There seems to be little necessity to add my own commentary to the following articles. They do much to describe and illuminate the divisiveness that's growing rapidly and, too often, rabidly in America. These aspects of the problem are important for us to consider for the sake of our future. We need to care about understanding what divides us and why it does. We can't make much progress turning away from this unfortunate trajectory on which the political left has set us until we begin to care about our country, indeed our constitution.
They (Liberals) Don't (Can't!) Know Us by Dennis Prager.
Saving Sovereignty by John Fonte.
Argument From Disparity by Thomas Sowell.
The Constitution's Comeback by Michael Barone.
Showing posts with label Celebrate_America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celebrate_America. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
We Need To Have A Better Appreciation Of What America Has Accomplished In So Short A Time; Keeping A Promise
Growing older has a funny(?) way of helping one put history into perspective. From this end of my life, 70 years ago when I was born doesn't seem so long ago. 70 'sounds' kinda old in a way (I always thought 70 was old until I got here!) but now 1942 seems closer than that number implies.
What got me thinking about that is our country's history relative to my life. We talk about America's founding and important events in our 'early' history as if they were eons ago but then I realized this. My 70 years seem short in time. If 70 isn't so long ago then twice that isn't so far back as it might otherwise feel either. Just over twice my age ago the civil war began! And then I marvelled at how far we have come since then ... in so short a time ... and I marvel at the two documents, a declaration and a challenge/promise, that made it possible.
There are two ways to look at that of course. Either I'm really, really old or the civil war wasn't really that long ago in the scheme of things. (Guess which I choose!) 150 years ago (only twice my age or so) is a time we can almost reach out and touch historically speaking. Then I marvel at how far we've come as a nation in so few as twice my years. We ought to appreciate that more.
Our wonderfully constructed Constitution gave us an opportunity, a challenge and a promise. That is, if we hold the course it set us on we would, recognizably over short increments of time, continuously(!) make our country more perfect. Not perfect, mind you. In fact, never perfect. Just ever more perfect. It's a promise and a challenge that encourages us to be patient but persistent.
Implied in that promise is a warning that straying too far from the founding principles would invalidate the warranty our founders gave to us. Just as a car warranty requires one to maintain the car in specific ways in order to maintain the integrity(!) of the product, so too the Constitution requires regular checkups to ensure it remains in good working order ... as designed. It's worth considering that changing the design of a car too much invalidates the warranty ... ie, the promise.
What got me thinking about that is our country's history relative to my life. We talk about America's founding and important events in our 'early' history as if they were eons ago but then I realized this. My 70 years seem short in time. If 70 isn't so long ago then twice that isn't so far back as it might otherwise feel either. Just over twice my age ago the civil war began! And then I marvelled at how far we have come since then ... in so short a time ... and I marvel at the two documents, a declaration and a challenge/promise, that made it possible.
There are two ways to look at that of course. Either I'm really, really old or the civil war wasn't really that long ago in the scheme of things. (Guess which I choose!) 150 years ago (only twice my age or so) is a time we can almost reach out and touch historically speaking. Then I marvel at how far we've come as a nation in so few as twice my years. We ought to appreciate that more.
Our wonderfully constructed Constitution gave us an opportunity, a challenge and a promise. That is, if we hold the course it set us on we would, recognizably over short increments of time, continuously(!) make our country more perfect. Not perfect, mind you. In fact, never perfect. Just ever more perfect. It's a promise and a challenge that encourages us to be patient but persistent.
Implied in that promise is a warning that straying too far from the founding principles would invalidate the warranty our founders gave to us. Just as a car warranty requires one to maintain the car in specific ways in order to maintain the integrity(!) of the product, so too the Constitution requires regular checkups to ensure it remains in good working order ... as designed. It's worth considering that changing the design of a car too much invalidates the warranty ... ie, the promise.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Martin Luther King And Our Founding Documents
It's becoming popular for people, including African Americans, to make a point of MLK's imperfections as a person. Of course it's useful to understand the person as well as his accomplishments but let's remember what he stood for. He was human but his message is good and right.
It has become 'popular' to call MLK's movement as one seeking "social justice" and that, in order to honor, respect and preserve what he started we should therefore extend his "fight for social justice". Unfortunately, that's a dishonest hijacking of his values for modern political correctness purposes.
In fact, Dr. King was a Christian first and his movement was "faith-based". What he pushed for was not secular, rather Christian. Judgement based on moral character was a pre-eminent need to him. To him, the expansion of and dependency on a welfare state would represent a failure of society, including African Americans who seem to have no problem with their increasing dependency resulting largely from a willingness to be okay with it. To Dr. King, this trend would no doubt represent a significant decrease in self-respect, a diminished will to succeed on one's own merit ... by choice more than by circumstances. Accepting the role of victim would be reviled by Dr. King.
Dr. King saw the original principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as foundational to economic and social freedom for all. He said(!), his dream was one "deeply rooted in the American dream" embedded in "the magnificent(!) words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence". He said as much many different times in many different ways but he believed it to be true. How one can say he didn't respect or love the principles(!) of those documents defies logic. To say he must not have really understood them is an ignorant thing to say about this man who studied philosophers and old cultures. He understood the value of those documents as unique(!) counterpoints to historical evils.
The greatest surviving highly politically correct claim is that those documents are racist in nature. Dr. King certainly didn't think so. Doesn't that matter? In fact, the most often repeated example is nothing but PC nonsense and twisting of historical truth for purely political purposes.
Yes, the Constitution made Blacks three fifths of a person ... for apportionment sake ... but one has to take it totally out of context to conclude it was racist in a negative sense. Southerners, a large Democratic(!) block of states in those days ("Dixiecrats"), wanted to preserve slavery and wanted to institutionalize it in the Constitution by counting slaves as whole persons for enumeration purposes but still not giving Blacks the right to vote. Being able to count slaves as whole persons without giving them the right to vote would have given Southern Democrats the POWER in congress to fight AGAINST freedom for slaves. The slaves wouldn't have gotten ANY more power by being counted as whole persons, only racist(!) Southern politicians would have been the benefactors!!!
The constitution convention delegates were faced with this dilemma. Either yield to Southern states and give them the power to resist freedom for slaves (by giving them enumeration numbers sufficient to do so, free of voting opposition by slaves) OR say no in which case the Southern states were prepared to remain separate from the United States. The former choice would, at a minimum delay freedom for slaves if not render it impossible and the latter would probably enshrine slavery as a fact of life in whatever country The South decided to create separate from the USA. Either way(!), southern slaves (minorities in general) would have been big losers if NOT for the three-fifths rule.
Then someone decided to try a compromise: count Blacks as three-fifths of a person. The southern states agreed to that because they thought they could still resist freedom for slaves (rights, voting, etc) while deriving the benefits from being part of a larger federation of states. What that three-fifths rule did was PRESERVE the ability of the Constitution's principles to migrate our laws to provide rights to minorities. Indeed, that the three-fifths law was eliminated is proof that the three-fifths approach worked. That would NOT have been possible if slaves had been counted as whole persons for enumeration sake without the ability to vote OR if the southern states had chosen to separate from the USA. If today's PC crowd had its way, slaves would have been counted as whole persons which probably would have led to the institutionalization of slavery in the South. Counting them as three-fifths of a person gave us the opportunity to overcome that detestable practice over time.
The Constitution, therefore, was ANTI-RACIST because the three-fifths compromise preserved the union in way that allowed us to eventually eliminate slavery in the South and give minorities all the rights that the Constitution promised. Without the three-fifths rule, the South would be far less free than it is today.
As far as Democrats being the historical fighters for minorities rights, that's complete nonsense. For nearly 200 years Democrats or those who were to become Democrats fought strongly for slavery and no rights for Blacks. In fact, they opposed most civil rights legislation until the 1940's. Too few people remember or know, for example, that it was Democrats who fought AGAINST the Civil Rights Act the strongest by a margin of 2 to 1 over Republicans. As recently as 50 years ago it was Democrats who outright fought for(!) segregation the most by far.
Don't believe the revisionist history of the PC left. MLK's movement was a faith-based movement for equal rights. He was a strong believer in "natural rights", ie, God-given rights, which was the basis for the way our founders constructed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. MLK loved the principles of the Constitution. The Constitution that MLK loved was and is NOT a racist document, rather it held the Union together (for the benefit of southern slaves) and set us on a trajectory to eliminate discrimination. Yes, we're not done getting rid of it even yet but we're still headed in the right direction.
In case you're thinking I have no clue what was going on regarding MLK's movement and my opinions are therefore invalid, I lived in the Biloxi Mississippi area in 1964/1965. Those of you who might criticize me but didn't experience real racism in that place/time may want to consider I just might have a better perspective. Even though I am a conservative.
By the way, you might find the following links interesting backup for my comments above. They don't talk about Democrat opposition to the CRA (Civil Rights Act) but that's a matter of public record easily found on the internet.
http://www.heritage.org/research/commentary/2011/01/a-dream-not-an-illusion
http://blog.heritage.org/2010/08/30/martin-luther-king-holds-these-truths/
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2006/01/martin-luther-kings-conservative-legacy
http://www.heritage.org/research/lecture/the-conservative-virtues-of-dr-martin-luther-king
It has become 'popular' to call MLK's movement as one seeking "social justice" and that, in order to honor, respect and preserve what he started we should therefore extend his "fight for social justice". Unfortunately, that's a dishonest hijacking of his values for modern political correctness purposes.
In fact, Dr. King was a Christian first and his movement was "faith-based". What he pushed for was not secular, rather Christian. Judgement based on moral character was a pre-eminent need to him. To him, the expansion of and dependency on a welfare state would represent a failure of society, including African Americans who seem to have no problem with their increasing dependency resulting largely from a willingness to be okay with it. To Dr. King, this trend would no doubt represent a significant decrease in self-respect, a diminished will to succeed on one's own merit ... by choice more than by circumstances. Accepting the role of victim would be reviled by Dr. King.
Dr. King saw the original principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as foundational to economic and social freedom for all. He said(!), his dream was one "deeply rooted in the American dream" embedded in "the magnificent(!) words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence". He said as much many different times in many different ways but he believed it to be true. How one can say he didn't respect or love the principles(!) of those documents defies logic. To say he must not have really understood them is an ignorant thing to say about this man who studied philosophers and old cultures. He understood the value of those documents as unique(!) counterpoints to historical evils.
The greatest surviving highly politically correct claim is that those documents are racist in nature. Dr. King certainly didn't think so. Doesn't that matter? In fact, the most often repeated example is nothing but PC nonsense and twisting of historical truth for purely political purposes.
Yes, the Constitution made Blacks three fifths of a person ... for apportionment sake ... but one has to take it totally out of context to conclude it was racist in a negative sense. Southerners, a large Democratic(!) block of states in those days ("Dixiecrats"), wanted to preserve slavery and wanted to institutionalize it in the Constitution by counting slaves as whole persons for enumeration purposes but still not giving Blacks the right to vote. Being able to count slaves as whole persons without giving them the right to vote would have given Southern Democrats the POWER in congress to fight AGAINST freedom for slaves. The slaves wouldn't have gotten ANY more power by being counted as whole persons, only racist(!) Southern politicians would have been the benefactors!!!
The constitution convention delegates were faced with this dilemma. Either yield to Southern states and give them the power to resist freedom for slaves (by giving them enumeration numbers sufficient to do so, free of voting opposition by slaves) OR say no in which case the Southern states were prepared to remain separate from the United States. The former choice would, at a minimum delay freedom for slaves if not render it impossible and the latter would probably enshrine slavery as a fact of life in whatever country The South decided to create separate from the USA. Either way(!), southern slaves (minorities in general) would have been big losers if NOT for the three-fifths rule.
Then someone decided to try a compromise: count Blacks as three-fifths of a person. The southern states agreed to that because they thought they could still resist freedom for slaves (rights, voting, etc) while deriving the benefits from being part of a larger federation of states. What that three-fifths rule did was PRESERVE the ability of the Constitution's principles to migrate our laws to provide rights to minorities. Indeed, that the three-fifths law was eliminated is proof that the three-fifths approach worked. That would NOT have been possible if slaves had been counted as whole persons for enumeration sake without the ability to vote OR if the southern states had chosen to separate from the USA. If today's PC crowd had its way, slaves would have been counted as whole persons which probably would have led to the institutionalization of slavery in the South. Counting them as three-fifths of a person gave us the opportunity to overcome that detestable practice over time.
The Constitution, therefore, was ANTI-RACIST because the three-fifths compromise preserved the union in way that allowed us to eventually eliminate slavery in the South and give minorities all the rights that the Constitution promised. Without the three-fifths rule, the South would be far less free than it is today.
As far as Democrats being the historical fighters for minorities rights, that's complete nonsense. For nearly 200 years Democrats or those who were to become Democrats fought strongly for slavery and no rights for Blacks. In fact, they opposed most civil rights legislation until the 1940's. Too few people remember or know, for example, that it was Democrats who fought AGAINST the Civil Rights Act the strongest by a margin of 2 to 1 over Republicans. As recently as 50 years ago it was Democrats who outright fought for(!) segregation the most by far.
Don't believe the revisionist history of the PC left. MLK's movement was a faith-based movement for equal rights. He was a strong believer in "natural rights", ie, God-given rights, which was the basis for the way our founders constructed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. MLK loved the principles of the Constitution. The Constitution that MLK loved was and is NOT a racist document, rather it held the Union together (for the benefit of southern slaves) and set us on a trajectory to eliminate discrimination. Yes, we're not done getting rid of it even yet but we're still headed in the right direction.
In case you're thinking I have no clue what was going on regarding MLK's movement and my opinions are therefore invalid, I lived in the Biloxi Mississippi area in 1964/1965. Those of you who might criticize me but didn't experience real racism in that place/time may want to consider I just might have a better perspective. Even though I am a conservative.
By the way, you might find the following links interesting backup for my comments above. They don't talk about Democrat opposition to the CRA (Civil Rights Act) but that's a matter of public record easily found on the internet.
http://www.heritage.org/research/commentary/2011/01/a-dream-not-an-illusion
http://blog.heritage.org/2010/08/30/martin-luther-king-holds-these-truths/
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2006/01/martin-luther-kings-conservative-legacy
http://www.heritage.org/research/lecture/the-conservative-virtues-of-dr-martin-luther-king
Monday, January 9, 2012
Santorum: Strong 'America First' Conservative Principles That Are Much Needed In America
On Family Values:
Santorum had a great response to the question last night about what each candidate thought was the single most important issue facing America. He said is was the erosion of family values.
The other candidates gave answers associated with the sorry state of our economy, national security and such. While those are certainly good answers, most conservatives I know tend to think that the erosion of traditional family values underlies most of our current problems to one extent or another. It's a 'root cause' matter, a view of things I'm usually pretty centered on.
If our traditional family values hadn't eroded so badly over the past 50 years or so, chances are we'd be better centered on the other issues in a way that could have avoided our current problems. Values, principles and morals matter in a culture. They not only define a culture's character; they guide and influence action.
Just one but perhaps the most important area in which we've suffered is the sorry state of our education. The root cause of that has everything to do with family values. Our problems in education are significantly behind increasing poverty for example. A country failing in education is doomed to fail in all the areas we're currently having problems.
Greed is pretty much absent among people who have and honestly practice strong family values. Selfishness is pretty much absent. Self-absorption is pretty much absent. More focus on one's iPad than on one's children sitting across the dinner/restaurant table is pretty much absent. Taking care of one's family financial resources and making wise savings/spending/work/education choices is well practiced.
That is not to say people who might rate low on family values (evaluated the way I have here) can't take care of business properly but I believe that they're more likely not to. And I believe that people strong on family values are more likely to do things that are good for their family and, therefore, for their community and their country.
Strong families have arguably been our greatest strength and resource throughout our history. We're far worse off for their erosion. Why do we so strongly resist returning to strong family values and why is discussing them honestly so hated, despised and ridiculed by The Media and the far left? Isn't it pretty obvious that they worked better than what's going on now?
On The Standard 'Issues' Of Our Day:
I couldn't have said it better than the author in the following link:
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/287441/rick-santorum-conservative-stalwart-quin-hillyer
Santorum had a great response to the question last night about what each candidate thought was the single most important issue facing America. He said is was the erosion of family values.
The other candidates gave answers associated with the sorry state of our economy, national security and such. While those are certainly good answers, most conservatives I know tend to think that the erosion of traditional family values underlies most of our current problems to one extent or another. It's a 'root cause' matter, a view of things I'm usually pretty centered on.
If our traditional family values hadn't eroded so badly over the past 50 years or so, chances are we'd be better centered on the other issues in a way that could have avoided our current problems. Values, principles and morals matter in a culture. They not only define a culture's character; they guide and influence action.
Just one but perhaps the most important area in which we've suffered is the sorry state of our education. The root cause of that has everything to do with family values. Our problems in education are significantly behind increasing poverty for example. A country failing in education is doomed to fail in all the areas we're currently having problems.
Greed is pretty much absent among people who have and honestly practice strong family values. Selfishness is pretty much absent. Self-absorption is pretty much absent. More focus on one's iPad than on one's children sitting across the dinner/restaurant table is pretty much absent. Taking care of one's family financial resources and making wise savings/spending/work/education choices is well practiced.
That is not to say people who might rate low on family values (evaluated the way I have here) can't take care of business properly but I believe that they're more likely not to. And I believe that people strong on family values are more likely to do things that are good for their family and, therefore, for their community and their country.
Strong families have arguably been our greatest strength and resource throughout our history. We're far worse off for their erosion. Why do we so strongly resist returning to strong family values and why is discussing them honestly so hated, despised and ridiculed by The Media and the far left? Isn't it pretty obvious that they worked better than what's going on now?
On The Standard 'Issues' Of Our Day:
I couldn't have said it better than the author in the following link:
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/287441/rick-santorum-conservative-stalwart-quin-hillyer
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Still More Re This Imperial Presidency ... The List Of Those Lending Credibility To That Fact Grows
Now we hear from Andrew McCarthy about this increasingly imperial presidency:
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/287424/obama-skirts-democratic-process-andrew-c-mccarthy
He also calls out 'Establishment Republicans' who have abandoned their roots whereby they historically made strong efforts to preserve and protect constitutional principles. Their failings this century is why the Tea Party exists and it is why "moderate" Republicans (Romney, McCain and any of that ilk) get scarce support from them.
How much longer shall we deem this to be a representative democracy while, increasingly, the people in power no longer care what The People think, say or want? When those (or one) in power flaunt self-proclaimed(!), self-assumed(!) authority over and contrary to constitutional processes, principles and precedents? When one man can grant to himself whatever authority over congress HE chooses? When the president can decide he's subject to neither congressional control nor The People's will?
We're becoming a representative democracy in name only and we WILL be the worse for it if we allow this trend to continue. Under the constitution, the president is answerable to congress which is answerable to The People. However, as Mr. McCarthy laments, the constitution, The People's bulwark against tyranny (a wonderful and wonderous gift from our founders), is being subverted as congress sits idly on its collective hands and takes no interest in defending, much less exercising their authority.
As Mr. McCarthy also laments and I've noted previously, the president's oath of office (to "preserve, protect and defend" the constitution) has been rendered utterly irrelevant by our current president who unilaterally claims by his actions that there are no boundaries on what he chooses to do and he's answerable to no one he doesn't want(!) to answer to. Sounds like imperial and supremely arrogant behavior to me.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/287424/obama-skirts-democratic-process-andrew-c-mccarthy
He also calls out 'Establishment Republicans' who have abandoned their roots whereby they historically made strong efforts to preserve and protect constitutional principles. Their failings this century is why the Tea Party exists and it is why "moderate" Republicans (Romney, McCain and any of that ilk) get scarce support from them.
How much longer shall we deem this to be a representative democracy while, increasingly, the people in power no longer care what The People think, say or want? When those (or one) in power flaunt self-proclaimed(!), self-assumed(!) authority over and contrary to constitutional processes, principles and precedents? When one man can grant to himself whatever authority over congress HE chooses? When the president can decide he's subject to neither congressional control nor The People's will?
We're becoming a representative democracy in name only and we WILL be the worse for it if we allow this trend to continue. Under the constitution, the president is answerable to congress which is answerable to The People. However, as Mr. McCarthy laments, the constitution, The People's bulwark against tyranny (a wonderful and wonderous gift from our founders), is being subverted as congress sits idly on its collective hands and takes no interest in defending, much less exercising their authority.
As Mr. McCarthy also laments and I've noted previously, the president's oath of office (to "preserve, protect and defend" the constitution) has been rendered utterly irrelevant by our current president who unilaterally claims by his actions that there are no boundaries on what he chooses to do and he's answerable to no one he doesn't want(!) to answer to. Sounds like imperial and supremely arrogant behavior to me.
Friday, December 30, 2011
More On America's Moral Decline
Some interesting links ... food for SERIOUS thought ... for your consideration following up on my previous blog:
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/286820/thatcher-vs-decline-rich-lowry
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/286822/growth-not-redistribution-michael-barone
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/286820/thatcher-vs-decline-rich-lowry
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/286822/growth-not-redistribution-michael-barone
What Defined Us In 2011: Do We REALLY Want To Go There Ever Again?
This link pretty much describes what I've thought all year.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/286807/2011-you-can-t-win-losing-jonah-goldberg
We're becoming pretty nutty here aren't we? Narcissists and knuckleheads completely lacking in self-control and common sense. In contrast, here's what we ought to be about posted on Facebook by my daughter-in-law, Heather: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/12/23/praise-flows-for-pastor-joe.html
Compassion, humility and selflessness with NO "PC" motivation ... and NO government 'taking care of people'. Just love and doing the right thing. Say what you will about our being a Christian nation but the latter link demonstrates what fundamentally separates us from most. We need to get back to individuals(!) doing more of this simply because it's right.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/286807/2011-you-can-t-win-losing-jonah-goldberg
We're becoming pretty nutty here aren't we? Narcissists and knuckleheads completely lacking in self-control and common sense. In contrast, here's what we ought to be about posted on Facebook by my daughter-in-law, Heather: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/12/23/praise-flows-for-pastor-joe.html
Compassion, humility and selflessness with NO "PC" motivation ... and NO government 'taking care of people'. Just love and doing the right thing. Say what you will about our being a Christian nation but the latter link demonstrates what fundamentally separates us from most. We need to get back to individuals(!) doing more of this simply because it's right.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Check Out "Family Facts" Website Run By The Heritage Foundation: How Broken Families (Esp Broken Men!) Affect Our Kids' Lives And Why Government Can't Fix It
Check this out:
http://www.familyfacts.org/
Several things are clear from that website's statistics and are consistent with what I've been harping on for a couple of years now:
http://www.familyfacts.org/
Several things are clear from that website's statistics and are consistent with what I've been harping on for a couple of years now:
- Our kids are failing in many areas of life/living. School is just one but an important one.
- Broken homes, especially broken men/husbands/fathers, are mostly to blame.
- Government action/money CANNOT fix this.
- American men need to man-up and start putting their families first.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
I'm Thankful And Fearful For Our Country
I'm thankful for the blessings of liberty and freedom. At the same time I'm fearful where we're headed. So, my prayer today is twofold. It's partly of gratitude for where/when I live and the blessings derived from that, especially the opportunity to worship God as I please and for my sweet wife and three kids. It's also partly for freedom to prevail over the winds of progressive change for the worse.
To understand what I mean by the latter part of my prayer read this:
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/283326/what-constitutional-conservatism-yuval-levin
One thing that's odd about what Mr. Levin says is that pretty much all people from other countries 'get it' (about our liberty and freedom) better than most of us Americans. We should be alarmed at these winds of change that will blow us in directions that are SO not good for the cause of freedom here. Too many Americans don't understand the consequences of these changes or what's at stake.
So, my followup prayer is for Americans to wake up ... thank God Almighty for our blessings and smell the flowers of liberty that our founders sewed for us.
To understand what I mean by the latter part of my prayer read this:
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/283326/what-constitutional-conservatism-yuval-levin
One thing that's odd about what Mr. Levin says is that pretty much all people from other countries 'get it' (about our liberty and freedom) better than most of us Americans. We should be alarmed at these winds of change that will blow us in directions that are SO not good for the cause of freedom here. Too many Americans don't understand the consequences of these changes or what's at stake.
So, my followup prayer is for Americans to wake up ... thank God Almighty for our blessings and smell the flowers of liberty that our founders sewed for us.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Hypocrisy And Unfairness Of the Media And Liberals
Isn't it interesting how The Media and liberals have been spinning these "Occupy ..." protests? Their amazing contortions trying to portray these as rational, reasonably well-behaved, possessing legitimate concerns, etc are completely laughable are they not?
Remember how they jumped all over very, VERY mild issues in the TEA Party protests and went out of their way to discredit them and talk endlessly about the most minor things? I guess the TEA Party goals of lower taxes, less spending and less debt WERE complete nonsense, eh? Yeah, those goals are complete nonsense ... we have no need for that at all do we? But the "Occupy ..." folks are completely rational, well-behaved and even noble. Huh? The TEA Party goals weren't anything needing actual attention when the groups started up and those still don't need attention, huh? Totally irrational for sure.
TEA Party protesters all pretty much behaved legally and respectfully of people and property (always cleaning up after themselves, including that very large protest on the national mall last year!). How does that compare with these Occupy protests?
By the way, have you noticed The Media investigations into who is financing these Occupy protests? If you'll check into it you'll find it's a who's who of leading progressive groups/organizations/people. have you heard the hate expressed by the leadership of the unions supporting them?
You want to know what anarchy and anarchists look like? Keep an eye on the Occupy protests and learn. How much property damage is resulting from this? How many arrests have there been? How many business have been hurt, including small and medium businesses that had nothing to do with our economic problems? How can city leaders condone and even support this?
C'mon folks! Can you rationally claim, much less believe, that the TEA Party protesters and their goals were less legitimate, less focused. less clear, and that those protesters were worse behaved? I mean, really!!!
Got an important question for you. Which is the truly "angry mob", the label that congressional democratic leaders tagged onto TEA Party protesters?
Remember how they jumped all over very, VERY mild issues in the TEA Party protests and went out of their way to discredit them and talk endlessly about the most minor things? I guess the TEA Party goals of lower taxes, less spending and less debt WERE complete nonsense, eh? Yeah, those goals are complete nonsense ... we have no need for that at all do we? But the "Occupy ..." folks are completely rational, well-behaved and even noble. Huh? The TEA Party goals weren't anything needing actual attention when the groups started up and those still don't need attention, huh? Totally irrational for sure.
TEA Party protesters all pretty much behaved legally and respectfully of people and property (always cleaning up after themselves, including that very large protest on the national mall last year!). How does that compare with these Occupy protests?
By the way, have you noticed The Media investigations into who is financing these Occupy protests? If you'll check into it you'll find it's a who's who of leading progressive groups/organizations/people. have you heard the hate expressed by the leadership of the unions supporting them?
You want to know what anarchy and anarchists look like? Keep an eye on the Occupy protests and learn. How much property damage is resulting from this? How many arrests have there been? How many business have been hurt, including small and medium businesses that had nothing to do with our economic problems? How can city leaders condone and even support this?
C'mon folks! Can you rationally claim, much less believe, that the TEA Party protesters and their goals were less legitimate, less focused. less clear, and that those protesters were worse behaved? I mean, really!!!
Got an important question for you. Which is the truly "angry mob", the label that congressional democratic leaders tagged onto TEA Party protesters?
Sunday, October 30, 2011
The TOTAL ABSURDITY Of What Many Try To Pass Off As Acceptable K-12 Education In America
This article which uses John Stossel's "Stupid In America" as a starting point is one of the best I've read about the sorry state of K-12 'education' in America. It gets right to the heart of the matter.
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=1500338
Here's one of Stossel's commentaries that covers education's problems all pretty well with lots of interviews and examples: http://www.onlineschools.org/education-debate/saturday-night-john-stossels-new-stupid-in-america/. Especially view the video in that article. If this doesn't bring you nearly to tears, perhaps you don't get it yet. This is not only our kids we're messing with, it's their future ... our country's future!!! Doesn't any of that matter?
The following interview with Michelle Rhee, the fired head of DC schools, is heart-breaking to me. How can we excuse the resistance to this woman's commitment and sensible efforts to fix the problem with DC's schools? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Irx9o7DjO8
[While you're at it you may want to check out other of Stossel's articles in his ongoing series of commentaries about how we're "Stupid In America". Here's one search that will help you do that: http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=stossel+stupid+in+america. All them basically attest to how poorly our schools are doing and how stupid our priorities are.]
As for K-12 education in particular, I don't think we have a chance of achieving the quality of education we need to ensure a healthy and productive society in the future unless and until parents wake up to the travesty of government failures running education in America. Based on Stossel's commentaries and investigations I think parents who don't get it or, worse, don't care(!) are the biggest impediments to fixing our truly broken and simply pathetic K-12 education system.
That leads my arguments full circle back to my previous blogs about the problem with men in America. It's well past time that men began caring about this problem and doing something about it. If men across America would get their priorities straight again ... off themselves and on their family, community and living responsibly ... pretty much all that's wrong in and with America would be corrected in very short order.
To men in America I say, GET OVER YOURSELVES ... BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE FOR OUR COUNTRY!!!
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=1500338
Here's one of Stossel's commentaries that covers education's problems all pretty well with lots of interviews and examples: http://www.onlineschools.org/education-debate/saturday-night-john-stossels-new-stupid-in-america/. Especially view the video in that article. If this doesn't bring you nearly to tears, perhaps you don't get it yet. This is not only our kids we're messing with, it's their future ... our country's future!!! Doesn't any of that matter?
The following interview with Michelle Rhee, the fired head of DC schools, is heart-breaking to me. How can we excuse the resistance to this woman's commitment and sensible efforts to fix the problem with DC's schools? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Irx9o7DjO8
[While you're at it you may want to check out other of Stossel's articles in his ongoing series of commentaries about how we're "Stupid In America". Here's one search that will help you do that: http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=stossel+stupid+in+america. All them basically attest to how poorly our schools are doing and how stupid our priorities are.]
As for K-12 education in particular, I don't think we have a chance of achieving the quality of education we need to ensure a healthy and productive society in the future unless and until parents wake up to the travesty of government failures running education in America. Based on Stossel's commentaries and investigations I think parents who don't get it or, worse, don't care(!) are the biggest impediments to fixing our truly broken and simply pathetic K-12 education system.
That leads my arguments full circle back to my previous blogs about the problem with men in America. It's well past time that men began caring about this problem and doing something about it. If men across America would get their priorities straight again ... off themselves and on their family, community and living responsibly ... pretty much all that's wrong in and with America would be corrected in very short order.
To men in America I say, GET OVER YOURSELVES ... BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE FOR OUR COUNTRY!!!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Labor Day Is A Celebration Of The American Worker And His/Her Contribution, NOT A Celebration Of Unions
Liberals in general, President Obama in particular, will use today as a reason to celebrate and support unions but that's not why this holiday was created.
It was created to celebrate the industriousnes of American workers and their contribution to the success of our society. It was established in part to celebrate the good in American workers' work ethic. Perhaps today should be a day for serious consideration what has become of that work ethic.
Labor Day was created to celebrate the independent, hard-working spirit of American workers, of Americans in general. Look around yourselves honestly folks. Where do you really see that spirit operating these days? Self-indulgence, outright laziness and government dependency abound and are growing rapidly.
Maybe this should be a day for us to mourn that we're losing what this day used to stand for.
It was created to celebrate the industriousnes of American workers and their contribution to the success of our society. It was established in part to celebrate the good in American workers' work ethic. Perhaps today should be a day for serious consideration what has become of that work ethic.
Labor Day was created to celebrate the independent, hard-working spirit of American workers, of Americans in general. Look around yourselves honestly folks. Where do you really see that spirit operating these days? Self-indulgence, outright laziness and government dependency abound and are growing rapidly.
Maybe this should be a day for us to mourn that we're losing what this day used to stand for.
Monday, July 4, 2011
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!!
I'm grateful, happy and humbled to be so fortunate to live in this country where we have the greatest freedom to live the way we choose. God Bless America!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
You're Correct Mr. Sowell. The Constitution DOES Matter And It IS Relevant!
Hoover Institution Fellow Thomas Sowell says it pretty well folks:
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/270584/constitution-matters-thomas-sowell
The Constitution was exceptional because we were at the time of our founding. It very well may be true that America isn't exceptional today as progressives are wont to say. I don't happen to believe we're that (yet) but, to the extent it's true, it's a measure of how far we've gone astray from those EXCEPTIONAL words and concepts contained in The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of The United States and from the exceptional wisdom and character of the American people in those times.
There can be NO doubt we were exceptional in founding times. If we're no longer exceptional, that's not a good thing for our country or the rest of the world.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/270584/constitution-matters-thomas-sowell
The Constitution was exceptional because we were at the time of our founding. It very well may be true that America isn't exceptional today as progressives are wont to say. I don't happen to believe we're that (yet) but, to the extent it's true, it's a measure of how far we've gone astray from those EXCEPTIONAL words and concepts contained in The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of The United States and from the exceptional wisdom and character of the American people in those times.
There can be NO doubt we were exceptional in founding times. If we're no longer exceptional, that's not a good thing for our country or the rest of the world.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Amazing New Space Station Photos; The Roles Of American Exceptionalism And Education
The space station is a remarkable accomplishment. Check out some amazing photos of it here:
http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/07/6805662-ultimate-space-portrait-unveiled
While a variety of countries contributed significantly to it, it was American exceptionalism that made it even possible. Much credit goes to the Baby Boomer generation that is much maligned for a lot of reasons. Look what their sense of personal responsibility, can-do spirit and work ethic accomplished. Those were the engines behind a lot of American achievements in the second half of the last century.
There couldn't be clearer proof that science and math matter! Just as that generation's exceptionalism resulted in uprecedented accomplishments, including unparelleled economic growth, the current generations' failures to keep up in science and math will be our undoing if we don't fix it.
The 'old school' approach to education wasn't so bad was it? How are all those new enlightened approaches to education the past 30 years working out for us by comparison? Maybe it's time to go back to the basics in teaching, local control and parental responsibility to ensure our kids become educated?
http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/07/6805662-ultimate-space-portrait-unveiled
While a variety of countries contributed significantly to it, it was American exceptionalism that made it even possible. Much credit goes to the Baby Boomer generation that is much maligned for a lot of reasons. Look what their sense of personal responsibility, can-do spirit and work ethic accomplished. Those were the engines behind a lot of American achievements in the second half of the last century.
There couldn't be clearer proof that science and math matter! Just as that generation's exceptionalism resulted in uprecedented accomplishments, including unparelleled economic growth, the current generations' failures to keep up in science and math will be our undoing if we don't fix it.
The 'old school' approach to education wasn't so bad was it? How are all those new enlightened approaches to education the past 30 years working out for us by comparison? Maybe it's time to go back to the basics in teaching, local control and parental responsibility to ensure our kids become educated?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
We Stand At The Brink
This says everything I would, only better. Nuff said!
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/268339/citizenship-and-memory-amy-kass
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/268339/citizenship-and-memory-amy-kass
Saturday, March 12, 2011
America Is Willing And Able ... As Usual
America, the evil empire to many on this planet, including to many in America(!), will once again do what it does better than any country. Japan needs our help and they will get it. Without condition and in full measure. It will be accomplished with resolve, compassion and sacrifice. Freely. Unconditionally. We'll go in full-force, help as needed to rescue and restore. Then we'll leave.
People around the world and in America would be well-advised to consider the consequences of America's demise or even submission to the will (political and otherwise) of other countries. If (when?) we're reduced to be just like Europe (or worse) and other 'developed' nations, we won't be able to project aid and comfort to the extent needed when real disaster happens.
Yes, America's exceptionalism has some drawbacks on this globe but only one country has the will and ability to unconditionally(!) provide the exceptional help needed in such a situation to the extent needed. Losing that would come at a significant price don't you think?
People around the world and in America would be well-advised to consider the consequences of America's demise or even submission to the will (political and otherwise) of other countries. If (when?) we're reduced to be just like Europe (or worse) and other 'developed' nations, we won't be able to project aid and comfort to the extent needed when real disaster happens.
Yes, America's exceptionalism has some drawbacks on this globe but only one country has the will and ability to unconditionally(!) provide the exceptional help needed in such a situation to the extent needed. Losing that would come at a significant price don't you think?
Friday, March 11, 2011
The US Attorney General Said Last Year(!) That It Keeps Him Up At Night! So What's So Wrong About Looking Into It? DUH!
Attorney General Holder said last year "The [terrorist] threat has changed from simply worrying about foreigners coming here, to worrying about people in the United States, American citizens". Check out this article on the subject:
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/261921/peter-king-s-important-service-rich-lowry
Since ALL the terrorists who have used or attempted to use mass destruction to kill quantities of innocent Americans this century have been muslims who became radicalized, doesn't that constitute enough evidence of a problem that's serious enough to deserve looking into by the people who are constitutionally charged with the responsibility to ensure our safety and secuity?
Stop with the PC nonsense about this. Give this congressional investigation an opportunity to TRY looking into it. There is NO EVIDENCE OR WORDS FROM THAT COMMITTEE whatsoever that they're going to support, much less allow religious discrimination to affect their work. There is, therefore, NO justification for shutting them down before they start! Sure, if it happens we must reign them it. But until there's reason to believe they're doing that, LET THEM DO THEIR JOB of ensuring our safety and security.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/261921/peter-king-s-important-service-rich-lowry
Since ALL the terrorists who have used or attempted to use mass destruction to kill quantities of innocent Americans this century have been muslims who became radicalized, doesn't that constitute enough evidence of a problem that's serious enough to deserve looking into by the people who are constitutionally charged with the responsibility to ensure our safety and secuity?
Stop with the PC nonsense about this. Give this congressional investigation an opportunity to TRY looking into it. There is NO EVIDENCE OR WORDS FROM THAT COMMITTEE whatsoever that they're going to support, much less allow religious discrimination to affect their work. There is, therefore, NO justification for shutting them down before they start! Sure, if it happens we must reign them it. But until there's reason to believe they're doing that, LET THEM DO THEIR JOB of ensuring our safety and security.
Friday, April 17, 2009
TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party - Roseburg OR 04/15/09
Isn't America great? These are freedom-loving, average, every day Americans exercising their Constitutional right to peacefully assemble and speak their minds about government actions with which they disagree.
Speaker Pelosi said(!) she thinks rich elitists are behind this and many on the left think this is Fox Broadcasting's doing. Fact is, it's about as grass-roots as it gets. In fact, many Democrats participated out of concern for excessive government control and spending. Mostly however, comments and reactions by critics attest to their disdain for (and fear of?) conservatives in our country who comprise a very large minority.
Homeland Security Chief Napolitano has even alerted law enforcement officials across the country to keep an eye on us and on other 'radicals' who are potential domestic terrorist threats such as people with conservative bumper stickers and military veterans. It's ironic that veterans are on their watch list since we served to protect them and their beliefs.
While insincere (and fake because they don't believe them) apologies are forthcoming about their reactions to the TEA Parties and conservative activities, we must understand that their initial words and actions illustrate their TRUE feelings and inclinations toward these beliefs and activities. They've always vociferously protected and claimed protection for people peacefully expressing views they agree with so what they're doing is at least hypocritical and unfair. It also flies in the face of Constitutional principles AND protections for ALL Americans, including conservatives.
There's something very worrisome going on in our country when Homeland Security starts worrying this much about trouble we conservatives and veterans might cause. It attests to the rationality and logic behind the 1st, 2nd and 10th amendments don't you think? It also attests to the wisdom and vision of our founding fathers in attempting to establish a balance of powers among political parties and between branches of government. That balance is clearly under assault and in danger of being lost in legislation and judicial edicts directed toward fake 'fairness' (ie, actually only serving their own beliefs, agendas and political priorities).
Clearly the founding fathers understood the danger of ANY one political party controlling too much of government. They understood (as evidenced in the Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence and Constitution) it's historically true that, without checks and balances, self-interest, self-preservation and paranoia kick in at some point and one party begins restricting the activities of the other using political, social, judicial, and law enforcement tools at their disposal or of their creation. What's happening should alarm all freedom-loving citizens because it could just as easily happen to anyone no matter their political affiliation.
The people leading our government institutions have somehow come to forget they're required to serve the Constitution and the will of The People. We do not exist to ensure their security. These new corrupt attitudes have been growing in both major parties for a couple of decades but now one party has enough control to actually lead the country in a new direction away from Constitutional principles, away from true freedom. America was formed to be a Republic, no question whatsoever. We are clearly moving in a strongly socialist, arguably marxist direction. We ignore the signs and trends at great risk to our Republic, at great risk to true freedom.
The TEA Parties grew out of concerns like those above among true freedom-loving Americans who believe and embrace the principles expressed by our founding fathers in our foundational laws and documents. We need to think outside our political boxes to understand the danger in order to right the ship we call America.
Fact is we are losing our representative form of government. Not only do Republican representatives get completely shut out of the legislative and executive processes, our so-called elected representatives in either party don't read and reasonably debate legislation. That means, in effect, that there's no assurance whatsoever that legislation represents ANY American. How can there be if they don't even read, much less understand what they sign? In their arrogance they no longer believe they work for us. Constitutionally, we don't serve their political whims or those of special interests, they serve our will. They are supposed to protect our security and freedom, then get out of our way! Instead government has grown into a self-serving behemoth that consumes some 45% of all jobs in the country. They show mind-boggling disdain for and disrespect of citizens. Indeed they disrespect our founding documents and laws. This is a fundamental failure of those we've been electing in both parties, increasing relentlessly and significantly over the past couple of decades.
How many times do we have to hear "we won so we get to do it our way" before we realize this is UNrepresentative government and is strongly anti-Republic, not just anti-Republican? NO American, Republican or Democrat, should be okay with this total usurpation of power. It flies in the face of the Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence and Constitution as well as all principles behind them.
As messy as our two-party system can be it'll be far worse for our Republic to become a one-party system as is currently in process. It is not a road we should travel if we value freedom and want to remain the free, prosperous, generous, peaceful, and strong country we are today.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
God Bless The USA!
A genuinely momentus day in our history today as an African-American, Barack Obama, is sworn in as president! We pray for a new spirit of cooperation, mutual respect and responsibility throughout our country that focuses not on divisive attitudes but on resolving the problems we face with courage and resolve in God's good grace.
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