Defending liberty and virtue, respecting and honoring the Constitution—these things are not politics. They are our civic duty. Politics is simply a word people hide behind when they don’t have any principles or lack the courage to stand up for what’s right. We can’t talk about life because “it is political.” We can’t talk about God because “it is political.” We can’t talk about right and wrong and the 10 Commandments because, you guessed it, “it’s political.”

Just look at all the things that have been politicized today--life, religion, babies, healthcare, income, work,freedom—even America itself has become a political issue. It’s absurd.

We need to rise above the scum line of politics and realize being proud to be an American and willing to defend freedom is not political—it is our civic duty.

So how do we know the difference? The many years I spent dealing with politics and politicians led me to create some definitions to help us differentiate between the two.
​
Politics, as we see it today, is a product of pride, worldliness, and a lust for power. That is why so many of us cringe when we hear the word “politician” and look down our noses on the profession as beneath us.
Civic responsibility, on the other hand, is that duty which every American has as a citizen of this country, to respect the law, preserve the U.S. Constitution, be involved in our communities, safeguard the Republic, watch over our government, and seek out and elect good leaders to represent us.
Politics is the result of what happens when not enough of us fulfill that duty.
That leads me to the perpetrators of politics—the politicians!

A Politician is a person who lusts for power, is obsessed with self-importance, and motivated by greed. Politicians have been groomed in politics. They learn the artful craftiness of deceit; the clever tactics of scheming to get gain and win votes and the cunning methods of distraction, distortion, denial and blame shifting. Politicians will say and do whatever it takes to keep and add to their power. They are motivated by self-preservation and personal gain, and put their own interests above the people they serve.

Politicians will vote for anything they feel benefits them regardless of how their constituents feel or whether or not it is in the best interest of the country. Politicians are self-serving individuals who hold little regard for God or country and feel no loyalty or affection for the people they serve.

A Statesman, however, is a person of integrity and high moral character, who possesses a strong desire to serve others, recognizes his/her imperfections and strives to overcome them to be the best person he/she can be. Statesmen have been trained in humanity. They learn the moral code of right and wrong, the positive attributes of honesty, humility, patriotism, accepting responsibility, and the selfless standards of love thy neighbor, the golden rule, and country before self.

Statesmen are people of faith who believe in a supreme being and a future state of rewards and punishments. They research issues carefully and do their best to vote in the best interest of the Republic and the people they represent--even if it means losing votes. Statesmen cherish freedom and liberty, have a deep affection and concern for those they serve and feel a profound sense of duty and loyalty to their country. They live their faith, reverence God, and respect the faith of others. In short, they had good mamas!

Perhaps you feel I am oversimplifying in my definitions. Maybe you think I’m too harsh on politicians. That’s possible.

I am sure there are politicians who possess some of the characteristics of a statesman and I know there are statesmen who fall prey to politics but we must ask ourselves, are we willing to settle with mediocre? Is 80 percent statesman good enough? How would you feel about your husband or wife being 80 percent faithful? It is extremely unlikely we will ever get a 100 percent statesman because none of us are perfect but lowering our standard isn’t the answer. We need to set the bar high because one thing is for sure, we will never rise above the bar we set.

If we don’t separate civic duty from politics and politicians from statesmen our vision becomes blurry and we allow things like killing babies and gay marriage to turn into “freedom of choice” and “equality.” We allow politicians to seize power they haven’t been given and write laws they have no authority to pass.

A statesman thinks he belongs to the State, but a politician thinks the State belongs to him.

Do we want politicians serving in Congress? What about city councils and school boards, the media, or the teachers who teach our children? And most of all, what do we want to be ourselves?

Corruption doesn’t begin in Washington and it doesn’t end there either. We need statesmen in our schools teaching our children, in the media presenting the news and in elected offices serving the people. We need to be statesmen ourselves and it is imperative we teach our children how to be statesmen.

“The difference between a politician and statesman, said James Freeman Clarke, “is that a politician thinks about the next election while the statesman thinks about the next generation.”
​
As election season nears we have the opportunity to decide the kind of leaders we will have. We might get lucky and find a statesman on the ballot but the most powerful influence we have will be found in the kind of leaders we raise in our own home and the kind of person we determine to be ourselves.

I considered heavily what she said but still continued to come up with every name I could think of.  No matter how many names I came up with "HomeMakers for America" kept coming to the forefront.  For weeks I fought against the name until one day I realized who I was fighting against.  The Lord was calling me to form this organization so shouldn't should be called the name He wanted? It was clear that HomeMakers for America was the name He wanted and so, HomeMakers for America it became. 

Since then, I have come to realize the wisdom of God's choice.  He knew the power of the name even if I didn't because He knows the powerful influence of His daughters. He knows how much He needs them to preserve this last bastion of hope for the world.  Women are the center of the home and home is the center of society.  Nations have risen and fallen at the hands of women.  What better name is there to speak to the hearts of Americans than that which represents those who who are molding the future.

I have seen this name garner respect in senate halls.  I have seen it command attention in committee hearings and legislative offices.  Over the last decade I have witnessed over and over the powerful influence of homemaker.  I have come to realize the majesty of the name, the influence it holds and the divine nature it represents.  And now I can say that I truly understand just how important women are in the preservation of liberty, virtue and all we hold dear--not just in our nation--but in the world.

After founding HomeMakers for America, I began speaking at various events, writing articles and doing media interviews to share what I'd learned. I've met the most amazing people along the way.  In 2011, at the urging of many friends and "fans" I published my first book WOMEN: America's Last Best Hope.  I am a contributing writer with  The Blaze.  My articles have also been published on  as Townhall.com, American Thinker and Worldnetdaily.  ​

www.theblaze.com/contributions/ohioans-know-all-about-voter-fraud/

Since Donald Trump first mentioned the idea of a “rigged election,” President Barak Obama has not missed an opportunity to dismiss claims of voter fraud as laughable.
He has repeatedly referred to Trump’s claims as a “conspiracy theory” and the media are playing right along. While the media and establishment from both parties feign horror over Trump’s claims of voter fraud, Ohioans know it isn’t a conspiracy theory, it’s a fact.
The Project Veritas videos and investigations in Colorado and Indiana prove that voter fraud is happening as we speak. But those who think dead people voting and forged signatures are the only issue would be shocked to find out just how broad and how deep the fraud is.

I’ve been engaged in grass-roots campaigns, elections and activism for over 16 years. Seven of those years were on the ground in Ohio where I volunteered with several local and three presidential campaigns. I served as the operations manager for the John McCain/Sarah Palin Victory Center in Dayton.
Ohio is a huge target for voter fraud, but even Trump would be shocked to find out just how organized, deliberate and blatant it is.
My first experience was in the 2004 election in Trotwood, Ohio — a middle-class black community just north of Dayton. Our family was assigned to pass out voter guides at the polling station at Mount Olivet Church.
I noticed a woman in a bright yellow rain jacket right by the front door. The back of her jacket read “Voting Rights Team.” She told me she was from Maryland and that she had come in on a bus with several other volunteers and staff to make sure African American voters knew how to mark their ballot to ensure their vote counted. On the other side of the doorway were three to five people waving Democrat slate cards and shouting, “Here’s your candidates” as voters walked in to vote.

Ohio state law forbids any kind of campaigning within 100 feet of the entrance to the polling station. They were right outside the door. They told me they were paid by the Democrat Party to be there.
Inside the church a crowd of voters filled the hallway: some checking in on the left and others voting on the right. Everyone was bumping into each other and talking back and forth asking who they were supposed to vote for. That’s when I noticed the a lady in a suit lean in pointing to one of the voter’s ballots.
“Those are the ones you want,” she said. “The ones with the ‘D’ beside their name.”
Since then I have been flabbergasted at the absolute blatancy of the fraud.
Ohio’s Golden week was also a real gem.
Pushed by the Democrats in 2005 Golden Week allowed individuals to register to vote and vote on the same day. Supporters claimed this law created an ideal opportunity for those who couldn’t afford to take time out of their work schedules. The Ohio legislature ended Golden Week in 2015 but the ACLU worked hard to try and oet it back.
This year Ohioans face a new fraud game.
Nursing homes and assisted living centers have been a target for voter fraud for years. Secretary of State Jon Husted, amidst mounting pressure by Democrats, sent an absentee ballot application to every registered voter in Ohio.
“It is easy for caretakers in nursing homes and assisted living facilities to ‘help’ our relatives to fill out the request form. Then when the absentee ballot application comes back, they ‘help’ these seniors fill out the ballot and mail in their vote – or perhaps even fill out the ballot without their knowledge. Unfortunately too many of these votes are based on the caretakers’ political preferences and not the senior citizens,” said Tom Zawitowski, president of We the People Foundation in Ohio.
In spite of all of this and all the other voter fraud tactics used by Democrat operatives, it is still not enough to turn the election.
That is where the media come in. Propaganda and talking points from the Hillary Clinton campaign has been generously picked up and disseminated to the masses.
The powerful secret to destroying voter fraud—Don’t Stay Home!
In the 2012 election 2,353,957 registered voters in Ohio did not vote. Mitt Romney lost by 166,272 votes.
“A mere 7 percent increase in rural counties would amount to 195,980 votes and victory,” said Zawitowski.
Don’t fall prey to the media’s ultimate voter fraud. This election is NOT over. No matter how much voter fraud we face this election; we can win if we vote. The look on the faces of CNN anchors on November 9 will make it all worth it.

http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/hillarys-village-good-for-families-businesses-and-the-american-economy/

If being able to sell a bill of goods with a smile, lie with finesse and deceive with confidence is the gauge used to win a presidential debates then Hillary Clinton won hands down.
If, however, it is about substantive issues, sound economic policies and common sense we may want to take another look.
Let’s be honest, Donald Trump didn’t come off as “presidential.”
Trump is Trump as they say. He is not a polished politician like Hillary, but that is the very reason he is so popular with voters. Americans are fed up with self-serving, power hungry, polished politicians who promise the moon and delivery nothing but misery.



People flock to Trump either out of affirmation or desperation. Many people are looking to Trump as the answer to relieve them of the stranglehold government policies and regulations have put on their businesses, their lives and their families. His policies and positions make sense even if he sometimes doesn’t. Many see his straightforward outspokenness as a sign of strength that he can take on the mammoth government machine and win. On the other hand, Hillary’s polished composure, carefully packaged soundbites and sugar-coated promises just look like business as usual.
But what about Hillary’s policies? They’re all about creating jobs, supporting small businesses and helping families right? Hillary’s village does sound good, it even looks good on paper, but what does it look like in practice? Hillary listed seven of her pet projects right out of the gate in Monday night’s debate. It’s the standard list: minimum wage, equal pay for women, paid family leave, profit-sharing, affordable childcare, make the economy “fairer” and the ever-popular debt-free college. Let’s take a look at what all this really means.



1. A Fair Economy
Hillary says she wants to “make the economy fairer.” Notice the word “make” in that statement. If there was one word to describe government it would be force. Hillary’s plan is to use the government to force you into a fair economy. That is a very important concept to understand. Because of the 16th amendment (ratified in 1913) which instituted federal income tax, the president of the United States now has the power to bribe, blackmail and steal as a means to force Americans into submission. Our own money is being used as a weapon against us and if we refuse to give it to them, they put us in prison for not paying our taxes. This brings us to the other six items on the list, which Hillary proudly proclaimed would be paid for by the “wealthy” (aka, everyone who earns a paycheck and pays taxes).
Hillary wants to force us to pay more money to the government to pay for healthcare, childcare, preschool, college debt and whatever else she comes up with. Of course this is all while dealing our economy a crushing blow with the institution of forced minimum wage and a litany of other programs—all under the guise of helping families. But do they really help families? Let’s explore these policies further.
2. Minimum Wage
There is a great video out on Prager University where a young girl talks about how she learned more working at McDonald’s than she learned at college. Nobody works at McDonald’s to get rich, but those who work at these jobs receive valuable experience and can grow to be rich. Minimum wage jobs were never meant to sustain a family. They are a means to achieving goals, a pathway to something better. When the government sets a minimum wage it sets a maximum standard. Everyone gets paid the same no matter how well they do the job. Businesses want to reward hard work with more pay but if businesses continue to be forced to raise the minimum amount they pay their employees they won’t be able to reward hard work with higher wages. It is a simple principle of sound business. If the business costs more to operate you have to make up the difference somewhere such as laying-off workers or raising prices—all of which negatively impact families.
3. Forced Regulations on Businesses
Several of Hillary’s benevolent policies fit in this category—paid family leave, earned sick days, profit-sharing, etc. While all these things sound great, and I enthusiastically support companies who can and do implement them, it is NOT the role of government to force businesses to do it, nor to force us to pay for it. That is why our Founding Families created the Constitution—to limit government—so we could prosper.
4. Affordable Childcare and Debt-free College
If your neighbor came to you and told you to write a check to their child’s daycare center because they can’t afford to pay it how would you feel about that? How about if your mother decides to take a chunk of your paycheck every month to cover your brother’s college tuition? Nothing is free. Someone has to pay for it. That means you! Enough said.
5. Equal Pay for Women
This one is absolutely exasperating because, one, it belittles women, and two, it is a manufactured lie. Let’s say a man and a woman start out at the same job. After a couple years the woman leaves to raise her children. 15 years later she returns to the same job. Should she be paid the same amount as the man who never left? If the roles were reversed would you have a problem with it? Principles are principles no matter what race, gender or color you are. Hillary doesn’t want equal pay, she wants special privileges. If she doesn’t get elected it’s not because she is a woman, it is because she has bad ideas and people don’t like them.
So there you have it. In Hillary’s village she decides who gets paid what, how much you work, where you work, how long you work, and whether you work at all. She hands out government-funded college, daycare, health insurance, etc.—and you get the bill. If you don’t pay it, you go to jail. More businesses move to other countries because they can’t afford to cover the cost of the village—at the prices struggling families are willing to pay anyway, and the economy tanks.
In her opening statement at the debate Hillary said, “The central question in this election is really what kind of country we want to be and what kind of future we’ll build together.”
I couldn’t agree more.

http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/black-lives-matter-agenda-coming-to-classrooms-in-omaha/

Omaha Public schools (in corn-country Nebraska) is in full melt-down mode after local radio host, Chris Baker, exposed a curriculum seminar for school teachers promoting the insertion of Black Lives Matter agenda into the curriculum.
Baker was made aware of the meeting by several teachers who were very uncomfortable with the content of the meeting and disagreed with the entire premise but feared losing their jobs if they said anything. The seminar, put on by Omaha Public Schools featured a local “media consultant” and Black Lives Matter propagandist named Morgann Freeman (no, not the actor). According to Baker’s source, Ms. Freeman was there to show teachers how to inject BLM indoctrination and other social justice propaganda into the curriculum in Omaha Public Schools.
Barry Thomas, Supervisor of Secondary Social Studies for the district, was the one who invited Ms. Freeman to speak.

During the meeting Ms. Freeman expressed her views on the Black Lives Matter agenda stating, “Meritocracy is a myth. The idea that people can ‘pull themselves by their bootstraps’ is a lie. It only works for those with privileges.”
Attendees of the curriculum meeting told Baker Ms. Freeman portrayed black Americans as victims of white oppression claiming that blacks are systematically targeted for destruction. She also claimed America was never great and was founded by flawed racists who set up a system that would perpetuate their power.
After reading the Nebraska State Standards for Social Studies it is perplexing to see how any of this supports, let alone promotes, the standards. The stated purpose of which is to “teach our children to become young patriots who have an intellectual understanding of the genius of our country’s founding principles and who feel an emotional connection to our nation.”

​The information presented and views espoused by Ms. Freeman promote the exact opposite. From her own Facebook page Ms. Freeman admits she was there to “incorporate Black Lives Matter and other social justice movements into [Omaha Public Schools] curriculum to address trends their students are exposed to on a day to day basis.”
“Why would [Omaha Public Schools] want to insert this hatred into their curriculum?” asked Baker. “Why would they want to teach children to hate; to teach children of color to hate white people and teach white students to hate themselves?”
All very good questions we’ll probably never get answers for since the district is in full lock-down mode on the subject.
Baker tried repeatedly to speak with someone. He finally received a call from Monique Farmer, director of communications who provided a statement and declined Baker’s invitation for the superintendent to come on his show due to his busy schedule—even though Baker offered open dates for the next three months. The statement from the district was full of flowery speech making the whole thing sound like a non-issue. But they know it is a big issue and this is a big story.
The most recent riots in Milwaukee are just another example of the end result of the kind of “teaching.”
If you are told your entire life you will never amount to anything because you’re black and that white people oppress you, then you’re going to start to believe white people are the cause of all your problems. It worked very well for Adolf Hitler when pitting the working class against the Jews—propagating the largest and most heinous redistribution of wealth in modern history.
Is this really what parents want their children learning in school? Do we want the future of our nation to learn that rioting and violence is okay if you’re angry; stealing is okay if someone has more than you; that your color determines whether you will succeed; and if you’re white you are always the “bad guy?” This is not how you promote unity in a united nation under God. But for the architects of BLM, that is the objective. After all, the best way to conquer a people is to first divide them.
According to teachers and staff they are being bombarded with Black Lives Matter propaganda points; bringing in speakers that proudly proclaim “we’re going to challenge your beliefs.” That seems to fit with Ms. Freeman’s cover photo on her Facebook page that states, “My goal is for us all to get uncomfortable.” Many teachers are very uncomfortable.
The school district sent an email to Baker stating, “You continue to reference updates to the curriculum to incorporate ‘Black Lives Matter propaganda’… OPS social studies curriculum has not been adjusted to include the information you have referenced.”
The agenda doesn’t have to be physically added to the curriculum to be propelled in the classroom. According to the class description provided by Omaha Public Schools, that is exactly what the intent of the presentation was and many teachers are feeling pressured to do it.
“These teachers are terrified,” said Baker. “They’re terrified they will lose their jobs if they don’t comply.”
Considered fly -over country, Nebraska is a red state filled with cattle farms and corn fields. The Nebraska state social studies standards reflect the very essence of the hard-working families who call Nebraska home. It is a place where American values are cherished and family means everything. Those are the things we should be teaching our children. Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke expressed this with incredible incite, truth and boldness when he was asked about the riots in his town.
Nebraska isn’t the only state facing this propaganda push. Teachers from other states have contacted Baker expressing the same concerns. Barry Thomas, the man who invited Ms. Freeman to promote the BLM agenda in the curriculum meeting, was recently appointed to serve on the board of directors for the National Social Studies Supervisors Association. It makes one wonder what will be showing up in our children’s textbooks in the next printing cycle.

http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/trump-needs-the-mother-vote-heres-how-he-can-get-it/

Donald Trump seems to be the topic of every conversation.
Everyone is wondering what he’ll say next—especially those in his campaign who have to run damage control every time he says what he’s thinking before he thinks about what he’s saying. GOP officials and advisors like Ben Carson and Newt Gingrich are urging Trump to stay on message.
“Hopefully,” said Carson in an interview with The Hill. “Donald Trump will soon recognize that if you take the bait every time, you’ll never have a chance to discuss the real issues.”
And that’s what has a lot of Americans frustrated. It is the topic of conversation everywhere I go—in the store, at the gym, my neighbor across the street, even my physical therapist brought it up.

​“How do you vote for this guy?”None of these people have any intention of voting for Hillary Clinton but every time they think they might be able to support Trump he opens his mouth again.
It’s like a bipolar epidemic sweeping the country. One day you’re so excited you want to put a Trump sign in your yard and support the “movement” and the next day your determined it’s not even worth going to the polls to vote.
Most of the people I work and associate with are women—specifically mothers. Everyone knows Donald Trump needs the women’s vote, but let’s be realistic; he is not going to get the liberal, feminist vote.
And he shouldn’t want it.
They want what Hillary is offering—or at least they think they do. So there’s no sense wasting time pandering to the “It’s my body” or “equal pay” crowd.
Donald Trump doesn’t need the women’s vote; he needs the mothers’ vote.

If he keeps repeating the things he said in his convention speech, he’ll win them over. But if he keeps trash-talking, taking everything so personally and flailing personal attacks at others, he will ostracize us; and he will lose.
As my neighbor said, “Hillary’s policies and ideals are so bad, if he’d just say nothing at all until November he’d beat her.”
Unfortunately, he just can’t seem to shut up.
Let’s face it, Trump is a buffoon. He is insensitive, crude, rude and often ridiculous. Even his staunchest supporters recognize it. That’s either what they love about him or what they choose to ignore about him. But there’s no sense denying it. It is who he is.
The Republican Party elites are fit to be tied claiming Trump is ruining the party. Newsflash—the party was already ruined. That’s why so many people voted for Trump. They are fed up with the corruption and cronyism from both parties and love the fact that Trump is shaking up the status quo. Unfortunately, he has taken shaking to the extreme and doesn’t seem to know when enough is enough, or how to take the high road on anything. It’s not very becoming for a U.S. president who will represent us to the world.
So how do we vote for him? That’s the big question.
People are hungering, even begging for Trump to give them a reason to vote for him. Just when we think we have one, yep, he opens his mouth again. Trump is his own worst enemy and his own best friend. It certainly doesn’t help that every time he says something offensive the media pounces on it. No matter how much Hillary lies or how offensive she is, the media will always sweep it under the rug. But Trump scratches his nose wrong and its front page news for a week. Like it or not, that is the way it is. Hillary will always come out smelling like a rose and Trump will always come out smelling like manure. So why does he keep saying things the media can jump on and make people want to stay home in November?
My physical therapist—a young single girl under 30—felt sure some independent candidate was going to emerge and take the nation by storm. While that sounds nice it is, unfortunately, not possible. The rigged political party system adopted by the states over a century ago has seen to that. The parties have done their due diligence to keep their power and block any real competition to their two-party system.
So what about the other parties? Most people don’t even know there are any. Many who do are looking in that direction. But the Libertarian Party candidates seem to be just two more establishment cronies under a different name. Then there’s the Constitution Party. Many are considering that route. Darrell Castle seems like a respectable enough man and their platform certainly supports their Party’s name. In our current state of politics he can’t win, but it at least gives us a more favorable option. I have never been one to buy into the “wasted vote” rhetoric. Your vote is never wasted if you vote your conscience. And I’m convinced the whole “wasted vote” mantra is just another way to keep the parties in power by convincing people the two parties are their only real choice. Still, our vote comes with consequences and we should know what they are before we cast our vote.
This election, like no other, is vital to the preservation of freedom. It has come down to one thing—keeping Hillary Clinton out of the White House. Anyone who seriously and honestly cares about this country knows what a Hillary presidency will mean. I’m not talking about the GOP game players. To them it’s simply about power and job security. I’m talking about people who know what freedom means, who care about the future of this country, want to provide for their families, and know that America is the last bastion of hope for the entire world. Those are the people who are truly troubled, because they know a vote for anyone but Trump will only help Hillary. And that’s the rub. For as offensive as Donald Trump is, the thought of Hillary in the White House scares them to death.
If I had my way we would have a four-way race in November with Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Ted Cruz. Then everyone would have an opportunity to vote their conscience and values. That is of course, just a pipe dream. So we are back to the same question. What do we do?
My advice is to vote your conscience, whatever it is, accepting the consequences, whatever they may be; and buy stock in clothes pins because I envision a big run on them in November.

http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/what-happens-when-no-lives-matter/
​
The day after five Dallas police officers were killed Chelsie Dort, a popular blogger, felt compelled to head to her blog and share her thoughts. What resulted was a powerfully moving article titled “When Suddenly No Lives Matter.”

If you haven’t read it, I urge you to please click the link and take the time. It’s well worth it. What makes the piece so powerful is the perspective from which it is written. Chelsie is white. Her husband is black. They have two children, one from Chelsie’s previous marriage (he is white), and one they had together. Anyone hoping for Martin Luther King’s dream of a color-blind society should be celebrating this beautiful blended family.

But in this world of divisions, violence, hate and anger, it is a very challenging world for a family like Chelsie’s.

It has been heart-wrenching for me to watch the events of the last few weeks unfold. Like Chelsie, I have felt the agony of both sides, and I ache that there are sides to take at all. I wish you could see from my vantage point what this is doing to us as a people and as a country. We are self-segregating ourselves, falling into the divisions others are creating for us. But in reality, we agree much more than we don’t. We all want the same things. We all want our families to be safe, healthy and prosperous; and we all want our husbands to come home at night.

We are all so angry, so sure that our cause is right and that those who don’t agree are our enemy, that we’re not taking the time to listen to each other or really see what’s going on. Yes, there are police officers who make bad decisions. There are even some bad police officers, but most are just people like the rest of us, with families they want to get home to.

Yes, there are people who are using Black Lives Matter to take advantage of the suffering of others in an effort to promote an agenda and deepen the already broadening divisions in our country. But most of the people involved in the movement are just families like us who feel like they finally have a voice.

At the end of the day, they all just want the same thing—to make it home safe.

For just a minute, let’s consider what it’s like to be in each other’s shoes; because we are kidding ourselves if we think the families of Black Lives Matter don’t have a case.

I remember the first time I noticed it. My husband had a good friend, Ron, who served in the military with him. He was black. My husband is white. We were discussing this very issue one day when Ron said, “You just don’t understand.”

“What don’t we understand?” my husband asked. Just then we pulled into a convenience store. Ron looked at my husband and I as we walked in the door.

“Just watch,” he said.

We all walked into the store at the same time but the moment we walked in the clerk’s eyes were on our friend. He paid no attention to us but he was obviously watching, even following behind our friend at one point, until he left the store. It was eye-opening.

Chelsie had her eyes opened in a much more painful way when her husband was slammed to the ground by several police officers, handcuffed and taken to jail for an expired license plate. They impounded their car and it cost Chelsie and her husband $1,400 to get it out.

What would have probably gone as a warning for Chelsie turned into tragic lesson in understanding the life her husband lives, and what her children would most probably face. How does a mother deal with that?

“Doesn’t it bother you,” Chelsie asked her husband.

“I used to be so mad about it,” he answered. “Until I looked into the police officer’s eyes one day and realized he was afraid of me.”

I have a friend who is a police officer who said the same thing. He said law enforcement often uses minor traffic violations to pull people over if they suspect possible criminal activity. For a police officer no traffic stop is ever routine. Everything is life or death. If the driver is a black man the police officer instantly stiffens, wondering if I will make it home that night—not because he’s racist but because he’s scared. Remember, he is in adrenalin-pumping situations with black criminals on an-ongoing basis, so this is definitely going to affect his judgement.

It’s not fair either way. A police officer should not walk up to a car and be afraid; and the person in the car should not have to be afraid. But these are the tragic circumstances in which we find ourselves.

The more we push these divisions the more afraid both parties will be and that will only lead to more unnecessary tension and violence on both sides until no lives matter anymore.

Chelsie’s husband says when he is stopped by the police for any reason he immediately puts his hands up, makes no sudden moves and follows all orders–no matter how unfair they seem.

“Is it humiliating? Degrading? Yes,” he says. “But I am a large black man. He is scared of me. I am scared of him; and I just want us both to make it home safe to our families.”

Being hateful and angry at each other won’t solve anything. If we are serious about wanting things to change then we need to really listen to each other and stop allowing those who would divide us win. We each need to give a little more, trust a little more, and love a little more.

Chelsie’s oldest son is often asked why his brother is black when he is white.

“Because he’s my brother,” he says.

If only we could all have that same pure heart, that same childlike innocence and realize we are all brothers.
​
What happens when no lives matter? We forget who we are, why we are, and the simple fact that we all just want to make it home safe.

That was the dream so many people from around the world came to America for and why so many still seek to.  Thomas Peterffy is just one the many who made their dream a reality.

Thomas Peterffy grew up in socialist Hungary and grew up dreaming of coming to America and make a better life for himself.  In 1965, through many challenges and sacrifices, he finally attached his dream.  Five years later, at the age of 26, Thomas Peterffy raised his hand and became a full citizen of the United States.  He said he felt an enormous sense of pride, a strong sense of belonging, and the start of a new life.

When Thomas arrived in the United States he spoke no English and had no job.  But he learned the language, worked hard, put himself through school and used his talents, skills and knowledge to seek achieve his dream. He began his career as an architect working on highway projects for an engineering firm.  In the 1970's he bought a seat on the New York Stock Exchange.  Soon after joining the exchange, he began integrating his knowledge of computers with trading and completely changed the market, playing a key role in developing the electronic trading of securities.  In 1993 Thomas started his own company, Interactive Brokers, growing it to become the largest U.S. electronic brokerage firm in daily average revenue trades, employing thousands.  He has been called the "father of digital trading" and his hard work and dedication has made him one of the wealthiest people in America--a long way from a little boy with dream in socialist Hungary. 

And that is why people come to America.  That is what is so great about her.  It is the dream of being who you want to be and the freedom to pursue it, the freedom to succeed, the freedom to fail, and the freedom to keep the fruits of your labors--the dream of a better life for you and your family.

In 2012, out of concern for the direction our nation is heading, Thomas Peterffy released a video sharing his story.  I was incredibly inspired by his video and especially his courage to share it and even spend his own money to get it in the media so Americans all over the country could see it. 

Inspired by his story, I reached out to Mr. Peterffy and had the opportunity to interview him.  The full interview is below.  This first part was an introductory message Thomas included.  The definitions and explanation were so well articulated I decided to include those comments as well.  My questions are in bold.  Mr. Peteffy's responses are in blue.

Interview with Mr. Thomas Peterffy-- June 2016

Before I get into these questions I need to explain to your readers what Socialism is.

Capitalism is well understood as a free market economy where people are free to acquire, own, transact and accumulate property including land and operate businesses.


In Communism only the Government owns property and runs businesses. For individuals it is strictly forbidden to own any property other than personal property the nature of which is very limited and clearly defined.


Socialism is any state between the two. It was originally defined as the way to transfer society from
Capitalism to Communism in a controlled and gradual fashion.


Initially Socialism is soft, aside of some regulations and some limits on businesses people are mostly free. Then it slowly hardens, there are more and more regulations, tighter limits on the size of businesses, higher taxes, large firms and farms are nationalized.


As it hardens further, the sizes of houses and apartments any family may occupy is strictly limited in square feet, income tax rises to close to 100% above certain income levels, no private business may have more than x employees, all larger businesses and lands are owned by the government. This progression can be observed over the past 15 years in Venezuela.

Relatively small differences in living standards suddenly loom very large. Can you afford a car?
Buy new shoes? Can you afford to eat meat twice a week or only once a month?
Society separates into two classes, the enforcers and their spies and the people. The enforcers who work for the government, police or state defense forces get the cars, shoes and the meat.


What was it that led to your decision to come to America and why were you so committed and passionate about that decision? 

I grew up in hard Socialist Hungary.

People lacked incentive to do productive or creative work because it was illegal to reap a reward.
Society vegetated on a substandard level, travel to the West was illegal, and people were prisoners of the State. I would read whatever I could about the West and America. The insanity of our self-imposed suffering for so called social justice did not make any sense to me.

What did you feel America could offer you?  Do you feel America still offers those same things today for others coming to the United States and/or those born in the United States?

The freedom to create a better life, to get a job and excel by thinking smart and working hard, to learn a trade, to learn how to run a business and to become part of it or to start my own.

Yes, it is still possible for a new immigrant to become successful in America but it is harder and takes longer. With the possible exception of the software business there are many more regulations a new entrepreneur must comply with and potential success is less rewarding because it is socially frowned upon by many onlookers.

When did you become an American citizen and how did you feel when you received citizenship?

Five years after I came I became a citizen and felt an enormous sense of pride, a strong sense of belonging, the start of a new life at 26.

What are your concerns for the direction America is heading today? 

I refer you back to my discussion on Socialism.

67% of Americans under 40 think positively about Socialism. Academia, Hollywood, the media and many politicians teach and reinforce that belief.

With many new laws and regulations we have started on the road of Socialist transformation and the path of least resistance is to continue.

It is difficult to get young people to think about this rationally.

They do not seem to realize that in a free economy people can spend their money on whatever they choose and the people who satisfy their needs end up with the money.  As long as everybody strives to create goods and services we are a rich and happy nation.

Introduce regulation and free stuff and people will stop striving, less and less will be produced to distribute. Welcome to hardening Socialism.

What influence did your mother and father have on your life?

In school I was taught all about equality and social justice and at home they pointed out the inevitable disastrous consequences. This daily experience after many years formed a strong conviction in me and I hope to be able to convince others to fight to avoid it.

What do you feel is the American Dream and do you feel it can still be attained today?

Young people dream about the kind of life they would like to lead but their potential to achieve that is usually limited in most countries by laws and regulations or social or religious barriers.

These barriers, still today, exist only to a much lesser extent in America. There is comparatively a great deal of individual and economic freedom to achieve those dreams by those who are really determined.

As an immigrant from a socialist country, what counsel or advice would you give Americans today?

Elect politicians who will appoint federal judges who’ll uphold the Constitution and defend individual and economic freedom.

What do you think makes the United States unique from other countries around the world?

The Constitution of the United States with the Amendments and the Bill of Rights.

What is your greatest concern for the future of our country?

Meddling with the above.

What do you think is the most important thing Americans should know and understand today?

That while technology and scientific knowledge advance all the time, human nature has evolved over tens of thousands of years and for all practical purposes remains stable over many life times.

Let’s look back into the past and repeat what has worked and keep away from what hasn’t.
​

Blaze Article ​http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/the-presidential-election-doesnt-matter-as-much-as-we-think/

A few months ago, when people still felt like they had real choices for who would be the Republican nominee; I received an email from a friend in Hawaii. She was lamenting that “a handful of voters in Ohio” would determine the election and felt her vote just didn’t matter. The day after the Indiana Primary when Donald Trump was declared the presumptive nominee, a lot of people were feeling that way. I know there are still millions of Americans who think Trump will fix everything and just as many who think he will be our ruin. And while all the talk in the media (in between horrible tragedies and cataclysmic events) is the presidential election, the fact is, it really doesn’t matter as much as we think.

Every time I turn on the radio or get on the internet I am flooded with “support Trump,” “Never Trump” and multiple opinions on what we need to do to beat Hillary Clinton – as if who wins the presidency is either our salvation or our doom.
Our Founding Fathers never intended for one person or one office to have this much power or influence in our lives. And the fact is, no matter how much power President Obama or those that follow him assume; they are not as powerful as we think. And they know it. That’s why they continue to dismiss, discredit, and disregard the Constitution – when they’re not able to alter it that is. The power of the Constitution is that it limits the power of the government.

As Thomas Jefferson said, “In questions of powers, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.”
If we spent as much time focused on our state and local elections as we do the presidential election, our country would be in a much different place.
No matter how Ohio or any other state votes in November, we still have a voice and it is much more powerful and much more influential than our vote for president. It is our vote for our governor, our state legislatures, city and county officials and the most powerful elected office in the country – the school board!
Yes, I said the school board. Your school and your town have more influence in your life than anyone in Washington. Your property taxes are decided by your city and/or county and the schools in your town receive a huge portion of those property taxes. How much money is collected, how it is spent, when your trash is picked up, the condition of your roads, what they teach in your schools, that is all decided right in your own county.
There was never supposed to be a Department of Education, Agriculture, Land Management or the myriad of other “departments” we now have. The federal government was never supposed to interfere with our schools, dictate what we plant and when, or how we use our land. Those are all local issue and we need to decide them locally. When we look to the federal government to solve our problems, we are asking for bigger government. The more we look to Washington the bigger Washington gets. If we really want to tackle an out of control federal government, we need face it head on where we are. If the governors and state legislators of our nation rose up and said, “enough” we would start to see some real change. The problem is most of our governors and state legislatures have neither the knowledge of Constitution to wield it, nor the courage to stand up and do it. And when someone who does possess that knowledge and courage decides to run for office, we are too busy focused on the presidential election to notice. But they are out there, right now, in our own states, counties and cities.
I had the opportunity to meet one last January. His name is Johnathan Johnson and he’s running for governor of Utah. Johnathan is the chairman of a very successful and lucrative national company. He doesn’t need a job, he’s not looking for popularity and he doesn’t need money. He and his family have been very happy living a quiet life. So why would he run? According to his incumbent opponent, Johnathan is just a guy who wants power. But doesn’t that make Governor Herbert the guy who just wants to keep the power? I’m sure the governor is a nice man, like a lot of nice men and women but we don’t just need nice. We need courage. We need knowledge of and respect for the Constitution.
When I asked Johnathan why he decided to run he said, “I think there are things in Utah that we need to address like federal lands, common core and federal overreach. Anyone more concerned about reelection, who wants to remain popular and stay on office won’t tackle these kinds of issues I think we need to.”
Johnathan and his wife, Courtney, and their five young sons are crisscrossing the state because they are tired of the status quo. His campaign has become a family affair and they know the importance of family. Common core is a family issue just as much as federal lands and federal overreach are. We need more men and women elected to office who realize that and have the courage to stand up, speak out and do something about it.
I urge you to find out who the Johnathan Johnsons are in your state and communities. You do have a voice, a powerful one, and your voice does count! No matter who is running for president, vote in your primary and don’t stay home in November. Go out and vote for your local offices. That is the vote that has the greatest impact on your family and influence on our nation. After all, your governor, mayor, or state legislator may be running for president someday and your vote could stop someone like Obama in their tracks. How’s that for power?

This is an interesting day for America. Citizens across the country are coming to grips with the outcome of the Republican primary. For some it is a day of rejoicing in the belief that the silent majority finally won. For others it is a day of mourning in the belief that our country has been dealt a fatal blow. I completely appreciate, empathize and even identify with both feelings. Today, however, I want to share a nugget of truth and message of hope with all Americans regardless of how you may feel today. The truth: A president can’t save us (no matter who he or she is). The hope: Mothers can!
We spend so much time looking to the federal government to solve our problems that we have completely overlooked where our real power lies – with us. America wasn’t founded by a government. It was founded by families – like yours and mine – uniting together in communities, who then formed a government, organized into states and united those states into a union. But it all started with families. Families founded America and it is families that will save her.

If we want to know what America will look like in twenty years, look at the homes of America today. Are you concerned? You should be.
I have a friend who teaches at Schofield Army Barracks in Hawaii. The school, like many around the country, no longer requires the students to pledge the flag. But my friend, being the patriotic soul she is, had her fifth grade class come in every morning and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. She said the students grumbled wanting to know why they had to pledge the flag when none of the other kids had to. All I could think when she told me this was that the parents of those children put their lives on the line every day for that flag and everything it stands for. If those children don’t have love and appreciation for the flag what hope do we have in America? It is only a matter of time before we lose freedom altogether.

Liberty begins at home and if we don’t start there, nothing else we do will matter. No election, no law, no president can save us.
Mothers, we have to teach our children to love liberty because no one else will. The proof is in the fact that thousands of millennials are enthusiastically supporting a self-proclaimed socialist for president – the recognized leader of the free world. How is this possible? It is because our schools are not teaching liberty. Society, schools, the media, even churches that once taught these things are no longer doing so and in many cases, teaching the exact opposite. The result is that we now have a nation of children and young parents who wonder why America is so special and what there is to love it.

Home is the center of society and at the center of the home is a mother. That mother is more powerful than any president for she is literally shaping the future. Winston Churchill said, “There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human society, are created, strengthened and maintained.”
If our schools aren’t teaching our children about America’s history and heritage, then we need to be doing it. If the media is not going to present truth and facts, then we need to. If liberty is to prevail, if America is to prosper, then we need to foster a love of liberty in our home.
In his book, The Silent Majority Survival Handbook, Peter Wolf says parents must become the first line of defense. “Parents,” he said, “need to devote time and effort to teach their children that America is a good country and to teach them about American heroes and history. They can front-load liberty loving values through strong association and participation in the 4th of July and Memorial Day activities. Parents need to teach their children how liberty and personal responsibility are linked and how tyranny can evolve without them.”

​What the future will look like for our children and grandchildren is all being decided right now in homes and families across the country. If freedom is what we want to see, then we need to nurture and foster the principles and ideals of freedom in our homes. HomeMakers for America has many resources to support you from our Patriot’s Reading List to the Hearthstone Education Plan. Libraries of Hope has a beautiful collection of stories to promote a love of liberty in the hearts of our children. In the Constitution has outstanding resources that teach children the Constitution in a very engaging way – even hosting a Constitution Bee with cash prizes.
If you want short term results that wax and wane in four year cycles then put all your hope in the presidential election. But if you want real solutions with lasting results, then we need to look to the homes of America because that is where the real for America lies.
Mothers, we are determining the future right now in our homes today. No president can do that. And no president can save America. But we can!

​http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/a-president-cant-save-america-but-mothers-can/