An Open “Thank You” Letter to CCR Members
by Peter Coe Verbica, President
California Congress of Republicans (“CCR”)
Whatever your party, chances are you admire those who take a stand for what they believe. One of the most notable examples is Winston Churchill, a Brit. The specter of Nazi Germany seemed unstoppable, and Blitzkriegs rolled through France, the Netherlands, and Belgium. In the face of the Axis’ aggression, Churchill eloquently urged his countrymen to:
“Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
Gandhi took a stand against imperialism; Martin Luther took a stand against discrimination; Reagan took a stand against Communism; Washington, Madison, Adams, Jefferson, Franklin all took a stand against an oppressive monarchy. Christ took a stand against orthodoxy. On June 5, 1989, an anonymous student stared down a tank in Tiananmen Square. Lincoln took a stand against slavery. Anthony, Stone and Stanton took a stand on the right of a woman to vote.
As I say, chances are you admire those who take a stand for what they believe in. As a member of the California Congress of Republicans (“CCR”) — through one of our statewide chapters — you are taking a stand. CCR holds particular prominence in the landscape of California Republican politics: we are one of those rare organizations officially chartered by the California Republican Party (“CRP”). Therefore, we are a powerful voice. Whether you’re a member of the South Peninsula Area Republican Coalition, Republicans of River City (Sacramento County), Republican Club at the Villages, East Valley Congress of Republicans, Santa Clarita Valley Congress of Republicans, Orange County Congress of Republicans, Republican Club of Ocean Hills, Hemet-San Jacinto Congress of Republicans, or others, you’re taking a stand.
At CCR, we may think differently than the CRP. We’re independent and operate outside its structure. At our 2018 Endorsing Convention, we backed a number of statewide candidates who didn’t receive the endorsement of the CRP. In the primaries, we endorsed a different candidate for Governor, a different candidate for Lieutenant Governor, a different candidate for Treasurer, a different candidate for Attorney General, as examples. In the primaries, we endorsed candidates whom our delegates felt were more representative of our state’s changing demographics. We backed a populist candidate rather than one who was better bankrolled. We’re a different voice. We’re willing to take a stand. As CCR members, your delegates and officers speak for you.
Poets revere and immortalize those who take a stand. Tennyson’s “The Charge of the Light Brigade” is one shining example:
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honour the charge they made!
And, as a member of one our statewide chapters, you are a part of that stand. For that, on behalf of our Board, and our organization, we want to say, “thank you.” You can bet that we’ll be at the 2019 California Republican Convention in Sacramento, so be sure to look for us. With your help in continuing to keep CCR vibrant and viable, you’re ensuring that our glory will not fade. Next time you look in the mirror, don’t be bashful. Congratulate yourself!
Like those in history whom you admire, you’re taking a stand.