Texas Constitutional Convention Updates
Texas
Constitutional Convention Updates
July 4, 1997
Ladies and gentlemen... on behalf of the Texas Constitutional Convention Coordinating Committee... I applaud and congratulate you on your decision to participate in this, the first ever constitutional convention called by Texas citizens through the authority of Article 1, Section 2 of the Texas Constitution... and the first citizen's constitutional convention in Texas convened outside of the control of government since 1836. There is a big difference of course... those brave souls in 1836 faced an invading army of their own government... and yet, in defiance of tyranny, they worked in the heat and humidity without the benefit of air conditioning, in-door plumbing or running water.
At least this august body of delegates will enjoy the comforts of in-door plumbing and electricity. Unlike that earlier body of Texas patriots, you and I will not be faced with a belligerent army threatening us with annihilation. We do, however, face other adversities. Not the least of which is antagonistic government officials, fearful of our lawful and peaceful process, and a populace largely unaware and apathetic to our goal of providing a constitution which will liberate them from the tyranny that they endure at the hands of a hidden, but just as dangerous enemy.
I know not what motivates you to be here on this historic day... I know not your personal cares and woes which burden you...
I do know that whatever were the obstacles that stood in your way... you obviously figured out a way to be among the few who are about to begin a momentous change in Texas history... which when completed, will rock the world with its significance. I am convinced that your work here will inspire millions of people all over the world to demand the same liberties that we seek for Texas.
We would not be here today were it not for the tireless efforts of members of the Texas Constitutional Convention Coordinating Committee. At this time, I ask all members of the coordinating committee to please stand, and come forward as I call your name to be recognized.
Vice Moderator Gregory Scales of Abilene.Treasurer Donald Henson of El Paso.Publicity and advertising chairman Charles Duncan of Post.Secretary Sara Lowe of Rice.Cloyce Williams of Shallowater.Karen Williams of Shallowater (not present)Alonso Martinez of El PasoRobert Sudbury of Abilene
Many others have assisted the coordinating committee, and to all of you who contributed to this convention and its lawful process, we give you our deepest gratitude!
Here's what this committee has done to ensure lawful process to convene this constitutional convention:
We believe these procedures adequately satisfied the requirements for public notification of this convention. No other convention of this sort has ever gone to the lengths of notification that we have... and that includes the only one of its kind in history that we have as a model... the one that was held in March 1836.
No other convention has ever been as open to delegates as this one... you know the qualifications: (1) be 21 years or older prior to July 4, 1997, (2) have lived in Texas more than six months prior to July 4, 1997 and (3) get the signatures of two other Texans meeting those requirements to designate you as their delegate.
It's a wonder we didn't have a thousand people here today, or a million... just about any Texan could have signed up as a delegate. The coordinating committee was criticized early about having such an open qualification... many were concerned that the opponents of this convention would pack this building with trouble makers... but it was a chance we had to take... because we wanted to make sure that no Texan would come forward later and claim that we were conducting a "closed" convention, or that we were screening out certain kinds of people... We will not flinch from such criticism... we hold our head high and point with pride to our accomplishment.
We were sent to lawfully convene a constitutional convention... and that is what we are about to do.
After lunch, we will officially convene this convention with the election of a secretary, followed by the election of a chairman. And if it be the will of the delegates here assembled, the coordinating committee will be dissolved and we will assume our places as delegates.
Until then, I have a few comments and observations I wish to make.
During the past several months, especially since April 26, when your coordinating committee officially proclaimed this convention and began the formal process... several of us have been quizzed by news media folks. The most common questions posed to us have been:
Here's the answers we have generally given to those questions. They are, I believe, a reflection of the mood of not only the delegates assembled here, but millions of other Texans who are watching us and praying that we write a new constitution to correct the abuses of government against the people.
First - why are doing this? What are the specific reasons?
We are here to do what our ancestors predicted we would do, when in their wisdom and experiences, they insisted on including Article 1, Section 2 into their constitution. Its wording is similar in Texas constitutions beginning in 1836, but not unexpectedly, omitted from the carpet-bagger document of 1868... it's short, let me read it to you:
All political power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their benefit. The faith of the people of Texas stands pledged to the preservation of a republican form of government, and subject to this limitation only, they have at all times the inalienable right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think expedient." Constitution of Texas, February, 1876.
Now as to the second part of the first question... our reasons.
It is obvious to anyone who has ever tried to read the current Texas Constitution, that it is totally inadequate... the sheer volume alone makes it nearly unworkable. It has been amended so many times that most people have given up counting. The document is riddled with loopholes for special interests.
But the most critical reason for writing a new constitution is the simple fact that the current document does not secure our individual rights adequately. Its looseness of language and inclusion of socialistic programs has fostered a continuing series of legislative acts which have stripped us of our fundamental rights. This weakness must be corrected, or else we will continue to live under the rule of executive, legislative and judicial collusion.
We charge that we have no security of private lives and individual liberties... we have no security in the ownership of our property and we have no access to redress of grievances through courts of common law.
We are subjected both by the state and U.S. governments as slaves... subjects are what they call us... subjects to the demands of the majority... we are ruled by the tyranny of democracy... where the majority tramples the rights of the minority... smashing liberties as they march contentedly as obedient slaves to the socialist state.
Both state and U.S. governments exercise armed force to take from us what is rightfully ours... our wages is in the form of taxation... our property in the form of civil seizure... without even the hint of due process. Every person in this building, may at the discretion of the state police, be stopped on the highway, stripped of their possessions, hauled off to jail and held indefinitely, without even a formal charge being levied against them... all on mere suspicion and sanctioned by the state and federal judiciary in direct violation of our inalienable rights. That is clearly the sort of tyranny we oppose and intend to change with this new constitution.
There are more reasons... but I am sure they will be aired by delegates as this convention proceeds.
Next question: "What's wrong with the way things are now?"
Only a contented slave of the socialist state would bother to ask that question. Last February I was asked this question by a television reporter who said she thought things were okay... I responded by pointing out to her that apparently she had not been a victim yet. She leaned back in her chair and after a few seconds replied, "I see what you mean."
The pool of victims of state and federal abuse widens every day. And that is the good news for those of us who wish to change government to secure our rights. By the time this new constitution comes to a vote, millions more will have felt the heavy boot of state and U.S. government abuse. As an example, recently in Grayson County, more than a thousand motorists were ticketed in one day on a lonely stretch of road in a state sponsored seat belt campaign... one of the uniformed state agents was posted at the bottom of the hill, and using a pair of binoculars, he "marked" the drivers who were not wearing seat belts for his partners further down the road... this violation of our inalienable right netted approximately $85,000 in revenue that day.
What were these people doing to make themselves targets of the state police? They were exercising their inalienable right to travel, minding their own business, not harming nor threatening anyone. The price they paid for not behaving as obedient slaves is the price we all pay when we allow government to exceed its authority. We will correct this abuse when we complete this new constitution and enough victims of state abuse vote to approve it.
Question number three: Why not work within the system for change?
This is a laughable question. You may be like me and millions of other Texans who in the past 10 years or more have tried this approach. You know that the political landscape is strewn with heaps of would-be reformers... posing as republicans, democrats, Perotistas, Libertarians or independents... and the list goes on and on... and to what success can any of these so-called reformers point? None. The only "third" party which has any record of success in changing government in America has been the Communist Party... which has seen most of Karl Marx' 10 programs for instituting a communist society implemented by state and federal legislators. How did this happen?
The answer is quite simple, actually. The state and federal political system is based on a model of democracy, and the mob rules. The powerful two political parties, have been and are in collusion with one another to strangle any competing new political parties through their control of legislation. Furthermore, their candidates talk the talk, but in the end, are all motivated by the desire to win... and they are appealing to the masses. They say what they need to say to get nominated, do what they need to do to get elected in a democracy, and then behave as they want to once elected. There is basically no limit to the franchise to vote... and just as Marx and his socialist followers predicted, soon after full and unlimited franchise to vote, the masses will take what is not theirs to be used for the benefit of those who control the political power of the masses.
Constitutional restraint means nothing to these lovers of democracy... because the mob rules... democracy smothers out dissent it opposes. Until this system is changed, and we institute a real republic form of government, with a limited franchise to vote, we will continue to suffer under a Marxist and socialist system... one that authorizes and condones the theft of individual property for the benefit of the society... or to the collective state.
ES NO BUENOS POR NADA. We must do what we can to change this system. And further more... NO SOY ENCLAVA DE LOS FEDERALES... I am not and will not be a slave to any government or its agents.
The fourth most often asked question: "How can you claim to represent all the people in this convention?"
This one is easy to answer... and it floors them every time... We have never claimed and do not now claim to represent any other than ourselves, and those two citizens who delegated us to speak for them at this convention.
The issue is not how many participate here, or how they were chosen... that is the issue for those who favor democracy... the issue is the quality of the document that we produce.
Now, it is time for us to do just that... we will disagree, and in those disagreements we must maintain respect for each other... and use our powers of reasoning and persuasion to win over one another to our position.
I am confident in our purpose, and in the outcome. And when it is finished, I am prayerful that we will produce a constitution which I will be able to proudly place on the table at government and citizen meetings... showing county and city officials and fellow citizens how their lives will be enhanced by implementing this new constitution for Texas.
Which brings us to the final question: How will you get this constitution to a vote of all the people of Texas?
We usually answer this question with a reminder that no one will ever get 100 percent of Texans to agree on anything, let alone a new constitution. That is not required... but we will have to develop a plan so that qualified Texas voters will be able to participate in the election. It is not that complicated... a general election will be held in November 1998... county clerks will be printing ballots for that election and it would be appropriate, as well as efficient, to place the issue before Texans at that time... when they will already by considering to vote. We will remind state and county elected officials of the oath they took to support and uphold the constitution... and we have faith that they will see the wisdom of recognizing the right of the people to decide... as it is spelled out in Article 1, Section 2.
But how we do that is a decision of you and I, delegates to this convention, will have to make. But first, we will have to produce a document worthy of consideration... soon we will begin that task.
Copyright at Common Law, West El Paso Information Network, 1997
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