Can America Survive?

"A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious.  But it cannot survive treason from within.   An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly.   But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself.

"For the traitor appears not a traitor – he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments.  He appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men.  He rots the soul of a nation.  He works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city.  He infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist.  A murderer is less to fear." ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero 42 B.C.

This quote came to me by way of an e-mail response to a friend of mine from one of his other friends, a man by the name of Tim Truax.  (I promised to give him credit.)  Tim responded to everyone on the list and sent this out.  Truer words were never spoken and they were spoken over 2050 years ago. 

There are many who believe traitors live among us in America today, working to destroy the American government.  Most of you know my feelings about what’s going on in Washington today.  For those of us who are against increased government spending, printing more money with nothing to back it up, larger government, more entitlements, increased taxes, open borders and people sneaking unchecked into the country, questionable national security and forced “green” technology (to include light bulbs and new cars), the change in Washington can’t come soon enough.

Unfortunately, there are so many progressives in the Republican Party these days that change may not happen the way we conservatives want it.  Progressives seek to turn the world into one large community and to do that they must destroy America as we know it.  One of the first things they do is try to demean, discredit and make irrelevant our Constitution.  They say it’s over 200 years old and that the founders didn’t write it to deal with the complex world we live in today.  They are sadly mistaken.  The Constitution, with very few modifications, has worked extremely well over the last 230 years.  When you consider the changes and developments since the Constitution was written, the founders had to have been Divinely inspired to produce such a magnificent, thorough document that would stand up to all of the changes that have come about in the country and the world.  It is still the best governing document in the world.  And as far as I’m concerned, anyone who tries to do away with the Constitution is a traitor.  That includes our politicians.

George W. Bush, soon after 9/11, said “The Constitution is only a piece of paper.”  He was, of course, talking about protecting American lives by using Executive Orders to institute military action against terrorism.  It was one of the more unintelligent things Mr. Bush said while President.

Today the Constitution is being ignored by the current administration - they’re just not saying it out loud.  Government bailouts, government takeovers of corporations, the financial reform bill that gives the President the authority to close or take over corporations that he concludes is a risk to the American economy, forcing people to purchase health care insurance against their wishes; these are all examples of the Constitution being circumvented at the will of the President.

The progressive left would find our founding fathers to be "radical extremists" if they, the founders, were alive today.  King George III saw them in the same light.  The ideas of individual liberties, federalism, separation of powers, and limited enumerated powers of the federal government were radical and extremist views 234 years ago in 1776 just as they are radical and extremist today to the statists on the left.  The left thrives on bigger and more intrusive government and increasing citizens’ dependency on the government.  It’s the only way they know to maintain power. 

George Washington, our first President, was offered monarchy and refused it.  He did not want to be king; he didn’t even want to be President but he accepted the job for his country with the knowledge that he would eventually step down.  He served for eight years.  Imagine – a President who was offered a permanent position as the leader of the country and he refused.  Are there any Presidents who would have that kind of integrity and honor today?  Would our current President refuse the job if he was offered it for life? 

America is still the greatest nation on Earth despite those within our borders who say otherwise.  Michelle Obama once said America is just a downright mean country.  She said this after she said “For the first time in my adult life I’m proud of my country” after her husband became the Democrat nominee for the Presidency.  As far as I’m concerned, Michelle Obama can find another place to live.  People who feel that way about the USA shouldn’t stay here.  America is the most generous, the most giving, the most accepting, the most forgiving country in the world.  We have assisted more nations in times of strife than any other and we are a fairly young nation comparatively.  For someone who, at the time, was destined to be the First Lady of the United States to make a statement like that about the country her husband was going to lead was outrageous, to say the least. 

Sadly there are many Americans in this nation who feel the same way.  I, for one, will never understand the bitterness that grows in some people in this country who just don’t have everything they want.  Many who aren’t rich, regardless of the reasons or circumstances, hate those who are successful and affluent, even if they (those without money) never did anything to be successful themselves.  America is the land of opportunity.  Even a disadvantaged child from a poor neighborhood has the opportunity to make something of himself if he applies himself and shoulders the responsibility of educating himself and working hard toward a goal.  So many want to sit back and have things handed to them, then complain because they don’t have as much as the next guy.  And our government, in its wisdom, seems to be increasing the number of those who want handouts.

More than ever we need to be very aware of who our politicians are and their ideas for the future.  A “one world government” is not the answer, even though there are many who want to move us in that direction.  All it takes is a glance at Europe and the events there in the last six months to know that socialism and big, combined government doesn’t work.  America has been the greatest nation on Earth for 234 years.  I hope people continue to realize that and work toward maintaining that greatness, rather than try to force “fundamental change” down our throats.  That’s a meal we cannot afford to eat.

Happy Thanksgiving

I’m a little long winded today but it’s the holiday edition.  Wishing you all a happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving means different things to each of us even while meaning the same things to many of us.  For most it’s a day of family; a time for the entire family to get together in one place to celebrate the good things in our lives.  It’s also a day of good food, parades and football, and an afternoon nap brought on by gluttony.  All in all it’s normally a happy and peaceful day for most people.

The day Americans call the first Thanksgiving was was celebrated to give thanks to God for helping the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony survive their first brutal winter in New England.  The first Thanksgiving feast lasted three days, providing enough food for 53 pilgrims and 90 Native Americans.  The feast included many different types of food including wild game and fowl, seafood, fruits, grains and vegetables.

Contrary to what some people would have us believe, the American founders were God fearing men who looked to the Lord for guidance and direction while forming, developing andleading this nation in its early years.  This is evidenced by the First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving given by the Continental Congress in 1777:

“FOR AS MUCH as it is the indispensable Duty of all Men to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with Gratitude their Obligation to him for Benefits received, and to implore such farther Blessings as they stand in Need of: And it having pleased him in his abundant Mercy, not only to continue to us the innumerable Bounties of his common Providence; but also to smile upon us in the Prosecution of a just and necessary War, for the Defense and Establishment of our unalienable Rights and Liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased, in so great a Measure, to prosper the Means used for the Support of our Troops, and to crown our Arms with most signal success:

It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive Powers of these UNITED STATES to set apart THURSDAY, the eighteenth Day of December next, for SOLEMN THANKSGIVING and PRAISE: That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please GOD through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance; That it may please him graciously to afford his Blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public Council of the whole: To inspire our Commanders, both by Land and Sea, and all under them, with that Wisdom and Fortitude which may render them fit Instruments, under the Providence of Almighty GOD, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human Blessings, INDEPENDENCE and PEACE: That it may please him, to prosper the Trade and Manufactures of the People, and the Labor of the Husbandman, that our Land may yield its Increase: To take Schools and Seminaries of Education, so necessary for cultivating the Principles of true Liberty, Virtue and Piety, under his nurturing Hand; and to prosper the Means of Religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which consisteth "in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost.

And it is further recommended, That servile Labor, and such Recreation, as, though at other Times innocent, may be unbecoming the Purpose of this Appointment, be omitted on so solemn an Occasion.”

There were many days of thanksgiving declared over the next 80+ years but it was Abraham Lincoln who finally made Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863.  President Lincoln declared:

“The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth." Proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln, October 3, 1863.”

Since 1863, Thanksgiving has been observed annually in the United States.
Even though I can’t always make it home for Thanksgiving, for me it is a time of reflection and thanks for the life I’ve had so far and the life I have today.  There have been a few things in my life that I would change if I could but all in all, my life has been interesting, exciting and happy.  I’ve had a few very difficult times which I thought I may not survive but God and my wonderful family and friends helped get me through them and focus on the positive things instead.  I thank Him for each and every one of them.

This year I am thankful for my wonderful wife Barrie; the woman I get to spend each and every day with and whose presence in my life has made me extremely happy.  God truly has blessed me with a wonderful spouse, partner and companion. 

I am thankful for each day my father is still here on Earth.  His life as a minister was in inspiration in itself but his life since he suffered strokes and heart attacks ten years ago has been even more inspirational.  He has never lost his love for life, his sense of humor or his smile, even in the face of increasing physical disabilities.  He’s amazing to watch.

A few years ago my sister said “I don’t understand why God is taking him one piece at a time.”  Last week she answered her own question.  She said “Dad still touches lives each and every day with his humor and his attitude, especially given his situation.  That’s why he’s still here.”  I have to agree.

I’m grateful to each and every person who has touched my life and made me who I am today.  I’ve literally met thousands of people throughout my life and many have given me something that I took with me.  I thank you all for your contributions and hope I did you proud.

To each and every one of you I say “Have a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving, full of love and joy.  And thank you all for being a part of my life.”


*Historical documents borrowed from Wickipedia.com.

Bristol Palin Continues Dancing With The Stars

I’m finding great humor in the controversy concerning Bristol Palin’s continued presence on Dancing With The Stars.”  It seems some people just can’t stand the fact that Sarah Palin’s daughter, who had a child at 16 and out of wedlock, has successfully improved her dancing skills and has apparently captured the affection of a majority of the show’s fans.  Those who are upset are mostly people with left-leaning political views and those who simply hate Sarah Palin for general purposes.

I’m the first to admit I was less than impressed with Bristol Palin and thought she should have been voted off the show early in the competition.  She wasn't a star, not even really a celebrity except for her mother's politics and her teenage pregnancy.  However, over the course of the competition she has gained confidence and fans and has continued to improve.  And while she is nowhere near the level of Jennifer Gray in skill and grace, she has gained enough coordination and skill to keep her in the competition.  At least, the people voting think so.

I’ve read numerous articles, blogs and even Facebook postings that say the Tea Party is somehow sabotaging the voting.  One person on Facebook even referred to “the racist Tea Party Pansies voting for her.”  This type of rhetoric, while sad, is actually humorous to me.  It shows the shallow thinking of some people when they don’t get their way.  The Tea Party can no more control the voting than they can the dancing.  All they can do is vote as many times as allowed and if those voting for the other contestants don’t keep up, whose fault is that? 

Like her mother, Bristol Palin has a lot of courage.  There are millions of people in the country who vilify both of them, many without any reason other that it seems like the cool thing to do.  Neither of the Palin women have done anything to anyone that should afford them such hatred and ridicule yet people who follow “the party of tolerance” just can’t help but hate them.  I don’t understand it.  I applaud both of them for continuing to do what they do and follow their own hearts even as others speak vilely about them and criticize their every word and action.

Will Bristol Palin win “Dancing With The Stars?”  I have no idea.  I know she’ll have a chance according to the voting up until now but the competition is, I believe, beyond her reach. She certainly wouldn’t be my first pick but I don’t even vote, I just watch.  I give her kudos for the most improved competitor even if she doesn’t win.  I think she’s humble and having fun and very deserving of much credit in that area.  And it’s good to see her mother in the audience cheering her on.  Some say Bristol doesn’t deserve to be there.   I say ‘Go Bristol.  Give it your best shot and have fun doing it!”

Hikers Held in Iran To Be Released

There is a new report out that says the two U.S. hikers, who were captured in Iran last summer and held on spying charges, may soon be released.  That’s great news for their families and I’m happy they’re being released unharmed, except maybe for their pride.  But I have other thoughts on their capture and the actions that led up to it.

These three kids, the two men who are still being held and the woman who was released in September, were hiking in Iraq.  They were hiking near the Iranian border.  The hikers apparently wandered across the Iranian border and were taken into custody by Iranian officials.  They were charged with spying and held in custody pending further action.

The U.S. government negotiated in every way to get these three Americans released, insisting they were not spies and were merely guilty of wandering across the border by mistake.  And I believe that’s true.

However, I also believe if there was a charge, either in Iran or the U.S.A., for being incredibly stupid, these three kids should have been booked, charged, tried and convicted.  First of all, Iraq has been a U.S. war zone for 7½ years.  Consequently, if you go hiking in the area knowing this, you’re not to bright.  Secondly, Iran has been suspected, if not proven, to be giving supplies and support to the Iraqis fighting against coalition forces.  Iran is not a friendly country to the U.S.A. and therefore, if you go wandering near their border, you’re even less bright.

As I said, it’s a good thing they’re being released and that they didn’t end up in an Iranian prison for the rest of their lives.  But I have very little sympathy for them, given the circumstances of their arrests.  Being stupid does not always get people off the hook so easily.  These kids could have ended up serving 20 to 30 years in an Iranian prison.  They should be thanking anyone and everyone involved in obtaining their release, and someone should smack them upside the head when they get back to the States.  Or maybe a good spanking then send them to their rooms for a month or two…

Follow-up to TSA Searches

Given some of the latest developments with the TSA and some of the “searches” they have performed recently, I feel compelled to modify my stance a little from the article I posted last week. 

It seems either the TSA or some of their employees are getting a bit carried away with their searches.  Being a retired Federal employee who knows how things work in the government, I can tell you it’s probably a little of both.  Written policies are normally considered guidelines for employees to follow.  Some are to be followed strictly while others are to be applied with common sense in adaptable to each situation.  While one would think the TSA would be using the latter at the airports, it seems they stick with the first without variation.  For example, I have several friends who are Air Marshals.  One of them was stopped by the TSA for an “enhanced search” while he was on duty, getting ready to board a flight with his weapon as the security agent on board.  He identified himself as an Air Marshal and informed the TSA he was on duty and armed.  They took him to a room to do the search anyway.  Once in the room they told him again he had been “randomly selected” by the computer for an enhanced search.  He again identified himself as an on-duty Air Marshal, showed them his badge and his gun, and they still proceeded with the search. 

There are those who believe if any passenger must be searched then anyone who gets on the plane must be searched.  Common sense says otherwise.  There has never been a documented case of an airline pilot, flight crew member or Air Marshal taking a plane by force and crashing it into a building or carrying a bomb on board and blowing up the plane.  Could it happen?  Of course it could in this day and age.  But until it does there has to be a level of trust in our flight crews and security people or the entire industry is lost. 

The government right now, in response to complaints by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is considering modifying its searches, or even discontinuing them, of Muslims, particularly women because it violates their Muslim beliefs.  So all a woman has to do, Muslim or not, is wear a burqa to the airport and she will successfully avoid being searched?  And frankly, given the facts on why these more in-depth searches were initiated, if we stop searching Muslims there is no reason to search anyone.

The visual search of the young boy is what led me to modify my opinion of all this.  Again, there has been no documented case of a child attempting to hijack or blow up a plane, anywhere.  Could Al Quaeda try this?  Absolutely.  Would it be in an American city using an obviously Caucasian child? Doubtful.  Could Al Quaeda recruit a member of a flight crew or an Air Marshal?  It could.  Will it happen?  Let’s hope not.  Should we treat these people like possible recruits in the meantime?  In my opinion, no.  Common sense. 

I'm a firm believer in airport security and ensuring no one carries dangerous items onboard an aircraft.  I'm even OK with the full body scanners.  But it seems common sense has escaped the TSA recently.  It’s time they try to find it and reintroduce it into their procedures.  The people of the United States need to be protected certainly, but they need and intelligent, common sense approach to this protection, not ignorance and stupidity. 

Will Khalid Sheikh Mohammed be Tried?

The Washington Post is reporting that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed may never stand trial.  The mastermind of the 911 attacks, the 1993 World Trade Center attack, the Kenyan embassy attack, the failed shoe bomb of Richard Reid, and the man who said he used his own “blessed right hand” to decapitate reporter Daniel Pearl, is in indefinite detention while government officials argue over where he should be tried.

Attorney General Eric Holder and the Obama administration want to try him in New York City over the objections of just about everyone involved, from the people of New York to the politicians.  For some reason the administration believes this terrorist/enemy combatant should be moved to New York and tried in a civilian court.  Sound reasoning for this idea escapes me and most other people.  Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has already admitted guilt during a hearing in Guantanamo Bay.  A trial shouldn’t really be necessary but if Mr. Holder, in his infinite wisdom, refuses to let him plead guilty then he should be tried where he is.  (Remember, this is the same Attorney General and President who refused to try two members of the New Black Panther Party for voter intimidation even with videotaped evidence.)

Earlier this week another terrorist, tried in the city of new York on 286 charges, including 276 counts of murder, was found not guilty of all but one count, that being conspiracy to damage or destroy American property.  Ahmed Khalfan Guailani blew up the embassies in Kenya and Tanzania killing 224 people.  He was caught and held in Guantamo Bay until he finally went to trial on all 286 total counts.  While he was being held, another terrorist was caught and, during enhanced interrogation, admitted selling the explosives to Mr. Ghailani.  The judge in the case, a liberal appointee, refused to allow the testimony by the witness because it was obtained under duress.  He was found not guilty of all murder charges even though he killed all of those people with his bomb.

The witness had been “waterboarded”, a technique whereby the victim is held down and water is poured over their face to give them the feeling of drowning.  It can cause severe panic and is normally very effective at getting suspects to talk.  The waterboarding technique, used extensively by the CIA after 9/11 (until President Obama ended its use) was directly responsible for preventing several other planned attacks by terrorists, even in the United States.  However, the current President decided it is a form of torture and will no longer allow it to be used.  And liberal judges, following the President’s example, are disallowing testimony from anyone who was subjected to waterboarding which may allow several terrorists, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, to go free.   It’s funny – these people have no qualms about beating people, stoning people, blowing them up, cutting off their heads and dragging them through the streets to be hung by the neck, but if we use a little water to coerce some information from them, we’re the bad guys (in the eyes of our administration.)

The President of the United States has issued orders to the military that they are to read Miranda rights to any captured prisoners of war.  The thought of this is so unbelievable I still can’t comprehend it but it is a standing order.  He has also issued an order that when our soldiers go on patrol they are not authorized to charge their weapons (put a bullet in the chamber so the weapon is ready to fire) but must wait until the enemy fires at them before they can make their weapons ready to fire back.  This was done under the guise of protecting the innocent public but it is just another asinine move by the government.  Any President who sends troops into harm’s way but tells them they cannot prepare to meet the enemy until they have already met the enemy is completely clueless.  And I’m extremely disappointed the commanding Generals didn’t heartily object and even refuse to send troops into battle under these restrictions.

Whatever happens to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in the American justice system will be attributed to the current administration as much as to anyone since they are the ones who decided not to try him at Guantanomo Bay.  If he goes to trial in the States and by chance is acquitted, the Obama administration is finished.  I think they know that at this point, which is why they haven’t moved forward with their plans to try him in New York.  Although they won’t admit defeat in this case, I’m fairly sure the verdict and the public reaction got their attention.

Terrorist Found Not Guilty on All But 1 Charge

A few days ago America sent a powerful message to the world:  “If you blow up our embassies, bomb our people, hijack planes and crash them into our buildings, decapitate our civilians or kill Americans in any other way, and you are part of a terrorist organization, you may be caught but you will likely get away with it.  We will afford you every right given to a United States citizen, give you several attorneys, and try you in a Federal court under the supervision of a liberal Federal judge who will not allow testimony from any witness he deems to have been tortured or treated unfairly while in custody, regardless of what that witness may have done himself.  It matters not what you do to us but that we make you comfortable and give you every chance to be found not guilty, even if you’ve admitted that guilt.”

President Obama and Eric Holder want to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in a Federal court in New York.  Mohammed, the admitted mastermind of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, a participant in planning the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, and who has admitted cutting the head off of journalist Daniel Pearl, is still being held at Guantanamo Bay but Holder wants to move him to New York City and try him with all the rights afforded a U.S. citizen rather than as an enemy combatant in a military tribunal.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed should be serving a life sentence already, if not on death row.  He has admitted his guilt.  Yet the Federal government won’t accept that guilty plea and instead will spend millions giving him a great defense team and a civilian jury.  And what happens if that jury finds him not guilty?  The man admitted his guilt yet he’s still waiting for a civilian trial. 

The latest word on the Ghailani trial is that he has grounds for appealing his conviction because he was convicted of conspiracy to commit a crime but found not guilty of committing the crime.  He was found not guilty on 227 out of 228 charges and one juror was holding out on all counts until a deal was reached.  That will be another reason for appeal.  It won’t be a big surprise if this verdict is overturned and he is found not guilty on all counts.

Of course, liberals all over the nation are saying, once again, that it’s George Bush’s fault because he allowed people to be tortured.  Waterboarding is not torture, regardless of what liberals think.  I’d like each and every liberal who thinks waterboarding is torture to explain it to the families of Daniel Pearl and others, and to the families of the soldiers who were dragged through the streets of Baghdad then hung from a bridge.  Please explain how a little water in the face is torture.  I’m sure those families will have something to say to you.

If I was President Obama I would be very worried about the next terrorist trial to be held in a civilian court.  If Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is found not guilty, or guilty of only one count out of what is probably hundreds, President Obama will most likely be run out of office or, at the very least, voted out in a landslide vote in 2012.  It will be his legacy. 

Waivers for Obamacare... Big Surprise

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 111 companies and organizations to date have been given a waiver exempting them from the regulations of Obamacare.  Among these current 111 are 13 unions.  I’m not making this up.  Below is the link to the hhh.gov web site.  Gee, why isn’t it a surprise?    http://www.hhs.gov/ociio/regulations/approved_applications_for_waiver.html

Obamacare is supposed to be a wonderful thing for America, for corporations and for every citizen.  Despite the fact that the Congressional Budget Office says it will definitely increase the national debt and eventually increase health care costs overall, the current administration continues to talk about how wonderful it is, even as they exempt companies and unions from being included.  Most Democrats who were up for re-election earlier this month didn’t mention Obamacare because they knew the majority of Americans was upset about how this bill was pushed through and signed into law against the wishes of the people.  Yet it’s such a wonderful thing.

Many people are already complaining that their health insurance premiums are going up.  Supporters of Obamacare will blame corporate greed but the truth is that insurance companies only make about a 4% profit overall and the rest of the money goes to pay claims, pay staff salaries and advertize.  Now that insurance companies are forced to pay for pre-existing conditions their profit margin will drop substantially unless they increase premiums for the average person.  And it’s all a part of the overall plan to drive insurance companies out of business so Americans will be forced to seek government run health care services, making all of us more dependent on big government. 

Unless they’re blinded by the progressive propaganda machine, anyone who follows world events knows the economies of many European countries are failing right now and those governments are putting partial blame on government run health care and union pensions.  We now have both of those problems here in the U.S. and it’s only a matter of time before our economy tanks completely.  Nothing will get better until the government stops spending money that we don’t have.  Saying over and over that the health care bill will save money and reduce costs will not change the fact that the CBO, and most economists, say otherwise.  And the government is making the preparations right now to bail out many union pensions that are currently unsustainable.  More wasteful and unwarranted spending that will drain the economy and increase the debt.

Progressives continue to embrace a political idea that fails every time it is tried.  Sometimes it takes longer to fail than others but it fails, nevertheless.  It didn’t work for FDR and it won’t work for Obama.  Yet they continue to try these failed tactics all the while blaming the Republicans for the failures.  It’s ridiculous.  And soon even the people who support the progressives will be forced to understand it as well.

TSA Searches

With all the complaints and whining going on about searches and scans being performed at airports, I’m once again compelled to put my opinion into words.  I hear the discussion on the news shows, the talk shows, and among friends and neighbors about what should be done and I’m amazed and sometimes appalled at the same time.  It’s time for political correctness to step aside in lieu of safety for American citizens.

People want to be safe when flying.  They want to be assured no one will carry a bomb aboard their plane and detonate it mid-flight, killing everyone on board.  And they have a right to know this.  Yet some people complain enhancing security checks before a flight violates their privacy rights.  They want to be kept safe but only if it’s not an inconvenience to them.   I’ve got news for those of you who feel this way…  in this day and age, your privacy needs to be the least of your concerns.

For those of you who don’t want your privacy violated – are you willing to die for your privacy?  The new full body scan machines will give TSA screeners a really good picture of what someone has on their person and identify anything hidden on their person that could be a threat to the safety and security of passengers on a plane.  I heard someone say the other day the scanners will also allow TSA screeners to see if someone has a colostomy, breast implants, mastectomy scars, etc.  While this may be true, do the people with the colostomy or mastectomy scars prefer death over some TSA agent’s thoughts of their surgeries?  Will they feel better, as their bodies fall in pieces from the sky, knowing the TSA screener had no idea they had life saving surgery a few years ago? 

I can’t believe I’m actually writing things like this.  Some people would rather be blown up than have some security screener see the outline of their bodies?  How stupid have we become as a nation?   My God, could Bill Mahar actually be correct?

Now we have CAIR, the Council for American-Islamic Relations, saying that body scans and pat searches of Muslmis violates their religious beliefs.  You have to love that.  Muslim terrorists are the reason we do all these enhanced security checks in the first place.   Now, thanks to whining by CAIR, Muslims will probably opt out of the searches which renders them basically useless.  If we can’t search the ones who we know have a history of blowing up planes and buildings, why search anyone?

I filled out a questionnaire many years ago for a Psychologist who was treating my ex-wife for post partum depression.  In a section where I had to complete sentences, one of the sentences was “People are _________. “   My response, after working in public service for years was “basically stupid.”  The Psychologist, upon seeing my answer, asked “Do you really believe that?”   My answer?  “Absolutely.”   He thought there was something wrong with me.  He later ended up in prison for scamming insurance companies.  Go figure.)  When I hear people talking about their personal privacy versus public safety on airplanes I am reminded of just how stupid the general public can be. 

In these days of jihad, terrorism and improvised explosive devices, we cannot be too careful.  I have no problem letting the TSA search me, whether it’s via pat search, visual (strip) search or full body scan if it means my flight will be safe from a terrorist bomb.  Should we profile?  Absolutely.  I mean, come on – how many white, Anglo-Saxon, protestant grandmothers have blown up a plane in the last 50 years?  For that matter, how many Hispanics, African Americans, British, Chinese or anyone other than Islamic extremists have done it?  It’s clear that political correctness will be the death of more Americans in the future.  We are so concerned about not offending anyone that we won’t concentrate on the group of people we know are committing the terrorist acts against us.  And those people know it.  That’s why it’s been so easy for them to attack us to date.

I was happy to see the TSA start utilizing full body scanning machines over the arguments of the right to privacy advocates.  You can be assured the ACLU will file a lawsuit concerning the peoples’ right to privacy, which could possibly discontinue the use of these machines.  But if the ACLU wants to be the advocate for the people they should be fighting for these machines, not against.

The ACLU and other organizations are also against profiling.  I have to admit I think it’s a shame things in the world have gotten to such a state where profiling can easily be justified.  However, if every airline passenger has to submit to this full body scan profiling will be unnecessary.  I’m also in big favor of bomb sniffing dogs being deployed to airports around the country and the world.  Of course, that will probably bring about more protests from various organizations, including PETA, who will want specific guidelines about how long a dog can work and how often he must be given a 15 minute fire hydrant break.

The bottom line is this – in my humble opinion, it is better to be inconvenienced by a full body scan than to have the bodies of a couple hundred passengers be scattered across the countryside.  Those who disagree need to remember Lockerbie, Scotland.   Granted that bomb was smuggled into the plane in luggage however, our luggage is being screened as well these days and I have yet to hear one suitcase complain.   It’s time for the passengers to get screened as thoroughly as possible.  Bombs can only bring down airliners if they are actually on the planes.  Funny how that works.

United States vs the State of Arizona

The Federal government, in the name of the people of the United States of America, has sued the state of Arizona for passing a law that reinforces Federal immigration law at the state level, claiming the state has no authority to enforce Federal immigration laws. 

The state of Arizona is being overrun by illegal aliens coming across the border by the thousands every year.  The city of Phoenix is now the kidnapping capitol of the nation and the number two kidnapping location in the world, almost all due to illegal immigration.  The Federal government, in an attempt to keep American citizens safe, has placed signs in the desert, approximately 100 miles from the Mexican border, warning Americans not to venture into the area because of the dangers posed by drug smugglers and human traffickers.  Let me say it again – the Federal government, in an attempt to keep American citizens safe, has placed signs in the desert, approximately 100 miles from the Mexican border, warning Americans not to venture into the area because of the dangers posed by drug smugglers and human traffickers.   I would love to know of any other country which, in order to “protect” its citizens, prevents its citizens from venturing close to the border rather than protect the border from outside assault.  If anyone can name one, please do.

The majority of Americans, up to 70%, have voiced their agreement with the Arizona.  They’ve expressed their dismay and anger at the Federal government for not taking action to stop and prevent illegal aliens from coming across the border and for seemingly not paying attention to the violence they bring with them.  The sad truth is, it’s about votes, Hispanic votes, for both sides of the aisle.  None of the politicians will take the necessary action to stop illegal entry into the country, particularly from Mexico, because they’re afraid they’ll lose Hispanic votes. 

My main question is this:  If up to 70% of Americans support the Arizona law and don’t support the Federal government’s stance, or lack thereof, on illegal immigration, shouldn’t the American people be consulted before the government sues one of its own states in the name of those people?   I personally don’t want the government to sue the state of Arizona in my name.  If the President disagrees with the new Arizona law he, and Eric Holder, should put their own names on the lawsuit.  Please don’t use the “People of the United States” since most of those people are against the suit and in favor of the law.

I’m still in disbelief that the President of the United States is suing one of his own states.  But what shocked me more was when President Obama invited Mexican President Felipe Calderon to speak to the U.S. Congress, where he berated Arizona for the new immigration law.  It disgusts me that an elected American President would purposely invite the leader of any other country to the USA to talk badly about her.  But then, President Obama doesn’t feel America is the greatest nation in the world and he wants to make sure no one else does either.

Mr. President, here is a suggestion for you.  If you can’t serve, protect and be proud of this great nation you were elected to lead, please step down and allow someone to take your place who will do just that.  Instead of apologizing to the rest of the world for America, apologize to the American people for being a complete disgrace and resign.  Arizona doesn’t need you.  I don’t need you.  And neither do millions of other proud Americans.

Difficulties...

For whatever reason, my computer won't allow me to log into the internet.  It's not recognizing the wireless network even though the network is working fine.  (I know this because I'm using Barrie's computer on the same network.)  All of the blogs I have written are stored on the hard drive of my computer.  I have to figure out how to move one over to Barrie's so I can post it.  Ipllkeep working on it throughout the day and hopefully get it fixed.  Computers are a pain in the butt when they're not working properly....

Follow Up to "Once More in California"

Last week I wrote about 13 year old Cody Alicea, a boy in California who was told by his school board that he must remove his American flag from his bicycle on school property because it could be offensive to Hispanic students.  Apparently there were some complaints from some of these students and parents and the school's solution was for Cody to remove the flad that he'd been displaying for over two months.

On Friday, Cody received a public apology from the Denair, California, school Superintendent and a parade on his way to the school.  Hundreds of supporters from the town lined the streets, most with American flags in their hands, and they all gathered in front of the school to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the national anthem.  A copy of a speech by California Congressman George Radanovich on the floor of the House was read in which Congressman Radanovich condemned the initial actions of the school board and congratulated Cody on his patriotism and love of America. Congressman Radanovich reiterated the fact that the American flag stands for unity as well as patriotism and freedom.

No one in America, be they an American citizen or a visiting foreign national, should ever be prevented from displaying the American flag in the United States of America.  If the flag offends someone who lives or is visiting here they should seek another place to be.  That flag is the symbol of why people have the right to be here in the first place and is a beacon of freedom, unity and tolerance.  We are very tolerant of people from other countries and other cultures in this country and will support your right to embrace your differences.  But with all due respect to you and your beliefs or culture, if our flag offends you, take those beliefs and differences somewhere else.

I hope you'll all watch the video.  It makes you feel good to be an American.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQtizxN6l5o

Do Some People Get Separate Laws?

In Oklahoma, the very heart of the USA, a lawsuit has been filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).  This lawsuit seeks to strike down a majority vote that prevents international and Sharia law from being considered in court cases involving Muslim defendants.  Seventy percent of Oklahomans voted against this measure deciding that U.S. laws were good enough for all involved.  CAIR has filed a lawsuit to reverse this majority decision saying the decision made by the voters is discrimination against Muslims and will lead to outlawing mosques, Muslim garb and even the Quran.

Sharia law is written by Muslims to govern the Muslim religion and way of life.  It allows Muslim men the right to beat their wives and children, allows honor killings of family members who somehow dishonor the family (even as little as a daughter talking to a non-Muslim boy) and allows killing of infidels; non-believers.  These are laws we do not need in our justice system.  If we make allowances for this type of “discipline” within the America Muslim community, what’s next?  We won’t even allow polygamy that is practiced in the Mormon religion yet Muslims want Sharia law to govern them?  I think not.

There are a lot of allegations of racism, bigotry and hatred when it comes to Muslims and the overall feelings Westerners have about them these days.  It’s sometimes difficult to explain adequately how you can distrust someone based on their religious beliefs and not be a bigot, yet it is possible.  I don’t hate Muslims.  I don’t dislike Muslims.  I’m not even sure I know anyone who is truly a Muslim except some inmates in Federal prison who converted to a version of Islam while incarcerated.  Some of them I know well.  And while I have no trust of those particular Muslims, it’s certainly not because of their religious beliefs but because they are convicted criminals and I was a corrections professional.   It had nothing to do with religious beliefs.

I do not trust Islam as a whole but it has to do with the actions and inactions of Islam as a whole rather than the actions of a few.  Granted, most Muslims in the world do not participate in the violent acts being committed by Muslim extremists around the world today.  The problem is, Islam as a whole refuses to stand up against the radical extremists.  Some quietly condemn it but very few openly and publicly stand up and say “This is wrong and it needs to stop.”  Even if their protests against the violence won’t stop it, they could make a great impression on those of us who are not Muslim and help us to understand that not everyone who worships Allah wants the infidels, us non-believers, dead.

As I mentioned before, Sharia law allows men to beat their wives and children “if necessary” to control them.  A Muslim man in New Jersey was found not guilty of sexually assaulting his wife because, even though a trial judge found as a fact that defendant committed conduct that constituted a sexual assault, he (the judge) did not hold the defendant liable because the defendant believed he was exercising his rights over the victim.

This case was eventually overturned by an appeals court and the man was found guilty of the crime.  However, if local judges and Magistrates are going to allow and excuse violence against women and children because Sharia law allows it, where are we headed?

It’s time for the people of this country and our elected officials to declare, once and for all, that America will be governed by our Constitution and not by Sharia or international law.  The “new world order” that wants one giant world conglomeration needs to be stopped.  This world is made up of different cultures and different beliefs.  That’s why there are so many different countries.  Those differences need to be embraced and maintained.  Crossing borders to visit is great.  Immigrating to another country is fine too as long as it’s done legally.  But visiting, or immigrating to another country and expecting them to change their laws for you is wrong.  It shouldn’t be expected and it definitely should not be done.  And it should not be done here.

What the Election Was Really About

Nancy Pelosi says the election and the historic result was not about rejecting President Obama and his policies.  It was, rather, about the fact that President Obama’s agenda and progress did not happen quickly enough to create jobs. 

President Obama says the reason the Democrats lost so big was because he didn’t communicate his agenda well enough.  Rather than admit the American people aren’t happy with his agenda, he says he simply didn’t get the message out well enough for people to appreciate and embrace it.

These two people are very intelligent.  Neither could have gotten to where they are today if they weren’t.  So is this merel y denial of failure or are they really that out of touch?

Granted, Nancy Pelosi says some really unintelligent things sometimes.  Just a few weeks ago she said “Unemployment compensation checks are one of the best ways to create jobs.”  Really, Madam Speaker?  Unemployment checks create jobs?  For who - those who work in the Unemployment Office or the retailers who take the money in exchange for their goods?  The retailers see a big drop in sales because of unemployment and the unemployed certainly aren’t getting gainful employment from those checks.  So apparently it’s those government workers in the Unemployment Office who benefit from the checks.

The other day President Obama said he was very grateful to Nancy Pelosi for the job she did and that he looks forward “to working with both sides to move forward with the things the American people want.”  Unfortunately, President Obama either has no idea what the people want or he chooses to ignore their wants for his own agenda.  The American people did not want the health care bill yet the President and Pelosi pushed it through.  The American people do not want Cap and Trade yet the President and Pelosi pushed it through the House.  The American people did not want financial reform as written yet the President and Pelosi pushed it through.  So to what “American people” is he referring?

The fact is the results of this election were the American people’s rejection of the current administration and the Democrat agenda in general.  The American people have said, by their votes, they are fed up with government officials who do what they, the politicians, want instead of what the people want.  And if President Obama continues to ignore the wishes of the people, whether intentionally or by his detachment, his time in office will, without a doubt, end in 2012.  The President either believes he is right no matter the thoughts and opinions of the people, or he is being given some very bad information about what the people want.  Either way, his Presidency is on the line and he runs the risk of being named the biggest failure of all Presidents.  Maybe he doesn’t care.  He once said he’d “rather be an effective one-term President than an ineffective two-term President.”  I believe as long as Obama is accomplishing what he wants to do, regardless of the consequences, he feels successful.  And that’s a scary thought.

It’s time for politicians to start listening, really listening to the people and to be their representatives, not their dictators.  The American people want the best of everything.  Most want jobs instead of unemployment checks.  They want to know they are as safe as possible from attacks by those who would do us harm.  They want a President who believes America is the greatest country on Earth and who is proud and happy to be the leader of that great country.  They want health care to be the best it can possibly be without being completely unaffordable.  They want clean air and clean water without being taxed to death by the government.  And they want to know their government is there for them without being their big brother.

Is all this possible, you ask?  Of course it is.  Tax cuts across the board have been proven to create jobs by giving business owners the extra money to hire more people.  It worked for Ronald Reagan and it will work now.  Strength through deterrence is still the best method of keeping America safe.  We keep our military strong and let other nations and groups know we are not afraid to use that military strength to defend our interests should it become necessary.  And, if the need arises and we must fight a war, we fight that war to win.  Period.

There are numerous alternatives to government run health care.  Most government run health care systems are either bankrupt or are losing money and the quality of care is terrible.  Look at the programs throughout Europe.  The European governments are failing financially because of entitlements such as health care.  Greece is now telling their people they must begin paying for health care because the government simply cannot afford to continue providing it.

The Cap and Trade bill in Washington is not about clean air and water or preventing “climate change”.  It is about government control.  It is another way for the government to control corporations without actually buying them out, as in the case of GM and Chrysler.  As President Obama has said “It will make energy costs necessarily skyrocket.”  That should be enough right there to prevent it from passing.  But they will try.

Bigger government means more control over the daily lives of every American.  Health care, extended unemployment, more and more entitlements…  it’s all about making people dependent on government.  The government has grown substantially since Obama took office.  Big paying government jobs (over $100,000) have increased by almost 100% in the last two years.  Big unions have full government support to sustain their unsustainable pension plans.  Bailouts have become the norm and instead of finding ways to create real jobs for people, the government has simply raised the average unemployment rate to 9.6%.  Now there’s a great way to fix the economy, huh?

This election was about change.  It was about changing the way things are being done today in Washington.  One thing you can count on with the Tea Party movement is that any politician who doesn’t live up to his/her campaign promises to reduce government and reduce taxes and find a viable alternative to the current health care legislation will have a difficult time getting re-elected.  There will be those occasions when the American people will settle for the status quo.  Harry Reid comes to mind.  But for the most part, people are waking up to politics in America and will no longer sit idly by and let politicians do whatever they want.  It’s about time.

Once More In California

On Monday, a middle school student in California was told by school officials he could no longer display the American flag on his bicycle because it could lead to racial tension.   Let me say that again.  On Monday, a middle school student in California was told by school officials he could no longer display the American flag on his bicycle because it could lead to racial tension.

Denair, California, Unified School District Superintendant , Edward Parraz said Cody Alicea was told not to fly his U.S. flag from his bike while at Denair Middle School after complaints from other students. 

“The First Amendment is important, “ Parraz said.  “We want the kids to respect it, understand it, and with that comes a responsibility.  Our Hispanic kids will bring their Mexican flags and they’ll display it and then, of course, the kids would do the American flag situation and it does cause kind of a racial tension which we don’t really want.” Parraz said.  “We want them to appreciate the cultures.”

All I can say is…  “Huh?” 

If there is a problem for some Hispanic kids in an American school because the American flag is being displayed it is a problem far greater than some kid with a flag on his bicycle.  This is America.  They symbol of our country, our land of opportunity and our nation of mixed cultures, races, ethnicities and backgrounds is the Stars and Stripes.  It has been that way since the first one was sewn in 1776.  This is the second incident in California where the wishes of a group of Hispanic kids has caused American kids to be told they cannot display their American flags for fear of offending the Hispanics. 

Now before anyone starts screaming that I’m a racist and hate Hispanics you should know that I lived in Puerto Rico for four years and in Miami for six years and I truly enjoy the Latin culture.  I have been to Mexico several times as well.  This is not about “Hispanics” per se – they just happen to be the ethnic group involved in these particular situations.  There seems to be a growing trend in California of Mexican-Americans (and non-citizen Mexicans) believing the USA should stop displaying the Stars and Stripes and rather embrace the Mexican flag.  I’m sorry but….  No, wait a minute.  I’m not sorry.  This is just wrong.  This is the United States of America, including California.  Americans have every right to display the American flag anytime and anywhere in the United States.  To have someone from another country or culture complain about that while they’re living here is bad enough.  To have a school board or principal tell an American child to remove the flag to appease these people is horrendous. 

If you are in this country legally and wanting to live and work here, wanting to raise your family here, you are more than welcome.  All we ask is that you embrace the culture of the country you chose.  If you don’t want to do that, please find somewhere else to live.  If you are an American citizen by birth and you are offended by the American flag and what she stands for, please find another country more suitable to your likes and dislikes. One of the best things about America is the freedoms we have.  Those freedoms include your right to leave the country and live somewhere else if you’re not happy here.

Edward Parraz should be ashamed of himself for taking the “easy” way out of this situation and telling one kid not to fly the American flag on school property instead of standing up for the child’s first amendment rights.  He allowed a group of unpatriotic people to take away the rights of an American citizen.  I’m thinking what Parraz did was illegal but that remains to be seen.  It certainly was wrong.

One Problem With Our Education System

I received an e-mail from a friend this morning entitiled "Mary Had a Little Lamb".  It was the old nursury rhyme but the Lamb was Jesus and it went on to say the Lamb had been banned from schools and now we experience shootings and other violence in those schools.  I decided to share something I wrote in April of 2007, immediately following the Virginia Tech shootings.  It's a little long but I hope you'll bear with me.

I have been watching the news of the latest school shootings, this time at a university in Virginia.  For whatever reason, I felt compelled to put down my thoughts in writing.  What is it about America that has turned our young people into murderers?  Will it ever end?  If so, how?

In August of 1966, Charlie Whitman, a product of an abusive home, a former Marine and a student at the University of Texas in Austin, opened fire on the city of Austin from atop the university tower.  An expert marksman, he killed 14 people and injured dozens of others before finally being killed by police.  While Whitman's story is somewhat different than the shootings happening in our schools today, he was the first.  He started this insanity.

Since the tragedy at Columbine High School in 1999, there have been so many incidents that people aren't shocked anymore.  Saddened yes, but shocked - no.  It happens everywhere from major cities to small town Arkansas and North Carolina.  It happens in all levels of society and the perpetrators are from various families, with money and without.

Monday's tragic carnage at Virginia Tech is just another example of society gone wrong.  It's time to stop looking at these killers as disturbed individuals and begin looking at them as a group.  We need to find out what is turning these kids into monsters and we need to find out quickly.

People can say what they want about what I write here but this is my take on the whole thing:

In 1946, Dr. Benjamin Spock published his first book on raising children.  A highly intelligent man who meant no harm, Spock and his book were the beginning of the downfall of the young people in this country.  Spock told parents to be more relaxed and flexible and to be more of a friend to their children, treating them as individuals.  He said spanking them was harmful.

Until this information became popular, discipline in the home was one of the top priorities.  Of course there were parents who went overboard, as there are today.  But children were raised to respect the law, their elders, their country and each other.  In the 1950s, children (teenagers included) were polite and respectful for the most part.  They got in trouble but didn't blame society or their parents.  They had a good work ethic and got part-time jobs so they could have spending money instead of having it given to them.  When they were old enough, if they wanted a car, they worked to save the money to buy what they could afford instead of having Mommy and Daddy buy them a new one.  They did what their parents told them to do and would never even imagine the idea that they could sue their parents if they weren't happy about something.

They went to church with their families, ate meals with their families and prayed; not only in church but at home and even in school.  They said the Pledge of Allegiance every morning in school and proudly stated “one nation, under God.”  There was no shame and no one complained about their rights being violated.

Dr. Spock’s well intended books encouraged parents to stop teaching their children the three R’s:  respect, responsibility and reason.  Instead he promulgated the idea of children doing what they wanted, when they wanted, without worrying about the consequences.  I know he didn’t mean to do this.  But this was the result.  When parents stopped punishing their children for doing something wrong, those children stopped learning the consequences of their actions.

To get a glimpse of the major changes that began in the Spock generation, look at the difference between the young people of the 1950s and the young people in the 1960s.  The 60s generation was the beginning of the result of Spock’s influence on American parents.  Young people changed their appearance dramatically because they didn’t want to conform to society’s rules.  And their Spock-trained parents hugged them and encouraged them to be individuals.  They began to experiment openly with chemical substances.  (Not that substance abuse hadn’t been going on already but it was never in public until the 60s.)  They began to leave home and family and flock together to places where they could do what they wanted and not worry about consequences.  They did what they wanted without conscience because as children they were hugged and encouraged when they did something wrong instead of disciplined and taught consequences.

Somewhere in the middle of this Spock influence another group of Americans began telling us what we were doing wrong.  They began telling the U.S. courts their rights were being violated by the vast majority of Americans and that things needed to change.  Somewhere, somehow, amidst all of the other negative changes in this country, atheists began wielding power in the courts and convinced the Supreme Court that they (Atheists) were being abused.

In 1963, Madeline Murray (she didn’t become O’Hare until after this court case) won a decisive court battle that eventually ended prayer in public schools.  While it took a while for prayer in school to totally disappear, it was this woman and this case that eventually stopped children from being allowed to pray in school.  And it was just another pathway to a tragic future for our children.

Throughout the next forty years atheists continued working to stop the majority of people in this country from practicing and living their religious beliefs in public because it “violated their rights as non-believers.”  In 2002, an atheist in California convinced the Supreme Court that subjecting his son to the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance was harmful and violated his rights.  The Supreme Court, in all their wisdom, decided because the words “under God” made this man feel uncomfortable the practice of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance by school children must cease.

It’s called “living constitution” philosophy, which allows that judges decide what the Constitution meant rather than following the Constitution as written.  Two of three Supreme Court Justices decided this man’s discomfort was more important than the beliefs of the overwhelming majority of Americans.  And these same judges “swear or affirm” that they will uphold the law and judge cases to the best of their abilities “so help me God.”  I don’t know how they could be qualified to make a decision involving God or religion after taking that particular oath.  ??

For the next four decades the circle of life continued.  The children of the 60’s generation grew up with less discipline and less values than their parents.  They, in turn, taught their children even less responsibility and respect until, in the 90’s, children grew up thinking their parents and society in general owed them something.  Many parents agreed and gave their children everything.  They meant well.  They only wanted their children to have the best in life.  Sadly however, their children don’t know the value of a dollar, how it feels to work hard to get something you want, or what it means to wait for something until you can get it yourself.

My siblings and I were born in the late 40’s and throughout the 50’s.  We were raised by parents who not only didn’t agree with Dr. Spock’s ideas but who had an idea what the results would be.  We were spanked – sometimes even with a belt or a switch – and had our mouths washed out with soap for using bad language or talking back.  We spent time in our rooms for bad behavior and were grounded for a week or two at a time.  We were made to apologize to people if we did them wrong and made to take responsibility for our actions.  We suffered whatever consequences arose from those actions.  Through all the punishments we received over the years none of us felt we were abused or would ever have thought of calling the police or taking our parents to court.

We went to church on Sundays, sometimes twice.  We prayed before eating dinner together as a family, at night before going to sleep, in school and in restaurants before a meal, and anytime we felt we needed to talk to God.  We were taught to respect other people and their beliefs, even if their beliefs were different than ours.  We would never have asked that others be prevented from practicing their beliefs just because we didn’t believe the same thing.  We were taught to love and respect our country and flag and that it’s sometimes necessary to defend them.

We grew up in this manner, completely opposite of the way Dr. Spock said we should be raised.  Yet we grew up to be honest, hard working, God fearing people who still respect other people, our country, individual rights and your freedom to believe as you wish.  We have all successfully raised children in the same manner.  Each of those children has respect for their parents, for other people, for God and their country.

We never killed anyone in school when we were growing up and neither did our kids.  We were disciplined and taught to love and respect others no matter how different they were.  We risked going to jail or being sued by our kids and spanked them, grounded them and sent them to their rooms when they did something wrong.  They had to apologize and make things right when they wronged someone.  And I’m pretty sure most of our kids even tasted soap at one time or another when they were little.  I know mine did.  They were taught about God, His love, prayer and faith.  They went to school in the 90’s and 2000’s.  They never brought a gun to school and never killed a classmate or a teacher.  And fortunately for them (thank God), none of them ever had to face a gun at school either.

So how do we correct this growing problem of school violence and kids who kill?  Activist Michael Moore thinks gun control is the answer.  Those who believe gun control will stop people from having guns and shooting people are sadly mistaken.  I, for one, believe the answer lies with every parent and with God.  Teaching our kids discipline, respect for others, principles and family values, teaching our kids that hard work and perseverance to achieve something are more rewarding than having everything given to them, and bringing God back into our homes and schools are the first steps toward healing our nation.  You can bet God was in Virginia Tech on that Monday and that many of those students and faculty were talking to Him.  He was in Columbine and in Arkansas and in North Carolina.

I say let God back in and let Him, along with their families, straighten out these disturbed kids.  I could be wrong.  But what we’re doing now certainly isn’t working.