IN Lt Gov Micah Beckwith has pushed against standards of decency. [FN1] As #2 in Indiana’s executive branch, [FN2] Beckwith has pushed his view that the U.S. is a “Christian” country as memorialized in the Constitution. [FN3] That should concern all sentient creatures. 1/14

Such a view is not supported by the Constitution itself. [FN4] Beckwith’s view of one part of the Constitution has received scholarly ridicule. Of relevance here, Beckwith said that the “Three-Fifths” clause [FN5] was passed w/ intent to destroy or undermine slavery. 2/14

IU History Prof Alex Lichtenstein deemed Beckwith’s assertion “frankly, laughable.” [FN6] We all should be concerned when an elected public official expresses views that indicate s/he is ignorant of the history and provisions of our Constitution. When that official calls to 3/14

order any State Convention concerning United States Constitutional Convention, as does IN’s Lt Gov, [FN7] such ignorance has a potential to cause greater harm. The latest press for Beckwith indicates a greater harm still. Beckwith has a tendency to “double down” in crises. 4/14

A photo taken Oct 5 shows Beckwith and a GOP nominee for IN House [FN8] grinning & flashing the “ok” sign, deemed by the Anti-Defamation League, to be a symbol of hate. [FN9] It’s cutesy pandering, and Beckwith says “we need to be OK with hating again.’" [FN10] 5/14

IN’s Constitution: "All State officers shall, for crime, incapacity, or negligence, be liable to be removed from office, either by impeachment by the House of Representatives, to be tried by the Senate, or by a joint resolution of the General Assembly;...” [FN11] 6/14

This iteration of the gop has engaged in a coordinated, ceaseless effort to shut down democratic institutions of this country and to snuff the rights of any but the very wealthy made wealthier by skewed laws. The groups that seek dictatorship lost in 1865. They don’t get a re-do. 7/14

Footnotes:
FN1. See, LoBianco, Nathan Peternel is co-pastor w/IN Lt Gov Beckwith at Life Church, with several locations in central Indiana. LoBiancho, “Peternel says son hacked sex videos of him and wife while high,” 24Sight News, 12/7/25, accessed 1/8/26. 8/14

FN2. Ind. Const. Art. V, §§2, 10.
FN3. Beckwith calls himself a “‘Christian’ nationalist.” See, Alexandria Burris, “Q&A: Micah Beckwith on his embrace of Christian nationalism, America's founding and who gets to govern,” IndyStar, 11/12/25, accessed 12/22/25. 9/14

FN4. Neither “God” nor Jesus Christ” appear in the Constitution and the only provision regarding religion is the prohibition that “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office...” Const. Art. VI. 10/14

FN5. “Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned ... according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons ... three fifhts of all other Persons.” Art. I, sec 2; changed by Amend XIV, sec 2. 11/14

FN6. Farr, Christian, “Indiana Lt. Governor faces backlash after comments on Three-Fifths Compromise,” NBC Chicago, 4/30/25, accessed 5/4/25.
FN7. I.C. § 3-10-5-26; 12/14

FN8. James McClure, Jr, is the Republican nominee for Indiana House District 71, in southern Indiana, where he opposes incumbent Democratic Rep Wendy Dant Chesser.
FN9. Bobby Allyn, “The 'OK' Hand Gesture Is Now Listed As A Symbol Of Hate,” NPR, Sept 26, 2019, accessed Oct 7, 2026. 13/14

FN10. "’I am going to call on others to hate it because I hate Islam,’ ... ‘Now, I love Muslims, because they make great Christians when Jesus gets a hold of them. But I hate Islam. And we need to be OK with hating again.’" WDRB Louisville, 5/29/26, accessed 5/31/26.
FN11. FN2. Ind. Const. Art. VI, Sec 7. 14/14