Have your name recorded in the annals of history, and the Journal of the Tennessee House of Representatives as a patriot DEMANDING the right of remonstrance be restored to all citizens as our forefathers intended.
By John Gentry
CLICK THE LINK BELOW, and electronically sign.
This is your DUTY to defend our constitution and the rights stated therein. I call on you to stand with me. The time is now to take stand as our forefathers did.
The following is an address (oral presentation) that we DEMAND be read by a member to the full House body. We are not asking — we are demanding our most powerful constitutional right be restored and exercising that right.
People’s words to their reps
Esteemed members of the House of Representatives of the 111th Congressional Session of the Tennessee General Assembly. I am approaching the members of the House in Memorial and Remonstrance by Address, on behalf of the people of this great state, and Mr. John Anthony Gentry.
We the people, citizens and inhabitants of the state of Tennessee hereby assert our unalienable and indefeasible right to reform our government pursuant to Tennessee Constitution Art. I, § 1, and we further assert our right to petition by address.
The right of petition, and the duty of the members of this House to uphold that right, guaranteed in Article I, § 23, has been forgotten by our people, causing much suffering and oppression. The fact that this right has not been formally exercised since the year 1850, before Mr. Gentry’s Remonstrance last session, is proof positive that this right and our duty have been forgotten and that this constitutionally protected right is therefore unlawfully oppressed, and the government must be reformed.
Fundamental to our form of government
This right of petition by address or remonstrance is fundamental to our form of government, and essential to the purpose of our government, defined in Article I, § 1, to provide for the peace safety and happiness of our citizenry.
Citing, United States v. Cruikshank, Supreme Court (1876): “the very idea of a government, republican in form, implies a right of its citizens to petition for redress of grievances.”
To demonstrate in the simplest of terms a petition for redress of grievance by address in remonstrance;
Imagine two siblings…, one tormenting the other. “Mom… Dad! Billy keeps pulling my hair and pinching me, make him stop!”
Imagine the parents ignoring the grievance of tormented sibling. Imagine the emotional devastation for the weaker sibling to have grievances ignored, and to be helpless in such a circumstance. Imagine no redress for the offended, no apology, no making right of the wrong, and no punishment for the offender.
For a parent to ignore a grievance like that is grossly negligent parenting. Yet, that same negligence persists in the members of these Houses as duly elected officials, whose very purpose is to ensure the peace, safety and happiness of our fellow citizens.
Under torment
Since citizens no longer know of the right of petition or remonstrance, and because the members of these houses have forgotten our duty, a large number of our citizens are subjected to far worse torment by state officials.
This torment, also known as tyranny and oppression, rights violations and corruption, are much the same grievances that caused us to declare independence from Great Britain. These grievances, unheard, unredressed, often cause the same emotional trauma as that suffered by rape victims. The results of the negligence of the members of the House cause emotional and financial devastation so profound; victims turn to alcohol and drugs for relief, and sometimes suicide or vigilante justice.
In the words of our President;
Human rights abuse and corruption undermine the values that form an essential foundation of stable, secure, and functioning societies; have devastating impacts on individuals; weaken democratic institutions; degrade the rule of law; perpetuate violent conflicts; facilitate the activities of dangerous persons; and undermine economic markets. Executive Order Blocking the Property of Persons Involved in Serious Human Rights Abuse or Corruption, December 21, 2017
This right of the people to petition for redress of grievance is not to be feared. It should be embraced!
Origins of right of redress
The forgotten right of petition goes all the way back to the 12th Century Magna Carte, and in the 16th Century, the House of Commons held that all commoners have the right to prepare and present petitions.
In the Tennessee archives there are thousands of petitions filed between 1797 and 1850, sometimes as many as 100 filed in a single year, all received and considered by our predecessors. But no longer are petitions filed, no longer are petitions heard. No longer are petitions decided. No longer are grievances redressed.
The Tennessee House Journal from the year 1831 evidences that citizen petitions were referred to proper committee for deliberation, including the no longer existent Propositions and Grievances Committee. The House of Representatives must restore to the House; the Propositions and Grievances Committee as a demanded reform of we the people.
In U.S. Congress, the right of petition recognized by the First Amendment first came into prominence in the early 1830s, when petitions against slavery began flowing into Congress in a constantly increasing stream, which reached its climax in the winter of 1835. Finally on January 28, 1840, the House adopted as a standing rule: “That no petition, memorial, resolution, or other paper praying the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, or any State or Territories of the United States in which it now exists, shall be received by this House, or entertained in any way whatever.”
Because of efforts of John Quincy Adams, that rule was repealed five years later.
Because of John Quincy Adams, the rules were revised and Rule 12 of the House Rules of Order for our U.S. congress, upholds the right and provides the process still in our U.S. Congress, although little used.
Can representatives ignore the people’s words?
But in Tennessee, healing from the deep wounds of the civil war, and then enjoying the prosperity of the early 1900’s the right of petition was not needed and never to be formerly exercised, or never recognized by the members of this House again, until just last session with Mr. Gentry’s Remonstrance that remains ignored..
We dishonor those who sacrificed to establish and maintain our form of government, set forth in our constitution and the rights retained by the people stated therein including the right of petition.
From the Baron’s Wars at the time of the Magna Carte, to our Independence War from Great Britain, our Civil War, World War II, and all wars this great nation has engaged, men and women have fought to defend the constitution.
In the words of Abraham Lincoln; “that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
It is to the honored dead, and sacrifice to whom we owe duty, as well as to our constituents whom placed us in office to provide for their peace safety and happiness.
Do not fear petitions
Do not fear being overwhelmed by petitions or remonstrances. Each of the members of this House is well qualified to determine what is properly before this House and what is not.
Most certainly, at least some petitions or remonstrances are worthy consideration, and not all are without merit.
Do not fear redress of grievance, bankrupting our treasury.
Redress means making things right, and that may be as simple as an apology, and most certainly, it DOES NOT mean awarding millions of dollars that we see in class action lawsuits of our courts which is just a perversion of our courts to enrich attorneys. It is up to us to decide as Representatives. proper redress, and that only means making the aggrieved person whole, and making wrongs made right.
Imagine the healing of our people that would take place if we members, just took time to make a phone call, when made aware of grievance. To make a simple phone call and say listen Judge X, or Corrections Officer Y, or whatever state official… I don’t care who is right or wrong and I don’t care about facts at this time. If your conduct is proper, great, you have no worries. But if your conduct is wrong, you need to make things right, apologize, and correct your conduct. If I hear back again from my constituent, or another constituent for the same, I will look into the facts, and if your conduct is wrongful, I’m going to open an investigation, and if appropriate, you will lose your job or perhaps be prosecuted criminally. ***
Thank you, patriot, for taking time to read this historical address to be presented to the Tennessee House of Representatives.
Now do your part; click this link and sign
