February 10, 2004

HILLSDALE, MICHIGAN - Over 800 people packed into the sanctuary of Hillsdale Assembly of God on Saturday, February 7, for a Rally for the Ten Commandments. Former Reagan Administration official and two-time presidential candidate Alan Keyes was the main attraction at the event organized by students at Hillsdale College and the non-profit ministry Vision America.

Keyes spoke at the rally as part of his effort to rally Americans against judicial activism in the aftermath of a federal court decision last summer to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the Alabama State Judicial Building. When Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore refused to remove the monument, a judicial ethics board suspended him from office and his fellow justices dismantled the Decalogue.

Federal judges, Keyes said, "have deprived us of our republican form of government and established in its stead a dictatorship of the judges, instead of government of the people."

Stressing the urgency of the battle against judicial tyranny, Keyes declared, "If we don't bring it together in this generation, then I firmly believe that in this generation it will be lost. It's up to you."

Keyes was joined by Vision America president Dr. Rick Scarborough. Scarborough promoted a major petition drive asking Congress to place limits on constitutionally abusive federal judges. Scarborough also announced a march on Washington against judicial tyranny to take place October 15, 2004.

Keyes was introduced by constitutional scholar and Hillsdale College President Dr. Larry P. Arnn who described Keyes as a man of "eloquence and fire."

Other speakers at the rally included Coach Dave Daubenmire, president of Minutemen United and Pass the Salt Ministries; Michigan State Senator Cameron Brown; Dennis L. Haarer, Pastor of Hillsdale Assembly of God; Rev. Timothy Walberg, candidate for Congress in Michigan's 7th Congressional District; Hans Zeiger, rally organizer; and Hillsdale County Undersheriff Jeremiah Hodshire.

The rally was sponsored by Vision America and was co-sponsored by Renew America, Declaration Foundation, Hillsdale College Republicans, Hillsdale Conservative magazine, Citizens for Traditional Values, Minutemen United, Pass the Salt Ministries, Hillsdale Assembly of God, Hillsdale College Catholic Society, Hillsdale College Liberals, Kurtz Funeral Home, Dr. Paul DeWeese for Congress Campaign, Downriver Christian Community Church, and Michigan Young Americans for Freedom.

People came to Hillsdale, located in rural south central Michigan, from as far as Wisconsin, southern Indiana, northern Michigan, and southern Ohio.

See pictures of the event.

Related articles:

• "Keyes: Time for a Proper Response is Now," from the Hillsdale Daily News (Feb. 9)

• "Rally for the Right," from the Hillsdale Daily News (Feb. 9)