Posts Tagged ‘Rule of Law’

AGENDA21 IS COMING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!

The Romeo Area Tea Party Presents
Hal Shurtleff
Regional Field Director of the John Birch Society
discussing the dangers of Agenda21

Hal Shurtleff was born and raised in Boston, MA.  He served nine years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve.  He joined The John Birch Society in 1988, started a local chapter in 1989, and came on the staff of The JBS as New England coordinator in 1990.  He was appointed Regional Field Director in 2000.  Hal has appeared as a guest on numerous radio and cable TV shows throughout the Northeast and as a speaker at patriotic and civic organizations.  Hal is a well sought after speaker on the topic of Agenda 21.  Hal is married and has five children. 

INTRODUCTION OF AGENDA 21: Effective execution of Agenda 21 will require a profound reorientation of all human society, unlike anything the world has ever experienced — a major shift in the priorities of both governments and individuals and an unprecedented redeployment of human and financial resources. This shift will demand that a concern for the environmental consequences of every human action be integrated into individual and collective decision-making at every level.

To learn more about this troubling plan proposed by the United Nations check out this blog post by the Heritage Foundation and be sure to attend the Romeo Area Tea Party’s next meeting:

Wednesday

March 21, 2012 – 7:00 PM

The Palazzo Grande 54669 Van Dyke (south of 25 Mile Rd.)
Shelby Township, Michigan 48316

Admission: Free

Due to popular demand, we will be re-showing the movie AGENDA Monday, March 26th, at the Washington Township Hall – see below for details.

The award-winning documentary by Black Hat Films

“It’s not just another conspiracy theory”

Written and directed by Curtis Bowers

“AGENDA is the most powerful expose of the communist, socialist, progressive attempt to take over America produced so far.”
-Ted Baehr, Movieguide

This event will be held Monday, March 26th, 2012, @ 7:00 p.m. at the Washington Township Offices (senior activity center)
57900 Van Dyke, Washington, Michigan 48094

Admission: Free

Check out the trailer for AGENDA below:

Free speech? Really?

The legislation discussed in this article gives the government the authority to tamper with Internet search results by requiring firms like Google to block links to infringing websites. Imposing this limit on information providers is very disturbing and arguably a violation of the First Amendment.

Would you be outraged if the Department of Justice shut down the
Romeo Area Tea Party website without any warning and
blocked access for more than a year?

That’s exactly what happened to a hip-hop blog called Dajaz1.com, which was falsely accused of criminal copyright infringement. The blog posted music from artists promoting their work. But federal authorities viewed it differently. They seized the domain name, then shared virtually no information with its owner for more than year. Only recently did they quietly drop the case.

The government’s handling of this hip-hop blog is fueling fears about legislation moving quickly through Congress that addresses copyright infringement and online piracy.

The Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA as it’s known in the House, and the Senate’s PROTECT IP Act would give the U.S. attorney general the power and authority to block criminal enterprises from trafficking in illegal products online.

Their cause is a noble one. Business incur significant losses when Americans buy counterfeit items. Consumers must also be increasingly vigilant about purchases they make online. Federal authorities shut down more than 150 websites just last month for pirated goods.

But the two bills making their way through Congress
are the wrong solution.

They pose serious threats to freedom of speech and expression and raise security concerns. With the Senate possibly voting on the PROTECT IP Act in January and the House moving forward with hearings on SOPA, Americans should understand what’s at stake.

As the case with Dajaz1.com illustrates, the federal government already has the ability to shut down U.S.-based websites. A growing number of so-called “rogue sites” are located outside the United States, however, limiting the government’s ability to block them.

SOPA would give Attorney General Eric Holder and individual intellectual property holders the ability to sue these rogue sites if they were “dedicated to theft of U.S. property.” The government, through a court order, could take these four steps:

1. Require Internet service providers to prevent subscribers from reaching the website in question;
2. Prohibit search engines such as Google from providing direct links to the foreign website in search results;
3. Prohibit payment network providers, such as PayPal or credit card firms, from completing financial transactions affecting the site; and
4. Bar Internet advertising firms from placing online ads from or to the affected website.

“The legislation addresses a legitimate problem,” wrote Heritage’s regulatory policy expert James Gattuso, “but it may have unintended negative consequences for the operation of the Internet and free speech.”

Free speech:

The legislation gives the government the authority to tamper with Internet search results by requiring firms like Google to block links to infringing websites. Placing this limit on information providers is troubling and arguably a violation of the First Amendment. Besides, Washington’s appetite for power is uncontrollable, and this would almost certainly lead to a slippery slope of unwanted interference in the future.

Internet security:

Criminals would almost certainly discover new ways to circumvent the government’s measures. But the most glaring security problem with SOPA is the damage it would cause to DNSSEC, the new Internet system designed to limit certain crimes. This would jeopardize security across the Internet, potentially creating new challenges.

“The federal government needs to protect intellectual property rights,” Gattuso concluded in his analysis. “But it should do so in a way that does not disrupt the growth of technology, does not weaken Internet security, respects free speech rights, and solves the problem of rogue sites.”

The debate over SOPA is already among the most intense and polarizing taking place in Washington — and rightfully so. With concerns about free speech and Internet security taking center stage, lawmakers would be wise to look at alternatives when they return in January.

This information was originally posted on The Heritage Foundation’s conservative policy news blog, The Foundry, on December 28th, 2011.

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Please check out Judge Warren’s daily blog posting regarding the topics of Patriot Week for 9-12, including the First Principle of the Rule of Law; Chief Justice John Marshall; Marbury v Madison; and the Betsy Ross Flag.

9/12 - DIVERSITY & EQUALITY IN A POST 9/11 WORLD,

A PANEL DISCUSSION

On Monday, September 12, The Oakland County Bar Association’s Diversity in the Legal Profession Committee and Thomas M. Cooley Law school are pleased to present a Patriot Week Panel Discussion: “Diversity and Equality in a Post 9/11 World: Have We Crossed the Precipice of Intolerance?” Moderated by Judge Michael Warren. Diversity Committee reception at 5:00 and panel discussion beginning at 5:30 at Cooley’s campus in Auburn Hills. Click here for the flyer.

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, ALL ARE WELCOME

An official Press Release from Candice Miller’s office.

Miller, King Statement on Obama Administration Decision to Limit Enforcement of Federal Immigration Laws

August 19, 2011 3:13 PM

Harrison Township, MI – Today, U.S. Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, and Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, issued the following statement in response to the Obama Administration’s Thursday announcement that it would limit enforcement of federal immigration laws:

“This new non-enforcement policy announced by the Obama Administration is a blatant attempt to grant amnesty to potentially millions of illegal aliens in this country, and is totally unacceptable.

“In reality, this decision to vastly expand the exercise of ‘prosecutorial discretion’ in enforcing our federal immigration laws means that the Administration will now be, in a huge number of cases, simply ignoring those laws.

“The President and members of his Administration must enforce this nation’s laws, just as they have sworn in their oaths of office to do.

“On July 25th, in a speech to the National Council of La Raza, the President himself said, ‘I know some people want to bypass Congress and change the laws on my own…but that’s not how our system works…That’s not how our democracy functions. That’s not how our Constitution is written.’ Apparently the President’s understanding of how our system of government works has changed since last month.”

Previously, the Obama Administration decided it will no longer defend the federal law that says marriage can exist only between a man and a woman.

This Press Release, jointly released by Representatives Miller and King, is in response to actions taken by Obama’s administration, summarized by Stephen Dinan writing at The Washington Times.

Our readers were previously alerted to this possibility  Proposed Legislation Concerning Immigration Policy~ The “HALT” Act.

Contact Representative Miller in support of her statement at (D.C. Office–(202) 225-2106  or Shelby Twp Office– (586) 997-5010

Are we a “Rule of Law” Country, or a “Rule by Discretion” Country?

Working its way through the approval process in the U.S. House of Representatives, new legislation concerning immigration is aimed at preventing the executive branch from interfering with the enforcement of current immigration law. The bill, named the “HALT” Act, or the “Hinder the Administration’s Legalization Temptation” Act, was introduced by Rep. Lamar Smith with these comments (via  July 18, 2011 Legislative Update, FAIR website),

“Congress has defeated amnesty for illegal immigrants several times in recent years but this has not stopped President Obama from trying a backdoor amnesty. Over the course of the last year, the Obama administration has ignored the will of Congress and the American people by using executive branch authority to allow illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S.”

Read more about  H.R. 2497, the “HALT” Act, by clicking on the picture below to visit the FAIR website.

The following was distributed by email, and also appeared in the Oakland Press .

Patriot Week Celebrates Freedom

by Michael Warren

Abraham Lincoln declared that “Of our political revolution of ’76, we are all justly proud. It has given us a degree of political freedom, far exceeding that of any other of the nations of the earth. In it, the world has found a solution of that long mooted problem, as to the capability of man to govern himself. In it was the germ which has vegetated, and till is to grow and expand into the universal liberty of mankind.”

These words ring true today. In 1776, America turned the world topsy-turvy and established the first government in history established on certain founding First Principles: The rule of law, equality, unalienable rights, the Social Compact, limited government and the right to alter or abolish an oppressive government.

Those founding First Principles became the basis of our Constitution, and, in turn, all the progress we have made in connection with the blessings of liberty.

In the hustle and bustle of our day, we often forget how blessed we truly are. Take five minutes to read the headlines about those struggling for freedom in Egypt, Syria and other hot spots across the globe and we know we still inspire others.

Look at the sacrifices our brave men and women in the armed forces — in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and elsewhere — to know that people are still willing to lay down their lives for those ideas.

Yet, the duty to preserve our liberty is not limited to overseas freedom fighters or our own military. No, we are the heirs of the American Revolution and we, no one else, must stand for freedom if it is to survive today, tomorrow and into the next generation.

Unfortunately, for far too long, we have given the need to understand our founding First Principles and history short shrift. Study after study confirms that our students and general public are ill-informed about the basic tenets of our Constitution, government, and history.

This threatens our ability to survive as a free people. Lincoln also explained that “As a nation freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.”

The quickest path to suicide is to forget and hold in disdain that which makes us free.

But all is not lost.

We have the ability to reclaim our heritage.

One way is through Patriot Week, which has been celebrated in Michigan since 2009. Anchored by the key dates of Sept. 11 (the anniversary of the terrorist attacks) and Sept. 17 (the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, dubbed “Constitution Day”), Patriot Week is a grassroots effort that renews America’s spirit by celebrating the First Principles, Founding Fathers and other Patriots, vital documents and speeches, and flags that make America the greatest nation in world history.

We need to invigorate our appreciation and understanding of America’s spirit.

Patriot Week is an indispensable way to do so.

Join our effort by volunteering, engaging an organization to participate, or attending an event.

Learn more at patriotweek.org and follow us on Facebook and twitter.

Michael Warren is an Oakland County Circuit Court judge, co-founder of Patriot Week, www.patriotweek.org,  and author of “America’s Survival Guide,” www.americassurvivalguide.com.

There are plenty of public media thrashings and blessings about the Restoring Honor Rally, held at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 2010 hosted by Glenn Beck.  Here is a “Behind the Stage” trip report from a Romeo Area Tea Party participant of the Rally.

Read this excerpt…

“Nobody on Television wants “guess the number” of participants at the Rally. Even Fox News has cleverly avoided the “number”, almost baiting the competition to underestimate participation, in terms of “tens of thousands”. Well I’m not afraid to provide an educated guess, while telling you just how I arrived at my number…”

Click here to read more about this excerpt from the Restoring Honor Rally Trip Report.

Click here for YouTube video of the Glenn Beck Rally: The Great Geese Flyover

Click here for YouTube video of the Restoring Honor Rally: Amazing Grace (with bagpipes)

Romeo Area Tea Party has invited Phyllis Schlafly to speak

at our Friday, July 23 Meeting.

Counting down 14 days until her visit, we will feature something new each day.

Day  3  2

I Like…

                   …Phyllis’ stance on Illegal Immigration, based on Rule of Law. 

 She supports American identity, which includes in part,

       … immediate border security to stop the entry of illegal aliens, illegal drugs, women seeking to give birth to “anchor babies,” Third World diseases, criminal gangs, and potential terrorists.We oppose all variations of amnesty and guest-worker visas. Our first task is to assimilate the millions of non-English-speaking foreignborn who are legal residents.”

Phyllis discusses many of these topics in her columns, and is even-handed in her criticism of government policies, whether during the Bush administration here, here and here,  or during a Democratic administration, here and here.  

We are honored to have Phyllis as our featured speaker on Friday, July 23rd, 2010 at 7 PM

Capital Banquet Center, 12350 31 Mile Road, Washington MI 48095

Please Join Us!!!

Visit here  for more details for meeting.

Fellow Patriots.

If you missed our June 28th RATP meeting, you can now watch Justice Robert P. Young’s presentation online here. For those of us that were there, it’s worth watching again. It was an excellent talk and Justice Young is a very entertaining speaker.  He spoke about the Rule of Law, and there is an extended Q and A session which is very informational.

Part 1:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CupXCdzMzFk

                 Part 2:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP1HIQ5ZmPo&feature=related

                                  Part 3:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rob3tBUCgwo&feature=related

                                                   Part 4:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB194weDG4Q

                                                                    Part 5:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGjo73PioQU

                                                                                     Part 6:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElhtjCxovHI

Guest Speaker: Justice Robert P. Young, Jr.

Topic: The Rule of Law

Biography:

Justice Robert P. Young, Jr. has been a member of the Michigan Supreme Court since 1999; he was elected in 2002 to a term that will expire January 1, 2011. Before joining the Supreme Court, Justice Young served as a judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals, to which he was appointed in 1995 and elected in 1996.

Justice Young graduated in 1974 from Harvard College with honors and from Harvard Law School in 1977. In 1978, he joined the law firm of Dickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen & Freeman, becoming a partner in the firm in 1982. From 1992, until he joined the Court of Appeals, Justice Young was the vice president, corporate secretary, and general counsel of AAA Michigan.

Justice Young’s community activities include service as a member of the Advisory Board of the United Community Services of Metropolitan Detroit and Vista Maria. He has also served as a trustee of charitable and civic organizations devoted to children’s interests, such as the Detroit Institute of Children, The Detroit Historical Society, and the Governor’s Task Force on Children’s Justice Concerning Child Abuse and Neglect. Justice Young is also a former commissioner of the Michigan Civil Service Commission, a former trustee of Central Michigan University, University Liggett School, Grosse Pointe Academy and a former chair of the Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce Leadership Detroit program. He has served on the boards of many other civic and business organizations.

Justice Young has been an adjunct professor at Wayne State University Law School for a number of years and is a co-editor of Michigan Civil Procedure During Trial, 2d Ed. (Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education, 1989) and Michigan Civil Procedure, (Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education, 1999)

In 2001 and 1999, Justice Young was awarded honorary degrees respectively from Michigan State University and Central Michigan University. In 1999, Justice Young was named Detroit Country Day School ‘s Alumnus of the Year.