By Gordon Rhoden
We live and work daily within very diverse and vibrant collegial communities full of promise and mutual cooperation.
We embrace and celebrate diversity universally assigned by our Creator. Our nation was built on that diversity and thrives on it today.
We support and uphold the laws that have been legislated to protect and serve all the people and to preserve order within our county, state, and in our country.
We deeply respect the immigrants who throughout our history worked hard to attain a legal, documented place in our nation and who
have pledged allegiance to the United States of America as a part of that process.
We support this nation that was founded on the Rule of Law. We affirm that laws are legislated to prevent chaos and disruption of the daily operations of commerce, community, and civil engagement.
We boldly challenge any suggestion that there is currently, in this county, any rampant and legally verifiable culture contrary to that of civility and collegiality toward immigrants.
We assert that any preference afforded to undocumented immigrants who circumvent the legal process with disregard for the law, is in itself a discrimination against those immigrants who followed the letter of the law and
rigorously worked within its framework. It punishes those who follow the law and rewards those who defy the law.
We strongly support protections afforded bylaw, and we seek to uphold those protections for every human being without prejudice or ill regard. Fearing laws that are there to protect the innocent dismembers the very body of law that upholds our society.
We support the immigrant visitors within our borders who seek to make every effort to honor
the pledge of entry and to follow the protections of the law rather than flee the sanctuary of its
ordinances. The laws are there to insure order and justice for all.
We strongly disapprove of any document disseminating from an elected governing body that supports the violation of the law and/or hinders appropriate law enforcers to perform the duties
they are sworn to uphold.
We respectfully submit that a governing body that is sworn to protect the law violates the oath
of office if they do not comply with that oath. (Article II, Section 2-104 (a)): “I do solemnly swear
(or affirm) that I will perform the duties ofCommissioner of the Unified Government of
Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, and that I will support and defend the Charter thereof, as well
as the Constitution and laws of the State of Georgia and the United States of America, so help me God.”
Therefore, we the Clarke County Republican Party, with undeterred respect for our diverse community and with a firm and binding affirmation of our GOD given uniquenesses, defend our obligation to acknowledge without malice the multitude of things that make usbindividuals, while affirming the rights to our own individuality afforded to us by the Constitution of the United States of America.
Let us get on with the task of being and representing the vibrant and cooperative diverse
community that we operate cordially within on a daily basis, and with that perspective before us, let us pursue our civic responsibility within the protections of the law, and resolve to “acceptbthe things we cannot change, change the things we can, and the wisdom to know thebdifference.”
Gordon Rhoden is chairman of the Chairman
Clarke County Republican Party