Coloring Books and Crayons

When I was growing up, not that I plan to complete the task; how about I change that to read, when I was much younger, sounds about right; well let’s leave that alone and just say I once was a kid.  If I had to stay home from school with a cold or something my father would stop on his way home and bring me a coloring book and crayons to make me feel better. 

They don’t tell you when you first start your family that being a parent comes with a set of impossible directives to fix any and all situations which plague your children.  Many of the challenges are beyond your abilities and so you do the best you can and hope it all works out…eventually.

I remember staying home from elementary school with the Flu and being miserable.  There was cough syrup to choke down, aspirin with lots of water and shots from a doctor who actually made house calls; but nothing made me feel better. 

I say nothing made me feel better; but that’s not really true.  My father came home from work at lunch time and brought a coloring book and a brand new box of crayons hoping it would cheer me up.  It’s amazing how something as silly as a coloring book and some crayons work when life hits you hard.

This past week my father came to the realization that it was time to sell his car and stop driving; not an easy choice since that equates to giving up an important function for folks who are fiercely independent.  (Gosh, I wonder where that came from?)   He can still go anywhere he wants; but now has turned over that task to my mother who considers her skill levels adequate (no, better not go there…for now).

I talked with mom yesterday and they sold the car; didn’t ask what they got for it, but you can be assured whoever obtained it got a great deal and then some.  They want to use some of the money to replace old flooring in their kitchen; but the best news for me was that dad decided on his own that it was time make a hard decision and he made it.

I’m wondering if I should send him a coloring book and a box of crayons, not that it will make the hurt go away, the hurt from having to give up something important.  I saw an advertisement for a Halloween costume, a pretty woman wearing what looked like a pink crayon; on second thought, better not get that for him.  Even if the costume was pink, mom would see red as soon as the ‘crayon’ walked in the door.

Earlier I explained they don’t tell you about impossible directives that are part of being a parent; but there’s more to that thought than meets the eye, or at least that idea occurred to me as I struggle to figure out a way to reach out and make ‘everything better’, all the while knowing there really isn’t much I can do. 

Seemingly impossible directives to make ‘everything better’ work both forward and backwards, from parent to child and child to parent with equal weight. 

It’s beyond my ability to turn back time with the wave of a magic wand or take away the pains associated with growing old as if fairy dust could restore youth and vigor to my parents.  What can I do?  I can show them I love them; maybe sending a coloring book and some crayons will brighten up their day, if only for a few moments.

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”. 

Getting Borked

One of my favorite daily habits has to do with looking up what happened on this date in history.  Maybe that’s why I enjoy Bill Federer’s American Minute so much; he makes history come alive with lesser known facts that add spice to the mix. 

Here’s a lesser known historical piece of history that happened on this date, October 23, 1981; Lucy and I were sealed for time and all eternity as husband and wife along with our children as an eternal family in the Salt Lake Temple.  While it has little to do with what I planned to write about today, it is an important date, even if only for our family.

No, what got me started this morning was a reminder that on this date back in 1987 Robert Bork’s nomination to the Supreme Court by Ronald Reagan was rejected; but rejected doesn’t come close to the character assassination techniques used to destroy this man.  Eviscerated or perhaps even crucified would be a more apt description of the manner in which Bork was treated…and for What?

Robert Bork was a staunch conservative who was honest when expressing his core belief’s, beliefs which he would not compromise.  In other words he was a man of character entering a den of wolves.

Robert Bork died December 19, 2012 as the Detroit Free Press recorded:

“As a legal scholar and jurist, Bork was an advocate of “originalism” -- the principle that judges should interpret the Constitution the way its framers had intended. While that endeared him to conservatives, Bork’s writings and statements expressing his ideology were what led to such fierce scrutiny when he was tapped for the high court.”

Ken Blackwell of Town Hall.com wrote:

“Most of us would be honored to have our name become a verb. Especially those of us in public life. But that is not how Judge Robert H. Bork got into the dictionary. He was “borked” when President Reagan nominated him to the U.S. Supreme Court. No sooner had the announcement been made by the White House on July 1, 1987, than Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) raced to the Senate floor to denounce the distinguished judge and former Yale Law Professor.”

“In Robert Bork’s America, Kennedy roared, blacks would once again sit in the back of the bus, rogue police would break in our doors, and women would be forced to go to back alley butchers for abortions. On and on, Kennedy ranted, using every extreme and exaggerated charge he could employ, to tarnish the judge’s reputation.”

You have to consider the source, now don’t you?  At least Robert Bork didn’t flee the scene and let a young woman drown in his car.  Men of character among those with little or no character stand out from the crowd and become natural targets; call it jealousy or what ever, their presence makes lesser men recognize the difference and either retreat to the shadows or destroy that which is better. 

The more I think about it, eviscerated was the perfect word when applied to Robert Bork as the Socialist Party; sorry, I meant Democrat Party, as the Democrat Party relentlessly attacked, exaggerated claims and used fear mongering via major news media to bleed Bork dry of public service opportunity.  Bork had to be destroyed because he was a conservative man of character.

Eviscerate: “to remove an essential part of something and so weaken it”.   

Wasn’t that the basis of the attack on Bork?

Put in proper perspective, the purpose of relentless attacks on conservatism or “originalism” is to weaken it to such an extent as to make it of no consequence in the political arena, a necessary agenda item towards destroying the foundations of America.  Isn’t that how you bring about the change necessary to install a different form of government? 

Had Robert Bork been installed as a Supreme Court Justice he would have, in all probability, followed the Constitution in a manner which the founders had intended; something which runs contrary to the desires and wishes of those intent on replacing what they consider an out of date document.

President Obama while addressing the press corps last November said:

“…the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in society.  To that extent, as radical as I think people try to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn’t that radical. It didn’t break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution, at least as it’s been interpreted, and the Warren Court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. Says what the states can’t do to you. Says what the federal government can’t do to you, but doesn’t say what the federal government or state government must do on your behalf.”

Obama also stated, “The document is so out-dated, that it is now becoming a hindrance to governing the country.” 

Isn’t that interesting… a Marxist Communist president in the White House frustrated by a document written over two hundred years ago to protect ‘We The People’ from totalitarian dictators?  Amazing!  Maybe this explains the vast number of Executive Orders implemented to get around our representative form of government; just thinking out loud.

Present day attacks on the conservative movement are no coincidence.  The Tea Party or individuals who stand out from the crowd such as Senator Ted Cruz (R) Texas, are under attack.  Now connect the dots and figure out why it’s important to relegate conservatives as crack pots or lunatics.  Face it, folks who hold the constitution as a sacred document can expect to be ‘Borked’. 

Many powerful members of the GOP are in on the ‘Borking’; why is that?  (Hint: Read Cleon Skousan’s book,  The Naked Communist, where he explains that one or both political parties need to be taken over.)

Tonight Lucy and I will attend the Houston Temple as husband and wife to thank God for having each other and our children sealed for time and all eternity.  We might even express our gratitude for His having established this nation and for wise men to provide the constitution as a means of preserving our liberty and individual God given rights.

Maybe if enough folks remembered that our Creator established this country for a wise purpose, followed His commandments and lived their lives in such a way as to have His protection…maybe we wouldn’t have good men like Robert Bork denied the opportunity to serve in important positions of government.  …or we can look forward to being ‘Borked’, the choice is yours.

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.

Is the Obama administration America’s refining fire?

While listening to Rush Limbaugh’s radio program today there was a comment made which rang true in my mind.  He talked about a previous caller who said that something about America didn’t feel right.  Rush went on to explain his thoughts on the matter.

“I’ll tell you exactly what it feels like to me. You tell me if this isn’t close. It feels like we’ve lost a war to a communist country. It’s almost like there’s been a coup. There’s been a peaceful coup. The media has led this coup, and the Democrats have taken over with popular support. We’re getting policies and implementations and things that were never, ever part of this country’s design and founding.”

The idea occurred to me, almost at the same moment, far too many Americans have little or no understanding of God’s divine intervention here in America.  Providence’s hand permitted a small band of farmers and volunteer militia to beat the most powerful army in the world. 

Steven Alan Sampson’s thoughts, as recorded in the Christian Statement, mirror my own beliefs. 

“As a rule, Americans are ignorant of history.  We are at a loss especially when it comes to recognizing the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our own country’s history.  The thought that Jesus Christ is Lord over America is enough to trigger all sorts of outcries about civil religion and heresy.  But if Jesus Christ is not Lord, who is?  Think about it.  Then think about this: If Jesus Christ is Lord how does He exercise His sovereign rule over the earth?  Does He use the institutions He established to govern our affairs?  Does He use Nations? Magistrates? Churches? Families?  If so what is our responsibility in each of these areas of government?”  

In spite of the recorded thoughts of those who acknowledged God’s hand in our founding to include preserving us against insurmountable odds there are far too many who ignore or dismiss the work of providence in our victories as well as sustaining us through other ordeals. 

Students are no longer taught certain aspects of our history, for example they never hear important facts about the Battle of Long Island in public schools because these young minds might learn of God’s divine intervention, providence’s influence which permitted Washington and his troops to escape certain death and a premature end of the Revolutionary War. 

Nothing short of a miracle permitted their escape from under the nose of the British who outnumbered and out gunned the militia; but a miracle is exactly what happened.

“Washington did not need to shoot the British the next morning; he just needed to get the hell out of Brooklyn with enough of his army to continue and win the war with. This fog provided him with precisely the time and the cover he needed to successfully sneak all 9,000 of his men into Manhattan while the British sat back and reminisced about this jolly good London weather. It was like Washington shouted, “Cover me!” at God, and God had complied like (the) world’s greatest buddy cop. There was not a single loss of life, and Washington was the last one to leave Long Island ... immediately after he snatched his whole army and the Revolution straight out of the British Empire’s back pocket.”

We hear about “deniers” as if it were some kind of pandemic which only affects weak minded malcontents.  There are man made global warming deniers,  9/11 deniers,  Obama birth certificate deniers and so on. 

I’ll take it a step further; add to that list of deniers folks who deny God’s divine intervention in the creation of our constitutional republic.  What was the line used by Steven Alan Sampson, “The thought that Jesus Christ is Lord over America is enough to trigger all sorts of outcries about civil religion and heresy”?  Modern scripture, which many deny as relevant, supports the idea that Jesus Christ truly is the Creator mentioned in our founding documents.

“And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.”  Doctrine and Covenants 101: 80

George Washington, in his Farewell Address, casually mentioned, as if it were common knowledge, a nation of individuals tested and victorious because they held, for the most part, similar religious beliefs and social graces which support liberty.

“The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together; the independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts of common dangers, sufferings, and successes.”

In our day we find ourselves mired in an economy which spirals downward toward total collapse, corruption at every level of government to include the highest offices where Marxist communists have infiltrated even the White House, threatening to destroy all we hold sacred and chipping away at the very foundations of our constitutional republic. 

How could this have happened?

In a lesson by Lorenzo Snow, former president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, he reminded us that God protects His people.

“In many instances … where the destruction of the people of God seemed imminent, and there appeared no way of escape, … suddenly there arose something or another that had been prepared for their salvation to avert the impending destruction. We find this in the case of the Israelites when led by Moses. When they came to the Red Sea, and the Egyptian army in their rear threatened their destruction, there seemed no way of escape, but at the very moment when deliverance was required, behold, it appeared and they were delivered [see Exodus 14:10–25].”

Elder Snow went on to explain the challenges yet to come.

“So it has been and so it ever will be with us. Notwithstanding our difficulties may appear very great, yet there will be means provided for our escape if we ourselves perform the duties incumbent upon us as the children of God.”

{…}

“First we should know that we are the people of God. … It is our business to step forward as did Esther, and be willing to risk all for the salvation of the people. In undertaking her task, Esther said, “If I perish, I perish.” [See Esther 4:3–16.] … But the people of God will not perish. There will always be a ram caught in the thicket for their deliverance [see Genesis 22:13]. …”

If we are to survive, much less prosper as a nation, we will need the help of our Creator.  He expects us to follow His commandments and live according to the examples set forth in readily available scriptures.  Such a simple formula and yet it is the answer to our ever growing list of challenges.   

Christians are laughed at and scorned by the statists among us.  Within our government there are those who now teach that Christians are to be considered a terrorist threat; anything to discredit people of faith, God’s people.  These are the most dangerous of all “deniers”, those who deny God’s hand in our affairs and go about destroying the foundations of faith in others.

We need to stand firm in our testimonies of the Gospel, live our lives in such a way as to deserve God’s divine intervention in these perilous times.  The darkest clouds which seem to have blotted out the light within our nation’s capital are a test of our faith and resolve.  Let us rise to the challenge as we’re tested by the Refiner’s Fire once more.

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”. 

Locksmith Industry Run like a Police State

Locksmiths around Texas are getting used to being herded, branded and then put out to pasture at the beck and call of the Department of Public Safety/Private Security Board (DPS/PSB).  Ever since the State mandated licensing of the locksmith industry with all powers being handed to a select board of overseers, none of whom are locksmiths, there has been a steady amount of pressure applied to individuals to remind them that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are not guaranteed to all individuals; you have to get permission from a licensing board, not exactly the America envisioned by our founders.

Over the years locksmiths have been instructed on how to jump rope, balance on beams and properly bow before our masters, the DPS/PSB.  We’ve been treated to mandated continuing education regardless of how absurd the requirement relates to journeymen locksmiths followed a couple of years later with additional mandated hours of this same meaningless exercise simply because members of the board thought it was a good idea; never mind that an individual’s license to compete in the market place hinges on well meaning but delusional ‘do gooders’ forcing others to bend to their desires without regard for rhyme or reason.

This morning an email from the Texas Locksmith Association (TLA) arrived in my email box advising me of an Emergency PSB Meeting to be held in Austin, Texas, on October 8^th, that’s four days from now; not exactly a timely message for anyone trying to schedule an event.

What constitutes a reason for an Emergency Meeting of the DPS/PSB?  Is there something so important it can’t wait until the regular quarterly meeting scheduled for the end of October?  Quarterly meeting are when locksmiths are normally ignored and told to sit there and shut up so this is an extra opportunity to run rough shod over individual rights and destroy the free market a little bit more.

I remember the local news media interrupted a ball game with an
Emergency Alert Screen to tell everyone the President has signed an Executive Order prohibiting ICE from deporting illegal aliens – Now back to your regularly scheduled program.  I suppose anything constitutes an emergency now; like that couldn’t have waited until the regular news hour.

The request which requires this Emergency Meeting (translate request to mean firm instructions from our Masters), is intended to mandate all locksmiths submit a new set of fingerprints to the DPS/PSB when ever they wish to renew their locksmith licenses. 

“35.187 deals with Renewal Applications.  Under current rule, all security company employees only have to submit fingerprint cards to the DPS when first hired.  The DPS wants a new fingerprint card to be submitted upon each renewal of pocket cards.

The Rules Committee has been working on a solution for a few months and will report their findings at the Oct. 8 meeting.”

Excuse me while I barf in the trash can; but the Rules Committee has been working on a solution for a few months?  How hard is it to tell the DPS/PSB to shove this one where the ‘sun don’t shine’?  (I worked very hard to word that without swearing by the way)

Did the DPS misplace everyone’s fingerprint files or do they think we all go around altering those little lines and indentions on our finger tips just to throw the authorities off when they’re looking for a specific locksmith?  

There’s another rule somewhere in the DPS/PSB system requiring locksmith’s fingerprints be recorded and submitted only at specific ‘authorized’ locations.  The charge for this ‘service’ (that’s the same term prostitutes use when they do the same thing to their customers) is around $30 (give or take); but that’s not the point.

Fingerprint file cards don’t change over the years and this is one more example of the Police State Mentality of the DPS/PSB as they pull the puppet strings of everyone they have been given authority over.

The original reason for licensing locksmiths supposedly was to protect the public from unscrupulous fly by night crooks posing as locksmiths.  If that really was the case, and I seriously doubt that, then it would appear the DPS/PSB is going after folks who are already licensed.  Honest law abiding locksmiths who have already proven they are not a threat to society are being treated as if they were unscrupulous fly by night crooks. 
 

The real threat to our society, or so it seems, is the DPS/PSB. 

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.

Terrorist Threats and Zero Tolerance

What has our world come to when little boys in grammar school get suspended because they pointed fingers at other students, pretending the finger’s a gun?  Could a case be made that those in charge of our schools have lost any grasp of common sense as they implement Zero Tolerance policies?

There was a story out of Oklahoma back in January of 2011 as reported by Joe Newby of Examiner.com, a first grader suspended for making his hand look like a gun.

“Midwest City-Del City Schools spokeswoman Stacey Boyer confirmed the incident and says the district’s policy is to “address the disruption of the learning environment.” Boyer says Fox’s son “has repeatedly used his hands to simulate a gun.”

In other words, Fox’s son is being punished by politically correct school administrators for simply being a boy, and doing what young boys his age do.”

Reading a story like that is mind boggling to most folks who would consider this to be an anomaly; but they’d be mistaken, this type of harsh administrative punishment is happening more often. 

A story in the Washington Post by Donna St. George on February 17, 2013 detailed another case of Zero Tolerance regarding so called gun violence when in fact these are just kids being kids. 

“An 8-year-old boy in Prince William County pointed his finger like a gun in a school hallway after a friend pretended to shoot him with a bow and arrow. The class had been studying Native American culture and had just learned a deer-hunting song.

“It was playing — it was cowboys and Indians,” said the second-grader’s father.

The imaginary crossfire on Feb. 8 produced real-life fallout two months after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The boy was suspended for “threatening to harm self or others,” a misdeed on par with bringing an actual weapon to school. He served an in-school suspension Wednesday.” 

Another issue to contemplate is how these entries become permanent school records and will follow these individuals throughout their lives.  Eventually the only thing that will stick out will be a marker showing this individual has a tendency for violence.  

It wouldn’t surprise me to find a bureaucrat sitting behind a desk in Washington has already entered a permanent red flag barring these individuals the right to purchase and own of firearms as protected by the 2^nd Amendment.
 
It isn’t too far fetched since doctors are now instructed to ask children if their parents own firearms as part of ObamaCare, all in the name of looking out for the greater good in society. 

The whole family will probably be banned from firearm ownership because of this single entry, police swat teams dispatched to surround the house, kick in the doors and remove any and all weapons.

While we’re on the topic of threatening gestures, what about folks who flash the old Thumbs Up at you?  That looks pretty threatening to me as I think of radical Muslim terrorists strapping on high explosives and walking to the bus stop on the way to meet their 72 Virgins.  The last thing they do, or so I’m told; they hold their hand up to show everyone the detonator switch with their thumb about to press the trigger.

Yup, everyone who flashes the Thumbs Up sign needs to be dealt with for the terrorist acts they represent with such a politically incorrect use of their hands.

The folks at Texas A & M University should all be rounded up and thrown in prison for the rest of their natural days; just a bunch of potential right wing Tea Party members anyway pretending to have school spirit by yelling, “Gig Em Aggies”.  We all know they’re planning to saw the horns off of anyone in their way; heck they even brag about it.

We need to take a tougher stand against terrorists regardless of age.  If kids thinks they can play good guys and bad guys in their own front yard and get away with it; well I’m here to tell you that kind of flaunting of authority won’t go unpunished.  

“Khalid Caraballo, 12, and his friend, Aidan, were suspended for “possession, handling and use of a firearm” because they “shot two other friends who were with them while playing” with the airsoft guns, WAVY-TV reported.”  

The progressive movement is after your guns and while they’re at it… they’ll make it so you can’t pick your nose either…and that’s just the way it is.  If you liked this article, and I hope you did; whatever you do don’t give it two thumbs up.

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.