Whose Side are They On, Anyway?

It's why they can't be trusted when they offer up so-called reportage. The MSM isn't trustworthy because they side with the enemy more often than not. Cinnamon Stillwell has a terrific piece today at Horowitz's FrontPage magazine. Here's a morsel:

It's become increasingly clear in recent weeks that a second front has opened in the War on Terror. Now, not only is the United States battling Islamic terrorism and its state supporters, it's facing another enemy. That enemy is the mainstream news media that is aided by its allies among so-called international human rights organizations, the anti-American left, and detractors within our own military, government and intelligence services who are leaking as much dirt as they can muster. The mainstream news media is doing all it can to defeat the United States abroad.

You must read the entire piece.

Much of the MSM, among others in gov't, academia, entertainment, ad nauseum, really are the "enemy within," as Michael Savage properly dubs them. He's right; the enemy within is formidable and the average American who isn't paying attention is absolutely clueless. (It's too bad that Savage is his own worst public relations man. His message is mostly right on; he just can't resist bashing his competition and thereby lose people who might otherwise propagate his agenda.)

Brent Bozell has an excellent companion piece, Believing the Worst, here. Another morsel:

There is an unspoken but real impulse in today's media to see themselves as "independent" of America, even above America, not so much because they are superior to America but because America is so egregiously flawed. It is their role to shed light on America's failings. They're not keen at being seen as Americans. They choke at the idea of wearing flag pins. ABC boss David Westin tried so hard to be above America that he wanted to stay neutral on the question of whether our Pentagon is a legitimate target for terrorists.

It explains why so many reporters are willing to believe the absolute worst about our current government and its motives. So disdainful have they become that they are silent when fellow journalists claim -- without a shred of evidence -- that American soldiers are engaging in targeting and assassinating journalists hostile to America's foreign policy aims.

Bet you didn't know...

Minister, former newspaper publisher, author and former talk show host, Wayne Perryman, was featured on Laura Ingraham's show this morning. What a guy! He should be a guest on every radio show in the country. He was promoting his new book, Unfounded Loyalty which shines the startling light of truth on how the democrat party has not been the friend of Blacks in the course of American History. Quite the opposite, in fact. For instance:

Regarding the Democrats...

Our nation's top historians reveal that the Democratic Party gave us the Ku Klux Klan, Black Codes, Jim Crow Laws and other repressive legislation which resulted in the multitude of murders, lynchings, mutilations, and intimidations (of thousands of black and white Republicans). On the issue of slavery: historians say the Democrats gave their lives to expand it, the Republicans gave their lives to ban it.

Regarding the Republicans...

Regarding the Republican Party, historians report that while Democrats were busy passing laws to hurt blacks, Republicans devoted their time to passing laws to help blacks. Republicans were primarily responsible for the following Civil Rights legislation:

1. The Emancipation Proclamation
2. The 13th Amendment
3. The 14th Amendment
4. The 15th Amendment
5. The Reconstruction Act of 1867
6. The Civil Rights of 1866
7. The Enforcement Act of 1870
8. The Forced Act of 1871
9. The Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871
10. The Civil Rights Act of 1875
11. The Freeman Bureau
12. The Civil Rights Act of 1957
13. The Civil Rights Act of 1960
14. The United State Civil Rights Commission

And gave strong bi-partisan support and sponsorship for the following
legislation

15. The Civil Rights Act of 1964
17. The Voting Rights Act of 1965
18. The 1968 Civil Rights Acts
19. The Equal Opportunity Act of 1972
20. Goals and Timetables for Affirmative Action Programs
21. Comprehensive Employment Training Act of 1973
22. Voting Rights Act of Amendment of 1982
23. Civil Rights Act of 1983
24. Federal Contract Compliance and Workforce Development Act of 1988

Programs By Republicans & their Supporters include:

a. Many of our key traditional Black Colleges are named after Republicans Colleges
b. The Freedman Bureau
c. Historians say that three whites that opposed the Democrat's racist practices, including the lynching of blacks, founded and funded the NAACP.

These factoids should get a rise out of somebody. You would think creative republicans would be voicing these positive records far, wide and loudly, but who knows what the republicans think about when it comes to battling the dems these days. Fortunately, someone like Mr. Perryman comes along every know and then, with the truth.

Rolling Thunder

Rolling Thunder, originally uploaded by ragdaltx.

Harley Davidsons rumble in line down Constitution Avenue. This veteran carries 'Old' Glory and 'Missing In Action (MIA)' flags on his bike.

Memorial Day Celebrations

WWIIMem072004-05-25, originally uploaded by ragdaltx.

People gather in front of the World War II Memorial along the Mall in Washington DC.

Memorial Day Quotes and Tributes

Wishing you a happy Memorial Day. If your family has been personally touched by the horrors of war, may God bless and comfort you. Thank you for your selfless sacrifice. We honor all who have given their lives in the defense of America.

John 15:13 No one has greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived. - Gen. George S. Patton Jr.

Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened. - Billy Graham

The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it. - Thucydides

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. - Joseph Campbell

True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost. - Arthur Ashe

It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle. - Norman Schwarzkoph

The main thing about being a hero is to know when to die. - Will Rogers

__________________

Some excellent sites to visit over the weekend:

Fallen Heroes

Michelle Malkin: MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND: HONOR THE TROOPS

Memorial Day Tribute

Memorial Day Holiday Page

U.S. Memorial Day History and Information on U.S. War Memorials

THE HISTORY CHANNEL - Memorial Day

National Memorial Day Concert PBS

Remembering the Meaning of Memorial Day

__________________

Some great movies you might want to checkout over the weekend:

We Were Soldiers

Patton (1970)

Saving Private Ryan

The Longest Day (1962)

Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

Other Memorial Day Movies

Let me know if you have some favorite Memorial Day quotes, websites, movies, or music...lots of great music out there germane to this holiday, from Sousa to Cohan; but if you get an opportunity to listen to that great hymn, Mansions in the Sky from the movie, We Were Soldiers and immortalized at President Reagan's funeral, I think you'll agree it may be the quintessential Memorial Day Song of our time (you can hear it here and see the lyrics as well)...don't miss it!.

Welcome Radio Equalizer listeners!

Capital Punishment Returns to Iraq

When Saddam heard about this today he was overheard saying, "DOH!" This will give Amnesty International heartburn but justice will be taking place soon for the untold number of victims brutalized by the former regime. Hanging will be the method of execution:

Three men convicted of murder, rape and kidnapping sat before the judge, awaiting their fates. But first they had to face their victims' seething families.

"They broke his arms. They broke his legs. They took out his eyeballs," one woman said at the hearing Sunday in the city of Kut southeast of Baghdad, describing what the men had done to her son. "Death penalty. I want the death penalty."

A man in the back of the crowded courtroom held a sign that said: "We do not accept any sentence less than death."

Moments later, the spectators got their wish. The three alleged members of the insurgent group known as the Ansar al-Sunna Army were condemned to be hanged "in the next 10 days," according to the sentence imposed by the special criminal court.

What WON'T be Extraordinary?

Cox and Forkum 5-25-05, originally uploaded by ragdaltx.

Prager: Secularism and the meaningless life

Dennis Prager has been publishing his most recent book (in progress) a chapter at a time in his weekly column. His current column is chapter 13 in the series on Judeo-Christian values. It's an important piece on secularism and the resultant void the philosophy cannot fill in the lives of its adherants:

Whatever the logical inconsistencies or theoretical arguments in either direction, the fact remains that while secular individuals can believe that their own lives have meaning, secularism by definition denies that life has meaning. The consequences have been devastating to mental health and to social order.

Among these have been increased unhappiness and depression, increased reliance on drugs and numbing entertainment to get people through life, moral confusion, belief in nonsense (such as Marxism, fascism, communism, male-female sameness, pacifism, moral equivalence of good and bad societies, and much more), and perhaps most ubiquitous, political meaning as a substitute for religious meaning.

Given that the need for meaning transcends all other human needs, its absence must create havoc individually and societally. In government, secularism is a blessing; but most everywhere else it is not.

The entire series on "Judeo-Christian Values" can be found here at Prager's website.

Voinovich Wept

Somebody in the Senate needs to slap Senator Voinovich. He actually wept on the floor of the Senate today over the probability that John Bolton would be approved as Ambassador to the U.N. Get a grip, Senator! It's okay for a man to cry, even in public, like when your dog dies, or your daughter walks down the isle or whenever you hear the Star Spangled Banner, but under these circumstances you were perceived as a very, very weak man! What's becoming of the Senate and what kind of example are they setting? What kind of a leader are you, Senator Voinovich? For one thing, you didn't even attend the committee meetings when Bolton's qualifications were being discussed and then you opted to side with the opposition. And today you weep for all to see? You are an embarrassment, Senator! But if it's any comfort, you are not the only embarrassment up there!

Quote of the Day

From Hugh Hewitt on his radio program:

John McCain is a great American, a lousy senator and a horrible republican.

Compromise Based on "Trust"

"Trust" was the basis of the compromise, so it was said as they made their announcement. What a joke! Be sure to check out Michelle Malkin to see the "Republican Buckle."

Michelle wins the quote of the day:

The GOP parade of pusillanimity marches on. With this pathetic cave-in, the Republicans have sealed their fate as a Majority in Name Only.

Today's Essential Reading

If you missed Rush today, you may have missed these excellent articles which he read on his show. Leaving the left, by Keith Thompson, explains why he no longer considers himself a liberal and Lies? Only When Republicans Tell them, Right? by Evan Sayet, chronicles a litany of lies from the left. Both are essential reading.

36,000 National Guard Troops would Stop Illegal Crossings

According to a Washington Times report, it would take 36,000 National Guard Troops to keep illegals from crossing our southern border:

The deployment of 36,000 National Guard troops or state militia on the U.S.-Mexico border would stop the illegal flow of foreigners into America, says a congressional report that credits the Minuteman Project with proving that additional manpower could "dramatically reduce if not virtually eliminate" illegal immigration.

Is that number of troops unreasonable? If we want to keep out millions of illegals and dozens, hundreds or thousands of terrorists from coming from Mexico, what is the problem with 36,000 troops? Guarding our borders is and should be one of our military's highest priorities. Right? Be sure to read the entire piece.

Illegal Immigration Quote of the Day

From Joseph Farah:

There is a totally schizophrenic policy in America today in which we tolerate open borders, provide every imaginable and many unimaginable incentives for illegal penetration of our country and then spend tens of billions of dollars on "homeland security."

Be sure to check out the rest of the linked article.

How Dare the U.N. call U.S. "Ungainly Giant"

That's gratitude for you! The U.S. has contributed more than any number of countries combined, yet we are insulted by the insolent officials at the corrupted U.N. See the disgusting piece here and ask yourself why we put up with these thugs in our country and why we send them any money whatsoever?

Might as well read the entire piece here...it's not that lengthy:

NEW YORK -- Secretary General Kofi Annan's chief of staff called the United States an "ungainly giant" that only plays by its own rules, criticizing the U.N.'s largest donor in unusually strong terms Sunday.

Mark Malloch Brown said the U.S. contributed most to the development of international law in the last century, but was now the country most opposed to international constraints.

"This ungainly giant of a nation that has led the world in advancing freedom, democracy and decency, cannot quite accept membership in the global neighborhood association, and the principle of all neighborhoods _ that it must abide by others' rules as well as its own," Malloch Brown said at the commencement address to Pace University law students.

Malloch Brown's comments, provided to The Associated Press by the university, were unusually forceful for an organization whose leaders tend to abide by an unwritten rule of not criticizing member nations.

But Annan himself has responded more energetically in recent months to U.S. critics of the United Nations who have focused on the U.N. chief and the world body as a whole following embarrassing revelations stemming from probes of the United Nations' oil-for-food program and other scandals.

Earlier this week, a congressional committee drafted a bill that threatens to withhold tens of millions of dollars in dues from the United Nations unless the world body conducts wide-ranging reforms. Malloch Brown and several other officials have said the idea will only isolate the United Sates.

Malloch Brown noted that the United States has already set itself apart in its opposition to the International Criminal Court and the Kyoto treaty seeking to mandate reductions in emissions. But, he added, "nor, admirably, will it accept other compromises in the pursuit of freedom and liberty."

The Blind Science of Secular Humanism

Brannon Howse, author and founder of Worldview Weekend has a good piece dealing with the humanist's blind science. The humanist's, who equate creationism with foolish superstition and downright idiocy, themselves have real problems explaining how things came to exist:

Instead of believing in God as the basis for their religion, humanists believe in nature or "natural science" – naturalism. The reason is supposedly to avoid resting an intellectual foundation on what secularists call "blind faith."

The Christian faith, however, is anything but blind from an intellectual standpoint. Arguments for the God of the Bible are well-founded. What liberal humanists have substituted for a reasonable faith in a Creator God is, I would contend, blind science. Dr. D.G. Lindsay agrees and describes the intellectual underpinnings of evolution this way:

'Evolution is a religion that attributes everything to "nature." It demands a faith that is totally blind. Since the evolutionist believes nature and its laws are the guiding force in the universe, he is totally at odds with the Christian faith and the essential miraculous aspect of creation. The miraculous events of the Bible deviate from the known laws of nature, or at least from our understanding of them.
However, the evolutionist is blind to the fact that his religion, evolution, violates every known law for its own existence, making atheistic evolution more incredible (miraculous) than the Christian faith.'

The logic of a creationist demands a creator:

In real life, logic applies. If we see a painting, we assume there was a painter. If an airplane flies overhead, there's a pilot. It doesn't matter that we don't see the painter or the pilot. Elementary logic guarantees in our minds that they exist. If something looks like it was designed – a building, a watch, an airplane or a cosmos – we are safe to assume it was. Not so, however, in the world of blind science. Naturalistic humanists believe there is no God, not because that is the logical conclusion but because that is their preference.

The concept of a "creator" in the eyes of secular humanism is problematic because it means there could be consequences set forth by the creator...a rule book with which they may not agree:

It is really quite pathetic when you consider the mental gymnastics a humanist must perform – and the ACLU must defend – to uphold the new version of educational freedom that allows only one view of origins to be taught in our public schools. Although the humanist typically mocks as unscientific those who believe in a creator God, when the science of their worldview is proven to be unscientific and mathematically impossible, they ignore the facts and create preposterous theories simply to sidestep the logical belief in an Intelligent Designer. Which brings me to the one summary statement that explains what is truly the foundation of Blind Science: Note its initials.

Salute to our Armed Forces

Today is Armed Forces Day. Hat tip to Kim Komando for the DoD link. Check it out.

"It's not about you"

Lenny Cacchio has some things for you to ponder over the weekend when you have some quality time in your "Lazy Boy" with your favorite mug of java:

Rick Warren begins his best selling book The Purpose Driven Life with a sentence worthy of our age: "It’s not about you."

And it’s not. God did not grant us life for the purpose of exalting ourselves. We are mere specks of dirt on a tiny planet circling a middling star on the edge of middling galaxy. When I gaze at the wonders of the night, I marvel along with the Psalmist: "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him?" (Psalm 8:3-4 NKJV)

Indeed, what could an all-powerful Being possibly see in us that He would "make Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross"? (Phil 2:6-9 NKJV)

Frankly, folks, I’m not worth that much, and I am certainly not worthy of being a co-heir with Christ. Neither am I worthy of being called a child of God, but that’s exactly how the Book refers to us who accept God’s gift of eternal life (Romans 8). If the Book means what it says, then as co-heirs we are to inherit everything that Jesus inherits, which is "all things" (Hebrews 2:10), including those stars I gaze at on those dark, crisp evenings. It is right to dream about galaxies far, far away, for God has put that desire in our hearts.

Even though He has the right to be called the I AM, He desires not to horde power and position and control to Himself, but instead has created the universe to share. It could be all about Him, but the Great Center of the Universe has decreed otherwise. By doing so, He made it all about us, but that only works if we make it all about Him. That dilemma is the real meaning of love.

Lookin' good, Saddam!

You've probably seen the Saddam in his BVD's photo. Much ado about nothing, in my opinion. If you ask me, Saddam, and whoever snapped that candid shot missed one of the greatest opportunities of all time. What Saddam should have done at the first glimpse of the camera was to take off the shorts and put them on his head! THAT, my friends, would have been the undoing of western civilization as we know it and we might as well have just turned everything over to the Islamofacists. What was his attorney (Ramsey Clark) thinking? You blew it, Ramsey!

By the way, Saddam...you're looking like we're taking top notch care of you...you could use a little sun, but other than that, you look quite rested and ready for a fair, speedy trial and prompt execution.

As usual, the hardest working lady in the New Media has much more info. Check her out.

Pepsi Exec Steps in it

Looks like Pepsi could be in deep doo doo:

A top executive at PepsiCo compared America's position in the global marketplace to a middle finger during a speech to the graduating class of Columbia Business School.

Many of those in attendance viewed the comments Sunday evening by the president and chief financial officer of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, as insulting and unpatriotic.

Hugh Hewitt is all over this. A carefully worded "apology," of sorts, can be seen at Hewitt's blog. Callers to his radio show and most of his emailers are outraged at Pepsi despite the apology.

Trump Gets It

Love him or hate him, "The Donald" is the quintessential self promoter/bidnessman, and his idea for rebuilding the World Trade Center is second only to the idea of building two short towers with one tall tower in between the two shorter ones as if to portray an architectural "flipping of the bird" to the Islamofacists and anyone else who would dare do it again. Trump's vision may be less desirable, but is far more plausible. See his vision for the new World Trade Center here.

Ann Coulter on Newsweek

Don't miss Coulter's account of the Newsweek debacle. Get it at the official Ann Coulter website. Seems that Newsweek has witheld several big, stories that were true, but opted to run the "flushed Koran" story even though it wasn't true. Odd, isn't it? Different presidents, different policy?

Sec-Gen Clinton

Face it. In your heart of hearts, you must know that sooner or later, the utterly corrupt U.N. is going to be the home of Bill Clinton. They were made for each other and they are bound to "hook up," which, when you really think about it, is apt phraseology. Look at the commonalities...the corruption, the abuse of power, the sexual scandals; it's inevitable and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.

The Decatur Daily Democrat is the most recent periodical to pick up on this eventuality. It wasn't the first to consider the probability. I blogged about it here as far back as October of '04...be sure to hit the links.

At this writing, Clinton is abroad, (or is that, with a broad...sorry, I just can't help myself...) on yet another good will mission, (read, campaign). He's campaigning, folks, for the Secretary General of the U.N. Kofi will go away in a year, if not sooner. Beginning now, we will see a global blitz the likes of which we've not seen since Bill's run for the presidency. Stock up on barf bags while you can.

This story has been one of those "dribblers." It comes out from time to time to test the waters. The water is going to be tested more frequently. It's going to happen, boys and girls! Just keep watching.

Universities, Diversity and Dr. Limbaugh

Dr. Leonard M. Adleman, a professor at the University of Southern California, went way out on a limb and nominated Rush Limbaugh to receive an honorary doctors degree, according to an article in the L.A. Daily News

''Rush Limbaugh has engendered epochal changes in politics and the media. He has accomplished this in the noblest of ways, through speech and the power of his ideas. Mr. Limbaugh began his career as a radio talk-show host in Sacramento in 1984. He espoused ideas that were conservative and in clear opposition to the dominant ideas of the time. Perhaps because of the persuasiveness of Mr. Limbaugh's ideas or because they resonated with the unspoken beliefs of a number of Americans, his audience grew. Today, he has the largest audience of any talk show host (said to be in excess of 20 million people per week) and his ideas reverberate throughout our society.

''Mr. Limbaugh is a three-time recipient of the National Association of Broadcasters' Marconi Radio Award for Syndicated Radio Personality of the Year. In 1993, he was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters' Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

''In 1994, an American electorate, transformed by ideas that Mr. Limbaugh championed, gave control of Congress to the Republicans for the first time in 40 years. That year, Republican congressmen held a ceremony for Mr. Limbaugh and declared him an 'honorary member of Congress.' The recent re-election of President Bush suggests that this transformation continues. One of Mr. Limbaugh's major themes through the years has been liberal bias in the 'mainstream' media. His focus on this theme has made him the target of incessant condemnation. Nonetheless, he has persevered and it now appears that his view is prevailing. As the recent debacle at CBS shows, the media is in the process of major change. Ideally, the American people will profit from a reconstituted media that will act more perfectly as a marketplace for ideas.''

But there is a bigger reason why I support giving him an honorary degree: Because I value intellectual diversity.

Regrettably, the university declined to offer Limbaugh a degree. As best I can determine, no university has honored him in this way. On the other hand, such presumably liberal media luminaries as Dan Rather, Chris Matthews, Judy Woodruff, Bill Moyers, Terry Gross, Paul Krugman and Peter Arnett have received many honorary degrees from the nation's universities.

Now before you label me as a right-wing ideologue, let me present my credentials as a centrist. Limbaugh has well-known positions on the following issues: abortion, capital punishment, affirmative action, prayer in school, gun control, the Iraq war. I disagree with him on half of these.

But intellectual diversity has all but vanished from America's campuses. We are failing in our duty to provide our students with a broad spectrum of ideas from which to choose. Honoring Limbaugh, or someone like him, would help to make the academy more intellectually diverse.

Kudos to Dr. Adleman for his temerity in nominating Rush. I hope he's tenured! Be sure to check out the entire piece.

Buchanan: "Conservative movement has passed into history..."

Pat Buchanan, paleocon at heart (not that there's anything wrong with that) explains in his column in The Washington Times what is happening to the conservative movement. I'm in agreement with Buchanan. We conservatives are no longer in the mainstream of the so-called conservative party. Last week I blogged about this very subject and linked to an excellent, if not disheartening piece, by John Derbyshire.

Rules? What rules? We don't need no stinkin' rules!

Daily, it seems, the dems reach new lows. One day Harry Reid calls the president a loser and the next day Howard Dean says DeLay should go back to Houston to serve out his prison sentence. Classy stuff huh? If this is their effort to "appeal to the base," it doesn't say much for "the base."

Most recently, Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader, violated senate rules by making reference to a confidential FBI file when talking about Michigan Appeals Court Judge Henry Saad. But then who cares about rules when you know full well no one will hold you to the same standard others must uphold. See the Washington Times piece right here.

David Limbaugh's most recent column, Judicial Battle Just Got Nastier is a must read. Looks as though the dems are undergoing "Larry Flint-style" fishing expeditions on appellate judges who have been mentioned as potential Supreme Court Justice nominees:

Columnist Bob Novak unveiled the story in his May 16 column, reporting that a California political consulting firm requested the financial records of U.S. Appeals Court Judge Edith Jones and 29 other "appellate judges in all but one of the country's judicial circuits, including nine widely mentioned Supreme Court possibilities." According to Novak, such a mass request for disclosure by federal judges is unprecedented.

But what makes this more interesting is that one of the partners in the consulting firm is Craig Varoga, a former aide to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. Should we assume complicity on Reid's part?

Until I hear of him denouncing this outrage, I'll presume he's supportive of it. With his consistent pugnaciousness and pettiness in these Senate skirmishes and his recent demeaning reference to President Bush as a "loser" before high school students, we now know Reid's not the mild-mannered public servant he pretends to be.

Thomas Sowell weighs in on "Dirty" Harry (apologies to Harry Calahan) here.

These are just three pieces illuminating the ongoing underhanded tactics in which the desperate dems are engaged. Their desperation will only spur them on to more despicable acts and you can be sure the MSM won't be holding their feet to the fire. But, the New Media will!

Don't Be Distracted This Week

There will be much in the news this week about the Newsweek fiasco as well as
the Michael Jackson Trial and who knows what else. The thing to watch is how the Senate republicans will deal with the so called "nuclear option" and the desired up and down vote on judicial nominations. That's the important story this week.

Additionally, regardless of how you think about the corrupted, but not-yet-irrelevant United Nations, the John Bolton nomination is something to watch. Bolton is a bellwether figure in the efficacy of the republican dominance in the Senate. Will they allow the democratic minority to rule the roost or will the repubs take advantage of their majority status for a change and take charge.

"Border Betrayal"

Joseph Farah is right on target in his piece at WorldNetDaily calling out the high level Border Patrol folks for their apparent disingenuousness in the matter of discouraging arrests along the 23 mile stretch of border patrolled by the Minutemen. The entire piece is here:

It's bad enough Washington has denied Border Patrol agents the funds, manpower and tools they need to do their jobs effectively and safely.

What's worse are the messages they are sending the loyal, brave, front-line defenders of this country: Don't do your job!

In case you haven't heard, Border Patrol agents in the Arizona area guarded by the civilian Minuteman organization were told not to make too many arrests in the aftermath of volunteer, month-long effort to hold back the floodtide of invaders coming from Mexico on a daily basis. The message was clear to the rank-and-file Border Patrol agents – the government didn't want to prove the effectiveness of the Minuteman action.

As expected, there was a flurry of denials from Washington.

Yet there was something obviously disingenuous about the high-level denials. While they insisted the claims that direct orders had been given to agents not to be aggressive in making arrests of illegal aliens, not one official said what you would expect a responsible law-enforcement director to say if the accusations were false.

And I will issue a challenge to Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff and Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar right now: If you want aggressive enforcement of border violations, say so publicly.

Tell the American people and the heroic Border Patrol agents you want a zero-tolerance approach to law-breaking. Tell the American people and the hard-working, dedicated professionals in the field that you want aggressive enforcement of our immigration laws. Tell the American people and the undermanned, outgunned officers in the field that they are not to look the other way.

Mark my words: You will not hear those officials make any such statement.

The truth is that the immigration officials in Washington didn't even need to send a memo to their officers in the field for them to get the message they got.

That message comes across loud and clear every time the president of the United States opens his mouth on the subject. Every time he says America needs the "cheap labor" these immigrants provide, he's sending a message that the Border Patrol is obstructing America's economic growth by rounding up illegal-alien lawbreakers. Every time he floats another one of his amnesty program trial balloons before the public, he is insulting the dirty and dangerous work these men do. Every time he insults the Minutemen as "vigilantes," he sends the clear message that these particular laws are not meant to be enforced. Every time he suggests that the real solution for the quiet invasion of our country is for us to solve the economic problems of our neighbors, he may as well type the memo himself to those on the line that they are interfering in his plans for ending America's experiment in independence and sovereignty.

We hear you loud and clear, Mr. President.

And so do your treacherous lackeys in the misnamed Department of Homeland Security and their lackeys who run Immigration and Customs Enforcement and their lackeys who run the Border Patrol.

Your word has gone down the line effectively: Don't enforce the duly enacted laws governing our borders.

If I am wrong, come out and publicly encourage the Border Patrol agents to do their jobs. Come out and tell the agents in the field that they should disregard any order to the contrary. Come out and tell the American people you are going to secure the borders by whatever means necessary.

Until Bush and the rest of his ivory-tower Washington establishment do that, their denials of the credible claims of the Border Patrol agents will continue to ring false.

If the American people continue to stand for this kind of betrayal at the top, they're going to deserve the government they get.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Which was Worse; Abu Graibe or the riots spawned by Newsweek?

How many men died in the media created "torture chambers" of Abu Graibe? Give up? None! Okay, some of the Islamo-facists may still be in therapy due to the horrific "panties on the head routine" and the devastating "naked cheerleader pyramid" bit, but aside from that, no one died.

So far, at least 15 people have died as a direct result of the riots inspired by an unsubstantiated story in Newsweek alleging that the Koran was desecrated at Gitmo. It's not that Newsweek is the news magazine of record in the Islam world, but International wires (read, Al Jazeera) picked it up, and behold, all hell broke loose. Was this an intended consequence to make the Bush administration look bad, just like the never ending Abu Graibe non-story? Hmmmmm!

But they've apologized... sort of. So what now? Will Newsweek be held responsible for irresponsible reporting? Will they have to pay reparations for the loss of life? Will their credibility be tossed in the dumper like the NYTimes, CBS, CNN, and so many others in the MSM? We'll have to wait and see, won't we.

And once again, would this piece of yellow journalism ever have been brought to light without the New Media?

Malkin: NEWSWEEK LIED*. PEOPLE DIED.

Go to Michelle Malkin to read what the big blogs are saying about the Newsweek debacle.

We know what would have happened if some conservative talk show host would have triggered Islamic riots by unscrupulous reporting. What will happen to Newsweek and Michael Isakoff?

Michelle's explanation of the above headline:

*Didn't think I needed to s-p-e-l-l i-t o-u-t, but some readers asked for clarification. Newsweek was reckless and sloppy and wrong. But I do not think the magazine "lied." Just thought it a very appropriate moment to do a boomerang on the moonbats' most dishonest and annoying meme....('Bush lied, people died')

World Magazine--"the intolerance of tolerant secularists"

Thanks to Caleb 1411 for his post at FreeRepublic of an excellent piece about the "intolerance of the tolerant secularists" found in World Magazine.

The article showcases two books on the subject of "tolerance," one of which identifies 10 core beliefs that govern today's secularists:

(1) Religion interferes with freedom and must be banished from the public square.

(2) Human life is valuable only as long as it is wanted.

(3) Marriage is a human contract made between any two people, and can be terminated for any reason.

(4) Family is any grouping of two or more people.

(5) Sexual intercourse is permissible regardless of marital status.

(6) All forms of sexual activity are moral as long as they occur between consenting adults.

(7) Women are oppressed by men and must liberate themselves.

(8) People of color should receive preferential treatment.

(9) Non-Western societies and other oppressed peoples and their heritage should be studied and valued above Western civilization.

(10) Only viewpoints deemed politically correct should be tolerated and encouraged to prevail.

Be sure to read the entire piece. It's ever more evident that the dogma of "tolerance" has very limited parameters, particularly when dealing with Judeo-Christian ideals.

Quote for the Ages

From Ben Franklin, one of my favorite Founding Dads:

"A nation of well informed men (and women) who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved"

(Found on the website of Homemakers for America)

Welcome "Radio Equalizer" Readers

Brian Maloney, WorldNetDaily columnist, radio talk show host, blogger and head honcho at The Radio Equalizer has once again, graciously, linked to me in his "weekend reading" post. Thanks for the link, Brian!

And for those of you who haven't visited his place recently, get over there post haste and check out it out.

Coyote Ugly Politics

I wonder how many people who have dealt with the Clintons over the years realized too late, that it would have been far better to have had to gnaw off one of their limbs and be gone rather than stick around and reap the full penalty of their association.

Michelle Malkin reports on the newly formed alliance between Hillary and Newt and so does Rush.

By now, most observers know that both of them intend to run in '08. Newt, having been trashed and driven out of office by the media is now attempting to moderate his position with the power brokers in Washington by forming this unholy alliance with Hillary. Surely he must know that he is a predestined loser in this proposition.

Because she is the darling of the MSM and he is forever a demon in their eyes, he cannot and will not win in this attempt to win over the media. What is he thinking anyway?

Gov't Drug Smugglers Busted

Another reason for the Minutemen to come back to the border...the entire border! Thankfully this group of smugglers has been caught, but what about potential terrorists coming through the border (and these smugglers were supposed to be the good guys!).

We Need the Minutemen back!

30 days wasn't long enough. The Minutemen in Arizona did a great service for our country and we need their presence on a full time basis in all the border states.

DRUDGE is reporting right now on a "developing" story that the border patrol agents have been told to "stand down:"

"PAPER: Border Patrol told to stand down in Arizona... Border Patrol agents have been ordered not to arrest illegal aliens along the section of the Arizona border where protesters patrolled last month because an increase in apprehensions there would prove the effectiveness of Minuteman volunteers, WASHINGTON TIMES has learned.... Developing..."

This is just crazy! Something HAS to be going on behind closed doors with Vicente Fox and President Bush that isn't be made public. Why is it that the gov't refuses to act on illegal immigration and denigrates citizens who take it upon themselves when all else has failed?

UPDATE: Here's some additional information regarding the Border Patrol's insolence. Apparently they are willing to sacrifice national security just to save face. Some heads need to roll over this one.

CBS Steps in it again

CBS just can't help themselves. Will they never learn to stop fabricating stories and trumping up facts? This time they've quoted Ken Starr completely out of context and make him appear to be steadfastly against the so called "nuclear option."

Prager: "...profound differences between the Left and the Right"

Dennis Prager comments on the vast difference between the Left and Right in a guest blog at The Huffington Post. It's good... check it out.

Living in False Hope?

If you're a conservative, you'll find John Derbyshire's piece at NRO to be quite disturbing; especially in light of the fact that the left is spiraling downward at warp speeds. That being so, you'd think the conservative republicans would really be making historical hay. But unfortunately, the republicans aren't very conservative.

The dems have been deadheading to the far left at break neck speeds since the Clinton administration. They have since found themselves splattered like bugs all over the socialist windshield which prevents them from being full blown commies. That would be a good thing for republicans in normal times, but the times, they've been a changin'.

As the left have veered even further left, the republicans, too, have veered to the left. Way too many of them are now left of center (they're called moderates) and the rest of them pretty much hover near the middle (they're the so-called conservatives). Which must be why they don't seem to be in a hurry to take advantage of their majority status in Congress. They persist in acting like they are not yet in charge.

Be sure to read Darbyshire's piece to see the sorry state of conservative affairs.

Thomas Sowell: New Column and New Book

Thomas Sowell's latest column is up and he brilliantly contrasts the differences between those who have struggled for their money and those who have been born with the proverbial silver spoon in their mouths. Seems it's those who have had to work for it are pretty happy with the good ol' USA while many on the other side of the tracks have disdain for America. Check out his wisdom at the above link.

Dr. Sowell's new book, Black Rednecks And White Liberals is out and reviewed here.

Mass Media Meltdown?

John Podhoretz explains what's going on with the mass media and why the numbers are down in virtually every news/entertainment venue. So what's going on?

There are compelling individual explanations for these phenomena. For instance, this year's movies have been extraordinarily uninteresting. And the collapse in newspaper circulation may simply be the result of more honest reporting on the part of publishers chastened by the public exposure last year of fraudulent numbers at papers like Newsday and the Dallas Morning News.

But it can't be a coincidence that the five major pillars of the American media — movies, television, radio, recorded music and newspapers — are all suffering at the same time. And it isn't. Something major has changed over the past year, as the availability of alternative sources of information and entertainment has finally reached critical mass.

Newly empowered consumers are letting the producers, creators and managers of the nation's creative and news content know that they are dissatisfied with the product they're being peddled.

Take the moviegoing audience. For 25 years, people have been watching movies at home on video and DVD. But only in the past year or so have people been able to afford big flat screens in their homes that offer an aural and visual experience superior in many ways to a movie theater's.

The $2,000 price tag for that TV doesn't seem so steep when you consider that an average married couple has to pay upwards of $70 ($22 for two tickets, another $15 for soda and popcorn for two, parking fees, babysitter) to attend a single film. And it doesn't seem like that much of a treat when the movie is being projected onto a filthy piece of billowing white canvas that is never cleaned.

And so it goes. Satellite radio makes it possible for people willing to spend $12 a month to listen to superb sound quality without commercials. TiVo and digital video recorders have finally made it easy for people to watch the TV programs they want to watch whenever they want to watch them. And it goes without saying that the Internet has transformed the way people interested in news can get their information.

It also goes without saying that the owners and distributors of old media aren't just going to go quietly into that good night. These are still unimaginably valuable platforms. But the key will be understanding that the self-satisfied conduct of media professionals — peddling unwatchable nonsense in Hollywood and on TV, and foisting politically correct pseudo-information on increasingly sophisticated consumers of news — isn't going to hack it any longer.

Quote of the Day

There are several things that must happen in our nation (if it) is going to survive ... and survival is by no means guaranteed. One of those things is that the American people need to come to the realization that it is counterproductive to the cause of freedom and economic liberty to turn our children over to the government to be educated. Year after year the quality of education in this country goes down. These government schools are under the full and complete grip of the largest, most powerful and most feared union in this nation .. The National Education Association.

From our buddy, Boortz,...and be sure to read the rest of this ditty at Nealz Nuze:

The Huffington Post: It could be fun!

Just briefly checked out Arianna's new blog, and it looks good! She's got the flair and the friends and potential to really put together a fun, if not informative, website.

Take Larry David's post, "Why I Support John Bolton," for example. It's hilarious and says everything that needs to be said about the entire nomination process. Check it out.

That her initial reviews in Hollywood are excruciating might just mean she'll have a decent following. Ya never know.

Welcome to the blogosphere, Arianna!

Sen. Zell Miller; the Dems' Bill Cosby

Zell Miller, the retired Senator from Georgia has spelled out the many problems within his own party, but his criticisms have fallen on deaf ears. The Marietta Daily Journal features a piece on Sen. Miller's new book, A Deficit Of Decency:

"Why does the Democratic Party insist on letting less than 150,000 of the most liberal Democrats - mostly antiwar secularists in Iowa and New Hampshire - choose our candidate who then has to go out and try to appeal to more than 55 million voters all around this diverse country to win?"

Miller cites the election of Howard Dean to head the Democratic National Committee as proof "Nothing is going to change. Nothing!"

Instead, Dean's congressional leaders, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, "will continue to pull the party to the left."

"Another huge mistake some Democrats make over and over is this class warfare rhetoric. Sen. John Edwards built his entire campaign around it."

An issue that is divisive and "threatening to the party's survival," Miller writes, is same-sex marriage. He says it will alienate "the two groups that the Democratic Party can least afford to have divided" - African Americans and Hispanics. Their intensity of opposition "is off the Richter scale," he writes.

Miller is certain such "value voters are the key" to victory. Yet Democrats underestimate these voters.

Sen. Miller could be the "Bill Cosby" the dems need to set them straight, if they would only listen to him and heed his advice. Instead, they have filed a petition to divorce him from the party. Figures...when the messenger doesn't suit you, get rid of him!

Testing our Capacity for Outrage

The American Spectator provides one of today's "must reads," written by Jed Babbin:

Our capacity for outrage is being tested daily, and not just by Harry Reid. We could concern ourselves with the election of Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe to the U.N. Human Rights Commission last week, or with Kofi Annan's scolding the U.S. for maintaining a nuclear arsenal that has kept the free world free since World War II while ignoring the impending North Korean nuclear test. We could even marvel at the inanity of U.N. goodwill ambassador and Hollywoodenhead Angelina Jolie talking to Pervez Musharraf about the plight of refugees, believing she is being taken seriously. By the end of last week, it came down to this: which government -- the U.S. or the U.N. -- has jurisdiction over Robert Parton?

Contributing to the outrage is the extreme manner in which the left totally disregards the overt corruption of the U.N. and feigns apoplexy in how John Bolton may deal with the third world thugs on the East River if he were allowed to be approved as the U.N. Ambassador.

(Note to the left: you are marginalizing yourselves by allowing the extremists in your party to be your spokesmen. Your party desperately needs a Bill Cosby to set you right. O sure, you'll probably reject the message just like the poverty pimps in the Black community have rejected Cosby's message. Someone in your own midst needs to take you by lapels and shake some sense into you. You seem to be bent on blaming George Bush for your losses. Wake up and admit your shortcomings! Your party is committing suicide, and that's from Historian extraordinaire, Victor Davis Hanson.)

Fitting Quote for the Day

Via Homemakers for America:

Adore God. Reverence and cherish your parents. Love your neighbor as yourself, and your country more than yourself.

Thomas Jefferson

The ANTI-Mother's Day Gift

Here's a special little something you might not want to get dear old Mom for Mother's Day; an Abortion bracelet from the gals at NOW. How precious! In fact they have an entire page of Mother's Days Gift Ideas. Might as well check them out and then contrast that site with this site.

Now, aren't you glad your Mom didn't have an abortion?

"A Message from Mom"

Via FreeRepublic, an important note from Mom:

A MESSAGE FROM MOM

I gave you life,
but cannot live it for you.

I can teach you things,
but I cannot make you learn.

I can give you directions,
but I cannot be there to lead you.

I can allow you freedom,
but I cannot account for it.

I can take you to church,
but I cannot make you believe.

I can teach you right from wrong,
but I cannot always decide for you.

I can buy you beautiful clothes,
but I cannot make you beautiful inside.

I can offer you advice,
but I cannot accept it for you.

I can give you love,
but I cannot force it upon you.

I can teach you to share,
but I cannot make you unselfish.

I can teach you respect,
but I cannot force you to show honor.

I can advise you about friends,
but cannot choose them for you.

I can advise you about sex,
but I cannot keep you pure.

I can tell you the facts of life,
but I can't build your reputation.

I can tell you about drink,
but I can't say "no" for you.

I can warn you about drugs,
but I can't prevent you from using them.

I can tell you about lofty goals,
but I can't achieve them for you.

I can teach you about kindness,
but I can't force you to be gracious.

I can warn you about sins,
but I cannot make you moral

I can love you as a child,
but I cannot place you in God's family.

I can pray for you,
but I cannot make you walk with God.

I can teach you about Jesus,
but I cannot make Jesus your Lord.

I can tell you how to live,
but I cannot give you eternal life.

I can love you with unconditional love
all of my life...and I will!!!


Mom


The author of this little piece is listed as "anonymous" on the copy I have before me. The author's background, circumstances, intended audience and motive are unknown -- at least to me. It's powerfully written, but I suspect it will impact each of us differently, depending on our own PERSONAL history and circumstances. One thing I do know from many years as a pastor and chaplain. Many of you who read this won't be able to identify with such lofty words. You didn't have a mom like that. And you may not be that sort of parent yourself. Still, there is a message here for all of us. Even in spite of human frailty.

The good news from scripture (at least in the Christian tradition) is that ALL of us already have that kind of loving parent... though some of us may not know or accept it yet. We have God as our Father! And I even remember hearing at least one sermon on "The Motherhood of God!" It wasn't delivered by some radical feminist trying to rewrite Christian theology, but by a very conservative seminary professor. And he based it on a passage from Deuteronomy 32:11 which describes an eagle "hovering" over its young. The professor's point was that God has all the attributes of a good mother as well as of a good father. The psalmist affirmed that as he wrote, "When my father and my mother forsake me, then God will take care of me."
(Psalm 27:11)

God doesn't force belief, but, like the mom in that message, gives us the freedom to choose. Even when we reject faith, blame Him for everything wrong in our lives, and hurt His other children, He never gives up on us. And His letters to us are pretty extensive. Hopefully, we will all get THAT message, even if we never have an earthly mom (or dad) like the one in the letter above.

CAPT J. David Atwater, CHC, USN

Here's to You, Mom!

Some quotes for Mom on her much deserved special day:

The best years of my life were spent in the arms of another man's wife; my mother!

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.

A mother understands what a child does not say.

The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.

To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world.

No gift to your mother can ever equal her gift to you - life.

Nobody knows of the work it makes/to keep the home together. Nobody knows of the steps it takes/ nobody knows but mother.

My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her. - George Washington (1732-1799)

Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother. - Lin Yutang

By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class. - Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1907- )

The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.

Fuhrman Investigating Schiavo Death

This should be interesting. Mark Fuhrman, retired Los Angeles detective, who worked the O.J. Simpson case, is now independently investigating the death of Terri Schiavo. Newsmax has the story:

Famed detective Mark Fuhrman, whose independent investigation into the Martha Moxley murder led to the conviction of Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel, is probing the Terri Schiavo forced-starvation case.

"He spent a month on the ground in Tampa," revealed Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity Friday night. "He's talked to many of the principals involved in investigating the case and he's coming out with a book." Hannity said he personally contacted Fuhrman in March to suggest he probe a myriad of unresolved questions about Ms. Schiavo's condition, including a 1991 bone scan report showing that Schiavo suffered fractures sometime prior to being found unconscious in her home in February 1990.

Schiavo's family has said repeatedly that they suspect Terri's condition was the result of a violent fight she had with her husband, Michael. Police never probed the case for evidence of assault because by the time the bone scan became public in 2002, the statute of limitations had run.

Fuhrman's investigation would be the first to review the case for evidence of a possible crime.

"All I can say," the talk host told his "Hannity & Colmes" audience, "is that this is not over. Stay tuned."

Fuhrman's book "Murder in Greenwich" was widely credited with blowing the lid off the Moxley-Skakel case.

P.S. Terri's parents have pleaded with Michael Schiavo to let them know where her ashes are located, to no avail...what a creep!

Troops Welcomed Daily at D/FW

Each day hundreds of U.S. Soldiers arrive at D/FW airport from Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan on their way to various destinations. In the last year, more than 57,000 of them have passed through here. When they arrive in Terminal B around noon each day they are heartily welcomed by a crowd of patriotic well wishers with applause, hugs and gifts.

Eric Aasen, on the front page of today's Dallas Morning News tells the story of Helen Ross, aka the "kissin' colonel," Niki Williams, and others who participate in this daily welcome home party:

The soldiers' eyes widen as they walk off a plane and into Helen Ross' arms.

They grin.

The soldiers walk down an aisle and enter a sea of strangers.

Their mouths drop.

Dozens of people are cheering and clapping, hooting and hollering on a recent Saturday morning at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. They're waving American flags and holding handmade "Thank You" poster-board signs.

The soldiers, carrying backpacks and wearing khaki camouflage, walk past Linda McNeely, who stands near the end of the line of greeters. "We're proud of you," she tells a soldier.

It's a labor of love for Ms. Williams, who would like them all to be able to come home for good, but admits that it will be sad day for her when she is no longer able to pay daily homage to the dedicated troops:

She knows they have made a difference in the soldiers' lives. Years from now, she says she'll be able to look back on her life and say: "I did something."

But she doesn't like to think about the day when the last soldiers are homeward bound. For good.

"The day this war is over and the soldiers come home will be the saddest and happiest day of my life," she says.

She pauses. Then she speaks slowly and quietly.

"I'll want them all to come home," she continues. "But when I have to take down all the posters, it'll break my heart."

Be sure to read the entire heart warming piece.

"Evangelical Devil"

Kevin McCullough, talk show host, blogger and columnist has penned a piece at WorldNetDaily which explains why the left has such hatred for "right-wing evangelicals," and visceral hate for Dr. James Dobson.

But what about tolerance and diversity? How many times must this be pointed out to the very people who preach it?

More Poop on Annan

Fox News is reporting that Congress has been given a load of documents which may be damaging to Kofi Annan. It may be that he raised his voice and wished to fire some poor underling (probably his son). No, wait, that was Bolton's undoing. Annan, on the other hand may really be in deep doo doo.

Thatcher Backs Bolton

Reuters is reporting that Lady Thatcher is strongly supporting John Bolton to be U.N Ambassador:

Thatcher, nicknamed the "Iron Lady," told Bolton "how strongly" she supported him for the job, saying "on the basis of our years of friendship, I know from experience the great qualities you will bring to that demanding post."

"To combine, as you do, clarity of thought, courtesy of expression and an unshakable commitment to justice is rare in any walk of life. But it is particularly so in international affairs," Thatcher said.

The longer it takes to confirm Bolton, the more foolish the anti-Bolton crowd looks. Each day more dirt is exposed in the U.N. and it is ignored by the MSM and the dems whereas they are apoplectic that Bolton may have wanted to fire a subordinate in the past and could have raised his voice in the process. How dare he!

Even casual observers must see their duplicity and irrelevance.

Justice Scalia: "Living Constitution Doesn't Exist"

In a speech today at Texas A & M, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia criticized the notion held by several of the Supremes, that the Constitution is a living breathing document which changes from generation to generation:

Criticizing those who believe the Constitution should be flexible and adapted to modern times, Associate Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said Thursday during a speech at Texas A&M University that there is no such thing “as the living Constitution.”
Scalia was speaking as part of the Twanna M. Powell Lecture at the George Bush Presidential Conference Center.
“I’m what you call an ‘originalist,’ one who believes the Constitution should be interpreted exactly as it was adopted,” Scalia added.
“It should be interpreted as it was written – nothing more, nothing less. Rights do not grow smaller or larger. Some legal experts say you have to interpret the Constitution broadly, but that’s not true under any circumstance.”
Scalia, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan, added, “You hear the phrase ‘the living Constitution’ and that it’s a ‘living’ document. I’m a believer in the dead Constitution. Maybe we should better phrase it ‘the enduring Constitution.
“The Constitution is not a living document. It’s a legal document, and legal documents do not change.”
Scalia said that such controversial subjects as the death penalty and abortion are really not Constitutional issues “because there’s not one word about them in the Constitution. People who believe in a living Constitution would like to see such things as un-Constitutional.”
The Constitution, he added, does exactly what it’s supposed to do: “It provides stability,” he said.
Bush , when introducing Scalia, said that he “was a free spirit and deep thinker. He shares his views openly, and he is certainly thought-provoking.”
Among the overflow crowd to hear Scalia were members of the Texas Supreme Court, the Fifth Court of Circuit Appeals and numerous federal and state judges.
A native of Trenton, N.J., Scalia graduated from Harvard Law School and was a Sheldon Fellow of Harvard University. He was also a law professor at the University of Virginia and the University of Chicago and visiting law professor at Stanford and Georgetown. He served the federal government as General Counsel of the Office of Telecommunications Policy and was appointed judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for District of Columbia in 1982.
He and his wife, Maureen, have nine children.
Scalia, who was approved as a Supreme Court justice by a vote of 98-0, said such approval “would never happen today. Congress wants moderates and a moderate interpretation of the Constitution. The ‘living’ Constitution idea is seductive to the man on the street, and even to some judges.
“But we must apply the words as they were originally written and we must be bound by their original meaning. We must think of what the words are and what the words meant when the people adopted them.
“The Constitution doesn’t ‘morph’ to be what we want it to be.”
Scalia said if there were one change he could make to the Constitution, it would be to make amendments to it an easier process.
“Amendments are not easy to do,” he added.
“They must be ratified by three-fourths of the states. But someone figured out that with the population disparity of states today, only two percent of the total population could prevent an amendment from being passed. It’s very difficult to get an amendment passed.”

H/T Free Republic.

National Day of Prayer

Today, May 5, 2005 is the National Day of Prayer. Be sure to check out the official website but even more important than that is to actually spend some quality time with our loving Father to thank Him for our incredible blessings here in the USA in spite of our shortcomings and ingratitude. May God forgive us for our national sins and may He have mercy on us all. Remember our troops, our leaders and those who are in harms way, wherever they may be. And please remember those who mourn, who are hurting and for those in need of healing. May God continue to bless America and those who stand behind her.

"Conservative talk radio not ailing ... yet"

Be sure to check out Brian Maloney's piece at WorldNetDaily. Brian's blog, The Radio Equalizer is a daily "go to" place, so go there now to see what's up with him!

What's Good for the Goose is Very, Very Bad for the Gander

Vagina Monologues good! Penis Monologues bad... Very, very bad! Christina Hoff Sommers' piece (poor word choice in this instance) at National Review Online exemplifies the monumental hypocrisy and double standard extant on college campi and the world at large (note: this was probably offensive to even the author, so if you have difficulty with body parts, you probably should pass on this):

College administrators have been enthusiastic supporters Eve Ensler’s play The Vagina Monologues and schools across the nation celebrate “V-Day” (short for Vagina Day) every year. But when the College Republicans at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island rained on the celebrations of V-Day by inaugurating Penis Day and staging a satire called The Penis Monologues, the official reaction was horror. Two participating students, Monique Stuart and Andy Mainiero, have just received sharp letters of reprimand and have been placed on probation by the Office of Judicial Affairs. The costume of the P-Day “mascot” — a friendly looking “penis” named Testaclese, has been confiscated and is under lock and key in the office of the assistant dean of student affairs, John King.

If you've read this much, you might as well read the rest of the article, and wonder aloud (or to yourself), whatever happened to egalitarianism, tolerance, equal rights and freedom of speech?

Sadly, I think the organizers (poor word choice) might have been have had more success if they would have portrayed The Penis Monologues and Penis Day from a "Gay" point of view. What were they thinking?

H/T The Anchoress
_____

Christina Hoff Sommers is co-author of the book, One Nation Under Therapy : How the Helping Culture is Eroding Self-Reliance and author of the book The WAR AGAINST BOYS: How Misguided Feminism Is Harming Our Young Men.

Law of the Sea Treaty Penned by Marxist

This should come as no surprise to observers of the U.N., but according to an article at WorldNetDaily, Elisabeth Mann Borgese, one of the authors of the "LOST" (Law of the Sea Treaty), was an "admirer of Karl Marx and ardent advocate of the Marxist-oriented New International Economic Order."

What's disturbing is the fact that the Bush administration supports this treaty. President Ronald Reagan rejected the treaty as did Jeane Kirkpatrick, his U.N. ambassador.

"LOST" is now before the Senate. It might not be a bad idea to let them know this treaty is not sustainable (a favorite U.N. word).

Using Trackback

My blogging buddy, Paul, at Teeth of the Constitution, has just added "trackback" to his blog and we're going to find out if everything is working according to Hoyle.

When I first added "trackback" to my blog, it took me several attempts to figure it out which was mortifying when I "trackbacked" a post on David Limbaugh's blog and nothing happened. My second attempt to "trackback" was on Michelle Malkin's blog and it took a couple tries to get it right. It's just a matter of trial and error and when it works, it's a great feature.

I'll ask Paul to "trackback" to me after I "trackback" to him just to see if everything goes OK. Bear with us!

Happy May Day, Comrades

Remember when May Day was actually celebrated here? Well, neither do I, but I do remember a time when it wasn't anathema to acknowledge it. Maybe we have made some progress with the leftist elites. O, that's right, they just changed the name to "Labor Day" and made it the first Monday in September. Because I'm an evil small businessman, and staunchly anti-Labor, I celebrate the day by happily working. It is Labor Day, afterall! Here's a pretty decent synopsis of what "May Day" is all about, but be sure to go here and here for even more nonsense.

Today's Essential Reading

Colorado Rep. Thomas Tancredo has been doing yeoman's work on the illegal immigration problem for some time now; long before it was reasonably acceptable to do so. His impassioned effort hasn't scored him any points with the White House and he once remarked he wasn't welcome there. Still, he heroically leads on to drive home the importance of curbing the destructive, illegal immigration problem. This Land Is Whose Land? is one of today's "must read" pieces.

The American Thinker has an important piece on the problems extant in the EU. All is not well there and the problems are directly due to the lack of freedoms which we have enjoyed here in the USA. European-style elitist rule isn't making it, as James Lewis' piece points out.

On a somewhat related issue; the left-of-center, hopeful theory that "Europe is trending upward and the US is in decline," is substantively countered by Victor Davis Hanson, in his piece, Talk of the US decline is premature. Upbeat!

Two good pieces on the fiasco that is the UN are here and here.