Or maybe he was upset at the end of the Harry Potter series...

Some time back, on this site as well as others, there was an ongoing debate over the conditions of the detainee's at Gitmo.

Apparently the left was upset at the ill treatment of these people, such horrible things as providing them each with a Koran of their own, time to do their daily prayers, feeding them to the point that they were gaining weight, treating their medical needs, and providing them with access to a library, where one of the librarians went on the record as saying that the most requested books where those of the Harry Potter series.

I'm constantly amazed, and it takes a lot to amaze me any more, but I am CONSTANTLY amazed at how the left JUST DOES NOT understand how that the reason these people are being detained, the reason that they are under guard, the REASON that they are isolated on our portion of Castro's little island down there is because they are TOO DAMNED DANGEROUS to be brought onto our shores where they could possibly escape and lose themselves into existing terrorist cells here already on our home shores.

Now, I'm sure Rosie O'Donnell will have plenty to say about "death being preferable to being recaptured and tortured at Gitmo." I am certain that George Soros is already working on what spin to put on this to make the U.S. the bad guys again.

Read the article for yourself, and you tell me. Do we WANT this kind of extremist being released on the streets of the U.S.? Would YOU want to have him as your neighbor?

Former Guantanamo detainee blows himself up
By Paul Willis and agencies
Last Updated: 9:01am BST 24/07/2007

A former Guantanamo Bay prisoner who took up arms alongside the Taliban after he was released from detention has blown himself up to avoid capture, Pakistani security forces said today.

Abdullah Mehsud killed himself with a hand grenade after he was cornered by troops at a house in the south-western Pakistani town of Zhob. He was wanted for the kidnapping of two Chinese engineers in 2004.

"My information is that (he) killed himself," said Atta Mohammed, the head of the police in Zhob. "Thanks be to God that only he was blown up and our men were safe."

Mehsud, 32, was released from the US detention centre in Cuba after two years in 2004 but immediately went back to violence when the Pakistani government began an offensive against the Taliban in the troubled region along the border with Afghanistan.

The one-legged militant was the leader of a group of fighters that kidnapped two Chinese engineers working on a hydroelectric dam project in South Waziristan. Pakistan was forced to apologise to China after one of the hostages died in the subsequent rescue attempt.

Mehsud escaped after the incident and has been hunted by Pakistani forces ever since.

What will it take to convince the left of the danger these extremists represent? What will it take for them to WAKE UP and realize that this isn't a game, it isn't something that is going to go away with diplomatic solutions or negotiations.

THEY WANT US DEAD.

And they are willing to sacrifice themselves to accomplish their goals.

Something to think about.

Once and Always, an American Fighting Man

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New Iran Hostage Crisis

Enough!

Let me start by saying that I’m so furious I don’t know what to say TO start.

Are we a nation of cowards? Are we a nation that would rather sit on our collective ass and “talk about it” while we’re being picked off one at a time on foreign shores? Are we so naive that we think we can trust a foreign government whose leadership has called for our destruction? Can we trust this government to release our people without harm unless we threaten to roll INTO Tehran?

I was going to do a piece today on how that we are at war against an enemy that is multinational, an enemy that belongs to a mindset that extends across national borders and boundaries. I was going to do a piece on how the media and certain members of Congress and the Senate (and yes, I mean the Democratic party and a few turncoat Republicans) are trying desperately to convince you, the American public, that our war in Iraq was unjust and “illegal.” If you can walk away from reading this without fully grasping that WE ARE AT WAR WITH A SECT OF RELIGIOUS EXTREMISTS who pay NO REGARD TO INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES that were imposed upon them during the occupation of the Middle East by Europeans during the last two centuries then you are beyond any hope of redemption in regards to allowing your eyes to be opened to the truth.

Our enemy is not any particular nation.

Our enemy is Radical Extremist Fascist Islam.

Iraq is, has been, but ONE FRONT in this war. Afghanistan is another one. Make NO mistake in thinking that there will not be others as time progresses and our enemies regroup themselves. WE CAN NOT ALLOW THEM TO HAVE ONE MOMENT TO CATCH THEIR BREATH AND ATTACK US ON OUR OWN SHORES AGAIN. By their own admissions, by their own words, THAT IS THEIR INTENTION.

And until we secure our borders and stop this nonsensical debate over illegal immigration, BUILD the fence on our southern border to inhibit the free flowing of illegals crossing into our country from Mexico, and start rounding up, as Eisenhower did, those who are here illegally, we are leaving ourselves WIDE OPEN to more attacks within the United States. EVEN FRANCE has come to realize this danger to their own country and has started sending THEIR illegals back home.

ENOUGH!

Hat tips to Power Line and Blue Crab Boulevard for their commentaries on columnist Mark Steyn’s article Look who's holding hostages again.

Mark Steyn: Look who's holding hostages again

How do you feel about the American hostages in Iran?

No, not the guys back in the Seventies, the ones being held right now.

What? You haven't heard about them?

Odd that, isn't it? But they're there. For example, for two months now, Haleh Esfandiari has been detained in Evin prison in Tehran. Esfandiari is a U.S. citizen and had traveled to Iran to visit her sick mother. She is the director of the Middle East program at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, which is the kind of gig that would impress your fellow guests at a Washington dinner party. Unfortunately, the mullahs say it's an obvious cover for a Bush spy.

Among the other Zionist-neocon agents currently held in Iranian jails are an American journalist, an American sociologist for a George Soros-funded leftie group, and an American peace activist from Irvine, Ali Shakeri, whose capture became known shortly after the United States and Iran held their first direct talks since the original hostage crisis.

Two months in an Iranian jail is no fun. Four years ago, a Montreal photo-journalist, Zahra Kazemi, was arrested by police in Tehran, taken to Evin prison, and wound up getting questioned to death. Upon her capture, the Canadian government had done as the State Department is apparently doing – kept things discreet, low-key, cards close to the chest, quiet word in the right ears. By the time Zahra Kazemi's son, frustrated by his government's ineffable equanimity, got the story out, it was too late for his mother.

Still, upon hearing of her death, then-Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham expressed his "sadness" and "regret," which are pretty strong words. But then, as Reuters put it, this sad regrettable incident had "marred previously harmonious relations between Iran and Canada." In his public pronouncements, Graham tended to give the impression that what he chiefly regretted and was sad about was that one of his compatriots had had the poor taste to get tortured and murdered onto the front pages of the newspapers.

With an apparently straight face, Graham passed on to reporters the official Iranian line that her death in jail was merely an "accident." The following year, Shahram Azam, a physician who'd examined Kazemi's body, fled Iran and said that she had broken fingers, a broken nose, a crushed toe, a skull fracture, severe abdominal bruising, and internal damage consistent with various forms of rape. Quite an accident.

The longer American prisoners are held in Evin, the more likely it is they'll meet with a similar accident. It would be nice to think the press has ignored these hostages out of concerns that they might inflame the situation. (To date, only National Review, Bill Bennett on his radio show and various doughty Internet wallahs have made any fuss.) Or maybe the media figure that showing American prisoners on TV will only drive Bush's ratings back up from the grave to the rude health of intensive care. Or maybe they just don't care about U.S. hostages, not compared to real news like Senate sleepovers to block unblocking a motion to vote for voting against a cloture motion on the best way to surrender in Iraq.

But I'll bet the mullahs wouldn't really care if everyone put Haleh Esfandiari on the front pages 24/7. It's only a few months since they seized a bunch of Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines in international waters (an illegal act) and paraded them all over Iranian TV (in breach of the Geneva Conventions) and dressed up the female sailor in Islamic garb (another breach).

And the U.N. and the EU and all the other transnational arbiters of global order sent a strong message: "Whoa, you guys really need to tamp things down, de-escalate, defuse the confrontation." But, for some reason, they sent the strong message to the British government, not the Iranians. And, with the sailors' humiliation all over the media, the British public was inclined to agree. Almost to a man, they rose up and told Tony Blair: "This is all your fault for getting us into Iraq."

But outrage at Iran? There was none.

The ayatollahs figure that's how it usually goes with a plump, complacent Western world that just wants to be left alone and wishes these crazies would stop trying to catch its eye. Officially, Iran is "negotiating" with the European Union over its nuclear program. If this were a real negotiation, instead of a transnational pseudo-negotiation, the Iranians would be concerned to stop any complicating factors coming into play. Instead, every week they gaily toss new provocations into their EU chums' laps: In recent days, they've stoned to death various fellows for adultery and homosexuality, two activities to which Europeans are generally very partial.

But why let a few stonings throw your negotiations off track? And, if the Americans are so eager to get a seat at the negotiating table, why not remind them of the rules of the game? Last week, the Iranians paraded their U.S. hostages all over TV as they confessed to engaging in espionage, along the way fingering the Woodrow Wilson Center and George Soros as key elements in the plot to overthrow the ayatollahs. If only.

The week before, Iran captured 14 spies near the Iraqi border who it claimed were agents of American and British intelligence equipped with surveillance devices. The "spies" in question were squirrels – as in small furry animals very protective of their nuts (much like the Democratic Party regarding Mr. Soros). I'm prepared to believe that a crack team of rodents from NUTS (the Ninja Undercover Team of Squirrels) abseiled into key installations in Iran and garroted the Revolutionary Guards, but not that the U.S. and British governments had anything to do with it. If they have any CIA or MI6 training at all, they must be rogue squirrels from the Cold War days who've been laid off and gone feral.

In America, public opinion is in no mood for war with Iran. In Washington, Congress is focused on finding the most politically advantageous way to lose in Iraq. In Europe, they've already psychologically accepted the Iranian nuclear umbrella. In the Western world, where talks are not the means to the end but an end in themselves, we find it hard despite the evidence of 30 years to accept that Iran talks the talk and walks the walk. Once it goes nuclear, do you think there will be fewer fatwas on writers, stonings of homosexuals, kidnappings in international waters, forced confessions of American hostages and bankrolling of terror groups worldwide? These latest hostages are part of a decades-old pattern of behavior. The longer it goes without being stopped, the worse it will be.

That’s not enough? How about that they’ve put these new hostages on IRANIAN TELEVISION?

Detained American-Iranian speaks on Iranian TV

By Parisa Hafezi

TEHRAN (Reuters) - An Iranian-American detained in Iran said on state television on Thursday she had concluded that a network of research centers and universities she had helped create had aims which would weaken the Iranian government.

Haleh Esfandiari, 67-year-old director of the Middle East program at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, was arrested in May when visiting Iran from the United States.

She told a documentary TV program on Thursday "Now, after nearly five months ... I have reached the conclusion that we had created a chain of research centers, foundations and universities ... the aim of such networks was to create very fundamental changes inside the Iranian regime ... which means really weakening the system."

Iran's top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has warned of a U.S.-backed "velvet revolution" using intellectuals and others to bring about "regime change."

Kian Tajbakhsh, another Iranian-American, was also arrested while visiting Iran in May.

A consultant with the Open Society Institute, founded by billionaire investor George Soros, he told the same program: "The Soros centre's job in eastern Europe is nearly finished. Its main focus now is the Islamic world, Arab countries, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc."

State television's promotional clips of the program on Monday outraged Washington, which warned that any confessions which were broadcast would have no legitimacy. The first episode of the program was aired on Wednesday.

The Woodrow Wilson Centre's president, Lee Hamilton, said on Tuesday Esfandiari has been held in solitary confinement, adding that "any statements she may make without having had access to her lawyer would be coerced and have no legitimacy or standing."

Iran's judiciary said on Tuesday the statements made by Esfandiari and Tajbakhsh on television carried no legal weight.

BUSH SPEECHES

Their comments were broadcast in a documentary "In the Name of Democracy," which used parts of speeches by U.S. President George W. Bush about spreading democracy and images of popular uprisings in Georgia and Ukraine apparently to imply that Washington had similar plans for Iran.

The documentary also showed Ramin Jahanbeglou, an Iranian-Canadian writer detained for four months last year for endangering state security. "I am sorry for what I have done and I regret it," he said.

State television has in the past broadcast what it said were confessions by dissidents serving jail sentences for alleged attempts to undermine the Islamic Republic. Some have remained in jail even after the "confessions" were aired.

Many Iranian intellectuals say such measures are aimed at deterring any academic debate about the clerical establishment.

Rights groups and Western diplomats say Iranian authorities have increased pressure on dissidents, intellectuals and critical journalists, possibly in response to mounting international pressure over its atomic program.

The documentary made no mention of two other American-Iranians arrested this year on security-related charges, one of whom has been freed on bail.

Long-time foe Washington is leading efforts to isolate Iran over what it says are its plans to build nuclear arms. U.S. forces have detained five Iranians in Iraq on charges of backing militants there. Iran denies the charges.

The two countries will hold fresh talks in Iraq soon, following a landmark meeting in Baghdad in May.

Need more?

Iran TV shows detained American-Iranian academics

By Parisa Hafezi

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's state television aired on Wednesday a program featuring two detained American-Iranian academics accused of endangering national security in the Islamic state.

Iranian officials have suggested Haleh Esfandiari and Kian Tajbakhsh may have been involved in a U.S.-backed plot to stage a "velvet revolution" in Iran. Rights groups and U.S. officials had deplored Iran's plans to put the pair on television.

But in the first part of a documentary entitled "In the Name of Democracy" the two dual nationals, arrested separately in May while visiting Iran, did not make explicit confessions of conspiring to topple Tehran's clerical establishment.

"My job was to identify lecturers through contacting Iranians in America or contacting Iranian intellectuals when visiting Iran," said Esfandiari, an academic at the U.S.-based Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars.

"A network of these contacted speech-makers was created ... The main aim was to identify key figures ... and to connect them to the network," said Esfandiari, who wore a black headscarf.

Tajbakhsh, a consultant with the Open Society Institute, founded by billionaire investor George Soros, said: "My job was to give social, political and cultural advice to the centre about Iran."

"The fact that America's Congress financed (the) Soros (centre), shows the American government and the centre share the same views on Iran," he added, referring to a sheaf of notes.

Their comments were interspersed with images from popular uprisings in Georgia and Ukraine to imply that the United States had similar plans for Iran. The second part of the documentary will be shown on Thursday night.

Although they are being held in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, the interviews with them were conducted in comfortably furnished rooms and both appeared relaxed and healthy.

State television's promotional clips of the program on Monday outraged Washington which warned that any confessions which were broadcast would have no legitimacy.

Iran's judiciary said on Tuesday the statements made by Esfandiari and Tajbakhsh on television carried no legal weight.

PRESSURE MOUNTS

Rights groups and Western diplomats say Iranian authorities have increased pressure on dissidents, intellectuals and critical journalists, adding this may in part be a response to mounting international pressure over its atomic program.

The documentary made no mention of two other American-Iranians arrested this year on security-related charges, one of whom has been freed on bail.

The Woodrow Wilson Centre's president, Lee Hamilton, said on Tuesday Esfandiari has been held in solitary confinement, adding that "any statements she may make without having had access to her lawyer would be coerced and have no legitimacy or standing."

Iran and the United States are at odds over a range of issues, including Tehran's refusal to give up sensitive nuclear enrichment work, which it says will be used solely for power generation and not, as Washington believes, to make bombs.

Washington also accuses Tehran of backing militants in Iraq, a charge it denies, and U.S. forces have been holding five Iranians in Iraq since January.

Nevertheless, the two countries have said they expect to sit down for fresh talks about Iraq soon, following a landmark meeting in Baghdad in May.

When is our government, when are the American people, going to learn that you CAN NOT TRUST the Iranian government to keep their word about anything? How much more is it going to take before we realize, each and every one of us, that we are at war with a coalition of people from several “countries” in the Middle East, not with any particular individual nation there?

Just when I think that I can’t get any MORE disgusted, something like this finds it’s way to the light of day.

ENOUGH!

Mr. President, SECURE OUR DAMNED BORDERS! And to ALL of our governmental officials, STOP PUSSY FOOTING AROUND WITH TERRORISTS! To the main stream media, STOP LYING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND STOP HIDING THE TRUTH FROM THEM.

WE don't NEED this bullshit.

Once and Always, an American Fighting Man

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"The Right Stuff?"

I have long maintained, both as a veteran and as man who has past his thirties, now, that the military has it ALL WRONG in sending young men into combat.

Allow me to explain.

My fellow veterans from the Reagan era and before will be able to relate to this more, perhaps, than those who came after us in the 90's on until today. Basic training was um, a few days ago (ahem) but the memories...ah the memories.

In my day, it was not uncommon for the drill instructors to eat garlic and onions at any given meal of the day, then share the effects of said bulbs with recruits standing in formation by standing in their faces and talking to them. Loudly. At 18 that can be a bit intimidating, after the age of, oh, say 35, you're more inclined to offer said DI a tic tac.

Head games don't work on older guys the same way they work on the younger ones. Ladies, I know you'll forgive me for saying so, but by the time the average male has reached his mid-thirties, we're sort of used to people playing with our minds.

Ahem.

This shift in attitude works to the advantage when it comes to being a soldier, though, I think. At 18 the mind is not as adjusted to having to make a snap decision as it is when you're older. You're also able to think more abstractly and envision things a bit better. An example? The reason you don't point your loaded weapon at one of your buddies is because it might accidently discharge and you'll shoot him. By the mid-thirties, you're more able to envision the effects of that than at the age of 18.

By the mid-thirties you've also learned (again, apologies to the ladies here, but I think you'll agree) the art of selective deafness. This would come in handy if captured by the enemy. "What is your unit strength, and what is your mission?" "I'm sorry, what?" (Louder) "What is your mission, and how many people are in your unit?" (shaking head sadly, pointing to ears) "Say again?" (Louder still, growing aggitated) "MISSION, UNIT" (Feigning comprehension) "YES I miss my unit, will I be going back to them soon?" (Screams of utter frustration, cursing in native language)

See my point?

After we leave our twenties, we're less inclined to be interested in brawling to "prove ourselves." Remember the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark where Indiana Jones had fought off a group of swordsmen with his bullwhip, only to find himself facing one last opponent who stood twirling and brandishing his sword? Of course you do, it's cinematic history. What did Indy do? He shot the guy and moved on. Classic older guy remedy to the situation. Fight you? Heck no, BANG you're dead.

One of our readers sent the following in email to WUA a few days ago, and the man is absolutely correct.

Enjoy, and see if you can't find the solid logic in the thought processes.

Once and Always, an American Fighting Man


Drafting Guys Over 60
I'm over 60 and the Armed Forces say I'm too old to track down terrorists. (You can't be older than 42 to join the military.)

They've got the whole thing backwards. Instead of sending 18-year-olds off to fight, they ought to take us old guys. You shouldn't be able tojoin a military unit until you're at least 35.

For starters:
Researchers say 18-year-olds think about sex every 10 seconds.Old guys only think about sex a couple of times a day, leaving us more than 28,000 additional seconds per day to concentrate on the enemy.

Young guys haven't lived long enough to be cranky, and a cranky soldier is a dangerous soldier. If we can't kill the enemy we'll complain them into submission. "My back hurts! I'm hungry! Where's the remote?"

An 18-year-old hasn't had a legal beer yet and you shouldn't go to war until you're at least old enough to drink. The average old guy, on the other hand, has consumed 126,000 gallons of beer, and a jaunt through the desert heat with a beer and an M-60 would do wonders for the old beer belly. (Note there are 24 hours in a day and 24 bottles in a case...another convenient way to measure time!)

An 18-year-old doesn't like to get up before 10 a.m.

Old guys always get up early to pee.

If captured we couldn't spill the beans because we'd forget where we put them. In fact, name, rank, and serial number would be a real brainteaser.

Boot camp would be easier for old guys. We're used to getting screamed and yelled at and we like soft food. We've also developed an appreciation for guns.We like them almost better than naps. They could lighten up on the obstacle course however. I've been in combat and didn't see a single 20-foot wall with rope hanging over the side, nor did I ever do any pushups after completing basic training. I can hear the Drill Sgt now, "Get down and give me ... er ... one." Actually, the running part is kind of a waste of energy. I've never seen anyone outrun a bullet.

An 18-year-old has the whole world ahead of him. He's still learning to shave, to carry on a conversation, and to wear pants without the top of his butt crack showing and his shorts sticking out. He's hasn't figured out that a pierced tongue catches food particles, and that a 400-watt speaker in the back seat of a Honda can rupture an eardrum, and that a baseball cap has a brim to shade eyes, not the back of his head.

These are all great reasons to keep our kids at home to learn a little more about life before sending them off into harm's way. Let us old guys track down those dirty rotten cowards who attacked us on September 11. The last thing an enemy would want to see right now is a couple of million old farts with attitudes.

Share this with your senior friends. It's purposely in big type so you can read it.

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Just when you thought it was safe to go back onto the playground…

Remember kindergarten? If I go back into the deep, dark recesses of my mind, I can. Letters, numbers, words, drawing, naps on little mats on the floor. School is supposed to be where you learn how to read, write, and as the old timers used to say, to “cipher.”

What part of reading, writing, and mathematics involves sex education? I suppose you could argue, tongue in cheek, that that would be multiplication, but let’s get serious here, because this is a very, very serious issue.

Our high schools are failing dismally. Students are graduating unable to do the most basic of mathematics and language skills. This has been an ongoing problem for decades, and it’s getting worse with each graduating class. Colleges are forced to offer remedial programs to prepare incoming freshman for freshman level English and algebra courses because they are coming INTO college ill prepared FOR a college education. Something is wrong with this picture.

Public education has taken on the mantle of being the be all end all in the rearing of your children. People who are in charge of the public education think that THEY KNOW BETTER how your children should be reared than you, the parents, do, and they create program after program that have NOTHING to do with teaching reading, writing, OR arithmetic. Educational theorists have TONS of ideas that colleges and universities incorporate into the Educational Instruction programs, training teachers to be everything BUT teachers.

The word “teacher” is even outmoded, having been replaced with the more politically correct “educator.”

How do I know this? Let me remind you, in case you’ve forgotten, or inform you if you didn’t know; I hold a BS in education and held licenses to teach history and government, which basically means double majors of education and history with a minor in political science. I have BEEN in the public education system, and let me tell you, from what I saw, it’s a money making racket. Textbooks and standardized testing are an industry. There is less concern with making sure that children get a quality education and learn something than there is a concern with making sure that the tests are watered down enough that my five year old Labrador retriever could take and pass them if he had a non opposable thumb. (When in doubt, check “C”). Case in point, I know one particular student who graduated over twenty years ago who had taken no higher mathematics in high school than algebra I who opened up the math portion of his ACT test, looked ahead at some of the equations based in calculus, geometry, and trigonometry, scratched his head, muttered “the hell with it,” and started circling in the “C” blocks through most of that portion of the test. He passed. Not with a low score, either.

Liberals are firmly entrenched in the education field. Many of these people who enter “educating”, screw that, let’s call it what it should be called, teaching. Many of the people who enter teaching go straight from the high school classroom to the college classroom, and then BACK into the education system into the classroom as teachers. Their entire life, from the time that they enter the system until they retire, is spent in the classroom. Is it any wonder that they are filled with a lot of theory when they have no practical experience with anything else? I was one of the rare exceptions to the rule. I was a military veteran, a veteran firefighter, and had a contractor background for my work experiences. I was totally and completely out of my element being surrounded by these feel good, think good, right speak children who were learning to be teachers. It led to more than a few rather heated debates with professors over matters of theory versus reality and an ongoing conflict (war) with campus administration who had obviously labeled me as a trouble maker.

I find it amusing, looking back now, that the handful of people whom I got along well with were one history professor in his eighties whom I considered then and still as my mentor, both in the subjects of history and politics (he had been an oil rig worker in his youth and was the FOREMOST historian on the war of northern aggression), a philosophy professor, a geology professor, and two of the campus police officers.

I digress, but it makes for a point. Teachers are not being taught to teach your children what they need to know, they’re being taught to be surrogate parents under state mandate to indoctrinate your children with what the state wants your children to know.

Think I’m off base?

Let’s see how many of you parents out there get as pissed off about THIS as I did when I considered my seven year old daughter:

Sex Ed for Kindergarteners 'Right Thing to Do,' Says Obama

July 18, 2007 1:13 PM

ABC News' Teddy Davis and Lindsey Ellerson Report: Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., told Planned Parenthood Tuesday that sex education for kindergartners, as long as it is "age-appropriate," is "the right thing to do."

"I remember Alan Keyes . . . I remember him using this in his campaign against me," Obama said in reference to the conservative firebrand who ran against him for the U.S. Senate in 2004. Sex education for kindergartners had become an issue in his race against Keyes because of Obama’s work on the issue as chairman of the health committee in the Illinois state Senate.

"'Barack Obama supports teaching sex education to kindergarteners,'" said Obama mimicking Keyes' distinctive style of speech. "Which -- I didn’t know what to tell him (laughter)."

"But it’s the right thing to do," Obama continued, "to provide age-appropriate sex education, science-based sex education in schools."
Watch the video:
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3386492

Speaking to a young woman who asked a question about sex education, Obama said, "You, as a peer, can have enormous power over your age cohort but you’ve got to have some support from the schools. You certainly should not have to be fighting each and every instance by providing accurate information outside of the classroom because inside the classroom the only thing that can be talked about is abstinence."

THIS man wants to be your president, ladies and gentlemen. Kindergartners haven’t even reached PUBERTY and Barack Hussein Obama wants them to learn about sex. Oh, of course he adds the disclaimers into his statement; sure, he would HAVE to do that so that what he’s said doesn’t come across quite so dangerously. The bottom line is that Barack Hussein Obama wants sex education to start as early as kindergarten.

I want you, the reader, to take this information with you as you finish reading this article, and to think about it long and hard.

It matters.

It is very important.

Barack Hussein Obama is simply ONE politician who thinks this way. Don’t kid yourself into thinking that there aren’t others. And I will guarantee you that each and every one of them is a liberal.

In the 1960’s, Nikita Khrushchev said to the United States at the United Nations, “Whether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will bury you!” This was later “amended” by Khrushchev who said “I once said, "We will bury you," and I got into trouble with it. Of course we will not bury you with a shovel. Your own working class will bury you.” Take a look back through the years at public education and the growing mindset of Marxist theory that has inundated our government and our public education system. They WILL take us over without firing a shot, at this rate, if we don’t get a grip on what our children are being taught today. And they will do it by the electoral process, killing liberty not with a war, but to the delight of the indoctrinated masses…

Reading.

Writing.

Arithmetic.

From these come the foundations to teach our children to do something unthinkable. They can learn to THINK.

Leave parenting to parents. Good or bad, it's on them.

Sex Ed for kindergartners my arse.

"He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future," Adolf Hitler.

"How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think," Adolf Hitler.

“That government is best which governs least,” Thomas Paine.

“The GREATEST sin to be committed by modern man is the sin of failure to think,” MT (yes, it’s finally time that I take credit for my own quote, and I might as well do so here. Feel free to use it and share it with others).

“I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine,” Ayn Rand, from Atlas Shrugged.

Once and Always, an American Fighting Man

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A lesson for the leftinistras with BDS

I have stated on this blog and in face to face conversations I don't know how many times that I DO NOT blindly and completely support President Bush in everything he does. I know spree doesn't either; she is ONE HUNDRED PERCENT behind our troops and our war on terrorism, as I am, but that in NO WAY SHAPE MANNER OR FORM is a blanket support for the President.

Wanted to make that clear for all of you out there who mistakenly try to label the writers for this site as being "brainwashed" or incapable of thinking for ourselves.

That being said.

I don't know how many of you out there read Eli E. Hertz and his site at www.mythsandfacts.org but he has a GREAT open letter to President Bush that he sent out in an email alert today.

Well stated, and very much something to think about...

Once and Always, an American Fighting Man

To President Bush

Eli E. Hertz | July 17, 2007

I read with interest your remarks on the Middle East given on July 16, 2007 at the White House.

I appreciate your sincere commitment and devotion in promoting and advancing the creation of functional democracies and peace around the world - particularly your effort in the Middle East.

As one who devotes his time studying the Arab-Israeli conflict, and as a person of the Jewish race and religion, it became incumbent upon me to direct your attention to statements you made of which I found offending. Statements perceived as fact, but in reality are, in my humble opinion, misguided.

I would start with the notion that your administration will not 'do business' with terror organizations and those who call for the destruction of Israel, or at best, suggest to toss the "Jews to the sea."

This brings me to Fateh, the main faction of the PLO for whom Mahmoud Abbas is the driving force and was one of its founding members. This is the organization and leadership that the administration relies upon to bring functional democracy, freedom and peace to the region.

Mr. President, it takes little effort to learn what Fateh is all about. Its constitution calls under Article 12 for the "Complete liberation of Palestine, and obliteration of Zionist economic, political, military and cultural existence."

As for how it will achieve its goal to wipe Israel off the map, Fateh's constitution, Article 19, minces no words:

"Armed struggle is a strategy and not a tactic, and the Palestinian Arab People's armed revolution is a decisive factor in the liberation fight and in uprooting the Zionist existence, and this struggle will not cease unless the Zionist state is demolished and Palestine is completely liberated" [italic by author]

If this does not suffice, please review Abbas' words in a recent rally on January 11, 2007, to a crowd estimated at nearly 250,000 supporters. Abbas calls on Palestinians to refrain from internal fighting and to direct their guns only against Israeli "occupation."

He promises to "not give up one inch of land in Jerusalem" and he "considers the settlements illegal."

In his book, "the issue of the refugees is non-negotiable"

So as much for the partner.

And now to the "Occupation"

I notice with relief that you did not spell out who is the occupier and who is the occupant - just to make sure I will discuss the legal occupation under international law of Jewish settlers in the area known forever as Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.

In 1897 it was Benjamin Herzl, founder of modern Zionism who said: "Palestine is our ever-memorable historic home. The very name of Palestine would attract our people with a force of marvelous potency."

In 1917 it was Arthur James Balfour of Great Britain who declared:

"His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object ..."

In 1922 it was Winston Churchill (your hero), British Secretary of State for the Colonies that declared:

Jews are in Palestine "as of right and not on sufferance ... When it is asked what is meant by the development of the Jewish National Home in Palestine, it may be answered that it is not the imposition of a Jewish nationality upon the inhabitants of Palestine as a whole, but the further development of the existing Jewish community, with the assistance of Jews in other parts of the world, in order that it may become a centre in which the Jewish people as a whole may take on grounds of religion and race, an interest and a pride."

On July 24, 1922 it was fifty-one member countries - the entire League of Nations - that published the legally binding document "Mandate for Palestine" and unanimously declared:

"Recognition Has Been Given to the Historical Connection of the Jewish People with Palestine and to the Grounds for Reconstituting their National Home in that Country."

The "Mandate for Palestine," a historical League of Nations document laid down the Jewish legal right to settle anywhere in western Palestine, a 10,000-square-mile area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, an entitlement unaltered in international law and valid to this day.

On June 30, 1922 it was the joint resolution of both Houses of Congress of the United States that unanimously endorsed the "Mandate for Palestine," confirming the irrevocable right of Jews to settle in the area of Palestine - anywhere between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

"Favoring the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.

"resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United State of America in congress assembled, That the United States of America favors the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of Christian and all other non-Jewish communities in Palestine, and that the holy places and religious buildings and sites in Palestine shall be adequately protected." [The resolution was incorporated in the 1937 Palestine Royal commission Report, Chapter II, page 31]

On September 21, 1922 it was Warren G. Harding, President of the United Sates of America who signed the joint resolution of approval to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

Mr. President, Palestine is a geographical area, not a nationality!

As a matter of fact there has never been a sovereign Arab state in Palestine. The artificiality of a Palestinian identity is reflected in the attitudes and actions of neighboring Arab nations who never established a Palestinian state themselves. Nor did the Arabs recognize or establish a Palestinian state during the two decades prior to the Six-Day War when the West Bank was under Jordanian control and the Gaza Strip was under Egyptian control; nor did the Palestinian Arabs clamor for autonomy or independence during those years under Jordanian and Egyptian rule.

Mr. President - Jewish "continuing occupation" that you speak about, is legal and endorsed by international law.

The "Mandate for Palestine" document defined where Jews are and are not permitted to settle. Article 6 of the Mandate clearly states:

"The Administration of Palestine, while ensuring that the rights and position of other sections of the population are not prejudiced, shall facilitate Jewish immigration under suitable conditions and shall encourage, in co-operation with the Jewish agency referred to in Article 4, close settlement by Jews on the land, including State lands and waste lands not required for public purposes."

The "Mandate for Palestine" document is the last legally binding document regarding the status of what is commonly called "the West Bank and Gaza." The September 16, 1922 memorandum (of the Mandate) is also the last modification of the official terms of the "Mandate" on record by the League of Nations or by its legal successor - the United Nations - in accordance with Article 27 of the "Mandate" that states unequivocally: "The consent of the Council of the League of Nations is required for any modification of the terms of this mandate."

Mr. President, political rights to self-determination as a polity for Arabs were guaranteed in three other mandates - in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. A forth Arab state east of the Jordan River - Trance-Jordan, came to fruition via the "Mandate for Palestine."

Mr. President:

300,000,000 Arabs in 21 'exclusive' Arab countries now occupy an area of 5,207,000 Square Miles, including all the principal Arab and Moslem centers.

6,000,000 Jews in 1 country now occupy an area of nearly 10,000 square miles [will fit into Lake Michigan with plenty of room left] in Palestine, and you Mr. President propose to reduce it even further.

This is an injustice and a grievous handicap to the continuous development and security of the Jewish State.

Thank you.

Eli E. Hertz
PO Box 941

Forest Hills, NY
718-544-8030

Sources:

The President speech: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070716-7.html

Commentary: This Land is My Land (Includes the "Mandate for Palestine" text at:
http://www.mythsandfacts.com/Conflict/mandate_for_palestine/Mandate_for_Palestine.pdf

A short presentation at:
http://www.mythsandfacts.com/Conflict/mandate_for_palestine/ThisLandIsMyLand.ppt

Mandate for Palestine, the legal aspects of Jewish Rights at:
http://www.mythsandfacts.com/Conflict/mandate_for_palestine/Mandate_for_Palestine.pdf

Mandate Document - British Archive.

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Gathering of Eagles update...16JUL07

A Presumption of Innocence

Posted: 16 Jul 2007 06:21 AM CDT

From Eagle Tim Sumner, head of 9/11 Families for a Safe & Strong America:

You know the story. On May 17, 2006 — to celebrate the 6-month anniversary of his first demanding a timetabled withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq — John Murtha held a press conference in D.C. and stated that Marines in Haditha had, “killed innocent civilians in cold blood.” Even before the preliminary investigation had been completed and before the Marines under investigation had a chance to defend themselves, Congressman Murtha used his office to inquire and publicly pronounced them guilty.

Last week, the investigating officer recommended that the charges against LCpl Justin Sharratt be dismissed, in his strongly worded official report:

Ultimately, there is only one statement by an eyewitness to the events, LCpl Sharratt, and his version of the events is strongly corroborated by independent forensic analysis of the death scene… From as early as February 2006 LCpl Sharratt’s statements are supported by the forensic evidence.

Congressman Murtha did not mention that at his May 17, 2006, press conference for the investigation had not run its course, that independent forensic analysis had not been conducted and compared to testimony. He just rushed to judgment and pronounced United States Marines ‘guilty’ under Jack Murtha’s law.

Here is the not funny part: on July 11, 2007, his office announced that, “Congressman Murtha doesn’t have a statement because the investigation is still ongoing.” Meaning of course, he cannot take the political risk of repeating his slanderous allegations of last year.

I want Congressman Murtha to apologize or resign. Actually, I want him to apologize and resign.

As I live nearby, I will visit Congressman Murtha’s district office in Johnstown the week of July 23, 2007.

Send me your emails and I will gladly deliver a paper copy of them while I am there.

The Gathering of Eagles folks have provided a place to post your emails online. No email addresses will be displayed yet please tell us your name and city and state.

Regardless of where you live, I welcome your comments. Did you know that if you live outside of his district, his official site will not accept them?

Please, CLICK HERE AND BE SUCCINCT AND CIVIL, while telling Congressman John Murtha how you really feel.

Eagles up!


Sunday Reflections

Posted: 15 Jul 2007 12:21 PM CDT

Every so often I read something that inspires me, that lifts me up, dusts me off, and puts me back on the front lines to fight. These articles are admittedly few and far in between, but when I find them it is like a fresh clip of ammo dropped into my foxhole by Providence when I thought perhaps all was lost. This is one of those.

Written by Chris Hill, Nat’l Director for GOE, it is a snapshot of the things in my heart. I was reading it this morning, just toodling along, thinking, “Yes, this is how I feel…this is good stuff…” and then the last paragraph hit me.

This war must be won. I promised a Gold Star mother recently that I would not let her son’s, Sgt Brian Romines, sacrifice to have been in vain. I am prepared to do whatever it takes to support our brave men and women over in The Box. We have not lost Senator Reid, and I, for one am offended that you would say so. I would bleed on the flag to keep the stripes red. Is that too much to expect of an elected official? Sadly, the answer to that is probably yes. [emphasis added]

That one sentence brought me to my proverbial knees.

I feel this way.

I feel it with every fiber of my being, and I am moved to tears to be reminded that there are others in this country who feel the same–who would stand on the front with nothing but their hearts if need be, defending not only the freedoms we cherish, but the memories and honor of those who purchased them for us. Events like GOE 1 in D.C.–and the upcoming GOE rally on September 15th–are imperative. Our freedoms–and our children’s lives–depend on our ability and our willingness to face whatever evil may arise, with honor, conviction of soul, and the courage to do what needs to be done. These are not pretty words. They are the reality, the ever-sobering fact that we are a nation at war. We are a people fighting for our lives.

Bravo Zulu, Chris. See you on the front lines in September.



Letter to A Veteran: Was it worth the Sacrifice?

Posted: 14 Jul 2007 10:26 PM CDT

Dear Veteran,

I understand that you must go to war when our country asks you and I understand that going to war for you means leaving your families, friends, loved ones, and neighbors. I understand that the possibilities you face are more definite than what I know and that you realize you may not come back the person you were before you left, or at most, you may not come back alive. But, what I don’t understand is if you think the sacrifice was worth it? Did WE live up to your expectations for what you gave to us? When you heard of home, were you glad to hear that we were standing up for you? Or did we let you down?

Sincerely,

Was it Worth It?

San Francisco, CA

Dear Was it Worth It,

First I would like to praise your understanding of the meaning of patriotism. It seems like as our great nation becomes more assimilated over the past two centuries, and the free spirit on whom it was founded has become watered down taken for granted by many.

You asked whether or not if I believed the sacrifice was worth it. Without hesitation I will answer emphatically “YES”. Unlike a few, but like many fellow American patriots, I believed that protecting my country and family was like a “right of passage”. Throughout time, young men in every culture have in some form or another, participated in this passage from boyhood to manhood. So, whether you are out proving that you are a warrior by stalking a bear or mountain lion with a bow and arrow, or you kill a lion with a sling shot, or you march off as a boy to defend your beliefs and country, then come back a man of responsibility, it is all tied together in our history of manhood.

The next question is you ask of me is very disturbing deep in my soul and the soul of hundred of thousands from my era. You see, up till 1965-1973, previous wars were met with very little resistance. The majority of the nation felt threatened in some way, and supported the wars in whatever way they could. The spirit of patriotism ran like the mighty Mississippi River, deep and wide. However, something changed to that spirit when foreign sympathizers started poisoning the minds of Americans with the help of the left controlled media during the Vietnam era.

We as fighting soldiers were oblivious to what was happing back home in the states. Letters from home were more precious than gold, and our families would not discuss the politics and bad press in an attempt to shield us from an already ugly war.

So when the majority of us stepped off the plane expecting to come home to a hero’s reception, we were yelled at, spat upon, called “Baby Killers”, and any other name these weird dressed, sign carrying, crazy people could think of to call us.

I was in total shock and confusion. Here we had given the best four years of our lives to our country and no one would even look us in the face. When I got home no one wanted to discuss how it was or what happened. They really didn’t want to listen to any of the stories of the experiences I went through. After a while I just with drew into a shell and tried to pick up the pieces the best I could, and moved on trying to make a life for my family.

So to answer your last question, “ did my country let me down”. It may have let me down, but I have never let it down. I continued to serve as an Law enforcement Officer, helping the very people that turned their back on me, just like they are today, turning their backs on our brave men and women in Iraq who are protecting us from the GREATEST threat we have ever faced as a nation. Wake up America before it is to late.

Sincerely,

US Navy Veteran: Petty Officer, 3rd Class,

Dan Abernathy

* If you would like to write to Letters to A Veteran, please email your letter and contact information to the email address, gabrielle.pike@gatheringofeagles.org. Note: GOE reserves the right to choose to publish any and/or all letters submitted.

*If you are a Veteran and would like to contribute to this weekly posting, please email your name, military branch, and rank to gabrielle.pike@gatheringofeagles.org . Note” GOE reserves the right to choose to publish any and/or all submissions.


Facing Cindy Sheehan: Operation Welcome to Columbus is a SUCCESS!

Posted: 14 Jul 2007 04:12 PM CDT

This comes in from Matt Krause, dedicated Eagle down in Georgia. He and other Eagles faced up to Cindy Sheehan at the “rally” today in Columbus, Georgia, close to the gates of Ft. Benning.

I’m proud to announce that our little band of Eagles outnumbered Ms. Looney Bird and her band of society’s rejects by 2-1! We had our Eagle signs to hold up for her; reprints of the ones used against ANSWER back in March. Four of our local Eagles are also part of Rolling Thunder, so they brought their bikes down to the event. The bikers brought with them a beautiful American flag, which was proudly displayed for everyone to see.

The Columbus Police Dept. was out in force to ensure everyone’s safety. Beyond the gates of the base, we could see the MPs ready to take action in case one of the rejects tried to enter. While we did have to stay a bit flexible, the police did everything in their power to make sure we could exercise our Freedom of Speech. CPD was efficient and professional, and I
really appreciate their efforts in assisting with approval of our last minute event.

We were onsite at 9am, with demonstration permit in hand. We held our signs so passing motorists could see them as they entered and exited the base. After an hour, a rag-tag convoy arrived. It was quite a pitiful sight. They had a few cars, a tiny RV, a beatup pickup truck, and one of those little electric cars. Look everyone, it’s the Looney Bird Express! lol At
first they tried parking down the side street in our parking area, but the police made them move. Unfortunately the police ended up allowing them to park between us and our cars, meaning that any of our late arrivals would have to pass them in order to get to us.

An incident occured when a young man and his two kids arrived late; the kids holding signs showing support for their mom, who is deployed to Iraq. Details are a little sketchy, but it looks like some of Cindy’s group made hurtful comments as they passed, causing the little girl to cry. Their dad fired a verbal salvo back at the rejects, and we were able to tuck them under our Eagle wings when they got to us.

We could tell right away that the rejects weren’t expecting us. One of their organizers had quite a hard time trying to get through our line along the road. Beth, one of our most outspoken Eagles here in town, followed the guy around, holding her sign up so he could see it. (The first time I saw Beth in action, she was “escorting” two infiltrators back to their lines during GOE1.) Cindy’s organizer went over to the police in the hopes that they could move from the side street they were on, to the main road along which we were set up.

The police said they would allow Cindy & Co. to stand on the sidewalk across the side street from us. I had to giggle, as that sidewalk was 20 feet from the road, down a steep hill, making it almost impossible to see them from the main road! haha! When we first arrived we could have had that spot, instead choosing the other side, where we could stand along the curb of the street. An early Eagle gets the best spot.

After some polite pleading with the police, we were allowed to approach Cindy’s band of rejects. We got to within 10 feet of them before the police rethought their decision and asked us to fall back to our primary position. I tried not to listen to her lies,”blah blah torture, blah blah impeachment, blah blah blah”. Everything out of their mouths was just the most idiotic
bunch of bull manure that I’ve ever heard. I think I need to wash my ears. All in all, it was a great two hours. After a small rant, Cindy & Co retreated back to their convoy, so most of us began to pack up. A handful of us were still on the road when they drove past, with Cindy yelling things out the window of her RV. Such class!

Eagles, if you’re close to one of the Looney Bird Express’ proposed stops, please think about getting a demonstration permit and countering her message. We’ve got to make sure that our voices are heard.

Eagles Up!

Matt Krause


Intel Says Moonbat Group May Assault the Vietnam Wall

Posted: 14 Jul 2007 11:26 AM GMT-06:00

A “very preliminary” report by law enforcement in Maryland has come across the wire saying that an anarchist group is looking to deface the Wall on September 15th during ANSWER’s rally in Washington, D.C.

This will not be allowed to happen, period. We are acting on this intel and we’re certain that Eagles will be there in force to assure the safety and sanctity of our hallowed grounds.

Be aware–September 15th will be quite a showdown. Please consider either being there yourself or helping someone else get there by donating to GOE.

Thank you for your continued support. EAGLES UP!



GOE’s Samek Charges ALL Eagles to Counter “Retiree” Cindy Sheehan

Posted: 13 Jul 2007 10:45 PM GMT-06:00

An anti-war protest in Bryant Park at 1701 West Morehead Street of Charlotte, NC at 5:00 pm has led Cindy Sheehan to “come out” of retirement. Sheehan will be countered by GOE’s Eagle George Samek and his crew of anti-Moonbat ducks on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 at 3:00 pm sharp.

GOE requests ALL AVAILABLE Eagles to join Samek and his ducks!

Samek requests ALL participating Eagles to bring all available anti-war material, flags, signs, and bullhorns.

Eagles-let’s show Ms. Sheehan we hacve not “forgotten” her during her short-lived retirement!

Eagles UP!


Daily Contemplation: The Evolution of America

Posted: 13 Jul 2007 10:12 PM GMT-06:00

Eagles,

I have to tell you that as I walked the halls of the Atlanta Home Dec. Show today, I saw an empty building which used to burst at its seams with bustling buyers looking for the next big retail “hit.”

I was saddened as I overheard a woman complaining about how she must close her store because she cannot get people to shop. I became enraged when the next comment she produced was, “The economy is so bad because we, as Americans, just had to elect the most retarded man in the USA as President…this damn war in Iraq has ruined us all!”

I was shocked and though, in a professional setting, was about to become unglued! As she approached me I lightly touched the bold pin of the American Flag on my breast and smiled wanly at her.

It was then that a heart-breaking satisfaction and patriotic pride soared thru my whole being as the woman she was walking with quietly whispered- “My son died in this ‘damn war’ so that you could continue keeping your doors open to commerce and free trade rather than close them under a dictator rule defined by old world religion.”

With that she turned on her heel and walked away.
The woman stood there with her mouth open and a look of horror on her face and as my eyes met hers and she realized I had overheard the conversation; it was then that the severity of what had transpired struck her and tears rolled down her cheeks.

I walked over to her and said, “Ma’am, that woman and her son represent America and you have been weighed, measured, and found wanting. God Bless You.”

As I walked away I meditated on the event and realized that this “minute” occurrence changed three women’s lives forever; a lamb became a lioness, a dove became an eaglet, and an eaglet became an Eagle- as the evolution of America should be.

May this event inspire you as it did me. God Bless and Eagles–Soar!

Your Eagle Sister,
Gabi


U.S. President, Key U.S. General in Iraq Praise Effort Connecting Americans, Combat Troops

Posted: 13 Jul 2007 09:46 PM GMT-06:00

Roseville CA - July 12th, 2007 - The President of the U.S., along with a key U.S. general in Iraq, have recognized how Troops Need You is enabling average Americans to deliver what U.S. troops need to win over Iraqi locals.

“Thank you for supporting those who sacrifice so that future generations may live in peace and freedom,” the President wrote.

The President continued to praise the work of Troops Need You, a citizen-led troop support effort that is mobilizing the American people in direct support of combat troops in Iraq.

Troops Need You completes shipments to U.S. troops in response to requests they receive from local Iraqis. Battalion leadership confirms that such taliored, local solutions help improve the lives of Iraqis, and can be leveraged to motivate Iraqis to stand up for their own government and security. Thus, the resources that Americans are delivering to the troops are actually contributing to overall mission success.

The letter from the President arrived shortly after similar letters of praise from General Petraeus, the top coalition general in Iraq, and Lieutanant General Odierno, the Commander of U.S. Forces in Iraq.Troops Need You fills a unique role by connecting the American people with the combat troops on the ground. High-level leaders understand the need for the troops to have the resources they need to motivate the Iraqi people to stand up for their own security and government. the American people with the combat troops on the ground. High-level leaders understand the need for the troops to have the resources they need to motivate the Iraqi people to stand up for their own security and government.
Need for Even Greater Citizen Involvement Increased attention from military command, media results in more combat troops requesting support

Troops Need You is growing quickly, as a result of the increased attention from government leaders, as well as increased media attention.More combat troops are requesting support, which means that more Americans are needed to get involved, by donating or volunteering to help organize support for specific units.

The vision of Troops Need You is to establish sponsorships between Americans, who raise the support needed to deliver $5,000 in goods per month, and the 50 battalions who are fighting in the most critical areas of Iraq. Groups like churches, political groups, corporations, and civic organizations are well-suited to carry out the role of a sponsor for a combat battalion.

Just as the President praised of “the wonderful things Troops Need You is doing for the troops,” this is the time for more people to get involved so Troops Need You can connect even more Americans with the troops who need their support.

About Troops Need You Troops Need You is a charitable organization dedicated to maintaining the American tradition of mobilizing citizens to directly enable wartime success. By using donated funds from people across the country, Troops Need You delivers what combat units need to win over local Iraqis. Donations are accepted online at http://www.TroopsNeedYou.com or by mail to Troops Need You, PO Box 387, Roseville California 95661.

About the Founder Major Eric Egland (Reserve) has served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He earned a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence from the National Defense Intelligence College and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has discussed national security issues on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN and NPR. Some of his experiences are featured in the upcoming Fox News documentary on Iran.


Sheehan Rally - Atlanta

Posted: 13 Jul 2007 08:12 PM GMT-06:00

Cindy Chavez (or I mean Sheehan) will be in Columbus GA on Saturday for a rally and Eagles in Georgia are preparing a response. Anyone wishing more info contact me and I will get you a contact.

As the state coordinator for the Gathering of Eagles for Georgia, I am so pleased to join the group (get the bail money out again) that will “welcome” her as she arrives for a speech at the Seven Stages Theater in Atlanta at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. She is speaking for the presentation of a play on Marxism.

She is a dishonor to her son who lost his life in Iraq while serving in a cause, a conflict, and a military that he chose to support. He had a short but distinguished career. Many Eagles will join me in standing to confront her in Honor of her son and his sacrifice on the altar of freedom.

On Tuesday the 17th I will join George “Bull Horn” Samek in Charlotte, North Carolina for a huge rally in response to her appearance there.

If you can’t be with us then please think about the servicemen and women who serve to protect and defend you everyday. Remember to add this verse I have written to sing whenever I hear the song “God Bless America” which goes like this:

“God Bless our servicemen, wherever they may be,

Stand beside them, and protect them, as they fight for liberty,

In the desert, in the mountains, o’er the ocean, white with foam,

God bless our servicemen. bring them safely home,

GOD BLESS OUR SERVICEMEN, BRING THEM SAFELY HOME.”

The war and support for or against it is something each individual must decide for themselves. But we should never abandon those who put themselves in harms way to insure our freedom.

Somewhere on a island in the Pacific, these words are carved on simple stone monument in memory of those who fought and died there during WWII:

“When you go home, go home to your families and say, to insure their tomorrow, we gave our today.”

There will be many events in the next few months in support of the troops. I will be in Atlanta tomorrow, Charlotte Tuesday, Walter Reed first Friday in August, back in DC 15 September for a huge anti moonbat and support and fund the troops rally and also in DC with another “Vets To Washington Project Trip”.

If anyone would like additional info on any event or info on what you as one person by yourself can do to support the troops please contact me. This is one place where one person can make a difference and you can do that by reaching out and touching the life of a servicemember.

Thanks and See you at the Rally.

Doug Hastings
GOE State Coordinator: Georgia

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NRA update 16

Not often I really rant about things that are posted in the updates I get from the NRA, but THIS update carries one that just absolutely is around the bend in my opinion. When you read down, you will see where New Jersey is considering legislation whereby it would be illegal to give toy guns to children under the age of 18. My mind wanders back to my own childhood, where, as my father is anti-gun, toy guns were VERBOTEN in my household. Did that stop us? Nope. I wonder if the State of New Jersey is going to include sticks SHAPED like guns, lego's, and (gasp) the forefinger and thumb pointed to PRETEND that it's a gun? Common sense has gone out the frigging window YET AGAIN, it would seem.

Here's a little reminder of what our founding fathers had to say about such as this. "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state,
the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

HCdL

Once and Always, an American Fighting Man


U.S. HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

PRESERVES TIAHRT AMENDMENT!

On Thursday, July 12, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee voted to protect language commonly known as the "Tiahrt Amendment," rejecting two separate amendments designed to strike and gut the language, in the Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2008. This language maintains firearm trace information within the law enforcement community and out of the hands of politicians, trial lawyers and special interest groups.


THE FACTS ABOUT OSHA'S AMMUNITION PROPOSAL: A recent proposal for new "explosives safety" regulations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has rightly caused a flurry of concern among gun owners and those in the firearm business. OSHA had set out to make legitimate updates to workplace safety regulations pertaining to explosives; unfortunately, the proposed rule goes far beyond regulating true explosives. The proposed rules include restrictions that very few gun stores, sporting goods stores, shippers, or ammunition dealers could comply with.

Labor Department Announces It Will Revise
Overreaching OSHA Explosives Rule

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it will significantly revise a recent proposal for new “explosives safety” regulations that caused serious concern among gun owners. OSHA had originally set out to update workplace safety regulations, but the proposed rules included restrictions that very few gun shops, sporting goods stores, shippers, or ammunition dealers could comply with.

Gun owners had filed a blizzard of negative comments urged by the NRA, and just a week ago, OSHA had already issued one extension for its public comment period at the request of the National Shooting Sports Foundation. After continued publicity through NRA alerts and the outdoor media, and after dozens of Members of Congress expressed concern about its impact, OSHA has wisely decided to go back to the drawing board.

Working with the NRA, Congressman Denny Rehberg (R-MT) planned to offer a floor amendment to the Labor-HHS appropriations bill this Wednesday when the House considers this legislation. His amendment would have prohibited federal funds from being used to enforce this OSHA regulation.

Such an amendment is no longer necessary since Kristine A. Iverson, the Labor Department’s Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, sent Rep. Rehberg a letter, dated July 16, stating that it “was never the intention of OSHA to block the sale, transportation, or storage of small arms ammunition, and OSHA is taking prompt action to revise” this proposed rule to clarify the purpose of the regulation.

Also, working with the NRA, Congressman Doug Lamborn (R-CO) gathered signatures from 25 House colleagues for a letter, dated July 11, expressing concerns about this proposed OSHA rule. The letter calling the proposal “an undue burden on a single industry where facts do not support the need outlined by this proposed rule” and “not feasible, making it realistically impossible for companies to comply with its tenets.”

The OSHA proposal would have defined “explosives” to include “black powder, … small arms ammunition, small arms ammunition primers, [and] smokeless propellant,” and treated these items the same as the most volatile high explosives.

Under the proposed rule, a workplace that contained even a handful of small arms cartridges, for any reason, would have been considered a “facility containing explosives” and therefore subject to many impractical restrictions. For example, no one could carry “firearms, ammunition, or similar articles in facilities containing explosives … except as required for work duties.” Obviously, this rule would make it impossible to operate any kind of gun store, firing range, or gunsmith shop.

The public comment website for the proposed rule is no longer accessible. The Labor Department will publish a notice in the July 17 Federal Register announcing that a new rule proposal will soon be drafted for public comment. Needless to say, the NRA monitors proposed federal regulations to head off this kind of overreach, and will be alert for OSHA’s next draft.

We will post the letter to Congressman Rehberg shortly.


CONTRIBUTE TO NRA-ILA AND RECEIVE DISCOUNTED THEME PARK TICKETS!

Thanks to the generosity of Anheuser-Busch, NRA-ILA has the opportunity to make available a limited number of single-day passes to one of the Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks in the United States. These passes are valid through April 2008, and are good for a one-day adult or child admission into SeaWorld Orlando, San Antonio or San Diego; Busch Gardens or Adventure Island in Tampa Bay; or Busch Gardens or Water Country USA in Williamsburg.

To make a contribution and get your tickets, please visit https://secure.nraila.org/buschgardens.aspx.

(Contributions to NRA-ILA are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for Federal Income tax purposes.)

STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates on states not listed below.)

ALABAMA: City of Huntsville Violating Our Second Amendment Rights! It has been reported that the City of Huntsville has posted several signs stating it is unlawful to "possess firearms" on most of the major greenways including, the Aldridge Creek Greenway and the Big Cove Creek Greenway. This is in direct violation of state law as the regulation of firearms is entirely reserved for the Alabama State Legislature. Please contact the members of the Huntsville City Council at (256) 427-5011 or by
e-mail and urge them to remove the signs containing language relating to firearms possession from all of the major greenways throughout the city. For further contact information, please click here.


CALIFORNIA: Golden State Ammo Registration Bill Gutted! On Tuesday, July 10, the California Senate Public Safety Committee gutted Assembly Bill 362, and it will now be re-worked to require the California Department of Justice to only study the regulation of ammunition sales. AB362 would have required identification to be presented for all mail order and face-to-face ammunition sales. Sellers of ammunition would have been forced to keep detailed and accurate sales records. No retail seller of ammunition would have been able to sell, offer for sale, or display for sale any ammunition in a manner that allowed ammunition to be accessible to a purchaser without the assistance of the retailer or authorized employee.

Lead Ammunition Ban Still Pending in California Senate! A bill that would ban the use of lead ammunition for hunting in various hunting zones around the state that incorporate condor range could be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee as early as Monday, July 16. Please contact the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee today and respectfully urge them to protect California's rich hunting tradition by opposing AB821. Contact information for committee members can be found by clicking here.

California Microstamping Legislation Scheduled for Committee Hearing! Assembly Bill 1471 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday, July 16. AB1471 would require that after a certain date, the make, model, and serial number be microstamped onto the interior surface or internal working parts of all handguns in such a manner that those identifiers are imprinted onto the cartridge case upon firing. Under AB1471, the manufacture, sale, and transfer of handguns that do not include their identifying information would be a crime. Please contact the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee today and respectfully urge them to oppose AB1471. Contact information for committee members can be found by clicking here.

Mandatory Spay or Neuter Bill Held in Committee! Thanks to substantial opposition by NRA members and other sportsmen's groups, Assembly Bill 1364 failed to garner enough support to pass the Senate Local Government Committee and was pulled from committee. The bill will not be reconsidered again before January 2008. While this is a great win for sportsmen throughout the Golden State, the debate will continue in the future. Please continue to convey your opposition to this legislation to your legislators at every opportunity.

COLORADO: Hunting and Recreational Shooting Restrictions Proposed on BLM Land! Hunting and recreational shooting is being targeted by the Bureau of Land Management in south central Colorado near Salida. If you hunt, target shoot, use motorized vehicles, hike and/or camp on these public lands, the proposal will affect you. It is important that BLM hear from you. The management plan and information on how to submit comments can be found at: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/rgfo/travel_mgmt/arkansas_river_travel0.html


ILLINOIS: Illinois Lawmakers Finally Turn Attention Away from Gun Control Governor Rod Blagokevich (D) tried to breath life into Senate Bill 1007 during a special session to resolve budget issues. SB 1007 would ban the manufacture, possession, delivery, sale, and purchase of standard capacity ammunition magazines capable of holding more than ten (10) cartridges. Refusing to be bullied by the governor, the bill's sponsor in the House, Representative Harry Osterman (D-Chicago) made it known that they did not have the supermajority of 71 votes needed to see the bill passed, so there was no need to delay a budget resolution with an off topic vote that would be overwhelmingly defeated.

KENTUCKY: New Kentucky Hunter Permit Available July 1! On Sunday, July 1, a new permit became available for people who are interested in trying hunting in Kentucky. This temporary "try before you buy" permit would allow a person to hunt for one year without first completing a hunter education course. The licensee must be accompanied by a person who is at least 18 years and who has met the hunter education requirement. The permit will be available online at http://www.fw.ky.gov/ for a $5 fee and is available to both Kentucky residents and nonresidents.

MICHIGAN: "No-Net-Loss" Legislation Heading to Senate Floor! House Bill 4597, "No-Net-Loss" legislation, is heading to the Senate floor for consideration. This bill will protect Michigan's valuable hunting tradition by ensuring that today's total acreage of public hunting lands is not reduced. Please contact your State Senator at (517) 373-2400 and respectfully urge him or her to pass HB4597 to protect Michigan's hunting heritage.

NEW JERSEY: Bill to Reorganize Fish & Game Council Heads to Assembly Floor! A3275, a bill that seeks to drastically change the membership of the Fish & Game Council from six sportsmen and three farmers who represent various geographical regions of the state to seven political appointees recommended by the Governor, is now heading to the full Assembly. The bill passed the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee by a 5-2 vote on Thursday, June 14. Animal "rights" extremists testifying in support of A3275 derided hunting as a "15th century" means to wildlife management and touted this legislation as a "21st century" tool for wildlife management. They also expressed their desire to rid the Fish & Game Council of anyone with a "hunter driven background." Please contact your State Assembly member at (800) 792-8630 and respectfully urge him or her to vigorously oppose this anti-hunting legislation. To identify your Assembly member, please click here.

New Jersey Attacking Imitation Firearms Senate Bill 2810 would make it a crime to sell or give an imitation firearm (toy gun) to anyone under the age of 18, defining an imitation firearm as an "object or device that is reasonably capable of being mistaken for a firearm." Please contact the members of the Senate Committee on Law and Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs and ask them to defeat this ridiculous bill that attacks legitimate retailers instead of focusing on the criminals that use firearms, real and imitation, to commit crimes in New Jersey. Please click here for contact information.

OHIO: "Castle Doctrine" Bill Needs Your Help! As previously reported, on June 13, legislation was introduced in Ohio that would restore the most basic of fundamental rights: self-defense. State Senator Steve Buehrer (R-1) and State Representative Lynn Wachtmann (R- 75) have introduced Senate Bill 184 and House Bill 264, a package that restores the right of individuals to respond in force in defense of their lives and family without fear of civil lawsuits by criminals injured or killed while attacking law-abiding victims. Please contact your State Senator at (614) 466-4900 and your State Representative at (614) 466-3357 and respectfully urge him or her to support SB 184 and HB 264.

OREGON: Oregon Emergency Powers Provision on Governor's Desk! House Bill 2370, a Homeland Security-related bill containing an amendment prohibiting any government agency from confiscating or regulating the lawful sale, possession, transfer, transport and carry of firearms during a state of emergency, passed the Oregon Legislature and is on the desk of Governor Ted Kulongoski (D) for his consideration.

PENNSYLVANIA: Pennsylvania Governor Still on Anti-Gun Rampage While speaking before the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, Governor Ed Rendell (D) tried to rally support for his anti-gun proposals for the next legislative session. He is urging law enforcement officials to sign-on to efforts limiting firearms purchases to one-gun-a-month as well as changing state preemption laws to allow local municipalities to pass their own laws. Please contact the Governor at (717) 787-2500, your State Senator at (717) 787-5920, and your State Representative at (717) 787-2372 and respectfully urge them to oppose any gun control measures.



Anti-Gun Philadelphia City Council Members Sue State Legislature to Implement Anti-Gun Ordinances! Philadelphia City Council Members Darrell L. Clarke and Donna Reed Miller have filed a suit against the Pennsylvania Legislature seeking to allow seven city gun-control measures to be implemented without approval from the legislature. Such implementation would be a clear violation of the preemption statutes currently in effect in Pennsylvania. Please contact your State Senator at (717) 787-5920 and your State Representative at (717) 787-2372 and respectfully urge them to continue to oppose any gun control measures that would make Philadelphia gun owners second-class citizens.


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Israel Endures, and so does a Paladin...

I had started this piece as a reply to a discussion on Snooper's site. However, given my condition that spree refers to as "diarrhea of the mouth," I found it to be too long to put there, and decided to put it here instead.

Let me preface this piece by stating, for the record, that I am a Zionist. I have been a Zionist long before I truly knew what the term meant, or even that there was a term for it. As a child reared in a church upbringing, I can remember many of the stories and lessons of Sunday school teachings from very early in my life. I fell in love with the nation of Israel at a very young age, have spent my life as an advocate of modern Israel, once considered immigrating TO Israel to volunteer to be a member of her armed forces after having served my OWN country in OUR armed forces.

That being said, here is the piece that started out as a reply and wound up being a personal revelation:

The "holy wars" karen refers to are most likely the wars Israel fought in ancient times against such tribes as the Philistines, the Hittites, and the Canaanites (whom they defeated when they first began settling ancient Israel), among others. The Bible and tradition teaches that Israel was to destroy her enemies utterly and completely. There was a reason for this; from day one, Israel has been fighting for her very survival.

Is Israel indeed the chosen nation of God? Let's do a brief tracking through history, looking at things in a fairly non-specific manner.

Israel has survived, over the millenia, enslavement by the Egyptians, a division of the kingdom into the Kingdoms of Israel and Judea, captivity by the Babylonians, and the Romans, who dispersed the Jews from their homeland, from which they remained in exile until they were given leave, by Britain (who did little to nothing to help them, in actuality) to return TO the area known as Palestine in the late 1940's. In the time period between the Diaspora and the Return, the Holy Land has been ravaged by Arabic occupations and wars, the Crusades, which saw western Christendom establishing kingdoms and baronies of their own via mandate of the Church, the dispelling of Christendom by Islam, and finally occupation by the British Empire until the Jews returned, finally, home.

That's roughly six thousand years stuffed VERY tightly into a nutshell.

Six thousand years. The Babylonian Empire is gone. The British Empire is no more, they are now the British Commonwealth. The Roman Empire is gone, as is the Holy Roman Empire.

Israel has not only survived being spread among the nations of the Earth, she has returned to her home. She has survived.

Now, following this to it's logical conclusion, it would appear, indeed, that there IS something wondrous and special about Israel. Something that goes beyond the mere boundaries of a land. Israel is a people, a people set aside and chosen, a people protected BY the hand of a God who not only keeps and preserves them, but, as is shown clearly throughout the Bible, a God who chastises and punishes them when they are out of his will.

But you will notice that Israel survives, DESPITE so many attempts through history to eliminate this proud people from the face of the Earth.

Who then, are the infidels? I say to you that if there are infidels, if there are unbelievers, it would be those who are hell bent on the destruction of Israel. That would be radical jihadist fascist extremist Islam, at the top of the list. True "neo-Nazi's."

My mother's uncle fought under Patton during World War II. He was very quiet regarding most of his military service. He wouldn't discuss the war much at all, other than to talk about the French and Italian countryside and how beautiful the land was, and to say that MY generation would have to face the Nazi's again, because their message of hatred had spread beyond Europe into other parts of the world. Look to the Middle East, to Radical Extremist Islam, and their message.

Ossama bin Laden fancies himself, if one looks to both history and psychology, as being the Saladin of our lifetime. Saladin was an honorable man, a true warrior, a true leader. Saladin led his forces HIMSELF, in the open, and had no fear to meet his opponents face to face in meetings of truce, and on the open battlefield. Saladin would NEVER have dishonored himself by hiding in caves, in supporting acts of dishonor and cowardice of convincing others to blow themselves to hell in crowded places to kill innocents, pronouncing them martyrs to be rewarded in heaven.

I am a Zionist, yes, and have been all of my life, for as long as I can remember. The lessons of Israel's history, not just the religious messages, but the lessons of the people, the individuals, are as rich and meaningful today as they were when they were written so many millenia ago. Yes, there are lessons to be learned by studying other cultures, other religions, other societies, but Israel endures. Sampson, Gideon, David, and Solomon were my heroes long before Superman, Batman, Richard, Charlemagne, and even Saladin. I suppose there is no surprise, all these years after my initial teachings, that the great love of my life is a daughter of Zion. However, I also have questioned God for a number of years, at times questioning his very existence, let alone his divine will and purpose in my OWN life, my individual existence. Time has brought these questions; time, observation, experience, and situation. I'm in good company, I suppose, for I share that habit with the likes of David, Moses, and Jesus of Nazareth himself. I don't equate myself in ANY way with these men OTHER than that I do have questions which have yet to be answered. Perhaps there are no answers, not in the form in which we tend to think of them. I have maintained, after much reflection through the years and no small amount of studying Zen and practicing it's meditations when I was younger, that all true answers to such questions can ultimately be found within ones self.

A student asked me once, before one of my classes, when I was teaching, about my life before teaching. It took me a bit off guard, something that high school seniors are prone to attempt with their teachers, especially the ones who come back to their home towns to take interim positions after being away and out of contact with the "locals" for some time; I was an enigma to them. That I was known as having come into the teaching field later than most, having spent time as a soldier, a fireman, and a contractor, furthered the mystery about me in their minds even more, I'm sure. Most of their teachers, from the time they began kindergarten on through the years until their final year in school had been more "traditional," having gone from high school to college and then into their own classrooms to teach. I didn't fit into that mold. I weighed her question, which was honest and sincere in it's presentation, having been the subject of much discussion amongst my classes, and considered how best to answer her, and the others who had turned their attention to me awaiting my answer.

This is the basis of what my reply to her was:

I have lived my life largely on my own terms for as long as I have been able to do so. I have been and done everything I set out to do and to be, I have seen things of incredible beauty, I have seen things of absolute horror. I've been places and done things that I can never share with anyone, but those memories, those experiences, live within me every day of my life. I have seen life come into this world, I have seen life leave this world in the most horrible of manners. I have known the fear that comes with the closeness of death. I have saved lives, I have done otherwise at least once...

I have loved greatly and fully, and I have known the agony of love lost, and the rapture of love returned and the promise of tomorrow. I have known pain of the body, pain of the soul, and joy beyond measure.

At my lowest point, I had considered my life, and had asked myself, "Is there nothing more? Have I done all that there is to do?" I very nearly decided that I had, when three simple little words found me and shook me to my foundations, urging me to begin a climb out of my own personal hell back into the light. Those three little words were something special, precious, meant just for me, and they literally saved my life. With those words I began the most difficult assent of the soul that I have ever undertaken, and I continue it still, more confidently each day as I continue on this quest that I am meant to endure.

My students were silent when I finished, I know not what their thoughts were, or even if I had answered their question. Perhaps I left them wondering even more with my reply. I do know that it was the most honest answer that I could give.

Perhaps, in retrospect, I found an answer of my own as well. Perhaps my studies did more than instill me with a love and respect of a tiny little nation forged on the shores of the Mediterranean sea so long ago. Perhaps the chastising of a nation can equate to the trials of the soul of the individual, as well. Perhaps the will of God for me is to do exactly what Israel has done through the millenia; to endure. And endure I will, for I cling fast to that promise of tomorrow, and with each day the quest draws me closer to that for which my heart and soul long and yearn for.

Questing onward...

Once and Always, an American Fighting Man

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