American Congregations

Posted by Jacob Roecker on May 30, 2009 under Declarations | 328Read the First Commenthttp://912candidates.org/blog/2009/05/30/american-congregations/American+Congregations2009-05-31+04%3A28%3A35Jacob+Roecker

To whom it may concern:

Each generation of citizens in this country faces historical choices. Our current series of circumstances demands that each of us must now make decisions future generations will read in their history books.

Yes, it really is that time again.  Yes, this is a call to action.

Across our nation we’re seeing the early signs of a political tsunami.  Citizens are retreating from the shoreline of their political parties, attending rallies, and organizing themselves into like minded groups.  As long as these groups stay disjointed they will each be easily defeated, but if the groups can unite for a great purpose, and agree on some standard that will still allow them to maintain their own identity, then the groups can be a political force capable of sweeping the corrupted political shoreline clean of all its filth.

Our government is attempting, with some success, at removing God from our society.  The politicians supporting this agenda have forgotten that the justification for our American revolution, the legal cornerstone for our original rebellion, was that a king had denied his subjects the rights God had given man on the earth.  When you remove God from the argument in the Declaration of Independence the fulcrumed logic of that singular document becomes nullified. Those who still believe God has a role in this nation are ridiculed, belittled, and intimidated to believe that our ideals have somehow expired.

I do not remember reading how a God who was the same “yesterday, today, and tomorrow” put an expiration date on His existence or on His interest with the lives of men. I do not remember the first amendment being repealed.  I do remember what Joshua said in the Bible:  “Choose you this day whom ye will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  Our current politicians have taken from us the freedom as parents to offer this same teaching in our home.  My children now have no choice but to serve the debt of this generation.  My children have been sold into slavery by the very government designed to promote our liberty.  My children will be forced to work and forced to pay back the financial thievery of our representatives in government.  No, I cannot offer to my daughter the right to serve God according to her conscience.  My daughter will have to serve our debt.  Conscience will be required to take second place.

While this is happening, the government is applying itself in areas of responsibility where history has shown faith-based organizations to be the most effective.  Religious organizations which operate food banks, homeless shelters, second hand stores, and other charitable solutions in society are more adaptive to the needs of the people they serve.  Religious organizations are not forced to a “one solution fits all” model.  They can tailor themselves to meet the needs of the people who are being served.  The government’s solution is to “take people out of the slums.”  The religious solution is to “take the slums out of the people.”  History has proven that only one method is sustainable, and while it improves the situation, it also improves the people.

It is time to make a statement for the right type of change.  We, as American citizens, need to rally around something. I am sure that many people will come forward and offer themselves as the person to lead the way–I’m not that man.  We have many good leaders already in place; we do not need just one.  Our leaders and our citizens must agree on a collective standard — a common denominator that will allow us to multiply our efforts in pursuit of accomplishing our goal of moral representation in our government.

The political guidance of many churches is to ask their congregations to “vote their conscience.”   All too often voting upon this guidance results in choosing the lesser of two evils.  Some involvement has to be made prior to voting to ensure that the presented candidates are worthy to advocate on behalf of their fellow citizens. The candidates being presented must be of good conscience themselves.  The candidate must understand the miracle and sanctity of life. For, in defense of our liberties, in nearly every generation since this country was founded, someone has died to preserve those liberties. Representing your fellow citizens must be done with reverence for the sacrifice of those fallen patriots, as well as the respect for the rights gifted from God.

I would encourage any group of citizens, religious or otherwise, to band together and define themselves, then look for candidates who represent the values and principles that serve as the foundation of their group.  The principles and values of my Christian faith extend beyond what I would expect in a government official. What I have found is a set of 9 Principles and 12 Values which can serve as a good place to start and be applied across a wide spectrum of beliefs.

I would like to propose these as a standard for us, all of us, everyone of us who reads this, or hears it from a pulpit, through a microphone, from a friend, or at the kitchen table, to support and demand in our representatives in government:

9 Principles

1. America Is Good.
2. I believe in God. He is the Center of my Life.
3. I must try to be a more honest person today than I was yesterday.
4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.
5. If I break the law, I must pay the penalty. Justice is blind. No one is above the law.
6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. There is no guarantee of equal results.
7. I work hard for what I have. I will share it with whomever I want. Government must not force me to be charitable.
8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.
9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.

12 Values

1. Honesty

2. Reverence

3. Hope

4. Thrift

5. Humility

6. Charity

7. Sincerity

8. Moderation

9. Hard Work

10. Courage

11. Personal Responsibility

12. Gratitude

I believe that these principles and values are capable of operating as a common denominator for our citizenry.  I propose that we apply them across the breadth of potential candidates.  I have taken these principles and created a morally binding contract which begins:  “I pledge my sacred honor to representing my constituents and upholding these 9 principles and 12 values.”  912candidates.org has invited several representatives and candidates to sign this contract.  Good citizens are stepping forward for the right reasons.  Their consciences are clean; their ideals are sound, and they are willing to pledge their sacred honor. These candidates understand how morally significant it is to represent another human being.

We call these candidates “9/12 Candidates,” and we need more people like them to represent us.  We need your help finding these 9/12 candidates and supporting them. We’ve created a website to help us coordinate our efforts (http://912candidates.org). Our current activities include finding state leaders, organizing letter writing campaigns, and finding groups, clubs, and organizations dedicated to helping us in our cause.  It is possible to stop the cycle of voting “the lesser of two evils.”  It begins with citizens realizing that they can be a part of the solution.

I invite you to join with us. Together we will ensure that we are not just active in voting our conscience, but rather active in finding candidates who reflect our conscience.  As a nation we need to move beyond voting the lesser of two evils and start voting for the candidate with the highest ideals.  I believe this is a matter of conscience. I will not dictate your conscience, nor will I mute my own by not sharing this with you.  I believe “912candidates.org” is part of the solution. My vision can easily mesh with any organization which believes as I do, that providing a better America for our children is our God given responsibility.

If you believe as I do that our country is worth saving and that we as citizens can and must save it, please contact me at the email address below. God bless you all.

Jacob F. Roecker
Citizen, Patriot, Veteran

http://912candidates.org

jacob@912candidates.org

Please download a copy of this letter and take it to your next meeting.

4:00 am

Posted by Jacob Roecker on April 21, 2009 under Declarations | 24120 Comments to Readhttp://912candidates.org/blog/2009/04/21/400-am/4%3A00+am2009-04-21+09%3A25%3A48Jacob+Roecker

Yes, 4:00 am.  Some people don’t believe there is a 4 in the morning, some have never seen it on their watches.  Well, trust me: there is a 4:00 am.  I’ve been there, and one day last week I spent some time recording this video.  I’m embarrassed by the quality of the production, but I’ve gotten good compliments on the content of this video, and it seems destined to slip out beyond its intended audience.

Here is my message to constituents and candidates:

Please free to share it as needed.

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The American Standard

Posted by Jacob Roecker on April 15, 2009 under Declarations | 2096 Comments to Readhttp://912candidates.org/blog/2009/04/15/the-american-standard/The+American+Standard2009-04-15+16%3A50%3A41Jacob+Roecker

The American Standard
By Jacob F. Roecker

Delivered in Norman Oklahoma 15 April 2009 6:00pm
(Download)

In this country we look forward, because forward is the only direction to move. A few weeks ago we were looking forward, and the only people we saw moving in the same direction were the people to our sides. The people who believe the word “citizen” means something.

I’m grateful right now across our nation we can look up and see the stars and stripes flying. It’s there because brave Americans in our past, and brave Americans today, die to keep it there. They give their lives, and gift to us an unparalleled freedom and prosperity in the history of the world. It seems we can always look to our Soldiers as examples of the best America has to offer, and where do they turn? Which direction do they face? When times get toughest, what is it that they look to?

You shouldn’t be surprised to know that throughout history Soldiers have looked to a piece of cloth. Sometimes called a guidon, sometimes called “the colors,” and sometimes called a “standard.” Rallying around the standard in times of confusion gave Soldiers safety in numbers and a better chance to forge victory out of the threatening chaos before them.

I ask now, what is our standard? Our nation was forged in a time of war and needed a standard to turn to. Good citizens gathered and created a congress. The congress created their standard, built upon everything they had learned from the past. They needed to present their case clearly before all mankind and created: The Declaration of Independence. At the end of the document we read the words “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

When representing the people really mattered it required the pledge of your lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. This pledge was the patriot standard. But I say that good representation has always mattered. It will matter in my children’s generation, and it matters now. The standard in this country for representation is total dedication. Nothing they had was too important they were not willing to give it for this country.

There have been many conclusions drawn from that document and their actions in signing it. I would like to offer this conclusion for our generation. That selflessness in pledging your sacred honor is the standard of public service for the patriot generation that blessed this land over 230 years ago. It is the standard for every public servant from that time forward. It’s time we remind our government that the Patriot Standard should be the American standard.

We need that sort of representation now, but when you ask for it you hear people say things like “they don’t make them like anymore” or “those men were unique in all of history” and “we’ll never see men like that again.” I’d like to think that every generation of citizens has within its population the greatness of our founding fathers. If they could manage to find such patriots among a population of 2 million people than how come we can’t find them among a population of 300 million? Has God abandoned the country he has spent so much effort to help create? Would a deity that has openly rewarded the compassion of this nation towards its former enemies abandon us now? Does the argument that he cares less about me and my children than he did about the WWII generation, and the patriot generation hold weight?

NO. I cannot live and believe I have been abandoned. I can live and believe that my voice has been abandoned in government.

When the Boston tea party took place it wasn’t about the money. It was about what the money represented. Today the same logic stands true. Government spending in our generation means that my children and grandchildren’s generation has already been taxed. They bear the weight of this generation.

How did we get here? What’s at the root of it? The root of it is representatives placing agendas above values, placing parties before principles, putting priorities on the political processes external to the constitution. At some point we have been sold a lie and bought it. We have purchased an imitation of quality, and now quality counts.

Now we’re making some noise about it. Now we’re asking of our government “Is this is the best we can do?” Their best isn’t good enough, and instead of shrinking into thinking that is all the country has to offer its time we work together and start demanding more. There are patriots in this generation. We have to find them and put them in office.

I was on the phone with a friend last week who is a political adviser and recently had success in helping a governor get elected to office. I invited him to ask that his next candidate sign a pledge to represent his constituents according to basic principles and values. He said that it was politically too risky. The candidate hadn’t secured the party’s nomination.

Wait a second? Too risky? The possibly future governor of the state, in charge of thousands of uniformed service members that will probably get sent overseas is politically scared to sign a morally binding contract? They are scared to risk their own political career, but are willing to take charge of those willing to take deadly risks. Last time I checked if you didn’t get your party’s nomination you went back to your old job. What happens to the Soldier in Iraq under fire when the person to his right or left is afraid to take risks?

It’s time to get our priorities straight. It’s time someone raise a standard. It’s time this group sends a message to our government officials. We the people lead this nation. The caliber of representation that created this nation is the only caliber that will maintain it.

In order for your rights as citizens to be maintained they must be exercised. Now is the time. You are the right person for the job, and together we can make the Patriot Standard, the American Standard.

Visit 912candidates.org download the letters and postcards and send them in to your officials. Let them know you want your voice to matter. You’d be surprised how many of them have been waiting America to stand up. Today we are standing up. We’re on our feet, and all of us are headed in the same direction, forward.

Jacob Roecker
Citizen, Patriot, Veteran

http://912candidates.org

This document was produced as a tax day speech.  It can be reproduced in part or in whole on any medium.  I would prefer that credit be given to this site for publishing it, but make no requirement to do so.