Students start a Countywide Conservative movement in Antrim County!!!
By – Priscilla Miller, Contributing Writer – Elk Rapids News (April 11, 2013)
At a recent meeting of the Antrim County Republican Party, Chairman Randy Bishop introduced Justin Spires and Nick Bevins, who spoke about their newly formed Antrim County Young Conservative group and their upcoming Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser. Photo by Priscilla Miller
Justin Spires is a 17-year-old junior at Mancelona High School. He is also Chairman of the newly formed Antrim County Young Conservatives (ACYC).
Justin began to pay attention to politics while still in middle school, and noticed that some politicians had a habit of making campaign promises and then once elected, failed to keep them. He admits to feeling “disillusioned by their deceptions” and believes in the importance of having an educated, informed electorate.
His concern about the federal government’s out of control spending and a national debt of over $16 trillion for which his generation will be expected to pay motivated him to get involved. So last fall, Justin decided to attend a meeting of the Antrim County Republican Party. While there, he struck up a conversation with “Trucker Randy” Bishop, who happened to be sitting next to him and by the end of the evening, the two had decided to stay in touch.
Justin began talking with some of his fellow students and when he discovered they also shared his concerns, ACYC was born. The group meets on Wednesdays and Fridays in the school commons area, where they discuss political issues and the problems facing our nation today. Justin hopes that people will take the time to listen to members of the group and not tune them out because of their age. He says, “I think some people may have the mistaken impression that we don’t know anything, but if they give us a chance to speak, they will soon learn how knowledgeable we really are, and that we have something worthwhile to contribute. We also listen to others, and take those views into consideration.”
The group’s “mission” is to recruit and organize young people who believe in liberty and limited government, and want to be involved in a conservative movement that will help bring about change, at all levels of government.
Members were excited when they recently learned that in the short time since its inception, and with help from “Trucker Randy” Bishop, the newly elected chairman of Antrim County’s Republican Party, and a host on the radio talk show, “Your Defending Fathers” on Patriot Voice Radio, in spreading the news, the concept of their conservative youth movement has spread like wildfire, and at last count, young conservative groups have been initiated in at least five other counties.
After recently watching CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) on television, Justin was so impressed by what he saw that he wants the group to attend in person next year, and the members are already working toward making it happen. The vice chairperson of ACYC, Kayla Moore, contacted the Mancelona American Legion who generously donated the use of their hall to the students. A Community- Wide Spaghetti Dinner to help raise funds for their trip to CPAC, in Washington D.C. will take place on Sunday, April 21 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Admittance is $5.00 per person or $12.00 per family.
Justin invites students from other schools in Antrim County to join ACYC. You can learn more at their ACYC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AntrimCountyYoungConservatives or e-mail them at: youngconservativesofmichigan@gmail.com.
Hollywood, CA – Today the Republican National Committee passed the resolution proposed to the Resolutions Committee by Michigan’s Republican National Committeeman Dave Agema,…which passed UNANIMOUSLY!!!
