The Speech I Wanted to Give

Here’s a little truth for you: I’m an awful public speaker. It’s true. I am. There’s a reason people fear public speaking more than death.

Yesterday, I received the Republican Liberty Caucus of Georgia’s 2012 Citizens Award. Here's what I meant to say yesterday, but didn't get quite right. Sorry. :(

"Thank you all. It’s a huge honor.  I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the passing of our friend Karen Ross this week, a liberty activist and long serving member of the Republican party who fought hard to be named a delegate from Georgia’s 1^st Congressional District just so she could attend the Republican National Convention in Tampa to help nominate Ron Paul from the floor of the convention. She was fighting her battle with cancer even then.  Karen was very proud to be there and made a point to say how proud she was to see Catherine Bernard stand up for her beliefs amid harsh criticism at the first convention breakfast. I’d like to accept this award in Karen Ross’s honor.

So many of us here started out together in 2007. Remember in 2008 at the state GOP Convention when Randy Evans ran the convention and tried to humiliate us by insisting that we turn around and personally acknowledge how few of us there were when we voted to suspend the rules and allow nominations for delegates from the floor? As I look at us all assembled here it’s clear that effort backfired on him.

I have been very fortunate, lucky, had good karma. I’ve been blessed.  I was in the­­­­ sweet spot age-wise for this movement. I was a grown woman, a parent in her 30’s who was old enough to be taken seriously as an officer in the Republican Party and as a candidate for public office, yet I was young enough to promote this movement, and, yes, promote myself, on social media like facebook and twitter, and last year on online radio.

Here's something most folks don't know about me. I've run five marathons. I like to run marathons, but it takes four months to train for one. That kind of training takes a lot of patience and persistence. You have to keep your long term goal in mind. Let's all remember that our fight to defend constitutional principles is long-term fight that we must continually train for.

I’ve been a Republican for 20 years.  I have as much right to define what it means to be Republican as any other person who calls themselves ‘Republican.’ And so do you, don’t be afraid to say that at your local Republican meetings. You prove by your participation that you’ve earned that right.

Lastly, keep your spirit of gratitude while you work to change things. Let's be grateful. We, hopefully, with God's grace, will one day see the results of all of our hard work.

Thank you again for this award. God Bless You."