Duty Honor Respect & Personal Courage
9th in a Series by Texas Author Carol Sewell
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas We need to approach this in the same way the U.S. Army approaches war. They take it one battle at a time knowing that one loss does not mean the war is lost. They never give up but keep the pressure up and keep advancing forward. The 2011 Texas Legislative Session is now underway and what should have been a fairly easy process to get conservative bills to the House Floor is now going to involve deep commitment on our part.
One reason they can move forward is because they are in unity all fighting for the same outcome. In basic training they are completely broken down so that they can then find themselves as part of a team under authority to superiors and in self-less service to each other and their country. In everything they do at basic training they have the Armies Seven Core Values drilled into them by their drill sergeant.
These seven core values are loyalty duty respect selfless service honor integrity and personal courage. Once upon a time in America these values where part of our foundation. They were taught at home at school and at church.
Not so today. These values are considered antiquated and old fashioned in todays relativistic culture where anything is accepted as long as you dont hurt anyone else. Unfortunately when standards are not upheld we are all hurt.
Recruits are taught that if one in a squad makes a mistake everyone suffers.
Therefore recruits are taught to develop a strong sense of
loyalty to each other. This is the first core value on their list. How does this value apply to
us as conservative Texans? We need to be loyal to our conservative convictions and refuse to give up fighting for them.
Yes it is tiring but what if our soldiers quit because they got tired? Would we still be free?
That brings us to the second value of
duty. It is our duty as citizens to stay engaged and hold our elected officials accountable. They need to be reminded daily that they are being watched and we will not forget what they do. Their actions matter more than their words.
It is our duty to keep up the good fight in order to preserve liberty and free-enterprise in Texas.
Accountability requires that we treat both our elected officials with
respect as well as each other. It is never appropriate to yell at our elected officials. If we want to be heard and taken seriously we must treat them with respect. The office they hold requires it.
The same is true for Tea Party groups and Republicans. We need to embrace all that unites us and stay focused on achieving our common goals. It doesnt matter who gets the credit the end result is the important thing. There is no room for territorialism in this army.
Recruits learn that personal agendas get in the way of unity and victory.
Selfless service is required from all soldiers. The war for the heart and soul of our nation and our state requires that we set aside personal agendas in selfless service to our state and each other.
President Kennedy said it best in his inaugural address
Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country."
Recruits learn the value of
honor. Their word is their honor as well as how they perform (their actions). We would do well to lay aside deceptive ways people pleasing ways in favor of seeking honorable ways always speaking truth.
If we say we will do something then we need to honor our words and do it. So telling our representatives we will watch them and hold them accountable and then do nothing (historically which is what they are used to) shows us to be less than honorable.
Integrity and
personal courage bring all these values together. Recruits learn that adherence to high ethical and moral principles will bring them into a place of wholeness where personal courage can emerge as needed. They have the courage to fight for each other and the cause because of their integrity.
In the same way we the people need integrity in order to stand up to strong opposition and do what is right. When our elected representatives stand up for what is right knowing they will suffer the consequences we need to thank them and let them know we appreciate the personal courage they have shown.
They need to know that we are not only behind them but we are working for them.
The interesting thing about integrity is that we really do not know whether we have it until we are put under pressure. I have personally witnessed seven city council members agree in a work session meeting to support an English only resolution.
Later when faced by a council chamber of Hispanic activists (most not even residents of the city) and the mainstream media five city council members
backpedaled and voted against the resolution. Only two council members had the personal courage to stand on their convictions.
Character is developed through pressure which is why new recruits are put under so much pressure.
These 7 tried & true values need to be cultivated in each of us if we are to have each others back and stay unified in the battles we are facing. We the people" need to have the same mindset as our military and keep putting pressure on our elected representatives no matter who they supported in the speakers race.
We have the advantage because they will all be under the gun to produce on their promises and prove to us they are conservative.
Those who put it all on the line by refusing to support Speaker Straus need and deserve our help and encouragement to really go on the offensive and to work even harder to make sure the conservative agenda is passed. To do this
we need to make the commitment to them that we will work just as hard to back them up.
We must not get discouraged but remember the words of Thomas Paine Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must ... undergo the fatigues of supporting it.
We can become a unified force if we are willing to make the sacrifice of our time and finances to do it.
Carol Sewell is the author of We the People: Know the Past Understand the Present Secure the Future" with foreword by David Barton.
