The voting membership of the CPWV has greatly expanded and updated their platform position on Community Decency at a duly called meeting at Beckley, Raleigh County, January 22, 2011.  This position was originally approved in an abbreviated form at the September 23, 2006 Executive meeting.
John Adams said âOur Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.â To which his cousin Sam added, âWhile the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but once they lose their virtue they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader,â and âif we are universally vicious and debauched in our manners, though the form of our Constitution carries the face of the most exalted freedom, we shall in reality be the most abject slaves.â These sentiments echo those of over a century earlier when John Milton, in his classic novel, Paradise Lost, narrated manâs fall from Grace and subsequent need to be obedient to Gods laws of Holy Scripture. âSo many and so various laws are givân; So many laws argue so many sins,â said Milton.
What, then, is public virtue? It is clear from the writings of our founders that they intended temperance within the bounds of natural law in the establishment of a republican form of government rather than a theocracy. The most promising method of securing a virtuous and morally stable people is to elect virtuous leaders. As such, the CPWV maintains that the State and local governments have the right and legitimate authority to restrict and prohibit obscenity and obscene material in any format and local establishments in accordance with community standards of morality and decency. To wit, we specifically address community decency in the areas of pornography, homosexuality, and gambling.
Pornography and homosexuality are a distortion of the true nature of sex created by God for the procreative union between one man and one woman in the holy bonds of matrimony. They are destructive elements of socity resulting in significant and real emotional, physical, spiritual and financial costs to individuals, families and communities. Until 1973, the American Psychiatric Association correctly regarded homosexuality as a mental disorder, and thus schools and the military have every right to prohibit persons with this condition from their ranks. The same is true for the gender confused. It is abominable that homosexual radicals, aided and abetted by the corporate media, promote this sinful behavior as normal and harmless through the perversion of our language by calling it âgayâ and using the rainbow as their symbol. This is nothing more than deceptive trickery to corrupt the innocent. Homosexuals must be prohibited from adopting children.  Legal marriage is between one man and one woman.
While we fully respect the constitutionally protected right to privacy of consenting adults, all sexually suggestive material must be kept as far away and out of reach from children as possible. This includes the location of menâs clubs, library and store books, and the content of public airwaves. Likewise, while we fully respect the constitutionally protected right to freedom of speech, consideration must be given to undesired exposure to racy public advertising and offensive or suggestive attire and behavior. This includes the appearance of road signs, promiscuous clothing styles and slogans, vehicle decorations, profanity, graffiti, and general blight.
Gambling promotes an increase in crime, destruction of family values, and a decline in the moral fiber of our country. We are opposed to government sponsorship, involvement in, or promotion of gambling in the name of economic development or for any other purpose.
Term Limits Platform Position Adopted
By unanimous approval of its voting membership, at meeting duly assembled in Weston, Lewis County on November 13, 2010, the CPWV has adopted the following platform position on Term Limits.
America’s founders never intended politics to be a career. Public service was meant to be a short term civic duty upon which one then returned to private life. In 1776, the maximum service in the Pennsylvania General Assembly was set at “four years in seven.” Similarly, in an October 2, 1779 letter, Thomas Jefferson urged a limitation of tenure “to prevent every danger which might arise to American freedom by continuing too long in office the members of the Continental Congress.” Subsequently, the fifth Article of the Articles of Confederation stated that “no person shall be capable of being a delegate for more than three years in any term of six years.” Benjamin Franklin referred to term limits as “mandatory vacation.” George Mason stated that, “nothing is so essential to the preservation of a Republican government as a periodic rotation.”
And, politics was never meant to be a source of personal profit. About our federal constitution, historian Mercy Otis Warren warned that “there is no provision for a rotation, nor anything to prevent the perpetuity of office in the same hands for life; which by a little well timed bribery, will probably be done….” Likewise, novelist James Fennimore Cooper described the common view that “contact with the affairs of state is one of the most corrupting of the influences to which men are exposed.” With homesteading in Congress and its associated corporate and lobbyist influence made possible by reelection rates that now approach 100%, history has proven these men uncannily prophetic.
As a result of the reforms of the early 1990s, fifteen state legislatures presently have members serving in rotation. In accord with this wise practice, but rather than debating an arbitrary number of terms to limit, we propose simply prohibiting reelection to any particular office until the candidate has occupied himself elsewhere for a period of time equivalent to the term sought. Under this plan, no one will be campaigning for his or her current office while still serving in it thus yielding the most efficient use of time for public benefit. Therefore, there will be no two consecutive terms.
Our object is not to prevent good people from serving, but to prevent politics as a lucrative way of life. With no incumbents, the focus of elected officials will be exclusively on the proper affairs of the people. Enthusiastic freshman will undoubtedly bring a plethora of new ideas to the political arena. As to concerns of maintaining continuity of rules of procedure, these neophytes will surely be balanced by plenty of seasoned statesmen who will find themselves in demand alternating between different offices of public trust and their private professions. Honor, integrity, and competency will be restored to government service.
Second Amendment Platform Position Adopted
By unanimous approval of its voting membership, at meeting duly assembled in Weston, Lewis County on November 13, 2010, the CPWV has adopted the following platform position on the Second Amendment and Personal Defense.
We affirm Article III, § 22 of the Constitution of West Virginia whereby all men have the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home, and state and for lawful hunting and recreation use. As such, we support the Castle Doctrine which holds that law-abiding citizens should not be forced to retreat in the face of criminal attack, and should be legally entitled to meet force with force to save their own lives and the lives of others or for the protection of property. State laws should be reformed to prohibit criminals from suing for “damages,” prohibit employers from firing workers who lawfully store their firearms in locked vehicles, and prohibit firearms confiscation or use in a time of local or national emergency.
Furthermore, such arms are not limited to just those functional via gunpowder, but include any variety of implement which a free person may choose to employ in repel of unwanted aggression, or for a tool, hobby, or collectible purposes. Such property shall be free of any sort of arbitrary size, shape, configuration, or quantity restrictions, and may be kept in any safe controlled location of its owner’s choosing, anywhere on his person or otherwise.
National “instant check” information should not be retained in any form of database. We strongly oppose the collection of names of gun show attendees for forwarding to federal government authorities, as this is a form of surveillance. We oppose the licensing of gun owners, all forms of gun registration, and any form of rationing of firearms, munitions, component sales or limiting the production thereof. Additionally, we advocate Alaska, Arizona, and Vermont style freedom where no permit or fee is required to exercise a person’s right to open or conceal carry a weapon, and seek reciprocity with the several States for the same. The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
In his original draft of the Bill of Rights, George Mason wrote “… a well regulated Militia, composed of the Body of the People, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe Defense of a free State; that Standing Armies in Time of Peace are dangerous to Liberty, and therefore ought to be avoided as far as the Circumstances and Protection of the Community will admit; and that in all Cases, the military should be under strict Subordination to, and governed by the Civil Power.” And, in Federalist 46, James Madison wrote, “Let a regular army, fully equal to the resources of the country, be formed; and let it be entirely at the devotion of the federal government; still it would not be going too far to say, that the State governments, with the people on their side, would be able to repel the danger. …To these [a standing army] be opposed a militia amounting to near half a million of citizens with arms in their hands, officered by men chosen from among themselves, fighting for their common liberties, and united and conducted by governments possessing their affections and confidence. It may well be doubted, whether a militia thus circumstanced could ever be conquered by such a proportion of regular troops.” It is clear, therefore, that our founders intended for the militia to be our peacetime force comprised of ordinary citizens rather than professional soldiers.
In accord with this original intent, we advocate that sheriffs in every county, under the leadership of the governor, make provisions for the reestablishment of a properly trained and equipped, volunteer, and physically fit citizens militia of West Virginia people; Mountaineers who are readily available for call to service to assist the public in any urgent situation preliminary to Congress organizing any other armed force under formal declaration. This country was founded by patriots who fought with both pen and sword in order to give their posterity the freedoms we enjoy today- a revolution won by common individuals temporarily organized yet considered enemies by their imperial government for their object of resisting the established tyranny. Lexington and Concord stir the hearts of real Americans. We must heed George Santayana’s wisdom, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
Hudok: Feds trying to control public education
By ANTHONY GAYNOR, Staff Writer, The Inter-Mountain
POSTED: April 7, 2010
Pickens School Teacher Phil Hudok has concerns that the federal government is trying to take over the public education system.
“This is public education right here,” Hudok told the Randolph County Board of Education on Monday. “I am speaking for teachers, the public and parents.”
Hudok cited several news articles he said lead him to believe the federal government is overstepping its bounds to controlling public education. He cited one news story in which Gov. Joe Manchin said he would not rule out calling lawmakers into special session to ensure the state qualifies for federal funding.
“It says our state is looking for a way to get money that was taken from the people,” Hudok said. “The federal government should have no control in public education.”
Hudok also cited another news article published on cnsnews.com titled “Obama’s Safe Schools Czar Advocated ‘Queering in Elementary Education.'” Hudok read a portion of the article and said Obama’s appointed Safe Schools Czar Kevin Jennings wrote the forward to a book that includes teaching sexuality to grade school children.
“I don’t like to talk about this stuff,” Hudok said. “This is a book our safe school czar wrote a forward for.”
Hudok said he would bring more information to the board at a later date.
“I think what I have given you is evidence this is happening,” he said.
The board also heard a report from Randolph County Schools Finance Director Brad Smith concerning the 2009 audit report.
He said the auditors had no findings after completing their audit.
The board took action on several items including the transfer/sale of property known as the Laurel Hill School lot. Randolph County Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Phares said the company building the windmills near Laurel Mountain discovered a deed that conveys property to the board for construction of a school. Phares recommended that the board initiate a quitclaim process on the property. This will give 30 days public notice to ensure no one has a claim to the property. After the 30-day period, the school system will auction the property.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE AT: http://theintermountain.com/page/content.detail/id/527914.html
Tea Parties Need Teeth
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[The following is the full text of an address presented to the National Heritage Center for Constitutional Studies at its 2009 Constitution Day conference.]
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Sanctity of Life Platform Position Revised
By unanimous approval of its voting membership, at meeting duly assembled in Morgantown, Monongalia County on April 24, 2010, the CPWV has revised for style the following platform position on the Sanctity of Life. This position was originally adopted at the Executive meeting of September 23, 2006.
We affirm the God-given sanctity of all human beings, born or un-born, without exception, and with full and equal unalienable rights regardless of their station in life. To that end, the Constitutions of the United States and West Virginia were ordained and established for “ourselves and our posterity.” Abortion is a detestable and heinous act against the most innocent of society; no civil government may legalize the taking of the right to life without justification. In those cases where the life of the mother is at risk, every effort should be made by competent medical professionals to preserve the life of both the mother and the child. As to matters of rape and incest, it is unconscionable to take the life of an innocent child for the real or accused crimes of his or her father.
We implore the West Virginia State Legislature to exercise the Doctrine of Interposition, as has recently South Dakota’s, to assert the illegitimate usurpation of authority by the Supreme Court in Roe vs. Wade, etc., and declare this poorly decided case for what it is—binding only on the specific parties involved. We seek immediate legislation to criminalize partial birth abortions and enact parental notification and informed consent laws.
Furthermore, we oppose the promotion and use of all abortifacients and defend the employment rights of those who refuse to participate in their distribution. We oppose all elements of bio-research involving human embryonic or pre-embryonic cells as well as all government “legalization” of euthanasia and suicide. We similarly oppose all forms of involuntary human experimentation whether they be on military personnel, prisoners, children or adults via undisclosed vaccine contents, municipal water treatment, aerosol sprays, electromagnetic, radiation, or other diabolical technologies. Whereas our Creator commands us to be fruitful and multiply, all forms of eugenics, selective breeding, cloning, and coercive population control are abominable evils which are contradictory to America’s Christian heritage.
Racial Harmony Platform Adopted
By unanimous approval of its voting membership, at meeting duly assembled in Morgantown, Monongalia County on April 24, 2010, the CPWV has adopted the following platform position on Racial Harmony.
We believe that the peoples of the world are a single family and have a common origin. One possibility, offered in Scripture, is the story of the tower of Babel whereby, because of their disobedience to God’s command to be fruitful and populate the land, the congregated people had their one language “confounded” and were scattered over all the earth. This then created genetic isolation which is perhaps the real cause for the origin of modern races of people. We thus vehemently reject Darwinism, evolutionary theories, and their bigoted derivatives, accepting instead that “All men are created equal” and in His image.
The CPWV appreciates the wisdom of Booker T. Washington who proposed to a biracial audience in his 1895 Atlanta Compromise address, “In all things purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.” We profess that racism is properly defined as “a form of collectivism, the mindset that views humans only as members of groups and never as individuals.” As such, we find nothing wrong with state celebrations and Dixie Decrees in remembrance of Confederate history, its honorable heroes, veterans and their family heritage. America was founded by unique and rugged pioneers. It was perseverant nonconformists of daring and optimistic mind-set who built our Republic, not huddled masses of inert complainers.
The corporate media has made much ado about our founders as slave owners, yet little has been said of their emphatic opposition to it. Having been introduced to America some two centuries prior, slavery was not the product of any of their actions. Instead, one of the driving forces for separation from Britain was that every attempt among the Colonies to end slavery had been thwarted or reversed by the Crown. Richard Henry Lee made the pretense of this clear when he explained, “Christianity, by introducing into Europe the truest principles of humanity, universal benevolence, and brotherly love, had happily abolished civil slavery. Let us who profess the same religion practice its precepts… by agreeing to this duty.” In fact, in the years following America’s separation from Great Britain, the majority of the Founding Fathers who had owned slaves released them. John Adams never owned any slaves. And George Washington said, “I can only say that there is not a man living who wishes more sincerely than I do to see a plan adopted for the abolition of it [slavery].” His wish was almost granted when Thomas Jefferson’s original draft of the Declaration of Independence included an entire paragraph decrying slavery as both an “execrable commerce” and an “assemblage of horrors.” Other Founders outspoken about slavery were John Dickinson, William Livingston, Luther Martin, John Randolph, Caesar Rodney, James Wilson, John Witherspoon, and George Wythe.
In 1774, Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush founded America’s first antislavery society. John Jay, stating “that men should pray and fight for their own freedom and yet keep others in slavery is certainly acting a very inconsistent as well as unjust and perhaps impious part,” was president of a similar society in New York. Other prominent Founding Fathers who were members of societies for ending slavery included James Madison, James Monroe, John Marshall and William Livingston. Franklin also advanced the idea that slaves needed to be educated in order to become contributing members of a free society. Based in part on the efforts of these men, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts abolished slavery in 1780; Connecticut and Rhode Island did so in 1784; New Hampshire in 1792; Vermont in 1793; New York in 1799; and New Jersey in 1804. Thus it was the founders who were responsible for planting and nurturing the first seeds for the recognition of black equality and for the eventual end of slavery. This fact is made clear by Richard Allen, a freed Christian slave from Pennsylvania who became the founder of the A.M.E. Church in America. In an early address titled To the People of Color, Allen said, “Many of the white people [who] have been instruments in the hands of God for our good, even such as have held us in captivity, are now pleading our cause with earnestness and zeal.”
Yet despite all of this, there are still those who charge that in the Constitution, the Founders considered a black to be only three-fifths of a person. This is yet another misportrayal of the truth since the records of the Constitutional Convention make clear that the three-fifths clause was actually an antislavery provision. As Professor Walter Williams explains, “It was slavery’s opponents who succeeded in restricting the political power of the South by allowing them to count only three-fifths of their slave population in determining the number of congressional representatives. The three-fifths of a vote provision applied only to slaves, not to free blacks in either the North or South.” And, the so called Civil War was not about slavery as evidenced by Lincoln’s inaugural speech where he assured Americans that “I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.” Furthermore, when Lincoln broke his promise, his Emancipation Proclamation did not free any of the slaves remaining in the northern states, and was signed almost two years after the unpleasantness began. During various state ratifying conventions for the federal Constitution, secession was one of the key terms in agreeing to it. In fact, right up until the conflict, secession was taught at West Point. We find nothing wrong with the display of any of the various Confederate flags as symbols of heritage, fidelity, and respect.
The CPWV is not a hate group nor are we associated with any white supremacist militias as is wrongfully categorized by MIAC (Missouri Information Analysis Center), the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), and its ideological twin, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Nor were the Founding Fathers terrorists as BATFE agents have instructed and whistleblowers shown via hidden camera. For these groups, any defense of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights represents “antigovernment extremism.” As evidenced by the growing Tea Party movement, millions of Americans have independently arrived at the conclusion that the federal government is indeed an authoritarian leviathan. Thus it appears that the SPLC, ADL, MIAC and their ilk are engaged in a desperate effort to silence the patriot movement through baseless accusations portraying it as a fringe phenomenon consisting of “dangerous radicals” and “domestic terrorists.” Of course, this is nothing more than propaganda, character assassination, slander, and defamation; blatant hypocrisy which will not work. These, or any other groups that would collectively misrepresent our principles, candidates, and activities, have absolutely zero credibility with us. We hope that the awakening general public recognizes this and feels the same.
Illegal Immigration Platform Position Updated
By unanimous approval of its voting membership, at meeting duly assembled in Morgantown, Monongalia County on April 24, 2010, the Constitution Party of West Virginia has updated its platform position on Illegal Immigration. This position was originally adopted at the September 23, 2006 Executive meeting in Terra Alta, Preston County.
Illegal immigration is a clear and present serious and growing danger which is threatening American culture with balkanization and civil unrest. Whereas massive illegal immigration is de facto invasion, and whereas Article IV, § 4 of the United States Constitution clearly states that it is the function of the government to protect us from such, the State of West Virginia and the people thereof, pursuant to the Tenth Amendment, have the sovereign right and duty to take measures to protect its citizens. We look to the April 2010 Arizona immigration enforcement bill as an example of the proper response of a state legislature to this problem.
We support the vigorous enforcement of current immigration laws and are opposed to amnesty for illegals in any form. We support the strengthening of employment laws that require employers to verify the legal status of their employees and propose stiff fines and higher penalties for those who knowingly hire undocumented persons in any capacity. Furthermore, we call for state and local police forces to aggressively pursue such crimes and turn discovered persons over to federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement demanding immediate deportation to their country of origin. We oppose so-called “city of refuge” sanctuary ordinances and strongly denounce municipalities which promote them.
Because speaking and comprehending our common language is a basic precondition of good citizenship, we support the passage of “English Only” legislation making English the official and exclusive language for all governmental business by our State. We oppose bilingual ballots and strongly contest Executive Order 13166 which federally mandates them. Additionally, we are against the granting of any government benefit, including public education, to any illegal alien and support the passage of local ordinances, such as those of Hazelton, Pennsylvania in 2006 which permit residents to refuse services to illegals.
Agriculture Platform Position Adopted
By unanimous approval of its voting membership, at meeting duly assembled in Morgantown, Monongalia county on April 24, 2010, the Constitution Party of West Virginia has adopted its platform position on Agriculture.
Agriculture can and should be an important part of West Virginia’s economy. In a letter to George Washington during the Constitutional Convention, Thomas Jefferson said, “Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.” And, John Taylor of Caroline believed agriculture “the guardian of liberty, as well as the mother of wealth. So long as the principles of our government are uncorrupted, and the sovereignty of majorities remains, she must occupy the highest political station, and owe to society the most sacred political duty.” However, largely because of government interference, we feel that the full potential of West Virginia’s agricultural resources has not been developed.
The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is a tyrannical system of federal control over the food supply and over the property of our farmers which will impose burdensome reporting requirements, expenses, and fines. We therefore call for an end to West Virginia’s participation in this program as well as an end to the acceptance of any federal money for the purpose of implementing it.
Likewise, farm subsidies have a corrupting influence on the agricultural free market; we thus call for an end to them as well. West Virginia has a long and proud tradition of well managed agribusiness without the need for government intervention. Because of their many commercial uses, the unlimited cultivation of all traditional crops and fuel producing plants should be unregulated and uninfringed. Agriculture is a resilient and adaptive industry. We therefore reject transforming its agenda to meet so called “global challenges” and are opposed to artificial market manipulation via any sort of wage or price controls.
Farmers should be free to sell their products, including meat, milk, and traditionally processed foods, to the public without government involvement. However, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) present a threat to food safety and create the potential for contamination of the gene pool of other agricultural crops and livestock that are grown or raised in proximity. Therefore, we advocate a law that prohibits the cultivation or production of GMO crops, seeds, or livestock. We envision a revitalized agricultural economy for West Virginia supported by local farmers’ markets and organic methods which will allow consumers the opportunity to purchase high-quality natural West Virginia edibles instead of over-processed and less healthy factory-farmed foods.
Finally, conservation easements present potential serious and confusing complications to basic private property rights and are thus viewed by us with caution. We do recognize the problem which deer pose to our state not only in crop damage, but to motorists as well, and thus recommend reducing the nuisance population thereof through expansion of landowner hunting. Venison and other wild game are excellent sources of nutrition for our populace, the harvesting of which should be encouraged.
WV Resident Wants State Officials To Pay Up … In Gold & Silver Coins
Raleigh county resident, and WV Constitution Party Treasurer Gene Stalnaker strongly believes in the US Constitution. But, he feels that state officials are refusing to live up to the oath they swore to uphold. Stalnaker, like many other state residents, want the state to pay them in gold or silver coins, like the constitution instructs them to.
Stalnaker, a law abiding, hard working and taxpaying WV citizen has taken his request to state officials. What he has received in return is a tax audit by the state, and told by both Deputy Tax Commissioner Craig Griffith & Treasurer John Purdue that if he wants gold or silver, âgo to a bank, cash your tax check and buy some gold & silver coins.â
In fact, Stalnaker says that Purdueâs office told him if he did not cash the state tax refund check by the dated deadline, they would turn over his money to the âUnclaimed Propertyâ division. And we all know that if you donât claim the money within a specific amount of time, the state can take it.
When he requested a face to face with tax man Chris Morris (pictured left), he was told by one staff member that âhe does not make appointments with the public.â John Purdue agreed to meet with Stalnaker and other concerned citizens. Stalnaker noted that Purdue, and his deputy, Paul Hill, showed up late claiming he was in a meeting with the governor discussing the economy.
During their brief meeting, Stalnaker said he had prepared a written outline to Commissioner Purdue to better explain what he was wanting. He said about 30 seconds into Purdue reading the letter, the Commissioners âjaw dropped about 3 feet.â Then standing straight up, Purdue said âI canât answer this.â Several days later, Stalnaker received a letter from an attorney with the state who informed him they would not comply with his request, and they only paid tax refunds by check, which, according to the state is legal tender.
Bottom line, WV does not have any gold or silver coins on hand, and has no plans to get any. Read More