Capitol News

After my Friday morning Toastmasters meeting, I was speaking to a man who attended as a guest. He was in his 60s and seemed reticent during much of the meeting.

As we talked, I mentioned that the reason I choose to stay with Toastmasters is that I want my skills to be polished and ready when I am called upon to speak. I mentioned my community volunteer work, including my involvement with the Convention of States Project.

When I said, “Convention of States,” his entire demeanor changed. His face lit up as opened his arms and gestured a resounding “Yes!” 

When I told him I was the State Communications Coordinator, he leaned in and hugged my shoulders, thanked me, and asked God to protect me. 

He went from reluctant participation to hugging me. What a shift!

I asked him if he had signed the petition and he responded, “No.” I told him I could get a petition out to him to join our grassroots movement.

He took a step backward and, in a serious tone, asked me, “Do you think the FBI will come after me?”

He was worried that his actions would somehow be seen as an insurrectionist. He asked if we were insurrectionists. I assured him we were not. We are average American people working together to use Article V of the Constitution to return control of the government to The People, where it rightly belongs.

This is not the first time I’ve had someone pull away in fear of the Government coming after them.

Some American citizens are now living in fear of their government and are failing to exercise their First Amendment right to Free Speech. This fear is due to the daily, incessant drumbeat of fearporn about insurrectionist mobs, violence, and “woke” propaganda.

Americans are living in fear of speaking out. They fear reprisal if they criticize their government!

Isn’t this the same reason why the United States of America was formed?!

Isn’t the Constitution and the Bill of Rights our guide to living a life of freedom without tyranny?

I invited the man to attend our next Convention of States town hall. He showed interest in finding “some hope for the future.” I assured him he would. That’s what I found the first time I participated in a COS Town Hall.

Hope is what we have.

And a plan. It is called a Convention of States and it is the failsafe mechanism that the Framers gave us should there ever come a time where the federal government no longer respects nor even regards the will of We the People.

The time is now. There is a place for every American to be part of the largest grassroots movement in the United State.

Become informed. Watch this 3-minute video. Sign the petition.

Join the movement.

Stand against the fear!

Robin Riddell is the State Communications Coordinator for Convention of States Michigan and a 16-year veteran of Toastmasters.

Originally published at https://conventionofstates.com/news/the-rise-of-fear-in-america.