Printed Words Preserve History

When I was growing up; mind you, I’ve never quite gotten there; but when I was packaged in a youthful frame I enjoyed turning pages in my folk’s Compton’s Encyclopedias.  These books are old;  more accurately, these books are beyond ancient.  I only mention the encyclopedia set because my mother said she’d looked up something in them the other day; yes, she still has this wonderful set of history books.  Since she doesn’t use the internet they’re the closest thing to a Boolean search available to her.

Books keep the history of the world neatly bundled between the covers in a bound set of printed pages.  Unlike the digital age we now live in where all you have to do is Google a key word and follow the links; investigating a subject took a little more effort.  The old Comptons marked a place in time; no moment to moment updates and certainly no interactive opportunities. 

Most of the photographs were in black and white; but then again so were most of the television sets in my youth.  (I apologize for having breathed out loudly enough to where you may have heard the years passing)

To give you an idea of how old my parent’s Compton’s are, the Pan American Clipper was listed as a modern marvel which opened the world to air travelers.  I recall seeing a picture of this magnificent machine landing in New York’s harbor.  

Since we’re trying to emulate Europe in every way now, perhaps I should add a “u” to harbor and ease the way for our transition toward that end, “harbour”; but I’ll get to how folks are re-writing history a little later.

Pat O’brian starred in the movie, China Clipper, “based on the true story of Pan American Airlines.   China Clipper was released (1936) only a year after the first transpacific flight in history”.  It’s the story of the American can-do spirit with real men pushing themselves to the limit in order to bring about fulfillment of their capitalistic dreams; but in today’s version of, “You didn’t build it”, this story could never have been made. 

The problem with relying on digital storage of information is how easily it can be corrupted.  Should we trust history to the digital age?

Take the Benghazi mess which many folks in the Obama administration would just as soon sweep under the rug.  The public was told the attack was in response to a YouTube video which spawned a protest, escalated into mob violence and the death of four Americans to include Ambassador Stevens.

United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice stood in front of the world and read the official message, supposedly a statement based upon information supplied by CIA Director David Petraeus and approved by the White House; basically saying, “We don’t really know what happened and are looking into it”, which as we have learned, isn’t exactly the truth. 

Since that statement we’ve found the White House had a live video feed of the attack, an attack which lasted several hours, and they knew all along it was a terrorist attack which had nothing to do with an Islamic protest over an obscure video.  The entire mess apparently was associated with some black bag gun running operation being carried out at a CIA safe house; never let the facts get in the way of a news story.

We’ve also learned how short the public’s memory is when it comes to major news items.  Give the major news outlets credit; they’ve covered for Obama very well. Disinformation is the name of the game rather than news reporting.  At each turn of the calendar a different spin has created the illusion that this administration is searching for the truth when in fact they are doing their level best to make sure the truth is never found.

If the truth is ever brought to light regarding what actually happened during the Benghazi massacre Obama could very likely be impeached and many in his administration could face prison time for their roll in the cover up; but I’m getting ahead of myself.

This week in a closed door appearance before Congress, David Petraeus, former CIA Director opened the door to further speculation according to an AP story.

“Petraeus testified that the CIA draft written in response to the raid referred to militant groups Ansar al-Shariah and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) but those names were replaced with the word “extremist” in the final draft, according to a congressional staffer. The staffer said Petraeus testified that he allowed other agencies to alter the talking points as they saw fit without asking for final review, to get them out quickly.”

So who changed the information?  The authorization to change something this important would be limited to very few and most likely it would have come from a member of the White House staff, perhaps Obama himself.  

Speculating who changed key words on an official statement is about all we can do.  I’m waiting for a weak link to surface; someone who doesn’t want to go to prison without clearing his/her conscience.  History has shown it could take quite a long time for that weak link to offer up the real guilty parties and that might be forty years down the road as a death bed confession. 

Then again there’s always the convenient death by induced heart attack or automobile accident to get rid of dangerous political witnesses.  If you know the truth, watch your back.  When dealing with treacherous regimes nothing is off the table and the Obama administration was built with Chicago gangster methods since day one. 

How will history be kept for future generations?  Will it be recorded in black and white as printed words on paper, an encyclopedia with pages to turn or as flexible cyber documents reduced to Ones and Zeroes which can be easily altered to match the desires of those in power?

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”.

Families Supporting Adoption

Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards was all over the news this week telling the GOP it needed to “dump” its pro-life base.  There are unsubstantiated rumors Richards also called the Pope and told him the Catholic Church would have better success if they dumped the Ten Commandments.

“Richards seems representative of many liberal Democrats in her lack of logic across situations. She argues that being pro-life is contrary to “supporting people’s individual rights and keeping government out of personal health care decisions,” but she apparently assumes that Catholics and Christians who oppose funding for abortion have no individual rights to oppose government’s intervention in their personal decisions of conscience.”

Today I had a chance to attend the Southwest Regional Families Supporting Adoption Conference ( FSA) put on by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at the Hafer Road building here in Houston.  I was serving in my capacity as an IT specialist (still trying to figure out what IT stands for), hooking up cables, microphones and internet connections so the conference could be viewed by those unable to attend in person.

I helped set up the broadcast equipment and monitored the production throughout the day just in case something needed fixing.  Twenty minutes into the broadcast the magic box, (that’s a technical term for the equipment which sends the broadcast up to Salt Lake City where angels turn it into a program which can be viewed on any computer using the proper URL); anyway, the magic box froze up and quit working.  We shut it off and started it up again and it worked just fine the rest of the day.

I monitored the broadcast from my laptop in a room not too distant from the actual broadcast room; just far enough away so my activity didn’t disturb anyone else.  There’s about a minute and a half lag time; the live transmission sent through a magic box, up to Salt Lake and back.   

It’s kind of neat if you think about it; I turned on the video camera, microphones and exited the room, walked over to where my computer was set up and a minute and a half later watched myself pass in front of that camera, turn on the microphone and test them.  I could use a device like that to pick the lottery numbers, wait for the winning combo to be announced and then buy my ticket; yea, I know it’s already been tried.

I listened to the deeply personal explanations regarding the choice to place a child up for adoption given by young women who had put themselves in between a rock and a hard place.  These young women had become pregnant out of wedlock and needed help. 

One of them thought about having an abortion; the fellow who’d broken her heart was pushing to get rid of the problem rather than offering to marry.  While she was at the clinic to have the “procedure” completed a variety of events prevented it being accomplished in a timely manner.  She was scheduled to be the first of many lined up in the waiting room; but somehow her paperwork was misplaced so she ended up having to wait while other young women were “taken care of”. 

The longer she waited the more the finality of her actions weighed upon her mind.  Finally she was ushered in to a room for an ultrasound prior to the actual abortion.  During the ultrasound she felt the baby jump within her, an activity which showed up on the ultrasound monitor.  She had asked the technician if she could watch; but was told it was against the clinic’s policy (this was before the laws were changed).  Not being one to easily give up she persuaded the technician to turn the monitor so she could see the monitor.

“What’s that moving, there?”

“That’s the heart beating”, the technician told her, “That means it’s a viable embryo”.  Everything said was cold and without human compassion as she was led to a stainless steel table where she waited for the procedure to commence.

During that time she considered her options, her need to stop and do the right thing.  She wanted to leave and yet she was already on the table.  She said a silent prayer in those few minutes.

In her mind she saw a little boy holding a flower in his hand looking up at her and smiling, as if to say, “My life is in your hands”.  She bolted from the table and thanked the Lord for awakening her, to get up and leave regardless of the embarrassment of being pregnant and unwed; her friends and family would not understand.

I sat there, watching my computer monitor with tears streaming down my cheeks and wondered how anyone could relate this event in front of an audience.  There was no box of Kleenex in the room so I used the back of my hands to wipe the tears away and sniffled the congestion in my nose several times just in case someone were to enter.

The second half of the day was similar; but from a different point of view, that of folks who had adopted children and how it had affected their lives.  I listened to each of them, again the tears fell without end. 

I listened to stories about the miracle of life, that miracle which some are unable to produce and so they must adopt from those who are, for a number of reasons, unable to properly raise or support a child.  Thinking back to the article I’d read earlier and what the president of Planned Parenthood was saying:

“It’s also important to note that, as is the case with most pro-abortion proponents, Richards continues to use terms such as “women’s personal health care decisions,” “women’s preventive health care,” “women’s reproductive health care,” etc., all phrases that have been usurped from the field of medicine and health care for the pro-abortion political agenda. Ironically enough, when discussions about “reproductive health care” come up in most gynecologists’ offices, they are in reference to fertility and how to become pregnant with a baby, rather than how to abort one.”

How we view the miracle of life, as individuals and then as a society in general, is a measure of our gratitude for all the blessings of life.  Some think nothing of the small child which they toss in a trash sack and into the garbage while there are so many waiting in line to qualify for a chance to adopt.  Isn’t that a remarkable situation worth contemplating; one that brakes my heart as I think of my friends, those who have been trying to start a family and their look of desperation as each year passes and they pray for a child to enter their lives.

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”.

Yea…Whatever

The counting is over and Barrack Obama will have four more years; so congratulations for having duped enough voters, again (as Forrest Gump would have added).

You may recall the first time Barry Soetoro, I mean Barrack Obama, took the Oath of Office it had to be done a second time because Chief Justice Roberts got the words jumbled up and Barry repeated the error.  

I’m wondering how Barrack Hussein Obama will act on inauguration day as he places his hand on the Holy Koran and pledges, to Allah, to uphold the Constitution as president.  Will he proudly use Hussein this go around, a name that links him more closely to Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood or will he continue being Barry Soetoro Obama? 

Obama can do what he wants since he won’t have to bother with the voice of the people in another election; but I forgot, Obama’s more into expressing the dreams of his father than listening to the voice of the people.  Imperial America must be transformed from its colonialism days and made to pay a measure of tribute, a redistribution of wealth to those around the world who had everything stolen by capitalist pigs.

Will Barrack Obama, Barrack Hussein Obama, or what ever he wants to be called have a teleprompter in front of him so he can repeat those important words or a device in his ear similar to what he did during the debate so he could repeat whatever was needed at the right moment?  Obama despises America to such a degree I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him roll his eyes and say, “Yea…”, breathing out his contempt for a document and the nation which he’s been ignoring all this time, “...whatever”.

Some years back my brother’s youngest son came over from Europe to live with us; a chance to attend high school here in America.  Nathan had been home schooled by private tutors and the level of his education was superior to anything he might obtain here; but that was only part of the reason for his extended visit.  Nathan wanted to learn more about America first hand and living with relatives would give him a chance to do just that.

Listening to Nathan’s British accent was like having the BBC or NPR (same difference) right there in our living room.  My grown children had their way of letting us know things were “Bor-ing” while Nathan had his distinctive, “What-Ev-er”; a three syllable word with exclamation marks along the way, a double exclamation mark in the middle which beat boring hands down for effect. 

I never quite mastered the art of saying What-Ev-er with the same level of sarcasm because British is a foreign language to Americans.  Over here “whatever” is subdued as it leaves the lips, intentionally directed away from the listener’s ear while the British version is a slap to the cheek to get your attention. 

I’m afraid Obama would use the subdued version since he doesn’t really care about his oath of office; just has to repeat it while holding his hand to the square as if he means it.  “Can’t we just get this over with so I can get on with America’s transformation from a liberty loving nation of individuals into the collective my father dreamed of, a few notches down from the capitalistic imperial land grabbing beast of years gone by?”   Yea…whatever is how Obama sees the Oath of Office, the oath he’ll take in January.

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”.

Unemployment Blues

Election Day is almost over with the sun going down and the polls closing; the opportunity to count and tally the votes to see which candidates will take the reigns of office.  There’s an air of trepidation and concern for our future.  Will the war on American industry continue as the EPA ties the hands of oil and coal tighter to the point of breaking or is there a change in the works, a change which might turn things around enough to open up jobs for those anxiously looking for work?

 

I was watching an old movie, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which reminded me of the desperate measures so many have taken to keep their heads above water (no pun intended for the misery caused by flooding in and around the New York area caused by the hurricane). 

Johnny Nolan, an immigrant with a beautiful Irish Tenor voice made less than a meager living singing at weddings and such; but for the most part was out of work, leaving his family to scrape to make ends meet.  His wife scrubbed floors and did all manner of odd jobs; even so they were paupers with little to be cheerful about.  One evening Nolan came home to find the family had moved to the cheapest apartment available, the previous owner was unable to take an old piano which he sat down and played an old Scottish tune, Annie Laurie; realizing his inability to work steady had taken a terrible toll on his family.

Maxwelton braes are bonnie, where early fa's the dew
Where me and Annie Laurie made up the promise true
Made up the promise true, and ne'er forget will I
And for bonnie Annie Laurie I'd lay doun my head and die...



How many folks across America have these dark thoughts, watching time flicker by and hoping beyond hope to find gainful employment in our faltering economy?  Being unemployed leaves a hole in your soul, an emptiness which gnaws at you and never goes away.

The current administration boasts we have an economy in recovery mode, only 7.9% unemployment as if telling folks who’ve been out of work for an extended period will find something to be happy about.  The facts show otherwise; the real unemployment numbers are closer to 25%; but expecting the Obama administration to be honest about anything; well, let’s hope today’s election brings about a change in administrations too.

When Obama took office he promised that if he didn’t turn the economy around in four years he expected to be a one term president.  I’m holding my breath waiting for the results of today’s election, a chance to sing something other than America’s dirge, the Unemployment Blues.

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”.

Fasting for Our Nation

As a rule, the first Sunday of each month is set aside for fasting and prayer by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  A variety of things are accomplished by missing two meals during the day; the most obvious is the money which isn’t spent on those meals is diverted to a special fund to improve the lives of the less fortunate.  As you give from the heart, picture missing breakfast at a fancy hotel with your second meal at a nice steak house rather than missing an Egg McMuffin and later that day some item off the dollar menu; generosity requires an attitude adjustment.

While donating a sum of money toward feeding the hungry is a worthy effort, the purpose of a Fast also serves to awaken the spiritual side of individuals. 

Several of my friends have decided to ask Father in Heaven to help our nation through these difficult times, a unified effort pleading for guidance as we choose men of good character to be our leaders in government.  The prayers of righteous individuals reach God’s ear; let us join together and request His help at this time.

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”   James 5:16

For too long we have seen a decline in our nation’s character; an entitlement mentality which has sapped the energy of self reliance and placed future generations into a state of indebtedness along with an overall lack of respect for basic principles of individual self governance which spring from the original Ten Commandments; these are taking a heavy toll on our society.

John F. Kennedy summed it up in his inaugural address on January 20, 1961; pointing out the need to find the American Spirit of self reliance rather than dependence on handouts.

“Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.”

{…}

“…let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.”

We have a choice; continue looking for handouts, to receive something for nothing from pandering politicians who promise hope and change, their secret combinations carried out in back rooms under a veil of secrecy and deceit; or, place our faith in God, looking upwards with a brightness of hope for His blessings.  

And so as we start this Sunday, let it be a day of fasting and prayer for our nation.  If we will acknowledge God’s hand in our daily lives and ask, believing that prayers are answered, our nation can and will be blessed as it has in the past. 

Tuesday is Election Day; consider prayerfully who has earned your vote.  Find the American can-do spirit, that spirit which has made us a nation to overcome incredible odds from our inception all the way until this time of uncertainty.  Choose carefully, as it was recorded in Proverbs:

“The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.”

Haven’t we seen far too many individuals in positions of leadership who lack integrity, folks who lie and deceive in order to advance their agendas?  We’ve been brought to our knees, humbled if you will; but do we yet recognize the serious position we are now in?  Let’s do something right, let’s do it the Lord’s way.

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”.

A Cooling Down Period

Early last July I wrote an open letter to anyone involved in the locksmith industry and followed that up by sending a copy of the letter to the Department of Public Safety/Private Security Bureau (DPS/PSB).  It was sent certified mail so I’d have a signature proving they’d received it; which they signed for on July 13^th, a full 10 days to read my letter and plenty of time before the quarterly meeting on the 23^rd of July. 

I wanted the DPS/PSB board to address my concerns regarding journeymen locksmiths being required to take basic remedial courses to obtain the mandated State Continuing Education hours to secure their licensing requirements.   According to a letter I got back, a letter dated July 29^th, the board didn’t get a chance to review that letter in time for the July 23^rd meeting.  John E. Chism, Presiding Officer, Texas Private Security Board, claimed they couldn’t act; but let me quote directly from his letter:

“I will furnish copies of your letter to the two locksmith associations that attended this meeting for their information.  In order for the Private Security Board to consider changes to Board Rules concerning licensing fees, continuing education, or any other Board Rule, the proposed changes must appear on the Board Agenda.  Any proposed Board Rule changes must be discussed publically with input from the regulated industries and the citizens of the State of Texas.”  

I started to write my thoughts down immediately after receiving this artfully crafted line of crap; but remembered some advice from long ago, “Take a deep breath and cool off before you say something you’ll regret later”.  While that’s good advice, and certainly worth following; it doesn’t fit my personality most of the time, I like to jump right in with both feet securely in my mouth.  (I was once suspended from the Houston Police Department for 40 days, insubordination; but that’s a whole other story)

So here I am, several months later writing down my thoughts on why the DPS/PSB should stay out of the free market system.  I don’t think I’ve cooled off enough; but here goes…

Mr. Chisum mentioned he’d given a copy of my original letter/proposal to two locksmith associations; but I’d already sent them copies well in advance of the July 23^rd Quarterly meeting.  My suggestions were ignored; gee I wonder why?

The two locksmith associations mentioned in Mr. Chisum’s letter are the Texas Locksmith Association (TLA) and the Greater Houston Locksmith Association (GHLA). 

The TLA established the original locksmith industry legislative package and sent it off to Austin, legislation which mandated locksmith licenses in order to protect the public from unscrupulous fly by night operators.  The package sent to Austin was not the same legislation which locksmiths had been shown and worked on; instead it was a package which the Alarm Industry had suggested in order to regulate locksmiths, a long standing economic feud which the Alarm Industry eventually won; not exactly water under the bridge.

I happen to be a member of GHLA and find it interesting they are listed as one of the few recognized official schools which locksmiths may attend to obtain State mandated Continuing Education hours in order to remain licensed.  Remarkable that GHLA wouldn’t propose a rules change that would affect a cash cow like mandated Continuing Education, even for journeyman locksmiths who could easily teach courses in basic locksmith work.  Don’t hold your breath waiting for this topic to come up in front of the DPS/PSB. 

 

I found a copy of Ronald Reagan’s speech, A Time for Choosing, given while he was supporting Barry Goldwater’s bid for the presidency.  Reagan expressed the principles of self governance clearly and succinctly; a reminder and a warning that is timeless.

“This idea -- that government was beholden to the people, that it had no other source of power -- is still the newest, most unique idea in all the long history of man’s relation to man. This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.

You and I are told we must choose between a left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only an up or down. Up to man’s age-old dream--the maximum of individual freedom consistent with order -- or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. Regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would sacrifice freedom for security have embarked on this downward path. Plutarch warned, “The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits.”

The Founding Fathers knew a government can’t control the economy without controlling people. And they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. So we have come to a time for choosing.”

Those serving on the DPS/PSB board have little or no understanding of the American concept of a nation ruled by self governance.  God given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are just words on a piece of paper waiting to be sorted out and issued to the people via some sort of mandated entitlement which must first be earned by jumping over fences, through hoops and landing on the indicated mark as set down in a manual created to provide a safety net for the uninformed, easily fooled public.   

The DPS/PSB board needs no permission to alter their own arbitrarily mandated rules; they write them with or without the consent of the governed. 

My dad used to tell a joke which ended with the line, “…and that goes for the horse you came in on”.  Some folks might think I wasn’t joking so I won’t include that line while addressing the DPS/PSB.  I wonder what the time frame is for a cooling off period.

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”.

Asking the Tough Questions

Saturday evening I listened to a talk by John Pingree, President of the Houston Texas Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  He mentioned the need for each of us to offer up our prayers; but he structured his thoughts in such a way as to emphasize how our prayers should focus on our individual challenge to become more like the Savior. 

President Pingree said we should implement the “dangerous prayer”, that prayer which would identify our own short comings; ask the Lord to help us get rid of what ever sin was keeping us from achieving progress towards becoming the kind of person He wants us to become.  It reminded me of another talk some years back where folks were reminded of their back sliding ways; working to become better people all the while keeping up their summer home in Gomorrah. (I wish I were better at finding a reference link to that particular item; but sometimes the magic works, sometimes it doesn’t.)

Asking difficult questions can be painful as it brings to light weaknesses which stand between doing what is right and holding on to our weaknesses.  Are we willing to ask tough questions?

I like to tell people I’m working on becoming a better person; that I gave up robbing banks and burglary, next I plan to stop stealing cars.  You’d think my parole officer would be happy; that is, if I had a parole officer.  I’m also a terrible liar, something I’ll have to give up eventually if I want to be counted among the righteous. 

Shifting gears, is it important to have men of integrity leading the country? 

What’s the deal with the Obama Administration covering up important blunders regarding gun running down Mexico way or over in Libya?  Is there no personal integrity to be found?  Why aren’t all the major news outlets hounding the Obama administration day and night until they come clean and provide the requested documentation?

First there was the Fast & Furious mess which got swept under the rug, at least by the largest news outlets; assault weapons being placed in the hands of drug cartels, guns which have murdered in the neighborhood of at least a couple of hundred innocent Mexican Nationals and at least 2 American citizens.  Frank Miniter, in an article posted at Forbes, not exactly a media outlet where most folks look for important headline breakers, posed the following thought:

“Why a gunrunning scandal codenamed “Fast and Furious,” a program run secretly by the U.S. government that sent thousands of firearms over an international border and directly into the hands of criminals, hasn’t been pursued by an army of reporters all trying to be the next Bob Woodward or Carl Bernstein is a story in itself.”

Now we have the mess in Benghazi which gets more interesting by the moment as the Obama Administration changes and alters their official statement as the world turns; just like the soap opera and every bit as sleazy.  Why should Americans have to depend on the Washington Guardian, a relatively obscure media outlet, to obtain a reliable account of this disaster?

“The two former Navy SEALs killed in last week’s attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi were not part of Ambassador Chris Stevens’ official security detail but took up arms in an effort to protect the facility when it was overrun by insurgents…”

{…}

“…while the administration has downplayed any link to al-Qaida, there is evidence some of  the attackers were affiliated with another group that sympathizes with al-Qaida and has grown more influential in Libya and other parts of north Africa.”

While the administration downplayed any link to al-Qaida they also avoided answering other troubling questions. 

Was Ambassador Chris Stevens acting as a front man to complete yet another version of Fast & Furious, only this time handing over assault weapons to al-Qaida and the Muslim Brotherhood?  When did the Obama administration become aware of the attack or was there real time coverage of the attack supplied by drone aircraft which might have been ignored during a political campaign because it would be unfavorable to Obama’s bid for re-election?  Who, exactly, was responsible for denying military assistance to those battling insurgents in a bloody assault on an American compound, requests which were denied at least twice over several hours? 

Was Obama present when live down feed of the attack was transmitted or was he off trying to convince voters he deserves another four years of failure and deception?  Can we depend on our news media to do their job?  We know Hillary Clinton fell on the sword to deflect the media’s attention; but how much of that was just for show and how much higher should we be looking for answers?

David Jackson, USA Today wrote:

“President Obama has declined to answer questions about a report that Americans under attack in Libya on Sept. 11 were denied help, saying the entire incident is still under investigation.”

Who will ask the tough questions and keep asking until the truth comes out; but more than that, when will the American public be told the truth instead of being spoon fed milk toast answers like, “We’re still looking into this” or “There is insufficient data at this time”.  Who will ask the dangerous questions, questions which might cause the White House to cancel the journalist’s press pass for making Obama look incompetent, or worse, a traitor?

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”.

Markers along the Road

We depend on markers along the road, verification we’re on the right path toward our destination.  There was a picture of an old map which caught my attention this morning.  Something about maps is exciting, makes our imagination go to work.  Old maps may even act as portals to another time and transport us through history.

This past week we gave away our old sofa and love seat to make room for new ones.  Our cat, Pumpkin, came in from being in the rain and was scurrying through the den when it dawned on her, something was different; her markers along the way had been removed.

“Hey, humans; somebody walked off with my sofa and love seat!  You guys gonna’ make a police report or what?”  That’s a rough translation of her yowling while pointing to the obvious open spaces where the furniture had been.

The scene was repeated Tuesday when Pumpkin noticed the new sofa and love seat, “Hey, humans; they pulled a fast one, these aren’t ours.  Are you guys blind or just stupid?”  Pumpkin went off to sulk under the bed the rest of the day.

Markers in the road reassure us we’re headed in the right direction.  When I was in the back seat of my folk’s car on vacation, my dad driving at a reasonable speed, I can recall his line, “We’re lost; but we’re making good time”.   Checking to make sure the road signs matched with those on the map wasn’t one of my dad’s strong suits; that’s how we got to see Waco, Texas, only an hour out of our way and every one should see Waco at least once in their life. 

November is coming up soon, a chance to continue down the path we’re now on or, perhaps, alter that course with different leadership in Washington.  The markers would indicate a decided move toward socialism and totalitarianism; not exactly what our founders envisioned when they penned our road map, the Constitution. 

Individual liberties and rights protected by the Constitution are being removed a little at a time.  When my cat noticed the missing sofa and love seat the change was easily noticed and cause for alarm.  Whittling down individual liberties has been an on going process for many years; here a little, there a little until one day we awakened to find some of them nearly gone. 

The Supreme Court drove a wedge into the 1^st Amendment when they magically found words that weren’t included anywhere in the Constitution, something about separation of church and state which has been used to attack and remove anything associated with religion from the public square.  Our children can’t say a prayer at school or mention religion at sporting events without some ACLU lawyer filing a lawsuit.

I dare say, if Thomas Jefferson were to visit our time he’d wonder what happened to our markers along the way, those which lead us toward the kind of nation our Father in Heaven had in mind when His divine Spirit inspired these men to write the most superb documents in the history of mankind.  

Obama pushed for and got bipartisan support to destroy the 1^st Amendment’s protection of free speech, specifically the right to address grievances toward the government.

“The legislation, H.R. 347,  now allows Secret Service agents to decide where and when you have the right to speak freely. This legislation, supported by both parties, gives the Secret Service the ability to set up “NO FREE SPEECH ZONES”. In these zones, it would become a felony punishable by up to one year in jail to protest against the government.”

Why are there no Bibles used in teaching basic principles of conduct in each classroom and no moment of prayer set aside to acknowledge our Creator at the start of each day?  “Who stole these important markers?  What have you guys done with the protections built into the Constitution?” 

Dinesh D’Souza explained during a debate with Michael Shermer at Oregon University how a certain percentage of our population really does need help; but that over time that percentage has grown to include many who simply would rather let others do the work.

“About 10% of the population is getting pulled in the wagon. This percentage is increasing over time, and the people in the wagon are starting to think, “Hey, it’s nice back there in the wagon, why should I keep pulling?”’

There are no provisions in the Constitution for wealth redistribution and yet much of the nation’s budget is directed towards entitlements which are bankrupting us.  Entitlements are destroying the fabric of our society.   

Those pulling the wagon are being worn down by those in the wagon, those who could have been helping pull; but find it easier to let others do the work.  It wouldn’t be so bad if the ones in the wagon were helpless, too old or infirm; but able bodied individuals on the dole are demanding a free ride and president Obama points a finger of blame at those pulling the wagon for not doing enough rather than tossing the moochers out of the wagon.

My cat’s smart enough to notice something was drastically wrong when she saw the sofa and love seat were missing.  You can bet even the moochers in the wagon, those going along for the free ride know our nation can’t endure the way we’re headed.  It’s time to turn the wagon down a different path and establish those markers, markers intended to keep us on the right path. 

November 6^th would be a good time to begin the process of turning things around, getting us headed toward the path which recognizes individual liberty.  Constitutional markers provide a means of obtaining all other blessings; meaningful employment, a favorable economy, monetary stability and national security.  It’s time to speak up and be heard.

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”.

Enslaving us for our own good

There in the shadows where we cannot see clearly there are dangers lurking; sounds like pulp fiction, “Only the Shadow knows”…  Take for example the Northside Independent School District in rural Bexar County, Texas, school administrators have implemented a program for all students “requiring them to walk the halls with identification cards in their pockets that are equipped with RFID microchips”.

“Backers of the program say the move is well intentioned and will actually bring the school millions of dollars in extra funding. Ghastly attendance rates in Bexar County currently keeps the district from earning around $175,000 a day in state assistance, reports KHOU News out of San Antonio, TX. Speaking to that city’s Express-News, district spokesman Pascual Gonzalez explains that the school wants “to harness the power of (the) technology to make schools safer, know where our students are all the time in a school, and increase revenue.”

This is Texas after all; I’m surprised these folks don’t just staple a tag on each student’s ear lobe like ranchers do with cattle, pigs and sheep.  Can you imagine having the school district track your every move; going to the bathroom, standing at your locker talking to friends, sitting at a table in the cafeteria while some office person keeps tabs on who you’re with and for how long? 

But it’s for their own good; and besides, look how much money the district will save by being able to account for each and every warm body.  I remember a quote, more of a warning, by C.S. Lewis regarding the damage done by folks with good intentions.

“Of all tyrannies a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” (emphasis added) 

I read where some students have refused to comply with wearing the micro-chip ID card and have been punished for having bucked authorities.  One student, Andrea Hernandez, a sophomore at John Jay, was told she could not vote in homecoming elections unless she wore the RFID microchip ID card even though she had her school issued ID card from before the RFID microchips were required.

“After Hernandez refused to wear an RFID chip, WND reported that Deputy Superintendent Ray Galindo issued a statement to the girl's parents: “We are simply asking your daughter to wear an ID badge as every other student and adult on the Jay campus is asked to do.” If she is allowed to forego the tracking now, the repercussions will be harsher than just revoking voting rights for homecoming contests once the school makes location-monitoring mandatory, he argued.

“I urge you to accept this solution so that your child’s instructional program will not be affected. As we discussed, there will be consequences for refusal to wear an ID card as we begin to move forward with full implementation,” Galindo wrote.”

It doesn’t sound like the school district is “asking”; more like demanding while at the same time throwing down the gauntlet if you ask me.  A few of my friends refer to our public schools as child prisons and indoctrination centers; looks like they might be on to something. 
 
In the movie Shawshank Redemption, Morgan Freeman’s character, Red, had been institutionalized most of his life and had become accustomed to being watched over at all times.  When Red got paroled he was placed in a menial job sacking groceries and during the course of the day he asked, “Permission to make water, Boss?”  Has it come to that in our schools; each student’s activities being observed and recorded so some superintendent can justify receiving a fair share of the State’s money?

I still like my idea about stapling livestock ID cards to each student’s ear so school administrators can keep track of the heard, keep ‘em from stampeding in the halls when the bell sounds at the end of each class.  If you see some kid hanging out at the 7/11 during school hours, a bright yellow tag hanging from his ear you can alert the prison guards; I mean, alert school officials that some of that money promised the district is being wasted on a Big Gulp and a bag of chips; after all, it’s for our own good…

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”.

Obama – What’s not to like?

We’re right at a month before the dead come alive and cast votes for the first black president’s second term in office, you have to ask yourself, “Obama – What’s not to like about him?”  Shivers run up my leg just thinking about Obama’s articulation and charisma; and he must be civilized, you never seem him wearing overalls or a bandana.

Rumors of Obama being a communist are just that, rumors.  A man is known by the company he keeps; just look at the folks Obama has picked to be czars.  Only 31 of his czars are linked to communism; perhaps that can be overlooked, after all, Obama delivers a prepared speech from a working teleprompter better than any undocumented president ever.

That Fast & Furious mess was supposed to have been swept under the rug long ago.  Why can’t that unfortunate incident simply go away?  Why can’t the public forget about it like they forgot about Mary Jo Kopechne so many years ago, water under the bridge?  Teddy Kennedy may not have been able to occupy the Oval Office; but folks kept electing him to hold down a Senate seat.

It was bad enough contemplating whether or not Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was murdered with a weapon linked to an operation originated by Obama and his underlings; but now there’s further evidence being brought to light that hundreds of innocent Mexican nationals were murdered with weapons from Fast & Furious.  This close to election time it might look even worse if the drive by media can’t suppress it from the evening news.

“A new report finds dozens of weapons recovered in Mexico have been connected with the ill-fated and ill-conceived anti-gunrunning program. While some Mexican authorities estimate 300 of their citizens have been injured or killed by Fast and Furious guns, little has been known about those weapons south of the U.S. border until now.”

Even after Obama invoked Executive Privilege to keep Congress from obtaining key evidence of this scandal it won’t go away.  What’s worse, some folks aren’t buying into the White House explanation that Fast & Furious was about catching gun runners or that it was only a continuation of a previous administration’s similar program.  There’s a vicious rumor, and it’s only a rumor that the original purpose for Fast & Furious was intended to destroy the 2nd Amendment so Americans would equate gun violence in Mexico with gun ownership here.  As Rush Limbaugh explained:

“Obama wants an assault weapons ban, he can’t politically get it because it’s not popular, so he tries to effect it anyway.  It’s kind of like if you’re NBC and you want to illustrate that certain trucks are dangerous. You put an explosive in a gas tank, and then you turn on the truck and remotely drive it down the road.  Then you trigger the explosive remotely, the truck blows up, and you claim the truck’s dangerous.  Then you get the truck off the road.  But it’s only dangerous ‘cause you at NBC blew it up.  NBC did that for a TV show.  They blew up a truck on purpose and made the viewer think it was spontaneous combustion.  NBC did it.”

Obama doesn’t want anyone to figure out that he’s lied to the American public or let us think Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was murdered because of a failed totalitarian attempt to strip us of our 2^nd Amendment right to own ‘assault type’ weapons.  Obama can’t afford for the voting public to wonder whether or not taxpayer money was used to support the Muslim Brotherhood in the Middle East with weapons which might have been used in orchestrated attacks on our embassies or the murder of more American citizens to include U.S. Ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens.  

Obama certainly can’t afford to have voters in the Hispanic community concern themselves too long about 300 innocent victims in Juarez, Mexico murdered by drug cartels armed with weapons Obama authorized under Fast & Furious.  Things like that put a sour taste in voters mouths when election time is so close.  It wouldn’t surprise me to see Obama throw Eric Holder under the bus this late in the game, take one for the team.  Obama covers his tracks well, what’s not to like about the guy?

Maybe that’s why recently Obama went to Mexico on a mission of mercy to extend an open invitation for illegal aliens, change that to undocumented future residents, to enjoy the benefits of free food stamps here in these United States of America.  Come on over, our taxpayers will be happy to feed y’all.  Pull the lever, have another free taco, that’s our way of getting out the vote.

“The Obama administration met with Mexican officials and held other events to discuss enrollment in food stamps and similar programs roughly 30 times since President Obama took office, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack revealed in a recent letter to Congress.”

What’s not to like about a president who not only promises free stuff but delivers on those promises?   I wonder, will the illegal aliens, sorry, I keep forgetting, will those future undocumented residents who speak Spanish get a free cell phone along with their free food stamp card?

When I was a patrol officer writing up burglary reports on night shift I’d often try to use humor to lighten up the mood after a home owner noticed his television, stereo and coin collections had been stolen.  I’d say something like, “You should be ashamed of yourself; that thief only got this little bit.  You should have had a lot more stuff for him to steal; now he’s going to have to break into one of your neighbor’s homes to make up the difference so he can get enough crack for a few hours of euphoria”. 

As taxpayers and citizens we should be ashamed of ourselves.  Obama’s trying to do what’s best for us, what’s not to like about him?

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”.