Happy Easter

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to aniont Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb?"

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.'"

Mark 16:1-8

AMEN! and Happy Easter

A "decaying power"

A recent quote from one of Iran's religious leaders has caught my attention. It's interesting how Iran has become extremely bold over the past few years, basically daring the United States to try stopping them from getting nukes. The threat of UN has hardly drawn a shutter. We're now considering military action, and still the Iranians aren't flinching. Why?

The words of senior cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Janati can explain: "the US is a decaying power...and lacks the stamina to block Iran's ambitions"

Is anyone offended by this? I'm not, because he's not far from the truth. Just three years ago, Iran's neighbor was up to the same thing and the UN refused to take action and the half the US population opposed action. The President has suffered as a result, and now more than half want to "cut and run" just to get out. Hardly a show of stamina on our part. The way we handled Iraq, as a nation, is very telling about our resolve to stop maniacs from doing bad things. Now, as a result, the maniacs aren't scared. You see, all you anti-war folks, why I think you should rally behind our troops in Iraq and call for victory? Wouldn't that send a different message to the maniacs?

Too late now. Not only are they NOT supporting Iraq, but they're already calling out against action in Iran. So the Iranians aren't going to give in to our demands, because they simply don't think we have the guts to follow through on them. And they may be right, thanks to our "healthy dissent" crowd.

So here's the question. We're rapidly approaching a major crisis in Iran. Once they get nukes, they're launching on Israel. Our borders are wide open, and it's not far-fetched to think that they could smuggle one of those things into the US and use at as blackmail to force us out of the Middle East. Or worse, simply detonate it in downtown wherever for the sake of killing Americans. If you don't think this can happen, then you need to join the rest of us in the real world. If you think the UN is going to stop these maniacs, well, you may be more deranged than the Iranians. So what do YOU do? I especially want to hear from the anti-war folks on this one. Do you try to "contain" the threat? How? Especially when we have troops vulnerable to tactical battlefield nukes in the area already. So, you're the President, what do you do?

He just won't go away

It’s no secret that I’m not particularly fond of Bill Clinton. I could type paragraph after paragraph about why, launching into things like his high taxation leading us into a recession, his failure to act in the face of a growing Islamo-fascist threat, his disdain for the military, not to mention his gaping void where most people would store their moral fiber. But I’m not going to use the space. Instead, I think Mr. Clinton does a pretty good job illustrating his shortcomings himself.

For instance, here are a few recent quotes. The first in reference to his extramarital affair where he described himself as “the world’s most famous sinner.” Think about that one for a moment. Let it sink in. I’ll get back to it.

The second is his routine response whenever someone brought up the possibility of military action: “I always asked the same question for eight years: "Can we kill 'em tomorrow? If we can kill 'em tomorrow, then we're not weak, and we might be wise enough to try to find an alternative way.” Think about that for a moment as well.

I don’t know about you, but the first thought that came to mind about the ‘can we kill em tomorrow’ line was: How many times did he ask that question in the ‘90s when Bin Laden was growing bolder and bolder by the day? How many times did he defer decisive action? He seems to be proud of such a policy, but it’s this sort of policy that allows our enemies to strike us first. Yes, we can always kill ‘em tomorrow, but at what cost? And how long do we say such a thing? Technically, we can use this line every single day as a means of avoiding conflict forever. Many on the left would be happy with such a policy. I call it cowardice.

As for his “famous sinner” line, I realize this was mainly a jab at the conservative Christians who were critical of his sexual endeavors. He was basically mocking them for being “uppity”. But, even so, most people are ashamed of doing what he did. Most people don’t boast about adultery. I understand that, for most people, much of the shame comes from the dire consequences that occur as a result of their extramarital affairs, which were absent in Clinton’s case. But nonetheless, adultery is still wrong. This is a basic truth…It’s not good to cheat on your spouse. Even the most ardent Clinton supporter can’t argue with that. So why does he joke about it? Why has he been given a free pass? I think the answer to those questions also explains why our nation is terribly ill from a morality standpoint.

Cut it out...you bunch of spazzes

Although I’m not a big fan of Tiger Woods, I have to say this goes beyond ridiculous. For those who haven’t read the article, people are offended by Tiger’s use of the word "spaz" to describe his golf game. That’s right. Apparently "spaz" is now one of the many non-PC terms that are forbidden in common everyday discussion. It’s just too offensive to people who suffer from spastic disorders…not that the ones criticizing Woods are all sufferers of these conditions, and not that Woods actually had these people in mind specifically when he used the term, that’s not the point. The point is: Tiger used a non-mainstream term to describe his golf game in a way that "some people" may consider a little brash. So it’s simply not acceptable.

So at the request of an LA Times reporter, Tiger agreed to replace "spaz" with "wreck", as in "I played like a wreck". But wait a minute, doesn’t he run the risk of offending people who have been involved in horrible traffic accidents? Doesn’t this belittle their suffering?

OK, well how about "I played like a nightmare."
No, too many people suffer from night terrors.

OK, "My game was a disaster"
Nope, too many Katrina victims to offend.

OK, "I looked like a geek."
One word, Columbine.

"I played like crap."
What about people who don’t have full control of their bowels?

"I looked like a moron."
Too many Howard Dean fans would get upset.

"It was tough out there"
What about all those wimps who suffer from hypo-toughness?

"My swing was ugly."
Do you think Chelsea Clinton would appreciate that?

"It was murder on the greens."
Two words, O…J…

"My game was just plain bad."
Maybe, but then again, as someone who really is bad at golf…that offends me.

So the point is: the PC crowd has migrated beyond the outer levels of normalcy and is lingering somewhere between insanity and fantasy. Someone once called this the twilight zone. Perhaps we should rename it the PC Zone. After all, the term ‘light’ may offend blind people.

(By the way, this is satire, so please don’t attack me for saying something jokingly. And if you’re OK with satire and think it’s actually funny, well, congratulations, you’re human)

Call it a hunch

"Any student who engages in or promotes sexual behavior not consistent with Christian principles (including sex outside marriage and homosexuality) may be suspended or asked to withdraw."

This is a quote from the University of the Cumberlands student handbook. This is a private Baptist school that can basically make whatever rules they want about what is acceptable behavior from its students. So this school can expel a gay student just like a private gay and lesbian college could expel me for being a Christian. Yet, something tells me that the mainstream media won't see it this way. Something tells me this college will be demonized in the press. Call it a hunch.

Here is the full story from Drudge.

Whether or not this school should do something like this is the basis for other debates, and it really doesn't matter. What matters is that they have the right to do it, and the mainstream and the far left should put their money where their mouth is when it comes to rights and support this college...or at least avoid chastising it. But, something tells me that won't happen. Call it a hunch.

When will majority rule?

The majority of Americans want a wall built along the entire southern border. Not only that, but they also want illegal immigrants deported. This is according to a Time magazine poll, which makes it surprising that they would even publish the results

"By a margin of 56 to 40 percent, respondents said they want the wall built from sea to shining sea - not just the 700 miles stipulated in the House plan, a proposal the press calls "draconian."

"62 percent told Time that they favored using the military to guard the border. Just 35 percent opposed."

"75 percent say illegals should be denied government supplied health care and food stamps"

"69 percent, say illegals shouldn't be allowed to get U.S. drivers licenses."

And keep in mind, this is Time, which means that if you factor in their 2-3% liberal bias then these numbers would probably be higher. What really irks me is that with numbers like these, our politicians are still cowering to the immigrants and their protests (see my prior post), which just goes to show that they're a bunch of weasels.

They're in no position to strike "plea bargains" when it comes to our immigration laws. In fact, if I were a political leader, I'd have INS at each one of these rallies checking green cards. But no one in our 'leadership' has that kind of guts.

Call it what you will...I call it a sell-out

SO now our beloved Senators are singing the praises of their great compromise on immigration reform. Yes, they've struck a deal and they're confident that their deal will become law. So now the illegal immigrants will finally be given the amnesty that they so desire.

Lindsey Graham and Bill Frist, once strongly vocal about immigration reform, have succomed to the pressure of protest. Senator Graham himself described this deal, with a smile, as a plea bargain. A PLEA BARGAIN! And so that is what our federal law has become. Breaking that law no longer carries consequences, as long as you can gather enough people to wave another country's flag in protest.

The message is clear: break our law...it's OK, maybe one day we'll grant you citizenship. Motivation to immigrate legally? ZERO.

As I predicted, our brave politicians acted in the face of this growing danger on our southern border and have devised a plan that could more accurately be described as gutless, spineless, yellow.

Break the law and avoid getting caught for 5 years = citizenship
Break the law for 2-5 years = identify yourself and THEN get citizenship
Break the law for 2 years = go home and come back and THEN get citizenship

Brilliant!

Politicians will always be politicians...and most politicians these days behave like geldings.

To be an effective leader means that sometimes you have to do things that may not be overwhelmingly popular...our senators have failed to realize this.

Well, at least the latest shows that this poor-excuse for reform may be bogged down...we'll see what happens. But if this passes it can only be viewed as one thing...a sell out.

Moussouai...death penalty or life without parole?

According to the latest reports, today at the Moussouai trial the jury watched video of the 9/11 attacks. They saw pictures of jets crashing into buildings, explosions, screams...people jumping out of windows to their deaths. The whole time Moussouai was "nodding and smiling". He was proud.

It would seem to be a sure bet that Moussouai would be sentenced to death. After all, it's hard for even the most extreme of bleeding-hearts to argue that this man can be rehabilitated in prison. So will Moussouai get the death penalty?

In my opinion, it's a toss-up. Obviously, it wouldn't surprise me if he were executed...after all, he deserves it. But it also wouldn't be a shocker to me if he got life without parole. Why would someone NOT vote to execute this animal? I don't think the insanity plea will stick. I don't think the jury will be lenient on him in any way. I think the biggest argument against the death penalty in this case will be: "We don't want to make him a martyr."

It may be a long shot, but for some reason I don't see the jury doing the obvious thing and they will have a legitimate reason for it. In fact, we could debate this for a while. Do we put him away forever or do we kill him and instantly make him a hero in the world of Islamo-fascism?

If you ask me, call him a murderer, call him a hero of Islam, call him a radical nut, call him a martyr....I don't care, as long as you call him dead. Execute the S.O.B., the world will be a better place once he's gone.

Harry Reid HAD a great idea!

This is one of the things I love about the Drudge Report. No one calls politicians for flip-flopping like they do. Here is another brilliant example: In 1993, Harry Reid proposed the Immigration Stabilization Act. The link provided has details, here are a few:

Specific provisions of Reid's Immigration Stabilization Act include the following:
-- Reduces annual legal immigration levels from approximately 800,000 admissions per year to about 300,000. Relatives other than spouse or minor children will be admitted only if already on immigration waiting lists and their admission does not raise annual immigration levels above 300,000.

-- Reforms asylum rules to prevent aliens from entering the United States illegally under phony "asylum" claims.-- Expands list of felonies considered "aggravated" felonies requiring exclusion and deportation of criminal aliens. Allows courts to order deportation at time of sentencing.

-- Increases penalties for failing to depart or re-entering the United States after a final order of deportation order. Increases maximum penalties for visa fraud from five years to 10 years.

-- Curtails alien smuggling by authorizing interdiction and repatriation of aliens seeking to enter the United States unlawfully by sea. Increases penalties for alien smuggling.

-- Adds "alien smuggling" to the list of crimes subject to sanctions under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Expands the categories of property that are forfeited when used to facilitate the smuggling or harboring of illegal aliens.

-- Clarifies that a person born in the United States to an alien mother who is not a lawful resident is not a U.S. citizen. This will eliminate incentive for pregnant alien women to enter the United States illegally, often at risk to mother and child, for the purpose of acquiring citizenship for the child and accompanying federal financial benefits.

But that’s not all. Here are a few things Mr. Reid had to say about our immigration problem back in 1993:

"We are a country founded upon fairness and justice. An individual in real threat of torture or long-term incarceration because of his or her political beliefs can still seek asylum, but this bill closes the door to those who want to abuse America's inherent generosity and legal system…

Our borders have overflowed with illegal immigrants placing tremendous burdens on our criminal justice system, schools and social programs…

The Immigration and Naturalization Service needs the ability to step up enforcement…

Our federal wallet is stretched to the limit by illegal aliens getting welfare, food stamps, medical care and other benefits often without paying any taxes…

Safeguards like welfare and free medical care are in place to boost Americans in need of short-term assistance. These programs were not meant to entice freeloaders and scam artists from around the world…

Even worse, Americans have seen heinous crimes committed by individuals who are here illegally."

WOW, what happened, Harry. You seemed so much more intelligent back then! Did 9/11 drain you of your intellect? Was the "Clinton Era" really that much of a negative influence on your party? If you were talking like this today, I would consider actually voting for you!

TR...where are you when we need you?

This quote was sent to me by a friend, thanks for the blog material, Rob. Teddy Roosevelt was not only a tough S.O.B., but he was also pretty smart. God knows Washington could use wisdom like his nowadays.

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, heshall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrageto discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Amen, Mr. President. Where are men like you when we need them most?

Would you consider Doritos a luxury item?

Yesterday my wife witnessed something quite remarkable, and my blood pressure has still not recovered from her account of it. She was standing in line at a local convenience store. In front of her were a woman and her (supposedly) 4 children, ages approximately 7-12.

This woman weighed at least 300 pounds (and my wife does not exaggerate), yet her 4 children looked as though they had missed their share of meals. When it came their turn to check out, they emptied their arms onto the counter. Here is their shopping list: Two bags of Doritos (large bags), 2 packages of Ding-Dongs, 2 packages of Sno-Balls, one Icee, 4 sodas, 3 burritos and an assortment of candy including Twix and Snickers. Her purchases were totaled and she paid with...you guessed it...food stamps.

Now, I suppose one could put forth a hardy argument about why food stamps are a good thing, and why the taxpayer should foot the bill to feed those less-priviledged. But can anyone, even the most liberal of bleeding hearts, justify what I just described?

First, these people are buying what I consider luxury items. Ding-dongs and Doritos are not a human right, they are priviledges reserved for those of us who can afford them. Sound silly? Maybe so, but I don't like the idea of American tax dollars being spent in such a way.

Second, we already have a HUGE health problem bubbling as America grows more and more overweight. Obesity rates are climbing very fast among our youth. Many of these kids will become diabetic. They will require expensive health care. Who's going to pay for that? You guessed it...the taxpayer. And, apparently, we're literally feeding the problem through our foodstamp program.

This is beyond ridiculous, and I thought I should share it with all of you.

Another University blow-hole

This stolen from Drudge:

UT professor says death is imminent

Here are a few noteworthy quotes from this menace to humanity:

"[Disease] will control the scourge of humanity," Pianka said. "We're looking forward to a huge collapse."

"The biggest enemy we face is anthropocentrism," he said, describing the belief system in which humans are the central element of the universe. "This is that common attitude that everything on this Earth was put here for [human] use."

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm growing weary of these college professors spewing their hate speech all over our taxpayer-funded campuses. Yes, Texas, YOU pay this guy's salary so he can spread his message like a mutant Ebola! Isn't there a way to shut these people up? He calls for sterilization practices to control the human population, and it would almost be worth it if people like him were first in line.

Immigration reform? Yeah right.

With all the ongoing debate about illegal immigration now suddenly rising to the front page, I wanted to make a few comments of my own. I find it interesting how this has suddenly become a critical issue for our political leaders. Illegal immigration has been a problem for years, dating well into the 1980s and beyond. It’s been nearly 5 years since the 9/11 attack. Why now? I don’t suppose it has anything to do with the upcoming elections.

Perhaps it’s my cynicism towards politicians, but despite all the heated debate I don’t think a damn thing will be done about the illegal immigration problem. The fact is: 1) the latino vote is too precious to the Democrats. 2) the cheap labor is too precious to the economy and thus precious to Republicans. It’s in no politician’s best interest to stop illegal immigration. So if anyone thinks that Bill Frist or Ted Kennedy or Hillary Clinton are going to solve this problem, think again.

They may pass a bill, in fact it’s likely that "immigration reform" will be pushed through. These people want to be able to stand before voters and thump their chests about how they "cared" enough about the citizens to take action. But any bill they pass will be soft, it will have no teeth for enforcement and will accomplish very little in actually solving the problem.

In truth, the only real answer begins with kicking our political leaders—all of them—to the curb (in fact, this is the first step to solving A LOT of America’s problems). Once we do that, and the PEOPLE regain control of this country, then things can change for the better. Until then, it’s politics as usual.

Ragged old Flag

I feel the need to change things up a bit. Visions of people waving the Mexican flag and desecrating the American flag makes me want to share my favorite poem from one of America's greatest all-time poets, Johnny Cash. Enjoy!

Ragged Old Flag
by Johnny Cash


I walked through a county courthouse square,
On a park bench an old man was sitting there.
I said, "Your old courthouse is kinda rundown,"
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town."

I said, "Your flagpole has leaned a bit,
And that's a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it."
He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down.
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town?"

I said, "I think it is." He said, "I don't like to brag,
But we're kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag."

"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writing 'Oh Say Can You See'.

And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin' at its seams."
"And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on though.

She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag."

"On Flanders Field in World War I
She got a big hole from a Bertha Gun.
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp and low by the time it was through.

She was in Korea and Vietnam.
She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam."

"She waved from our ships upon the briny foam,
And now they've about quit waving her here back home.
In her own good land she's been abused...
She's been burned, dishonored, denied and refused."

"And the government for which she stands
is scandalized throughout the land.
And she's getting threadbare and wearing thin,
But she's in good shape for the shape she's in.

'Cause she's been through the fire before
and I believe she can take a whole lot more."

"So we raise her up every morning,
Take her down every night.
We don't let her touch the ground
And we fold her up right.

On second thought I DO like to brag,
Cause I'm mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag."


Thank God for people like Johnny Cash. If you really want to enjoy this poem, you can listen to Mr Cash himself read it at this site. God bless America!

A slap in the face...of America

I know that this, like everything else, will spin into a partisan battle over right and wrong. It’s already happening. But a few quotes from our beloved political leaders need to be repeated on this post.

Nancy Pelosi: "a mistake, an unfortunate lack of recognition of a member of Congress…I would not make a big deal of this."

Really! A lack of recognition on the officer’s part? Is she implying that McKinney was justified in slapping him? Is she implying that the officer was more to blame? And when would anyone not make a big deal of a Congress member slapping a police officer? I wonder if Bill Frist had done this would Ms. Pelosi still say it wasn’t a big deal? I think everyone knows the answer to that.
But let’s not pick on just Pelosi. Here’s what Denny Hastert had to say:

"How many officers would have to be punched before it becomes a big deal?"

Punched? Are you sure she didn’t pull out a billy club and beat the guy with it? This is a gross exaggeration and it’s beneath a Congressional leader to say such a thing, just as it’s beneath one to slap a police officer. Again, if Bill Frist had done this, but HAD actually punched the guy, then I’m sure Mr. Hastert would be referring to it as a love-tap.

So this will turn into what has become a common thing in today’s Washington, partisan bickering that makes a complicated matter out of something that is NOT complicated. A person slapped a police officer. That is against the law and she should be punished for it regardless of who she is, what she does, or why she did it. But I seriously doubt there will be any punishment BECAUSE of who she is and what she does, which, oddly enough, is what many people in her party despise about our country. I also wouldn’t be surprised if this became a race issue…after all, why else would a Congresswoman be asked to pass through a metal detector for any reason other than the fact that she were black?

What I despise is the behavior of our politicians, and this will do nothing to change that opinion. There is an election in November, and I wouldn’t be upset if EVERY incumbent was booted from office. These people are adults behaving like four-year-olds, and many four-year-olds would likely take offense to that comparison. What’s worse is that they’re behaving this way while controlling the fate of our country and lives over such issues as taxation, immigration and national security. One day, God willing, the people of America will regain control of our beloved Republic and oust the politicians that are milking her dry. That day can’t come soon enough for me.

Damn the Mexican flag!

This is precisely why people are in an uproar about immigration. My heritage is Irish-Welsh, but I am in no way loyal to Ireland or Wales. I am an American. My grandfathers, my dad and myself have served THIS country, not any other. We appreciate our heritage, but that appreciation ends at the flagpole.

Let me take it a step further. I was born and raised in the South. I grew up with southern traditions, customs and culture. I love my southern heritage and I adhere to it everyday. I respect the one-time Confederacy of Southern States. I respect that a group of states took a stand against a tyrannical federal government much like the original 13 colonies once did, but do I fly a Confederate Flag? No. Why not? Because many people find that to be offensive and I am an American…not a confederate.

Do the people of Texas have to be reminded that Mexico once invaded them? That many Texans were killed at the hands of the Mexican army? And now this high school principle wants to fly the Mexican flag next to the Lone Star? The anger I feel about this is impossible to put down in words, but let me just say that not only is it highly offensive to me but the act itself is despicable. While we’re at it, why don’t we fly the Japanese flag over Pearl Harbor? After all, many Japanese-Americans DO currently live in Hawaii. Or the American flag over Hiroshima. How well would that go over?

Let me just say to everyone who immigrated to America…either you’re an American or you’re not. There is no in between. If you’re an American then you’re not Mexican or Italian or Russian or Canadian or Nigerian. You’re American, and by God if you’re American then your loyalty should be to America and you shouldn’t give a damn about your former country’s flag flying on a public flagpole. If you have a problem with this, then you have the God-given freedom to pack up your stuff and LEAVE. You don’t have the right to exploit our nation for her freedoms that were bought by the blood of loyal patriots so that you can continue being a Mexican inside our borders. And I’m NOT just referring to those from Mexico. I feel the same way when I visit Little Italy or Chinatown and see Italian and Chinese flags flying. If you love your ex-country so much, then don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out. If these students want to hold a walk-out in protest, then they need to keep walking back across the border. That flagpole is public property and they don’t have the right to put a Mexican flag on a flagpole owned by the America public no more than I have a right to hang a Christian flag or Confederate flag. If this principle isn’t punished in some way, then the people of Texas should react in a way that makes it clear that this WILL NOT be tolerated!

I don’t have a problem with people wanting to immigrate to America. This country was built on immigration…but by people who despised their native country so much that they fled to a better life. So why honor the life you fled? When immigrants become Americans, I expect them to behave just as I would…loyal to America. If they have difficulty with it, then they have no need to become American citizens.

If you want to honor your ex-flag, then I question your loyalty to America. If you don’t have a problem with a foreign flag on a public flagpole, then I question your loyalty as well and challenge you to remain quiet when someone hoists a Confederate flag on the same pole. Remember, many Americans died at the hands of Mexican, Chinese, Italian and Japanese soldiers; so for that reason alone it will be a cold day in hell before any one of those flags fly over the land they died fighting to protect.

Free to blog

A very good article illustrating the freedoms that many of us take for granted. It’s hard to imagine that some of the things we say would get us imprisoned in another country. I just wanted to post this and put things in perspective…and say thanks to the hundreds of thousands of brave Americans who died to preserve the very freedom that I exercise on this site regularly.

Card's had enough

Until Andrew Card gives his side of things, there will be rumors flying about why he resigned. Was there a disagreement in principles? Was this an act of protest against Bush’s policies? Does he have some personal issues to deal with? Is this a pre-emptive action of another scandal? I don’t know, but I will take this opportunity to add to the rumors. This is why I think he resigned, a simple reason. He was tired.
I have posted before that Bush has had to endure (next to Lincoln) perhaps the most difficult presidency in American history. Here’s a brief list: he inherited a poor economy, then 9/11, the Chinese spy-plane incident, the war on terror, Iraq, a controversial election, fighting over supreme court nominees, Katrina, memo-gate, shotgun-gate, the wire tapping scandal and now illegal immigration. Couple this with a belligerent national media that has brutalized this administration at every turn, especially hindering its efforts against international Islamo-fascism, and eventually it begins to take a toll. The White House staff no doubt takes its fair share of the heat with all of this and they’ve (for lack of a better term) worked their butts off for the past six years.
What’s all that work yielded? Well, you don’t have to look any further than the latest approval polls to find that out. 35-40% job approval? Either the president is doing a terrible job (which under the circumstances is quite hard to believe) or the pessimism in this country runs deep. I’m not sure either way, or if there is another reason that I’ve overlooked. But I can say one thing: I don’t blame Andrew Card. In fact, I wouldn’t blame Bush if he decided to quit. The pure ignorance in the general public of the current situation that the United States finds itself in is staggering. We are at war, with the most formidable and determined foe we have ever faced in our history…and still the people and the press just don’t get it. And the fact is, no matter how many suicide bombs go off, no matter how many jetliners crash into our buildings, no matter how many tyrants try to acquire WMDs they will never get it…because they don’t want to get it.
Convincing these people of the importance of the current conflict is about as likely as convincing the Islamo-fascists to lay down their arms and give up…it just aint gonna happen. So it’s quite understandable why Mr. Card resigned. He fought the good fight, but grew too weary. I wish him the best and thank him for his service.

And she used to be our Sec of State?

Here is a link to an op-ed piece written by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. She does an excellent job of summarizing the point of view of the Left, which is why I posted it here. She gives advice to the president on Iraq, and her advice is very telling and can be summed up below in a 3-point plan.
1) Ending tyranny in this world is a fantasy. The US can no longer control events in Iraq, but it can be useful as a referee. This is how she views our troops? As referees? I’m sorry, Maddy, but our troops are killers. They should be used to kill people and destroy things. That’s their job, not acting as a referee. Perhaps if we let them do that job, then we could bring an end to tyranny. It’s also funny how people like her say that ending tyranny is a fantasy, yet they’re still waging war on poverty, hunger and economic disparity.
2) Leave Iran alone. Great idea! A nation of lunatics led by the Head Lunatic who are a breath away from having nuclear weapons should be allowed to go on their way. We need to keeps our noses out of it.
3) Bush’s ‘march of freedom’ is not the big story in the Middle East, so it’s time to start working with different factions to help bring peace to the region. I agree that democracy is not catching on like it should, but is that reason to give up on the notion? Is that reason to sit down at a negotiating table across from killers, tyrants, and dictators? Democracy may never take hold in the Middle East, but we should never use that as a reason to compromise our own principles.

I just can't stop talking about it

Here we go again! Does anyone remember about 20 years ago when scientists were warning that the earth is getting colder? Remember the hysteria? It’s funny how that “fad” just sorta fizzled out. Now the catch-phrase du jour is global warming. I find it interesting how science can do an abrupt about-face in just 2 decades and yet have no explanation why.

Now, they have computer models that say the icecaps will melt within a century. There will be chaos, sea levels will rise, cities will drown, climate will change dramatically, dogs and cats will be living together…it’s gonna be horrible. Why? Because a computer says so.

I’m not an expert, but I know the earth’s climate is dependent on literally millions of variables that can’t possibly be predicted with any degree of accuracy. What’s more, there are no…repeat, NO…studies that indicate human activity IN ANY FORM has the potential to alter the earth’s climate. So even though there are millions of variables that come into play in determining the earth’s climate, thus far the data we’ve collected shows that human activity is not one of them. So why are scientists demanding a reduction in greenhouse emissions? That’s a very good question.

Could the earth get warmer? Sure. The earth’s climate has gone through many changes over billions of years. There’s no reason to think it won’t continue fluctuating. Could the polar ice caps melt? Maybe, if the temperature warms enough. I’m not doubting the possibility that this computer proposes. But I am doubting the fact that we, as humans, have the ability to stop it. So until some credible evidence is discovered that links human activity DIRECTLY to global warming, I say lets stop with the hysterics.

Global warming....and a "coon" de tat

I’ve posted many times on this whole chicken little-the sky is falling-the earth is getting warmer-hysteria. I’m not going to waste anymore time arguing my case. I just wanted to link to this article from Drudge and say that if anyone out there ACTUALLY believes that global warming is real and is due to human activity please email me. I want to hear from you, and I also have some ocean front property in Kansas that I’d like to sell you.


If you’ve read this blog before then you know that I’m a big Condi fan. She tops my list of people that I want to see win the White House in 2008. With that said, after reading this article I have to say…gimme a break! What this guy did was nothing but an accident…a slip of the tongue. I’ve done it before. It usually happens when I’m talking too fast or trying to think of what I’m going to say next…the wrong word comes out and I sound like an uneducated idiot. This has happened to everyone. Should this guy have been fired for it? Absolutely not, and I honestly believe that Condi would probably feel the same way. Using a racial slur in a condescending manner is one thing (ala Hillary referring to Ghandi as a gas-station owner), but a lapse in speech is quite another. His neurons misfired and the wrong word came out. He was actually promoting her for the new NFL commissioner! He said he wanted to say ‘coup’, but accidentally said ‘coon’. Is this a racial slur? No way.

Would you follow your Senator into battle?

This article can be found at the Christian Science Monitor. Congress has decided to form a bipartisan panel to determine a course of action for the ongoing conflict in Iraq. This is the ‘plan’ that everyone so highly speaks of. The consensus seems to be that there must be a middle-ground compromise, somewhere between our current situation and outright withdrawal of forces, and this committee will somehow discover that compromise.

I want the reader to look at the members of the panel that are listed. Read it two or three times if necessary. What’s missing? How about military expertise. Of all the members of the panel the closest thing to military expertise is a former secretary of defense. This is quite revealing.

I wonder if Congress ever got involved in the decision making of World War II. Who played a bigger role in planning the invasion of Europe…Congress or Ike? Did Patton and Montgomery get their orders from a senator or a ‘blue-ribbon panel’? This is insane. It confirms that this war is becoming more and more political. Has Vietnam taught us nothing?

Politics has no business in war. War is about killing people and destroying things, and doing it better and more efficient than the enemy. Politics is about pleasing the voters and trying not to anger too many people. Can you see how the two shouldn’t be mixed? And now we’re supposed to buy into this ‘blue-ribbon panel’ who is going to come up with an ideal plan for Iraq without any input from our military leaders?

The ones who should be developing a plan for Iraq are the Generals and Colonels who have done this all their life. They have the answer, not Congress. If we trust our politicians to achieve victory then we should expect disappointment with the results…we should expect defeat. Our politicians are 0-1 when it comes to waging war. Let the military fight their fight. Turn them lose on the enemy. If we do this, then outright victory won’t be far off.

Iraq and Vietnam

So today is the 3rd anniversary of the war in Iraq, and the President gave a speech today regarding our mission. Today's post is about the war, what it means and what's at stake.

While I agree that much in the war has not gone as planned, I do believe that this war is crucial. Some things could have been done better, but none of that changes the necessity for victory. All other things aside, at the very least this war has created a 'front' upon which we can confront our enemies face-to-face. Before this, we were chasing ghosts and relying on special forces units for the majority of operations. But now, the enemy is drawn out to meet us on the battlefields of Iraq, which may have been part of the plan all along.

I truly believe success or failure in Iraq will define the 'war on terror'. Iraq is this war's Gettysburg, Saratoga, and Normandy all rolled into one. If we achieve victory, then it will ultimately lead to victory over tyranny in many other parts of the world, including Iran and North Korea. But if we do NOT achieve victory, then the US will never recover (in fact, we are still reeling from the defeat in Vietnam). We will be seen as a paper tiger, unwilling to commit ourselves to achieving a mission goal. Our power will be limited, and it will open the door for many tyrants and dictators to challenge us. Indeed, this war will measure the strength of our resolve to protect and defend the freedoms we hold so dear. One wonders how we are measuring up now?

Yes, the war is frustrating. Progress seems to be slow. The people of Iraq don't seem willing to embrace democracy. The nation is on the verge of civil war. American troops are still dying daily. Oil prices continue to climb. Iran and North Korea are growing as threats. We have a long way to go. But in my mind, victory is the only option, whether it takes 3 years or 30 years, we must succeed. The alternative has consequences that are catastrophic for our future.

30 years ago America showed the world that democracy may be precious, but it's not worth more than 50,000 lives. We left Vietnam with our tails tucked between our legs, and those 50,000 died in vain. And now, the world has asked the question again: How many lives is democracy worth? Some have already decided that 2,000 is too many. What will your answer be?

Immigration and the Church

Now our church leaders are speaking up on the immigration issue, and I for one don’t like what they have to say. I understand the whole ‘help those in need of help’ philosophy. It truly is a Christian concept. Yes, the Bible does tell us to care for our neighbor, but it also tells us to care for our family and it appears that the church leaders have missed the point.

They see the immigration problem as a human rights issue. I see it as a national security issue. As long as that border remains open, then my family is in danger, as are many others across the nation. I’m sorry that living conditions in other countries stink. I’m sorry that people are starving and can’t find work. If I could change that, I would. But the US can’t help the world’s impoverished if we are in danger of being attacked. And I’m not interested in helping people when I’m worried about the safety of my loved ones. Sorry if that sounds selfish. We have to secure our homes first, before we go out to minister to the sick, hungry and jobless.

This is just another example of a parade of errors that our church leaders have made recently, and it has really started to aggravate me. Not long ago, the Catholic leadership established a policy that if a priest admitted that he were homosexual, he would be allowed to continue in the priesthood (but they did say that homosexuals would not be allowed to enter the seminary).

This announcement led me to stop giving money to the Catholic church, and I will continue my boycott until such policy is reversed. Either it’s wrong or it isn’t, and if it’s wrong then it’s wrong for EVERYONE including priests. This article says conservatives applauded the announcement, but I see hypocrisy. Instead, my tithe is going to other charitable organizations and protestant churches. I think God will understand my position. Now, the recent actions of church leaders regarding immigration only enforce the idea that I’m doing the right thing and if it continues then I may have to boycott the protestant faith as well. Illegal immigration is illegal, even if the people doing it are in need. Helping those who are committing crimes is not how I want the church to spend its money. I’m not going to give money to churches when I disagree with the message that they send. I’ll find other ways to help fund God’s work.

Bird Flu...should we worry?

Yesterday the Dept of Health and Human Services, in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control issued a recommendation that US citizens start storing non-perishable food and water in enough quantities for at least 10 days, and possible up to 3 months, should a national Bird Flu epidemic occur.

The story can be found here.
Now for a little context in this story.

The second article explains fully, but the main point is that Bird Flu is a disease of birds, not humans. In rare cases, it can be transmitted from birds to humans, but so far this has only occurred in people who are working closely with birds. No documented case of human to human transmission exists. So why the concern? Why is Bird Flu so prominent in headlines? And why did the DHHS and CDC issue their recommendations?

Well, because the Bird Flu Virus, like all other viruses, is capable of mutation and if it mutated to the point that allowed for human to human transmission, then we all have a major problem. It would spread like the flu, but no one has any inherent immunity built up like we due to the basic Influenza virus. In other words, our bodies have never seen this virus before. It is more deadly, and progresses more rapidly from basic to severe symptoms than Influenza. The result of such a mutation would be a global pandemic echoing that of the 1919 influenza outbreak that killed an estimated 675,000 Americans.

Would such a number be repeated in today’s age? Not likely. We do have drugs to treat those affected with flu, we are more diligent at identifying and quarantining suspected cases and we have better life support capabilities, but such resources would rapidly become overwhelmed in a nation/world wide outbreak. The highest estimates I’ve seen from the Infectious Disease specialists are that 200 million Americans could be infected, with approximately 200,000 deaths…again, this is a worst case scenario.

So what are the chances of the Bird Flu mutating to a human form and causing a major outbreak? No one knows. Some say 50-50, others say it’s less likely. As for me, knowing how unstable viruses CAN be, and knowing that a human form of Bird Flu would absolutely be catastrophic…well, I bought a whole case of canned tuna yesterday.

Hugo Chavez's new best friend

Came across this in an email, apologies to those who may have already seen it.

The story accompanying the photo can be found here.

For those of you who don't recognize them, that's Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez with his new best friend Cindy Sheehan. She recently joined him in his call to 'bring down America"

I know how much of a moron Sheehan is, and I'm pretty sure most of the country acknowledges this as well. So I can't blame her too much for saying or doing stupid things...and this certainly falls in that category. Why associate yourself with a dictator? How does that further your message to the American people? I'll let her answer that.

What's stunning is that this is a woman supposedly grieving her dead soldier son, who died fighting for the very country that she calls evil. Doesn't this dishonor his memory? Doesn't this cheapen his life? I'll let her answer that.

I can assure you that Casey Sheehan is looking down on his mom with extreme disappointment. He believed in and loved America...so much that he gave his life for her. And now his own mother is rubbing elbows with an American enemy and calling his beloved country evil. What a shame.

A reflection of our moral fiber

Yes, it's a wedding dress.

Yes, it's a maternity wedding dress.

Yes, this is from an actual advertisement.

Yes, there is enough of a consumer market for dress makers to manufacture and advertise maternity wedding dresses.

Yes, this is an accurate reflection of where our nation stands in regards to moral fiber.

And, yes, it is rather scary to think that such dresses exist.

But hey, look on the bright side...at least these people are getting married.

Comments on today's headlines

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - Slobodan Milosevic's son alleged on Tuesday that his father had been "killed," while a U.N. war crimes tribunal official said the court had been told the late Serb leader had regular access to unprescribed medication and alcohol smuggled into his prison cell.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the tribunal's strict confidentiality rules, told The Associated Press that the unit's prison warden had told the court that he could no longer guarantee Milosevic's health.
The official said prison authorities repeatedly found banned material in his cell, including alcohol and unprescribed drugs.
The prison warden, Timothy McFadden, refused interview requests, and U.N. tribunal spokeswoman Alexandra Milenov said the court could not comment "because the investigation into Milosevic's death is ongoing."

I don’t mean to be rude, but does anyone really care if the guy was poisoned? Should there even be an investigation? Is anyone crying tears over this maniac’s death? Good riddance. And if we find the person who poisoned him we should give them a medal.


ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - Prosecutors are struggling to save their bid to execute al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui after the judge said a government lawyer's misconduct makes it very difficult for the case to go forward.
Visibly angry, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema summoned the offending lawyer, Carla J. Martin of the Transportation Security Administration, to a hearing Tuesday to assess what damage she may have done by coaching seven witnesses.

This doesn’t surprise me. Our justice system is a joke. It’s set up to protect the criminal and not advocate for the victim. So now our tax dollars will probably pay to keep this guy alive for decades, while he enjoys a better life in an American prison than he ever would have had somewhere in a Middle Eastern slum. This is the best thing that ever happened to Moussaoui. Personally, I think the guy should be at Gitmo. He is part of Al Qaeda, and we are currently at war with Al Qaeda, so why are we trying him in civilian court? Someone, somewhere needs to decide if we are AT WAR OR NOT. What’s it gonna be. If we’re not at war, then pull the troops home. If we ARE at war, let’s act like it…commit ourselves fully, with all of our resources until the enemy is defeated. I’m sick of playing games, and Moussaoui’s trial is a prime example.

A last resort worth looking into for Iraq

This article from the Christian Science Monitor illustrates how the Iraqi government has begun scrambling to avert civil war.

While reading this I was reminded of Michael Savage’s comments in his latest book. In this book, Savage suggested that in order to avoid civil war the US and allied forces should have treated Iraq like Germany in the 40s. We should have split the country into 4 sections: Give one to the Kurds, one to Kuwait, and have one each for the Sunnis and Shiites. This is a brilliant idea in my mind and it may not be too late to implement.

The Iraqi government is trying, you’ve got to give them credit for that, but it may not be enough. If we can get their Parliament seated and get the security forces up to speed, then we may be able to get out before all-out civil war erupts…if it hasn’t already. That way, we can stand back and basically say “we turned it over to you, and look what happened.” But if we fail at this, and civil war breaks out, it could be a problem having our troops in the middle of it trying to play the role of referee. At that time, I think we should give Mr. Savage’s idea a much closer look. It very well could be the only way to bring this conflict to an advantageous conclusion.

TAX THIS!

Snoopy's letter is a lot nicer than mine would have been.

At last, I have finished my taxes and am well-equipped with plenty of curse-words and other foul ways of describing our government to last me for another year. While I waded through the Gestapo...er, IRS documents last night, I realized something. A graduated income tax is perhaps the most Marxist thing ever devised this side of Fidel Castro, except of course for Hillary Clinton. Nothing screams socialism like saying "tax the rich more and the poor less". Nothing, that is, except for Hillary Clinton. How such a system has survived in a capitalistic free enterprise economy and vice versa is well beyond me.

But I am not one to gripe and complain without giving my own idea about how to make things better. So here goes:

Eliminate the graduated income tax, and the IRS along with it. Transition to either a Flat Tax or a National Sales Tax. Then, lower the tax burden by CUTTING THE BUDGET. I emphasize the last three words because our political leaders have probably never even heard of such a concept. It would do them some good to know that we wouldn't have to tax people so much if they didn't spend so much friggin' money. "But what gets cut...who loses their money." I can hear the whining already. People in Washington are good at whining, they have special interest groups devoted to whining. So I say it's simple...EVERYTHING gets cut. An across the board budget cut of 20, 30 or 40 percent would keep everyone from whining about others not getting cut. You gotta treat these Washington people like the children they behave as. EVERYONE GETS ONE COOKIE, NO MORE!

If you received federal dollars last year, then next year you'll receive 20%, 30% or 40% less. Simple as that. That way, poor shmucks like me can keep more of the money that I bust my can to make.

Flat Tax or Sales Tax. I don't care. Pick one. Flip a coin...that is, if the IRS hasn't seized it from you. They're both fair and capitalistic. Everyone pays their fair share. Equal percentage or pay as you spend. It doesn't matter to me, as long as we get a tax system that's more American, more democratic, more capitalistic. Quit punishing success with more taxes. Quit trying to impose financial equality on society through taxes. We are not equal financially. This is America, not Cuba. That's one of the things that makes America great, so leave it alone. Part of the American dream is to one day have more money than your neighbors. It's right there next to baseball and apple pie. So Flat Tax or Sales Tax? Pick one and let's go with it, before the government becomes the primary shareholder of my life.

Iran and put Dubai to rest

VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Iran threatened the United States with "harm and pain" Wednesday if the U.S. tries to use the U.N. Security Council - which has the power to impose sanctions - as a lever to punish Tehran for its suspect nuclear program.

If anyone out there still doesn’t think military action will be needed against Iran, then they need to wake up and smell the yellow cake. These lunatics are hell-bent on getting nukes, and threatening action through the UN is hardly a deterrent (they were watching the whole pre-Iraq war debacle in the UN and learned a lot). Hopefully, we can put an end to this with airstrikes and boots on the ground won’t be necessary, but you never know.

It’s also evident that our actions within the UN are nothing more than us ‘going through the motion’. Raise your hand if you think the UN is going to do something about Iran…didn’t think so. It’s time to dissolve that inept organization. If it can’t prevent a lunatic madman from acquiring a nuclear bomb, then it obviously isn’t much use to the rest of the world.


MORE ON DUBAI

I know I’m beating on a dead camel, but I feel we’ve made a mistake with this ports deal. And this article shows that some American companies may suffer as a result of the actions of our political leaders. Probably not a huge thing, but the article also alludes to the possibility of losing military support as well. These politicians who all want to appear “tough on defense” may have made things that much more difficult for our service members who are actually waging the war on terror.
America will be a better place the day we run every politician out of Washington. These people don’t give a damn about national security or anything else affecting our lives. They care about the votes and nothing more. They are snake-oil salesmen who’d stab their own mothers in the back if polls showed that 51% of Americans supported such action. I’m glad this happened in an election year. Come November, I just may be voting independent.

Dubai and politics

So apparently the Dubai Ports deal is now dead. Many will be relieved by this, and understandably so. I've said in the past that I can relate with the concerns that many have expressed about this and I made my case why I supported the deal.

But frankly, I'm rather disgusted with the behavior of our political leaders. What started as a call for a full 45 day review of the company turned into a race between Republicans and Democrats to be the first to pass a law defeating the proposal. In an election year, it's important to be able to thump your chest and tell the voters how tough you are on defense. Yep, it's politics as usual in Washington and I for one am getting sick of it.

I wonder what Trent Lott or Bill Frist or Harry Reid would say if the UAE decided not to allow us use of their airspace, or no longer turn over terrorist suspects. Would anyone blame them? I mean, if an Arab nation kicked an American company out of their country strictly because it was American, I'd be a little P.O.'d. So I hope this doesn't hinder us in the war on terror. After all, that's priority number one for America. Do we need the UAE? Of course not...but every friend helps and I'm afraid we may have lost one here. I for one will remember this come November...not because it didn't turn out how I wanted, but because I'm tired of our politicians acting so much like politicians.

South Dakota's Law...I don't know, I just don't know

This may come as a surprise to many of you, but I’m not convinced the South Dakota ban on abortion is a good thing. Yes, I know that flies in the face of my usual traditionalist position, but I have my reasons.

A major problem I see with the abortion debate is that so often this is a black-and-white issue with very little room for grey. On one side, there are the “abortion on demand” folks who believe that a woman should be allowed to terminate a pregnancy right up to the point of delivery. Until the toes are out, it’s just tissue and not a baby. Yes, this is absurd. Abortion is NOT an alternative method of birth control and never should be.

On the other hand, there are those who feel that abortion should never be allowed (except, of course, when mom’s health is at risk). To them, there is no justification for killing a living baby. I understand this position. But I have a problem with it nonetheless. Am I advocating abortion? No. I’m just making a point that this is a VERY complicated issue and is hardly cut and dry. There is much grey in the midst of the abortion debate. Maybe it’s my medical background, but I’m somewhere in between on the abortion issue and I’ll explain why.

Suppose you or your spouse were told sometime in the second trimester that your developing fetus suffered from a severe birth defect or chromosomal abnormality. Suppose this condition was incompatible with human life, and if your baby survived to birth then he or she would not survive very long afterward. What would you do? Perhaps it’s more fair to ask what would I do. And the answer is…I don’t know, I just don’t know. I don’t think any of us know for sure until we are put into that situation. What I do know is pregnancy itself is risky even in today’s modern medical world. Will I be prepared to subject my wife to such dangers for a futile pregnancy? I don’t know. I know that some people may call this God’s Will and suggest that I rely on prayer in such situations. I agree with that, but I also think that’s getting a little close to the ‘faith healing’ concept which I don’t agree with (this is another post for another day). I also know that I’m not prepared to force some other pair of parents into making a certain decision in this circumstance based on law. Does this make me a bad Christian? I hope not. The truth is such circumstances do exist, and advances in medicine have given us the ability to diagnose them early…hasn’t this advance in knowledge and science also come from God? What we do with the results of such tests raises many more questions.

So why not allow abortion under severe restrictions? It doesn’t have to be on one extreme or the other. There is, I believe, a common ground. Here is my proposal, and I think many Americans would not have a problem with this.

Basically, abortion should be legal under two and only two circumstances: 1) In cases of rape or incest ONLY if the victim presses formal charges. If the defendant is convicted, then he is also charged and sentenced for involuntary manslaughter of a fetus. 2) Under the recommendation by 3 separate physicians that abortion is medically indicated. The exception being in an emergency which is defined as a situation that poses an immediate threat to the mother’s life, limb or eyesight. These cases would then be subject to peer review by other physician’s after the fact to ensure that the situation called for such action. ALL third trimester and partial birth abortions would be banned without exception.

To me, there is no other situation in which an abortion can be justified. Again, this may not be very conservative of me, but I feel for parents who have to endure such unique situations and I don’t judge them. And I certainly don’t feel right forcing them to make a decision based on my religious beliefs. Yes, a human life is a human life, but we withhold treatment from patients when further treatment would be futile at prolonging life. We unplug ventilators, we disconnect feeding tubes. Are the situations above any different? The question is far from simple and illustrates just how complex the abortion issue really is. Any comments are, as always, welcome.

Today's headlines, my thoughts

Some storied from Fox News, and my humble comments:

Kirby Puckett, the bubbly, barrel-shaped Hall of Famer who carried the Minnesota Twins to two World Series titles before his career was cut short by glaucoma, died Monday after a stroke. He was 45.

Kirby Puckett was what I like to call a throwback. He was tough and hard-working, loyal to his team and always hustling. He was fun to watch. I never was much of a Twins fan, but I was most definitely a Kirby Puckett fan. Anyone who truly loves the GAME of baseball will find it hard not to be. So long, Kirby. We will miss you.

Cindy Sheehan, who drew international attention when she camped outside President Bush's ranch to protest the Iraq war, was arrested Monday along with three other women during a demonstration demanding the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Women Say No to War, which helped organize the news conference and march, said Sheehan and three other women were arrested while trying to deliver a petition to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations with more than 60,000 signatures urging the "withdrawal of all troops and all foreign fighters from Iraq." Police said they were arrested for criminal trespassing and resisting arrest… Richard Grenell, the spokesman for the U.S. Mission, said in response to Sheehan's arrest: "We invited her in to discuss her concerns with a U.S. Mission employee. She chose not to come in but to lay down in front of the building and block the entrance. It was clearly designed to be a media stunt, not aimed at rational discussion," Grenell said.

This is typical. Ms. Sheehan refuses to actually discuss matters in a civilize manner. Instead, she opts for maximum media exposure. Has anyone else had enough of this blow-hard?

Hood College is reviewing its homecoming rules after a lesbian was crowned king, a college official said. Jennifer Jones, the 21-year-old senior who beat out three men for the honor, said the crowning was a positive step for the private liberal arts college.

I mention this as a seg-way to a question that I asked a few weeks ago while watching the coverage from Torino. Obviously, gender lines are blurring more and more as our world becomes more progressive towards sexual orientation. So, how long until international figure skating allows for same-sex pairs? I give it no more than 5 years.

A woman whose 4-month-old daughter died after being left in a hot car was sentenced to five years in prison Monday. Melisa Wildman, 30, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter of a child. She also was sentenced to 15 years probation. Wildman told police she had consumed Xanax, four or five beers, cocaine and marijuana in a 12-hour period before Savanna died in April 2004. A sheriff's officer and paramedics had found Wildman unconscious in her car just hours before the baby's death.

I’m surprised her lawyer didn’t try to go after the physician who prescribed the Xanax. After all, the trend in today’s culture is to always find a way to blame another. Surely in a case like this the mother is the victim and not the criminal. The pathetic sentence she got corresponds with this line of thought. 5 years for aggravated manslaughter of a child? Is anyone else offended by this? And in a related story…

A woman who put her newborn in trash that ended up in a Nebraska landfill was sentenced Tuesday to the maximum of 10 years in prison. Lori Schultz, 21, wept in court and said she could have prevented her son's death. "The pain inside of me will be inside of me for the rest of my life," she said. "I know my baby is supposed to be 2 years old but he's not because I made a terrible mistake." Schultz pleaded guilty Jan. 4 to second-degree manslaughter. She will have to serve at least four years before being eligible for parole. After her son's birth Feb. 2, 2004, she said she wrapped him in towels and a garbage bag and put him in a trash can because she was afraid of how Paul Alan Lundberg, her boyfriend and the boy's father, would react. A volunteer searcher found the body April 5, 2004, at a Jackson, Neb., landfill. Judge Steven Jensen said he had to impose the maximum sentence because of the severity of the crime.

As I read this story, every sentence seemed to incite more shock. This is wrong on multiple levels. Let me point them out one by one: 1) “…I made a terrible mistake.” A terrible mistake? You murdered someone. That is not a ‘mistake’, it’s a malicious act designed to fulfill some sort of selfish desire. A terrible mistake is taking a wrong turn on your way to the mall. I would have given this woman ten years for the simple lack of insight. 2) Second-degree manslaughter. Is it because the prosecutor was too lazy or plain gutless? Why not charge this woman with premeditated murder? Any lawyers out there care to explain? 3) “She will have to serve at least FOUR years…” Four years for killing a baby? What’s interesting is that if she had gotten a partial birth abortion just a few days before, it wouldn’t have been punishable. I don’t see the logic in any of this. 4) “…HAD to impose the maximum sentence.” The maximum sentence was ten years? For murdering a baby? And we’re trying to deter this type of behavior? She will be 25 when she gets out of prison (most likely) and will have many years of fertility remaining. At least give her life in prison. If not that, then she needs to be sterilized. I swear, you have to pass a test to drive a car in this country, but any incompetent moron can have a baby. Does this make sense to anyone?

A call for action against those guilty of treason

Below is a copy of a letter that I will be sending to the Attorney General of Kansas, Phill Kline, as well as US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Yes, I realize it's a long shot and will likely fall on deaf ears. I realize I'm fighting an uphill battle, but someone needs to expose this group for what they are. If I fail in my efforts, then so be it. It won't be from lack of trying. At the very least, I'd like to hear from the authorities WHY they feel this group has not committed treason against the United States. If I get a response, it will be posted on this site.

Dear Sir,

I am sure that you are aware of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas and their leader, Fred Phelps. In case you are not, then I highly recommend you browse their website at http://www.godhatesfags.com/main/index.html to get an idea of what this church stands for. The Westboro Baptist Church engages in extreme degrees of anti-American and anti-military rhetoric. I have copies of several fliers that they distribute as examples of such rhetoric. I understand the concept and the importance of free speech, but I feel the behavior of Westboro Baptist Church has crossed a line. I believe these people, and their leader in particular, are guilty of treason. The purpose of this correspondence is to request that your office, as representatives of the people, seek to bring charges of treason against Mr. Phelps and his church.

I realize the controversy involved, but please look further. Healthy dissent and civilized debate about the merits and legality of war is one thing. Praising our enemies for their actions, encouraging further attacks on American soldiers and picketing funerals of dead soldiers is quite another. Bringing charges against these people would at the very least expose their treasonous behavior to the rest of the nation and discourage more such behavior, and at the most would lead to a conviction with a well-deserved punishment for Mr. Phelps. If Mr. Phelps and his church were to be put before a jury in Kansas, one never knows what may happen.

You will no doubt come under scrutiny for bringing such charges, but I ask you to remember your responsibility to the people. Doing the right thing rarely involves an unimpeded path and smooth seas, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s right. People like Mr. Phelps must be sent a message from the citizens of America. We will tolerate free speech, but we will not tolerate the irresponsible handling of such a freedom.

This letter will be placed on my website at http://whenevilprospers.blogspot.com as well as a copy of your response. I eagerly anticipate your thoughts and your decision.

God Bless You,

More of Christianity's Al Qaeda

Here is a promotional flyer from a group of "Christian" war protesters. If you'd like to tell these people what you think about their opinion of America and her brave soldiers, use this link.

This is the church headed by Fred Phelps.
This is the church that advocated picketing the funerals of our fallen soldiers. Please see my prior posts for further background on all of this.

Christianity's version of Al Qaeda

This is an excerpt from the Westboro Baptist Church (Topeka, Kansas) website. Remember, these people claim to be Christians doing God's work. The comments below are in regard to American soldiers:

Here are some axiomatic matters of fact:
These turkeys are not heroes. They are lazy, incompetent idiots looking for jobs because they're not qualified for honest work.
They were raised on a steady diet of fag propaganda in the home, on TV, in church, in school, in mass media - everywhere - the two-pronged lie: 1) It's OK to be gay; and, 2) Anyone saying otherwise, like WBC, is a hatemonger who must be vilified, demonized, marginalized into silence.
Therefore, with full knowledge of what they were doing, they voluntarily joined a fag-infested army to fight for a fag-run country now utterly and finally forsaken by God who Himself is fighting against that country.
They turned America Over to fags; They're coming home In body bags.
America used an IED to bomb Westboro Baptist Church on August 20,1995 - an act of terror aimed at terrorizing us into discontinuing our nationwide Gospel preaching against the homosexual menace.
When America thus became WBC's terrorist, God became America's Terrorist.
Therefore the IED is God's weapon of choice in avenging Westboro Baptist Church by blowing America's kids to smithereens in Iraq. And the carnage has barely begun.
Thus, their funerals are the forum of choice for delivering WBC's message of choice.

Folks, this is treason. There is no other way to look at it. I will forward this to as many webmasters as I can. I want these people exposed and I want the MSM to get on board with this. These people are harassing the grieving families of our brave soldiers, flying the American flag upside down, and verbally attacking those who don't share their opinions. They are Christianity's version of Al Qaeda and the country should be made aware of it (I know many of you are already aware of these nutjobs, but the mainstream hasn't yet heard of them).

These people are protesting soldiers' funerals

In case anyone is wondering, this group is responsible for organizing pickets of funerals for soldiers killed in action. These people should be exposed for the treason that their committing. I want the entire blogosphere to know that these people DO NOT represent my God, nor do they represent Christianity. They are as extremist as Al Qaeda and should be punished in a similar manner. If it were up to me, they'd all be deported to Gitmo to share jail cells next to the Islamic terrorists.

I have included a link to their website. I hesitate to advertise for them, but like the videos of the beheadings, I think everyone should view this. Everyone should read their website in order to understand the vastness of their derangement. Hopefully, the MSM will pick up on this, although they may be genuinely conflicted between harassing a "christian" extremist church and defending the honor of a dead soldier...tough call for the MSM. Well, maybe they won't act, but the people should at least be aware that there is a group claiming to be Christians and acting openly anti-American right here in the heartland (Topeka, Kansas). I will continue to stay on top of these people because, quite frankly, I'm pissed off at these people for slandering my God, my Bible and my Country.

"Outrageous, appalling and indecent"

This is perhaps the most obscene thing I've ever read in my entire life. Thanks to Texas Fred and CJ at A Soldiers Perspective for turning me on to this.


Associated Press KOKOMO, Ind. — Police posted an around-the-clock security watch at the home of an Indiana soldier killed last week in Iraq after it was vandalized and his family received disturbing phone calls.
The home of Sgt. Rickey Jones was egged Saturday, three days after Jones’ family learned the 21-year-old and three other soldiers had been killed by a roadside bomb north of Baghdad. His family also received phone calls in which the caller said: “I’m glad your son is dead.”
The actions drew the attention of their congressman, Rep. Steve Buyer, a Republican who also chairs the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
“It is outrageous, appalling and indecent for an American citizen to commit crimes and perversions against a family grieving at the loss of their son,” Buyer said.
On Thursday, he spoke on the House floor asking his fellow lawmakers to stand and observe a moment of silence “to condemn these despicable acts.”
“A great virtue of the American character is our compassion. It is how we care for each other in good times and in difficult times,” he said. “It is our compassion and human decency that represents the very best of our nation.”
Jones’ relatives and police are bracing for the possibility that a Topeka, Kan.-based group will protest at his funeral Monday.

CJ has requested others post this story on their own blogs, as well as consider sending a message of condolence and support. Here is his request:

“I am trying to help organize a letter writing campaign to the family of SGT Rickey Jones. As you may have read earlier, their home was vandalized by idiots who wouldn’t understand patriotism if it flew a plane through their bedroom window.
If you own a blog, please post this effort on your respective blogs and ask your readers to post it on their blogs. If you are as disgusted as I am and would like to write a letter to have delivered to this family, please email Lauren (MyWay716@aol.com) for more information. The good people over at Operation Military Pride are helping facilitate the delivery of these letters.
This family recently lost a son and shouldn’t have to deal with people like Fred Phelps and the people responsible for the egging of their home and irreverent phone calls. If you feel the same way I do, please email her and write this family a letter of support and love. Let them know that we appreciate their son’s service and mourn their loss. Let’s show them what America is really made of. This isn’t about whether or not you support the war. This is about common decency for a family that has suffered the ultimate sacrifice…having to bury a child. Thank you in advance. When this is over, I want the post office to have to hire new postmen just to handle the volume. Yes, it’s a challenge, as LinkedinUSAF would say.”

It's only a matter of time before the "I support the troops but not the war" crowd starts calling our military baby killers. It appears to be happening already. Does anyone out there still feel this is healthy dissent? These people disgust me. They should be immediately deported to the nearest dictatorship and forced to live there for one month. We'll see then how long it takes for them to become friggin appreciative of people like Sgt Jones who put service before self in order to protect the freedom of us all. The Soviets would indoctrinate these fools and put them on the front line so they were the FIRST to die in combat!

An ally is an ally

I realize I’m often late to post on some heated topics. It’s not because I’m lazy, but more because I like to gather as much information as possible before I take a firm position. That way I put myself in the best position possible to defend that opinion…thus making it an informed opinion. The UAE port deal is no different. Many conservatives oppose this deal, including many of my fellow bloggers whose opinion I respect. I’ve left comments on several of your sites in opposition of your point of view, so I feel it’s only fair for me to explain myself fully. The first thought that came to mind when I first heard of this port deal was: "there must be more to it." Bush is too tough on defense to throw caution to the wind. As it turns out, there is more. So here goes, point by point, why I don’t have a problem with the UAE.

1) The UAE are our allies. This can’t be denied. Ask the military. Yes, they supported the Taliban at one time, but after 9/11 Bush made it clear that a line has been drawn, “either with us, or with them” was basically what he said. Well, the UAE made their decision and chose to stand with us, unlike many of our traditional allies. I respect that. And anyone who steps up willing to kill terrorists is a friend of mine...I don't care if they're from Mars. No, they don’t recognize Israel, but very few of our allies are perfect. Remember, the Soviet Union was with us in WW II. What can’t be denied is that they’ve helped us wage war against terrorists and those who wish to do harm. They are one of the few Arab nations who have truly stood with us, and I don’t have a problem embracing them as a friend until they give me a reason otherwise.

2) They are capitalists. Let it be clear, I LOVE capitalism. It’s what makes the world go ‘round. When people start striving for financial success, yes bad things can happen, but overall it’s good for everyone. Businesses put people to work which reduces poverty and we can’t deny that poverty is a major driving force in the hatred of America. When business succeeds, the one thing they want is more success. Capitalism creates greedy SOBs, and greedy SOBs have no interest in terrorism, they just want more money. Think about it. If the people of Iraq somehow began purchasing SUVs and cellphones, how long would it take them to lose interest in the ‘devil’ America. Such is the case with the UAE. And let’s face it, attacking or waging war with America is simply bad for business. Just ask Saddam and the Taliban. The UAE seeks to expand their financial empire and this leaves little room for terrorist activity. So I think we should support them in their business venture. It’s more lucrative than terrorism.

3) What other option is there? I firmly believe in the adage that “if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem”. I understand the concerns of true conservatives (not the GOP politicians who are clearly using this to distance themselves from a President with a low approval rating in an election year). I understand the hesitancy of allowing an Arab business to run our ports, but does anyone out there have a better idea? There are only 4 companies in the world capable of handling this job. Two are Chinese, and I think the Chinese already own enough of our country. One is based in Singapore, home of nearly 1 millions Muslims. Of the four, the only one based in an allied nation is Dubai and apparently they are the only one willing to take deal and work with our stubborn unions. Someone has to manage these ports. All I’m hearing from the opposition is opposition without counter-proposals. That’s hardly constructive debate. So I ask, does anyone have a better option?

4) They are already here. A military caller on Laura Ingraham’s radio show made the point that the UAE military trains with us here in the US mainland. UAE pilots fly F15 aircraft out of US bases. No one has a problem with this. In fact, Hillary Clinton supported it when it was proposed post-9/11 which shows the role that politics is playing with this issue. If we trust them to fly our warplanes in our airspace, why can’t we trust them to manage our ports, especially when they won’t be handling the security of those ports?

So that’s it. That’s why I don’t have a problem here. I’m not blindly supporting Bush, God knows I’ve had my issues with him. I’ve evaluated the situation and I simply find no threat here outside of what we face on a daily basis. Feel free to disagree, it’s all in the spirit of healthy debate.

Random rants on random topics

More Than 10,000 Protest Bush's Arrival Across Pakistan

One quote from a protester: "We are protesting against the coming of Bush because we hate him. He is the killer of so many innocent people, so many innocent Muslims."

I tell you…I don’t get it. America has freed millions of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan while Bin Laden and Al-Zharqawi continue murdering Muslims on a daily basis, yet there are no protests against them. Instead, we are the bad guy. Brainwashed? Detached from reality? Just plain ignorant? Lacking ability to think for themselves? Or all of the above? I don’t know if I have the energy or desire to try to figure these people out. I just don’t understand their mindset. What’s it going to take to convince these people that it IS in their best interest to learn how to coexist? Perhaps a mushroom cloud or two?

This story details how the Japanese have discovered a way to extract gasoline from cattle dung. No kidding. Bullshit leads to energy. Maybe we can find a use for Ted Kennedy and the Clintons after all.

A group of high school kids are holding a mock war crimes trial of President Bush. They defend this by saying it's all about learning the process. Right. The Japanese can help me fill up my car with that. For fairness sake, I think after they finish their "trial" they should be flown to Iraq, Cambodia, Bosnia or Rhuwanda. If these kids want to learn about war crimes, then they should see first hand the effects of true war crimes. These kids should have to smell the rotting flesh and decaying corpses of the innocent. If it's education they want, then by God we should give it to them.

And speaking of atrocities in education, what about this Geography teacher in Colorado whose idea of geography is calling America the "most violent nation on earth". How about we wheel a TV into his classroom and show the videos of terrorists beheading their captives. They can be found on Michael Savage's website. I want that tree-hugging pansy to watch every single one of those people have their heads cut off, and THEN tell me who's more violent. People like this have no business speaking to (much less teaching) our children. If he isn't fired on the spot it will be a travesty of justice.

Who is the most incompetent politician in America?

While travelling around the blogosphere I've seen several posts about Ray Nagin and his "shock" that Bush knew about the impending failure of the levee. Shock??? Everyone knew of the impending disaster. It was a CAT 5 storm heading towards a city only capable of withstanding a CAT 3. WHO DIDN'T KNOW THIS????

Yet Nagin is "shocked". I seem to recall Bush on TV the day before the storm telling people to GET OUT. Why is this video some new "shocking" evidence.

What will be "shocking" is if New Orleans votes to keep this guy in office. From his chocolate city comment to his failure to admit ANY wrongdoing post-Katrina...this guy is hands-down the most incompetent politician in America.

That's my nomination...feel free to nominate your own candidate. The comment line is open.

A few things to consider

Got this in an email, thought I'd share it with everyone else.


Things that make you think a little:

There were 39 combat related killings in Iraq in January. In the fair city of Detroit there were 35 murders in the month of January. That's just one American city, about as deadly as the entire war-torn country of Iraq .

When some claim that President Bush shouldn'thave started this war, state the following:
FDR led us into World War II. Germany never attacked us ; Japan did. From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost ...an average of 112,500 per year.

Truman finished that war and started one in Korea. North Korea never attacked us. From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost ...an average of 18,334 per year.

John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962. Vietnam never attacked us. Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire. From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost...an average of 5,800 per year.

Clinton went to war in Bosnia without French consent. Bosnia never attacked us. He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three times by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us on multiple occasions.

In the years since terrorists attacked us, President Bush has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya , Iran , and North Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who slaughtered 300,000 of his own people. The Democrats are complaining about how long the war is taking. But it took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound. That was a 51-day operation. We've been looking for evidence for chemical weapons in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records. It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard than it took Ted Kennedy to call the police after his Oldsmobile sank at Chappaquiddick. It took less time to take Iraq than it tookto count the votes in Florida !!!!

Leave my cuticle scissors alone

While travelling the other day I saw something quite disturbing. A young attractive woman, no less than 8 months pregnant and carrying a toy poodle, had been singled out for a random airport security search. Either Bin Laden has resorted to using poodles as suicide bombers, or we've officially taken political correctness to an absurd extreme.

Unless I'm mistaken, the 9/11 hijackers were all young Arab males. So why are we pulling aside the pregnant poodle-toting woman? Well, because the worst possible crime you can commit nowadays is offending someone, especially if that someone happens to be Muslim. After all, if these people will burn their neighborhood down over a cartoon, can you imagine what they'll do when you take away their mustache trimmers?

Did you know that it's "official" policy that an airline is NOT permitted to search more than 2 Arab people per flight? So, as Ms Coulter says, if 2 Arabs are searched, then Bin Laden himself can board the plane and the airline can't do a thing about it without breaking the law. So he can hijack an airliner, but at least he won't be offended while doing it.

Has our government taken any sort of action against, or even an evaluation of, the flow of Muslims into the US since 9/11? Have we called for official denouncement of Islamic extremists from Islamic nations? Have we closed the immigration loopholes that allowed the 19 hijackers to enter our country? The answer: No, No and No. But try to carry a pair of cuticle scissors onto a plane and your bags are searched like you were a member of the Colombian Cartel.

What's wrong with cuticle scissors? These things aren't cheap you know. I don't know about anyone else, but if the guy next to me pulls out a pair of cuticle scissors and starts heading towards the cockpit, I'm gonna kick his ass, take his scissors and shove them where the sun doesn't shine before he gets anywhere close...that is if the armed air marshall doesn't get him first. I'm pretty sure the majority of Americans would react the same way. But somehow cuticle scissors and fingernail clippers (and apparently poodles) have been identified as major security threats. Perhaps if we eliminated these things as threats, then maybe we could send the extra airport security to the border...I think they'd serve the country better by confiscating machine guns in Laredo rather than nail files in DFW.

It's been nearly 5 years since 9/11. I walk through the airport and I lose my cuticle scissors while they search the bags of a pregnant woman and her poodle. Does anyone out there feel safer about flying? Not me. I'd feel safe if I saw a line of Arabs waiting for their bags to be searched. Hey, if it was a group of white Texas males that carried out 9/11, then I'd fully expect to have my bags searched every time I tried to do anything affiliated with travel. Maybe if they'd police their own a little better, then they wouldn't have to deal with the "profiling" and the offense that comes with it, and we wouldn't have to worry about all the dangerous cuticle scissors in the hands of the wrong people...not to mention the poodles.