Evil and Inhuman?

Pope voices regret

Yesterday, I saw the news of the Pope voicing regret over the discontent caused by words he had spoken earlier. Apparently, during a prior address he referenced an ancient text that referred to the Muslim religion and some of Muhammed's teachings as 'evil and inhuman', and calling Islam a religion that is spread by the sword.

Much of the Muslim community was outraged...because he suggested that Islam was 'evil and inhuman'. So their response? Here are a few examples:

--Al-Qaida in Iraq warned on Monday that its war against Christianity and the West will go on until Islam takes over the world

--In southern Iraq, demonstrators carrying black flags burned an effigy of the pope.

--Al-Qaida in Iraq and its allies said Muslims would be victorious..."We will break up the cross, spill the liquor and impose the 'jizya' tax, then the only thing acceptable is a conversion (to Islam) or (being killed by) the sword."

--"You infidels and despots, we will continue our jihad (holy war) and never stop until God avails us to chop your necks and raise the fluttering banner of monotheism, when God's rule is established governing all people and nations," said the statement by the Mujahedeen Shura Council, an umbrella organization of Sunni Arab extremist groups in Iraq

--"If the stupid pig is prancing with his blasphemies in his house," the group said in a Web statement, referring to the pope, "then let him wait for the day coming soon when the armies of the religion of right knock on the walls of Rome."

--"Those who benefit from the pope's comments and drive their own arrogant policies should be targeted with attacks and protests," Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

--A notorious Muslim extremist told a demonstration in London yesterday that the Pope should face execution. Anjem Choudary said those who insulted Islam would be "subject to capital punishment".

--A nun was shot dead in Somalia by Islamic gunmen and churches came under attack in Palestine.

--As well as placards attacking the Pope such as "Pope go to Hell", his (Choudary's) followers outside the country's principal Roman Catholic church also waved slogans aimed at offending the sentiments of Christians such as "Jesus is the slave of Allah".

Yeah. I don't know what the Pope was thinking.

Rosie: Big mouth, small mind

Rosie compares Christians to radical Islam

Again, I hate to give extra exposure to another Hollywood idiot, but Rosie O'Donnel has gone too far. Rarely does she actually contribute anything to a conversation that could be considered enlightening and constructive. She seems to feel that Christianity is just as big a threat a radical Islam.

Either she just doesn't know her current events, or she just hates Christianity.

If she paid attention to the world, she'd know that radical Islam beheads people who don't join their religion. She'd know that they would slit her throat for saying something like this about their religion. She'd know that, as a woman, she'd be oppressed and forced to submit to the will of men. She'd know that they would kill her simply because she was a lesbian.

But, honestly, I think she does know these things. I think this statement is nothing more than an expression of her hatred of Christianity. Rosie is one of these ultra-progressive ultra-liberal freedom gluttons who hates those that would impose any kind of restriction on her extreme freedom, and Christians fit that mold with our 'rules' about obeying God's law. That's all this is.

My advice to Rosie: Live in a Muslim country for one week, then come home and complain about us.

By the way, the critics are calling Sean Penn's movie a bomb. Maybe he could get a job on The View.

One of Bin Laden's closest allies

Penn says Bush will bring fascism to America

As much as I hate to bring attention to this boneheaded actor-turned-activist, I just can’t resist the opportunity to respond to what this guy is doing. First, his words about Bush, Rumsfeld and the American Right mirror what Bin Laden would say. For a second I had to make sure this was a Sean Penn interview and not one of the infamous "tapes" released by America’s number one enemy. Although, I’m sure Bin Laden would say "well done" to Mr. Penn.

Dissent is healthy, but Penn’s words are destructive, dangerous and counter-productive to the nation and the soldiers that protect his right to say them. I personally make no distinction between him and the ‘insurgents’ that are detonating IED’s on Iraqi roadsides. In fact, he may be worse. At least the insurgents don’t try to hide their hatred of American soldiers.

As an actor, I like Sean Penn. I think he is talented at what he does. But he should stick to what he does and leave international diplomacy to those who belong in that arena. Case in point: Larry King asked him how Iraq was "going". Excuse me? Does Mr Penn have any military background that I’m not aware of? If not, then he should defer that question to those capable of answering it.

As for All The King’s Men, I will not be seeing it even though I think Penn is a talented actor. I just don’t think we should reward those in Hollywood who overstep their bounds with our hard-earned dollars.

Sellout

Jewish leaders expect ban on gay Rabbis to be lifted

It appears that the Jewish church will soon be following suit with many branches of the Christian church by officially ordaining homosexuality as acceptable human behavior. I’ve already posted comments on this site about the Catholic church and their lack of opposition to the homosexual movement, so I won’t hesitate to extend those comments to the Jewish faith as well. This is a sellout…nothing more.

Like any church, the Jewish faith needs money to operate. Much of that money comes from America and anyone can see how much steam the homosexual revolution has picked up in this country. As a result, many Jewish people here have become more liberal and progressive in their views, and a lot of that has been molded by their allegiance to the progressive political party. So when something like this happens, the church must adapt or risk losing money from donations. And so they have.

It’s almost as if Caiaphus and the Sanhedrin returned with 30 pieces of silver to help the Jewish leaders make up their mind.

Homosexuality is a sin. My faith tells me that. And, yes, the Jewish faith says the same. I don’t want to hear things like "translation" and "original documents" to justify this behavior because, in my mind, the Bible is a living thing representing God’s word which is also living. And when God’s word is alive, nothing gets "lost in translation". Today’s Bible (including the Old Testament) says that homosexuality is a sin, and therefore that’s the position I take regardless of what our religious leaders say. I don’t have to modify my principles for monetary gain.

I guess it’s a debate that will rage on until the end, which may not be far off. After all, Revelations does say that the church will distance itself from God in the final days. I guess then we’ll know who’s right.

A 9-11 Tribute - Thomas J. Collins

When I began this project, I searched through hundreds of web pages looking for information on Thomas J. Collins. I first found him in one of the "lists" that seem to be so common on the internet. There are dozens of them. There he was, right below Michael L. Collins, right above Joseph Collison. The name made me pause. In a list of thousands, this was the one - Thomas J. Collins - that I was going to know, to learn about and to give tribute to. "Humbling" does not even begin to describe how I felt as I looked at that name with that thought in mind.

I wondered how many lives Thomas touched. How many people at Half Hollow Hills High School called him a friend? How many coworkers at Sandler O'Neill and Associates enjoyed his company? How many people were fortunate enough to know this man? However many, after today, there will be one more.

As I scoured the internet one repeating theme seemed to surface over and over...friendship. It seems that everyone who knew this man and took the time to write their memories of him always included the word friendship in one way or another.

"He had a gift for friendship."

"He was a genius at friendship."

How many people do you know can fit such a description? I can count them on one hand, with a few fingers to spare.

Thomas was born in July 1965 to Tom and Dottie Collins, two people who raised their children in a strong, family-centered home. His older sister, Colleen, was a mentor and a touchstone for Thomas, his proverbial "reality check". His brother, Tim, was a worthy competitor for Thomas, and the source of a healthy sibling rivalry that seemed to resurface at family functions. And he was always protective of his precious younger sister, Jen. His dad acted as the ideal father role-model, while his mother taught him the virtues of being an honorable man and a loving husband. She knew him as her most sensitive child. Despite his tough athletic exterior, he had a soft and warm heart.

Then there was Juila, his soul mate, his perfect compliment. Married in August 2000, their special bond became a template for others to follow, and a wonderful lesson for so many who failed at love and marriage. Julia was strong, smart and devoted. And they were fun to be around. They were the couple who had the funniest stories. They were the couple who would sing karoake duets at parties. They were the couple who looked at each other with looks that spoke volumns. They were the couple that everyone wanted to be around. They loved the song "More" by Bobby Darin, and it's a song that says so much. I wonder how many dances they shared to that song, how many memories. I wish I knew because as I learned about Thomas I realized how nice it would have been to know him personally. That's the kind of person he was. He possessed a magnetism that so few have. He made others feel good. That was his gift to the world. That's what I learned just by surfing the net. It boggles my mind to think how much more I could have learned by knowing him personally.

He was best man at nine weddings. I don't know if I've even been to nine weddings, my own included. When he was laid to rest, 3,000 people showed up to pay their respects. The magnetism lived on, even when his earthly body didn't.

He was an exceptional athlete, a 4 year varsity lacrosse starter at Ithaca College, and in his spare time he loved snow skiing, water skiing and wrestling, but rarely would he go out for one of these things without calling friends or family to ask "what's going on this weekend". He was always a 'genuis at friendship'.

Indeed, I think we all know a Thomas Collins, or at least we should. People like him make the world a better place, and make us better people. Even in his absence, a legacy of service to others lives on through the Thomas J Collins Memorial Fund, a charity fund that benefits the Cleft Palate Foundation of New York, the Send-a-Kid Fishing Program and the Build a Reef Foundation. Some people just refuse to quit giving of themselves to others.

As I look at that list, amazed at what I learned about Thomas Collins, I wonder how many others there were like him. I wish I could learn about all of them. And then I pause again, thankful that I learned about this one. Thankful that in the shadow of a tragedy blessings continue to flow...thankful for people like Thomas J. Collins.

Bush 'makes his case'

Bush continues attempts to make America's case

President Bush spoke to a group of military officers yesterday, outlining yet again America's strategy in Iraq and the consequences at stake. During his speech, he quoted bin Laden multiple times. Including:

One document Bush cited was what he called "a grisly al-Qaida manual" found in 2000 by British police during an anti-terrorist raid in London, which included a chapter called "Guidelines for Beating and Killing Hostages." He also cited what he said was a captured al-Qaida document found during a recent raid in Iraq. He said it described plans to take over Iraq's western Anbar province and set up a governing structure including an education department, a social services department, a justice department and an execution unit.
The White House also unveiled a letter from bin Laden to Taliban leader Mullah Omar in which he wrote about plans for a "media campaign to create a wedge between the American people and their government" so the people will pressure leaders to retreat in the fight.
Bush also quoted bin Laden saying:
- "Death is better than living on this Earth with the unbelievers among us."
- Al-Qaida can cause the U.S. economy to collapse by implementing a "bleed-until-bankruptcy plan."
- The defeat of American forces in Beirut in 1983 is proof America does not have the stomach to stay in a fight. "In Somalia, the United States pulled out, trailing disappointment, defeat and failure behind it," Bush said bin Laden wrote.
- "The most serious issue today for the whole world is this third world war that is raging in Iraq. ... The whole world is watching this war and that it will end in victory and glory or misery and humiliation."

And yet we still struggle to find support for the war at home. I say this again. Iraq is the Gettysburg, the Saratoga and the Normandy landing when it comes to the global war on terror. This is an absolutely crucial campaign. Lose...and we lose the war on terror, running with our tails tucked between our legs and showing our enemies that we are the paper tiger they see us as. But if we win...it will be crippling to Islamo-fascism and will help bring an end to the Iranian dictatorship that also threatens the world.

And yet, Bush must make 'make his case' for this.

GOP = Gutless Ordinary Politicians

GOP will ease focus on illegal immigration for upcoming campaign

The GOP has just determined my vote in each congressional election of my district. I will base my vote on each candidate's position on illegal immigration.

The GOP has made it clear that they are the same sleezy politicians that infect the Left party. ALL they care about is the next election, and then the one after that. VERY FEW actually care about the issues that affect this nation, but rather which issues affect which voting groups. At least the GOP should admit that the ONLY reason they are abandoning immigration as an issue is because the Hispanic vote is too precious, and with the DEMS favoring open borders the GOP risks losing these votes. At least admit that much...but no, they hide behind some lame 'we want to focus on national security' crap. Immigration IS national security.

I'm not buying their BS platform anymore.

If my representative doesn't have the sack to do the right thing despite the political risk, then he/she doesn't deserve my vote. My vote will go to the person who makes it clear that illegal immigration must be stopped...it may not be the most pressing issue of this election, but at least a politician taking that position shows that they're willing to risk isolating a major voting group in order to say and do the right thing. That's the type of person I want representing me.

And if no one on the ballot can do this, then I won't be voting. I will abstain. I WILL NOT vote for someone who cares more about their job than their country.

Shame on us all

Prosecutor seeks the death penalty for soldiers

Amazing! In a country that can't convict OJ Simpson, refuses to execute a confessed 9/11 conspirator and "punishes" hardened sex offenders with paltry sentences, it's obscene to think that we may actually sentence our soldiers to death for their actions in battle.

I don't advocate violence against civillians. But the 'fog of war' is something that can't be explained to any jury and must be experienced to fully grasp its nature. When you're fighting a guerrilla war against an enemy that blends with the population - violating all rules of armed conflict - then it's quite easy to mistake a common civillian for an enemy combatant. We should all understand at least that much. Therefore, when one of these civillians is killed, there should be an investigation. If malbehavior is found amongst our troops, they should be punished. But I was thinking of something like a reduction in rank or suspended pay for a few months. But DEATH? I can't believe this is something even being debated...and this from someone who adamantly supports the death penalty.

Our sons and daughters are fighting their hearts out. What do we give in return? We curse their cause, call their leader a murderer, allow the media to portray them as brutal bullies, put them on trial for something that happens naturally in war, and then seek the death penalty for these so-called crimes. Amazing!

Shame on you America for tolerating this. Shame on us all for allowing our culture to reach this point.

Logic vs Emotion

Hannity and Colmes debate illegal immigrant seeking sanctuary

Let’s be clear about something. This Elvira Arellano has become the Cindy Sheehan of the illegal immigration debate. The Left has latched onto her for sympathy purposes, using her unfortunate situation in a shameless attempt to portray the ‘human’ side of illegal immigration. It’s what the Left does best. When they have no logical argument they rely on emotion, and emotion is a very powerful ally in the political spectrum.

The Left can’t argue that this woman broke the law. That’s written in black and white. So they parade her in front of cameras and say ‘look at this poor woman, she came here to support her family and now the big bad government wants to deport her…..boo hoo!’

It’s an emotion-based argument and they’ve used it effectively for decades. But take the emotion out and what’s left is someone who knowingly violated our immigration laws multiple times and cut in front of many others who went through the proper channels to enter our country legally. The law says she is to be deported. We MUST follow the law.

As for the Church, they’ve overstepped their bounds and should be charged with harboring a criminal. It’s time that our legal system got tough and sent a message that this behavior will not be tolerated. There should be HEAVY monetary penalties imposed on this church.

Like Sean Hannity, I feel for Ms Arellano on a personal level. Yes, I want the best for her and her son, WE ALL DO, but that’s emotion talking and when we’re trying to protect our borders and preserve our security, there’s no room for emotion…only logic. Logic dictates that we follow the law. Emotion dictates that we make exceptions based on human suffering. Logic dictates that laws are in place for a reason and if we make exceptions then eventually our laws break down and society slips into chaos. Emotion says that suffering should not be allowed at any cost. And logic says that the law must be enforced or we risk threatening our national security. The Church needs to stay out of it. This is an issue of law enforcement, NOT human rights, and right now the church is violating the law. There must be penalties for that.

So for those ‘middle ground’ readers out there, pay attention to political debates. Pay attention to who is arguing with logic and who is arguing with emotion. Listen close and decide which one you'd rather have representing you in Washington.

One-third?

1/3 of Americans fear another terrorist attack

What strikes me most about this story is the numbers. Only 1/3 of Americans fear another terrorist attack, and only 1/2 of those living in DC and New York fear the same.

One third?
One half?

8,000 people cross our southern border every day unaccounted for. They could be originating from anywhere, including the Middle East. Of course, we don't know where they're coming from because they are unaccounted for. Yet, only 1/3 of Americans fear another attack?

No wonder we can't close our borders. No wonder we're not demanding more from Iran. Obviously, the majority of the people out there don't get it.

Well, let me clue you all in. There WILL be another attack. The only questions are when, where and how bad. There WILL be another attack until we solve the problems that pose the biggest threats to our security.

One-third?

Gibson should apologize for more

Gibson should apologize for "Passion of the Christ"…says Rob Reiner

Rob Reiner has made the statement that if Mel Gibson is going to receive full forgiveness from Hollywood, then he must apologize for and admit that "The Passion of the Christ" was anti-semetic. Pardon me for being rude, but Rob Reiner is a fool.

The Bible portrays the crucifixion, and Gibson’s movie was based on those words. Granted, there was some use of dramatic license, but he did not drift from the basic premise that is described in the Bible. The Jewish Sanhedrin arrested Christ, tried Him in an arguably illegal manner, and asked for His execution. Pontius Pilate handed down the death sentence and the Roman military carried out the execution. These are the facts (depending on your individual belief) as they are depicted in the Bible.

So, Mr. Reiner, where is the anti-semetism? Is the Bible itself anti-semetic? If so, then why are the Jews described as God’s ‘chosen people’? Is that anti-semetic?

Let’s be truthful. Gibson’s movie was hated for one reason…it was Christian in nature. And we all know how Hollywood feels about Christianity. So, I don’t mind the criticism of Gibson, but I think that criticism should be voiced for what it is…a hatred of Christianity and not some transparent noble defense of the Jewish religion.

I’m not defending Gibson’s recent action. But let’s be fair. Just because he said some stupid things doesn’t mean his depiction of Biblical events is just as stupid. Hollywood, Mr. Reiner included, is simply exploiting his unfortunate incident to continue their thunderous attacks on the Christian religion.

Rep. Lantos - A Dem looking out for us

A congressman said Sunday he would ask the U.S. administration to freeze the $230 million aid package to Lebanon proposed by President Bush until the Lebanese government takes control of its borders with Syria and prevents arms smuggling to Hezbollah guerrillas.
Rep. Tom Lantos, the top Democrat on the House International Relations Committee, spoke after meeting with senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Lantos said he told Olmert the U.S. aid package to Lebanon was important, "but that this package should be withheld until the Lebanese government displays responsibility."
"A porous Syrian-Lebanon border will only invite the repetition of Hezbollah attacks in the future. Hezbollah must not be allowed to rearm again," he said.
Israel fought a 34-day war against Hezbollah after the guerrillas crossed the border July 12 and attacked an Israeli patrol, killing three soldiers and capturing two others. A U.N.-brokered cease-fire that took effect Aug. 14 stipulated the deployment of 15,000 Lebanese troops along the border with Israel, backed by a 15,000-strong U.N. force.
However, the cease-fire resolution only called on the Lebanese government to secure the border with Syria, saying the U.N. force could help, but only if asked by Lebanon.
Israel's Defense Minister Amir Peretz told the Cabinet on Sunday that Israel expects the international community to control Lebanon's border crossings.
Lantos said he aimed to put a temporary hold on the aid package until the Syrian border was secured

Add Rep. Lantos to the list of people I respect for saying or doing the right thing despite party affiliation. Good for him. Perhaps he's one of the few Dems who are looking out for the common American and calling things as they are. Perhaps it's an election year ploy to cater to the Middle, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I hope he backs up these words with actions.

If he does, it would be interesting to see how his party responds to him. Will they kick him off to the side right next to Joe Liebermann? My guess is yes. If so, I'm sure they can find room for him in the mainstream.

"A hole in the ground..."

Nagin calls WTC site "A hole in the ground..."

I've posted many times on Nagin, so I don't have repeat how petty, immatue and unprofessional he is. Nor do I have to remind the people of New Orleans that they have NO room to complain about anything related to Katrina given the fact that they re-elected one of the men responsible for the botched response. Yes, more elections are coming, but this was the first. This was the first opportunity for the citizens of New Orleans to express their discontent. And the response..."We're okay with things as they are."

So this is your mayor, New Orleans. He refers to the World Trade Center as a 'hole in the ground' as if forgetting that 3,000 people died there. What's next? I wonder what he thinks about Normandy beach? Is Pearl Harbor nothing but an ugly oil-slick to him?

Classless would be a good word for this man but, in all honesty, it would probably be an insult to those without class. Nagin seems to be concerned about the nation's lack of concern for his broken city, yet everytime a camera is on him he behaves like some second-rate hoodlum and not an elected leader of a major city.

So, New Orleans can't complain, and they certainly can't show any discontent over this man's comments. This is your mayor, New Orleans. You made that decision yourselves.

Lebanon...our ally?

Lebanon calls for US to help end Israel’s blockade.

Did anyone see Shepard Smith’s interview with Lebanon’s president? For those who didn’t, this guy – someone the White House considers an ally and an administration ‘supported’ by the US – basically stated that Hezbollah was ‘defending’ Lebanon and in so many words referred to them as freedom fighters. Again, he was talking about Hezbollah. The group backed by Iran and Syria (the nation responsible for holding Lebanon under its boot for years) and the group that fired hundreds of rockets into civilian communities…deliberately targeting civilians. These people were defending Lebanon?

And now he wants our help to end Israel’s blockade? I don’t know how the State Dept will react, but my response would include something along the lines of ‘when hell freezes over’

Iran helps in the war against our troops

Iran is arming Iraqi extremists

The US has clear evidence that Iran is arming and training Iraqi extremists.

This is – in a word – unacceptable. If Iran has decided that they should be involved in Iraq, then they should be punished. If this doesn’t warrant punitive air strikes, I don’t know what does.

Iraq is teetering on an all-out civil wars and our troops are in the middle of it. We don’t need another extremist government poking their head where it doesn’t belong. It’s time to slap them around a little bit.

Racism pays the bills

Shreveport bus driver sends black students to the back of the bus

There is obviously an investigation going on, and if these allegations are found to be true and there is no logical explanation (ie, the white students had some form of disability) then the bus driver should be fired…period. Another alternative shouldn’t even be considered. This bus driver should be fired.

But what I don’t agree with is the NAACP getting ruffled about it and threatening to investigate the entire school district, even to the point of getting the Justice Dept involved. Is there a reason for this? Is the NAACP prepared to accuse the entire Red River School District of racism based on the actions of one imbecile? Isn’t that what they argue against, judging a group by the actions of one person?

I look at the NAACP just as I look at the Rainbow Coalition, they’re businesses. And businesses need money. In this case, the money comes from private contributions, and situations like the one above are looked at as opportunities to raise money…that’s all. Bottom line: racism pays the bills and there's no way they're going to allow racism to "go away" when their lifestyles depend on it to put food on the table.

I don’t believe the NAACP is ‘looking out’ for minorities any more than I believe our politicians are looking out for the interests of the common citizens. Maybe that’s not fair, but I haven’t seen the NAACP nor the Rainbow Coalition do much more than stir the racial pot in an attempt to incite racial division…which is what provides them money.

So fire the bus driver and send the message that this will not be tolerated, but the NAACP should stay out of it.

Shocked?

Two Muslim students ‘shocked’ about being thrown off of plane

This story reports on two Asian Muslim students who were removed from a plane after passengers protested their behavior (which wasn’t specified in the story). This is described as a ‘mutiny’ by the other passengers, and the two students in question said they were ‘shocked’.
Two things: First, they said they were ‘two ordinary lads who wanted a bit of fun’. This makes me wonder what exactly they were doing or saying. If they were sitting quietly in their seats, I doubt they would have attracted much attention. The lack of detail about this in the story sparks my curiosity.

Second, they were ‘shocked’ about being removed from the plane. Shocked? Have they not been watching the news? They are young, Muslim males, just like every suicide bomber that has ever killed an innocent person. Why would they be shocked at the other passengers voicing concern about their presence? No, not every young Muslim male is a suicide bomber, but every suicide bomber is a young Muslim male, shouldn’t this at least be a basis for suspicion? Now, that gets into profiling which is a whole other post.

But I don’t think the Muslim community should be ‘shocked’ when something like this happens. After all, I wouldn’t protest in the least if a Christian were stopped and questioned outside of an abortion clinic…they’ve earned it!

Maybe if the Muslim community would start policing their extremists, they wouldn’t have to worry about being kicked off of airplanes…maybe they wouldn’t have to worry about being ‘shocked’ when others look at them funny. Until then, I tip my hat to those passengers.

The 'do as I say' party

Barak Obama lectured to a crowd about converting to more fuel efficient vehicles and protecting the environment, recommending that people purchase hybrids to cut down on consumption of hydrocarbons.

After his speech, you guessed it, he drives off in an SUV. Of course, they tried to cover by saying that the vehicle uses e85 as a flex-fuel hybrid, but has yet to be converted to flex-fuel readiness.

And once again, a global warming alarmist has made a mockery of their message.

Maybe it’s just me, but doesn’t it seem like the global warming theory actually had more credibility BEFORE the democratic party jumped on its bandwagon? For some reason, I can imagine the global warming scientists wishing the dems would find something else to whine about.

Hurrican Spike...it's all Bush's fault

2006 Tropical season below average

Wow. The hurricane season is less active than average. Despite predictions, it doesn't seem the disastrous end-o-the-world storm season will come true. I wonder why?

I know...Global Warming.

There's no other explanation. Somehow the heating of the earth causes the ice caps to melt which makes the water colder and keeps strong hurricanes from forming...right? And last year? Well, the hot air temperatures caused the water to heat up which caused stronger storms to form. It's all global warming. It's all man's fault. A less than average hurricane season? We should all be ashamed.

Mankind is destroying the earth. Somehow I believe President Bush is behind it all.

Spike Lee set to release film on Katrina

Spike Lee has completed a film on Hurricane Katrina and it will be appearing soon. I'm not sure how good it will be but I do know one thing...it will be accurate. If we know anything about Spike Lee it's the fact that he's fair and balanced. I'm certain this film will give equal time to the government agencies and will accurately portray the events as they unfolded in New Orleans.

The suspense about the ending is killing me. I wonder who he ends up blaming for the entire thing?

It can't be Bush...because he's to blame for a below average hurricane season right?

Some good from Hollywood

In light of what seems to a clear anti-war and anti-troops sentiment in Hollywood (and yes, opposing a soldier's cause DOES in fact equate to NOT supporting said soldier, please don't ask me to explain this again, if any veterans out there feel the need to explain, please be my guest), I decided to post a portion of an email from an active duty friend of mine.

I’m deploying next month and I want you to know that Cher (Sonny and Cher) bought me an insert for my Kevlar helmet to make it more comfortable and safe. The item cost $104 and she buys them in bulk to distribute
To the troops. Has that made it on the news in the US? I want to get the word out about what she is doing for us.

Well, I'm gonna do my share. Although I'm not particularly fond of Cher as an entertainer I now consider myself one her biggest fans, as a person. She may not support the war (I'm really not sure of her position), but you haven't seen her in front of the press saying it. And giving like this to the troops? Well, that speaks volumes.

What impresses me the most is that she is NOT publicizing her generosity. That says a lot about her true motives. Believe me, if it were Sean Penn he'd be sure to be surrounded by cameras as he presented one of these helmets to the troops.

So, I tip my hat to you, Cher. Thank you for supporting America's troops. You, Ma'am, are indeed a patriot in my book.

Indescribable

Just got an email from a friend with the link below. Warning! Do NOT click this link unless you can tolerate graphic scenes:

http://www.truthnet.org/islam/Islamic-Justice/index.htm

For those who don't click, it shows an 8 year old boy in Iran being punished for stealing. 8 years old...his punishment? He is forced to lay his arm before a truck while the care rolls over it, crushing his arm and rendering it useless. By the look of terror on his face, there was no pain medication given.

And WE'RE the barbarians? Israel is cursed for "disproportionate" violence? The people at Gitmo should be given equal rights? Wake up people! This is the 'religion of Peace'. These pictures show just how screwed up these extremist wackos really are and, like my friend, I can't begin to describe how these photos make me feel. It's sickness and evil to the core.

Yet, we continue to curse the West for 'inciting violence'. I don't think the West had anything to do with crushing this boy's arm. Now tell me why he grows up pissed off and angry. It's not the actions of the West.

I highly recommend you looking at them. It paints an accurate picture of what we're up against.

How inconvenient...

Al Gore: Do as I say, not as I do.

So Mr. Conservation himself has a few enviro-skeletons in his closet. After reading this, I knew it HAD to go up on the blog. Here are a few tasty morsels from Al’s "environment-friendly" lifestyle:

he and his wife Tipper live in two properties: a 10,000-square-foot, 20-room, eight-bathroom home in Nashville, and a 4,000-square-foot home in Arlington, Va. (He also has a third home in Carthage, Tenn.)… In the Washington, D.C., area, utility companies offer wind energy as an alternative to traditional energy. In Nashville, similar programs exist. Utility customers must simply pay a few extra pennies per kilowatt hour, and they can continue living their carbon-neutral lifestyles knowing that they are supporting wind energy. Plenty of businesses and institutions have signed up. Even the Bush administration is using green energy for some federal office buildings, as are thousands of area residents.

But according to public records, there is no evidence that Gore has signed up…Gore's office confirmed as much

The DNC has not signed up to pay an additional two pennies a kilowatt hour to go green why, then, didn't Gore dump his family's large stock holdings in Occidental (Oxy) Petroleum? As executor of his family's trust, over the years Gore has controlled hundreds of thousands of dollars in Oxy stock. Oxy has been mired in controversy over oil drilling in ecologically sensitive areas.

Gore's home in Carthage is sitting on a zinc mine. Gore receives $20,000 a year in royalties from Pasminco Zinc, which operates a zinc concession on his property. Tennessee has cited the company for adding large quantities of barium, iron and zinc to the nearby Caney Fork River

Hmmm…Seems to me that Al wants us to be friendly to the environment, but only follows his own advice when it’s convenient and not costly. I love it when stuff like this pops up. It erodes his credibility as an environmental activist and shows his true colors as nothing more than an alarmist who obviously doesn’t truly believe the earth’s environment is being destroyed…either that or he simply doesn’t care enough to change his own life.

The Big Easy and the Big Sucker

Houston took in 150,000 evacuees _ the most of any U.S. city _ after Katrina struck on Aug. 29. Houston police believe the evacuees are partly responsible for a nearly 17.5 percent increase in homicides so far this year over the same period in 2005.

About 21 percent of Houston's 232 homicides through July 25 involved an evacuee as either a suspect or a victim, according to police, who attribute much of the bloodshed to fighting among rival New Orleans gang members.

"I don't think Texas really knows what they got,"

I laughed when I first read that last line because as I watched the events unfold, the moment I heard Houston was opening its arms for the refugees, I said the same thing.

I know this will sound naive, but it seems to me that when an entire city, indeed an entire state offers to lend its support, to give these people food and a place to sleep...it seems to me that there would be a little gratitude. I knew there never would be, but I still held out a little hope. So much for that.

Meanwhile, crime in New Orleans has gone in the other direction, so I'm sure they are very much appreciative of Houston's kindness. Now, if they can only figure out how to rebuild with only 98 billion dollars.

It's Blair's fault

Muslims warn Blair

I'm beginning to wonder what the Muslim faith is about. This article is stunning. Apparently, Muslim leaders in England feel the need to blame Tony Blair for the "rise in extremism" and go so far as to say that his policy towards Iraq and failure to pressure Israel are contributing to Muslim violence. They've written him a letter detailing these concerns.

So it's Blair's fault.

England just thwarted a major terror plot intent on murdering hundreds, if not thousands, of people, and who do the Muslim leaders feel the need to criticize? Tony Blair. Unbelievable.

They feel that Blair's policy fuels terrorism, but don't seem too concerned about how much fuel their criticism supplies. I wonder if they ever thought about how effective a "letter" denouncing the extremists would be? Wouldn't that serve more of a purpose than basically agreeing with the extremists in stating that the West is wrong? Wouldn't it show those people that they are isolating themselves. Instead, they echo the message of the terrorists.

The Muslim faith has been hijacked by extremist psychos, and NO church leaders seem to care. Is there any Muslim leader out there with the guts to take a stand against those who blaspheme their religion?

So far I haven't seen it...which is why I'm beginning to wonder about the faith as a whole.

Olmert accepts

Olmert accepts cease fire

Under pressure from the global community and their criticism of Israel's excessive force, Olmert has agreed to a cease fire. He desires peace and he has clearly grown weary of fighting the diplomatic battles.

Hezbollah still stands, still a threat. But what else could Olmert do? Hezbollah will renew the fight. Maybe not tomorrow or next month, but eventually they will strike again and force Israel to confront them. And once again the UN will criticize their excessive force.

In London, 24 people were arrested on the verge of carrying out a plot of mass murder. Yet, we criticize Israel for killing "innocent" people. Is it me, or is the world becoming more and more Muslim each day?

I salute the Israelis. At least they had the guts to defend their soldiers. Two Americans were kidnapped, tortured and killed just a few months ago...and still we've done nothing.

Crazy like a fox

"...they don't want to live side-by-side in peace with other nations. The American government, sir, it is very clear to me they have to change their behavior and everything will be resolved. (George W. Bush) believes that his power emanates from his nuclear warhead arsenals. The time of the bomb is in the past, it's behind us. Today is the era of thoughts, dialogue and cultural exchanges."

The man who said these words is none other than Iranian President Amadinejad in his upcoming 60 Minutes interview with Mike Wallace. As you laugh, remember this was the same man who said that Israel should be wiped off the earth. Is that what he means by 'era of thoughts, dialogue and cultural exchanges'?

He says the 'time of the bomb is in the past', yet continues to build his own bomb in defiance of the UN. I am seriously beginning to think that he may be schizophrenic or have multiple personalities. That, at least, could explain his behavior. But who needs explanations? In the words of Chris Rock..."Whatever happened to just plain crazy?" Yes, I think some Haldol would do this man some good.

Poor Wallace. Interviewing this guy must have been like interviewing a monkey on meth.

But I have to hand it to the nutjob, his strategy is brilliant. America is divided and his only hope of victory is for that divide to continue. So he utters a few mushy idealistic comments to an American reporter and soon all the liberals are swooning. Next, the calls of "get out of Iraq" will be replaced by "leave Iran alone".

He may be crazy, but he ain't dumb.

Vanity and human fetuses

Stem cells from aborted fetuses used for cosmetic purposes

Is this what people mean when they say the ESCR will benefit all of mankind? For some reason I thought the science was going to be used to save lives. Foolish me. Why would a culture who fails to value life care about saving lives when they could use the research as a means of looking younger?

And the slippery slope just got a little slippier.

My third book review

WHEN EVIL PROSPERS
by John Washburn


Subject: A riveting political thriller paralleling today's cancerous threat to America. Our largely unprotected borders and terrorist war evolve into a massive attack against Texas. The President and TX Governor are at political odds. A physician and his brother take bold action. Amid the chaos the divided country is almost terminal- in dire need of healing.

Noteworthy: In addition to a striking writing style, the book accurately reflects today's potential for a terrorist attack with far greater implications than 9/11. The author delves into today's most emotional and arguable issues while the book's action continues. The most logical and correct course is debated and defined while America struggles to survive.

Mindquest Review of Books

Robertson is a believer!

I had no idea Pat Robertson was so easily swayed. Here is a quote:

"We really need to address the burning of fossil fuels," Robertson said during his "700 Club" broadcast on Thursday. The high temperatures in some regions of the U.S. East are "the most convincing evidence I've seen on global warming in a long time," he added.

Really? It’s a summer heat wave and THIS is the most convincing evidence of global warming? This one statement effectively ruined whatever credibility Robertson had with me. How is this summer’s heat wave any indication of global warming?

According to this climatologist, the current heat wave mimics one from the 1930s. Was there global warming back then? Maybe the earth’s climate cycles periodically from hot spells to cold spells (Does anyone remember the panic driven by the science community in the 70s/80s about global COOLING?). Maybe the earth’s climate is a rather dynamic thing. Is this possible? No, says Robertson, it’s the fossil fuels, and the fact that it’s 104 degrees in Washington is evidence of that.

At least Robertson is a good example of the hysteria that has been fueled by the enviro-nazi scientists who see no other possibility in regards to the earth’s changing climate. What I really admire about the Global Warming theory is that no matter what happens with the climate, it can always be attributed to Global Warming.

Getting hotter? Global warming. Getting colder (snowing in South Africa)? Global warming. More hurricanes? Global warming. Fewer hurricanes (they’re scaling down the predictions for this year)? Global warming. Ice caps melting? Global warming. Ice caps growing? Global warming.

No matter what side of the argument you’re on, you can’t help but admire a theory that can utilize any contradiction as a supportive argument. It’s brilliant. In a way, the theory of global warming is kind of like the idea of God. Either you believe it or you don’t. No one will ever be able to prove or disprove the existence or lack thereof. I guess Robertson is now a "believer"…hallelujah.

What I want to know is that if these enviro-nazis TRULY believe in global warming – with all their heart – then why is it the same groups who oppose the expansion of nuclear power? Isn’t that the antidote to global warming? Clean power? No, it’s not acceptable. I guess we should all revert back to candlelight and horse-drawn buggies, that is until the animal rights groups have their say.

The right to molest?

Man claims that pedophilia is a civil right

It was only a matter of time. As you read this article you may laugh at how ridiculous it sounds, but don’t laugh too hard. This is just one more downhill stop on the slippery slope of our moral fiber. So this article may sound ridiculous now, but in ten years the man’s claim may become the norm.

After all, twenty years ago it was a ridiculous notion to think that homosexuality was not a conscious choice, and that homosexuals should be allowed to marry. Now, you’re a bigot if you have such thoughts. Judges all over the nation are adding to the controversy by calling the crime of child molestation a "disease" and sentencing the offender to "treatment" rather than prison time.

To hell with that. I say lock them up for a long, long time.

So, this nut in Ohio will likely be put in prison, but his words will set a precedent. Soon, more pedophiles will be making similar claims and it won’t be long before they demand equal rights under the law, maybe even demand the right to marry a six year old. See what happens in an immoral society? It’s the children who ultimately pay the price for our sins.

So one day in the near future I may be called a bigot by saying that it's immoral for an adult to have sex with a child. You may laugh, but don't laugh too hard.

UN Resolution for Iran

UN Resolution demands Iran suspend nuke program or face consequences.

It took me a few minutes to write that sentence. After all, it's hard to type while laughing so hard. My guess is, the Iranians are probably laughing just as hard. The UN threatening action? Right.

Anyone out there want to take bets on what happens after the August 31 deadline comes and goes? We know Iran won't stop their nuke program. I think the only think up for debate is exactle how many UN Resolutions are issued before the US has to build another coalition to go in and do the UN's job for them. How many were issued to Iraq? 18 or 19? I lost count.

That's a mighty big number, but I think the UN can surpass it. After all, the US is stretched to a near-limit and there doesn't seem to be much of a coalition willing to disarm these lunatics. So maybe the UN can get up to 20 or 30 worthless resolutions before something is actually done. Either that, or Iran lobs a few warheads into Europe and wakes up the appeasers. I'm not sure which will come first.

But I'm certain August 31 is a pretty meaningless "deadline".

"Tar Baby"....no, I won't apologize

Romney apologizes for ‘tar baby’ remark

Here is another example of how we’ve become way too sensitive. A ‘tar baby’, like the article says, is generally used to describe a ‘sticky mess’. THAT’S the context in which Mr. Romney used it, yet, for some reason many people felt it was a racial slur. Why?

I understand that ‘tar baby’ has been used by some as a racial slur, but that’s not how Romney was using it. He used the term properly and accurately when describing the Big Dig. Why have we become so sensitive that any little remark taken out of context suddenly becomes offensive? Is it politics or is it because we’ve grown way too politically correct? I don’t know, but it’s getting ridiculous.

I’m white. If someone says "I’d like to spread some cheese on that cracker", I’m not going to gasp in horror and demand that person apologize. Why? Because it wasn’t a racial slur.

Relax people. Ease up a bit. Political correctness in this country has itself grown into a tar baby.

Israel and Qana

Israel investigating Qana

The bombing at Qana is tragic and regretable. I don't think anyone would argue that. But, tragic as it may be, war is war. Israel did not choose this war. This war was thrust upon them by the aggressive action of a brutal and peace-hating terrorist group that only wants one thing - death of the Jewish people in the Middle East.

Who is crying more for the dead at Qana? Israel or Hezbollah? I don't think I need to answer that question.

And yet attacks on Jewish institutions have sprung up all over the globe...from Sydney to Seattle there seems to be a resurgence of anti-Jewish crime. What does the Anti-defamation league have to say? Well, I'm sure they'll let us know as soon as they get Mel Gibson ostracised in Hollywood (as if that hadn't already happened).

So, the US is now pressing for peace in the Middle East. My guess is Israel will likely once again sit down at the negotiating table and once again strike a peace deal with a terrorist organization that will once again be broken by that organization and we'll be doing this again in another 18 months. Does anyone else see a pattern here?

It's obvious that peace will not be realized in the Middle East UNTIL we eliminate the war-loving killers that don't want peace.

OPEC not looking out for us

OPEC "can’t bring down prices"

So the leader of OPEC has basically thrown his hands up and said ‘it’s not our fault’. This is a load of garbage. For one, he follows this by saying that there ‘is no shortage in world oil supply’. I agree. There is not one shred of evidence suggesting that we are on the brink of exhausting earth’s crude oil reserves. So the question I have is: Why the high prices?

If there is no shortage of oil supply, then that means supply and demand can be balanced to keep the price steady and static. UNLESS, that supply is artificially manipulated to keep things in a constant state of imbalance, thus driving the price higher. That’s precisely what OPEC is doing.

OPEC has the means to supply more oil. Even they wouldn’t argue that. But they simply choose not to. Iran has said they are ‘happy’ with the current price of oil, and who wouldn’t be? They are turning a 4600% profit on each barrel sold and no one has done a thing to stop it. Of course they are happy.

Our dependence on foreign oil is one of the top three problems we face as a nation, and it must stop. Drill more in the Gulf, in the arctic, who cares? Spend more for nuclear power and alternative fuel sources. Do what it takes to keep our enemies (and OPEC members DO fund terrorists) from holding this power over us. The sooner the better.

Andrea Yates...not guilty

I do not, for one second, dispute the claim that Andrea Yates is insane. Anyone who would willingly murder her own children would have a difficult time convincing me they are of sound mind. That's not what bothers me about this case.

What bothers me is this whole '..by reason of insanity' mess. I never understood giving somone a free pass for murder based on mental illness (and please don't give me any two-bit freshman year psych lectures about conscious awareness). Personally, if someone is insane enough to murder another human being, that person belongs in prison or in the electric chair. Under NO circumstances should they be allowed back into society.

Yet, there is a good chance that Andrea Yates will be back in society one day.

The sad thing is that our justice system failed these poor children. As is often the case, the story became about the lunatic mother and NOT the victims. These kids were murdered, and our government failed to deliver justice to their killer. It failed to protect other children in similar situations. Once again, our government has failed the next generation.

Tonight I will pray for those poor kids, and for the many others who may one day suffer the same fate under a legal system designed to protect the offenders moreso than the victims.

PETA and stem cells

PETA's position on stem cell research

This story is fascinating and I think it does a lot in illustrating how extreme and nonsensical PETA really is. They support embryonic stem cell research...ok, no big deal. There are some sound arguments for it (even though I don't buy any of them).

But what's incredible is WHY. PETA supports ESCR because it is a means that could decrease the amount of animal testing that is being done throughout the country. What?

Yes, it's true. Stem cell research COULD lead to scientific advances that benefit humans. PETA doesn't particularly care about that. What's important to them is that it means less testing on animals. So, in summation, PETA's position is 'more scientific testing on humans, less on animals'.

Is anybody else frightened by the insanity of this? I think these people have seen too many Bambi movies, not that I have anything against deer (I think everyone should have one in the crosshairs of their rifle), but to elevate animals above humans?

I wonder if these tree-hugging, granola-eating, whale-watching, baby-seal-saving quacks have any credibility with the general American public? My guess is, they probably have about as much as the ACLU and the UN. And whatever credibility was left will probably disappear with this story.

Right and Left

Nobel Peace price winner threatens Bush’s life

In this article, once I get past the moronic remark about our Commander-in-Chief, I see an inherent difference between Right and Left.

For one, the Nobel prize winner seems to blame Bush for the death of so many children, and suggests the America’s involvement in Iraq has contributed to those deaths. That’s a typical Lefty position, and I don’t deny the fact that many civilians have suffered in this war on terrorism. That truly is a shame. But, unfortunately, it is a fact of life when it comes to war. There is no such thing as ‘zero collateral damage’. It’s part of what makes war so horrible. But is this enough to say ‘never’ when it comes to war?

The Right position would say: "Yes, there are some children dead because of the war, but how many lives were saved as a result of removing this madman from power?"

It’s a fair question and, unfortunately, one that can’t be answered outside of ‘a lot’. After all, if you look at Hussein’s track record, he is responsible for much more innocent dead than has occurred in the 3 years of warfare that has gripped Iraq. So is America the brutal animal that everyone makes them out to be? The sad thing about history is that man does not have the luxury of viewing the outcome of decisions NOT made. Such is the case with Iraq.

They say shame on us for taking action, while I would say shame on us for not taking action. It’s a debate that began in the 60’s and may never end.

She also mentions a story about British soldiers killing an IRA operative, resulting in his car careening onto the sidewalk and killing two innocent children. Tragic. But who’s to blame? The Left would say it’s the British soldiers who are to blame. The Right, myself included, blame the IRA. They were, after all, a terrorist organization that killed MANY innocent people in the struggle they called a revolution. These two poor children were amongst those.

I hope we can all agree that terrorists must be stopped. The question is how. My hope is that we won’t be looking back twenty years from now and wondering about the possible outcome of decisions not made.

A right wing lunatic

Proof that lunacy is not just a moonbat trait

Add Pat Buchanan to the list of anti-Israel columnists that seem to have forgotten that we are currently immersed in a global war on Islamofascism. In this column, Buchanan basically advocated an isolationist policy that, as history has told us, is a policy doomed to failure. He is overtly critical of Israel’s proactive defensive actions and, while at it, takes a stab at Bush’s similar approach. This is my response to some of Buchanan’s comments.

"Binyamin Netanyahu says the ruination of Lebanon is Hezbollah's doing. But is it Hezbollah that is using U.S.-built F-16s, with precision-guided bombs and 155-mm artillery pieces to wreak death and devastation on Lebanon?"

I suppose a better option would be for Israel to simply allow Hezbollah to attack their soldiers unprovoked, kidnap them at will, and maintain a constant threat of attack from just beyond the Lebanon border. Yet, somehow, that’s Israel’s fault? I live about 15 miles from the state line. If there were a terrorist group on the other side with thousands of rockets aimed at my town, I would want something done about it…apparently Pat Buchanan wouldn’t (unless of course it were his town under threat).

"Where does George W. Bush get the authority to launch a war on Iran? When did Congress declare war or authorize a war on Iran?"

Congress hasn’t declared war since 1941, yet that hasn’t stopped us from defending ourselves when the time came. The Constitution does not forbid using military force to protect our interests overseas, Mr. Buchanan.

"none of them has attacked our country, nor has Syria,"

Since when does it take an attack to identify a threat? Did Germany attack us in the 1940s? By Buchanan’s reasoning, we wouldn’t have taken any action against the Third Reich until they had conquered Europe and Asia.

"there is no evidence Iran has any tighter control over Hezbollah than we have over Israel"

Proof? How about 13,000 Iranian-made rockets? Did they spontaneously manifest themselves or did Iran possibly supply them? And these very rockets are killing many Israelis as we speak, yet no one seems to care about that. No, they’re too busy weeping for the terrorists that have clearly bitten off more than they can chew.

"there is no solid proof Iran is in violation of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty"

And you prefer to wait for proof? That, to me, means waiting until Iran has a nuclear weapon. That’s NOT acceptable. If we do that, then Tel Aviv will be destroyed before we can act. This is foolish and irresponsible. If we have any shred of evidence suggesting Iran is even close to having the bomb, then they must be taken out. Either that, or face a nuclear war.

Mr. Buchanan is as wacked as Howard Dean. Neither one of them have any semblance of a clue regarding the nature of the enemy. They’re still deluded enough to think that diplomacy is an option when dealing with blood-thirsty hoodlums. Their thinking endangers us all and I don’t appreciate it. We ARE at war, gentlemen, despite what you may think, and the enemy will overcome us if we don’t stop them before they become too powerful to stop. Do it now, or wait until they can strike us with WMDs, which do you prefer?

A new Axis

Iranians witnessed North Korea’s missile test

This is becoming a much more dangerous situation than I at first thought. I never was concerned about North Korea doing something stupid. Granted, their leader is certifiably nuts, but even he isn’t stupid enough to launch an attack against the United States.

But I am concerned about this alliance building. Does anyone remember the Axis powers? Or the Warsaw Pact? When two or more evil powers get together, NOTHING good can come from it.

There is a scheduled meeting between Kim Jong Il and Hugo Chavez in September, and now this news about Iran witnessing Il’s missile tests. This is unacceptable and has the markings of a planning stage. You’d better believe that if Hussein was still around he would be in on it as well (forget this Sunni/Shia garbage, they BOTH hate the US and Israel).

Here’s a hypothetical: A liberal wins in ’08, effectively giving our enemies a perceived green light to carry on. Chavez and Il launch on America (Chavez will do doubt be provided nukes from North Korea by then). Iran (and maybe Syria) launches on Israel and our troops in Iraq (if they are still there). Europe has been effectively neutered by the progressive voice leaving only Great Britain as our ally. What happens next?

It’s an open-ended question and perhaps my scenario sounds a little far-fetched…but is it? If you can name three lunatic world leaders then Il, Ahmadinejad and Chavez would head most people’s lists. We need to stop this mess before it gets out of hand.

Bush's Veto

I wrote the words below some time back in regards to partial birth abortion, and in light of Bush's recent veto I'd like to post them again because I think it is applicable.

"I believe that human life is a sequence of events. A human being grows from a single cell, to an embryo, a fetus, an infant, a child, a teenager, etc...until life ends. This is a process that moves through many phases, but that process ALWAYS begins with fertilization. There is no other way for life to exist. Any 'boundaries' that are placed within that process are man-made, and thus can change. For example, if we place a boundary and say that life begins at birth, then who's to say that one day that boundary can be moved to another age? Perhaps when the child is self-dependent, or capable of working or voting? Obviously, this is dangerous thinking. So the answer is to look at nature, and nature shows that the process of life has a beginning...and that beginning is ALWAYS at fertilization."

I hope that Bush stands strong on his position and that Congress backs off of this stem cell thing. To me, prioritizing life is playing with fire. Are we prepared to say that an adult with Alzheimer's is worth more and is more important than an embryo in a fertility clinic?

Whenever a society begins to experiment with and kill it's members for the greater good then it has crossed a boundary that puts its very existence in jeopardy. This is dangerous thinking and I stand by the President and his decision. At some point, we must recognize life for what it is and not for what it can do for us. I hope that time comes sooner rather than later. Our moral fiber may be at stake.

Olmert's words

This was lifted from my Australian friend, Gravelrash. Check out his blog, it is truly worth your time.

These are a few excerpts from Olmert's address yesterday. I am impressed. You can see the rest at Gravelrash's site. This speech is inspirational in every sense of the word.

“Only a nation that can defend its freedom truly deserves it.”

“There are moments in the life of a nation, when it is compelled to look directly into the face of reality and say: no more! And I say to everyone: no more! ”

”We are entitled to our freedom, and when necessary, we know how to fight for it and defend it.”

This is the reaction of someone who truly feels that their liberty is in jeopardy and is willing to do what it takes to preserve that liberty. I applaud him for it.

I spoke too soon

Leftists march in Tel Aviv in protest of war

Looks like I spoke too soon in praise of the Israeli people. I guess the "service before self" mentality will die with world war two generation.

I believe it was Lenin who referred to the American left as ‘useful idiots’, knowing that the actions of the Left were extremely beneficial to his own cause. The ‘idiot’ part was in reference to the Left’s lack of insight into the harm that their actions cause their own country. Lenin knew what he was talking about.

Indeed, the Muslim extremists have no ally as precious as the international Leftists, whether in France, Spain, England, the US or Israel. Without the Left, their cause would be doomed. Just look at what these people are saying…

"Peretz, don't worry, we'll be seeing you at The Hague."

"Stop the war monstrosity."

"The Israeli aggression leads to an overall war no one wants. I think that Israel should negotiate with Hizbullah and Hamas and release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the hostages. This way this story will come to an end."

"What Israel is doing now resulted in the death of civilians, innocent children, and it serves no purpose except for the government's vindictiveness."

They make a better case for Nasrallah and Hezbollah than Nasrallah himself. If these extremists were wise, they’d start putting some of these Lefties on the payroll as spokespeople.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. IF this world becomes dominated by Islamic extremists, it will be the direct result of the actions of the Left. THEY are the only ones enabling these lunatics, and I’m not sure what it will take to convince them of their error.

Israel's lesson for us all

I gotta say, I'm extremely impressed with the Israeli people. They are waging war the way I wish America could. It's been several days of relentless bombing and the use of "disproportionate" force (in the eyes of some), and I have yet to hear a single word of dissent from an Israeli citizen, political leader, or media outlet. And you'd better believe that if people were voicing dissent, the MSM would be all over them.

Does that mean that every single Israeli agrees with what it's government is currently doing? I doubt that. There are some pretty deep political divisions within that country. So, I'm sure there are many who believe in a policy of restraint, or at least woundn't advocate all-out war over three kidnapped soldiers.

So what's impressive about it is that, even though I'm sure there is disagreement within Israel, we aren't hearing it. The Israeli's know that they are surrounded by danger, and they know that disarming Hamas and Hezbollah is in the best interest if the WORLD. So, they keep their mouths shut. Perhaps, when all of this is over, they will debate the merits of the current campaign, but not while it's ongoing. America could learn a lesson from them.

Like us, they believe in healthy dissent, but the difference is that the dissenters know of the proper time and place to voice their dissent...and it's NOT when their soldiers are engaged in a violent campaign with the enemy.

My guess is the Left is probably actively criticizing Israel, so I doubt the lesson will be learned. But it would be nice if we, as a nation, followed their example.

Don't kick a bear

Israel has retaliated with brutal force against an enemy that doubted their will to use that force.

That’s what this all boils down to. Israel is a much more powerful entity than Hezbollah or Hamas. They are capable of much more destruction. So why would these smaller, weaker organizations provoke them?

Americans can answer that better than anyone else. Back on Sept. 11, 2001, we were struck in similar circumstances. The most powerful nation in the world was hit by a smaller, weaker organization. Why?

There are many reasons why, but one of them has to be…because they didn’t think we had to will or the resolve to use the force that we possessed. If Bin Laden knew that attacking on 9/11 would ultimately lead to the toppling of two of the most terror-friendly regimes in the world, would he still have done it?

It’s a fair question. And if Hamas/Hezbollah knew that Lebanon would undergo the attacks that are currently underway, would they have thought twice about kidnapping those soldiers? That also is a fair question.

I think it’s safe to say that the resolve of both America and Israel have been underestimated…so far. I think in many ways the jury is still out on our resolve.

Yet, this article shows one phrase repeated many times in the international response to Israel’s actions… "disproportionate force". What? Israel is being criticized for using the one thing that should discourage her enemies from attacking her?

Disproportionate force is what keeps whatever peace we have on this planet
Disproportionate force is what ended the bloodiest war in human history
Disproportionate force is probably the only thing keeping North Korea from attacking its neighbors, including us
Disproportionate force, or the threat of it, is the very thing that gives the UN whatever power it has
Disproportionate force is what discourages bad people from doing bad things

It may not be fair to use it, but Israel didn’t start this mess, and WE didn’t start our war with Al Qaida and international terrorism. So, don’t blame the powerful for using the force that everyone knew was there.

If I kick a grizzly bear in the groin, then would the bear be at fault for mauling me afterward?

Tomorrow our paycheck is ours

Today, July 12, is the day that we stop working for the government and start working for ourselves! Yes, that's right, from January 1 to now we've all been working to pay for that mammoth bureaucracy that we call the federal government, but not anymore.

Entitlements for immigrants? Yes, that was pretty much the entire month of February. Their health care and social security are just a few of the many things that we all worked for over the past half-year.

Social Security? We'll probably NEVER get to benefit from this dinosaur concept, but we worked for it, probably several weeks in March or April.

Welfare and Food Stamps? Those people didn't work for it, but we did, no doubt a few weeks in May.

Foreign Aid? Hundreds of millions of dollars were given to countries who hate us, and we probably worked most of June to pay for it.

How about the money that goes to the UN? We furnish a LARGE amount of that organization's budget and probably had to work a few days in January to pay them.

But no more! Starting tomorrow, the money we earn is ours! So get up early, have a good breakfast and an extra cup of coffee because tomorrow we're all working for ourselves! I'm gonna put in a good ten hours and whistle a catchy tune all the way home knowing that my paycheck is ALL MINE.

Here's to all of you taxpayers, and a prayer that a liberal won't take the White House in '08, otherwise we may not be working for ourselves until October.

Human rights abuse? Not if it's an American

Mutilation of 2 GIs claimed to be in retaliation for alleged rape.

So much for ‘innocent until proven guilty’. I don’t even know where to begin on this story. First, why are we reporting on "alleged" crimes when we know it does nothing but fuel the insurgency…and I’m blaming the military as much as the media on this one. How did these nutcases even know about the alleged rape? Granted, that’s NOT why they killed these two soldiers, but it still makes it clear that they listen to our press and feed off of what’s said. We should take heed.

Second, I searched the big three human rights websites for this story: Amnesty International, The International Red Cross and the ACLU. Guess what, I didn’t find it anywhere. This story is non-existent on their websites. In fact, when these two troops were initially murdered, the story wasn’t even covered THEN…

Why?

This IS a human rights abuse. This IS a violation of the Geneva Convention. This IS a violation of the civil liberties of two Americans. So why isn’t it being covered. It seems that such an action would be a direct challenge to what these organizations stand for. Shouldn’t they at least have SOMETHING…how about, "this happened and it was bad"

That’s all I’m asking for. Just acknowledge that terrorists are bad people. I think it’s evident that the reason these organizations aren’t interested is simply because the victims here are Americans. Had they been Iraqi or Al-Qaida, then you better believe they would be up in arms about it...like dynamite on a suicide bomber. The message hear is 'we're willing to overlook human rights abuses so long as the abuses are against the right people'. That's does a lot for the credibility of these organizations.

What are the odds of one of these organizations one day asking the UN to recognize Al-Qaida as a legitimate state or government? Don't laugh. After all, they're not too much different than the Palestinians.

Just another illustration of how the Left has weakened our beloved country.

Doctor Moore to tell us the 'truth'

Michael Moore sets his eyes on the health care industry

I can sum it up without even seeing the movie, so put your 6 bucks away. Here you go:

"Look at all these poor, helpless people who don’t have health insurance. Cry a tear for them. How tragic. This country is so rich, why can’t we just GIVE them health insurance. Blame to HMO, blame the drug companies, blame anyone who has prospered in America. Shame on them for their success when others fail to achieve. We need to give everyone in this country free health care, and we should make the rich (aka, anyone who makes over $50,000 a year) pay for it. It’s the humane thing to do."

Whaaaaa…here’s a better idea. How about if you don’t have health insurance, you just renounce your US citizenship, then you can be seen in any ER in any of the border states for free.

Just run a tab for them

Dallas hospital to bill Mexico for indigent care.

This is a good idea, even though the bill won’t get paid. I don’t think people realize how taxing the illegal immigration problem is on health care. It’s putting hospitals out of business and it’s shutting down emergency rooms. Keep in mind, this is making access to health care even worse for those law-abiding citizens who pay taxes.

But I want to take this a step further. The US currently sends $30 Million a year to Mexico as foreign aid. Why? Mexico’s leading industry is immigration. That’s no joke. Why are we giving them an additional $30 million on top of that?

I think we should take that money and give it to these hospitals who are on the verge of collapse all along the border. Then, make it optional for emergency rooms to provide health care to anyone who can’t prove US citizenship. Sound harsh? Of course it does, but we’ve been backed into a corner and it’s not fair for the US taxpayer to shoulder this burden. It’s not fair to me, or you, or anyone else who is an honest citizen paying taxes.

The UN is after our guns

by Jack McLain Vice - Chairman, Constitution Party of Florida

For many years the United Nations has had their eye upon the guns of the worlds’ citizens. Socialists and Communists know from experience that removing guns from the people is the best way to remove their freedom. Americans know from experience that we needed our arms to win our freedom and that we had better keep them if we are to remain free !

The Associated Press reported in 1994, "So quietly that even the gun lobby hasn’t noticed, the United Nations is beginning to set its sights on global gun control." U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan reported to the General Assembly in 2000, "Some progress is already being made as States [nations] tighten their arms export legislation and collect and destroy surplus weapons." Today gun owners are very alert to efforts being made nationally and internationally to confiscate their guns.

Now at the very season of the 230th anniversary of the celebration of our July 4th signing of our Declaration of Independence, as if intentional, the United Nations is holding an international affair to finalize a treaty to take away the gun rights of citizens worldwide. Under such a treaty, if honored by our "wilting" leadershp, Americans could lose their rights to self-protection under the Second Amendment. Is our Constitution still effective? We had better be certain.

The United Nations has proven itself to be anti-gun. The statue at the U.N. headquarters depicts a revolver with a knotted barrel as significant of the position of the organization. U.N. forces have disarmed civilians in Kosovo, Haiti, and Somalia. The U.N. funded Commission on Global Governance in 1995 published the statement, "We strongly endorse community initiatives...to encourage the disarming of civilians..."

More than 100 members of the United Nations and more than 500 gun-ban groups worldwide are involved in this conference to draft a global "Treaty on Small Arms." Six supposedly "free" countries: the United Kingdom, Sweden, The Netherlands, France, Norway, and Belgium are among those aiding and supporting the global gun ban treaty movement. As reported by Wayne LaPierre of National Rifle Association, "This past year marked the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII---a war in which liberation and freedom for dozens of nations was bought with American blood." Over 400,000 Americans died to bring freedom for others. Now many of these nations are working with dictatorships and terrorist states to render our Bill of Rights ineffective and to bring other peoples to servitude.

"Libya and Cuba are seated on the U.N. Human Rights Commission, and even Sudan--the only country that still allows slavery--is in charge of this Commission. Yet they arrogantly claim that your freedoms are to blame for the problems of the world!!!", reported LaPierre.

Surely the United Nations crowd wants to disarm the nations of the world to the end that we will be slaves to the global government being planned. Once free Americans will no longer be able to rely on the protection of our Second Amendment to keep and bear arms.

To allow such happenings in the free land of the United States of America borders on insanity. Wisdom has vanished and vision is blinded. God reminds us that, "Where there is no vision, the people perish."

Gun Owners of America is striving to awaken Americans to the dangers we face. They have sought the influence of America’s U.N. Ambassador John Bolton who has assured them that he would continue speaking out against infringements on the gun rights of Americans. Freedom loving Americans need to be alerted to respond to the call to demand that our freedoms be unchallenged. All gun groups should be especially active as well as encouraging others to join them to preserve this most essential freedom---if America is to survive.

The Constitution Party of Florida stands on our party Platform which emphasizes the guarantee of the Second Amendment to keep and bear arms, that "it may not properly be infringed upon or denied." "When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have them." We further call for the termination of membership in the United Nations and the removal of its operations on United States territory.

While Americanists are sleeping, we are gradually being deceived and deprived of our very basic rights. It is past time to get off our comfortable couches, wake up, and to get into the battle! The days of "Let George do it" are past, my friend

If the UN wants my gun, then they can come and try to take it, along with the millions of other Americans who hold their "right to bear arms" true to heart. I qualified as an expert with a 9mm pistol. I have 16 bullets, so you'd better send at least 17 people to take it!

My Second Book Review

Review by W. J. Rayment / ConservativeBookstore -- John Washburn in "When Evil Prospers" delves into what politics would become in America if a liberal president were in the White House in the midst of a war on terror. Mr. Washburn works hard to be even-handed in his characterizations and in the arguments put forth by various characters to justify their actions within the constraints of the plot line.

As in any political thriller, drama drips from every page. The characters are confronted with a new devastating terrorist attack. The Governor of Texas, where the attack occurs, is a straight-forward, self-reliant political novice who uses common sense to deal with the issues that naturally arise from a violent attack on Texas soil.

Meanwhile a liberal president has come to power, and she deals with the situation in a way that reflects the "turn the other cheek" and "consensus building" attitudes of the left. The conflict in the story becomes not a struggle between the United States and terrorists, but a struggle between political factions within the United States.

Washburn has created some interesting and plausible characters who are confronted with hard choices that challenge their beliefs. It is incredible that he has been able to pull this off without his characters becoming caricatures of the intellectual ideas they are meant to represent.

Seeing the political decisions being made, we can draw parallels with our current struggle with terrorists(and Washburn does not hesitate to mention actual historical and political figures as they come to have a bearing on the story). We are also shown how these political decisions directly affect the individuals on the front lines of the struggle.

What I like about "When Evil Prospers" is that both liberals and conservatives can read this book and feel that their own sides of the political issues depicted are well-represented. The moderate can read the book with a detached perspective and follow the story line to its logical conclusion.

In all, this is a well-written work that could be a prescient view of what our future holds in store.

Wow! Thanks to Mr. Rayment at The Conservative Monitor for the kind words.

Click HERE to learn more about When Evil Prospers or preorder at Amazon.com

My Second Book Review

Review by W. J. Rayment / ConservativeBookstore -- John Washburn in "When Evil Prospers" delves into what politics would become in America if a liberal president were in the White House in the midst of a war on terror. Mr. Washburn works hard to be even-handed in his characterizations and in the arguments put forth by various characters to justify their actions within the constraints of the plot line.

As in any political thriller, drama drips from every page. The characters are confronted with a new devastating terrorist attack. The Governor of Texas, where the attack occurs, is a straight-forward, self-reliant political novice who uses common sense to deal with the issues that naturally arise from a violent attack on Texas soil.

Meanwhile a liberal president has come to power, and she deals with the situation in a way that reflects the "turn the other cheek" and "consensus building" attitudes of the left. The conflict in the story becomes not a struggle between the United States and terrorists, but a struggle between political factions within the United States.

Washburn has created some interesting and plausible characters who are confronted with hard choices that challenge their beliefs. It is incredible that he has been able to pull this off without his characters becoming caricatures of the intellectual ideas they are meant to represent.

Seeing the political decisions being made, we can draw parallels with our current struggle with terrorists(and Washburn does not hesitate to mention actual historical and political figures as they come to have a bearing on the story). We are also shown how these political decisions directly affect the individuals on the front lines of the struggle.

What I like about "When Evil Prospers" is that both liberals and conservatives can read this book and feel that their own sides of the political issues depicted are well-represented. The moderate can read the book with a detached perspective and follow the story line to its logical conclusion.

In all, this is a well-written work that could be a prescient view of what our future holds in store.

Wow! Thanks to Mr. Rayment at The Conservative Monitor for the kind words.

Click HERE to learn more about When Evil Prospers or preorder at Amazon.com

Green Tax and the loony Mexican left

This article is more evidence of what happens when we allow fear to preside over logic. In an effort to curb carbon dioxide emissions from jet liners, Europe will be imposing a green tax on the airline industry. The result…you got it…higher rates. That tax is passed right on to the consumer. The airline industry doesn’t lose any profit, they still make the same amount of money on a ticket, but it could potentially wreak havoc on the European economy and the common citizen.

Why? Because there are some scientists who "think" that carbon dioxide produced from human activity adversely alters the earth’s climate. Proof of this? I’m still waiting.

Hopefully, the American airline industry won’t be facing a similar situation, that is, unless the Left take over in November. Then, get ready to pay sky-high prices.

These crazed environmentalists won’t stop until the global economy is in shambles and we’re all living in the stone age again. On second thought, maybe that’s exactly what they want.

This goes to show that even in Mexico, the loony Left don’t know when to respectfully bow out of an election. Does anyone remember the last time a Liberal candidate lost with dignity?

They remind me of a two year old who has just been told they can’t have another cookie. The only way they know to respond is to throw themselves on the floor in a tantrum. The election is over, you lost, deal with it.

Saddam's DIY terrorism

Iraq How-to manual helped direct Afghan militants

I always supported taking out Saddam. I never doubted that he had WMDs. I never doubted that he supported terrorist organizations, including Al Qaeda and Bin Laden. So this document doesn’t surprise.

I am, however, glad to see it surface. It will help debunk the naysayers who love to scream that Saddam was not part of the war on terror. I’d like to know how they respond to this training manual.

Of course, it won’t change their opinion. They will still naysay. They’ll come up with some lame explanation as to how this doesn’t prove anything. In fact, if Saddam himself were to admit to financial and military backing of Bin Laden, they would STILL find ways to explain it as inconsequential. So this won’t really change anything, except maybe it will make the naysayers look that much sillier.

But it will still be fun to hear their remarks.

This must be stopped!

Venezuela to discuss arms trade with North Korea

I don’t know about anyone else, but this has another Cuban Missile Crisis written all over it. America’s enemies are circling and THIS LITTLE ARMS DEAL MUST BE STOPPED. If North Korea has nukes, then you can bet Venezuela will soon have them as well.

This is concerning on multiple levels. Another psycho is seeking WMDs, and this time it’s right in our own back yard. I wonder what the loony Left will have to say once Chavez has a missile that can reach Topeka?

Happy Birthday America!

I posted this not too long ago, but it's fitting for the 4th. It's a poem by one of our country's greatest poets.

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."

Notes on Monday

First, I'm a little disappointed in some of my liberal readers. Seems to me if you were committed to fighting our terrorist enemies you could at least watch the videos of them doing what they do best. You must know your enemy, right? Something tells me you guys might not.

Here is another comment on crazy Al Gore's claim that science has reached a consensus on global warming, this one from an MIT Professr. After thinking about it, in fairness to Al, maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe there is global warming on whatever planet he's living on.

NYT shows Rumsfelds house, and points out a security camera. Hey, why not print his address and phone number, with blueprints of the home and include the next time he'll be there, the public deserves to know right? The New York Times has replaced Al Jazeera as the number one media ally to the Islamo-Fascists. Congrats you morons!

N Korea warns of nuclear war. Isn't this becoming a weekly thing. Kim Jong Il is insane, we all know that, this guy isn't far from putting masks on his children and dangling a baby off a balcony. But, as insane as he is, he knows that war with America would be a bad thing. As for Amadinejad, I don't think he gets that. I think he welcomes it, which puts him in a whole new category of insanity. If HE gets nukes, we WILL be involved in a nuclear holocaust within five years.

Palestinian militants issue ultimatum to Israel. I've said before, it's clear that Hamas wants war with Israel. The Israelis have given them every oppurtunity to get out of this crisis, and they've refused. Remember, it was the Palestinian PEOPLE who chose Hamas to represent them. That says a lot. So why is Israel the one responsible for 'turmoil in the Middle East'? To me, they're the answer. We should turn them lose and let them fix this whole problem.

Conservative wins in Mexico. Not that this matters. Mexico is NOT a US ally and I don't think any of us can breathe a sigh of relief about the election. But I am amused at the quote below, from the losing candidate, talking about the vote count (and hinting at a recount).

"If in the count we conduct, it turns out the final result does not favor us, I am going to abide by the result," he said. However, he added, "We are going to defend the will of the people if it favors us."

Sound familiar? IT's good to know we're not the only one with a loony Left.