Deceit and Disbelief

This may be the first time in my life I ever agreed with any statement issued by the Communist Chinese Party, but the adage states that there's a first time for everything. When China says that Joe Biden never mentioned genocide in his phone conversation with President Xi, I'm with China.

In fact, I don't believe there was a two-hour phone conversation between Joe and Xi. Have you watched Joe Biden try to patch two sentences together? Do you think he could manage two hours on the phone? As the Brits might say, not bloody likely. Actually, I wonder if he was even on the call at all. Someone was, I suppose, but I don't believe it was Joe.

There's nothing credible coming out of this White House. Some examples? Regardless of what the official word is, I don't believe that the border is closed. I don't believe that the economy is strong; it's never strong in a recession, and we're in one now. I don't believe in "Putin's price hike" (neither does the Federal Reserve Chairman), and I don't believe Biden deserves any credit for the half-dollar drop in gas prices. 

What I do believe is that one day the current occupant of the White House will pay a price for his constant deceitfulness. If I'm going to believe that we still have a country, I have to believe that.

A Small Return

The first American police officer died in the line of duty in 1786. There was one such death that year. 

By the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund's count, in 2020, 373 officers died in the line of duty. In 2021, 472 officers did. If you add in 2022's total--so far--that's almost one thousand officers dead from doing their jobs in two year's time.

For people who put their lives on the line for us every day, I think that's way too many. I also think they deserve more gratitude than what they receive. 

So I have a new charity to support. After what the fallen police officers have done, this is the very least I can do.

Summer Singing

One of the many perks of having grandchildren is getting to watch movies with them. I recently watched the animated feature film, Sing 2, with my grandkids; it was delightful.

I had watched Sing, the original 2016 film, when it was first streaming and found it so enjoyable that I coaxed adult friends and family members to watch it, too. Everyone who watched it, liked it. I think they will feel the same about the sequel, which is less story build-up and more musical fun. The soundtracks are certain to have you singing along, or at least bopping in your chair.

Both Sing and Sing 2 feature a entirely animal character cast. Gems from Hollywood's A-list such as Matthew McConaughey, Scarlett Johansson, and Reese Witherspoon give voice to, respectively, a koala, a porcupine, and a pig. This second film also features a star turn by Bono as a reclusive rock star lion. It's great fun, with charming humor for young and old alike. There are also a few positive life lessons embedded in the story, which are always a welcome surprise in today's dark cultural climate.

It's not necessary to watch the first movie to enjoy the second, but I highly recommend that you start at the beginning of Buster Moon's quest for musical stardom. It's a wonderfully uplifting break from the dreariness of current events. There are no woke agendas in these adorable movies, no indoctrinating themes on race or any other topic--not that I could see. There's just engaging characters, lighthearted fun and terrific music. Treat yourself to a night off from the weary world. SING!

Fight On

 Protect our Freedoms ~ Celebrate Independence Day

Simply Stated

The right of U.S. citizens in each state to decide their own laws
on abortion was restored on June 24, 2022.

The right of U.S. citizens to carry firearms was reaffirmed
on June 23, 2022.

The Supreme Court of the United States is doing its job. Every decision starts with reading--and understanding--the U.S. Constitution.

Here's a question for all the "mostly peaceful protesters": Have you ever read the Constitution? If not, please give it at least a cursory glance. The justices aren't just making this stuff up. The basis for all their decisions is in the founding document.

I don't believe your violent tantrums are in any way related to the Constitution, though. You just want your own way, and the law be damned. I can't say it any more plainly than that.

Taking Stock

Over 40 years ago, I remember my mother-in-law regularly stocking care packages to send to her relatives who were trapped in the Soviet Union. She did this for decades, until well after the Iron Curtain fell. Always included among the clothing and foodstuffs was a large box of tampons. I once asked why she sent that particular item, and she explained that her niece would use them. Such a luxury item as women's tampons did not exist in the Soviet Union.

I was incredulous. Imagine being a 20th century woman and not able to buy tampons! I couldn't comprehend living in such an impoverished society and thanked God I was born in the USA.

Here we are, in America, in 2022. My daughter is coming to visit with her family soon and planning to stay a few weeks. She told me about the tampon shortage on the East coast and how she shops multiple stores and buys whatever version she finally finds; there's no fussing over a favorite brand anymore. Now I find myself busy driving from one drug store to the next, on $6.25 per gallon gasoline, trying to find a box of tampons to have on hand for her. I'm grateful my grandchildren are well past the age for baby formula.

Poverty, want, and the degradation of society are all proud hallmarks of communism. The radical leftists within--what Mark Levin calls the American Marxists--have done a thorough job of bringing our country to its knees. But I have a feeling we're about to rise from the canvas of our discontent. When we can't provide for our own needs or those of our children, we know it's time to make a stand. The mid-term election is coming in November. 

Bring it.

The 60-Year Slide

I've heard many people compare these times to the 1960s, saying that today's turmoil and unrest is very similar. Having grown up in the 1960's, I must disagree.

Yes, there were riots that rocked the nation back then. There were huge protest movements. There were revolutionary new theories, such as feminism and "free sex." Probably most destablizing at that time were the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, followed less than five years later by the assassinations in rapid succession of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, the latter during a presidential campaign. Those were rough and frightening days; I remember them well.

The difference between then and now is clear to me. In the 1960s, our national institutions were on firm ground. Today, none of them are.

Colleges and universities in the United States still provided classical education in the 1960s; the Marxists had not yet made much progress in their relentless onslaught on our educational system. The Supreme Court was sacred; in the 1960s, no one would have imagined an assassination attempt on a Supreme Court justice. The southern border was a non-issue. The family unit was still honored, with parents having full authority over their children.

The military was far above partisan politics; no one worried about an errant ideology encroaching upon our armed forces. Law enforcement officers commanded respect and did their jobs with community support. Parents and employees were able to speak freely in public, protected by the First Amendment, regardless of their political or philosophical views. And while corruption has always been an unpleasant aspect of politics, Americans in the 1960s did not question the integrity of our elections.

The 1960s made a lot of noise and, in many cases, real progress towards the changes that ensued in the following decades. But activists and protestors in the 1960s were limited, confined by the firm outlines of a fully functional system of education, legislation, social structure, and justice.

In 2022, that is no longer true. In short, we have seen the wheels have come off our society. Today there is no safe place to seek shelter from the ceaseless indoctrination and heavy-handed enforcement of an increasingly totalitarian, leftist government. The solid framework of our republic has been winnowed out, from family to school, from church to the workplace, from national military to local police. We should not be surprised that the arches of our institutions are collapsing in upon us.

Even if enough Americans have the strength and spirit for the fight, it will be a long haul to rebuild our country to its rightful state. It could take another 60 years. We'd better get started.

All Too Possible

If you haven't read a page-turning thriller in a while, you might want to add the chilling novel 2034: A Novel of The Next World War to your summer reading list.

Co-authored by Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis, USN (Ret.), the plot details a series of missteps and miscalculations by major international powers competing for global dominance. The story unfolds across the world stage through the actions of a compact group of vividly drawn main characters. Their compounding errors lead to nuclear confrontation. In many cases, the ensuing devastation extends to their personal lives.

It's been years since I've read a book I had trouble putting down at night. But 2034 kept me up past my bedtime. Much more than the suspenseful story, the plausibility of such ill-fated scenarios leading to nuclear war is frightening. It seems entirely possible that this plot could fast and easily become real--and far sooner than a dozen years from now. I thought the most fictional part of this book is its title.

Prayer, Not Politics

So many children have been murdered today. Parents and families are heartbroken beyond words. A community is reeling with grief. 

Yet we know this is not the last time. Sadly, these tragedies have become a familiar story. Last weekend, how many people died violently in the United States? Do we remember the supermarket and church shootings of just a few days ago?  We should. We should keep all of our fellow Americans impacted by these murders close to our hearts in prayer.

Prayer, not politics. Just once. If only, just once, the politicians would honor the victims and respect the grieving families by not talking politics. Just once, they should acknowledge that something is broken in the soul of America. This country needs prayers. The politics have no place here in this terrible moment.

But no matter how inappropriate, the opportunity to push forward an agenda will be too tempting, as it always is. The politicians will go there. They will skip over the devastating losses and blather about gun control to shattered parents.

I, for one, will not listen to any of them. Instead, I will pray for the grieving families of Uvalde and for our ailing nation.  

Scandal and Showdown

On the issue of being denied the Eucharist because of her support for abortion, Nancy Pelosi loses spectacularly. The Speaker of the House of Representatives cannot have it both ways.

San Fran Nan loves to hide behind her "Catholic faith" while she touts abortion, which is considered murder by the Roman Catholic Church. If she bothered to take time to look up the Catechism of the Catholic Church, she would (depending on her reading comprehension skills) see that she is wrong. But Nancy is too busy promoting her leftwing agenda to be concerned with matters of faith and morals.

Archbishop Cordileone did the right thing in response to Pelosi's repeated promotion of abortion. In accordance with the Gospel directive, he tried to speak with her privately; she refused to entertain his requests. Unfortunately for the USA, Pelosi is a famous public official and, in her station, her words reach millions of people. She is not free to distort and misrepresent the Church's teachings in destructive ways. This is considered "scandal" by the Church (Catechism Sections 2284-2287).

With her customary pridefulness, Pelosi is now taunting the Archbishop about the Church's stance against capital punishment. She would like to know, why aren't supporters of the death penalty refused Holy Communion? Well, Nancy, since you seem to need this explained to you, here's why: most of those people aren't in positions of power and influence, as you are. They are also not causing scandal in the Catholic Church by publicly pushing for greater access to capital punishment and for more laws supporting it. That's what you're doing with abortion. Go ahead and knock yourself out promoting abortion, but don't call yourself a Catholic in the process.

Jesus had a word for people such as Nancy Pelosi. It starts with an "H." But it's certainly not "hero."