Fire from the Heartland: Obama’s Gangsta

September 25th, 2010 | By Sonnie Johnson

I actually cut my last article short because I really wanted to address this. I recieved my first piece of negative press about Fire from the Hearland.  It is entitled Obama a “gangsta” says new film celebrating conservative women.

Out of the whole film, really?  Garance Franke-Ruta are you serious?  Of course you are.  This is the women who didn’t even look me in the eye when she was interviewing me.  She didn’t ask me a single question about my “gansta” comment when she had me right in front of her face.  Instead she waits until she is behind her computer screen to right such nonsense.

Well, isn’t the internet a wonderful thing. 

Did I say Obama was gangsta?  Yes I did.  Back on July 22nd 2008 when I wrote a piece entitled Is Barack Obama the Tony Soprano of Politics?  and I stand by every word I wrote in that article.    I said you had to bring your street smarts with you when you look at Candidate Obama.

And No Garance Franke-Ruta, it’s not because he’s black or I’m black, it’s because he is from CHICAGO!  As Andy Stern would say, “it’s because if they can’t use the power of persuasion they will use the persuasion of power”. It’s because instead of running a fair race, they use loopholes and political favors to elect their representatives.

My real anger at Obama’s Gangsta lies in the results.  How many more black boys have to die on the streets of Chicago before you start pointing the fingers towards the people that profit from their deaths?  How long does the above average poverty and unemployment rates amongst blacks in Illinois have to continue before we look at the government they have in place?  Are we going to wait until the state falls into bankruptcy before we as a nation can say there is something rotten in the Windy City.

Or shall we wait until Rahm Emaual, who has ten times the gangsta in his pinkie finger as Obama has in his whole body, to become Mayor to Hope for Change?   Oh wait, am I a racist for calling a Jew gangsta?  Am I sexist for saying Barack Obama’s big sis Valerie Jarrett is a female gangsta?  Or am I self-hating for pointing out President Barack Obama has no high profile blacks, other than Eric Holder, in his administration. 

No, I’m just a part of that misguided group Frederick Douglass Foundation.  We are imagining we have 13 black Republicans running across the country for seats traditionally held by Democrats.  We aren’t campaigning in safe white zones, we are venturing out into the communities that Democratic policies have destroyed in the last 40 years:

Star Parker (CA-37)

Ryan Frazier (CO-7)

Allen West (FL-22)

Isaac Hayes (IL-02)

Robert Broadus (MD-4)

Charles Lollar (MD-5)

Bill Marcy (MS-2)

Michael Faulkner (NY-15)

Bill Randall (NC-13)

Tim Scott (SC-3)

Charlotte Bergman (TN-9)

Stephen Broden (TX-30)

Chuck Smith (VA-3)

Did I forget to point out, majority of these candidates are Tea Party Favorites?

I don’t know why I expected more from reporter but I did.  It was a novice mistake but it won’t happen again.  If you get anything from this film, make it my response to Arlen Specter’s questioning of Michelle Bauchman: “had it been me, you would’ve gotten a response from someone who didn’t care about being a lady”.

Fire From The Heartland: Just the Beginning

September 25th, 2010 | By Sonnie Johnson

The first-ever film to tell the entire story of the conservative woman in her own words, “Fire from the Heartland” is a powerful statement about America at a crossroads and the women who have awakened to the crisis. With role models such as Clare Boothe Luce, Margaret Thatcher, and Phyllis Schlafly as inspiration, these women are the unintended consequence of the liberal feminist movement.

Tracing the long history of the many conservative women who have been the backbone of this great nation, from the founding mothers of our Republic to today’s “Mama Grizzlies,” this powerful and compelling documentary honors the self-made American woman.

Activists, politicians and commentators such as Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, S.E. Cupp, Dana Loesch, Michelle Easton, Sonnie Johnson, Jenny Beth Martin, Michelle Moore, Jamie Radtke, Deneen Borelli, Janine Turner, and Congresswomen Cynthia Lummis, Jean Schmidt, and Michele Bachmann share their emotional stories of hardship and triumph in their fight for freedom. These women leaders are fanning the flames of liberty across the nation.

Written and directed by Stephen K. Bannon and produced by David N. Bossie, the team that made the critically acclaimed film “Generation Zero” that focused on the financial meltdown and the rise of the Tea Party, “Fire from the Heartland” is a must-see for every citizen concerned with the direction of our country and will stir a fire in the hearts of all Americans.

WOW! That’s all I can say. Okay, let’s start at the beginning…..

Back in June I was interviewed by Citizen United for an upcoming documentary, Fire from the Heartland.  It was quite the experience.  I don’t wear make-up and here was a woman painting my face.  I’ve never been in front of a camera before but here all lens were on me.  I’ve always been willing to share my testimony but here I was recording it for all the world to see.

It turned out to be a wonderful experience.   Tien Pasco and Stephan Bannon were awesome and once we got rolling I had so much fun.  In my biased opinion, it showed in the film.  Beautifully shot and threaded together, I felt empowered surrounded by so many strong women.

My empowerment quickly turned to humility and reassurance in God’s purpose for me.  When I was invited to speak in Roanoke back in April, I had no idea a directors sister was in the audience.  When I finished the speech, I had no idea she got right on the phone with her brother who works at Citizens United and told him about me.  When I confirmed the interview, I didn’t understand the new Conservative movement was under the leadership of women who knew pain and struggle but found strength in God, Country, Family, and Principles.

Fire From the Heartland is film every American who loves this Country needs to see.

With Racism as the main charge against the Tea Party, Americans tend to overlook the big picture.  It’s not about race, it’s about true representation.  The Elite, of both parties, don’t understand what it’s like to have to file bankruptcy and clean other peoples houses like Jenny Beth Martin.   How could they possibly understand what it’s like to work and save for three years for a pair of contact lens like Michelle Bauchman?  Can they really understand Deneen Borelli’s endless fight?

And that’s why Women in the Tea Party are joining the ranks of Phyllis Schlafly, Sarah Palin, Michelle Malkin, Ann Coulture, and S.E. Cupp as the true conservatives in America.  This isn’t a fight any of us wanted but it is a fight we will wage none the less.  Fire from the Heartland is just a preview.

Restoring Honor Reflection: My Right to be Selfish

September 2nd, 2010 | By Sonnie Johnson

I’m BACK!!!!!!!  I know, I know  I’ve been away to long and you’re all wondering what I’ve been up to.  In a nutshell, I was looking at my reflection in the mirror.  I won’t lie to you, I’ve been going through personal turmoil the last 40 days and the mirror tells no tales.  I’ve acknowledged my tears, smiles, and those awkward faces you make when you’re thinking really hard about something that hardly matters.  Oh yeah, my reflection has been my friend for the last 40 days.

So, how fitting that  this weekend’s Glenn Beck Restoring Honor Rally mentions the true need for reflection and correction in our lives.  What a way to end my 40 days.

And this has to be said on my part.  For the critics of Glenn Beck who question his religion, judge him on his inability to separate himself from his religion, or scoff at his gull of openly speaking about his religion, I will pray for you.  Trust and believe that’s not what I really wanted to say but it will suffice for this article.

With that being said, what did I learn about myself in the last 40 days? 

1. I’ve learned to accept my own growth.  There will always be people who remember me as I once was.  But I have the Right to be Selfish and decide to see only what I am now.  I find no joy in rehashing sins I’ve already turned over to God.  I find no happiness in holding old grudges that God is already in the process of working out.  It profits me none to turn away from God’s word and live by someone else’s memory of who I should be.
2. I’ve learned I’ve alwasy been a problem creator, now I’m a problem solver.  My rebellious teenage years caused me more problems than I realized.  Not only did I act out against my parents, church, and school,  I let it seep into my mental process.  When a problem came along, mostly by my own creation, I could rationalize why it was everyone else’s fault.  But I have the Right to be Selfish and immediately ask of myself, ‘What could you have done differently?’  I don’t care who was wrong or right, it only matters that I fix those things which I control.
3. I’ve learned walking in God’s Will shall reveal false prophets.  No one can tell me what God’s Will is.  I speak to God and ,in his mysterious way, he speaks back to me.  I question my language, tone, and subject selection.  I question my colored hair, short skirts, and the stero-type that comes along with those fashion decisions.  But, in the end, I have the Right to be Selfish and be exactly who God made me to be.  He has had his hand in every other decision I’ve made, so if its not broke……..
4. I’ve learned some arguments are not worth having.  I’m the ultimate debater.  Very rarely is there a conversation that I run away from.  But I have the Right to be Selfish and decide where my time would be better spent.  It would be easy to assume I’m talking about politics but that’s way off base.  I’m talking about those everyday conversations that end up putting a crimp in your day.  The time spent talking about what you’re going to do, while you’re actually accomplishing nothing.  Time spent complaining about the things around you, while not lifting a finger to find a solution.  Time wasted on those who can point out every flaw you have but have this uncanny ability to forget they are also flawed.
5. I’ve learned you can’t help everyone and sometimes the best thing you can do for a person is Pray God comes to their heart.  Always offer a hand when you see a person in need.  Always make yourself available to those who need to testify or need to hear your testimony.  Always humble yourself before trying to give advice, especially if its unsolicited advice.  But never take on someone else’s salvation.  I have the Right to be Selfish and accept that I am not God.  I am not omnipotent and all powerful, I am but flesh and bones.  While I can imagine what I want your life to look like, only you and God can make it a reality.
6. Finally, I’ve learned not to get so wrapped up in your own reflection you forget the impression you leave on other people.  God made you in his image and that makes you beautiful.  Not because of the cosmetics you wear, the name-brands you sport, or the kicks you have on your feet and if that’s where you find your self-worth, those around you probably only see the superficial as well.  I have the Right to be Selfish and decide I want to be remembered for my words and actions.  I want to be worthy of the kind messages, well wishes, and constant encouragement I get from those around me and I can’t accomplish that staring at the mirror waiting for it to speak back to me.

I know all this Selfish talk can seem counter-productive but it’s the only solution we have.  We must make the choice to be SELFISH in following God’s word.   So it doesn’t matter what political party you vote for, they must be subservient to your true ideals and principles because you have left them no other option.  You are so steadfast in what you believe and what you stand for, it doesn’t matter the color of a person’s skin if they step out the boundaries of what you find acceptable.  You are so steeped in Truth that you can smell a lie a mile away and it forces other to be truthful in return.

The real truth is, these acts aren’t Selfish, self-serving, or easy.  These are the hardest paths to salvation.  You won’t get the life you’ve wished for, you’ll get the life God planned for you.  You won’t see progress devoid of any striff or disappointment.  You will relapse to old habits and find yourself on your knees asking what went wrong and praying for strength to make it through.  You will start to feel your life is totally out of control and the hits just keep coming.  But in the moments where you need to step out on faith, in the moments where you must speak up, in the moments when you’ve placed yourself so far out on a ledge you can’t see your way back, God will show up.  And if you can reflect back and know with certainty that every move you made was by God’s Will, you will  have no fear.  You will have no doubt.  And when they say you are trying to accomplish the impossible, you can say: “I Selfishly have the Right to say, All things are possible through Christ who strengthens me.  Amen”