MinuteMom Magazine - Winter 2013

MinuteMom Winter 1st Quarter | 2012• Volume 3 Issue 1

Presidents’ Day Constitutional Genealogy

9 prepper Mistakes

Engage & Embrace

YYFrom T he Board Welcome Dear Moms and Moms-at-Heart, The months have come and gone since the election and many Americans now understand the full impact of what happened in November. The finger pointing is nearly over; the fear for our Constitutional Republic and for our God given rights has become very real as we watch the news. But, what transpired in November has not changed our focus or our goals. As A Mom... has always been predominately a non-partisan group with one common bond: “Our mission is to empower Moms and Moms-at-Heart in preserving our Constitution, country and children’s futures.”

To ‘empower,’ means to provide the necessary tools to fulfill a specific purpose. Here at As A Mom... we educate and strengthen all moms to act nationally, locally, and in their homes. We do this through education. Our new, “Educating Americans,” group is filled with valuable information. http://tinyurl.com/bl2mx9a We have compiled noteworthy topics and issues, to hedge against lies and misrepresentation. There are massive amounts of information on political theory, history, current educational trends, our Founding Documents and information outside the main stream media.

We share the latest news so we can inform others. We strengthen each other as we join in on the various conversations; asking questions, posting the facts we know and sharing opinions. The great thing about AAM is that we provide the means for all moms to take action. Many of our moms are leaders in their own right. They have run for office in their local political parties and 9-12 groups. Some moms are writing books, others are running Constitution Camps, and developing relationships with local elected leaders. We recently added a group called ACTION CENTER http://tinyurl.com/bgtvyns where moms can work together to make a difference in the moral, educational and political arenas. These moms are empowered.

Once we empower, we engage!

With the help of the Minute Mom Magazine, we have reached a broader community by using our own terrific writers and by calling on outside experts to represent their fields of expertise.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who make this possible. If you are reading this and would like to contribute, you can e-mail mmm@asamom.org

photo L.. Parker

Pat Byers President As a Mom… A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots® Inc.

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MinuteMom Magazine Winter 1st Quarter | 2012• Volume 3 Issue 1

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Features 6 The Importance of Presidents’ Day The meaning of the one we commonly called Presidents’ Day has been neutralized.

By Carrie Christiansen

10 Genealogy of the Constitution A visual look at the history of the Constitution.

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12 The US Constitution: A Primer- Article 4 An instructional look at Article 4 of the Constitution. An ongoing series.

By Catherine G. White

18 9 Mistakes Typically Made by Preppers Gaye Levy

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22 Actions, Not Words, Teach Responsibility to Entitled Kids The survey shows that kids expect more from doing less—change that.

By Mary Jo Rapini

24 Patriot or Politician?

What are we and our elected officials.

by KrisAnne Hall

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28 A Wall of Separation: to Protect Whom?

Looking at the separation of Church and State.

By Joshua Durgin

36 OK…NOW WHAT? Putting long term storage to everyday use.

By auntie Anne

As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

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40 The Beginning Of Free Government An explanation of the Declaration of Independence for the entire family.

By Deb Durgin

Departments From The Board

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Welcome

5 Opinion Guarding the Flock

Values

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Engage & Embrace

30 Youth in Action Turning Point USA

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Mom’s Minutes Reach Out, It Matter’s So Much The Power of Prayer Common Core... Our Cultural Wars

34 Restoring Humor

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Publisher: As a Mom...

A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots.® Inc. www.AsAMom.org Editor Kami Watkins Associate Editor Cee Hinkle Art Director Lori Parker Contributing Writers: Auntie Anne Carrie Christiansen Deb Durgin Joshua Durgin Krisanne Hall Gaye Levy Duncan Millar Mary Jo Rapini Kami Watkins Catherine G. White MinuteMom Magazine is published 4 times a year

by As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots, Inc. MinuteMom Magazine is available free, on-line.

Copyright © 2013 by As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots, Inc. All rights reserved. MinuteMom Magazine is not responsible for errors, omissions or contest fulfillment from third parties.

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For more information contact editor@minutemom.org.

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YYOpinion

Guarding the Flock Recently a mad man walked into a school and killed over two dozen people, most of them children. We all know the story, and we’ve all heard the scattered ideas as to what happened and why. No matter what the reason was though, the end result was the same: an armed man walked into an unarmed school and killed a lot of innocent people.

The simplicity of this seems to escape the mainstream media.

They can talk all they want about psychological problems, the dangers of firearms, and the other hot button political issues that plague society, but it’s not going to change reality. The police could not have arrived at the school any faster; there is no magic teleportation device to do so. The school doors could not be impregnable; it is not a prison. There is no negotiator who could have arrived quickly enough to convince a deranged man to stop what he was doing.

All you have is a simple reality, an armed villain, and a lot of disarmed victims: a wolf in the flock.

The media can talk about gun bans all they want, but shepherds learned a long time ago that you can’t take the teeth out of every wolf in the wild. There will always be weapons in the hands of criminals, whether that be guns, knives, bombs, or just their bare hands; humans are inventive, even the evil ones. They As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

will always find a way to do harm to their target.

Shepherds figured out years ago that if you can’t teach the flock to fight off the wolf, you need a sheepdog to defend the flock. Police are like shepherds, but they can’t be everywhere at once; they cannot guard every school every day. What can be at school every day and protect the unarmed, like a sheepdog protecting the flock? The answer is simple: the same people who have been charged with teaching the children.

If a teacher can be entrusted with molding a young child’s education and future, can the teacher not be entrusted with the child’s protection? If not, then why would you let that person be a teacher to begin with? It is time that America realizes what other parts of the world, which have had their children threatened, have learned. For your children to be safe, they must be protected from those who would do them harm.

Protection is not putting them in a box without any sharp objects. It is human care that protects children, not manufactured environments. I don’t care how safe a place is, you do not leave children unattended.

By the same token, I do not care how peaceful a place is, you should not leave a child unprotected.

Our teachers need to be armed.

This has been done successfully in other countries. It has been done successfully in Israel, a country whose own neighbors want to kill them. Armed volunteers roam the

shepherds learned a long time ago that you can’t take the teeth out of every wolf in the wild. halls, watching over the children. If Israel can protect its children in the most volatile place on earth, can we not protect our children here? Arm the teachers; teach them how to wield weapons in defense of their charges. One of the first revolvers was called the Peacemaker, for the military to preserve peace; now we need a new gun for teachers, perhaps called the Educator, to educate those who would do harm, that it shall not be done in the hallowed halls of learning.

—Joshua Durgin

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The Importance of Presidents’ Day

On the third Monday in February each year, we see Presidents’ Day on our calendars and anticipate a day off of school or work. Meantime, retailers look forward to an increase in shoppers hoping to score great deals during their big “Presidents’ Day Sales.”

Like many of our traditional American holidays, the meaning of the one we commonly call Presidents’ Day has been neutralized and has evolved over time to become little more than a commercialized, consumer-driven, three-day weekend. But, its purpose is important to know and remember for the sake of preserving America’s history.

In 1796, during his last year in office, Americans began celebrating President George Washington on his birthday each 6

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year. In 1880 Congress declared February 22nd, Washington’s Birthday, the first federal holiday created in recognition of a single American citizen. When our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, became such an important force in reshaping our nation, citizens believed he, too, deserved a day of recognition and an annual public holiday was assumed on his birthday, February 12th.

In 1968, Congress introduced the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill to maximize the number of long weekends for workers. Three years later, Washington’s Birthday holiday was moved to the third Monday in February to be in honor of both presidents. Changing the name to Presidents’ Day was debated, but the name did not officially change. However, www.AsAMom.org

Photos Courtesy of Library of Congress

by Carrie Christiansen

there was no official title agreement, so some states, such as California, Idaho, and Texas, chose to rename their holiday Presidents’ Day. In just a few years, with several states and retailers nationwide opting for the more general option, Presidents’ Day took over as the accepted name for Washington’s Birthday and today the common, albeit incorrect, belief is that “Presidents’ Day” is a holiday created to honor all presidents. While every President sacrifices himself and his family when he serves his term, not all presidents are equal nor do all deserve a federal holiday in their name.

President Washington, who rightfully earned the title of “Father of His Country,” should be remembered and celebrated for his service as commander of the Continental Army, president of the Constitutional Convention, and first American president.

He was a self-educated man of exemplary character who wanted nothing more than to live and work on his farm, but was willing to risk everything he had when his country needed him.

President Lincoln, also a humble selfeducated man, ran for president on a platform denouncing disunion and slavery. In his five years as president, he held the Union together when eleven states seceded, leading the North to victory over the Confederates in the Civil War, and issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which effectively freed the slaves in the Southern states.

Presidents Washington and Lincoln are two of the truly exceptional presidents in our country’s history. Without these remarkable individuals, the United States would be unrecognizable, and possibly not even exist.

They deserve a day of recognition and remembrance in honor of their selfless, invaluable contribution to America. We must not allow As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

the stacks of sales flyers to distract us, nor fail to see through the consistent effort to make everything “fair” in an effort to prop up the mediocre and neutralize exceptionalism where it truly and obviously exists.

Whatever you choose to call the holiday, recognize these men. Take a few minutes to learn something about them and share that knowledge with your family and friends. We cannot forget our history.

Carrie Christiansen is a Seattle native, now residing in Loveland, CO. She earned a B.S. degree in Animal Science from Montana State University, which she now puts to good use as a wife and stay-at-home mom of two young children.

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YYValues

Engage & Embrace Here at As a Mom...we’ve seen what the efforts of one woman can do when she champions any cause for good. And as mom’s we are eagerly involved for the cause of all good things. At times it may even overwhelm us. During these times we need to remember that there is much to be said of balance and harmony, helping to equally yoke our quest for good, with our quest happiness. I hardly think there is anything, as a mother, that I personally ‘engage’ in that doesn’t have something of an improved outcome, especially when my heart is in the right place.

The Fall of 2012 had all of our hearts in the right place. Three months ago we were anticipating the fruits of our labors. We were revved up for a great outcome from the November election and needless to say, things did not go as we had planned. There has been much in the way of talk and dialogue as to reasons why. Many citizens felt a wave of defeat, not just for our candidates, but for our country. I’ve heard questions wondering why our prayers weren’t answered and without the change that we wanted,

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how could we save our sweet country and our families from the liberal idea of socialism.

In a conversation with my neighbor, and many heartfelt tears, she made the comment, “We prayed!”

My thought was, “Yes, we did!”

We prayed a lot. And for anyone that has ever received answers from heaven’s door knows, those answers often come in mysterious, unexpected ways. And so now we must, “trust,” in God. He knows the outcome beginning to end. He

This year is a year of action like never before. will utilize every portion of good that we have to give, and when we think we can give no more, or that we are near the edge of defeat, he will show us our triumph. It will be between the setting of the sun and the rising of it, then we will see his purposes fulfilled, and be amazed that we were part of it.

God saw the visible gray cloud over our nation this last election, but I had the overwhelming impression that there was still much to be grateful for. It was a time to relish in what I did have. I still had my freedoms, of speech, religion and the right to bear arms[for now]. I still had my family by my side. I still believe fervently in my God and His Son, Jesus. I still believe the Constitution is a document of unprecedented importance of our free nation. I still had my health, my home, and my free will. And last but not least, I still had a passion for changing and stopping the efforts of anyone that dictated any idea to take away any of those aforementioned things. While we were bucked off our horse, every country girl knows, we get right back on. Wasting time on what transpired in November, isn’t an option. It doesn’t help to focus on what has been, when we need to focus on what can be.

It is our hope here at As a Mom..., that as women we can reflect on this last year as a learning experience—not one to slow down our momentum—but one that pushes us forward in a more determined and purposeful way. This year is a www.AsAMom.org

year of action like never before. We will surpass last year with both effort and efficiency. Each value this year is about being pro-active and taking an active part not only in our lives, but the lives around us, including our living Constitution. The values for February--Engage & Embrace-define ways for us to grasp every opportunity to take part in that positive change awaiting us this year.

Eagerly involved for the cause of goodYY Engage the attention of fellow Americans with positive conversation & talking points on our Country, Children and the U.S. Constitution.

Embrace opportunities that allow you to defend and stand up for your beliefs.

YY Engage your efforts to support our Constitution, to defend family and champion God in your life. Embrace a Sunday reading of the Constitution each week this year, embrace your family and your God wholeheartedly.

YY Engage your heart in doing good.

Embrace those around you that need love and compassion.

YY Engage is meaningful prayer for the leaders of our country, regardless of differences. Embrace the little victories in your life.

As we ‘Engage & Embrace’ new opportunities to converse, defend and champion our beliefs, we will see that gray cloud lift, and the sun will shine down in a way that will give us renewed hope and remind us that our future is in God’s hands.

—Kami Watkins

As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

Be a

Mollytician moll•y•ti•cian |mäl i´ti sh en|

noun 1. a mom* who is involved in politics, 2. a mom holder of or a candidate for an elected office.

antonym – politician: a person who acts in a manipulative and devious way, typically to gain advancement within an organization.

Attend a local meeting.

What is your school district doing?

What is on the mayor’s agenda?

What legislation is your state house considering?

* Mom: a member of Asamom.org may be a mom or mom-at heart.

Genealogy of the Constitution based on Writings of Krisanne Hall and w. cleon skousen ~ created by MM staff

Our Founding Fathers did not invent our government out of nothing. They relied on thousands of years of the human experience as inspiration and patterns to follow. These are just a few of the concepts and documents that are in the Constitution’s Family Tree.

Moses- Concept Of Representative Government by setting leaders of groups and councils of leaders Moses used a government that allowed small issues to be dealt with locally.

1100 Charter of Liberties Under duress King Henry I makes promises to follow certain laws including: No Estate Tax and no member of government above the law.

The Magna Carta 1215 Signed by King John it re-established liberties : Clause 61 established what became parliament.

Clause 14 established taxation through representation. Due process of the Accused also set forth.

Photos Wikimedia Commons

Marucs tullius Cicero- Natural Law He recognized that there were laws that were universal or divine that governed all men.

Petition of Right 1628 After illegal taxation and other problems King Charles I found his powers further constrained by Parliament. Kings could not levy taxes, use foreign laws to judge subjects or quarter soldiers in homes.

Portrait of Sir Randolph Crewe, the Chief Justice of the King’s Bench, who was dismissed by Charles I for refusing to declare the “forced loans” legal.

English Bill of Rights 1689 Established that a monarch could only rule with Parliament’s permission. Also addressed right to bear arms, freedom of speech, cruel and unusual punishment and the military.

1776 Declaration of Independence

1787 Constitution of the United States

The US Constitution: A Primer Article 4

by Catherine G. White Articles of Confederation, there was very little discussion of this first section in the Federalist papers. According to the provisions of this section, a contract made in one Article 4: This article discusses the state must be considered valid in other states, states, the interactions between states, the that a person convicted of a crime in one state interactions between the states and the fed- is considered a criminal in the other states, eral government, and the duties owed by and that a person can not abandon their legal the federal government to the states. It also debts by high-tailing it to the next state over. reinforces the dual-sovereignty principle, and It also means that divorce decrees must be underscores the strong belief of the Founders respected – ensuring that child support owed that we are primarily citizens of our states, or visitation rights decreed , for example, in Wyoming must still be paid even if the exwhich are joined in a confederation.

Section 1 or the “full faith and credit” spouse has moved to Alabama. Similarly, clause is one long sentence that came, with adoptions finalized in one state are valid in some adjustments in wording, from the any other; probate of an estate is accepted Articles of Confederation. It says that each by the others, et cetera. James Madison, in state will respect the laws and judgments of Federalist #42, pointed to this clause as one other states, and that Congress may enact of several specifically intended to “provide for laws to detail how that requirement will the harmony and proper intercourse among be enforced. Since it was derived from the the States.”

Editors Note: We apologize for printing this article out of sequence. Please see the Fall 2012 issue for Articles 5-7.

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This clause also implies (and has been upheld in many court cases) that the actions of state courts are to be recognized by any court under US jurisdiction, which includes the federal courts and courts in US Territories. In federal courts in which the state law in question conflicts with federal law, the federal court is not required to enforce that conflicting state law --this comes under the auspices of Article VI. Section 2 contains three clauses. The first clause ensures that citizens of each state will be treated as citizens of the other states, while they are in those states. Since each state considered itself a separate entity (under the umbrella of the confederation), this clause ensures that, for instance, a citizen of Utah is not treated as a foreign national while visiting or temporarily living in Louisiana. Of course, this applies equally to any other combination of states.

The next clause provides for the extradition of accused persons who flee to another state to the state in which they have been accused of crime – regardless of what state they fled from or in which they tried to hide. Having arrived in the new state before an indictment is issued, also, does not protect the fugitive who flees to another state.

Two convention members from South Carolina tucked the third clause of Section 2 into this Article towards the very end of the Constitutional Convention; it is called the Fugitive Slave Clause. While the wording sounds abhorrent to many today, this clause is based in ancient historic law, providing that chattels adhere to the person of their owner, even when located elsewhere. According to Madison’s notes on the Convention, a minor adjustment of this clause (“person held to service or labor in one state, under the laws thereof ”) was intended to separate two ideas, the concept of returning fugitive slaves from the concept that slavery was legal in a moral view.

The Founders managed to placate the slaveAs a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

holding states sufficiently with this adjustment to keep those states in the fledgling and fragile union, while including words that would support the eventual abolition of slavery in the new country.

Let us return to the first clause of this section, and briefly address the treatment of corporations. We address it here, because it is a side-note. It will, however, lay an essential groundwork for when we later examine the 14th Amendment – and see how perversions of that amendment led directly to some of the problems faced in current history. “Corporation” is defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as, “a body formed and authorized by law to act as a single person although constituted by one or more persons and legally endowed with various rights and duties including the capacity of succession.” According to the Concise Encyclopedia, a corporation is a “specific legal form of organization of persons and material resources, chartered by the state, for the purpose of conducting business.” It goes on to list important characteristics of corporations, including “juridical personality (the corporation itself as a fictive “person”), having legal standing and may thus sue and be sued, make contracts, and hold property.” In essence a corporation is treated legally in many ways as though it were a “natural (flesh-and-blood) person.”

Section 3 contains two clauses that address the formation of new states and jurisdiction over non-state territories. The first clause gives the rules for admittance of new states. The U.S. Congress may admit new states into the Union.

If a state wishes to partition itself, or if two (or more) states wish to conjoin into one (or each carve off some territory to donate to a new state), the legislatures of all the states involved and Congress must approve the action. New states have an equal basis with pre-existing states, and the same privileges and responsibilities. Texas was an independent Republic before Winter 2013 13

it joined the US, and special rules apply under the Resolution of Annexation; the (former) Republic of Texas may decide on its own to create up to four additional states from out of its own territory.

The second clause in this section grants Congress the power to make “needful” rules and regulations in US territories or other property. In addition to places like American Samoa and Guam, this clause includes national parks and forests, wildlife refuges, Bureau of Land Management areas, Indian reservations, and other types of land. We should all be aware of this with the Federal land takeovers, particularly in the western states in recent years. At the time the Constitution was written, several states had claims on territories (almost exclusively to the west) outside those states. The framers were concerned that the new Congress would supersede its administration of those areas.

This last section of the clause specifically addressed those concerns. The states’ interests were given the same protection in their land claims as the federal government was given.

History shows that those extra-state claims were later handled successfully, so this clause was successful in serving its purpose.

Section 4 of Article IV should be center stage in several current issues. It is called the “Guarantee Clause,” because its terms require the federal government to make specific provisions to all the states. In a single sentence, this section addresses three separate and important issues affecting every state: “The United States shall guarantee to every State in the Union a Republican form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened), against domestic Violence.”

Let’s split this Section 4 sentence into its component parts. “A Republican form of 14 MinuteMom Magazine

government” expresses the Founders disgust for and disdain of “democracy.” Unfettered democracy can become mob rule, with no protection whatsoever for the rights and interests of individuals or minority groups. As James Madison succinctly wrote in Federalist #10, democracies “...have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.” This portion of the Guarantee Clause ensured the protection of the minority interests of the inhabitants of all the states, by guaranteeing a republic, the form of government based on laws and principles that no mere majority (or super-majority) vote can overturn. The Founders also attempted to prevent the inclusion of monarchist, collectivist, or socialist forms of government.

Private property – and individual rights based on property (starting with one’s own body) – cannot be protected under any system that denies the existence – or morality – of individual, private property.

The next crucial phrase is, “Shall protect each of them against Invasion.” At the time of its writing the Founders referenced the Great Britain, Spainish, French-Canadian, and Indian incursions – yet they knew full well that time would bring new threats. This clause works with Article I, Section 8, Clause 15, in which Congress is granted the power to call forth the militia to “repel Invasions.”

Madison wrote in Federalist #43 “...protection against invasion is due from every society to the parts composing it...” They were also concerned that a President from, say, South Carolina, would favor protecting his home state of South Carolina in an attack and send all military forces to protect that state, even if both Vermont and South Carolina were under attack.

To the conservative observer it seems clear www.AsAMom.org

that the Federal government abrogated its duty to the states by refusing to secure our borders against those illegally entering the United States. It is the duty of the federal government to protect the United States against invasion by those who have not been given permission to enter—no matter their intentions, good or ill. It is also the duty of the U.S. Congress to find appropriate ways to address the legitimate desires of non-Americans to come here legally; see Article 1, Section 8, Clause 4.

The current administration has even gone to great lengths to bring lawsuits into Federal courts to stop actions taken by states to protect themselves. They also evince a lack of knowledge of the Constitution by bringing these suits into Federal District Courts. as the Constitution clearly states in Article III, Section 2, 2nd paragraph that “[i]n all cases... in which a State shall be Party, the Supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction.” Any judge with even the flimsiest understanding of (and respect for) the Constitution should throw such cases out of court. Any that do not do so should be removed from office by impeachment as they have broken their oath to uphold the Constitution.

This leaves us with the issue of states suffering from repeated invasion that the federal government refuses to address. Are the states required just to sit there and be overrun? NO! Remember, the states retain sovereignty and have the right (and the duty!) to call out their militias to protect themselves.

Article 1, Section 10, last clause, states that “[no] state shall... keep troops... or engage in war, unless actually invaded,” demonstrating clearly that the states retain the right and ability to call forth their militias to repel invasions.

Hamilton even declares, in Federalist #29, “... it would be natural and proper that the militia of a neighboring state should be marched into another, to resist a common enemy...” So As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

it would be perfectly permissible and constitutional for Arizona and California to join forces to protect their southern borders. Not only that, but if Nebraska found itself facing a raft of ills due to the presence of illegal aliens, Nebraska could send its militia to Arizona as well. Admittedly, the Founders thought the most likely common enemy of the states would

eventually be the federal government. The “Father of the Constitution,” James Madison addressed this directly in Federalist Paper #46. He did not counsel the states to acquiesce and become subservient; instead he described various types of non-violent resistance methods to be used by a state or combination of states. Should the federal government become so outrageous that it sends the army against the states, Madison wrote directly of the use of armed citizenry and state militia to resist.

He also posited this as being highly unlikely to happen because of the requirement for “a blind and tame submission to the long train of insidious measures which must precede and Winter 2013 15

produce it.” Madison was spared the sight of today’s federal government, refusing its duty to protect states and taking offensive actions against those states endeavoring to require the federal government to do its duty, Last clause as well as to protect themestablishes selves in the absence of federal aid.

Limits for when The final clause in this constitutional section the federal establishes limits on when the federal government may government come in to a state to protect it against domestic violence. may come in The Federal Government of the United States is not to a state allowed to send troops into a state based on its own to protect estimation that domestic violence is occurring or it against about to occur. It must wait domestic until the state legislature requests federal assistance. violence.

If that state legislature is not in session and cannot be quickly called into session, then the governor of that state may make the request.

An example of this clause in action occurred during and immediately after the 2005 Hurricane Katrina along the coast of Louisiana. Then President George W. Bush was widely vilified for his delay in sending the National Guard to assist Louisiana. Yet the president could not act until a state request for assistance was made. Note, Bush even called both officials on 8/28, asking them to request federal aid. The officials refused.

Let us at least admit that this was no “dastardly” attempt on the part of President Bush to drown the Ninth Ward of New Orleans.

Katrina was one of the largest, most powerful, 16 MinuteMom Magazine

Category 5 storms to hit the mainland. It made landfall in an area that is vulnerable to flooding, defended by a levee system built to protect the area from a Category 3 hurricane, a system with a backlog of remedial repairs needed. No matter the response on the local, state, and federal levels, Katrina would have incurred as much physical damage. The federal government was not in charge of evacuations, nor could it order or enforce mandatory evacuations or assist the local personnel with evacuations. After the 2005 hurricane in Louisiana, there was plenty of mismanagement and incompetence on all fronts: local, state, and federal governments. Yet the fact remains, according to the Constitution, federal aid could not be sent in and until it was requested for by the state of Louisiana.

In the next issue, we will examine Articles V, VI, and VII of the U.S. Constitution.

References: *Constitution of the United States of America *Badnarik, Michael “Good To Be King” 2004 The Writer’s Collective *Skousen, W. Cleon “The 5,000 Year Leap” 2006 National Center for Constitutional Studies *Hamilton, Madison, Jay “The Federalist Papers” 2001 Dover *Heritage Guide to the Constitution www.heritage.org *Justia US Law law.justia.com *Publius Huldah’s blog at http://publiushuldah.wordpress.com *McGarity & Kysar “Did NEPA Drown New Orleans? The Levees, The Blame Game, and the Hazards of Hindsight.” 2006 Cornell Law Faculty Publications ©2012 Catherine G. White

Catherine White grew up in Massachusetts where she also graduated from M.I.T. She is has two terrific daughters and a wonderful husband. She became involved early on in the 912 Project. Catherine has given several presentations on the Constitution in the past year.

www.AsAMom.org

y l l a c i p y T s e k Mista s r e p p e r P y b Made

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by Gaye Levy The Survival Woman backdoorsurvival.com

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9 Mistakes Typically Made by Preppers 1. Failing to inventory stored food supplies.

Guilty as charged. It is easy to amass a sizable supply of food in a short period of time.

This is especially true if you tend to purchase a little bit extra each time you shop. Before you know it, you have a closet or pantry full of stuff but no clue as to what is inside. In my case, I have some well-marked buckets of food but no master list. I know I have 30 pounds of coffee beans - or is it 40? And #10 tins of freeze-dried meats, fruits and veggies?

They are packed away in carton boxes and I know I have lots of cartons but just exactly what and how much?

I have been storing food for so long that I cannot rely on memory alone to know what I already have and what is still needed. This is my number one mistake and one that I plan to remedy in two ways. First of all, everything new that I purchase will be inventoried right www.AsAMom.org

PHOTOS Courtesy of WikiMedia Commons,

Once upon a time I was a novice prepper and there are days that I still feel that way.

Having chosen the prepper lifestyle, I always find myself in search of that next greatest thing - whether it is a piece of gear, a new type of freeze dried food, a fabulous new prepping book or a DIY survival skill. No matter what it is, there always seems to be something out there to capture my attention.

While I do believe that is it worthwhile to be looking forward, it is also good to reflect on past prepping mistakes, to learn from them, and to move forward with a new sense of resolve. Today I am going to share some common prepper mistakes. Many of these especially those at the top of the list - I have made myself. Others - through luck or planning - I have managed to avoid.

Whatever your personal situation, take some time to review this list and if you find an area where you are remiss, consider the past a learning experience and do what I do make adjustments and move forward.

away. This is what I call my going forward good place to start is 12 Months of Prepping plan. Then, as time allows, I will methodi- – The First Year http://bit.ly/XoiebZ which is a cally inventory everything else. recap of monthly supplies, skills and tasks to The key, of course, is not to co-mingle the get you started on the road to preparedness. old with the new. Sure, I may end up with 3. Preparing mostly to bug out rather than some duplicates, but that is better than being bugging in. so overwhelmed that I do nothing at all. Your We all talk about having a bug-out-bag plan may be different given the dynamics of http://bit.ly/ZNcZH6 and without question, havyour space and your time. All I can say is that ing your most basic survival items in a pack if you are fairly new to prepping, don’t let that you can grab and go if you need to get out this one slip by. Keep track of what you have of dodge in a hurry is important. But beyond from the get go and save yourself a lot of grief that, over and over I see people acquire all down the road. sorts of gear for surviving on the run - perhaps 2. Identifying the most likely risks and in the woods or bush in a remote location. prepping for those first.

I know that in my own case and also When I first started, I went off willy- with the majority of the readers on Backdoor nilly preparing for all sorts of calamities. Survival, http://www.backdoorsurvival.com Earthquakes, terrorist attacks, pandemics, hunkering down and bugging in will always nuclear melt-downs, civil disobedience - you be preferred to taking off into the unknown name it, I tried to prepare for it all. These with our stuff. For many, the choice to bug days, I recommend that one of the very first in has to do with family, health concerns or steps that you take when prepping is to eval- financial considerations. That, plus the availuate the most likely risks in your area and ability of stored supplies makes bugging in within your personal domestic situation.

– or staying at home – the choice when a Most if not all city, county and state gov- disaster strikes. ernments will have emergency management At the end of the day, take care of your websites that will help you sort through the bugging in needs first and foremost. Plan for most likely disasters to occur in your area. outdoor cooking facilities (perhaps an existAdd to this an assessment of your location. ing charcoal grill?), supplemental lighting, Are you in a city where gangs, mobs or terror- stored water, and a portable generator now. ist attacks are likely? Do you live in a remote Later, down the road, you can expand your area where the failure of transportations sys- supplies to include the essentials for truly tems or the lack of fuel will cut off you off bugging out. from supplies from the rest of the world? Is That said, pay attention to mistake numyour employment situation tenuous requiring ber 4. that you build up some cash reserves to get 4. Failure to evacuate at just the right you by just in case the job goes away? time.

Clearly, at the beginning, some choices When the storm of the century is heading will need to be made regarding the best use your way, know that it is time to evacuate. of your prepping budget. Just remember that Load up your vehicle and go. As much as you food, water and first aid supplies should be feel that you are better off in your own home, at the top of everyone’s list. After that, assess if the authorities tell you to leave - and even the most likely risks and plan accordingly. A if they do not - get out of harm’s way as a As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

Winter 2013 19

precautionary measure. Do so while you still have the ability to load up your vehicle with supplies and fill the tank with gas.

Sticking around when there is at least a 50% chance of a disaster occurring (hurricane, flood, landslides, tsunami, wildfire) is just plain silly. Remember mistake number 2 - failure to evaluate the risks? Part of your planning should be to determine the trigger point for evacuation as well as identification of an evacuation site and a route to get there.

Better yet, plan an alternate route as well.

5. Having the gear but not knowing how to use it.

I am guilty of this one as well.

I have a Kaito emergency radio as well as some Midland FRS radios. Sure, I know how basically to use them but what if I needed to use some of the more esoteric features? My bad. I also have a hand held compass - a nice one at that - and yet in these days of GPS navigation, would I know how to use it?

Get out the gear two or three times a year and put it through its paces. Not only do you need to know how to use it, but you need to make sure your gear is in good working order.

Blades need to be sharpened, batteries need to be charged and skills need to be refreshed.

6. Underestimating other humans as a threat.

In a perfect world, we would all get along and go about our business in a mild-mannered way, not bothering anyone or causing others harm. Alas, as humans this has never been the case. From biblical times forward, man has opposed man. There have been and still are warriors, and armies, soldiers and dictators, enemies and foes.

As recent mass shootings have revealed, mental illness or drugs can make good people 20 MinuteMom Magazine

go bad. Add the uncertainly and chaos created by an unstable society and the potential for human threat becomes a major cause for concern.

Whether you embrace firearms or shun them, you still need a way to defend yourself, your family and your property. Consider pepper sprays, martial arts, and other defensive mechanisms in addition to traditional firearms. It is foolhardy to believe that having some means of defense is not needed because “there is no one out to get you”. Desperate people are dangerous people. And the lack of food, water and supplies will turn ordinary people into desperate people in a heartbeat.

7. Buying stuff while ignoring the need to develop skills.

Buying stuff is easy. Save up your money, select your merchandise and go to your local outdoor emporium or Amazon and make a purchase. On the other hand, learning new skills (or practicing old ones) takes time, patience and bit of study. Do you know how to start a fire without matches or a butane lighter? Do you know how to take advantage of nature’s bounty http://bit.ly/13kAhUJ by knowing how to fish or hunt? And what about growing your own food? Could you do it?

Developing skills to become self-sufficient is every bit as important as having a closet full of the best gear money can buy.

8. Lacking the knowledge to properly store your food supplies.

There are six enemies of food storage: Temperature, Moisture, Oxygen, Light, Pests and Time. http://bit.ly/VOgWbc Okay, some might say there is a sixth enemy: namely the two legged type that gets into the tastier items (such a cans of brownie mix) and eats them without telling anyone.

Seriously though, storing food for the long term – meaning five years or longer – does take some care. Brush up on the basics of food www.AsAMom.org

storage and set up an active rotation program.

You don’t necessarily have to store food for 10 years or longer but what you do store – even for a year or two – should be protected to the best of your ability.

One thing to keep in mind that except for the problem with pests, most food will still be edible even if it is not stored at optimal temperatures in a moisture and oxygen-free environment. But why not learn proper storage methods to ensure maximum taste and nutrition. On Backdoor Survival, the following articles will help educate and inform. There are plenty of resources elsewhere on the internet including YouTube. A few hours of your time is all that it will take to make you a food storage expert.

• Food storage and Beans: Using Mylar bags and a Food Saver http://bit.ly/URGGWn

• Food Storage Part I – A Primer on Oxygen Absorbers http://bit.ly/U93XPE

• Food Storage Part II: Unraveling the Mystique of Mylar Bags http://bit.ly/Ww7oxQ

• Food Storage Part III: Food Grade Buckets, Lids and Gamma Seals http://bit.ly/WG2XjK

• Food Storage Mistakes and Goofs http://bit.ly/ZyKxnF

9. Relying only on yourself and ignoring like-minded members of your community.

When I first started prepping, I did not mention my new little “hobby” to anyone. You know, OPSEC http://bit.ly/ZyKEj3 and all that.

But about a year into it, I realized that I could not do it all on my own. There were things I was having trouble grasping on my own and I needed help. As I tip toed around the edges of my community, I found some like minded people and much to my surprise, I found that I had skills and knowledge that they lacked.

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The mutual exchange of skills and knowledge ensued along with some informal agreements to team up if circumstances required us to be on our own for any period of time. This included teaming up for shelter and food as well as defense.

The importance of having a peer group of like minded comrades in my own community was strengthened as I read R. P. Ruggiero’s Brushfire Plague and continues as I explore other truer than life survival stories. How you decide to expand your community contacts is up to you, but be advised that when it comes to survival 1 plus 1 will definitely add up to more than 2.

The Final Word These days I feel fortunate that I have come so far with my prepping activities. Moving beyond obsession, the prepping way of life is now a part of my core. It is “what I do” as well as being a hobby and a passion.

Indeed, I have made some mistakes along the way and many of them are listed above.

There will surely be others down the road but I know that will be okay since they will afford me an opportunity to learn and grow. At the end of the day, life is all about growth, opportunity and the ability to take care of oneself physically, mentally and spiritually. To me, that is what prepping is all about – mistakes and all. backdoorsurvival.com reprinted with permission

Gaye Levy, [Survival Woman] grew up in the Seattle area.

After spending many years as an executive in the software industry, she started an accounting practice offering contract CFO work.

She has now abandoned city life for a serenely beautiful rural area on an island in Washington State. She lives and teaches the principles of a sustainable and self-reliant lifestyle through her website at BackdoorSurvival.com.

Winter 2013 21

Actions

Not Words

Teach Responsibility to Entitled Kids

By Mary Jo Rapini www.maryjorapini.com I was at coffee with a good friend of mine, and she was upset about her son. He has graduated from college and still lives at home with no job, playing computer games and living the good life. The good life isn’t so good anymore, as this boy’s behavior has taken a toll on her marriage. My friend was asking, “Where did we go wrong?”

A recent survey of American freshman revealed results every parent should be concerned with. This survey has been ongoing for the past 47 years, and has studied more than 9 million kids revealing that college students are more likely to call themselves superior and gifted even though their test scores don’t reflect this subjective rating. In fact, their test scores show the opposite. Their time spent studying has gone down, their handwriting has grown worse, and although they rate their drive to be successful as high, it was actually much lower. The survey shows that kids expect more from doing less.

22 MinuteMom Magazine

Of course we all look for whom to blame. Is it MTV, reality TV such as the Kardashians?

This show’s plot (if there is one) is how a wealthy, good-looking family can break every rule, act immature, and live the good life. Social media gets a lot of the blame as well. Your friends are “virtual,” and since kids spend up to 80% of their waking hours in a virtual world, whether it is on games or reading and commenting on other people’s Facebook page, it’s easy to see how they begin believing they are celebrities in their own life.

They post photos, get comments, and with games they begin embracing the assumption that they are bigger than life. They have become heroes if they kill enough opponents.

Gamers will tell you this builds self-esteem and confidence, but so will doing chores and being held accountable at home. It could also be the grade inflation that our generation created in our schools, or the “everyone plays policy,” which means whether you are www.AsAMom.org

capable or not, you get a chance to play. Have we all focused so much on building our kids up that we built them up for a big fall later in life? Part of the study also talked about the rising numbers of narcissism, depression and anxiety in this generation. No matter how much you like yourself, when you find out that others don’t like you so much, or that you aren’t the king of the hill, something has to give.

As my friend revealed more about her son, I could see her thought process and her desire to fix him. She is a good parent and so is her husband, but they made the mistake of believing that if they talked to their son and explained things he would understand and be successful in life just as they had become. The problem is you have to mentor being responsible. You can talk until you are blue in the face, but if you go on giving in to them, letting them off the hook, saving them from their natural consequences, and doing the chores they were assigned to do in order to keep peace in the home, you are enabling their entitled behavior.

When kids aren’t happy they will usually let you know. As a parent, we all feel a twinge of guilt, but we follow through with the consequences. Entitled kids have parents who aren’t good with the follow through and they give in. They want their kids to be happy, but they forget that unhappiness is what helps our kids learn. Kids learn from their mistakes if parents will let them.

Here are a few suggestions that parents may find helpful if they sense that their child is behaving as an entitled guest in the family rather than a responsible child.

1. Assign chores and follow through with the consequences of your child not doing them.

They don’t have to like doing them, or like you, but they do have to do them and respect you.

2. If your child fails or gets a bad grade, offer to go with your child to talk to the teacher, but support your child’s teacher and try to work with the teacher to help your child succeed.

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3. Limit the FaceBook, computer games, and phones. If your child spends two hours on the internet, make sure they are spending three with the family. The virtual world is more influential if the family world is less engaged.

4. In the summers of your child’s college years insist they get a job. Your child can work for a professor, at coffee shop or doing dishes at home. The job type isn’t as important as the concept of working for someone. Volunteer work is an excellent idea as well, but make sure your child is accountable for their hours there.

5. Never do for your child what they can do for themselves. This is a golden rule. Kids who grow up with supportive parents who believe the child needs to learn how to cope with defeat does much better than a child who grows up believing the world will cater to them because of the magnificent person they are.

My friend is like many of us. She is searching for the answer so she can help her son get his life on track. The answer is she has to change today. Her answer involves an action not words. She needs to make it less pleasant for him to be home doing nothing. He needs a job, and his parents have to hold the line. Making changes is never easy, but it’s not too late. If you have an entitled child, the time has never been better to say “Enough.” Teaching responsibility means acting responsible. As a parent, do the responsible thing, and hold your child accountable. reprinted with permission

Mary Jo Rapini, MEd, LPC is a psychotherapist specializing in intimacy, sex and relationships. She lives in Houston, Texas. She contributes on-air for CNN’s Prime News, CBS up to the Minute, Fox National Morning News, Montel and various Houston television and radio programs.

Her website is http://www.maryjorapini.com.

Winter 2013 23

by KrisAnne Hall KrisAnneHall.com I was recently called uncivil. What was my uncivil behavior? I called a lie a lie in the face of a liar. If that is uncivil behavior, then I suppose I have been classified. However, I believe we have been given a magnificent heritage. Men and women have lived their lives in great sacrifice and given their last breath to 24 MinuteMom Magazine

secure a nation for our children. This nation they built was to be a beacon of hope to the world: A light of Liberty and a shining example for future generations. The foundation of that hope and Liberty is the Constitution of the United States. We have too long stood silent over the denigration of their sacrifice. www.AsAMom.org

Title: America’s greatest patriots Creator(s): Kurz & Allison., c1890 May 19. curtisy Librayr of congress

Patriot or Politician?

When people who wrap themselves in the flag and call themselves representatives speak lies and operate to destroy and ignore the Constitution of the United States they spit on that sacrifice. Is this behavior demanding of civil response? Would you allow someone to stand in front of George Washington, Sam Adams, or Abigail Adams and slap them in the face with no recourse? Yet day by day worse occurs. Our children are brain washed, our people are deprived of their God given rights, and our government is the chief perpetrator and violator! There is no distinction between political parties any longer. The only distinction that remains is those who support truth, Liberty, and the Republic by standing firmly in defense of the Constitution and those who will not. You classify yourself by your actions.

I have been called apocalyptic. Perhaps I should not shun that title because if you cannot see the day of reckoning coming, you are dead to this world. We have a Supreme Court Justice who has told her own nation and the entire world that the Constitution is a piece of garbage. The Constitution is the very document that stands between our Liberty and Oppression and a guardian of that document has called it trash. And what has been the response of the nation? Silence. Oh sure there have been a few of us that have been outraged, but what about our representatives?

James Madison gave them the charge of being the sure guardians of our Liberty; where is their outrage? We have a Department of Justice that is busy arming our enemies to enable them to disarm the people. They have allowed the murder of our people on foreign soil without any apology or consequence.

When questioned by Congress, they refuse to answer every question, evade responsibility and thumb their noses at the very authority our Constitution places over them. Do As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

you not understand that when the Executive Branch refuses to submit to Congress, they are really refusing to submit to YOU? What has been Congress’s response to all of this?

They have busied themselves with hearings, investigations and speeches, but no action, no consequences. This is nothing but smoke and mirrors to keep the people pacified while they seek and destroy the very foundation of our Republic. When will enough be enough?

When will we, the possessors of our Liberty, by the Grace of God himself have the courage to stand in the face of liars Posterity! You and call them out for their will never know lies?

Perhaps you are still how much it hoping to get the pet piece of legislation passed? costs the present Maybe you are hoping generation to to gain the favor of your paid employee to achieve preserve your some greater good? What freedom! is the price of your voice?

Nay, what is the price of -john adams your child’s life? Do you moderate yourself for political favor? Do you compromise yourself for influence? Do you actually believe that your “civil” behavior is being rewarded by the pusillanimous in political office? You kid yourself. They shake your hand and give you a sweet smile, promising you only what they themselves want to accomplish. When you leave the office they laugh at you and mock you. They view you as weak, useful idiots that support their corruption and guarantee them a future full of greed and deceit. You have allowed this nation, with your behavior, to be betrayed by a kiss and 30 pieces of silver.

How much longer will we allow this destruction to continue without challenge? I am convicted by the words of John Adams.

Winter 2013 25

“Posterity! You will never know how much it costs the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in heaven that I ever took pains to preserve it.”

I will not make excuses for my behavior because there is NO EXCUSE to be made for standing for what is right and for the gifts that God has given me. I will not apologize for calling a liar a liar. Who was that liar? A member of the Florida Senate. OH MY, the crowd gasps, she has just called a “sitting senator” and liar! Blasphemy! May I use a word or two in response? Hypocrite…Coward. A Senator is someone who has taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. That is the oath that our framers took when they pledged life, fortune, and sacred honor to give us the gift of this nation. That is the price John Adams refers to when he reminds us of how much it cost to secure the Blessings of Liberty. That means you stand with the Constitution in the face of opposition, in the face of tyranny, in the face of ALL who even suggest trampling that jewel. It is not open for compromise; it is not open for irreverent change. Those who will compromise, criticize, or scorn the principles of Liberty are not keeping their oath. They do not deserve the title of senator, representative, or any other title bestowed by the power of the people through the Constitution they hate so much. The only titles they deserve are enemy of the Constitution and traitors!

Since those we have hired to protect and defend the Constitution are now refusing to do so, I will take that charge. Those of you who wish to apologize for my behavior; No thank you. You classify yourself by your behavior; I don’t need you to apologize for mine. Save those apologies, you are going to need them when you have to answer to future 26 MinuteMom Magazine

generations and explain to them how little their liberty meant to you and how easily you were bought. I call myself a Christian, not because I go to church, but because I have given my life to Christ. I call myself an American Patriot, not because I attend a tea party meeting, but because I have given my life to protect and defend the principles of Liberty that make this nation great. I stand firmly on the Constitution. I give no apologies, I give no excuses. The stand I take is an old one, I claim over 700 years of sacrifice for Liberty. I will not defend my actions for answering the charge to “secure the Blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.” I don’t need to defend my actions. If calling out a liar and a traitor is uncivil, then uncivil I will remain. Only those who will not stand or those dedicated to the destruction of the Constitution need to defend their actions.

Let us be clear. I will not cower, capitulate, or comply. Patrick Henry, Sam Adams, Elizabeth Adams, Mercy Otis Warren all deserve my life, fortune, and sacred honor.

How will you classify yourself? Are you a Patriot or are you a politician?

“If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace.

We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”

Sam Adams KrisAnne Hall travels the country teaching groups the truth about the history of our great founding documents and the government that our founders really wanted us to have. She is a Constitutional attorney and former state prosecutor. She is a disabled veteran of the US Army, a Russian linguist, a mother, a pastor’s wife and a patriot. Author of several books. www.AsAMom.org

Attorney, Speaker, and Mom

KrisAnne Hall

has some great tools for parents!

Teach your children about American Exceptionalism, History of the Constitution and some of the Forgotten Heroes of America’s founding.

KrisAnne presents information that you’ll find in no other book or curriculum.

Take a look at her books:

Bedtime StorieS For Budding Patriots Essential Stories For Junior Patriots

Not a Living Breathing Document - Reclaiming our Constitution

www.KrisAnneHall.com

A Wall of Separation:

by Joshua Durgin

28 MinuteMom Magazine

A wall is created to protect something.

There are walls to protect from enemies such as the Great Wall of China. There are walls to keep things penned in such as the Berlin Wall or a fence for animals. There are walls to protect people from the elements such as a house wall keeping out the wind and snow.

So what is the purpose of a “wall of separation between church and state?” These are the words Thomas Jefferson wrote, so what is the purpose of this wall?

To know what a wall is for, you should first know where a wall is and how it was built.

Jefferson’s “wall” comes from a letter to the Danbury Baptists who had written him in 1801 wondering how their religion would fit into the new Constitution of the United States and the U.S. government. Many today purport that their religion would not fit, that the wall of separation would keep their religion out of the government, away from the public eye. However, this is wrong.

Jefferson’s letter referenced the First Amendment of the Constitution, saying that the American people “declared that their legislature would ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.”

Since Jefferson was alluding to the First Amendment, the statement of a wall of separation between church and state is a statement of what the First Amendment means.

So why was the First Amendment, and in fact the entire Bill of Rights, created? It was created because the American people were afraid their government would take their rights away. The Bill of Rights is not a limitation on the people; it is a limitation on the government. It is a list of rules on what the government IS NOT ALLOWED TO DO to the people: rights the government cannot violate. www.AsAMom.org

Courtesy fo Wick Commons

to Protect Whom?

The First Amendment is just that, the first added rule to the Constitution that keeps the government from doing certain things. The First Amendment says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The words Separation of Church and State are not in the First Amendment or even in the entire Constitution; if they were it would not mean that religion is to stay out of the government, but that government is to stay out of religion. It is the government who cannot tell religion what to do or how to act. The only thing the government can do is keep violent people, some of whom happen to be religious, from doing wrong; but it cannot do harm to a religion.

This is the intended meaning of Jefferson’s letter: there is a separation of church and state which protects the church from the government.

This protection was understood for over a century when American courts would use Jefferson’s letter to keep the government from removing religion from schools. If a local community wishes for religion to be a part of their school, then the government has no right to take it away.

This clear cut understanding was violated in 1947 in the Supreme Court case Everson vs. Board of Education when the court used the words separation of church and state from the letter, but did not reference the First Amendment or the rest of Jefferson’s letter. Instead of using Jefferson’s stated meaning in the letter, they took less than half a sentence and declared upon it a new meaning: that the separation of church and state was to protect the state, and therefore religious items and beliefs were not to be seen or expressed in school.

This was a blatant violation of the Constitution and the meaning of Jefferson’s letter, and the repercussions of this violation have been felt ever since. A decade after this erroneous court decision As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

A wise woman once had the dream to change the lives of women for the better.

Join me in sharing in the commitment of caring and community.

That is Mary Kay Ash’s legacy.

Let’s all make a difference - one woman at a time. violence in school had increased over seven times!

Today, American churches and religious leaders are prohibited from speaking their mind on political matters, a clear violation of the freedom of speech as well as religion. Religious beliefs and customs have been barred from public appearance, even if the community desires it. This is evidenced by removal from schools of the Ten Commandments, calling Christmas Trees holiday trees, not allowing legislatures to open with a prayer if they so wish and as custom and tradition allowed, and preventing religious expression in any form in public places or forums, regardless of individual rights.

Joshua Durgin is a 22 year-old lobsterman in Maine. He became involved in state politics in 2010 and is currently chairman of the Cornish Republican Committee. His main interests are reading history, particularly about the American Founding Fathers.

Winter 2013 29

YYYouth in Action

The youth of America generally gets a pretty bad rap. They’re seen as lazy, greedy, immature, and out of touch with major issues. Turning Point USA is doing all they can to reverse this stereotype as well as educate Americans on the dangers of fiscal irresponsibility. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Turning Point from their humble beginnings, and I’ve been both impressed and excited with where the group is going.

Turning Point USA is hardly your typical conservative youth group. One of the best aspects of Turning Point is that it’s non-partisan; we’re made up of students all across the political spectrum. We have members that are conservative, moderate, libertarian, and yes, even some that are liberal. Our backgrounds might all be different, but we all agree on the same basic principle: unless our debt is reigned in and our economy sees real recovery, the “American Dream” that we’ve been told about since we can remember won’t be a reality for our generation.

Another reason that sets Turning Point apart from other, similar groups is the approach to presenting our issues. We’ve utilized social media to reach our audiences, and 30 MinuteMom Magazine

of our message and growing movement, that “there’s hope for our country.” We’ve also had excellent opportunities to appear on Fox & Friends, Varney & Company, and a whole host of national and grass roots radio shows. The feedback has been both supportive and encourcontinue to share the group’s mes- aging, and it’s given us a real sign sages through our popular facebook that people understand and agree page [12,000+ likes], twitter, and with our message and how we’ve through email newsletters. We’ve presented it.

Our public events have also used memes [funny, captioned pictures] as a quick way to both enter- been a great opportunity to talk tain and educated our audiences, with folks of all ages and spread and this has been both a success- our message offline. We’ve had the ful and original way for interest in pleasure to speak at numerous local our group to grow. People like the political organizations and conferway we present our message, and ences, including Freedom Fest and despite maybe not agreeing with the Constitution Day rally. We’ve everything we say, can often find a also hosted two debates for college students at the University of lot to like about our group.

We’ve also had some fantastic Wisconsin-Madison and Illinois opportunities to share our message State University, both which had with larger audiences. Back in July, excellent turnouts. In October, our we had the opportunity to appear founder Charlie Kirk had the pleatwice on Your World with Neil sure to speak at CPAC Colorado, a Cavuto. This was both an excel- speech that quickly became populent opportunity for folks outside lar on youtube, as Charlie used of our area to hear our name, but our trademark political humor to also an opportunity for people to captivate the audience. We’ve had hear our ideas and what we stand many wonderful opportunities to for. Mr. Cavuto described our share our message with the public, group as having “a good head on and we’re hopeful for many more [its] shoulders” and saying, because opportunities to come. www.AsAMom.org

Photos Provided

Turning Point USA

We’ve also done some phenomenal work on our website. www.Turningpointusa.net has become a site where inspired, young political writers can share their ideas through columns or videos. We have numerous weekly columns, and a fantastic writing staff of 20+ high school and college students. Our columns and essays tackle everything political, including [but not limited to] the debt and deficit, the fiscal cliff, the discussions for secession, income inequality, the dangers of big government, and the never-ending arguments over capitalism. Our columns are always informative, but also can be incredibly creative, such as a column written in November that tackles the confusion on the fiscal cliff in the style of Abbott & Costello’s famous skit, Who’s on First? We put a lot of effort into our columns, and obviously greatly enjoy what we do.

Our message has begun to spread, and that was one of our initial goals.

We currently have 20 national chapters, including organizations at The University of Notre Dame, Baylor University, The University of Pittsburgh, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges, among others. We add chapters monthly, As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

and with every new organization come countless new voices and ideas that strengthen our group and spread our message. We’re also beginning to sprout up on high school campuses, hoping to help students make educated decisions when it’s their turn to vote in upcoming elections.

Being a part of Turning Point USA has been a tremendous experience. The members are all fantastic people with incredible knowledge and limitless energy. It’s been very exciting to see how far we’ve come, and I can’t wait to see how far we’ll go.

—DUNCAN MILLAR

Winter 2013 31

YYMom’s Minutes Reach Out, It Matters So Much “Reach out, It matter’s so much” by Laycee http://tinyurl.com/aam-reachout Intro: Everybody is angry it seems like. Everybody is snapping. A lot of people need mental health. From my perspective I can understand the culture of anger. I must admit I was neglected and abused as a child, up to young adult hood. I was manipulated, used, ignored, beat and my version of reality was vastly different than others. I was very angry.

The Power of Prayer “The Power of Prayer,” by Murphy http://tinyurl.com/aam-prayer Intro: Sometimes, life can be daunting, to say the least. Work, (no work), family, school, kids, bills, illness-so many things to deal with on a daily basis. Add to that list what we are dealing with as a countrydebt, taxes, Obamacare, terrorism (foreign and domestic) and a chronically unproductive government in DC and even in our own states.

Common Core... Our Cultural Wars “Common Core...Our Cultural Wars started in the weather underground,” by PJB

http://tinyurl.com/aam-core-cultural

Photo Dreamstime

Intro: With common core, ruled the law of the land right now for schools in 45 states, the Federal Government tells our children what they should be thinking.

We note that the children are now reading about how the Health Care bill is good for America.

32 MinuteMom Magazine

www.AsAMom.org

Calling All Writers!

MinuteMom Magazine is looking for article submissions. If you think you have what it takes to articulate your thoughts well on important topics relevant to our Country, Constitution or our Children’s future, then why not write for the MinuteMom Magazine?

We have published great articles from Mom’s and Mom’s at heart, just like you.

We welcome authors, bloggers and writers with a passion to submit articles, original short stories, poetry, opinion pieces, as well as prepublished material.

Please e-mail editor@minutemom.org for submission guidelines.

YYRestoring Humor

Overheard at a Texas Concealed Handgun License Class...

Teacher: In Texas we aren’t worried about newspapers publishing gun owners’ names...

Student: Why should they bother? The phone company beat them to it —they publish the white pages!

Yup! Everyone owns a gun in Texas.

Reprinted by permission Antonio Branco

http://conservativedailynews.com/category/political-cartoons/ 34 MinuteMom Magazine

www.AsAMom.org

As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots速

Winter 2013 35

OK... NOW WHAT?

You followed my advice last year and wrote out four weeks of menus for your family, listed all the family’s favorite recipes and the ingredients needed to fix them, multiplied the amounts out for one month, three months, six months and a full year – then spent months researching what to buy to put in your longterm food storage (LTS) for use beyond one year – comparison shopping to find the best deals. Since then, you’ve been stocking up on powdered eggs, butter powder, tomato powder, freeze dried and/or dehydrated fruits and veggies of all kinds, milk powder, dried beans and lentils, dry pasta, rice, grains, sugar and a whole host of seasonings. Unfortunately, you are confused what to do with it all because 36 MinuteMom Magazine

you’re used to cooking with traditional pantry items – all your recipes call for fresh, frozen or canned ingredients! That’s OK, don’t panic. Let’s start from the beginning.

Remember the first rule of food storage: Store what you eat and eat what you store.

Hopefully, you’ve let that guide you when buying your long-term storage (LTS) supplies – figuring out which LTS ingredients to store is not really all that hard. Does your family eat a lot of spaghetti with meat sauce? If so, you’ll probably want to buy dry spaghetti or pasta noodles (buy it at the grocery and repackage it using a vacuum system or in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers for best value) and #10 cans of tomato powder, dry minced onion, freeze www.AsAMom.org

Photos Provided

by Auntie Anne

Auntie Anne’s Tomato Conversion Chart TOMATO JUICE

TOMATO SAUCE

TOMATO PASTE

To Make:

Water

Powder

Water

Powder

Water

Powder

1/4 cup

1/4 cup

2-1/4 tsp

1/4 cup

2 Tbl

2 tsp

2 Tbl

1/2 cup

1/2 cup

4-1/2 tsp

1/2 cup

1/4 cup

1 Tbl+1tsp

1/4 cup

3/4 cup

3/4 cup

2 Tbl+3/4 tsp

3/4 cup

3/8 cup

2 Tbl

3/8 cup

1 cup

1 cup

3 Tbl

1 cup

1/2 cup

2 Tbl + 2 tsp 1/2 cup

dried (FD) mushrooms, FD ground beef or textured vegetable protein (TVP) substitute or commercially canned ground beef (Note: commercially canned meats also have a very long shelf life) and Italian seasonings. Then all you have to do is toss it all in a pot and add water, right? Well, sort of – it depends on the recipe.

I’ve always considered myself lucky because I was taught to cook without using recipes.

While not a gourmet, I can put together some pretty good home-style meals without even looking at a cookbook. This has served me well when cooking with fresh, canned or frozen ingredients; but, when I started collecting LTS foods – like FD chicken or dehydrated (DH) applesauce, I found myself scratching my head…which was nothing compared to wondering what the heck to do with something like tomato powder or whole egg powder – sheesh!

I’m afraid there’s no magic formula.

Although you’re probably tired of me saying this, start by getting out that notebook you were supposed to start way back when. You know, the one that lists your menus and recipes and all the pantry food amounts you’re going to need for one month, three months, six months and a year’s worth of storage. Do you remember the one? If you want to move As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

on to the next level of storage, the truth is, you’re going to have to put together a bunch of conversion facts and charts. Start by looking up basic cooking conversion measurements – How many tablespoons in a cup?

How many teaspoons in a tablespoon? If you rehydrate 1/4 cup of DH corn, how much do you actually end up with? Check the recipes you use the most to see what kind of measurement conversions you may need and look on the internet or in cookbooks for that information. Print it out or copy it into your notebook – the more information you have at your fingertips, the better. Group similar things together for easy reference.

Then – check the internet and cookbooks for conversion charts for dry ingredients.

You can also check the individual item for instructions and make your own conversion chart(s). For example, my can of tomato powder says to combine 2 Tbl powder and 1/4 cup hot water to make 1/4 cup tomato sauce. With that information, the Cooking Measurements Chart shown on page 38 and some internet searching, I came up with the the “Tomato Conversion” chart above.

You can do this for all your LTS items if you like – it will make cooking with them far easier – at least until you get the hang of it!

But it will take some time.

Winter 2013 37

There are some general rules that could help: YY The volume of freeze dried fruits and vegetables remains the same after drying as it was before. That is, 1 cup of fresh diced peaches will yield 1 cup of freeze dried peach dices; therefore, if your recipe calls for 2 cups of fresh, canned or frozen peach dices, you need only measure out 2 cups of FD peach dices, reconstitute with water and use it as called for in your recipe. The weight changes, but not the volume.

YY On the other hand, the amount of water dehydrated food will absorb – and the resulting volume measurement – will vary according to the size of the food and how dry it is. a. For fruit, start by adding 1 cup of dehydrated fruit to 1 cup of warm water and allow it to set for 5-15 minutes. If the fruit is still shriveled, add a little more warm water and allow it to set another 5-15 minutes, repeating as necessary until the fruit is plump.

If your recipe calls for fresh or frozen fruit, this may be all that’s necessary.

But if your recipe calls for canned or

38 MinuteMom Magazine

cooked fruit, you may need to add a bit more water and cook it before using it. b. For vegetables, add 1 to 3 cups boiling water to 1 cup of dehydrated vegetables and allow them to set for 15 minutes to 3 hours, until all the liquid is absorbed. If the vegetable still looks a bit shriveled, add a little more boiling water and allow it to set until it is fully rehydrated – then you should be able to cook them or use them in your recipe as you would any fresh vegetable. The volume of food you end up with will vary. c. Small pieces of dehydrated fruits and vegetables will rehydrate faster than large pieces. d. Search the internet and storage food cookbooks for tables, instructions and hints on reconstituting the specific DH fruits and vegetables you store, entering the info into your notebook.

YY If you are going to add salt, sugar or other seasonings, wait until after foods are rehydrated, else they may make the food tough.

YY Powdered fruits and vegetables do not need to be rehydrated before adding to recipes.

YY FD and DH foods can be added to soups, stews and some casseroles without rehydrating first, just add the extra water too. Other recipes turn out better if they are first rehydrated and then put together. When in doubt, rehydrate first.

This may seem complicated to you now, but once you start using LTS foods, you’ll understand how to use them as well and as easily as you do traditional pantry foods. Like anything else that is new, it’s a learning process. As with traditional cooking, many ingredients are used over www.AsAMom.org

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and over – milk, eggs, tomato sauce, etc.

Once you have the basic conversions in your notebook, it’s easy to memorize the ones you use the most and convert your family’s favorite recipes to LTS ingredients.

If you’re saving all your LTS foods for an emergency, you don’t need to! I use some of mine on a daily basis – they can be cost effective, convenient and delicious! And if you haven’t yet ventured into the world of LTS, look for websites that offer samples and/or small-size packages of FD and/or DH foods, powders, flours and other supplies so you can try them before ordering in bulk. When doing and internet search don’t for get derms such as ‘back-packing,’ ‘camping’ and ‘hiking’.

Remember when you first became a “Prepper”? Remember last year when I advised you to sit down and write up a fourweek menu and write out the recipes you use As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

for each meal? Remember when I said to put it all in a notebook? If you’ve done these things, you’re set to move on and convert your recipes! (Now you know - there was always a method to my madness.)

If you’re a little behind or just getting started, go to the Prepper’s Pantry section of asamom.org and review my Preparedness 101 – Parts 4 and 5. It can be challenging, but it’s also rewarding and fun!

Blessings ~ Auntie Anne

Winter 2013 39

Photos Wikimedia Commons

The Beginning Of Free Government

by Deb Durgin The Constitution is the basis for the United States government; it is what guarantees our freedom and liberties, and ensures that the United States continues to function in an often dysfunctional world. To understand what the Constitution is, you must know where it comes from; it is not a short story, but it is an important one, and it began thousands of years ago with the dawn of government.

Before government, there was chaos because there were no rules. People were free to do what they wished, but there wasn’t much they could do because they were always fighting to survive. Governments were instituted among men to bring about a more peaceful coexistence, but they also brought subjugation, governments trying to control the people too much and also trying to control other governments. This has been the problem ever since: too little government or too much government.

It’s important to understand that there are three major American documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States of America, and the Bill of Rights. These precious documents have complex origins, but there is a simplicity to why they were created. When I think about the beginning of the important beliefs contained within each of these, I think of people; these people were a lot like you and me. They wanted to live a good life, surrounded by family, with hope for each new day. But it wasn’t just one generation of people; there were many generations of people who went into creating a situation where these great documents could emerge with the understanding needed to make them.

The first generation of people who were important in this process was those who lived when the first printed Bibles could be read by the average person. The printing press As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

was invented in the 1450’s, but it would be another century before the Bible was printed in people’s own languages and disseminated.

As people got their own Bibles, they also formed their own opinions. These opinions were not allowed by the governments at the time however, and the governments banned the Bible in the hands of the average person.

Although there was a lot of persecution, people were able to form small groups in their homes, even at the risk of death, to discuss their ideas.

This lack of freedom to speak their minds outside their homes caused many people to look for a place to be able to freely speak their minds and worship God as they wanted; many sailed to what later became the United States. The first permanent colony in the New World was begun in 1607 in what eventually became known as Jamestown, Virginia. Even though they encountered tremendous difficulties travelling across the ocean, had to physically work very hard to survive, and missed their old homes, they came to this new land and they stayed. They stayed for freedom of mind and spirit, not only for themselves, but for their children and grandchildren.

Although they were very busy, Sunday was a day set aside for going to church and contemplating the Bible. Children learned to read from the Bible and memorized many passages from it.

Thomas Jefferson Opposite page: Jefferson Memorial in Washington D.C. with excerpts from the Declaration of Independence in background

Winter 2013 41

www.thelastjump.com

Between 1607 and 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was written, religion was having a revival; new ideas and interpretations of the Bible were being thought of and discussed. There was an excitement in the discussion of religion, and many strong ministers spoke from the pulpit about new ideas on government, on how to create one that would allow people the right to express their religious beliefs and not be persecuted as so many governments in history had done.

Sitting in the pews of these churches and playing in the homes where these discussions were happening were the men who would become the writers of the three great American documents. The importance of freedom of thought in religion and how to live one’s life became a part of these men at an early age; they thought about important topics and they often took responsibility from an early age. One of these young men was Thomas Jefferson.

He was born in 1743 in Virginia; his father died when Thomas was only 14 years old, so he became the head of the family and had much responsibility from a very young age. He loved to learn and he studied hard all of his life, even after graduating college. When he was studying law, he had a regular daily schedule where he spent certain hours of every day reading about science, law, politics, history, and literature. He learned the languages of Greek, Latin, French, Italian, Spanish, and old Anglo-Saxon during his lifetime. He loved music, singing, dancing and being with people to discuss issues and to debate the hot topics of the day, and he loved to write. He wrote to clarify his thoughts, to be able to speak about topics clearly.

Thomas was interested in politics and was part of the Virginia Assembly in 1773 when the Boston Tea Party happened. Many people have heard about the Tea Party and that King George III closed the port of Boston and sent military troops to occupy the city afterwards, but how many realize that Thomas and his friends in the Assembly proposed a day of fasting and prayer throughout Virginia to show unity www.AsAMom.org

Host your own: with Boston in the sister colony of Massachusetts?

After this Thomas and his fellow patriots formed a Committee of Correspondence to connect with the Committees in other colonies.

In 1776 when Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he included these words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.--- That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

This statement is the culmination of all those years of seeking religious freedom. People had been under tyrannical governments for so long that Jefferson had to explain that this was not the way of things: that people have the right to explore religion freely and express themselves as they please.

The creation of the Declaration of Independence was the first step in the formation of America. It reestablished that freedom and rights are the way things are supposed to be, not government tyranny and control. The Declaration of Independence would be read throughout the new United States, and would lead to the next step in the formation of a truly free nation.

That story however will have to wait until next time.

Until then, think about your ancestors, the persecution they went through in the pursuit of liberty, and compare it to the liberty that has been given to you since birth. Speak with your parents and family, and think on how you may better yourself, because now is the time to find out who you are so you may contribute to the next step in the battle for freedom when the time comes.

Deb Durgin is a devoted wife and parent. She taught public school for thirty-one years, always standing for what was best for the children instead of bureaucracy. She chose to homeschool her youngest son from third grade through high school and has advised other homeschoolers on different ways to teach their children.

As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

Patriot Camp

The Patriot Camp handbook is designed to give you the tools needed to organize and carry out a Patriot Camp, including a detailed outline of what to expect each day. Also included is a rich history-centered curriculum to present to your eager students. As an added bonus…it’s fun!

Handbook

Written by: HeatHer SellarS Deb Seneca MicHelle tonkin

Volume 1: Ba

sics of fre

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Order your Patriot Camp Kit today!

constitutionalchampions.org

The Save the Constitution - Read It! Campaign is not a group or a program.

It is an Attitude.

The purpose of Save it! Read it! is to encourage patriots everywhere to do two things: 1. Commit to reading The Constitution and review it often.

2. Encourage others to read the Constitution.

We have received challenges to read and defend the Constitution of the United States of America from various sources. All of us must commit to reading the Constitution of the United States of America and review it often. Only by understanding the principles upon which our government was founded can we recognize Constitutional abuses and be able to step up and stop that abuse.

The Save the Constitution - Read It! Campaign started as an extension of the Patriot Pin Program developed by As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots to encourage patriots everywhere to save the principles of the Constitution of the United States of America.

Classroom packs of 25 bookmarks are available from www.AsAMom.org Pins, Pendants and bumper stickers are at www.asamomestore.com

www.SaveItReadIt.org Š2010 As A Mom...A Sisterhood of Mommy PatriotsŽ www.asamom.org