May 2010

Will We be Worthy of Our American Legacy or the Scorn of the Ages?

by Doug on May 30, 2010 · 1 comment

in Freedom

Ronald Reagan reminded us,

“We didn’t pass (freedom) to our children in the bloodstream~It must be fought for, protected & handed on for them to do the same”

Liberty is a stewardship, a sacred birthright from our ancestors. We are obliged to nurture and; protect it and; pass it intact to our posterity.  Should this generation of Americans allow ease, ignorance, fear or ANYTHING to rob our posterity of the freedoms our ancestors sacrificed so much to pass on to us, we will deserve the scorn of the ages we will receive.

Memorial Day is a time to pause and reflect on the liberty that gives us life.  A time to give thanks for our liberty and express our gratitude to those who have personally sacrificed so much to win it and protect and preserve it for us.

Mohandas Gandhi Observed:

“Freedom is never dear at any price. It is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living?”

How does one place a value on liberty?  I suppose one way that would win the approval of those who determine Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) would be to total up the cost.  What has been been spent to acquire and maintain our freedoms to date?

As I contemplate this, my mind rebels at the concept.  The value of the blood that has been spilled in the wars and conflicts since colonial times alone is beyond all comprehension. Add to that the lives that have been muted by grievous physical and mental injuries, the lifetimes of opportunities and happiness that were laid upon the altar of our freedoms.  Think of the mothers and wives that sent their sons and husbands off to war and the overwhelming hardships they must have faced as they struggled to keep the home fires burning, the children fed,clothed and educated and the wartime economy going without the help and support of their partner.  What about the lonely, tear filled nights and barren, exhausting, fright filled days?  Imagine the children who spent fearful months, even years praying for daddy to return, and those who never saw their father again.

Think of the “wretched refuse” of foreign shores, the human beings in whom the hunger for freedom became so fierce that they were willing to leave all that was familiar, all those that they loved, and trade it for the great unknown as they crossed rivers and oceans and risked their very lives to reach this land of hope and freedom.  If you live here, in the USA, you or someone somewhere in your ancestral past summoned the courage to sacrifice the known and take up the hardships and risks of the journey into the unknown for the hope of freedom for themselves and their posterity (that would be you).

Our country’s greatest danger is the complacency of us, its citizens.  We are lost when we begin to take our freedoms for granted.  This:

  • Allows us to believe lying politicians even after they have proven over and over that they cannot be trusted
  • Causes us to vote based on sound bytes and empty promises that confirm what what we wish to be true
  • Anesthetizes our sense of danger so that we fail to recognize erosion of our liberties
  • Prevents our recognition of seemingly justified growth in government power as preparation and positioning by scheming, power drunk politicians to ultimately relieve us of our freedoms
  • instills us with a false sense of security and well being.   Like the proverbial frog-in-a-pot we enjoy the pleasant water until it is too late and we are frog soup

We pray that every American will contemplate our priceless freedom and the unfathomable sacrifices of our fore bearers that make it possible.  That we will treasure our liberties and refuse to take them for granted.  That we will employ a healthy skepticism of all who would lead us and show zero tolerance for government increasing its power over our lives.

Political Correctness Has Finally Turned to Eat Us

by Doug on May 29, 2010

in Uncategorized

The Obama White House has now asked us to be sensitive to the sensibilities of those who wish to murder us and to refrain from referring to the jihadist brand of terrorists as… well, as… jihadists.

This happened in the form of White House Counter Terrorism Adviser, John Brennan’s, recent speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In his speech, Brennan called jihad a “legitimate tenet of Islam” and seemed to suggest we adopt a whole new vocabulary to deal with what we now insensitively call terrorists and jihadists.

I used to make tasteless jokes about the absurdity of political correctness like everyone else. I stopped a while back when it stopped being funny and was just absurd. Under the guidance of Obama it has now become scary. Now, in addition to some mighty good folks that I really do want to be careful not to hurt or offend, we have added wild eyed terrorists that are determined to blow us off the face of the earth or into total submission.

As far as I know, the only major group of terrorists committed to our collective untimely and nasty demise, rely on their religious beliefs as justification for their crimes of hate. They all seem to be Islamists who are pursuing what has become known as “Jihad” against people like me and possibly you. We have commonly referred to them as “Jihadists” and as far as I know those who practice this extreme interpretation of the Muslim faith consider it a badge of honor to be labeled “Jihadist”. I seem to recall that the term Jihad came to my attention via the scriptures of Islam, as well as some excitement years ago about Islamic religious leaders placing a fatwah (I love that term, I wish it didn’t have such a dark meaning. It is kinda fun to say) that somehow seemed to take in all Americans regardless of their character, gender, age, religion or political and/or social media affiliation. I think it a actually includes card carrying American democrats.

Yeah, I know. You think I am exaggerating.  Read the following Fox news article if you don’t believe me.  Be sure to note the look on Brennan’s face.  To me he looks like he is embarrassed but determined to deliver the message prescribed by the boss.

Counterterror Adviser Defends Jihad as ‘Legitimate Tenet of Islam’

Let’s Kick That Dog!

by Doug on May 28, 2010

in News

What is important here is to make sure this dog knows it at fault and has done wrong.  In fact, let’s allow the damages to pile up to where there cannot be adequate recompense.  The people of the state of Louisiana did not suffer enough economically or emotionally with Katrina.  Let’s watch as their suffering multiplies and the damage to the state and its citizens becomes permanent. (OK, I realize that sarcasm is the lowest form of humor but sometimes I can’t help myself…)  The Bush administration appeared to have this attitude regarding Katrina and it cost them dearly (as it should have).  That is certainly when my confidence waned.  Are we witnessing a repeat of history?

BP is a huge company with tremendous resources at its command. It is a citizen of the world and has a long established track record of operating responsibly around the globe. But that is NOT the point. The US cannot rely on BP or any company of any size or of any nationality to protect our shores. No company anywhere in the world has resources that can even be compared to those of the US government.

It is the responsibility of our government to protect our homeland from all hazards. Federal government responsibility begins with reasonable regulation and inspection of operations that pose a potential hazard and extends to taking charge when a threat materializes, employing the virtually unending resources “We The People” provide to the government for our protection and the protection of our homeland. Why is this so difficult for Mr Obama and his administration to see? Evidently he views these resources as his personal playground to enrich his personal causes and reward those who are the source of his power. Our government has NEVER been so riddled with corruption, waste and political pork as it currently is.

This unprecedented oil spill disaster called for fast, decisive and effective action.  First fix the problem, then fix the blame.  The US Government should have assumed command when things first went awry in the Gulf of Mexico and employed all of its resources to end this disaster post haste and mitigate the damages it has inflicted on our land and people.   Then, present BP with the bill as deemed appropriate.

Instead our government sits back with is self righteous arms folded, scolding BP and pointing fingers to shift the blame then relies on a mere corporation to do the job for which the federal government was created by “We The People”.  Instead of contributing to the solution they have thrown bureaucratic roadblocks in the way of the sovereign state of Louisiana in their attempt to take the initiative and save their wetlands themselves. Good grief!

Now BP is demonized by the Obama administration and their puppy dog “mainstream media”. Their collective fingers point across the Atlantic trying to divert our attention from their malfeasance. We are NOT deceived. BP has behaved responsibly and its stockholders have paid a dear price for this tragedy. The enterprise value of the company has declined $70 Billion since the accident! Obama spills that much of our money on the ground as he fills the tanks of his fan club each week.

Don’t want this “crisis to go to waste”
The Obama administration is suspending proposed exploratory drilling in the Arctic Ocean

McCarthy: Obama hasn’t returned call of lawmaker representing district of rig