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Hernando Today

Jordan Baker's speech

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Hernando Today

Published: October 22, 2009

Hello Representative Brown-Waite, My name is Jordan Baker I am 14 years old and am Founder and current president of a local youth civic group called Conservative Christian Teens for America. Our goal is to educate, encourage each other and impact our world. My friends and I are here to talk to you about the Parental Rights Amendment, and to urge you to become a cosponsor today with us. I know that you are familiar with this proposed amendment because I have sent many packets to you concerning this to both of your offices. I have also received one letter from you stating your position on this matter.

In your letter you state that you agree with that a parent's right to raise and educate his/her child is a fundamental right. However you also state, "parental rights are widely respected in the eyes of the law". Congresswoman, I would have to disagree with you on that. Our very own courts are tearing the rights of our parents away. It is true, 80 years ago in the case Pierce vs. Society of Sisters, the US Supreme Court did declare that "the child is not the mere creature of the State; those who nurture and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations."

30 Years ago the Supreme Court continued by pronouncing that the, "primary role of the parents in the upbringing of their children is now established beyond debate as an enduring American tradition." However, Congresswoman, just 9 years ago, the State of Washington gave any person the ability to override a good parent's decision about visitation simply by claiming that it would be "best" for the children to have a third party, namely the government, to have visitation rights! Justice Scalia himself has stated that parents have no constitutionally protected rights whatsoever.

You also state in your letter, that the Democrats are in charge and it is doubtful the bill will be brought up for vote. Congresswoman, yes, the Democrats are in charge and they are poised to adopt the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Pres. Obama supports this treaty, Secretary of State Clinton is a leading advocate of it since her "it takes a village", and Senator Barbara Boxer of CA, has "promised" that this treaty will be ratified. As a matter of fact, Rep. Brown-Waite, just this past week, The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear 2 cases which challenge the authority of the state of FL to sentence minors to life without parole for extremely violent crimes. Amnesty International argues that the UN's Convention on the Rights of the Child is binding on the US as a matter of Customary International Law. Not that these cases involve Parental Rights, however, if agreed upon by the courts, the CRC may be applied to American Law even without being ratified. As John Adams once wrote, "liberty once lost is lost forever." There is urgency here, Congresswoman, to place this amendment into our Constitution.

Your letter also states that the Constitution is not easily amended and is a lengthy process. Congresswoman, I agree that it is not easily amended and I believe that was intentional of our Founding

Fathers. However, I know that you are not suggesting to me or my peers that we should not do "Hard Things". Someone worked really hard at both creating and passing Amendments 13,15 and 19 so that race and gender would have equal value and the right to vote. Do you not agree that those Amendments were worth fighting for, no matter how long the process took?

John Quincy Adams wrote, "Always vote for principle, though you may be alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." Rep Brown-Waite, the Parental Rights Amendment now has 121 US State Representatives and 6 US Senators as cosponsors. These are your co-workers, all Republicans, most conservatives and constitutionalists. These are the folks who represent us, who have placed themselves under the service of their constituents. Representatives like Michelle Bachman, Pete Hoekstra, Mike Pence and Senators Jim DeMint, and Charles Grassley. Won't you join that league of representatives today, Congresswoman, by becoming a cosponsor of this proposed amendment to secure the rights of our parents? We have also gathered approximately 500 signatures of your constituents who agree with our plea. And if this amendment truly received the attention it deserved we would have many more. Will you choose to listen to them today?

Congresswoman, as a child, I truly do not desire a panel of 18 countries deciding how my parents will raise me; the Bible says that is a right and duty given by God. Thank you for allowing us this time, but your decision to join us is an urgent one.

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