Memorial Day Thoughts

A week ago, I heard that a soldier just received the Congressional Medal of Honor. In Iraq he watched as a hand grenade was thrown into his vehicle. It rattled to the floorboards. He was manning the machine gun on top and was in a position where he could have safely bailed out of the vehicle. But beneath him, his four comrades were unaware that it was there. Rather than jump, he dove after it, covering it with his body. His four friends lived but young nineteen year old Ross McGinnis did not.

I was driving in my car when I heard it. I just had to pull over and talk to God about it. It is incredible how a young man would make such a selfless decision. Jhn 15:13 says “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” To me, the stunning reality of this verse is that it is walked out time and again by our sons and daughters. So young. So much to life yet to be lived. But in an instance the choice is before them and they make it so their friends can live.

I am sure McGinnis’s parents were stunned at the news. I am sure their grief was immense. I had a family member a long time ago who got similar news. The letter she received is now famous for its heartfelt message of condolence. I like to think of it on Memorial Day. Its author admits that condolence is not possible at a time like this. But it is important to recognize the enormity of the selfless act of all of our sons and daughters who have died for our country.

The letter was written to Mrs. Lydia Parker Bixby

Executive Mansion,
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864

Dear Madam, --I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts, that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom. Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln.

For many of us, Memorial Day is just another day off. Fishing season starts, swimming pools are opened. But we all get to do that because many purchased our wonderful freedom with their very lives. Let’s remember and honor them today.

Foreign Policy for Dummies

As President, Barack Obama would open up talks with the leadership of Iran. He claims that since Ronald Reagan talked to Gorbachev the precident has been set for him to talk to Iran with no preconditions. He needs to understand the history.

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger formalized a foreign policy tactic regarding nuclear weapons called Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). Great acronym, huh? Very simply it meant that if you launch missiles, then we launch missiles. No one can stop either of us from launching so we both have a real survival interest in being nice. A very important part of that policy was the position that neither country had an anti-missile system. For one country to develop an anti-missile system was for it to say that MAD was no longer valid.

When President Reagan took office, he very wisely understood that the Soviet Union had destroyed its own economic engine. Financially it had no power to move to the next level. He went to Congress and got the “Star Wars” program passed. Star Wars was the nickname of a very ambitious anti-missile system. He knew the Soviets could not follow suit because they were simply out of steam.

Democrats are justifying Obama’s willingness to talk to the President of Iran with the rationalization that Reagan met with his enemy, Gorbachev. Yes he did. But remember, this is the President that stomped on a covert communist takeover in Granada. This is the President who launched a missile and blew up the President of Libya’s own house. His meeting with Gorbachev was not a “no precondition” type talk. It was to simply announce “checkmate.” He came to that meeting fully armed with 4 things.

1. I will launch missiles on leaders who want to harm us.
2. I hate communism and will stop its expansion.
3. I have Star Wars to protect us. You don’t.
4. Economically speaking, you are out of gas. We are stomping on the accelerator.

Gorbachev then went back to Moscow and started presiding over the dismantling of the Soviet Union.

I have no idea what Barrack Obama is thinking when he spouts off that he is willing to talk to our enemies because Reagan talked to his. To borrow a debate line: Barrack Obama – you are no Ronald Reagan.

Global Warming is a Political Ploy

In March I wrote an article that talked about how scientists were organizing in opposition to the theory of Global Warming. The effort is discussed in an in depth study that completly refuted the theory. But just as important, these scientists took the pro-global warming advocates to task for abandoning the process of scientific research. I described the event as sort of a D-Day. These scientists had successfully established a beachhead.

I am now reporting that another beachhead has opened up. A well known Oregon scientist has successfully organized over 31,000 scientists who are not afraid to publicly declare that Global Warming in a farce. His story is here.

For those who think this is about an environmental phenomenon, let me re-explain the issue. All scientists are aware that we are experiencing climate change. Until this year, people thought the trend was temperature increase. Now they are convinced it is temperature decrease. That is confusing, but we can all deal with climate change. Changes in weather patterns mean changes in crop rotations and clothing patterns.

The huge issue is this. The Global Warming theory blames man for these fluctuations. And its formula for correcting the fluctuations is a backward march, a regression of productivity and a redistribution of wealth; in short, socialism. Scientists, thousands upon thousands of them are saying it is impossible that man has affected or can affect the world’s climate as the global warming gurus claim. Therefore these huge wealth redistribution plans will not affect the climate at all. But they will work to bring about a two-class economic system. The ruling class and the ruled class.

What these scientist are saying is that we have been had. Politicians have hijacked the issue. The weather has nothing to do with it. Taxing the more affluent cultures on a world-wide scale is what this is all about.

It is ironic that news of this scientist comes from Oregon. Because another message came from Oregon about the same day. It was from Barack Obama. “We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK."

Something tells me that the Global Warming ploy works for him just fine.

The Lebanon Reality

While we watch who wins the American Idol show, there is a drama being played out that has huge implications regarding the Middle East.

Iran is at the door of Israel. It is at its northern border ready to attack. So did you hear about that? Do you understand what is happening over there? Ralph Peters of the New York Post makes it really clear. Oh, it’s not really Iran. Its just Hezbollah. Iran trained, Iran armed, Iran equipped, Iran funded, Iran supported Hezbollah. Peters says that there is only one way this is going to go. He asks the following:

When will we face reality? Hezbollah can't be appeased. Hezbollah can't be integrated into a democratic government and domesticated. And Hezbollah, whose cadres believe that death is a promotion, can't be deterred by wagging fingers and flyovers.

When war approaches, typically you see huge headlines and lots of news coverage. But this is hardly even being mentioned. The mainstream media avoids the topic. Heck they don’t understand it any way. Read Peters’ excellent article. It will give you something to pray about. This is very serious.

A Vegan's Worst Nightmare

Switzerland has always been known for its ability to get along with everyone. The people are kind and friendly. And, from what I can see here, they are constantly looking for ways to be kinder and friendlier.

Apparently, the Swiss are seriously looking into the concept of plants’ rights. You know, people have rights, animals now have rights, and so why not plants? Our green friends are our fellow inhabitants on the planet aren’t they? They have prepared a report called The Dignity of Living Beings with Regards to Plants. They are using big words like plant dignity and biocentric moral view. You can read about it here.

So everyone grab hands. You on the right, grab that tree branch. You on the left, take a hold of that fern frawn. Now sway with the music as we sing. . . All we are s-a-y-i-n-g, is give peas a chance.

Feel the love? Feel the connectedness?

Me neither.

The Most Difficult Race

This presidential race is sure getting interesting. The marathon competition this year has been grueling for the candidates. It has also polarized the Democrats and made them choose to love one candidate and hate the other. When it is finally decided, the winner (Obama is the odds on favorite) will have to suddenly do an about face and make nice comments about the other in an effort to heal all the wounds in his own party. Normally that is routine, but this year the race has been so combative that it will not be easy.

Hats off to John McCain for staying away from the negative crossfire between Clinton and Obama. If the Democratic primary is any indication, this race will have the potential of being the most vicious competition there ever was. It is sickening to witness how brutal the campaigns can become. Some might say it is unfair. But remember, the heat from the campaign is simply training for the heat the winner will take as President. President Clinton took such withering punishment at the end of his term, I couldn’t see how he could still function. President Bush has taken as much punishment and is ending his second term with record low ratings. I am amazed by his continued optimism in spite of the way he has become the world’s voodoo doll. He has never forgotten who he is or what he believes.

I hope that the American people recognize the spirit that each candidate will be bringing. Candidates will say different things about issues to different people. But we can always discern the spirit that they bring. We can also see that spirit the spouse brings as well.