Pacifically Speaking

Stumbling Into Grace by Lisa Harper

2011-10-09T16:22:00.000-04:00

Aw, but aren’t we all spiritually clumsy? If we were honest with ourselves and others, we would admit that our lives are full of trips and fall…literally and figuratively. And, if we were to be authentic, we would understand what Lisa Harper’s Stumbling Into Grace is all about – forgiveness in spite of flaws. Perhaps maybe if we spent more time acknowledging our own flaws it might be easier to forgive the imperfections of others. Lisa’s book talks about how we sometimes get lost in our own chaos of emotions that we often forget to extend the very same grace we expect from others. One of the very best gifts that I ever received was from a dear friend in one of my darkest hours and it came in the package of nine little words “I don’t want you to feel like an island.” What words of comfort and grace. But just as grace is extended to us, Stumbling Into Grace explains, our grace must also be extended even when we think as I and Lisa have, “he could be so difficult that I wasn’t sure grace was big enough to include him.” God’s grace is big enough!

Women of Faith ~ Imagine

2011-08-23T22:01:00.002-04:00

What an amazing experience! Though I have attended other Women of Faith events, this one by far was my favorite. Surprisingly it wasn’t because of the powerful testimonies or the inspiring music on stage. Rather I found myself equally encouraged by the event participants’ behavior off stage. Each one intently watched the other as if it were the first time they were hearing each other’s testimony. The musician’s were no different. As I peered across the stage, I noticed the other performers and event organizers on their feet singing along and dancing. As a matter of fact, Mandisa was not slotted for the event, but showed up the second day as a spectator just to praise and worship. That showed me that she believed in the Women of Faith purpose. I was truly touched by the authentic fellowship that I witnessed among the event participants and organizers. Additionally, I was able to enjoy this event with one of my dearest friends. We had a blast just hanging out and worshiping together. Thank you Women of Faith and Book Sneeze for a wonderful weekend!

Women of Faith Fall 2011

2011-07-19T16:08:00.002-04:00

I am thrilled that I have been selected by Book Sneeze as a blogger for the Women of Faith event in Indianapolis, Indiana August 19-20. I have previous Women of Faith events held my local area and always leave inspired and encouraged. A big thank you to Women of Faith and Book Sneeze for allowing me this opportunity! I look forward to another great conference. Praise God!

2011-07-19T16:07:00.000-04:00

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

2011-04-22T17:48:00.000-04:00

By far The Final Summit was not my favorite book by Andy Andrews. Typically, Andy’s books pull the reader in right from the first page; however, I found this book slow until I was midway through the book. Andy Andrews is my favorite author, but I found myself sadly disappointed with The Final Summit. Much of the book appeared to be a review of his others books. He seemed to incorporate nuggets of material from The Noticer and The Traveler’s Gift, yet the other material left me longing for something else. It was a good read especially if you have not read any of his other books. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. Having said all of that, as usual Andy Andrew’s The Final Summit still expressed great life lessons that his books have come to be known for…just not at the same level as his other books. I am still a fan and anxiously await his next release.

The Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley

2011-03-06T17:03:00.000-05:00

The principle of the path simply put is to select the right one. As Andy Stanley points out in his new book, The Principle of the Path, life is about a series of proverbial forks-in-the-road. Which direction will you head? How do you determine if you are on the right path? Look at your past. “What is so obvious to those watching, often escapes us.” Each choice made is another step on the path of life and “direction determines destination.” Is there a discrepancy between what you desire in your heart and what you are doing with your life? The answer will reveal if you are on the right path. “Intentions are of little consequence, direction is everything.” We need to carefully analyze the path options offered in life and not simply take the path of least resistance. If you are inclined to always be right, your decision making ability will always be limited. “Choosing the right path begins with submission.” Take note that happiness now and happiness later may point in totally different directions. As Andy Stanley depicts in his book, God will make the best path obvious, if we trust will all our hearts, refuse to lean on our limited understanding, and submit every aspect of our lives to Him.

The Power-Based Life by Mike Flynt

2011-02-23T21:49:00.000-05:00

If you want to have a “Power-Based” life, you are going to have to refine your focus. In The Power-Based Life by Mike Flynt, he walks the reader through his life experience in discovering his Power Base. If you are looking for an easy step-by-step process, this book is not for you. The Power-Based Life requires delayed gratification, self-discipline, hard work, and humility. You must be coachable and apply the basic fundamentals of the playbook… and you can be successful in nearly anything. What playbook you ask? Mike Flynt explains the playbook and its significance to the power-based life. The history, the heritage, and the wisdom written by the greatest coach ever. We must fight the temptation to allow “life’s luxuries to water down our resolve to achieve something special.” We must realize “no failure is final; nothing is ever wasted.” We need to “invest in suffering” so that we can “receive dividends of our new strength and better understanding.” The power-based life is all about “the intensity of your focus…knowing exactly what is essential and what isn’t…prioritizing the essential things…and dropping the nonessentials to the bottom of the list.”

The Prophecy Answer Book by Dr. David Jeremiah

2010-10-07T21:31:00.000-04:00

I found The Prophecy Answer Book by David Jeremiah to be a very easy read. It made for quick reference to typical prophecy questions. The “Q & A” format simplifies the search process. However, some of the material was so condensed that the answers did not seem complete. That is the problem with pocket book versions. If you are looking for a simple quick prophecy answer book, this one will suffice. I wish Dr. David Jeremiah would have elaborated more on the material regarding Islam. On the flip side, The Prophecy Answer Book addressed the questions about the United States future better than any other book I have read on prophecy. This condensed book is convenient to carry and provides quality explanations in lay terms. Overall, a good read without delving too heavily into theology.

The Heart Mender

2010-06-08T15:46:00.000-04:00

The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews is a perfect portrayal of the battle between bitterness and forgiveness. What happens when these two forces meet head to head? Which one wins out? This riveting story kept me flipping pages until I discovered the answer. Once again, I was not disappointed with the trip down history lane or the roller coaster ride of emotions I have come to expect from this author. I love the way Andy Andrews intertwines life lessons into his stories and challenges his readers to grow. This is a sweet story of love overcoming life’s circumstances and learning to forgive those you believe to be responsible for your pain. The Heart Mender offers something for every reader, suspense, romance, action, and comedy. Whatever your reading preference, this book provides! Another great book by Andy Andrews.

How to Reach Your Full Potential for God

2010-03-22T19:19:00.000-04:00

How to Reach Your Full Potential for God by Charles Stanley is an example of what you can achieve if you relinquish your life to the power of God. This book discusses what Christians can accomplish if they are sold out to God and seek His will. Dr. Stanley explains the potential of spiritual gifts, how to identify them, and stumbling blocks that may prevent them from coming to fruition. A lack of understanding about your spiritual gift can reflect a disconnection with God. This book challenged me to examine my relationship with the Lord. Dr. Stanley points out that a “cloudy relationship” with God, can be an obstacle in discovering my spiritual gift. This book encouraged me to seek intimacy with my Savior and to place my focus on seeking His will. At the right time in that relationship, my spiritual gift will be revealed to me on His terms. Dr. Stanley’s book inspires Christians to take a closer walk with the Lord and to reside with Him, not visit.

The Power of Respect by Deborah Norville

2010-01-02T22:12:00.001-05:00

What a refreshing book about accountability. I mean really, how much does it cost to just be polite? Respect is simply being polite to others. The Power of Respect by Deborah Norville centers in on our culture’s misguided notion that we are only responsible to be nice to ourselves. Ms. Norville does a great job of showing it truly pays to be respectful. Every day in our society we see the degradation of mutual respect, whether it be in the service industry, schools, or public service. This book provides actual examples of how a simple kind gesture can impact leaders, educators, and students and permeate through communities. The Power of Respect reveals that each and every person is accountable for his or her own choices. The secret to earning respect is being accountable. As revealed in this book, respect comes via accountability which is achieved through self-sacrifice. A lot less of me plus a little more of you equals RESPECT! This is a very simple formula for success which Ms. Norville lays out precisely in this book. This should be required reading material for employees by employers everywhere.

Christianity in Crisis 21st Century by Hank Hanegraaff

2009-04-29T08:59:00.002-04:00

Christianity in Crisis 21st Century by Hank Hanegraaff is chalked full of information to help you discern between leaders who teach The Word and false teachers. My eyes were opened to the subtle way that I was being misled by certain Faith Movement leaders. The author’s presentation of facts, sermon, scripture, and analysis, revealed the pitfalls of these false teachers. I was already cautious of the prosperity preachers; however, I enjoyed the Faith Movement messages and did not recognize the potential harm. I think this is good reference material, but felt that the first few chapters were unnecessarily repetitive which made the book a struggle to read. Overall, I think the information contained in this book is pertinent to our time, I just wish the author would have condensed the content by reducing the repetition.

The Noticer by Andy Andrews

2009-04-26T21:48:00.000-04:00

Aw… such a refreshing book for our time. The Noticer by Andy Andrews provides much needed insight during these troubling times. Friendship, unconditional love, personal choice, and accountability are the main themes of this story, with a little different ‘perspective’ of course. This book leaves you longing for a Jones of your own, but if you listen carefully, you will realize that everyone has access to Him. I believe many psychologists would be without a practice and other services would become obsolete if this book was to be read by enough people. If kept true to form, this would make a lovely idea for a truly inspirational movie with a desperately needed message. I have already read The Traveler’s Gift and am looking forward to reading The Lost Choice. Thank you to Mr. Andrews for the special gift and to Thomas Nelson Publishing for introducing me to an amazing author.

Start Small

2009-03-26T13:38:00.002-04:00

1. Educate ourselves on American History
2. Educate our family on American History
3. Pay attention and get involved in local government
4. Know our position, so we can communicate it effectively
5. Challenge any political report with own research to validate/disqualify

Book Review - Think & Make It Happen

2009-01-12T11:21:00.001-05:00

Think and Make It Happen, by Dr. Augusto Cury is a provoking discussion regarding the thoughts of human beings and the inner process of the mind. A step-by-step guide teaches the reader how to challenge, discern, and direct his or her thoughts. Additionally, Dr. Cury demonstrates the necessity for people to be responsible for his or her thoughts and actions qualifying the inherent need to be accountable, whether individually or society as a whole.

Dr. Cury delivers a fantastic insight into the personality of Jesus Christ. He breaks down Jesus’ character and applies it to the common person making the process of achieving the Christian-goal seem more attainable and less overwhelming. Jesus is exemplified as the ideal module for correct thinking. This is strictly a practical comparison and not a religious one.

The cover of the book implies that it is a self-help book yet in part it reads more like psychology reference material, at times confusing the reader with the stage/audience analogy. I would have preferred more details pertaining to the methods of progression for each case study.

Overall, I found Dr. Cury’s psychological and scientific approach to the human personality refreshing. Rarely anymore can you find a psychological professional willing to stand against the current and demand personal responsibility. He does not allow for the recently created victimology syndrome.

Political Bullying

2008-09-24T00:28:00.001-04:00

Is anyone else disturbed by the surge of hatred in this country? It is one thing to disagree on the issues and engage in an animated debate, but we have far exceeded those boundaries. Regardless of which side of the political fence you find yourself on, personal attacks should be denounced. This is childhood bullying run amuck! According to Webster’s Dictionary, the very essence of bullying means to treat abusively, to affect by means of force or coercion, to use browbeating language or behavior. Anyone notice this tactic in recent politics? What happened to the old adage, ‘we’ll have to agree to disagree’?

Maybe I am not striving to be included with the ‘in’ crowd. After all, the ‘in’ crowd from high school hailed smoking dope and hooking up as the requirements for fitting in. It certainly does not appear to have changed much with age. Ask yourself, isn’t Hollywood the epitome of the ‘popular’ czars of high school? The arrogant crowd that looks down their noses at those who do not have vats of money, as if, the amount of money you have somehow reflects your level of intelligence. Hollywood in and of itself debunks that theory.

I am all for spirited debates over the issues; however, if you fail to persuade me to agree with your point of view, that does not justify personal attacks. Personal attacks merely show a lack of maturity, wisdom, and class. We have people literally willing to kill others because they disagree with their political affiliations. How did we end up here? You buy into the man-made global warming hype? Great, but I do not. Does that authorize you to belittle me, threaten me, or attempt to force me to accept it? You believe it is a woman’s right to choose to terminate the life of a baby? Well, that is on you, but I believe the opportunity to choose came much earlier. We BOTH have the right to disagree, but neither have the right to harm one another because of our views.

The media portrays conservatives as bigoted, racist, sexist, greedy hate-mongerers. Talk radio accuses liberals of being lying, elite, opportunistic, irresponsible, hypocritical cheats. Guess what? Bigots, racists, sexist, greedy, hate-mongering, lying, elite, opportunistic, irresponsible, hypocritical cheats live on both sides of the aisle. It is our responsibility to weed those cancers out. Enough! I don’t want nor need one candidate to mis-educate me on another candidate. All I want and need is to hear what the candidate plans to do and once elected, simply do it!

As Americans it is time to step back and seriously consider the state of our country and its leaders. Why is it that the cart is leading the horse? And why does the cart reek of horse feces? We have settled back, gotten comfortable, and allowed politicians to tell us how we are going to be governed. Folks, the truth is that we employ them! All of them! Who will you hire/dismiss this November?

Why Gas Prices Are So High?

2008-05-23T21:37:00.001-04:00

Congress has spent a gross amount of tax dollars this past week with its dog and pony show of the 'Big Oil Execs'. This crucifixion is once again ill-advised and emotionally driven to please 'the people'. These CEO's DO NOT set the market price nor do they control it. Those who are responsible for the evil are the very ones conducting the crucifixion. Gas prices are so high because our Congress will not allow these CEO's to explore, refine, or produce additional or alternative supply . Instead they continue to make us more dependent on our enemies for a necessary resource and then question why the value of the American dollar is plummeting? Both exploration and development are prohibited due to the concern of 'environmental detriment' (i.e. global warming) regardless of the FACT that in the past year Earth has cooled 1 degree. Do you realize that is more than the .18 degree 'they' say we have increased over the past ten years? Who is behind this myth and whom do they control? Well, the puppet master is the media and the dancing monkeys are Congress. Everytime someone puts a coin in the hat, these circus animals dance like fools. I do not know about anyone else, but quite frankly I am tired of the carnival freak show in Washington! If you want to see a change, turn the media off and stop buying their pack of lies. We are constantly inundated by them with accusations that the American people are selfish, arrogant, intolerant, and evil. We are not! From Harlem to Bel Air and Detroit to Birmingham, Americans are good-natured people! We do not have to agree on every policy matter, but we certainly better all agree on at least one -- that one being that we are proud to be Americans because we are the exact opposite of what 'they' say we are. That is not arrogance, it is respect! Respect for every single person that has laid down their life and those that continue to do so in order that we may live free! Since when did freedom become a dirty word? Do you like your freedom? Do you want to keep your freedom? Then you better start exercising it before the muscle becomes too weak. Tell the haters to shut up by turning them off. Halt their power over OUR elected officials and let your voice be heard in place of theirs. America we have got to come together NOW, we can disagree over policy in the future, but right now we need to stand strong as ONE!

SCHOOL ATTACKS & HAMAATS [Part 2]

2007-10-04T11:10:00.000-04:00

A 2005 Homeland Security report predicts that ”the Muslims of the Americas will sponsor a major terrorist attack on American soil” and yet this terror organization remains to be placed on the official US Terror Watch List.

The Muslims of the Americas, Inc. demands members contribute thirty percent of their income to Gilani and they even have an assigned treasurer that checks members’ pay stubs. Additionally, members are forced to contribute seventy percent of their welfare checks. Other means of income are generated through criminal activities [i.e. bootlegging – videotapes, CDs, clothing].

So you ask what do the hamaats have to do with the school threats? Quite possibly nothing at all, but I highly doubt it. The terrorist do not pride themselves for conducting ingenious acts of violence. To the contrary, they pride themselves on carrying out exactly what they warned us they would do. Terrorists accomplish this task by constantly testing us to see if and where our guard is down. As described by John Giduck, former military and current law enforcement trainer, “Al-Qaeda’s like a shark. A shark doesn’t come right in and bite you. A shark swims in these big concentric circles around you, gathering intelligence. The circles get tighter and tighter and then all of a sudden the shark still doesn’t come up and bite you. The shark comes up and bumps you because the shark wants to see if you’re a threat or not… that’s the bump terrorists do to see can we get away with this. How are the Americans going to respond… and when they realize you’re not a threat, that’s when they come back in for the bite.”

There is rough speculation that cells of four operatives might simultaneously attack four different schools. Terrorists capable of this are already embedded in communities “all over America”. They may or may not be housed at one of the aforementioned hamaats. Virginia, California, and Georgia have several hamaats statewide and contain substantial rural areas. Tennessee and South Carolina could be likely targets as well due to their mass rural area. This is the part that they are not necessarily telling us, but in all likelihood are showing us. Are we paying attention?

So what can we do to protect our children? According to Lt. Col. Dave Grossman at an anti-terrorism conference, here are some precautions all schools should implement:

First and foremost, we MUST overcome denial that such an attack might occur.
Deter an attack with an armed police presence. A single armed officer in a school decreases the likelihood of an attack. However, Grossman warns, “Having unarmed security in or around schools is both pointless and ethically derelict. Don’t give someone responsibility for human lives and not give them the tools to do the job. You wouldn’t give a firefighter just a hat, uniform, and badge, and no hose or water.”
Other considerations may be authorizing teachers with concealed-carry permits under the Federal Safe Schools Act as Utah and New Hampshire have done.
Remain alert to suspicious, deceitful, and/or guilty behavior, but DO NOT limit suspicions to persons who fit the stereotypical terrorist profile.
At the first indication of trouble, adults and children should move away from violence to a pre-selected secure location.
Continue to move if threatened at that location.
Have an active, updated emergency plan involving first responders. Keep plans updated with annual crisis team meetings.
Practice drills with first responders and other community partners to make sure crisis plans work in a real emergency.
Conduct thorough [not minimal state law requirements] background checks for all school employees.
Provide police and fire officials with updated floor plans of the school.
Invite police to use school facilities after-hours or on weekends to train for active shooter and other tactical operations.
Teachers and support staff should be trained in crime prevention, security, and emergency preparedness.

Schools should be rehearsing anti-terrorist scenarios just as they conduct tornado and fire drills. How many children perish in a year at school due to a fire or tornado? The number pales in comparison to the number of children murdered in a school at the hands of a violent attacker.

Parents, you need to be discussing this new threat with your children. This is no different than when our parents had bomb drills at school during war. Prompt your children for areas they believe to be weaknesses and how they would improve security at their schools. Initiate conversations with school leaders to make sure they have active crisis plans and are practicing them on a regular basis. Finally, contact your Congressman and Senators’ offices and demand that our schools be included on the list of potential terror targets so that they are better covered in the Federal Homeland Security policy and funding.

This is not a call to panic, but rather a call to prepare. It is unlikely that we will be able to prevent every attack on our home front. However, if we take the time to be informed and prepared – we put the terrorist at a huge disadvantage. As long as the terrorists keep our country stirred up, distracted, and divided, we will be at their mercy. It is time to put political discourse aside and put our children first.

Thank you to the following sources for informing the public as our media will not.

www.wylandsmalley.com
www.cbn.com
www.canadafreepress.com
http://americansagainsthate.blogspot.com
www.worldnetdaily.com
www.killology.com
www.glennbeck.com

SCHOOL ATTACKS & HAMAATS [Part 1]

2007-10-04T10:59:00.000-04:00

I recently heard a report titled The Perfect Day concerning potential terrorist threats on American schools. Instead of taking the report at face value though validated by credible experts, I embarked on my own journey to substantiate the threat. What I discovered was not only dead on with The Perfect Day, but disturbingly old news. This threat has been bantered about since before 2006. Did you catch that? The threat to our children’s safety is well over a year old. And that is just the tip of the iceberg regarding what I learned in my research.

Perhaps it was the close proximity to September 11 that sparked my interest in The Perfect Day, or maybe it was simply that I have two small children in school. Regardless of the reason, I felt compelled to learn as much about the threat as I could through my limited means. What I found anyone can find for him or herself – it was no great feat. But, how many will take the time to investigate? Instead, many will simply hide his or herself under the blanket and hope the boogie man goes away.

Let’s review the facts:

Terrorist chatter is ramping up and signs point towards coordinated attacks on rural American schools.
Elementary schools and/or daycare facilities without police presence and in states without concealed carry laws are perpetrated due to being “soft targets” [lack of resistance and goals of unspeakable acts of violence].
A terrorist camp in Afghanistan was training Al-Qaeda members to invade schools while giving commands in English.
A diskette containing architect plans, blue prints, and Department of Education security measures for American schools were confiscated in Iraq.
Al-Qaeda plans discovered include how to surveil, invade, and hold schools hostage, but no exit strategy.
Terrorist attacks on schools have already occurred in Russia, Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq, Indonesia, and Thailand to the tune of over 500 attacks.
Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda leaders publicly profess to kill four million Americans, with two million of those being children.
In 2006 two Middle Eastern males dressed in trench coats boarded a school bus in Tampa, Florida and refused to exit.
An Arab male using falsified Social Security documents tried to gain employment as a school bus driver in New York.
Seventeen school busses stolen and still missing from Texas.
Hundreds of school bus communication devices stolen from the Pacific Northeast.
September 11, 2007 in Issaquah, WA, fire destroyed a school bus on state Route 900 near Interstate 90. Authorities stated the bus did not appear to belong to a school district. There was no one on board when the fire erupted. Witnesses said they saw the driver, a man, walk away from the bus. Investigators are looking for the man.
Terrorists are already embedded in American communities. As were in Beslan, Russia. Nearly half of the terrorist in the Beslan attack were embedded in the community, some even escaping following the siege to nearby homes of sympathizers. Volunteer stretcher bearers were also confirmed terrorist.

While plugging in one of my requests on the intranet, the search engine turned up another interesting report which appeared eerily coincidental. Apparently, there is a growing population of hamaats in the United States. These paramilitary compounds have sprung up nationwide. A conservative estimate projects more than 38 hamaats with members exceeding five thousand in the United States.

Located outside Hancock, New York near the Cannonsville Reservoir and Watershed Area is a guarded 70-acre hamaat named Islamberg. Islamberg is a sect of Muslims of the Americas Inc., a tax-exempt organization founded by Pakistani cleric Sheikh Mubarak Ali Gilani. Gilani has been under constant scrutiny for suspected terrorist ties since the early nineties. The Islamberg location is the North American Headquarters and houses hundreds of African American Muslims sporting vehicles with license plates from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Residents are employed as tollbooth operators for the New York State Thruway, utility workers in Finger Lakes, steel mill workers near Buffalo, and at credit card processing centers.

Another Gilani sponsored 50-acre compound is situated in Red House, Virginia with neighboring hamaats in Prince George County (25 acres), Campbell County (100+ acres), and Bedford County. Prior to September 11, 2001, poised at the gated entrance was an armed guard shack. Subsequently, the gate and guard shack were removed. However, visitors from Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan still frequent the complex.

Dover, Tennessee is home to another hamaat. This hamaat is strategically located right along a power line easement, TVA’s Cumberland Fossil Plant, and Fort Campbell Military base.

These compounds are popping up in almost every state nationwide. Is there one in your backyard? Here are some of the known locations:

Marion, Alabama
Augusta, Commerce, & Macon, Georgia
Talihina, Oklahoma
York County, South Carolina
Roanoke, Falls Church, Prince George County, Campbell County, & Bedford County, Virginia
Hyattsville, Maryland
Tulare County & Commerce, California
Onalaska, Washington
Sherman, Pennsylvania
Colorado
Michigan

To better understand the growing concern about these hamaats, first you need to know a bit more about the founder of them. Sheikh Mubarak Ali Gilani refers to himself as “The Sixth Sultan Ul Faqr” with supernatural powers and the ability to receive regular visits from non-human beings. In 1979, Gilani spawned the theory that he could “purify Islam through violence” by using poor African Americans from the inner cities of New York and New Jersey. This idea was conceived on the basis that Gilani was convinced that most African Americans harbored hatred for the United States. Thus, The National Islamic Prison Foundation was created. This group reports 150,000 Muslim conversions per year, resulting in over 40% of the American Muslim population being African Americans. Only 10% of the American Muslim population is actually of Arab decent.

In 1993, Gilani attended an international gathering of jihadis. In attendance was: Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, The Popular & Democratic Fronts for the Liberation of Palestine, and Osama Bin Laden. The film footage showed them ranting, “Down, down with the USA! Down, down with the CIA! Death to the Jews!”

What makes these Gilani hamaats of such great concern?

Located in sparsely populated rural areas.
Conveniently situated near significant infrastructure targets.
Receive routine deliveries by unmarked box-style trucks.
Armed sentry posts at entrance.
Frequent sounds of gunfire and explosions.
Windows to some of the homes have been semi-blocked with bricks.
Contain underground bunkers.
Military training areas equipped with ropes hanging from tall trees, wooden fences for scaling, make-shift obstacle courses, and firing ranges.
Neighboring residents complain of harassing behavior from the hamaat members such as, menacing looks or demands for passer-bys to “mind their own business.”
School bus with windows that appear to be blown out – from the inside out and the outside shell riddled with bullet holes.

Did you catch the last, perhaps most important detail? They are not only telling us what they are going to do, but they are showing us as well. Are you paying attention?

If you are not convinced yet, take a gander at the Muslims of Americas, Inc. affiliates:

Dignitaries from the Middle East
Numerous members convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, fire-bombings, gun-smuggling, and worker’s compensation fraud.
Leading suspects in ten unsolved assassinations and seventeen fire-bombings.
2004 Federal Investigation revealing evidence linking John Allen Muhammed, “DC Sniper”, and Richard Reid, “Shoe Bomber”, to the group.
Randall “Ismail” Royer, an American convert to Islam and former official of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) federally convicted for conspiring with a foreign terrorist group to engage in jihadist combat in foreign nations friendly to the United States.
Earnest James UJAAMA, a/k/a Bilal AHMED, (a Muslim convert born James Earnest Thompson) attempted to set up a hamaat near Bly, Oregon.
In 2001, member of a California hamaat charged with shooting a sheriff’s deputy and another member charged with gun-smuggling.
Twenty-four members of the Red House, VA hamaat convicted of firearms violations.
Members investigated for alleged terrorist acts including murder and arson in New York, Detroit, Philadelphia, Toronto, Denver, Los Angeles, and Tucson.
Associates were also instrumental in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.
August 2006--US Representative from Minnesota's 5th Congressional District Keith Ellison, a/k/a Keith Hakim, Keith X Ellison and Keith Ellison-Muhammad, appears at unpublicizied fundraiser with CAIR executive director and Hamas supporter Nihad Awad among other featured guests.
Gilani himself, at one time was in Pakistani custody for the abduction of American journalist Daniel Pearl.

To Believe or Not To Believe

2007-07-18T20:16:00.000-04:00

As headlines break, who do we believe? Breaking news reports that Congress [at its all-time low approval rating of 24% -- much lower than President Bush’s approval rating] stays up all night to debate whether America should admit defeat in the War on Terror in Iraq and thereby withdraw troops. Yet on the coat tails of this news worthy story, appears another headline stating American forces capture the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Khaled Abdul-Fattah Dawoud Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, also known as Abu Shahid. Abu Shahid is reported second in command to Osama Bin Laden. Hmm… so which do we believe?

I had the opportunity this past weekend to speak with one of our Army Guardsman who literally just returned from Iraq. When we spoke, he had not even been back in the states a full 24 hours. I do not know him well enough, as he is a neighbor of a friend, thus I did not express my political views. Instead, I simply asked him, “How do you feel about the progress in Iraq?” He explained that it is hard to gain the trust of the Iraqi people because they have only been taught how to fear, not how to trust. The Iraqi people tend to follow those who they believe will not kill them. Can you imagine living your entire life based on fear? I am starting to understand what that experience must be like.

My next question probed, “Do you think we are winning the war?” He was adamant that American and coalition forces were, in fact, winning the war. Then he turned the questioning on me and asked, “Do you know that we have only lost one-tenth of a percent of our troops in this war to date?” Not to discredit any soldier’s valuable life or service and though I was aware the media played up the death toll, I had no idea it was this low. It is the lowest death toll of any war to date and this cowardice enemy uses children and women to kill our soldiers.

We keep hearing that the American people do not support the war in Iraq and the media skews polls to convince the public of this myth. However, I challenge each of you to take a few minutes and ask one of our soldiers what they think. They are the ones volunteering to lay their lives down for our freedom and I seriously doubt their dedication is in vain. It must be a worthy purpose. What I gather is that many of them feel it is easier to go abroad to protect our borders than to try to fight them off when they are already here. No one willingly wants to go to war, but true heroes willingly go when provoked.

The media has accused President Bush of blaming Saddam Hussein for the horror of September 11, 2001, but I do not recall him ever making this connection. Regardless, I quite frankly do not care whether President Bush, Congress, or anyone else for that matter believes that Saddam Hussein had any connection to the attacks of 9-11. None of that matters to me because I am convinced that Saddam was invested in those attacks. His link can be traced back to the Oklahoma City bombings which were subsequently linked to the 1993 WTC bombing, the U.S. Embassy bombing, and the USS Cole bombing (to name a few).

Again just because we ‘choose’ not to believe something, does not mean that it does not exist … outside of our own bubble.

Signing off…

Step Right Up and Look Inside

2007-06-28T23:26:00.000-04:00

Do you remember the freak of nature side shows at the traveling circus? Only later to learn it was all an illusion. It occurred to me that just maybe, there is an illusion occurring in the White House at this time. We can most definitely assume that there is an illusion of some sort, the question is – what kind of illusion?

I present to you two options:

ILLUSION A – President Bush has turned his back and thumbed his nose at the very people who supported, elected, and defended him the past seven years by not only supporting, but also endorsing this amnesty bill that eighty percent of Americans oppose.

ILLUSION B – President Bush is using this proposed amnesty legislation as a distraction in an attempt to divert attention from the war as a means to accomplish necessary missions with the intent of ultimately vetoing the bill.

Option B never crossed my mind until I observed President Bush make a Freudian slip while attempting to defend the legislation. I spent many weeks racking my brain about why President Bush would support such legislation with nary a legitimate reason. Maybe this is simply a delusion on my part and not an illusion at all. Maybe it is just wishful thinking because for the life of me I have yet to figure out why President Bush would commit political suicide by supporting such a sham.

If someone knows the answer, please by all means, explain. Lord only knows that President Bush will not.

Illusions are running amuck these days in Washington, for instance, the illusion that new legislation will end the illegal immigration problem, the illusion that border control will be enforced, the illusion that the fence will actually be built, the illusion that ILLEGALS will obey the new proposed legislative requirements, the illusion that these illegals want to become American citizens, the illusion that terrorists are not freely skipping across our borders, the illusion that top border patrol officials are corrupt pocket-padding criminals, or the illusion that radical Mexicans do not want to invade and occupy our country.

However, the biggest illusion of all is that Congress represents the views of the people. Please do not forget the traders in 2008.

Signing off…

Patriotic Praises

2007-06-23T00:25:00.000-04:00

As parents, my husband and I, do our best to raise our children to show respect to others by requiring them to address their elders as “Miss” or “Mr.”, respond with courtesy by utilizing “Sir” and “Ma’am”, and use their manners by saying “Please”, “Thank you”, and “You’re Welcome”. We are not perfect parents and we frequently fall prey to parental inconsistency, but respect is the one thing that we are emphatic about without swaying.

Additionally, we feel that it is extremely important, especially in this day and time, to instill the great privilege of freedom that we experience due to those willing to die for our freedoms. In the past we have found little ways to demonstrate support for our troops whether it be by praying for their safety, outspoken in our support, or proudly flying the flag. For quite some time I wondered if we were truly making an impact on our children, until the time we went out in public and our five-year-old daughter saw someone in a military uniform… then my doubts faded away. I watched choked up with tears in my eyes as my daughter practically knocked down the service men, looked them straight in the eyes, and shouted, “Thank you for your service.” It has been two years and she still charges every military personnel that she sees with the same enthusiastic responses, “Thank you for your service” or “Thank you for protecting our country.” I sincerely hope that in some small way, this encourages those men and women as they venture off to battle. Often times I have listened to the immense appreciation in their voices as they respond to such a little voice demonstrating her gratitude.

These days one is hard-pressed to hear about the kindness, appreciation, respect, compassion, or generosity shown by fellow Americans. The media seems to be stuck on stupid, pardon the term, because they still insist that bad news is all that sells. Really? Then why are the major news network ratings going down the tube (no pun intended)? Why are the major newspaper publications a dying breed (thus, outsourcing jobs to India, i.e. LA Times, The Columbus Dispatch, etc.)? Ironically, this very notion that ‘bad news sells’, is exactly what is shutting down these forums. Americans are sick and tired of being vilified and brow-beaten repeatedly with accusations that they are no good, selfish, uncaring savages. The media balks that Americans are immoral for having morals, yet they sing praises for the truly immoral who have no morals. For instance, it is acceptable to crucify Paris Hilton for multiple DUI’s (I am not condoning her crime, she should do the time), but they believe that repeat illegal alien DUI offenders should be let off in the name of tolerance. This illogic causes me a cranial hemorrhage!

This is the same kind of illogic that refers to the left-wing press as being liberal. Definition 101: Liberal means, “broad-minded, favorable to progress, favoring or permitting freedom of action, tolerant”. This does not fit the ‘liberals’ in government. Actually they should be identified as illiberal. Illiberal means, “vulgar, biased, intolerant, small-minded, narrow-minded about cherished opinions”. Now, I ask you, which best describes the left-wing/media?

Are you sick of the bad news? Would you like an alternative that provides good news on a daily basis? Then log on to http://www.gimundo.com/. This site is dedicated to spreading uplifting news reports. Check it out, it just might renew your faith in this country and mankind.

After checking out http://www.gimundo.com/, hopefully you will feel like ‘paying it forward’ and log on to http://www.operationac.com/. Praise God for people like this who have a heart and the passion to establish and maintain such a remarkable organization. This is a perfect way to give back just little bit to those who are giving the ultimate sacrifice for us.

A big Fourth of July thank you to all of the troops and their families! May God bless our troops and keep them safe. An equally big thank you extends to the families of the troops who sacrifice for our safety as well. Do not let the media deceive you, we do support you!

Signing off…

No Excuses In 2008

2007-06-19T18:58:00.000-04:00

There are no more excuses for being an ignorant voter in the 2008 Presidential election thanks to www.ontheissues.org. This website has established an issues quiz that will tally your answers and compare them with the Presidential candidates. You will be able to view for yourself which candidate is best in line with your views instead of relying on the deceitful media reports. It will only take about 5 minutes (if you actually ponder the questions).

There are no more excuses to claim that you are uninformed about the candidates! I challenge each of you to enter the voting booth with a complete understanding of the candidate that you intend to cast your support.

Signing off...

Correspondence With Sherrod Brown

2007-06-11T22:13:00.000-04:00

----- Original Message -----

Sent: Monday, June 11, 2007 9:51 AM
Subject: Reply from Senator Sherrod Brown

Dear Ms. Common Sense:

Thank you for contacting me about my views on the current immigration proposals being considered by Congress.

I have supported legislation to curb illegal immigration by increasing criminal penalties for immigrant smuggling and document fraud, eliminating the use of government documents that are easily forged, and doubling the number of border patrol guards. Better enforcement and tougher penalties for both undocumented immigrants and their lawbreaking employers are the way to fight unauthorized employment, and employment opportunities are what drive illegal immigration.

Unless we fix the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and enforce our own labor laws, we will continue to debate how high the fence should be and how many agents should guard our border – with no real solution in sight. In 1994, the U.S. signed NAFTA, which promised, among other things, to help create a thriving middle class in Mexico. At that time there were 3 million undocumented workers in the U.S.; today there are more than 11 million. In Mexico, 9 million more live in poverty than when NAFTA was enacted. NAFTA has failed the U.S. and Mexico. By creating an atmosphere where Mexican citizens feel they have no chance of a successful life in Mexico, these ill-conceived trade agreements increase the number of illegal immigrants coming into our country.

In addition to addressing the forces that are compelling illegal immigration, we must take action to bring illegal immigrants out of the shadows. While I do not support amnesty and have serious concerns about guest worker programs, I do believe our nation should consider establishing a process by which illegal immigrants can eventually earn citizenship.

The solution to our immigration problem will not be a simple one, as many things in our country need to be fixed to stop illegal immigration. It is time to take a common sense approach to immigration reform.

The Senate recently considered S. 1348, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, but there was no vote on the final bill. On June 7, 2007, the Senate voted 45 yeas to 50 nays on a cloture vote to limit debate on this bill. While I voted in favor of limiting debate so that the Senate could move on to other important legislative issues, I had serious reservations about the content of the bill and my vote on S. 1348 would have hinged on the final product. Because the cloture vote failed, S.1348 will not come up for a final vote. Should these issues come again before the Senate, I will be sure to keep your views in mind.

Thank you again for contacting me.

Sincerely,Sherrod Brown

---Reply---

Dear Mr. Brown,

As we are obviously on polar opposites of the political spectrum, I would like to take a moment to sincerely thank you for your detailed response. I appreciate the consideration. However, your response provokes more questions and concerns on my behalf. I passionately disagree with the opinion that we need to 'bring illegals out of the shadows' by making them legal. As your previous email accurately stated, we are not currently enforcing the laws so why should I believe that the new law will be enforced? Why are current immigrants, a term that should only be used to describe those legally relocating to this country, be punished by trying to enter this country according to the law? Or those already here that paid their dues? This new bill is a total disgrace to those who actually do respect this country and our laws.

As harsh as it may sound, I am not concerned with those here by illegal means and I say we allow our law enforcement agents (i.e. police officers, FBI, border patrol, coast guard, etc.) to enforce the law that they swore to uphold. Then our court system should follow suit. I do not hate these people and I do have compassion for the condition in their country; however, not at the jeopardy of this country, my family, and patriotic legal immigrants.

This should be the people's decision, not Congress nor the President's decision. We unequivocally disagree with the bill proposal and there is a growing unrest among the people on all sides of the political field. This is neither the time nor the place to attempt such a drastic approach. Simply enforce the current laws and upon doing so for a consecutive period (at least five years) then maybe the people would be behind extending such grace. Right now it is a grave concern among the voting population that we, the people, are being sold out by the people on the hill. Even my wacky liberal friends to my moderate acquaintances share this same view. As a collective whole, we DO NOT trust anyone in Washington to stand up for what is in our best interest regardless of the political backlash they might endure. I personally do not care if that person has a 'R', 'D', 'I', or any other letter in the alphabet, I just want an authentic representative that is truly there for the people and by the people and not representing the highest bidding lobbying interest group.

In closing, I plead with you to reconsider this bill should it come back up for vote (which we are watching closely as we know that it will be attempted under the radar again).

Thank you again for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Ms. Common Sense

Not In My School

2007-06-02T17:33:00.000-04:00

I feel like I have boarded some crazy train and traveled right into the twilight zone. I never thought that in my lifetime having morals and values would be comparable to some freak show at a traveling carnival. A time where children are shamed for decency, character, compassion, and integrity while bullies, tramps, freaks, and thugs are glorified. When did this become the norm? I must have slept through something somewhere. Even in my darkest hour (and I have had many), I clearly understood right from wrong and respected those who chose a respectable path.

I know this story has not received much press time, but as parents, grandparents, and mentors you need to be informed about what is pouring into this country’s school system. Sexual education classes are controversial enough without throwing in an ambush on what little realm of morals and values still exist in the public school system.

On April 10, 2007, in the auditorium at Boulder High School in Boulder, Colorado, students were herded in for a mandatory assembly presented by the Conference of World Affairs (CWA). The presentation was titled “STD’S: Sex, Teenagers, and Drugs” and presented by Joel Becker, an associate clinical professor of Psychology at the University of California, Andee Gerhardt, a community engagement leader with Earnest and Young accounting, Antonio Sacre, a performing artist from Los Angeles; and Sanho Tree, Director of the Drug Policy Project at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. (See a pattern here yet?). I could probably stop here and you could figure out where this is headed, but it is much worse than you might expect.
What if your fourteen-year-old daughter came home and told you that she was taught at school to “find some balance with having the fun and experimenting and enjoying… sexually or with drugs and alcohol”? Or maybe that she was “encouraged” at school to “have sex and use drugs” by a school approved clinical psychologist. How would you respond if she was told “religious communities… trying to give us information… that … isn’t correct”? How about your sixteen-year-old son telling you that he used LSD or Ecstasy because a guest speaker at his school told him, “There are therapists that work with their clients under the influence of Ecstasy. If I had some, maybe I would do it with somebody… LSD was my drug of choice”?

Adults in high schools encouraging children to partake in unsafe, irresponsible, and illegal behavior; and implying that abstinence actually puts people at a higher risk of contracting an STD than not using a condom. Adults are in our schools inviting adolescents to travel to California to purchase “marijuana, hash, and baked goods”.

Where are the parents of these children? Why are the parents not outraged? The only member of this assembly who understood what was happening was Daphne White, a sophomore from Boulder High School, who made this statement at the conclusion of the assembly, “It is really hard for me to say this but I feel that I have to. I am extremely offended by some of the things that you have been saying. I think it is important for you to understand that even though this is Boulder High School, there are people that have different views than you. I feel that the discussion is one sided. Some of the things that were offensive were that I think it is inappropriate to discredit religious views on these issues. I know Mr. Becker that you discredited abstinence, when it is something that people feel strongly about. I just wanted everyone to know that there are two sides to this argument, even though this has been one sided. And also you have been making these serious issues humorous and I think that if anything it is encouraging teens to do the opposite of what I thought this panel was supposed to tell us. I think the panelists need to think about what messages they are trying to send.” A child calling out adults for their reckless and irresponsible behavior and discussion. A child realizing she is getting one point of view crammed down her throat and made to feel like an outcast for believing differently. And how did Mr. Becker respond? Even though Ms. White did not profess to be religious herself, Mr. Becker’s response implied that Ms. White was part of a “religious movement”. In addition, Mr. Becker provided a back-handed compliment to Ms. White that reiterated his message that her views made her the odd-one-out and not the norm. He even went so far as to lecture her by insisting, “I don’t want you to tell the other people that what they are doing is wrong.” Right. Only Mr. Becker and those who share his views can tell us right from wrong… if only they knew the difference.

What about the teachers who went along with this assembly? What about the teachers who “forced” their class to attend?

Ready for the shocker, the CWA is invited back next year to present the very same assembly.
Who does that make the outcast?

Signing off…

Silent Threat

2007-05-23T01:56:00.001-04:00

I am sure that by now most of you have heard or read about the pending Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act of 2007 [STRIVE] legislation introduced by Reps. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) in Congress right now. What most of you might not know (or understand) is what this bill will do to our country.

First, I want to provide some necessary voting background, courtesy of http://www.issues2000.org/, pertaining to the two representatives introducing this bill.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL):

· Voted NO on making the Patriot Act permanent
· Voted NO on military border patrols to battle drugs and terrorism
· Voted NO on Federalizing rules for driver licenses to hinder terrorists
· Voted NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment
· Voted YES on extending immigrant residency rules

Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ):

· Voted NO on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration
· Voted NO on military border patrols to battle drugs and terrorism
· Voted NO emergency $78 billion for war in Iraq and Afghanistan
· Voted NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment
· Voted YES on extending immigrant residency rules

If you are listening to the mainstream media, you will hear that the majority of illegal aliens are here providing a service that other Americans are unwilling to perform. I wonder if the press is referring to the Brothel in Minneapolis that was just busted this week. It seems that a group of illegal aliens were forcing female illegal aliens to provide a service to other hard-working illegal aliens. Or maybe the press is referring to Evandro Doirado, an illegal from Brazil working as a ‘freelance pharmacist’. You see, Doirado stabbed a pharmaceutical affiliate, but did not stop there. Instead, he went on to kidnap a lady and her young child at knifepoint and proceeded to brutally rape her in front of her child. There is your amnesty plan at work. I propose that if illegal aliens are not concerned with our law upon entrance, why will they respect it while they are here? The following stats reported by Don Feder on http://www.frontpagemagazine.com/ reflect that they will not:

· In 1980 9,000 legal/illegal immigrants in federal and state prisons, in 1999 that number exploded to 68,000.
· In 1997 and 2002, 72,000 legal/illegal immigrants arrested for drug-related charges as reported by the Federation for American Immigration Reform [FAIR].
· Approximately 95% of unresolved homicide warrants in Los Angeles are for illegal immigrants.

Just picking lettuce and tomatoes, huh? Reynaldo Elias Rapalo, an illegal Honduran alien, was not picking lettuce in Miami in 2003; rather he was viciously raping seven women. Seven women who ought to sue the state government for not apprehending Rapalo in 2002 when he was detained for lewd and lascivious molestation while on an expired visa. In layman’s terms, he was here illegally; however, Miami favors sanctuary city status. In 1996, a law was approved by Congress forbidding local governments from creating an immigration policy contradictory to that of the federal government. Subsequently, the federal courts upheld the statute, but a handful of defiant cities prefer to participate in the very illegality which they are sworn to protect.

Concerned yet?

A recent report in the San Antonio Express-News by Todd Bensman, depicts a whole different scenario regarding illegal aliens crossing our borders. As if murder, rape, and drug-trafficking are not bad enough, we have Iraqi war refugees skipping across our southern border into the states via the state-sponsored-terrorist country of Syria. Not to mention those slipping into the country under the radar via Canada. Remember the thwarted attempt on Fort Dix in New Jersey that received little to no press coverage? Half of those immigrants were here illegally.

Got your dander up yet?

Maybe you still have your head in the sand and this issue has not hit close enough to home for you at this point. What if this issue meant your child’s, spouse’s, or parent’s life? I am not referring to a violent attack because that is the obvious threat facing our safety. Instead, consider the threat of a loved-one contracting drug-resistant tuberculosis, malaria, leprosy, plague, polio, dengue, or Chagas disease. All of these diseases were virtually non-existent in the United States until the recent influx of illegal aliens. This new STRIVE amnesty bill will provide illegal aliens with a free pass, thus subjecting our country to a huge health risk while requiring legal immigrants to prove that they are free of communicable diseases and drug addiction. According to a piece by Madeleine Pelner Cosman, Ph.D., Esq. in the Spring issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons report, “tuberculosis… had largely disappeared from America… TB’s swift, deadly return now is lethal for about 60% of those infected because of new Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis [MDR-TB]… Each illegal with MDR-TB coughs and infects 10-30 people who will not show symptoms immediately.” Ms. Cosman goes on to explain that leprosy has resurged in the past three years afflicting more than 7,000 people primarily in the northeastern states due to illegal aliens from India, Brazil, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Perhaps the biggest fear is Chagas disease or “kissing bug disease”. Ms. Cosman’s piece states, “Chagas disease is transmitted by the reduviid bug, which prefers to bite the lips and face. This disease infiltrates America’s blood supply. Chagas affects blood transfusions and transplanted organs. No cure exists. Hundreds of blood supply recipients may be silently infected. After 10-20 years, up to 30% will die when their hearts or intestines, enlarged and weakened by Chagas, burst. Three people in 2001 received Chagas-infected organ transplants. Two died.”

Bothered yet?

Not only are they physically and medically attacking us, but they are robbing us blind too. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act [EMTALA] demands every emergency room facility have specialists on call at all times and treat anyone who enters. Hospitals and doctors never recoup these costs from the government resulting in multiple hospital closures nationwide. Mexican ambulance drivers are aware of the EMTALA requirements and will transport patients into our country and drop them off within 250 yards of a hospital to receive treatment.

Oh, but if they were not deep enough into your pocket yet, it gets worse… much worse. Ever heard of ‘anchor babies’? This is an illegal alien’s guaranteed pass to stay in America and their permanent ticket on the American government gravy train. All aboard, toot, toot. And if an ‘anchor baby’ has a disability, well that just sweetens the pot. That is comparable to the slip on a ho-ho wrapper by the lazy American. It is the government-funded lotto! The public welfare system will pay $400 per month for a healthy ‘anchor baby’ and $600 per month for an ‘anchor baby’ with medical issues. If this hard-working lettuce-picking family illegally accrues $18,000 per year and $12,000 per year for their two anchor babies, they will generate $30,000 annually. That is $30,000 per year with complete medical and prescription coverage. As the disabled ‘anchor babies’ reach school age, they may be eligible for personal attendants (depending on degree of disability), one per child, plus an individual education program that racks up an additional $30,000 per child annually. There are also SSI lump sum award benefits for qualified disabilities, among those being drug addiction and alcoholism. It is common for an illegal to receive in excess of $5,000 in a lump sum award for a drug or alcohol addiction. Let’s add this up, shall we? We are paying for ALL of the medical coverage, plus paying them for each baby they conceive, in addition to SSI benefits – what else could they possibly ask for? Food stamps. Yes, we are also paying for their food. I would say that making $30,000 - $35,000 per year with no medical, grocery, childcare, or education expenses might place you in the middle class. I wonder how long before they figure out how to milk us out of gas money too?

The STRIVE bill pending before Congress right now will not change any of these subsidies, in fact, it will only increase the amount that we currently pay toward them. This bill does not implement any new protections or restrictions that are not currently on the books. This bill will not do anything to deter illegal immigration. To the contrary, it will only encourage more illegal immigration while at the same time spit in the faces of legal immigrants.

Have you reached the boiling point yet?

If so, please contact your representative at www.house.gov/writerep/ and demand they vote NO on the proposed Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act of 2007 [STRIVE].

Signing off...

Oxymoron

2007-05-17T00:45:00.001-04:00

The gouging at the gas pump has me as irritated as it does most people; however, I find myself more frustrated with other forms of gouging that seem to go virtually unnoticed by the public. Maybe the pain at the pump would be easier to swallow if not for the fact that we are already being gouged on our paychecks every week, property taxes every year, and all of the other miscellaneous taxes used to fund lavish social programs. Make no mistake, I am not excusing the price gouging at the pumps, I am merely challenging others to get as outraged about the multiple other ways that we are being gouged on a daily basis.

For instance our tax dollars go to fund free breakfasts to “starving” children in the public school system and yet it is reported daily that approximately 70% of our child population is over-weight. Which is it? How can we have an epidemic of both starvation and obesity with our children? Think about it folks, it is not that difficult?

Let’s move on to the poor deprived illegal aliens that are here and “require” government assistance. Such assistance as government-issued debit cards and WIC subsidies. Let me explain to you just exactly how your tax dollars contribute to these deprived individuals. A lady was in line at a local grocery store in Michigan behind a Muslim Arab lady who was purchasing a cart full of bottled water, pop, diapers, and baby formula with a government issued debit card and WIC subsidies. When the Muslim Arab lady had completed her transaction and exited the store, the clerk was visibly upset and told the lady that the Muslim Arab lady was the owner of a convenient store up the road. The clerk explained that the Muslim Arab lady purchases her product on tax payer dollars and then takes the product to her store and sells it back to tax payers. These are the “needy” that take our compassion and use it against us? When will we wake up and realize that we are being gouged by social programming? I am sorry people, but I am far more outraged by this kind of gouging than the one I am taking at the pump… maybe that is because it is a much larger amount out of my pocket.

Here is the real kick in the pants, we actually impact how much we pay in tax dollars and yet we sit idly by and allow political pocket pickers to bleed us dry under the guise of “compassion”. Really? Then these same political pocket pickers become preachers, scolding us to be more energy efficient in the name of conservation. Sure, just as soon as they are more efficient with our educational system and conserve our children’s entitlement to a comprehensive education.

Consider for a moment what a double burden it would be without the tax cuts. Remember your taxes the next time at the polls.

Signing off…

Are You Dumber Than A Lawmaker

2007-04-30T00:05:00.000-04:00

With all this talk of more laws in order to prevent crimes, it provoked me to review some of the laws already on the books. Did you know…?

In Alabama, it is against the law to flick boogers in the wind? Or, to carry an ice cream cone in your back pocket… at any time? And, do not even think about driving your car while blindfolded because it is illegal too.

California, home of the tree-hugging, earth-worshiping, PETA-loving law land, may wish to review its books. For instance, bathhouses are against the law. Apparently they have had an affixation with animals for quite some time because it is a misdemeanor to shoot any kind of game from a moving vehicle, unless the target is a whale. And, all of these headlines that you read about where the SUV’s are killing people… well here is California’s solution; no vehicle without a driver may exceed 60 miles per hour. That should cut down on the SUV attacks.

Indiana tries to focus on the educational side of the law, making sure the children are getting their proper book learning. That must explain why the value of Pi is 3 according to Indiana law. Just so no one gets confused about the value of Pi, it is illegal to sniff glue. Sounds like the lawmakers should have obeyed that one before they figured the value of Pi. Still, it is nice that they are looking out for the kids. If you have been to Indiana and wondered what that peculiar smell was, turns out that baths may not be taken between the months of October and March.

Some states concentrate on the more important issues like Ohio. In Ohio, it is a crime to get a fish drunk. What? I guess if you are a state that has a problem with people getting animals drunk, obviously you would need to add that participating in or conducting duels are prohibited. However in the event that you get a fish drunk or have a duel, do so on Sunday or the Fourth of July because you cannot be arrested on those days. Thank goodness for loopholes!

Now, you knew that I could not write about these kinds of laws and leave out everyone’s favorite – West Virginia, but do not go whistling underwater because that might just land you in jail. So that we can all put the myth to rest, yes road kill may be taken home for supper – the law says so. Last but not least (I bet you did not see this one coming), men may have sex with an animal as long as it does not exceed forty pounds.

And there you have it folks! You should feel safer knowing these laws are on the books to protect you. Let’s create some more, shall we?

[Thanks to dumblaws.com for endless sources of entertainment.]

Signing off...

Pure Lunacy

2007-04-29T22:55:00.000-04:00

Recently in Cleveland, Ohio, a fifteen-year-old boy was shot and killed by a legally armed victim in an attempted robbery. Before the body was even cold, out came the gun control Nazis shaming the victim for defending himself. Paraphrased, it went something like this, “If Buford [the victim] would not have had a gun, a fifteen-year-old boy would be alive today.” Uh-huh. So, discount the fact this fifteen-year-old was committing a crime with an illegally obtained firearm, instead let’s crucify the real victim for lawfully protecting himself. The victim acted within the parameters of the law and yet the villain gets the benefit of the doubt.

Another absurd example of glorifying a villain happened just up the road in Cleveland. A mural titled, “Society’s Satan Made in America” created by Brahim Abe Ayad engulfs the wall of a building located at 55th Street and Cedar Avenue. The mural is a tribute to Seung-Hui Cho, the Virginia Tech shooter. Ayad portrays Cho as the true victim, contending society was responsible for Cho’s actions. Where are the men with white jackets when you need them? How about a self portrait Ayad titled, “Society’s Lunatic Made in Academia”? What is the freak parade’s solution? They want to create more laws for criminals and nut-jobs alike to disregard. You’ll hear the gun control Nazis tell you that Cho legally obtained guns, but that is a lie. Cho lied about his mental health in order to obtain the guns and that was illegal.

Kennesaw, Georgia passed a gun law of its own. This ordinance required all heads of households to own one firearm and ammunition. Following the passage of this ordinance, the crime rate dropped eighty-nine percent in Kennesaw and has remained at the same level for the past sixteen years. Now that is gun control!

We see this every day, over medicated elites discouraging personal accountability. Make the argument that the fifteen-year-old was misguided or that Cho was unstable, but for the sake of decency do not defame the victims by blaming them for the very act committed against them.

What kind of person can even swallow this crap and then turn around and regurgitate it to others? At some point you would think they would choke on their own venom.

I grew up without a dad, thus I had to rely on strangers to teach me how to drive. Subsequently, I became emotionally detached to driving. Each time that I climb behind the wheel of my vehicle, I struggle to obey the traffic laws. I start out by minding my own business, but then someone passes me and then flashbacks of my father leaving cause me to speed. So officer, it MUST be the other driver’s fault for passing me. Look, this is exactly how foolish the excuses have become. Are you freaking kidding me? I do declare that one day my head is going explode.

Signing off...

The Important Stuff

2007-04-10T19:31:00.000-04:00

Whew, am I ever relieved. Just when I thought that we had reached the pinnacle of critical news reporting with the announcement of the father of Anna Nicole Smith’s baby, along came Don Imus to give us something else to sink our teeth into. My goodness, the multitude of apologies never gets old! I am perched on the edge of my seat anxiously awaiting the next pardon request. I am so excited about the next set of words chosen to express the very same thing that the suspense is about to kill me.

I was beginning to think that the media might have to resort to reporting menial issues like the war on terror, the revolving border door, Dianne Feinstein’s “indiscretion”, or Bill Clinton’s relationship with a state-sponsored terrorist organization. Boring! Really people, the fact that Congress is playing political chicken with our troops’ lives – who calls that news? Why certainly paternity and racial slurs far exceed the importance of these issues.

How many reports on soldiers risking their lives to save fellow soldiers do we have to endure? Blah, blah, blah. Or the real tear-jerkers about Iraqi children being rescued by American soldiers? Boo-hoo.

I say give me the hard-core, cutting-edge, news-breaking information. I need to know what asinine statement Rosie O’Donnell made on the View or how many sperm donors an over-rated Hollywood celeb could possibly have.

Show me Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson portraying unforgiving Christians by raking Don Imus over the coals while spitting in the faces of the Rutgers women basketball team by implying that they are not articulate enough to express their own response. I am not sure which is more offensive, a past-his-prime radio show host or two striving, unforgiving preachers. In either case, it all disgusts me.

Regardless, it is great to see that entertainment and news have meshed so nicely that it is impossible to distinguish one from the other.

May God bless our troops!

Signing off...

Remedial History

2007-04-09T00:30:00.000-04:00

I have about had my fill of watching grown men and women behave like two-year-olds run-a-muck. Washington D.C. has become comparable to a toddler party gone bad. Quite frankly, I do not know of anyone who truly believes that any of these “representatives” have our best interest in mind. Instead of serving the people, they are serving the almighty dollar with each one going to the highest bidder regardless of the predicament it places our country in.

This sad state of affairs is exactly what our Forefathers warned us about in the Declaration of Independence. In fact, they told us precisely what should be done in this instance.

“…but when a long train of abuses and usurpations… it is their [the people’s] right and duty to throw off such government and to provide new guards for their future security… and such is now the necessity which constrains them to altar their former systems of government.”

What types of abuses and usurpations were they referring to you ask?

· Combines with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and acknowledged by our law while giving assent to foreign jurisdictions’ acts of pretended legislation.
Example – International Law precedents
· Imposes taxes without the people’s consent.
Example – Do you really need one?
· Taking away certain rights given by government.
Example – Eminent Domain
· Abolishing valuable laws.
Example – Right to bear arms
· Suspending our own legislatures and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for the people in all cases whatsoever.
Example – Judicial Tyranny
· Exciting domestic insurrections amongst us.
Example – Desecration of our national symbol and pledge

We do not simply have a right to protect this establishment, but an endowed responsibility.

“…that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends it is the right of the people to altar or abolish it and to institute new government [that]… shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.”

Our country was founded by the great constructionists on these truths which they believed to be self-evident:

1) That ALL men are created equal.
(No exceptions based on race, creed, or ethnicity)
2) Each person was born with unalienable rights, and among those rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
(No mention of hand ups or hand outs)

However, I challenge you that these very “unalienable” rights are dissipating quickly and we can no longer afford to stick our heads in the sand waiting on the circumstance to self-correct. There are plenty of other opportunists out there just waiting to take arbitrary control and dictate what our rights will/will not be in the future. Politics may not be your thing, but freedom should be!

Signing off...

Religion 101

2007-03-29T21:04:00.000-04:00

I am fed up with being labeled insensitive and intolerant because of my Christian faith. If there was a market for selling clues, I would be a freaking millionaire!

First of all, for all of you misguided Christianphobes out there, allow me to clear up some misconceptions regarding Christianity:

· Myth – Some gun-bearing extremist will barge into your home and force you to accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior and if you refuse you will die.
· Fact – You have evidently confused Christianity with Islam. As a Christian you must FREELY choose to believe (emphasis on the freely part).

· Myth – Christians are intolerant of those they perceive to be sinners.
· Fact – Obviously, Christianity has been mistaken for Islam once again, because as Christians we know everyone is a sinner and we do not live on an island. In fact, we restrain from using such derogatory terms as infidels, pigs, and monkeys when referring to other human beings.

· Myth – Christianity promotes suppression of women.
· Fact – Last time I checked, we can vote, get an education, and speak freely. Perhaps suppression would be those who denounce women’s rights, prevent women from receiving an education, and sue for the right to legally beat their wives under the guise of religious freedom.

When did evil become accepted as good and good accepted as evil? How distorted have we become as a country when public prayer is prohibited due to “offensive content”, but anti-American and/or Christian sentiments are protected by freedom of speech? So let me get this straight, what we are saying as a society is that praying for someone’s well-being and safety is radical, intolerant, and offensive; however to the contrary, public chants of “death to America”, “behead the infidels”, and “convert or die” promote sensitivity and tolerance? No wonder our children are so screwed up. They’re being shown that spewing hatred is not just accepted, but encouraged behavior by society’s standards while compassion is ridiculed. You might as well say, “If you’re not suicide bombing in the name of hate, you’re not cool.” Gee, I wonder why our youth is so violent. Maybe it is because of global warming.

See, now I feel that spring in the back of my neck expanded to full capacity and about to snap. I seem to experience this sensation every time that I try to reason insanity. What crack pipe is our country smoking these days? No disrespect to the crack smokers out there. I would offer to pray for you, but I do not want to offend you, so as a means of tolerance you just keep on smoking that crack pipe.

Signing off…

Insanity Or Just Me

2007-03-24T15:12:00.000-04:00

My head swells with confusion as I reel from a conversation with a family member. How exactly does one logically argue that an admitted repeat DUI offender be let off because a law enforcement officer “allegedly” lied? To me, a rational mindset determines that the repeat offender be prosecuted and the officer, if proven to be fact that he lied, reprimanded. At what point would one reason that the crime be dismissed because a cop (allegedly) lied? Whom should we be inclined to believe in this situation, the intoxicated repeat offender or the sober police officer busting this guy for the umpteenth time? It depends, are we evaluating the situation emotionally or logically because it is virtually impossible for the two to co-exist when it comes to reason. Sadly, this mentality is all too common in this day and age; a world of self-indulgence and entitlement without any personal responsibility or retribution.

I see examples of this everyday in the media where children are committing heinous crimes and are tried as adults. Then “experts” testify that the children do not have the adult-like capability to fully comprehend their actions. Yet these are the very “experts” that crawl back out of the darkness and lobby that children have the right to engage in sexual activity and/or abort the consequences. Are you kidding me? Pick which side of the fence you want to be on and then light there, could you? This kind of insanity makes my head spin!

Another one of my favorite ludicrous examples is the recently proposed R-rating on movies that depict smoking in them. Yes, I can see where that is so detrimental to the development of children. Never mind the explicit language, extreme violence, soft porn sexual content, or the glorified alcohol/drug use that qualifies for a PG-rating. Where is the logic I scream? Did it burn up in the 60’s and 70’s? You remember that peace loving, can’t-we-all-get-along generation. Sure we can – as soon as we all start thinking like rational human beings and not emotional basket cases!

Maybe I am the warped one for thinking that if you are on your 8th, 9th, or 10th DUI, quite frankly I don’t care if the cop lied or not as long as innocent people are protected by one less drunk on the road. Call me crazy for thinking and not feeling. Pardon me for my irrationality by agreeing that children cannot reason like adults because they do not have the capability to contemplate the long term effects which is exactly why they should not be allowed to make ADULT decisions period!

My head is about to explode trying to figure out how we ended up here?

Signing off…

DISCLAIMER

2007-03-22T20:01:00.000-04:00

I would like to take this opportunity to apologize in advance for things I will say on this blog that will offend some people. Although that is not my ultimate goal, it is impossible to express personal opinions without offending someone... especially in this politically correct generation.

I am bi-lingual and will frequently blog in both languages, either English or Sarcasm. If you find my sarcasm offensive, please refer to paragraph one because that will be the only apology that I issue.

I anxiously await the hate mongers who will inevitably personally attack me because of my values and beliefs that I will express on this blog. If you find my values and beliefs intolerant, again I refer you to paragraph one.

As far as my ultimate goal for this blog, well that is simply to utilize my constitutional right of freedom of speech. If you are insulted by my constitutional right to freely speak, you guessed it, refer to paragraph one.