Strength of Character

I'm a little late to comment on the course of events here (being that they are pretty much done and now in the past); but I can't let this pass without saying one thing: I am PROUD to have our Miss California be Carrie Prejean.

Why? Sure, part of it is because I do align myself with her viewpoint expressed in the Miss America pageant. The big part of it, however, is that she has enough strength to stand up the next day and NOT back away from her statement.

So many people will give their opinion and then quickly retract it because it created waves. Not Miss Prejean. Nope! She stood up there, gave her opinion (which is what Mr. Hilton asked of her) and the next day said she was not sorry about her answer. That's the way she feels about it and she wouldn't change a thing!

More people need to be like her. More people need to stand by their statements. I am sick of politicians, celebrities, and many others "apologizing" for saying what they truly believe. I'm even okay if what they truly believe or feel is the complete opposite of my opinion. Just stand by your statement! I'll respect you for that.

Stop worrying about what other people think. It's a sign of weakness. Miss California showed nothing but strength in this entire debacle. I'm proud of her! I am proud that she represents my state...gotta be proud of something around here; this seems to be all we have to hold onto for now; at least until next Tuesday's vote!

Sliding down the slippery slope

Have you heard about this story? Sure, it isn't happening hear in the USA, but it potentially could and it's scary!

A couple in Britain has screened her embryos used for IVF for the gene for breast cancer and only implanted those that did not carry that gene. So, a life isn't valuable if there is a chance that you might grow up and develop cancer?

Sure, the intention is there, but what happens to the life that screens as positive for the gene for cancer?

We create all this life and just toss it out so haphazardly. Does it really mean nothing? We want to create embryos to be used in stem cell research...oh wait, no we just want to use the embryos that aren't going to be used. But why have we created all this life to begin with?

This is a very slippery slope that we have come to; it will so very quickly slide into deciding which embryos are worthy to have come to term and which we will just nonchalantly toss out. Where will it end?

I understand the desire to want to have your own children; I understand that people will go to all lengths to give birth to their very own. In the meantime, children are being moved from one foster home to the next because they don't have a place to call home. If it's truly about creating a family, a place full of love and warmth, there are too many children that need to be adopted and cared for.

We need to put a stop to the practice of screening embryos and tossing the ones we don't like; because that's what's really happening.

Time for Choosing

This speech for the Goldwater campaign is considered by some to be the speech that launched president Reagan's career. If you're as young as I am, you might not have gotten a chance to hear it for yourself.

I recommend giving it a watch. It's only 4:15 long.



Below are some of my favorite quotes. You're better off watching him say it the way he says it, though, and not reading the words here.

Well, perhaps there is a simple answer -- not an easy answer -- but simple: If you and I have the courage to tell our elected officials that we want our national policy based on what we know in our hearts is morally right.

Admittedly, there's a risk in any course we follow other than this, but every lesson of history tells us that the greater risk lies in appeasement, and this is the specter our well-meaning liberal friends refuse to face -- that their policy of accommodation is appeasement, and it gives no choice between peace and war, only between fight or surrender.

You and I have the courage to say to our enemies, "There is a price we will not pay." "There is a point beyond which they must not advance." And this -- this is the meaning in the phrase of Barry Goldwater's "peace through strength." Winston Churchill said, "The destiny of man is not measured by material computations. When great forces are on the move in the world, we learn we're spirits -- not animals." And he said, "There's something going on in time and space, and beyond time and space, which, whether we like it or not, spells duty." You and I have a rendezvous with destiny.

Thanks to the Holcombe's for posting the transcript.

Murder Rates

I found this piece of information from a fact-check organization interesting.

The counties that voted for Al Gore in 2000 were separated from the counties that voted for George Bush in the same election. The murder rates for these counties were aggregated and it came out to this in this:

Gore counties: 6.5 murders per 100,000 people.
Bush counties: 4.1 murders per 100,000 people.

Spread the Love

Did you know that today was "Day without a Gay"? Yeah, it hasn't gotten much publicity.

When I first heard about this, my first thought was, "huh? Why?" I mean, do they think they want to impact the economy like the illegals did a few years ago? And really, how does that help their message?

The illegals message was supposed to be, "You want to send us away but look at how it would hurt you." Well, I think we know how well that DIDN'T work for them. Seriously, that just showed us who were the illegals and, many people that I know, cut them loose; people hired legal workers to do their gardening and nannying. It worked out well for us in the end.

So, how exactly are "gay rights" related to the economy? And really, are they missing out on any rights? A gay couple can support each other on their insurance, they can open joint checking accounts, they can live together as a couple. No one is stopping them from doing anything other than getting married.

Oh, but wait, marriage is actually a religious act that most religions don't support them participating in. The only right they DON'T have is to infringe upon our religious beliefs. No one is stopping them from living as a united couple or family. Heck, they can even adopt children and get pregnant any way they choose.

What's this "Day without a gay" really about? Well, I looked it up (they have their own website). This day is: "A day without gays would be tragic because it would be a day without love" This day is about having a day without love!

Well, since I'm not really feeling the love from a gay right now, I guess I'm not too worried. Besides, if you continue to read it says:

"On December 10, you are encouraged not to call in sick to work. You are encouraged to call in "gay"--and donate your time to service!"

Hm, so they ARE going to be spreading the love...to all sorts of non-profit organizations that, especially at this time of year, could really use the help. Maybe my agency will be getting some much needed volunteers.

Yeah, I think this is going to work out for them just as much as a day without an illegal worked for the illegals. What do you think?

Smell the Tourists

Harry Reid has been trying to motivate the building of the Capitol Visitor Center by telling the news media how much they have to smell the tourists in the summer.



How much sympathy should our lawmakers get for having to 'smell the tourists'? Can it be any more clear that the Democrats look down on the common man?

Personality Cult

One of the most difficult things about Obama's victory over McCain is reading these ridiculous puff pieces about him in the headlines. Time magazine has been doing this for more than two years (it's actually why I canceled my subscription).

Look at this headline from the AP (as Rush calls them, the APO -Associated Press Obama). The headline is Obama staff combines DC minds with Chicago roots.

George W. Bush was continually attacked for the Texas members of his staff (who I happen to like a lot, especially Karen Hughes, Rove, and Harriet Myers). For Obama the Chicago politicans are part of an advanced hybrid staff -or so we are spoon fed to believe.

Don't forget those AP articles comparing Obama to other great presidents who came to power 'during a time of crisis'. Foolishly I clicked on the link to read about how Roosevelt and Licoln came to power during a time of crisis, and so is Obama. (By the way, Obama is the next Roosevelt and Lincoln -just take our overeducated opinion for it).

I also read a disturbing piece this weekend saying Obama is 'obviously a student of Lincoln' for putting his former opponents on his staff (unlike the evil, Republican Nixon who would never do that). He is always compared to the most well-remembered of our presidents.

Don't forget the Washington Post has openly admitted it's bias towards Obama (See here). And two studies have shown more anti-McCain headlines than anti-Obama ads among the major news carriers (Fox News was determined to be 50/50 by Rueters or the AP, I forget which).

And now there is effort to have Obama's birthday recognized as a national holiday. They already have a President's day, but Obama deserves his own because his presidency (which hasn't started yet, and, by the way, he hasn't passed any legislation that anyone can remember) is the greatest in history.

Don't be surprised if Mr. Obama gets his face on Mount Rushmore before the inauguration.

(Comics by Pat Oliphant).

Separation of Church & State

I do believe there is major confusion in Separation of Church and State. I truly believe a small faction is using it to get what they want, the wiping out of God from our country. What scares me is with our over zealousness to be politically correct or better yet our pluralistic society is allowing small groups to control the majority.

To go back in history the reasoning behind Separation of Church and State was really quite simple. Many settlers came from places of religious persecution and they did not want this to happen again. They just wanted the right to worship as they saw fit.
Now, it seems we are not allowed to worship. We have to be careful about where we pray and how we use God's name.
Here is what cracks me up, no I guess it frustrates me more, why are Atheist so afraid of prayers and using God's name? Other religions(Hindu's, Muslims etc..) don't seem to have a problem, you know why? because they understand faith and belief. In addition, they would not want the persecution against them and they do not feel threatened.
But again, if Atheist do not believe, why are they threatened? or even offended? Really, what is bad about the Ten Commandments in a judges chambers? Are they offensive? Are they promoting harm? I mean really, Atheist love to argue logic. Where is the logic in removing the Ten Commandments? Or a manger? How is it offensive? Or how does if 'force' someone to believe? Faith is personal and just walking by a manger can't possibly be a traumatic experience? Placing, "In God we Trust" on money, how is that offensive if you don't believe? You just don't believe. O.K. W
hy if the majority does have faith do we have to 'wipe' out our signs of belief. We live in a Republic, were we vote and the majority wins. We agree to Tolerate each others opinions, beliefs and so on BUT the majority gets to win, and as long as the majority is not doing anything detrimental or harmful to the minority then, oh well!! And what is sad for years the majority did rotten things that should have been stopped but mangers and ten commandments, and bibles, really, this is getting outrageous. I would dare say, the Atheist are not being Tolerant to the majority!

Once again, still not understanding how they can claim the above stuff is harmful, detrimental, or abusive. Matter of fact, I would argue religion teaches community living and well being, and that is not just Christian religions that teach those values.
Therefore, if Atheist claim they use logic, I don't know, I think the logic is off. C'mon if you don't want to say God in the Anthem then don't, but what hearing it 'offends you'? This is the state cramming a Religion or Church down your throat? Really, stretching a bit thin, aren't you?

Lastly and most important Separation of Church and State really just meant the government was not to enforce A Religion on it's people. I have yet to see the United States do this and the majority better start speaking up or God is going to BLACKED out of all of our historical documents for a small faction of people.
Once again, this is not a new argument for our country. Our framers struggled with the concept of balancing, democratic, republic and even pluralistic ideals. How do we handle small factions and tolerance. Right now, looks like we are bending over and taking it in the a _ _. As a Catholic I am over it. I heard a Reverend from a Methodist Church say it nicely "God does not need America, America needs God and we better start remembering that when we vote." I could not agree more, or as a Christian would say AMEN!

American Happiness

This article from Investor's Business Daily spills the beans about how happy Americans really are.

Which is a lot happier than Europe.

The media keeps talking about how great all the regulations are in socialist Europe, along with the health care (where people are pulling their own teeth out), etc.

And it's all lies.

Americans are happier here because more people here know Jesus.

And we have less government to deal with.