For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. ---Ephesians 6:12


"The age of casual Catholicism is over; the age of heroic Catholicism has begun. We can no longer be Catholics by accident, but instead must be Catholics by CONVICTION." ---Fr. Terrence Henry TOR, Franciscan University of Steubenville

Sunday, September 30, 2007

I Am So DONE With CBS



While I'm out on the road I don't watch much TV; and I don't watch it for the simple reason that I don't keep one in my truck. Because of this there are some shows many people watch that I haven't seen in years, like 60 Minutes on the CBS Network for instance.

Tonight Steve Kroft interviewed Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on 60 Minutes for the simple reason that Justice Thomas has written a new book. I cannot imagine any other reason he would appear on that show and undergo the typical liberal line of questioning, except for something like a book release. I won't bore you with details, except to say that Kroft interrupted his interview to remind us viewers that if another justice with Thomas's point of view lands on the Supreme Court, abortion would likely be outlawed in 40% of the United States (with the overturning of Roe vs. Wade). How nice of Steve Kroft to remind us of that. Good thing he's looking out for his audience. I guess it's up to the rest of us to look out for the unborn.

After the interview Andy Rooney whined at length about state mottoes on license plates. I guess you last as long as Andy has when you never try to tackle something bigger than yourself. Actually that isn't too fair. Andy Rooney was a war correspondent in World War 2, back when it was okay for the US to win wars. And those bold comments about Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ were just that, if not downright foolish. But there is no fool like an old fool (he's 88 years old)--Now he's doing fluff for the liberal Main Stream Media.

Just when I was going to turn off the TV a very interesting show started: Cold Case. Since I remembered police drama being rather entertaining I decided to hang around and watch...much to my chagrin. The show's title is somewhat self-explanatory in that five homicide detectives dig up unsolved cases from long ago and use today's technology and science to solve them. Sounds like a pretty good premise for gripping drama. But tonight's episode was nothing short of Christian bashing.


We learn that a girl found dead at the beginning of the show had a reputation for promiscuity before joining a small Christian group based upon chastity. As the show progresses and clues are found we come to understand that the murderer HAD to be someone from that group. As each one gets interviewed we learn something about that group member that flies in the face of their faith, much to the delight of the detectives who seem to enjoy pointing out their hypocrisy with comments like "Well, that wasn't very Christian of you now was it?"

And as I'm holding my breath waiting for the detectives to ferret out the evil Christian murderer, we are suddenly brought to the realization that all four of the Christian students took part in the murder. They surrounded the poor girl, called her names, and literally threw stones at her until she died, as if this is something Christians do all the time. Seems more like something Muslim fundamentalist students would do under Shari'a Law, but not to CBS. To the creepy eyeball network this lascivious ending was quite fitting and natural.

I have caught CSI shows before in which main characters make Christian bashing comments; and other episodes, too, in which authorities of the church, like nuns or priests, are portrayed as evil doers. Sometimes those shows have Christians who cannot respond to the simplest criticism against their faith (usually due to the script writers own ignorance of scripture, I suppose). Anyway, to me it was the last straw. I hereby proclaim that under no circumstances will I ever watch that hideously secular and anti-Christian network again.

And if the rest of you care to join me in this boycott you are more than welcome. Read a book. Go for a walk. Learn to tell jokes. Play a board game with your family. Get to know your neighbors. Get involved in evening church activities. Take the kids with you. Let them grow socially and spiritually.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

From The Land Of Obama...




From the Chicago Sun Times yesterday:
First Jell-O, now Santa


OAK LAWN School district considers banning traditions seen as offensive to Muslims

September 28, 2007

BY ANGELA CAPUTO Daily Southtown

So long, Halloween parade. Farewell, Santa's gift shop.

The holiday traditions are facing elimination in some Oak Lawn schools this year after complaints that the activities are offensive, particularly to Muslim students.

Final decisions on which of the festivities will be axed will fall to the principals at each of Ridgeland School District 122's five schools, Supt. Tom Smyth said.

Parents expect that the announcement is going to add to the tension that has been building since officials agreed earlier this month to change the lunch menu to exclude items containing pork to accommodate Muslim students. News that Jell-O was struck from the menu caused such a stir that officials have agreed to bring it back. Gelatin is often made with tissue or bones of pigs or other animals.

That controversy now appears to have been been dwarfed by the holiday debate, which became so acrimonious Wednesday that police were called to Columbus Manor School to intervene in a shouting match among parents.

"It's difficult when you change the school's culture," said Columbus Manor Principal Sandy Robertson.

Elizabeth Zahdan, a mother of three District 122 students, says she took her concerns to the school board this month, not because she wanted to do away with the traditions, but rather to make them more inclusive. "I only wanted them modified to represent everyone," she said.

Nixing them isn't the response she was looking for. "Now the kids are not being educated about other people," she said.

For the complete article click here.


Just what makes so many of us bend over backwards to please (or appease) the Muslims in our communities? Is it our good nature? There may be some of that. Or is it simply FEAR?

All over the world Muslims have non-Muslims dancing on strings because of their fear of the violent overreaction of Muslims. We saw the horrible violence in the revenge-killing of Van Gogh and in the reaction to the display of political cartoons portraying Mohammad in rather unflattering ways. We also saw it in the crazy response to offhand comments made by Pope Benedict, which were taken out of context, in the form of nuns being set afire.

The fear response in the West to Muslim violence has been for many countries to withdraw troops from both Iraq and Afghanistan and to appease Muslims minorities in Western countries at nearly every turn. You can read more examples of the latter in Fallaci's The Force Of Reason and in Mark Steyn's America Alone. Really, it's as if a bully moved into the neighborhood---NO,...it's as if some kind of MAFIA moved its base of operations into our neighborhoods, extorting shopkeepers to sell Muslim products and taking "offensive" Christian products off the shelf. And now they're telling us which holidays we can celebrate.

What's next, I wonder? Knocking crosses off of church steeples because they offend Muslims? Or the requirement that every American city broadcast the Muslim "call to prayer" over loud speakers five times a day, and that we all stop what we're doing while the prayers commence? Don't get me wrong, though. I'm all for Freedom of Religion! As far as I'm concerned they can practice their religion whenever they want and however they wish....within reason--the same reason that limits my religion. But don't deny my right to eat jello, or deny my rights to corrupt and commercialize my religion by celebrating Santa Claus (the latter being as close as Christianity is allowed in public schools).

The Pew Research Center did a poll recently of Muslims in America and found that American Muslims have mostly mainstream views, and that only a minority would ever approve of suicide bombing for any reason. It is these mainstream Muslims that deserve at least partial credit for there being no major terrorist attack in the US since 9-11. Many have supplied much needed intelligence by reporting on their more extreme neighbors to American authorities.

However Pew also found that younger Muslims are far more devout and radical than their more reasonable parents. One can infer that the older ones have actually lived in suppressive societies and lost their taste for Shari'a, while the younger ones were born here and enticed by the mystique, though the report doesn't actually say this.

I don't believe we'll ever have to send the Muslims back home. We simply need to grow a backbone and treat Muslims the same as we treat ourselves, or at least treat Christians with as much reverence as Muslims are treated. That would be nice.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Why I Like Fred Thompson

From Fred Thompson's official website []:


[McLean, VA - Senator Fred Thompson issued the following statement today regarding Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's appearance this afternoon at Columbia University:

"Columbia University gave a public forum today to a tyrant to spread his lies and deceit. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made a mockery of free speech by standing in front of an auditorium of academicians and students and denying the existence of the Holocaust and his deadly intentions toward Israel."

"I find it ironic that Iran's president accepted an invitation to speak at Columbia University, since students who dissent on Iranian campuses are not met with debate, they are met by a gun and imprisonment. A few months ago, eight college students were imprisoned in Iran's notorious Evin Prison for publishing articles and cartoons critical of Iran's government in a student-run newspaper. The Evin facility has been described as Iran's 'most feared prison' and is known to stone women to death. We need to do our best to empower freedom-loving people throughout Iran."
]


Fred Thompson seems to have a Reagan-like ability to put the situation, no matter what it is, in its proper perspective. I would think that even those students who applauded Ahmadinejad yesterday at Columbia University would have second thoughts about their cheer-leading behavior after reading Fred's quote. But I wouldn't count on too many of them reading it, since they're so cloistered in their own liberal "utopia" where dissenting opinion is smothered and the speakers treated abhorrently.

These kids aren't stupid. They simply lack life experience. A man like Ahmadinejad can show up and spin a yarn cloaking his evil, and the students eat it up because they feel betrayed by those whose role it was to protect us. This, even though it wasn't long ago that Yasser Arafat expressed desires for peace to OUR ears while steadfastly calling for the death of Israel to the ears of his own people. And we know how that turned out. This time it may turn out with a nuclear attack on the United States and/or Israel. What a shame that recent history is lost on young, angry, naive children.

The President of Columbia University should've known this before inviting such a creature to speak on campus, giving the "stinky yak" both international credibility as well as an overconfidence from hearing cheers from those students, in spite of Bollinger's supurb introduction speech. I wonder what Ahmadinejad must have thought upon hearing so much support from those kids... and how will it affect his policy toward us in the future?
___________________________________________

UPDATE
: Sept 29, 2007----- Ahmadinejad returns home to a hero's welcome.

Friday, September 21, 2007

"Dream Act" A Nightmare For America



I knew that Congress would try to pass immigration reform piecemeal eventually, but I had not fathomed they would try it so soon. Perhaps they see their own mortality as office holders (due to historically low approval ratings) and are desperate to get it done before next year's election.
This latest installment is proposed by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin (D) and is called the Dream Act, which allows illegal aliens to pay in-state tuition for college, while the rest of us have to pay the significantly higher out-of-state fee if we live in neighboring states. This is especially incredulous to American military families who have to relocate frequently and cannot qualify for in-state tuition. Would you believe 10 states allow illegal aliens to pay in-state tuition without proof of residency NOW???

Anyone who is here illegally can claim to have been here since age 16 (no documentation required!) and qualify for a conditional green card,...which will make them eligible for a regular green card,...which will allow them to get green cards for their families in the "old country." And so on and so on...

This latest shamnesty attempt is being attached (Senate Amendment 2237) to the Department of Defence Authorization Bill by Durbin and his co-sponsors:

Sen Hagel, Chuck [NE]202-224-4224;

Sen Lugar, Richard G. [IN]202-224-4814

Sen Leahy, Patrick J. [VT]202-224-4242

Sen Obama, Barack [IL]202-224-2854

Sen Lieberman, Joseph I. [CT]202-224-4041

Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA]202-224-3841

Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]202-224-2742

Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI]202-224-5323

Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY]202-224-4451

Sen Bayh, Evan [IN]202-224-5623

Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ]202-224-4744

Sen Murray, Patty [WA]202-224-2621

Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA]202-224-3553

Sen Cantwell, Maria [WA]202-224-3441

Sen Salazar, Ken [CO]202-224-5852

Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT]202-224-2823

(These lists courtesy of Michelle Malkin, who has fax numbers, too.)

And as you can see they are a list of the usual suspects, most of whose phone numbers you may already have attached to your refrigerator from past senate battles. Make use of them. These people are supposed to be working for us,...not MoveOn.org or Mexico.
And here is Michelle Malkin's list of wafflers who voted no on the illegal alien shamnesty bill in June, but have not yet pledged to vote no on the DREAM Act amnesty:

Phone them by contacting the Senate switchboard at 202-224-3121.


Alaska: Murkowski, Stevens

Arkansas: Pryor

Florida: Martinez

Idaho: Crapo

Indiana: Bayh

Iowa: Grassley, Harkin

Kansas: Brownback

Louisiana: Landrieu

Maine: Collins

Michigan: Stabenow

Minnesota: Coleman

Mississippi: Cochran

Missouri: McCaskill

Montana: Baucus, Tester

Nebraska: Nelson (Ben)

Nevada: Ensign

New Hampshire: Sununu

New Mexico: Domenici

North Dakota: Dorgan

Ohio: Voinovich

Oregon: Smith

South Dakota: *Johnson

Texas: Hutchison

Utah: Hatch

Vermont: Sanders

Virginia: Warner, Webb

West Virginia: Byrd, Rockefeller

Wyoming: Barrasso

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has postponed the vote until next week. 41 no votes are needed. You know what to do.
_____________

UPDATE, Friday, September 28, 2007: Reid pulls Dream Act from Defense Bill. Good work, people!

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Fred Thompson's Stern Statement On Iranian Leader's Visit To UN



Today Fred Thompson had this to say in Dallas, TX:


"Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president of the world's premier terrorist state, is speaking before the United Nations next week. He has also asked to visit Ground Zero. If I were President of the United States none of this would have been an issue--I wouldn't have let him into the country in the first place.

"It's time for the world to finally send a stern message to Iran. Ahmadinejad has called for the destruction of Israel, is supporting terrorist groups throughout the Middle East, and is responsible for supplying weapons to extremists who are killing US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. And with Iran's ongoing pursuit of nuclear weapons and development of long-range missiles, that country is a threat not only to the region and our allies, but to the entire free world. It's time for the United Nations to take more serious action against this terror regime.

"The Security Council needs to begin placing comprehensive, multilateral sanctions on Iran's economy, to include banning foreign investment, stopping export credits to companies doing business there, and prohibiting any business dealings with Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Iranian banks should be denied access to international banking and financial institutions, and World Bank loans should be suspended. All arms sales to Iran need to be halted. And travel by Iranian officials should be stopped and their assets frozen. Cutting off Iranian access to refined gas imports will certainly get Tehran's attention and cause them to reconsider their priorities. If the UN can't reach agreement on these measures due to continued Russian, Chinese or others' intransigence, then we need to work directly with our allies and go around the UN roadblock.

"The international community has been negotiating with Iran for more than four years to no avail in seeking to halt the mullahs' nuclear program. I believe strongly in diplomacy, but it has its limits, especially when the other side is made up of extremists. If we don't get serious and act now--before they build atomic weapons--the stakes will be even higher, and our hand much weaker. The United States and its allies cannot afford to let that happen. As president, I certainly will not."

Photo borrowed from Fox News

Update On Ahmadinejad's Possible "Visit" To Ground Zero

After learning that the New York City Port Authority banned Ahmadinejad from Ground Zero, it's been reported he may try to visit the site Monday morning, anyway. But NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said today that any visit by the Iranian leader to the Ground Zero area would be "opposed" by the NYPD based on security reasons. So Ahmadinejad would not be able to lay a wreath on or near the "foot print" of the towers. Read the extended article in the New York Sun.

Word has it that Columbia University has invited Ahmadinejad to speak on Monday. I wonder if he'll be embraced by Bush-hating liberals or heckled off stage like the Minutemen were. My bet is on the former. After all they love Castro, don't they?

Congressman Jack Murtha Cuts And Runs...Into Elevator

Video courtesy of Hot Air.

In an era where apologies are all-important, especially to Democrats, I wouldn't hold my breath in waiting for Murtha to apologize for condemning accused Marines before their case was even brought to trial. Now that the charges are in the process of being dropped, he'll be ducking into a lot of elevators to avoid answering for his rash comments.

And don't expect condemnation from the other Democrats, either. Murtha has built up a lot of clout since his ABSCAM days. So much so that Speaker Nancy Pelosi would back him for the position of House Majority Leader. I'm almost sorry Hoyer got it instead. Congress would have an even lower approval rating than they do now.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Fred On The Issues

Here's a good interview with Fred (about 8 minutes) on a variety of topics:




Hat tip: BFFT Team.

Banned From Ground Zero



Okay, we can stop getting all worked up over what appeared to be the likelihood of Iranian President Ahmadinejad's visit to Ground Zero, following his planned visit to New York City on Sunday for a speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. Mark the latter in your calendar if you have time to swing by and shout your displeasure. I only regret my time off isn't until Thursday. That would've been fun. Read more about it here.


Ahmadinejad has always been a sponsor or participant of terrorism throughout his "career" in Islamic-style, hate-mongering, starting well before the 444-day hostage crisis. Because of this, former Governor and current Presidential candidate, Mitt Romney asked the President of the General Assembly to revoke the invite to speak, and has called for an indictment to be presented to the Iranian hostage-taker upon arrival on American soil. Don't count on it happening.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Ahmadinejad Shows His Evil Hand


Y. Mansharof and A. Savyon of MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute) have compiled recent speeches made by Ahmadinejad (the apocalyptic, Hitler-wannabe) which betray his true intentions, and hopefully puts things in perspective for those who wish to appease Iran:

Escalation in the Positions of Iranian President Ahmadinejad– Special Report

Introduction

In several recent speeches, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad outlined Iran's nuclear policy and set forth his vision regarding the interrelationship between Iran and the West.

In a speech about Iran's nuclear program, Ahmadinejad declared that Iran has become a global power, and that it would place its nuclear technology at the service of those determined to confront the U.S. and other Western countries. He announced that Iran was now successfully operating over 3,000 centrifuges, continued to downplay the impact of the U.N. Security Council sanctions on Iran, and reiterated Iran's official stance of refusal to freeze its nuclear activity. Ahmadinejad also harshly censured senior Iranian officials who had called for compromise with the West on Iran's nuclear program out of fear of a possible U.S. attack on Iran, hinting that they were traitors.

In addition, Ahmadinejad declared that today, the world was at an historic turning point. The history of the West, he said, had reached its end, and the appearance of the Hidden Imam, heralding the era of Islamic Shi'ite rule, was nigh. Thus, he called on the nations of the world to rise up against the hegemony of the West, headed by the U.S., and predicted the imminent collapse of Israel, which he called "Satan's standard-bearer."


Read the rest by clicking here.

Something needs to be done about Iran.

In June of this year Fred Thompson said the following:

"Iran's poor economy and domestic opposition to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad could prompt "regime change."

"We have a lot of friends in Iran who apparently feel their leader is trying to drive them off of a militant, religious extremism cliff," he said.

"Some of these problems might work in our favor especially if we ratcheted the sanctions a bit more. I would think that certainly a blockade would be a possibility if we could get the international cooperation to do that.

"I think regime change might be an option ... but you can't take the military option off the table."

In the mean time, perhaps Diane Sawyer could fly back over to Iran and ask the little kook more questions about his I-Pod. Don't forget your headscarf, Diane. No telling what that suppressed freak will do if he sees your pretty blond hair exposed.

Hat tip: Noisy Room
Picture borrowed from: Moonbattery

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

GO LOU...GO!



Maybe I'll start watching CNN again....just for Lou.

Just can't help but wonder why it's taken so long for interviewers to show serious outrage and hold pro-open-borders types feet to the fire. Let us not be lulled into complacency by the "soft bigotry of low expectations."

Monday, September 10, 2007

Rememberance





















Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)

Reason For Outrage....Extreme Outrage

On Sunday, two days before the 6th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, several dozen Muslims decided to have a little parade in New York City.

Urban Infidel, who is on my left sidebar under Favorite Conservative Blogs and Sites, took some great still-shots, while the lovely Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs, also on list of faves, created some videos of the event. Both accounts are documented well enough to enrage a choir boy, which I am not.

Isn't it nice of the Muslims to remind us so close to a 9-11 anniversary (and in New York City, to boot!) that they intend to subjugate the rest of the world under Sharia Law? Click on the respective links for pics and details. This does not appear to have been a friendly "it's-a-small-world" moment.

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Democrat Leaders Insult General Petraeus And Troops


I've been busy but I don't think it's too late to post this. In fact I'd be very remiss not to. It has to do with the Democrat leadership and their apparent investment in our defeat in both the war in Iraq and the war on terror in general (most argue they are one and the same---I have no problem with this).

Congressman James Clyburn, Democrat--South Carolina, who has relatives stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan, stated a couple of weeks ago that if the report to be submitted by General Petraeus is a positive one, "that would be a real big problem for us, no question about that" (Democrats), ...even though "no one wants to see us lose...we love our country." It's good that Mr. Clyburn threw in that qualifier...later...because later is better than never.

But another Democrat, Senator Chuck Shumer of New York, has taken a slightly different approach. He has taken his own anti-American-soldier comments made on the Senate floor just days ago and simply omitted them from the printed text of his speech ("inability of American soldiers"). That's a funny way to qualify an unfair statement of blame of our quite capable soldiers in combat. Laura Ingraham said Shumer's omission was typical of the old Soviet Union. Here is what he actually said:



Sometimes I don't know at whom I should be more angry: the senior senator from New York or the fools who keep sending him to Washington. One thing is certain. He seems to be suffering from the same hubris that plagued former Senator Tom Daschle, D-SD in his last two years in office: the tendancy for overconfidence to cause one to make ridiculous statements as if factual. Now if we can only find a Thune in the Empire State to run against Shumer...

Senators Shumer and Dick Durbin (D-IL) have both attacked the credibility of General Petraeus (in spite of approving his appointment to his current post 81-0) and his report before reading it, and reaffirmed their commitment for withdrawal of our troops. In fact Senator Durbin, in speaking for the other Copperheads (an historical term used by blogger, Scottish Right, which I am thoroughly enjoying), has announced he will no longer vote for Iraq war funding bills unless they are tied to troop reductions.

House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said "We will see what the Bush report will be at the end of next week,...The facts are self-evident that the progress is not being made. They might want to find one or two places where there has been progress but the plural of anecdote is not data." She said Democrats were determined to uncover "the ground truth in Iraq." Grind the truth--more like.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Fred Announces On Leno


Link: sevenload.com

Here is the link to Fred Thompson's formal announcement (15 minutes, but worth it)