Example of someone who became involved to start a new PARADIGM

January 19, 2009 - 07:38 PM
"My Unforeseen Political Journey"
by Lori Jungling, Iowa Coordinator
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I was born and raised on a dairy farm outside of a small town of about 700 people in a conservative party of Iowa. It was there that I was raised to rely on God, family, friends, and community (in that order) to get you through life. I was taught I was responsible for my own actions and that strong traditional values is what makes a community and society strong. I am now 38-years-old and a latecomer to the political process. I live in the state with First in the Nation status but couldn't even tell you up until last year when or what the caucus was. I usually just showed up to vote in the general election. That all changed in the fall of 2007 when my husband said, "You have got to check out this Mike Huckabee guy."
Supporting Governor Huckabee led me to my first political donation, my first political rally, my first caucus, and my first time volunteering to do phone calls for a candidate. I believed that the ideas and values he was fighting for was what the Republican party was all about and what America needed. When his campaign ended, I knew deep down that it was just the beginning of the movement. Too many people recognized that the message of Mike Huckabee transcended any election cycle.
After the primary season ended, me and six other Iowans who met on Huck's Army got together to form The Iowa Brigade in hopes of fighting for these same conservative issues at the local level and supporting like-minded candidates. I am thankful for these passionate and dedicated individuals because together we have collaborated on an Iowa blog that has been rated as one of the top political blogs in Iowa. (Just so you know, last year at this time I didn't even know how to copy and paste. So, if any of you doubt that you can't get the new technology down of blogging, facebook, and twitter, put your fears aside because it is amazing what you can accomplish if you have the passion.) I really think that we are making a difference in Iowa politics.
I am excited about being a regional coordinator for the National Volunteer Team and working with other Iowans in furthering the cause that we started fighting for in the Mike Huckabee campaign and continue to do with Huck PAC. Supporting the issues of life, family, limited government, tax reform, and 2nd amendment rights while striving for what America needs and not what politicians want is what this battle is all about and I invite you to join me at http://www.huckpacvolunteer.com/.

An example of action to influence paradigms

Below is a letter that I wrote to The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President and Author Dr. Al Mohler. I wrote it as a way of seeking to get people that do have a platform in the media and writing as well as responsible for training our future leaders for swimming up stream against the "anything goes" and lack of critical thinking about what is happening in our world that is accompanying the changing of the guard with this new Administration...please read this and consider what you could do that might influence intelligent conservatism and not "gotcha" conservatism...below is the letter and consider what your thoughts are as we enter this time in our country...___________________________________________

Today on Glen Beck's new show on Fox he had Joel Olsteen. Yes I think his speaking and teaching is spiritual pablum and most times plagiarism passed off as original material. If you get the video you will see that one of the top religous individuals of our time if you consider ratings, size of church and dollars made through book sells had the intelligence and depth of Caroline Kennedy. He could not answer with any depth basic softball questions that Glenn Beck asked. My question is to you as a Seminary President are the current and future students of Southern able to think critically and analytically to the point of answering basic questions with depth and clarity? We have cried against critical exegesis yet I feel one of the things that it has led to is being afraid of critically understanding and depth of thought. It is what I feel has hurt conservatives is the lack of intelligent conservativism. Yes, you display that but are we producing leaders of tomorrow that can think with depth and clarity. Joel Olsteen had someone "in his corner" so if he could not answer with substantial depth Glenn Beck's questions how can his followers be challenged to know what they believe and why? This time in our history demands clarity of thought and individuals to be able to speak out not as one that is intentionally devisive but one that can speak with confidence and facts. One of his answers bordered on Universalism and different religions worshipping all the same God. Maybe Mr. Olsteen was nervous and we can give him the benefit of the doubt or maybe he is part of the product of our times where everyone and no one does anything wrong. If nothing is wrong why is one way better than another? Follow his thinking to a logical conclusion! Or are we afraid to think any more? Is it wrong to ask questions?I am afraid we are at a time much like the children's book "The Emperor's New Clothes". We all see the problems and know these new ideas for these times are suppose to be the best like the Emperor's New Clothes but no one is willing to say anything about them...what if no one speaks up like the child did in the story? Where will this leave us as a country and a world? Please use your platform to speak out on these issues...
Richard Reynolds M.Div.,M.Ed.,Ed.S.Southern Class of 1987

Global Changes Challenge the Planet

Herman Trend Alert:

Global Changes Challenge the Planet

December 24, 2008

A recent report from the United States National Intelligence Council of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) states we are facing changes that society is probably not ready for.By the year 2025, "the accelerating pace of globalization and the emergence of new powers will produce "a world order" vastly different from the system in place for most of the post-World War II era", the study outlines.Their report, titled "Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World" projects a still-preeminent US joined by fast-developing powers, notably India and China, on top of a multipolar international system. In the near-term, the world is headed for increased probability of conflict over scarce resources, including food and water, and the persistence of rogue states and terrorist groups with greater access to nuclear weapons. Widening gaps in birth rates and wealth-to-poverty ratios between the developed and the developing countries along with the uneven impact of climate change, could further aggravate pressures.

* Muslim states outside the Arab core, notably Turkey and Indonesia, and perhaps even a post-clerical Iran, could take on expanded roles in the new international order.

* Women in much of Asia and Latin America are achieving higher levels of education than men, a trend that is particularly significant in this human capital-intensive global economy.

* As governments fail to provide basic security and other services, some states in parts of Africa and South Asia may disappear.

* By 2025, a worldwide shift to a new technology that replaces oil will be under way or accomplished.

* The US dollar's role will shrink to "first-among-equals" among key world currencies.

* The likelihood that nuclear weapons will be used will increase with expanded access to technology and a widening range of options for limited strikes.

* The impact of climate change will be uneven, with some Northern economies profiting from longer growing seasons and improved access to resource reserves.

Clearly, education will be the driving force in addressing these significant challenges. We are less convinced than ODNI of the ability of the US with its current system to compete globally against India and China.********