����ԭ��

Senator Ron Johnson Addresses Assembly

On Friday, April 20, ����ԭ�� welcomed United States Senator Ron Johnson to its student assembly.

The student body offered a patriotic welcome, opening the assembly with the singing of “America, the Beautiful.” Dr. David Ledgerwood followed with the direction of a men’s choir number, “Steadfast Faith”—a theme that recurred throughout the Senator’s remarks.

Dr. Marty Marriott, president of ����ԭ�� Baptist Univeristy, offered a word of prayer and introduced distinguished guests including Watertown Mayor John David and Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader, Scott Fitzgerald. Dr. Marriott welcomed Senator Johnson to the stage, reading a brief biography of his upbringing and accomplishments.

The senator began with thanks for the warm welcome to ����ԭ��’s “Community of Faith.”

“It is true I’m somebody’s son. I’m a husband. I’m a father. I’m a grandfather now. . .We’re just normal people,” the senator said, nodding to Mayor David and Senator Fitzgerald.

He took a moment to remind the students of how fortunate they are to possess “the tools to lead a productive life.” He said, “We have the great fortune of being born and being able to raise our families in the greatest nation in the history of mankind—America—a land of unlimited opportunity if you take advantage of those tools.”

These statements led Senator Johnson to the focus of his remarks, the centrality of faith: “Big faith, primary faith, faith in God, faith in a Creator.”

Mentioning his business-like outlook, the senator also noted the importance of a mission or a vision statement in helping to articulate specific goals.

“In America, because of the genius of our founding fathers, we probably have the most wonderful vision statement for self-governance ever created by mankind . . . contained in our Declaration of Independence,” he said. “‘We hold these truths to be self-evident’ . . . that all men and women were created equal, that we’re endowed by our Creator. These are inherent rights granted by our Creator of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That is a marvelous mission statement.”

Senator Johnson compared the vision of the Declaration of Independence to Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, commenting on limited government as well as individual rights and responsibility.

“What made this country great is individuals living in freedom, jealously guarding it, and strong families bound together by strong faith,” he said.

Senator Johnson then asked the students by a show of hands whether they thought the federal government was efficient and effective. “Well, I’m not going to embarrass you—there is one hand,” he said after a moment, eliciting a laugh from the students and faculty. He concluded his speech by commenting on the brokenness of the federal government, stressing the importance of personal responsibility and urging students to become involved in their local communities and churches.

The senator then opened the floor for questions, and students eagerly filed in behind the stationed microphones to voice their inquiries. He fielded a vast array of questions including topics such as North Korea, the Joseph Project, illegal immigration and deportation, media restrictions, functionality of the Senate and safe injection sites.

Dr. Matt Davis, MBU Executive Vice President, concluded the question-and-answer time by asking the senator to share his “number one leadership lesson” with the students.

“The two most important things about leadership are . . . listen and lead by example,” the senator replied. “It’s that simple.”

At the conclusion of the assembly, students had the opportunity to have their pictures taken with Senator Johnson. Faculty and students lined up to take part in the photo op.

In a private interview, the senator shared a final word of advice for college students and young conservatives: “Stand firm. Dig deeper. Read foundational books . . . And just be fully informed.”