Why We Stand
OUR MISSION, OUR PURPOSE
We educate, equip and empower all citizens to boldly assert their unalienable rights given to us all, not by man, by naturally by God.
Therefore, “We the People” unite as a movement committed to preserving Tennessee’s convervative values for years to come.
Our Guiding Principles
Our rights come from God, not from government.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Declaration of Independence, 1776
Government exists to secure those rights and only draws its legitimacy from our consent.
All government authority is constitutionally limited.
And as such, we have a duty (see Article I, § 2) to hold elected officials accountable to acting only within the limited authority they draw from our Constitution of the State of Tennessee.
“That all power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their peace, safety, and happiness; for the advancement of those ends they have at all times, an unalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform, or abolish the government in such manner as they may think proper.” (Article 1, Section 1, Tennessee Constitution)
“That government being instituted for the common benefit, the doctrine of nonresistance against arbitrary power and oppression is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind.” (Article 1, Section 2, Tennessee Constitution)
Personal liberty is necessary to promote the common good.
All law is derived from natural law. We fiercely defend parental rights, medical freedom, liberty of conscience, the right to bear arms, and a free market.
“This law of nature, being coeval with mankind and dictated by God himself, is of course superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe in all countries, and at all times: no human laws are of any validity, if contrary to this”. William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, 1765
One nation under God, indivisible.
Though diverse in expression, we stand in unity on the time-tested ideals that make us American. We reject the divisive ideology of modern progressivism, Marxism, and the globalist agenda.
“Without liberty, law loses its nature and its name, and becomes oppression. Without law, liberty also loses its nature and its name, and becomes licentiousness.” James Wilson, Of the Study of the Law in the United States, 1790
Citizens are responsible for self-government.
We each bear the burden of promoting morality and virtue, as without that, self-government cannot exist and our laws will not stand without it.
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” John Adams, 1798
What We Do
We Educate.
In order for citizens to play an active role in their government, they must understand their government. We make it a priority to educate on everything from the bills being discussed in committee meetings during the legislative seasons to the foundations of our country.
We believe it is vital to the grassroots movement that we empower the citizens of Tennessee with truth and knowledge. Our daily lives are impacted by legislation that we often know nothing about or who is behind it.
We also believe that without ensuring the ideas that our Founders studied to proclaim our liberty are passed down to the next generation, we will find ourselves living in a country that looks nothing like what our forefathers gave their lives for.
We Act.
Our efforts are calculated and strategic in working to defend our liberties here in the state of Tennessee as set forth by our guiding principles. If you look back through human history, even the not so distant past, you will learn that what you are willing to give away to a governing authority, you will not get back, at least not without great conflict.
Our liberties are not up for negotiation. Whereas the Constitution of the State of Tennessee was drafted by the people and instituted for their peace, safety, and happiness, we do not give ground on those liberties.
We defend our freedoms by…
Empower.
We work behind the scenes to empower citizens who are fighting to protect their Constitutional rights or furthering conservative values across the state by providing resources, making connections, and offering a variety of support as needed.
Legislation.
We work with attorneys and legislators to draft public policy that will further secure our liberty per our guiding principles and uphold the integrity of our Constitution.
Grassroots engagement.
We track important bills during each legislative session and work with grassroots organizations across the state to promote the interests of liberty and limited government in the General Assembly. We provide opportunities for citizens across the state to contact their legislators on these important initiatives.
We Work Together.
One of the core building blocks of any effective movement is the ability to create community.
We are working to connect like-minded groups across the state in order to collaborate more effectively and win on the issues that matter. Fragmented and disjointed groups lack momentum and have little influence. But bigger is not always better and grassroots organizations can be laser focused and have a great impact on key issues.
Our vision is to see groups across the state that align with our guiding principles come together in community in their respective counties and/or districts for the purpose of taking action on key issues when it matters. We aim to connect and engage these groups through effective communication, training, and events.
We build community by…
Live Events.
We continue to travel the state hosting rallies, political engagements, home gatherings, and other social events to share the message of Tennessee Stands and provide connection for like-minded individuals in their communities.
Grassroots Collaboration.
Many hands make light work. There are so many groups across the state working on important issues like medical freedom, defending life, fixing public education and the list goes on. We aim to bring resources to make those voices effective in their mission.
Doing the work.
Volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization. Relationships are built and strengthened as we band together to secure the liberty we all enjoy and make our state stronger through action.