While I was Away

I finally got that engineering project out that’s had me tied up the last few weeks, so what have I missed in the world? Here’s something shocking. White House Communications Director Anita Dunn disclosed to the Dominican government that President Obama's presidential campaign focused on "making" the news media cover certain issues while rarely communicating anything to the press unless it was "controlled." Ms Dunn stated that "Very rarely did we communicate through the press anything that we didn't absolutely control. One of the reasons we did so many of the David Plouffe (Obama's chief campaign manager) videos was not just for our supporters, but also because it was a way for us to get our message out without having to actually talk to reporters." I say this is shocking not in the sense of surprise that it happened, but that she actually admitted it. I have to wonder why they would go to this much trouble when the media was already in love with their candidate. Even if a gaffe was made, such as when BHO admitted that he was Muslin, George Stephanopoulos immediately stepped in with damage control saying, “you mean you’re a Christian, right”. Why go to the trouble to control a media who already worships you?

This is the same Anita Dunn, who last June, told an audience of high school students that her "favorite political philosophers" included Mao Zedong, the Communist Chinese leader whose policies are blamed for the deaths of tens of millions of people. A week after the admission to the Dominican’s, Ms Dunn attacked the top-rated Fox News network as an "arm of the Republican Party" and "opinion journalism masquerading as news." One of the first moves in a dictatorship is to silence any objective news media, just ask Mr Obama’s pal, Caesar Chavez. I saw a YouTube video the other day in which Jay Leno announced that the Obama administration had finally decided to employ an additional 40,000 troops… against Fox News.

On another subject, I notice Hillary and BHO are still whining that all of the problems in the world are “inherited” by their administration from the Bush years, even though they’ve been in office for over nine months now. This doesn’t even take into consideration that the Democrats were in control of both houses of congress for two years before they took over the presidency, a fact well hidden by their friends in the media. It also doesn’t reflect the fact that most of the worst laws of the past ten years originated by Carter and Clinton appointed liberal judges legislating from the bench.

I'll have to catch up with the other news later, but think I have time to check out one more story, so… oh, here’s a good one. Hillary has tentatively agreed to a weapons inspection program that would allow the Russians to visit nuclear sites in America to count missiles and our warheads. I wonder if she'll also furnish hand-held GPS units for the tour. This agreement is still tentative, so we must pray that someone comes to their senses before this is allowed to happen. Ms Clinton said the U.S. would be as transparent as possible. Hey, who knew that when BHO promised transparency, he actually meant with the Russians instead of us. Ms Clinton also said that "We want to ensure that every question that the Russian military or Russian government asks is answered." Hmm, this could get interesting. What if the Russians request to see the birth certificate, the background and job description of the czars, or to read the health care bill online?

Why Chicago Lost the 2016 Olympics

We received the news yesterday that the 2016 Olympics has been awarded to Rio de Janeiro. First of all, congratulations to the first South American city to host the games and we hope it will be a big success. As most of us know, US President Obama made many personal appeals for the city of Chicago to host the Games. When they were eliminated in the first round, most of the worldwide media portrayed the rejection as a slap in the face to Mr Obama. It of course, took our major media outlets only minutes after the announcement to begin spinning Katie Couric’s “Dream Team” loss as a big win for “team captain” Obama. Others blamed the radical “right-wing talkers” for the loss. I’ve not heard the charge that the decision was based on racism yet, but it’s still early. It might be a bit difficult now that liberal critics filed a civil rights complaint for racial discrimination against the Chicago 2016 committee last Thursday.

A Newsweek blog called it a big win for Mr Obama since the Olympics typically run massively over budget. This touches on the truth since it took Montreal 30 years to pay off a billion dollar debt from the 1976 Games and the projected budget for London 2012 has ballooned from 3.9 to over 15 billion (and still climbing). Hosting the Olympics is more about civic pride than municipal profits. Since massive budgets and debts have never bothered Mr Obama, this loss is actually a win for the Chicago and Illinois taxpayers (and the rest of us who would pay for another federal bailout). It would have however, greatly benefited many of Mr Obama’s cronies.

So, how did Rio beat out Chicago for the 2016 Olympics? On the positive side, it allowed the IOC (International Olympic Committee) to make history by awarding the Games to a South American city. The Chicago bid however, did not come without negatives, such as the gang violence videos which surfaced at an inopportune time.

We believe the biggest negative against Chicago was the representation by Mr Obama himself. Before taking office, he flew to Europe to proclaim himself a “citizen of the world” and promised a new global agenda, a new world order. Since taking office, he’s made several tours of Europe and the Middle East apologizing that America has been the source of all that's wrong with the world. It is no wonder that, while he’s routinely praised by rogue dictators and Muslin leaders, many in Europe echo the sentiments of Gerald Warner’s article in the UK Telegraph entitled “Why does President Pantywaist hate America so badly?” which begins:

If al-Qaeda, the Taliban and the rest of the Looney Tunes brigade want to kick America to death, they had better move in quickly and grab a piece of the action before Barack Obama finishes the job himself. Never in the history of the United States has a president worked so actively against the interests of his own people – not even Jimmy Carter.

Obama’s problem is that he does not know who the enemy is. To him, the enemy does not squat in caves in Waziristan, clutching automatic weapons and reciting the more militant verses from the Koran. Instead, it sits around at tea parties in Kentucky quoting from the US Constitution. Obama is not at war with terrorists, but with his Republican fellow citizens. He has never abandoned the campaign trail.

Now, after being embarrassed to be an American and spending months throwing the country under a bus to promote his own popularity, in order to benefit his insider buddies in Chicago, Mr Obama found himself in the unfamiliar role of having to promote America instead. In a speech on September 16, he said "Americans, like Chicagoans, -- we don't like to make small plans. We want to dream big and reach high. We hope deeply. We want these games. And if you choose Chicago, I promise you this: Chicago will make America proud, and America will make the world proud." So, after making globalist statements about why Americans should not enjoy her luxuries while the rest of the world was not as blessed, and how no nation should be more important than another, he had to argue that Chicago warrants the Olympics.

Ms Obama also made the trip to help with the pitch. She stated that she didn’t want to go, but that she was willing to “sacrifice for the kids”. In a Hillary Clinton moment, she told the story of how she cheered on Carl Lewis and others while sitting on her daddy’s knee, until it was pointed out that she was 20 years old when Mr Lewis first competed in the Olympics in 1984. She did stop short of saying that, if Chicago was selected, that she would be proud of being an American for the “second time” in her life. In light of the Obama’s previous statements and actions, the IOC must have wondered why they were now arguing in favor of America deserving the Games.

So, we say congratulations to the city of Rio for their selection as host of the 2016 Olympics, and to all Americans for avoiding the huge monetary debts. We can now look forward to cheering on our athletes in the 2012 Games in London.

Support Lt Col Jeffrey Chessani

Meet Lt Col Jeffrey Chessani of the US Marine Corps. Lt Chessani was the senior officer facing bogus charges for the so-called “Hagitha Massacre” on November 19, 2005. Most of us have heard about the event thanks to the 24/7 coverage by the drive-by media. In fact, more air time was given to this in the first five days than to the many medals of honor given to various brave servicemen over a five year period. Lt Chessani and the troops were originally praised for their bravery by their superiors until an error-filled report by Time magazine, followed by anti-war liberal Congressman John Murtha’s public accusations of the Marines being “cold-blooded murderers” and their officers “covering up” the facts. Mr Murtha still refuses to reveal the source of his allegations. Very little was mentioned in the media of the hot-bed of activities going on that day, or the fact that the terrorists were using civilians as human shields. Michelle Malkin has more info on the circumstances and the investigation at 'Cut and Run' Murtha goes off half-cocked.

Craig Smith also has more about Murtha's involvement at Muttering Murtha.

As we now know, the massacre never happened and all our brave troops who put their lives on the line were cleared. After the media blitz of the charges, there was mostly silence on the acquittals. Then, on March 17, 2009, a three-judge panel upheld the dismissal of the trumped up charges, but the liberal bureaucrats refuse to give up. If only they would show this much resolve when dealing with terrorists. Now they are attempting to charge Lt Chessani, who has honorably served his country for over 20 years, with not filing the proper paperwork. He now faces a BOI (Military Board of Inquiry), in which the government’s burden of proof is very low.

As I write this, Mr Obama has just announced that he has cleared the release of another 75 terrorists from Guantanamo, yet they refuse to give Lt Chessani the same consideration. It appears that plotting or actually taking part in the killing of Americans is acceptable, however, our soldiers defending themselves is not.

Lt Chessani is represented by the Thomas More Law Center of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

UPDATE (July 2010) Lt Chessani forced to retire: A Sad Day for America and the Marine Corps.

Colonel Howard in Afghanistan

We just received an urgent email from our friends at Move America Forward. They were alerting us to a letter from the frontlines of battle in Afghanistan written by Colonel Mike Howard who is asking for our immediate help. The letter was forwarded from For The Troops, an organization based in Simi Valley, California who contacted MAF when they heard about the Troopathon.

Colonel Howard is responsible for some 4,500 troops in the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry which is stationed in some of the most dangerous provinces of southern Afghanistan. The 4th BCT-25th ID is made up of six regiments nicknamed "The Spartan 6" and the brigade's motto is "Sparta Lives!" They are operating in several provinces in southeastern Afghanistan, right on the chaotic border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the Taliban are strongest. Col Howard has asked for help in providing his troops with care packages and much needed encouragement.

We've just posted his urgent letter at Colonel Howard in Afghanistan. Please Read. Thank you.

Fly the Flag on 911 2009

I received the following email from my wife's cousin Donna who, along with her husband, was in New York on business when the World Trade Center buildings were hit on September 11, 2001.

THE PROGRAM:

On Friday, September 11th, 2009, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States. Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this eighth anniversary of one of our country's worst tragedies. We do this to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.

In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.

Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11. Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't, then at least make it a priority on this day.

Thank you for your participation. God Bless You and God Bless America!

As the father of a US Marine, I'm asking everyone to also fly their flags in support of our brave troops. As an added bonus, you'll also be able to annoy a liberal whose primary use for the flag is waving it during a campaign, then trashing it when the cameras are turned off.

Recycled Flags of the DNCC

Trash vs Treasure

Found American Flags

A Policeman

OK, I'm back. These past few weeks, most of my spare time has been spent developing our new Hebrew Heritage section, in which we explore the often neglected Jewish roots of Christianity. This new section has now been launched, so we can turn part of our attention back to the blog.

My good friend William is a Dallas Police Officer. I recently heard the following quote delivered by Adrian Rogers from his message, Christian Citizenship. In an era in which many, including President BHO, maintain such a low opinion of those defending us here and abroad, this message is very timely.

A Policeman

A policeman is many things…

“He is a son, a brother, a father, an uncle, and sometimes even a grandfather. He is a protector in time of need and a comforter in time of sorrow. His job calls for him to be a diplomat, a psychologist, a lawyer, a friend, and an inspiration.

He suffers from an overdose of publicity about brutality and dishonesty. He suffers far more from the notoriety produced from unfounded charges. Too often acts of heroism go unnoticed, and the truth is buried under all the criticism.

The fact is that less than one-half of one percent of policemen ever discredit their uniform. That’s a better average than you’ll find among clergymen. A policeman is an ordinary guy who is called upon for extraordinary bravery for us. His job may sometimes seem routine, but the interruptions can be moments of stark terror.

He is the man who faces a half-crazed gunman, who rescues a lost child, who challenges a mob, who risks his neck more often than we realize. He deserves our respect and profound thanks.

A policeman stands between the lawbreaker, the law abider and the lawbreaker. It’s the prime reason your home hasn’t been burned, your family abused, and your business looted. Try to imagine what might happen. Try to imagine what might happen if there were no policemen around, then try to think of ways to make their job more rewarding.

Show them the respect you really have. Offer them a smile and a kind word. See that they don’t have to be magicians to raise their families on less-than-adequate salaries."

We think policemen are great. We thank God for all the little boys who said they would be policemen and all who kept their promise. We hope you feel the same way, and we hope you will show it, so that there will always be enough good policemen to go around.

- Adrian Rogers (original author of quote unknown)

Should Churches Repent of Religion

I recently read an article on a Christian news site about a well-known pastor speaking at a national conference back in June. The purpose of the conference was to offer suggestions on how to "revitalize" local churches. According to the report, this particular speaker painted religion as a culprit that might be choking the growth of the Gospel and Christianity in America, and said that "until Christians repent of religion, no program, energy or strategy will help them to grow". Finally, he urged the pastors in the audience to repent… not of sin, but of religion.

So, is religion really choking the Gospel, and should we repent of our religious activities? I know members of a few local religious groups who recently returned from mission trips to India, Russia, Peru and Israel. Our church regularly takes up a benevolent offering for those who have lost their jobs. I have other friends that work with those feeding and ministering to the homeless and shut-ins. Others are engaged in prayer, VBS and other ministries. Still others are faithfully involved in church positions such as parking attendants, greeters, and administrators which only indirectly aid in spreading the Gospel. Should these Christians repent of these religious activities?

This illustrates that our original questions cannot be answered without first defining what is meant by the term "religion".

Read the entire Repent of Religion article.

The Real American Heroes

In my previous post, I shared how we can support and honor our troops by sending care packages to them. It is important to let our troops know that, despite what the media says, there are still many good folks back home who care and realize that they are the real American heroes. While Democratic congresswoman, Sheila Jackson-Lee of Texas was drafting a 1600-word congressional resolution proclaiming Michael Jackson as a global hero, Republican representative Peter King of New York lambasted the celebrity-worshiping media circus in a YouTube video (as reported by Michelle Malkin):

"All we hear about is Michael Jackson. Let’s knock out the psychobabble. He was a pervert … and to be giving this much coverage to him, day in and day out, what does it say about us as a country? … I just think we’re too politically correct. No one wants to stand up and say, ‘We don’t need Michael Jackson!’ He died, he had some talent, but fine, there are people dying every day. There are men and women dying every day in Afghanistan, let’s give them the credit they deserve."

If these real heroes are to be remembered, it will be up to us. Due to lack of media coverage, family members are forced to go to emails, twitter and other internet resources to get the word out. Unless it is a story which portrays our military in a negative light, our major networks (with the exception of Fox) and most major newspapers simply aren’t interested.

Read the entire Real Heroes article.

Care Packages for our Troops

I’m a little late with this follow-up to the Troop-a-thon on June 25, organized by our friends at Move America Forward, but we’re pleased to announce that almost $700,000 was raised for our troops, including over $55,000 by several teams of bloggers, with whom we were proud to participate. We’d like to issue a special “Thank You” to all those who donated. At the time of this writing, the 8 hour Troop-a-thon broadcast, which took place at the Ronald Reagon Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, is available at the Troop-a-thon website.

Thanks again for supporting our troops.

Are Checklists Extreme?

A few weeks ago, while in a class on the Holiness of God, we came to the question of how to approach this holy God. I would like to briefly comment on a particular aspect of the dialogue, the portion when our conversation turned to Hebrews 4:16, where we’re encouraged to boldly come before God’s throne. I believe the biggest reservation that many of us have is with the word "boldly". How can a sinner be bold before the face of our holy and majestic God?

We must first interpret this passage in the context of the two previous verses, in which we see that we do not approach the throne based upon our own merit, but that of our High Priest, Jesus the Christ. Thus, "boldly" does not mean recklessly or brazenly, but humbly and with confidence in the work of Christ. Under the old covenant, the people of Israel could not approach God directly. Only the high priest could come into the Holy of Holies, and then only once a year to make an atoning sacrifice to "cover" the sins of the people. Under the new covenant, Jesus, our ultimate High Priest, has atoned for our sins once for all (Heb 9:11-15), the veil has been torn (Mt 27:50-51), and we have free access to God.

Next, according to the Scriptures, even though we have free access to God, there are still some conditions which can obstruct our communication with Him. This brings us to one of the points of this article. During our group discussion, I pointed out that harboring unconfessed sin or disobedience (Jn 15:7), not asking in faith (Mk 11:23), asking with wrong motives (Ja 4:3) or for things contrary to the will of God (Jn 14:13-14, 1Jn 5:14-15), being inconsiderate of your family (1Pe 3:7) or several other conditions can hinder our prayers to God.

Another person then stated that we should avoid the "extreme" of approaching God with "a checklist". Now, we should avoid checklists in the sense of external obedience only, which is what I believe my friend was saying. We must however, not become so guarded against accusations of legalism that we avoid them altogether. When God doesn’t appear to be hearing our prayers, it could be that the timing isn’t right, or that he has something much better in mind for us, however, I see nothing extreme in taking a spiritual inventory (or checklist) in an attempt to determine other possible reasons such as mentioned above. In fact, the Bible not only exhorts us to petition God to examine us (Ps 139:23-24), we are also to examine ourselves (1Co 11:28-32).

In another instance, I just read a quote from a well-known pastor at a national conference a few weeks ago. In a speech on Christians’ need to "repent of religion", he stated that for religious people, Christianity becomes more of a "checklist of duties and behaviors", such as small group involvement, volunteering, taking a mission trip, and reading the Bible. In this case once again, these checklists and religious activities are inherently good. It is a hypocritical superficial focus, along with wrongful attitudes and motivations driving the activities that should be avoided.