Missourians Unite to Stop Judicial Tyranny

Missouri’s Ten Commandments Faith & Freedom Petition Rally

Largest in the Nation

By Jim Day

On November 22nd a new grassroots organization known as the National Coalition to Restore the Constitution (NCRC) held its first rally in the rotunda of the Missouri State Capitol with over 1,000 Missouri

citizens in attendance. The rally, entitled the Ten Commandments Faith & Freedom Petition Rally, was one of 46 simultaneous NCRC sponsored rallies held at state capitols around the nation. According to reports received from coordinators of other rallies, Missouri’s rally was the largest followed by Oklahoma with an estimated 600 to 700 people in attendance.    Headquartered here in St. Louis, one of the NCRC’s primary stated objectives is to unite citizens across the nation to hold their elected offices to their Constitutional oaths of office. According to Bob Wells, Executive Director of the NCRC, “Our nation is in the

NCRC Director, Bob Wells, addresssing the rally participants. Photo by Hannah Stull

throes of a crisis of constitutional infidelity. The vast majority of our elected and appointed representatives, at every level of government, have demonstrated that they are unwilling to abide by existing constitutional restraints and instead are systematically and routinely violating their oath by passing, enforcing and upholding a myriad of unconstitutional laws, regulations and judicial decrees that strip Americans of their most fundamental God-given rights.”

November’s rally served not just to introduce the organization to the nation but to unite citizens into a single voice to put a stop to the erosion of our religious liberties by an activist judiciary.

Rotunda Photo by Hannah Stull

As mentioned earlier, the event was held inside the rotunda of the Missouri Capitol building, but by the time the event began at 1 p.m. a crowd had filled the rotunda floor, lined the spiral staircases and the surrounding balconies and started to spill out onto the Capitol steps.  The atmosphere was electric.  It was evident as Wells welcomed the assembly that the crowd was filled with patriotic fervor and ready for a change in this country's wayward direction.   In spite of the crowd's enthusiasm the atmosphere of the rally was reverent and full of humility.  Following an invocation by Pastor Nick Dignan of Bible Baptist Church in Jefferson City, and the Pledge of Allegiance led by John Wells, there was a stirring rendition of our national anthem, sung by vocalist Connie Moser of Neosho, MO.

Each of the Missouri rally speakers was greeted with such enthusiasm from the audience that it was difficult at times to hear the speeches due to the frequent bursts of applause and cheers. Wells, opened the event with a sobering message not only recounting how desperate our nation's situation has become with rampant un-Constitutional judicial activism, but also reminding each citizen that the reason we find ourselves here is because of the apathy and indifference of ‘We The People.’  He shared that the issue of the Rule of Law is at the heart of this problem and that though much damage has been done there is still hope if we will but commit to standing once again.

Other speakers included: Ron Calzone of Missouri First who spoke on States' Rights;  attorney Eric Enlow who spoke on judicial tyranny; and nationally acclaimed speaker, best-selling author and President of AmeriSearch, Inc., Bill Federer, who enlightened the audience with a brilliant talk about the reasons why all Americans should desire the rule of law over the rule of judicial activists.

The highlight of the entire rally however was the announcement of a nation-wide petition drive based upon citizens’ constitutional right to petition their elected officials for redress of grievances.  The petition, entitled the National Religious Freedom Preservation Petition: A Petition for a Redress of Grievances Regarding Judicial Transgressions of Religious Liberty lays out the demand that members of Congress fulfill their constitutional duty and stop the habitual transgressions against the supreme law of the land (the Constitution) by limiting the appellate jurisdiction of the federal courts in accordance with Article 3 of the Constitution. It goes on to demand that Congress pass legislation that will prohibit the federal courts from taking cases that would in any way regulate, restrict or prohibit religious speech or activity in the States and demands that they sponsor or co-sponsor legislation that will effect this immediately.

Wells reminded the gathering that our Congress already has the authority and power they need to reverse this judicial tyranny in Article III Sections 1 & 2 of our Constitution.  He read the entire petition and then charged the exuberant crowd with the task of not only signing the petition but taking copies and committing to getting as many of their friends and neighbors to sign it as well.  More than 750 signatures were gathered on the spot.

The rally was best summed up by a statement overheard by one of the video tapers of the event.  A woman in the balcony pointed down at the huge crowd and said to her four children:  "Pay close attention to this, children.  History is being made!"

Pastor James Jackson, a chaplain of the Missouri House from the House of Prayer Church in Jefferson City, gave the benediction to close the rally.   

The list of people who contributed to the success of the rally included: NE Area Director of the Missouri Chapter of Concerned Women of America, Bev Ehlen; State Director of Missouri Eagle Forum, Lois Linton; President of the Bott Broadcasting Network, Dick Bott; Directors of the Christian Home Educator‘s Fellowship, Jon and Candy Summers; Director of Missouri First, Ron Calzone; Publisher of the Freedom Alert, John Putnam; Executive Director of the National Coalition to Restore the Constitution, Bob Wells; NCRC Executive Administrator, Debbie Hopper; WGNU radio talk show host Don Griffin; Steve Stevens of Overland, MO; and Rex Chinn of The Master‘s Image.

The NCRC plans to convene a Constitution in Crisis Summit meeting with key leaders from a broad spectrum of constitutionally-minded organizations some time during the first quarter of 2004. The summit leaders will meet in the nation’s capitol to discuss the issues that most affect our liberty and our response to the governments’ increasing violations of our God-given rights. More information regarding this Summit will be released as plans are solidified.

End Note

The NCRC Petition is located on the front page of our web site, as well as the NCRC’s web site which is www.restoretheconstitution.org. I strongly encourage readers to make a copy of this petition, sign it, obtain the signatures of six other citizens and mail it to the address listed at the bottom of the petition. Make several copies of the petition at one of the area copying stores, hand them to those who sign your petition and ask them to ask their friends to obtain signatures as well. Keep in mind, those signing the petition must be at least 18 years of age and a citizen of the United States.

This is YOUR opportunity to get involved and do something! If you value what is left of your religious liberties…if you desire to see America turned away from its present path of self-destruction…if you value freedom…NOW is the time to take a stand. We MUST put a stop to the judicial tyranny which has and is presently sweeping our nation. We MUST demand that our elected officials adhere to their oath of office and MUST restore the original precepts and intent of the Constitution of the United States as penned by our Founding Fathers. We MUST take action NOW – while we still have the freedom to do so!

Sign the NCRC’s petition. Send the NCRC a financial contribution. Volunteer to assist them in anyway possible. Contact your friends, relatives and acquaintances in other states and encourage them to do the same. It is time to take back our nation from the enemies of God and restore American to what it once was…”One Nation Under God with Liberty and Justice for All.”