Torgerson: GOP Convention 'Overrun by Ron Paul Libertarians'

Lynne Torgerson, Republican candidate for U.S. Congress, posted the statement below at her campaign website Monday. (On Saturday, party delegates .)

On Saturday, April 14, 2012, I attended the Republican 5th Congressional District Endorsing Convention.

There was a stage at the front of the room. Approximately 6 people were seated on the stage. Every person seated was a Ron Paul Libertarian. The Convention was overrun by Ron Paul Libertarians. More than 2/3 of the delegates were Ron Paul Libertarians. When I mentioned that we were at a Republican Convention, they laughed out loud.

They began the Convention. There was no opening prayer. Not even a mention of it.

There was also no Pledge of Allegiance to the US flag.

Then, a man up front stood up and requested that we recite the Pledge of Allegiance. But alas, upon looking around, there was not a flag to be seen.

Then, a clown came forward, dressed in garb, with a very large hat, that somewhat resembled a flag. In Wikipedia, wearing a flag is a form of flag desecration. Wikipedia states the following:

It is increasingly common to see clothing with the image of the flags forming a substantial part of the piece. Views vary as to whether some of this is an act of disrespect.

Such actions may be undertaken for a variety of reasons:

- As a protest against a country's foreign policy.
- To distance oneself from the foreign or domestic policies of one's home country.
- As a protest at the very laws prohibiting the actions in question.
- As a protest against nationalism.
- As a protest against the government in power in the country, or against the country's form of government.
- A symbolic insult to the people of that country.

So it appears that this person was wearing the US flag in order to desecrate our flag.

The clown in the flag suit then went up front and stood on the stage. We were then led in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Stunning. To me this seemed a further desecration of the US flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. I refused to participate.

Later, a vote was taken as to whether any endorsement of any Congressional candidate was going to take place. A decision was made to do so.

There were going to be 3 candidates allowed to speak. I was told a couple of days before the Convention by Adam Weigold, Chair, that I would be allowed an unlimited amount of time to speak. The first candidate allowed to speak, Chris Fields, a Libertarian, was allowed an unlimited amount of time. I was then asked by Chris Sinn, a Libertarian, how long my speech would take. I had prepared a 30 minute speech. I told Chris the length of time I expected my speech to take. They knew that I was going to criticize the Libertarian platform, and expose that Chris Fields is actually a Libertarian, and expose his positions, etc. Chris Fields has been trying to pass himself off as a moderate Republican, and has avoided taking any positions in public or on his website. Juliette Jordahl, a Libertarian, then quickly brought a motion to limit my speech to 10 minutes. It passed. I am currently reading a book, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. One of the first things the Nazis did was to outlaw speech criticizing the Nazis. I have been contacted by Libertarian Adam Weigold telling me not to expose Chris Fields, etc. I told Adam that he was infringing upon my liberty - freedom of political speech. One would think that the Libertarians would encourage critical thinking, freedom of speech, and expression of political speech.

Thus, instantaneously, I had to cut out 2/3 of my speech. During my presentation, as mentioned above, they laughed out loud when I mentioned that we were at a Republican Convention. The mention that the Constitution did not protect homosexual behavior brought jeers. I also mentioned that Chris Fields has said that Saddam Hussein got a bad deal, that he applauds Keith Ellison's representation of Muslims, that he thinks our cherished US Constitution is not perfect, that he supports gay rights legislation, and that he would not protect Life with legislation. When I then mentioned that Chris Fields had been advocating, to our Republican college youth, the legalization of pot smoking, this brought loud, lengthy cheering and clapping, and then the announcement that my time was up. I mentioned that President and General George Washington did not advocate pot smoking and that if he did, we probably would not have won the American Revolutionary War.

This is what is going on in your Republican Party folks.

Please note that Libertarians, who actually have PROGRESSIVE positions:

- want to eliminate the TSA
- want to eliminate the Patriot Act
- are anti-war
- are pro gay rights
- don't want to protect Life with legislation
- have a pro Muslim agenda
- are generally anti-Christian
- don't want to support Israel
- don't want to prevent a nuclear Iran
- want to legalize illegal drugs
- want to legalize prostitution

Adam Weigold, a staunch Ron Paul Libertarian supporter, re-ran for Chair of the 5th Congressional District. He ran un-opposed. I do not understand why no Republican ran against him.

Mark Johnson, a Libertarian, SD 60 Chair, ran for Deputy Chair, and was elected. Red Bartholomew, a long time Republican ran against him. The vote was 100 to 40, in favor of Libertarian/Progressive Mark Johnson. Please note that Mark Johnson participated in Occupy Wall Street, at the Hennepin County Government Center.

Jacquelyn America proudly mentioned more than once that she has been working with the Somali community.

I recently read an article in Mother Jones. It reported that the Libertarians did a study and concluded that given its form of government, that the State of New Hampshire would be the easiest State in the Union to take over. Then, 14,000 Libertarians moved to New Hampshire. It appears that a similar strategy is being employed in Minneapolis, and the State of Minnesota.

This is your Republican Party folks. Do nothing at your peril.

(Note: The Mother Jones article that Torgerson refers to may be this one.)