*By Julie Barrett, Founder, Conservative Ladies of Washington
Have you been cautious about who you expose your conservative, right-leaning, maybe even just “moderate and sane” political beliefs to? Have you kept your American flag in your garage so your neighbors don’t make the assumption you are some crazy white supremacist, Trump voter…quite possibly involved in the J6 “insurrection?” Have you avoided making statements like “actually, there are only two genders” because you were concerned you could lose your job, lose a friend or be called a homophobic bigot?
The days of walking on eggshells and keeping our views to ourselves (especially when they are based in FACT) are long over. A large part of the reason we find ourselves, our country and our society in this place today is because of our “politeness”, not wanting to ruffle feathers or offend people by speaking out about our views. We must take responsibility for the fact that we have played a part in allowing this to happen.
But it’s not too late!
We can stand up, we can RISE today! We can speak truth, unapologetically, in a respectful way. If people are offended by it – if they’re not going to shop in your store, not going to be friends with you, not going to follow you on social media anymore – that’s not your problem. It’s time to let go of the people who are happy to have us sitting in “polite silence” so we don’t offend them or because we are afraid (yes…AFRAID) that people will call us names and accuse us of being things that we are not. Know who you are, know what you stand for and STAND.
The people on the left do not care if what they say offends you. They don’t care if you won’t shop in their business. They will stop at nothing to run their agenda. So why are we sitting quietly in the corner? It’s time for each of us to say “no more.” There’s a saying I love and refer to often when I’m scared to say what needs to be said…
“Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.”
Stepping out in boldness often isn’t easy and it almost always comes with a cost. When I look at where we are today I see that the cost of silence is far greater than the cost of speaking up. When I first started speaking up about controversial issues I lost many people I thought were friends. True friends love you even when you don’t see eye to eye on things. I consider it a gift that people who can’t let me be me and stand for what I believe have left my life. It may be lonely for a season, but I have learned that those spaces left have been filled with the right people at the right time and new opportunities are created when I have done what I know in my heart is right.
I realize that for many people standing up is going to come with a great cost. You could not only lose friends or family but you could lose a job or your business. I’ve lost all of the above in my life and it is painful . Truth always wins. Light always wins. Always. That doesn’t mean it will be easy or painless but we were not promised an easy life.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
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