Whoa!

Excuse me, unless you are all for being ruled by a dictator - no matter what party you lean toward - this should make you and me very, very scared.

Los Angeles Times - ‎11 hours ago‎

The Obama administration aims to put members of the GOP on the spot, forcing them to compromise on issues or be portrayed as obstructionists.

I will admit I didn't get any further than this. It made me so mad; I had to stop reading.

Changing of the Guard

Hmmm, when I was there, I don't remember anyone giving orders. I thought I remembered complete silence. I also thought the soldiers did more maneuvers with their backs to each other. And, I would have sworn the guards were Marines. Anyone have an answer/reply to this? Update on Tuesday: Do I have two different changing of the guards confused????

Prepare to be furious and/or weep.
Several years ago, I had the privilege of watching the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (in Arlington, VA). The temperature was at least 103 degrees with probably 100 percent humidity. (A thunderstorm was forming.) I was standing at the back of the scant crowd, trying to get my small child into some shade. (The rest of my family was up in the front of the crowd.) A young man (probably a little younger than I was at the time), holding a toddler, was sharing the meager shade.

I was watching, absolutely in awe of the precision of the soldiers. I was in awe of the hours and hours the soldiers had to spend practicing. I was in awe that these soldiers volunteered and considered it an honor to do what I would consider an incredibly boring job. I was in awe that the soldiers would stand out in the heat and sun, pelting rain and lightning, or wind, ice, and snow. I was thinking of the parents who lost their sons and never received their remains or knew for sure what happened to them. I was thinking how quiet our children were being considering how uncomfortable they must have been. (It was almost as if these two little ones knew not to make the slightest whine or squeak.) I was hoping that a day never came when we might have to send our children off to fight a war.

When the changing of the guard was over and the crowd started to disperse, the man said, "What a waste of time." I was absolutely speechless. I couldn't think of one single thing to say to him. All I could do was stand and stare at him.

I have often wondered what would have happened to that man if anyone besides me had heard him say that. I have often wondered what became of that man. (All these years I have been completely disgusted with him and yet pitied him. I have even prayed for him.) I have often wondered what became of that little boy; he'd be 17 or 18 now - just about the right age to join the service. Did the little boy grow up hating the military and/or the US? Or, could he possibly have grown up proud to be an American?

The Little Red Hen

First of all, I do not know who wrote this. My humble apologies if I'm using this without permission. Secondly, thank you JB for sending this by email.

This is something to think about.

"Who will help me plant my wheat?" said the little red hen.

"Not I," said the cow.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Not I," said the goose.

"Then I will do it by myself," said the little red hen, and so she did. She planted her crop, and the wheat grew very tall and ripened into golden grain.

"Who will help me reap my wheat?" asked the little red hen.

"Not I," said the duck.
"Out of my classification," said the pig.
"I'd lose my seniority," said the cow.
"I'd lose my unemployment compensation," said the goose.

"Then I will do it by myself," said the little red hen, and so she did.

At last it came time to bake the bread.

"Who will help me bake the bread?" asked the little red hen.

"That would be overtime for me," said the cow.
"I'd lose my welfare benefits," said the duck.
"I'm a dropout and never learned how," said the pig.
"If I'm to be the only helper, that's discrimination," said the goose.

"Then I will do it by myself," said the little red hen.

She baked five loaves and held them up for all of her neighbors to see. They wanted some and, in fact, demanded a share.

But the little red hen said, "No, I shall eat all five loaves."

"Excess profits!" cried the cow. (Nancy Pelosi)
"Capitalist leech!" screamed the duck. (Barbara Boxer)
"I demand equal rights!" yelled the goose. (Jesse Jackson)
The pig just grunted in disdain. (Ted Kennedy)

And they all painted 'Unfair!' picket signs and marched around and around the little red hen, shouting obscenities.

Then the farmer (Obama) came. He said to the little red hen, "You must not be so greedy."

"But I earned the bread," said the little red hen.

"Exactly," said Barack the farmer. "That is what makes our free enterprise system so wonderful. Anyone in the barnyard can earn as much as he wants. But under our modern government regulations, the productive workers must divide the fruits of their labor with those who are lazy, disadvantaged, can’t speak English or are idle."

And knowing how wise Barrack the Farmer was, they all lived happily ever after, including the little red hen, who smiled and clucked, "I am grateful, for now I am truly Enlightened."

But her neighbors soon became quite disappointed in her. She never again baked bread because she joined the 'party' and got her bread free. And all the party members smiled. 'Fairness' had been established.

Individual initiative had died, but nobody noticed; perhaps no one cared as long as there was free bread that 'the rich' were paying for-----------But, eventually, all the bread-bakers joined the party, and coincidentally, shortly after the last one joined, there was no more bread.

So all the party members went to Farmer Barack and said, where is the bread oh great leader? And he said, I can’t worry about that now, I’m busy persuading more people to join our great party. Perhaps some of them can bake bread. “Good idea, Oh Great One. You sure are smart”, they said.

So he did, and the party members waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, and waited---------------------------------and died.

IS THIS A GREAT BARNYARD OR WHAT? Well, my answer is, “Yes it was, but not for long!!!!!!!!

My first thought when I was about half through reading this was that the punch line was going to be, "Let them eat cake." Sue

Something We Had Better Be Thinking About

American Values


Tuesday, February 17, 2009

To: Friends & Supporters

From: Gary Bauer

http://www.ouramericanvalues.org/

Obama’s Abortion Blitz

Barack Obama has been in office less than one month. In that time, he has launched a pro-abortion blitz against the values of millions of Americans. He has ordered tax dollars to pay for abortions worldwide. He has made it clear that his judges will be pro-abortion. Now Fox News is reporting that he will issue an executive order within days forcing taxpayers to subsidize life-destroying embryonic stem cell research.

The aggressiveness of Obama’s anti-life agenda is ironic given that new research suggests as many as 25% to 30% of people who identify as pro-life voted for Obama. This is particularly true of younger evangelical voters, who voted in larger numbers for Obama than they did for Al Gore or John Kerry in past elections.

Many are writing to me and asking what we can do. The American people overwhelmingly oppose abortion-on-demand and taxpayer funding of abortion. A recent Gallup poll found that Obama’s decision to allow taxpayer funding of abortions worldwide was the most unpopular decision he had made so far, with just 35% of those polled supporting the decision.

In the days ahead, I strongly encourage you to re-engage your friends and family members in this debate. Don’t say “I told you so,” but ask them what they think about how aggressively Obama is promoting abortion and the destruction of human life, even using our hard-earned tax money to pay for it.


A Shocking Irony

Late last week a disturbing story broke in New York when Muzzammil Hassan was arrested for murder. According to various reports, Hassan beheaded his wife, Aasiya, after she filed for divorce. Her divorce attorneys stated that her claim was based on “cruel and inhumane treatment” and numerous violent altercations with her husband during their eight-year marriage. A week prior to her death, she had obtained a restraining order against Muzzammil Hassan that forced him out of their house.

But the disturbing irony in this case is that Muzzammil Hassan ran a television station, Bridges TV, devoted to building “bridges of friendship and understanding” by portraying a positive, peaceful view of Islam to American audiences. Hassan once complained that “The level of ignorance regarding Muslims and Islam is very high in the United States.”

Some Muslim groups are trying to portray this incident as just another example of domestic violence, but not everyone is buying it. The president of the New York chapter of the National Organization for Women called the beheading, “a terroristic version of honor killing, murder rooted in cultural notions about women’s subordination to men.” I’m glad at least one feminist is speaking up.

Over a year ago, I wrote in this daily report about how some Islamic clerics actually teach young Muslim men the “proper” way to beat their wives by comparing women to “camels and donkeys.” As shocking as that is, the same ideology compares Christians and Jews to monkeys and pigs, turns its children into bombs, turns airplanes into weapons of mass destruction, vows to “wipe Israel off the map” and refers to the United States as “the great Satan.”

The level of ignorance regarding the threat of Islamofascism is indeed high. Sadly, as we have seen in recent days, from the closing of GITMO to dismissing charges against the mastermind of the USS Cole bombing, it now reaches to the highest levels of public office. I promise to do everything I can to educate our policy makers about the need to defend our values.

* * * * *
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My Grandmothers, Random Thoughts & (Indirectly) Why Vote

I was lucky. I had two grandmothers that were passionate about life, their rights, and beliefs. Each belonged to a very different church, but both would have been considered good, religious women. Both were vocal about current affairs; both liked to discuss politics in general. Both were adamant about voting. (Neither here nor there, both were pretty much self-educated and enjoyed learning, neither drank alcohol, both of their mothers died in 1926, both happened to be Republican.)

My paternal grandmother was older and "old", less demonstrative, quieter, more stern, and rather old fashioned about how women should act. However, she was insistant on being involved and having women (in general) involved in the community. She belonged to several civic organizations and was very active in a couple of them.

She was one of the youngest of 26 (count them!) children. Grandma didn't say too much about her younger years. She'd just say, "You don't have any idea how lucky you are." or "You sure are spoiled." From other family members, I learned of her childhood; it wasn't particularly good, happy, or otherwise.

This grandma didn't talk to us directly very much, but did take us with her to many functions. (She was of the "a child should be seen but not heard" school.) We were influenced by what we heard her say to others and by what she did with her life.

My maternal grandmother was almost 14 years younger than my other grandmother, so her outlook was different. She was a teen in the "Roaring" wicked 1920's, although she lived on a ranch a long way from civilization during part of that time. This grandma was a little more lenient, more open-minded, more demonstrative. She worked and had worked outside the home; had lived and worked for a while on an Indian reservation; had run a business; and had moved all over the country - where ever there was work for either her or her husband (Grandpa).

She was concerned with social issues such as domestic abuse, disease control, women and minority's rights, and (horrors!) birth control. (One would think that she should have been a Democrat. The difference is that she believed that individuals and churches should be responsible for taking care of these problems not the government.)

This grandma would listen to what we had to say. She would correct us or discuss with us, but we were never treated like we were silly or stupid. This grandma talked to us like we were adults. She told of her family, her experiences, about things that bothered her, what made her happy.

This grandma was one of the oldest of seven living children and had been expected to bring in money to help support the family. She grew up rather poor, but she had a fairly happy and loving childhood. Grandma taught us with her words and actions.

I was in high school, went to college, worked, got married, and had a child all in the 1970's. But, the feminism idea wasn't really new to me. I'd basically heard my female relatives "vent" (usually they were fairly quiet about it - there would be almost hidden tears and "I don't like it, but that's life. I wish I could change it, but I can't" attitude) against the inequities all my life. There are too many instances to write about here.) Although I didn't agree with the most radical aspects of Feminism, I was glad that in the 1970's somebody was finally doing something about trying to change attitudes of society and some of the laws that still forbid women certain rights.

Disturbed

I'm becoming alarmed about what might be a "new" trend of thinking. Maybe it has been around for a while, and I'm just learning about it. Maybe I just stumbled upon a small pocket (can't think of the word I want to use) who believes "this".

"This" is pushing feminity or being feminine. "This" doesn't sound so bad or frightening on the surface. After all, I am a grown woman who has been married for over thirty years. I have children and grandchildren. I believe in families. I know how to love, nuture, laugh, and cry. I know how to cook, bake bread, preserve, garden, sew, and clean. I can read the Bible, read poetry, do embroidery, play the piano, and even sing (plug your ears!). (Unfortunately, I never learned to dance.) Some would consider me kind and caring. I try to be respectful to others. I think I know how to pray. I know how to behave in our church. (I even know how to make candles, milk a cow, gather and candle eggs, pluck a fowl, and could probably spin wool, weave fabric, and make baskets if I had to.) These are considered feminine traits.

However! What I have been reading suggests that a wife should always be subservient to her husband. These groups or people are spewing that women should not involve themselves in politics. The husband should be the one to tell his wife how to think. The husband should fight all his wife's battles. The wife should never say an unkind word or raise her voice or argue. The husband should take care of all the finances. And, the women should always wear feminine, flattering dresses and do only "feminine" things. Old writings? NO! Only from one religious group? NO, several.

Still doesn't sound so bad? What would happen if your husband passed away? Would you know how to take care of yourself? If not, who would take care of you? Do you want to give up the right to think for yourself? Do you want to give up the right to vote? Do you want to give up the right to be a doctor, lawyer, or business woman? Do you want to stand there and let your husband and/or others "trample" you? Do you want to give up the right to wear jeans :)???

One place I read went on to say that the 1970's feminism movement was the cause of man's irresponsibily toward society and the reason that men now treat women so poorly. Maybe, some, but it even went on to say that men of the older generations were responsible bread-winners and were kind, considerate, and gentle to their wives and families. It didn't say generally, either.

HUH? What about all the men who deserted their families - way before 1970's feminism? What about the men who raped women and got away with it - way before 1970's feminism? What about husbands that beat their wives and/or children - way before 1970's feminism? What about the men who considered it their right to have multiple affairs - way before 1970's feminism? What about the men who never did a day's work - way before feminism. There might have been some surface social curtesies. By digging into your own family history, reading history, or listening to older people talk about their lives shows that men were really no better before the 1970's.

For the most part, women have always been strong. They have kept "civilization" going while raising their children, whether by working to keep a household together, by working on their farm, by working in a factory, or by scrubbing toilets. They have fought for their family's safety. They have always done what needed to be done.

Feminism may have gone overboard, but:
I excerise my right to vote for whom I please. This is relatively new right for women in the U.S. Please take advantage of this!
I reserve the right to wear jeans.
I reserve the right argue with my husband if I think he is wrong.
I reserve the right to yell and/or swear and/or even drink alcohol if I wish.
I reserved the right to say how many children I wanted. (There are your husband's wishes to consider and also religious issues, but I personally don't believe in knowingly (key word "knowingly") endangering your life and/or the child's life to have a child. To me, this is the same as playing Russian roulette or trying to commit suicide or infantcide. (Hey, I wanted to be alive to take care of my children myself.) There are those that say birth control is evil or a form of murder. Who are we to say that God didn't intend to have birth control discovered? (This should be thoroughly discussed with your husband-to-be.)
I pay the bills (but try to keep my husband informed).
I reserve the right to read whatever I want to read.
I reserve the right to go back to college and study whatever I want.
I reserve the right to work outside the home if I wish.
I reserve the right to not clean, cook, pamper, or pander to my husband's every wish.
If I am doing the same job as a man, I expect equal pay.
If my husband should beat me, I would expect him to be arrested and jailed.
I reserve the right of being a wife to ask my husband for help if I need it.
I expect help from my husband even when I don't ask.
I reserve the right to get a divorce if life with my husband should become unbearable.
I like the fact that if I wanted, I could buy and own land without a co-signer or without my husband's approval.
I like the fact that I can go buy my own car without my husband's approval.
I like that I can actually own something. Period. Used to be that if the husband died, the only thing the woman owned was what he willed her or her silver - if she was lucky enough to have any.
And, just so you know, I absolutely love and respect my husband even if he does drive me a little nuts sometimes!

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am certainly glad women are no longer mere chattels.