LET THE GAMES BEGIN

Wayne D. Leeper

    Two thousand years ago in Ancient Rome one of the most popular pastimes were the gladiatorial events.   By the year 52 AD under emperor Nero it had become primarily a contest of the Christians facing the lions and unfortunately most of the time the lions won.  According to historians, Nero took particular pleasure in uttering the words “Let the Games Begin.”  

    One thousand, nine hundred and twelve years later a movement began in the United States which later became known as the “Reagan Revolution.” It has now cumulated with the conservatives and Christians who founded this nation, and acknowledged  the God who has given His divine protection to it, are facing a challenge even greater than that faced by our first century brethren.

    In 1964 the conservatives nominated Barry Goldwater as their candidate for the office of President of the United States.  As many of us remember he went down in a disastrous defeat to the liberal democrat, Lyndon Johnson.  At that point in time the Presidency, the Congress, and the Supreme Court were firmly in the hands of the democrats.  The nomination of Goldwater, however, brought to the national spotlight a B-rated actor by the name of Ronald W. Reagan.

    Sixteen years later Ronald Reagan a staunch conservative became the fortieth president of the United States and ushered in the Reagan revolution.  The Reagan revolution was the name given to the a grassroots movement began in 1964 where the common folks, both democrat and republican began to take back control of their government and reinstitute what  Abraham Lincoln called a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people”.  Ronald Reagan set forth a vision of a “Shinning City Built on a Hill,” which he derived from a sermon preached by John Winthrop, the first Governor of Massachusetts.

    Thirteen years later, under the leadership of another conservative named Newt Gingrich, the conservatives took control of the House of Representatives although by then the Presidency was once again in the hands of the Democrats.  It would be another seven years before, under the leadership of George W. Bush,  that “We the people” regained not only the Presidency but also the Senate of the United States. 

    Today only one obstacle remains between “We the People” and the return of this nation to its historical and Christian roots which have been the bedrock of our greatness.  That obstacle is the Supreme Court of the United States.  George W. Bush now has the opportunity to enter the room occupied by George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Ronald W. Reagan.  Either he will complete the Regan revolution, began in 1964, and enter the room of the “great presidents” or he will squander the best opportunity any President has ever had to bring America back to its historical roots.  

    If he chooses the latter he will be classified with the weakest and most inept presidents of this nation.  If he chooses the former he will become known as the president who finished the Reagan revolution and go down in history as one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States.  If he chooses the latter he will stand alone, but if he chooses the former he will have an army comprised of the “We the People” who work to preserve the “Dream that Became America” firmly at his side.

    Name a proven constitutionalist and conservative to the Supreme Court Mr. President and “we the people” will rise up to support you in numbers that you yourself will have trouble believing.  The patriotic people of America await your clarion call to “Let The Games Began.”