By Rick Dandes
MAZEPPA — A conservative group concerned with what they believe are escalating governmental violations of the Constitution will be sending three delegates to a 2009 Continental Congress, a modern version of the 1774 meeting of the Founding Fathers.
The names of the delegates will be announced this Saturday.
The 2009 Continental Congress is scheduled to convene Nov. 8-20 in St. Charles, Ill. There will be three elected delegates from every state in the union at the event.
The purpose of the convention, organized by the national We the People Foundation, is to “send up a signal flare to our legislators,” said local organizer Floyd Houdeshell Jr., of Mazeppa. He claims the group is not political or partisan; that they seek to defend, not amend, the current Constitution.
The voting for Pennsylvania’s delegates occurred this past Saturday in six voting centers around the state, including three in Central Pennsylvania: Vicksburg, Herndon and State College. Other polling sites were in Stroudsburg, Lancaster and Ambler.
Fifty five ballots were cast for 11 candidates in Vicksburg, Houdeshell said, adding that he is running for one of the delegate spots.
He was unable to say how many votes were cast at the other polling places.
“Not all of the delegates to the convention will be Constitutional scholars,” he admitted. “I’m not. But we all have a great interest in that document.”
Houdeshell hopes the convention will inspire people to question their representatives in Congress. One result of the meeting will be the creation of a blueprint for civic and peaceful actions that will bring about compliance with the Constitution.
Houdeshell denied that the group was part of any violent, lunatic fringe.
“We’re nothing like that. I am a regular American,” he said. “I’m a father and a regular churchgoer. I don’t consider myself to be out there. We don’t advocate violence. We are advocating a return to Constitutional governance. But, I am very conservative. I want a return to what made our country strong.”
He first got interested in the group after hearing one of the We the People leaders interviewed on a radio station. “I liked what was said. I feel our children’s future rights are being eroded,” Houdeshell said. “I’m very concerned that some of the laws being passed today are not being read by our lawmakers. There are thousand-page documents describing health care reforms. Who do you think has the time to read that?”
He also does not believe that legislators are hearing the voice of the people. “That’s my biggest gripe,” Houdeshell said.
