A MESSAGE FROM MARCUS CARTER

I am a veteran, father of two incredible boys, and I consider myself to be a regular, typical American citizen. I focus on taking care of my family, ensuring the best future for my children, following the law, and respecting all people without exception.

I have spent a significant part of my life serving my country in Iraq and Afghanistan. The experiences I derived from my service are integral to my perspective and attitude toward my country. Most notably, words cannot express the love I have for all my national brothers and sisters, regardless of who they are. That said, I do not consider myself to be a political person by any stretch of the imagination. I have never considered the notion of taking on a political role in our government, nor have I ever desired to be in a position of public recognition, until now. Due to the repeated failures of our elected officials, my conscience and my love for my country have forced me to conclude that in the absence of true leadership in our government, I must stand up and take on a role myself.

In 1787, the Constitution was created in order to “form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” Today, our Union remains far from perfect, perhaps further than ever. Today, at least half of our country believes that equal justice does not exist. Today, two political factions drive divisions between the unity of our nation that systematically disrupts our national brotherhood and accord. Today, our military is needlessly fighting wars abroad. Today, our collective rights are being robbed from us, from free speech banning’s on social media to stock trade banning’s by brokerage companies, uninhibited by those elected to protect these rights. Today, most Americans fear the prospect of their children’s’ futures, rather than relish in them. Today, the Constitution that has allowed the good fortune of America has lost its purpose, and it is incumbent upon us, The People, to both properly regain our Constitutional authority and reimplement its duty into our society.

The need to recapture our government has never been more dire and is our only recourse. We must remove those who have failed as our leaders and replace them with those who will focus steadfastly on their constituents and no one else. The effort to regain control of our government must include all elected positions, federal, state, and local; and all able-bodied Americans who have contempt for their leaders and genuinely care about the future of themselves and their families must consider what they can do individually to heal this nation and return it to its proper course.

As enthusiasm for defiance of our government grows, so does my desire to assume a leadership position and call on others to do the same. This desire stems exclusively from the fact that no other viable alternatives seem to exist, and in the absence of true leadership, I have no conscience or moral choice but to accept these responsibilities myself. Further, I call on anyone who has the ability within them to join me in regaining control of a government that was created of, by, and for the People. Our so-called leaders have created a divide in this country so wide that it has left the majority of Americans without actual representation; and it is incumbent upon us, under the Constitution, not just to vote, but to offer ourselves in the service of leadership.

I am running for President, not because I desire the power, prestige, or position, but because I know I could do better than what we have now, and if no one else is willing to stand up and realize this, then my conscience obligates me to do so. My goal is that this this leap of faith will inspire many more leaps so that the leadership in this country can be reclaimed by whom it was originally intended, the People. There are over 500,000 elected positions in this country, and those positions are reserved for real, everyday Americans who love their neighbors and communities, have intelligence to make sound decisions, and hold the patience to honor and respect all people. Instead, they are filled by mostly wealthy, often unintelligent, divisive, career politicians who have largely been compromised monetarily by corporations and other large entities with agendas that are not in the best interest of the People of America.

While I am just a man full of mistakes and always focused on what I personally can do better, I am absolutely certain that I possess the intelligence, integrity, determination, and dedication to do a better job of running this country than any president at least in my lifetime. But I am even more certain that an uncountable number of Americans would be even better than me. In the end, my mission is not to become President, it is to ensure the most qualified person available to us, willing to put everything on the line for the sake of their brothers and sisters, is able to grapple the reigns of leadership and guide this country through the colossal shift of power back to the People.

Despite our problems, America remains the greatest country on Earth. As Americans, we should each consider the good fortune of belonging to our national family, understand that we collectively make each other stronger, and commit ourselves to efforts that drive us toward the sentiment of unity and away from the idea of division.