Chairman Allen West's Monday Message for 4.26.21

The New Feudal Lords

“Nothing so strongly impels a man to regard the interest of his constituents, as the certainty of returning to the general mass of the people, from whence he was taken, where he must participate in their burdens.” 

— George Mason, June 17, 1788, Virginia ratifying convention for the US Constitution

“Do as I say, not as I do.” 

— Anonymous

Many young people today have no real concept of the system alluded to in this week’s title. Our schools lack rigorous teaching of western civilization since it has been deemed ‘racist.’ But once upon a time — between the 9th and 15th centuries — there existed a socioeconomic structure called feudalism. It basically constructed a societal relationship based upon the holding of land in exchange for service and labor. Feudal lords, as they were called, ruled over their proscribed lands, derived from title and ancestry, called fiefdoms. And, those who were beneath them were called commoners, serfs.

It was this very structure that possibly inspired John Locke to set forth a revolutionary ideal in his Second Treatise of Government that man derived their rights of life, liberty, and property not from the theory of divine rights, but instead from natural rights . . . . unalienable rights from the Creator God.

Yes, America began with a somewhat landed gentry, and rights and privileges were based upon owning property. We fought a war to ensure that owning individuals was not ever to be regarded as a right. Thomas Jefferson advanced the noble ideal that America would be established, on July 4th — 1776, not 1619 — on the sovereignty of the individual and that we all possessed the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Are there rich people in America? Yep. Yet, tell me where else on this earth can someone arrive with nothing, and work hard and grow a business to become prosperous? America is truly a land of opportunity where growth and prosperity are within our grasp if we ascribe to such.

However, there is a new class of feudal lords in our America who concern themselves not with opportunity, but, rather, with outcomes.

Abraham Lincoln warned us about these people in a speech from April 18, 1864, in Baltimore:

“The world has never had a good definition of the word liberty, and the American people, just now, are much in want of one. We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some, the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men’s labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name—liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names—liberty and tyranny.“

— Abraham Lincoln

As you read the opening quote by George Mason, realize it was never the intent of our Founding Fathers to have a career political elite class. Their desire was to have citizen legislators. Men, and later women, who would do the business of serving the people, and not the opposite, as they read about in medieval, feudal, Europe. However, due to our apathy as voters, remember Tytler’s cycle of democracy from last week, we have allowed such to happen. Slowly, we are being ruled, not governed, by that premise of “do as I say, not as I do.”

A year ago, Americans, Texans, were told to shelter in their homes, under penalty of fines and arrest. We were told that some of us, — and our businesses — were not essential. Yet, as we watched the lives and livelihoods of many being destroyed, one must ask, when did any of our new feudal lords stop receiving a paycheck?

We are still being bombarded with threats and warnings about COVID, yet we have thousands of illegal immigrants flowing across our border and being released into our communities. Here in Texas, just last week, our very own Governor Abbott addressed the Republican National Committee Spring Meeting at The Omni Hotel in Dallas. The Omni Hotel is connected to the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center where some 3,000 – 4,000 illegal immigrant males are being housed, guarded by troops from the US Army First Infantry Division. I saw them myself.

Our Founding Fathers knew that armed individuals are citizens, and unarmed individuals are subjects, another lesson learned from the subjugation and subservience of the European feudal system. Yet, here we are in Texas with a feudal lord, our very own Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who does not believe we have a constitutional right to carry arms. The Texas Senate is blocking legislation that has been passed in the Texas House. 

There are 20 other states in the Union that have Constitutional Carry, including Vermont and Utah. Yes, Bernie Sanders and Mitt Romney have constitutional carry, the Lone Star State does not. The Texas Senate has even gone so far as to change the rules — the filing deadline for legislation was back in March — and filed their very own constitutional carry bill. The Texas State Senate is doing what political elites always do, creating commissions to decide if we commoners should have Constitutional Carry, or any constitutional rights at all. See, feudal lords do not believe that rules apply to them.

The issue is simple: if you pass a federal NICS background check, you do not need the feudal lords to give you permission to carry a firearm. At least that was when the Constitution mattered and was deemed our rule of law.

Then again, the head feudal lord in America asserted that “no amendment is absolute.” I guess Dan Patrick believes this, as well.

Parents, the feudal lords of Texas do not believe that you should be able to choose the best educational opportunity for your children. There were only 29 Republicans who voted for school choice as part of a budget amendment last week. Yes, the feudal lords and their lobbyist friends think they know what is best for your kids. As a matter of fact, these feudal lords think it is just fine that gender-dysphoric biological males compete with our daughters in sports.

However, the most absurd example of the duplicitous hypocrisy of the new feudal lords came this past weekend. One of those feudal lords who believed it was okay for boys to play with females is Texas State House member Dan Huberty. It appears the dear man had a run-in with the law.

As reported by the Montgomery County police reporter:

“Just after 9 pm Friday evening, Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constables responded to a reported major accident at FM 1314 and Valley Ranch in Porter. Units arrived to find a Corvette parked under a mini-van. Both the mini-van and the Corvette were headed south on FM 1314 at Sorters when the Corvette failed to stop for the red light and drove up under the SUV. MCHD responded to the scene to check the three occupants of the SUV who suffered minor injuries but refused transport. The driver of the Corvette was also not injured however did appear to be impaired. A Precinct 4 Certified DWI Deputy was summoned to the scene. The driver who was identified as Texas State Representative Dan Huberty from District 127 was given a field sobriety test and failed. He was detained. At that point, he told officers he was returning from the session in Austin. According to the Texas State Constitution, Article 3, Section 14- Sec. 14. PRIVILEGE FROM ARREST DURING LEGISLATIVE SESSION. Senators and Representatives shall, except in cases of treason, felony, or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during the session of the Legislature, and in going to and returning from the same.  (Amended Nov. 2, 1999.) (TEMPORARY TRANSITION PROVISIONS for Sec. 14: See Appendix, Note 1.). However, Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon after being consulted told Deputies to arrest him and transport him to the Montgomery County Jail for DWI as this was a breach of the peace. He will now be booked into the Montgomery County Jail. His Corvette was impounded. This is not the first time that Huberty has been intoxicated in public.”

What is most disconcerting in this episode is Texas State Constitution, Article 3, Section 14-Sec 14. ‘Privilege from Arrest during legislative session.’ Yes, our feudal lords are privileged from arrest, but kudos to Montgomery County DA Ligon for not subscribing to this absurdity. It’s the reason Senator Ted Kennedy could kill a young woman and get away with it.

Additionally, the Capitol Building has been rocked by another scandal over the weekend. This time the allegation is that a lobbyist drugged a Capitol staffer. It carried enough evidence to open an inquiry into the matter. It is also alleged the lobbing firm in question is firmly against Constitutional Carry. I think you can see why one of the RPT’s Legislative Priorities is Banning Tax-Payer Funded Lobbying.

Of course, there are going to be those who will go apoplectic over this missive. The question has to be why? Perhaps it is because they deem me, as well as you, nothing more than a subject, a serf, and how dare I question the new feudal lords?

I think we all remember the movie “Braveheart” and the Scottish commoner, William Wallace, who stood up against the feudal lords of his time. He gave his life, but Scotland eventually became free. It is time for the forgotten men and women to arise and challenge the new feudal lords. We do not exist to be granted a “by your leave” by those elites who have granted themselves title. As the quote from the movie, Braveheart, stated, “men don’t follow titles, they follow courage.”

The question is simple: in this present time, will you accept the title of commoner, subject, or serf? Or, will you find your courage to challenge the new feudal lords and claim your God-given right to freedom and liberty? I am subject to God alone, not to any man . . . Will you join me?

This 87th Texas legislative session will come down to a basic choice: will the feudal lords reign and rule . . . and, will you accept their disregard?

Steadfast and Loyal,

LTC Allen B. West (Ret.)
Chairman
Republican Party of Texas

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