Every month, the Thomas Jefferson Center for Constitutional Studies will recommend a powerful book that will enhance your knowledge of our country and the Constitution. You can also leave comments on the Book of the Month page and share your feelings and ideas about the current study. Here is some information about this month’s Book of the Month:

“The Naked Communist”

A number of years ago, when Glenn Kimber returned from Vietnam, he asked Dr. Skousen, his father-in-law, if he would teach him what was going on in America and throughout the world. In many ways Vietnam was so confusing because of all the political haggling that was going on pertaining to the war. Glenn loved his country, but was very confused about what was happening, so he wanted Dr. Skousen to teach him.

Dr. Skousen commented that he would teach him if he promised to maintain a balance and love for America. To do this, he recommended that for every book that Glenn read on what was wrong with America, he would read another book about the greatness of America.

Following this counsel, our Book of the Month is about those who oppose the original American government as established by the Founding Fathers. Next month, we will read a book that is positive about America’s founding.

We are comfortable that this approach will be of great benefit to each Healing of America Patriot who desires to know what is happening to our great country, and yet remain optimistic about what they can do to help heal our land.

The first book we will begin with is one of Dr. Skousen’s national best sellers. It explains the people and groups who established devious plans designed to destroy America’s formula of greatness.

Overview: In this hard-hitting book an urgent need is finally fulfilled. In one exciting, readable volume, the incredible story of Communism is graphically told. We believe this to be the most vivid and comprehensive book on the subject ever published. It contains a distillation of more than a hundred books and treatises on Communism, many written by Marxist authors.

We see the Communist the way he sees himself – stripped of propaganda and pretense. Hence the title, “The Naked Communist.” Here is explained Communism’s amazing appeal, its history, its basic and unchanging concepts – even its secret time-table of conquest!

Vital questions are clearly answered –

• Who gave Russia the A-bomb?

• How did the F.B.I. fight the battle of the underground?

• Why did the West lose 600 million allies after World War II?

• What really happened in Korea?

• What is Communism’s great secret weapon?

• Is there an answer to Communism?

• What lies ahead?

In addition, Dr. Skousen lists the 45 astonishing goals of the Communist Party, determining how they planned to demoralize and take over the United States of America. This list is shocking because some 50 years later – today – all these Communist goals have been met.

We would love to read your comments about the book as you read along.

2nd Amendment News

Have you been following the June 28^th ruling of the Supreme Court?  Do you think your right to bear arms is more secure?  Read on:

Supreme Court Decision…

Another Blow to our Bill of Rights??

On Monday, June 28, 2010, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision that many hailed as a victory for gun control and ownership.

In the recent past, Americans have been fearful that our Second Amendment rights to bear arms were in jeopardy.  Among watchful conservatives, rumors of disarmament and gun control were something to greatly fear.  What the Supreme Court did on June 28^th appeared to be a victory for gun ownership.

The ruling seemed to have dissipated our fear of losing those rights.  In fact, the headline in ABC News reads, “Supreme Court Affirms Right to Keep Handguns in Home.”   The protection of our Second Amendment rights – is that what we really got, or is this a repeat performance of the past?

Many patriots who are of the younger generation have asked members of the Thomas Jefferson Center: “We have heard of W. Cleon Skousen.  We know he wrote the popular Five Thousand Year Leap.  But who was he?  What is his background that gives him such credibility?”

First of all, it is important to know that Cleon Skousen was co-founder of the Thomas Jefferson Center.  As his son-in-law, Glenn Kimber joined with him in organizing the TJC  with a mission to inform the public about what is happening in America, and warn them of the dangers of big government.

To further enlighten those who do not know Dr. Skousen, the article below is a great description of who he was and lists his great life’s accomplishments.  Dr. Skousen passed away on January 9, 2006.  The following was presented at the height of his career in the 1980s:

Who was W. Cleon Skousen?

At a time when Mr. Skousen was giving hundreds of speeches each year, he occasionally received rather unusual introductions. Here is one of them. The chairman said:

“Before presenting our speaker, I have been asked to recognize ten distinguished gentlemen whom we have with us tonight. I will first introduce their accomplishments and then introduce them by name. All of these men are friends of our speaker.

“First, we have with us a national authority on child development who has written one of America’s most widely read books on raising boys.

“Second, we have with us a former FBI official who specialized in studying subversion and wrote a national best seller on the subject. He has also written a national best seller on the secret combinations which threaten the Constitution and the survival of freedom in America.

“Third, we have with us a university professor who is a specialist on the Bible and other Christian writings, and who teaches a thousand students per week. He is best known for several college texts which constitute a careful analysis of ancient scriptural literature.

“Fourth, I will also introduce to you the editorial director of a national law and order magazine. He writes a feature article each month for 15,000 chiefs of police throughout the nation.

“Fifth, we have with us a former chief of police of a major city who reorganized a scandalized police department. This effort eventually won the praise of Time Magazine, which called the result a ‘model department.’

“Sixth, we have another distinguished guest with us who is a world traveler. He has conducted tours to every continent on the globe, has spoken in every state of the Union, and has given lectures in 45 foreign countries.

“Seventh, we also want you to meet a lawyer who is a member of the bar in the District of Columbia and has been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.  This attorney has specialized in a study of the United States Constitution, and he has written a text on that subject which is one of the most understandable and inspirational books on the Founding Fathers and the Constitution you are likely to read.

“Eighth, we have with us a distinguished churchman who has served in many ecclesiastical capacities, but is best known as a Sunday School teacher who sometimes attracts as many as 350 youth and adults per Sunday, including many of different faiths.

“Ninth, we want you to meet a man who is the national chairman of a committee which recently sponsored a bill in Congress that would return the Federal government to its original Constitutional functions. This bill is called HR-23. It would repeal the Federal income taxes and prohibit the government from competing with private enterprise.

“Tenth and finally, may I present to you the president of a national foundation which conducts conferences and educational programs throughout the country to train Americans in the fundamental genius of the nation’s original success formula. He can demonstrate that nearly every aggravating problem facing America today could be solved by returning to the Founding Fathers’ original formula for happiness, peace, and prosperity.

“Now, let me present each of these distinguished gentlemen by name. The most singular thing about them is that they all have the same name. These ten great men are all identified in the life and achievements of one man, our speaker. Ladies and gentlemen, will you please welcome these ten men in one, Dr. W. Cleon Skousen.”

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Healing of America Patriots can see a DVD on the life of W. Cleon Skousen.

Either You Believe in Freedom and Equality or You Don’t!

Every question and issue in the domain of current events comes back to the basic question as to whether or not you believe in freedom or not and whether you believe in equality or not.

At the core of this question is whether or not you believe in the three unalienable rights found in the Declaration of Independence:

1. Life
2. Liberty
3. Pursuit of Happiness (Property)

As Frederic Bastiat in “The Law” says “In spite of the cunning of artful political leaders, these three gifts from God (referring to life, liberty and property) precede all human legislation, and are superior to it.

“Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.”

George Washington – A Case of Character Part 3

In response to the Stamp Act of 1765 John Adams said:

…liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people who have a right from the frame of their nature to knowledge, as their Creator who does nothing in vain, has given them understanding and a desire to know. But besides this they have a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible divine right to the most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean of the characters and conduct of their rulers.

I’ve often heard it said that what we need in Washington are men and women of character, people like George Washington. While I agree with this statement I am concerned that “We The People” are not doing what it takes to measure the character of our elected officials. After all if you and I don’t do this, who will?

Here are some simple steps that enable one to judge the character of their lawmakers:

1. Be aware of major laws proposed by Congress

2. Express your opinion to our elected officials and ask them for their position

3. Check their response against their voting record

4. Hold them accountable for consistently adhering to sound principle

a. This means you must be educated on principles of morality and sound economic and social governance

5. Prepare future generations by teaching them our moral obligation to God, family

and country. Do this in your homes, schools (we’ll teach you how we can do this here as well), churches, community organizations etc.

While this may seem overwhelming at first glance, there are some simple ways you can begin this process. I assure you that it is an investment that we owe ourselves, our progenitors and our children.

Liberty is Priceless.

Let us at the Thomas Jefferson Center assist you in learning to appreciate, love, value and defend the rich heritage of this great country so that we can select people of great moral character to represent us. Allow us to teach the principles of the Constitution so that together we can preserve a great nation. The results will astound you and your attitude for America will go from despair to hope!

Make Sure to Visit The Healing of America Education Series for details on the courses that we have available.

George Washington

In March of 1783, even though the British had surrendered about a year and a half earlier, George Washington’s troops were still on active duty. Congress had failed to pay them and establish a fully functional government.

It was in this desperate environment that Washington’s officers were secretly working to force Congress’ hand through a military coup.  Fortunately, Washington caught wind of this and delivered a speech to his men in New York to avert this disaster that would threaten this great freedom experiment.

The following excerpt comes from this speech:

And let me conjure you, in the name of our common country, as you value your own sacred honor, as you respect the rights of humanity, and as you regard the military and national character of America, to express your utmost horror and detestation of the man who wishes, under any specious pretenses, to overturn the liberties of our country, and who wickedly attempts to open the floodgates of civil discord and deluge our rising empire in blood.

He later states, “You will defeat the insidious designs of our enemies…and give one more distinguished proof of an exampled patriotism and patient virtue…” He was pleading with them to allow the rule of law to be supreme, rather then the whims of a dictator.
After delivering the speech, the men were still somewhat unconvinced. He then pulled from his pocket a letter from Congress outlining their intentions to pay them. Biographer James T. Flexner describes what happened next:

The officers stirred impatiently in their seats, and then suddenly every heart missed a beat. Something was the matter with his Excellency. He seemed unable to read the paper. He paused in bewilderment. He fumbled in his waistcoat pocket and then he pulled out something that only his intimates had seen him wear: a pair of glasses. He explained, ‘Gentlemen, you will permit me to put on my spectacles, for I have not only grown grey but almost blind in the service of my country.’ This simple statement achieved what all Washington’s rhetoric and all his argument had been unable to achieve. The officers were instantly in tears, and from behind shining drops, their eyes looked with love at the commander who had led them all so far and so long.

After Washington finished the letter, all officers present unanimously voted to support George Washington and Congress’ proposal. I will submit that it was Washington’s character, forged and tested over time in all types of challenging situations that gave him the moral authority in this exact moment to stir men’s hearts to support his vision. We are the beneficiaries of that character today. We therefore have an obligation to encourage the presence of that same type of character in our public positions of trust.

Stay tuned for the conclusion of this 3-part series.

George Washington

How do we find, support and keep men and women of character in public office? Before I answer this question allow me to propose the model we should be looking for by relating a story about George Washington. For those who have truly studied about President Washington, I can hear you skeptically saying, “Impossible! You just don’t find Washingtons today.” To that I reply, “Nonsense.”

First, we as a society are not placing men like Washington before our youth and heralding them as virtuous souls whose examples are worthy of emulation, instead many are maligning their character.

Second, we are simply not doing our part to seek out, encourage and support those individuals who have the right character to be worthy of the public trust.

Third, we are not teaching character as a moral/spiritual (in subsequent posts I’ll define what I mean by spiritual) obligation in our schools today. Stick with me because these people truly do exist if you are willing to look.

With that said, allow me to present the standard of character for our public officials by relating one of the great stories in our Nation’s history—a story about General George Washington. Remember as you read this that Washington put great effort into building his own character every day and as a result he had the ability to lead men of all stations of life to victory in our Revolutionary War. Against all odds he succeeded. His character was such that he was able to withstand the greatest of all temptation; his men’s proposal to make him king of America.

Come back soon to hear the rest of the story…

The Thomas Jefferson Center for Constitutional Restoration (TJC) is dedicated to the restoration of the Constitution and the Healing of America in the tradition of the Founding Fathers.

If you are fed up with those who constantly point out the problems with America, but who offer no solutions, then TJC will provide a fresh perspective.

America does have its challenges, but the Founding Fathers have the answers. We can get America back on track. To do so we have developed a powerful series of seminars entitled the Healing of America Seminars. In addition, we have compiled a great library of Constitutional resources and have organized a cadre of patriots who are dedicated to this cause.

If you are one of those:

• who truly loves America

• who has confidence in the Founding Fathers

• who is concerned about what’s happening in America, and

• who wants to be part of a positive movement to heal this land,

Then we invite you to unite with us to effect positive change in America!