The second annual Impact Awards were held in Washington, D.C. on December 5, 2018. The awards are given to honor leaders defending liberty. These awards recognize outstanding efforts of unsung warriors in numerous fields outside of government service. This year’s recipients include Mark Levin, former Regan Attorney General, Edwin Meese III; Brent Bozell, Sara Carter, Admiral James Lyons, Cleta Mitchell, Candace Owens, Tony Perkins, and Bridgett Wagner.
The event was organized by United in Purpose and Ginni Thomas, President of Liberty Consulting. This year’s Awards Host Committee considered eight criteria to determine award recipients ranging from the ability to demonstrate outstanding excellence and broad impact, to tenacity, courage, and perseverance while under attack.
Peter Wood spoke about his first encounters with the "strong-arm tactics and ruthlessness of the campus left" in suppressing those who dared stray from "social justice" orthodoxy. Strength to face down ideological foes comes not from hate, but generosity, forthrightness, and throughness, said Peter. The left fully expects to win by saturating daily life with slogans, not presenting better arguments or facts. It expects that those who disagree are psychotic, stupid, and evil. The modern left attempts to intimidate and silence its opponents. As a result, Peter explains, the left doesn't know how to handle opposition based in reasoned arguments back by fair-minded evidence. When unable to avoid such arguments, the left turns to personal attacks and argument by epithet. The fight for America's soul is a tough fight but one worth fighting.