It is completely justifiable to assault someone who insults your religion or goes against the laws of YOUR God. Right? RIGHT?! No? Well, it is according to a U.S. Judge in Pennsylvania. Well, at least as long as the religion in question is Muslim.

Now, don't get me wrong; I believe you have to be kind of a dick to dress up as a Zombie Mohammad. And I think the guy next to him dressed as "Zombie Pope" was also a big walking dick. And if there had been a Zombie Jesus or Rabbi or what-the-hell-ever it would take a dick to do that just to belittle others deeply held beliefs like that. But it was an Atheist Parade so really it was a bunch of people expressing their beliefs which includes disdain for organized religion. In THIS COUNTRY, they have every right to peacefully do so. Rock on big dick zombies. Rock on.

Now, witnessing this parade is Mr. Devout Muslim and his son. He is fairly new to this country so he "didn't realize" that we don't have Sharia Law which would give him the right to kill said Big Dick on the spot. He wants to be sure his son realizes how important it is to use violence on those who oppose your beliefs so he jumps on Big Dick and beats hell out of him. Well... so ordinarily our illustrious court system would give you a slap on the wrist and a big fine, right? Nope. Judge Mark Martin tells Big Dick he might want to think twice about making himself look like such a big doofus and he should just count himself lucky Devout didn't kill him. You know, to set a really good example for his son.

This Muslim judge didn't even see fit to watch the video. He just put the blame on Big Dick and gave DM the all clear. Yup. Seriously. Right here in River City folks. So all of us tea-bagger alarmists worrying about Sharia law making its way into our country are just being silly, eh?

You know, I think the part that pissed me off the most was the part where the judge was lecturing the atheist about how precious their religion is to Muslims.

"It's not just a religion, it’s their culture, their culture. It’s their very essence their very being. They pray five times a day towards Mecca to be a good Muslim, before you die you have to make a pilgrimage to Mecca unless you are otherwise told you can not because you are too ill too elderly, whatever but you must make the attempt. Their greetings wa-laikum as-Salâm (is answered by voice) may god be with you. Whenever, it’s very common when speaking to each other it’s very common for them to say uh this will happen it’s it they are so immersed in it."

I am sick to death of the PC attitude that Muslim is so much more special than any other religion. Because it rules their entire lives and affects their every action, it makes them somehow justified in doing things that are otherwise unacceptable. There are Jews and Christians and, yes, Atheists who consider their religion to define their culture and to be the one thing that shapes their lives and their world view. If Christians or Jews take this to an extreme they are censored and sneered at and considered downright ignorant and superstitious. But Muslims are showing amazing commitment and faith. Makes me want to puke. And if I wasn't deeply committed to every person having the freedom to practice the religion of their choice without being attacked for it, I would burn a damn Koran too. I'm not gonna dress up like a Zombie Mohammad though. I don't wanna look like a doofus after all.

OCCUPY MOVEMENT IS NOTHING NEW

People think the occupy movement is something new and different and, depending on their politics, either cool as hell or idiotic. It is nothing new. In the 70s we had the hippies. They protested corporate greed and capitalist pigs too. They invaded public spaces with private behavior. They acted like the rules shouldn't apply to them because they believed the rules should be changed. Sound familiar?

At the time, hippies were eventually marginalized as foolish, self-indulgent, immature and, well, unclean. They were replaced by yuppies with their greed and polish and ambition. Hippies weren't just lazy, stupid, dirty or drug-crazed. They served a purpose in history and they had a cause worth protesting (vietnam) but a society of hippies would not last long on the evolutionary ladder. The yuppies, though they are the ones being marginalized this decade, were needed and served their purpose as well. They also had their less attractive aspects but that isn't what I'm talking about today.

Unfortunately, time and a more and more clever and far-reaching media have served to blur the image of the hippy. They've been romanticized and raised to the level of martyr. And now they are being emulated by a lost, bored and lazy generation raised on electronics and entitlements. They are looking for their "vietnam." A cause worth giving all their effort... or any effort for at all. They call themselves the 99%. So far they are FAR from actually 99%, thank God. But they are growing and it scares the hell out of me. I try to believe that social evolution will continue on its merry way and the pendulum will swing. Unfortunately, the Occupy movement has something the hippies never did and that is the internet. Media and what it is capable of has been so dramatically altered by internet and digital media delivery that I worry about how much longer and bloodier the fight will have to be to set that pendulum in the other direction. How much longer-lived and influential would the hippies have been if they had been able to spread their message the way we are able to today?

The movies and media and the softened reminiscences of many of us old-timers have made the hippies into something cool and admirable and unique. I am guilty of it myself. And there were some pretty cool hippies;o) But as a lifestyle, and in particular a lifestyle for a nation, it was not and is not practical. A socialist commune may work for a select few who are dedicated to those principles and to the others in their commune but a socialist nation is not a pretty picture. And it is certainly not an American picture!

America was founded and based on democracy, not socialism. America is about freedom, not entitlement. Freedom is not always peaceful. Freedom is not always free. Freedom has to be fought for and defended. Freedom is not always pretty. But patriotic Americans are willing to die or kick your ass to keep it. We are willing to make sacrifices and accept that we may not have everything we want to have in life if we value our freedom. We are able to be thrilled that some people can become ridiculously rich even if we haven't been able to in a FREE market. We are ecstatic that greenies can drive electric cars and stop buying water in plastic bottles and only use straight edge razors since disposable razors are adding to our carbon footprint, donchaknow. But WE DON'T HAVE TO. WOO HOO! That's what freedom is about! You can sport a bumper sticker on your Prius saying "99%" while the other 90% of us are FREE to get in our cars or our pickups with the bumper sticker saying "Don't Tread On Me" and go to work and pay taxes.

The reasons Socialism is a bad idea and won't work on a large scale over time are for another day. But here is a thought; a democratic, capitalistic society like America really isn't for everyone. It isn't the best approach for every person out there. So if it isn't the best approach for you FEEL FREE TO LEAVE IT AND GO SOMEWHERE WHERE SOCIALISM IS PRACTICED! Good luck with that.

Demagogue: a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power

Or here is the definition from another dictionary: a person who tries to stir up the people by appeals to emotion, prejudice, etc. in order to win them over quickly and so gain power

Sooo, in a joint press conference with the Mexican President and the Canadian Prime Minister, Potus was asked if he thought he would be able to keep the promises he's made to Pres Calderon on amnesty for illegal aliens considering how much trouble he is having with the healthcare bill and his slipping numbers.

He gave, of course, a long, rambling response but I thought this part was pretty telling:

“This is going to be difficult; it's going to require bipartisan cooperation. There are going to be demagogues out there who try to suggest that any form of pathway for legalization for those who are already in the United States is unacceptable."

This set off quite a complicated set of thought processes for me. First off, I thought, "Hmmm, demagogues eh?" Now, if we look at the definitions I've listed... who does that sound like? Is it just me or has the president just called his opponents a bunch of democrats? Puts a whole new twist on the pot calling the kettle black doesn't it? And NO that wasn't a racial remark, Nancy! It's just a saying. And doesn't democrat come from the same root word? Nancy Pelosi painting the citizens practicing their basic freedom of speech at townhall meetings as "astroturf" and "carrying swastikas" doesn't smack of demagoguery at all!

Okay, sorry, the English major in me kicked in for a minute there.

Now, I am slightly cheered by this particular story overall. Confused? Well, so am I most times. But see, unlike my husband and most of my friends, I am not opposed to "any form of pathway for legalization for" illegals. I don't have any problem all with decent, hard-working people from other countries coming here. I think they enrich us as a country. I don't think it should be automatic for those who happen to have lucked into their illegal perch during the Obama regime. I don't think it should even be easy. But I do think it should be possible for an illegal who really wants to be here for the right reasons and is willing to work hard, learn the language and follow the rules to attain citizenship, pay their taxes and take on the rights and responsiblities the rest of us carry.

I don't, don't, don't believe that we should have to cater to their language, culture etc but rather they should have to adapt to the one they have chosen. We should not feel guilty or apologetic for not having signs, documents etc in their language. And I personally think that the drive to make more things available in Spanish is playing favorites and eventually we would be charged with not making those documents available in ________ (fill in the blank - every language in the frickin' world!)

So I am a tiny little bit cheered by the fact that a plausible compromise on something the Potus has proposed doesn't terrify the crap out of me. And the fact that he realizes that he is slipping and that everything he wants isn't going to fall into his lap simply due to his fabulousness, well, that cheers me more than a tiny little bit8O)

THOSE ANGRY MOBS ARE NOT REAL. IGNORE THAT ELEPHANT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM. PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN.

You know, you really have to feel for those poor Dems on recess having to deal with angry mobs. Now, the poor ol' AARP reps are having to deal with them too.

Breitbart.tv » AARP Organizers Cancel ‘Listening Session’ After Participants Refuse to ‘Keep Their Comments Quiet’

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Dang those retirees. Should we really be letting them wield canes?

The mainstream media has assured us, however, that those mobs are really just a bunch of elitists gathered up and bused in by the GOPs rich friends to act angry. So, no fears, the Dems are free to dismiss them entirely.

I am not rich; I'm not an elitist and I have serious concerns about the GOP but the Dems are right about one thing. I AM ANGRY!!! I never thought I would see the day when elected officials in this country would openly, blatantly ignore a huge public outcry like this from their constituents. It makes me feel scared and hopeless and afraid that it is going to get much much uglier before it gets better. But more than any of this, it makes me ANGRY! I am terribly afraid that push is going to come to shove in this country and that we are going to see internal conflict the likes of which noone now alive has ever seen here in America. LA after Rodney King? Nothing compared to what is coming all over the country. I am not advocating it but I see it coming. See that light approaching? It is a freight train headed this way people. What can we do to try to avert it? Any ideas please PLEASE let me know. Here are the only things I know to do right now:

1) Cancel your AARP membership NOW. This is the only language AARP will understand. AARP condoning this bill is a HUGE feather in their cap.

2) Figure out who is running for election in 2010 in your area who might actually have the cojones to vote against ZerOs socialist and marxist policies and VOTE FOR THEM. Campaign for them. If we vote back in the same Obidiots then we deserve what we get folks.

3) Phone, write, email, fax... whatever floats your boat but at least get it on record to every member of Congress that we DON'T for one second buy it that the people who vote for a bill as far-reaching and financially humongous as this one have to make decisions so quickly that they don't have time to read the bill. TELL THEM THAT IF THEY HAVEN'T READ IT AND DON'T UNDERSTAND THE FULL IMPLICATION OF EVERY SECTION THAT THEY BETTER THE HELL NOT VOTE FOR IT OR THEY WILL BE REPLACED!!!

Yet more invasion of privacy in "Healthcare Reform" bill

Right now government officials cannot come into your home and interfere with the parenting of your children unless there is reason to believe that you are neglecting or abusing them. That is all getting ready to change. How many times have you had a discussion with someone about child-rearing practices and just had to agree to disagree? Not everyone approaches child-rearing the same way. Does it seem that it is becoming PC to consider raising children in the Christian faith as "brainwashing" and requiring your children to attend church as unreasonable? Ever heard stories of people's children being taken away from them by overzealous social workers when there was no abuse going on? (If you haven't, you need to get out more.) If any of those things have bothered you, then this should curl your toes. I got this from NHELD.

Did you know? One of the proposals for health care revision may lead to increased accusations of parental abuse and neglect regarding the upbringing and education of your child.

The House version of the health care legislation, H.R. 3200, entitled, “America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009”, sponsored by Congressmen John Dingell, Henry Waxman, and Charlie Rangel, among others, contains many provisions that are worthy of questioning, not the least of which is Section 440. That section is entitled, “Home Visitation Programs for Families with Young Children and Families Expecting Children.”

The title, itself, gives one pause for concern.

This section of the bill authorizes the provision of federal money to be given to the states on the condition that the states will develop certain programs that include “voluntary home visits” by government officials.

The visits by government officials will be through the implementation of programs that, among other things:

“ adhere to clear evidence-based models of home visitation that have demonstrated positive effects on important program-determined child and parenting outcomes, such as reducing abuse and neglect and improving child health and development”;

“establish appropriate linkages and referrals to other community resources and supports”;

“monitor fidelity of program implementation to ensure that services are delivered according to the specified model”;

“provide parents with-- knowledge of age-appropriate child development in cognitive, language, social, emotional, and motor domains…
· knowledge of realistic expectations of age-appropriate child behaviors;
· knowledge of health and wellness issues for children and parents;
· modeling, consulting, and coaching on parenting practices; and
· skills to recognize and seek help for issues related to health, developmental delays, and social, emotional, and behavioral skills…”

Those are all laudable sounding goals. But is that the job of the government, or the parents?

What happens if the government worker comes into your home, sees what you are doing as a parent, doesn’t like it, tells you to change it, and you disagree with the opinion of the government worker?

There is a provision in the bill for the information gathered during the home visits to be shared with other government agencies.

There is another provision in the bill for the state to report back to the federal government on what was learned during the home visits, including information about the people who were visited.

Who believes that information learned during the home visits will not be shared with child protective services agencies, especially when one of the goals of the program is to reduce child abuse and neglect?

Who believes that a parent’s right to educate their child at home will not be questioned by government workers who may have a vested interest in seeing the public, i.e., government, school system continue to thrive?

In case you think that this is some insignificant section of a very large bill, and won’t really matter, consider this - the government will be expending on only this one small section of the bill the following amounts:

..(1) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
..(2) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;
..(3) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2012;
..(4) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2013; and
..(5) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2014.

Apparently, the program is designed to expand in the future. How many homes will be visited ultimately?

Don’t take our word for it. Go read the bill for yourself. Your legislators certainly won’t be reading it before they vote on it. Somebody should read it, after all. Parents need to know what their government is proposing, how the government very soon, could be inside your home. If states accept this money, they will be obliged to conduct the “voluntary” home visits. Do you want government officials coming to your home, telling you how to parent, and reporting what you do to other state and federal agencies? If not, you better act now before this bill becomes law, and before your state officials decide it’s a great way to get more money from the feds. For the sake of your children and your grandchildren, NHELD strongly suggests you read this bill, and any others being proposed, then act to safeguard your rights. The text of the bill can be found at http://www.opencongress.org/..bill/111-h3200/text

ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME????

A lot of things going on nowadays scare me. I am very worried for the future of my country. But I think this scares me more than just about anything I've heard.

In Rhode Island, at the "oldest 4th of July parade in the country," a Tea Party group had a float in the parade. They agreed to follow the rules of the parade and even went further. Other floats were allowed to throw lollipops and so forth from their floats but this group was told they couldn't throw tea bags "because they might put out someone's eye." Okay, well, they want to follow the rules and not violate any safety issues so they don't throw tea bags or anything else.

Next, they want to play PATRIOTIC music so they ask for a PA system. The other floats were given a PA if they asked for it but this group was denied. Instead, they were given a bullhorn. Seriously! I'm not making this up! My imagination couldn't have come up with stuff this crazy!! Oh, and let's not forget that they were told they couldn't have people on the float dressed as Indians either. Other floats... yeah you get the idea.

So, parade day comes and our intrepid band of patriots are dressed in their patriot outfits to celebrate the founding of this nation. I guess a little while into the parade, they are not only kicked out of the parade but BANNED FOR LIFE because a fellow not even on the float was walking alongside the float and handing out subversive materials to the crowd. Yup, that dirty rotten scoundrel used our country's celebration to hand out... wait for it... Pocket copies of the Constitution Bill of Rights!!!

A lot of things worry me lately but I have reached a new level of fear for our future. If this was published in a fictional book ten years ago, it would have seemed riduculously far-fetched. Now it is our reality. Welcome to Obamaland. Are you happy now?

“What grade is your daughter in?"

Why must people become so wrapped up in their own mindset, their own frame of reference that they can't see that there could be any other way of truth and value? My mom used to say, “Their mind is made up, don't confuse them with facts.” As a homeschooler, I encounter people like that all the time, although not nearly as often as I used to. When I started homeschooling 16 years ago, it happened daily but nowadays it is more like a few times a year. Of course, if I go to the NEA website, it happens much more frequently;o)

Here's what got me to thinking about this subject; someone asked me what grade Harmoni was in. Simple question, right? But is it? My answer was, “She isn't.” Completely bumfuzzled them. How I answer this common question depends a lot on who is asking and why... and my mood. Some people might get, “Well, lets see, she is 12 so I guess that is about 6th or 7th grade, right?” To some I would say, “Well, it depends on which subject you are talking about; anywhere from 5th grade to college.” But the real, true answer is, “She isn't.” Hello? Homeschooler!

People don't seem to understand that the system most of us were raised in isn't the only way. The more you diverge from traditional “public school” methodology, the more difficulty people have accepting it. There are even a lot of homeschoolers who look down their noses at anyone who doesn't use desks and textbooks and gradebooks with a red pen. I have tried to explain to some people (the ones who were worth the effort) that grade level is simply a useful construct for the public school system to function. (At least that is an arguable point; I won't go into why I don't really believe that it is in this post.) But what does “grade level” mean in real terms? Of what use is it to a homeschooler unless they are basically doing school at home? Grade level is an arbitrary label applied to make things easier for school administrators. Period. I have exactly two students at this point in time. I manage to keep things rolling without those labels. The only reason I could have for using them is to compare my children with the children of other people who are around the same age. That serves no useful purpose to me. I am much more concerned with whether or not my girls are setting and reaching goals in a relevant and timely manner.

I don't assign grade levels to my girls. We figure out what our goals are. We ask ourselves what useful and worthy things are there to learn? “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”[1] We ask what things will make us feel culturally literate and what things will move us toward our goals. Then we work on achieving those goals. At a certain point, usually the early to mid-teens, getting into college hopefully becomes one of those goals. (Bear in mind that I have already graduated two homeschooled kids as well as one who went through public school.) At that point, we start looking at what is required to achieve that goal. The materials we use may have “grade levels” attached but that still has very little meaning to us in any real and useful way.

Here's an example. Gini is 15. She does not enjoy algebra. She and algebra have a hate-hate relationship. She mastered all the basics of arithmetic and some pre-algebra but when she hit algebra, she stuttered to a stop. She hasn't progressed much mathematically since she was about 13. Two things have happened to start her engine again. First, her little sister has caught up to her and is still going strong. Awkward! Second, she started thinking about going to college. And she doesn't just want to go to any old local college where we could help pay her way. No she wants to go to BYU Hawaii. Big dream. Big money. She better get one heck of a good SAT score. We looked up some information about what level of math she would have to master to get the kind of SAT score she would need to get into BYU Anywhere and especially to qualify for some kind of scholarship. I mean, have you looked at out of state tuition costs??? Anywhere, much less Hawaii???? Well, I have told them to shoot for the stars....

Now, please notice; did grade level come up in that topic at all? No. Did it need to? No. She needs to master a couple more levels of Algebra as well as some more advanced Geometry and Trig. And she needs to do it in the next year or two. Is she trying to go from an 8th grade level to an 11th grade level in a year and a half? No, she is learning a logical sequence of math skills that she needs in order to get a really good score on a specific test. Did I mention that she is interested in Veterinary Science? Yeah. Math and science heaven also known as pre-vet. (By the way Gini, OSU ROCKS for Vet Science!)

And, for the record, I have actually sat in classes at Oklahoma State University next to people who were functioning and getting by even though I knew for a fact that their math skills were still at an "8th grade level". Were they still "in 8th grade?" I tutored for my work-study money. I'm not making this up. The public schools are graduating people with less math skills that Gini has right now. Worse, in my opinion, is the fact that they are graduating people who can't outread the average ten year old and don't know the names of all the continents. So grade level begins to mean even less in that light, eh?

Now because I know this will be a question in the minds of some people, yes, I could have pushed her and prodded her and punished her through Algebra. After all, it was done to me. But I chose instead to have faith in her and in her Father's plans for her. I knew that when she came to realize that the math mattered that she would learn it much more quickly and joyfully than she would if I forced her into it. And our home and relationship would be more joyful as well. How many moms describe their relationship with their 15 year old as “joyful”? Well, I do. We have a really wonderful, loving, and yes, joyful relationship. And, guess what, I also have no doubt that she will go to college. Whether or not finances will allow her to go to Hawaii I can't say; that is several years away in a very uncertain economy. She understands that. She knows that she may end up at OSU or even local community college if finances dictate that. But I have no doubt that she will master the math now that she has set her mind to it and neither does she. With no clue whatsoever what grade level she is on, she will master Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry. And she will take the SAT by storm. And even if she is a “year late” taking the SAT and even if she has to settle for OSU (my alma mater), she will become a fabulous veterinarian. She certainly has a gift with animals. Oh, and they won't care what grade level she achieved either;o)


[1] from 13th Article of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Do you ever have conversations in your head? I hope I'm not just giving away the fact that I'm certifiable... I was thinking I might need to break down and go to the doctor which anyone who knows me can tell you, I really, really hate to do. So I was imagining how the conversation with the doctor would go; you know, what he would ask and how I would answer. See, I have, or supposedly have, who the hell knows really, Myasthenia Gravis. Tumor in my thymus gland, unexplained muscle failure, extreme fatigue, eye weakness, trouble swallowing... fun stuff like that. Getting plenty of sleep is important for me and I just haven't been able to lately. Now, I hate to take meds almost as much as I hate to go to the doctor so I really don't know if I'll even ask about sleep aids but I was imagining the conversation as sort of a test run I suppose. So, are you under extra stress these days Natalie?

As an aside here, my doctor is such a sweet man. I'm not trying to give him a bad rap. I don't like or trust the profession overall and consider it a flawed system, kind of like with teachers and the public school system. There are some wonderful teachers out there but... that's another blog;o)

So... I finally come to my point. Extra stress? Are you kidding me? People with illnesses that is exacerbated by stress are screwed these days boy! If you aren't feeling stress these days then you either live in a cave or a cloud of sweet denial and/or ignorance. I literally fear for my country and for the future of my children and grandchildren. I haven't felt this much fear for my country since September 11, 2001. And I think we are in greater danger now than then. Kind of like the difference between a wolf being attacked and jumping up prepared to fight back and a docile little lamb being attacked and, well... dead meat. The really disturbing thing is that this time the danger is within. And it wears a suit and a big $h!t-eating grin. And its followers trip along after it with blank eyes and big smiles, nodding "Yes, oh mighty and wise one, yes!" The only hope I have is that a few here and there will come out of the fog and realize that they've followed it to the edge of a mighty cliff and they'll begin to yell and shake those around them to wake them as well. I pray for that every single day and night and convincing myself for a few sweet hours that we are still in His hands is the only way I get any sleep at all.

Stress? I only have the same stress that everyone else who loves this ccountry and the beliefs that it was founded on has. God bless this poor, misled country. Even the unfortunate fools who really think that spending trillions to help get us out of debt is a good idea. Even, nay especially, the poor idiots who think the best way to protect us from criminals with guns is to take the guns away from all the good guys. God bless us all with a quick awakening, hopefully in time to keep this country from ceasing to exist as a free republic.

Boy, this one really says it all. Amen brother.

This is well worth the read

“I’m Tired”

Robert A. Hall

I’ll be 63 soon. Except for one semester in college when
jobs were scarce, and a six-month period when I was
between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I’ve worked,
hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I
still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven’t called in sick in
seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn’t
inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I
am. Given the economy, there’s no retirement in sight, and
I’m tired. Very tired.




I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the
wealth around” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m
tired of being told the government will take the money I
earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too
lazy or stupid to earn it.




I’m tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to
“keep people in their homes.” Sure, if they lost their
jobs or got sick, I’m willing to help. But if they bought
McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off,
$250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the
leftwing Congresscritters who passed Fannie and Freddie
and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble
help them—with their own money.



I’m tired of being told how bad America is by leftwing
millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and
Hollywood entertainers who live in luxury because of the
opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get
their way, the United States will have the religious
freedom and women’s rights of Saudi Arabia , the economy of
Zimbabwe, the freedom of the press of China, the crime and
violence of Mexico , the tolerance for Gay people of Iran ,
and the freedom of speech of Venezuela . Won’t
multiculturalism be beautiful?




I’m tired of being told that Islam is a “Religion of
Peace,” when every day I can read dozens of stories of
Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for
their family “honor;” of Muslims rioting over some slight
offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because
they aren’t “believers;” of Muslims burning schools for
girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death
for “adultery;” of Muslims mutilating the genitals of
little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur’an
and Shari’a law tells them to.




I believe “a man should be judged by the content of his
character, not by the color of his skin.” I’m tired of
being told that “race doesn’t matter” in the post-racial
world of President Obama, when it’s all that matters in
affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and
graduation standards for minorities (harming them the
most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the
ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that
hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment
of US Senators from Illinois . I think it’s very cool that
we have a black president and that a black child is doing
her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the
emancipation proclamation. I just wish the black president
was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom
and the individual and less in an all-knowing government.




I’m tired of a news media that thinks Bush’s fundraising
and inaugural expenses were obscene, but that think
Obama’s, at triple the cost, were wonderful. That thinks
Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time,
but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to
control weight and stress, that picked over every line of
Bush’s military records, but never demanded that Kerry
release his, that slammed Palin with two years as governor
for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with
three years as senator as potentially the best president
ever.




Wonder why people are dropping their subscriptions or
switching to Fox News? Get a clue.. I didn’t vote for Bush
in 2000, but the media and Kerry drove me to his camp in
2004.




I’m tired of being told that out of “tolerance for other
cultures” we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to
fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate
in America , while no American group is allowed to fund a
church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to
teach love and tolerance.




I’m tired of being told I must lower my living standard
to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to
debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and
carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a
three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter
live. Our carbon footprint is about 5% of Al Gore’s, and
if you’re greener than Gore, you’re green enough.



I’m tired of being told that drug addicts have a
disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay
for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a
dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their
noses while they tried to fight it off? I don’t think Gay
people choose to be Gay, but I damn sure think druggies
chose to take drugs. And I’m tired of harassment from cool
people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never
tried marijuana.




I’m tired of illegal aliens being called “undocumented
workers,” especially the ones who aren’t working, but are
living on welfare or crime. What’s next? Calling drug
dealers, “Undocumented Pharmacists”? And, no, I’m not
against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic and it’s been
a few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for
my religion. I’m willing to fast track for citizenship any
Hispanic person who can speak English, doesn’t have a
criminal record and who is self-supporting without family
on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our
military. Those are the citizens we need.




I’m tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would
never wear the uniform of the Republic themselves, or let
their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting
station, trashing our military. They and their kids can
sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions
under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better
people then themselves. Do bad things happen in war? You
bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave? Sure. Does this
compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our
enemies for the last fifty years—and still are? Not even
close. So here’s the deal. I’ll let myself be sub je cted
to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on
terrorists at Abu Grab or Gitmo, and the critics can let
themselves be sub je ct to captivity by the Muslims who
tortured and beheaded Daniel Pearl in Pakistan , or the
Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col. William
Higgins in Lebanon, or the Muslims who ran the
blood-spattered Al Qaeda torture rooms our troops found in
Iraq , or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls
in Indonesia , because the girls were Christian. Then we’ll
compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only
troops in history that civilians came to for help and
handouts, instead of hiding from in fear.




I’m tired of people telling me that their party has a
corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on
corruption. Read the papers—bums are bi-partisan. And I’m
tired of people telling me we need bi-partisanship. I live
in Illinois , where the “ Illinois Combine” of Democrats
and Republicans has worked together harmoniously to loot
the public for years. And I notice that the tax cheats in
Obama’s cabinet are bi-partisan as well.




I’m tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and
politicians of both parties talking about innocent
mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we
all know they think their only mistake was getting caught.
I’m tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or
poor.




Speaking of poor, I’m tired of hearing people with
air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor.
The majority of Americans didn’t have that in 1970, but we
didn’t know we were “poor.” The poverty pimps have to keep
changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing.




I’m real tired of people who don’t take responsibility
for their lives and actions. I’m tired of hearing them
blame the government, or discrimination, or big-whatever
for their problems.




Yes, I’m damn tired. But I’m also glad to be 63.
Because, mostly, I’m not going to get to see the world
these people are making. I’m just sorry for my
granddaughter.




Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran who served
five terms in the Massachusetts state senate. He blogs
atwww.tartanmarine.blogspot.com
<http://www.tartanmarine

Okay this one is going under "things that make me want to puke".

Jane Fonda is being honored by Barbara Walters as part of "100 Years of Great Women". WTF??? Are you kidding me? What about this woman is great? Barbarella? Her exercise videos? Or could it be the time she spent giving aid and comfort to the enemy at the "Hanoi Hilton?"

Now, I am 46 years old. I was just a little kid during the Vietnam War. I don't pretend to understand all the politics. But I understand young men giving everything, many quite literally giving their lives to do what they had been brought up to believe was their duty. Did really bad, wrong things happen on both sides? Yes, that has been made pretty darn clear. But is it still treason to give aid and comfort to the enemy? Last I heard it was. It is such a sign of the Obamaland New World Order that a woman like this one could be honored in this way. Not that I am surprised at Bawbawa; she is not exactly a paragon of conservative thinking, but come on! How can anyone hear the accounts of the torture, mistreatment and death of American men that went on there and then look upon that woman with anything but disgust. While young American men were suffering yards from her, suffering in ways most of us can thankfully barely even imagine, she was schmoozing and chatting up their captors. Below is an excerpt from a description of her visit by a man who WAS THERE.

From 1963-65, Col. Larry Carrigan was in the47FW/DO (F-4E's). He spent 6 years in the'Hanoi Hilton',,, the first three of which hisfamily only knew he was 'missing in action'.His wife lived on faith that he was still alive.His group, too, got the cleaned-up, fed andclothed routine in preparation for a 'peace delegation' visit. They, however, had time and devised a plan toget word to the world that they were alive and still survived. Each man secreted a tinypiece of paper, with his Social Security Numberon it , in the palm of his hand.

When paraded before Ms. Fonda and a cameraman, she walked the line, shaking each man's hand and asking little encouraging snippets like: 'Aren't you sorry you bombed babies?' and 'Are you grateful for the humane treatment from your benevolent captors?' Believing this HAD to be an act, they each palmed her their sliver of paper. She took them all without missing a beat. At the end of the line and once the camera stopped rolling, to the shocked disbelief of the POWs,she turned to the officer in charge and handed him all the little pieces of paper.

Three men died from the subsequent beatings. Colonel Carrigan was almost number four but he survived, which is the only reason we know of her actions that day.

Enough said? Actually no but I'm trying to keep my rants somewhat brief and to the point so there ya go. I'm off to use some mouthwash. A lot of it.

This will be a very brief rant. Two things that make me just sick. First, people acting like Obama is the second coming. My gosh people, WAKE UP! It terrifies me to even wonder how long it will take before most of these people wake up and realize where this road has taken us.

The other is all the hype about how wonderful we are as a country because we have elected a black president. I hate bigotry as much as anyone else and I rejoice at signs of progress. I mourn some of the things in our nations past. And if we had elected a black president, such as Colin Powell or someone equally qualified, dignified, intelligent etc, I would find it worth rejoicing too. But folks, get a grip, OBAMA IS NOT BLACK!!!! He is 1/16 black, half white and the rest is ARAB. If you want to be accurate, or taken seriously for that matter, at least get it right. Right smack in the middle of the war on terror we have elected an ARAB president with big time Muslim ties and ties to radical anti-American groups as well. Dark skin does not equal black.

Whoever controls the children owns the future. Hitler knew it, the humanists know it and the modern left extremists know it.

My homeschooling friend, Liz E., sent me a link to a very interesting article and video at WorldNetDaily. It was in reference to a website called www.ExodusMandate.com and to a call that is being put out to Christians to pull their children out of government run schools. The video especially was very interesting. Voddie Baucham, a minister and author of the book, "Family Driven Faith" mentioned that children spend 14000 seat hours in school from K-12. Fourteen thousand hours! He said, "Whoever controls those 14,000 hours controls our childrens' worldview." That is pretty powerful. Baucham also quoted Charles Potter, a signer of "The Humanist Manifesto: "What can theistic Sunday School, meeting for an hour each week, do to stem the tide of a five day program of humanistic teaching?" Not much. That is what the humanistic, atheistic popular culture pushers are counting on.

And MAKE NO MISTAKE folks. The public schools are absolutely in the business of humanistic teaching. There are still those who want to keep their heads in the sand and think that their school is okay or that their children will follow their example no matter how many hours they are exposed to a pervasive culture of humanistic views and condemnation and ridicule of Christian views and teachings. An adult would have a hard time maintaining their beliefs if surrounded day in and day out, all day long by authority figures who communicate with everything they say and do that their beliefs were naive and somehow ridiculous, oh and hateful, Christian beliefs are hateful too doncha know. It would be extremely difficult for an adult to do and yet we expect it of little children from the age of 5! No, wait... we put them into headstart and 4 year old Kindergarten nowadays so make that from the age of 3. We are, hopefully and prayerfully, training them up in the way they should go but they are NOT TRAINED YET. They are so teachable in those early years. It is a beautiful thing how teachable a little child is... until you consider what they are being taught.

This video, "The Call to Dunkirke" was a very straight-forward, pull-no-punches challenge to Christian parents. Let's face it, the public schools are very tolerant places... to everyone except Christians. The mention of Jesus is taboo, kids can't say a prayer over their lunch, they sure to heck can't read their Bible in study hall. Nowadays, they can't even make signs that say, Merry Christmas or sing Silent Night in the "Holiday" program. The songs relating to Santa and lots of gifts are fine, I'm sure.

I about choked and then cried out aloud "Amen!" when Minister Baucham said, "...the first place we need to march is right out the front door of those Christ dishonoring, academically inferior, soul-killing government indoctrination centers!" Wow. The days of homeschooler apologetics is over folks. It's time to put it plainly and truthfully. Public schools are not doing the job they spend millions and millions of dollars to purportedly do. The only thing they are really efficient at is indoctrinating the children in the mores and morals (or lack thereof) of popular culture. I am very proud to say that my 2 youngest girls never stepped foot into a government run classroom and as long as America is still the land of the free, they never will.

Reflecting on all of this has made me aware of how thankful I am for the relaxed days of learning and teaching and growing with my girls. Those 14,000 hours are spent in an atmosphere of love and faith and learning. I've thought before about how people are losing more and more of their children's time to the government nannies. I watched a video about the "two million minutes" kids spend in high school and got to thinking that if my kids were in public school, I would be in their company for maybe 3 or 4 hours a day M-F. And honestly, those are some of the busiest hours of the day in most households. The hour or so getting everyone around to go to school and work in the morning and the hours from 5 or 6 pm to bedtime getting supper made and eaten and baths and everything ready for the next day. How much of that time is spent conveying our deeply held beliefs about God and country?

In comparison, the breakfast hour is very relaxed around here and yes, we absolutely do talk about things like freedom and faith every single day. The dinner hour to bedtime is pretty busy around here too, but that's okay because there were preceded by several hours of reading and writing and discussing things at our leisure. Mr Potter was correct folks. Like it or not, a few hours a week of our good example is not going to compete with 40 or more hours a week of being completely submerged in a humanist atmosphere. It just is not. There are some blessed families who will pull their kids through the fire with diligence and faith but I'm not up for playing russian roulette with my childrens' futures. How about you?

Okay, here is rant number one. We'll call it a mini-rant since it will be pretty short and sweet. Ummm, well short anyway.

I recently got behind a very expensive sports car in traffic here in Tulsa USA. It sported a bumper sticker that I am proud that the little blond driver has the right to sport. It said, "Feeling blue in a red state." Yes, Oklahoma was one of the very few (I believe Alaska was the only other) 100%, every county, RED state in the election. (I knew I liked Alaska8O)

I am also very proud to know that in this great country (so far anyway) I will also have a perfect right to sport my new bumper sticker once I can get some printed. It will say,

"Feeling blue in this red state??? Feel free to MOVE."

I LOVE OKLAHOMA!!!

SOCIALIZATION AGAIN... AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND....

When I first began homeschooling in 1992, people often expressed doubt about my sanity. Can you really teach your own child? But you didn't finish your degree! Boy, I'd go crazy if my kids were all home all the time!!! I was made to feel like there was something wrong with the fact that I loved being with my children and that I was arrogant to think I could handle the education of my (then) 8 year old son. Well, I figured I managed third grade just fine so it was worth a try;o) Actually, that is a whole, long 'nother story. Nowadays there are few who really question whether or not homeschooling can turn out well educated people; it has been proven time and again that it can and does. My topic today is socialization.I doubt there is a homeschooler on the planet who hasn't been asked, "Aren't you worried about socialization?" Frequently it is asked in a genuinely concerned tone while at other times it is more of an accusation. It took years for me to get through that question without flinching.I went through phases. At first, I would be intimidated. I would fumble around talking about how hard I was going to work at making sure Cameron was exposed to lots of activities with other kids. Then came the defensive/annoyed phase. Oh for pete's sake; you don't really think that kids are gaining anything valuable inthat area in public school do you? Puhlease! Lately, though, I think I have evolved. By golly, I may get all mature and stuff yet;o) Actually, what I got was educated on the subject.Hmmm, educated; yes, I learned something. I read and studied the writings of many different people on different sides of the education question. I studied the roots of American public education and its goals. And I didn't take a class to do it; I did it on my own because I had a desire to understand the subject. But I digress;o) Nowadays when I am asked about socialization, I ask a question of my own. What, exactly, do you mean by socialization? I ask this question in all sincerity; I'm not being sarcastic or snotty. The definition of socializationis thus:socializationA noun1 socialization, socialisation, acculturation, enculturation; the adoption of the behavior patterns of the surrounding culture[from WordReference.com]May I also submit the definition of socialism:socialismA noun1 socialism: a political theory advocating state ownership of industryNow, the American education system was based on the Prussian system which was unabashedly formed to create good little socialist citizens. Noone pretended that independent thought or individuality was of any importance whatsoever. True academics were discouraged except for an elite few - about 8% of the children. Might socialization viewed in this light be seen as advocating the "state ownership" of our children? When we also consider the atmosphere and "behavior patterns" found in most public schools today, if I am asked if I wish my children to be encultured to the behavior patterns of the average public school, I answer no without apology.The thing I've come to realize is that most people mean something entirely different. And if they ask the question sincerely, I am happy to discuss it with them. What most people are concerned about is that kids who don't go to public school will never learn a) how to get along with their peers and b) to deal with adversity. I'll deal with these one at a time.First, we have getting along with peers. Well, I suppose we have to define peers first.peern 1: a person who is of equal standing with another in a group[syn: equal, match, compeer][from dict.die.net]Okey-dokey. Next, we must ask ourselves who are our child's peers? As far as their age-mates in the public schools, suffice it to say that my children are, thankfully, not of equal standing with them. They really feel very little in common or comradeship with many of those kids. Is that bad? Nope. Thank you Jesus. If there are age-mates around who share their values and morals, they are more likely to find them at church or at interest based activities such as leadership clubs, 4-H, scouting, rodeos, drama and improv troupes and singing groups among many others, not to mention the many sports and interest groups formed especially for homeschoolers.But are peers necessarily age-mates? Again, nope! I love being around homeschooled kids. When they are young, they are quite likely to be very exuberant and energetic. In other words, they would probably drive a classroom teacher crazy. But they are so much closer to what children really should be. Children are built to learn by doing and while on the move. But, again, that is another subject.As they get a little older, homeschoolers are just as likely to identify with elderly neighbor who teaches them to tie flies as they are the skateboarder on the next block. I've sat in quilting bees with grandmothers, young mothers and homeschooled kids. They chatted and had a blast. Do you think the public schoolers would consider this cool? Probably not. But who is better "socialized" in terms of society and the world?There is a misconception that young homeschoolers are never exposed to anyone other than the people in their parents' church. I find this to be very rarely true. We are devout Christians but we are friends with people who are Muslim, Pagan, Jewish etc. There are many different "peer groups" out there. I think the tragedy is that the average public school student is given such a narrow view of what his should be. Most public schooled kids are into their own little clicks of kids who are their same age, race, religion, economic background, etc. Who is better"socialized" in terms of a country commonly referred to as a melting pot?The second concern out there is that homeschooled children will not learn to deal with adversity. This is the one that leads to such brilliant observations as, "Kids will never learn to say no to drugs if they don't go to school where the drug dealers are" and "he'll never learn to stand up for himself if he never deals with the bullies in school." Alrighty then. I firmly believe that if I raise my child to love and respect his fellowman and to expect the same and to know that he deserves the same - as any child of God does - then when he is confronted with adversity, he will deal with it in a mature and responsible way. Period.We put these kids out there on their own for so many hours of their day from such a young age (and getting younger every year - 3 year old kindergarten anyone? Oh wait, that is called Head Start) that many of them become beaten down and confused before they ever reach an age or maturity level sufficient to stand for their convictions. By the time they go to school, do their homework, eat their supper and bathe, their parents don't have any time with them. So how are they to instill all the confidence, hope, faith and trust that they need to deal with those issues? We are, in essence, turning our children over to the teachers. There are many wonderful people in the teaching profession but conservative or individualistic values are given no quarter in public schools so parents who hold those values dear are fighting an uphill battle to pass them on. So the kids are left with confusing, conflicting views at a very young and impressionable age. Trial by fire is not a great philosophy when dealing with young children's lives.I saw a woman on Oprah one day who had seen the devastating effects of the public school attitude toward peer relations and bullying. Her son had been bullied for years, very badly at times. The school just seemed to think that the boy needed to learn to deal with it. The woman came in one day and found her son dead at his own hand. He had blown his face off with a gun. She said, "his outside finally matched the way he had been feeling on the inside all those years." How horrifying. But I will never forget what she said when Oprah asked her if there was anything she wished she had done differently. She said she wished she had taken him out of the school. She didn't really realize that she even had that right.So is socialization a problem that homeschoolers need to address? No, socialization is an issue that every parent had best give some serious time and thought to if they want their children to be "encultured to adopt the behavior patterns" of the kind of people they want their children to be. And you might want to take a long hard look at the culture that exists in their school. It is a whole different world than it was even ten years ago. Is it a culture that you wish your child to become encultured to? If not, do you really want them spending a minimum of 40 hours per week immersed in it?

THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS...

...or is it? I am open to discussion on this one. A Catholic School in Detroit has banned MySpace for their students. Sounds good to me! I really don't think that any sort of blogs or "social spaces" have any place at school. But here is the kicker: the students will be suspended if they are caught using MySpace at school or at home! My initial reaction to that is that it is patently absurd. And wrong. And dangerous precedent. My ONLY hesitation is because it is a Catholic School.I can't stand the idea of schools, or any other public institution trying to dictate the way that parents raise their children. I am NOT a subscriber to Hilary Clinton's "Village" raising my child. Thanks, but... umm NOT!!! Most of the "village" nowadays is.... let's just say, not what I want for my kids. And guess what, I still have the right to choose what I want my children to be exposed to in this country, thank you very much. My child is not the property of the state or the republic or any other institution. I do have the right (and the responsibility) to raise my child to the best of my ability with my world view. I personally believe that a really good, thinking parent will, as the child becomes able to assimilate it, present the alternatives and encourage the child to make his own responsible, informed choices. But I don't have the right to force every parent to do so. Amish can teach their children that being Amish is the only right way. The Catholics can do the same. We LDS can also teach that ours is the truly right way. The kids can then grow up and use the thinking skills and spirit that their maker gave them to decide that their parents are full of it. After they turn 18;o) I am not, of course, addressing so-called parents who abuse or neglect their children in a criminal way. Different subject altogether. I am under the working assumption that we are talking about responsible parents with different opinions and world views.How does all this apply to a MySpace ban? My kids are not allowed to use MySpace while they are underaged. I have the right as a parent to ban it. But I just don't see that it is ANYONE ELSE's right or privilege or responsibility to allow or disallow it. My quandry is that I do believe that private institutions such as private schools, churches, the boy scouts or what have you should have the right to have standards of behavior that are required to participate in them.So, I guess that my bottom line is that I believe that this school is misguided and is addressing a valid problem in an invalid, ineffective way but I guess they have the right to do it. And, were I a parent at that school, I would have to seriously consider the school's mission and methods.