Gingrich lectures

• By Elizabeth Smith, Tyler Eacho
• Published: October 23rd, 2012

Calls America ‘most radical civilization’

Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich visited Liberty University this weekend with his wife, Callista, to emphasize the importance of American history in the education system and the importance of voting in the upcoming election.

Gingrich

Gingrich lectured students, faculty and staff on the importance of understanding what it means to be American in the Helms School of Government Friday, Oct. 19.

“It came to my attention that if you lived in a country with judges who were ostensibly educated, who thought that it could be unconstitutional to say ‘one nation under God,’ a phrase that comes from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and then was adopted by President Eisenhower as part of the Pledge of Allegiance, then something is wrong with our education system,” Gingrich said.

He emphasized the fact that there is a written document signed by the founding fathers, and it says that we are endowed by our creator and that our rights come from God. According to Gingrich, if we do not know that because we are not taught it in our history classes, then we do not know who we are.

“It was in the colonial period that we became who we are,” Gingrich said. “America is the most radical civilization model in history, starting with the founding principle, ‘We are endowed by our creator.’”

Gingrich urged the crowd to look to our roots to understand who we are as Americans. He believes that concept will go a long way in helping to solve some of today’s problems.

“I would say the most powerful single characteristic of the American system is the expectation that everyone will work,” Gingrich said.

Gingrich visited the Republican campaign headquarters in Candler’s Station shopping center Saturday, Oct. 20 to emphasize the importance of voting in the upcoming election.

After being introduced by 6th Congressional Virginia District Committee member Wendell Walker, Gingrich gave a brief motivational speech, mainly discussing what Americans should do regarding the upcoming election.

“There are two things that you can do that can really make a difference,” Gingrich said to Lynchburg residents and Liberty students. “One is reaching out to your electronic neighborhood. This kind of person-to-person campaigning matters because people you know personally trust your judgment more than they trust TV. Second, every vote you can turn out here matters. It’s not enough just to win here. You’ve got to turn out the biggest, possible margin.”

Gingrich pointed out at the rally that gas prices are now $2 more than they were before President Barack Obama was elected into office. Gingrich said that this information alone could be enough to sway the undecided voters around the country.

“If Obama was re-elected, I think he could shift the balance of the Supreme Court, and if you had a Supreme Court as radical as the 9th Circuit Court, it would permanently change America in many fundamental ways,” Gingrich said.

Gingrich recognizes the important role that Virginia will play in this year’s election.

“Virginia is really in doubt,” Gingrich said at his lecture. “If Romney carries Virginia by a decent margin and if George Allen can get elected, it will be a big day for conservatism in Virginia.”