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My name is Fenn Little, and I am a civil rights' attorney here in Atlanta. You may recognize my name because I served as a lawyer in a civil rights case that got a great deal of media attention – the case of Kathryn Johnson, who was murdered in 2006 by Atlanta police officers.
As you might imagine, the decision to run against John Lewis for Congress was an enormous decision. Let me explain.
I have lived and worked in the 5th Congressional District for 21 years as does my wife Ruth, an artist, who has a gallery in our district as well. I met John Lewis at the congressional hearings regarding Kathryn Johnston’s murder and the corruption of the narcotis division of the Atlanta Police Department. I told him then that I considered him a hero for standing up for what was true and just so many years ago during the fight for civil rights. When Mr. Lewis stood on that bridge with Dr. King decades ago, he risked everything for a cause that was true, right and just.
After all, I believe that truth by definition is unchanging—like the law of gravity. But, today a whole new set of lies and half-truths are threatening the people of the 5th District and America. Much to our disappointment, the Mr. Lewis of today has bought into those lies and half-truths by putting Nancy Pelosi and her plans AHEAD of the people of our district. He has neglected us all - the poor people, the rich people, the black people, the brown people, the white people and everyone in between.
I firmly believe that new leaders must rise up, just as John Lewis did so many years ago. These new leaders MUST NOT defend a political party, self or special interests, but rather what is righteous, just and true. We are raising our two children here in the fifth district, and it is for our and your children’s future that I humbly answer the call to stand up.
The following five principal beliefs form the basis for my positions when addressing the specific issues facing America and threatening our district.
1. Government is not God
The government of this great nation was created FOR the people -- not the other way around. America is a nation of independent-minded people, many of whom value freedom more than life itself. Government steals that freedom when it tries to be all things to all people. As freedom decreases, the bureaucracy grows and becomes unsustainable. I am specifically trained to fight overreaching governments.
As your Representative, I will fight for government limited in scope, the state envisioned by the foundational documents, laws and principles of this Nation.
2. An Uneducated America
Our education system is for the most part failing our children. Woodrow Wilson’s program of educating youth so that they could work in factories fails in today’s world.
Mr. Lewis has repeatedly voted AGAINST vouchers and even moments of silence in schools in the aftermath of 9/11. He has consistently voted for greater central government control of schools and school curriculum. These programs have and are failing our students. Why? Because these programs remove the education and upbringing of our youth from institutions such as family, church and community, which have a proven track record of success, to an enormous central government, which has a track record of failure.
I believe that smaller community schools where children, their teachers and their parents are held accountable must be supported. Teachers must teach children “to learn to learn” rather than simply absorb facts and pass standardized tests. I believe doing this will provide children with the foundation and flexibility they need to excel in the world today. The current system will only prepare our children to work in jobs that no longer exist in this country.
As your Representative, I will stand in the gap for a public education system that teaches students to “learn to learn” so our children will have the foundation they need for success and the hope for prosperity that will motivate them.
3. Helping the Poor
The Truth is that every American is endowed by our Creator with the right to the pursuit of happiness. Our government has promoted the lie that happiness is based on things and what money can buy. I believe family, a purpose in life and making a difference in the lives of others is what brings true joy. Material things come and go, and true happiness is not tied to them.
Government has stolen the blessing of the “pursuit of happiness” from the poor by substituting expensive, demeaning and ineffective hand-out programs in lieu of an effective and efficient hand-up. In stealing this blessing, Mr. Lewis and others who favor socialistic solutions have taken away hope. They imprison the poor in a cell of despair, and the very people politicians should serve soon become absolutely dependant on the government to take care of them.
As your Representative, I will stand in the gap against poverty by fighting against hand-out programs that steal the blessing of hope and accomplishment from the poor. I will fight for programs that provide a hand-up, thereby fueling the blessings derived from the “pursuit of true happiness.”
4. Slow Erosion of Our Fundamental Freedoms
Probably like you, 80% of Americans believe that their basic rights and civil liberties are at risk. Slowly, little by little, over 250 years of Judeo/Christian tradition is being taken out of our country in the misinterpretation of the separation of church and state. A Federal district judge has ruled that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional. We now live in a country where a Muslim army officer opens fire and kills soldiers on American soil at Fort Hood, and where Muslims walk into an army recruitment office and kill the recruitment officer. Meanwhile, Franklin Graham is uninvited from speaking at the Pentagon because of Muslims in the U.S. military. The Constitution guarantees the “free exercise of religion,” not the free exercise of any religion OTHER THAN Judaism or Christianity.
Mr. Lewis has already voted AGAINST protecting the words “One Nation Under God” in the pledge of allegiance and voted AGAINST allowing all schools to permit a moment of silent reflection after the 9/11 attacks. Our basic freedom of speech is being severely stifled. And yet it was freedom of speech -- religious, controversial, and often discomforting -- that was the original catalyst for the Civil Rights movement. After more than 20 years deep in the Washington establishment, Mr. Lewis has forgotten and abandoned these important truths in favor of a partisan loyalty to his party.
As your Representative, I will stand in the gap against any infringement on our fundamental freedoms and fight for the rights of every citizen to voice their opinion, worship as they please and petition for the redress of grievances.
5. Crippling Our Children
We are mortgaging the future of our children and crippling their chance to live in a free America. We claim that our children are our greatest treasure, yet we have created a PRISON for them, with walls of debt so high that escape seems hopeless. Add onto this debt the exorbitant taxes that our children will be required to pay just to service it. Today’s children will be the first generation in the history of the United States of America to have a LOWER standard of living than the previous generation.
Through programs of unbridled spending and increased taxes, Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Lewis have almost doubled the national debt in two years. The government now owns or controls our nation’s largest car companies, banks and soon the entire healthcare industry. All this control is financed by almost unfathomable, unsustainable and destructive debt.
The policies of Pelosi, Lewis and the Congress are expected to complete a 20- trillion-dollar prison wall of debt within 10 years. This country is in the position of having to borrow money to pay the interest on the money it has ALREADY borrowed. China, not known as a strong ally, could call our debt and send us into effectual bankruptcy. Our destiny as a nation is no longer our own.
Roughly figuring, the healthcare bill that Pelosi and Lewis supported will cost our children $25 billion per year in interest alone. That is $250 billion over 10 years -- IF we pay it off in 10 years! Yet, inconceivably, Lewis is telling us that this bill will somehow save money. Despite what he says, you and I both know that 2 + 2 still equals 4. We have literally spent our children’s hope of a better life and mortgaged their chance of living the American Dream.
As your Representative, I will stand in the gap by being fiscally responsible, conservative with the taxpayer’s money and fighting against any program that promotes further control of our country by the government.
These are the overriding principles that compel me to run against Mr. Lewis in this election and give the people of the 5th district a choice. I truly believe we must step in immediately to save our children’s future. Mr. Obama himself said “if you do not like what is going on in Washington, that is what elections are for.” I believe we must act quickly and urgently to save our country and our children’s future.
The government of the United States of America was created by the people, for the people and of the people. The government SHOULD pass laws that ensure the freedom, liberties and pursuit of happiness for its citizens. The current Washington establishment is turning America into a debt-ridden sinkhole from which our children will be unable to dig out. Our current representation in Washington is gladly digging that hole, completely ignoring the will of the people and the future of their children. I fully believe that when you’re digging a hole for yourself, the first thing you need to do is STOP DIGGING. Please make your voice heard and vote FENN for the 5th on November 2nd--it is too important.
Fenn
