People of Conviction

"These were very strong men. Men that might have bent, but never broke. They went together to craft our more perfect union..."

I was asked not too long ago by someone who is not politically affiliated, why I am a conservative. Why I was drawn to associate with people of the same ilk as I. I thought about this very important question for a minute. I then looked that person straight in the eye and gave this answer: "People I know who are truly conservative are people of principle. They are people of conviction. They love this country, they love our history, they love our Constitution. And most all love our God which made this all possible."

A few days later I thought about that exchange. I thought about my answer. I then thought about conviction. About principle. And that led me to think about our Founding Fathers. The kind of principles they had. Their convictions. How each day they lived, was defined by the final words in our Declaration of Independence - "...we mutually pledge to each other, our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred honor."

I have to confess, even though I have heard and read those words dozens, maybe hundreds of times, they still send chills up and down my spine. Not just once in a while - every time.

These men, our Founding Fathers, who first constructed and then put on paper documents such as our Declaration of Independence, our Constitution, and then our Bill of Rights, were rock solid in their beliefs and commitments to this fledgling country. They were ready to give up everything, to give all for this more perfect union, which was forming right in front of their eyes.

Yes, citizens of today could learn quite a bit about the dedication and loyalty these men had to our country. I am humbled by how little I do. And then find myself challenged to do more. To give more. To learn more. To be more.

I continue to be drawn like a moth to a flame by people who are of strong conviction and character. People who love this country. People who understand what American Exceptionalism really stands for. People who neither negotiate nor surrender their core values. 

Recently there were a handful of conservative women who met in St. Paul to pray. To pray for the end to abortion. To pray for the end to the unspeakable acts Planned Parenthood performs. And why did they do that? On such a hot, humid summer day? Because these women are people of conviction. Of honor. Of principle. They know the taking of a life, regardless of the stage of development, is wrong. It is reprehensible, and morally wrong.

I will this once again. I draw immeasurable strength from people of conviction, of principle, and of character. Associating with people like this is how we all get better. It is how I get better. It is our secular version of iron sharpening iron. For as we continue to craft and dwell in this more perfect union, we still pledge our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor to each other. So help us God.