.

>> he did not mean that. the supreme court sees it that way. you just have to read a letter. if last 100 people about the phrase separation of church and state, 70% would say yes. it is in a letter. that jefferson wrote about cheese to a bunch of baptists in connecticut. it does not say what he says it said. it is important to understand that our founders were men with a few women. ladies were not quite voting yet, but there are women

involved in the movement. we can debate that later, but we declared independence. these men, overwhelmingly, people of faith. of christian faith. you can go to direct sources and find this out. a very famous american historian and said this about the colony of virginia. the colony of virginia, my home state, i was born near washington university. i still consider myself a virginian. they declared independence to the bill months before america did. they called a convention and declared their independence. there were 100 delegates at that convention. 97 were elders in the church. 97 out of 100. it is hard to name a leader in

virginia of the revolution who is not securely in the fold of the anglican church. they nursed for the constitution which inspired the revolution. there is no paradox in the fact that leaders in virginia were good anglicans who led the revolution. you see the same thing in the new england, mass.. were the clergy every sunday would preach about tyranny and the christian duty to rebel. and you're right to replace a tyrannical government with a new government. in fact, the governor wrote that sedition flows from the pulpits. because the people in massachusetts were heard every sunday about a need to change

and the cause of independence. another historian wrote of paul revere saying that they consider themselves the new puritans. the also believe there were doing god's work in the world and no earthly force could overcome them. these were men of a faith. the pain of them and recommended holding define a services twice a day. to somenot services indian or asian or african got a. these are services for jesus christ. the navy adopted their rules of

war in 1875. in these rules of war, commanders were to hold services twice a day. punishment was allowed for those who swore on the ship. i point this out to suggest that these people's faith was so part of their daily lives, that they wrote it into the rules of war. they felt there was this divine providence in them. i will get to that in a moment. there are three specific areas. first is the view of our founders of america as the new israel. secondly, i think we to look at the wording of the declaration of independence and see what god they envisioned. wheaton read that gentleman's a shirt. you can read it. every fourth of july and we

suffered -- we celebrate our independence. [applause] you guessed it, thus, by the way. -- you guys should come with us, by the way. our founders talked a lot about virtue. of course, the leader used the phrase a city on a hill. you have the great awakening in the 1970's and 1930's. thomas jefferson in 1776 was asked, along with writing the declaration, about the national seal. his idea was moses leading the people of israel to the promised land.

another historian wrote in his book -- it will come to me. america was a holy land and set apart. our founders believed in american exceptional some as early as the 1730's. it is a theme echoes throughout the colonial right thing. a holy land. a new israel. that iwhat they saw america as being. god is mentioned at least four times in the declaration. first, he is mentioned as a lawmaker. god makes laws. he is the creator. all men are created equal. he is the supreme judge of the world. a supreme judge of the world.

god will be so -- will bestow his judgment on the world. also a protector. so, he is the protector and the creator. now, if these men were deists and theus, this definition of god does not fit. it does not fit the idea who once in the world, starts it, and lets it go. this is a god who intervenes in the world. this is a god who answers prayer. this is god who is going to judge the world one day. this is a god who gave us our laws and will protect us.

i do not think jefferson was an orthodox christian. they rejected a lot about christianity. i suspect that some did not as much as we think. we always focus on people like thomas paine when maybe we should focus more on those 97 out of 100 men in -- who were part of their church. let's look at the top of founders. jefferson is the one who wrote about the creator, the protector, and the judge. that is his language. he may not be an orthodox christian, but he adopted the judeo orthodox view. he adopted a view that the orthodox had.

i think there is a clue there to what these men really believe and thought about god.' it is a god in line with a christian view. a classmate of jefferson's road two weeks after the declaration -- wrote to jefferson two weeks after the declaration. a lot were enthused and excited about the declaration. he wrote of this. winnowed is not the swift. do you not think an insult rides in the world winds and connects the storm. in other words count do not believe we have to find province guidance in this. do you not think an angel rights

in the whirlwind and directs the storm? of photography role of virtue and self government. it is an important side of the coin. small government, do not tell me what to do. some people are extreme. legalize everything. there is another side to self- government and that is the idea of virtue. how do you behave in a free society. the founders were worried about this. they looked at the 5000 years of recorded history that we have. they saw, when we wrote this declaration, there is no self- governing republic or society that lasted for a decent period of time for our history. they all fell. dell fell from corruption. all fell from external invasion.

they ask themselves why is it that it has not caught fire yet. they ask why they should try this. franklin reportedly said to a woman outside of independence hall after the wreck the constitution, if she said would have you given us? he said, a republic, if you can keep it. the founders had doubts, but if you read the writing, you'll see that the talk about virtue as much as they do liberty. self-government is depend on good behavior. in a society where people think freedom means rape, pillage, stealing -- the people demand order and the government will be big.

if you look at the 5000 years of reporting history as a ruler, is his only less than half an inch of these five dozen years that we have had successful self- government. the first 11.5 inches, most of you would be farmers. most of you would live and die in the village. your wife came from the village. your kids stayed in the village. your chances of moving up were nil. you might be a blacksmith. you might earn a little bit of medicine. but your chances of moving up and prospering were pretty low. that was true from ancient greece, ancient route -- ancient rome, all the way up to europe.

it showed that self-government was possible. showing what we have done with prosperity. and then with the wealth of nations as well as the declaration of independence. its lead the world to capitalism, wealth, and prosperity. the founders of said, you cannot do that without virtue. you must behave yourself and really your own behavior. the more chains you have on the inside, the less you need on the outside. the founders rested with this issue of how do we regulate ourselves. how do we regulate our behavior. do we have a vote? everything's we should keep our business partners, say i. that is why you establish a moral code. it is your faith. the founders understood that

christianity was a good factor and had a positive impact on virtue. john adams wrote, we have no government armed with powers contending unbridled by morality and religion. our constitution is made for only a moral and religious people. it helps to maintain your passions as a you can live with your neighbor and we can live with freedom and liberty. jefferson, and can the liberties of a nation be secure that we have removed from bases. the convictions and mind of the people that these liberties are the gift of god. if you think the state gave your freedom, if you think the people give your freedoms, that could be gone tomorrow deliveries are

a gift from god. adams again -- it is religion alone at that can -- that the freedoms can stand. benjamin rush -- the only foundation for a useful education that is to be laid in religion. without this, there can be no virtue. without a virtue, no literature -- without virtue, and no liberty. --hamilton -- reality must fall without religion. despotism can alone incur and

confine him within the bonds of social tuesday. we do not have religion. you have to remain. you see, the founders understood, without doubt, that we are fallen. we are sinful. we are imperfect. this is the key difference between our revolution, which i cannot think was a revolution. i think it was a war of independence. and the french revolution which was a godless attempt by men who do not understand their imperfect fit to provide a perfect society. they had 100,000 dead and napoleon. then the had to live in france. [laughter] we got 250 years of self- government. all other revolutions -- the russian revolution, the chinese government. men have all failed and brought out worse results.

hamilton says that the politician knows without reality, it is only despotism that concurred you and make you behave. the same thing that benjamin rush said. john dickinson -- kingston not give the right to happiness. we climb them from a higher source from the king of kings and the lord of all the earth. where do our rights come? they come from god. john adams, again -- the bible contains the most perfectly maliki -- the most perfect morality. this is the most republican book in the world. they meant by republic self- government. adams as saying if you want a code to live by to bring about self-government, it is in the bible. help each other, give to charity, treat each other with respect. if you want self-government, you have to live this way.

without it, tierney and despotism will tell you how to live. and in washington, of course. of all the habits the lead to prosperity, are indispensable supports. of all the dispositions and habits, religion and morality are indispensable supports. and we see it in our own country. as things fall apart, as things do not go like they should, as people violate our moral code, the state grows in power. we don't take care of one another? as have the welfare state. remember the good samaritan? he comes along and finds the man who was mugged. we take him to camp. he goes to the innkeeper and says, here is my money.

take care of him. if it is not enough, i will pay him back when i am through town next. he did not say to dump a moffett the welfare office. he did not lobby the senate for more welfare. he respected the responsibility for the care of another man in need. you're going to see, as you look at that time in the early 1900's, when the church moved to other things, the taste -- the church started to grow. you saw an explosion in the welfare state. this anyone think the government can dispense charity better than the state, a church, or a private organization? heavy volatility citizen rights are in programs? the state -- have you ever looked at with the citizens' rights are in programs? the states say you did wrong

because you did the wrong choice in the don't change your heart you will just keep coming back. if of the citizen rights and people change their heart. -- if you look at the citizen rights and people change their hearts. did not go back to crimes. and they come back. one last thing on this and that no clothes and take your questions. my country is of the, sweet land of liberty. dubbed to the music of a famous english song, written in 1832. have you ever heard the fourth stanza? our fathers and god to thee, author of liberty, to the wee sing. long may our land to be bright with freedom's holy life. protect us by our might, agree to god, our cain. you cannot -- our king.

you cannot escape that it was infused with every level with christianity. this is what motivated people. they realize we had to live this way if we wanted to be free. it was not a matter of forcing everyone to be a christian. it is in matters and you have to be a good christian to be a good american. remember, they did not want to establish a national church. they want the citizens to understand that we have to regulate our internal behavior. and how do we do that? they found the best way to do that was the bible. we're a free society. we can change at any time. let's have a vote. let's change. there are other ways we can change it. i suggest your history teachers and the books you read in college and they had all this stuff. they're lying to you or their ignorance.

i'd not mind if we change. that is up to us as a free people. understanding the connection they saw between religion and liberty. or before rely about and it was never really there. yes it was written in 1832, 56 years after the revolution. our founding fathers believed to this. america is an exceptional country. exceptional for a lot of reasons you heard this week. we represent what washington called the sacred fire of liberty. i love that phrase by washington. sacred fire.

a gift from god. that we in america were fortunate enough to fight for and start that flame and have a growth contagion brought the world and be the example for people of what can be done and what a free people can do in terms of productivity, prosperity, charity, in terms of benefiting everyone. there is no lower class or middle class that benefit from side elected to in a free market society. we showed that. we had the wealth of nations published. i do not think it is an accident that those documents were written in the same year. the recess awakening of people about self-government. as was mentioned, we see people

dying to get into other countries. at the berlin wall, the traffic was one way. the traffic is still one way. off the debt to the border of mexico. we cannot have different opinions and immigration. but i spent a night at the border a couple of years ago with the border patrol. they surrender. ifthey're not criminals, there's a bank robbers or murders, which is in the back to mexico and the comeback the next day. when you ask them, why are you coming? i talked to a man for seven nights in a row. he kept coming back. he's in a holding cell. we're about to put it in the school bus. i said, would be doing tomorrow night? he says, i am coming back. there is no hope, no liberty, an opportunity in my country.

in america, there's all of that. these people are risking their lives for welfare. ted-opportunity at home because mexico is a screwed up country. -- they have no opportunity at home because mexico is a script country. he is looking for his family. he sees it here. is that right? no. polish and look at the reason they come here. the came for the same reason our ancestors came here. this is still the city on a hill. this is still the sacred fire of liberty for people throughout the world. but the fire to got to very quickly. there's no guarantee we will always have liberty and freedom. no guarantee at all. it is not a matter of political parties. it is a matter of principles and

the things we believe in. you are the future. a stupid cliche your tired of hearing, but you are. you'll be the ones running this foundation long after ron and i are having wheelchair races in the nursing home. be teaching the next generation. we may lose them in practice, but there will always be here is a come from here and there. man has is striving and earning for freedom. it will be up to you to keep these ideas alive. you have to get them to fight. the consensus come back here and say grit conference, i had a good time, nice people. i met scott walker, my hero.

we need to to get into the fight. ronald reagan said freedom is never one generation away from extinction. that is true here, too. i will close with abraham lincoln. i was born in virginia, but i can say this. lincoln, in the middle of the summer of a 64, the world is going badly. this was the last three weeks, and lasted three years. hundreds of thousands dead. if the democrats scoring the war should be over. they want to cut off funding. the union was all worth it. stop the war. the have not learned anything by the way. they still do those kinds of things. but lincoln thought he would lose because there is no ended to the war in sight. casualties were high.

to relieve distress, he would go to the railroad station in washington. back then, i love should sign up for 90 days, 120 days. they ship their washington and go to virginia because virginia is where most of the war was fought. and it would go home to washington. washington would see troops going home. august 28, 1864, he talked to a group of them from ohio. the 164th ohio. he said to things and are fundamentally true and you need to remember. the first thing he said was, and gentleman, people really do not understand what this war is about. they do not understand what is at stake. what is at stake is whether your children and my children off shall enjoy the very same privileges and liberties that we have enjoyed as americans. think about it. isn't that we are fighting for today? spent our time

fighting to make sure that our kids have the same privileges as we? i have had a great life. my mom, her folks came here from poland. she did not have a great life compared to mine, but she had a better life than it would have been in poland. she had a great life. i had a great job. i run a political party. i'm on the news. i did to talk to you guys. among the board of this great organization. i am living. i'm the first and my family to go to college. i've a few years left. but i have lived it. my concern is whether you live the spirit with my 25-year-old or 30-year-old son will live it. our dream is based in new giving them what they have.

decline is a choice. when they say america is in decline, i choose not to decline. the one you to remember what is at stake. will you and your kids have the same privileges that we had as americans? think about that. when you wonder what is motivating you at 2:00 in the morning are having to put up with lefties calling you names. remember what your in this for. it is not for glory. it is not it is you have nothing else to do. it is for your kids. for your country. for that sacred fire of liberty that lights the world. lincoln also looked at them and said, this nation is worth fighting for. it still is. let's go fight and let's go win.

thank you very much. [applause] and thank you. do we have some time to take questions? yes. >> name your college. sorry. >> that should have this down by now. a in from colorado christian university. we talked a little today about how we cannot have a true democracy that functions and protect the people both economically and socially. i would like to ask you, does this mean that countries like mexico who have totally free

markets, but yet they have much poverty and oppression, does that mean they do not needed democracy? that they need more government control? and in a different note, does that mean that america should be an isolationist country and not get involved in countries that are not ready for democracies? >> i believe in the declaration of independence. all men are equal. not wightman, not american men, not english colonists -- all men are created equal. with this debate with governor romney in israel talking about how much culture impacts. he is absolutely right, though. not everyone is prepared for self government. the act of responsible people. yet to have an understanding of what self-government involves. experience. something that we all

understand. if the study our history. the anglican church never spent in addition to america. we had 150 years before we declared independence. we left of our own legislatures and church leaders. we were ready for it. not all societies necessarily are. the culture is vital. the palestinian culture that celebrant's debt and suggest it is a good thing to send your kids to kill jews and go to heaven -- debt to make that decision. should we be isolated? no. we should crush any threat to this country and crested quickly. i think we to help other people. but that does not mean sending money and aid. the best thing we can do as

self-government. you are welcome. yes, sir. >> my question to you is related to washington state. is your radio show in the portland oregon area? >> it was in seattle. it ended when management decided it wanted to do something else. by the way, the tea party, without the tea party, we would be in big trouble. they showed up when the republican party wouldn't. back in 2009 when all republicans were scared about the great messiah obama and thinking we had to look like him, it was the tea party who put the spies into the backs of the republican party. thank you for that. >> i'm from arkansas state university. first of, thank you for that amazing speech. i am catholic.

i have been trying to do research on the only catholic synar. my question is why did he write of carrollton. i've been told two different stories. one, that he wrote it to prove that he was worthy of the other founders trust. and if the british found that address you doing to take it. the second story is that he wrote that to distinguish himself from his father. >> you know, i am not sure. but, there is a really good book put out on charleston carroll. i cannot remember the exact title. come see me. i will send you the title. it came out like one year ago. it is a great book. he plays a big part in national treasure, the movie. a very false part, by the way. with them saying he was the only catholic synar and he was

involved in a masonic lodge. -- signer and he was involved in a masonic plot. does not quite add up. >> i go to ucla. regarding your views on the state's involvement in religion, how do recognize -- had to reconcile that view of the 14th amendment? >> all the states established churches. by 1833, there were no state- established churches. i do not think a state should establish a church. i was pointing out the historical fact that when jefferson wrote this, the state had established churches and jefferson thought they had the right to do that. jefferson thought they had the right to establish churches. if you read the letter, you'll see he applied natural government. he believed states could do that.

now, 1865, obviously is 60 years after that. i do not thinks -- i do not think states should establish churches. when people say it jefferson did not believe in this, actually, he did. i would not. but jefferson is may be more conservative than i am. >> you talked about virtue and how when there's a lot of virtue there is not much need for government to come in and have regulation. i think in say with some certainty in today america at that there is not as much a virtue. is that some of the reason we see government expanding some much? >> absolutely. >> what can we do to keep back in a virtuous society and we get those freedoms back from

government? >> what the top. you have to practice it. if you think we should not have a big welfare state to help the port, you have to help the poor. if you don't think we drones, find better ways to deal with crime. if even the government should have the powers it has, find other ways to deal with that. if you'll be a virtuous people, we have to practice it. we practice it by taking care of our neighbors. taking people into our homes. donating more to the church. we to add to it by giving $2 to the bomb on the corner. and we do not do it by letting the state do it. there is no virtue in being forced to be virtuous. to understand that. we let the state take our money. with people said, i do not have to do this. there's no virtue in forcing people to be virtuous. i am trying to remember the gentleman who is now the head of

aei. arthur brooks. thank you. he start the liberal spirit he wrote a book called "who cares?" he was convinced that list is to be the most generous because they are liberal and conservative redskins are evil and vicious. he founded to not care. red states are the most personally generous. liberals do not because they let the state to do it. everyone has to decide, how do i help the less fortunate? how do i deal with the issue of unwed motherhood? how do i deal with a summit kids being born? we have to deal with it as best as we can. you helping someone is far better than a bureaucrat. [applause] >> hello. i will be attending in the fall.

all i will speak my mind on the next point. i disagree with you on the points that church and state should be together. in a couple reasons on why. i will ask you at the end why you believe so it can help my opinion to sway me. i'll cite a supreme court case where they struck down when they tried to establish a prayer in public schools. the supreme court struck it down because they said goes against the establishment clause and established as religion. it is unconstitutional so they started down.

also cite james madison who is known as the father of the constitution was very wary of combining church and state. i want to know why you are such a proponent of having church and state. when did i proposed church and state be together? >> of the messages and the beginning. >> i was saying that jefferson's letter does not separate religious people and religious values from government. i did not suggest we need the church of kirby. i do not want the church teaching my kids how to pray. i now want the states to be hostile. i do not want the state to demand that would be morally a virtue because that is now the founders intended. they intended for our values to be influenced by religious values. they just now when a particular denomination. i'm suggesting that the loss of

separation and church and state is not what liberals interpreted to be today which says that with religious people to hide in the corner. go to church, the religious, but not bother in public decided. there were all religious people. their bodies influence what they did. to provide government support? i do not think we should. i think president bush was wrong when he provided support to church agencies. with government help comes government entanglement. if you want to provide tax credits, that is fine. what you read -- but we do not need direct government aid. i would not support that. i'm a lutheran. i would never do that.

i'm suggesting they misinterpreted what jefferson wanted and took it to the extreme. i vehemently disagree that there is no role of faith in the public fisc where -- in the public square. you're missing that jackets. >> i was wearing it earlier. we probably discuss this before. how i personally feel about religion and conservatism. i think the contradict each other. in regards to church and state, it sounds like a sure explain to us is, at least in america, our revolution succeeded because our founding fathers had faith and values in christianity. that is what made this different. my question for you is if we yet have the separation of church and state, what stops is long from the same justification? they're growing across the world

in the united states. which is long comes sure real law -- they're a lot. >> i just such an employee of an established religion and that law is establishing them as suspect locked in society. you've won authority both civil and religious. we have never had that. we fought that war out. for the most part, the right side won. when i say separation of church and state, i'm not saying they should be together. i do believe there is an ethic that we should recognize, accept, and follow. look good declaration. we hold these truths. all men are created equal and our rights come from god.

if john except that. if any of your atheists, i would love to talk about this over a beer. if god created us and gave us our rights, how do reconcile that with a lack of faith. i am saying that faith is essential to this country. you cannot take a letter that jefferson wrote and the hostile to faith. there's nothing in the constitution that says you cannot say a prayer before basketball game. there's nothing that says you cannot have a bible class and a public school. it says you can have one denomination get special treatment from government. i cannot believe that either. >> nevertheless, let's just look at our policies and how they vote. your people who stand for a rule of law. no murder, no stealing, and they believe in the constitution. what happens if we elected politician who does not trade policies are a lot from this philosophy?

an example would be sharia law. there would justify it by saying a creator allah and they have to enact sharia law. >> the constitution would not allow that. >> than it would not allow christianity in any sense. >> it will not allow the catholic church to become the church of america. and i would not want that. it is not so you have to be hostile to people of faith. our documents are riddled with references to it. if there is no god, that was with the constitution. >> it does say the creator. >> and the supreme judge. >> it is open to interpretation which is why we have a supreme court. in theory, some of a different religion could interpret that differently. >> but if you don't allow a establishment of religion, you

could never have sharia law in this country and the constitutional. [applause] just like he could not have lutheran law, are baptists a lot. i'm a lutheran. are you kidding? it says you can't have a specific denomination. it does not say you have to bar people of faith. they could try that. if this country was 52% muslim and they change the constitution, if you believe in democracy, that is what happens. >> i agree with you. >> i believe in a republic. [applause] the have to amend the constitution. if they amend the constitution to allow it, you a dime-will go someplace else and find a free society because it is -- you and

i should go someplace else and find if recited because it is dead here. -- and a find a free society because it is dead here. [applause] ok. good enough. >> i attend college in branson, missouri. my question is i would like to know your opinion. in the stand that he is very big going back to historical documents and america. can i know he has appeared in fox news a couple of times with bollenbach. my question is -- with glenn beck. t you think he is a good historian are keeping to take

things out of context with letters he uses to promote his ideas, such as a letter with john adams and thomas jefferson discussing the holy spirit. he presents that he will read part of the letter from adams and he makes it sounds like he supports it, but if you continue to read the letter, he's making fun of people. >> kind of like the jefferson letter on establishment. i'm a history major. i'm the kind of guy who rather read a history book and do anything else. i think he is about 80% right. i think he is suggesting that these people were orthodox christians. to be honest, it doesn't really matter. one dealt find out, hopefully. i don't think it matters as much as these men and women had christian moral views. whether christian -- whether jefferson was a christian or not

is irrelevant. if you read the declaration, he accepted the world of view of christianity. that is what shape this country. who knows. he could have changed. he could of change from his deathbed. these people sometimes go through phases. i suspect you go to toss for your faith is stronger. there are times george's week. consequences, and then you realize, you really do believe that. you take one a letter. there were enemies in the beginning. adams was much more than -- the also wrote for 50 years. i think he really have to read the whole thing. there are times of my faith has

been weak. no question. if i wrote a letter, it would say something different. they make some judgments i'm not sure are called for. i am prepared to say he adopted a world view that god is a judge, lawgiver, creator, and protector. that is not vishnu, not a tree. he accepts that as a world view. ladies of first. >> my name is katrina. i go to eastern washington university. >> ago eagles. >> i know that you lived in washington state. i know you have not touched on the topic of so much liberals

influence and education. i know that you have mentioned about us being on our campuses. i was wondering what your opinions are, especially at the eastern washington university. i've had a lot of problems there with liberal professors. >> really? and no doubt. >> i was wondering what you think we should be doing. also, our liberal professors. how should we approach to them? >> as a soles needing salvation. [laughter] [applause] pereira, osmosis. -- prayer.

osmosis. outlays and the pope told the people -- be not afraid. it taking on the professor means you'll flaunt that class, use discernment. it may not be worth it taking them one at that particular time. but remember if you are in a class of 60 people and you say, i doubt that. can i tell you something? of those 59, some will say, she makes sense. they may never come and talk to you, but you never know who you will touch that way. somebody may go on to do something really great. with your friends, you have to have a sense of humor. they don't. we do. most people become conservative throughout real life. something happens to them. there carded stolen. the government tells them what to do with their land. vernet employer and their taxes go up.

be prepared for when the window opens. be prepared to say, have you ever thought of it this way? what if the government had done this instead of that? always be ready. they cannot argue facts when they call you names. to not let them drive by shooting. bring them back to a., and have a logical civil discussion. you have to have courage. you have to have character. year after of conviction. i am not bias. the historical evidence tells us what we believe is right. the american revolution succeeded. the french revolution and the russian revolution -- 100 million dead people.

the people said gauges did not do it right. no, they did not understand. we are right on this stuff. you have to have that faith in yourself. professors, it might take an act of god. >> i actually have an example that i would like your opinion on, if i should pursue it further. last fall scorcher i was in the english won a one class. i had an a the whole quarter until the last two weeks i was assigned to write a persuasive paper. knowing that i was the only conservative in my class, and listening to what topics they all chose, i decided that i wanted to pick a good conservative topic. i chose to ride on why sarah palin would make a good president.

apparently, that did not fit well with most of them. that was the point. my teachers of failed me and i had to retake the class. i went three two-month appeal process in the english department of their. they try to justify everything. i was wondering, if i should try to keep pursuing it or let it go. >> i would keep doing it. you did the right thing. people died for their beliefs. you just went to class. i know that is being insignificant and i understand that, but you did the right thing. you do not know how many students and a class said, i think she is right. there would never come up and say it. it is a group thing in college. i would keep it up. not all battles and should be fought at all times. fight and never give up.

>> thank you. [applause] >> the young britons foundation. i take it that you think it's makes it easier for us to have smaller states. do you believe the congress? if we roll back the state's it produces greater virtue? >> i think it is harder to roll back a state then to have virtue appear and roll back the states. if people are not ready with a sense of responsibility and a virtue, there first thing will be to bring back the states. you cannot force people by taking their tax money. that might happen in some cases, but the state will not say, we are rolling back to making more virtuous. they're rolling back to teach a lesson that you wanted bigger

states. you'll be confused. your check will not come and you will say, bring back a government. it has to be a virtue. we have to walk the talk. i want to help people with this issue and be responsible with our lives. i think, as it catches on, if you have 40 people out helping the poor, at some point people will say, why do we need the welfare office? the poor people will say i get more sympathy and help from you than the bureaucrats. we lead by example. i think it is easy to start by virtue enteral by the state. i do not trust the state. no city is going to tell you, let's get smaller appeared to have a nefarious purpose for that. >> thank you. [applause] >> thank you at all.

-- thank you all. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] >> next, a "q&a." the democratic national committee to oppose the platform committee discuss which issues should be included in the party platform this year. we will have highlights from the meeting tonight at 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> this week on q&a, democratic congressman john lewis of georgia, author of "across that bridge: life lessons and a vision for change." >> congressman john lewis, why did you name your book "across that bridge"? >> well, during the past few years, i've been crossing bridges, rivers.