Happy Independence Day!

Independence Day. What does it mean? Officially the fourth of July marks the day this nation declared it's independence from England. It was a declaration that we were going to form our own nation because England was not fulfilling its' duties towards us. That's what the bulk of the declaration of Independence is, a list of the grievances of the colonies against their homeland.

It was a list that contained far more than the simple "taxation without representation" that was thrown to us in school when I was a girl. I wonder how many Americans will take the time, today, to read the entirety of that document to their children? I wonder how many will look at that list of grievances and note that many of them are stunningly appropriate to be said about our current federal government?

"He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us." Seems to be appropriate for the people of Arizona who are being denied federal enforcement of immigration laws and denied also the ability to enforce their own laws.

"For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury" This would seem to apply to the case of the TSA's invasive and unconstitutional searches and seizures at airports, bus and train stations and now, even random searches of private vehicles.

"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance." Can anyone say Czar? Or obamacare?

"He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation" Why are we in Libya again? And how dare Mr. Obama, in acting as the Commander in Chief of a voluntary military turn over the command of that military to a foreign body? (NATO)

"For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments" Does anyone remember a campaign promise to "fundamentally transform" our government and nation? It is the job and place of the president of these united states to MAINTAIN and PRESERVE our form of government, not to transform it. Yet, the people, through greed, ignorance, apathy or a combination of those and others voted for this man.

Yes, Happy Independence Day to all, but while you are celebrating, remember that we are facing a crisis in our republic. A crisis that may leave our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren paying for our greed, ignorance and apathy.

We celebrate, today, the efforts of men who chose to make the sacrifices they did so that we could have independence and freedom. They left it to us to maintain and preserve this nation through constant vigilance and the education of our young people in the form and maintenance of this republic. We must not shirk our duties now, when so many have paid so high a price. We can preserve our republic and we must. The alternative is not to be considered except with sorrow and shame.

(On a personal note, the horseback photos used in this post are photos I took years ago of two dear friends. They took risks and died young, as the result of some of those risks. We all acknowledge that freedom is not free. Freedom is not safe either, and may we all be bold enough to grasp the risks with both hands and be willing to pay the price. I could wish they were still with us, but not at the expense of their freedom to make such choices. My world is better for having had them in it. R.I.P John and Johnny. I look forward to meeting you again, and my thanks to Jesus Christ for making it possible.)

"So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. " ~ Luke 17:10

The Maritime Sentry: No More - Wisconsin, Stand Up

The Maritime Sentry: No More - Wisconsin, Stand Up: "In America, in Wisconsin, the only authority that will have any power is the one who has the approval and respect of the citizens they serve. The very second they do something to betray that trust, they lose that power. We are experiencing this situation in play in Madison. The unions, the teachers, the police, and the protesters have all betrayed the trust of the taxpayers by siding against them. The only thing they have prove is that we cannot trust the teachers to teach our children, we cannot trust unions to protect individuals, we cannot trust the police to protect us, and we cannot trust liberal protesters to abide by any rule, law, or the civil liberties of anyone on the opposing side.
..."
See the rest of this excellent post at The Maritime Sentry.

"And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down."~ 2 Sam 22:28

Pride

How many times have you heard someone say:"I refuse to believe that..." ? Usually followed by something like "two people can't get along if they try" or "civilized people can't settle their differences without going to war" or even "our elected officials would do anything that would be that bad for the country."

I think this is a large part of our current problem in this country. Not that we seem to be bitterly divided over whether this country will abandon individualism and embark on collectivism. Nor that we are embroiled in a war with terrorists that wish to kill us all. Nor even that our elected officials are preparing to sign away our sovereignty via international treaties which they don't bother to actually read before they sign them. Those are challenges, but none are unsolvable but for the fact that we refuse to believe that such things could be so.

Open and honest discourse requires that both parties believe that the other party's points could be valid. I have been spending a bit of time lately "discussing" some of the issues currently before our country with those who seem to be starting from a point of view that disallows even the possibility that I could be right. Even when I point out that I have have spent much time reading books on the subject of the discussion as well as researching various bits from credible 1st party sources, these folks refuse to believe that what I am saying could possibly have any validity. Even when I name the books and authors and provide links to multiple, well known and credible web-sites, my knowledge is dismissed as irrelevant, because these folks simply refuse to believe...

I am somehow the inflexible one (and other names not so nice) when I refuse to give over my well researched opinion on the basis of a cursory web-search on their part to provide one or two links to articles that they think are all anyone needs to come to a rational conclusion. One man recently directed my attention to a wikipedia article and the BBC interview of a particular Imam to make his point and thought that this should be enough to sway me. When I refused to be swayed, he directed me to the result of a cursory web search showing compromised sources who were saying what he wanted to hear. I very much doubt that he bothered to look at the links I and others posted for his edification. Why should he? Those things don't fit his belief that such things cannot be true. And he refuses to believe that what I am saying might be true. (And really-wikipedia as a source? Ask your children if they are allowed to use wikipedia as source material for a book report.)

How are we, in this country, to preserve our Constitution, heritage and values, when our fellow countrymen have closed their minds to the possibility that they could be wrong? When those who present well researched facts are ridiculed? I once believed as did that fellow I mentioned above. When I was challenged, I did my homework, found that I was wrong and changed my opinion. It's called learning. Perhaps the problem is pride. Perhaps we find it too humiliating to be wrong and would rather die than admit to being mistaken. I am sure there are any number of folks willing to oblige us, if that be the case. If you can't admit your mistakes, how can you possibly expect to correct them?

"When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom." ~Prov 11:2

Happy Independence Day!

"IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

• He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
• He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
• He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
• He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
• He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
• He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
• He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
• He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
• He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
• He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
• He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
• He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
• He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
• For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
• For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
• For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
• For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
• For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
• For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
• For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
• For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
• He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
• He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
• He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
• He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
• He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."~The Declaration of Independence from the National Archives web-site.

"And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it"~Gen 2:15

Kudos To Sheriff Lott

After returning from SD, I decided to catch up on the news and this caught my eye.(Yes, women do occasionally read the Sports page.)
There was an article by AP columnist Jim Litke making fun of Richland County, SC Sheriff, Leon Lott for doing his job.
Apparently Sheriff Lott is attempting to build a case against Olympic champion Michael Phelps for smoking marijuana at a party and Mr. Litke feels this is ridiculous and over the top. In his words: "If Lott genuinely believes that Phelps is a danger to Richland County, somebody needs to sit him down and explain the meaning of prioritizing. "
Mr. Phelps' attorney also makes light of the matter , saying:"It seems to me that Richland County has a host of it's own crime problems much more serious than a kid featured in a photograph with a bong in his hand."
I beg to differ.
First, Mr. Phelps is not a kid. He is an adult. Twenty three years old = adult.
Second, he is a role model. The Saturday Night Live joke quoted in the article where a parent should answer a child's queries about why they can't smoke pot when Michael Phelps does may be funny, but it is inappropriate. (The answer was "right after you win 12 gold medals")
Third, this sort of moral relativity is at the heart of our country's troubles today. We have a standard of behavior here. It is called the law. It is the duty of citizens to uphold the law and to condemn those who break it.
Mr. Litke says"While there's no condoning what Phelps did, " and then goes on to explain why he does condone what Mr. Phelps did. "..if anybody has the right to blow off some steam, it's him. Phelps has been in the pool nearly every day since age 7." Then he cites some of the consequences Mr. Phelps has already suffered for his lapse in judgment as further reasons why he shouldn't be subject to Sheriff Lott's persecution.

This article disturbed me. I have spent a bit of time volunteering with children and one of the things I teach them is the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance. When we get to the lines "with liberty and justice for all" I have a little exercise I do with them. I say that phrase means that the law applies to everyone equally.
Then I set up a scenario for them:"We have a law against littering here. If Thomas(my son-who served as my den chief) and I are walking down the street and we both litter and a police officer sees us both, to whom should he give a ticket?" They usually get that one right. Both of us. Then I say what if the mayor and I were walking down the street and we both litter? Sometimes they have trouble with that one. They almost always have trouble with it when I name a celebrity or if I say the other person is a big businessman with lots of money. The point is, that I reassure them that the law applies to everybody equally in this country-or at least it's supposed to.

Now I would like to ask Mr. Litke, "At exactly what point did Michael Phelps transcend his subjection to the laws of the USA in your opinion?"

I'd like to know. Was it when he reached a certain number of hours of hard work? There are guys out there working 60-80 hour weeks to pay their bills who have been doing so for longer than Mr. Phelps has been alive. Should they get a free pass too?

Does this law transcendent status result from the winning of a gold medal? Does everyone with a gold medal get to consider themselves above the law or do they have to win more than one? Just what would that magic-the-law-no-longer-applies-to-me number be?

Is it celebrity perhaps? My son has a following of older folks who show up for open mic nights on the chance that he might be there playing piano. The benefit concert he put on for his Scoutmaster got him an interview on satellite radio and one of his school projects caused him to be interviewed on camera for a television show intended for Japanese schoolchildren. Is that celebrity enough for him to smoke pot without fear of legal repercussions? Maybe he can speed now that he has his license.

Do you see where I'm going here? Simply because you have a soft spot for someone or find some of their achievements admirable does not mean that they should no longer be subject to the same laws as the rest of us.

I say kudos to Sheriff Lott. How would it help the crime rate in his county if he ignored a blatant, publicized instance of lawbreaking where the guilty party can be easily found upon whom to enforce the law? I'm assuming Mr. Phelps did not bring the marijuana to the party, which means someone else, who has access to the drug dealers of Richland County did. It is Sheriff Lott's sworn duty to press charges against Mr. Phelps and anyone else who broke the law at that party. It was Mr. Phelp's civic duty, not only to refuse the drug, but to report whoever offered it to him to the police himself. The only message criminals in Richland County should be taking from his actions is the message that no one is above the law here.

I don't have any idea how Sheriff Lott handles the rest of his duties, but in this instance, he's right on target.
So, kudos to you, Sheriff Lott and shame on you Mr. Litke for eroding the values and standards that uphold the republic.
"My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not." ~Proverbs 1:10

Immigration and Fairness

I was recently reading a post on Vanishing American's blog. One of the commenters said: "Also, the people on VA's site are against ALL immigration. We don't want refugees, legal immigrants, or illegal immigrants. Maybe some O-Visa people here and there, but that's it."

I had to stop and think about that. Am I someone who is against all immigration? Am I a racist or a xenophobic, spoiled, rich, American who wants not to have to share the blessings and advantages of living in this country, as was the implication in my reading of that comment?

I find that I must disagree. I do appreciate VA's intelligent observations on immigration and assimilation, but for myself, I am not against all immigration. I think and believe that every individual is inherently worthy of my consideration because we are all made in the image of God. I do not want to speak for VA or her commenters, which is why I am posting this on my own blog rather than as a reply on hers.

I think those who value and wish to preserve the history, heritage and ideals of America should be welcome. But why should I welcome someone, who is not willing to live those ideals in order to change their own country, into mine?

There is also the culture barrier. Someone who is used to having to pay bribes (for example) to get government assistance in a matter, will bring the assumption that bribes are necessary here. It will not even occur to them that it is not the case, or that it is a citizen's responsibility to expose anyone who would take bribes. This places a temptation before our law enforcement community, who, after all, are just people.

What about those for whom violence is a daily and familiar occurrence? Those who find it acceptable to kill a family member for honor are not likely to go out on a limb to uphold a legal system that does not allow such behavior.

Those who come here illegally plunge themselves and their children into a never-ending cycle of victimization and criminal activity. There is no way for them to participate as fully functioning members of a self-governed society.

That is why those individuals who suffer from political persecution have been welcomed in the past. Because they have made the attempt to change their system and suffered for it. We then have a reason to believe that they understand, or at least have the ability to understand the burdens of citizenship in a self governed country. Refugees and illegals have not shown this drive towards freedom, nor can we expect them to.

That is the danger brought by immigrants. That is how they destabilize our system. This is particularly relevant in light of the arrest of the governor of Illinois yesterday. As Americans, we know that law enforcement does not work in a vacuum. It works, only when citizens participate. It also requires that citizens risk persecution to assure that law enforcement is functioning as it should. Someone in Chicago is paying a price for turning that man in to law enforcement to protect the rest of us. The higher up the corruption goes, the higher the price that must be paid to restore the system. That's the sacrifice required of American citizens.

I think, that, in large part, is also why we hear so many people basing their arguments these days on the "fairness" of an action. It is because we, as Americans, have been conditioned from an early age to question authority and to want to make things "fair" for everyone. I think that the citizenship issues behind that urge to require "fairness" from the world in general have been lost over time.
I think, that for myself, I am going to start being very careful about using the word "fair" in reference to political issues. I think I am going to concentrate instead on the idea of doing what's right. Right and fair are not equivalent. I think there is a connotation of sacrifice in the phrase"doing what's right" that is completely missing from fair. In fact, it is not fair that an individual often has to suffer for doing the right thing.

Those who are simply being persecuted because that's how their system works or who just want a job that pays enough to support their family are not fit citizens for a country that relies upon it's citizenry for regulation. If folks want to come here, they need to take up the duties of an American citizen, not just the benefits.

Perhaps, if we, as a nation, cannot quell our suicidal tendencies to embrace destruction in this manner, refugees should be offered a place of safety for a limited time during which they are required to learn and exercise the responsibilities of citizenship here. Then send them back home to fix their own countries. I have no doubt that their countries of origin will cry "foul" and say it's not "fair" of us to interfere in their sovereignty in that way. Our response should be, no, it's not fair, but it is the right thing to do. If you cannot make your country a safe enough place for your people to want to stay there, then we will help your people to accomplish that goal. Even if the adults don't get it, I'll bet their children would and in 10-20 years, we would see fewer refugees.
"Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt."~Exodus 20:21

The Price Is Right

When does the price become too high to do the right thing?

I have had a number of personal challenges in recent months, including the death of my father. Now before y'all send your condolences, he wasn't a particularly good father. He chose to move out-of-state to avoid paying child support. As I grew and developed and became a parent myself, I came to realize the tremendous negative impact of his actions on my life. Quite literally, everyone around me told me to "just let it go - forgive and move on" and other similar sentiments. The Bible, however, clearly instructs us to confront others when we have a grievance against them and work it out. So I did. We exchanged some angry words and, while I felt better for having done the right thing, I realized that he would probably never speak to me again.

I was wrong.

About a year later, he called me and apologized and asked for my forgiveness. I cannot adequately express how much this means to me now that he is dead. The price of doing the right thing in that instance seemed high, but I would do it again 100 times over to have the peace of mind provided by knowing that we had an honest relationship at the end because of it. My siblings do not.

Recently, I have paid a rather high price to do the right thing in another situation. Again, the advice I received (and am still receiving) from well meaning folks is to "let it go and move on", "It's not worth it", and other similar sentiments.

To repeat the question - When does the price become too high to do the right thing?

In my view, if it's my call, never. The right thing to do is the right thing to do, regardless of cost or sacrifice. Indeed, if we will not choose to sacrifice a little when the cause is relatively easy, then why should we be trusted to do the right thing when something more difficult arises?
People are very quick to judge those who have been granted a say in the larger issues of the day, but how many of us are standing up to do the right thing in the small issues in our lives?

If you realize that the waitress or store clerk just gave you too much change, the right thing to do is to return it, either in person or by mail no matter what the amount. If you mistakenly let out your neighbor's livestock, you round them up. If you take something that belongs to someone else by mistake, you return it. If you blame someone for something they didn't do, you apologize. If your friend does any of these things, you do all you can to encourage him/her to do the right thing for themselves. These are simple things, basic things.
The price is never too high to do the right thing.

"When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul." ~Ezekiel 33:8-9

Introduction

Hello,
I know some of you may have found this page through the AFB.

Welcome.

I'm making this blog mostly because I'm feeling grouchy at the moment. I am feeling very much like the fellow who said "Sometimes I think the whole world is crazy except you and me ... and sometimes I wonder about you."

I am finding the world a terribly lonely place for anyone who wants to get things done properly and so, the title of this blog. I don't know if one person can make a difference, but I do know that doing the right thing isn't about polls or consensus. It's about taking the personal responsibility to find out what the right thing is and to do it regardless of whether or not it generates approval from others.

I welcome polite comments. I will delete profanity or personal attacks or anything I regard as a personal attack, so please bear that in mind if you choose to comment. (Always assuming there is something worthy of comment - there may not be.)

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." ~ Isaiah 40:31