An Open Letter To The GOPUSA Family Of Activists
By Jeffrey Mazzella
January 20, 2009

Dear GOPUSA Family of Activists:

With hours left to go in his Presidency, President Bush announced that he was commuting the prison sentences of former Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean.

The announcement of the commutations is a major victory for all of us who understand that the prosecution and conviction of these brave agents, who were sentenced to a combined 23 years in prison for what Congressman Tom Tancredo called "doing their job" -- pursuing an illegal alien trying to smuggle more than 700 lbs. of marijuana into our country -- was a grave travesty of justice.

Make no mistake; this victory could NOT have happened without the willingness of hundreds of thousands of GOPUSA activists, and other concerned Americans, to fight for the release of these brave men while they've sat in federals prisons -- away from their families -- for the past two years.

During that time, activists like you joined with CFIF to send more than two million letters and faxes to Congress and President Bush calling for Ramos' and Compean's release. That is in addition to literally tens of thousands of phone calls activists made to their elected officials in Washington demanding action!

For that, the credit is yours! We cannot thank you enough!

It was your willingness to continually make your voices heard on this important issue -- often times seemingly against all the odds -- that will now allow for Agents Ramos and Compean to be reunited with their wives and small children.

As you know, both families have suffered greatly throughout this entire injustice. But, because of your hard work and all of your prayers, they can finally put this behind them and move forward with their lives as families again.

This victory is certainly cause for all of us to feel proud. Not only for the Ramos and Compean families, but also because it is further evidence that together, "We the People" can accomplish anything.

Whether it is forcing our elected leaders to correct grave injustices like the incarceration of Ramos and Compean, or collectively applying pressure on our elected leaders in Washington to do the right thing when it comes to legislation and regulation, "We the People" must stay vigilant and engaged.

Since our founding in 1998, CFIF has worked hard to ensure the constitutional and free-market principles of our nation's founding fathers are neither forgotten nor ignored. And in so doing, we have never lost sight of the fact that our successes could not be possible without the willingness of hundreds of thousands of activists, especially those who make up the GOPUSA family of activists, to take action -- make your voices heard -- on the many issues in which we engage.

I hope you will take a moment to pat yourself on the back for what you were able to accomplish for Agents Ramos and Compean. You deserve it!

But with a new Administration taking the reins in Washington and with Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid in charge of Congress, it goes without saying there is much work to be done moving forward.

Our nation is at a crossroads. But what enables me and the rest of the CFIF staff to sleep at night is the fact that there are people like you out there who love your country and the principles upon which it was founded.

We know that you will stay vigilant and engaged. We know, as you have proven time and again, that you will rise to any challenge. For that reason, your continued willingness to hold your elected leaders accountable, we know that the principles of individual and economic freedom and justice will prevail over big government every time.

On behalf of the entire staff at CFIF, we thank you again! Not only for hard work in securing freedom for Agents Ramos and Compean, but also because of your commitment to freedom and justice.

Yours in freedom,

Jeffrey Mazzella

President

Center for Individual Freedom

www.cfif.org

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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.