December 7, 1941

71 years ago today over 2,000 people lost their lives in the attack at Pearl Harbor. As the attack was happening a reporter was assigned to cover it. The story she wrote was deemed to graphic to print and was rejected. 71 years later her report has finally been released.
h/t to Cindy for sending this to me.

Wednesday Hero: The Fight For Freedom

On this day in 1776, a group of rebels committed an act of treason when they adopted one of the most important documents in the history of Man. No longer would we be subjects of the crown. From that day forward, we were a free nation. Free to make our own laws and live as we saw fit. Many good and brave people have fought, and died, for that ideal. So while you enjoy the cookouts with the family and the parades and fireworks, please remember the men and women who've fought, and fallen, in the name of freedom.


Born Free by Kid Rock

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Happy 4th

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Today we celebrate 56 Men signing one of the most important documents in the history of mankind. In doing so they not only effectively signed their death warrants, it being treason, but they set in motion the idea that we the people are the masters of our own fate and that we have the right to live our lives free from tyranny and oppression.

Music Czar Sunday

I was going to use this in my 4th post tomorrow but it didn't fit in. Happy Birthday, America.


God Bless The U.S.A. by Lee Greenwood

So You Say You Want A Revolution

I was thinking a couple of days ago about the different revolutions that have taken place around the world. Mexican Revolution, Russian Revolutions, Cuban Revolution and so forth. Most revolutions, for whatever reason, have resulted in the killing of the ones in power and have led to Communism, Socialism and dictatorships. Then we have the American Revolution. It didn't result in the death of King George. It didn't lead to a dictatorship. It brought about the world's first free republic where we have the power instead of the government. It led to a leader that we selected and we're supposed to have power over. We could have easily went the way of oppression like others but we didn't. What made, and, for the most part, makes, the people here so different? Has anyone really thought about that? Americans are so very different than anyone else in that we... you know, I can't quite put my finger on it. We're just tougher, more independent people. We don't like being told what to do. Our forefathers lived in that type of environment across Europe and dreamed of escaping it. That's what America is. A haven for those who have had enough. People who are sick and tired of having their lives ran for them. I know it's considered jingoist or racist or whatever to believe in American exceptionalism but we are an exceptional country. A better country. And although we've lost some of the magic that's made America the land of hope and dreams over the years, I have to, need to, believe that there are still enough of us who respect the traditions and history of this country that it will always be here. A free nation for people to come to when they need it.

Bypassing The Constitution

If I'm not mistaken, and let's face it, I often am, I believe this is unconstitutional under Article II, Section I, Clauses 2 & 3 of the United States Constitution. Again, I wasn't an A student in Civics, so...

Star Trek In Todays World II

Now, just bare with me here. I'm going to talk about Trek a bit but it applies to the world we live in today. I've been watching my favorite Trek series, Enterprise, and I'm on season 4. More specifically the Vulcan storyline. In it the Vulcan's have lost their way over the years from the teachings of Surak. His original writing have been lost for centuries and all that remain are what's been passed down, and those are open to interpretation. They've been corrupted by the High Command, their government. It's kind of like what's going on in the country today. Our government, and it's citizens, have lost their way from what our founders intended this country to be. We have their writings but they're not followed and some are being interpreted incorrectly. In the storyline they find Surok's original writings and they change their entire culture back to the way it was intended. One of the episodes is called "Awakening". This country's going through it's own awakening with people finally realizing that our government is corrupt and things need to change before we destroy ourselves.

If you have Netflix check out the disks of season 4 with the episodes "The Forge", "Awakening" & "Kir'Shara" and see how closely they match with what's going on today.

Is It A Laughing Matter?

I guess there must be something wrong with me because I find nothing funny about spies being caught in our country. Even if one of them is very attractive. People hear that Russian spies were captured and for some reason it's not taken all to seriously. Boris & Natasha jokes abound. Our V.P. on Leno cracking jokes about trading Rush Limbaugh. I wonder if they'd been Arab instead of Russian would people's attitudes would be the same? Thankfully they weren't able to find whatever they were here for, but what if...

Music Czar Monday

Cool, another month of totally awesome 80's music.

Yeah, it's Sunday but it's July 4th. Happy Birthday America. What better way to celebrate than with music. And what better way to celebrate than with the Diamond one. Roth was inspired to write this song in 1986 as a tribute to the Statue of Liberty while it was being renovated. Enjoy.


Yankee Rose by David Lee Roth

Pride

Americans truly are a different breed of people. We're proud, we're tough, we're determined. When told we can't do something we say "Watch me". We are special people. There is no place like America and there are no people like Americans. I would not live anywhere else. From the Natives to the Pilgrims to our Founding Fathers and the Patriots to our Parents and Grandparents to Us today, I love this country and I love it's people. This really is the greatest country in the world.

I Am Not A Virginian, But An American!

- Patrick Henry

Can you tell I watched History last night?

Don't Destroy It

If you watched Glenn Beck's show yesterday then you saw his opening monologue in which he talked about how he feels that things are starting to boil over and how someone could do something that could totally destroy everything the Tea Party and 912 protesters have fought for. Some people may even want some dope to commit some act of violence so that and media and the government will in turn latch onto and make seem as if it's indicative of the entire movement. We see it all the time whenever there's a real or imagined act of racism stemming from one person. It's made to seem like we all think the same. That the whole movement is based on racism. All it will take is one act of ignorance to bring it all down. And I'm afraid it's coming. There are nuts out there and I just feel that one of them will do something stupid that's going to ruin everything. If you know someone who's saying stupid things or if you attend a rally and you see or hear someone, do something for the love of God. Remind them to be more like MLK and less like Bill Ayers & SEIU.

:UPDATE:
Exactly what I was talking about above. Some like Rep. Clyburn continue to poke and prod people to cause them to lash out in anger so the media and government can have their "I told you so moment".

Mouthpiece?

I didn't see Glenn Beck's speech at CPAC, but I've read some of the things he said. He seems to be taking on the GOP as well as Democrats and Progressives. And that kind of confuses me because I though he was a puppet of the Republican party. I thought they gave him his talking points. Huh. And that person who shouted "President Obama" when he asked what America was suffering from just doesn't get it. I'm willing to put money on that this person believes all of our problems are the Democrats fault and thinks that if we just vote Republicans back into power everything will be fine and dandy. It's that kind of thinking that gets us into trouble. We can't just swap a D for an R. Or an R for a D. You'd think we would have learned that by now. And some of us have, thank God. The party doesn't matter. It's the ideas of the individual that we need to look at. Do they want the government to coddle and protect us from everything or do they believe that we're able to take care of ourselves without someone looking over our shoulder telling us how something should, or has, be done? Do they believe the Constitution is the guide by which the country should be run or do they believe it's a charter of negative liberties? The next time you hear someone say "We need to take our country back", ask them what they mean. Do they mean Republicans or do they mean Americans? Because it's our country, Americans, not the GOP's. Hallelujah! Holy shit! Where's the Tylenol?

Well, there's my nonsensical rant for the month.

The Last Great Man

"The lesson of all this was, of course, that because we're a great nation, our challenges seem complex. It will always be this way. But as long as we remember our first principles and believe in ourselves, the future will always be ours. And something else we learned: Once you begin a great movement, there's no telling where it will end. We meant to change a nation, and instead, we changed a world...

Ours was the first revolution in the history of mankind that truly reversed the course of government, and with three little words: 'We the people.' 'We the people' tell the government what to do, it doesn't tell us. 'We the people' are the driver, the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast. Almost all the world's constitutions are documents in which governments tell the people what their privileges are. Our Constitution is a document in which 'We the people' tell the government what it is allowed to do. 'We the people' are free." - Ronald Reagan

Happy Birthday, Mr. President

Wise Sage Of The Day

They tell us Sir, that we are weak -- unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature has placed in our power.
Patrick Henry

FORE

Nero had his fiddle, Obama has his Putter.

The Constitution Is a Charter Of Negative Liberties

But, the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in society. To that extent, as radical as I think people try to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn't that radical. It didn't break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution, at least as it's been interpreted, and the Warren Court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. Says what the states can't do to you. Says what the federal government can't do to you, but doesn't say what the federal government or state government must do on your behalf.
- Barack Obama

Wise Sage Of The Day

"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer."
- Benjamin Franklin

South Africa, Here We Come

US 3-2 HON. US is going to the 2010 World Cup. WOOOOOOOOO!!!! I just hope we make it past the first round this time.

State Of The Union 1985

My fellow citizens, this nation is poised for greatness. The time has come to proceed toward a great new challenge - a second American Revolution of hope and opportunity; a revolution carrying us to new heights of progress by pushing back frontiers of knowledge and space; a revolution of spirit that taps the soul of America, enabling us to summon greater strength than we've ever known; and a revolution that carries beyond our shores the golden promise of human freedom in a world of peace. - Ronald Wilson Reagan

It might be time for a third American Revolution because the government is destroying our country. We need someone to stand up and lead this country back to what we know it can be. But so long as there are stupid people electing stupid politicians into office, there will be no change. We can't fix the country unless we fix ourselves.

Just Leave Them Where They Are

White House Near Choosing Location To Hold Gitmo Detainees.

And in case you're not sure, it's based on this image.