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Friday, September 13, 2013

Response to Anti-referendum Claims by Frank Schubert

September 13, 2013

MEMORANDUM

TO:         Interested Parties

FROM:    Frank Schubert
                 Campaign Manager, Privacy For All Students

RE:           Erroneous Claim That A Referendum Rejecting The Co-  
                 Ed Bathroom Law Won't Work

It has come to my attention that a conservative activist has broadly disseminated an email claiming that the referendum to repeal AB 1266, the co-ed shower and bathroom law, won't work because the Legislature can "repeal" it or otherwise ignore it. Such a claim is patently false as a matter of law, and ignores the real-world effect that a successful referendum would have.

Contrary to the claim in the email, if a referendum is successful, the Legislature cannot "repeal" it. First off, there's nothing to repeal since the referendum itself rejects a law and wipes it from the books. I presume that what the gentleman is trying to say is that the Legislature could just reenact AB 1266 the next day, but that is false as well.

The California Supreme Court has addressed this question and ruled that the Legislature may only act to pass a subsequent statue if it is "essentially different" and is not enacted with an intent to evade the effect of the referendum. So the notion that the Legislature could reenact AB 1266, or even enact something similar, is patently false as a matter of law. For them to be able to do so would eviscerate the initiative and referendum process, a process the Supreme Court has called a precious right reserved to the people. To claim otherwise is not only a mischaracterization; it reflects an ignorance of the referendum process.

Beyond the legal issues surrounding a referendum, there are also the practical political issues to consider. Consider the environment in which this activist falsely asserts the Legislature would re-enact AB 1266. The 2014 elections would have just occurred. You'd have a Legislature that had experienced a law foisted on them by Equality California, a law that many of them didn't like and, a law that failed to generate the support of all Democrats in the first instance. The bill passed the Senate with no votes to spare, and was very close in the Assembly as well. At the same 2014 election that elected the new Legislature, the voters would have rejected the co-ed bathroom law, AB 1266, including by strong majorities in most of the legislative districts represented by these very legislators. The new Legislature would take their seats just a month afterwards. Does anyone really think that these legislators are going to ignore what their voters just told them and reenact the law anyway (which the Supreme Court has ruled they can't do in any event) when they didn't much like it to begin with? No, of course not. This is why there has never been a case in California that I know of where the Legislature immediately went around the people and reenacted a law that voters had just repealed. It couldn't stand as a matter of law, and it wouldn't ever happen as a matter of practical politics.

It's also important to point out that in the absence of the referendum, AB 1266 will take effect on January 1, 2014 and we'll have vulnerable school children losing their privacy in the most sensitive school facilities - showers, bathrooms and locker rooms - as members of the opposite sex demand their right to use the facilities previously protected as sex-segregated. The only way to prevent this law from taking effect in January is to collect the needed signatures to qualify the referendum. Once that occurs, the law is suspended and does not take effect until voters have their say.

In conclusion, the assertion that the Legislature could re-enact the law in question is false as a matter of law, and ignores the consistent and strong history of the referendum as a powerful tool to both repeal bad laws and prevent them from being enacted again. I strongly urge voters to join with the Privacy For All Students campaign to qualify the referendum for the 2014 ballot, suspending the law until voters can reject it.

Thank you for your consideration.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Letter from Brad Dacus 4


Dear Friends,

Like me, you’re probably alarmed by what is happening in our schools and in our Legislature.  With Gov. Brown signing the outrageous “Bathroom Bill” this week (AB 1266), many of you have asked, “What is PJI doing about this?”

Well, I’m pleased to announce today that PJI has developed a brand-new resource, available for the first time today at PJI.org, that is the first steptoward reclaiming the constitutional privacy rights our state and federal governments are trying to take away from us.

Our “Notice of Reasonable Expectation of Privacy,” designed for you to simply fill out and give to your local school officials, puts them on notice that you have not relinquished your family’s constitutional privacy rights at school.  AB 1266 cannot—and does not—override the Constitution!

Friends, we can’t undo all the damage that will be done by bills like AB 1266.  But we can take a stand and speak up for our children!  And PJI will be monitoring any potential privacy violations that result from AB 1266 for possible legal action.

Of course, the “Bathroom Bill” is not the only potential privacy violation facing our students, so we’ve included a few other areas in our Notice.  Those of you who have been concerned about the new Common Core being introduced into schools nationwide will appreciate the section we’ve included on biometrics.

Please help us spread the word about this new resource by forwarding this e-mail and distributing our Notice to friends at church, in school and in your local Tea Party and other groups.  And while you’re at it, please consider a special gift to PJI so we can respond to the avalanche of new requests for help that we know will follow implementation of this law.

Running the Race,

Brad Dacus, Esq.
President, Pacific Justice Institute  

Monday, July 29, 2013

Evan Feinberg

Evan Feinberg discussing how healthcare reform will effect young people.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Evan Feinberg of Generation Opportunity on NBC10 @ Issue

Listen to Generation Opportunity president Evan Feinberg as he discusses unemployment and its effect on Millennials  on NBC10 @ Issue.


Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Prop. 8 is Not Down

Though I'm sure we are disappointed in the outcome of the recent Supreme Court ruling. We must understand that we have only lost the battle and not the war. Listen as Alan Sears, President, CEO and General Counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, explains what happened in the Supreme Court, and how it effects the definition of marriage in the nation.




Tuesday, June 25, 2013

David Watts for Texas Land Commisioner


It's time. Time to take back America. Time to put truly conservative individuals in local, state, and federal offices who will do their duty and defend their rights as citizens, returning the power to the people and their states rather than some federal bureaucracy. David Watts is one of those individuals. To often we Americans only pay attention to those elections on the national level and neglect the more important elections closer to home. But it is by these small local and state offices that will be able to restore our federal republic.  As a member of  the Valiant Defender’s Party I endorse David Watts for Texas Land Commissioner. To learn more about David Watts and the Valiant Defenders Party click here. Or go to David Watts website at www.wattsfortexas.org


Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Another Letter from Brad Dacus

Here is another letter I received from Brad Dacus of Pacific Justice Institute. 


Dear Friend,

Check out our Facebook page!This last weekend, we along with many of you celebrated Father's Day. It was a great opportunity to reflect upon all the good that has come from our fathers, father-figures, and our nation's forefathers.
We are now just days away—perhaps mere hours away—from two of the most significant Supreme Court decisions in years.  By the end of the month, we expect to get major decisions from the High Court on both Prop. 8 and the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  These two lawsuits represent two of the greatest attacks on fatherhood—as well as motherhood—that we have seen in our lifetimes.  Beyond all the hype of so-called "marriage equality," the court imposed redefinition of marriage would create a sea change in public policy that insists fathers and mothers are interchangeable and irrelevant.  Already, in response to the never-ending demand for acceptance by homosexual activists, some schools no longer talk about Father's Day or Mother's Day, and some states are eliminating the words "father" and "mother" from birth certificates in favor of "parent 1, and parent 2."
We believe dads and moms are still crucial to healthy families.  That's why we have been fighting for years to defend the traditional definition of marriage.  Not only was PJI part of the ProtectMarriage coalition that vaulted Prop. 8 to voter approval in 2008, but we began years earlier by advocating for Prop. 22, the predecessor of Prop. 8.  Through our campaign to hold the Federal Department of Justice accountable for its egregious violations of basic attorney-client loyalty in its betrayal of DOMA (see NoWayDOJ.com) we are using every tool in our legal toolbox to restore the rule of law that is being threatened by these cases.
As we remember the importance of dads—and look ahead to these crucial decisions—I hope you will join me in saying a prayer for our nation and our families.  Thank you for your faithful support as we engage these crucial battles in the courts and on our knees.

Running the race,
Brad DacusPresident, Pacific Justice Institute

Monday, June 10, 2013

A Government Safety Net

Today many Americans look to the government for the answers to all our social ills. But  is this actually a wise approach to the problem? Many government welfare plans, such as President Lyndon B. Johnson's war on poverty caused more problems then they fixed. So, what is the government's proper role when it comes to welfare? Watch this video by Dr. Ryan Messmore of the Heritage Foundation as he explains the governments proper role as a safety net of last resort.



Threat to Your Children's Privacy

I recently received this email from Brad Dacus of Pacific Justice Institute, and I thought I'd share it with you. If you live in California, call your state senator and oppose this bill!

Dear Friends,

Please join us in taking action within the next 24 hours to oppose AB 1266, a bill that threatens the future of our children.

AB 1266 is an almost-unbelievable proposal in the California Legislature that would take "transgender rights" to such an extreme in our public schools that boys and girls could use any bathroom or locker room they wish, based only on their self-proclaimed "gender identity."  Perhaps the most shocking thing about this bill is that one half of the Legislature (the Assembly) has already voted to approve it!  The bill is now in the Senate, and that's where we need your immediate action.

The Senate Education Committee is scheduled to consider and vote on AB 1266 this coming Wednesday, June 12.  Please call and fax the Committee members at the numbers below to voice your concerns about this bill.  If you live in the Sacramento region, also consider joining us at the hearing, which starts at 9:00 a.m. in Room 2083 of the State Capitol.  A PJI attorney plans to attend and speak at the hearing.

Contact the Senate Education Committee Members
  1. Senator Carol Liu (Chair) - Phone: 916-651-4025, Fax: 916-324-7543
  2. Senator Mark Wyland (Vice Chair) - Phone: 916-651-4038, Fax: 916-446-7382
  3. Senator Marty Block - Phone: 916-651-4039
  4. Senator Lou Correa - Phone: 916-651-4034
  5. Senator Loni Hancock - Phone: 916-651-4009, Fax: 916-327-1997
  6. Senator Ben Hueso - Phone: 916-651-4040, Fax: 916-327-3522
  7. Senator Bob Huff - Phone: 916-651-4029, Fax: 916-324-0922
  8. Senator Bill Monning - Phone: 916-651-4017, Fax: 916-445-8081
  9. Senator Norma J. Torres - Phone: 916-651-4032, Fax: 916-651-4932
If you've already called legislators about AB 1266, thank you and keep it up!  It only takes a few hundred calls—out of the nearly 40 million California residents—to make a difference, so the effect of each one is multiplied many times over.

Stay tuned to www.GenderInsanity.com for updates on this upcoming vote.

Running the Race,

Brad Dacus, Esq.
President, Pacific Justice Institute 

Friday, June 7, 2013

Is Your Rep Being Bought Off?

Your Internet Freedom for $ale

GenOpp launched an offensive to stop the internet tax which would disproportionately hurt young people. Over 3000 of you Facebook bombed the man who could stop it. He said he would, but now is walking it back.
This tax is great news for the Big Retail Lobby and they are spending millions to make sure their special interests are protected. How much are they paying your congress to tax the internet?


Read more: http://generationopportunity.org/2013/06/07/your-internet-freedom-for-ale/#ixzz2VZNdACrA

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Internet Tax is Dead by Generation Opportunity

Internet Tax Is Dead

Goodlatte thank you 300x
WE DID IT!
This morning, Rep. Goodlatte, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, announced that his committee will not pass the Internet sales tax. This announcement comes on the heels of a Facebook bomb in which more than 3,000 young activists posted on Rep. Goodlatte’s Facebook page, encouraging him to oppose the new tax.
This is a clear example of how young people can influence their elected officials. We will continue the fight to Free the Future!
Zachary
P.S. Here is the article in which Rep. Goodlatte said that the House will not pass the Internet tax.



Read more: http://generationopportunity.org/2013/06/06/internet-tax-is-dead/#ixzz2VU1EhTWA

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

VDP sponsors Reform Party's petitions

THE VALIANT DEFENDER’S PARTY SPONSORS REFORM PARTY’S PETITIONS
Two Parties with Different Ideologies Work Together. Other Parties Invited To Do the Same
by Samuel Garcia
Three of the Reform Party’s petitions have been sponsored by the Valiant Defender’s Party. The two parties have risen above different political ideologies to work together. The Valiant Defender’s Party and the Reform Party invite other parties to do the same.
The petitions may be found at the VDP website at http://valiantdefendersparty.wordpress.com/category/petitions/ or at the Reform Party’s Petition Center http://reformparty.org/reform-party-epetition-center/.
Nicholas Hensley of the Reform Party says,“There’s a lot of gridlock in Washington. In working together, we hope to demonstrate that we’re above the political fighting that goes on in Washington”.
The Valiant Defender’s Party describes itself as conservative-progressive, while the Reform Party is largely held as centrist.
“This is a great opportunity for third parties like ours to make their voices heard,” quips Sam Garcia, Chairman of the VDP.
One petition concerns the health of small businesses. The VDP supports this petition because growing small businesses are essential for the thriving middle class. Another petition is in support on putting limits on the practice known as “gerrymandering”, the redrawing of districts to favor partisan lines. The last petition is in support of opening up the Presidential debates to third party candidates.
About the Valiant Defender’s Party
The Valiant Defender’s Party was established in July of 2012 for the new generation of citizens. The Valiant Defender’s Party is committed to securing a future for the young people of this nation and beyond.
Contact:
To learn more about the sponsorship, please contact
Samuel Garcia
(614)962-9041
valiantdefendersparty@gmail.com

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Liberty and Justice For All

     Some of my fondest memories growing up were when I went to work with my dad. My father worked for an oil company in California, and would often have to travel up and down the state. I remember once when he was working in Los Angeles, the whole family went with him. I’ll always remember how much fun we had on that trip, but the thing I remember most from the trip was an image that was on a billboard in downtown L.A. On this billboard was a picture of a young woman holding the bloodied corpse of a freshly skinned fox in her outstretched arms, and beneath the grotesque image read the words, “Here is your fur coat.”

     As I look back on that PETA billboard, I think how interesting it is that such a gruesome image could be put on display for millions to see, and nobody seems to mind or get offended. Or they see the image and are repulsed by it to such an extent that they become faux fur wearing veterinarians for the rest of their lives. But if you put an equally gruesome image about abortion on the same billboard, I guarantee that it will be asked to be pulled down. Why? Why is this the case when both billboards display the horrific realities of what happens when a living creature is killed for the convenience of man?  Possibly, because the same people who are desperately fighting to save the lives of foxes everywhere are promoting the onslaught of innocent children. However, I’m not here to talk about the hypocrisy of liberal environmentalists. I’m here to talk about ours.


     The trials of Kermit Gosnell have shown to America what Abortion really is. It is not simply freedom for women but rather death to children. The most frightening thing about the Gosnell trial is that what when on in Gosnell’s clinic is not an isolated incident. It is happening in clinics all across America. Abortion clinics all over the nation are the same, if not worse, houses of horrors that Gosnell’s was. Gosnell just happened to be unlucky enough to get caught.  What has happened to our nation that we should embrace so barbaric a practice as abortion? This has happened because America, the defender of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, decided in Roe v. Wade that unborn infants are sub-human and not to be considered life. Interestingly enough, the Supreme Court ruled similarly to this in the Dred Scott case. In that decision, the Supreme Court decided that because a person’s skin was black, that person was less human then a person with white skin and could not obtain the rights guaranteed in the Constitution. Even so, since the Supreme Court decided that a person inside the womb is less human then a person outside the womb, that person inside the womb cannot obtain the rights guaranteed in the constitution. Many people will testify today of the evils of slavery and racism, yet they see nothing wrong and even accept that more horrific evil that is abortion. This is what I mean by our hypocrisy.

We say we stand for liberty and justice for all but yet we deny it to those who cannot stand up for themselves. Shortly before the Civil War, it was said that our nation’s flag, that symbol of liberty, was marred by the chains of slaves. Well now it is marred by the doctor’s scalpel. We must stop this barbaric practice unfit for a civilized nation such as ours. Especially when we claim to espouse the ideas of liberty and equality as set in the constitution. We must stand up and be the voice of the oppressed and voiceless. We must be like those great men before us, John Quincy Adams and William Wilberforce, who both gave their lives to ridding their nations of the monstrous blot of slavery. Let us press on, striving valiantly against abortion until the day that too shall be removed, and every American, born or unborn, is recognized to be endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, and that among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Announcing Free to Preach Project

One of the most influential social institutions in our nation is the church. And throughout American history it has been the churches that have been the most influential in making an impact for the betterment of society. Great preachers like John Witherspoon, George Whitefield, Charles G. Finney, and Martin Luther King Jr. stirred the people to do what was right by looking to what God said in His Word about current events and the issues in the parties platforms. The congregations then would vote their principles, based off of the truths found in the Bible. However, in 1954 then future president Lyndon B. Johnson pushed an bill through Congress forcing churches to have no place in the election process. Ever since then pastors have been forced to keep quiet about political issues or risk losing their tax exemptions. This act is a clear violation of the First Amendment. For almost 60 years churches have remained silent on such important issues as abortion and gay rights. Generations of church goers have grown up thinking that the Bible has nothing to say on this matters. But the fact is, it does.

In light of this, Restoring America is announcing our Free to Preach project. We hope that by July 2, 2014 the sixty year anniversary of this bill, we will be able to repeal the unconstitutional 1954 Johnson Amendment, and restore the right of free speech to our churches and non-profits. Please stand with us, right now there is a bill to repeal the Johnson Amendment, H.R. 127, being looked over by the Committee of Ways and Means, you can contact them at:

Ways and Means Committee Office
1102 Longworth House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-3625
Fax: 202-225-2610

Also be sure to contact your local representatives, tell them to vote in support of H.R. 127 and restore the Free Speech and First Amendment rights of churches and exempt organizations by repealing the 1954 Johnson Amendment. We have a link to help you find your representatives on our take action page. Help us stand up for our churches and grant our pastors the freedom to preach once again.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Will the Leaders Please Stand

I think it's apparent that our nation is suffering from a severe lack of righteous leadership. Washington has been tossed to and fro by what ever situation comes upon them at that specific moment. It took 1400 days before anything was done about the budget issue. The government just seems to be procrastinating over important issues until they are backed to a wall and are forced to do something. And that something is usually the wrong thing to do.

I'm sure the reader understands this, and already knows whats been going on in Washington and does not need  me to inform them of this, so I will not spend any more time on this but get straight to the point. We need leaders. Now. Real leaders, competent leaders, stirring leaders who understand the times in which we live, knowing what needs to be done and has the ability to motivate the people to do it. As Rabbi Daniel Lapin puts it We don't need Accountants but Crusaders. We don't need people who seem very smart or have a lot of money. We need people  who inspire others to believe in them, and can stir them to action.

But am I saying charismatic skills are all that's needed to make a leader?Absolutely not, Hitler was every bit as charismatic, if not more so, as Churchill. Both inspired nations to follow their lead and put their trust in them. However there's a big deference between Hitler and Churchill. Churchill inspired for good, the defense of the remaining free world and the liberation of the rest who were in bondage  Hitler inspired for evil, stirring up youth's so void of conscience they would kill millions in cold blood and would say as the adulterous woman in Proverbs 30:20 "I have done no wrong." What we need are leaders with integrity, men and women who will encourage this nation unto righteousness. Standing firm on the principles that have founded this great nation, the Holy Scriptures.

We need leaders with backbone, that will stand firm even when it means standing alone, even when it means be coming unpopular, and yes, even when it means being rejected by members of your own party if need be. John Quincy Adams was this kind of leader, several times he was almost expelled from congress because what he had to say about slavery was unpopular, even with his own party. But it was truth, and that's what kind of leaders we need ones who will side with truth no matter the cost. Are you ready to be that kind of leader? Yes, we must be the leaders I have just been describing, we must build the moral character within ourselves and if your a parent your children. We must stand and be the next Churchills, and John Quincy Adams. We must stand up, stand firm, and follow Christ and His word. Only then will we truly be the change. Only then can we ever hope to restore America.

Solus Christus,
Adam

Friday, February 22, 2013

Hope for America

     Have you ever looked at the situation in America today and thought to yourself, "Man, we're messed up," "I doubt America will ever change," or how about this one, "The US is walking on the edge of the cliff, it's only a matter of time before we fall off..." Recently some of those thoughts had been going through my mind. Last night though, I listened to a lecture by Ravi Zacharias, and as always, was immensely encouraged. The lecture was titled "Why Hope?" Ravi gave examples throughout history of how when things looked their darkest and it looked as if there was no hope, God always did something miraculous for His kingdom.

     As a historian, I firmly believe that the past holds the answers to the problems of the present. While studying the past, I have seen that every time things looked their bleakest, God always raises up Godly young men and women to do awesome things for His glory. Think about them, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Ruth, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Esther, Nehemiah, the Apostles, Paul, Athanasius, Luther, Calvin, Joan of Arc, the Wesleys, Whitefield, Washington, the Founding Fathers, and so many others that I do not have time or space to write about. God raised them all up at just the right time, and the right place and He used them mightily to bring about the change that was needed at the time.

     What I've learned from this, is that God is in control. as Acts 17:26 tells us, "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." God has determined the time in which we live, He has determined the places where we live. He knows what's going on in the world and He is not taken by surprise; He is even doing something about it. For God not only predetermined when and where you would live, He also determined why. God has a plan for your life, and that plan could very well mean you're the next Whitefield, or Wilberforce, Finney, or Sunday. Whatever God's plan is for your life, He is going to use you to make a difference in this world.

     So the next time you think that there's no hope remember that God is in control, and that he has called you to be the hope. You don't need to go on some far off missions trip, you don't need to get into to politics, I mean if that's where God is calling you then great, but, we all need to start being the hope right there where we are. That's why God put us there. That's why he gave us the family He wanted us to have. That's why we were born in the country that we were. God has a plan and His in control whether it looks like it at the time or not, and though it may look like there's no hope for our nation, there is. It's you and me. And if we follow God's principles that He has laid down in His word and we disciple others to do so as well. Then we can change America. And we will be the hope our nation so desperately needs.

Solus Christus,
Adam

P.S. Want to start being the hope? Sign this petition to free American Pastor Saeed from prison in Iran.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

The World's Greatest Love Story

     All month places like Amazon and Barnes&Noble have been celebrating Valentine's Day. It seems that they've dug up every book they could find on the topic of love. Interestingly, I have not seen the truly greatest love story anywhere in their lists of great love stories. It appears they have forgotten it... Well, what is this great love story they have forgotten? Is it one of Shakespeare's famous sonnets? No friend, it is not from Shakespeare, though Shakespeare quoted from it frequently. Though it is the world's greatest love story, it will not be found in any romance section of any bookstore in the world. Well then, what is this book? I tell you it is the Bible.

     The Bible is the greatest love story every written, for it is the story of God's great love for humankind.  As John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." The whole Bible is the tale of this love of God for us. From the beginning of creation to the day we turned from God and sin entered the world. From the day when God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins to the day when Christ will come to claim His "bride," the church, and take her home. It is the most glorious story of love, for what can surpass a story of a God whose creation rebels against Him and in so doing brings death to themselves and their descendants forever. Instead of crushing this rebellion and starting over, God leaves all the glory of heaven and makes himself into a man, lives a sinless life, is falsely charged as being an insurgent, and then is unjustly sentenced to death like a common criminal, then rises up from the dead three days later, all in order to save us from the wrath of God and the punishment we so justly deserve. 

     So, I want to leave you with these thoughts. As you go about your day, keep in mind God's wondrous love for you, his love so amazing that he suffered death, even death on the cross in order to be able to have a relationship with you. If you don't have a relationship with Him, would you take a few minutes right now and repent of your sins, ask God to forgive you for your sins, He will, ask Him into your heart and begin this new relationship with Him. If your already saved, do not forget to thank God today for what he has done.

Soli Deo Gloria!!
Adam

Thursday, January 31, 2013

John Marshall


Celebrating the Great Chief Justice

     So, 212 years ago this day, the 4th (and in my humble opinion greatest) Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court received his commission. This man was the longest serving Chief Justice, participating in over 1,000 decisions, and personally writing 519 opinions. He also presided over Landmark decisions such as, Marbury v. Madison, Gibbons v. Ogden, and McCullough v. Maryland. His name? John Marshall.

John Marshall patriot and devoted Christian,
reinforced the principle of judicial review.

     John Marshall, the eldest of 15, was born in 1755 to gentleman farmer, Thomas Marshall, and his wife, Mary Isham Keith. In 1776, both Thomas and John joined the American war effort. John's father was given the rank of colonel and commanded of one of the Virginia regiments, and John became a lieutenant of the Culpepper Minutemen, seeing action at Iron Hill and Brandywine Creek. John was even with the army during the dreaded winter at Valley Forge. Where he was promoted to the rank of captain, and was appointed as Deputy Judge Advocate after demonstrating his ability to analyze legal cases. When the War for Independence was over, Washington himself, who had grown found of Marshall because of Marshall's cheery and reflective nature, urged Marshall to go into politics. In fact, when Washington became president, he offered Marshall the position of United States Attorney for Virginia. Which Marshall declined.

     Marshall was a marvelous attorney, and at the age of twenty five was winning nearly all his cases. When it came to debate, Justice Joseph Story once said that he, "Made it a rule in argument never to admit any proposition asserted by Marshall, however plain and unquestionable it might seem to be, for if the premises were once admitted,the conclusion, however apparently remote, flowed on with an irresistible certainty." In 1782, Marshall won a seat in the House of Delegates, and again in 1789. In 1795, Washington again made a proposition to Marshall, this time offering the coveted position of United States Attorney General. Marshall again denied. However, in 1799, Marshall consented, and ran for congress, winning easily.

     A year later, President John Adams appointed him as Secretary of State. Which he served the nation until the election of 1800. When the growing majority of Democratic-Republicans voted Adams out of office, and replaced him with Marshall's distant cousin, Thomas Jefferson. However, Marshall's career in politics was only just beginning, when Adams realized that a completely Democratic-Republic government would destroy all that the Federalists had worked so hard to build. Adams pleaded with Marshall asking him to take the position of Chief Justice, Marshall, a staunch Federalist himself, accepted. On January 31, 1801, he received his commission.

     To go on about Marshall victories as Chief Justice would be a tedious effort, and would result in a much longer post then the one I've already written! One more thing you should know about Marshall, besides that he defended the Constitution as the highest law in the nation, established judicial review, and made sure that we were a nation governed by laws not men, was that he was a devote follower of Christ. Though we have no quotes from him concerning his faith. There is a story found in the Winchester Republican, that reveals this man's devotion for his Master.

    Apparently, upon arriving at the McGuire Hotel, Marshall, disheveled after the ride, went into the tavern where unbeknownst to him a group of young men had gathered and were discussing the merits of Christianity. Marshall, sitting close by, listened intently. When, finally one of the men turned to him and asked, "Well my old gentlemen, what think you of these matters?" ( So, disheveled was Marshall that no one would guess that he was the Chief Justice.) According to the Republican, "Marshall responded with a 'most eloquent and unanswerable appeal.' He talked for an hour, answering 'every argument urged against' the teachings of Jesus. 'In the whole lecture, there was so much simplicity and energy, pathos and sublimity, that not another word was uttered.' The listeners wondered who the old man could be. Some thought him a preacher, and great was their surprise when they learned afterwards that he was the Chief Justice of the United States."

     America needs men like John Marshall, men who will stand for liberty, men who are virtuous, and  are, "always prepared to make a defense for the hope that lies within them" (see 1 Peter 3:15). Let us raise the next generation to be like this.


Solus Christus,
Adam



Wednesday, January 30, 2013

A God-less America = A Law-less America

     I saw this article in the Huffington Post yesterday. Very interesting. According to an exit poll done after the 2008 elections, 12% of Americans were religiously-unaffiliated. This article states it's gone up to 19%, and a Gallup poll done in 2012 says America is now 5% atheist, as in Richard Dawkins hard-core type Atheist. The shocking thing about these statistics is that those numbers are continuing to grow. So what? Why should we care whether people are becoming more atheistic or not? I mean, doesn't everyone have a right to believe whatever they want? 

     In America, we tend to have the belief that you can believe what you want, do what you want, and live however you want just as long as it does not keep someone else from living the way they want. As long as it doesn't hurt anyone else it is fine. So does atheism hurt anyone? Does it influence our society, for the worse? The answer is yes. Atheism can and does have a negative affect on society.

     Let me explain. Atheists believe that there is no God; and so because they deny the existence of a moral law-giver, they deny the existence of a universal moral law, and by denying the existence of a universal moral law, they deny the existence of good and evil. Richards Dawkins himself admitted this when he said,


"In a universe of blind physical forces and genetic replication, some people are going to get hurt, other people are going to get lucky, and you won’t find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice. The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil and no good, nothing but blind pitiless indifference." - The Blind Watchmaker, pg. 133 (emphasis added)


     So as the number of people who believe this increase, so the number of crimes will increase, and the more "God-less" America becomes, the more Law-less she becomes. So how do we stop this? Well first the church must change her tactics, cause obviously what we're doing now is not working. You can look at the same article to discover that all other religious growth, except Mormonism, is at a stand still. The flashy lights, the rock music, and self-help styled sermons, do not save souls. But Jesus Christ does. We must preach the pure unadulterated gospel. Only the message of Christ can save our nation, and our world.


Solus Christus,
Adam


P.S. For more info. Watch this video by Ravi Zacharias on the existence of God. This is just part 1. Click the YouTube button to view the rest.


Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Restoring America

"The only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion. Without it there can be no virtue, and without virtue, there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments"                               
                                                   - Benjamin Rush  ,Father of the American public school



     Faith, virtue, and liberty. Those are the triumvirate of all free societies, and it doesn't take a long look at the situation of America today to see that we are undermining every one of them. All over the country Christians are being told that they can't share their faith, lawsuits are taking place to remove scripture, and the ten commandments especially, from court houses and other public areas. The crime rate is rising, as is the number of divorces, and out of wedlock births. The Democratic National Convention of 2012 chose a political platform of immorality, vowing to protect the people's "right" to promiscuous living, murdering innocent lives, and legalizing the self-destructive practice of homosexuality. As for liberty, just this month the Democrats in Washington have launched an all out attack on the second amendment.

     The foundations of America are crumbling, but they haven't fallen... Yet. Time is running out for America, and the only thing that can save her is Jesus Christ. We must renew our minds with a Christ-centered Biblical worldview, we must follow Christ's commands to form strong moral character, and we must stand for the protection of our God given rights of life and liberty. If we do not protect liberty we will oppress religion, and if we oppress religion we will squelch virtue, and our nation will collapse. Now is the time to act, now is the time to restore America, before it is to late.

Solus Christus,
Adam