Monday, June 30, 2008

Housing Industry Ups and Downs


The last week of April a bubble formed. Many industry insiders hoped the bubble would hold, but in the end, it burst.

During the last week of April, and the first couple weeks of May in an attempt to prepare to close out all projects by the end of the year, builders began trenching a number of properties. As the projects began, surprisingly, many of them were bought by potential homeowners before the wheel even broke into the ground. This created hope that perhaps, just perhaps, the bubble would expand, and building would continue as the builders realized that buyers were ready to start buying again (though hardly at the pace of a couple years ago).

By the end of the second week in May, the buying slowed, and builders speculated that the continuance of building would not create profit as some had hoped . . . so the creation of new construction stopped.

This is not to say that new housing is at a complete stand-still. Multi-unit projects are slowly increasing, though at a careful pace due to the insurance company's dislike of such projects because it is these kind of housing developments that lawyers use for class-action suits against the construction industry. Military housing is on the rise. The government is taking advantage of a work-hungry housing industry, and the lower bids during the slowdown. And, commercial building is doing okay, though nothing to get excited about. All of these neighborhoods that rose during the housing boom are now in need of services, and commercial builders are happy to oblige.

So what is in store for the rest of the days of summer?

Unfortunately, this will continue to be a slow year for housing, as much as industry participants are hoping for a rise. Smaller companies are closing their doors. Larger companies are having trouble maintaining their immense overhead. This will be the year of the mid-size construction companies.

I have never thought that we will return to the boom that was, but in a self-adjusting economy, if the feds will leave it all alone, the housing industry will rise again - - - IF the government leaves well enough alone and allows the economy to adjust naturally.

Big IF.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Obama Suggests GOP Will Use Race To Scare Voters


Obama said, "We know what kind of campaign they're going to run. They're going to try to make you afraid. . . He's young and inexperienced and he's got a funny name. And did I mention he's black? . . . That old stuff just divides us."

Interestingly, the only ones bringing up the fact that Obama is black is, well, his campaign and his supporters.

And honestly, I don't care what his ethnicity is. In truth, it all comes down to the issues.

Obama voted against banning partial birth abortion. I don't care where you stand on the abortion issue. Common sense dictates that if a child is slated to be born, but is terminated before the child has a chance to pass through the birth canal, and would have survived easily outside the mother, it is straight-out murder.

He voted "No" on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. Is there any parent of a teenage girl that can tell me that that is fine with them? I doubt it.

He wishes to pull out of the war zone as quickly as possible. Granted, he is too inexperienced to realize a full pull-out is not realistically possible that quickly - the time to remove even a portion of the equipment will take a formidable amount of time. But my concern is not whether or not he is capable of pulling out of the region quickly, or incrementally. My concern is the message it sends to the enemy. Islamism will see a retreat as a weakness, and will respond with terror. What fascinates me is Obama is so urgent to meet with the leaders of the enemy, yet refuses to meet with General Petraeus.

He opposed the Patriot Act. The best way to fully understand my position, and support, for the Patriot Act is to read "Living under The Patriot Act: Educating a Society" by Paul A. Ibbetson first. Honestly, his rejection of the Patriot Act is a rejection of National Security.

He supports Universal Health Care, which has been a proven failure in Britain and Canada. And I don't care how you try to slice it, government funded Health Care falls under government control, and such systems are failures, and have been proven to be failures over and over again. This does not mean I think the current system of private insurance here in America is wonderful, but to replace a problematic system with a system that has a larger potential for failure is not the answer to this problem.

He supports granting driver's licenses to illegal aliens, as well as extending welfare to them. What part of illegal, and "not a citizen," does this idiot not understand?

He voted No on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax, voted No on repealing the Death Tax, and wants to raise the Capital Gains Tax. So, his idea for stimulating the economy is to take even more money away from the citizens. Oh, that is rich.

And did I mention that from the time Barack Obama was sworn in as a U.S. Senator he has logged in 143 days of experience? Would you hire a manager with only 143 days of experience if you were a business owner? And this guy, with his inexperience (and yes, he said we'd claim he's inexperienced) wants to lead the greatest nation on Earth? I don't care about scaring anybody - it is just a fact - he has 143 days of Federal Political experience and I don't want a president trying to learn on the job.

And this is only a few of the issues. If you learn all about him you realize the man's politics are more in line with Karl Marx's than the U.S. Constitution.

But, since at the beginning of the post I brought up the fact that he claims to be the first black presidential candidate, let's touch on that for a moment.

Senator Obama will not be the first African-American president as he claims. He will be the first Arab-American president if he is elected. The Senator's background is: Caucasian from his mother [and] Arab-African from his father. The Kenyan Obamas are listed in the Kenyan census as Arab-African, not as Tribal 'Black' African. His father's great great grandmother was a Tribal African.

Therefore by ethnic lines the Senator is 50% Caucasian, 43.75% Arab, and 6.25% Black African (from where the Senator gets his skin pigmentation).

The Arab press has made much of the Senator's Arab heritage, but luckily for Senator Obama, American voters don't read the Arab press! However, key financial backers like the Arab "Americans" Rezko and Al-Sammarae, and the Iraqi Auchi do, and the money rolls in.

In Dreams From My Father, his autobiography, Obama confessed to concealing his white heritage in his youth.

Has Obama been concealing his Arab heritage as an adult?

Fascinating how Obama mentions his "blackness" about every chance he gets, but fails to mention that he is mostly white and Arab. Who's the one using race in the campaign, Barry? The GOP? Or you?

Mr. Obama, you are wrong about the GOP trying to scare voters by trying to point out you are black (or so you say you are), or by pointing anything else out. The GOP doesn't have to try to scare the voters in regards to you. The facts do that on their own (or will if the biased mainstream media actually allows themselves to report the facts).

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Losing Religious Freedom in America


One of the primary motives, if not "the" primary motive, for the English colonization of North America was the search for religious freedom. In England the state-run Church of England was the King's tool for controlling the people, and failure to be a member of the Church of England resulted in punishment - for such dissension against the State Church was not tolerated. The colonists desired to live in a place where they could worship as they pleased, and the New World provided such an opportunity.

The New England Colonies were founded for both economic and religious purposes. By 1627, after seven years of hard work that included fur trading and farming the land, the colony was out of debt and self-supporting. The colonies grew rapidly, spreading their radical idea of religious freedom.

For some, however, old habits die hard. The Puritans (Calvinists) tried to create a theocracy, but found quickly that such a system interfered with the people's desire for religious freedom. In 1634 a committee was appointed to examine the theocratic charter. A new legislature arose out of the findings of the committee, and though not fully democratic (at that point only church members were admitted to the ranks of the voters), the seeds of democracy had been planted.

During that time, while the Massachusetts government demanded membership of the Puritan Church to vote, a whole series of rebels were bred, and founded other New England colonies.

The Rhode Island Charter authorized the settlement of Rhode Island in 1644, followed later by another charter in 1663. The latter established a permanent government based on that of Massachusetts, but not requiring church membership of voters. The complete political and religious freedom attracted dissenters from all over America and Europe.

Historians agree that religion was an important force inspiring migration to the English colonies, especially to the northern colonies. Far fewer would have risked immigration had dissent to a state-run church been accepted in England. This did not mean that the colonists favored freedom of conscience. They simply wanted a place where they could worship as they pleased.

At the start, religious freedom in the colonies was as restricted as it was in England, but with the passing of time greater religious freedom was enjoyed by the colonists.

The settlement of Pennsylvania was founded in the interest of guaranteeing both religious and political freedom. The "Frame of Government" (1682) and "Charter of Privileges" (1701) decreed complete freedom of worship and a democratic government in which power was vested in a one-house elected legislature.

In the colonies eventually no one church was dominant, with each religion contributing more to the theory of religious freedom. Due to fears of governmental control of any one church, a system of voluntarism was developed, through which churches were supported by voluntary contributions, rather than taxes as was the standard in many European countries.

Though some of the religions remained skeptical of religious freedom, such as the Puritans who banned non-church members from voting at first, banished and persecuted Baptists and Quakers, and persecuted people they deemed as witches (through an inaccurate interpretation of scripture), the desire for complete religious freedom eventually impacted all of the citizens of the colonies, and the fundamental basics of the idea of freedom of religion took hold.

The evolution of liberty is intertwined with the pursuit of religious freedom. The non-Biblical actions of churches, like the Puritan Calvinists, enabled other churches to prosper, which led to a revival of evangelism in the 1720's. This revival strengthened more Biblically grounded churches like the Baptists, giving the common people more control over the churches, and more religious freedom as originally intended.

By the eve of the American Revolution, the colonists had determined that democracy was the best means of government (though later the founding fathers agreed upon a representative republic instead), and supported the emphasis on individualism where limitless opportunity made men less dependent on the social group, as well as less dependent upon any centralized government control. This, in turn, encouraged a belief that no distant parliament could solve their problems, and that their prosperity lay in trading outside the empire. No ruler, they realized, should be able to interfere with their progress or their political freedom. Self-rule was the only answer, and by then the colonists were convinced that King George III was denying them their God-given rights.

Understanding the drive for independence and religious freedom, it is easy to see that the founding fathers did not want the government telling the church in any way, shape, or form how to worship, nor did they want the government dictating to the church what they could or could not do in relation to church business.

Around the world, and even around America, speaking out about the Christian teachings regarding homosexuality can result in a criminal crackdown against you. And though currently the law is not "requiring" churches to marry gay couples if it is against their doctrine, the fear among pastors is that this will change, and hate-crime laws will be used to persecute any clergy that refuse to perform a ceremony for a gay couple on the grounds that it is against the teachings of the Bible.

Don't forget about the New Mexico family owned photography studio who was fined more than $6,600 for declining a demand to take pictures at a same-sex ceremony.

Answer me this: After I have illustrated the struggles our founding fathers went through to ensure we have religious freedoms, and where the state does not dictate to us how we worship or conduct our religious affairs, why is it that the state can dictate that a photography studio must pay a fine for not taking pictures because it is against their religion? And is the government dictating to pastors that they must conduct gay marriage ceremonies whether they like it or not on the horizon?

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Thursday, June 26, 2008

Playing With The Enemy - Gary W. Moore and Toby Moore on Fox Sports


Those of you that are long time readers and listeners of Political Pistachio know Gary W. Moore, the author of "Playing With The Enemy." He has been on Political Pistachio Radio four times, and some of my listeners have won signed copies of the first edition of Playing With The Enemy on my show. A movie based on the book is currently filming, and should be released during the first quarter of 2009.

The book is about Gary's father, a baseball phenom caught up in World War II, and eventually tasked with guarding German U-boat prisoners of war. During that time of guard duty, the Americans teach the Germans the American game of baseball. The story is about shattered dreams, and finding what the meaning of life truly is.

Gary W. Moore, and his son, Toby Moore (who will be playing the lead role in the upcoming major motion picture based on the book) will be on The Best Damn Sports Show, Period on the Fox Sports Network on Friday, June 27.

On the show Gary will discuss the book and movie.

Check it out on the Fox Sports Network at 11:00 PM in most markets.

Oh, and if you want to listen to my past interviews of Gary on my radio show, the links are below:

April 7, 2007

June 16, 2007

January 26, 2008

May 22, 2008

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

The Supreme Court and the Washington D.C. Gun Ban


Today a ruling by The U.S. Supreme Court was expected regarding whether the Washington D.C. handgun ban violates the Second Amendment. However, that long-awaited ruling was not released - so this potentially landmark decision will most certainly come tomorrow morning when the court is planning to issue the last of its rulings for the term.

The case, District of Columbia v. Heller, which was argued nearly four months ago, is the center of the decades-old debate over whether the Second Amendment grants individuals the right to own firearms.

The Washington Post has reported that Mayor Adrain M. Fenty is planning to hold a news conference at the John A. Wilson Building after the decision is announced.

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Also, I will discuss this ruling, the implications of the ruling, and the Constitutional Amendment that grants our right to bear arms on Political Pistachio Radio on Thursday Night - see you there!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Johnny Can't Read, or Do Math - From Crayons to Condoms


The classroom in American public schools has become a place for children to confront all varieties of adult behaviors and depressing situations. Rather than acquire basic knowledge of history, literature, math, and science, more and more classroom time is being spent discussing feelings, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Instead of a place of learning, those that run our public schools seem to think that the fundamental task of education is therapy.

Our children are being psychologically molested in the classroom through exercises that focus on death, suicide, graphic sex, and invasive surveys. Some public schools are now even forcing children to participate in Islamic religious practices that are not only in direct opposition to many children's families' personal beliefs, but is hardly in keeping with the idea of seperation of church and state that the system is using in order to keep Christian prayer out of schools.

Today's educational system emphasizes the "Proper Socialization" of our children by integrating "politically correct" attitudes and values into watered down academics which accommodates social agendas, but fails to teach our children.

The social engineering experiments being tried on our children is a failure - but the public school system won't admit such. Instead of admitting failure and returning to the basics of education, the education establishment would rather blame our underachieving schools on inadequate funding, though there is no correlation between performance and funding. In fact, solid academics costs less than the experimental methodologies being imposed on our children.

Our children, and the school system, is performing poorly because the focus is no longer on academic achievement. Instead of teaching phonics, they teach "whole language." Rather than teach our children how to sound out a word, they teach inventive spelling. Rather than teaching our children how to calculate and reason, they teach constructivist math. Rather than allowing the children to learn from their mistakes, they push self-esteem programs and death education.

Why do they do this, despite the objections of parents around the nation? The common view among educators is that public schools exist to shape our children emotionally and psychologically in the proper politically correct image, rather than teach our children academics. Public schools are inundated with social studies curricula containing false and misleading concepts, and sex education programs whose main purpose is to challenge societal norms.

Even Bush's precious "No Child Left Behind" program is a dismal failure. Politicians seem to be constantly calling for federal education programs, never recognizing that a centralized approach to education is a failed approach.

Parents are feeling as if they, as taxpayers, are no longer in charge of our public schools, or of their own children. In fact, often the school boards impose policies and practices irrespective of parental protests.

Rob Reiner, like Hillary Clinton, has even pushed for a mandatory pre-school program because even parents with good instincts can miss it when it comes to child development. Barack Obama has suggested sex education as early as kindergarten.

Though we hear a call for more parental involvement from society, in truth unless parents climb on board with the agenda pushed by the education establishment, the parents are not wanted, are seen as troublemakers, and are seen as parents who dare challenge those in "authority."

In 2005 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Fields v. Palmdale School District that the fundamental right of parents over the care and upbringing of their children "does not extend beyond the threshold of the school door," and a public school as the right to give students "whatever information it wishes to provide, sexual or otherwise."

The message being sent out is that those who run the schools are the experts, and parents shouldn't interfere.

If that is the case, then why is it that children who are homeschooled by their parents, and those children attending private schools (including Christian Private Schools) score higher on academic testing on average than those educated by the public school system? And why is it, despite those numbers, is there a movement by the liberal left to outlaw homeschooling?

The book, "From Crayons to Condoms" is a compilation of stories by concerned parents that found themselves caught in the middle of this battle. The book was edited and compiled by Steve Baldwin and Karen Holgate. Karen Holgate will be my guest on Wednesday Night on Political Pistachio Radio - Tune in, and find out the ugly truth about America's Public Schools!

Monday, June 23, 2008

Generation: Mindless Automatons

Visit any mall in America and you will see hordes of teenagers with earphones shoved in their ears listening to their I-Pods and MP3 players.

And as they listen to their devices, becoming more engrossed in the music, they have become less in tune with what is around them. America has been dumbed down, populated by mindless automatons in a world gone mad. They have been desensitized. They have been numbed to the point that they really don't care anymore about what is going on around them, and are willing to fully accept the madness without as much as a whimper.

Now, before the liberal left gets their collective panties in a bunch, let me explain that I am not being a bitter, Bible thumping, gun-toting nutcase clinging to hundred year old music while calling rock and roll, or whatever else the kids are listening to, Satan's music. I am not advocating banning today's technology, nor do I think that the indoctrination of our children through the public schools, MTV, and the music industry only the fault of music executives and Paris Hilton. After all, though the dumbing down of our children through earphones shoved in their ears, and video games attached to their hands, is a serious factor in the demoralization of society, the fault lies in many places, and in the end, the majority of the blame rests on the parents for abdicating their roles, and handing it over willfully to a worldview that is tasked with removing parental influence as a whole.

In other words, IPods are not the sole cause of our societal woes, and our demise is not due to the music industry - but they sure aren't helping.

The American preoccupation with these devices, the music they listen to through them, whether or not Britney Spears is abusing her kids, or whether or not she is wearing any panties, is a part of a disturbing tendency by Americans to reject being informed, nor to take seriously the threats all around us.

They distract us from what is really important, and the latest generation has concluded that nothing else really seems to matter.

The politically correct worldview seems to think that if the Islamists were just given I-Pods and the American tendency to be mindless zombies who don't even recognize when their fundamental freedoms are being eroded, they'd want to dance in the multicultural daisies of diversity too.

Fact is, and I wish to be as clear as I can be on this, the followers of Islam, the Jihadists that are following the teachings of the barbaric pedophile Muhammad, want to kill you, or convert you if you are willing. The Gays that complain that Christians are so oppressive against homosexuality because we are willing to call their conduct a sin will be hanging from trees with ropes around their necks should Islam complete its goal of domination over America. The Liberal feminists will be wearing burkas, every last one of them shrouded in head scarves. All freedoms and rights so rightfully earned will be gone, should the Jihad accomplish its Koran blessed agenda.

But go on, keep listening to your I-Pods and MP3 players. Surely, the Jihad will not return to America and affect you. Surely, you are safe from them. Why would Islam wish to mess with you?

Sunday, June 22, 2008

The Power of Fear, and the Return of Political Pistachio

As a child I grew up fearing discipline from my dad. That fear of paying the consequences of my actions kept me on the right path, and trained me to be a good person.

In 1985 I was in an automobile accident that nearly killed me - one that left me in a comatose condition for a long time - one that I should not have survived. Fearing another possibility of such an episode in my life, I have been a loyal wearer of seatbelts ever since. I chose to wear a seatbelt because of my life experiences, which filled me with fear when I encountered that storm of life.

Having humble beginnings, I have worked very hard in my life for fear that I may be someday poor again should I not work so hard. I have found success, and continue to maintain that success out of fear of living in poverty again someday.

Once, when I was conducting fielding practice for my baseball team I knocked a ball out of the air with the baseball bat I was holding, and the ball ricocheted off the bat and into my eye, knocking me out cold for a moment. Out of fear of that happening again, I don't knock balls out of the air with my bat anymore.

Fear of separation from God led me to Him, and the acceptance of Christ as my savior.

Fear, like most things in life, can have a positive impact in our lives. We learn from fear. We grow because of fear. We strive because of fear.

But, like many other things in life that can have positive affects on our lives, fear can be wielded like a sword, and used to cause harm, and even control the actions of people.

Hitler used fear to control his nation and wage war against the world. Stalin used fear to control his people, and keep them in line. Many agendas in today's society uses fear to herd the people into a corner, forcing them to bow down and give concessions to the agenda.

I normally don't scare easy.

Something I have learned over the many years of my life, though it took a long while to pound it into my thick skull, is that there are people out there willing to use scare tactics to get their point across. I receive hate e-mail (ironically calling me a "hater," no less) constantly. These radical members of the liberal left call me every name in the book, and a few names that have yet to grace its pages. I am crucified by these people for being a follower of Jesus Christ, for calling homosexuality a perversion, and for declaring Islam to be a political ideology (rather than religion) of hate and violence.

Certain members of the liberal left have made it plain and clear that they do not like the fact that I say what I think, have an optimistic view of America should we choose to move in the direction set forth by our fore-fathers, and call it as I see it when it comes to the Democratic Party's Marxist Agenda.

I realize that individual idiots do not always represent a whole group. Nonetheless, notes delivered to my doorstep referencing my blog and radio show with threatening messages toward me and my wife, broken windows, black markers applied to my conservative and Christian bumper stickers, prank calls (on my show and at home) recommending I receive gay activities up my south end, and comments that I am guilty of "hate crimes," are only coming from the left side of the political spectrum. And if you go to You Tube and enter Political Pistachio in the search window, below the top video (which is X-Dhimmi Deb's fantastic video of my position on the Second Amendment) is a whole line of Muslim Videos (with Political Pistachio Radio in the description).

It is fair to say I have made my share of political enemies.

But when threats are hand delivered to my home, it makes me a little skittish.

The authorities claim that the attack is nothing more than a prank, or a minor case of harassment.

Looking back on the situation, if I made any mistakes, it was shutting everything down like I did. I allowed those that wish to silence me to do exactly that. They got to me. They got my goat, as my dad would say. They pushed my buttons, and filled me with fear. Not fear for myself, but fear for the safety of those that I love.

The power of fear was used against me, hoping to silence me.

Mrs. Pistachio, my lovely wife, told me to practice what I preach, rather than be silenced at the first sign of a threat. "They want to scare you into silence," she said. "They wish to bully you into submission."

Now, patrols have increased in my neighborhood, the security system has been updated, and a surveillance system has been ordered.

And Political Pistachio has returned - with a fire burning hotter than before.

Rather than be silenced, I have been reminded the reason that I blog and host my radio show.

Thank you, anonymous attacker, whoever you are, for reminding me that the world is full of idiots like you.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less



I have signed the petition - Have You?

Gay Marriage In California - Validating the Dark Ages

Gay marriage has begun in California. Homosexuals are flocking here from around the country to be wed. This troubles me greatly.

In a conversation on my radio show a couple weeks ago one of my listeners called in when I was discussing Homosexuality and says to me, "I know a lot of gay people, and they are actually nice people."

I have never pulled out such a broad stroke brush and said, "Gays are not nice," or that I "Hate Gays." But see, that is how the agenda functions. If you say that you believe homosexuality is a sin, or not normal, or that the homosexual agenda is a dangerous political engine, you are automatically stamped on the forehead as someone who "hates" gays, a person who thinks all gay people are mean, a homo-phobe, and whatever other label they desire to slap on you.

Is homosexuality normal behavior? Is it conduct that should be allowed to be given validation in our society? Should we bend and sway to the homosexual agenda's every wish?

Validation through marriage, personal respect from the "state," seems to be the drive at the moment.

Honestly, I don't care what homosexuals do behind closed doors. And though I think it is a compromise that places our society in a dangerous position, I am even willing to give them "Civil Unions" for the legal perks of marriage - from a "legal" point of view, I don't think we as a society have any choice but to give them at least "Civil Unions" because of the question, "Shouldn't anyone who is in love and willing to commit have the full rights awarded married couples (i.e. insurance, joint ownership, etc.)?"

But the homosexual agenda is not satisfied with Civil Unions. To justify their abnormal conduct, they seem to feel that sticking a knife in the heart of Christianity is the best way to gain respect.

Do they think that just because the "state" has decided that gay marriage is valid that suddenly that gains them personal respect and now they must be respected across the board?

Respect is not something that can be mandated or required or legislated. It is something earned. In fact, this agenda driven march to lessen the religious significance of marriage will earn the homosexual community disrespect. Why? They are trying to gain an unfair advantage, or preferential treatment, through using the Supreme Court by insisting the courts impose their will on the majority of the people, specifically, in this case, the people in California who voted down gay marriage.

If a group imposes its will upon another group, resentment is fostered in the group that is being imposed upon. Imposition such as this garners bad feelings, and the result will be that people who feel marriage is a Christian Institution and shouldn't be used in a manner that is in opposition to God's Teachings will rise up and respond.

I don't respect or accept as a form of justification of their lifestyle the invasion of marriage by the Gay Agenda. I resent it. As a Christian parent, if my children were younger, I would now have to be explaining to my children, who's innocence has been lost by this public display of sexual immorality, what homosexuality is, and why a bunch of people who are, in my opinion, in opposition of Biblical Scripture, are being given preferential treatment and are being allowed to essentially tell me that the Christian Institution of Marriage is not Christian, and can be stomped on by anyone who wants to shuffle their feet across it.

Not that we have been good stewards of marriage ourselves. The divorce rate is through the roof, the percentage of married people that commit adultery is at astronomically high numbers, and a large portion of the people driving up the rate of divorce and adultery claim to be of the Christian Faith.

The astonishing failure rate of marriage is at about 50%. "Till Death Do Us Part" seems to lost its importance. I understand that good marriages don't just happen, they require attention, thought, and serious effort. In this society, where everything must be fast, and warning labels must advise of all possible pitfalls (including that the coffee is probably hot and can burn your lap), marriage has become an easy thing to just throw away and is being regarded as just something to do, not a committment or contract entered into in the presence of God.

So if we have screwed up marriage so much, why aren't conservatives and Christians just willing to allow the gays to have a stab at it? Heck, they can't mess it up much more than we have in the sense of the importance of a lifelong marriage.

This is where people get confused about the defense of Christian marriage. It isn't just a simple matter of "Homosexual conduct is a sin, so you can't have marriage."

In fact, to help illustrate this, a friend of mine put it quite well on one of my Political Pistachio Radio Show.

Josh Allem said, "What business is it of ours if two consenting adults want to believe that three plus three equals forty? It's none of my business, and it doesn't hurt me whatsoever what they believe and what they do. If they want to build their house using that twisted math, it doesn't hurt me. But when they start teaching it in the text books at the schools that I might send my kids to that 3+3=40, I'm gonna have a problem with it. When a liberal, or whoever, comes to me and says homosexuality is normal, I'm going to say it isn't. It doesn't matter who's saying it, and comparing it to being a member of a race is an insult to race. To think that comparing it to race, to compare that to a lifestyle, if I was black, that would piss me off to no end."

Honestly, I really don't care if gays want to be gay - that is between them and God. Homosexuals are free to be gay. You will receive no argument from me. I would have a big problem if the Thought Police was breaking into bedrooms and hauling people off for having unapproved relations. It is a free country, and if they wish to do the things they do, that is their business. But when does freedom become oppression? When does ones freedom become detrimental to a free society, and the freedoms of others?

When I have to be careful of what I say. . . in other words, if by verbalizing my own religious and political opinion it puts me at risk of being slammed for being a bigot, or found guilty of a hate crime because I dare call a spade a spade, or in this case, dare call a perversion a perversion, something is seriously wrong in America.

In an orderly, natural world, be it one that has evolved from the primordial goo of the Earth's scientific beginnings, or one that sprang from the intelligent design of a loving God, is hardly a world that in the natural order of things would recognize homosexuality as a normal behavior.

I have argued with people that even though I am a Creationist, I recognize that certain aspects of evolution is true. And if certain aspects of natural selection is true, then only those individuals who are able to reproduce will contribute offspring to the next generation. That being the case, homosexuals, who do not produce offspring, should not be able to pass their genes on to the next generation (if you were to consider that the behavior was somehow influenced by genetics). This being the case, once again considering that there may be some genetic or biological reason for homosexuality, evolution should have removed it a long time ago.

The main question, of course, that pops up, is, regardless of genetic influence, is homosexuality simply a chosen human behavior?

Choice. Is homosexuality a choice of perversion. From a Biblical standpoint, the answer is, "Yes."

But is it a biological behavior that is chosen?

I don't believe someone wakes up one morning and says to themselves, "Hey, I think I would rather be gay." Some use the example of alcoholism to explain the choice. One does not choose to be an alcoholic necessarily, because the sickness is a damaging lifestyle that destroys relationships, and one's self, be it medically, mentally, or emotionally. But, the alcoholic may choose not to drink, and choose not to pursue the downward spiral into the self-destruction of alcoholism. So though they don't consciously wake up one morning and choose to be an alcoholic, the behavior is chosen when you take a look at the grand scheme.

When it comes to homosexuality, though, the question is mired by the fact that there are some other species which share the tendency (though in small percentages, and the conduct of nature doesn't necessarily make the animal in question "gay") to practice homosexual conduct. In fact, science claims there are close to 500 known species that have been observed engaging in homosexual behavior, many of which are mammals, though the behavior can be present in birds, fish, reptiles, and even insects. Just because my male dog jumps on the other male dog and tries to hump it doesn't automatically make the dog gay and validate homosexuality. It's an animal, for God's sake. When a dog tries to hump a leg, do you automatically believe the dog is in love with legs, and has a genetic mechanism making it find legs preferential over other dogs?

And of course there is the argument that homosexuality has been with us since the beginning of time. Even Biblical text says so. However, homosexuality is not really all that common, be it in nature, or throughout history, though its presence in unmistakable.

Murder has been around since the beginning of time, too, and that doesn't make it normal, or acceptable.

Now, remember that the aspects of evolution that promotes changes in species (though I believe those changes are much more subtle than the Darwinists will claim, takes place in populations, not individuals? Well, consider the social benefits of a population in which the members of the society shares the close bonds of a sexual relationship as couples, and reproduce as a result. A stable society of heterosexual tenants is much more likely to promote successful reproduction of young. Thus, homosexuality would not be an evolutionarily beneficial behavior.

And finally, biologically, homosexuality is not normal. The body parts don't match, and in the male form of homosexuality, the medical consequences are great, including AIDS.

So, to complete the cycle, marriage is, and has always been, designed for a man and a woman.

But the ultimate question is why. Why do gays feel the need to be married? Why isn't the comparable legal benefits of Civil Unions not adequate? Why do they see the need for some kind of legal validation and justification of their actions?

Christianity is the faith of the one and only true God, and His condemnation of the homosexual lifestyle will always leave with gays the stigma that their lifestyle is a perversion. To validate their perversion, they need to eliminate the source of the opposition. The source is Christianity, and one of the most revered institutions of Christianity is marriage - therefore, Marriage, according to homosexuals, must be stripped down to a secular activity, one with no Christian influence. Tradition must be destroyed, and the Christian nature of morality must be eliminated.

And now, as the homosexual agenda advances, the attacks on the Church are on the rise. Is that any surprise?

World Net Daily - - - A new Colorado law is helping homosexual activists achieve their goal of forcing Christians to teach biblical condemnation of homosexuality only behind the closed doors of their sanctuaries.

OneNewsNow - -- - The two openly homosexual members of the U.S. House of Representatives have recruited 50 of their colleagues to officially join them in promoting the homosexual agenda in Congress.

One News One - Homosexual activists are trying to stop the residents of one Maryland county from voting on a controversial "gender identity" bill.

Decoding the California Supreme Court's gay-marriage decision - - - The court ruled that sexual orientation was a "suspect classification," a term typically used by the U.S. Supreme Court to refer to historic bases for discrimination, such as race or national origin. By labeling sexual orientation "suspect," the California court indicated that any law based on sexual orientation would be presumed discriminatory.

I don't validate what gays do, and they should not be forcing the majority to do so through activist judges and unsavory political actions. Regardless of the moral implications, a group insisting on preferential treatment, and the ability to bastardize another group's most sacred instituions, is wrong, and not good for a civilized society.

Listen to my verbal reading of this post, and the callers responses to it on Political Pistachio Radio.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Mega Church Pastor T.D. Jakes "Got Goose Bumps" watching Barack Obama's Nomination Acceptance Speech!

A growing number of Christian organizations are speaking out against T.D. Jake's near-endorsement of Obama.

Interesting that Pastor Jakes failed to mention to his congregation Obama's support for abortion, or his support for record-breaking tax hikes.

Dr. O'Neal Dozier is an ex-football professional football player (Chicago Bears), lawyer, PhD, and pastor, and he is reminding Americans to not get caught up in the style or persuasiveness of candidates, but rather to examine their fruit and where they stand regarding traditional Judeo-Christian issues, upon which this nation was founded.

Rev. Dozier has said that, "The scripture warns that Christians not be deceived by fine sounding words by false teachers. Obama's rhetoric is lofty, but his positions are hellish, his speeches are inspiring, but his voting record is infernal. Obama supports abortion, homosexuality, and restrictions of religious liberty."

Dr. O'Neal Dozier is also a patriotic American that served two consecutive terms in the U.S. Military. Today, he is a nationally known black conservative that has even been invited to The White House to pray with President Bush.

Tonight, Dr. O'Neal Dozier is my guest on Political Pistachio at 10:00 pm Eastern Time. Catch the live show, or the archive later, on Political Pistachio Radio @ www.blogtalkradio.com/politicalpistachio.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

The Father He Didn't Have To Be


When I was still a baby my parents divorced. My biological father maintained a lifestyle not appropriate for raising a child, and he knew it. His choice of a gay lifestyle was one of the many reasons that by the time I was twelve, he had disappeared from my life, only to return when I was well into my twenties, and beyond the age of being impressionable.

My future step-dad, a wartime U.S. Marine, and fresh home from Vietnam, babysat me when my mom dated his friend. Later, he and my mom fell in love, and he accepted the entire package, mother and son, as his own.

The Vietnam Veteran has always been "Dad." I was nearly three when he married my mother, and he never treated me any different than he would have if I had been his flesh and blood son. But, though he treated me as his son, he respected my father, conversing with the man when he picked me up once per year, and Dad always encouraged me to keep my father's last name and stay connected with my family.

My dad led by example, and disciplined with a controlled hand and a loving heart. He worked hard to take care of the family, at one point working two jobs (one from 2:00 am to 6:00 am, then the other fulltime during the day) and going to school at night. My biological father was fairly wealthy, coming from a family with money, but my dad never asked them for assistance, nor did he demand that my father pay the child support he never seemed will to pay anyway.

Dad taught me to throw, to catch, and to swing a bat when I was nine years old. When I played baseball it was mom who was usually at the games, because Dad had to work, but he came to the games when he could.

He treated me so much like his own flesh-and-blood-son that when we were together in public and around extended family, even people that knew he was my step-dad would forget, and say things like, "You apparently got that trait from your dad." Even Grandma made that mistake occasionally. Nobody ever said anything to challenge it. As far as everyone was concerned, he was my dad.

When I became a father, I tried to model my actions after dad's, but as Brad Paisley's song goes, I was just hoping I could be even half the dad he didn't have to be.

My biological father essentially rejected his grandchildren, telling me he didn't like kids. I don't blame him, he was not equipped for such a role due to his childhood, and his lifestyle. My dad, however, fell in love with my children, proud to be a grandfather.

When I nearly died in 1985, and Dad saw me lying in intensive care, my chest mechanically rising and falling under the support of a respirator, and my head flowing blood and spinal fluid through the left ear, the man who was strong, hardened by war, and unemotional when all else was falling apart around him, felt cold and clammy from the terror of seeing his son struggling for life. He went to a sink in a nearby bathroom and washed his tears away, praying for my survival. I wasn't his stepson, in his eyes, I was his "son," his precious son, fighting to survive.

He has hugged me when I needed a hug, and given me advice when I was up against the wall. He has done everything a Father is expected to do, and a little more, and he did it voluntarily - after all, being my step-dad, he didn't have to be a loving father if he didn't want to be.

Last Friday, my daughter graduated from high school, and my son was home with his wife caring for her after her surgery. As a result, my wife and I have had our grandson, Ezekiel, with us for four days. After my daughter's graduation, we all met for dinner in town. My dad rode in with my sister and her husband and children, unable to attend the actual graduation because of work. When he saw us arrive at the restaurant holding his great-grandson, his eyes lit up, and a loving smile spread across his face.

I have always called him Dad, and my biological parent Father so that I could maintain a distinction - but Dad is not only a dad. He is a Father, my Father, the Father he didn't have to be.

Happy Father's Day, Dad. I love you with all of my heart. You have made me the man I have become, and I thank you for it.

And Happy Father's Day to my biological father who died in 1999, God Rest His Soul.

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Brad Paisley - He Didn't Have To Be

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Rickie Fowler made the cut, but is 12 over par after the third day

19 year old Rickie Fowler has made his mark. The Amateur made the cut, and is going to golf all four rounds of the 2008 U.S. Open. Quite an accomplishment, considering he's a Freshman in College.

As stated in another post, I am pretty familiar with Rickie. In fact, I have played golf with him twice, a few years ago. He was pretty good back then too.

Watching his career, and hearing about all that happens through his father, Rod, and their neighbor, Mike, it is apparent to me that Rickie Fowler is on his way to golf stardom. If he is hanging in there with the "big boys" now, just imagine the impact he'll have in a few years.

Remember the name, Rickie Fowler. . . You know Tiger will.

Obama Chickens Out On Appearances With McCain

Thursday, June 12, 2008

108th U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California - Ricky Fowler's U.S. Open Debut



At 19 years, 5 months, Fowler is the youngest player in the 2008 U.S. Open.

Ricky Fowler attended Murrieta Valley High School, the same school as my son. His senior year he earned medalist honors at the CIF Central Regional.

Ricky has always been a superior golfer. Trust me, I know. When he was still a pre-teen I was paired with him twice, and both times he kicked my butt.

As the son of a friend of a friend of mine, I am not in Ricky Fowler's inner-circle, but I do know him well enough to say that he is one of the most level-headed young men I have ever met. Now, golfing at Oklahoma State University, Ricky Fowler is not exactly new to the game of golf.

Fowler was the youngest member of the 2007 U.S. Walker Cup Team, helping the squad with a 3-1 record in the event. His rounds of 68, 67, 67, and 70 earned him a victory at the 2007 Sunnehanna Amateur in 2007. He also has won the Players Amateur, the CIF Southern California Regional in High School twice, won the 2006 California State High School Championship as a junior, tied for third during the stroke play portion of the 2007 Western Amateur, was a first-team AJGA All-American in 2005 and 2006, was named the Californian's All-Valley Golfer of the year four consecutive times, reached the quarterfinals at the 2006 U.S. Amateur, won the 2006 HP Boys Junior Championship, and the list goes on and on and on.

But none of those can compare to his debut at the U.S. Open today - and what's more, his score of 70, which puts him one under par, has him in the running to qualify for the final rounds.

Keep an eye on this young man. You know Mickelson and Tiger are.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Our Dwindling National Identity


America's National Identity is in danger of being lost.

Nearly half of 18 to 34 year old's surveyed believe that International Law should trump the U.S. Constitution anytime there is a conflict.

24 percent of the people surveyed believe we are already so divided that a common national identity is impossible.

Nearly 90% of Americans believe that colleges and universities should be required to teach U.S. history and government. Yet, only seven out of 100 fifth graders could explain why the date, July 4, 1776, is significant.

63% believe our National Identity is dwindling.

The report is called "E Pluribus Unum," and has been compiled by The Bradley Project, and it asks the question, "Does America have a National Identity, and why has our identity dwindled?"

It seems to me the only kids that seem to know anything about our history, and our heritage, are the ones being taught at home, and the liberal left is out trying to outlaw homeschooling as well.

This identity crisis is the result of our failure to ensure that it is taught. This is not something that has occured overnight. Creeping incrementalism has moved us into this state we are in. The path to correct it is long and arduous, and will include:

■ a renewed focus on the teaching of American history,
■ embracing America’s heroes and historic landmarks,
■ affirming the benefits of diversity (without using diversity as a weapon to divide), but not adopting policies that perpetuate divisions or compromise our national identity,
■ inaugurating an initiative to ensure immigrants learn English, understand democratic institutions, and participate fully in the American way of life,
■ and creating an annual Presidential Award for American Citizenship for students and new citizens who demonstrate exemplary understanding of and commitment to American ideals and institutions.

"We The People" have forgotten that the government represents us. The members of government are not our bosses, they are our servants. Our founding fathers designed this nation with National Pride in mind. Our National Identity is a precious American commodity, and must not be lost.

Call to action, my friends.

Get involved.

Monday, June 09, 2008

Dr. Andrew Bostom and Islamic Antisemitism


Antisemitism is age old. The book: The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism: From Sacred Texts to Solemn History, is a comprehensive, meticulously documented book full of evidence that strips down Islamic antisemitism - a specific Muslim hatred of Jews, which has been expressed continuously since the advent of Islam.

The book has received high Praise from Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Martin Peretz of the New Republic, and Steven T. Katz, Director, Elile Wiesel Center for Judaic Studies, Boston University.

Read the book reviews from the Jerusalem Post, and The Washington Times.

Dr. Andrew Bostom will be our guest on Political Pistachio Radio on June 10 at 10pm Eastern Time. GoHERE for the live presentation, or to access the archived show later.

Sunday, June 08, 2008

What Would Be A Liberal's Candidate for Abortion Lives a Full Life

Hillary's recent concession speech, which finally gave Barack Obama the Democratic Nomination (well, not really, she only suspended her campaign just in case __________ [you fill in the blank]), was filled with typical Liberal politics and ideas. The prevalent message was articulated early on in the speech. She said at the very start that she thinks public service is about ". . . helping people solve their problems and live their dreams." Sounds nice, don't it? Everything you ever wanted, and government will hand it to you since you aren't good enough to achieve it yourself.

Well, no thank you. The Socialist/Liberal idea of government taking care of my woes does not appeal to me. I have this funny thing about being responsible, working hard, solving my problems, and living my dreams through self-sufficiency. I know, it sounds a little crazy, but I prefer not to be dependent upon the government.

A liberal reader of this site, one that loves to try to corner me with lousy attacks on my positions, challenged me recently about this. He asked me, "What about those that who are at a disadvantage, and it's not their fault?"

I believe that anybody is capable of rising from the ashes.

A different liberal, not the one mentioned in the above paragraph, would say that my statement is saying I believe all poor people, and everyone using government assistance, is lazy, especially those with disabilities. How dare I. What a horrible person that must make me.

I never said that I think all poor people are lazy, or that every case of those with a disability is just sucking the government dry. . . but I do believe they are all capable of success without government assistance if they really desired.

And yet another liberal reader posed this challenge to me:

"What if your wife was pregnant and the doctor said the fetus was deformed and would never be able to walk, talk, and play. What would you do? Could you afford to care for it for as long as it lived? Or would you have to rely on taxpayers to pick up the cost [by you using programs that you proclaim you are so against]?"

The question was posed to me after I said to him that I believe abortion in America is essentially akin to genocide of America's unborn. The unstated comment in that question is, "With a child that is going to be a drain on the system, shouldn't you just abort it?"

My answer was that I would allow the child to be born, because all children have a right to live. I then compared his attitude to that of eugenics. He was really asking me if I would be willing to decline the opportunity for life to an "unacceptable" child - after I had told him that no child is unacceptable. I told him that I would do whatever it takes to care for that child, to enable the child the opportunity for life, and create an atmosphere for love and success. If I could help it, not public assistance would be used to take care of such a special child.

Then I sent him a link to a story of a kid from Australia who was born with no limbs. The name of this fine young man is Nick Vujicic. He will be speaking at my church, Harvest Christian Fellowship, in a couple weeks.

Twenty four years ago, when Nick was born, his birth was considered a tragedy. The church his parents had planted in Australia shortly before mourned. No one could see any good coming out of a boy being born with no arms or legs. Had his parents of been of the same mentality of the three liberals I mentioned above, he would have been aborted, and saved from the horrible life he would have to endure as a deformed child.

But has his life been horrible? Has his deformities held him back and make him wish he was never born?

At some points in his life he felt that way. I suppose that it would be normal to feel like that when the teasing by others reaches a crescendo. In fact, When he was 10 years old, when the teasing was unbearable, he admittedly wished he was dead. He fantasized about asking his parents to put him on a kitchen stool -- and then he could "fall" off and, he hoped, break his neck. When he couldn't bring himself to end it all, he begged God to let him grow arms and legs -- for God's benefit, of course. (A modern-day miracle! Think of how many people you could convert!) It never happened. But he began to realize that maybe he didn't need to grow arms and legs for his life to mean something. Maybe his accomplishments were enough of a miracle.

As he grew up, he alternately doubted God existed – questioning what sort of a God would do such a nasty thing – or he was angry at God for the same reason.

He remembers reading a Biblical verse in Sunday school which purported that he was created in the image of God. "And I'm like, 'Yeah, riiight," was his response.

Then, he began to realize he was impressive, if not downright inspirational. His story was one that people wanted to hear. After all, he had risen above the difficulties life had thrown at him, and was becoming an independently self-sufficient individual.

At 15, Nick officially thanked God that he was alive. At 17, he gave his first talk to a prayer group. The requests to speak snowballed. And now, at 23, that's all he does. His nonprofit organization is called Life Without Limbs.

He is an example of disability, and a person that is disadvantaged, becoming all he can be.

As I stated early on in this post: People are all capable of success without government assistance if they really desired.

It's not about laziness - it is about attitude, and the willingness of realizing that dependency upon the government, or anything else, is not a lifestyle one has to choose.

Individuality and independence is so much sweeter.
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Join the Christians Against Leftist Heresy blogroll sponsored by Faultline USA

Saturday, June 07, 2008

Drug Cartel War Threatens to Spill into the United States

Al Garza is the Executive Director of the Minute Man Civil Defense Corps. He was my guest on Political Pistachio Radio Saturday night, and the discussion regarding the Drug Cartel War at the border, and how the Drug Cartel has killed 450 police, government officials, and military personnel in Mexican border towns since Calderon took the presidency in Mexico in 2006. The archive is available HERE.

Friday, June 06, 2008

War Zone News the Mainstream Media Won't Tell You About

US CENTCOM Latest News Feed

New road brings prosperity to Afghan province
Posted: 04 Jun 2008 07:54 AM CDT
PANJSHIR PROVINCE, Afghanistan (June 3, 2008) - Many attend groundbreaking ceremony for new $6 million road.

Iraqi Army trains 1st Sadr City Neighborhood Guard recruits
Posted: 04 Jun 2008 07:16 AM CDT
FOB WAR EAGLE, Iraq (June 4, 2008) – The Awakening Movement and Sons of Iraq are playing a crucial stabilizing role.

Navy docs extend treatment to local village
Posted: 04 Jun 2008 04:45 AM CDT
AL ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq (June 3, 2008) – Navy and Marine personnel participate in a cooperative medical engagement.

Troops provide medical care to Iraqis
Posted: 03 Jun 2008 03:36 AM CDT
AVGAHNI, Iraq (June 2, 2008) - Medical care helps bring peace and stability to Iraq.

Progress stems from key Afghan meeting
Posted: 03 Jun 2008 03:11 AM CDT
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (June 2, 2008) – Local and government officials discuss construction contracting.

Hawr Rajab business leaders meet with soldiers
Posted: 03 Jun 2008 02:56 AM CDT
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq (June 3, 2008) – The Hawr Rajab business association met to revive commerce.

Troops train veterinarians in Ethiopia
Posted: 02 Jun 2008 05:50 AM CDT
DIRE DAWA, Ethiopia (May 30) - U.S. servicemembers provided veterinary aid to several Ethiopian villages.

Medical team inspects remote health clinic
Posted: 02 Jun 2008 05:19 AM CDT
JEGDALAK, Afghanistan (May 31, 2008) – The Jegdalak medical health center serves a remote region of more than 30,000 Afghans.

Marines turn over outpost to Iraqi Army
Posted: 02 Jun 2008 04:48 AM CDT
COP TIMBERWOLF (May 31, 2008) – Marines return their positions to Iraqi troops so they can continue securing Iraq.

Iraqi, Coaliton troops work to improve aid
Posted: 02 Jun 2008 03:54 AM CDT
BAGHDAD (June 1, 2008) – Residents of Dehna Village, west of Baghdad, received humanitarian aid on May 29.

Soldiers bring clean water to farmers
Posted: 30 May 2008 02:40 AM CDT
FOB KALSU, Iraq (May 29, 2008) – Iraqi farmers received new means to irrigate their fields and provide clean water.

Business owners display wares at expo
Posted: 30 May 2008 02:36 AM CDT
BAGHDAD (May 28, 2008) – More than 70 business owners gathered for the inaugural Rebuilding Karadah Expo and Conference.

Iraq violence at 4-year low
Posted: 30 May 2008 02:31 AM CDT
WASHINGTON (May 28, 2008) РLast week, Iraq experienced the lowest level of ̢security incidents̢ since March 2004, a reduction that military officials attribute in part to improvements in Iraqi security forces.

Seabees break ground on well in Kenya
Posted: 29 May 2008 03:17 AM CDT
KENYA (May 29, 2008) – Navy Seabees are building wells in Kenya's Garissa district to improve lives for villagers there.

Conference brings key Iraqi energy leaders together
Posted: 29 May 2008 03:11 AM CDT
TIKRIT, Iraq, May 29, 2008) – Northern Iraq leaders met for an energy conference May 28 in Salah ad Din Province.

Civilian reports disrupt Kunar attacks
Posted: 29 May 2008 03:07 AM CDT
KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan (May 29, 2008) – Citizens of the Korengal valley came forward with information that lead to the disruption of an impending insurgent attack.

Daughters of Iraq begin training
Posted: 28 May 2008 02:37 AM CDT
BAGHDAD (May 28, 2008) – Several Iraqi women come to thei aid of their country as part of the Daughters of Iraq.

'Operation CARE' helps Afghan children
Posted: 28 May 2008 02:30 AM CDT
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (May 28, 2008) – Troops distribute donated items from "Operation CARE" to local children.

'Knights' in armor come to orphans' aid
Posted: 28 May 2008 02:24 AM CDT
BAGHDAD (May 28, 2008) – Multi-National Division - Baghdad armored units aid children in a Baghdad orphanage.

Coalition troops care for Obeidi tribe
Posted: 27 May 2008 03:25 AM CDT
FOB KALSU (May 26, 2008) – Members of the Obeidi tribe south of Baghdad have learned to trust Coalition troops for medical care.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Fireproof, the Movie


As we watch our nation being ravaged by a high divorce rate, and the resulting crumbling family unit, from the people that brought you "Facing The Giants," comes a story about Captain Caleb Holt (Kirk Cameron). At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules.

Growing up, his wife Catherine Holt (Erin Bethea) always dreamed of marrying a loving, brave firefighter...just like her daddy. Now, after seven years of marriage, Catherine wonders when she stopped being "good enough" for her husband. Regular arguments over jobs, finances, housework, and outside interests have readied them both to move on to something with more sparks. As the couple prepares to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's father challenges his son to commit to a 40-day experiment: "The Love Dare." Wondering if it's even worth the effort, Caleb agrees-for his father's sake more than for his marriage. When Caleb discovers the book's daily challenges are tied into his parents' newfound faith, his already limited interest is further dampened.

While trying to stay true to his promise, Caleb becomes frustrated time and again. He finally asks his father, "How am I supposed to show love to somebody who constantly rejects me?

"When his father explains that this is the love Christ shows to us, Caleb makes a life-changing commitment to love God. And with God's help he begins to understand what it means to truly love his wife. But is it too late to fireproof his marriage? His job is to rescue others. Now Caleb Holt is ready to face his toughest job ever ... rescuing his wife's heart.

Watch for Fireproof in theaters September 26, 2008.

Learn More At FireProofTheMovie.com.

We Need More Warriors

Retired Air Force Colonel David A. Bond understands terrorism.

He commanded the anti-terror force in Libya in 1986, has been involved in counter-terrorism in Europe and around the world. He has made visits to the security forces of the bases in Europe. During his career he commanded a total of eight security and anti-terrorism units.

Colonel Bond understands the depth of the threat the Islamic Jihad poses to this nation.

Tonight, on Political Pistachio Radio, he explained how Political Correctness is a serious detriment to America.

Also, he detailed what we need to do as a nation to stand up to the Islamic threat, and how the United States of America needs more warriors.

In addition to Colonel David A. Bond, his partner from WhatAreWeFightingFor.com, Bob Anderson, joined the show as well.

To listen to the archive of this fantastic show, visit Political Pistachio Radio.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Exposing The United Nations Codex Alimentarius Commission



Our Health Freedom Rights are severely in danger. Once again, the global aspirations of the United Nations, Multi-National Corporations, and the Socialist Wing of the Liberal Left, wish to control our freedoms. This time, it is through Codex Alimentarius, a commission originally set up in 1962 as a joint program of the World Health Organization and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Mandate? To establish and govern a harmonized trade standard that would essentially govern international sales of all food products all over the world!

Is this just another loony conspiracy theory? Or is the plan already in existence and accelerating toward fruition?

Dr. Robin Falkov of Health Freedom Rights says this is real, and very much so a danger to our rights as Americans. In fact, there is a United Nations and European Union push targeting a list of specific nutritional supplements and herbs for control and removal from the marketplace, a move which would limit our rights, and make essential nutritional supplements no longer available, many of which now are already no longer available in Europe.

The claim? They are trying to protect you.

This is how government takes control - by claiming they are protecting you from yourself, and then systematically and incrementally taking away your freedoms.

Join Political Pistachio Radio Tonight as we discuss this topic with Dr. Robin Falkov. Join us at 10:00 PM Eastern/7:00 PM Pacific.

Obama and Israel: Barack, after securing nomination, Seeks to Reassure Israel

Last week, Aaron Klein (Jerusalem Bureau Chief of World Net Daily and author of Schmoozing With Terrorists) wrote a piece that explained "Israel expects Obama to win." As a result of the small nation's lack of faith in Barack Obama's foreign policy plans, Israel is looking to create defensible borders as soon as possible before being forced to into concessions with Syria and the Palestinians under an Obama Presidency.

An Obama presidency has inched closer to becoming a reality. With a split decision in the final two primaries in South Dakota and Montana, and a flurry of superdelegate endorsements (all of which could change their mind at the Democratic National Convention if they so desired), Sen. Barack Obama has for the most part sealed the Democratic presidential nomination. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton hasn't bowed out yet, however, so keep an eye on those developments.

Obama told 7,000 people gathered in Washington this morning that rumors and suggestions that he is unfriendly to Israel and to Jewish interests are unfounded.

To applause, Obama said: "I will never compromise when it comes to Israel's security."

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Whatever Happened to "Bush Stole the Election?"


In the U.S. presidential election of 2000, a contest between George W. Bush, and Al Gore, the election climaxed in a controversy over who won Florida's 25 electoral votes, and thus, the presidency.

After a recount process in Florida, and the unusual event that the losing candidate had received 543,816 more popular votes nationwide than the winner, George W. Bush was declared the winner based on the number of electoral votes he received.

Well, the Democrats declared that Bush stole the election, be it through Florida's recount, or by the fact that Gore had received more votes in the popular vote. There was a cry about how the system needs to be changed, about how if a candidate wins the popular vote, he should be the winner.

How quickly the liberal left forgets.

In the 2008 Democratic Campaign, Hillary Clinton is winning the overall popular vote, but Barack Obama has been knighted as the heir apparent.

Wait a second. . . whatever happened to all that talk in 2000 about how the winner should be the one with the highest popular vote?

Once again, the Democrats prove theirs is a party of contradictions.

As for the experience and intelligence needed to become the next president of the United States of America, before you cast your vote for Obama, consider his gaffes, his liberal positions, and the proof of his idiocy in the photograph above . . . that's right, look at the pic closely. Obama is a little backward, there.

Monday, June 02, 2008

Hillary Rodham Clinton preparing to acknowledge defeat?

Barack Obama pushing close to victory in this marathon Democratic presidential race may have Hillary Rodham Clinton preparing to acknowledge defeat.

Read about the Associated Press' take on it here.

Oil Prices is a Supply and Demand Problem, Warranting a Free Market Solution

Unbelievable. There are actually members of the liberal left out there entertaining the idea of Nationalizing our Oil Companies. . . allowing government to take over control as Hugo Chavez did in Venezuela. How insane is that?

Many conservatives are recommending to solve the problem we begin drilling domestically, including in ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Reserve - Alaska). That's a fine idea, I suppose, but. . .

In both cases, the actions of nationalization or domestic drilling will not immediately solve the problem. The oil industry is a part of a Global Market, and as much as we would like to think that Oil Companies or Government would do the right thing, in the end, it will turn out to be either another opportunity for Government to milk more revenue out (and in a global market nationalizing fuel will not bring down the price - it's not like OPEC would suddenly drop the price per barrel because the government is the customer), or an yet another way for Big Oil to sell to the highest bidder - and then domestic oil would suddenly be a product being bought by China. . .

But, drilling domestically may be the answer in the long term - thanks to good ol' American Capitalism and the Free Market.

Curious?

Listen to my June 2nd edition of Political Pistachio Radio for my answer to the Oil Price Crisis.

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Barack Obama is no Dan Quayle


In yesterday's newspaper, at the bottom of the editorial cartoon canvas, was an op/ed cartoon that made me smile. It had Barack Obama sitting on a pedestal with three quote bubbles around his head. The first said, "I see many of our fallen war heroes in the audience today." The second reads, "My Grandpa helped liberate Auschwitz." The final bubble quotes Obama as saying, "I've campaigned in all fifty-seven states."

Those gaffes by Barack Obama are fast becoming legendary in this 2008 presidential campaign, and the liberal left shrugs them off and says, "Instead of you right-wingers jumping all over these little verbal mistakes, how about you discuss the issues."

We have discussed the issues, and Barack has proven to fail poorly. He is the most liberal senator with views that rival Marxist and Lenin.

Back to the cartoon, as Obama is being quoted with his many gaffes, the press is standing off to the right saying to each other, "It's a good thing he's not Dan Quayle, or we'd have to report all of these gaffes."

How short the memory of the liberal left truly is.

Whenever some gaffe by George W. Bush occurred, the liberal media would have a field day, and compare it to the now famous gaffe in 1992 by then Vice President Dan Quayle.

Two presidents since Dan Quayle's Vice Presidency ended, and with two failed presidential bids now behind him, ex-Vice President Quayle still ranks as America’s favorite dumb politician because of what happened in Trenton on June 15, 1992 when he tried to spell p-o-t-a-t-o. I am sure you older folks remember that day well. It was the day that a Trenton sixth grader had to teach the Vice President of the United States that potato is not spelled with an "e" on the end. Granted, an "e" appears in the word in the plural form, but Dan Quayle was not given the benefit of the "I misspoke" excuse, or was the true events surrounding the gaffe even considered.

This infamous gaffe had such an impact that it essentially knocked Dan Quayle out of politics, and in his 1994 memoir, Quayle devotes a whole chapter to the events that surround the best known gaffe in history, and how it impacted his political career.

"It was a defining moment of the worst kind imaginable," Quayle wrote in the autobiography. "Politicians live and die by the symbolic sound bite."

A Washington Post article at the time of the gaffe suggested the Trenton spelling error got such wide media play because "it seemed like a perfect illustration of what people thought about Dan Quayle anyway."

A few months after the incident, Dan Quayle and President George Bush were voted out of office, to be replaced by Democrats Bill Clinton and Al Gore. To this day, the mere mention of Dan Quayle's name brings back memories of how he misspelled potato, making it one of the best known political jokes.

But why has Quayle's gaffe been fodder for American comedians ever since the incident, yet Barack Obama's repeated gaffes are ignored, or shrugged off as a simple verbal mistake? After all, I thought in politics that a political career is largely about image, and gaffes like Obama's would be devastating to his candidacy if he was any other politician.

Even more interesting is that Dan Quayle, despite his boyish looks, was a well-informed, politically savvy young man.

During most of his term as Vice President, Dan Quayle traveled around the world representing the president of the United States. He had meetings with heads of state, gave speeches to all types of groups, and Dan Quayle managed to avoid any serious gaffes.

June 15, 1992, however, would be the day of the gaffe that would ruin his political career.

The day began with Quayle flying out of Washington for a speech in New York. Quayle told the Manhattan Institute that New York was a mess because the liberal political policies of the past 40 years had failed.

Quayle, however, knew little about his next stop, but a visit to Trenton was needed to help spotlight the city’s Weed and Seed program, which still provides anti-drug education to grade schoolers while they also are being watched by adults until their parents get home from work.

The visit in Trenton was the Munoz Rivera School, where Quayle spoke with some women involved in the anti-drug program. He saw a drill team perform and looked in on some self-esteem classes before his aides started hustling him off to another classroom for a staged spelling bee.

The idea was to have Dan Quayle read words off of some flash cards, and have the kids spell them on the blackboard.

An aide asked, "Has anyone checked the cards?"

"Oh, yeah," responded another. "We looked at them and they’re just very simple words. No big deal."

William Figueroa, age 12, a sixth-grader from the Mott School in the South Ward who had been bused to Munoz Rivera to take part in the vice presidential event, knew how to spell potato, and he wrote it in a legible script on the blackboard when Quayle announced his word for the spelling bee.

Quayle looked at the blackboard, then at his contest card, and gently and quietly told the boy, "You’re close, but you left a little something off. The "e" on the end.

"So William, against his better judgment and trying to be polite, added an "e" and won applause for it from those assembled in the classroom, including Mayor Doug Palmer.

The misspelling wasn’t mentioned until the end of the press conference afterward, when one reporter asked Quayle, "How do you spell potato?"

"I gave him a puzzled look, and then the press started laughing. It wasn’t until that moment that I realized anything was wrong," wrote Quayle in his 1994 memoir.

None of the staff had caught it, or told him. Dan Quayle was caught off guard, and began to rattle something about not getting into spelling matters, to fill the air.

The following morning the front-page story in the newspaper was about how the Vice President couldn't spell potato, and how he was basically an idiot.

On national television the scene in the Trenton classroom was playing over and over. Comedians loved it, and the David Letterman Show called The Trentonian newspaper the morning after seeking help locating young Figueroa so he could be invited on the show.

The young man did indeed join Letterman's show, saying to David Letterman on the air, "I knew he was wrong, but since he’s the vice president I went back to the blackboard and put an "e" on the end and went back to my seat." He then added, "I know he’s not an idiot, but he needs to study more. Do you have to go to college to be vice president?"

The potato incident became a campaign weapon for the Democrats backing Clinton and Gore. Figueroa was flown in to deliver the pledge of allegiance at the Democratic National Convention that summer. Image-conscious Quayle tried to laugh it off, but his memoir indicates that he was fuming mad about the gaffe and blamed his aides for letting it happen, and blamed the press for exploiting it.

One small verbal blunder, and Dan Quayle's political career was six feet under.

By the way, William Figueroa later became a high school dropout who had fathered a child and was working a low-paying job at an auto showroom at the age of 17.

Fast forward to 2008, and the many gaffes of Barack Obama. Dan Quayle was known for his position on family values, and strong conservative viewpoints. He was considered by many Republicans as well as a number of non-Republicans as articulate and intelligent, or at least until the potato incident. Obama, however, is known as the liberal senator with a Muslim father, and too many gaffes to count.

Here's a list of some of Obama's gaffes:

A year ago Barack Obama claimed that Kansas tornadoes killed a whopping 10,000 people, while the actual death toll was 12.

Earlier this month in Oregon, Barack Obama proclaimed that there are 57 states, or more.

Last week, in front of a roaring Sioux Falls, South Dakota audience, Obama exulted: “Thank you Sioux City…I said it wrong. I’ve been in Iowa for too long. I’m sorry.”

Explaining last week why he was trailing Hillary Clinton in Kentucky, Obama again botched basic geography, saying, “Sen. Clinton, I think, is much better known, coming from a nearby state of Arkansas. So it’s not surprising that she would have an advantage in some of those states in the middle.” Question is, on what map is Arkansas closer to Kentucky than Illinois?

Last March, on the anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march in Selma, Alabama, he claimed his parents united as a direct result of the civil rights movement, saying, "There was something stirring across the country because of what happened in Selma, Alabama, because some folks are willing to march across a bridge. So they got together and Barack Obama Jr. was born." Thing is, Obama was born in 1961. The Selma march took place in 1965.

Earlier this month in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Obama tried to show off his knowledge of the war in Afghanistan by honing in on a lack of translators, saying, "We only have a certain number of them and if they are all in Iraq, then it’s harder for us to use them in Afghanistan." The real reason, however, that it's more difficult for us to use those translators in Afghanistan is because Iraqis speak Arabic or Kurdish. The Afghanis speak Pashto, Farsi, or other non-Arabic languages.

A week ago in Oregon, Obama pleaded ignorance of the decades-old, multi-billion-dollar massive Hanford nuclear waste clean-up. Problem is, he’s voted on at least one defense authorization bill that addressed the "costs, schedules, and technical issues" dealing with the nation’s most contaminated nuclear waste site. Specifically, Hanford.

Last March, the Chicago Tribune reported this little-noticed nugget about a fake autobiographical detail in Obama’s Dreams from My Father: "Then, there’s the copy of Life magazine that Obama presents as his racial awakening at age 9. In it, he wrote, was an article and two accompanying photographs of an African-American man physically and mentally scarred by his efforts to lighten his skin. In fact, the Life article and the photographs don’t exist, say the magazine’s own historians."

And of course in his vast expertise regarding foreign relations, and specifically, Iran, Obama recently told a Portland crowd that Iran doesn’t “pose a serious threat to us”–cluelessly arguing that “tiny countries” with small defense budgets can’t do us harm– and then promptly flip-flopped the next day, claiming, “I’ve made it clear for years that the threat from Iran is grave.”

Meanwhile, Barack Obama and his supporters argue that Obama should be president of the United States of America because of his superior judgement. All the while, the liberal media is ignoring his ignorance, and inability to keep his facts straight.

If Obama was a Republican, his political career, like Dan Quayle's, would be over.