SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN DO AT HOME
by Sharon Rondeau
(Oct. 9, 2013) — On Tuesday evening, The Post & Email interviewed the founder of a now-worldwide organization which has organized a three-day Truckers’ Ride for the Constitution this coming weekend, from Friday through Sunday.
The group advocates the cessation of wars and a return to constitutional principles for the United States of America. An idea posted on Facebook several weeks ago to bring truckers from across the country to Washington, DC quickly spread and gained widespread support.
The founder told The Post & Email that there is a peaceful way to restore the Constitution and stop senseless wars around the world. He is particularly concerned with the enormous challenges faced by small businesses in the U.S. today and the cost of Obamacare. “We can’t afford it,” he told The Post & Email.
The group’s first Facebook page for was taken down, but a second has survived.
The organization has recently asked for donations for fuel for the truckers, and the founder said he has footed the expenses of the event to date out of his own funds. He has been active in community, state, national and international matters of importance for 40+ years.
Of his organization, he said, “We love this country; we want to fix this country, and at the same time, bring our troops home and bring a little bit of peace with what we have left, which isn’t a whole lot.”
He believes that people of different backgrounds, faiths and religions are at a crossroads where they can “talk for the first time in history trying to work out their differences.”
“Things are not all roses, but it’s a start. We have brought these people on board, and they all agree to one thing: we have to work together, unite as a country, set our differences apart…it’s just moving forward,” he told us. His goal is to “wake people up.”
“We could rebuild this country. It’s very simple; it’s not rocket science. The government just wants to get in a fight. Obamacare is just wrong, because we can’t afford it. Here’s the worst part: People on welfare have better health care…I have none. I’m a cancer survivor; I still live with cancer; I have two spots in me. I’m out here fighting every single day of my life after work. I’m up until 3:00 in the morning and I’m not giving up. We need change in this country real, real bad.”
Of his fellow truckers, the founder said that they promote “community” by helping others in distress while on the road.
He said a lot of anger stems from “greed” and the “senseless killing of women and children” around the world.
“Pull your truck over, enjoy a great meal, kick your feet up for three days at a truck stop, say, ‘Hey, look, we’ve had enough.’ If you get millions of truckers across the country to stop buying fuel, you put a big dent in their pocketbook,” he said. “That’s the whole concept.”
The founder told us that the purpose of the event was for everyone to be able to do something “from home to help the cause.” Acknowledging that not everyone can travel to Washington, he said, “It’s a beautiful thing. For three days, you don’t shop. You don’t buy anything, and that’s pretty-much it in a nutshell. You’re sending a message to the government: ‘We the people are the ones that own this country.’ The people are the ones tat are paying the bills. We the People are really mad; keep it up, and we’ll just shut down the country. You’re doing something by sitting at home and doing nothing for those three days.”
“The reason for doing it on a Friday was that the weekend was coming up when everybody would be home. Friday, not everybody can shut down because they might get fired. But when they do get home, they can still do something: they can just not shop the rest of the weekend. Hang out at home. Pull over. Don’t do nothing. You have the power to make change by not spending.”
The founder suggested that families can spend special time together this weekend, play board games, and avoid “commercialism.” “Don’t go out four-wheelin’ with your buddies; don’t go to the hairdresser; make it a family day. It won’t cost you anything,” he said.
He added, “This has already gone viral, and we’re going to do it again in the spring.”
The hub website of the event is the Patriot Command Center, where the founder said official announcements will be made.
“It’s America; it’s everybody coming together. Let’s keep it going,” he said.
As of press time, a trucker issued a tweet wishing “peace and harmony for God’s people:”
The founder said that one of his goals is to be able to spend time “working with kids” after he finishes teaching people how to come together and take over his work. “Time is short for me; I want to be able to enjoy it,” he said. His desire is to “do it without firing a shot.”
“I have been waiting 40 years to do this. This goes all the way back 40 years to the 1970s when the truckers first talked about doing this, and now it’s to the point of no return. All of America can do this.”
The founder said he is not acquainted with Earl Conlon, who was interviewed by U.S. News & World Report on the truckers’ ride this weekend.
This post was updated at 8:27 a.m. EDT on October 10, 2013.