Smart Girls Gathered in St. Louis, Conservative Women Take the Lead!

I spent this past weekend with some Smart Girls! By this, I mean that the third annual Smart Girl Summit took place in St. Louis last Friday through Saturday. It was a gathering of conservative women from all walks of life and from around the nation. These women came together to discuss feminism, politics, and the future of the conservative movement.

I was truly moved by a couple of the speakers, most notably Phyllis Shlafly, a woman who's been leading for decades. She is a respected public speaker nationwide, an author, and the founder of Eagle Forum. She is renowned for her opposition to modern feminism and for her strong words on what truly makes a woman strong. Hearing her speak and seeing the powerful reaction of these conservative women was moving. Women in the conservative movement are truly empowered. As she told stories of her mother going to school in the 1920s and competing with the guys and of her own great experiences at Harvard in the 40s competing with the guys, she said "There was no oppression."

She conducted herself as a powerful and respectable woman and advocated the belief that women are not victims and said "If you wake up in the morning felling like a victim, you probably aren't going to accomplish much that day."

Women cheered for this quintessential anti-feminist as she spoke of the real power of womanhood and the faults of the feminist movement as it sought to remove women from everything that they are and subscribe them to the belief that men and women are no different. Even as a man, I was empowered by these real women. They were not bound by the chains of feminism in a movement that was, as Schlafly put it "anti-marriage, anti-family and anti-male." Housewives, attorneys, nurses, politicians and women of every shape and color applauded and shouted for a real woman talking to real women.

This prepared me for a conference I would spend with women who were anything but average. I met some of the most savvy, intelligent and inspiring women I have ever known at this convention. I was intimidated by their knowledge of the political atmosphere and issues of our time. These amazing mothers and sisters and wives and daughters are really a driving force for the conservative movement and the Tea Party. Andrew Breitbart told us Saturday "I would be picked up at the airport for these Tea Party rallies, and it was almost always by a woman. It wouldn't be long before I figured out that this woman was the director for the Tea Party group where I was going to speak. The men have cowered and the women are standing up and saying 'wait a minute!'"

Continuing through the conference we heard from the Lt. Gov of Wisconsin, where real change is taking place. Peter Kinder of Missouri also spoke, touching on the atmosphere in America and the situation in Washington, mirroring Sarah Palin's recent note and quoting the book of Esther, he seemingly gave a nod to her words "for such a time as this."

Two movies aired during the summit, both equally inspiring, but one very dear to me. Fire from the Heartland, a Steve Bannon film, was shown Friday. Its a documentary about the conservative movement and the women leading it. It was followed Saturday by a movie I was salivating to see, Bannon's latest documentary, which chronicles the untold Sarah Palin story, The Undefeated.

Only a few theaters have screened the flick across the country. I was worried I'd have to wait for the DVD release, but I was blessed in the 11th hour. This movie told the story America hasn't heard. It was a story of a woman who ran for city council because she was concerned about local taxes, a woman who rose to be the most influential and controversial female personality on the political stage now or ever before.

The film highlighted her achievements as Wasilla's mayor, who brought infrastructure and business to her city and balanced a budget while cutting taxes and spending. It told the story of the first female governor who went in to clean up Juneau and bring the government of her state into line with the hopes of the people of Alaska. From her reform of ethics, to her fight against big oil, her largest achievements, which made national news at one time, were explored with a type of excitement that can be credited to Bannon's interviews of insiders from her administration.

I wont give away too much about the documentary, but anyone interested in the true Palin story should take the time to see this. Really, anyone who wants to talk about Palin and not be caught looking misinformed should buy a copy as soon as it's released! Enough free advertising though, that's not why we're here.

This convention of Smart Girls was a turning point for me as a conservative. I met amazing women and created new friendships. I had my first opportunity to see Sarah Steelman face to face, a beautiful and graceful woman with a shining record and chance to take Washington by storm in 2012. I even got to spend the weekend chatting with two wonderful women who are fellow Palin organizers and met many others who were like-minded from multiple states in our great nation.

I can't wait for next year. As of now I consider myself a "Smart Boy!"