Speak Truth to Authority
by Michelle
My fellow Patriots, these days it seems that authority needs a reality check. This is not a time for complacency, it is a time to speak the truth with a bold voice! Speaking truth to authority is vital to our existence in this great democracy. Our Constitution states that "all power is vested in, and consequently derived from, the people; that magistrates are their trustees and servants, and at all times amenable to them."(1)
I am honored to write my first article, herein submitted for the RSOL e-Magazine. I was asked to write on the topic of Speaking Truth to Authority. My passion to speak the truth is the foundation of who I am. As an American citizen, I am entitled to the Freedom of Speech found in the 1st Amendment. All of us, as American citizens are entitled to this right!
Becoming a member in 2009 of RSOL, I have learned about what it means to be 'collaterally damaged, to live on one salary with three children to raise, and try to plan how to restore my family when my husband finishes paying the price for his mistake.
Being in the field of education, I began voraciously researching any and all information I could find about this aspect of life that I had never dreamed of living. I became a member of RSOL. I avidly watched the first national RSOL conference, and I corresponded with fellow members within my state and other states. I wanted to know what I could do that would make a difference.
As a member of my state organization, (unaffiliated with RSOL,) I avidly tracked my state legislation for the 2010 session and at the request of my state leader I sent numerous emails to members of my state government about bills that are restrictive and conflict with constitutional rights of fellow citizens who find themselves labeled as sex offenders. As I began to step out and verbally express my stand on the issues in support of RSOL, I wanted to write nothing less than the truth based on facts. Credibility was my cornerstone. I drew upon my knowledge of our founding fathers who set forth their bold example by declaring themselves free of the tyranny of King George III in our cherished document, The Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson wrote with great courage when he stated that the King of Great Britain had established an absolute tyranny over these Colonies. He then emphasized his previous statement by stating: "...to prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world." He then went on to state 27 facts that supported America's reasoning for declaring their independence!
The irony of speaking the truth is that sometimes others who hold our beliefs in our cause very dear, oppose what we say and friendships and alliances are lost. In my passion for justice, while speaking the truth, I offended my state leader and was told that what I had written was damaging our cause. Again, I was reminded of our founding fathers in this instance as the wording of the Declaration of Independence was very much debated over. The document had to be unanimously accepted before it could be sent. John Dickinson, member of the Continental Congress, reminded me of my recently lost ally. He lived one of the most extraordinary political lives of all of the founding fathers. It is perhaps only because of his steadfast opposition to American independence that he is not celebrated with the likes of Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin.
Dickinson was opposed to a separation from Great Britain and worked very hard to temper the language and action of the Congress, in an effort to maintain the possibility of reconciliation.(3) John Dickinson never signed the Declaration because of the wording and walked out of Congress. His colleagues respected him for his decision, nevertheless they proceeded with their fight for independence. I, too, continue to respect my state leader, but I will proceed with boldness in my written truth. I recall with great fondness, the words of one of our most beloved founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin: "If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed."(4)
It is primarily for the reasons stated in this article that our founding fathers had the foresight to see that a democracy must consist of some very basic freedoms, which they listed first in our Bill of Rights; hence it's designation.
Amendment One:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Our basic freedoms given to us could be at stake if we don't use the power given to us in Amendment 10 of our Constitution:
Amendment 10:
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
(5) I leave you with another great quote from Benjamin Franklin: "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." (4) Let us not be willing to give up our essential liberties to obtain the false safety of these restrictive laws made against sex offenders by politicians who are pandering for political gain!
We ARE The PEOPLE. We are citizens of a great nation born in the principles of truth. As we move forward in our efforts to reform sex offender legislation, we must speak the truth. This will earn us the credibility we need in order to succeed at reforming American legislation. It would serve us mightily to be well-read individuals. We must back up what we say with facts. Track your state legislation. Send emails, write letters, make phone calls. Find out how your legislators vote, what committees they're on, and what their opinions are. Ask for clarification. Tell them why their legislation is not constitutional. Ask if they know the facts, if not, supply them with the facts! Encourage them to get the facts. These are our public servants - they should be making informed decisions. These are your Constitutional powers!
Where would we be as a nation if we did not have the firm resolve to speak the truth? Join me in walking and speaking boldly to reform sex offender laws. The truth will set us free! (6)
REFERENCES
(1) http://www.constitution.org/bor/vir_bor.htm
(2) http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm
(3) http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/dickinson.htm
(4) Benjamin Franklin, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/benjamin_franklin_3.html
(5) http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html
(6) The Bible: John 8:32
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