As the oldest of six raised and educated at home by Christian parents, I was exposed at an early age to David Barton, a historian and founder of Wallbuilders. From him, we learned the truth about about how our Nation was founded on Biblical principles. Our parents taught us that we had the duty before God to be good citizens, to pray for our leaders, and to vote carefully.

I vividly remember hearing Mr. Barton talk about how powerful a phone call to a legislator can be. Just picking up the phone or writing a letter can have a powerful impact, especially at the state and local levels. So we did. We found some email newsletters that kept us informed and started calling.

My parents always voted, and we anxiously watched the results come in after the 2000 Presidential election. I was too young to vote, but looked forward to being able to cast my first vote in 2004 for George W. Bush, Sen. Jim DeMint, and Gov. Mark Sanford.

By the time 2007 rolled around, we began hearing a familiar name — Mike Huckabee. We’d heard of him through our homeschool organization which had worked with him while he was Governor of Arkansas, and a few years before we had picked up a copy of Character Makes A Difference, which was collecting dust on our bookshelf.

So, of course, we pulled the book off the shelf and read it to find out what sort of guy this Huckabee was. To say that we were inspired is an understatement. As Providence would have it, we found out that he would be in the area only a couple weeks after we finished the book, and hearing him sealed our decision to work heart and soul for a candidate who, for the first time, truly was a man we felt represented us and would do what is right for our Nation, no matter what it cost him.

In the Fall of 2007, I found out that a friend with whom I hadn’t spoken in years was an active grassroots coordinator in Missouri, so I contacted him. He helped me set up a group online for Huckabee supporters in my area and encouraged me along. I scrounged around and did my best to be a help, but I was in over my eyeballs and rather overwhelmed by it all.

I put together several grassroots phone banks, and when the campaign finally got around to putting up a local office, I and some of my siblings worked the entire week before the SC Primary helping to coordinate volunteers and make those annoying get-out-the-vote phone calls.

We were heartbroken when he didn’t win, but even more by who did — John McCain.

And just when we thought all was lost, here came Sarah Palin!

Well needless to say we worked with our local Republican Party that November. In addition, my Mom and sister were poll managers that year, and I did some poll watching for the first time.

By that time, I was just about willing to do whatever I was needed to do, even though I really didn’t know how, but I kept plugging along anyway because I had to do my duty. The challenges kept me depending on God, and He truly was faithful to help me.

November of 2008 came and went, and to our dismay Barack Obama was elected by many who couldn’t even tell you who he was or why they were voting for him.

Yet, Obama (and Bush) gave the USA a reality check, and the TEA Party movement was underway.

My sister heard an amazing story of how Keli Carender in Seattle (of all places) got so sick and tired of doing nothing that she organized a protest which attracted hundreds.

We heard a few weeks later of a protest organized in Greenville, SC which drew 2000 people after only a week of planning. We sensed that a something unusual was happening, that a sleeping giant was awakening, and that we needed to be a part of it.

So in April of 2009, after no one else stepped forward, I took the bull by the horns and organized a “Taxed Enough Already” protest in our town. Folks who had never picketed a day in their life were out in force, young and old alike. They said they were scared, that you can’t spend your way out of debt, and that they were doing this for their children and grandchildren.

What a beautiful sight that was!

Here in SC, we just finished with the 2010 primary election, for the most part with good results, despite the fact that only one in four registered voters exercised their civic duty (and that was a record turnout!).

It is my grief that many people today are too busy pursuing the American dream to look around and see that the real American dream–freedom–is vanishing. I hope and pray that they will wake up, stop whining, and get to work before it is too late.

As for me? Give me liberty or give me death, and may God have mercy on our land!

Jonathon Hill

Anderson TEA Party – http://andersonteaparty.com
Upcountry Coalition – http://upcountrycoalition.com