My (Negative) Experience With The John Birch Society

Facebook Post, May 30, 2024

What is the John Birch Society? I have heard about the organization but never investigated its beliefs and practices. An encounter with a man who occasionally visited our Rockwall County Republican meetings caused me to assume he is one of us, red-blooded, patriotic, Bible-believing, Republicans.

That assumption dissolved at the 2024 Texas State Republican Convention in San Antonio.

As Phillip Hatfield and I talked during a meeting break, a man, an acquaintance named Tom, approached us. Tom quickly spoke against the Convention of States proposition on our Republican Platform.

I quickly explained that Phillip and I were most certainly supporting the Convention of States.

Tom retorted, “We (meaning the JBS) call people like you ComCons, communist conservatives.” Hoping Tom was simply not familiar with Article V of the U.S. Constitution, I responded, “Article V was written in plain English, so simple that even a 10-year-old child can understand and explain the meaning of the Article.”

Tom then spouted a familiar lie that a Convention of States would rewrite the Constitution.

Here is the text in Article V:

“The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.” National Archives, transcription of the U.S. Constitution, Article V

Either Congress or a Convention of States can propose constitutional amendments. All amendments are ratified the same way, by a 3/4 vote of the States, regardless of which party proposes them.

There is an old saying, “A Lie Can Travel Halfway Around the World While the Truth Is Putting On Its Shoes.“

That evening before Tom called Phillip and me communists, I testified before the Platform Committee for the proposition to repeal the 17^th amendment. The fellow speaking ahead of me was urging the committee to oppose the Convention of States proposition. The gentleman repeated the same lie Tom spoke to us.

I have heard the lie several times, but I was unaware of its source until that encounter with Tom, the JBS fellow. The source of the lie is the John Birch Society.

I now know enough about the John Birch Society to oppose it will all my heart. They are not Republicans and I suggest they should never be allowed a booth at our Convention.

John White
Rockwall, Texas
SD2, CD4, HD33

Commentary to my Facebookk post by Brent Dunklau

Brent Dunklau

I like to call them the John Kerry Society because they originally voted FOR Article V before they voted against [it].

Past presidents Robert Welch and Larry MacDonald tried to advance their Liberty Amendment through Congress AND the states.

Now their leadership says they never did that.

But here are the receipts: Larry MacDonald testifying in Congress about pursuing *both* paths – Congressional Record

Here’s Robert Welch (the 1st JBS president) doing the same thing in the 1960’s… – The Liberty Amendment in Alabama

And here are a couple other JBS members (state legislators) advocating for a convention in the 60’s/70’s

• Newspapers.com, April 27, 1967: JBS Supported Article V Convention for Liberty Amendment
• Newspapers.com, March 5, 1965: JBS Legislator Introduces Liberty Amendment Bill

And then to have the gall to say the COS is lying when we say they used to support this.

New American, March 23, 2015: Falsehoods Mark the Campaign for a Constitutional Convention

The New American is a publication of the John Birch Society. In the March 23, 2015 article by John McManus, outrageously presents the lie that a convention of states can totally rewrite the Constitution. First, a Convention of States or Congress can propose constitutional amendments. As I point out above, amendments are ratified by three-fourths of the states. Only the states can ratify an amendment.

Yes, the meaning of Article V can be read, understood, and explained by a fourth grader, but this is probably way above the intelligence of the John Birchers.

In Summary

Why call a Convention of States? “Simple: to bring power back to the states and the people, where it belongs. Unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. shouldn’t be allowed to make sweeping decisions that impact millions of Americans. But right now, they do. So it all boils down to one question: Who do you think should decide what’s best for you and your family? You, or the feds? We’d vote for the American people every single time.”

What is an Article V Convention, anyway? “Article V of the U.S. Constitution gives states the power to call a convention to propose amendments. It takes 34 states to call the convention and 38 to ratify any amendments that are proposed. Our convention would only allow the states to discuss amendments that, “limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, impose fiscal restraints, and place term limits on federal officials.””

Ask a fourth-grader for clarity. The John Birch Society is untrustworthy because it is so involved in its own vomit.

I am thankful the Bircher called me a communist. His slander made me aware of the perils of lies propagated by mindless babblers. Proverbs 18:17 teaches us, “He who is first in his own cause seems just, but his neighbor comes and searches him.” My paraphrase: “Every story sounds true until you hear the other side.” The lesson? Never accept any claim until you hear from other sources.

My negative experience with the John Birch Society was my last. Ever.

Knowledge is Power

John White
Rockwall, Texas