Roger Delosh, AMP, ACE’s Post

What do you want America to be?? I want my Freedom and my Liberties! A recent note from AFA: Those who have lived in totalitarian regimes like Hitler’s Germany, Stalin’s Soviet Union, Mao’s China, or Castro’s Cuba have faced a terrifying answer: The state is the final authority over individuals and every social institution—even the church and family. Even more terrifying, today’s humanistic progressives in America have made it clear . . . they agree with the totalitarians. Think about what just happened in California. Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a measure into law that prohibits public schools from telling parents if their children are undergoing gender transitioning. In other words, if Susie wants to become Sammy, public school officials must support Susie’s decision—and they’re BANNED from telling her parents. It’s outrageous. There’s no other way to describe it but pure, evil totalitarianism. The winner of this election will either protect your freedom and liberties OR will continue to take them away. Trump will protect our freedom and liberties.

Few of life’s pleasures compare with that of confessing someone else’s sins—and that’s a pleasure at which we Americans, across the political spectrum, are woefully proficient. Partisans on each side are quick to denounce the evils of the other while ignoring or excusing their own. But evidence suggests that perceptions of the other side are as erroneous as they are poisonous. “Every movement contains a range of viewpoints, from moderate to extreme,” Victoria Parker writes in The Atlantic. “Unfortunately, Americans on each side of the political spectrum believe—incorrectly—that hard-liners dominate the opposite camp.” Parker gives multiple examples of how quick we are to (mistakenly) divide the “opposite side” of the political spectrum from ourselves: https://lnkd.in/dQxzhKRZ It’s precisely what President Washington warned against in his magisterial farewell address: "One of the expedients of party to acquire influence within particular districts is to misrepresent the opinions and aims of other districts. You cannot shield yourselves too much against the jealousies and heartburnings which spring from these misrepresentations; they tend to render alien to each other those who ought to be bound together by fraternal affection. [. . .]" In these times of division and discord, polarization and partisanship, Founding Forward focuses on what unites us as Americans: our founding ideals, as articulated in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, and as pursued, however imperfectly, from the Revolution through the present day. We educate students and teachers about the rights and corresponding responsibilities of American citizenship, including the civility and mutual respect that must characterize fellow citizens in a free Republic.

"WE CAN SURRENDER TO CYNICISM ABOUT OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALL THE WAYS WE SEE IT BEING ANTIDEMOCRATIC, UNFAIR OR UNJUST, OR WE CAN TAKE LESSONS FROM OUR ANCESTORS WHO NEVER GAVE UP ON AMERICA. I BELIEVE IN AMERICA BECAUSE FREDERICK DOUGLASS BELIEVED IN AMERICA I BELIEVE IN AMERICA BECAUSE MARTIN LUTHER KING BELIEVED IN AMERICA AND DIED FOR IT. GOODMAN, CHENEY, SCHWERNER, BLACK, WHITE, CHRISTIAN, JEWISH, WILLING TO FIGHT TO CHANGE THIS COUNTRY'S LAWS. HERE'S THE TRUTH. CHANGES NOT COME FROM WASHINGTON. IT HAS ALWAYS COME TO WASHINGTON BY PEOPLE WILLING TO DEMAND AND FIGHT FOR IT AND YOU KNOW THIS." "I HEAR PEOPLE SAYING I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO VOTE. I DON'T LIKE EITHER OF MY CHOICES. GOD BLESS YOU FOR FEELING LIKE YOU HAVE THE PRIVILEGE IN THIS DEMOCRACY NOT TO VOTE. FOR COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE THAT I HAVE FOUGHT FOR MY ENTIRE CAREER, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY. TO SIT BACK AND NOT VOTE. BECAUSE THAT HEALTH CARE IS ON THE LINE, LIFE AND DEATH. THEIR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ARE ON THE LINE. THEIR ACCESS TO CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER ARE ON THE LINE. THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF DEMOCRACY WHERE YOU CAN JUST SAY "I GOT MINE SO I'M NOT WORRIED. I'M OFFENDED BY SOME OTHER THINGS. I DON'T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING." YOU THINK WHEN BOOKER T. WASHINGTON OR FREDERICK DOUGLASS WERE FIGHTING TO SUPPORT THE CANDIDATE THEY CHOSE, THEY DIDN'T ALSO KNOW THAT THEIR CANDIDATE HAD LOTS OF FLAWS? THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. IF YOU LOVE HER, YOU WILL FIGHT FOR HER. IF AMERICA HASN'T BROKEN YOUR HEART, YOU DON'T LOVE HER ENOUGH. BUT REAL LOVE, EVEN THOUGH YOUR HEART IS BROKEN, YOUR HOPE IS WOUNDED, YOU KNOW THAT TRUE HOPE FOR THIS COUNTRY IS NEVER LETTING DESPAIR HAVE THE LAST WORD." Never let despair have the last word, powerful words to live by. This is an amazing speech/interview, please take a listen for the love of America, Canada or any other Country of your choosing, the message is the same. PS - apologies for the ALL CAPS, copying and pasting from the show transcript and too lazy to re-write. Plus these words are worthy of shouting anyway. #Positivity, it's not actually about denying, ignoring or repressing the truth or your pain, anger or frustrations. It's about finding the good, the reasons to keep fighting, for yourself, for your Country, for your neighbours. The people who give you reasons to trust again & to believe in the goodness of humanity because they put it out there on display every day. Those who aren't afraid (or are afraid, but do it anyway) to speak up against injustice, who make this world a better place, in no matter how small or large, loud or quiet of a way in which they do it. https://lnkd.in/gyc_Bp2H

Frederick Douglass was an abolitionist, reformer, writer, and orator. Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey (circa February 14, 1818 - February 20, 1895) was born in Maryland and became one of the leading voices against slavery in the United States as an African American civil rights activist. Douglass also advocated for women’s rights to vote (suffrage) and became a licensed preacher in 1839 in New York City. If you ever want to read the mind of a former slave, the mind of an entrepreneur, the mind of an early American lover of liberty, and the mind of a highly intelligent man well ahead of his time politically speaking, read Frederick Douglass’ autobiography: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (1845) In his autobiography, Douglass draws the astute conclusion that taxing one’s wages is equal to that portion of slavery in time, money, or property. E.g.: if you are taxed 100% of your wages , you are slave for that amount of time 100%; if you are taxed 50%, you are a slave that proportional amount of time; if you are taxed 38%, you are a slave that portion of time, etc. 🎶 Space Gang - “Gunsmoke” #liberty #freedom #politics #economics #history

Abraham Lincoln’s “House Divided” speech of June 16, 1858, details a long-standing plan to destroy American democracy. Lincoln outlined the steps that the United States had taken away from freedom toward tyranny. [Thursday], by a vote of 6–3, the Supreme Court overturned the lower court’s decision and signed off on the new South Carolina congressional map that dilutes Black votes. It approved the map because, it said, the gerrymander was politically, rather than racially, motivated. And, it said, “as far as the Federal Constitution is concerned, a legislature may pursue partisan ends when it engages in redistricting.” But in 2024, those of us eager to protect the idea of human equality outlined in the Declaration of Independence have an advantage that Lincoln’s generation did not. The [Biden] administration has used the power of the federal government to begin to unwind the trickle-down economy that between 1981 and 2021 transferred $50 trillion from the bottom 90% of the U.S. to the top 1%, hollowing out the middle class. The result has been solid economic growth of 5.7% in 2021, 1.9% in 2022, and 2.5% in 2023. But [President Biden] might be stymied by a news system that has many Americans not just unaware of the good economic news, but believing the opposite. Now the details in today's HCR Letter. https://lnkd.in/eWnRew5q

As patriotic Americans, we avoid chaos, not thrive in it. The American governing tradition has always been one of resolving policy disagreements through impassioned civil discourse. However, today's Republican Party has replaced this tradition with gaslighting. Gaslighting is a form of misleading and deceptive factual manipulation, which sows self-doubt and confusion in the electorate's mind by distorting reality. This is done to gain political power and control. To keep our republic, we must speak up, speak out, and act as though our democracy and our children's future depend on it. Because they do. Benjamin Franklin's admonishment "We've given you a republic, if you can keep it" must not fall on deaf ears and muted mouths if we the people don't want a determined Republican Party to undermine our very democracy in exchange for the sole purpose of gaining power. The importance of civility in our politics can’t be overstated—Democracy only works if we treat each other with respect and decency. Civil discourse isn't a lying, cheating, deceptive, and rancorous contest where the only objective is to gain power at the expense of truth and democracy. Historically, American civil discourse has been impassioned, but civilized, discussion or conversation whereby Americans attempt, in good faith, to promote greater understanding to reach a compromise that is aligned with forming a more perfect union. Let's rekindle the American tradition of civil discourse and promote a more perfect union. Our democracy depends on it. #Civics #CivicEducation #CriticalConversations #CriticalThinking #CivicDiscourse #TeachingAndLearning #TeachingDemocracy #EducationalLeadership #RepublicanParty #DemocraticParty #AmericanHistory #Democracy #America #Lawyers #Law #LawSchools #LawStudents #Republicans #Democrats

IS THE UNITED STATES A DEMCORACY? No, it’s not and you already knew this. By definition, a republic is a representative form of government that is ruled according to a charter, or constitution, and a democracy is a government that is ruled according to the will of the majority. Although these forms of government are often confused, and even lied about by the left and their media arm, they are quite different. The main difference between a republic and a democracy is the charter or constitution that limits power in a republic, often to protect the individual's rights against the desires of the majority. If your confused about what we have here in America, it’s a Republic. " I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands. 46 states besides Nebraska, Hawaii, Vermont, and Wyoming lead students in the Pledge of Allegiance. So, unless you’re from one of these 4 states that need to correct themselves, you’ve recited or listened to the pledge countless times which clearly cites what we are as a country. “What have we got here?” - Elizabeth Willing Powel If you want to help clear this up, now that Democrat polticians and the news media are acting like they don’t know this, please share. The time has come to lean in and get involved. “A republic, if you can keep it” - Ben Franklin #constitution #freedom #unitedstates #usa #trending #thoughts #foundingfathers #pledgeofallegiance #republic #democracy #constitutionalrepublic #us #trendingnow #news #trendingnews #wyoming #nebraska #hawaii #vermont

Although disappointing, irresponsible, and a decadent display of historical ignorance, presidential candidate Nikki Haley isn't alone. "a 2018 Winthrop University poll found that only 25% of Southerners believe slavery alone caused the War for Slaveholder Rights. A 2023 YouGov poll found that only 53% of Republicans know what caused the Uncivil War and that whites are nearly twice as likely to cite a reason other than slavery." Then there's this thought exercise we're invited to explore: "Imagine if you understood that most of them (white people) voted for your party. Imagine if they were so dumb that they believed a racist lie. Imagine if the people who know the truth would never ever, ever penalize you for being a liar or being dumb or being racist. Imagine if you knew that they would never ever do anything about segregation academies or unequal education systems or racist curriculums or the fundamental lie of America. Now, imagine you’re in a tiny New Hampshire town and someone asked you about that racist lie you’d heard all of your life. What would you say?" This isn't an excuse for maintaining the ongoing lie and narrative of white complacency. Rather, it's the reason for people to take on the lie Nikki Haley and others maintain to support their racist ideas and maintain the lies people teach and tell one another about the legacy of slavery in our country.

This Independence Day, as many of our most basic freedoms are under threat, we remember and take inspiration from the words of civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer: No one is free until everyone is free. In the face of violent attacks and economic retribution, Hamer fought for the right of Black Mississippians to vote and for the political and economic freedom of all people. As the historian Keisha N. Blain observes, Hamer’s words remind us: “That you [should] never overlook your brother, your sister, that you never overlook the person next to you. And I think this is a powerful message and is certainly one of unity. And it’s one the forces us to think about the collective; how do we work together to make the nation an inclusive democracy and to live up to the ideals stated in the US Constitution.” Today, and every day, we continue the fight for an inclusive democracy to ensure all children, youth, and families can speak their truths and participate fully in the political, economic, and social lives of their communities. #EconomicJustice #HealthJustice #FamilyAutonomy #IndependenceDay #FourthOfJuly #July4th #LibertyAndJustice #CelebrateFreedom #SocialJustice #EqualityForAll #FightForEquity #EquityNow #JusticeForAll #SocialChange #CivilRights #EqualRights #HumanRights #CivilRightsMovement #EqualJustice #FreedomAndEquality #JusticeForAll #EqualOpportunity #EqualProtection #CivilLiberties #VotingRights #RightToVote #FannieLouHamer #HamerLegacy #HumanRights