time to change that. And it begins with radical purging within our own rakes, and a rededication to Constitutionalism and limited government.

Furthermore, there is only one prolife candidate for Governor. The Republican party has failed the unborn in Georgia. That is completely unacceptable. The House and Senate trump legislation that is utterly worthless, and unenforceable as if it is prolife legislation. It is an abomination. God spews out the lukewarm.

Would we dare to assert ourselves before a sovereign God, pleading mercy and justice, while the blood of 35,000 children yearly, pleads more loudly for mercy and justice?

It is my duty as a citizen to rebuke elected officials, as it is the duty of all citizens of Georgia. I submit to you that we have failed you in this capacity. But I will fail no longer. It is my hope that you will lead by serving, and you will serve by recognizing that the government is bound in chains to the Constitution.

When you are faithful in this, you will not find a more true supporter and defender than myself.

For the Life and Liberty of Georgians, born and unborn, ~Jenny Hodges

-Jenny Hodges is a friend of SWGA Politics and a frequent commenter at PeachPundit. She is also the National Director of Pro Life Unity and the campaign manager for Ray McBerry.