Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host
I was in a conversation this morning with a woman who is an ally in the fight to pull California out of the pit of liberal left doom we seem to be not only flailing badly in, but dropping deeper into every election. Unfortunately, here in California, many folks have simply given up the fight. While there are more conservatives than people realize in this State, based on the numbers we see put out by the mainstream, the Democrats outnumber us two to one as registered voters, and even worse in legislative and executive leadership in Sacramento. The courts are overwhelmingly controlled by the liberal left at the State level, and our federal court is the Ninth Circuit, which is the most liberal federal circuit court in the country.
Republicans, Christians, and Conservatives in California largely feel defeated. A good number of them aren't even in the fight. Many are, however. Even during the American Revolution we must be aware that only 3% of the colonial population actually participated actively in the fight for independence.
In the conversation with this woman, who I greatly appreciate regarding her own work, she was railing against somebody who sends out great emails that activates a good number of folks when rallies or protests regarding illegal aliens come up, but otherwise, you really never see him.
I spoke up, trying to help her realize that we all have our own roles. I have a friend who is very active behind the scenes, but he would never show his face because it could destroy him in his particular line of business. When I spoke up, this woman pretty much told me to hold my peace and let her say what she wanted to another person sitting at the table with me. It sounded as if she was saying, without actually saying it, "shut up and listen, your words are not welcome in this conversation, but you need to be listening."
She vented her frustration about a particular person who has a pretty decent following online, but she doesn't see him at rallies, protests, or events. I inserted that some people have a lot of other things on their plate, or may be at places she doesn't see, or we have our own expertise and that is where those efforts are being concentrated rather than at the rallies and such that she attends.
She scolded me for opening my mouth, while adding, "but, he's got a following, and it's too late to be having classes, we need to be at all rallies and protests."
Deep inside I took it a little personal. Was she saying I don't have a following? Does she consider the education I provide through my constitution classes worthless?
"Education is key," I responded, hoping she would understand my point.
"I read. That is good enough."
I am not writing this to necessarily call her out or to say that she's wrong, but I think she is not recognizing all of the factors involved.
We are all cogs in a larger machine, and while our part to play may not be the same as hers, that does not necessarily make any particular effort less important. We all have our talents, our skills, and our time and financial allowances. In my case, I am the constitution guy. My focus is on issues directly associated with my expertise. That's why she may not see me at, say, a protest in front of a mosque. While that is an important issue to me, and I see Islam's desire to have sharia law replace the Constitution a very dangerous proposition, my fight is not in that arena. I educate, I write books, I speak on the Constitution at various clubs and events, I attend different events than she does, and I have my radio program. Should I tell her that her efforts are no good because I haven't heard her on the radio?
Of course not.
My following, compared to the person she was referring to, is actually many times larger than that individual. But, he sends out emails about local events and protests, and people show based on his provided information. My audience is very different. My influence is in a different arena. My efforts are not where she sees it, so she believes I don't do much.
I am not wanting to pat myself on the back, or sound like it's all about me, because it's not. I am not going to go out of my way to tell her that while she was at a rally at the duck pond in Temecula, I was asked to speak at a larger one in Los Angeles. I am not going to demand that she understand I make my own impact, but that impact is not necessarily in a place that she notices. But, it is frustrating that we (as conservatives) bicker like that, or play those types of games. Why is it she was throwing around that kind of criticism about anyone in the fight? Rather than demanding that the person we discussed, or myself, did more within her little bubble so that she thinks we are more active, shouldn't she be happy they are in the fight at all?
Until four years ago, I didn't even do all of this full-time like I do now. I drove a big rig, and was gone from my home six days per week for 14-16 hours per day in order to make a living. Yet, I still attended many rallies, taught a Thursday Night Class in Temecula, wrote three or four articles on my blog before I went to bed (and scheduled them to post in a staggered manner the following day), and wrote my first book (25 Myths of the United States Constitution). Was that not enough because I didn't appear at as many functions as she did? Was I somehow slacking off if I didn't catch her notice?
We do what we can. Each of us have our own skill-set. Some of us make phone calls. Some of us only go to rallies or protests. Some of us are regulars at the city council meetings. Some of us lead, and some of us follow. Some of us talk, and some of us listen and then spread the word. Some of us are the center of our little group at church or in our neighborhood. Some of us are real active locally, and some in surrounding areas. Some, like me, are public speakers, teachers, or radio hosts. Some of us face off in the dangerous situations, at the border, at Bundy Ranch, or in Barrio Logan down in San Diego against La Raza and Antifa. Some of us simply send emails. Some of us are still in a learning mode. Some of us are not outspoken enough to engage the opposition. Some of us are.
We are all cogs in the patriotic effort to restore our Constitution, or at least in the effort to restore some semblance of normalcy in our communities. We are pieces, different pieces, unique pieces, of the overall puzzle, and instead of attacking someone because we don't see them at all of the places we are at, perhaps we should recognize that the path we are on in our fight to spread constitutional literacy or participate in patriotic advocacy is different than the paths we currently see along our own journey. We are all different, and God has different plans for each of us . . . whether you notice, or not.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
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