We can never repay our fallen heroes.
Photo: Michael Yon
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Timeless Words
"The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe—the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God."
~ John F. Kennedy, January 20, 1961
Sunday, May 29, is the 94th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's birth. The above quote from his Inaugural Address, given 50 years ago, seems especially relevant in today's world.
But far too many modern leaders have forgotten that our rights do come from God. And today, those leaders are not just "around the globe"--they are wielding their power over us right here in Washington D.C.
I wonder what JFK would say about our nation's current political challenges?
~ John F. Kennedy, January 20, 1961
Sunday, May 29, is the 94th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's birth. The above quote from his Inaugural Address, given 50 years ago, seems especially relevant in today's world.
But far too many modern leaders have forgotten that our rights do come from God. And today, those leaders are not just "around the globe"--they are wielding their power over us right here in Washington D.C.
I wonder what JFK would say about our nation's current political challenges?
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
So's Your Great Grandfather
So, now Obama is Irish? C’mon.
Evidently there's a great-great-great grandfather in the mix who came from Ireland during the potato famine. Two centuries back--that's quite a connection. Should be worth some Irish-American votes...at least the stupid ones. Having had grandparents from Ireland--that I actually knew--gives me a pass to say that. But alas, a stupid vote is still a vote.
Is there no worldly place safe from his eternal trolling for a hereditary constituency? In addition to Ireland, our cosmopolitan president has familial claims to England, Wales, Germany, Kenya, and Indonesia. In the U.S., he has lived in Hawaii, California, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, and now Washington D.C.
But, Irish? The UK’s The Telegraph has a hilarious piece about it, linked here.
I have a silly question. What would the media be doing if George W. Bush had stopped off for a pint at his “ancestral home” in Ireland, then winged his way over to Britain for tea at the palace, all while the U.S. Midwest was under devastating siege from deadly tornados? Somehow, I don’t think a photo op of him on the phone, agonizing to Missouri’s governor with “thoughts and prayers,” would have bought him much slack. The news coverage about the negligent globetrotting president would have been brutal.
But Obama? O’course, 'tis a different tale! He’s MSM’s lad. No matter what country he says he’s from, sure and they’ll be protectin’ him.
Evidently there's a great-great-great grandfather in the mix who came from Ireland during the potato famine. Two centuries back--that's quite a connection. Should be worth some Irish-American votes...at least the stupid ones. Having had grandparents from Ireland--that I actually knew--gives me a pass to say that. But alas, a stupid vote is still a vote.
Is there no worldly place safe from his eternal trolling for a hereditary constituency? In addition to Ireland, our cosmopolitan president has familial claims to England, Wales, Germany, Kenya, and Indonesia. In the U.S., he has lived in Hawaii, California, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, and now Washington D.C.
But, Irish? The UK’s The Telegraph has a hilarious piece about it, linked here.
I have a silly question. What would the media be doing if George W. Bush had stopped off for a pint at his “ancestral home” in Ireland, then winged his way over to Britain for tea at the palace, all while the U.S. Midwest was under devastating siege from deadly tornados? Somehow, I don’t think a photo op of him on the phone, agonizing to Missouri’s governor with “thoughts and prayers,” would have bought him much slack. The news coverage about the negligent globetrotting president would have been brutal.
But Obama? O’course, 'tis a different tale! He’s MSM’s lad. No matter what country he says he’s from, sure and they’ll be protectin’ him.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The Queen's Speech
"It is a sad and regrettable reality that through history our islands have experienced more than their fair share of heartache, turbulence and loss ... with the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we wish had been done differently, or not at all."~ Queen Elizabeth II, Dublin Castle
The Queen of England is in the midst of a 4-day visit to the Republic of Ireland, a historic event the first of its kind in the 90 years of Irish independence. In her speech at Dublin Castle, Elizabeth II acknowledged the weight of the past and the promise of the future, and she did it with customary dignity and grace.
As the old Chinese proverb says, "the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." By her words and actions, the Queen has taken a long and significant stride toward healing the ancient wounds that have caused so much suffering between Ireland and England. The world could use a lot more of her courage.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Details, details...
It's always a good idea to check in with Victor Davis Hanson. Here's his most recent take on the paradoxes of the Obama presidency.
Friday, May 13, 2011
A Day of Mystery
Today is the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima. The Catholic Church recognizes that from May through October, 1917, Mary appeared to three Portuguese children on the 13th day of the month and gave them important messages to deliver to the world.
Throughout his life, Blessed John Paul II had great devotion to the Blessed Mother. His would-be murderer had the misfortune to attempt assassination on May 13, 1981. As John Paul stated in his biography, “One hand fired and another guided the bullet.” The pope firmly believed that Mary had intervened to save his life. On his visit to Our Lady of Fatima’s shrine on May 13, 1982, John Paul II placed the bullet that had nearly killed him in the crown of Mary’s statue.
The Church does not require acceptance of apparitions, but it’s hard to deny their impact and influence. For believers, today is a celebration of a very significant supernatural event during the last century.
As Shakespeare might have remarked, “There are more things in heaven and earth…than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” To that, I can only respond with three Hail Marys and a big “Amen.”
Throughout his life, Blessed John Paul II had great devotion to the Blessed Mother. His would-be murderer had the misfortune to attempt assassination on May 13, 1981. As John Paul stated in his biography, “One hand fired and another guided the bullet.” The pope firmly believed that Mary had intervened to save his life. On his visit to Our Lady of Fatima’s shrine on May 13, 1982, John Paul II placed the bullet that had nearly killed him in the crown of Mary’s statue.
The Church does not require acceptance of apparitions, but it’s hard to deny their impact and influence. For believers, today is a celebration of a very significant supernatural event during the last century.
As Shakespeare might have remarked, “There are more things in heaven and earth…than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” To that, I can only respond with three Hail Marys and a big “Amen.”
Sunday, May 08, 2011
Say Hey, Happy Birthday
"There have been only two geniuses in the world: Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare."
Quin Hillyer's salute to the man my father always called "the greatest ballplayer that ever lived" is linked here. The one-and-only Willie Mays turned 80 years old on Friday, May 6.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
After Thoughts
As most Americans likely have been doing, I’ve been reading and watching the news more than usual throughout this week. The following thoughts are just my humble opinions.
The Mission
Congratulations and thanks to the Navy SEALs. They were supposed to be an anonymous “small team of Americans,” but of course, “Slow Joe” Biden blabbed their identity.
What a miserable gaffe. No one is supposed to know when or how the SEALs operate. I’ll bet even the heroes of Team Six are annoyed that their achievement has been broadcast worldwide. SEALs are the “quiet professionals”—their own families will probably never know the details of the Bin Laden operation.
As for whether Bin Laden was armed or not, I could not care less. In fact, if we found out the SEALs had hog-tied him and hung him upside down from the rafters before they shot him, that would be fine by me—and I’d bet at least 75% of Americans feel the same way I do.
The President
Without reservation, I give President Obama full props for making the call to go in after Bin Laden. It took guts. Whatever the outcome, it was 100% on him. Bravo.
I’m less impressed by his follow-through. As usual, Obama never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity. The president could have leveraged the aftermath to enhance his--and America’s--image as a strong and decisive world leader. Unfortunately, he completely dropped the ball. Obama did not control his staff. Far too much information was disseminated too quickly, much of it inaccurate or inappropriate. The administration should have agreed to a party line in advance, something along the lines of “we are awaiting confirmation of the details.” They should have taken all the time they needed to get the facts straight and decide exactly what to say and when to say it, instead of letting everyone scatter and grab a microphone. Now they’re doing major damage control, backtracking with a gazillion corrections, and looking like complete fools.
After one a brief shining moment of strength and power, the Obama administration is back to looking like the Keystone Kops on steroids. Which brings me to:
The Photos
What is with the politically correct angst over releasing photos of a dead brutal mass murderer? Why do we care what the radical Islamists think of us? They hate us regardless of what we do, so why not show them what damage we’re capable of inflicting upon them after they attack us? All the maybe/maybe not dithering over releasing the photos just makes us look weak. The Islamists will never respect hand-wringing, but they might take note of a calm ruthlessness. Releasing just one photo would accomplish that.
Why is it that we can see the photos of Americans diving from the top of the World Trade Center, and the puddles of gore on the ground that represented their remains, but we can’t see the shot-up face of the homicidal maniac who planned their massacre?
Don’t tell us that’s “not who we are”—especially after you’ve seen the pictures, but we haven't. We know who we are, and we can decide for ourselves. Americans are a just and fair people. What happened to Osama Bin Laden was justice. If we can handle September 11, and thousands of our troops killed and injured since then, we can tolerate one bloody photo of the maniac who started it all. This country has earned the right to see it. Show it to us.
The Former President
George W. Bush will probably never get the credit he deserves from Obama or the media for putting in place the policies that led us to Bin Laden. But the fact is, it’s only because of the Bush administration’s handling of terror suspects that Bin Laden is dead. I didn’t always agree with him, but Bush knew what he was doing in the battle against the Islamists.
I like the fact that President Obama called former President Bush before making the public announcement. I also was pleased to hear that Obama invited Bush to go to visit Ground Zero with him. However, I was even happier to hear that Bush declined.
This is President Obama’s moment, and Bush knows and respects that reality. I think Bush is a very classy guy.
The Burial at Sea
Although many people object to the shipboard service, I really don’t have a problem with it. I realize that in so many deaths on 9/11, there were no bodies left to bury. But that’s how Bin Laden operated. He had no compassion, no respect, no honor, no goodness in him. He was pure evil. Evil people don’t care what happens to other people.
Americans do care about people. The US is the most charitable nation on earth. Our military has its code of conduct, honor, and integrity. America does not stoop to the level of a mass butcher. We bury the dead with dignity.
Yes, it was more than Bin Laden deserved. But it was the only right way for Americans to do it. And no matter how careful, devout, or thoughtful the service and burial might have been, I don’t believe it helped Bin Laden one iota. By the time Bin Laden’s body hit the brine, the butcher of 9/11 had already met his judgment.
The Mission
Congratulations and thanks to the Navy SEALs. They were supposed to be an anonymous “small team of Americans,” but of course, “Slow Joe” Biden blabbed their identity.
What a miserable gaffe. No one is supposed to know when or how the SEALs operate. I’ll bet even the heroes of Team Six are annoyed that their achievement has been broadcast worldwide. SEALs are the “quiet professionals”—their own families will probably never know the details of the Bin Laden operation.
As for whether Bin Laden was armed or not, I could not care less. In fact, if we found out the SEALs had hog-tied him and hung him upside down from the rafters before they shot him, that would be fine by me—and I’d bet at least 75% of Americans feel the same way I do.
The President
Without reservation, I give President Obama full props for making the call to go in after Bin Laden. It took guts. Whatever the outcome, it was 100% on him. Bravo.
I’m less impressed by his follow-through. As usual, Obama never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity. The president could have leveraged the aftermath to enhance his--and America’s--image as a strong and decisive world leader. Unfortunately, he completely dropped the ball. Obama did not control his staff. Far too much information was disseminated too quickly, much of it inaccurate or inappropriate. The administration should have agreed to a party line in advance, something along the lines of “we are awaiting confirmation of the details.” They should have taken all the time they needed to get the facts straight and decide exactly what to say and when to say it, instead of letting everyone scatter and grab a microphone. Now they’re doing major damage control, backtracking with a gazillion corrections, and looking like complete fools.
After one a brief shining moment of strength and power, the Obama administration is back to looking like the Keystone Kops on steroids. Which brings me to:
The Photos
What is with the politically correct angst over releasing photos of a dead brutal mass murderer? Why do we care what the radical Islamists think of us? They hate us regardless of what we do, so why not show them what damage we’re capable of inflicting upon them after they attack us? All the maybe/maybe not dithering over releasing the photos just makes us look weak. The Islamists will never respect hand-wringing, but they might take note of a calm ruthlessness. Releasing just one photo would accomplish that.
Why is it that we can see the photos of Americans diving from the top of the World Trade Center, and the puddles of gore on the ground that represented their remains, but we can’t see the shot-up face of the homicidal maniac who planned their massacre?
Don’t tell us that’s “not who we are”—especially after you’ve seen the pictures, but we haven't. We know who we are, and we can decide for ourselves. Americans are a just and fair people. What happened to Osama Bin Laden was justice. If we can handle September 11, and thousands of our troops killed and injured since then, we can tolerate one bloody photo of the maniac who started it all. This country has earned the right to see it. Show it to us.
The Former President
George W. Bush will probably never get the credit he deserves from Obama or the media for putting in place the policies that led us to Bin Laden. But the fact is, it’s only because of the Bush administration’s handling of terror suspects that Bin Laden is dead. I didn’t always agree with him, but Bush knew what he was doing in the battle against the Islamists.
I like the fact that President Obama called former President Bush before making the public announcement. I also was pleased to hear that Obama invited Bush to go to visit Ground Zero with him. However, I was even happier to hear that Bush declined.
This is President Obama’s moment, and Bush knows and respects that reality. I think Bush is a very classy guy.
The Burial at Sea
Although many people object to the shipboard service, I really don’t have a problem with it. I realize that in so many deaths on 9/11, there were no bodies left to bury. But that’s how Bin Laden operated. He had no compassion, no respect, no honor, no goodness in him. He was pure evil. Evil people don’t care what happens to other people.
Americans do care about people. The US is the most charitable nation on earth. Our military has its code of conduct, honor, and integrity. America does not stoop to the level of a mass butcher. We bury the dead with dignity.
Yes, it was more than Bin Laden deserved. But it was the only right way for Americans to do it. And no matter how careful, devout, or thoughtful the service and burial might have been, I don’t believe it helped Bin Laden one iota. By the time Bin Laden’s body hit the brine, the butcher of 9/11 had already met his judgment.
Monday, May 02, 2011
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