There are periods of our lives that impact us forever.  Forever stamped in the memories that knit and binds us, our strengths and weaknesses are marked so often from our youth.  The older I get the more apparent it becomes that I am my parent’s son.  The simple nuances of their everyday behaviors formed into my subconscious and now I hear and see myself mimicking the little things that made my parents who they are.  Yes, that indelible mark is surfacing in me.

Parents and mentors are not the only things that make sustained imprints in life.  Events of history can change people’s lives and society’s direction forever.  Sometimes these moments are for the better.  Yet some have ramifications that irreparable.

As promised, this past weekend the followers of Ron Paul took over the Maine Republican Convention by a narrow margin of four votes.  Many of us who were on the losing side of the vote were impressed by the coordinated effort that was used to gain control of the convention.  But it was soon evident the “Ron Paul Revolution” had committed the cardinal sin that has plagued the majority of revolutions throughout history.  It had no plan for leadership.

With inexperienced and inept leadership at the chair, the convention collapsed into chaos.  Soon both Romney and Paul supporters were leaving the event in disgust.  The elderly and handicapped had to leave due to extended periods of standing, leaving their votes and voices disenfranchised.  The glow of the victorious takeover was quickly diminished in light of the complete train wreck it had created.

The Ron Paul revolution was also guilty of following another travesty of history.  The American Revolution is unique to history because it tempered its overthrow of leadership by the God-fearing knowledge that men should be judged by their actions not their title.  Instead of following that template, the followers of Ron Paul converged upon the several County caucuses enacting an indiscriminate purging of all those who had a title and were considered “establishment”. Thoughtless “cleansing” has been the bane of revolution throughout history.

So is the damage irreparable?  I think not.  The Republican Party of Maine has been blessed with many strong and great leaders and they will pull us through this debacle.  These leaders from the Governor on down must move quickly and effectively to unify the Party and stop the bloodletting.  Republicans will unify and be stronger.

Ron Paul has left an indelible mark on Maine.  In order to achieve his agenda, he has left a State beginning to make feeble baby steps towards a recovery reeling in the wake of his insurrection.  Ron Paul must now weigh his criticism of Barack Obama’s coercive tactics against the fact that he is using the very same tactics to weaken Mitt Romney.  When the President used the political system to subvert the will of the majority of the people, the outcry was great.  A majority of Americans have chosen Mitt Romney, but Ron Paul hopes to manipulate the political system to enforce the will of he and his loyal followers upon the majority of Americans even though his contingent is in the minority.  I am reminded of the wisdom of the scriptures when it warns us to “Envy not the oppressor and choose none of his ways.”  When the minority usurps the will of the majority through means of coercion, this is tyranny…no matter who employs these tactics.