By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League
CONCORD — The Christian Action League’s own Rev. Mark Creech will be among the featured speakers August 20 at the 2011 State Convention of the Constitution Party of North Carolina.
The two-day event, to be held at the Edison Square complex near Concord Mills, will include a keynote address from former Congressman and potential presidential candidate Virgil Goode, and a word from former Sheriff Richard Mack, and N.C. Rep. Glen Bradley, in addition to the CAL executive director.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to address many North Carolinians who share the vision of our Founding Fathers — a vision that acknowledges God and the liberties He has granted this great nation,” said the Rev. Creech. “We urge Christians across the state to come, learn and be inspired.”
Al Pisano, state chairman of the Constitution Party of North Carolina, said the group, though not yet on the ballot, is enjoying steady growth and has held a convention each year since its 2008 inception.
“Our party is not one to shy away from acknowledging the fact that our laws and Constitution are grounded in traditional morals, and that the very concepts of freedom and liberty are unique and are concepts that stem from Christianity,” he said, explaining the party’s reasons for including Rev. Creech in the lineup. “As our culture gets more secularized and we have less and less traditional moral teaching in our culture, it affects our politics and ultimately affects our freedoms and liberties.”
He said America needs to hear the message that Creech and others have to share next month — a message that should empower lay-members and clergy alike to speak out on the issues of the day.
“If you read our bylaws and membership information, you’ll see we’re not ashamed to say that you have to have God involved, because our liberties come directly from God, and are not granted by governments,” Pisano said. “… We want to show and educate the American public to look at our founding documents — the Declaration, the Constitution, the state Constitution — they all acknowledge that fact and the importance of religious liberties.”
The party’s limited government platform — predicated on the principles of those founding documents — includes seven core values: Sanctity of Life, Religious Freedom, Traditional Family, Private Property Rights, Pro-Second Amendment, National Sovereignty, and Anti-Socialism. Its motto: Principle over Politics means it will not endorse a candidate who doesn’t adhere to those essentials.
Pisano said too often North Carolina voters have had to choose between “the lesser of evils” when they go to the polls, rather than cast a vote for the candidate whose values match their own. The Constitution Party is one of a number of small parties pushing to change that via the Electoral Freedom Act of 2011, a law that would make it easier for smaller parties to be listed on the ballot. House Bill 32, which would lower the number of required signatures that a group must obtain to have a candidate listed on the ballot from 2 percent of the total number of voters in the last election to .25 percent of registered and qualified voters, passed the House June 7, but remains in the Senate Committee on Judiciary I.
“The Christian Action League has supported and lobbied for this bill, which has broad support from both ends of the political spectrum,” said the Rev. Creech.
Pisano said more and more Tar Heel residents are learning about the Constitution Party and identifying with its platform, but some find it hard to break free from the two-party mindset. He said anyone interested should read the platform information on the Web site at www.constitutionpartync.com (Click on Join Us and Membership Levels to read the pledges) and come to the convention.
He said the Party’s State Executive Committee meeting, which will be held the evening of Aug. 19, at the convention location, can be observed by conference attendees and will be followed by an informal meet-and-greet session where those interested can get more informed about the Party’s goals.
On Aug. 20, members will be able to take part in the election of new Party officers and all those at the event will enjoy the featured speakers. The Rev. Creech is set to address the crowd following Sheriff Mack and just before lunch, which is included in the convention ticket.
Early-bird registration for the event is $20 per person. Cost increases to $25 after Aug. 13. Seating is limited. Edison Square Complex is a 10030 Edison Square Drive, Suite 100 in Concord.
To find out more, visit The Constitution Party of North Carolina’s web site.