By Nancy Thorner -
Rev. C.L. Bryant's closing message at the Illinois Conservative Activist Conference last weekend was fiery, forceful, and passionate. The day-long conference audience was spellbound.
Bryant's first words took attendees to the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 23, which issues a warning to be very careful of those who come to you and what they are placing before you.
In relating this warning to the present political situation, Bryant spoke about what is now happening politically. There are those who are placing free stuff on the table before us. For this we must be very careful, for soon we may expect a knife at our throats to pay the piper for our meal of progressive politics.
Expressed by Bryant was that as Americans a desire for liberty and freedom is inherent in our DNA. Furthermore, this nation was divinely inspired. As penned by Thomas Jefferson, author of our Declaration of Independence: “All men are created equal, they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” As such, no man can take away are rights or give them to us, for they were given to us by God.
In an inquiry of why we were here today Bryant said: “It was to create a transformation. We have a job to do and that was to elect good people. If elected officials don't do their job, it's time for them to pack their bags, get out, and go home.”
Paramount to Bryant is that we become engaged through the use of social media, further relating: "If you are above 45 and below 85, your engine is social media. While Mitt Romney was putting out yard signs, Obama was using social media.”
Bryant bemoaned how "this may be the first generation to bury more of their children because of sedentary lifestyles and drugs. Suicide rates are skyrocketing among the young. They don't want to live."
Hong Kong's uprising for freedom was praised by Bryant. “In that the American flag is being displayed indicates that people in Hong Kong understand the symbol of our American flag, which is not always the situation here at home.” As indicated by Bryant, "We live in troubled times. Our future is being challenged and changed."
The nature of our public schools brought forth strong and forceful rhetoric from Bryant. “Although the name of the school might sound good is it really a good school? We must pay more attention to what children are learning in school, even at the college level, or when children return home from college we will have a Karl Marx sitting at our table.”
Continuing his thoughts about education, Bryant explained how “it no longer matters what you think about something, but how you feel about something. In order to change America all that is necessary is to change the definition of words, such as marriage, gender, and patriotism. There is no need to rewrite history books.”
In speaking to pastors in the room, Bryant noted that it was easy to be brave here in the room or in your positions behind pulpits, further enjoining pastors to engage in worldly issues and political happening, for Christ was a political activist. Just why are pastors afraid to do so, asked Bryant? Blame was placed on fear of the crucifixion. Said Bryant, “We need a resurrection of Christian values here in America.”
As to the state of this nation, Bryant described it as a one that is becoming unstable. The Republican Party is split, and the Democrat party is all over the place. This nation cannot afford to be unstable and double minded. Because tyrants cannot take control of people who are prosperous and happy, progressives know they must strive to make people unhappy through pushing victim hood. As Bryant said: “When we care more about our feelings than our liberty, we lose both.”
As to the American dream, it is unique in that it doesn't take place in any other country. Only in America can people dare to dream. Bryant described the American dream as the ability to keep their family safe, fed, warm, and dry. The progressive liberals would like to take this away from us.
We often hear from progressives and others that we are our brother's keepers." Yes, said Bryant, we do help our brothers when they are in need, but we don't keep any body. Those we help must learn to stand on their own two feet.
As to this nation: “We are a nation of Americans. Anyone coming to this nation must want to be an American. This country has been paid for in sweat blood. We must fight those within this nation who are trying to move our nation away from its founding principles to one that would kill the American dream and take away our freedoms and liberty.”
C.L. Bryant is a Senior Fellow at Freedom Works in Washington, D.C., whose mission is to build, educate, and mobilize the largest network of activists advocating the principles of smaller government, lower taxes, free markets, personal liberty and the rule of law.
Bryant is the founder of the group, "One Nation Back to God". Check this website. In 2012, he produced and released the independent film documentary, Runaway Slave, "a movie about the race to free the Black community from the slavery of tyranny and progressive policies. A non-fiction book by Bryant, Lead Us to Temptation, Deliver Us to Evil, was published in 2010. He is now working on a new film project called RED WHITE AND BLACK. Bryant's Shreveport, LA based radio show -- The CL Bryant Show -- gives a voice to conservative Americans. Bryant's show can also be found nationwide on Red State Talk Radio.
ICU is a coalition of conservative grassroots groups and activists organized as a not-for-profit 501(c)(4), non-partisan, Illinois Bona Fide State Civic Organization, whose vision exists to build and maintain a coalition of conservative organizations and grassroots activists throughout the state of Illinois. Its goal is to have a positive impact on the financial and moral trajectory of the state. Conservative values and principles are time-tested, having a proven historical record of success in improving the lives of people around the globe.
Carol Davis, Chairman, Illinois Conservative Union, was the organizer of the one-day event.
