Life Lesson: Nice and Good are not the same thing

There was a man his neighborhood considered "nice". He was generally polite and mannered. He even performed as a clown at birthday parties for local kids.

Sounds like a nice guy, doesn't it? He was also a serial killer named John Wayne Gacy.

Nice guy, but a bad, evil one.

Many who encountered Ted Bundy thought the same. He was charming and well-mannered. He came across, generally, as considerate and polite. But this "nice guy" proved to be the incarnation of evil as investigators decided to go ahead with his execution instead of continuing to close cases based upon his piecemeal confessions of rape and murder.

Nice guys.

Everybody wants something. It is a fact of life. Some people are content earning what they desire. Others believe they have a right to just take it. Then there are others who will lie, cheat, charm, and manipulate others, under false and fraudulent pretenses, to give it to them, usually with many invisible strings attached. These are narcissistic con men. They are out there. They abuse any authority they perceive to have. They convince you that they not only have the authority to force you to do their will, but that it is in your own best interests to do so.

Nice guys are also the ones who tell the government to take more of other people's money, against their will, to "help" some special group or other. They are not out there doing the helping, n. They are out there increasing dependency and their power base.

Then there are good guys.

Good does not mean nice. Sure, good guys can be polite and kind. But their intentions are truly for your best interests. They want to see you safe, healthy, successful, even when you want to give-up on yourself. Good guys will sacrifice for you, including their good name, if need be. Good guys are the gruff, blunt, no-nonsense guys who tell you the truth you need to hear rather than the "nice things" that you think you want to hear.

A good guy will give you the shirt off his back with the only strings attached are a job application and a promise to "repay it forward". A good guy will stop you from doing something before it lands you in trouble. A good guy will be there when you do get in trouble to help you figure out what went wrong and how you can do better next time (what lessons you can learn). A good guy may even laugh in your face, inviting you to laugh as well, so you do not exaggerate the consequences of your follies. Meanwhile, a "nice guy" will be kind and offer to help, for a price, then lampoon you behind your back so he can be in  a spotlight at a business dinner. (but hey, look how nice he was...).

And a good guy knows that sometimes people have to fall, hard, several times. They are there to give a hand up, not a hand out. They are there to tell you that you messed up, but nobody is perfect. Then they will point you in the right direction and give you a kick in the butt to get you moving that way. They may not be nice about it. But that is because they actually care.

Be nice when you can Strive to be good always.

PODCAST: Mouth of Matuszak Radio Show #MMRS 10-3

Mouth of Matuszak Show 

  #MMRS @pavelgregory   Follow on Facebook

 

With host Paul-Gregory Matuszak

Aired live 8-9 AM Central (9-10 ET)   October 3, 2014

Listen on Heartland Radio through Live365

replays at http://www.live365.com/stations/member_12224256366





Freedom Friday!!!!!

Bill Whittle's latest on OK beheading.

AlfonZo's take on the OK beheading

Dan Joseph gets university students to sign petitions to support ISI... one former Soldier calls him on it, happy to see Dan is outing low-information students.

MI community warns that ISI is targeting military family members, using social media to find addresses and phone numbers. 

Looney Liberals --

12 mayors of major US cities sign letter supporting amnesty for illegals.

http://www.latinpost.com/articles/22745/20141001/immigration-news-today-mayors-agree-support-welcome-refugee-central-american.htm

http://www.welcomingamerica.org/news/press/media-coverage-supporting-unaccompanied-children/leaders-statement/

Kay Hagen's family is profiting from Obama care and Stimulus

http://buzzpo.com/kay-hagans-family-cashes-vote-stimulus/

5th Federal Court upholds Texas abortion restrictions -- go into effect immediately!

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/texas-abortion-law-can-go-into-effect-appeals-cour/nhbDw/

PODCAST Mouth of Matuszak Show 9-16-14 #MMRS

 

 

Mouth of Matuszak Show

  #MMRS @pavelgregory   Follow on Facebook

 With host Paul-Gregory Matuszak

Aired live 8-9 AM Central (9-10 ET)
  September 16, 2014

Listen on Heartland Radio through Live365

replays at http://www.live365.com/stations/member_12224256366

 Topics Discussed:

Separation of Powers Government?
NLRB & WH conspired to hide criminal activity -- violations of Hatch Act by Hilda Solis and Kathy Sebelius 
 http://buzzpo.com/bombshell-white-house-conspired-labor-department-hide-crimes/
ISIS at our borders?
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/us/us-pushes-back-against-warnings-that-isis-plans-to-enter-from-mexico.html?_r=0
Officials say another 279,000 households are at risk of losing health law tax credits due to income question 115,000 people may lose coverage under the Obama health law due to immigration questions 
http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/jamie-dupree/2014/sep/15/immigration-status-could-cost-115000-health-covera/http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/jamie-dupree/2014/sep/15/immigration-status-could-cost-115000-health-covera/

Those looney liberals -- 

Wendy Davis wants truth retrated, will she sue if she loses like last time?
http://buzzpo.com/wendy-davis-gets-mad-story-pokes-holes-narrative/
http://therealwendy.com/wendy-davis-sued-hometown-newspaper/
Allison Grimes's campaign strategy -- "I'm Not Obama"
http://buzzpo.com/democrats-campaign-ad-im-obama/

Arizona Dreamin' 

AZ Dems fly Mexican flag instead of US Flag.
http://buzzpo.com/arizona-dems-spurn-american-flag-flies-mexican-flag-instead/
AZ GOP Vice-chair forced to resign for being a conservative.
http://buzzpo.com/az-gop-vice-chair-resigns-speaking-mind/

PODCAST Mouth of Matuszak Show 9-15-14 RIP Truffle Bear #MMRS

Mouth of Matuszak Show

  #MMRS @pavelgregory   Follow on Facebook

 With host Paul-Gregory Matuszak

Aired live 8-9 AM Central (9-10 ET)
  September 15, 2014

Listen on Heartland Radio through Live365

http://www.live365.com/stations/member_12224256366

Topics Discussed:

Pets are family. RIP Truffle Bear, the most gentle pet I've ever had.
http://pg-matuszak.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-little-mouse-and-little-heartbreak.html
California school bans patriotic clothing
http://buzzpo.com/patriotism-11-year-old-girl-ordered-school-wear-911-tribute-t-shirt/
What is the truth behind the Palin Family's alleged bar-room brawl?
http://buzzpo.com/sarah-palin-brawl-non-lamestream-press-version/
Armed robber meets armed citizen...
http://buzzpo.com/houston-store-owner-shot-armed-robber-guess-won/
ISIS kills another hostage, a British citizen. Why? For being an ally to the US.
http://buzzpo.com/isis-beheaded-third-victim/

Mouth of Matuszak Show #MMRS 8-27-14 [PODCAST]

Mouth of Matuszak Radio Show 

Hashtag:  #MMRS Twitter Handle: @pavelgregory
Host: Paul-Gregory Matuszak
Aired live 8-9 AM Central (9-10 ET) August 27, 2014


Listen on Heartland Radio through Live365









Paul-Gregory is the editor-in-chief of Mental Aikido, the Managing Editor of the Tavern Keeper's Brenner Brief News Magazine, and a contributor at BuzzPo.

Topics Discussed: 

ALS Ice Bucket challenge - Dan Joseph style
Arizona Primary Results - Name recognition beats substance, leadership ability, and character.
VAOIG's latest investigation findings -- wait-times not related to deaths?
http://buzzpo.com/latest-internal-va-report-claims-wait-times-tied-deaths/
Governor Perry's lawyers filed writ for dismissal of charges
http://buzzpo.com/perrys-lawyers-file-writ-for-dismissal/
Are violent video games to blame for depression?
http://buzzpo.com/new-study-indicates-video-games-may-blame/
Texas Tribune story blames Texas economic policies for people's poor decisions
http://apps.texastribune.org/no-miracle-here/

The importance of faith in battling PTSD

Soldiers Praying in Khost | PHOTO CREDIT: US Army (Public Domain)

When I returned from Iraq in the summer of 2003, I was a wreck. I can say that in retrospect. I knew it at the time, but the severity was lost in the turbulent waves of chaos that surrounded my being.

I will not get into an account of what happened during the war. That is a story for another medium and will comprise multiple chapters, no doubt, in a memoir. I saw a lot. My job in intelligence also put me "in the know" of a lot more that I experienced indirectly. I can say that immediately following the deployment, some of those direct and indirect experiences did get crossed. That is rather common with PTSD.

I was diagnosed with PCS, post-combat stress, a precursor and warning sign for PTSD. It's an unofficial classification that is not recognized by the APA, ACA, or DSM. It's just something that some military shrinks and doctors use to monitor for risks of PTSD. Some, not all. However, I was told I had it and that a good reintegration into "normal" routine would likely cause those "feelings" to fade within a few weeks. They did.

When I first returned, I scared myself. I felt as though the world around me was a movie, or a dream. None of it felt real. Reality, for me, was back in Iraq or on the dunes in Kuwait. It wasn't Fort Sill, Okla. It wasn't Fort Hood, Texas.

The best I can describe is that I was numb. There wasn't enough stimulation. I kept searching for that adrenaline rush, that shock, that Fedayeen Saddam popping into the street to shoot at me and those around me. Except for a few close friends ad family members, I didn't see other people as human. I saw them as paper cut-outs. I could shake their hands, hug them, or punch them and it didn't matter.

But it did matter. That was what scared me. That just was not me. I value human life. I value life in general, though I wouldn't feel bad about swatting a fly or squishing a spider. However, I get upset if my dog is sick or my snake isn't eating. I check on my cat's welfare several times a day if he's too quiet (usually because he sleeps days). That is now.

My regard for life didn't change, not in the long run. In the short term, though, it did. I was still enmeshed in that combat mindset where self-preservation and the preservation of the lives around me dictated that I be able to kill a threat without hesitation or remorse. It took time for that mindset to wear off.

What helped me to keep grips with my morality was my faith. I prayed to the higher powers I recognized and asked for guidance. I clung to the morality and values I held dear. At the core, I know murder is wrong, and killing is justified only as a last resort, never to be taken lightly or arbitrarily. Life is not a video game. Though I felt reality had become a movie, it wasn't. I reminded myself that these are real people, with real lives and real families. I clung to my faith.

The reason I was so afraid of myself and those numb "desensitized" feelings was because of my morality. I didn't question it. I was tested, the moral code wasn't. I realized that core fact. I didn't fall, though I teetered on faltering.

Now, nearly eleven years and three more combat tours to Iraq, not counting other missions before and between, I am grateful. I am thankful for my faith. I am thankful to my parents and family that raised me with those values.

It matters little what name or names you ascribe to your deities. If they are just and good, their teachings and your faith can get you through the toughest and darkest of times. Call those higher powers G-d and his angels, Jesus and his saints, Odin and the gods of Asgard, or the lords of Shinto -- it matters not. Faith in yourself and a strong, values-based moral code are what matter.

These days, thanks to a loving and devoted wife who has faith in me and a very similar moral code, the horrors of the war rarely revisit me. They still come, yes. They always will. But I am ready to battle those demons and shadows. I recognize them for what they are -- tests.

It's gone and not coming back

I'd like to say this essay is about "regret". But it really isn't. It's about remembering things and wishing things could return to how they once were. It's something we all do. In most cases, we should stop. We don't. It's human nature.

This morning, I found myself listening to a song called "Once Beautiful" by the wonderful Gothic-rock band, The Last Dance.

The song is about reclaiming. It is about reclaiming youth. It reaches beyond just youthful looks. It is about reclaiming some of  that innocent naivety and exuberance. The song is beautiful.

Make me beautiful again
And feel like I'm special still
And remind me how to smile
And feel like diamonds

The problem is it "pings" on elements of my post-combat stress (aka PTSD). It doesn't always. Many songs do that, on occasion. Other things can create those nostalgic "flashbacks". For instance, when I grill steaks, I cannot stay by the grill. I put them on the grill then go inside and time them. The smell of the burning beef reminds me of the wounds some suffered during various attacks against us in Iraq. In fact, smells are the biggest triggers. Blowing dust in Arizona in late spring does the same thing -- triggers memory recall.

But the song came on. The powerful lyrics reached in. The song doesn't make me recall the war. It makes me compare myself to how I was before it to how I was each time I returned  from it.

As my voice, it's silent
And my heart, it feels less than before
And my feelings fail me
Pretending to be lovely

I've come a long way. I have very strong coping mechanisms. I recognize "flashbacks" and bouts of  "survivor guilt" for what they are. I know that they each will pass, and I let them. I don't cling to them or swell on them. I let the feelings flow through. They usually leave in a minute or two. Then I move  onto more immediate and important things, like laundry or writing.

However, when I returned from my first deployment, I didn't recognize myself. I scared myself. Emotionally, I didn't "feel". Then I would "feel" too much. Repeat. This went on for maybe a month. Then I pulled my head out of my seat.

The one thing that kept me from even seeing the edge of the "deep end" was research. I research and read. I found out that what I was going through  was very common upon redeployment. In other words, my feeling unnatural was perfectly normal.

But, one thing was gone, left in the sand:  my innocence. I went back three more times. Two of those times I made the mistake of thinking I'd find it. That was stupid. It's gone. I've seen too much. It cannot be unseen. It can, however, be learned  from. It has. 

There are things I've done that I call "regrettable". I'm not sure if  that term applies accurately. Mostly, I refer to things I had to do in combat.

See, I don't regret doing those things. I know I don't. The reason I know that I don't is that I would do the same if placed again in a similar situation. In fact, there would probably be less hesitation. What I wish, though, is that those situations never happened.

I cannot say that I wish I had not been involved in those situations. If it hadn't been me, it may have been somebody else. If it was nobody, things may have been worse and more people may have been harmed or killed. I firmly believe that my actions saved more lives than they cost.

There are trade-offs. That innocence may be gone, but I now have a bank of experiences that give me an edge in certain things. I know I can survive harsh conditions. I know what it's like to not eat for days, and that it won't kill me to skip a meal or six. I know that will and determination can get me through things that seem insurmountable. I know that humor can save your soul.

I know evil. I saw it first hand. I also so some of the deepest compassion and good. War can bring out the best and worst of people. It's like a flood or tornado. Look at all the people who rallied when Katrina hit New Orleans. My own direct experiences fighting the Monument Fire and volunteering to help evacuees attest to similar. The fire brought out thieves and looters. It also scared away apathy and banded communities together.

Yes, my innocence is gone. With it is my youth. I no longer see things the same way. But now that I have the perspective I do, I've concluded that I'm better off without them.

Make me see, make me listen, make me wonder
Make me feel, make me dream and not surrender

Through this I learned one very important life-lesson. Letting go does not mean forgetting. It means learning to remember that it's just a memory, a lesson, an experience. It means knowing that it made me who I am now, and I would not be "me" without them. Letting go means not clinging to them. It means not dwelling on those things an keeping the present locked in the past. Letting go means freedom.

Ambassador Black Rests Eternal

Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've heard the news that Shirley Temple-Black died late last night. She died of "natural causes" at the age of 85, almost 86.

Mrs. Temple-Black is best known as a child actress with curly golden locks, a remarkable singing voice, and renowned meticulous attention to detail of choreography and stage direction. But she was much, much more than a famous child actress.

Shirley was a conservative republican. She ran for US Congress in California, losing the primary to a "moderate".

She supported the military and veterans. Her husband served in the US Navy as an intelligence officer in both WWII and Korea.

Shirley was a business woman. She sat on the board of directors for several companies including Del Monte and the Walt Disney Corporation.

She was a breast cancer survivor who lobbied, advocated, and fund raised for several women's health charities.

She served as an envoy to the United Nations.

Under President Ford she served as the US Ambassador to Ghana.

President Carter, who was ideologically opposed to Shirley Temple-Black, appointed her as his protocol officer. This showed Temple's non-partisan dedication to the nation and her abilities as a diplomat.

President George H.W. Bush appointed Mrs. Black as the US Ambassador to Czechoslovakia.

Most remember her as that famous child star. Her life of service to our great nation as well as her impact in private industry are not as commonly praised. But its for those accolades and accomplishments that she should be remembered.

Rest in Peace, Ambassador. The world is a better place because of you.

Texas Honors Veterans & Texas VFW

Last week, the Texas VFW hosted its mid-winter conference. Governor Rick Perry, an Air Force veteran (though not a combat veteran of a foreign war), attended the conference.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have produced a new generation of combat veterans, proven leaders seeking to help move the nation and the Republic of Texas towards prosperity. However, the wars have also left us with injured and wounded warriors who need a boost to get them back onto that track of exceptionalism they've come to expect from themselves. That track of exceptionalism is what many believe will set an example for growth and a resurgence of the American "can-do" mentality.

Some of  those injuries are obvious ones. They are limbs amputated by improvised bombs, shrapnel scars, and other visible wounds. Other injuries are not so obvious. They come from the repeated exposure to pressure from explosions, mortars, rockets, and IEDs. They come from minor concussions from having "their bell rung". They come from taking medications they were told would serve as prevention of diseases such as anthrax, malaria, and leishmaniasis. The injuries also come from their brains being steeped and stewed in an environment where mortal fear was commonplace, and the need for hyper-vigilance bursting into action was necessary for survival.

For those who never served time in Iraq, even the fortified and protected Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) were not safe havens. For example, in 2004, Camp Victory in Baghdad was the target of regular mortar attacks and rocket attacks. Long-range mobile improvised rocket launchers would fire 127mm rockets from nearly 20 miles away. In addition, shorter range 107mm rockets would be fired from improvised platforms, set to timers. One night, over 30 107mm rockets impacted one of the camp's housing areas. Almost every morning, just after the sunrise call to prayer, mortars would impact the camp.

In 2007, similar attacks were happening regularly on Kirkuk Air Base also known as FOB Warrior.

They continued into 2010 on FOB Marez in Mosul, Iraq.

Al Q'aeda and the Taliban still employ similar tactics in Afghanistan.

So, even those who remained on relatively "protected" and "fortified" bases, the so-called "Fobbits", still saw combat, and lived with a sense of eminent threats to life, limb, and eyesight.

These created injuries known as Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Combat Stress (PCS also known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD). It isn't a lack of resilience in this generation that left them prone to these injuries. They are just easier to diagnose and identify, now, than they were in Civil War times. During the Civil War, they called TBI and PTSD "Soldier's Heart". In WWI and WWII they called it "Shell Shock". In Vietnam, it was often referred to as "the 1,000-yard stare".

But these injuries do not prevent veterans from being productive leaders in modern. post-war times. In fact, they may even enhance other abilities. Veterans bring skills and an ability to handle stressful situations that non-veterans may balk.

At the conference, Governor Rick Perry addressed state-level programs and initiatives designed with the very intent of bringing veterans into a growing Texas workforce and economy. While most veterans do not want any handouts, many of these programs are designed to give them a hand-up. Veterans will still do the work for themselves. The programs just give them a direction and means by which to do so.

 Here were some of the remarks Gov. Perry made in his speech at the mid-winter conference (transcript after video):

As always, it's an honor to be with you all, and a pleasure to be joined by my fellow elected officials.
Regardless of what office we hold, or what political party we represent, we stand united in our support of our veterans today.

Again, I'm honored to be here, among so many who have sacrificed so much for their country.
As I'm sure I don't have to tell anyone here Texas has always enjoyed a special relationship with the members of our military.

In fact, today more than 1.7 million veterans call Texas home.

For many of you, it's where you were born. For others, it's where you were trained or stationed. And, for a large number, it's where you chose to retire.

I'm proud Texas has produced so many American heroes, and I'm just as proud that we're a welcoming destination for those who might've been born elsewhere.

It's a natural fit for veterans, because Texans are known for our strong sense of loyalty and our unwavering love of our state and our country.

The Texas VFW, of course, plays a major role in keeping our state veteran-friendly...providing much-needed assistance to the latest generations of veterans, returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

You've each been instrumental in helping our nation's warriors heal and ease back into civilian life, and I commend and thank all of you for your ongoing gifts of service.

The freedom, the prosperity and the quality of life we enjoy in Texas, and in America as a whole, are possible only because of the sacrifices so many have made on battlefields around the world.

So it's only right that we, collectively, give back to those who have given so much to us.

While we can never fully repay that debt, Texas will continue to do what we can to improve the lives of our veterans, particularly by freeing them to make the most of the opportunities they have.

We all know the story of the soldier trained to run multi-million-dollar pieces of equipment in combat, only to be told they lack the certification to operate similar equipment back in the States.

Stories like those are why, over the last few years, we've worked to expedite the certification process for veterans, cutting the amount of time and red tape it takes for them to put the skills they already have to work.
There are employers out there, particularly in the oil and gas industry, who are clamoring for quality workers to fill jobs.

It only makes sense that veterans fill those jobs.

That's also why we've promoted programs like "College Credit 4 Heroes," which awards college credit for skills and experiences gained in service to our country.

Because no veteran should be held back from pursuing their life's goals because they selflessly took time to serve their country.

Of course, once they have a degree or technical certification, we need to connect our veterans to the employers who need them.

For that reason, we remain committed to the "Hiring Red, White and You" program; a series of job fairs for veterans held in communities across Texas.

In 2012 alone, these fairs led to nearly 3,000 new jobs for veterans and their spouses, each representing a life-changing opportunity for individuals and families who sacrificed for their country.

Sometimes, all you need to do is help a veteran navigate the sometimes-treacherous waters of the VA. VA centers across the country have been overwhelmed by veterans submitting claims, leading to massive backlogs and needless delays.

So, several years ago, we formed a Claims Processing Assistance Team through my office, staffed by Texas Veterans Commission counselors who could help veterans expedite their claims.

Since August of 2012, we've been able to help cut the backlog from nearly 70,000 cases to just over 31,000.

Obviously, we have a long way to go. But we'll continue to work hard until this backlog is history.

During the last legislative session, we took another opportunity to say "thank you" to those who gave body and soul to their country.

We extended the property tax exemption for 100 percent disabled veterans to include their surviving spouses.

We also increased funding to treat veterans with mental health issues by $5 million over the biennium, because we all know there are some combat injuries we can't see.

With every passing year, we will continue to assure our veterans and their families that Texas is a welcome refuge for them - that the sacrifices they've made will not be forgotten.

We will assure them of the freedom to make the most of their lives and support their hopes and dreams, whether that's building their own business or climbing the corporate ladder.

We will assure them they've given enough to us. Now it's our turn to give back to them.

Once again, I commend the VFW for all you do for Texas veterans.

And please know, however you served your nation, Texas is grateful for your service. May God bless you and, through you, may He continue to bless the great State of Texas.
  

On a personal note to my fellow OIF and OEF veterans, never let anybody tell you what you can't do. Instead, show them that you can, and make them swallow their words with a Rip-It chaser.

Yearly Recap - 13s of '13

Last year, I did a "top 10" for my year in blogs. Things have changed quite a bit over the past year. So this years finale is a little different. We have a few things that we'll attempt to compile into lists of 13. Many of these have no order of precedence, priority, or importance. They are also not all-inclusive, representing only the first 13 to come to mind at the time of writing.

13 major changes in '13 (no order of importance) -

1. I [Paul] started writing for Watchdog.
2. Melissa attended her first BlogCon.
3. Melissa's personal blog disappeared. It has been replaced and will soon have some regular posts. It already offers a couple of guest posts.
4. New internet connections at home.
5. I [Paul] has started doing radio appearances.
6. We changed doctors and health plans.
7. Melissa and I [Paul] have gone wheat and gluten free.
8. Melissa and I [Paul] joined a gym (actually did that in late '12, but didn't start going regularly until after the new year).
9. Melissa graduated with her Masters in Counseling (Psychology) and completed all the academic requirements for licensing.
10. Melissa changed jobs.
11. Melissa and I [Paul] changed to an IR grill.
12. Jared's hair is loooong! His high and tight appears gone for good.
13. We added the "Mental Aikido" Facebook page right before Melissa deleted her Facebook profile and moved over to Twitter.

13 things to remember as '13 closes out (no order of importance):

1. Affordable Medical Insurance (just may be a memory).
2. Reasonable medical insurance deductibles (also just a memory).
3. Your health care plan (another memory).
4. Operation Fast and Furious and Brian Terry.
5. Benghazi -- 4 dead due to a terrorist attack and some video still the official scapegoat? C'mon.
6. A federal workforce participation rate above 64% (its still dropping!).
7. Incandescent light bulbs (may no longer be made... hoarding?)
8. The most expensive website ever built that somehow failed to work.
9. Exemptions to sales taxes on internet purchases (gone).
10. Our fallen Uniformed Military Service Members, they gave their lives so our way of life is preserved and our world can become a better place.
11. The US Constitution, all of it, paying particular attention to the parts being ignored such as the first 10 Amendments.
12. Talkmaster Neal Boortz's final radio show (as the headlining host).
13. Hostess. They are gone; Bankrupt; Out of Business; Joined the Edsel and the Pet Rock.

13 annoying things in '13 (no order of importance):

1. Melissa Harris-Perry.
2. People attempting to canonize Trayvon Martin.
3. Twerking.
4. Miley Ray Cyprus.
5. Miley Ray Cyprus Twerking.
6. Obamacare.
7. Obama
8. Pink Athletic Shoes
9. Wendy Davis
10. People texting instead of paying attention to the world around them and the people they are sitting among.
11. Common Core
12. Honey Boo-Boo STILL having a TV show.
13. "Top 13 lists"

Top 13 MA stories (Some of these also appeared on Watchdog Wire or Freedomworks) -- These are the top view counts mixed with what I [EIC P-GM] feels highly important: 

13. Immigration And Visa Reform -- #VisaForKai
12. The ongoing investigative story surrounding The Foddrill Files on Corruption in San Antonio:

•   411: 911 needs to call 311?
•   Foddrill: "My Life Has Been In Danger Ever Since..."
•   Foddrill Ends Silence About Corruption
•   Is Lt. Gov. Candidate Linked to San Antonio Corruption?
•   Former High-Ranking San Antonio City Official Suspects Rampant Corruption

11. School Super Supposedly Stifles Common Core Discussion
10. Defending Our Kids
9.   Common Core Materials In Texas Public Schools
8.   Open Or Close The THC Gateway?
7.   Coming To A City Near You -- Detroit's Fall
6.   Gosnell: It Isn't Abortion, It's Murder
5.   A Few Thoughts On Manning
4.   The Gun-Grab Is Starting
3.   Foundational Truth About Zimmerman
2.   The Difference It Makes, Mrs. Clinton
1.   Apparently Guam Needs Hurricane Sandy Relief

13 favorite non-MA blogs/columns to read (no order of importance) -- these exclude the greats like Ace of Spades, Michele Malkin, all the writers at Red State, and Dana Loesch, etc.: 

1. Chuck Norris's personal blog.
2. Katie Pavlich at Town Hall
3. Kurt Schlichter on TownHall
4. Brandon Darby at Breitbart
5.  The Brenner Brief  (Sara Marie Brenner)
6. LouAnn Anderson's Estate of Denial 
7. Lou Ann Anderson at WatchdogWire
8. Vodka Pundit on PJ Media (while you are there, watch a few episodes of Afterburner and Trifecta)
9. Instapundit
10. Lady Liberty's and Liberty Speaks' blogs. They are separate, but the two are inseparable.
11. Toraradical.com 
12. George Rodriguez 
13. Chuck Norris on TownHall.

No, this is not an all-inclusive list. It's just the first 13 that came to mind. Paul reads many more than that on a regular basis. If you aren't included there or in the blog-roll, send us a message and we'll gladly and shamelessly promote you.

'Tis The Season In Texas

The 2013 holiday season is upon us. In Texas, this year, we're more free to say "Merry Christmas" in public places.

The 83rd Legislature passed HB 308 earlier this year, and Governor Rick Perry signed it into law on Flag Day (June 14th).  Having received an overwhelming majority in both houses of the legislature, the law went into effect immediately.

The law adds Section 29.920 to Sub-chapter Z, Chapter 29, Texas Education Code:

SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 29.920 to read as follows:

Sec. 29.920.  WINTER CELEBRATIONS. (a) A school district may educate students about the history of traditional winter celebrations, and allow students and district staff to offer traditional greetings regarding the celebrations, including: 
             (1)  "Merry Christmas"; 
             (2)  "Happy Hanukkah"; and 
             (3)  "happy holidays."
 
       (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), a school district may display on school property scenes or symbols associated with traditional winter celebrations, including a menorah or a Christmas image such as a nativity scene or Christmas tree, if the display includes a scene or symbol of: 
             (1)  more than one religion; or 
             (2)  one religion and at least one secular scene or symbol.
 
       (c)  A display relating to a traditional winter celebration may not include a message that encourages adherence to a particular religious belief.

SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2013-2014 school year.

Some may attempt to claim this new law violates the 1st Amendment to the US Constitution. In reality, it does the exact opposite. This law supports the very foundational premise behind the 1st Amendment's religion clauses.

First, this law does not institute, direct, create, or otherwise proclaim any specific religion of religious sect as a state religion.

Second, it enables the free practice of religion in public schools within Texas. It does not prohibit atheism (the religion of no gods). It does not prohibit Christianity, nor does it mandate it. It neither promotes or denies the practice of Islam. It does not deny Jews the practice of their faith, nor does it place Judaism above any other faith.

The law is also worded in such a way that it allows other faiths their freedoms of religious expression. Druids and Asatru pagans may celebrate Yule, and exchange such tidings without prejudice.

What this law does is prohibit schools from suspending your kids for saying "Merry Christmas" or "Blessed Yuletide". Furthermore, it allows for Christmas and Yule trees in schools. In fact, the trees, if decorated properly, automatically adhere to the rules.

A decorated tree with lights and garlands are part of the Jul (Yule) celebrations of old, pre-Christian times in many Indo-European cultures. Many on the Isle of Albion (modern day England) still wassail the trees. The practice, though now Christianized, is an old pagan practice to "heal" the "sleeping" trees. During the spring, trees grow leaves and many adorn themselves with flowers. Those flowers turn to summer fruits. The leaves then change colors in autumn. So, come winter, humans decorate the trees with lights and colors.

Christianity uses the symbols to resemble the rebirth Jesus. The evergreens symbolize the everlasting life he promises. That same symbol of everlasting life is also in the celebration of Yule.

A school may also place a nativity scene near the trees. That meets the respect and celebration of multiple religious observances. Add in Santa, and you have a quasi-secular representation for a winter celebration.

The allowances for religious practices continue from there. Do atheists need a symbol of "no gods"? That's easy, point to a blank wall or a basket full of nothing but air.

In his latest column, Kurt Schlicter addresses common courtesy as it applies to religious "tolerance". Tolerance is in quotes because, simply, those who promote religious liberty love when those of faiths different from their own are also free to express those beliefs, even if we don't share them. For example, I love Christmas stories and songs. I'm not a Christian. I still wish my Christian friends "Merry Christmas", and mean it deeply in my heart. Their faith may be different than mine, but our values and morals are much the same. Tolerance requires you to put up with something you oppose.

Kurt's column also addresses those who scream for "tolerance" yet exhibit intolerance of any religious exercise, especially those in public areas such as government schools. They want religion banned. That is intolerance. They disagree with religions but refuse to tolerate people of various faiths who wish to exercise their constitutionally protected right to do so.

To my Christian friends, Merry Christmas! You will likely hear me repeat it several times.

To my Druid and Asatru friends, particularly those of the Norse pantheons, Blessed Yultetide. My your fire burn all 12 days and warm your hearth, heart and home until the sun returns to warm our days.

To my Jewish friends, a belated Happy Hanukkah.

And to all others not named, health, happiness, and blessings unto you and your family, whatever faith you follow.

To atheists, have a nice day.

Reflections On Thanksgiving Messages

Yesterday, most Americans gathered for a meal at some friend or relative's house. If the gathering was under our own roof, we stressed and slaved over trying to make that perfect meal.

The meal isn't the point of the gathering. The meal is the magnet. The gathering is the point.

The first Thanksgiving was a community meal where neighbors and relatives joined with the neighboring Native Americans. Those indigenous tribes had welcomed them, made a treaty with them, and helped them to tame the land. It was the first harvest in the new world. After a year of death, starvation, and sickness, the Pilgrims at that meal survived and thrived. They did so as individuals each seeking individual achievement, accepting the rewards and consequences of each individual action, the the fruits of individual labors.

They didn't pray for more than what they needed. They were thankful for all they had achieved. They were thankful for the help from their neighbors and friends. They were thankful for the opportunities to achieve.

Be thankful for what you have. Be thankful for the opportunities you have had to succeed, even those you decided not to take. Stop blaming others because you do not have all that you want. Instead, be thankful you live in a place where you can still freely work to earn and achieve those things.

Be thankful for family and friends. Be thankful for the true friends who will tell you the truth, allowing your to grow and improve.

Thanksgiving may be a once a year holiday, but giving thanks should be done every day. Be thankful for your life, your breath, the opportunities presented before you each day, and the people in your life who support and celebrate those successes.

Erick Erickson penned a great Thanksgiving message over at Red State. It is a great read, especially the day after.

Rick Perry, Governor of Texas, sent out some words to ponder as well:

"As families across our state come together to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, I encourage everyone to take time to reflect upon the ample blessings that have been bestowed upon us as Texans and Americans. As always, please keep the brave men and women of our nation's armed forces, serving their country far from home, in your thoughts and prayers throughout this holiday season."

 Senator Ted Cruz also had some inspirational remarks:

Greetings,

Today, we celebrate the blessings of a people dedicated to liberty.

Our forefathers fled religious prosecution to pursue the freedom of conscience in the New World, a bedrock principle we must continue to protect.

As the pilgrims in their November 1620 Mayflower Compact, their very first governing framework, wrote: “ solemnly and mutually, in the Presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation.”

A year later they thanked God for his providence, their first harvest, and a new land of opportunity. It was the nation’s very first Thanksgiving.

Despite the many trials they faced, they expressed gratitude for the opportunity to live freely.

President Calvin Coolidge reminded us nearly a century ago: “We have been a most favored people. We ought to be a most generous people. We have been a most blessed people. We ought to be a most thankful people.”

And, we are.

This Thanksgiving, Heidi and I wish you and your family the very best, and may God continue to bless the Great State of Texas and the United States of America.

All the best,

And gentile readers, be safe and sensible if your venture out into that chaotic mob called "Black Friday". Be thankful for the deals you do get, not the ones they run out of. And, for goodness' sake, have fun. If you aren't enjoying it, go to work or go home. Buying presents should not be stressful. Capitalism is a great thing every day, not just one day each year. You don't have to do all of your shopping in one day. In fact, we're staying home and doing some crafting, painting, etc.

Giving Thanks

Each year, US citizens around the globe gather to share in a meal, sometimes some football, and enjoy the company. Those in military service, stationed outside of the US, as well as those in the US but unable to make a cross-country trek to see their families, gather together as an adoptive family, brothers and sisters in arms. Through these gatherings, many traditional customs from various nuclear families blend. They form new customs and traditions. Similar happens when people marry and families join together. But the military blending occurs annually.

This gives those who have served some special insights into Thanksgiving traditions.

There is usually something fowl, as in a turkey, duck, large chicken, or combination of the three.

There is cranberry something or other. Many times it's a cranberry flavored, can-shaped Jello mold.

There is wine, be it real or non-alcoholic (sparkling grape juice is a holiday staple for deployed soldiers).

There is food. There is family. There is camaraderie. And there is thanks. It's something that is seldom missing from the gatherings, that turn-taking announcements people make of what they are thankful for. It comes as part of the toast and/or blessing.

I'd like to share a small list of things I am grateful for this year. This is not all-inclusive. Like many people, I have much. Any omissions are not due to a lack of gratitude, but a lack of time and space to include them.

First, I am thankful for the garden I planted with my wife and daughter. It provided us with quality time together. It provided us with fun, wonder, and excitement. It also provided us with fresh produce over the past 8 or so months, from herbs, stevia, various peppers, tomatoes, to some lovely flowers on the eggplant.

I am thankful for the meals I have cooked using the fresh items from our garden. I am also thankful for those prepared with store-bought food. I am thankful for those eaten at restaurants. I am thankful for these not only for sustenance but for the time at the tables with my wife and daughter and any other friends and family who have joined us.

I am thankful for my house. My wife, daughter, and I have all worked to make it a home. It is not the best, but it suits us. It's our home, our living room, our home-office, our dining room, our bedrooms, etc.

I am thankful for our dog. He has provided us entertainment, exercise, companionship, and somebody upon whom to blame for the dirt tracked into the house. He plays with and protects my daughter. He playfully helps wake up my wife in the morning, sometimes.

I am thankful for our cat. He also entertains. He comforts my wife at the end of a bad day. He wakes me up before dawn, making sure I am up in time to help my wife and daughter prepare for their days.

I am thankful for our snake. I am sure his mere presence serves as a warding of sorts against rodents.

I am thankful for my parents. Both have done so much to help me become the man I am. My father has always been there, my sage adviser and stern critic. He has also been a boon traveling companion, photography instructor, wood-shop teacher, and moral compass. My mother has been an emotional sounding board and that one person I can count on to help me when I fall just short of making a goal required to help others.

I am thankful for my brother and my step-brother and their families. They keep me grounded in what is important and have set good examples for me to draw upon as I embark on this new life as a husband and father.

I am thankful for my sister and her family. She has grown into an insightful and intelligent woman and a wonderful conversationalist. It's also nice to have a member of my family living in the same state.

I am thankful for my wife for all she has done, does, and aspires to do. Her youth and drive keep me going when I feel like throwing in the towel. I am thankful for the expanded family she gave me, starting with our daughter (my step-daughter), and continuing through my new brother and sister, mother-in-law, and father-in-law. They are all great people with big hearts that opened up to me. All who know me know I can be pretty closed-off, so it means all that much more. Also, my wife puts up with me. I know I am not easy to live with.

I'm thankful for my daughter. She isn't mine by blood, but a gift from the wonderful woman I duped into marrying me. The reasons can go on for pages, just as they could with my wife. Any parent worth their salt understands this.

I am thankful for the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and even Airmen who guard and protect this great nation. I am thankful for those who served before me, starting with those who fought to bring this country into being. We owe them more than we could ever repay, and can only repay by continuing our traditional respect for the natural individual rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. I am thankful for those with whom I served. We shared blood, sweat, tears, joy, sorrow, anguish, horror, victory, and laughter. It is because of them that I am still here today.

I am thankful to my ancestors, who continue to live through me. They set the foundation for all I am and all I will become.

I am thankful to the spirits of nature, the warmth of the sun, the flowers in spring, the fruits of autumn, the warmth-bringing wood and fur and feather they provide us for the winter.

I am thankful for the gods and goddesses, the powers that be, g-d and the angels, however you may address them. There have been so many times I barely escaped death. But I wasn't done yet. They were looking out for me and helped me survive and thrive. They guided my decisions, insuring I enjoyed the rewards I earned and felt the weight of the consequences of poor decisions, helping me to learn.

I am thankful I am alive and woke up today and each day before. Each day has been a gift, a blessing, and an opportunity.

And I thank you for taking the time to read this.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Defining Terms - PC Crowds Fail Vocab Lessons

These days, the so-called "politically correct" crowd has fallaciously taken to changing definitions of terms and convincing collectives of sheep that these new definitions are war banners. The problem is that many who are duped into these collective hive-minds are too lazy to bother to actually pay attention to the true meanings of these terms.

It started in school. One manner of teaching vocabulary is to have students reword definitions in terms they understand better. This mutated into allowing them to completely redefining the words. The question of "what is THE definition of...?" has since been replaced with the fraudulent question "what is YOUR definition of...?". Teachers have become too afraid of hurting a student's feelings by flat out telling they are wrong have furthered this brainwashing by allowing a condition of relativism instead of building a foundation of facts and hard data.

What we have today are a bunch of catch-phrases that would lead anybody with access to an unabridged dictionary to start laughing at their incorrect terminology.

One such term is "marriage equality". First, that contains the term "marriage". Look up THE definition. There is only one acceptable set of definitions. If "yours" is not among them, you need some vocabulary lessons.


Here in the US, due to the First Amendment, the only definition is the sociological, legal, cultural, anthropological definition. That is the once concerning that the condition of marriage is defined by the rules, mores, norms, and values of a given society. Each state being a society in its own, by the US Constitution, sets its own rules. So, a marriage is that which is defined by each state's legal code.

This essay is not in contention of same-sex marriage, nor is it in favor of it. It is a means of exposing illogical and ridiculous rhetoric employed by the left, who is using the issue in an unethical and immoral manner. They seek to brainwash an invented collective into believing in a perception of entitlement to non-existent "rights". They aren't even rights, kids, they are privileges. Given the current tax codes in the US, marriage isn't even a privilege, it's a self imposed sentence to increased financial servitude to socialist federal government. That is why they seek to demagogue gay-marriage supporters to the "cause", because they want more slaves. They want you to believe they delivered you to some promised land, they got you some prize, and if you don't keep them in power that the prize will be taken away. Kids, if  it is a right, it cannot be given in the first place. You are born with it. Making you believe it can be given is enslaving you to their bidding, keeping you voting for their tyranny out of fear of losing your special shiny prize. 

For some irony, I know more gay people (including committed gay couples) who oppose same-sex marriage than I know gay people who support it. That includes gay relatives, of which I have one who supports and two who oppose same-sex marriage. Personally, I don't care one way or the other. I'm not gay. Neither is my wife. We support our one gay relative who wants a marriage. But the law is the law and this state's legal definition is THE definition in this state. And it is equal among all legally recognized marriages within the state. (I will contend that states really should have to recognize any legally conducted, recorded, and verified marriage as legally recognized and valid within all US states).  

They also love to toss around, as though it is evil, the term "traditional marriage" (another improperly used "banner" meme). They also refer to it as a "biblical definition" as though only Christians held those rules. First, the concept of a marriage as a contract witnessed by families and societal leaders, then recognized by both, between a man and a woman in order to define terms and conditions for the business of running a household and caring for any progeny produced by that union; is one that predates Christianity by a couple of thousand years. The Hebrews held that same definitions. So did the ancient Egyptians, the ancient Druids, Shinto, Buddhists, the Norse, even the Native Americans held that definition long before white men settled in the New World.  To this day, most recognized world religions still maintain similar rules, thus marking the definitions of marriage for their societies.

Historically, Christianity did sanctify and recognize same-sex unions. They even blessed several in the first millennium AD/CE. Marriage, however, was set between a man and a woman (sometimes several women) for the purposes of progeny and inheritance. it was also necessary to establish noble lineages.

In effect, "traditional marriage" is THE definition in most US States and in most of the world.Most societies, cultures, and legal structures recognize that rule set.

Now, several states have set their legal definitions to allow same-sex unions/civil contracts as "marriage". Should the majority of their citizens agree, that is their right. It fits THE definition.

Some religions allow same-sex marriages and wedding rituals as well, these days. Within their cultures, the religious definitions. These include some pagan religious organizations (including mine) and some Christian sects. However, in our country, religion is not the basis for marriage laws. Common, majority views are. 

But for two marriages to be "equal" they must first be legally (socially, culturally, anthropologically) considered marriages. Second, they must consist of identical units. They must begin with equal parameters and definitions. Otherwise you are comparing apples to pears to oranges to bananas to papayas to iceberg lettuce.

(Trying to debate this using the logic surrounding slavery is a losing battle. Biologically, a human is a human, and not property. To consider one human to be property and less than another is immoral and evil. The facts are not congruous with a same-sex marriage debate.)

Those who disagree who wish to employ the 3rd definition in the set, "an intimate or close union", already have that. It is not a legal status. It is a description of their relationship. For the legal status, you must revert to definition 1, the legal definition. You cannot compare apples to bananas to oranges. The world doesn't work that way. 


However, we can also examine the original definition of the term "marriage equality". In the 1970s, the term was part of the "women's lib" movement. I was meant to recognize a woman's contributions to the home as equal to the husband's. It was also used to recognize the wife's right to work outside the home. However, if you go back a few hundred years (and even more recently in some cultures and religions around the world), it means that each wife must receive equal treatment from their mutual husband. Yes, it comes from polygamous cultures such as exist in the Arab world today. In fact, in Iraq, a man with two wives must make sure each receives an equitable share. Each wife must have a house the same size, etc. etc. etc.

That is "marriage equality". It is not the poorly construed misuse of the term that the same-sex-marriage collective is duped into using.

Another term is "reproductive rights". The pro-abortion collective is duped by the arm of the left that wants them to believe their special invented little demographic is entitled to some non-existent right.

Examine the term. Look up the definition "reproductive". Look at its root - "reproduce" - "produce". Produce = create. Reproduce = create new, or create again. In this case, it refers to pro-generation. It refers to creating life, creating a new life in particular.

Therefore, the proper definition of "reproductive rights" means the right to reproduce. It means the right to create new life. It does not mean the right to end a life created or generated.

In reality, those walking around preaching about "reproductive rights" really mean they believe that all women have the right to produce a child, on demand, if they can acquire the ability to do so. In other words, they mean they have the right to demand access to a man's fallopian swim team at any time they desire for the purposes of becoming pregnant and hopefully giving birth to a child.

In other words, the term means that women feel they have a right to a man or the product of a man's body, against his will. There is a word for that:  rape. Yes, the term goes both ways. 

"Gimme your sperm now, man-child, I demand to reproduce! I have 'reproductive rights'!".

It does not mean a right to an abortion. That would be "abortive rights". Use the correct terms, kids. You look like idiots when you don't. 

Take a look around. There are probably several other memes and banner terms circulating that, upon examination, don't mean what those using them want you to believe them to mean.

Like "gun control". Gun control is controlling a gun you own. It means hitting what you aim at, and not shooting what you do not want to hit.

Correcting Lies About 'Human Rights'

Like CSCOPE did/does in Texas, Common Core contains curricula that lie to your kids.

In one recent example, Ben Velderman of EAG reported on one such class in New York's North Bellmore School District.  In one school, fifth graders were being taught about the UN's role in "human rights". The class pushed the false narrative that inalienable rights in the United States are granted and given by the government per their whims.


It is the responsibility of the parents to monitor these curricula. It is the responsibility of parents to insure the kids are being taught facts and the truth, not opinions and lies. It is the parents' responsibility to exercise their authority to tell those "educators" who are doing so to stop. It is also a parent's authority to fire those educators from teaching your child.

In order to do so effectively, parents must inform, educate, and/or refresh themselves on the subject. What follows is a brief lesson in history, civics, and political philosophy. Even if you disagree or do not like any of these origins of our Constitutional Republic, the basis of the ideology and system are a matter of fact.

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote of "Our Creator" bestowing upon humans "certain inalienable rights". He then lists three of them. Yes, there are more. These three also imply (are made up) several supporting inalienable rights.

Where did Jefferson get these from? Did he just pull them out of thin air? No.

A long line of political philosophers led two major philosophical thinkers to draw these conclusions. One was John Locke. He posited that most "human rights" could fall into three basic ones: Life, Liberty, Property. Montesquieu, a contemporary, arrived at a similar conclusion. Aristotle founded many of these principles in his rebuttal work meant to disprove Plato's Republic. Even Aristotle, who lived  long before Christianity, posited that certain natural rights were divinely created.

Many atheists will argue against the divine endowment of these rights. They will contend that they come from genetic code and evolution borne of some "happy accident". Even taking that perspective, these rights are not endowed by any government or ruling body. Those ruling bodies only seek to infringe upon them and violate them.

Take birds for example. Their parents do provide for them until they are old enough to leave the nest. At that time, they are kicked out, forced to learn how to fly on their own, and seek their own food. They have their lives. They have their freedom to fly about looking for their own food and shelter. They have their "pursuit of happiness", that is their right to find a mate, build a nest, and find their own food. Should they join a flock, there are certain responsibilities to that flock. However, they still have their individual natural rights and responsibilities of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

These occur naturally and exist until infringed upon by an outside force.

When drafting the US Constitution, the framers had these individual natural rights in mind. The Constitution was written as a list of limitations on the government as well as a list of "you MUST do" tasks (such as providing for postal roads, ground forces, naval forces, and national security). The framers originally believed that the individual natural rights were so deeply infused in every citizen that they didn't require any explicitly stated limitations on the government to keep them from infringing upon them.

A few smart people objected. They reasoned that future generations may forget these individual, natural, inalienable rights and their meanings. So, they added the first 11 amendments. 10 of them were ratified and became nicknamed "The Bill of Rights".

The Bill of Rights does not grant the rights to the people. Instead, it forbids the government from violating them. The government has no authority to grant these rights. Unchecked, they may mistakenly believe they have the power and authority to violate them. So, the first 10 Amendments blatantly tell the federal government that they do not have that power nor authority.

Read the amendments. Don't look at somebody's summary or explanation of them. Just read them.

For example, the Second Amendment contains the words "shall not be infringed". This means that the right to be armed in order to protect self, property, community, and country is considered an inalienable right all citizens are born with. The government is not allowed to take it away or restrict it. The right is NOT given to the people by the government. It is protected by the US Constitution.

Take a look at the wording of the First Amendment:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

It tells the government "you can't violate these rights". It doesn't grant them. They are already there. We are born with them, bestowed divinely (or through the "happy accident" of human genetics, for you atheists).

The Third, Fourth, and Fifth all contain strict references to the inalienable right to property (pursuit of happiness). They state that the government cannot violate this natural right unless a citizen is suspected, with some evidence, of violating other laws. Even then, the government is restricted in how far they can do so. Without a justification and duly issued warrant, the government is not allowed to infringe upon this right.

The Seventh grant the federal government the provision, the responsibility, to hold civil courts between citizens claiming other citizens might be violating their individual, natural, inalienable, "human" rights. This is a further mandate to the government to protect (not violate, not grant) those divinely endowed rights.

The Ninth states that there are other rights not explicitly addressed elsewhere in the US Constitution. Just because they are not explicitly addressed doesn't mean the government has the authority to infringe upon them. This amendment forbids the government from doing so. It does not grant the rights. It merely recognizes that they exist and were imbued upon every citizen at the moment of conception.

"The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

Individual citizens have the rights, not the government.

The Tenth Amendment bolsters this ideology. It explicitly tells the federal government "if this supreme law of the land doesn't explicitly give you permission, you can't do it. The authority is reserved by either the states or by each individual citizen".

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Nowhere within the Constitution does it give the government the power to grant rights to people. Conversely, it tells the government what responsibilities and authority the people, through our individual inalienable rights, grant to the federal government. 

So, make sure your kids understand these founding principles. They are the basis for our system of government. Even if you disagree with the system, you cannot deny the truth and the facts about its founding ideals. Be honest. Teach your kids the facts. Don't let some "educator" mislead or misinform them. This will empower your kids to make up their own minds in the future, as they mature and gather more facts and personal experiences (life).

 

Non Sibi Sed Patriae - Sen. Cruz

While this is penned, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) is conducting a filibuster on the vote for cloture on the House's Continuing Resolution that continues the FY09 budget yet cuts funding of Obamacare. 

Reid's call for cloture is an effort to close all debate over the CR. It is a proposal to end any amendments except his single amendment to negate the provisions of the House's CR that cuts that funding. It is a call to avoid proper procedures in the Senate in order to, it seems, order the citizens of this country to obey Barack Obama as though he were a dictator.  

Sen. Cruz says "no". His speech is an effort to incite US Senators to do their jobs and listen to their constituents. 

During this now 18+ hour long speech, Sen. Cruz made several profound statements. Among them was one to the effect that his actions should not be sensationalized into headlines. He asked, instead, that the damage the PPACA does to the citizens of this country be the headline. 

In short, the spirit of Cruz's filibuster is this: Non Sibi Sed Patriae... Not for self, but for Country. 

Non Sibi Sed Patriae

It is a spirit that those of us who have made oaths to serve the people of this nation know well. Those who do not embrace this motto do no serve the citizens of this country. They serve their cabals. They serve their greed. They serve their lust for power. They do not serve the country. 

Those who ascribe to Ayn Rand's egoism and objectivism may question "what's the difference?". If asking that question, they didn't understand Rand's philosophy. 

It is this simple. Those who do not embrace the spirit of Non Sibi Sed Patriae are not really acting in their own self-interests. They are enslaved by their addictions to power. The policies they champion, such as the PPACA, do not serve them. They do not serve the people. They serve the leviathan. If these policies served them, they would, like Senator Rand Paul suggested, sign up for the programs. They would be first in line for the exchanges. However, they exempted themselves from it. That exemption is the true service to self. It is what is best for them, as individuals. It is what is best for their family members. 

What is best for the one is what is best for all. That is the idea behind egoism and objectivism. Obamacare is not good for the individual. Even socialist/collectivist groups such as the Teamsters see the damage this bill causes. It is harming their individual members. 

Non Sibi Sed Patriae

When a soldier goes to war, he does so with this spirit. He fights to win, to survive, to aid his buddy to his left, right, front, back, to win, to survive. Why? Because his survival and victory is America's. His self-interest IS the best interest of the country. Should he fall so his brother-in-arms live and achieve victory, it was for that brother. It was for that other "self". It was for country. 

Non Sibi Sed Patriae  becomes Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

The two are inseparable. 

If something is so great it is worth keeping, it is worth fighting for. Our kids are worth fighting for. Our spouses are worth fighting for. Our land is worth fighting for. It's ours. We were blessed with it. We earned it. Nothing worth having is easy. That's the way the world works. It makes us appreciate what we earned. 

If you want to keep it, you have to be prepared to defend it. To defend it, you have to be ready to fight. If others notice you are ready to fight, you become a hard target. They are less likely to try to take it from you, by force. They have to ask how hard they are willing to fight in order to steal it from you. 

Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

If you want peace, prepare for war. 

Obamacare is an effort to take your inalienable, universal, individual rights away. It is an effort to place all of them under the whims of a government bureaucracy. 

They will have permission to run your life for you. They will make the decisions on what healthcare you receive, form whom, and to what extent. No longer will you have the choice, the vote. You will not have the option to pay for better care or to forgo it. You will have to pay for services that you may not be allowed to use. This is your very life the bill seeks to control. You want to smoke? No... that's a fine. You want a beer? No, that is bad for you. You want to eat fried potatoes? No, too greasy. If you do, you won't be allowed an angioplasty, even if you could have afforded it on your own before Obamacare. The new taxes will make it no longer affordable. The IRS will choose what you are allowed to pay for. 

They steal your liberty. You no longer have your choice of coverage. Many healthcare providers are leaving the industry, further reducing options. You are no longer free to choose what healthcare you want to afford.

It steals your pursuit of happiness. If you know where that phrase originates, you know that it refers to the right to work and create. It refers to the right to the fruits of your efforts and the consequences, be they gain or loss. It refers to, as John Locke phrased it, property. That property is your time. That property is your sweat. It is your intellectual effort. It is your physical effort. It is your intellectual creations. It is the physical products of your efforts or service. It is the fruits of commerce from trading or investing these properties. It is your right to earn, on your own merits, at fair market value. 

Obamacare steals that by forcing you to buy a product. It does so by telling you what product/brand you have to buy. It does so by punishing you if you do not do what you are told. Next, the government will be telling kindergarteners "you must be a cariologist, and you a pediatrician, and you a nurse, and you a librarian, and you a urologist because Obamacare needs new doctors and specialists. No, you cannot be a fireman, a cowboy, a Solider, or an engineer." 

Wake up. Obama and his cronies, like Harry Reid, have declared war on America. No, it isn't a war of bullets and bombs. It is a war of policy and economics. It is a war of ideology and power. If you love having power and control over your own decisions, your own life, your own choice, your own thoughts, and your own possessions (and your kids' future rights to theirs), then Obama has declared war on you. 

If you want to keep them, you must defend them. You must defend them with your vote. You must defend them with your wallets (by keeping what is in there, in there). You must defend them by firing emails and phone calls to your Representatives and Senators telling them to end Obamacare. You must shoot your voice and make DC listen. That is their job. Your taxes pay them. You are their boss, not the other way around. 

Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum. It's time to fight the war of information and wills. Fight. 

Do so.

Non Sibi Sed Patriae 

Not just for yourself, but for your kids, for your country, for our nation's future.

Aged 226 Years, US Constitution & Its Companion

Today is marked as the 226th birthday of the US Constitution. In reality, that beloved document that serves as the supreme law of our land does not have a birthday. It was written over time. If you include the amendments, you can say it was written over centuries.

In fact, if you study the history and circumstances that led to the penning of the original base document, it evolved from a couple of centuries worth of data, analysis, study, and thought. Some of the ideas date back to Aristotle. Others to Magna Carta. Most date to works that were more contemporary such as the writings of John Locke, Adam Smith, Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine.

Ratification was not a quick process, either. There were many who questioned giving even that much power, albeit limited, to a federal government. Today, we should heed those warnings and remember the intended safeguards built within the US Constitution, many of which some members of the "political class" attempt to circumvent or ignore.

In writing the constitution, three men emerged as its champions. In letters written to objectors, these men sought to convince others of the necessity of a stronger federal government that would still be limited in its authority to only those few responsibilities that should be reserved to a federal government.

Among most prominent  necessary authorities are: national defense (military), paying national debts, governing disputes between states including commerce, a high court, diplomatic actions on behalf of the states with foreign powers, and the authority to collect revenues (taxes) in order to pay for the above.

With the 10th Amendment, the ratified document was complete. That amendment blatantly stated what much of the verbiage within the base document implied:  if it isn't listed in here as a federal responsibility or authority, it isn't -- so leave the states and individuals alone.

The three champions: John Jay (1st US Supreme Court Chief Justice), Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison (4th President of the US); wrote their arguments. Today, a compendium of these letters, known as The Federalist Papers, serve as sort of an owners' manual for the US Constitution. While they do not address the amendments that came after them, the words of wisdom within should be taken into account when considering any alteration or amendment to the US Constitution. They are just as relevant, if not more so, today as they were 226 years ago.

These works should be celebrated along side of the US Constitution. So, today, let's give thanks to those three great men and commemorate the US Constitution and The Federalist Papers on their 226th Anniversary. 

A TARDIS for a week

For the uninitiated, TARDIS is an acronym from the television show Doctor Who. The show started in December 1963 and is still on the air, minus a couple of years here and there where they took some breaks. TARDIS stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. The craft can travel pretty much anywhere in time and space.

With the premise put forth in the title, there are countless possibilities. However, the one I would choose probably seems more aligned with Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.

If I had a TARDIS for a week, I would use it to host a conference. Why? There are some great people in history, mostly Americans, whom I would love to hear speak about our country today.

So many take quotes from these people and try to apply them to today's situations as a means of gaining wisdom. Wouldn't it be cool if we could collect them together for a weekend and hear them speak?

Here is what I would do. I would scoop up those on my list. I would then give them a crash course in the current US Constitution, key SCOTUS decisions, key bits of legislation, and key social issues we face today. I would also let them learn about other cornerstone events such as the proliferation of the internet, smartphones, twerking, the space program, etc. That would take a couple of days.

I would gather the following people, with my reasons:

John Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. These men were the predominant authors of the US Constitution as well as its "owners' manual" known as The Federalist Papers. John Jay was the first US Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. His insight in several landmark decisions such as Roe v Wade, Heller v DC, Gore v Bush, etc. would be great. The other two men are more well known, by most, and their inclusion should be more than self-explanatory.

George Washington. He was our first and probably greatest president.

Thomas Jefferson. Not only was he the President of the United States as well as the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, but his views on religion and separation of church and state are key to many of today's issues.

Frederick Douglas. The man had Abraham Lincoln's ear. He probably did more for abolition and civil rights than anybody else prior to (or since) Martin Luther King.

Martin Luther King. Nothing more needs to be said to justify Dr. King's inclusion. Any objections? If so, you're not invited.

John Locke. His political philosophies set the foundation of our Constitutional Republic. His views on how we are today would provide great insight.

Benjamin Franklin. Many would love to hear his commentary on the news media of today.

Thomas Paine. His pamphlet, Common Sense, sparked the revolution. What advice would he give to peacefully place us back on track? Are we on track already?

Susan B. Anthony. She was both a suffragette and an abolitionist. He views on civil rights and women's issues are much needed today.

Milton Friedman and Adam Smith. We need some economic advice. I'm sure that most of the others listed would agree with them that step one is to cut wasteful government spending and balance the budget. However, I'd love to hear it direct from their mouths.

The conference would last about three days. Each would get 35 minutes to speak on their chosen topic within their realm of expertise. Then they would have 15 minutes of Q & A.

The last day would be panel one-hour discussions. The panels would be:

Jay, Hamilton, Madison -- The State of the US Constitution

Jefferson & Washington -- Leadership and the Executive Branch

Jefferson, Paine, Franklin, Locke -- The Blessings of Liberty and Individual Rights

Anthony, King, Douglas -- Civil Liberties, the Way Forward

Friedman & Smith -- Taxation and Economic Prosperity

This would prove to be a great event. If somebody runs into a blue police box with a flashing light on top, please tell the driver that I need to borrow it for a few days. Heck, he can come along. It would be fun.