A Conservative Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most noteworthy presidents of the United States. He's one of the four outstanding chief executives carved into Mount Rushmore.

"Teddy" Roosevelt is considered by many scholars and historians to be our first modern president. He was a supporter of desegregation and women's suffrage. He also deserves a special place in heaven for preserving vast areas of public land by signing the Antiquities Act in 1906. This grew into our national parks system. He was also a fan of wildlife preserves. You could call him the first "green" president. He was a leading anti-war, pro-diplomacy progressive of his time.

Yet I wonder how some of his more notable quotes would be received today. By 21st century standards, Teddy Roosevelt sounds downright conservative--perhaps even like a "neocon." 

Below are five statements made by our illustrious 26th president. Read them and then ask yourself what the MSNBC crowd would do with these nuggets of wisdom:

• "Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country."

• "A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education."

• "A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user."

• "To announce that there must be no criticism of the president... is morally treasonable to the American public."

• "No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man's permission when we ask him to obey it."

Teddy sounds like quite a conservative Roosevelt. Who knew?

An Inconvenient Conversation

In view of recent brutal murders, I wonder if Eric-"Americans are cowards"-Holder is still hungering for a "conversation on race."

An 88-year-old WWII veteran who was wounded in action during the war was beaten to death by two black teenagers in Spokane, Washington. Where are the inflated expressions of outrage from our self-righteous president?

The president was "not aware" of the Christopher Lane murder, according to his spokesperson. There will be no press conference called to express his fury over the young white man shot dead by blacks as he was jogging in Oklahoma. Dead white people apparently are irrelevant to this president.

I wonder if the murderers in these two slaughters look like President Obama's imaginary son? Or is that distinction reserved exclusively for black victims rather than black perpetrators? Rhetorical questions, of course. To President Obama, race relations seem to be a one-way street; blacks are always the victims.

The damage the Obama administration has done to interracial relations in this country is enough to make the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. do backflips in his grave. As we approach the 50th anniversary of King's "I Have a Dream' speech, whatever happened to "the content of their character" as the priority in human relationships? Race is being falsely injected into almost any topic of discussion originating at the Obama White House.

I think I know who the "cowards" are, and skin color has nothing to do with it. That might be worth a "national conversation." But I won't hold my breath.

Practicing Patience

I took some personal time to travel and visit with family last week. While visiting Grandson #1 on the East Coast, Grandson #2 was born on the West Coast.  I was looking forward to meeting the new little guy this weekend.

But a miserable cold accompanied me home, along with a dramatic case of laryngitis. So now I'm faced with the most frustrating weekend of my life in not being able to go see my new grand-boy. I find it so ironic that when my first grandchild arrived I was there for the blessed event, nearly 3,000 miles from home, and met him on Day 1 of his life. But for this new baby, who lives within easy driving distance, I was on the other side of the country when he arrived; and now I must wait nearly two weeks to see him for the first time.

For my entire life, I've been challenged by patience. I want things to happen immediately and will move mountains to make it so. That's not always best for everyone involved, including me--so I've worked at becoming more patient, year after year. I think I've made great strides, but at times like this I realize I have a long way to go yet.

I guess God is giving me a little homework in this area for improvement. This will be a very long week. I'll try to be patient.

No Cure for What Ails Us

If it wasn't such a serious problem, it would be a joke.

"Obamacare." It's enough to make anyone sick.

Death by Policy

"In the immediate aftermath of his attack, the U.S. media, following their iron-clad rule that “Allahu akbar” is Arabic for “Nothing to see here,” did their best to pass off Major Hasan as the first known victim of pre-Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder." 
~ Mark Steyn

Nice try, but as Steyn goes on to point out, the butcher of Fort Hood has never been in combat. Read the entire article for a lively description of just how much the US is its own enemy. No one delivers the brutal truth with the harsh bluntness and caustic irony of Mark Steyn.

The idiotic policies of the US government truly are our worst enemies. It remains to be seen whether or not the nation can survive the stupidity by which it is governed.

Point Taken

"Patriot Game," linked here, is a post I wrote nearly eight years ago. I dismissed concerns about domestic government spying as so much piffle.

Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. What a difference a few years can make in teaching us how human nature is the one thing that doesn't change. When given extra power, those in power will take even more--and most likely use it very badly.

The single comment I got on "Patriot Game" was from a blogger named Deedee. I remember I believed her account of the government's spying on her family, but I thought it was an isolated case. Now, in the wake of the NSA scandal and news of the mega data center in Utah, it seems like we're all in the same carefully surveilled boat. I even wrote a post on our snoopy government two months ago.

The world has changed exponentially in the past decade. The powers the Patriot Act extended to the US government were supposed to protect us from terrorists, not to spy on our own citizens. And if the Feds are determined to spy on Americans, couldn't they at least have been efficient enough to find the Boston Marathon bombers?

Early on in the process of domestic "data gathering," it appears that Deedee knew where this was going. Wherever she is now and for whatever it's worth, we're on the same page now.

The Story that Won't Go Away

"...murder cannot be hid long...at the length truth will out"
~ The Merchant of Venice, A2:s2

I'm pleasantly surprised to see that CNN, of all networks, is doing some digging on the Islamist terrorist attack against the USA in Libya last year.

Sooner or later, we're going to hear a lot more about what happened in Benghazi on September 11, 2012. The president can insist that it's a "phony scandal" all he wants to, but it's just a matter of time before this story breaks wide open.

Timeless Truth

"Judge not..."
~Matt 7:1


Holy hyperbole, Batman. A television news talking head discussing the remarks Pope Francis made about not judging gay people, actually asked "Do you think he's breaking with the Vatican?"

The pope, breaking with the Vatican? That would be like President Obama breaking with the Executive branch of government. (Well, maybe that's a bad analogy.)

Pope Francis was stating, in conversational terms, how every Christian should view any person. His rhetorical question asks, "What makes me so special, that I can judge another?" This merciful attitude is the meat of Matthew 7, which goes on to advise us to tend to our own issues and not concern ourselves with other people's business. You know, stop worrying about a speck in your neighbor's eye when there's a plank in your own. If you haven't read Matthew's gospel, chapter 7, I say give it a go. You don't need to be Catholic, or even Christian, to get the benefits from it. It's hard-hitting stuff that speaks to each of us in plain language.

The gospel's call to compassion doesn't change the fact that the Catholic Church clearly teaches that homosexual acts are sinful. This is not a discriminatory doctrine towards gays; heterosexual acts are equally sinful if they occur outside of marriage. That's just a fact.

So although his tone and manner are gentler, the pope is by no means taking a new direction. He's going by The Book. The source document, the gospel, is nearly two thousand years old. This timeless instruction is from Jesus himself. It boils down to the fact that there is right, and there is wrong. Gay or straight, every human being has sinned. So let's each of us take care of our own mess, and let the other guy take care of his. That's basically all Pope Francis was saying,

The extent of the media's ignorance of the Catholic Church never ceases to astonish me. In today's technological world, it signals a true laziness as well, because anyone who can open Google and enter a search term could find out the basic facts of any Catholic teaching. Evidently, that's too much trouble for reporters chasing a juicy headline.

So it has been with the media, and so it will continue to be. Like eternal truth, some things don't change.

60 Years Since Korea

Thank you for your service, veterans of the Korean War.

Korean War Memorial, Washington D.C.

The Corrupted in Power

"It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power."

~ David Brin

Despite a growing cacophony of calls for his resignation, San Diego’s Mayor Bob Filner clings to power as tenaciously as he stalked female staffers. Today Filner announced that he’s going to seek counseling for his disgusting, misogynistic, borderline criminal behavior.

We’re so happy for you, Bob. And just who is going to run the financially-challenged city while you take time out to address your sick pathologies? You are barred from solitary meetings with female City attorneys, a fact that translates into you being incapable of doing your job. Do you really think you’ll survive a recall election? Are you really going to impose that disgraceful expense on San Diego, also? Of course you are. You’re a perverted thug with no concept of decency. Although I’m very glad that I didn’t vote for you, as a San Diego taxpayer I’m the big loser right along with the rest of the city.

As far as the mayoral race in New York City is concerned, I think I’d rather vote for Caligula’s horse than for Anthony Weiner. At least the horse wouldn’t be a sick, depraved, egotistical, nauseating liar. I could go on, but you get the picture—and I hope not on Twitter. Any voter who marks a ballot for Weiner could use some therapy, too.

These two disgraceful public officials, at opposite sides of the country, epitomize everything that’s wrong with the current state of our government, society, and culture. The politicians are out for themselves and no one else. Most citizens, too consumed with trying to survive from one paycheck to the next, have tuned out of the news. Many more have simply learned to expect bad behavior from those in public office. Still others have been so influenced by our “anything goes” social climate that they don’t see the big deal about lechery, uncontrolled sexual obsession, or lack of personal responsibility and accountability. The continuing dual scandals are truly a sad commentary on our times.

I don’t know where all of this is going, but I do know that when so-called “leaders” can behave in such an appalling manner and not face overwhelming demands that they step down, our country is in very serious trouble.