Filibuster-my letter

Senator Harry Reid

528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Thank you for protecting the filibuster. Please feel free to read before the Senate my comments regarding the filibuster.

My grandfather the Rev John Lothropp (1584-1653) co founder of the Congregationalist faith fled England because the King and Arch-Bishop Laud were persecuting and beheading Puritans because of their religious views. America became his sanctuary of freedom in 1634 not because freedoms were to be found there but because he and every other immigrant had to define freedom and defend it. Rev. Lothropp’s creation, the institution of the Congregationalist Church, continued and continues to this day to uphold American values. The community of Barnstable MA and the Congregationalist Church honors him for defining and defending American values.

As the tyrannical power of England became ever stronger over the colonies my uncle the Rev John Lathrop (1739-1809) preached the sermon at the Old North Church, Boston that helped inspire the men to commit their protest against tyranny known as the Boston Tea Party. Rev. Lathrop’s freedom to preach was granted to him by the generations before him that defended freedom and he continued our family’s values of holding dear American values. The community of Boston MA honors him for defending American values.

During the Civil War over 400 of my relatives fought on the Union side to ensure freedom for Americans denied it. My cousin the Rev. Lucian Lathrop (1800-1873) continued our family values of defending and respecting freedom by engaging in anti-slavery activities including opening his home to runaway slaves. He learned his values, American values, from the generations before and passed them on to his children and grandchildren. The community of Sylvania, OH and the State of Ohio honors him for defending American values.

My cousin Julie Lathrop (1858-1932) fought for freedom by participating in the woman’s suffrage movement and child welfare movement because she held dear American values. Our nation honored her by making her the first woman to be appointed a department head of a Federal Department, the Federal Children's Bureau in 1912. Our federal government and the State of Illinois honors her for defending American values.

And so I am compelled to defend American values as my relatives have by answering Senator Reid’s request for the voice of the people concerning the filibuster. I have sent this letter to every Senator to ensure that American values are protected. The filibuster is not a freedom of a political party it is a freedom of the American people. When a party in the majority tries to strip the minority party of its right to unlimited debate out of a desire to dominate politically it acts as a tyrant and denies freedoms to the people. Fighting tyrants and tyrannies is an American tradition that I fully embrace and if the Democrats are silenced, I am silenced and I am compelled to fight against tyrannical endeavors and fight for my freedom. I am not alone. My voice is not the only one silenced and I am not the only one who will defend American values and freedoms.

The filibuster is my freedom which is being stripped from me and all Americans who hold dear American values and we will defend this freedom. Senator Reid understands this point entirely and so he is compelled to respect my freedom to speak unhindered, uncensored, unlimited when he asks for my response to the attack on my freedom. Senator Reid understands American values, holds them dear and defends them, he is no tyrant. It is Senator Reid who will be honored for his defense of American values as my relatives have been honored also and not the tyrant.

Since the President took office in 2001 he has preached on the need for defending freedom while he strips us of our freedoms. When I ask for information regarding who the Vice-President spoke to when the energy bill was being drafted and I am denied that information, my right to petition the government is denied me. When I raise money to send it to needy Muslims in middle-eastern countries and then my government declares me a possible terrorist, locks me up without counsel, I am denied my right of due-process. When I feel the need to protest against a government that denies me these rights by requesting a permit to assemble that is then quickly denied, my right of assembly is denied to me also. When I request that my elected officials to which I am dependent upon to serve as my representative in a debate, inquiry, etc., regarding the business of the government, my right of free speech is denied to me through limiting the use of the filibuster.

The tyrannical practices of the majority party are clearly evident. I am not a member of the majority party because it does not respect American values that my ancestors defined and defended and I am compelled to continue in their defense. If the party to which I belong engaged in the tyrannical practices of the past four years I would without hesitation fight against that tyranny. I am not alone in my beliefs and we the people will be heard.

The political composition of congress will continue to change but the tradition of protecting freedom must never waiver. The composition of the judicial branch will continue to change but its duty to uphold freedom must never waiver. The actions of the majority party to deny freedoms in the legislative and executive branch will spread to the judicial branch for that is the agenda of the majority party.

We the people are not fools. We clearly see this agenda. Our understanding of this tyranny grows and we will rise to fight it. Absolute power is short lived in a nation that is vigilant against it and we are watching and waiting for our moment to reaffirm true American values and traditions.

The filibuster is the people’s freedom, their constitutionally granted right. Limiting that right conditionally is just as harmful to the American tradition as eliminating it. The present administration has without a doubt been attacking the American tradition in its pursuit of malevolent power. A government that has stripped the people of their rights and dishonors persons who uphold American values is never entitled to continue this corruption simply because it is in the majority. I am ashamed at the people’s complacency, blind obedience, and malevolent intentions to support a corrupting government.

Those of us who are observant of this corruption are growing in number daily and we will put an end to this corruption via the election box. The individual or party, who thinks that their pursuit of absolute power will last and be obtained, is naive, misguided and a megalomaniac. The fight for freedom will outlast and prevail against the pursuit of tyranny.