Novelist Digger Cartwright Releases Transcript of Independence Day Speech at Thinking Outside the Boxe's 10th Anniversary Celebration

Orlando, FL, Miami, FL, Myrtle Beach, SC & Washington, D.C. July 19, 2013 - The office of Digger Cartwright, mystery novelist, industrialist and author of the inspirational novel Conversations on the Bench, has released the transcript of Mr. Cartwright's Independence Day speech delivered at Thinking Outside the Boxe's 10th anniversary celebration on July 4, 2013 at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Orlando. Mr. Cartwright's speech opened the invitation-only celebration honoring the think tank's milestone 10th anniversary. Highlights of Mr. Cartwright's speech follows. The complete speech can be downloaded at www.DiggerCartwright.com or www.ThinkingOutsideTheBoxe.com.

"Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here today at this beautiful resort to celebrate America's Independence and Thinking Outside the Boxe's 10th anniversary. I have enjoyed participating in Thinking Outside the Boxe's symposiums and champagne summits over the years, and I admire the on-going efforts of this organization to bring creative thinking to solving some very difficult problems. The work everyone here has done over the years is commendable, and I thank you for having me as part of this event and this organization and for your efforts to make America a better place for everyone. I look forward to being part of your on-going discussions for many years to come.

As we celebrate America's 237th birthday on this Independence Day 2013, it is worthwhile to reflect on our forefathers and the state of our nation today. In 1776 Americans tired of oppression and thirsting for freedom and the right to determine their own futures threw off the chains of tyranny. Our Founding Fathers established the constitutional republic and, unlike any other nation, told the government what its rights and limitations were. But more importantly, our Founding Fathers later provided for the protection of ten fundamental rights of the America people, aimed at ensuring the people provided a check to the federal government and deterrents against tyrannical rule and despots…

…America is a nation currently lost, adrift in a sea surrounded by any number of forces hoping to drown our spirit and our success and our greatness and our very liberty. Our confidence in all that has made us great throughout our history has been shaken, and our very foundation is starting to show fractures and stress. We are weakened by lack of faith in leadership and elected officials. We are weakened by the corruption that is pervasive throughout the land. We are weakened by those who seek to pursue agendas that are contrary to the very ideals held so dear by our Founding Fathers. We are weakened by our own lack of devotion to a cause far greater than any of our own individual wants and needs—-the cause of liberty and freedom.

But all is not lost and hopeless, for it is always darkest before the dawn. America and our set of ideals as set forth in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution are still the envy of the world and still the foundation upon which we rest as a nation of greatness. We must get back to the basics. We must realign our priorities and focus our attentions on the matters at hand that threaten to further weaken the foundational values of our constitutional republic. We must be vigilant and demand answers and accountability from our elected officials and all institutions of the federal government. The government is of the people, by the people and for the people. The government is the people and is accountable to the people. The government and our elected officials serve to protect the interest of the people-not their own personal interests. They are all accountable to American citizens and taxpayers.

We must begin a great national dialogue and educational process that seeks to raise awareness amongst American citizens of the dangers of expanding federal government and the corresponding erosion of our liberties. We must end the era of perpetual support for those who do not contribute and encourage and reward personal achievement and success.

But we must do all of this as a great American society, a peoples joined as one for the common protection of our ideals, our values, and our liberties and the promotion of limited government and greater personal responsibility so that we may all benefit from the fruits of a greater America not for the few but for the many.

God bless you all. God Bless the United States of America, and Happy Independence Day!"


About Mr. Cartwright- Digger Cartwright is the author of several mystery stories, teleplays, and novels including Conversations on the Bench, an inspirational book based on actual events, The Maynwarings: A Game of Chance, a mystery set in the Old West, The Versailles Conspiracy, a modern day political thriller, Murder at the Ocean Forest, a traditional mystery novel set in the 1940s, and The House of Dark Shadows, a psychological thriller.

In the business realm, he has contributed to a number of articles on a wide range of financial, strategic planning, and policy topics and is a contributor to several finance/economic books. He frequently contributes articles, commentaries, and editorials focusing on current economic and political topics for the private think tank, Thinking Outside the Boxe.

Mr. Cartwright's philanthropic efforts include interests in a wide range of causes, predominantly at the local level. Mr. Cartwright is an enthusiastic supporter of local no-kill animal shelters and humane societies, the Wounded Warrior Project, and local Meals on Wheels programs.

He enjoys golf, participating in charity golf tournaments, falconry, and attending WWE events. He divides his time between Washington, D.C., South Carolina, and Florida.