Contact: Wesley Strackbein, 210-340-5250, ext. 222

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, April 17 /Christian Newswire/ -- Doug Phillips, a constitutional attorney and the president of Vision Forum Ministries, issued a pointed charge to thousands gathered in front of the Alamo on April 15: To honor God and the sacrifice of our patriot fathers, and to return to Christ. His remarks were given at the close of the San Antonio Tea Party, a non-partisan grassroots rally that also featured Fox News Commentator Glenn Beck, who hosted his daily television show in view of the Alamo's famous chapel.

"As I speak to you about two important things, free men and tyrants..., there is something important we need to do," stated Phillips. "We need to give thanks to our God, the author of liberty, Who our Founding Fathers acknowledged. They began the Declaration of Independence acknowledging Him..., [and] He is the reason why we can be here today.

"He taught us something that is very important: 'Honor your father and your mother that you may live long in the land.'"

Phillips urged the attendees to honor the sacrifice of such Texas pioneers and patriots as Moses and Stephen F. Austin, William Barret Travis, Lorenzo De Zavala, and Juan and Erasmo Seguin and then offered thanks to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas for preserving the Alamo -- and for allowing the San Antonio Tea Party to be held in front of this historic shrine which they own and oversee:

"Thank God for the Daughters of the Republic of Texas."

As Phillips and Beck rallied an estimated 16,000 freedom-loving Texans in San Antonio, crowds gathered on April 15 at Tax Day Tea Parties in more than 700 other cities from coast to coast -- from Anchorage to Atlanta. Newt Gingrich spoke to a New York City gathering. Sean Hannity addressed participants in Atlanta. And Paul Jehle of the Plymouth Rock Foundation regaled a throng in Boston with the true story of the original "Tea Party" staged in Boston Harbor by the Sons of Liberty in 1773 -- the event which was the inspiration for the Tax Day Tea Parties taking place this year.

In Phillips' San Antonio address, he hearkened back to the original Boston Tea Party, even as he shared lessons of liberty from the Texans' fight for freedom in 1836 -- the most memorable battle of which took place at the Alamo where more than 180 patriots sacrificed their lives to pave the way for Texas' independence.

"The citizens of Texas are not a people who are easily subjugated by tyrants," Phillips declared. "We may have allowed complacency to lull us into slumber for a season, but we are a sleeping giant! All around us, the blood of the ground cries out. The names of Crockett and Travis remind us we are meant to be a free people, which is why our answer will always be the same.

"Message to Washington, D.C.: If you want our guns, our businesses, our constitutional freedoms, come and take it!"

During his 22-minute message, Phillips gave the audience a primer on America's Bill of Rights, concluding with the Tenth Amendment. Stated Phillips: "The Tenth Amendment reads: 'The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.'

"What does this mean in plain English?" Phillips asked. "It means this: The federal government is not our nanny. The federal government is not our mother. The federal government is not our doctor. The federal government is not the high priest of a new religion.

"And, ladies and gentlemen, the federal government is not our Savior! That designation is reserved to one person only, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is King of kings and Lord of lords, and to whom, the author of the psalm declares, 'The nations of the earth should bow.'"

Near the close of his remarks, Phillips issued this sober charge:

"My friends, we must be reminded of what the Scripture says, because, in the end, all of our political efforts will amount for nothing if we are not humble before God, if we do not repent of the wrongdoing.

"We cannot continue to subsidize the killing of unborn babies. We cannot continue to subsidize the United Nations. We cannot continue to subsidize all sorts of outrageous wealth redistribution programs that are nothing but Marxism in disguise. We must return to constitutional principles and liberty!"

Phillips continued: "The Scripture says this: 'If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land.'"

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To hear Doug Phillips' remarks, click here.

To interview Doug Phillips regarding the state of our nation in view of the recent "bailouts" and stimulus package, contact Wesley Strackbein by e-mail at press@visionforum.org or by phone at (210) 340-5250, ext. 222.