Eyes to See/Ears to Hear

Where Does the Time Go??

2007-05-11T23:49:00.000-04:00

It has been almost exactly three months since I have posted here. This site is one of four places on the web that I am registered to actually blog on a regular basis. I haven't visited a one of them in the last three months. Technically, it is a couple weeks short of three months, but still, it has been a very long time.

I scan through some of the blogs that are here and I wonder how people find the time to blog and have a full time life! I don't even have a full time job, but cannot find the time to regularly post at any one of the places I am a member of here on the web.

Each time I realize that it has been a while since I have been here, I make these silly pronouncements that I will post a bit more regularly, and then I do it again, only for a lot longer.

But I am back and saying again that I am going to try and post again. We will see, right? ;-)

Almost Paying the Ultimate

2007-03-03T11:19:00.000-05:00

This appeared in a NJ newspaper:

Near-Fatal Abortion Reminds Us What's at Stake

In what can only be called an abortion horror story, a New Jersey woman is recovering in the hospital from a severely botched procedure that could have cost her life. Twenty-year-old Rasheedah Dinkins spent the last month in a coma after she visited the Metropolitan Medical Associates (MMA) in Englewood for an abortion that made her dangerously ill. En route to the hospital, medics say Rasheedah died, but they were able to resuscitate her in time for doctors to give her blood transfusions and surgically remove her uterus. Despite the MMA's claim that they have the "finest staff in New Jersey," Rasheedah is still in the hospital where she has suffered a stroke and other complications, including the collapse of both lungs. Not surprisingly, she now says she regrets her decision to have an abortion. After an investigation by state health officials, MMA has been temporarily closed because the facility "had poor infection control" and used unsterilized equipment that posed an "immediate and serious risk of harm to patients." These are serious charges for a clinic endorsed by the National Abortion Federation (NAF), an organization that claims its mission is to "ensure safe, legal, and accessible abortion care to promote health and justice for women." On the contrary, NAF continues to put women at risk by retaining the MMA on its list of trusted providers despite its blatant violations of "member protocol" in this near-fatal incident. Considering that MMA is one of the biggest abortion facilities in the nation, we can only shake our heads at the lack of regulation for clinics like this one that perform over 10,000 abortions a year. No matter what your views on abortion, we would all agree that there is no excuse for endangering women's lives over something as basic as clean medical instruments. If we don't tolerate filth in fast-food restaurants or veterinary clinics, how much more outraged should we be at this lethal negligence? When FRC contacted the clinic, an employee said they may resume operations as soon as next Thursday. We call on the conscience of state officials to ensure that the clinic never reopens and instead finds its license revoked.

Almost Checking Out

2007-03-03T11:14:00.002-05:00

Are abortion supporters so fanatical and radical that it is abortion at all costs, the hell with the women?

Indeed it is. In a field that is constantly advancing technologically, there is no reason for abortion clinics to have less medical emergency procedures than the dentist in the office next to them. But again, indeed it is so.

It has always been like that in the abortion industry, but its critics are silenced effectively being that the media, who has sold out truth many, many years ago, stifles the word instead of getting the word out.

I am totally against abortion, 100%, but I care about those women and girls who make this horrifically wrong choice, and believe that there should be procedures and regulations in these places that also undergo inspections, just like any other medical care facility. Are women and teenage girls aware of this discrepancy that may one day cost them their lives, or come damn close to it such as Rasheedah has? And over something as simple as the cleanliness of the instruments that were used in her abortion?

And NJ (let’s give her a hand) has closed the facility temporarily pending an investigation. Ha-ha! Considering that the owner/operators of this facility are the biggest in the NATION, Metropolitan Medical Associates, are abortion supporters (the regular people, not those who profit financially from abortion) so blind and willing to stay blind when the lives of our sisters is at stake? NJ’s Department of Health didn’t close the place down for good, condemning it for substandard care regarding its instruments, but temporarily closed it pending an inspection. Further, those scheduled for abortions at this particular facility were being redirected to other places for abortions, one of these places run by the exact same people located in Hackensack.

Abortions in the United States of America remain the ONLY surgical procedure that is entirely unregulated and the only surgical procedure that can be performed on our minor daughters without parental consent. Indeed, the relative stranger known as the school nurse cannot administer an aspirin without my signature, but can direct my child for an invasive surgical procedure requiring anesthesia, without my knowledge or consent. Have we collectively lost our minds or at the least, our common sense? When it comes to the abortion issue, we sure have!

Rasheedah is only 20, but can never, ever have children. But she is thankful right now to still be alive.

Inconsistency... .

2007-01-28T22:41:00.000-05:00

...is my middle name. It has been two weeks short of three months since I posted to this account. One might think that I simply didn't or don't have anything to say, but that is not so. I have thoughts running through my mind that I could write out making two or three entries a day. The problem is that I get so lazy to do that. Sometimes I log on and read other people's entries because reading is easier than writing; even though I love both.

In the meantime, my mom had a major bleed in her that leaked into the ventricle and possibly into the thalamus. The neurologist is not sure yet, but he should know for dwfinite from the last cat can that she was given. This has caused her to be in the hospital for almost two full weeks which will be followed by some acute care rehabilitation until she is as recovered as the doctors say she is. So far the hospital primary doctor was caring for her satisfactorily until today when he allowed a psych evaluation on my mom resulting in his allowing the psychiatrist to perscribe halidol to her!! I told him, NO, I don't want her to have that. I know she has depression issues, but I do believe that her not taking her zoloft combined with the frustration of having lost the ability to retain information or focus on any one thing for more than a brief second. Besides that, I do believe tha pill gave her this last horrific headache that did not go away all day long even with medications that she was given for the pain. I am about to call the floor she is on to make sure the nurse is aware not to give that pill to her. Idiots. I don't understand how a doctor can perscribe something like that when the patient is suffering from stroke induced amnesia!

I am glad to unload that burden here. :-)

Ramble On

2006-11-03T10:11:00.001-05:00

I figured that since most of my posts consist of poorly constructed paragraphs I might as well pick the random category and give it the appropriate title of ramble. 8-)

Firstly, I cannot wait till the elections are over. I despise the negative campaigning and long to hear someone say something decent about someone else or at the very least if they are going to run for office to tell the voters what they themselves stand for on issues that are important to US ctizens. Instead, candidates are well aware that they aren't necessarily keeping that information from the public being as their voting records are available for anyone who takes the time to look into how the candidate votes on the issues. But how many really do such a thing, I wonder. I do as a matter of principle being unwilling to just pull a lever for a party line candidate.

Truly I desire to have the Republicans maintain control of the House and Senate. Even with the current state of Congress in Republican control, it has been a hard road for this administration due to the obstructionist tactics of the Democratic leadership and Democratic representatives. It will only get much worse if they come to power. So very many of their leadership are sold out to special interest groups and their agendas and care not a whit for our Constitution. Many Republicans as well, though they as a group have a platform that seeks to honor the Constitution as well as protect the lives of the most innocent among us; namely the unborn.

However, I do not fear it or despair of it because I believe with every fiber of my being that God is in control of it all. It doesn't matter that I cannot explain how it can be that He is and things seem so out of control, but there it is, I simply do. This doesn't mean, of course, that it won't bother me if things go the wrong way for pro-life, less government control, more tax breaks, etc., people like myself, because it will. It simply means that I will continue on fighting for the innocent unborn, writing, calling, and supporting pro-life and family legislation, as well as refusing to trash anyone I disagree with. I have such disdain for the lack of respect that the Democrats show for the President that even after all these years I still cannof believe that they not only continue to do it, but seem to feel justified in doing so! Our media is at the forefront of this disrespect and has shed any pretext of not being biased such that they are blatantly in-your-face and simply don't care.

There is so much that the media leaves out from their reporting that they are truly obligated to report and don't because it might just make people think less of a Democrat, period. For instance, back when I was a voting Democrat, I sincerely believed that they were as 'poor' as I was and fought for my 'kind', but come to find out that many of these reps have as much money or more than the Republicans they continually criticize as being rich and for the rich. Shame on us if we take that on the face of it and believe it. The truth is that the Democrats use that to continue to pull in the votes of minorities and those who profit from the social programs in place today. Never mind that they in no way identify with the lower and middle class population of the nation.

The Democrats would have more credibility with me if they were more human. By that I mean they are continually acting as if they are above reproach on anything and constantly being outraged and appalled at any and all the shameful behavior of some of the Republicans over these last few years. The big problem with acting like that is you are definitely destined for a fall; it is a human inevitability. They hold an advantage there, however, in that the media is sold out to covering for them in every possible way. Therefore, unless one is an actual truth seeker, you will read or listen to the media Democratic puppetry, believe it, and repeat it to yourself as well as to those who hate our president along with the media and yourself; continually feeding off of it. It is almost like situations in families where members aren't speaking one to another. The resentment is there, the negative talk, the annoyance with the person(s), but you would be hard pressed to even know what the situation was that caused the rift in the first place.

Hate has no place in a society such as the one that America by the original intent of her founders desired. Greed, covetousness, selfishness, pride, these were human traits they were well aware of, indeed many of them owning slaves in direct violation of the very Constitution they themselves wrote up! It has always blown my mind, and probably always will, that grown men looking at another human being like themselves save for the color of their skin, could convince themselves that the other was inferior to themselves! Native American, African American, Chinese, Irish, exploited by so many arrogant and ignorant people; but not all, not all at all! Those who made up the 'not all' are the reason America became great in spite of herself. I I refuse to embrace the teachings of my youthful schooling to disdain my own country and trash my own President. I will admit to her wrongs and will be proud of her rights.

It makes no sense to be motivated by hate. What possible good can be accomplished when you are motivated by something so negative and destructive as hate? Isn't hate what brought the suicide terrorists to NYC? Can American citizens be so deluded as to believe that somehow we 'asked' for that to happen, or that our President made that happen deliberately? Believe in such ideas is as ignorant as one can get, in my opinion. How hypocritical to accuse the President of being a hateful terrorist himself and then hate him yourself? It would be funny if it wasn't so scary because it is so true! That is exactly what is going on in the USA today. Watch Senator Kennedy or Senator Schumer when they speak about our President. There is no respect, none. Worse, you can clearly see they hate the man! And the insults and the judgmental attitudes they have as if they live such exemplary lives and have erred not a whit in their entire political careers!

Clearly so much of politics seems like such dirty business, but there are quite a few actual statesmen and women in Washington today. They continue to stand for the right, for the Constitution, for the truth, for the innocent unborn, for people like me. And there are plenty of youth coming on up as well who will, in a few short years, hold places of influence and political power, who will help to bring about righteousness to our government where it is oh so desperately needed.

Ramble over. 8-)

Be Kind

2006-10-30T02:28:00.000-05:00

Surprise

I was shocked, confused, bewildered
as I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
by the lights or its decor.

But it was the folks in Heaven
who made me sputter and gasp--
the thieves, the liars, the sinners,
the alcoholics, the trash.

There stood the kid from seventh grade
who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
who never said anything nice.

Herb, who I always thought
was rotting away in hell,
was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, "What's the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake.

And why's everyone so quiet,
so somber? Give me a clue."
"Hush, child," said He. "They're all in shock.
No one thought they'd see you."

Judge Not...

~Be kind. We're all in this together.~

Someone posted this on one of the boards that I frequent. I thought I would share it.

Upcoming Elections

2006-10-26T10:25:00.000-04:00

Dear Editor,
With the elections coming up on November 2, there are some things that come to my mind regarding the rhetoric that is found in abundance on news stations large and small. The issue in my mind mostly is that though I am disappointed in the continued wasteful spending in Congress by those I helped vote into office to bring under some control, the thought of Congress being controlled by a party that fuels itself on hatred and disrespect for the current Administration is a scary one. Quite frankly it seems to me that they call for their party supporters to vote for them based on the very fact of this attitude. The Democratic members of Congress have continually cried foul at any hint of the Republicans pushing an ideology and have thwarted the attempts of any and all legislation that would put forth those ideals. They have also have denied the President’s right to make judicial appointments; refusing to show up for meetings as well as continuing to allow these nominees to languish in committee until the time to vote has passed. The reasons for this unethical behavior revolve around the very thing the Democrats cry foul over: an ideology; the only difference is it is the one they support!

Then there is the stem cell issue. I personally don’t support scientists experimenting with embryos, regardless of what stage they are at of human development. They remain just that: human, and therefore it should be morally wrong to do such ‘research’. Not only that, but with the research that has been done thus far on the stem cell lines that were available for such research, there has been no progress to speak of. Unless you call being unable to stop the cells from producing tumors research. Yet we hear nothing of the amazing strides that adult stem cell research has made for treating a myriad of illnesses, including the Parkinson’s that Michael J. Fox suffers from. But if you put that aside, I would still be against it because it calls for using taxpayer dollars. I wonder if my fellow citizens are listening to what it all means. If it is research the scientific community wants, let them spend their own money! The pharmaceutical industry is a multi-million dollar one that can certainly afford to do research of any kind. Let them get behind research funding. I also ask myself why these Hollywood stars are calling for my tax dollars to support immoral research and neither they nor the media are paying any attention to what adult stem cell research has already accomplished! In any case, if all the stars who support embryonic stem cell research each donated one of their many millions to research of any kind, we wouldn’t need to be asking taxpayers to fund such things.

Respect

2006-10-11T12:01:00.000-04:00

With all the media hype about the upcoming elections it is clear to me that there is one thing lacking that has increased in its appearance in each passing year that President Bush is in office. From denying the President's appointments to the federal bench (based on idealolgy, not the record) to picking up on any and all news stories to twist them in such a way as to make it the responsibility of the President (as in he failed in some way to do something) to the outright calling the President disrespectful names, respect, in the common courtesy way as well as because he is our President, is simply not there.

I do believe that those Democrats who are in the forefront of trying to loudly pin any and all scandals, missteps and other news issues as the President's Administration's total responsibility, will have all the same come down on their own heads one day. It is inevitable that where you give no charity, you can be sure that when you need it most, it is not going to come your way. And when it comes to such a job as the Presidency where you rely so much on people working together, the Democrats clearly have thrown a wrench into as much as they possibly could and more during all these years that President Bush has been in office, rather than come along side of him, his administration, and their fellow members of Congress.

Our country is fraught with problems of its own, but one problem we did not breed is that of outside (or inside) terrorism, of which we are the biggest target. Clearly there is a lot not being covered in the media, much not being addressed by the Democratic leadership, and things that are ignored in almost every issue in the news today. It is incumbent on we the citizens to get to the bottom of what we read and hear and not to parrot others even if we don't like who they don't like. There is no way our country can truly be successful when we citizens behave in such a way.

The Democrat's platform has no plan to back up the change they say America needs, just ask them or look for it on one of the leader's websites. You won't find it. What you will find is a party sold out to the abortion lobby and many anti-Bush organizations, And we the citizens seem so impatient with the changes that our President has begun in our country, including going into Iraq, that we don't want to give things the time they need to actually work.

We will pay for our impatience and disrespect. My hope is that we change our tune before the enemy gets by us again and takes more innocent lives.

Current Affairs....

2006-09-03T23:27:00.000-04:00

Current Affairs...
...are currently a mess.

Once upon a time the Democratic Party was for the underdog, for the poor, for the downtrodden and walked all over person who was forgotten far too much of the time.

But has anyone noticed that they are no longer the party of the first part when once I was registered as one and voted accordingly?

Many of these men and women have great wealth and all they really do (with the blessing of many Republicans) is burden the taxpayer with more social programs so that people don't have to get off their butt and go contribute something to socielty.

In addition to that, they have some very big money moving their party into position for a win in all upcoming elections with the most major of them all, the presidency coming in 2008. The idea is to simply get rid of Republicans. And with a teeth gnashing hate and disrespect unlike any I have personally winessed in my lifetime and have only read bits and pieces about here and there in history, they have no plan for this country, let alone any that will benefit us as a nation and a people.

George Soros through his MoveOn.org, is donating millions to the defeat of anyone Republican or Democrat that stands in the way of those who despise their own country! He cares not a whit for America and it is no secret he has an intense dislike for her, though he doesn't seem to mind making money off of her when he can. I guess.

When people despise a person as intensely as he (see above George Soros) and so many Democrats do, never supporting a single thing he does, always seeking to mock or undermine him in any way, never working with him but against him always as they do regarding our President, it should make a decent person wonder what the heck is going on. Ahh, I know a few things, not a whole lot, but I know troublemakers and how they behave. Respectable positions can not camoflage a heart bent on dividing rather than uniting. If we the people continue to turn a blind eye to these people we will get what we deserve.

Fifty and Counting

2006-07-23T22:52:00.000-04:00

Sometimes there is so much to say that I can only say nothing. Other times there is nothing to say really and I open my mouth and say something anyway. When a person is a talker as I am it is inevitable that putting my foot in my mouth on a regular basis is and will be the way of my life, but it doesn't negate that when I do speak that I don't know what I am talking about.

I have the uncanny ability to perceive exactly what is wrong with me and on many levels; it also extends to understanding the whys and wheretos of others behaviors as well. Much of it is common sense and some of it is due to so many life experiences that I have had in this fifty years of my life.

Yet I feel so stuck in this rut that I have been in since I realized that my surgery had failed to do for me what I was so counting on. And even though I remain grateful that I have found a way to manage my pain, I am so discouraged to even try again to get my life back on track. In other words just knowing what is wrong and why and what I should do about it does not mean that I will actually do anything about it. I suspect that many others find themselves doing the same thing: knowing what is up, knowing what they should do, and allowing themselves to do nothing about it.

Even for something as simple as writing on my blog. I read a lot about current events, know a bit of what is going on and have my own opinions on the issues of the day, but get so lazy to even post here. I mean, the categories are endless on what I can write about and the last time I wrote here was June 6! Here we are at the end of July already!

In the meantime, my mother-in-law died suddenly and my husband and one of our sons is in California right now helping to put things in order so that her body can be flowin back here and plans can be made on what the best thing to do for his dad might be. There is so much to do when death comes, especially suddenly. It really makes me think that my affairs should be in order. Actually, I don't have any affairs to put in order! Ha-ha!!

On a serious note, all I need to do is have our will updated. I own nothing of monentary value and all I own my sons are welcome to. I don't think that Phil, Akai, and Nick would be spiteful or nasty but would be amicable about any of my stuff that they might want. Thank God. I am grateful to God, for real, that despite my mistakes none of my sons harbor any hate and spite towards me like my husband's two older children do; children who when they were teenagers were well established in cruelty and spite as well as manipulation. I feared for my sons as they grew and am thankful again, that they were spared having to deal with the deep jealousy, anger and meanspiritedness of those two. I hope and pray that they, my stepchildren, get healing for themselves and learn to forgive, but I (was) am not fool enough (and wasn't after the discovery of their evil intent) to allow them to have anything to do wth these boys of mine due to some misguided and blind thinking that because they are related they should be part of their lives. God help me but people like them scare me. My sons are now grown and are well aware of what kind of people those two are, but we have to update our will to ensure the protection of our boys in case those two have spent these passed years that we haven't heard from them in by growing their hate some more (as if that were possible since they seemed to be at the epitome already!).

That was pretty random as well as quite meandering. 8-)

Time moves TOO fast...

2006-07-18T22:51:00.000-04:00

We are more than halfway through the month of July and I haven't posted a lick of a line about anything in my life or any of my opinions about so many things that I have opinions about!

It is Tuesday night and we are being bombarded by hail the size of quarters! It is being driven sideways by the winds that are accompanying these storms smack up against the windows and doors. I am curious to see what kind of damage the hail may have done to our vehicles, but that will have to wait till tomorrow. Supposedly these storms are the deliverers of the cold front bringing a break in the heat wave that we have been in the grips of. I sure hope so! I have been swimming in our pool every day for a while now and Sunday, Monday, and today, Tuesday, and the water has been getting warmer and warmer with each passing day. Today it was a whopping 92 degrees! That is like a sauna bath! But we have been in every day since the concern about the water being too cold to go into has not been a concern for many a day! Ha-ha!!

I have all the computers off (we have a couple in the house what with my mom's and my husband's work computer as well as the two desktop ones that we have. I am on my laptop running off the battery with no plug in the wall at all and using the wireless connection. The lightning is completely lighting up the night sky and the doppler shows that there are more bands of intense rains still to come.

Ny husband is on his way into the Philly areaa nd hopefully driving away from this craziness! Of course we are left behind here to deal with it. 8-) I don't mind really, as long as we don't lose power, or if we do, that we don't lose it for too long. We always meant to get a generator, but never quite go around to it. Oh well.

It looks like I have a major project of cleaning up the pool tomorrow. Before it got dark, I could see all sorts of debris floating around in there. It will have to wait though, till I return from a trip to purchase our school materials for the next school year...already! We start in approximately a month! Though I keep forgetting that the air conditioning in the truck stopped working over the weekend which, every time that I remember makes me not want to go out in the truck anywhere! At least it isn't supposed to be as hot tomrrow as it has been, though without air conditioning one can only imagine what a hot seat it is in a vehicle with leather seats.

Well, that is the plan for tomorrow, so we will see if the plan is put into action. And then we will see if I journal whether or not I put that plan into effect. 8-)

Dang!

2006-07-01T14:02:00.000-04:00

It is July 1st! July 1st! That means that I haven't posted here since June 6th; 24 days!

The thing is that I have a lot to say, and often! Why I chose to not post is anyone's guess. Even so, here I am, posting, as well as trying not to think about the fact that I pay for this site and have a really, really lot to say that isn't getting said; at least not here!

Yikes!

On the flip side though, starting Monday, July 10h, I will be returning to volunteer work at Gateway Pregnancy Center. www.gateway.org

Time

2006-06-06T04:56:00.000-04:00

How did it get to be Monday (technically Tuesday since it is 4am) and June 6th already? I just posted here recently and it is dated like forever ago (Memorial Day Monday, May 29th). I mean, I do have a lot to say but it looks like I am still nowhere near managing my time like I used to back in wat seems like forever ago. Even a short paragraph daily would have sufficed, but instead I can barely gather my thoughts into some semi-organization enough to post once in approximately a week.

The birds are singing away and I need to go back to sleep, but the question remains, can I? It also remains the same question for quite a few things in my life.

I am thinking I will sign up for the rest of the training for Literacy Volunteers so that I can be useful and busy, thereby decreasing my thinking of myself and giving back some of the much I have as well as have received over all these years.

You know, I don't think I did anything bad to end up on the bottom of the priority lists of people that I am supposed to be so special and important to, but it remains a fact that that is exactly where I am.

Once upon a time I attempted to share with some of these people just how I felt and ended up seeing them even less than I was already seeing them (which was not at all).

There are many things that I could surely say to them, but I don't say them. I keep them to myself and periodically let the hurt out in letters that I don't and don't intend to mail. The reason for that is the last thing I want is for my 'friends' to be guilted into spending time with me.

I understand completely about seasonal friendships and other such relationships; I really do, but these friends assured me that we were much, much more than that and yet nothing save occasionally a sentence or two is emailed my way for some reason or another.

If mine was as important a relationship as they assured me it was I think I would know it. One of the ways that I would know this is there would be time set aside to devote to the relationship. If one is engaged and/or has a best friend the way to developing and maintaining these relationships is to devote time to them. Anyone with a relatively small amount of brain power can figure that out.

I don't have hard feelings towards them, but my feelings are hurt.

I know what the neglected family pet feels like: It is loved, of course, as in "I love you', words spoken and felt sincerely, but life is so busy that there is definitely no time for nor any time being set aside for the family pet. And every once in a while a bone gets tossed its way when there is 'time'.

Why does this keep happening to me? Is it because I am the friend that doesn't demand anything? Is it because I am the friend that says 'take care of everyone else, I'll understand'. And I do understand, painfully so. My feeling just don't count or worse, they do count, but all the 'friend' feels is guilt when their thoughts turn to me. And who wants friends that call you because they are supposed to?

This is why I know that I need to get involved in helping others. It is my Christian duty anyway. 8-) I just don't want to think about this or dwell on it. That will help me and others at the same time.

Memorial Day...

2006-05-29T22:46:00.000-04:00

...is not about the beginning of summer or a time for barbeques. It is a time set apart to 'remember' something worth remembering; to reflect and to honor the memories of those who laid down their lives for people they never met, indeed for those not yet born.

Today we honored those who gave their lives for liberty in town after town across the United States. Our town had a parade which we try to see each year after which we visit some of the memorial sites set up throughout the town of which we have quite a few. It seems that Washington and the Continental Army had quite a few battles in and around my town of Union here in New Jersey. I do believe he even had a headquarters in nearby Morristown.

I myself think more of those who fought in WWII mainly I guess because my dad fought in that war. He was in Italy, a very muddy Italy, loading those big guns with mortar. He suffered a profound hearing loss in one ear from the sound of those guns. Nowadays the military gives headphones of some kind to the men, I suppose, though I am not sure.

I think probably that many of us here at the Gap, when we think of war, wish there were none, wish there were peace and wish there was a way that the problems that we face from the newest and most deadly enemy we have ever faced in our history known as terrorism, would just go away. But it isn't going to unless we fight it and defeat it.

I remember when I was in high school and learning about the War and most importantly about the Holocaust which was more horrific of an occurence than the invasions of European countries at the time of Hitler's dominance. Even though it happened before I was even born I can still remember getting angry at the leaderships of different countries, especially my own, for not doing something about what Germany was doing to the Jewish people as a whole and some others for whatever reason they so desired to do away with them for.

But then, I saw, as now, there are always those who say don't get involved for one reason or another, and of course Pearl Harbor brougt us into it big time. A direct attack did it, but this time a direct attack wasn't enough to stir so many of us out of our inward thinking and short memories.

Now here we are fighting a war on foreign soil with an all volunteer army. Dispite what some newspapers report, there are men, and women, from all walks of life ready to take their place to fight the enemy that has a creed that is 'Death to America'.

My heartfelt and deep thanks go out all of you brave, courageous and selfless people. Now and for the rest of my life I will remember and honor all of you. Your willingness to be on the frontlines of a war where the enemy is not clearly defined, and where your decision to do so keeps the enemy more on the defensive than the offensive makes every one of you a hero in my eyes and in the eyes of so very many of your fellow Americans.

And today we remember those who went before you and we honor their memory as well.

Why I Will Continue to Vote Republican:

2006-05-28T12:53:00.000-04:00

A recent letter to the editor:

I am voting Republican because I believe that at its core it represents those things that I value most; less government control over my life, lower taxes (though many individual Republican representatives seem to wimp out come voting time, especially with 'pork barrel' spending) and respect for the unborn. The latter is the most important reason, you see, because I believe that when you respect life right at its beginnings, your heart is a little more alive than those who don't; and I want people with the right heart in government places. It is also the main reason why I respect our current president, even though I don't agree with some of his decisions.

I hope too, that there are many people like myself who will hang on and in with the Republican Party because the alternative is, with the exception of the few pro-life representatives in the Democrat camp, a party that has embraced a platform of death.

I know it sounds so terribly dramatic and all, but consider that abortion rights (at all costs and caution to the wind as far as regulating the clinics or restrictions on minor children availing themselves of the surgical procedure that abortion is) are about the end for someone; an innocent someone, and maybe then what I said isn't quite dramatic enough.

Have the Republicans failed to live up to the promises they made to the Values Voters upon whose wave they rode on into the seats of Congress? Yes, they have! But is it time to wash our hands of the party and/or politics totally? A resounding NO! We have to hang in there because there are many Republicans who do care about the unborn, about fiscal responsibility, and about their constituency whom they are supposed to represent. We, the Values Voters, must let those who have failed us (and are failing us) know what we think and where we stand; firmly and often! And if we are praying people, we pray that their hearts will not fail them, that they will not be swayed by the influence of the power that comes with politics, and that ultimately they will do the right thing; in most cases the right thing being what the people have elected them to do.

Truth...

2006-05-25T22:44:00.000-04:00

..is always there for us to see if only we are willing to see it. If we don't want to face it, deal with it, admit, or otherwise acknowledge its existence on any given subject or issue we can simply cling to the lie and memorize all the pat and pet phrases that deny the truth and solidfy our love affair with said lie.

RU486 is an abortion drug, a two part drug, that chemically kills the unborn baby and then causes the woman's body to go into contractions to expell the dead baby. You see, I could use the term 'fetus' which is the medical term used for the unborn and developing human being at a certain stage in its development, but since fetus has become one of the pet and pat things to say in order to deny the humanity of the fetus, I choose to say baby.

In any case, RU486 didn't do so well in its trials but was fast tracked by the FDA and put on the market quite quickly. The so called 'fast track' is (or was until RU486) was only used for drugs that were to be used for life threatening conditions like some cancers and AIDS related illnesses. The FDA was obviously cowtowing to the pressure of abortion rights activists with vast amounts of political clout via money made from aborting babies as well as my tax dollars given to them via Title X appropriated funds.

The decision, however, was wrong, because when the drug was in the testing stage there were red flag problems that were minimized and in some cases it seems like they were ignored, in order to push this drug into public availability.

Seven, count them, seven deaths can be attributed to RU486, and still it remains on the market. The connection between these deaths (poor Holly Patterson) and RU486 is as strong, if not stronger, than the connection between the drug Vioxx and heart attacks! I think too, (though don't quote me on this one) that there weren't as many deaths via the Vioxx as there have been with RU486. Even if I am wrong and there are more or about the same, isn't just the loss of one person, and in such a horribly painful way as the deaths from RU486 were, worth pulling a drug, any drug, from the market so that it can ben checked out further?!? Not, it seems, when it comes to anything related to abortion being promoted and embraced.

The chant of pro-abortion groups 'pro-lfe it's a lie/you don't care if women die' falls flat in the face of the deaths of these women. IF pro-abortion people were so concerned with women's lives, shouldn't they be at the head of the pack of those calling for the recall of this dangerous and deadly drug??

Just this week hearings were held in Congress by the House Government Reform Subcommittee on Human Resources at which hard evidence was presented of the dangers of this drug. In addition to that the FDA continued to maintain their position (even in light of the evidence against their position) of their not being 'sure' of any connection between the drug and the deaths! Their representative testified at the same hearings this week giving evidence to those present (and to those interested in this subject-llike me) that they have no intention of pulling this drug from the market!!

The truth, however, will continue to march on and perhaps, who knows, maybe one person a day will come face to face with it, admit it, and move from the position of a blind supporter of abortion, to a truly informed person on what 'choice' really means. In the meantime, unfortunately, more young women will have their lives changed forever via this horrible abortion method, and some will die a horribly painful death from massive infection and hemmoragic bleeding caused by RU486.

RU486...RU Crazy??

Abortion Breast Cancer Link

2006-05-22T22:09:00.000-04:00

How often do we pick up the newspaper or tune into a news station and hear about a supposed link between a behavior and a disease or risk of something life threatening happening to one who indulges in the things reported? I would say pretty regularly. From cell phone use causing brain cancer to the consumption of peanut butter causing some kind of cancer if you make little kids eat it for lunch when they are growing up; there are countless reported links to diseases being suggested and reported.

Some of these reported links are credible and by credible I mean there are studies that have been made that are quite legitimate and we, the consumer, should take heed to give our attention to the reports, especially if they are backed up by research. "As of October 2000, twenty-eight out of the thirty-seven studies in the world-wide literature indicate an increased risk of breast cancer associated with induced abortion". The Planned Parenthood Federation is also on record with this statement made in 1994: " "Interruption during the first trimester of a first pregnancy causes a cessation of cell differentiation, which may result in a subsequent increase in the risk of cancerous growth in these tissues." Indeed, consider this statement made by the lead author of the only study on the breast cancer abortion link commissioned by the National Cancer Institute: "Dr. Janet Daling, lead author of the only published study specifically commissioned by to investigate the link between abortion and breast cancer reports highest risks (more than double) were observed when the abortion was done at ages younger than 18 years, or 30 years of age or older.
Daling, who is believed to be a strong supporter of abortion says, "I have three sisters with breast cancer and I resent people messing with the scientific data to further their own agenda, be they pro-choice or pro-life. I would have loved to have found no association between breast cancer and abortion, but our research is rock solid and our data is accurate."

When it comes to women's health you would think that women's advocates and breast cancer research centers as well as physicians groups would broadcast an alert and alarm with regard to this information. Instead it is stone cold silent. It should give women pause, I think, to wonder why there would be this wall of silence from those who profess to be concerned with the threat that breast cancer is to women!

Let's cut to the heart of the matter. Having abortion remain legal is of paramount importance to quite a few groups of great influence in the matter of a link between abortion and breast cancer; so important that this information is surpressed and hidden. The leaders of this great evil of information shut down (and denied) are those who are supposed to care to women (and children)!! They also have the Big Media on their side, because if our BM was the objective news reporters that they are supposed to be, they would be reporting the news of this link and the many studies done to prove it out and let people decide for themselves.

But there we have it, right? Because we are not talking about a tiny little possible maybe link and we need more studies to prove it out, but we are talking knowledge about this link dating back as far as (at least) 1986! It seems a tragedy that so many people are willing to turn a blind eye to the truth so that they can continue to champion abortion as some kind of women's right of passage into modern times, denying that there is a price to pay for such a sin against our own unborn children.

http://www.bcpinstitute.org/home.htm

http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/start/

Randomness and Generalization

2006-05-22T00:55:00.000-04:00

Just in general I realize that I haven't posted a dang there here in my blog in close to a month. It is odd when one considers wha a wordy person I happen to me. I have thoughts and opinions on a wide range of topics that I hardly take the time to write down anymore. Part of the reason for that I think is how stupidly sensitive I suddenly seem to be about almost everything. I spent a chunk of years not really caring if anyone agreed with me or not, so I know that is probably all tied into this menopausal stuff. And somehow knowing that doesn't make me feel any better, well, it does a little, but not enough to let it roll off my back like I used to be able to. I just hate this crying stuff cause it makes me all like things bother me when they don't. I also spent many years being considerate of others feelings when I knew that my opinions might hurt or offend someone else. I am a firm believer in the truth, but not in shoving it down someone's throat. There is a time and a place for everything. In the meantime, I hate that I have negleced m blog like I have and I wish I could make a promise that I will do better, but I can't.

Almost all my days are tainted with pain that creeps into all my pleasureable moments. It helps somewhat to know that some of the mood swing/sad feelings are part of my body and mind dealing with this menopause, so that is a good thing. But I so much enjoy working with the soil and my plants and that pain, it just creeps into my mind, kind of like a slow growing vine that winds itself around a healthy tree and slowing sucks the life out of it. Now put that vine on film that you can speed up and you get a semi idea of what it is like for me to deal with pain in my life as I try to enjoy those things I used to love to do at what seems like such a long time ago. I mean, I feel like I am getting some of my life back, in bits and pieces I think, but there is still so much I cannot or haven't tried to do again and I get impatient for those things, which threatens depression if I linger my thoughts on it too long. So there I am transplanting my plants, moving soil to a pot, pulling out the plant out and tapping the root system before placing into the new pot. By easy estimate that takes maybe twenty minutes or so, but multiply that five plants and before you know it the aching pain in my legs is intensifying to the point where I am reminded that I need to site dwon. All this on medication too, which is another reason why depression is crouching at my door looking to have me. I used to mentally acknowledge that there is a certain amount of pain in ones life to help balance, but when this happened to, I had to redefine what exactly that meant to someone who dealt with pain all day and most nights. I actually give myself a little credit for having come this far, but I really wish to get farther than this. Won't someone help me please?

Calling to Account

2006-04-20T10:03:00.000-04:00

We collectively should raise a loud voice to the United States Congress and demand fiscal responsibility and accountability. Why we continue to get bogged down in the separation of parties and beliefs is a clear diversion by the wasteful spenders in our Congress to ensure that we don't call them to account for the billions of taxpayer dollars that they continue to spend on nonsense such as:

"The rural region of Sparta, N.C., is set to become the birthplace of a multimillion-dollar, federally funded teapot museum. The yet-to-be-opened Sparta Teapot Museum will receive a half million dollars in federal funding for a $10 million building that will house a 7,000-piece teapot collection."

There are 9,963 'pork' projects in play, projects that are taxpayer funded and which the average taxpayer is totally unaware of because they are usually are approved via a disguise of sorts by being added onto the big appropriation bills and are usually pushed through with absolutely no review of any kind budget-wise, nor is there any debate. These projects are quite regularly tacked onto the bills during the conference session of the bills once the legislation has already passed. In obtaining these special projects the congresspersons of the various districts involved have the affection and support of whatever voters were pleased by the procurment of the 'pork'.

It is my opinon that that sort of thing, while seemingly acceptable behavior, is underhanded and sneaky just by nature of the way it is done. If you ask the taxpayer (me), you would find us quite willing to forgo the projects in favor of balancing the federal deficit. Instead what you have are politicians spotlighting the loss of programs that the elderly and other populations of our society literally depend on, thereby frightening them into voting for those who would make sure the necessary programs are not shut down.

Because of their inability to access information about their representatives and what really goes on in Washington, their ignorance, or even for some their laziness, the representatives get away with this shameful spending game, taking advantage of the opportunity an uninformed public affords them to do so.

Truthfully? Our representatives across all party lines should be ashamed of themselves for how they put one another down (te Democrats are horrendously worse than the Republicans at this) and point their fingers at the 'bad' thing this one did or that one has done and all the time they are way out of line simply because the number one job they are elected to do, they don't!

We the people should collectively call them all to account for this.

RU Crazy?

2006-03-27T13:33:00.000-05:00

RU Crazy?

Some time back there was a public outcry regarding a medication called Vioxx. It seems that there were deaths being attributed to the taking of this medicine; heart attack deaths. I remember reading article after article both in the news and on the manufacturer’s, Merck’s, website. .Immediately the FDA called for the removal of Vioxx from the market, and rightly so, the drug should not to be available while the link between it and the death of people was closely examined.

Contrast the above scenario with the drug RU486; a drug, by the way, which is a two part abortion procedure done with little to no observation by a doctor. This drug has been directly linked to the deaths of, up until last week, at least four women! As of last week, two more women’s deaths have been tied to this drug, but yet it remains on the market!
This is unheard of! These last two deaths have prompted the FDA to issue a ‘warning’ concerning this medical abortion procedure. However, the FDA already had evidence of RU486 being linked to deaths from back when this drug was being ‘tested’ and women died. Further, after fast-tracking this drug (a procedure almost exclusively used to get drugs on the market to treat life threatening medical conditions such as AIDS and cancer) women continued to die; particularly horrible deaths too.

With a minimum internet research time of ten to fifteen minutes I was able to find some interesting information about RU486. For instance, this two part chemical abortion requires the second drug to expel the fetus after the first drug chemically alters the uterine lining to stop the supply of nutrients to the fetus, causing its death. Unfortunately the first drug causes a total abortion in only 60-65% of the time, necessitating a powerful drug known as Misoprostol, whose manufacturer, Danco Labs, applied a label warning to said drug saying that they do NOT recommend it for use in chemical abortions. They clearly acknowledge what the FDA is turning a blind eye to: the danger of RU486 to women.

The above begs many questions, number one of which is why was this drug placed on the market when women died in the trials? How about why would the FDA allow the fast tracking of a drug that clearly had nothing to do with saving anyone’s life? Also, after the drug was made available and one death and then another were reported, why did the drug remain on the market? As of the date of my posting this, two more deaths linked to RU486 have been reported, yet the drug remains on the market.

The FDA should immediately suspend the sale of this drug, just as quickly as they stopped the sale of Vioxx, in order to further investigate the untimely deaths of these women and the connection to RU486. Their refusal to stop the sale of this drug when the deaths in the trial were reported shows a failure to do their job of protecting the American people from drugs that can kill them. To allow it to market and to remain on the market after ever more deaths are contributed to RU486 is reprehensible! It seems that abortion is such a politically charged issue that even the FDA runs scared at the possibility of special interests groups with big pockets and Big Media friends getting in their face over RU486. They should do the right thing, though, regardless of what anyone would say or do. The right thing is to withdraw this drug from the market, NOW.

Proud or Ashamed to be American?

2006-03-05T19:27:00.000-05:00

I have had the privilege of meeting people from many countries: Australia, Ireland, England, South Africa, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Thailand, Russia, Finland, Canada and even France. To a person these people love their countries and take quick offense to any word spoken against their nations. To a nation, every one of them has history that reveals the utter depravity that man can, does, and has, sank to in various periods throughout the recorded history of their respective nations, bringing poverty, ruin, and terror to their people.

It seems to me that there are few, if any, exceptions to that rule. I know the why of it to, and I don't find it shocking at all. Of course the details of the different atrocities shock me, my point is that there is no surprise in finding out that human's, in their imperfection, succumb to jealousy, greed, envy and covetousness to the point of murder and mayhem.

Yet, they are proud to be who they are and to stand for where they come from.

Which causes me to wonder why I, as an American, sharing in the human propensity for foolish as well as dangerous behaviors, am expected to be embarrassed and ashamed to be an American and o be glad to stand for my president and the nation that he represents, who I personally am, and where I come from. I don't understand why our countries public schools as well as the institutions of higher learning, have ingrained in the youth of today, shame for their country, it's history, and to accentuate the negative, and in effect, give them nothing to be proud of or to stand up for.

We live in a nation which possesses a unique history, and if we are honest we would all, every citizen, realize that fact. Did men (and women) mess things up for others because they share the human trait which is able to turn to the left just as easily as it turns to the right? For sure all human beings are capable of a myriad of behaviors, nothing new there, but surely we can agree that despite it all there were countless, righteous people from the very moment Europeans settled here in America, who gave their all to live rightly with their fellow human beings and with nature. The accomplishments of the people of this nation throughout generations, of all races would (and does) fill volumes, but many are ignored, discredited, or disregarded in favor instead of writings that point fingers, accuse, and plant shame in our hearts. I know this because it happened to me as a young high school student during the Viet Nam era.

But all that impressional stuff aside, shouldn't we be proud of our country? Shouldn't we learn from mistakes, punish as well as seek restitution from offenders, accentuate the positive and impress upon the upcoming generations truth tempered with mercy? How about honestly presenting the facts about the mistakes as well as the successes and achievements of all the people who went before us in the making of America? When do we ever read criticisms, especially such scathing ones as abound regarding our nation and its current leaders, about Russia or China or even France referencing in their past and/or even current hostility towards others even in their own countries?

I read a lot and often and I am ashamed for the way many of my fellow Americans treat our President, his Administration as well as people like me who disagree with much of the politically correct mindset of the day that seems to have a hold of MM (Major Media) in our nation today. It is one thing to disagree with someone, but quite another to speak with such disdain and total lack of respect or to be so totally intolerant of another person such as they are of anyone who doesn't agree with them! They themselves are such hypocrites and refuse to see it.

Where that leaves us is in a nation that has natives who will not stand up for it. A nation filled with many who disdain it, say they don't like what it stands for, but refuse to leave it and the lifestyle it affords them that they have grown quite accustomed to. Can anyone say hypocrite again?

There are many things in my own life that I am ashamed of and many thing in my life that I am proud of. Overall I think the better choice is to live on the positive, not the negative, side of life. And that is how I choose to address the nation I live in, the nation called the United States of America, which makes me an American, a name of which I am proud to be known as.

Keep it American...

2006-02-21T11:35:00.000-05:00

..and even then keep it well investigated and well monitored so as to protect our country to the best of our ability.

The fact that this deal was being done without any flags being raised till now begs even more questions than are being asked!

I voted for Mr. Bush and I still, to this day, believe he was the better choice, but all along I have questioned quite a bit of his decisions, especially when it came to spending. This is the first time, however, that I have questioned a decision he has made having to do with the security of our nation., and question it I do! Surely there are companies out there that are at least as qualified as the one the Bush Administration chose, if not more. Which begs the question, why was this decision made? What is the process for choosing a port security company? What qualifications does a company need to have? How about references? Finally, who does the White House have to answer to on such a decision? Shouldn't it be the American people through their representatives in Washington and in their respective states?

I thank God that this story broke before it was too late to do anything about it. I do believe that after March 3rd, 2006, nothing can be done to stop it from taking effect.

The Biggest Threat

2006-02-17T15:15:00.000-05:00

With all my heart I believe that the biggest threat the US and other developed countries face is the nuclear threat. Yes, I believe terrorism is a constant threat, which is carried out on a daily basis in many counties around the globe, but the threat of nuclear devastation poses the biggest daily fear in my heart and mind.

I understand and support the President's position in the War on Terror, but I think he is making a very grave mistake in not dealing with the threat that nuclear weapons is to our nation and in fact to all free peoples.

The President needs to prioritize the nuclear threat and formulate a plan, a plan that he then shares with we, the American people. The American people deserve no less than that.

Nay, Nay, Mr. Bland, Listen To What I Say! 8-)

2006-01-28T14:14:00.000-05:00

First off I would say that in no way does the freedom of women depend on Roe! In fact, what Roe v. Wade has done, outside of stripping states of their individual rights and inventing a constitutional right to abort unborn children, has been to set women’s rights back on its heels! In addition to that, Justice Blackmun, in his many writings released to the public shortly after his death, admits to towing a special interests agenda line as well as being unsure as to the actual time of ‘viability’ of the unborn child; two red flags on the validity of Roe v. Wade.

Feminists such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony saw abortion as anti-women as well as the exploitation of the most vulnerable of our society! Suffragist Susan B. Anthony said, “The woman is awfully guilty who commits [abortion], it will burden her conscience in life, it will burden her soul in death”. Further, in 1873, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote, “When we consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our children as property to be disposed of as we see fit.” Another feminist pioneer, Alice Paul, saw abortion as the ‘ultimate exploitation of women’.

It is just a staggering thought to ponder, that since 1973, the year that Mr. Bland seems to consider celebratory, more than 20 million American women who would have begun their lives as unborn babies, moving on to being infant girls, and, following the natural flow of life, would have one day grown up to enjoy the freedoms those early feminists worked so hard to secure for them, would instead end up as medical waste.

The segment of society that opposes abortion is not ‘anti-choice’ as Mr. Bland’s article states, but rather, they are ‘pro-life’ and most definitely pro-choice. When one considers the medical facts that the unborn child is an entirely separate entity from its mother-see scientific fact of each person’s unique DNA as well as the unborn’s possession of their own blood supply-one must realize that to have an honest debate on abortion, the humanity of the unborn needs to be addressed. What is revealed when one does consider such things is that pro-‘choice’ really is NO choice for the unborn.

Further, Planned Parenthood has a financial stake in the abortion business, for that is what it is from their end. It has nothing to do with caring about me or any other woman, though we could and would find many well intentioned, uninformed, and in denial women, who work for the various Planned Parenthood offices across the nation, and/or support the right to abort the unborn, who think that it does.

In fact, Planned Parenthood is the number one provider of abortions here in the USA and more than likely throughout the entire world via various population control/women’s ‘health’ care doors. We here in America have a hand in helping the ‘not for profit’ PP to rake in millions of dollars profit. How does the figure $350 million dollars in surplus sit with you all? And that is in the last seven years only! And our government has increased funding to this organization with over $1.49 billion in government grants in the last seven fiscal years!!

There is no way that our society will escape the consequences of this assault on the innocent unborn child, and in fact, we already are reaping from sowing a culture of death. All one has to do is look at Social Security’s shortfall. It is not in trouble just due to mismanagement by Congress in budgeting. Part of the problem has to do with population replacement. Our society lacks millions of its citizens and we are paying the price (and will continue to do so) whether folks want to admit it or not in their quest to continue justifying abortion on demand.

Another ‘available to the public’ fact is the disproportionate number of abortions that the African American community experiences. For instance, African American’s make up 12% of the population in the United States, but black women get 32 percent of the abortions!! Without abortion cutting away over forty million people, the African American community/population would today be 35 percent larger than it is!

I could share even more information with you readers via this venue that would shock, disappoint or annoy, all info taken from public record, up to and including Margaret Sanger’s reason for beginning the birth control push in our nation, but I figure if people are interested they will go and check it out for themselves as I once did so many years ago when I began questioning just what the ‘right’ to abortion did for me as a woman, at their local library, too!

No, Mr. Bland, women’s ‘freedom’ does not depend on Roe remaining law, but women’s freedom depends on women recognizing the plague abortion has been on our society and worse, how abortion has encouraged we women to indulge our most selfish of selfish desires, and then we should be about rejecting it and all that it represents.

For there is great truth in the words of Mother Teresa, who wrote:
It is poverty to decide that a child must die so that you can live as you wish.

What Did You Say, Mr. Bland?

2006-01-28T14:13:00.000-05:00

'Women's Freedom Depends on Roe'
To the Editor:
It's been 33 years since Roe v. Wade legalized aboriton nationwide.
On January 22, 1973, a young lawyer named Sarah Weddington successfully argued the Roe v. Wade case before the United States Supreme Court. But the ink wasn't dry on the decision before the anti-choice forces began attempting to eviscerate Roe and all that the monumnetal decision stands for.
Anti-choice state legislators have pushed laws that require waiting periods, biased and inaccurate pre-abortion counseling and other barriers to a women's right to choose. Anti-choice foot soldiers mustered on the sidewalks of health clinics to harass, murder and brutalize staff and patients who were attempting to gain access to the health care facility to which they were fully entitled.
Most baffling about the anti-choice activists, who have been wagin 33 years of warefare against choice, is their wholesale rejection of the measures that would prevent the need for abortion.
They oppose comprehensive, medically accurate sex-education, even though it has been proven that truthful, comprehensive sex education is effective in teaching teens responsible decision making, disease prevention and family planning.
They oppose emergency conraception and sometimes all forms of birth control. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that without birth control, there will be more unintended pregnancies and therefore an increased need for abortion services.
Over the past few years, anti-choice pharmacists have refused to fill legal prescriptions for emergency contraception because of their own personal biases. You have to wonder how many women were left with an unwanted pregnancy after a pharmacist refused to do his or her job.
In a number of states, attorneys general have tried to subpoena the personal, private medical records of women who have had abortions. Privacy is the cornerstone of Roe, and the right to medical privacy is as organic to American society as the right to speaka in the public square.
Roe v. Wade is about self-determination and bodily integrity. It is about how securing these rights gives women an equal place at life's table. Justice Harry Blackmun, writing for the majority, called Roe "a step that had to be taken as we go down the road toward the full emancipation of women."
Thirty-three years of freedom-and counting.
Jeffrey Bland, president and CEO
Planned Parenthood of Greater Western New Jersey

The Abortion Debate

2006-01-22T14:21:00.000-05:00

Let's make no mistake or pull any punches when we speak about abortion: It is not about women's rights and never has been. If we are honest with ourselves, which is no simple task since it is very easy to live an entire lifetime in denial, we would see the truth in the statement that abortion is about selfishness.

The main reason why abortion has been promoted as a women's rights issue is very simple: to gain the support of women. And what better way to do that then to threaten a set back on those hard fought and won rights?

For the women who have supported abortion on the grounds that to deny that right is to deny women the victories of the past I would say that they might take a moment to look into the past at some of the writings of two of the leaders of the suffragists movement, namely Susan B. Antony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

In 1873, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote "When we consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our children as property to be disposed of as we see fit."

Susan B. Anthony said, "The woman is awfully guilty who commits [abortion], it will burden her conscience in life, it will burden her soul in death.'

Further, abortion pushers, Planned Parenthood, founded by an avowed racist, had their publicists focus on pushing abortion as a necessity that poor women could not access, appealing to the part of society seen as not having the same opportunity as another, in order to gain support for it across the board. It worked too, because there is something that all humankind has in common, men and women, rich and poor: the pull of selfishness. The truth is that abortion has been around as long as history, and a woman who wanted an abortion could usually find one; if she had access to the cash.

Abortion is the most anti-woman plague to ever descend upon modern society. In the years since 1973 we can safely guesstimate that over 20 million of American women became medical waste instead of being afforded the right to be the infant girls they should have been and to grow up and enjoy the hard-earned freedoms won them by the suffragists. For abortion is 'the ultimate exploitation of women' in the words of another feminist pioneer named Alice Paul, plain and simple. We women have been had and willingly. But we can stop the slide with a little humilty as well as a change of heart, a change that can only come from a revelation of truth that is acknowledged and acted upon. I have high hopes for my sex as well as a working knowledge of a changed heart life. 8-)

No Remorse

2005-12-13T12:35:00.000-05:00

Link: World Magazine AP News - Weekly News, Christian Views.

Thank God that Mr. Schwarzenegger used wisdom in making the decision to deny clemency to an unrepentant coldblooded killer. How ridiculous too, for these celebrities as well as liberal politicians, to try and suck up to the governor whom they can barely hide their disgust for when speaking of him to media.

So Mr. Williams wrote a couple books for children about the dangers of gangs. So what? He himself remains a gang member as he has never denounced his membership/leadership. If I can find among all these articles and quotes from interviews of those supporting sparing Mr. William's life, one comment expressing the horror o what he is in prison on Death Row for in the first place, I would then be able to at least understand why clemency or a commuted to life sentence might be a possibility, though remote. But a man who shows no remorse, who is unaccountable for his crimes, and desires clemency because of who he is, is not to be taken seriously.

You did the right thing Governor. I commend you for it as well as commend you for trying to reign in the frivolous spending going on in your state.

8-)

The Iraqi Sacrifice

2005-12-13T12:23:00.000-05:00

Link: World Magazine AP News - Weekly News, Christian Views.

This morning I came on line to read the news and was confronted once again with the bad news coming out of Iraq as reported by our media. But I would like to take this opportunity to say that the media may be producing a poll that says whatever they say it says in order to give a negative spin on anything to do with the USA in Iraq, but the truth is that if a poll was taken asking the Iraqi people if they would rather govern themselves as opposed to living in fear of living as they wish, we may have received a different answer. ;-)

Well, the point of this post is to take a moment to remember those Iraqi's who gave their lives so that their country and people will remain free and self-governing. We are not talking about soldiers in a war either, though many police and police trainees have been killed in these cold blooded, murderous attacks on the citizens of these struggling nation, but we are talking women and children as well.

Today our President, for the first time that I have personally been aware of, made mention of this incredible sacrifice the Iraqi people have made for their country. He gave a number of 30,000 lives lost in this war; 30,000!! They have been blown apart, burned, kidnapped, beaten and raped, and terrorized in ways very few American citizens can imagine at all.

I know that there are far more people that support the war in Iraq than the news likes to be reminded of, but there needs to be even more support, because there are so many reasons why we should, the main one being that this people want to be free! We will not be there forever and we are not there in vain and most certainly for now the Iraqi people need us.

It is my prayer that those who have been so critical of our presence there will realize that they are doing a great deal of harm to the moral of the US military as well as the Iraqi people themselves.

Open note to the Iraqi people: Your sacrifice will not go unremembered or appreciated by the freedom loving people of your nation who will come after you, nor by people like me who understand that freedom is not free.

The ACLU. Are They Really For Me and You?

2005-12-13T12:22:00.000-05:00

http://www.afa.net/progressive.asp

An excerpt from the above article:

"In a Texas classroom, children were told to draw a tracing of their foot, and then put a message on the drawing. One little girl wrote "Jesus Loves Me" on hers. What happened next shows the abysmal state of religious tolerance in America.

As Fox news anchor John Gibson relates in his new book, The War on Christmas, the child's teacher ripped the tracing off the board. "Don't you ever do this again," she said. The little girl burst into tears.

When her outraged father called the school, nervous officials told the child to make another tracing. She did so-but this time, instead of scrawling "Jesus Loves Me," she drew a tiny cross that was so small it was almost invisible."

Poor little kid! Can anyone imagine how scared she must have been? Whatever was the threat to this teacher that she would traumatize a little girl like that? What is she so afraid of that she would abandon her duty to that child and burden that little girl with her own problem with intolerance of the little girl's drawing? How is it that this sort of thing happened in an American school? Were this little girl's civil liberties violated? You bet!! Where is the outcry from those at the ACLU on this child's behalf? No where, that's where! Why? Because the organization that should be about protecting ALL American's civil liberties isn't concerned with the civil liberties of those who happen to profess Christian beliefs.

It's true. Here is list of what the ACLU puts their muscle behind with money given to them be various businesses such as the recent $8.5 million the chairman of Progressive Insurance donated:

First the anti-Christmas agenda:
-Removing nativity scenes from public property
-Banning songs such as Silent Night from schools
-Refusing to allow students to write about the Christian aspect of Christmas in school projects
-Renaming Christmas break Winter break
-Refusing to allow a city sponsored Christmas parade to be called a Christmas parade
-Not allowing a Christmas tree in a public school
-Renaming a Christmas tree displayed on public property a Holiday tree

And their basic all year round agenda:
-Sue states to force them to legalize homosexual marriage
-Force libraries to remove porn filters from their computers
-Sue the Boy Scouts to force them to accept homosexuals as scout leaders
-Help legalize child pornography
-Legalize live sex acts in bars in Oregon
-Protect the North American Man Boy Love Association whose motto is "sex by eight or it is too late"
-Censor student led prayer at graduation
-Remove "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance
-Remove "In God We Trust" on our currency

Every single one of the above has a case that the ACLU has pursued or is pursuing.

A Timely Quote

2005-12-12T01:04:00.000-05:00

Paying the Consequences

2005-12-12T00:18:00.000-05:00

First off, it doesn't surprise me that the media gives national front page headline attention to the so-called plight of Crips founder Tookie Williams scheduled execution, though more so the call from big name Hollywood stars using their fame as a platform to try to stay the execution of a cold-blooded killer is even more disturbing.

http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=20380

The media doesn't seem to make any effort to conceal in any way their bias in this case, expending much ink in putting forth all the arguments for sparing this convicted killer's life. They go as far as to even state, when referring to the four murders he was convicted of (and lost appeals on-all the way to the Supreme Court) as 'alleged'. He may have been 'alleged' to have killed these people before and during his trial, but in the end, after all the convictions and loss of appeals, I would venture to say that the appropriate way to state it would be 'sentenced to death for the four murders he committed'.

When the media (barely) mentions the victims, it is shameful in what they fail to say, leaving it to simply four people, three of them at a motel, who were a husband, wife, and their daughter. It seems to me that they could have spared a few words to at least let readers know what was involved in the committing of these murders. Here is a brief description of the events he was convicted of:

"Tookie Williams founded the Crips in 1971, eight years before he and three other men went on a murder-and-robbery spree that netted approximately $250 and left four people dead. The murders were notably gratuitous. Albert Owens – the clerk in Whittier, California – lay prostrate on the floor of a back room as Williams shot him twice in the back. Williams told one of the three men who went along on the job he killed Owens because he didn’t want any witnesses to identify him and “because he was white and he was killing all white people.” He then robbed the Brookhaven Motel, in the process murdering an elderly Chinese couple and their daughter (whom he referred to as “Buddhaheads”). Tookie killed all his victims with a 12-gauge shotgun, which he held inches from their quivering bodies before pulling the trigger to inflict maximum damage."

He is also an obvious racist, or does that only count if you are speaking against his race?

The author of the following article asks if Tookie's time is up. The answer is a resounding Yes!

http://www.nationalreview.com/dunphy/dunphy200511280809

A Lesson in Socialization 8-)

2005-11-30T12:50:00.000-05:00

Two women meet at a playground, where their children are swinging and playing ball. The women are sitting on a bench watching. Eventually, they begin to talk.

HOMESCHOOL MOM: Hi. My name is Maggie. My kids are the
three in red shirts - helps me keep track of them.

OTHER MOTHER: (Smiles) I'm Terri. Mine are in the pink
and yellow shirts. Do you come here a lot?

HOMESCHOOL MOM: Usually two or three times a week, after
we go to the library.

OTHER MOTHER: Wow! Where do you find the time?

HOMESCHOOL MOM: We home school, so we do it during the
day most of the time.

OTHER MOTHER: Some of my neighbors home school, but I
send my kids to public school.

HOMESCHOOL MOM: How do you do it?

OTHER MOTHER: It's not easy. I go to all the PTA
meetings and work with the kids every day after school
and stay real involved.

HOMESCHOOL MOM: But what about socialization? Aren't you
worried about them being cooped up all day with kids
their own ages, never getting the opportunity for
natural relationships?

OTHER MOTHER: Well, yes. But I work hard to balance
that. They have some friends who're home schooled, and
we visit their grandparents almost every month.

HOMESCHOOL MOM: Sounds like you're a very dedicated mom.
But don't you worry about all the opportunities they're
missing? I mean they're so isolated from real life - how
will they know what the world is like - what people do
to make a living - how to get along with all different
kinds of people?

OTHER MOTHER: Oh, we discussed that at PTA, and we
started a fund to bring real people into the classrooms.
Last month, we had a policeman and a doctor come in to
talk to every class. And next month, we're having a
woman from Japan and a man from Kenya come to speak.

HOMESCHOOL MOM: Oh, we met a man from Japan in the
grocery store the other week, and he got to talking
about his childhood in Tokyo. My kids were absolutely
fascinated. We invited him to dinner and got to meet his
wife and their three children.

OTHER MOTHER: That's nice. Hmm. Maybe we should plan
some Japanese food for the lunchroom on Multicultural
Day.

HOMESCHOOL MOM: Maybe your Japanese guest could eat with
the children.

OTHER MOTHER: Oh, no. She's on a very tight schedule.
She has two other schools to visit that day. It's a
system-wide thing we're doing.

HOMESCHOOL MOM: Oh, I'm sorry. Well, maybe you'll meet
someone interesting in the grocery store sometime and
you'll end up having them over for dinner.

OTHER MOTHER: I don't think so. I never talk to people
in the store - certainly not people who might not even
speak my language. What if that Japanese man hadn't
spoken English?

HOMESCHOOL MOM: To tell you the truth, I never had time
to think about it. Before I even saw him, my six-year-
old had asked him what he was going to do with all the
oranges he was buying.

OTHER MOTHER: Your child talks to strangers?

HOMESCHOOL MOM: I was right there with him. He knows
that as long as he's with me, he can talk to anyone he
wishes.

OTHER MOTHER: But you're developing dangerous habits in
him. My children never talk to strangers.

HOMESCHOOL MOM: Not even when they're with you?

OTHER MOTHER: They're never with me, except at home
after school. So you see why it's so important for them
to understand that talking to strangers is a big no-no.

HOMESCHOOL MOM: Yes, I do. But if they were with you,
they could get to meet interesting people and still be
safe. They'd get a taste of the real world, in real
settings. They'd also get a real feel for how to tell
when a situation is dangerous or suspicious.

OTHER MOTHER: They'll get that in the third and fifth
grades in their health courses.

HOMESCHOOL MOM: Well, I can tell you're a very caring
mom. Let me give you my number--if you ever want to
talk, give me call. It was good to meet you.

The Laughable Hypocrisy of Pro Abortion Democrats

2005-11-20T14:32:00.000-05:00

Actually, truth be told, it is not the kind of laughable that is a happy laugh, but more of cynical chuckle, if there is even such a thing. Here you have a nominee for the Supreme Court, every president's right should openings occur on his watch, and never in the history of our Congress has there been such a ridiculous grilling such as there have been for Justices Bork, Thomas, Roberts and soon to come, Alito. This is especially appalling because the judges mentioned here are highly qualified, commanding bipartisan respect as well as have proven records of judicial prowress in judgment and restraint as opposed to activism (a Constitutional no-no that is actually in the Constitution, unlike abortion 'rights'). The Senate has gone so far past what their actual function in such a decision as to now act as if it is their decision who is appointed. In light of the bold fact that the Deomcrats held a majority of seats in the House when Justice Ginsberg was nominated and was overwhelmingly voted to the position she was nominated for, by President Clinton who had every right to do so, should make these Democrats ashamed of themselves for their behavior with the above mentioned judges as well as the ones they trashed such as Miguel Estrada, Janice Brown, and Priscilla Owen. The hostility of the questioning (yes, I watch C-Span) was horrific and was all because they held conservative positions, and had nothing to do with their judicial records; as they came highly recommended. I am not sure why the Republicans allowed so blatant a supporter of abortion such as Justice Ginsberg to be spared the line of questioning that the Democrats give to those with conservative positions, I can only hope that they collectively realized a few things: that the President had a right to nominate who he wanted; that if the nominee was highly judicially qualified they should be appointed; that the filibuster is a power play by any group of men or women to simply get their way as they cater to special interests groups who contribute greatly to their campaigns as well as mobilize people to support them for election and re-election; and that try to trap an especially highly qualified nominee into word games so that they make a mistake that can cost them the appointment is infantile. Unfortunately there are plenty of Americans who could care less about someone's qualifications if the person doesn't support abortion on demand at any time for any reason and if at all possible paid for with tax dollars, of which Planned Parenthood, the number one provider of abortions in the USA receives MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars to promote. It is indeed a great tragedy that people like myself are all fine and likeable up to and until I say that it is not a Constitutional right for a woman to abort their unborn child, though women who have not wanted to be pregnant for one reason or another through the centuries have done what they could to abort all along. Legal or legal, it is not right, it is wrong. I have read our Constitution and nowhere do I see that right at all, but then again, I didn't see a right to own a person either, as I searched the document for what justices used to support the right of white people to own black people, but more importantly, to say that black people weren't 'people' like white people!! This is the same stupid kind of decision, one that allows human beings with a certain belief to continue to do something terribly wrong under the protection of the law. Pro-choice is no choice for the unborn. Some choices are wrong.
In the meantime, as ultrasounds and continued scientific advancements clearly show the humanity of the offspring of our own human race, abortion promoters, including a large percentage of Congressional Democrats, have all but abandoned the rhetoric of a blob of tissue and products of conception arguments, instead focusing their attention and funds on women's 'rights'. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony would turn over in their graves (if such a thing were possible) if they knew that abortion was considered an advancement of what they started oh so many years ago.
Now that it has been discovered in a document that Mr. Alito, oh shock!, has the opinion that the Constitution shows no right to abort the unborn, suddenly he is not qualified? How immature of these men and women, how hypocritical of them as well, and though I laugh and shake my head at them, it is not a laugh of joy, but a laugh of amazement that they actually think they have a right to prevent this man from being appointed to the high court?

The Shame of an American People....

2005-11-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

...and government officials as well.

The history of FEMA is quite interesting, if one is willing to look past making President Bush their scapegoat for all things wrong with all things government.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, the government responds in an idiotic politically pressured manner in giving away tax dollars with absolutely no conditions when disasters occur. So here we have people who have lived in trailers bought and paid for by the government (translation: all those who pay taxes) and eighteen months later have no place to go other than the trailers, which are temporary shelters, unless the tenants can afford to buy them.

The media frenzy continues to downplay the sheer mismangement as well as deep seated corruption in the government in the districts severely affected by Katrina, holding no one accountable on that level of officials, instead continuing the blame of one man.

What now? The trailer parks-brand spanking new trailers-are filled with people with nothing to do. Adults and teenagers alike need some purpose to drive them, to give them hope as well as a sense of well-being that comes from doing for yourself, not looking to the government to do for you. That is where I take issue with local, state, and federal officials in caring for those in need; nothing is required of them in return for the hand up, it instead becomes a hand out. Perhaps a reason why may be that if they dared ask something of those in need it would be played up politically saying that the President doesn't care for the poor.

In the meantime, what becomes of all this idleness? Crime. Always. And those who don't go the way of crime are trapped by it, and oftentimes also trapped by a way of life they have become familiar with and which offers no hope.

When FEMA sets up a meeting for people of the trailer parks to come together to take care of their community and only twenty-three people show up that gives one an idea of the level of involvment the people are interested in. Is that the President's fault as well?

Approval Ratings

2005-11-04T10:34:00.000-05:00

I Just wanted to speak out on this 'approvals ratings' thing that the AP-Ipsos poll speaks about. Unfortunately to be a President, or to even run for president, is probably ninety percent sucking up to 'important' people, being very politicly minded, and spending a lot of time trying to appease this one or that, most definitely in your own party first! And in this day and age where the elephant in the room of every judgment call on all politicians is whether you agree or not agree with abortion, you can be sure that our president started out at a deficit in opinion polls; yes, even in his own party. We must remember that Republicans too, are pro-abortion. Take a look at Mr. Doug Forrester in New Jersey, Christie Whitman, Thomas Kean, Michael Bloomberg, Rudy Guiliani, and countless outer well-knowns.

The people spoke out loud and clear in the election and he won fair and square (both times-sour grapes to Democrats) and those who voted for him are now speaking out that they don't approve of his job performance. Why? I wonder. Did he not give someone something they were hoping for? Not pick another for something they felt was deserved? There is always a political reason for disapproval, in my not humble opinion.

If we were to be fair-minded people, of any party and of any belief system, we would first realize that very few of us even know what is entailed in being a president of much of anything, let alone a nation such as ours. Yet we write editiorials, we take polls asking weighted questions on things we have no experience concerning, we spout off and go on and on speaking of so much that we do not know, and more often than not, we simply don't like the person just because they are against abortion, and we hate, and we insult, demean, degrade and speak ill of the person in the office of the head of our nation. It seems rather immature, some of the ways that grown and professional people act, whether they are right about something or not.

The thing about the media today is that it is well known that they have the backs of the Democrats, big time, and for that very same elephant in the room reason, aboriton, so all they do is feed the already frenzied Bush-hating people. I ask you, how in the world does that do our country and its people any justice? There is probably plenty good about the administration and their efforts, even if some of them are well-intentioned as the whacked out budget is, but that to point out the good, to work together on the bad, and strenthen our nation is not what the Democratic Party, as a whole, as well as our media, are about. It is the tearing down, the politicly motivated arrests, the stirring of the pot of dissatisfaction among citizens of our nation, that gives them their good feeling; good feeling being something that they seem to believe they are the only definers of should they play up a human interest story.

That is why I think very little of approval ratings polls. Shame on so many who disapprove of the job the President is doing because their disapproval is politicly motivated by their party loyalty, and shame on so many others who disapprove because they just don't like him and see the poll call as a way to say so without saying so; when for the most part they haven't a clue as to how what is entailed in being the president, let alone any ideas of how to do better whatever it is they disapprove of.

Games People Play

2005-10-27T17:43:00.000-04:00

noticed a very big difference between members of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party and that is for the most part Democrats stick together, Republicans do not. The Republican Party has the majority of the House right now but is not able to use it to their advantage, and even more importantly to use the vote given offices they hold to do right by those who put them there.

Indeed, if we are honest we must admit that the Democrats wouldn't be able to stand up to any scruitiny on their behavior as well as their associations (talk about conflict of interest issues and the like) and that they have, for many years now, even before they lost the majority advantage, forced the liberal agenda of various special interest (translated: anti-God, anti-American, pro-abortion) groups through via activist courts, clearly violating the law of the land as regards the separation of powers having to do with the different branches of our government. The Democrats have an advantage in a media that wholeheartedly supports their activities and either doesn't report them or downplays them.

But, the Democrats are united, yes, quite unlike the Republicans, who are downright fragmented and scattered all over the place. And because of that they are even more of a target than they might have been had they determined to band together. The politically motivated case against Mr. Delay is laugable in the face of what so many Democrats are doing which can be misconstrued, twisted, and used against them as easily as is being done to Mr. Delay. In some cases far worse.

As I said, the media is a party to all this, though they turn a blind eye to what could make the Democrats look as bad as the media and the Texas Prosecutor are laboring to make the Republicans via Mr. DeLay look.

Hey, I am all for standing against wrong, but this DeLay thing smells bad, just as bad as the Schiavo case smeiled. The judge and the lawyer for Michael Schiavo had clear cut conflicts of interest, but the newspapers refused to play it up as they play up what they want to manipulate what they believe in and want to make happen through their selective reporting. Too many American citizens are led like sheep who are not only blind, but want to be. The reason being that they have their own anger and spite driven agendas that the media feeds by their reporting and trashing of various men and women in Washington and elsewhere who get in their way; so they clamor and shout "Justice! Mr. DeLay Committed A Crime!' and as many shocking headlines as they can come up that make it seem like their concern is ethics and integrity when it is as simple as highschool spite games!

Hopefully and before it is too late, our citizens will put their petty complaints aside and be a part of uniting our country instead of further dividing it.

Getting Up And Slammed Back Down

2005-10-27T17:42:00.000-04:00

It has been quite some time since I have last felt that I was getting somewhere and went back a couple steps; quite some time. I have been getting things done, feeling good about doing so, beginning some routines that are beneficial for me and my health, have missed my last cycle, but don't really miss it, and all around believe I was moving forward. And boom, a full blown cavity that makes it impossible to eat and a chipped tooth just in time for a gathering that I have decided to attend and cannot back out of without hurting the feelings of a dear (and probably only one I have left) friend. I am fighting it, really fighting the down feeling, but I have to be conscious of my teeth and not eat the dinner while seeming like I am and working on my listening skills all night because I am not going to talk and let my tooth be seen. I find that I cannot even share how I feel about this because I hear the usual, don't worry, you cannot even notice it, or, worse things happen to people and you are worried about such a little thing? In both cases usually coming from someone who has all their teeth and none of them cracked. I guess I could say they should work on their listening skills, but instead I have to work on mine as well as 'understanding' that people mean well. I just want one friend, that I get to see often enough to feel that I am important to them, who will affirm me and my feelings. I am lucky to even get what I get, mostly words of affection, and am thankful for them. I have to learn the lesson, and it seems to be a hard one for me, of being satisfied with what I get and not wanting more than someone is willing to give. I would say able, but they seem to be able to give to others. I think in a way that it is my own fault in that I would always say to friends to get to me later, to pass me by and let someone who is more needful to move up, etc., and then I simply got left behind I guess. I feel like the afterthought, like, oh yea, her, later. :( I understand that God doesn't treat me like that, but His people do. :)

Honor Our Fallen Soldiers

2005-10-25T23:29:00.000-04:00

Link: World Magazine AP News - Weekly News, Christian Views.

What sad news indeed, that so very many lives have been lost in this war in Iraq. Not wasted though, not by a long shot. These lives have been given, sacrificed, so that we can continue to live free, because our way of life has been bought with a great price, a price that includes these same sacrifices. This war makes perfect sense. Iraq was the proper entry point for us to engage an enemy that hides behind terror and has no borders. What do 'anti-war' people think? That if we disengage everyone will play nice? Do they have any idea how many people will be slaughtered? Or perhaps the simply do not care. It would be just like VietNam should we lup and eave, that is for sure, in the sense that we will be the cause of the slaughter of millions of innocent people who just want to be free. All they want is a small taste of what we here in the US take so for granted and indeed, what we trample in the dirt and disrespect more and more each day.

It is not big secret that Congress politicized the VietNam War, refusing to let the military do what the military does and running a war from Congress, bowing eventually o the winner of the propaganda war that caused the funds to be cut off for the war, signing the death warrants of millions of Cambodians; people who thought we cared, who thought we were their allies, who thought we were going to protect them. Allies? No, only when it benefits, but not when it is a sacrifice for someone else's well being. And our media, that is when I saw our media give up any last vestige of integrity and sign off on love of their own country and reporting the news objectively as true news reporters should.

Now American deaths in Iraq have reached two thousand and my heart aches for their families and their loss. But I will live my life in deep thankfulness and gratefulness to these men (and women) for their sacrifice. I will not dishonor them. They deserve better. They deserve for the anti-war people to shut their mouths and not say what they think just because they can. Instead they act just like Jane Fonda did all those years ago, by perpetuating lies, by meeting with the enemy who were play their political game to the hilt, and demoralizing and demonizing our military men and women at a time when they needed to be strengthened.

Silly people can spout all that want about war for oil, but they do with ignorance, ignorance of the fact that these terrorists want to completely annihlate the US. Of course that is an entirely new post, so for now I will just leave it.

In the meantime, let's not make the mistake of thinking that the Iraq War is a mistake; it is not.

Commenting On An Aspect of Miers Nomination

2005-10-17T11:18:00.000-04:00

I consider myself a conservative and I don't think that conservative leaders received any assurances that Miers would oppose Roe v. Wade. If anything they were probably pandered to politically due to possible leader and voter disappointment in the President's nominee. I actually like President Bush and think he is a strong leader for these times, but I am not blind nor deaf when it comes to the politics of Washington D.C., from a member of any party. That is why I further think that Miers is a 'safe' choice for the President as opposed to any of the highly qualified persons he could have nominated, many of who I believe are personally and morally opposed to the abortion of an entire generation at this point with more to come, as I believe Miers to be. Of course that is my personal opinion.

When it comes to Roe though, it is highly unlikely that even if the high court began to lean in that direction with related opinions that are subsequently handed down, the reversal of Roe is many legal battles (and $$) away. At the very list, revisiting Roe v. Wade would adress some issues that were not adressed in the initial case, and that is the beginning of life question that technology was years from revealing via ultrasound, back in the 1970's. At the most, what is so bad about a law protecting unborn children even if it is protecting them from their own mothers? In the end, legal or illegal, abortion is really about both a beating heart and a changed heart, for without a changed heart, those who support this horrific practice will continue to do so. All one has to do is look at the Partial Birth Abortion cases and read some of the arguments. Grown men and women totally disregarding a human baby's death in the name of 'rights'.

I am all for the overturning of Roe v. Wade but in the end I want a Justice on the Supreme Court who is going to interpret our Constitution the way the Framers (for all their faults) intended it to be. I don't want an activist like Justice Ginsberg on the court even if she were an activist for the Conservative agenda. I want to see our country governmental branches operate as they were intended to because I do not want to see our way of governing perish.

Becoming Learned

2005-10-13T03:10:00.000-04:00

Having spent the last eleven years homeschooling my sons I have now found myself desiring to learn more, especially in history, American History, to be precise. While I am at it, why not psychology as well since I have an even greater interest in why people do the things they do, even chock full of information and facts, not to mention getting perfect scores on the stuff in quizzes and tests! It is absolutely fascinating.

In addition to that, I spent the first thirty years of my life doing all the wrong things, give or take the first twelve or thirteen before I started on a path of rebelling as a way to vent my frustration and anger at being ignored, not to mention lashing out instead of reaching out due to the deep need we all have of wanting to be loved and appreciated and treated such a way. In effect I wasted them, truly wasted them, and there is no getting them back.

I keep alive the memory of my great loss and to prevent future generations from being as moronic as I, I undertook to homeschool, to pray, to set an example of the right way, and to remember what it was like to be so frustrated and so alone. To this day I have this uncanny experience to feel that way in a room full of people, as well as to have a nagging feeling come over me time and again of feeling like I just don't fit. One day maybe I will understand what that was all about and I expect that I will just have to trust God in this life to know He knows what He is doing and it is okay as long as I continue to put it in His Hands as He has said I could.

I know some would think this post has little to do with education, but it has everything to do with education. 8-)

Wimpy On Comments

2005-10-12T13:41:00.000-04:00

Many years ago, a very kind elderly woman told me that I needed to develop an alligator-like skin so that I wouldn't take things that were said to me personally. I agreed with her then and I agree with her now. She was insistent that it should apply even to those things said to me personally that were intentionally said to insult or mock, perhaps more so at those times.

I don't think I have developed such a skin yet, though I have worked on it over the years. The best I have been able to do, however, is to aviod returning the insult or mockery and to move on from the attack. I have not been able to thicken my skin enough to not let it give me emotional pain or sensitize me to such things.

The main reason why, I believe, that I don't return the insult or mockery, is that I am very aware that in doing so I behave in the same manner as the person who is saying demeaning things. I am simply not like that nor do I have a desire to be like that. I have found that, once the initial insult is tossed my way, the only time I get the urge to respond in like manner is immediately after they utter whatever, and it quickly passes, therefore I just don't act on the impulse.

When giving it thought I also realize that I really don't hate anyone or anything with such intensity that I cannot control my tongue when insulted. I also understand that oftentimes the things said are said out of ignorance or a misunderstanding of a situation. This helps in not developing unresolved anger/hate issues that spill over into my own behavior towards others.

All that said, it still upsets me when someone spews forth ignorant hate speech in my direction simply because they disagree with what I say. With all the things going on in my life and with my family members, there is just no way that I want to deal with that on top of everything else, yet I love the blog and journal and writing. 8-)

Is it me or does anyone else notice that those who demand tolerance in the loudest voices are the ones who hate the opposing opinion and the person speaking the opposing opinion the most? Watch closely next time you encounter a situation such as that, but don't count on the media giving it to you straight. Instead, observe for yourself.

Random Current Event Thoughts

2005-10-11T22:46:00.000-04:00

In the news of late is the recent earthquake in a very poor nation, kiling thousands of people in a poverty striken nation; a poverty striken nation in poverty courtesy of the countries leaders. In other words, if the leaders weren't so dang greedy, its people would not be so utterly poor. This is probably the most attention and care they have ever received, for a couple generations too!

Then we move right along to the bombings in Bali. Was it Bali? I think it was. Bombings designed to continue to terrorize, and subdue through terror, those who the terrorists absolutely hate and want to do away with, annihilate, if you will. Who can even comprehend such intense hatred? I cannot. I would say that the average joe in the street cannot either. Mostly we are concerned about what is for dinner and who needs a ride where and when. I think though, that we better start paying attention to this sort of thing as well as the poor of the world.

We move from there to more tropical depressions forming in the waters of the Atlantic, activity such as this ocean has not seen in many, many years, dumping tons of water on nations, swamping all that people own, destroying it and taking lives as well.

Here in the US we have the questioning of a certain Mr. Delay, a very suspicious investigation backed by a certain questionable person of note that the media conveniently keeps the spotlight off of. Of course if one has done wrong one should pay, but inventing things for political power play purposes serves no good purpose and is a waste of taxpayer dollars and an insult to the American people.

In addition to that, the little deli where we have been buying our milk and cold cuts for almost eighteen years was closed for almost an entire week due to a death in the family. I knew that Dilip (he is a man from India) had his father-in-law working there who is very old, so I thought right away that maybe it was Pop. I was saddened to hear that it was in fact, Dilip's wife, and the death was sudden. They have two small children, a boy and a girl, the girl is about eleven or twelve and the boy about eight or nine. I wish that there was something that I could do for him and his family. I know that many family live there together, but I also know what it is like to be married. He must be devastated. When he spoke to me, he accepted my condolences and looked as if he would cry. Terribly sad.

So, there it is. All over the world sad and sorry things are happening. And that is as random as random can get of current event thoughts.

Earthquake!!

2005-10-10T09:35:00.000-04:00

What a horrible nightmare of a headline that is! People using their hands to dig through blocks of cement vainly trying to rescue their family members! Terrible! Horrifying! And it is another disaster happening in an area which does not have the resources available to rescue such as we have here in the US.

One of the most glaring differences between our nation and so many, many others is the availability of the resources necessary to feed and house the victims of disasters. I think that at this point those who have experienced Katrina and complained are going to have to reassess their situation and rethink the blame game's next move.

The first headline that I saw gave a number of 3,000, but within hours that number had changed to 20,000! I thought that it was a misprint and a horrible mistake, but it turned out to be the truth. So there you have roads inaccessable, people at the mercy of whoever and whatever who are willing to take even the little these people don't have, including the person's life, because they themselves are in a panic and without food or shelter.

Across the board however, no matter how much money a country has and no matter what people think a government is supposed to do, we are to help one another; to, when we see a need, do all that we can to meet it, to care for and look after the injuries of our neighbors, to give drink where needed, a doctor where needed, shelter, clothing and protection from predators. What that all people would respond to those who are victims of disasters with kindness and a helpful spirit. It takes one thing and one thing only to become someone who helps or someone who takes advantage, and that is a decision, a simple deciding of the question: What will I do? No matter the language, no matter the resources, no matter the government, but individually asking ourselves: What will I do?

Once the decision is made to help (and not hinder with finger pointing blame-especially based on flaming newspaper reports of those who hate various government factions) then we can move free of hinderance and doubt, to help in whatever way that we can. This is something that could have happened with Katrina as well. Instead of taking pictures of a dead body disrespectfully left lying there, the media could have granted the dignity a human being deserved by first, not displaying it on national television, and second, by being a person who did something about bringing relief and aid to those affected by the nightmare called Katrina.

Even persons who were victims of a disaster can become those who reach out and help others. The more people do it, the stronger the help base becomes, and the more people are taken care of, or the more people look out one for the other. This sort of attitude has the benefit of keeping one out of the feeling sorry for themselves trap (a trap I know all too well) and giving purpose and meaning to your life and the day in the midst of a disaster that is overwhelming and devastating to the mind, body and spirit. There were some, probably many more than the media has room in their papers to report on, who did just that. Having lost everything, they located what they could salvage that could help others and then went on their way from neighbor to neighbor to help in any way that they could. Selah.

Ah, Books, Sweet Books!

2005-10-07T15:35:00.000-04:00

Books. They have always been a refuge for me at so many stages of my life. One of my earliest memories is of learning to read. No, correction, one of my earliest memories is being fascinated by the printed word and then such joy at being able to make out what the words said!

I learned to read in first grade and I believe it was by the whole language method; or at least that is the information that family members have given me and that is judging by the Dick and Jane books of the time. No matter though, I grasped it very quickly and from an early age my nose could be found in a book.

Truth be told, books got me through many traumatic times in my life. I grew up with no support system, emotional or otherwise, as well as had the instability of a home abandoned by an alcoholic father. The only emotion exhibited in my home was anger and if we children exhibited it, well, that was just not allowed. SInce I was the only girl with three brothers, I had my own room and spent many an hour hiding out there from the instability of my home life, often with a book in my hand. It was a blessing that I was able to get my hands on books as I did, living within walking distance of libraries in just about every place we lived (and we lived in many different places) and the times that we did not, having a decent in school library to borrow books from.

My favorite books were books about families, but mostly before I hit pre-adolescence. Once I hit adolescence I gravitated to books with single females; strong-willed females who didn't need a guy to define them, even though they many times had a father present who was totally unlike my own.

Pretty much I taught myself to speed read, by going to the library and looking up a book on speed reading and reading it. Then, because I wanted to retain much of what I read, I found a book on comprehension and read that too. It is unfortunate that I didn't recognize that behavior like that is what self-starters are all about, instead of by mid adolescence finding drugs and alcohol instead which really does rob you of motivation and energy.

But reading continues to be one of my favorite things to do and something that the novelty of hasn't worn off yet. I figure since I am middle aged at this point the habit and love of reading is here to stay. I read books about just about anything, having read the 9/11 Commission Report and currently working my way through The Gulag Archipelago, The Fire of Delayed Answers and The Missionary Travels in South Africa of David Livingstone; all excellent books in their own right, and all books about as different from one another as a book can be.

My all time favorite book is and probably always will be Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Another all time favorite will always be Mere Christianity. I add favorites every time that I read a book and the list cna encompass a notebook by itself.

Maybe one day I will make such a notebook as I reread all the books, one at a time. 8-)

Rise Up, Young People!

2005-10-06T13:01:00.000-04:00

I thought that each day I would come here and post to one category after the other in my category list. This one happens to be first in line as well as one of my all time favorites for I love the youth of this country and hope to once again be involved in dealing with them via the crisis pregnancy center, perhaps after the New Year. 8-)

Oftentimes in the news there are countless articles revealing the aimless and senseless direction of many young people of today. Drugs, drinking, stealing, and all this while driving in cars that mommy and daddy bought and paid for. This is across the races too. In my town of close to 60,000 people, I have seen many Hispanic, Black, and Caucasian young people in some mighty pretty cars, many of them college students, or upper year high schoolers, that have the attitude of this is their due because parents are supposed to do these things for their children.

We do our youth a grave disservice by giving them all the things we didn't have, or making sure that if Johnny down the street gets PlayStation 2, then we better get it for our children too. What has happened is that we have not taught our children how to postpone rewards, how to have goals and the satisfaction that comes from reaching these goals themselves, as well as having a direction and a plan for their lives.

The word 'bored' was not allowed to be used in our home while the children were growing up. If they did, I had a long list of things that were waiting to be taken care of. It is the truth because there is always something to do, especially if you are blessed enough to have your own home. And to call it home, you have to be a part of keeping it together, from gathering for meals to helping to keep it in shape for the coming winter, upkeeping on painting or repairing, as well as keeping the bathrooms clean and your room neat. So, you put all that together and you have a pretty long list of things to do that all can have a hand in doing.

It seems that many parents have no realistic expectations of their children and many times children have outrageous expectations of their parents. But on the other side of that coin are the parents that risk the scorn of their own children by not being their child's friend while the child is being raised, preserving that relationship for when the child is grown and on their own; a relationship which, by the way, takes a lot of work on the part of both parent and child.

We can give our children a break by loving them right where they are and enough to say no way, and our children can give we the parents a break by saying (and showing) that they appreciate what their parents do for them.

As parents we are in the unique position to have already been teenagers, but as parents we struggle as our children go through these various growing and changing times that we have to try to understand from the parent point of view and teen point of view in order to deal with them and the situations that arise, as best we can. To our children, we pretty much remain the same, a parent all through their years. It is difficult for a parent to learn to let go and then also to become a friend to our adult children, but if successful, it is the crowing glory of our older age to grow into that relationship after all the years of mothering or fathering.

Our young people today have so many more advantages and opportunities than we had and our parents before us. I say, rise up, young people and take your place as the leaders of tomorrow, and in many cases, the leaders of today. I am of the opinion that you are more than capable and am also a part of those who support you wholeheartedly as you make your way in the craziness that the world sometimes is today. 8-)

The Persecuted Church

2005-09-24T10:44:00.000-04:00

I don't understand the lack of coverage that is given to the atrocities that occur all over the world to those of the Christian faith. Can it be that our so called 'tolerant' and 'compassionate' society is stone cold without feelings when it comes to those persecuted for their beliefs?

The Chinese people have always fascinated me. I think that God has made some incredibly beautiful women in those of Asian decent. 8-)

In China today, the 'unregistered' church, is the, quote: "largest active church movement in the world and comprises 80 percent of China's Christians" unquote.

We talk about tolerance in our American society today, but all it seems to be is a clever cover for the advancement of just about any immoral and extreme behavior that people filled with 'hate' and 'intolerance' are looking to advance.

Chinese women, of any faith, suffer at the hands of their government, assisted by our government funds and organizations (i.e. Population Fund), with forced abortions. All Christians risk imprisonment, torture, and death for simply wanting to worship God in their own way. Funny that we Americans don't seem to care; or at least our media blares headlines of torture of Iraqi prisoners but has no room for the torture and death of Chinese Christians.

Years ago when I first became a Christian, I remember sharing my faith with someone and inviting them to church. Their reply was to state, without even meeting anyone in the church-talk about pre-judging-that the church was full of hypocrites. I suppose it never occurred to them that they themselves could be guilty of hypocrisy, they are so busy judging everyone else that doesn't conform to what their views are. Funny too, that these are the very things that others criticize Christians for doing!

Talk about having eyes to see and ears to hear! 8-)

www.persecution.com

Add-On To Last Post...

2005-09-15T21:25:00.000-04:00

I wanted to include something in that post regarding the lives lost in the war in VietNam and the lives lost after we came home; the slaughter of the Cambodians: the sacrifice of our boys and men, as I said, thousands, and the lives of the Cambodians, as I said, millions: to me, that is the part that messes with my mind. If the Congress would have allowed the military to fight a war as they are trained to do as opposed to running a war based on politics and who influences who and who is answering to who else, politically speaking, that is, the war would have been won and in the end, lives saved, as crazy as that sounds. But it is sound thinking when you are thinking in terms of war, unfortunately. You don't treat the lives lost lightly, but with grave and great honor, but you certainly don't keep sending thousands and thousands of young men into an unknown jungle to be slaughtered when you have other means to win a war. That is how wars go.

We will end up with no allies, and the terrorists of our generation hope for that; they love an administration such as the Clinton Administration, in which his libido was of more concern than the running of this country. Indeed, he took terrorism so lightly that Arafat was the most frequent visitor to the White House during his administration! It boggles the mind, it really does. But, that is not what I wanted to get into. The terrorists, however, hate the Bush Administration, and it saddens me that many Americans do too; forgetting the attacks on the USA, via the Cole, the Embassy's in Africa(?), and the bombing in Beruit. There was no retaliation. It was almost like it was a joke. But I daresay the military is aware of the awful and severe threat that terrorists are to our nation and our way of life. We love our way of life, but we don't want to defend it when it is attacked?

War, Politics, No Point To This Post, Really

2005-09-15T20:35:00.000-04:00

I have been thinking of late, being a child of the early 70's, catching ahold of the anti-government, make love not war, train, that things aren't always what they appear to be. While watching movies like Platoon, We Were Soldiers, and even movies like Braveheart, that there can never be anything attractive about war, at least not to someone like me, who looks at it more in terms of wasted human life more than anything. The reason for that, of course, lies in the age of most of those who have died in wars: sons and young fathers. Who, sanely speaking of course, can look at that part and cheer war, ever? I know I cannot. But I know something else too, and that is that the men who have died in the wars that my country have fought did not and do not, die in vain. Can I explain why I believe that? Maybe not coherently to someone who is adamantly anti-war, and even, God help us, anti-USA. Far too many people of my generation, and the subsequent one, have jumped on that band wagon and have not gotten off. A few truths I do know, at least regarding the VietNam War, and those are:

After we pulled out, losing literally thousands of lives, over three million of the Cambodian people, who were our allies, were systematically slaughtered! Those were the people that our youth and young father's fought and died for. Their's desperation to live free as we do here in the USA was the reason why we signed onto that war. Why do people persist in thinking that somehow it was all about the USA's government's supposed warmongering? Is that the excuse for not wanting to support our allies and those who want what we have? For shame that the pressure put on the military by my government lost that war. We were than, as we are now, the mightiest nation on the face of the planet! And I don't say that to brag, but to point out that it was ridiculous for us to lose that battle! Or, all those men. They were, in my opinion, sacrificed on the altar of politics, and not only by the Congress, but by every man and woman who put pressure on them to put pressure on the military. Think about this: we are allies with the country of Taiwan, a people who fiercely cling to their independence, and in some measure, to the USA, their ally. What if China moves to 'take' Taiwan? What do we do? Cut them loose? We will if we listen to the voices of anti-war, anti-USA? There is no way that I am a war supporter, what I am, however, is a supporter of the necessity of war to protect freedom.

The Tragic Truth

2005-09-10T03:02:00.000-04:00

Herein is a copy of an article written by a reporter who is obviously not held within the restraints of political correctness. Thank God!

An Unnatural Disaster: A Hurricane Exposes the Man-Made Disaster of the Welfare State

by Robert Tracinski
Sep 02, 2005

It has taken four long days for state and federal officials to figure out how to deal with the disaster in New Orleans. I can't blame them, because it has also taken me four long days to figure out what is going on there. The reason is that the events there make no sense if you think that we are confronting a natural disaster.

If this is just a natural disaster, the response for public officials is obvious: you bring in food, water, and doctors; you send transportation to evacuate refugees to temporary shelters; you send engineers to stop the flooding and rebuild the city's infrastructure. For journalists, natural disasters also have a familiar pattern: the heroism of ordinary people pulling together to survive; the hard work and dedication of doctors, nurses, and rescue workers; the steps being taken to clean up and rebuild.

Public officials did not expect that the first thing they would have to do is to send thousands of armed troops in armored vehicle, as if they are suppressing an enemy insurgency. And journalists--myself included--did not expect that the story would not be about rain, wind, and flooding, but about rape, murder, and looting.

But this is not a natural disaster. It is a man-made disaster.

The man-made disaster is not an inadequate or incompetent response by federal relief agencies, and it was not directly caused by Hurricane Katrina. This is where just about every newspaper and television channel has gotten the story wrong.

The man-made disaster we are now witnessing in New Orleans did not happen over the past four days. It happened over the past four decades. Hurricane Katrina merely exposed it to public view.

The man-made disaster is the welfare state.

For the past few days, I have found the news from New Orleans to be confusing. People were not behaving as you would expect them to behave in an emergency--indeed, they were not behaving as they have behaved in other emergencies. That is what has shocked so many people: they have been saying that this is not what we expect from America. In fact, it is not even what we expect from a Third World country.

When confronted with a disaster, people usually rise to the occasion. They work together to rescue people in danger, and they spontaneously organize to keep order and solve problems. This is especially true in America. We are an enterprising people, used to relying on our own initiative rather than waiting around for the government to take care of us. I have seen this a hundred times, in small examples (a small town whose main traffic light had gone out, causing ordinary citizens to get out of their cars and serve as impromptu traffic cops, directing cars through the intersection) and large ones (the spontaneous response of New Yorkers to September 11).

So what explains the chaos in New Orleans?

To give you an idea of the magnitude of what is going on, here is a description from a Washington Times story:

"Storm victims are raped and beaten; fights erupt with flying fists, knives and guns; fires are breaking out; corpses litter the streets; and police and rescue helicopters are repeatedly fired on.

"The plea from Mayor C. Ray Nagin came even as National Guardsmen poured in to restore order and stop the looting, carjackings and gunfire....

"Last night, Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco said 300 Iraq-hardened Arkansas National Guard members were inside New Orleans with shoot-to-kill orders.

" 'These troops are...under my orders to restore order in the streets,' she said. 'They have M-16s, and they are locked and loaded. These troops know how to shoot and kill and they are more than willing to do so if necessary and I expect they will.' "

The reference to Iraq is eerie. The photo that accompanies this article shows National Guard troops, with rifles and armored vests, riding on an armored vehicle through trash-strewn streets lined by a rabble of squalid, listless people, one of whom appears to be yelling at them. It looks exactly like a scene from Sadr City in Baghdad.

What explains bands of thugs using a natural disaster as an excuse for an orgy of looting, armed robbery, and rape? What causes unruly mobs to storm the very buses that have arrived to evacuate them, causing the drivers to drive away, frightened for their lives? What causes people to attack the doctors trying to treat patients at the Super Dome?

Why are people responding to natural destruction by causing further destruction? Why are they attacking the people who are trying to help them?

My wife, Sherri, figured it out first, and she figured it out on a sense-of-life level. While watching the coverage last night on Fox News Channel, she told me that she was getting a familiar feeling. She studied architecture at the Illinois Institute of Chicgo, which is located in the South Side of Chicago just blocks away from the Robert Taylor Homes, one of the largest high-rise public housing projects in America. "The projects," as they were known, were infamous for uncontrollable crime and irremediable squalor. (They have since, mercifully, been demolished.)

What Sherri was getting from last night's television coverage was a whiff of the sense of life of "the projects." Then the "crawl"--the informational phrases flashed at the bottom of the screen on most news channels--gave some vital statistics to confirm this sense: 75% of the residents of New Orleans had already evacuated before the hurricane, and of the 300,000 or so who remained, a large number were from the city's public housing projects. Jack Wakeland then gave me an additional, crucial fact: early reports from CNN and Fox indicated that the city had no plan for evacuating all of the prisoners in the city's jails--so they just let many of them loose. There is no doubt a significant overlap between these two populations--that is, a large number of people in the jails used to live in the housing projects, and vice versa.

There were many decent, innocent people trapped in New Orleans when the deluge hit--but they were trapped alongside large numbers of people from two groups: criminals--and wards of the welfare state, people selected, over decades, for their lack of initiative and self-induced helplessness. The welfare wards were a mass of sheep--on whom the incompetent administration of New Orleans unleashed a pack of wolves.

All of this is related, incidentally, to the apparent incompetence of the city government, which failed to plan for a total evacuation of the city, despite the knowledge that this might be necessary. But in a city corrupted by the welfare state, the job of city officials is to ensure the flow of handouts to welfare recipients and patronage to political supporters--not to ensure a lawful, orderly evacuation in case of emergency.

No one has really reported this story, as far as I can tell. In fact, some are already actively distorting it, blaming President Bush, for example, for failing to personally ensure that the Mayor of New Orleans had drafted an adequate evacuation plan. The worst example is an execrable piece from the Toronto Globe and Mail, by a supercilious Canadian who blames the chaos on American "individualism." But the truth is precisely the opposite: the chaos was caused by a system that was the exact opposite of individualism.

What Hurricane Katrina exposed was the psychological consequences of the welfare state. What we consider "normal" behavior in an emergency is behavior that is normal for people who have values and take the responsibility to pursue and protect them. People with values respond to a disaster by fighting against it and doing whatever it takes to overcome the difficulties they face. They don't sit around and complain that the government hasn't taken care of them. They don't use the chaos of a disaster as an opportunity to prey on their fellow men.

But what about criminals and welfare parasites? Do they worry about saving their houses and property? They don't, because they don't own anything. Do they worry about what is going to happen to their businesses or how they are going to make a living? They never worried about those things before. Do they worry about crime and looting? But living off of stolen wealth is a way of life for them.

The welfare state--and the brutish, uncivilized mentality it sustains and encourages--is the man-made disaster that explains the moral ugliness that has swamped New Orleans. And that is the story that no one is reporting.

The Bad News About The Character Of Some People

2005-09-10T03:01:00.000-04:00

I won't point the finger of blame, which the media has continually fixed firmly on President Bush. Nor wil I vent my horror, my anger, or my frustration at how it is difficult to get to the bottom of the various reports riding along the information highway. What I will do is pay tribute to those who were trapped in the city of New Orleans, people who became the innocents sacrificed to the lions in the modern day coliseum that the city became when it was pretty much abandoned.

All for one and one for all, no, wait, that is: every man for himeslf. It didn't have to be that way, yet for many unable to get out, it was. But not by choice, but rather by the inescapable hand that fate dealt them via decisions made without their knowledge and consent.

Tears flooded past the levees of my eyes, pouring through every breach possible, cried in vain for, and crying along with many who were horrified to find themselves with no resources and at the mercy of the merciless. For many, it was their last day or days on this earth and for others their illusion of, had they once been among those who had this phrase in their vocab.: "people are basically good' was completely shattered as they desperately searched for a place to hide.

If, by any chance our family is called upon to consider taking in a family from this area, I hope and pray that all the hearts of my family be prepared in advance. I have my questions ready to ask the person with whom I will speak, to make sure they are not of the crowd who thinks they are owed something by someone, somehow! I do not feel bad in any way that I will do this, for why should I? It is not about race, it is not about any silly name for things people made up, it is about giving help to those who really want it and need it!

I am my brother's keeper.

Kindness and Respect

2005-09-08T15:42:00.000-04:00

Seeming to barely avoid spewing spit along with their words that have reviled and blamed President Bush for just about every aspect of the before, during and after of Hurricane Katrina, the hate-filled reporters, authorities, representatives and laypersons have totally forgotten basic character traits such as respect and kindness.

Never mind that the the criticizers and criticisms have no basis in actual fact, but even if they did, the mere tone of those who grab today's headlines should, at the very least, give to others what they demand we all give to those practicing various sexual couplings: i.e. man to man, woman to woman, man to man and man, man who would be woman, woman who would be man, etc. , which is tolerance, in a word, the headline grabbers word.

Trouble is that they have no interest in actual tolerance. By definition the word tolerance has at its very basis of example general kindness as well as respect for another human being. But let me not get into that story, which is a whole other post that would expose the real agenda of the tolerance crowd, but rather I will stick to the lack of respect that these persons have for President Bush and anyone who is part of his Administration or supports him or his Administration.

The tone of the various editiorials, letters to the editor and news reports is quite ugly. As I mentioned earlier in this post, the only thing that it is lacking is actual spitting while talking about the various aspects of the President's involvement or perceived lack of, in the crises. Nasty attitude people such as Michael Moore don't care that the environmental activists interfered via the courts in preventing measures to be taken by the Army Corps of Engineers decades ago to shore up Lake Pontchartrain against a day such as this one. Even with the facts in front of him, he nor the mayor of New Orleans would admit the truth. Why? Because it would prevent them from spewing their hate at their number one prime hate targe: President Bush.

Shame on these people though: the media, both ink stained and microphoned, authorities as well as politicians, for using the hurting and violated to pursue their hate agenda. This sort of calamaty was neither the time or place for such an attack, but was the time for common courtesy and respect; respect for the President and his Administration and for those terribly afflicted due to this devastating hurricane.

Honoring Our Mothers And Our Fathers

2005-09-07T16:10:00.000-04:00

In my son's Life Management class there is excellent information given on how exactly we are supposed to honor our parents. The trouble is that we as children, teenagers mostly, sit in judgment on our parents, dis their advice and trash their experience as of no consequence to what we are dealing with or facing. This in turn heaps troubles on our own heads, though we would probably be loathe to admit it or face it.

There are one or two web journals that I read written by teenagers, one who is fourteen and the other who is sixteen, both females. I read them ever other week or so because they are so dang depressing and so judgmental of their parents that it is hard to take on a regular basis. Yet, out of the other side of their mouths they stand tall and strong on how various adults, groups and individuals are against homosexuality instead of tolerant, like themselves! It is sheer hypocrisy to make way for understanding, acceptance and indeed tolerance of homosexuality, yet have not a shred of tolerance for your own parents. Their parents get cursed out, mocked and ridiculed, mainly, it seems from reading the stuff they write, for not living up to whatever the expectations are of them, expectations set by these young people. (though neither of these young people clarify what and where the parents failed them exactly). I am sure if these two young people were to apply some of the rhetoric they use for homosexuality they might put themselves in the parent's place for just a moment and gain a hair of insight into their intolerance and hostility to their own parent(s).

As a parent and a former teen I have the advantage over these young people, a fact that many young people outright reject (how intolerant of them), though it is known and accepted that this is the truth.

The thing is that our parents are not perfect and they take on this responsibility of caring another human life, and a helpless one at that, with no instruction book whatsoever. Mainly what they get is told many things by many people on how to do many things so that their head is spinnning and they can hardly think.

True too are that some parents yell, scream, and beat their children, or ignore, neglect or rarely show them any affection. Then there are parents who try to be hip and their children's friend, or others that make decisions on what to do with their children with the goal of having their children 'like' them. Others try to be balanced in all they do as a parent, try to be affectionate, spend time playing with their child and cuddling, and others go a little overboard and attend every mommy and me event, sign up their children for the elite preschool, get their child the 'best' friends and live vicariously through their child. Some abandon their children, some treat their children as property, while others treat their children as lives entrusted to them to care for, to watch over and to guide on the right way to go in life.

In all those words I used, what I am saying is that there are all kinds of parents, none of which are perfect. Even the most balanced and caring, loving parent can and will make mistakes. It happens to everyone. Why then are these teens, a small sampling of youth with this prevalent attitude among their age group, so harsh and intolerant of these people, their parents? I do have some ideas on that but I want to head in another direction, that direction being myself on both ends of that spectrum, having resented my mother and father as a teen as well as been a parent whom a teen has resented. Keep in mind that I am writing as I am thinking on this, so paragraph cohesion is not a priorty.

The young ladies flame at their parents giving them no room for error whatsoever and clearly it seems like the parents are in a lose lose. If they only knew what their children write about them I do believe their hearts would break. While they pay bills and mortgages and rents and hold jobs to pay all this, buy computers, pay tuitions, go on vacations, buy food, buy food, buy food, food that they clearly don't eat all by themselves, electricity that they don't use up all by themselves, etc. Yet the parents get no respect, no room for error, and are barely tolerated, and when tolerated it's because of food, computers, vacations, etc.

In the next breath these young people make allowance and room for any and all persons given to various odd sexual behavior, allowing wide margins for acceptance with no errors and a clear win win for these highly sexualized human beings in the opinion of these young people.

Now I don't write this as judgment, because as I pointed out, I was a teen like that and did wrong by my mom and my dad. As time goes on I fully intend on opening up more of some of that stuff, but I want to get on with this a bit more before I have to stop and go make dinner. 8-)

Many of the mistakes that I, as a parent, made had to do with where my focus was and that was usually on my self. I wonder how many teens are comfortable with having that in common with parents like me? After all, many of today's teens, with the encouragement and full blessing of many adults (thankee Planned Parenthood and the like), are focused entirely on 'me' 'me' 'me'. Some youth may want to rationalize it away by saying that parent's should be focused on their child, teens are supposed to be focused on self, etc., but that is not true. Do you think that one day when that youth becomes a parent that they suddenly snap out of self serving living into selfless giving? I don't think so. Any honest with themselves person would have to agree. So what happens when we as selfish teens snap judge our parents for doing wrong by us via their selfish decisions that affect us is bring that judgment right down on our own heads, while we continue to blame our parents all along the way! In order to live a selfless and giving life you must have put that living style into practice or it will not happen.

All this is wrapped up in the 'honoring our parents' message, you see, because if we honored our parents as we are called to do, and tolerated them even a tiny iota as much as we tolerate people we don't even know and who have never sacrificed a single thing on our behalf, then we wouldn't have such disdain for our parents as these two young people seem to have. Selah.

The Blame Game

2005-09-04T13:40:00.000-04:00

I am frustrated. Frustrated by the spreading of blame on those who are not to blame for the tragedy in New Orleans. Here is why.

First off, New Orleans, population 500,000, is only one city out of how many in the great state of Louisiana? Does anyone who criticizes know? I don't know, but I know that in my great state of New Jersey there are over twenty-one counties easy, full of large towns and small towns. My city alone is home to over 55,000 people.

Now, being that the entire state was not swamped by Katrina and the storm surge that occurred, can we at least assume that there were any number of government officials in places of authority to do something about preparing for this storm as well as available to aid people in need after the storm?

For days before the storm the weather channel and the news reported constantly on the coming hurricane. They continually presented figures of how high the storm surge could be. When they announced shelters for people they made it clear that you should bring your own food and water, etc.

How all the fallout of the failures to do for the victims became the fault of the President is just beyond my comprehension.

For instance, where was the great state of Louisiana's police, fire, emergency, and other authorities when it came to preparing for the storm, evacuating and coming to their aid afterwards? Was the entire state under water? Immobilized? Where were they? How come, with three days to prepare for, evacuate, care for and have a plan of rescue and such put into effect for those left behind, they didn't? For three days officials could have been filling the superdome with cases of water for the people because we all know that even when we are told to bring this or that, many of us just don't. They also could have been filling the superdome with bags of snacks and other easy to eat food in disposable packages, but they didn't. The reports of the horrific conditions of the superdome were because? They were because too many people do not care about their fellow man. Think about it, in the superdome were those people who cut you off, who cut you in line at the store, who would just as soon trample you rather than wait their turn for aid. People do not suddenly become humanitarian in a disaster, but if they are already inclined to just as soon give you the finger than help you, they are going to be even worse when a crisis hits. This is the President's fault?

I think if we are going to blame people we need to start with ourselves. And that means that the governing body of New Orleans needs to admit that he had no plan either and that the selfish and criminal element took advantage of the crisis by behaving in reprehensible ways.

Yes, many people in that superdome just wanted shelter and food and were willing to wait their turn, but they were side by side with those who would just as soon stab them as look at them. And, quite frankly, that attitude permeates all classes of people, not only the poor.

Truly it is horrifying to see the nasty images on television, but to blanket blame it on the slow response of FEMA is crazy. Where the heck were the people of Louisiana? Because of the looting many policemen turned in their badges and quit. They simply could not control it. Were all the people looting? No, but those who chose to do so made it that much more difficult to put a plan into place for the law abiding citizens.

If we want to see how something like that could happen in America, I say look into your own heart. We are one of the most selfish, selfserving people on the planet, living for ourselves. It is true that in a crisis many Americans rise to the occasion and help others, but for the most part we are looking out for number one. All you have to do is take that one step further to get closer to the understanding of how something like that could happen in America.

Logistically speaking, how many of us really know what is involved in evacuating citizens? How many of us have ever had to make a decision like that? If we know a storm is coming and we know three days in advance, how many of us wouldn't bother to get any medications that we might need? Or to make sure that we have enough water? Or to make the decision to leave if we had to and go to a friend's or a relative's? Unless we have been in that sort of situation, how do we know what should be done and how? Yet we can criticize and point fingers of blame without knowing anything. That is speaking out of ignorance and it is the most dangerous of all speaking. We speak of what we do not know as if we know all about it. We have no answers or no better plan but we criticize anyway. We are not involved in the political process in any way, shape, or form, yet we criticize. We are not involved because they are all liars and crooks and what not, but we criticize. Shame on us. Especially shame on Christians who speak of what they do not know and do nothing about the things they perceive as wrong, except criticize.

Was President Bush at fault? Not necessarily. Especially when you think about his involvment in terms of what was supposed to happen with help on the state level. As I understand FEMA, they come in after the disaster and are not responsible for the logistics of the places receiving the aid; that having been taken care of by the state officials. Further, we are talking flood waters full of down electrical lines, snakes, e-coli, and parts of the city ripe with anarchy. So, go ahead, blame the President, after all, if he was doing his job there would have been no looting and no one without food and water in the superdome, right?

Hearts Are Changing

2005-08-21T23:01:00.000-04:00

There have been some studies released recently showing that more youth are against the aborting of the unborn. Of course where are my facts to back up my statement there, somewhere around here or on the internet where I read it. Interestingly enough though, I get some of that information from the Alan Gutmacher Institute which is the research arm of Planned Parenthood. I am not sure, however, if that particular study was theirs, even though they do many studies regarding abortion.

It gives me hope for my nation when I read the results of these studies and even some of the statements some of these dear young people make. Every single one of them was born into a society that considers the aborting of an unwanted pregnancy as some kind of given, right, God given or constitutional. That is why to hear that hearts are turning away from that vein of thinking and beginning to acknowledge the most vulnerable of our society gives me great hope indeed.

Soon I will return to the crisis pregnancy ministry and once again see some of the youth of our nation, mostly inner city, on a regular basis. I have missed it these last few years and look foward to returning. The top two things that I miss about it is sharing God's love with these young people and the young people themselves. When I think on my years there and those I have met, I can recall situation after trying situation, dire, fear-filled, despair, crying uncontrollably, and too often, laughing in the face of some of the facts about abortion and the risks teens are exposed to when they chose to have sexual relations. For sure I cannot recall many faces, but I can recall their stories and how they touched me and changed me. Working with them and knowing the love of Christ in my own heart has firmly established in my heart that it is hearts that should change, not laws, though I of course do believe laws should protect the unborn just as surely as they are supposed to protect the born child from an abusive parent. It is the heart change though, that ensures that it is by their own free will they come to the truth and it changes them forever. A law can make you do something you don't want to do, but a heart change, oh a heart change, makes you free from the law, in the spiritual sense, that is. I wouldn't want anyone reading this to think I am an advocate for lawbreaking.

So, anyway, before my ramble gets too rambly and I end up deleting the entry, It is good that I will be returning and that my return will be during a time when the death mentality of the young is beginning to turn to life, good indeed. 8-)

Oh yes, and when I locate those studies I will surely be back to post the information.

Some Myths And Facts

2005-08-20T23:45:00.000-04:00

Yup! Here it is. Some of that stuff I had hanging around to post here. Arrrgh, I couldn't remember where I put it. And then, I didn't feel like writing! Why? Mostly because I hit that backspace key way too much because I am a lousy typist. Always have been. Imagine failing typing two years in a row and passing stenography with the top speed in the class!!

Well, this is why the Democrats are the worse deceivers that I have seen in my time involved in current events as pertains to politics. This filibuster madness that they childishly have grabbed a hold of and haven't let go of yet, mentality-wise is at the top of the list. Never mind how qualified the candidates that the president rightfully is allowed to appoint, never mind that the candidates would pass on an up and down vote, never mind that the right thing to do is to allow that vote, the Democratic leadership in the U.S. Senate today is the bottom of the barrel ethically.

I have written to my senators about this issue and their letters are always returned to me and worded in such a way as to make me feel my lack of experience in their world. However, I recognize that they utilize that advantage so as to be 'right' and me be wrong.

For instance, my senators, in response to my complaining of the filibuster is to point out that only ten of the president's 214 judicial nominees were filibustered.

The real truth is that almost all of those confirmed were to lower federal district courts. You see, the big deal is the President's nominees to circuit courts of appeal. Here is the most telltale piece of data: Ten of the president's 34 appeals nominees were filibustered!

There are quite a few other revelations I have discovered hidden beneath the rhetoric of the Democratic leadership as well as the letters I receive from my representatives, but I will post one more before I sign off, which is, to me, the most telling of them all.

The Democratic leadership made such a big deal about the 'constitutional option' as if it were a horrible thing that the Republicans were trying to do by invoking it. They played it up, the media played it up, hyping that these Republicans were power crazed, and perhaps even anti-constitution or something and labeled the threat to invoke this option as a Republican Power Grab!

However, when a minority of senators prevents an up and down vote on the very well qualified and majority supported if given a vote judicial nominees, that is the real power grab. And if our media were doing the job that they are supposed to be doing, the American public would be reading about it in the papers and hearing it on the news, instead of the Big Media becoming nothing but a megaphone and sounding board for the agenda of the Democratic leadership.

Up And Down Votes

2005-08-17T19:33:00.000-04:00

I have some information somewhere here. Let me get it. But first let me say that what the Democrats are doing and have been doing during the Bush Administration, and with the full blessing of the media, is indeed unprecedented in their not allowing an up and down vote on the president's nominees to the various posts he has nominated them to. The reason for the filibuster and the ridiculous demands for documents are all geared to not allowing someone who doesn't pass their limitus test into any position that they thing important to those with a particular agenda. Never mind that what they are doing is unconstitutional or undermines the purposes of their offices in the way our government should be run. The truth is that there are enough votes to confirm, so they do not allow the vote to happen by whatever tactic on hand. They are denying the process.

To me the Democrats who are behaving like this are the epitome of hypocrisy. How they can sleep at night with anything remote near a clear conscience is beyond me. There is no limit to their justification for all that they do when it is clear that they are doing wrong. I don't think they are fooling anyone either, in that I have never, not once, heard any of those arrogant men and women admit they are wrong about anything! No one is that perfect, no one!! We the people could indeed have one of the most unique ways of self-governing if we didn't constantly in our history encounter self-serving, self important, power mad, the hell with everyone else people not caring about the country, but only about their own advancement.

I'll be back with that stuff after I find it. 8-)

Human Behavior Revisited

2005-08-16T21:44:00.000-04:00

See? A laptop computer giveaway (practically a give away) in Virginia brings out the real us in the crowd and is another example of what I see as the behavior of the masses that proves my point that people are not basically good, but basically self-centered and well, not good. 8-)

They were lined up hours before the Apple iBooks, at fifty dollars a piece, saw the doors open to be sold to 'first come, first served'. The crowd crushed, stampeded, knocked others on the head, kicked others who were down (which were probably knocked down) drove a car through the crowd and wet their pants rather than give up their place on line. No Apple personal put a stop to it, no police arrested anyone, and except for a few people who, when interviewed were disgusted at the behavior of their fellow man, the rest justified the stomping, shoving, whacking as their right because of people trying to take force their way into the line.

It is in our nature to think of ourselves first, and lest this post come off as my seeming to place myself above such behavior, who of anyone of us has not had their ire rise when someone passed them in the emergency lane while they themselves were stuck in traffic and doing the right thing? Who has not wanted to whack someone, place an obstacle in said someone's way, or otherwise prevent a line cutter, a person without scruples taking something that doesn't belong to them, from getting away with such a thing, especially if it is something of ours, be it property, our place in a line, or anything else that makes our mercury rise in indignation at the gall of another! I know I have felt my temperature rise, and rather quickly, when encountering any manner of such persons acting in such a way. It is with great effort that I have put myself down (most of the time) to avoid acting the very same way as the offender as I try to stop them from violating my rights or taking my place! And I do mean most of the time. It is one of my prayers that it become all the time, by the grace of God, so that I do not harm someone else because I want a 'thing' so badly, whether it be a laptop, my place in line, or anything at all that is supposed to be mine and is taken by another.

I daresay that the way I try to be is the exception rather than the norm and my proof continues to make headlines, as did this Stampede story. The reason why of course is that innate thing called sin, the thing we don't like to acknowledge as a human reality. We prefer to think that people are basically good. Sure we are, if you catch us on a good day and not in the middle of a crises of any kind. I reiterate, the only reason why I am able to avoid the same behavior is that I recognize and believe that sin is a reality of my flesh, is in my heart, and is desirous to have me. Therefore I have decided to trust in the Lord to help me to address this problem of sin and He is faithful to do so. Indeed I cannot even take credit for rising above the fracas and rioting masses who've no regard for their fellow man because it is the Lord who does it for me.

I am sure that what I have just written may seem sermony, but that is not my intent. Truthfully I am just stating the facts of how I (try to) live my life and sharing in my blog what living is like for me and how I react to things and what I do about different matters, etc., and no one has to be offended because I am just me being me. 8-) I promise to, by the grace of God, extend the same courtesy to others. The golden rule is a good one: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". It works because it prevents me from giving others what they deserve when they walk all over me, disrespect me or violate my rights. If I didn't love Jesus so, if I didn't believe that God's love for me was worth His Son giving His all on my behalf, I wouldn't bother. It is love that motivates even when the return of my fellow man may be to trample me while I am on line for a fifty dollar laptop that they are intent on getting to before me; me, who was on line for hours and rightfully was in place way ahead of them. I can be indignant, I can be offended and hurt, but most of the time I don't give back what they deserve because it just isn't worth it.

Apple staff certainly could have done the sale differently to prevent injury to their customers, but judging by their comments, they just didn't seem to care. The crowd of people reacted predictably as far as I am concerned. A first come, first served, almost giving it away sale is a lethal combination that no respectable person should subject themselves to. The crowd, the masses, the riff raff; these are the people that justify the presence of such words in our vocabulary. But it usually isn't the people one may think of when they think of those words. Check out the cars some of these people drove to the sale, check out the jewelery of others; it isn't who we might think because greed, ignorance and selfishness are not atttributes of any particular class of people, not at all. It is a heart condition, which knows no social status.

I better stop now, because I truly rambled. But I simply have to post, I have to write, I have to vent, I have to share and let the words flow. Hey! Can you imagine what it would be like listening to me speak all these words aloud???? hahahaha

That is the way of people though, and each day there is an article in the news of an incident that drives the truth about how we really are, home. I hope to write about other things though, and not just this, but I couldn't resist a post in this category after reading of the stampede. And I also want to make good on my committment to utilize my blog, even customizing it like some blogs of others that I have perused during my membership here.

Lord willing, I will be back tomorrow to post another ramble. ;)

A Vigil That Dishonors

2005-08-15T23:14:00.000-04:00

A war protestor who lost a son in Iraq says she will not be satisfied till she can meet with President Bush, for??? She and other parents who lost their loved ones in this very important war on terror and terrorists (the mideast is the hotbed of all such activities) already met with the President but that wasn't enough. Indeed no! For soon after, she received information (credible I am sure) of some faulty intelligence and the like. I guess she did all things pefectly in her life and more than likely is able to run the country and deal with the fallout from 9/11 in a much better way than anyone in the White House or on staff there today. :(

The trouble is that bringing the troops home will do what bringing the troops home has done far too often in years gone by: It will cause many, many innocent people to be tortured and brutalized by the evil that will overrun them when the allies do leave. Just as they were in Iraq after the liberation of Kuwait and as happened in VietNam when we, losing too many, many unnecessary lives because of idiot politicians and the politics of various self-serving leaders caused us to not be able to fight the war as we should have in order to fulfill our obligation to our South Vietnamese allies to keep communism frrom overcoming and brutalizing them.

The thing is that she will never be satisfied, because nothing she can do will bring him back. That is the heartbreaker of the entire situation. Just to listen to what she chooses to say indicates that she has no respect for the President, at least no more than the major newspapers gleefully grabbing onto her story have. Why should the president meet with someone who just wants to blast him? Who knows? Maybe someone will make a movie out of it and buy the rights from her to do so. So we can have another "America is crap" movie to tear down the morale of those who serve in the military in our nation.

I don't have all the answers any more than anyone else does, but it seems to me that when those serving in Iraq, allies and American troops, see the news, especially our media who aren't interested in reporting a blip of good coming out of Iraq due to our presence and sacrifice there, they are bound to be dragged down, saddened, depressed and get the wrong picture of what many of the nation does feel: that what they are doing in Iraq is noble, no, not perfect, but noble. The Iraqi people, especially the women, want the freedom that we have, need the freedom that we have, and deserve the freedom that we have. We are there, let's do it!

It seems to me that there is no other nation quite like ours and I wouldn't ever want to take away our right to speak our mind just like this mom is doing. However, I do feel that though such things are our right to express, we don't always have to express them, especially when it could cause someone else to stumble and fall and lose heart.

Sorry mom, but anger won't win the day. Pointing the finger won't win the day. Pulling the troops out and continuing to live for ourselves as if 9/11 never happened or as if we deserved it for being such a scum and lowlife country (I am being sarcastic) will not win the day. What will win the day is pulling together and supporting our president, our troops, our country and stopping feeling as if we have to apologize for ourselves all the time.

My heart breaks for her loss, but this is the wrong outlet. Sacrificing her marriage also dishonors the memory of her son. It would have broken his heart to see what has happened to his mom and dad after his untimely departure from this earth. There is a better way and it is so sad that it is not the way that has been chosen.

Plane Crash/Human Behavior Comments

2005-08-14T14:59:00.000-04:00

Yesterday a jet airplane crashed in Greece killing all aboard. Turns out that a third of the victims were children, which always makes a disaster of any kind much more horrible. Relatives of the victims, according to news reports, crowded the ticket counter of the airline calling those there 'murderers'.

There were a few things which came to my mind when I was reading this account, regarding irrational behavior, misplaced anger, as well as the blame game. This is why I end up not writing on my blog too, because I read something or hear something and all these things go through my mind and I cannot get them down fast enough, losing quite a bit of what I would have liked to say. Also at times I just don't feel like writing, or start to obsess over whether I have paragraph unity or cohension or if when I reread it I find that I seemed to have rambled, which causes me to delete what I wrote and let days and days go by without making any further attempts to write. But since I am keeping this blog, I really should make the attempt to post entries and let the chippies fall where they may. 8-)

In any case, as always with a tragedy like this, I feel so sad and so sorry for the people left behind. My thoughts linger on the people who died as well, but it is hard to feel sorry for them because they are no longer of this world, so instead I think about their final panic stricken moments and then eternity staring them in the face at the end of it all.

Being human beings, anyone who is honest must admit the capability of us all to make mistakes, for equipment to fail, and disaster sometimes occurring as a result of said mistakes or failures. The blame thing is also quite a human trait as well in that we somehow maybe think we will feel better in our hearts at facing the loss of someone we loved so dearly if we can have an agenda of anger towards those responsible for our pain. Of course I am not overlooking the fact that far too often someone causes this pain purposely through their callous disregard for other people's welfare or by deliberate attack on someone's person, but I am addressing here the fallacy of humanity as well as mechanical failures (the mechanical things created and maintained by humans) and the tragedies such as this plane crash that can result because of these truths.

First off everyone who gets on a plane must know that the possibility exists of its crashing. Also, you average everyday person must know that the ticket agent was not piloting the plane and is therefore not deserving of being yelled at and called a murderer. Finally, and this the scariest of all that comes into my mind, the behavior of crowds of people who are angry and feeling justified about it is appalling and inexcusable.

I realize that I have never faced the death of a loved one via a plane crash, but I have watched my brother, my father, my aunt and my grandmother die, two of them at home. I have watched as the doctors and the hospitals made some misdiagnoses along the way as well and have felt quite angry with those people for those mistakes. I have spoken curtly with those that were there and had nothing to do with the doctor who had said or done the wrong thing. The thing is though, that I was aware that I was wrong to vent on the person like that, and ended up apologizing.

We have all seen it or read about it, I'm sure, a fire and mass hyteria for the exits, with a complete disregard for anyone else, resulting in the deaths of more people than there would have been had the crowd not freaked out. You can always count on the crowd to react that way in the event of such situations. I am sure, scattered here and there throughout the crowd are pockets of people who would not behave so appallingly, but for the most part the masses push through and right over those righteous folks. I find the masses scenerio much more frightening than the actual disaster scenerio.

That is the attitude possessed by those at the airline ticket counter in Greece now. Confronted with the horrific death of their loved ones they have no regard for anyone else but themselves and their pain. Should these people be face to face with the pilot, say for instance he was to survive and face the loved ones of the victims, he would be dead in a matter of moments, beaten to death by the masses. Selfish and self centered to a fault are we, always demanding to be understood and tolerated and refusing to extend the same courtesy to another. It is only by a willingness to admit this capacity in myself that is in every other person that I feel I am able overcome it and avoid behaving like the masses. Oh, that the masses would begin to individually look to themselves honestly and vow to change their ways, we would not have to fear the rioting behavior of the crowds in the future.

Letter to the Editor

2005-07-14T09:15:00.000-04:00

I am a great advocate of trying to get one's point across via the written word and who knows, sometimes change a mind or two about the situation on which I write.

Every year lately we have our Fourth of July disrupted by rude neighbors who break the law by shooting off large amounts of fireworks that are far more than just firecrackers.

My local newspaper has been so kind as to print it:

Dear Editor,

Since your newspaper has been so courteous to print the letters I have written to you over the years, I am here again with another in the hopes that you have not forgotten my rather unpopular viewpoints and me; especially on the subject of Fourth of July fireworks shot off illegally by my neighbors.

For an hour now my neighbor has been in the street shooting off fireworks. Not just little firecrackers either, but some such as the town of Union shoots off in Biertempel Park. They are in the dark, with many very small children present, having a rocking good time doing something that is illegal.

There are reasons why fireworks are illegal in New Jersey. I would assume right off the bat that because they are dangerous is one of the top reasons for this law. Never mind whether we agree with it or not, if it is illegal we should not be doing it, or showing our children that it is okay to disregard the law if we think it is stupid, or if we don’t agree with it.

As I stood on my back porch along with some of my neighbors who I knew were on their back porches doing the same, I watched these fireworks go clear over some of our houses. Which brings to mind something that perhaps those who indulge in this criminal mischief may not have thought of, and that is: consideration.

The reason why many of us are doing this is because the possibility for fire or injury always exists when one is shooting off fireworks with trees and houses all around. Many of us had other things we would have rather been doing, and some of us were chased out of our yards because we feared the debris falling on us while we tried to enjoy the last night of our holiday weekend. Some of us had to sit and hold our pets that were completely disrupted by the explosions that went on for close to an hour. Tomorrow we, who have debris in our yards, pools, pool filters and on our decks from our neighbors fun time, will be cleaning up after a party we did not throw. And you can be sure that just like children, those who would scoff at the concerns many of us have regarding the danger of fire from these illegally set off fireworks, would point out that nothing has happened, so nothing is going to happen. How many of our children do that? Display dangerous behavior and assume that because they have not fallen or were otherwise injured by such behavior, that we, the parents who warned them, have no basis for our warnings and so our warnings of danger can be totally disregarded? This is the behavior exhibited by our adult neighbors when they insist on their annual violation of New Jersey state law and subsequent display of inconsideration for their neighbors.

You know what editor? I don’t ask that everyone like me, all I ask for is common courtesy and consideration. Something that I am willing to extend and do extend to my neighbors. Just because you don’t like me shouldn’t mean that you allow your child to throw rocks into my pool or if you pass me on the street you totally ignore me. That is inconsiderate, editor, and is exactly, all illegality aside, what these neighbors are for setting off these fireworks each Fourth of July.

Shasta

2005-07-14T09:13:00.000-04:00

I haven't been here in quite some time and there are just so many things I can write about. In fact, I could write all day on one thing or another. For instance, the Supreme Court vacancies, the arrogance of the Democratic Party Leadership, the ACLU's constant and continual assault on American citizens who acknowledge God in the public square, the excessive amounts of taxpayer dollars spent to bring condoms, 'safe' sex education, and abortion to third world countries who need antibiotics far more desperately and don't want anyone telling them how many children they can have and why, as well as all the money spent to have major blow out concerts to nobly, but misguidedly, call attention to world poverty and insist that taxpayers pour more money into mismanaged programs that are supposed to be dealing with this issue already, instead of putting their own money where their message is, but I will let those issues wait a bit.

Instead I would like to call attention to a most remarkable young lady named Shasta Groene. She has endured what I as an adult shudder to even think about having to endure a small part of. This young lady has provided police with detail after detail of her ordeal and because of her courage will be assured that her family's killer will never know freedom again.

I, of course, only have the news reports and the pictures of her with her dad that have been released to the media to go by, so mostly I am expressing my opinion about Shasta and her situation.

As I listen to various reporters discuss what traumas Shasta will have to deal with due to the repeated brutal assaults as well as what she has witnessed, they all express the hope that she will get the help that she needs, and she is going to need a lot.

To that end, I will not forget this young lady, but will keep her in thought and in prayer; that she will overcome all of it and live a victorious life of triumph over evil, an evil that lives side by side with all of humanity, and one that threatened to devour her, but did not. She has escaped its tenacious grip and my prayer is that she gets the help she needs to shake it free from her heart and minid as well.

What The News Downplays About Elections Such As Iran's

2005-06-28T10:37:00.000-04:00

Ever since Iran's Islamic Revolution of 1979, the country, rather than attaining the supposed heaven on earth experience, it has been anything and everything but.
I could not find the figures for the unemployment rate, but the news out of Iran is that the government continues to repress religion as well as its own economy. Socially the people suffer as well, with homelessness, prostitution and drug addiction plaguing the a great deal of the population. Both AIDS and suicide are prevalent and many of the people are both frustrated and in despair.

Iran is ruled by s 'supreme leader' known as the Ayatollah Khamenei, and 12 Ayatollahs as a 'Council of Guardians', who can, by the way, totally reject any and all legislation brought forth by the Iranian people should these men consider it "un-Islamic." Recently the country held their 7th Presidential elections, which totally exclude any females from being candidates. Angry, as well as hopeless and helpless in the face of the supression of eligible and qualified women from the election process, and such obvious rejection of the country moving forward on behalf of their population, women and reformists both boycotted the polls. The Islamic and anti-Americanism in addition to the efforts by the Basij Islamic militia to mobolize the former, brought conservatives out in great numbers. However, the moderate candidate was beat easily and the runner up is even more into fundamental Islam that the incumbent that was appointed by the Ayatollah!!

It seems to me that the news media, especially in a free society such as ours and the press throughout all of Europe, has the opportunity to report this news out of Iran with as glaring a headline as the ugliness occuring in that nation right now brings to mind to even a layperson such as myself. Yet they choose not to, instead simply reporting that Iran held elections, yawn, nod, sigh, with very little else to report along with that news.

Our news media abounds with report after report of how the American people are becoming increasingly fed up with our involvement in the affairs of the Iraqi's, a nation who just as easily could be living in the same despair as the Iranians are these days. Yet, because of the presence of Iraq's American, British, Australian, and other allies from a smattering of other countries, they have something the Iranian people do not have: hope.

Tell us again, Big Media, how wrong it is for the US to be in Iraq today. Better yet, ask some Iraqi women who are now enjoying the fruits of the sacrifices of American troops on their behalf; ask them if they would rather live under the Islamic government such as their neighboring Iranian women live, or as they live now in Iraq, despite the obstacles caused by those very same Islamic fundamentalist fanatics?

Nah, the Big Media just wants more stories of casualites, of terroristic murders, of sabatoged pipelines and water supplies, of no phone service or electicity, of more polls showing the disatisfaction of American citizens enslaved to a McDonald's mentality, a media that continues to present lopsided reporting out of Iraq, especially as regards casualties.

A long time ago there was a song put out called: War. It said: War, huh, what is it good for? Absolutely, nothing! I say: while war is not desirable, it certainly is to the benefit of freedom loving people to have the option of having war as an option in the fight for freedom. War, huh, what is it good for? Fighting for Freedom, that's what it's good for.

Iraq Again

2005-06-19T09:18:00.000-04:00

Headlines scream that Americans are impatient with our military's remaining in Iraq, anxious for them to return home, and growing increasingly frustrated with the Bush Administration for their seeming indifference to the polls that suggest that our McDonald's society isn't producing the desired result in the time that these upset Americans deem appropriate.

Never mind that the pollers and pollees have no clue as to what it is like to be a part of the military in Iraq or to aid a people who so desire the freedoms we have; something that has NEVER occurred in their nation EVER.

So? What is the timetable all you chairside experts on military operations and establishing democracy amidst terrorists who are Iraqi against Iraqi, Iranians who dread the establishment of Iraq's coming autonomy, Syrians crossing the border, Jordanians, etc., you name it. But we all know what to do now, don't we? Bring our boys home and let Iraq take care of herself.

Of course, she will fall if we do that. Of course, we don't care since our military will be home. Of course if France, who was once occupied and know, if they choose to stir their memories that is, that what America is doing is NOT occupying; if they would have done the right thing and lent the hand in Iraq that they should of, along with shame on you Germany, the possibility exists that the Americans, Poles, Australians, British and other nations who have lent their support to dear Iraq at this time, would not be having as hard a time as they are.

It is easy to criticize what we don't understand and what we don't like, but we would do well to remember that America is the land of the free and still the home of the brave. All you need do is look to the majority of our military men and women who lay their lives down so that the Iraqi people can be free.

I for one don't like some of the politics that abound in this issue, but I do agree that a free Iraq is desired by a tremendous amount of Iraqi people; most especially their women, who were so terribly oppressed. Shame on us again, especially we women who speak out with such hostility against the President and our presence in Iraq, to lend no support to women who deserve to have the opportunities that freedom would afford them. They are tasting it now. Just ask them what they think, ABC, CNN, NBC, AP, and all you other BIG MEDIA reporters.

Time Waits For No One 8-)

2005-06-08T12:18:00.000-04:00

As much as I tell myself that I am going to blog daily, or at least more regularly than I have been, it just doesn't happen. And yet, time moves on. 8-)

There are a wealth of things that I read about, have thoughts about, and occasionally speak to one or two people about, but for the most part, I become so caught up in getting things done around home that I just don't make it here.

It seems that the last time I was here was May 24th, which was two weeks ago already. In that time news has continually happened that I have read about, had thoughts about, and talked about. I really want to be blogging about it as well.

There is the governor's primary recently run in my state of NJ, the recent sentencing of a young man to life in prison for kicking his girlfriend in the stomach to cause the abortion of her unborn twins (she is free from any legal wrong since abortion is her 'right'), a missing teen in Aruba, shameful display intended for the WTC Memorial in NYC, the overturning of a conviction of a corporate criminal, my son's high school graduation as well as his recent SAT's, an overwhelming amount of classwork, homework, and report assignments that are due as well as that I have to wade through, correct, check and log grades for, the rehearsals for the ceremony, our filming of it with limited equipment and space, and a celebratory party for my son's high school graduation. In between all that happening I continue to battle illness and attempt to keep the house from being overtaken by the dust monster, trying to find the balance I once had between all these things going on at once and finding time for them all.

I did have that balance once. Indeed, I was once into time management and did very well. Not any more. I tell myself that I will content myself with at least restoring a semi-balance to the completion of the tasks at hand in my life as well as the pleasureable pursuits of my life, of which I consider this blogging thing one.
My success with such a goal will be evidenced in part by regular blogging entries; whether they are profound posts or trivial posts.

Till then.

Breaking the Filibuster? NOT!

2005-05-24T11:46:00.000-04:00

What happened here with this zero-hour agreement certainly has good and bad points, but the core of the entire issue remains that all of the nominees deserve a vote that they are not getting; which is the reason for the Democrats use of the filibuster, to deny these candidates said vote, which was a reason for the proposed showdown.

I am not at all interested in high drama in Congress, much preferring that they would behave in an exemplary manner instead of displaying the bratty behavior one sometimes sees on a school playground. Infantile, immature, and worse, it makes a mockery of the standards set forth in our Constitution. Thank God that the Founders were able to put away much of their selves in setting the guidelines for a, once unique, nation such as ours. I am sure they, being human, were possessed of the same capacity for the shameful, arrogant and petty behavior exhibited by the likes of Senator Reid.

However, this was a sellout by the Republicans and voters will remember this. T

For the Democrats to agree to 'break' their hold on this situation with President Bush's nominees, they had to have some smug assurance regarding the allowing of any conservative judge being in any position that would make them likely to be appointed to the Supreme Court; which is, of course, the fear of the powerful anti-choice, pro-abortion, anti-God, intolerant, and biased lobby groups that the Democrats (and many Republicans as well) are beholden to.

This is the right of the President, however, a right that the Republicans allowed to be stripped from the President by making this 'deal'. All along it was obvious that the reason for the filibuster by the Democrats is and was their personal opposition to the views of said nominees. It had nothing to do with any questions about the careers of these candidates whatsoever. Fortunately too, for the Democrats, they had Big Media on their side as well. Had the shoe been on the other foot and the Republicans were threatening to shut down the Senate, the uproar would have been defeaning!!

Voters should remember that for so many of our Congresspeople and Senators, that is the bottom line; not what we the people want, or what is good for our nation, but rather it is the agenda of those who keep the money flowing and themselves in power. Power and money are very desirable to many of the folks in our Congress. And as Gandalf the Grey states in Lord of the Rings as he describes to Frodo the singleminded lust that consumes the evil Sauron: "He is seeking it, seeking it, and all his thought is bent on it."

That is why I don't trust 'deals' such as this one. The ability of career politicians to put a spin on all that they say in order to make themselves look like an ardent supporter of the will of the people, is a curse, because it twists their thinking so that they actually believe their own lies. The nation, of course, are the ones to suffer.

The Democrats in leadership positions have clearly made known that they are terribly biased against anyone who holds differing views then themselves and do not think such people worthy of appointments such as these, nor do they have respect for such people and it seems that they are unwilling to even work with them!

For me the bottom line is to keep on keeping on and always remember that God still reigns. Heaven IS His throne and the Earth IS His footstool. So I don't have to worry.

The Reprephensible and Irresponsible Behavior of Newsweek

2005-05-15T22:12:00.000-04:00

However does a magazine with such a large circulation and that enjoys an excellent reputation allow themselves to stoop so low due to their disrespect for the Bush Administration and our involvement in Iraq, to publish a bold lie such as they did regarding the Quran and prison detainees?

Innocent mistake? Maybe. Maybe not. The end result however, has been deaths of innocent people; not to mention an outcry for some USA apologetic groveling heard all the way around the world!

Funny how quickly (and stupidly) people pick up on the offensiveness of the flushing of the Quran, but not one article (that I could find) was written questioning the sense of flushing someone's holy book to get them to talk. If someone flushed my Bible, I might get mighty ticked off, but it wouldn't make me inclined to talk.

Speaking of which, if the authorities of any Christian detainee flushed said Christian's Bible, where would the media be? Would it even be reported? And if it was, who would care? Who would be bent out of shape? Who would become violent over the disrespecting of a Christian's holy book and have every major newspaper printing stories of church leaders demanding an apology; among other demands?

My point? Doesn't it seem to be a lopsided situation? Are Muslims and the Quran the only religious people and religious book deserving of respect and tolerance?

No Rhyme or Reason

2005-05-14T10:31:00.000-04:00

I blog so seldom that I sometimes wonder why I keep this blog. The truth is that there is this thing inside of me that says I like to write. However, I am so spastic about my commitment to it that I debate keeping it, canceling it, keeping it, canceling it; you get the picture.

Suffering from depression adds to the uncertainty of why I bother as well as the knowledge that my opinions are unpopular enough to have people gnashing their teeth at me because they don't like what I believe.

Interestingly enough, I disagree with plenty that others have to say, yet no bile producing hate wells up in me towards any of the persons possessed of differing ideas, thoughts and words. Funny too, but not haha, that these are the very people who call me the intolerant one for my views. I don't get it but I kind of do get it. (Hey, it is statements like that which prompted the No Rhyme or Reason title for this blog entry.)

Alas though, I don't feel well enough to argue with folks, and I suppose I am harmless enough.

What is wrong with this thought: I think that the people of Iraq, as well as the (enslaved) people of North Korea, the people of the Dafur region of Sudan, and many, many others, need a free people, unified, who would lay it on the line so that they would not be enslaved, tortured, murdered and oppressed. I think free people like us, owe it to others who don't have the incredible, mind boggling freedoms and choices that we take so for granted, to help provide the same opportunity to those who are oppressed by their fellow human beings.

Iraq

2005-05-14T10:06:00.000-04:00

Almost to a person, my friends and I dislike war, as well as the untimely deaths of so many of our military, other countries military (who have the guts to help secure Iraqi freedom) and the innocent Iraqi people themselves.

That being said, however, I am appalled at the constant criticism by the countries who should be working with the coalition to secure freedom for the Iraqi's. Instead, they fuel anti-war rhetoric (which is really another excuse to trash America), as they continue to turn a blind eye to the plight of the Iraqi people.

I think we all know that if the coalition were to withdraw from Iraq, there would be a slaughter of even more Iraqi's then there is now, until they are once again a subdued and oppressed people. They will probably fight quite hard, though, since so many have had a taste of freedom; the same freedom taken for granted by those who would criticize the involvement of the brave and many Americans, the Australians, the Italians, the Poles, as well as the English.

Big mouths with no backbone, who think only of themselves. It was clear that these once allies, Spain and Germany, should have supported the move against Saddam, as per the continual UN violations. But no, they instead would prefer to ignore the plight of the Iraqi people, just as the US did in the Gulf War, which after the objective of freeing Kuwait from the clutches of the sadistic Saddam Hussien, were responsible, by virtue of the stupid politics of folks sitting on their duffs in comfort and safety, for the slaughter of many, many, many innocent Iraqi's, who fought against Saddam as the Gulf War went on, hoping someone would care more for them then assine politics, and free them from Saddam.

War, huh? What is it good for? Well, sometimes it is good for setting people free.

Terrorism in Iraq

2005-05-05T09:14:00.000-04:00

The constant and continued terrorizing of the innocent in Iraq is enough to turn my stomach, anger me, and cause me to weep for the lives lost in the pursuit of freedom. There should be no doubt that every person blown up in one of these attacks has died a hero for the freedom of their nation; with the exception of the person who blows himself up, be he Iraqi or Iranian.

When the media labels these terrorists as insurgents and such who are supposedly fighting to rid their country of the US led coalition, they mislead their readers. Those who blow up innocent people who are going about their business in their daily lives are terrorists. Period.

At one blog there was a heated dicussion on the subject of terrorist vs insurgents with various arguments of why these bombings of innocent people does and does not make them terrorists or insurgents, using definitions from the dictionary as well as quotes by some writers. Hello! You can define and critique till the cows come home, but the blowing up of innocent people in order to scare them enough that they will do what you want, for whatever reason: because you don't agree with them or because you don't like what is happening, is terrorizing them, hence they are terrorists.

The fact that the targets are those being trained so that Iraq can take care of herself and the coalition can go home, should make it difficult to believe anything else. These terrorists know what they are doing. They want to scare the people enough so that they won't take on the jobs having to do with the defense of their country. I hope that the people of Iraq stand firm in their resolve to be free. They deserve no less.

Media Deception

2005-04-30T12:38:00.000-04:00

Today the AP gives front page status to a headline stating that former NY Governor Mario Cuomo is cautioning the Republicans against changing the filibuster rules. The news item continues to share with its readers the wisdom that Mr. Cuomo puts forth in the weekly Democratic Party's radio address; the likes of which seem to be geared for nothing short of scaring people into thinking that the Republicans are trying to destroy the Senate, its traditions, and in the end of course, our Constitution. He makes the ludicrous statement that the Republicans

"are threatening to claim ownership of the Supreme Court and other federal courts, hoping to achieve political results on subjects like abortion, stem cells, the environment and civil rights that they cannot get from the proper political bodies"

and further:

the country will experience "exactly the kind of `tyranny of the majority' that James Madison had in mind,"

Firstly, even someone like myself, who is the layest of the layperson, knows that the reason why the Democrats are creating this unprecedented judicial filibuster is because they themselves are, by employing this spoiled-bratish "I can't get my way so no one can play" tactic, seeking to claim ownership of the Supreme Court and other federal courts!!! The are filibustering these nominess, not on the basis of their records, which are exemplary, but because they do NOT want anyone who doesn't support abortion seated on the Federal Bench! And anyone who agrees with the Democrats is devoting front page news headlines (AP, ABC, NBC, etc.), columns, and countless op eds to trying to paint the Republicans as tyrannical, anti-American people!

This is simply not true. The judicial filibuster, employed by the Senate Democrats, is itself unprecedented and destroys hundreds of years of the Senate tradition of 'advising and consenting' the Presidental court appointees. In fact, this is the right of the sitting president, that he gets to pick the judges of his choice. Rarely, if ever, has anything remotely resembling what is happening now, EVER happened in the Senate. So the Democrats who are employing this filibuster are the ones who are attempting to reduce our judiciary to 'tyranny', if of only the few, tyranny just the same.

Not only that people, but by invoking the 'nuclear' option to break this ridiculous freeze on the President's nominees, it does nothing but that, break the Democratic filibuster babies' hold on highly qualified, overwhelming approved by the American Bar and many of their peers, judicial nominees and allow them to go to the floor of the Senate for an up and down vote, the very thing that the Democrats DO NOT want, because they KNOW these exemplary candidates will get the votes THEY NEED to sit on the Federal Bench! IT DOES NOT AFFECT THE LEGISLATIVE FILIBUSTER AT ALL!! NOT A WHIT.

The media does the nation and its people a grave disservice by printing stories such as the one they did today. Either they themselves are unaware of the facts of the situation, or they are and have the same agenda as the filibustering Democratic Senators. We, the readers of such nonsense do ourselves and our country a grave disservice if we believe what the media puts forth as the truth pertaining to this situation.

Judicial Filibuster

2005-04-30T08:56:00.000-04:00

Let us try understand very clearly what this whole filibuster on the judicial nominees is really all about. What is has to do with is the Democrats' (the ones who are filibustering) refusal to allow any judge who has a deep-seated belief in God, and the moral absolutes that often accompany such beliefs, to sit on the federal bench.

If anyone has listened to a fraction of the abusive line of questioning these nominees have endured, most notably Judge Janice Rogers Brown-an African American, they would be appalled at the accusatory tone and hostility of the questioning. Never mind that she has been an Associate Justice for the California Supreme Court with an impeccable record, as well as coming very highly recommended by the Bar Association and those who have worked with and alongside her for years. No, this doesn't count because of her personal beliefs. These Senate Democrats are not rejecting her nomination based on anything to do with her record, but rather with her personal views. That is clear bias, that if the shoe were on the other foot, there would be howlings heard all the way around the world, with a great deal of sympatheic media back-up too!

What seems to be forgotten is that this is an unprecedented action taken by the Democrats, who, like spoiled little children that cannot have their way, are not allowing these nominations the up and down vote that would surely grant them the appointments that they were nominated for: an up and down vote given to virtually every presidential court nominee in the history of this country under our Constitution!

Further, the legislative filibuster would not be affected at all by Senator Frist ending this pouting, but dangerous, game that Senator Reid is playing on behalf of big wheel abortion lobbyists who give much $$ and votes to their elections and they hope, re-elections. Indeed all it will do is allow these nominees the vote they deserve. A vote that will give them the seat on the Appeals Court that the President has EVERY RIGHT to appoint them to. A vote they continue to prevent, knowing they are wrong, but constantly and continually acting as if they are right.

These people say shame on the Republicans, but really it is shame on them for the trashing of these fine nominees before the entire country. Which is, of course, a whole other story, being that few actually look at who these candidates are, allowing Senator Reid to do their thinking for them. Think about it: to not allow a qualified candidate sit on the bench because they are opposed to abortion and to only allow those who are for abortion the appointment? Is that not bias of the same ilk as the one Senator Reid and his cohorts are employing? Alas, but we have no media crying out in horror at such intolerance and bias. We would though, if the shoe were on the other foot.

The Filibuster

2005-04-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

I would venture to guess that there are not too many newspaper reading Americans who know what exactly the filibuster is, or most especially the Democrats unconstitutional use of it to prevent excellent judges from sitting on the federal bench.

For one thing, appointing judges is the constitutional right of the sitting president, whether he is Bill Clinton or George Bush. Constititionally speaking, the Senate is merely suppose to 'advise and consent' and move the nominees to the Senate floor for a full up and down vote.

Not for nothing, but these judges are excellent judges with records to prove their consistent upholding of the Constitution as well as great bipartisan support. What the Democrats do not like is that they are 'conservative' in their personal views. Never mind that they are known for upholding the law and our constitution, this conservative lean has rendered them 'unfit' for a judgeship; though their records render them extremely well-qualified.

The filibuster is and was not intended to be used so that a couple of Democrats who are beholden to abortion rights groups can have their way. A commercial depicting a scene from 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' erroneously tries to make a relation between the sneaky and underhanded behavior of Senate Committe Democrats and a legislative filibuster that Mr. Smith for a reason having to do with doing the 'right' thing; something the Democrats refuse to do in this situation. Instead they deliberately mislead the people and the media helps them in this deception by not reporting the truth regarding what is going on in Washington.

Today, hopefully, despite the infantile behavior of Senate Democrats, the rules will be changed regarding the appointing of President Bush's nominees, in that a majority vote will confirm them. This will in no way change the legislative filibuster, should one ever be necessary, and has nothing to do with this unconstitutional judicial filibuster.

It Should NEVER Have Happened

2005-04-01T09:41:00.000-05:00

Quite often during this trial of the battle for Terri's life I have read of and personally encountered loads of misinformation as well as downright hostility towards those speaking in favor of sparing Terri's life. It has been awful to watch helplessly as court after court continued to uphold the death sentence that Terri was given. Some people have said 'she is a vegetable anyway and doesn't feel a thing' others have said 'she is not really a person' 'she is just a shell' she is not really there' and still others have said that her family was totally selfish. In my own personal experience I received the 'right-wing Christian' label, as if somehow holding the views and beliefs of whatever it is defines a 'right-wing Christian' my opinions and comments don't matter. Of course that isn't even a ripple on the surface of what Terri's family have endured as they have struggled to protect the most basic right of all human beings: the right to life.

Those who support the death sentence given to Terri seem to see justification in such a decision based on her physical state; or better yet, let us just say, based on their view of her physical state as well as what they read in the newspapers. I might venture to say that a large percentage of those who hold a 'death sentence' view for Terri received all their information from the newspapers. I don't state this as fact because I haven't researched it specifically, but am judging by the responses to Terri's situation via the comments people have made. They have ignored, at their own peril, the truth of what this horrific court decision has done. They have ignored, at their own peril, her court-ordered death by starvation and dehydration, deciding in their minds that because of Terri's physical and mental state this is a justifiable decision for the court to make. They have ignored, at their own peril, Terri's humanity, rendering her lacking in such, due to her physical and mental state. And just as important, they have ignored the real facts of the case, rendering their lay decisions based on a media that promotes this sort of thing, evident in their choice of headlines as well as the labeling of this story as a 'right to die' court case.

Terri did not pursue death, Michael pursued death, the death of Terri, and by one of the most horrible of deaths, and her family fought against it. Therefore right off the bat this is not a right to die. By titling it as such the news media sets it in the readers mind as something it is not. From Michael's opinion (and desires) to conflicting doctors opinions-and they can be as different as night and day-to her family's personal experiences with Terri, to the timeline of her life since the injury, to the court documents, there is a lot of information out there, as well as misinformation-from what constitutes a 'persistent vegetative state' to whether or not such a state is death worthy.

There is no denying that Terri was severely disabled by the tragedy that struck her so many years ago, but here is what all those opinions of lay people err, here is where her husband erred as well as the judges who rendered the death sentence pursued with such fervor by Michael: Terri was still a human being and to sentence a human being to death by purposely starving them goes against all of what we should stand for as her fellow human beings. We should put aside her physical and mental state, we should look closely at what exactly Michael bases his claim on, and we should err on the side of life, whether we understand the purpose of a life lived in Terri's condition or not. We should have, as a people, stood against our courts ordering Terri to be starved to death. It should NEVER have happened. And it only happened because Terri had no 'quality of life' as determined by those who were set against her being starved to death.

Her parents and brother and sister have been callously called selfish by those who obviously don't understand what unconditional love means. They knew her in a way that even Michael did not know her, and she had a worth to them, beyond what her physical and mental state would deem worthy to those who don't see any purpose or point in it. To call selfish, a family who continued to make Terri as active a part of their family as they possibly could is to totally misunderstand what it means to really love someone. They did not shrink away in disgust, or say to themselves or to the media 'I would rather be dead than live like that' 'what kind of life is that?' 'that is no life', etc. What they did instead was to love her anyway. They didn't try to hold onto Terri's life through 'misguided guilt' or whatever are some of the ridiculous reasons some have decided why her family tried to stop her death, what they were doing were trying to stop Terri from dying via a court order.

Our legislative branch of government got this right though, in stepping in to try and protect Terri's Constitutional right to life, and the judiciary, in a bold 'in your face' rebuked the Congress!! This is another clear example of an out of control judiciary. The judges in this case were supposed to be guided by the Constitution, which is quite clear on the life issue, but instead they decided to be misguided by their own personal views of an issue such as this and instead of protecting Terri's life, decided her life wasn't worth living. So, Congress did the right thing in legislating a review of the case. What they did was pass a bill that should have allowed Terri's case to be taken out of the 'death to Terri' camp and placed into a 'reasonable doubt' and 'what are Terri's rights' panel for a fresh review and close scruitiny of what in the world was happening in the Florida courts.

We all have our opinions on a wealth of subjects and this one is no exception. But this should have never happened to Terri. Her rights were totally ignored, bypassed, and deemed of no value by a court system designed to support her and fight for her right to life. If we think that this was okay, we are wrong in our thinking, because it should never be okay to court order a starvation death of a disabled person, no matter their level of disability.

[Quote] there should be a federal review in state cases where there are contested decisions to withhold feeding tubes from significantly disabled people. We also believe there should be a state-by-state reform of guardianship and health-care decision laws to safeguard the involuntary euthanasia of disabled people....Too many people with severe disabilities have been called “vegetables” – this is not only demeaning, but dehumanizing. When severely disabled people are stripped of life-dignity, the discussion too easily turns to death or the warehousing of that individual in a hospice.....there should be a “cognitive assessment review” as a minimal standard before a feeding tube is removed. When a person’s wishes are not documented, we should err on the side of life; we should assume that living is preferable over dying.......media discussions have centered around whether or not a severely disabled person is “going to get better some day” as though that fact is a criterion for life. However, for millions of Americans, disability is a fact of life; many will “never get better” by society’s standards. We assert that the quality of one’s life should never be a criteria to put them to death. Life is the most irreplaceable and fundamental condition of what it means to be human....Disabled people have the right to life. The moral fabric of our country will be strengthened as we support the right of all disabled people to humane treatment, rehabilitative therapy, and most of all, the right to life...Joni Eareckson Tada [/Quote]

She says it so well, but I bet because she herself is severely disabled many who read this and other views along this vein, will dismiss what statements such as these mean. It only further makes the case of my earlier experience with the 'right wing Christian' label, but it by no means makes the label makers right in not considering the truth of such things coming from a hands on view of the disability community such as Joni has.

The Schindler Family

2005-03-28T09:46:00.000-05:00

The seeming tug-of-war between the Schindler family and Michael Schiavo is drawing to a close, as the starvation of the Schindler family's daughter, Terri, is in its second week. I had a relative who was very sick and towards the end totally refused food, ,and it took just about two weeks for them to die. There was suffering, no person with a shred of honesty in their body can really believe that to not be so, just to defend their point of view on what is happening to Terri. Terri, however, did not refuse food, it was refused to her. This is to our shame, and this is why the Schindler family has fought so hard and so long for the life of their daughter. Michael has fought for the death of their daughter, his wife, under questionable motivation, that the courts have supported, and now he has his wish. She should be dead very, very soon, and with her death, the Schindler family will enter another painful time of their lives. For how do you reconcile your heart and beliefs, as well as your love for your daughter and the protection of her life, with her court-mandated death by starvation?

The courts have failed both the Schindler family and Terri with this ruling and her pending death. In a sense, we as a nation, have also failed them. For we too measure someone's worth by their physical capabilities, looks, potential, and forget about the right of that person to their life, no matter what value we place on it. The Schindler's recognized the worth of their daughter's life and were prepared to care for her as she lived out the rest of her natural life.

We have made a big mistake here, for there was no compelling evidence that Terri specifically would have wanted to die rather than be brain-damaged and eating via a feeding tube. I have not read every single word of all the motions and case related material made available via Adobe Reader by her family, but it is only Michael's word on a vague, not even specific, recollection of a casual conversation where he recalls Terri saying she wouldn't want to be kept alive artifically. In additon to that, the judge and anyone reading this stuff can see the timeline of Terri's injury, the malpractice lawsuits, Michael's neglect of Terri, her parent's subsequent legal challenge to remove him as guardian due to his negligence, and then his court case saying Terri would want to be dead instead.

The Schindler family fought the good fight, for the right reasons, and deserve our respect and support.

Resurrection Sunday

2005-03-27T08:35:00.000-05:00

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed.

God forgive us for allowing the taking of an innocent human life in this, the time of 'right-to-die'. As our society continues to slide into this culture of death that our self-centered thinking society is embracing in ever increasing numbers, the words of Christ, who said, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do'. That is my own paraphrase on the verse as I don't have a Bible handy for the exact reference.

But I think we do know what we are doing and we think it is ok. Just think of all the arguments used that brought Terri to such an end, or of the many and varied arguments for the right to abort. The end result of which is that an innocent human being is killed via the will and desire of someone else.

Maybe in the sense that our thinking is so deluded it can be said that we don't know what we are doing. But any way you look at it, we are guilty of cheapening life so that we can live as we wish.

On Reurrection Sunday, may it be that more eyes are open to the truth of this and repentance be the way of the day.

The Lord Jesus Christ did not die in vain, and Terri will not die in vain, any more than her lving life in her condition was of no value, regardless of what any judge, lawyer, or right to die group says.

Terri Again

2005-03-25T08:37:00.000-05:00

With all the appeals and rejections, what our court system is telling Terri's family is that sparing her life is not at issue as much as taking her life is; especially this latest rejected appeal that scorned another branch of the federal government, notably Congress, who stepped in to stop the court-ordered starvation of Terri.

Even though her parents have provided claims valid enough to spare Terri's life (and have for many years compiled quite a list) while her care, rather, lack of care and other suspicious circumstances surrounding this entire situation be examined, another court has said, and swiftly, no, by a vote of 12-2.

Here are some of the words uttered by Judge Charles Wilson, who dissented, noting that the court's denial, quote:

"frustrates Congress's intent. . . . The entire purpose for the statute was to give the federal courts an opportunity to consider the merits of Plaintiffs' constitutional claims with a fresh set of eyes. Denial of Plaintiffs' petition cuts sharply against that intent, which is evident to me from the language of the statute, as well as the swift and unprecedented manner of its enactment".

Terri's rights have been violated repeatedly by a court (specifically one judge for the most part) which sought to fulfill the desires of Michael Schiavo while ignoring the right-to-life guaranteed to Terri by the US Constitution.

On the news last night a Michael Schiavo supporter claimed that even Michael mourned the imminent death of his wife, stating, quote: "after all, he is about to become a widower"; this said with a straight face. Yes, I am sure Michael will be torn up as he seeks comfort in the arms of the mother of his two children with whom he has been living with now for years. Just that situation alone should be cause for a conflict of interest to any just judge who looks at Michael's claims as being after what is 'best for Terri' while he is involved with another woman, but it never has been.

This is truly a travesty of justice.

More On Terri

2005-03-24T19:41:00.000-05:00

Sometimes people are legally in charge of someone and the court strips them of their rights when it becomes questionable whether they have the other person's best interests at heart.

There is something here, actually a couple things, that are just not right. For one, since Terri cannot speak for herself, doesn't it seem odd that the courts would err on the side of death, rather than life? Further, is anyone aware of the fact that Michael won two malpractice lawsuits after Terri collapsed, awarded Terri over a million dollars and Michael himself a couple hundred thousand? Or that in court testimony he said he would seek (with any settlement) the best possible rehabilitation and care available for Terri? Or that shortly after the lawsuit was won, he didn't care for her at all, neglecting her care and having her removed to a hospice? Hmm? That is what sparked her parents to try to get him removed as the legal guardian of Terri. It was around this time that Michael suddenly seemed to remember a casual conversation he had with Terri where she shared with him that she would not want to be live like...? Do you know that there was nothing specific he could say that she said? I know I have personally said things in passing regarding say, paralysis, that I would not want to live like that. I don't think that by any means I would want to die should that ever happen to me. It is one thing to say something like that when you see another suffering from one thing or another, and quite a different situation if you find yourself in the actual circumstance. I think we would all think differently.

Then consider that regardless of Terri's severe brain damage, she is NOT on life support, not at all. In fact, the tube is only inserted to feed Terri when it is time to eat. Sorry, but that is not life support, whatever anyone's personal opinion on what kind of quality of life Terri lives or not, or whatever one feels personally about living like that or looking at someone in that condition. And if she herself was going to court for the 'right to die' wouldn't this now mean a precedent for legal suicide in America?

I am amazed that a judge in the United States court system, a court system supposed to be based on the constitution, would deny Terri her God-given right to life as well as her constitutionally guaranteed right to life. Instead, Judge Greer, in cooperation with George Felos and Michael Schiavo, has court-ordered Terri's death by starvation. Cruel and unusual punishment given even at a time when a death row inmate in Texas who was scheduled to die was given a reprieve, and it was clear he actually committed the murder for which he was scheduled to die by lethal injection for. No starvation for him; but wait, he is physically, and (questionably mentally) healthy and not being fed through a
tube, so it wouldn't be right to starve him to death. It is more human to give him a lethal injection for his crime. But Terri has committed no crime to get such a sentence.

Astonishingly here we have a woman, albeit she is severely brain damaged, whose husband, under questionable circumstances for years over whether he has her best interests at heart (and compelling evidence that he does not), has been trying to legally kill her by starving her to death, and you hear not a peep from any of the high profile women's groups in this country. Remember that women's groups, especially NOW (National Organization for Women) proudly proclaim on their website

Quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"[The National Organization of Women] works to eliminate discrimination and harassment in the workplace, schools, the justice system, and all other sectors of society;...; end all forms of violence against women; ...; and promote equality and justice in our society."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

but are completely ignoring Terri's fate at the hands of her husband, her husband's lawyer, and the judge, who really has no legal precedence for something like this. Not a peep from them, from Emily's List, Planned Parenthood, or NARAL. Shame on them, but it is not surprising that they don't care about Terri's fate since they themselves support the same culture of death that is being promoted by a legal judgment such as this one.

Though I am not surprised at what is happening, I cannot stop thinking about it, crying for her and her family, and praying for someone to save her, as well as being very angry at the how helpless her family and Terri are in this situation. All they want to do is take care of her until her natural death, at their own home. Anyone who sincerely believes Michael is doing this for Terri, clearly has not read any of the history of Terri's plight. To hear both him and his lawyer say that these people who are trying to keep Terri alive should stop violating Terri's wishes and desires and leave her alone to end her life, as if this is what she wanted, to be starved to death, and that is what they have been fighting for, Terri's rights! I find the both of them (indeed all three) to be both presumptuous and ludicrous.

Iraq

2005-03-23T07:02:00.000-05:00

I follow a blog of an Iraqi dentist. He was, I believe, born in Bahgdad, though his parent moved to the UK where he lived till almost ten. He then returned to his home and has been living there ever since. His parents are Sunni Muslims, but he himself doesn't particularly follow any religious path, so to speak, though he, I believe, celebrates his countries various holidays and traditions.

Since beginning to read his blog almost a couple of years back, I have used it as one of my regular sources of getting news about Iraq from someone other than the Associated Press. I have since come to discover that there are an amazing amount of Iraqi's blogging, as well as writing for newspapers in their own country, of their own opinions on things no less, and a wealth of sites dedicated to the long list of positive things happening in Iraq.

Truly most readers of the news take at face value what they read, form a quick opinion, make a snap judgment, and then run with it. So busy that electronic calendars and Palm pockets and cell phones are in most of their hands as well, they pass along these opinions, judgments, and actually perpetuate rumors and lies. Swayed towards opinions by the media's clever use of headlines and choice of what stories are newsworthy, we have a bunch of clones of the talking heads on the tube, who, in human form, pass along the equivalent of internet e-mail rumors, the kind that with a click of a mouse you can find on many websites lists of hoaxes and rumors.

Just recently there was a horrific beating of students in Basra. Unfortunately, the media doesn't deem this story newsworthy. Zeyad's reporting of the story, at his blog, Healing Iraq, has the details. Other blogs talk about the building, sometimes from scratch, of a horribly put together infrastructure, the struggles for water and electricity, the opening of schools and freedom of speech and expression, the friendships that have developed between Iraqis and many members of the coalition, and any number of stories the major media deems not newsworthy. To say that the Iraqi people were better off with Saddam is the comment of ignorance, but, read what Iraqis have to say, just don't read their equivalent of Ted Kennedy and much of the Democratic Party or their equivalent of our various big media super bias.

What Ludicrous Means

2005-03-23T06:38:00.000-05:00

In the words of George Felos, the attorney for Michael Schiavo and his right to kill lawsuit, the reinsertion of Terri's feeding tube would be "a horrific intrusion upon Mrs. Schiavo's personal liberty," which may cause one to surmise that this George Felos means the removal of the feeding tube was and is somehow the upholding of Terri's Schindler-Schiavo's personal liberties.

What is wrong with thinking like this? Did Terri ask for this painful death to be inflicted on her? Can anyone be sure that she actually did say to Michael over a cup of coffee casually that she would not want to be kept alive if...? And what exactly did she mean when she said that, did she mean respirator? Did she mean paralyze? Did she mean brain-damaged? How can this judge be sure beyond a reasonable doubt that the conversation even occurred? Shouldn't and wouldn't Terri's personal liberties have been honored by giving her the benefit of the doubt since she cannot speak for herself? Especially in light of the timetable by which Michael Schiavo brought this lawsuit about? How in the world can a judge honor Michael Schiavo as a person caring about Terri's personal liberties with the evidence before him of this case documenting Michael's attitude as well as his shabby treatment of Terri? Where the heck are the judges who have eyes to see and ears to hear? How does something like this happen in my country? It is absolutely cruel and unusual punishment for Terri, for no reason; or worse, via faulty reasoning.

Terri Schiavo: A Matter of Court Ordered Death

2005-03-22T20:07:00.000-05:00

Regardless of our personal opinions on what we think of Terri's condition, what we think about brain damage, severe or otherwise, or what we think about the whole dying process, what is happening to Terri is court ordered, court sanctioned, murder.

Consider the facts, facts available for anyone deeming to look further than the major media's extremely pro-death bias, from their choice of what words to use in their headline regarding this situation ('Right-to-Die') to their posting of a USA-Gallup poll of 900+adults asked if Terri should have the tube reinserted or kept out-something like more than sixty percent said keep it out, the facts list is a long one, long ignored by the media, though as available to them as it is to my little blogging fingers. Heck, I don't even think what I wrote just there is even a sentence, but I am on a roll and do not want to stop writing to fix it.

The facts are that when Terri's heart stopped those many years ago, Michael filed a lawsuit against her doctor who he claimed misdiagnosed some imbalance in Terri, which caused her heart to stop. A jury agreed with him and awarded Michael and Terri over a million dollar settlement. I wonder how many of those adults asked in that poll are aware that Michael, in court testimony, claimed he would seek, with that award, awarded, by the way, for Terri's care, nothing but the best rehabilitation available. Once awarded the settlement, Michael almost immediately moved Terri to a hospice, you know, the place you go when you are supposed to die. I happen to know that what hospice is actually supposed to be for is those who are terminally ill. Severe brain damage is quite horrible to deal with in a loved one, but it is not a terminal illness. He has never, ever allowed her any rehabilitation at all. It is documented that he even told nurses and doctors to deny her anitbiotics for an infection, allowed her teeth to rot, as well as made it a horrible struggle for her family to even see her. Ask Michael how much time he spent with his wife, right from the beginning even, and you will find the man cared very little for her, and it showed.

After being awarded the settlement, Michael then, and only then, began this lawsuit to have her feeding tube removed, referring to some vague memory of a casual conversation in which Terri had supposedly said she would not want to be 'kept' alive. Why didn't he mention it during the lawsuit trial? It was not like the lawsuit happened overnight, it took some time. And, having had a brother on life support, I can tell you that a feeding tube is not 'life support' care. Some people have trouble swallowing and have feeding tubes, without which, they would of course, starve to death.

The judge should have thrown it out from the very beginning.

I question, and all of God-fearing, life and liberty loving human beings everywhere should as well, a judge that would repeatedly err on the side of death rather than life, especially in light of the readily available facts that I listed, though there are many more, testifying to Michael Schiavo not having his wife's best interests at heart at all, or at the very least, that the judge would have a reasonable doubt arise for himself, that would cause him to look a little closer at Mr. Schiavo's behavior as well as his motive. Nothing, never, nada, from this judge, nothing but constant and continual rulings against Terri's best interests and always in favor of Michael's best interest. Which has been for Terri to die.

Is Terri severely brain damaged? Yes, she is. Does that mean it should be okay for her husband to disconnect her feeding tube? No, it doesn't.

Whether we understand or can come to grips with horrifying situations such as these, we none of us should support the starvation death of someone because we don't think her life is worth living in the state she is in. Who knows the purposes of one human life? Do we have to fully understand it to deem it worthy of living?

The fact that our Constitution guarantees the 'right-to-life', so prominent in importance as to be one of the first things stated in the Document, is doubly tragic in that a judge, one who is sworn to uphold the Constitution and apply it to cases before him, should order Terri's death, the very person who he should have ordered protected from Michael's lawsuit.

It is a nightmare, that is what it is, and it is just another step on the slippery slope we have been on in America for many years now as we continue to devalue human life based on our own selfish desires.

So let us call this what it is, it is not a right to die issue, Terri didn't ask to die, Michael asked a judge for permission to end her life, and the judge said yes. It is a court-ordered murder.

God help us all.

African Americans and Abortion

2005-02-26T07:17:00.000-05:00

Here are some grave statistics regarding abortion and the African American population. Keep in mind that these statistics come from abortion reliable sources such as the Alan Guttmacher Institute, which is the research arm of the Planned Parenthood Federation in America, the leading provider of abortions in the USA (and possibly around the world).

Stats: The African American community makes up only 12% of the population of the United States, yet has 35% of all abortions. In Mississippi, where African Americans make up 37% of the state population, they receive 73% of all abortions in Mississippi! Not only that, but Planned Parenthood locates over 78% of their abortion centers in or near minority cities!!

What slavery and oppression by the government or any of the racist population in our nation was unable to do, African Americans are allowing abortion to do to their numbers; freely.

In the name of 'choice' and 'freedom' or sometimes simple selfishness that does not want to be tied down to anyone, African American women are seeming unwitting accomplices in the genocide of their race.

This was my biggest concern when I helped out in the pro-life community; getting this information out to the young black women that I would see, but amazingly, but probably understandably in our self-centered society as a whole, they professed to not care.

Sometimes I think about how I would feel if this were true of my race and someone of another race dared to bring that information to me. Would I receive it? Would I believe it? Would I even bother to look into if it was the truth or not? Upon finding out it was the truth, would my heart change for my people? Or would my heart still be fixed firmly on me? I just don't know what I would do, I really don't. It is in keeping with that thinking that I go forth sharing this true and factual information, so that it can be known that I do it for information purposes and no other.

Abortion was bound to have backlash of some kind, whether folks want to admit it or not. After all, over 1 million babies are aborted every single year in the United States alone! That is a lot of people not being born by someone else's 'choice'.

The Games Continue

2005-02-24T07:54:00.000-05:00

is his right, and the right of every president before him, President Bush has the privilege of nominating judges to the bench. I do believe that the President concerns himself with the appeals courts, district courts and circuit courts mostly, though I am not 100% sure about that.

What I am 100% sure of is how wrong it is for the now Democratic House Leader, Senator Reid, to pick up where the ousted Senator Daschle left off in preventing the President's nominees from being voted on by the Senate. Being that Mr. Daschle was booted out by the voters in his state by a relatively unknown, not to mention that is the first time in decades such a thing has happened, spoke volumes for how sick the majority of the voters are with the games played by the Democrats.

The Democrats (almost all of them) play this game in order to do one thing and one thing only: keep abortion the money making machine that it is for abortion providers and those others who have their hands in that deep pocket, chugging along.

I think that many women are hoodwinked into thinking this is about them and their rights, but the truth is that it has never been. A quick trip to the library to do a little research on the history of abortion in America as well as the organization known as Planned Parenthood will reveal the truth; if anyone is interested in the truth that is.

However, Senator Reid has sold out to abortion big guns just as Mr. Daschle did, going as far as to play silly little word games when he says to the American people that these nominees which the President is renominating have already been 'turned down' . This is simply not true. All these fine and exemplary nominees were never afforded a vote; ever, due to the obstructionist actions of Mr. Daschle; actions Mr. Reid has now chosen to mimic.

These judges fully intend to uphold the law, and their records show that they have done so in the past, but their personal view on abortion just does not sit right with Mr. Reid and his pals. The funny thing is that Senator Reid calls these judicial nominees, extremists, yet goes to extreme lengths in order to force his prejudice on others!

This must be stopped, and I do believe it will be. In the meantime though, Senator Reid and those who snarl with him, surely cannot be taken seriously. When I hear speeches by any of his obstructionist buddies, especially if it is on what is 'fair' and 'right' and all that sort of thing, I have to laugh, though it isn't all that funny.

2005-02-11T13:57:00.000-05:00

I obtained this picture from a website having to do with human reproduction and whose gestation age I wonder if those who pass by this site now and again, have any idea of.

The reason I chose the former words to describe the unborn is due to how media, (mostly Big Media) and pro-abortion people, tend to de-humanize the unborn by the words they use to describe the unborn child in the various stages of development. Granted that embryo and fetus are both common and legitmate words used to describe the unborn, I am sure most of us are aware of how these words continue to be used to cover up the humanity of a fetus, and worse, keep us, in a sense, unable to be moved by the 'fetus' separate and helpless position in the womb.

For some time I have had this blog now and the main gist of where I stand on all things is directly related to the cries of the unborn which so many in the world today refuse to hear. Therefore I thought it about time I got to the point.

While it is true that i am interested in many of the issues of today, the most important one, as far as I am concerned and as far as my fellow human beings should be, is the current crisis in our nation of the legality of the murder of innocent and unborn children by abortion.

It should be becoming increasingly apparent to even some abortion advocates that there is something very strange about urging woman to commit this crime against their own child while pocketing the $$ from accomodating her 'choice'.

A few other things that should be quite obvious to anyone with eyes that are willing to see and ears that can still hear is that when it comes to abortion that is the only decision, so how can it be all about choice? There is also a reluctance in the medical community as well as in government agencies to publish findings of various studies that abortion can increase a woman's risk of breat cancer. With breast cancer being a major killer of women in America you would think that it would be important to follow up on this sort of information. However, there is suppression of this information at some of the highest levels of government and medical associations, all in the name of protecting this 'choice'. Abortion also continues to be the only unregulated medical procedure in our country, one that flys in the face of all things having to do with safe and sanitary surgical procedures, and one that the medical community shrugs at; well not the entire medical community, but generally speaking no one hears about unsanitary conditions, untrained staff, and lack of life-saving equipment at many of these places where this 'procedure' occurs.

In the end though, the abortion decision has nothing to do with choice, when the other human being involved in this situation doesn't have their needs taken into consideration whatsoever, but has everything to do with big bucks.

Opinion and Approval Polls

2005-02-11T09:13:00.000-05:00

I read with interest the news this morning of a poll conducted by a group known as Ipsos-Public Affairs done for the Associated Press and taken after the President's State of the Union address, that shows his approval rating slipping considerably.
As I read further on in the AP's article I had to laugh at some of the comments of various people to the questions that the AP asked regarding the President and his job performance as well as their opinion of the whole administration. One woman said that she disapproves of the entire 'package' of the administration and goes on to say that thankfully in four more years we will be done with him.
Generally speaking, the President and his Administration are not supposed to be the pill for what ails everyone, are they? Nor would a poll necessarily be indicative of whether or not the current adminsistration is making gains even as they are making mistakes, no?
When I hear comments such as the woman I mentioned made, who happens to be a Democrat of course, I realize how important it is for me to not blindly follow a party line, but to instead look for the pluses and minuses in all public servants. Her dismissal of 'all' of what the administration is doing shows her blind her bias really is. Even some of the worst administrations can boast one or two pluses in their favor. I am sure her solution is a Democratic Administration and all the 'ills' of the current one can begin to be cured. Politicians becoming statepersons rather than continuing on the power crazed, money grubbing path that most of them are currently on, would be somewhat closer to a true solution.
I don't believe it is a party, but rather the characters of the party's members that should matter to voters. At least that is what matters to this voter. 8-)

Iraqi Elections

2005-02-04T09:09:00.000-05:00

The Iraqi elections were a big step in the direction of two things; at least to me.
1. It brings them closer to self-rule, and 2. It brings our troops closer to coming home.
The Iraqi people need a strong military presence of their own. They do not have this. They need this before their allies can go home. If we withdraw according to Ted Kennedy's rants, they will fall into more of the same terror they have been released from.
As I read about Iraq via the weblogs of their own citizens, it seems to me that they struggle with the American troops there, while understanding the necessity of their presence. Many Americans gave the ultimate sacrifice for the future free nation of Iraq and this should be understood by the average Iraqi citizen. Sometimes when I read comments from those in Iraq who detest the US troops I wish we had never gone there. Too often Iraqi citizens make comments that they had such a wonderful life before the US came in and brought terror with them. Indeed.
Then there are the Iraqi citizens who appreciate the US and what she has done. Who look to our way of life and want some of the same. To be able to live and raise their families, follow their faith, live their lives, without fear of death or fear of losing all that they have worked so hard for; lost at the whim of a crazed dictator and his minions.
The elections were a step in the direction of such a way of life. There is so much to be done still, especially to the infrastructure of Iraq , throughout the entire nation, as well as the necessity of the various factions coming together united under a common purpose: a free Iraq. The turnout of Iraqi citizens for the vote last Sunday shut up many of her critics, and in less than five days the news, as historic as it was, has dropped completely from the top news page on most of the major newsstations websites. This speaks louder than any words can ever speak.

Big Bucks

2005-02-04T08:12:00.000-05:00

What is some Democrats problem with money? I often read scathing comments regarding Haliburton and other corporations that make money for politicians. During the campaigns I was often reminded how out of touch with 'regular' people the Republican party is because they are 'rich'. That sort of thing makes me somewhat curious, especially when our Senators of both parties make in excess of $100,000 a year and have a benefit package that I would like to experience myself. Then we have the Kerry/Edwards ticket. Mr. Kerry's wife is heiress to the Heinz 57 varieties corporate dollars. I pretty much think we are talking millions of dollars there as well. Then we move on to the Edwards camp and find that Mr. Edwards was a million dollar lawyer as well. My reason for pointing out this easy to obtain information is to bring to mind that it can be possible that neither party has a clue to what it is like for 'regular' people like me who make less than $50,000 a year and struggle with things like not buying that lottery ticket!
Once upon a time though, the Democratic party may have been a little closer to the 'regular' person on the street and we can all thank them for the expansion of government intrusion in our lives via the social programs they brought to our nation; social programs that pull our nation towards socialism rather than the constitutional republic that the founders intended for our nation.
Indeed I was once a registered Democrat because I truly believed that they cared more about me, my family, and issues close to my heart. I have found however, that is not the case, as well as discovered that the majority of the party members were as out of touch with the people as they accused the Republicans of being! This of course led to a number of years when I did not vote at all and had a very low opinion of any politician.
Fast forward a number of years and now I am a registered Republican who votes independent but has the heart of a Democrat; but only as far as caring for others with compassion and not necessarily big bucks, goes.
I have also discovered that just about anyone can be a politician, but what we need more of, and what it takes greater character to be, is a stateman, or woman. This is the person who is in Washington to truly represent the people and their interests. Rather than lump all politicians and all of Washington into a big pile of disregard, I began to pick through the various members of Congress. I found, in the House, some exemplary representatives, and a few in the Senate as well. I began to watch the way that they voted and tuned into C-SPAN a little more often than before, to see how they treated one another as well as how they represented the American people.
For me, ideally what the Congress should be doing, is taking steps to shrink government, not expand it. It is our only hope to bring the budget under control and it is our only hope to loosen their hold on so many aspects of our lives. This is a bipartisan problem also, it is not the exclusive fault of one party over the other. That why when I am reading the news and see the finger pointing they do, I take it with a grain of salt. We, the people, should be aware that there are people in Washington, across party lines, that don't give a hoot about us, but are pumped up with the power that is Washington politics. To this end, being blindly loyal to a party, is not in the interest of the nation. Nor is allowing ourselves to fall for the 'rich Republican' 'Demcrat=regular people' game that takes our attention off the important issues of our day.

The Flu is No Fun

2005-02-03T07:35:00.000-05:00

I have been sick for close to two weeks now. Yesterday was the first day I felt good enough to move around without being aware of how sick I felt, which means that I am getting better.
I watched some rousing television though, during this time. Some of the History Channel, Discovery Channel, and the stirring C-SPAN Channel of our representative government in action.
Whenever I watch the floor debates and whatnot, I get the distinct impression that some of these Congresspersons and Senators think that they are stars on a televison program!
Sheesh.

A Question that Needs Answering

2005-01-24T10:44:00.000-05:00

How many people reading this know what it is that is inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty? Indeed, how many of us know any young person today who is learning it in school? Or learning about other points of our national heritage?

How about that the French people, the regular people, donated the money it cost for the statue to be built? While I am at odds with their leadership today which should have stood with America and the rest of the coalition to oust Saddam Hussein, all that is political, the people's admiration and love for we the people here in the USA was not political in nature, not at all.

I homeschool and one of my primary reasons for doing so was in my realizing the complete and utter secularzation of the public school system. There is an agenda put forth by the NEA, who, working together with homosexual activists groups, have fixed their eyes and their influence on the impressionable young, realizing that to get the minds and hearts of a generation, that is the place to go. The agendas are bold and boldly put forth by the leadership of many, many in the National Education Association.

Of course this by no means implies that I don't like teachers, etc., but I am treated as if that is the case. I have a couple close friends who are excellent teachers, as well as I know other teachers who I have met over the years and have greatly admired. Yet, they tend to be quite touchy on the subject at hand.

For instance, more money than ever before is being spent on public school education, but we still have entire school districts completely failing to teach youth to read and write. They are handing them out condoms and directing the girls to Planned Parenthood as well as trying to accomodate their sexual preferences! One of my friends actually uses the word homophobic to describe another close friend of our's aversion to the homosexual lifestyle!

When faced with the truth my friends would be the first to tell me I should be willing to admit this or that, but their unwillingness to recognize what is going on in so many schools, or worse, to not disturb the status quo is as much denial as my unwillingness to face truth in my own life and about my own person.

We live in one of the greatest nations on the face of this earth yet we are failing to impart this truth as well as the many reasons behind how we got to be so great. One of those failures has to do with our own lack of involvment in the legislative process as well as our own failure to study and understand the history and uniqueness of our own great nation. We can begin to change this by first, looking in that mirror and admitting the truth about our own apathy to our country's heritage and stop supporting the right of others to criticize us when we don't even bother getting involved in what US is supposed to be about!!

Here is the road we should take first on our journey into the United States of America. Let us remember the words of the sonnet inscribed in bronze at the base of the statue, placed there in 1903, a sonnet written by an American poet, Emma Lazarus:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land:
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost, to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
-Emma Lazarus

Quotables

2005-01-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

"Should not the Bible regain the place it once held as aschoolbook? Its morals are pure, its examples arecaptivating and noble."-- Massachusetts Congressman Fisher Ames (1758-1808)
"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not forthemselves, and, under a just God, cannot long retain it."-- President Abraham Lincoln, from a letter, 1859,
“Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with thegovernment of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with thegovernment of others? Or have we found angels in the formsof kings to govern him? Let history answer this question.”-- President Thomas Jefferson
"All must admit that the reception to the teachings ofChrist results in the purest patriotism, in the mostscrupulous fidelity to public trust, and in the best typeof citizenship."President Grover Cleveland
"It is now true that this is God's Country, if equalrights -- a fair start and an equal chance in the race oflife -- are everywhere secured to all."-- President Rutherford B. Hayes

Southeast Asia and Their Quake and Tsunami Afternath Troubles

2005-01-11T08:55:00.000-05:00

As if it wasn't bad enough with the stench of decomposing bodies all around them, the loss of their homes, livelihood, children and spouses, and no food or shelter of their own, the people in Southeast Asia, most notably Indonesia and Sri Lanka are experiencing the loss of their children who survived to sex trafficking.
The exploitation of dazed and traumatized children is reprehensible! Mothers in Sri Lanka who lost most or all of their children and survived themselves are dealing with terrible guilt and the added nightmare of having previously had surgical procedures to prevent further children. (thank you PP and UN) In countries like these, so underdeveloped, especially by US and Europe's standards, it is amazing what the United Nations (and Planned Parenthood) considers aid to the Third World countries of the world to be; sticking their noses into the sexual lives of the women of said countries. Indeed the UN, via the United Nations Population Fund is there right now, in the midst of all these, giving out their version of care packages which include condoms and portable abortion devices!
With one-third of the lives lost being children, and women crying over the loss of their babies to the quake and tsunamis, and then the kidnapping of numbers of surviving children by the dregs of humanity; With the combined needs of food, shelter, trauma and grief counseling, and protection for the children, the UN considers the aid to the people of this region to be their population control kit?? DIsgusting is what it is! This they do while pointing the finger of criticism at the aid pledges of other countries for the victims of this mega disaster! If ever an organization needed dismanlting, it is this one.

Rethinking Tolerance

2005-01-08T13:38:00.000-05:00

I wonder how many would agree with me that it is time to rethink the meaning of tolerance in our world today; or, at the very least, rethink how it is being redefined in today's world.
We all know that the first dictionary entry for the meaning of the word tolerance is: acceptance of different views: the acceptance of the differing views of other people, for example, in religious or political matters, and fairness toward the people who hold these different views.
I think many, if they are honest with themselves, would agree that this is not the case today, especially towards those who believe in the God of the Bible.
The trouble is exacerbated by the media, both cable and network television, college leadership across our nation, and many (too many) members of our Congress and Judiciary.
One of the ways this is done is by promoting a view of Christians as hateful and narrowminded, in addition to the labeling of their protests against those things they disagree with as offensive. Further, the media (and Hollywood) shews forth a blatant bias themselves as they portray people of faith as the ignorant masses.
With the recent election setting voting records in the popular vote, it is clear that people in the nation are sick and tired of representatives that kowtow to the special interests groups that promote a culture of death as well as a perverting of the one thing that is the very glue that holds an enduring society together, i.e. marriage and family.
Here are just a few of the examples taken from a recent article appearing in the AFA Journal of the intolerance towards these people and those who share their views:
From the universities:
Sean Wilentz of Princeton: "religious fanaticism" has "seized control of the federal government."
From newspaper columnists:
Maureen Dowd of the New York Times says President Bush "ran a jihad in America so he can fight one in Iraq".
Sheryl McCarthy of Newsday says that President Bush is "pandering to the people's fear, petty interests and prejudices against homosexuals".
My favorite is by a columnist named Thomas Friedman who accuses the values voters who won the day (by a very wide margin I might add), of promoting 'intolerance'.
There is far more than that being said these days, but the bottom line remains that those who are teeth-gnashingly angry at the win wrought for President Bush by the values voters (and their views) seem mighty intolerant of said views.
Furthermore, it was quite obvious that those who supported President Bush (in record numbers), for the most part, ran a get out the vote campaign that did not dishonor anothers views or seek to get votes by deception. I am sure that those exceptions to that statement were a drop in the bucket by comparison to the campaign of the Democrats who, desperate for the votes of large blocks of voters (i.e. minorities) deceived their way all the way to just short of the ballot box. Of course if you seek for the truth in this you will find few willing newsreporters in the mainstream, that is for sure. It is not what they are about, reporting the truth of issues important to the people, anymore.
But tolerance for others views is a staple of the values voters, we just don't happen to agree with your view. Big picture, we also believe such a valueless view as is held by the liberals in Congress today and their supporters who push it every chance they get (right over the American people, who in larger and larger numbers don't agree with it), is not conducive to our way of life enduring in the world today.
More on the intolerant tolerant another time.
http://www.afajournal.org/

Respect

2005-01-04T13:10:00.000-05:00

Over the years I have learned to respect other people separate from whether I agree with them or not, or sometimes, even like them or not. I was doing that since before I came to know Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, and trying to walk with Him helped to cement that way of being towards other people. It is extremely hard for a wordy person as myself to put the brakes on my responses, in other words, to let someone else have the last word rather than myself, but I have gotten to the point where I can usually do it with a minimal of effort. I thank God for that.
Because I choose to hold my tongue on many occasions, I do believe that people form opinions of me (judging) and this I deduce by their snide, sarcastic and sometimes downright hostile attack of words towards me personally. Rarely do people that respond in this manner to something they disagree with show respect for the person, indeed they show they have very little respect for themselves as well when they aggressively attack someone personally, rather than disagree with the other person's views or opinions and state theirs in a rational manner. These would be the people I would not bother defending myself to because they are the ones that don't really care what you think, all they know is that they don't like what you are saying and therefore they don't like you. These are the people that don't mind spreading lies and rumors and other inaccuracies about other people, sometimes ruining a person's reputation, because they cannot accept the other person's right to disagree with them.
They display not only a lack of respect for other people's opinion's or other people, but they reveal their own ignorance as well, not to mention lack of self-control, which is very telling on the character of themselves.
The scary part about ignorant and disrespectful people like that is they vote. I thank God for my right to vote, but there are a slew of people like that who get their opinions from rock stars, Hollywood celebrities and shameful and biased news reports rather than investigate issues for themselves.
I would even go so far as to say that this type of person is the one who will step on you, shove you out of the way, or trample you in their haste to escape a disaster of any kind. Some call them the mindless masses and other such names. I, because of the Lord, like to think that these are people who simply do not use their minds in a beneficial way to themselves, society or another individual. But I also use my mind as well and stay away from them; up to and including refusing to respond to their personal attacks when they don't agree with my opinion and stand on the issues of today.

Southeast Asia

2004-12-28T10:13:00.000-05:00

It is with barely contained horror that I read about the tragedy of the tsunamis raging across the Indian Ocean in Southeast Asia. I continue to read whatever I can about the situation as the news reports come in, with a particular interest in Thailand and Maluku in Indonesia. There are so very many villages along the coastal towns of Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand; towns that have neither computers nor televisions, especially not in the numbers that many who access these blogs do.

As I continue to read in the news, there is considerable talk about warning systems, or rather, the lack of warning systems in the Indian Ocean, because of combined factors, one most notably the poverty of many nations in that part of the world, and also, according to news reports, the rarity of tidal waves in that region. There is no disputing that had people been warned, there would have been considerable less loss of life, but what the news reports seem to be missing is that the two nations who lost the most lives; Sri Lanka-19,000 lives lost , and the town of Meulaboh in Aceh province at the northen tip of Sumatra island losing 10,000; Aceh province being the victim of the double whammy: quake and tsunami, and another 9,000 throughout Aceh, are not exactly rich nations. Because of this, the warning system that the Pacific Ocean possesses, of which nations such as the US are a part, the cost alone would be a daunting challenge, let alone an alert system for tidal waves.

There have been some news reports circulating as well that just like in the Titanic movie, some people did not want to believe something tragic was in the works; that indeed, people were literally staring at the water receding and receding and did not begin to run till the wave appeared. Not only that, but the news reports that Thailand was the only nation to post a warning regarding potential tidal waves, almost a full two hours after one of the world's most powerful earthquakes, occurred.

All that news aside, entire fishing villages and the people who inhabited them, are completely gone. Some of these coastal towns and villages have yet to be searched, that is how isolated they are. The towns in and around the coast of Sri Lanka and Indonesia who lost so very many lives; bodies of which continue to wash ashore, are swamped with the dead, thousands and thousands of them, to identify, to bury, to mourn, and to try and avoid the disease that such astronomical numbers of dead are sure to spread, especially the airborne diseases and the communicable diseases associated with unsanitary conditions and unsafe drinking water.

Almost as devastating as the loss of life from this tsunami horror is the fact that one third of those who died are children.

The nations of the world are racing to help in any and all ways that they can; help that can and will stretch out far into the future.

In the meantime, may our thoughts, prayers and any help we ourselves can give be extended towards those in need at this time.

Precedent Setting Election of 2004-What Did the People REALLY Say WIth Their Vote?

2004-12-17T13:45:00.000-05:00

Some very cool facts about the recent General election along with some record making statistics.

-Our President George W. Bush is the first incumbent president since 1936 to help his party gain seats in both the House and the Senate.

-He is the first presidential candidate since 1988, (the year of my youngest son's birth, God bless his any day now soon to be sixteen-year-old heart) to receive more than 50 percent of the total vote!

-The President picked up more votes from Hispanics, (yea for my husband) seniors (yeah for my mom and her friends), African Americans (you go James!) and women (gotta love 'em) than he did in the election of 2000.

For all the money spent on hate-books, (see the Bush-bashers handbook on display at my local Barnes and Noble next to Al Franken's book of lies, named ironically, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them);

For all the money spent by Mr. George Soros-billionaire extrodinaire who pumped millions into the campaign to beat Bush by running a tank through the loophole left in the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform bill;

For all the money raised by MoveOn an anti-President Bush organization who claimed no ties to the Democratic party during the campaign time, but now claims to own the Democratic Party;

For all the media blitzing MTV, rock stars, rap stars and hollywood stars put on, money they put out and advice they gave to voters;

For all that this election set the above records.

Let the records speak for themselves that the American people want a return to a government and a nation such as the President spoke of. It was not just about terrorism, though taking the war to the Middle East which, along with a lot of Europe is a breeding ground for terrorists, was a smart move, this election was as much about the American people being tired of playing fast and loose with God's moral laws.

It is no mistake that the Ten Commandments has a prominent place in our United States Supreme Court, indeed looking down on the Justices. The reason for that as well as the intent of the Framer's of our constituion was to guide our nation morally.

The freedom to worship God in ones own way was a desire of the early Americans, and living accorinding to God's law (not man's) as set forth in the Bible was the guiding and overridding desire of this nation's founders.

The truth is that what drove many people to the polls this election was the marriage issue, with an amendment being on the ballot in eleven states! Did you know that in all but one of those states that the amendments themselves received a greater percentage of the total vote than President Bush?! Not only that, but seventeen states have approved marriage amendments; seventeen, while there have been zero states in which voters have rejected marriage amendments.

It is clear what the people want. What is becoming even more clear is that activist judges continue to thwart the will of the people when, after various groups (think ACLU and other activist groups) bring lawsuits against these amendments, the judges step into the picture and strike down the law that the people have passed, saying it is unconstitutional. What is quite obvious is the strategy of pro-homosexual and anti-Christian groups is to do judicially (in court) what they cannot do legislatively; which is a clear violation of our Constitution.

Iraq's Elections

2004-12-01T09:49:00.000-05:00

While plenty of supposedly anti-war people chant and demonstrate all over the globe, the Iraqi people continue to fight off those who seek to terrorize them into submitting to an oppressed Iraq once again. It really matters not what name and face they give the attacks on this country known as Iraq, but a free Iraq means much more to the Iraqi people than we comfy and cozy free peoples can even imagine. In the middle of all the terror and the homicide bomber attacks, the people move on towards the deadline for their elections, the first ever, and so desperately desired by the citizens of this country.

A long time ago John Lennon wrote these lyrics to a song: power to the people...
Does anyone have any idea what that means to people who have constantly and continually had someone else wielding power over them and their families? To do what someone said for fear of your family being slaughtered? To find your family slaughtered anyway? I don't think John Lennon or any of those anti-war chanters know what it is like to live in such a way. I don't know either, but I do know this: The Iraqi people deserve our help and they are getting it, thank God.

We don't want to know the truth either, that the war in Iraq was not about WMD's, it was actually about fourteen different violations of the agreement that Saddam was supposed to abide by and did not. The media has skewered the truth and we buy it because in our hearts we don't care much for our own country, indeed we are willing to believe any and all horrible things about it, while ignoring horrible and true things about other nations, or worse, explaining theirs away. Shame on us for not researching what we believe and being parrots of someone else and their agenda.

Ask the media about Russia, France and China's illegal obtaining of money through the UN's mismanagement (and allowing of) the Oil for Food program! It is a scandal of tremendous proportions! Where is the outcry against the Russian government, the Chinese government or the French government? Why is there only teeth gnashing snarling for America's government?
Some very good questions to ask yourself.

Opening My Eyes

2004-11-26T10:30:00.000-05:00

I am often on a quest to get to the bottom of the things that I read. This is in direct contrast to so many around me who read something in the newspaper and repeat it as if it is not only the truth, but as if they were the person whom the information originated with.

With the failure of newsstations such as ABC and CBS and their affiliates to bring us the actual news rather than their opinions which are designed to influence our thoughts and opinions, I have increasingly turned to the internet for the gathering of my newsworthy information. By doing so I am also free to discard what I consider worthless and investigate what seems rather fishy to me.

That is why I began this little blog for it helps me to write when things frustrate me with the added bonus of someone stumbling upon what I say and linking to some of what I consider newsy and informative.

For instance, when you read the newspapers regarding the US led coalition's war in Iraq, you can get the impression that it was about WMD's. Though WMD's-think Kurds who were chemically murdered-were used by Saddam and he was certainly interested in killing more people in the near future, the war against Iraq was the result of Saddam's failure to abide by a rather large amount of UN sanctions he agreed to back when his invasion of Kuwait was overturned.

He who has ears let him hear what his eyes read in the following speech given by a former Communist to an audience at Georgetown University in October of 2004 before the election. It is a long and worthy read:

http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=16103

I once shared at a message board that I read a news magazine known as World. There was someone there who dismissed it as something biased that she would basically never give the time of day to, let alone read. I challenge anyone on how they can consider themselves informed if they will not read something simply because it is a Christian publication. I have been around many years now and this young person who is not even of voting age has a cynicism that puts my anti-war, feminist year opinions to shame! She, and those like her, do themselves and their peers a grave disservice to be afraid of the facts because the facts might show them to be wrong, and worse, show that their dearly held positions and opinions are based on lies.

My eyes began to open shortly after succumbing to one of the lies of the feminist movement when I found myself a bitter single parent wondering where NOW and PP were now that I was in such incredible pain from my decisions which were wholely influenced by those of their organizations. I took myself to the library and began to read what exactly was the opinion of feminists such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. It was the beginning of a journey I continue to find myself on; a journey that had my belief system totally shattered and me starting over, with many regrets, at the age of thirty-three.

May the eyes of my understanding be continually opened.

Ordinary People

2004-11-18T14:17:00.000-05:00

What ordinary people like me don't realize most times is that the world is bigger than us and our little lives. Not that our lives and loves and families are not important, oh no, because they are very important. I am talking about living outside of our little world.

I have neighbors that have extremely limited vision in that sense. It is obvious that they love their family and care about their neighbors; at least as much as people who gripe over too many leaves on their property from a tree that is not in front of their house can be. Even though I care not about such things, I live next door on both sides to people who are extremists in that sense. Always keeping in mind my own shortcomings and ever aware of evil afoot and crouching at my door, I do realize that in the eyes of God I am no better than they; sinners in need of forgiveness. To that end I have always tried to g et along with these people, though they pried and complained and gossiped and even made things up about us and spread the lies to the other neighbors. (you get to know about that sort of thing when you have neighbors that gossip and don't mind telling you why so and so does not like you). In the end though, I live my life better then they do, albeit falling short of the Glory of God, because I will not gossip about them to any one, though I do speak of how their hurtful words and actions have impacted my family to my family, and my family only. In addition, I continue to respect their property and have always taught my children to do the same. No running across their lawn, etc. Truth be told, my sons can tell you some stories of my getting upset because their ball went on the persons lawn and I was paranoid they would come out of the house hollering. (this has happened plenty of times in the ten years we have lived here) Further, I would never be adverse to admitting my shortcomings, apologizing, and making restitution if possible. The only problem is that I have not done anything directly to them, hence there is nothing to restitute, admit or apologize for; except for lately I have no patience with their nasty little selves so I have not put up with it, instead telling them to leave us alone if they have nothing nice to say.

For instance, we had a dumpster in our driveway when we were remodeling. The neighbor did not like looking at it and even got all angry and demanded we finish the job quickly cause he was sick of looking at it! Yet, he had no problem using our dumpster as his dumping place for junk out of his garage. They have come on our property without our permission, they have called the town and complained about a legitimate vehicle in our driveway (that is none too pretty) which they do not like looking at, and have even told me to my face that it is about time I weeded my side yard which is right next to my front door!! Do I tell them I have had a failed surgery and am lucky if I can bend down for brief periods of time with my medication so I have not been able to do something I really love doing? No, I don't. I actually felt my jaw drop open when he said that because I could not believe how far seemingly ordinary people will go to being concerned about what other people are doing!!

See what I mean? One can not find common ground with self-righteous people, indeed they sit in judgment on us very often. These are the things, simple little living things, that make them crazy. We don't even have to do a thing purposely, we just live, and they are bothered by it. The trouble all along for us has been that we don't think like that so we never realized, even by those little clues being dropped over the years, just how far these people have gone in their resentment of our way of life.

If ever anyone wonders what perfect people are like you can come and visit me. I live pretty much surrounded by them.

The Patriot Act and Other Government Issues

2004-11-15T11:14:00.000-05:00

The Patriot Act has been the subject of concern since its implementation shortly after the attacks of 9/11, attacks which I believe many Americans have either forgotten or settled in their minds the President Bush ordered them; thank you Michael Moore and shame on those who believe someone who spews hatred for America, Americans and their leadership.

All things considered, I do wonder how many people who snort at the mention of the Patriot Act have even read it in its entirety or know how and why it is needed. The old Big Media doesn't like it, can anyone tell? I can. I can tell that they don't like it by their unfair and biased coverage of said Patriot Act, any attempt at implementing it and the publishing of anti-Patriot Act stories; thank you very much ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, UPN, WB, and AP!! Oh AP!! I used to count on you for printing stories that told the real story, not a slant designed to influence the minds of people like me who are so busy and count on you to tell me the truth. Now I am even busier with making sure that I know some of what you print stories about; some of the truth of what you print stories about.

The United States government and agencies such as the FBI are charged with the protection of this entire country. All I ever seem to read, or all that gets the big headlines, are the times that they fail in this charge, or when their tactics are questioned, i.e. the Patriot Act. It is of utmost importance that the FBI does not have their hands tied in times such as these where they have to be one step ahead of those who want to destroy the USA and our way of life. I don't see any of their critics stepping up to the plate and giving of themselves and their time for the safety and welfare of our citizens. Can one imagine tons of documents recovered that are in Arabic and very few available to translate? Yet so many speak with such authority of things they know nothing about. There are plenty other issues of concern with the protection of American citizens and property by those who take on a government position which employs them to do such things, but rather than criticize maybe we can support them instead?

Comment Section

2004-11-14T13:25:00.000-05:00

I would like to comment on the comment section. 8-)

Because I have had more than enough of a taste of rude and nasty comments by people who disagree with me and my views I have chosen to not enable the comment section. To a one, every foul-mouthed and insulting person who did not agree with me made it personal and attacked me, not my arguments. With sarcasm, profanity, insults and name-calling, they made much of my message board (where this occurred) experience quite upsetting. I did find a couple message boards where that sort of thing is not allowed, so kudos to them, but I cannot open the comment section here because of those few who behaved in that manner. Just imagining coming to my blog and finding comments by one of them would make blogging quite a negative experience for me; something I don't need right now. Who knows, maybe in the future when my skin is thick enough to take the uncouth behavior of those few, I will open up the comment section. I don't know. I do know this though, that the fact that they take the time out of their own lives to get so livid over my opinions says alot about either their not having much of a life of their own, or, I hit a nerve, or a little of both!

Till I blog again. Adieu!

Optimism versus Truth

2004-11-13T13:35:00.000-05:00

While I voted for President Bush, knowing him to be the man who won't sell our country out to any world organizations, courts, or treaties we have no business signing, this by no means means that I am oblivious to certain truths about his administration.

Just one case in point before I go back to washing that dang kitchen floor (which hasn't seen washing in months and I have company coming this week).

The situation in Iraq is far from rosy by any stretch of the imagination. I am all for being optimistic, heck, I don't think I would be able to get through my life lately if I were not, but I do prefer the truth, optimistically speaking of course. 8-)

However, I do keep in mind the Big Media's penchant for going in the complete opposite direction with anything at all regarding President Bush and any and all decisions he makes. You have to be suspicious of the news organizations as a whole when they cannot find one good thing to say about the President, just as I was suspicious about the 'perfect' candidacy of John Kerry.

Thus, I am thankful for the blogsphere; though by no stretch of the imagination are they fountains of truth themselves. The great part about blogs and the internet is that we 'regular' folk are able to research the information we are getting as well as anyone else. Matter of fact, it seems that the Big Media is quite lacking in that area, preferring not to research but to print things they hear or read somewhere else.

Yikes!