by Mekelle Tenney
This election has me more depressed and concerned for our country than usual. I try my best to do my part as a citizen. I vote, stay informed on the issues, and try my best to learn about my country, its history, and its government. But as a young mother I find myself asking what else I can do to make sure that my daughter has the best future possible. I realize that the “fight for freedom” cannot be won by just one person. Last week I met a group of women who gave me hope and an idea about what more I can do.
Each week a small group of about 15 to 20 women gather together and discuss a book they have chosen to study and how it applies to current events. They started out as a simple study group. But they soon realized that they had to act so they began to host local candidates and debates so that the community could get to know those running for local offices. They started short classes teaching the principles of liberty. They put together a small summer camp to teach children in the community about history and government. In the process of all of this these women became members of their community that their neighbors trusted and most of them are chosen at local caucuses to be delegates at their county and state conventions.
Essentially, these women studied and learned together and are now using that knowledge to make a difference in their communities. I have decided to do the same in my community. If you have been looking for a way to do more to protect our future this might be something to consider.
Get a small group of people who have the same desire to learn and be informed. It doesn’t have to be a lot of people. If you have to you can just start out with a group of two or three people. Decide how often you can meet, once a week or once a month. Just do what works for your group. Then choose a book. I highly recommend starting with The 5000 Year Leap by Cleon Skousen. It is a great book that covers the principles of freedom and will give you and your a group a great foundation to build on. Some other books I would suggest looking at are, The Making of America, The Federalist Papers, How Do You Kill 11 Million People, The Real George Washington, The Real Thomas Jefferson, The Benjamin Franklin, Original Intent. These are just a few suggestions.
If you are interested in history Albert Marrin writes excellent books on a variety of topics that are informative and entertaining. David Barton is also a favorite of mine. Though his writing is a little more dry his books are short and easy to read. Keep in mind that whatever your group chooses to read you do not have to read the whole book. You can pick and choose parts that are applicable to the group. Ultimately the goal is learn and grow together. As your group grows and becomes more stable you will be able to decide how you can help promote learning in your community.
Hopefully an increase of learning will bring an increase of understanding in our communities and a deeper appreciation for our freedom.