By David Seal [Special to The Tennessee Conservative] –
Conservative activists, organizations, and presenters from across Tennessee gathered to attend Freedom Fest 2023, jointly sponsored by Empowered Jefferson and Empowered Sevier.
Both empowered groups were formed by citizens in a grassroots effort to improve public policy, government accountability, and to support common sense conservatives that seek public office.
Heather Fair, the first of four invited speakers, shared her experience of being censored while serving as the President of Blount County Republican Women. Fair resigned her post rather than suppress the content of a guest speaker that she had invited to visit her group earlier in 2022. Gary Humble’s proposed presentation caught the attention of the Tennessee Federation of Republican Women and Fair was asked to either limit or cancel Humble’s remarks or her group would face censure or possible fines. She chose to resign rather than bring disciplinary action to the Blount County Republican Women’s organization.
Ironically, after Fair resigned her post, Humble spoke to a packed house of Blount County conservatives after an alternative venue was chosen by Fair for his speaking engagement, elevating Fair’s standing, and that of Humble’s, with conservatives across East Tennessee. For full background on Fair’s ordeal, a link is provided here.
Brandon Lewis, Publisher of the Tennessee Conservative News addressed several issues, including the importance of electing true conservatives to public office, the need to follow the actions of state legislators in committee, and how to hold elected officials accountable at all levels, especially at the state level. Lewis stated that with his newspaper’s watchful eye, legislators can no longer hide behind committees when legislation is advancing, or when good legislation is thwarted when “voice votes are taken by committee chairs.”
“Empowered Jefferson uses reports published by the Tennessee Conservative News to advise their membership, and the public, on state legislation in our weekly meetings. We consider their reporting, as do many other citizen’s groups, as a valuable resource for our membership.” – Michelle Light, Chair, Empowered Jefferson
Catherine Austin Fitts presented detailed information on the upcoming threat of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBCD), showing video clips of Chinese officials, and others, as they tout the “benefits” of CBCD. Fitts warned of the government’s ability to “switch on” and “switch off” the use of digital currency to force certain public policy goals. For example, a person’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) score could be used to determine their access to capital, loans, or even their savings if their money was held in digital form by a central bank. Her description of CBCD included a comparison to the Book of Revelation prophecy in which mankind would need the “mark of the beast” to conduct business transactions. Fitts is the moderator of the Solari Report, a nationally acclaimed organization dedicated to educating the public on critical financial issues. Fitts is an American investment banker and former United States Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Housing, serving during the Presidency of George H.W. Bush.
Gary Humble, founder of Tennessee Stands covered a variety of topics including state sovereignty, election integrity, and citizen’s standing to instruct their state legislators on how to run their government to accomplish conservative public policy goals. He correctly points out that the Tennessee Legislature holds a “quorum majority” of members and could enact conservative legislation without a single democrat vote. “With a supermajority in power, the [Tennessee] republicans cannot blame the democrats for any failure in legislation” said Humble.
Americans for Prosperity, the Tennessee Conservative News, Tennessee Stands, Citizens for Renewing America, and Children’s Health Defense had official representatives in attendance.
About the Author: David Seal is a retired Jefferson County educator, recognized artist, local businessman, 917 Society Volunteer, and current Chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party. He has also served Jefferson County as a County Commissioner and is a citizen lobbyist for the people on issues such as eminent domain, property rights, education, and broadband accessibility on the state level.
