Trying to speak at CD2 convention - Constr. criticism requested on speech

[GunnyFreedom]

Trying to get a spot on the podium for the District 2 convention on Saturday. Will try to get video/audio. Constructive criticism please:

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Ladies and Gentlemen of the Republican Party, the party of RIGHT, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to address this body of dedicated patriots today. My name is Glen Bradley. I am a former Marine, a former Southern Baptist Seminarian, a strict Constitutionalist, and a Republican. I have lived in Franklin County for the last 22 years.

You don't need me to stand up here today to tell you that things are bad in Washington DC. We all know that things are bad. It seems that all three branches of our government have forgotten what it means to respect the US Constitution. Wherever we can point to a problem in the Federal Government today, the solution seems as simple as it is profound - the answer without exception, always lies in following the US Constitution.

Whether we face a progressive tax code plus hyperinflation set to destroy the middle class, or we run into a slow but steady chipping away of the individual and the states God given rights and liberties which were first recognized by the Founding Fathers of our great nation, the solution is always found in respecting, following, and obeying the US Constitution.

But more and more it seems that our representatives in Washington DC have forgotten the importance of our founding document, and of the rights and the freedoms which it guarantees.

We here in the North Carolina Republican Party remain one of the last brightly shining lights for Constitutionalism in our day. We do not buy into the Democratic claptrap of a 'living document' nor have we settled for the authoritarian balderdash of loose and uncertain interpretations.

Indeed, we have amongst ourselves determined that the Constitution is important enough to include in the preamble to the state GOP platform, in point number 4 that:

4. We honor the original meaning of our Constitutions and the inalienable rights of the American people as recognized in the Bill of Rights and the North Carolina Declaration of Rights.

Therefore, it is up to us to stand up today, we, North Carolinians who stood strong at Moore's Creek in 1776, who stopped the Loyalists at Ramsour’s Mill in 1780, and who humiliated Lord Cornwallis at Guilford Court House in 1781. Lest we forget, North Carolina was instrumental in assuring that the US Constitution contained a Bill of Rights by rejecting the unamended Constitution in 1788, and finally ratifying the amended Constitution in November of 1789.

It is time, ladies and gentlemen, that we stand up and with one voice demand that our representatives in Washington DC restore a respect for the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights. No longer will we tolerate the erosion of our first amendment rights, the attrition of our second amendment guarantees, the decay of our fourth amendment protections, and the dissolution of our fifth amendment safeguards.

How then, can we do that?

As we all well know, there is nothing that can change the outcome of the Presidential nomination. If every citizen of North Carolina stepped into the polls on May 6th and voted for Mike Huckabee, or for Fred Thompson, the results at the National Convention in September would remain the same. But we do have a full slate of delegates at the ready today, each and every one of whom is a strict Constituionalist, and who stand ready to represent our voice at the national Convention and to demand the change that we seek.

How do we change the climate in Washington DC and return a respect for the US Constitution? We do it by affecting the national party platform and resolutions to encourage the nomination of Constitutionalist candidates at all levels, and to discourage the nomination of non-Constitutionalists at all levels. We do that by sending strict constructionist Constitutionalists to the national convention in September, and we do THAT, but voting for Ron Paul on May 6th, 2008.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have the opportunity before us today, to send a message at the national convention to those who will be representing us now, and in the future, that We the People of these United States demand respect for the US Constitution. Our government is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. My friends, let us never forget that WE ARE THE PEOPLE! It is time to put an end to a government of, by, and for the special interests and the self interests, and to restore a government of, by, and for the PEOPLE of these United States.

Please, my fellow Republicans, working together we can really change the direction of our nation from the path of corruption to the path of restoration. We can do this by voting for the only strict constructionist Constitutionalist in the race for President today, and the only one to run for the Oval office since 1964. We can save our nation for our children and our posterity by standing up on May 6th and voting for Ron Paul. The Republican Presidential Nomination may be already decided, but we can impact the character of the race and the presidency to come by voting for Ron Paul, and sending a message to the National GOP and to Washington DC that We The People demand that our representatives restore respect to the US Constitution.

Thank you for your time, and gentle kindness. God bless you, and God bless America!

[MozoVote]

Practice reading it aloud. Be sure you know how much time you have. (Probably only 2 or 3 minutes.) One of our Paul nominees could not finish her speech in the time alotted.

See if you can get a copy of the convention rules beforehand. I think my attempt to get the Enumerated Powers Act voted on at 6th District was ruled out of order on a technicality (should have been 200 words or less).

[rancher89]

Gunny, I'm not worthy (picture me bowing and waving both hands)


I teared up reading your speech, I could hear it in my head, the emphasis just at the right moment. It is a speech that one of our forefathers could have made...

Good speeches have a bit of repetition in them, hammer in the important stuff, and by golly, you seem to have done that!

I agree with mozo, practice a lot. You need to time it also. The 2 minute mark is important in many ways, too long and you will lose some people. The following suggestions are only if you need to shorten it, your speech is wonderful the way it is. It may be that you have to trim words such as "really" and phrases such as "the party of the right" to get it under 2 minutes. The first two sentences in the second paragraph could be combined, that sort of thing--but, again, the speech is really good just as it is, I'm still a-tingle!

Make us proud Glenn, I mean Gunny! Let us know how it goes.

[GunnyFreedom]

Thanks for all your help thus far, I will be responding in greater detail tonight, as I have been awake throughout the night and must rest and collect my thoughts. I am blessed with your good constructive input and kind words.

[acptulsa]

I love this speech. I really do. And I can't imagine anyone being so crass as to call "time" before you're through with it.

I think the repetition of "Constitution" is basically a good thing, but it is repetitious and for the sake of style I'd be inclined to embellish a little here and there to not only break up the repetition but to really get the oldsters going. The Constitution that Madison and Hamilton worked so hard to bring to life, and/or The Constitution that they knew they got right when it made Gen. Washington smile, something like that. I also think I'd name Goldwater in that last full paragraph.

But, hey, this isn't criticism, constructive or otherwise. You asked for comment, and that's what I would probably do in terms of style. As for substance, well, I have nothing but nothing to say but Bravo! Go get 'em, gunny! Godspeed!

[luke-gr]

I agree with the positive feedback. I wish I could be there to hear you.

I wouldnt have come up with that on my own, but acptulsa has a valid point..... instead of the word Constitution, "Those Sacred Papers", "Founding Documents that we hold so dear", "Guidelines which were meant to restrain government", etc. That will remove a bit of the repitition and bring about a bit of feeling also.

[weslinder]

That is beautiful. I'd cheer.