Yesterday I received several emails from friends and colleagues who have been contacted by the Eagle Forum including the most recent communication from that organization entitled “ Take Action.” I take umbrage with what was portrayed in that email: “On December 7, 2013, at George Washington’s home in Mount Vernon, there will be a closed-door meeting for hand-picked State Legislators from across the country. . .” This introduction as well as what followed in their email create the image that what was going to happen in Mount Vernon was sinister and underhanded. Quite the contrary, this was simply a meeting of state legislators from both parties and was limited only by the size of the room. The subject of the discussion was the Convention of States, an activity that was clearly approved as a tool to limit big government by our founding fathers. Let’s put this in perspective. What have we learned about the tactics of the progressive movement? We know that, rather than responding with substantive arguments, they use these three tactics: 1. Labeling conservatives with derisive, emotionally charged negative names. For example, progressives and our liberal media have often labeled social and fiscal conservatives as “terrorists.” 2. Rewriting history to fit their narrative. For example, the true history of racism and the Democratic Party is abysmal. However, the way they “own” their superiority in race relations, you would never know the only US Congressmen after the Civil War as well as Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King were Republicans. Many books cover this topic but my personal favorite is Stolen History by Frantz Kebreau. 3. Using fear tactics to intimidate political opponents. The all-time best example of this was the tv commercial showing Paul Ryan pushing Grandma over the cliff. Of course, the commercial did not mention that the current spending will throw our entire economy and country over the cliff, including grandma, our children and our grandchildren! What I am finding repeatedly is that the Eagle Forum and John Birch leaders are using the very same tactics as the progressives. In the email I mentioned above, the Eagle Forum used “labeling” as well as “fear” tactics in the way they characterized the Mt. Vernon Assembly. Their description is much different than the truth as Michael Farris describes in Reflections on the Mt. Vernon Assembly, and as Glenn Beck described on his radio program yesterday and in Gaining Steam? Nearly 100 Lawmakers Descent on Mount Vernon to Talk Convention of States. Another excellent article on this topic is: State Legislators Leading the Charge. The JBS and Eagle Forum are also trying to “rewrite history.” For very comprehensive discussions on how the John Birch Society and the Eagle Forum are rewriting history, our Convention of States Project has provided these resources: Learn We Know the Rules Citizen’s Toolkit The bottom line is that the room was packed at the Mt. Vernon Assembly. Additionally, Citizens for Self-Governance, with our Convention of States Project, is eroding the support for the stances taken by the John Birch Society and the Eagle Forum. In fact, many of their followers have “seen the light” and come over to our side. These facts are driving their leaders to desperation and progressive tactics. Our responsibility is to first and foremost educate ourselves, then take the high road and stick to the truth. With those tactics, we can save our country!
