Mark Twain once noted, “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.”
Such should be the sentiment of conservatives across Mississippi as the critical lens of leadership is now thrust on our every word and deed, whether you hold elected office or simply support the cause. You are now under the microscope of the majority, and the progressives, the liberals enthusiastically await your stumble.
Oh, these times are indeed exciting to many of you; I, too, share the joy and anticipation. Conservatives, Republicans have finally fully arrived on the scene in Mississippi politics, a feat that often seemed impossible only a few short years ago.
But the cheers and applause must now cease. The celebration of our achievements must translate into action, leadership, results – and it must take hold first in our cities and counties, and ultimately inside the Capitol.
Now is the time for every conservative, every Republican in Mississippi to evaluate and consider their role in our state’s future.
What will we do with this majority? Will we rest in success or will we embrace the call of the people?
History will soon write the tales of this time. Each of you reading this has a part to play; you are in the cast whether you wish to be or not. I say we author a narrative that challenges the accepted reason of our day, plowing a path that reflects our American heritage and rejects the destructive practices that if continue to be left unchecked will collapse our republic.
We must reach beyond “as it has always been” and take up conservatism’s mantle in our daily lives. We must be passionate yet attentive, bold yet humble. We must be honest with our fellow man and hold each other accountable even when it’s unpleasant, for in the light of constructive correction within our own ranks can true bonds be built with the voting public, ultimately solidifying the conservative cause in hearts and minds not only here in Mississippi, but across America.
The conservative cause now best exemplified in the Republican Party does not begin and end with one man, nor is it’s future constrained to one election. Men will fail us, elections are uncertain. A principled, consistent resistance to the progressive policies permeating our government today is the only way to truly invigorate Mississippi and America… and it starts with every individual.
Change does not come with a single vote; change only comes when our principles align with every word and deed, where collective action cultivates a shared purpose. You can and must make a difference.
As I have repeatedly stated over the last year or so, Mississippi – like America – is rapidly exiting a period of compromising our core, foundational beliefs of government and entering an era where principle must rule the day. These will be times to try our resolve but we must face the challenge head on and stand even when all around us may fall.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “Politics is the art of the possible.” The key, I have learned, is to master the art before the art masters you. Possibilities and opportunities are indeed abundant as we now consider the conservative majority. But it’s what we make of it that each of us will be judged.
So as the lights dim and the cheers subside, pause and reflect. Ensure your principles are firm and your passions are just. But instant and ready.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
Mississippi matters. America matters. May we never become silent and shirk our responsibility to our great land. Now is the time for action!
Magnolia Tribune
