cb_mirror_public:may_june_newsletter_sis_pages_24738
Title: May-June Newsletter
Original CoS Document (slug): may-june-newsletter
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Created: 2024-05-07 09:59:59
Updated: 2024-05-07 10:02:48
Published: 2024-05-07 03:00:00
Converted: 2025-04-14T20:36:59.655668842
Getting Rid of “Whatever”
| View this email in your browser |  | ====== Passed State #6 ====== | ====== 69,928 INDIANA STRONG! ====== | COS Indiana Vision: To build a strong, engaged army of self-governing activists. |  | Click below to view the video REMEMBERING FALLEN HEROES Man has been profoundly influenced, not only by his concepts of Deity, but also by the character of the heroes whom he has chosen to honor. It is most unfortunate that those who have come to venerate the divine and risen Christ should have overlooked the man—the valiant and courageous hero—Jesus—who said: “Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.” To fallen soldiers let us sing Where no rockets fly nor bullets wing Our broken brothers let us bring To the mansions of the Lord No more bleeding, no more fight No prayers pleading through the night Just divine embrace, eternal light In the mansions of the Lord Where no mothers cry And no children weep We shall stand and guard though the angels sleep While through the ages safely keep The mansions of the Lord  | STATE NEWS | COS INDIANA EVENT CALENDAR |  | Click on the Event Calendar to go directly to Teamup for more details. Events & Festivals | Visit Indiana – schedule and host a booth for COS! |  | COMING EVENTS |  | COS INDIANA LIVE BROADCASTS With Host Dale Parrish and Co-Host Ken Kashuba   Dale's broadcast is live-streamed on Facebook and Youtube Every Monday at 7:00 PM Eastern Time TUNE IN FOR ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS! (4th Mondays – Special Topics) May 27th and June 24th, 2024  | PROMOTE YOUR EVENTS HERE! Please be sure to post dates/times/details of your event on the Teamup Calendar. After the event share pictures in the events channel on Slack and include some details about your event and the volunteers who helped make it a success. You might be featured in the next newsletter! | EVENT HIGHLIGHTS |  Gary Speelman, Diane Jones and Howard Rohrabaugh educating the Noble county community and getting more petitions signed at Noblepalooza! Job well done! | THE DIRECTOR'S CUT |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DALE TIPTON – COS Indiana State Director The State Director's Summary Report: This is the summary report for COS Indiana for the month of April 2024. Action Reports Action reports totaled 140 (+6) from March 2024. Our past high was recorded in March 2023 (309). Region 5 continued to lead the way statistically. Individual volunteer standouts across the state include Diane Jones, David Nally, and Greg Colman. ––We currently list 66,014 petition signers (+134). We have 69,928 total supporters (+138). Active district captains’ number 16. (+1). Active region captains’ number 8. (No change). Monthly COS financial donors totaled 100 (-9). The previous high was 117 in October 2023. ––Social media has become a big part of what we do in COS Indiana. YouTube hits: March 32,586 (+7,115), a new record. The previous high was November 2023 with 26,028. I understand a goal is now set of 40,000 and it looks to be within reach very soon! Legislative Update I am excited to report that during this legislative session we have already achieved passage of the COS Resolution in: Iowa - House State Government subcommittee Iowa - House State Government Committee Idaho - Senate Judiciary & Rules Committee Massachusetts - Joint Committee on Veterans & Federal Affairs (note:13 Democrat & 3 Republican legislators) Massachusetts - House Steering, Policy and Scheduling Committee (note: 9 Democrat & 2 Republican Representatives) Hawaii - Senate Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs (note: entirely Democratic committee) And… I am thrilled to announce that the COS Resolution just passed in the Pennsylvania Senate State Government Committee this week with a vote of 6-5! Leading up to this victory, PA COS activists surged the Pennsylvania Capitol Building to advocate for an Article V convention. The COS team engaged with all 253 House and Senate members, holding meetings and distributing educational materials. As one member put it, “Every hall, office, and level of the PA Capitol was filled with COS supporters all morning.” Moreover, this victory follows on the heels of a poll that we commissioned from a well-respected pollster in PA, which showed that 69% of Republicans, 70% of Democrats and 77% of Independents felt strongly enough about COS to cross party lines to vote for a candidate who supports Convention of States! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MARENGO MIKE |
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| (Click on image to play video) Marengo Mike is created by COS Indiana State Comms Director Ken Kashuba |
| IDEALS OF SELF-GOVERNANCE |
 | Paul Phillips – Free to Be Free Moment Topic: Executive Orders |
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| PATRIOT VOLUNTEERS |
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| PLEDGE YOUR LIFE, FORTUNE & SACRED HONOR Our grassroots army, driven by their patriotic spirit, takes up the call to action every day. They bravely stand at the forefront, rallying communities, working with lawmakers, and generating the momentum necessary to call for the convention. They have enlisted in this battle for freedom, dedicating their lives to the cause. Now, we invite you to answer the call and pledge your life, fortune, and sacred honor to empower these grassroots activists who champion the cause of liberty. Your support will keep them actively engaged, fostering conversations with lawmakers, rallying communities, and building the necessary momentum to bring about the convention we urgently require. **PATRIOT CLUB – COS ACTION** |
| “SHARE THE PETITION” MONTHLY CHALLENGE These are critical times! 2024 is going to be an historic year! Forward this newsletter to your family and friends! Explain why this project is so important! THE CHALLENGE: Share the COS Project with at least one person each month! Get them to sign the petition. It's the least you can do!  THE NEW 2024 GOAL: 80,000 SUPPORTERS! www.conventionofstates.com When you sign the petition, go to the volunteer page to see available service options! |
| Aspirational Goal: To bring a Political and Spiritual Awakening to America. |
 The Bible's Guide for Christian Activism by Tim Heidenreich – COS Indiana Prayer Contact There has been discussion among some COS supporters–and those considering supporting COS–as to a potential conflict between their Christian faith and their COS activism. For anyone facing this dilemma, please read the two sections below and consider Mr. Packer’s opinion on the subject. The following paragraphs are excerpts from “The Bible’s Guide for Christian Activism” by J.I. Packer, a 1991 article published in “Christianity Today.” Although that was over thirty years ago, his thoughts are even more relevant today… Making Democracy Work Representative democracy as we know it—in which the legislature, the judiciary, and the executive have separate status, the public information services (media) are not under government control, the elected administration always faces an elected opposition, and popular elections on a one-man, one-vote basis recur at regular intervals—is not the only form of government under which Christian citizens have lived and served God. However, there is no doubt that from a Christian standpoint it is a fitter and wiser form than any other. The Christian recommendation of democracy rests on two insights. The first is the awareness that government of the people, by the people, for the people, in an open community system that in principle allows anyone to qualify for any office, best expresses in political terms the God-given dignity and worth of each individual. The second is the perception that, since in this fallen world, as Lord Acton put it, all power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, the separation of powers and the building of checks and balances into executive structures will limit the dangers of corruption, even if such procedures for restraint will never eliminate them entirely. These Christian insights mesh with the worldly wisdom that sees that the more citizens can feel they have shared in making the decisions that now shape their lives, the more resolutely they will adhere to them. The pattern of government, therefore, that maximizes public consent will ordinarily be more stable than any other system. Christian citizens, then, may be expected to show a firm commitment to the principles of democracy and to see themselves as bound to do all they can to make democracy work. But that means conscientious commitment to the democratic process as the best way of decision making within the body politic. What Should the Christian Citizen Do? The New Testament does not speak about active political participation, for the very good reason that this was not an option for first-century believers. The Roman Empire was not a democracy, and many if not most Christians were not Roman citizens. They were a small minority from the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum and were viewed as eccentric deviants from the older eccentricity of Judaism. They had no political influence, nor any prospect of gaining any. So the only politically significant things they could do were pay their taxes (Matt. 17:24–27; 22:15–21; Rom. 13:6–7), pray for their rulers (1 Tim. 2:1–4), and keep the peace (Rom. 12:18; 1 Thess. 5:13–15). Present-day representative democracy, however, opens the door to a wider range of political possibilities and thereby requires of us more in the way of responsible commitment than circumstances required in New Testament times. That commitment may be summarized: 1. All should keep informed; otherwise we cannot judge well about issues, vote well for candidates, or pray well for rulers. Political ignorance is never a Christian virtue. 2. All should pray for those in power. The secret efficacy of prayer, as Scripture reveals it, is enormous. 3. All should vote in elections and referendums, whenever expressions of public opinion are called for. We should be led in our voting by issues rather than personalities, and not by single issues viewed in isolation, but by our vision of total community welfare. This is one way, real if small, in which we may exert influence as the world’s salt and light (Matt. 5:13–16). 4. Some should seek political influence by debating, writing, and working within the political party with which they are in nearest agreement. Clergy should not ordinarily do this, since it will be a barrier to the acceptance of their ministry by people who disagree with their politics. It is, however, very desirable that laypeople with political interest should be encouraged to see the gaining and exerting of political influence as a field of Christian service, alongside the fields of church life, worship, and witness. 5. Some should accept a political vocation. Who should do this? Those in whom interest, ability, and opportunity coincide, and on whom no rival career has a stronger claim; those with a vision for improving man’s lot globally, advancing international peace, replacing unprincipled discrimination with justice, and furthering public decency; those, finally, who are prepared to work hard with patience, humility, tolerance, and integrity, fleeing fanaticism, riding rebuffs, and putting the public interest before their own. The Bible histories mentioned earlier show that God wants some of his servants as professional politicians, leading and shaping society well, and the discovery that one is fitted for the role is a prima facie summons from God to go ahead and embrace it. Please feel free to email Tim with your prayer requests… PRAYER REQUESTS Spiritual battles cannot be fought without prayer… |
| OPINION / EDITORIALS |
| Opinions expressed in the following articles are solely the expressed views of the authors. |
 GETTING RID OF “WHATEVER” By An Ordinary Citizen | April 28, 2024 “A word is dead when it is said, some say. I say it just begins to live that day.” – Emily Dickinson, “A Word is Dead” I’m a writer. And, like Emily Dickinson, I believe that words written or spoken have power. But the delivery matters at least as much, if not more. November 19, 1863. Would Lincoln’s words on the battlefield at Gettysburg have been as soul-catching if they were read by a Congressional representative in front of the House? No. It didn’t hurt a thing that the President’s words were short, and to the point. But it was the poignancy of the time, the place, and the delivery that carried them home. August 19, 1963. Would the “I Have a Dream” speech be as powerful delivered in a monotone by some tepid guy in a suit? Someone other than Martin Luther King? Somewhere other than in front of the Lincoln Memorial surrounded by a mass of civil rights marchers? Doubtful at best. Lincoln had the advantage of the appropriate and poignant place, and a war-weary audience that truly could not predict what was coming next for the country. Martin Luther King had the advantage of location, a large audience made larger by television, and a topic that was totally on point given the crises of that time. On days little more than a century apart, both men attempted to ignite a spark of hope when hope was hard to come by. Their words and delivery spoke to the possibility that a diverse people could forge alliances that allowed them all to live in relative and cooperative peace as a nation. And each tried, in his own way, to touch what remained of the spirit of America. Today words still have power, but the delivery method is vastly different. Today, via cell phone or computer, words are delivered so rapidly that they blend together. It becomes difficult to tell which ones are important, which are lies, and which are life-changing. Like Eliza Doolittle in the musical My Fair Lady (by Lerner and Loewe), we all “get words all day through.” But they make no sense. And maybe that’s part of the problem. Maybe the piling on of word after word, works to blunt our senses so that over time we accept (or at least allow) what, at first glance, may seem outrageous. We see murders, weddings, wars, rescued animals, talking heads, and honor walks…. all in one scrolling episode until our attitude becomes one long feeling of “whatever.” We are numb. Marx called religion the opiate of the masses. Opiates numb us to pain, to confusion, to things we cannot understand. They keep the bogeyman away for a while and leave us accepting, and quiet. Maybe our use of cellphones to troll and scroll is our opiate. We are numb for a while, and numb feels better. We are okay with “whatever.” Unfortunately, this is not the time to be numb or (heaven forbid) woke, but awake and active. Our country is in jeopardy. There is no guarantee of success, and we are threatened from without and within. Sounds awful. But on the other hand this is not all that different than the situation of the country in 1787 when Elizabeth Powell asked Ben Franklin, “Well Doctor, what do we have? A republic or a monarchy?” He replied, “A republic if you can keep it.” In other words, the Continental Congress was doing its part. The citizens now needed to do theirs. It’s Our Turn So it’s our turn…and “whatever” is not on the agenda. The solution is not easy, but it is simple. We do what we told our toddlers to do. We use our words. But, then we follow them up with action. Here are some ideas. If we see something that threatens the fabric of a civilized society (e.g., homeless encampments, Drag Queen story hours, porn in the school library, rioting and looting, shoplifting with no consequence, dangerous criminals released without bail) we have to speak up and get others to speak up with us. This is more than complaining to the powers that be. We should also look to find solutions and identify organizations that can be helped to implement them. Use the phone as a tool, not a narcotic. There are many tools that can be used for good or ill – television, guns, and cars come to mind. They are all useful, but can be dangerous in the wrong hands. The cell phone is the same. Use it to help you research potential solutions for the problems you see around you. How are other cities coping? What kinds of tactics are being used to combat the erosion of our society? There are people out there doing things… good things. Find them. Support the enforcement of local, state, and federal laws, and fiercely oppose the election or re-election of anyone who has shown preferential treatment to law-breakers based on political affiliation, race, gender, ethnicity, economic status, or religion. Pay attention to any activities in your community (including the schools) that have an impact on kids. We are raising our future. We need to confirm that the adults who lead or oversee youth activities teach and lead not based on ideology, but based on what is best for the country and the young people that will lead it some day. The truth is, none of us can change what is happening by ourselves. But each of us can do something. And really, what’s the alternative? Ask anyone who has ever lived under Marxist rule. “Whatever” quickly becomes undesirable at best. To compare 2024 to the book “1984” is old hat. We are living it because we allow it. Like 2nd or 3rd generation rich kids who fritter away their family’s wealth, we are in danger of tossing away those freedoms we think we inherited. Those inalienable rights can be legislated away faster than you think. No? Think again. The Patriot Act Passed in 2001 after 9/11, the Patriot Act was enacted to increase protection against terrorist activities inside our country. It was supposed to expire or be reauthorized by Congress every few years. Although the Act expired in March, 2020 without being reauthorized, federal law enforcement agencies still retain most of the authorities granted by the act. Critics today are concerned about the impact of agency behavior on privacy and civil liberties. They argue that the act's broad surveillance powers have the potential for abuse, leading to unwarranted invasions of privacy and the targeting of innocent individuals. Gee, where have we seen that lately? As Franklin said, we have a democratic republic if we can keep it. That is, if each of us, as individuals, is willing to do anything we can do to make that happen. At the very least, this means we use our words, speak up, and follow up with some kind of action, however small that may seem. Numbing out rather than taking action means that whoever is running our counties, towns, cities, states, and country don’t have to worry. Because we are all just fine with “whatever.” An Ordinary Citizen is a concerned activist and a regular content writer for Convention of States – COS Indiana – the Finish Line. |
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| DALE TIPTON COS Indiana State Director Ken Kashuba – COS Indiana Communications Director   Susan Lyon – Editor COS Indiana Newsletter Content Writers: Please submit your articles for review to the <Editor> by the 28th each month. Copyright © 2024 *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. |
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