Secretary of State Blackwell Addresses Group

The following story, authored by Larry S. Moore, was published Friday, September 10, 2004 in the Greene County Dailies (Xenia Gazette, Fairborn Daily Herald, Beavercreek News). Republished with permission of the author.

POWELL, OH - Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell was the keynote speaker for the Ohioans For Concealed Carry 'Party In The Park' over the Labor Day Weekend. Blackwell addressed the crowd on several key points including the clear distinctions between the President Bush and Senator Kerry.

Blackwell praised the Ohioans For Concealed Carry for their activism and involvement in the political process. He noted, "What is so important about the concealed carry movement is that men and women of conviction not only helped to direct history they helped to direct public policy that has an impact on our daily lives. It is an imperfect law. There are still major improvements we can make. It comes down to electing the people who will make the improvements in the law."

Blackwell, addressing the Presidential campaign, said, "There are two world views in this presidential election. On one side are those who believe that a creator has endowed our human rights upon us. There is a flow of our rights from God and those are lent to the government to build a society. The opposing view believes that the rights are given to government and the government can grant or take away rights. One side believes the individual is at the center of democracy while the other side believes the government is at the center. The founders understood that to have individual liberty we must have limited government. That understanding has been turned on its head over the last hundred years. President Bush believes in individual freedom versus Senator Kerry that believes in the power of government. President Bush understands that the role of government in our lives should be limited. Senator Kerry has a twenty-year record that supports the expansion of government in our lives. John Kerry is the number one liberal in the United States Senate."

Blackwell explained the importance of being engaged in the political process and of each vote, "In 1976 Gerald Ford was running against Jimmy Carter. Carter beat Ford by less than 12,000 votes in Ohio. Ford lost Hawaii by less than 2,000 votes. If Ford had turned 6,000 votes in Ohio and 1,000 votes in Hawaii he would have won the Presidency. At that time Ohio had over 13,000 precincts. Ford lost to Carter by less than one vote per precinct in Ohio. Every vote counts."

When pressed by the crowd Blackwell addressed the 2006 Ohio Governor’s race, “Ronald Reagan ran in a crowded field for the Presidential nomination. He came out strong, with superior ideas, and demonstrated the leadership style Republicans wanted in their standard bearer. I will be in the mix for Governor in 2006 and I am going to win it. The race will be decided by the rank and file conservative Republicans not by the elite."

The largely conservative crowd gave Blackwell a thundering applause for his opposition to the Ohio sales tax increase and the prospect of his gubernatorial candidacy.