By Helen Valois
Deputy Grassroots Coordinator
November 17, 2007

Apart from Alan Keyes, "there is nobody in either party who has principles I could support," states Julie Grimstad of Wisconsin, who stood up and was counted as America's Revival Pledge Signer 1367.

A nationally-known advocate for the sanctity of life, especially in the area of exposing and countering the growing euthanasia movement, Julie serves as Director of Life is Worth Living, Inc. (www.lifeisworthliving.com). She has gathered four other signers so far.

"Barack Obama is a very charismatic person, and for that reason I think he is very dangerous," Julie warns. Obama, as a state senator in Illinois, voted against giving legal protection to children who inadvertently survive abortion attempts, thus stretching the definition of "pro-abortion" into "pro-infanticide" itself. "Hillary is more dangerous, because, in my opinion, she is not trustworthy. Mitt Romney may have changed his mind — but not to being pro-life without exceptions." And, as for Rudy Giuliani's promise to appoint strict constructionist judges, "that's a false hope," Julie asserts. "We've had a lot better people than him in office, and their appointments have been disappointments. How many times does this have to happen?"

"I first heard of Dr. Keyes when he spoke at the University of Dallas, quite a few years ago. I was impressed. I got a 'Keyes' tee shirt," Julie recalls. "But I never voted for him. This time, I will."

Why? "I have seen the result of not being 100% faithful to God's Ten Commandments" in our political life, Julie now reflects, "and I won't do that anymore. I thought I could trust people like Sam Brownback, but I can't. I can't support somebody who only says they're pro-life. Words are empty." Brownback dropped out of the Republican presidential primary race, and recently announced that he is endorsing John McCain.

"As for Dr. Keyes, I believe that he is principled and won't compromise his pro-family, pro-life stance. These are the things that matter to me. If you don't have life, what do you have?"

"I like him because he is what he says he is. If a person is an honest person, I could support him. Keyes is strong on life and family, so he represents my point of view."

According to Julie, there is a whole worldview, a whole approach to politics at stake in the 2008 election. She represents the thousands of pledge signers prepared to abandon the self-fulfilling prophecy of conservative defeatism that has produced a "choice" between two pro-abortion frontrunners in the first place. "Whenever you say you have to do this, you have just sold yourself down the river," this dedicated activist points out. "That's where the dead fish go. Live fish swim upstream. You don't compromise principle in order to accomplish anything."