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Friday, November 19, 2004

Disconnected From Reality

Still reeling from a decisive defeat in the November 2 elections, liberals are casting about for convenient justifications to hang their tattered hats upon.

A poll by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland makes much of the lack of WMDs discovered in Iraq. It suggests that the misguided American majority chose to stand with President Bush because somehow, Bush supporters are afflicted with "cognitive dissonance." Even in light of the Duelfer Report, the liberals lament, Bush supporters persist in their delusions about WMDs.

Voters' personal faith is also raised as an incentive to support President Bush--faith over reason, of course. The faith issue serves as a handy rationalization to assist liberals in believing themselves intellectually superior to the mindless and ignorant conservative masses.

Well, libbers, here are some hard facts:

1. The Dems got nationally spanked in this election.
2. The majority of Americans prefer Bush over Kerry.
3. The War on Terror is a huge concern to most Americans.

These realities are not based on faith but rather on a logical understanding of the clear and present danger to our nation from Islamic radicals, as demonstrated on 9/11. The Madrid and Beslan massacres only underscored our need for strong leadership in the face of a brutal and merciless enemy.

Speaking only for myself as a Bush supporter, the WMDs were never the reason I supported the Iraqi war. In fact, they were an inconsequential red herring. The war was logically necessary for a number of reasons outside of WMDs, the most compelling of which was Saddam Hussein’s proven track record of atrocities. Other reasons, among them his funding of suicide bombers and support of terrorist training camps, buttressed my conclusion beyond all doubt.

I think American voters forgave Bush his error on WMDs because they understand what is at stake. To ensure America’s safety in a post 9/11 world, Saddam simply had to go. After the election, a British publication bemoaned the stupidity of 59+ million Americans in reelecting Bush. How’s that for twisting the data to fit the mindset!

Personal faith had nothing to do with my Republican vote, although I understand it’s within the liberal comfort zone to accept such a simplistic interpretation of the popular mandate (more CD there, perhaps?). No, my faith is not orthodox by any standard. But I do believe in right and wrong, good and evil. I believe in killing those who are determined to murder us and our loved ones, killing them first, quickly, without hesitation and in the largest numbers possible. That belief meant voting for President Bush, because Kerry was not to be trusted with such vital decisions. I’m relieved for all of us that Bush won.

Liberals may call my position cognitive dissonance if they like. I call it common sense in its most clear-eyed and righteous form. And I’m proud to be only one of 59+ million.


Wednesday, November 17, 2004

Thank You, Marines

To Our Fighting Marines:

First and foremost, thank you all so much for the hard work you are doing to keep us safe at home in the U.S.A. I’m sorry, and I’m angry, that many of our spoiled, pampered, ignorant, often stupid Old Media representatives are criticizing some of the actions you have had to take in the course of your battles. I hope you won’t pay any attention to them. There are none so blind as they who refuse to see the truth, even when it’s caught on videotape.

I suppose some idiots really do think it would have been more appropriate for you risk your lives, and the lives of your buddies, to wait and see if there was a suicide bomb or some other hidden weapon on a wounded terrorist. As for me, I agree with every word Matthew Heidt posted on Nov. 15.

In the 1860s, Gen. William T. Sherman once said that “War is all hell.” The oft-quoted adaptation of his statement unfortunately omits the key word, “all.” War is indeed all suffering, all pain, all danger, all fears, and all split seconds suspended between life and death. The decisions you make on the fields of battle within those instants weave the difference between survival and extinction, victory and defeat, and the triumph of good over the domination of evil.

You certainly don’t need me to tell you, but I’ll say it anyway. You are doing the right thing. Despite the hateful stupidity of Old Media, the overwhelming majority of your countrymen are very proud of you. We support your every effort, we respect your sacrifices and your decisions, and we pray for your safety and success.

Semper Fi, brave friends, sons, and brothers.

Saturday, November 13, 2004

Honor and Remembrance

When you take a week's vacation in today's world, you have to be prepared for fast and dramatic changes to the status quo. Since I signed off last Saturday, John Ashcroft has resigned, Yasser Arafat has died, and the battle of Fallujah has raged and subsided into an occupation.

Also this past week, as I enjoyed a cruise with my mother, the U.S. Marines (USMC) celebrated the anniversary of the Corps on November 10, and the United States observed our nation’s annual Veterans Day on November 11. On November 11, I was browsing in one of the shipboard shops and noticed one of my fellow passengers wearing a Pearl Harbor Survivor baseball cap. I greeted him and thanked him for his service; this is a new habit I am proud to have acquired since becoming a Soldier’s Angel. We chatted for a couple of minutes, and this hero of yesterday proudly pointed out his USMC tie clip and belt buckle to my mother and me. Then, he pulled from his shirt pocket a pen with the Marine Corps emblem on it, opened it, and it played the Marine Corps hymn. “Yesterday was my birthday,” he smiled, referring to the USMC anniversary.

Sixty-three years after Pearl Harbor, this man still identified that strongly with “the Corps.” Now an elderly leisure traveler with white hair and a relaxed smile, he was once a young GI who survived the hell of Pearl Harbor and went on to fight as a warrior in the brotherhood known as the U.S. Marines. Our soldiers fighting in Fallujah today are as blood family to him.

My mother and I spent some time talking about war on this trip, both World War II and Iraq. She believes that our country needs more information about our troops in order to feel more connected to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mom suggested a revival of the service flags that WWII families would hang in their windows as one way to recognize the service of our military today. She said that in World War II, the service flags were a message to all that a member of this home was serving in the military. Blue star flags signified a star for each family member in military service. Gold stars told the sad story of those lost in battle. My mother said that she and her friends would stand in awe before the windows that displayed two or three gold stars. The weight of this crushing sacrifice gave pause to every passerby. The terrible human cost of war was clearly understood and deeply respected. We could use more reminders of our military’s sacrifices to help unite us as a nation in support of our troops today.

I agree with her. As most of us know, mother is always right.

Friday, November 05, 2004

Taking a Break

I'll be offline for one week, starting Saturday, November 6. Be well, readers.

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

Ten New Rules For Old Media

Attention, please, ladies and gentlemen of old mainstream media. America has sent you a resounding message in this year’s election. Here’s a list of things you’ll need to keep in mind for future elections, if you’d ever like to see “your candidate” win again:

1. You can’t force Americans’ hands on what to do, how to think, or especially how to vote. We’re not going to take orders from your elitist playbook. Stop trying to control the news, and start reporting it. Treat our majority opinions with respect, and we might listen to your side of the story.

2. Stop talking down to us. We’re not half as stupid as you think we are. In fact, we’re smarter than many of you, which is why you all look so surprised and baffled at John Kerry’s defeat. We knew he wasn’t the man for the job. You refused to listen. Pay more attention to average America, and you’ll have better luck achieving your goals in four years.

3. People know when you’re keeping a double standard, so make an effort to measure all candidates with the same yardstick. You kicked up an endless dust storm over Bush’s National Guard records but remained disinterested and silent on the inconsistencies of John Kerry’s Vietnam stories and the validated criticisms from Vietnam veterans and POWs. That got noticed by a lot of voters. Americans despise unfairness, so play by the rules and you’ll do better.

4. In view of the sweeping defeat of the gay marriage proposals on the ballots of eleven states, wake up to the fact that the vast majority of Americans don’t want to legitimize gay marriage in the United States. Get over it and move on to a less radical issue that might be more successful in reaching Mr. & Mrs. America.

5. Keep in mind that all this talk about “reaching across the aisle” applies to Democrats, too. In fact, it applies to them especially since they lost. It wouldn’t hurt you to try to view things through a Republican looking glass once in a while.

6. The blogosphere is here to stay. Deal with it. It’s not the evil “blog machine” that Dan Rather whined about during his election night coverage. It’s a valid, alternative news and opinion source for millions of Americans, and it is the new media. It wouldn’t exist if the demand for it was not there. You can’t beat it, so maybe think about joining, or at least learning from, the blogs. Pay extra heed to the conservative blogs and you’ll have better insight into the thinking of the 52% of Americans who elected President Bush to a second term.

7. Recognize that we are at war, that the majority of Americans understand we are at war, and also that we must win it. Consider throwing a positive story on the progress of the war into your coverage once in a while, instead of a steady diet of casualty counts and “failures.” Our military families deserve at least that much recognition for their sacrifices.

8. Review the media coverage of World War II for some helpful hints on supporting the Commander-in-Chief of our nation in a time of war. Observe how celebrities of that era campaigned for war bonds, entertained the troops, and sometimes even joined the service (e.g., actor Jimmy Stewart, baseball legend Ted Williams).

9. On the subject of show biz, consider a new roster of celebrity mouthpieces. To be specific, Michael Moore and Co. should probably take a seat well out of the media spotlight for a while.

10. Most importantly, support our troops. They are in harm’s way, fighting and dying to protect all of us, Old Media included. Show them the honor and respect they’ve earned with their bravery and their blood. Do that and you’ll certainly get more of my attention.

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Election Evening

I'm catching the Old Media TV coverage in bits and pieces tonight. It is highly amusing to watch Old Man Dan on CBS trying to contort the outstanding states into a configuration favorable to John Kerry. On ABC, "PJ" confided that he didn't want to "take a shot at the President," then he promptly did just that by inferring that the nation didn't feel it was at war because President Bush hasn't "involved" us adequately.

Excuse me, PJ, but I think I get it. I don't need further explanation of the War on Terror. And, as an active Soldiers' Angel, I feel sufficiently involved, thank you. You might want to try involving yourself, PJ, instead of waiting for the President to lead you by your condescending nose.

It's still too early to tell what will happen at the end of this Election night, but I suspect that things are looking far better for the President than Old Media thought they would. As my mother would say, "let this be a lesson to them."


Sunday, October 31, 2004

Tapes From The Edge

America now has two more insanity tapes to deal with. One is a warning of "blood in the streets" and the other is a lecture from our infamous bad-penny enemy, Osama bin Laden. Is it Osama, or Usama? Either way, he spells bad news.

These two timely messages from psychotic killers serve as a handy reminder of what we are up against. It's fair to say, judging by what we hear on these tapes, that the Islamic fanatics are insane. You can't have all your marbles and threaten further, much more severe death and destruction to your enemy's homeland, and expect said enemy to pick up their battle balls and go home. This is not logical thinking by any definition. It highlights the chilling psychosis with which we are dealing in the War on Terror.

These butchers can't be reasoned with. They can't be appeased, or mollified, or negotiated into neutrality. They can't be bought, they can't be convinced. They have one purpose in life: American deaths. They are dedicated to our destruction.

To win the war and secure our country's safety, we need a ruthless approach to crushing the terrorists and an unflinching leader to compelte the hard task. France doesn't care. Germany will not help. We've got to get it done by ourselves, for ourselves. There's only one presidential candidate with the internal grit to see us through this challenge.

The tapes could serve as a one-two punch in knocking Kerry out of the race completely and reelecting President Bush. On the contrary, they could also underscore the fact that we are still in danger, and tilt some wavering votes towards Kerry. It's hard to know what the Islamo-maniacs are hoping to achieve by interjecting their messages just prior to Election Day.

Undecided voters, if indeed there are any of you left, think carefully about these tapes from the edge of insanity. The enemy is watching, and he would very much like to see us afraid. Let's send a message of our own back to the psychopaths: This is our country, our election, our choice. Don't mess with us. We're keeping George W. Bush in the White House, and your mind-bending tapes be damned.

It's time to send the terrorists back to their caves to work on a rewrite for their next script. Will they live to complete their next tape? Not if our troops have anything to say about it. Stay tuned...



Thursday, October 28, 2004

A Commanding Flop

OK. Let me see if I’ve got this straight.

First, ABC News says that approximately 380 tons of explosives were stolen right out from under the noses of the 3rd Infantry Battalion and the 101st Airborne in the opening weeks of the Iraq war. Never mind that the accuracy of this report is in question, that there may have been only 3 tons, and forget about the Russian trucks linked to the site. After all, ABC is Mainstream Media, not interested in pressing for facts when there’s a political agenda to push to the left.

Next, John Kerry pounces upon this story as a weapon to bludgeon the President and leaps smartly into the ring, armed with the missing munitions story. Kerry expounds with great gusto on the failure of the troops and commanders to secure the ammunition stores.

With his consistently off-key political pitch, Kerry is willing to bet that this bombshell of a story will knock Bush to the ground. He fails to consider that perhaps by trashing our troops, he might offend, oh, a few hundred thousand of them. Neither is he concerned that such criticism just might irritate their wives, husbands, children, parents, brothers, sisters, friends, and neighbors, not to mention every United States veteran in the country.

In fact, anyone who gets to vote next Tuesday might take issue with negative remarks about our outstanding military during this time of war, especially from one salivating to become Commander-in-Chief.

Does Kerry actually think that badmouthing the military is going to help him win the Presidency? I thought this guy was supposed to be the smart one! The military, for the most part, positively loathes the man. (In his letters to me, my soldier in Iraq never refers to Kerry as anything but “the Liar.”)

To advance his personal ambitions, Kerry is willing to slander the efficiency of our soldiers and the competency of their officers. He’s willing to give aid and comfort to the enemy by attacking Americans in harm’s way. He did this once before, in 1971, and he did it with impunity. He went on to build a career in the Senate, as lackluster as it was, based on those treacherous lies.

I don’t think Kerry’s going to get away with sticking it to the military this time around. Not when so much is at stake for all of us, and when so many of us know how critical the role of our troops is in keeping us safe. Can you even imagine a Commander-in-Chief Kerry? After he denigrates our military to the world? (oh, excuse me, “the globe”).

I don’t believe Americans are going to stand for his disrespectful nonsense with regard to our troops. Kerry doesn’t really want a U.S. military. He just wants the title of Commander-in-Chief. Our troops know that. I’m betting the voters do, too.

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Shameless

I just finished watching a movie, "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal." A Navy veteran friend of mine loaned me his copy. Although riveting, it's a tough 42 minutes.

I feel sick to my stomach at the unfathomable suffering the POWs endured in Vietnam, as described by the surviving veterans interviewed. I'm awed by their strength and proud of their dignity. That men could suffer so deeply, so unjustly, and yet go on to live good and noble lives, is truly inspiring.

On the other hand, I'm completely disgusted at the very thought of John Kerry. His disgraceful betrayal of his comrades is beyond comprehension, even taking his personal ambitions into account. His lack of remorse is even more unbelievable, considering that his 1971 play for political exposure through his Congressional testimony added years to the imprisonment of the POWs.

How can this poor excuse of a man have come so far on such utterly self-serving, dishonest, despicable methods? To what low standards has our country sunk, that such a wretch as Kerry can actually be a contender for the highest office in the land?

This is the same John Kerry who berates President Bush for being unable to admit a mistake. You want to talk about mistakes, Senator? Why don't you go first? And please, start in 1971 at the Winter Soldier hearings. Keep right on going, for 33 years, until you get to your wrong answer to the infamous $87 billion support for the troops question.

I can certainly understand why the Kerry campaign has fought so hard to keep "Stolen Honor" off the public airwaves. If every voter could see it before Election Day, the margin of victory for President Bush would be staggering.

Kerry claims that President Bush is an unfit Commander-in-Chief. Not only is Kerry unfit to be CiC, he's unfit to be a veteran.

After watching "Stolen Honor," I think Kerry's unfit even to be a U.S. citizen. In fact, he may not be fit for anyplace, to use his own words, "on the globe or elsewhere."


Sunday, October 24, 2004

Making an End

We're about ten days away from the election, and I think I speak for most of us when I say that I can't wait for it to be over.

In the movie "The Agony and The Ecstasy", Michelangelo is taking such a long time to complete the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel that the Pope whines, "When will you make an end?" Good question for election season. This particular campaign cycle does seem as though it's dragged on for years.

I've been following the polling data , and I think President Bush will win reelection. That, in itself, is not enough this year. The Democrats will most certainly challenge any type of close result. Therefore, I hope it's a blowout, a landslide victory for President Bush, simply because the thought of another "recount" trauma is too exhausting to contemplate. "If It's Not Close, They Can't Cheat" by Hugh Hewitt is required reading for any voter still on the fence.

We, as a nation, don't have time to fiddle around with recounts of any type. We need to stay focused on our mission, which is to win the global War on Terror as quickly and as decisively as possible. The country is at war. Our troops are in harm's way. Let's get the Commander-in-Chief reinstated for another four years and see that the job is done.

Let's do it, America. Let's make an end.