(Insert an introduction and thank appropriate people)
Let me just say in all sincerity that I am honored to be here today.
Frederick Douglas wrote that "Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation, are people who want crops without plowing the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning; they want the ocean without the roar of its many waters. The struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, or it may be both. But it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."
We are in a struggle, that is why each one of you are here today, like Frederick Douglas we agree that power concedes nothing without a demand and I guess that you could say that this rally represents our demand that honor be returned to American politics.
There are 9 guiding principles and 12 values that combine to give us the 9-12 Project. This is a bold initiative to bring together Americans as we once were not so very long ago. In the aftermath of the September 11th attacks for a brief moment on 9-12 we all saw this country through the same lens, a lens once fogged by ideologies that separated into right and left, red states and blue states became crystal clear with the realization that we were all equal in our sorrow as well as in our pride. A once fractured nation polarized by two sides afraid to give an inch for fear of losing position became a united America intent on protecting what generations past had assembled into the single greatest nation ever created. I wish that today we could somehow resurrect the common bond created that day in wake of tragedy and in a perfect world that wish would easily be granted but we don’t live in a perfect world. We live in a world where our people grow weary of a government that has ceased attending to the will of the people, a government that seems to have abandoned its citizenry in favor of self interest and feigned celebrity. We have endured long enough, we have strived to maintain the harmony once thrust upon us only to have it spat back at us by those in government who see personal benefit in times of collective tragedy and sorrow.
It is evident to me that since you are all here listening to me today that you think we are heading in the wrong direction, that we have strayed off course. The truth is that we are all witness to the things that have led us to this moment in time, a moment when the government has turned from serving the people to serving its own interests. The question becomes where do we go from here? The 9-12 projects desired outcome is to resurrect , “That same feeling – that commitment to country is what we are hoping to foster with this idea. We want to get everyone thinking like it is September 12th, 2001 again.” To understand where we go from here we must first understand what the 9-12 Project is all about, what are the 9 principles and the 12 values? I have been given the privilege today to talk about one of the key values Sincerity “SINCERITY.” Whenever I am asked to speak about a subject I love to research the definitions, look up quotes and other writings on the subject. For the definition I decided to go with “Dictionary.com” and their description of sincerity:
“Freedom from deceit, hypocrisy or duplicity; probity in intention or communicating; earnestness.”
For those of you wondering like I did “Probity” basically means decency or honesty, but I digress. I also like to check out the synonyms for a word to help me understand it even better. Words like, truth, candor, frankness and honor are among sincerities friends. So in defining the word and looking at the words associated with it we now understand that sincerity is a quality that we should see, expect and believe our elected officials possess. Instead we see the opposite, rather than being free from deceit, hypocrisy and duplicity we find ourselves being held captive by them. Rather than seeking probity or honesty in their communications from on high we hear lies and accusations that amount to our ignorance in the face of their self righteous posturing. On issue after issue we are told that we just don’t understand. If you don’t agree with the individual mandate in the new healthcare reform legislation it isn't because it may be unconstitutional it is because you just don’t understand. If you don’t agree with the current administration on a wide array of topics it isn't because you might have knowledge that makes it wrong or a belief that it is wrong it is because you just don’t understand it.
A British Pastor by the name of Charles Spurgeon wrote that “Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value than the most talented hypocrite.” Ladies and gentlemen standing here with me in San Marcos Texas, we are that “Least” person Spurgeon speaks of. We are the moms and dads, the laborers, business owners, entrepreneurs and most of all the taxpayers. We have more value in our sincerity as it is represented by this gathering in Texas and others around the country than the most talented hypocrites adorning the hallways of our nation’s capital. Take a minute and look around you, look at the people standing here with you today and understand that this simple act is sincerity in action. You are here expressing a sincere love for those who are gathered with you today, for a country that has made everything and anything possible for you and for your children. You aren’t being paid to stand here; you aren’t here because your leaders commanded you to be here. You are here because you know that in order to effect change action is required. You know that if you were to do nothing, nothing would get done.
John McCain once uttered this phrase, “I don't doubt the sincerity of my Democratic friends. And they should not doubt ours.” The mainstream media and the left leaning pundits will surely mock the sincerity of each and every one of you gathered here today as well as everyone else gathered for this 828 Restoring Honor Rally. It is my hope that as we all have been witness to their sincere promise to bring about a fundamental change they will not doubt our sincerity as we stand together in protest. We do not agree with their outdated belief that government is the answer, that government is capable of bringing about economic harmony in one hand while creating deficits with more zeros than the mind can comprehend in the other. That my friends is hypocrisy, duplicity and intellectually bankrupt, the complete opposite of sincerity, honesty, and probity in communication, there’s that fancy word again…..
Now don’t get me wrong, I do not stand before you proclaiming that ALL politicians are detestable or ALL the endeavors of government are colossal failures. Surely we have programs created by government that have improved the quality of this great nation. Without a doubt we have elected representatives who embody service and are sincere in their approach to government and its role, many of them are standing on this stage today and on stages around the country. I believe that they have strived in their political life to be sincere in their service and like me I believe that they want to be part of a new beginning, part of restoring honor to a government that seems to have lost its way.
Our mission here today and in the elections to come will be to seek out those politicians, those individuals who are genuinely sincere when it comes to being an elected representative, a servant of the people. This has been our destiny, our purpose since the inception of this country. The great men who first conceived the possibility of America and then fought to see that vision realized, men like Thomas Jefferson asked that we, “Come forward, then, and give us the aid of your talents and the weight of your character towards the new establishment of republicanism.” Throughout history we have had individuals come forward to serve, some hove served with sincerity and honor while others have found comfort in pursuing self interests or perpetuating personal ideologies and as Thomas Jefferson asked that we come forward he also cautioned us with statements like, “Public offices were not for private convenience.” Therefore, it is up to each one of us educate ourselves so that we can discern the difference between those seeking to serve from those who want to be served. Rally’s like this one serve as a platform for a new breed of elected representatives, people answering Jefferson challenge to come forward bringing with them their character and their honor.
In closing let me say that this is our time, this is where we draw the line in the sand and proclaim that the restoration of honor begins here and now. We know what is wrong, we know that we are on the wrong path, the only question that remains is will we answer the call and become be united in our pursuit of restoring honor to our government or will allow ourselves to continue to bebe deceive and divided by partisans seeking to sustain the status quo? In case you haven’t already, please take a minute and review the 9 Principles and 12 Values that form the 9-12 Project then ask yourself, Am I better off today than I was a few years back? Is this country better off? Will my kids inherit a better America? If the answer is no, to any or all of the above then it’s time to make a stand for America. In one loud voice let them hear a united America, we will not shrink, we will not lower our voice we will not go quietly but we will restore honor with a sincere pledge to demand a return to a government that is by the people and for the people.
Thank you and may God continue to bless America and the Great State of Texas.