June 25, 2012. It’s hard to believe this date is here. Six years ago today, the idea for the Tenth Amendment Center was born. The very next day, I registered TenthAmendmentCenter.com and things have looked up for this website, now a full-fledged organization, ever since.
But, even though I’m the type of person who always thinks in big-picture-mode, in 2006 I had no idea where this would lead. I wasn’t thinking about building a movement. Or publishing an important educational book on the Constitution. Or releasing a documentary film. Or producing a silver medallion. Or having people I’ve never met join as members – with some even volunteering to lead efforts locally.
No way. I’d would’ve laughed at such thoughts at the time. But that’s where we are today – and beyond.
THANK YOU.
Today, I cannot say this enough. Thank YOU. Without you reading this site , we’d still be a one-person blog, or nothing at all. Without you pressing your state and local politicians to introduce and pass our model legislation, we wouldn’t have the great legislative successes, and news coverage we’ve received. Without you following us and sharing on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and elsewhere, we wouldn’t be able to spread the word to others.
And, without you making gifts of your hard-earned income, we couldn’t afford to do any of this. It ain’t cheap, even though we operate on far less than a shoestring budget, but bills need to be paid. And year in and year out – you keep helping us pay those bills. Our funding is miniscule compared to our reach, but you keep helping us move forward. And moving forward is the only thing we’re going to continue doing.
We are all pieces of a big puzzle that’s had great effect. Each piece makes a difference. And this has led to great things. States and localities around the country have passed laws rejecting everything from Real ID to NDAA “indefinite detention” to insurance mandates and more. And each year this effort is growing.
Bottom line? Without you – taking action in some way – the Tenth Amendment Center wouldn’t exist. And the 10th Amendment movement as we now know it wouldn’t be happening.
So again, thank you for every step you’ve taken – from reading and sharing, to lobbying and donating. Every little bit is essential and we’re extremely grateful for all your support.
BACK THEN
Many people have asked me – what the heck was I thinking when starting the TAC six years ago? Was I just taking a stab in the dark, maybe trying to fill some time?
Nope. I was trying to do something – something of value – something that would help another person.
When the website first launched a few months later, I certainly wanted to make a difference in some way. But, my goals were pretty low. I told myself that the time I had been spending on education, research – and even technology – would all be worth it if I could just reach and open the eyes of just one person, or maybe a small handful of people.
Today, with dozens of contributing writers, dozens of state and local leaders, a book, a documentary, model legislation, news coverage, a radio show, a weekly video news webcast, and more – we’ve gone far beyond that modest initial goal.
Oh yeah – I think this is a good time to say it again. Thank you for being a part of this – and thank you for helping make this all happen.
EVOLUTION IN THOUGHT
I certainly wasn’t always a Tenther. In fact, I was probably the polar opposite of that for most of my early life. My government-school education taught me that government was the solution to all our problems. I came into adulthood with views that today I can honestly describe as communist. For example, I remember when there was an airline bailout many years ago, my initial thought was this – “If the government is bailing these companies out, they why don’t they just own the airlines too!”
I couldn’t even fathom another option at the time – that instead of looking at the method or results of a government action, one might first start by asking if that action should be happening at all.
Laughable as it may seem today, back then Michael Moore was my hero.
Over the years, though, I learned, studied, and grew. I’ve read many great books, and have much more learning yet to do.
Harry Browne (RIP) taught me that government always grows, no matter who’s in charge in Washington D.C. LewRockwell.com taught me that politicians are dangerous – at every level of government. DownsizeDC taught me that working together with like-minded people can make a difference. NORML and the ACLU taught me that state-level resistance to the federal government was actually effective – that saying NO could change the practical effects of federal policy, even if that policy never changed.
IDEAS CAN DEFEAT REGIMES
When you put all the pieces together, you have what we share today in the Tenth Amendment Center. We believe that we must first be educated on the proper role of government. But education alone isn’t enough. Once we have the tools, we then need to take action to make them a reality. We don’t want our opposition educating us, and we don’t want to go to them to fix the problems they created either.
These ideas are powerful. And, they’re catching on more each year (thanks, again to you and your support!). The establishment – on both the left and right – knows this, and they’re not too happy about it either. Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Esquire, Heritage, SPLC and others have all attacked us and the work we do.
We’ve been called fear mongers, lumped in with racists, derided as loons, and more. But, if we weren’t having an effect, they wouldn’t be wasting their time.
The establishment opposes us because we are further from the status quo than virtually anything in the country. We aren’t just some new set of opposition voices doing the same thing as every other organization. We aren’t just complaining, or participating in their rigged games either. We are pushing a total sea change of how people respond to abuses of power.
Nullify now, ask questions later.
While this task might seem impossible or insurmountable – we know that our cause is just
Become a member and support the TAC!
For a guy who shares a birthday with “Rosa Parks day” – I feel more and more honored and grateful each year to have been given this unbelievable opportunity to spend my life working for a great cause. Resisting the monsters in D.C – and all their so-called “laws” in every peaceful way possible.
While you and I might not know each other personally, I most certainly consider you friends and family in this historic struggle for liberty. I’m honored to be by your side.
From each and every one of us here at the Tenth Amendment Center – thank you.
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