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Title: Volunteer Voice 36th Edition

Original CoS Document (slug): [[https://conventionofstates.com/volunteer-voice-36th-edition|volunteer-voice-36th-edition]]

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Created: 2023-06-29 22:42:34

Updated: 2023-07-06 00:45:23

Published: 2023-07-05 01:00:00

Converted: 2025-04-14T21:25:34.644634116


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**Corporate Capture of America**

By Brian Harris

James O’Keefe recently exposed how BlackRock engages in corporate capture of the American government. Serge Varlay, a recruiter for the global investment firm, was filmed by an undercover journalist. Varlay says that $10,000 will buy a senator. He also indicates that it doesn’t matter who is president; it’s who is controlling his wallet that matters. BlackRock manages $10 to $20 trillion worldwide; according to Varlay, wars are good for business.\\
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Presidents are controlled, and Congressmen are bought. The entire system has been captured and compromised. Let’s face it, America is ruled by corporate oligarchs, and our system of government resembles fascism more than it does a republican form of government.\\
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Some key elements of fascism are centralized autocratic government, dictatorial leadership, and forcible suppression of opposition. Sound familiar? The current occupant of the White House and his family have been given passes by the corrupted Department of Justice while the leading opponent is under indictment. Leftist groups such as Antifa can scorch the earth in American cities while grandmothers and veterans are still locked away in the DC gulag for strolling through the capital building. We are told by the Department of Homeland Security that the US is in a heightened threat environment for domestic terrorism and that one of the indicators may be those who question election integrity in the upcoming 2024 election. What was once considered patriotism and civic-mindedness is now a terror threat.\\
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Benjamin Franklin addressed the Constitutional Convention on the subject of corrupted leaders, “The more the people are discounted with the oppression of taxes, the greater need the prince has of money to distribute among his partisans and pay the troops that are to suppress all resistance and enable him to plunder at pleasure.” I wonder what an additional 87,000 IRS agents could be used for?\\
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So what can we do to restore the republic? Our Declaration of Independence codifies that the people have a right to alter or abolish a government that has become despotic. We are at that point right now. We, the people, can alter our government by supporting an Article V Convention of States. Our compromised and corrupted overlords will not voluntarily restore limited constitutional government. We must do it! Alteration is our right, and it is the preferable alternative to abolition.\\
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In Federalist No. 22, Hamilton reminds us that we hold the real power. It’s time to exert it.\\
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“The fabric of the American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of the CONSENT OF THE PEOPLE. The streams of national power ought to flow immediately from that pure, original fountain of all legitimate authority.”

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**Deep State Surveillance **

By Dana Ives

The FBI’s website states its mission is “We protect the American people and uphold the U.S. Constitution.” A couple of weeks ago, Congressional oversight chairman, James Comer, initiated charges against FBI director Christopher Wray of contempt of Congress. As more whistle-blowers come forward, current events have a major impact on the formulation of our proposed Constitutional amendments regarding government overreach.

Our current administration has engaged in some very far-reaching policy decisions, particularly in the foreign policy arena. Policies such as how to counter the (People's Republic of China) PRC’s increasingly belligerent behavior, initializing the proxy war the U.S. is currently participating in between Ukraine and Russia with nothing but window dressing by Congress, dealing with Iran and Hezbollah, support of Israel and Taiwan in the (inevitable) event of their being attacked and dealing with the Taliban are just a few issues the amendments could address. Additionally, domestic policies such as future pandemic strategy (the COVID response by our leaders has set a far-reaching precedent), the NSA’s illegal monitoring of American citizens’ communications, illegal immigration, the IRS’s (87,000 armed agents), CDC’s (rent control?) and the FBI’s increasing politicization demand the amendment’s attention. Without adding specificity in the amendments, how would it address the myriad issues with vague wording? Therein, I assert, lies the problem.

Congressional legislation grants authority to various government departments such as the EPA, the IRS, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, DHS, the FBI, etc. Understandably, Congress cannot possibly craft legislation that encompasses all possible situations these departments would have jurisdiction over. Thus, legislation granting authority to the alphabet departments is vaguely worded, and the department bureaucrats institute rules crafted and approved by these unelected bureaucrats who wield extensive authority over American citizens and businesses. These sometimes arbitrary rules can only be challenged through our court system resulting in the financial burden falling on the challenger while the Federal government can bring vast resources to the court during the dispute. It’s a David & Goliath confrontation - with David being denied the use of his sling.

The FBI, in particular, has stretched its authority way beyond what any bureaucrat (Christopher Wray) could defend; in fact, the FBI has violated Federal law. Epoch Times contributors Hans Mahncke and Jeff Carlson have highlighted the extent of the FBI’s abuse of authority. Hans and Jeff addressed a newly released [[https://www.intelligence.gov/assets/documents/702%20Documents/statistical-transparency-report/2022_IC_Annual_Statistical_Transparency_Report_cy2021.pdf|report]] by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). It is a 38-page report, and it is not light reading, but I urge you to download and study it. By the way, this report covers Calendar Year 2021 only. The ODNI releases a report for every preceding calendar year.

Page 21 of the report focuses on the FBI’s use of a database that is simply called 702. Built and populated by our Federal government, the contents of the 702 database consists of information supplied 1) by Big Tech social media operators (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, etc.) and 2) by monitoring the Internet’s so-called backbone. The report lists the estimated number of US-person queries conducted by the FBI for 2020 and 2021, and there has been a massive increase in queries for the two time periods. In contrast to the FBI’s number of queries, the ODNI report shows the COMBINED CIA and NSA queries during 2021 for U.S. persons are just over 0.01% of the FBI’s queries. Interestingly, of the 3,394,052 US Person (USP) queries executed by FBI analysts ZERO investigations were opened by the FBI based on the surveillance. Upon reviewing the FBI’s use of the 702 database, the FISA court and the DOJ’s National Security Division (NSD), which oversees the issuance of warrants governing investigations into possible Foreign Intelligence crimes, stated that the FBI had executed in “excess of 278,000 non-compliant queries of raw FISA-acquired information”. To summarize, the FBI has been using a massive foreign intelligence database to illegally surveil American citizens.

The following is a partial list of the illegal searches the FBI has conducted in 2021 alone:

  - A batch query for over 19,000 donors to a congressional campaign was initiated by one analyst.
  - The FBI conducted queries that searched police homicide reports, including victims, next-of-kin, witnesses, and suspects.
  - The FBI ran batch queries on 133 individuals arrested “in connection with civil unrest and protests between May 30 and June 18, 2020.”
  - An FBI analyst “ran 13 queries of individuals suspected of involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol breach.”
  - An FBI official “conducted three batch queries consisting of 23,132 separate queries” in relation to a group involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol breach.
  - An FBI officer “ran two queries for a person under investigation for assaulting a police officer in connection with the Capitol breach.” The officer stated that the FBI viewed “the situation in general” as a threat to national security.

Keep in mind that the NSD and the FISA court determined that the FBI was using the foreign intelligence 702 database to illegally conduct surveillance of U.S. citizens based on the FBI’s assertion, with no factual basis, that those citizens were threats to national security. And according to Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL), approximately 10,000 people in the Federal government are authorized to conduct queries of the 702 database. Since there is no judicial oversight, scrutiny of the 702 database and a decision of whether the information is considered relevant to a criminal investigation remains solely with the FBI analyst.

The abuse of power that is clearly being engaged in by our government cannot be allowed. Right now, there is nothing to stop the FBI from conducting unwarranted and illegal surveillance of American citizens. There is nothing to stop any one of us from suddenly being a target of scrutiny by the IRS, the CIA, the NSA, and the numerous other alphabet departments in our federal government. That should scare any law-abiding American citizen. And that is yet another reason our Convention of States Action efforts are so important to this Republic.

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**The Current State of Our Species**

By Dana Ives

“The more I hear, the more I fear.” Have you ever said this to yourself? Lately, that has been lurking in my mind more and more often. My own inadequacies aside, I must admire the tenacity of our COSA compatriots. It is very easy to get lost in the noise that surrounds us - trans dysphoria, the Deep State, corruption of the highest levels of our government (and not just our own), decay of morals, COVID, nuclear war, spy balloons, climate crisis, immigration crisis, economic crisis, voter confidence crisis, a crisis of trust…one crisis on top of another. It is incessant, pervasive, causes deep fatigue, and saps the soul.

While most of us are familiar with the [[https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/international-military-tribunal-at-nuremberg|“Nuremberg Trials,”]] you can become more knowledgeable about this time in history by following the link above. Still, I will summarize. At the end of WW II, Nazi medical and military personnel were accused of crimes against humanity and were brought before a military tribunal to answer the charges. The tribunal comprised French, Russian, British, and American judges & prosecution teams. At the end of the trials, in an elegant demonstration of world solidarity, the judges issued what would later become known as the Nuremberg Code. It is a very short, succinct, one-page document. (Ironically, despite the fact that the Code has been adopted universally by medical professionals, the link leads you to archives of the National Institutes for Health - the US authority overseeing America’s response to the COVID crisis.) 

It is unlikely you know who Vera Sharav is. Ms. Sharav is a survivor of the Nazi Holocaust. On August 20th, 2022, Ms. Sharav gave a [[https://remember.org/nuremberg-code.html|speech]] in Nuremburg, Germany, during the 75th Anniversary Event of the issuance of the Nuremburg Code. She is, in my humble opinion, the world’s most eloquent speaker on this issue of medical experimentation on humans. Her speech says it all.

I urge you, dear reader, to do some research on Ms. Sasha Latypova. While she is well-known for her opposition to the COVID vax, and you can find many references to her experiences working in the pharmaceutical business, she was recently (June 17th, 2023) interviewed by Jan Jekielek for Epoch Times. She asserts that the tactics used by our federal government in dealing with COVID are akin to using Military Machinery and that the reaction by our federal government was a melding of the Military Industrial Complex, Big Tech, and the Medical Industrial Complex.  

My hope is that after hearing Ms. Sharav’s speech and reading about Ms. Latypova’s testimony, you will have the same fire that arose in all who witnessed. I believe you will become even more committed to our COS Action’s cause. Our Nation’s survival demands we succeed in our efforts. Stay focused on our goal. 

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**Bearing Witness: The Impact of the Spirit's Fruits on a Watching World**

By Jim MacDonald

In the book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul provides profound insights into the Holy Spirit's transformative power in a believer's life. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul presents a list of virtues known as the "fruit of the Spirit." These virtues are intended to characterize the life of a follower of Christ, serving as a guide for personal growth and spiritual maturity. We will explore this fruit, highlighting its manifestations when rooted in our faith in Jesus Christ and the consequences of its absence.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.—Galatians 5:22-23

Love, the foundation of the fruit of the Spirit, finds its ultimate source in the love of God. As we abide in Christ, His love fills our hearts and overflows toward others. It is a selfless, sacrificial love that reflects the very nature of God Himself. This love prompts us to show compassion, forgiveness, and kindness, mirroring the love of Christ for us. Without this love, our hearts may become hardened, leading to self-centeredness, indifference, and broken relationships.

When grounded in our faith in Jesus, the fruit of joy surpasses fleeting happiness based on circumstances. It emanates from the knowledge of our salvation, our hope in Christ, and the assurance of God's faithfulness. This joy brings contentment, gratitude, and a deep delight in our relationship with God. Without this joy, we may experience a lack of fulfillment, discontentment, and despair, tethered to life's temporary ups and downs.

As a fruit of the Spirit, peace flows from our reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. It is a peace that surpasses all understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. This peace enables us to experience tranquility in the midst of trials, to pursue harmony in relationships, and to rest in the assurance of God's sovereignty. In the absence of this peace, anxiety, fear, and discord may prevail, robbing us of serenity and causing turmoil.

When patience is rooted in our faith in Jesus, it reflects God's patience toward us. It is the ability to endure trials, delays, and difficulties with steadfastness, trusting in God's perfect timing and purposes. Patient endurance leads to spiritual growth, perseverance, and a greater reliance on God's guidance. Without patience, we may become easily frustrated, irritable, and quick-tempered, hindering our spiritual development and straining relationships.

When nurtured by our faith in Jesus, kindness flows from the heart, transformed by His love. It is a compassionate and selfless kindness that seeks to bless, uplift, and serve others. Kindness allows us to extend grace, forgiveness, and understanding to those around us, mirroring the kindness we have received from Christ. In the absence of kindness, we may become callous, judgmental, and indifferent, failing to reflect the love of Jesus in our interactions.

The fruit of goodness, grounded in our faith in Jesus, reflects the moral excellence and righteousness that flow from our union with Him. It involves living a life of integrity, honesty, and righteousness, guided by the principles of God's Word. Goodness prompts us to act ethically, to seek justice, and to treat others with respect and dignity. Without goodness, we may compromise our values, succumb to moral relativism, and engage in unrighteous behaviors that tarnish our witness.

Faithfulness, rooted in our faith in Jesus Christ, encompasses both our faith in Him and our commitment to walking in obedience to His Word. It is the unwavering trust in God's promises, remaining steadfast even in challenging circumstances. Faithfulness empowers us to keep our commitments, honor our relationships, and live out our faith consistently and passionately. Without faithfulness, we may falter in our trust, become unreliable, and stray from God's path.

Gentleness, when shaped by our faith in Jesus, reflects the humility and meekness modeled by Christ Himself. It involves treating others with tenderness, compassion, and respect, even in the face of conflict or mistreatment. Gentleness allows us to respond to others gracefully, seeking to restore and reconcile rather than assert power or dominance. In the absence of gentleness, we may display harshness, pride, and a spirit of retaliation, hindering our ability to reflect Christ's character.

Self-control, nurtured by our faith in Jesus, is empowered by the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. It involves the discipline to govern our desires, emotions, and actions, aligning them with God's will and purpose. Self-control enables us to resist temptations, make wise choices, and live in moderation and balance. In the absence of self-control, we may succumb to our fleshly desires, indulge in harmful habits, and compromise our witness as followers of Christ.

As followers of Jesus Christ, the fruit of the Spirit serves as a tangible expression of our faith and union with Him. When this fruit is evident in our lives, they bear witness to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. As we cultivate and exhibit this fruit, rooted in our faith in Jesus, our lives become a testimony of God's love, grace, and truth to the world around us. May we continually seek the Holy Spirit's guidance and empowerment to produce abundant fruit, bringing glory to God and drawing others to experience the life-giving power of Christ.

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**A Glorious Celebration: Honoring America’s Independence Day**

By Jim MacDonald

Two hundred forty-seven years ago, the American colonies found themselves engulfed in turmoil, refusing to tolerate the overreach of the British government infringing upon their hard-earned liberties. The freedom-loving colonies dared to challenge authority, protesting against oppressive stamp and tea taxes, disguising themselves as Indians, and defiantly casting tea overboard into the Boston harbor.

As if their audacity wasn’t bold enough, the Founders took an unprecedented step by signing a document that boldly called out the King for his grievances against the American people. It proclaimed, “The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.”

On July 2nd, 1776, the initial draft of the Declaration of Independence was presented to Congress for approval. Over the following two days, the Founders debated and refined the wording until finally, on July 4th, they ratified the final draft. Congress ordered 200 copies to be printed and distributed throughout the colonies.

Then, on July 9th, at 6 p.m., the troops assembled on the common, eagerly awaiting George Washington’s resounding voice as he read the Declaration of Independence aloud. His powerful declaration proclaimed the birth of “the United Colonies of North America” as “free and independent states.” Each state, he emphasized, possessed the power to reward merit and elevate individuals to the highest honors within a free country.

The Founders understood that signing the Declaration of Independence was akin to signing their own death warrants. Preceding their signatures, they inscribed these words: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

Overflowing with passion, John Adams penned a letter to his wife, Abigail, proclaiming, “The second day of July 1776 will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated as the Day of Deliverance, with solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be celebrated with grandeur, parades, shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever.”

Adams understood the tremendous sacrifices and challenges that lay ahead in upholding this Declaration, and supporting and defending these newly formed states. Yet, amidst the uncertainty, he foresaw the radiant light and glory awaiting them, knowing that future generations would triumph in the legacy of that momentous day.

The Founders, fortified by their unwavering faith in Christ and their Christian beliefs, witnessed miracles throughout the war and believed that God desired His people to be free. They took solace in the words of 2 Corinthians 3:17, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom,” and they embraced the teachings of Galatians 5:13, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

With the assistance of “divine Providence,” the American people ultimately achieved their hard-fought freedom and drafted a Constitution, establishing a new republican form of government in 1787.

In 1837, John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams, delivered a stirring speech on the 4th of July, drawing a parallel between the birth of America and the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Adams mused, “...Is it not that in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? - that it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission upon earth? - that it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity?”

As we come together to celebrate July 4th with parades, bonfires, sports, and spectacular fireworks, let us never forget the immense sacrifices made by our Lord, our Founders, and our soldiers to secure our cherished freedom in the greatest country the world has ever known.

Today, we face challenges as our government encroaches upon our liberties. Yet, we can be grateful that, we possess the ability to call for an Article V convention of states, thanks to the foresight of our Founders. COS Volunteers stand united, fighting to safeguard this great nation, fully aware that God walks beside us every step of the way. Let us remember that the work is ours, but the results belong to Him.

{{https://content.conventionofstates.com/cosaction-prod/public/content/images/69905/69905_original.jpg?300x36}}**Tennessee on the Move...**

Patriots in Ashland City, TN

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Block Walking Patriots in Powell, TN

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Patriots in Chattanooga, TN

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Patriots from Decatur, TN

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Patriots in Dayton, TN

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Patriots in Murfreesboro, TN

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Patriots in Pleasant View, TN

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Patriots in Tullahoma, TN

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{{https://content.conventionofstates.com/cosaction-prod/public/content/images/69951/69951_original.jpg?300x36}}**Upcoming Meetings and** **Events**

**Ashland City, TN.** Tuesday, July 11th, 2023, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Bethlehem Community Center,1506 SR-12N, Ashland City, TN. 37015 Debbie MacDonald, 614-296-0851\\
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**Dayton, TN.** Thursday, July 13th, 2023, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at Monkey Town Brewery, 287 1st Ave., Dayton, TN 37321 Jay Walling\\
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**Decatur, TN.** Saturday, July 22th, 2023, from 11:00 to 12:30 p.m. at the Decatur Family Diner, 17315 SR-58, Decatur, TN  37322 Meet & Greet with Jay Walling \\
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**Hixson, TN.** Thursday, July 27th, 2023, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the Rib & Loin Restaurant, 5435 Hwy 153, Hixson, TN 37343 - Meet and Greet - Jay Walling \\
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**Jamestown, TN.** Saturday, July 8th, 2023, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. at Fentress County Courthouse, 101 N. Main St, Jamestown, TN Larry Wilke\\
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**Kodak, TN.** Saturday, July 29th, 2023, from 11:00 to 2:00 p.m. Patriot Potluck Picnic, Northview Optimist Park 329 Dumplin Valley Rd, Kodak, TN. Pigeon Forge Community Choir presenting a concert celebrating the USA! Join us! Bring a lawn chair and a dish to share! Questions? Call Christine Solomon 832-868-3674\\
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**Loudon, TN.** 1st Wednesday of every month at the Chota Rec Center 145 Awohili Dr., Loudon, TN 37774, Room D from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. - Call Terri Hult for more information: 865-304-6997 \\
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**McMinnville, TN.** Saturday, July 8th, 2023, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. at Magness Library COS Meeting, 118 W. Main St. McMinnville, TN. 37110, Doug Hill & Jay Walling \\
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**Powell, TN.** Saturday, July 8th, 2023, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. at Shoney’s on Emory Rd. Powell, or second Saturday of each month, Anne Martin and Dan Mobley 

**Robertson County, TN.** Thursday, July 27th, 2023 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Location to be determined, Debbie MacDonald, 614-296-0851; Nancy Parkinson, 815-988-7209

**BattleCry,** Join Mark Meckler for the BattleCry every Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. EST on Facebook and Rumble. \\
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