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Standing in the security line at the airport, I watched as a young boy cried loudly. His mother trying to console him, but to no avail. His hoverboard had just been confiscated by the airline attendant. He was notified that the hoverboard was banned and would be kept for pickup in the lost and found. The attendant said that all airlines were banning hoverboards because of the possibility that their lithium-ion batteries might spontaneously burst into flames.
The nine or ten year old didn't understand the issue he just wanted to take the hoverboard to the Family reunion. There have been a series of recent incidents where the sometimes poorly constructed batteries have short-circuited and the boards suddenly start burning. Imagine that happening in the cargo hold of a passenger plane, or even worse, a UPS cargo plane . Some people have criticized the decision to ban the boards, but isn't prudent to avoid such a potential tragedy if possible? After an investigation is performed and a determination is made about the particular manufacturer or battery type, maybe the boards can be allowed again. In the meantime, it would be foolish to risk a major airline disaster over such a innocuous but potentially dangerous toy. It wouldn't matter if it were a computer or a cellphone. If it has a history of spontaneous combustion it needs to be kept off the plane until it can be proved to be safe. Kinda like Muslim immigrants coming into the US with little or no verifiable background information... I remember a month or so ago when a friend asked me, "What do you think about Trump getting into the race?" I said I thought it was a good thing because 'he would bring focus to the issues that really matter.' I could tell my friend felt the same way but also thought it was a fluke and Trump wouldn't be around very long. I am sure MOST people felt the same way, and I must admit, though I felt he would have a major impact, I didn't think he would make the final cut. I don't think that any more! Because not only has The Donald put focus on THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT issue, he has revealed the other candidates to be apprentices when it comes to taking the pulse of America, Trump made illegal immigration his focal point, and the more I think about it, the more it makes sense that if we as a country can't control our borders, we don't have a country and every other issue is directly related to that. What difference does it make if we have an out-of-control national debt, if we don't know who our citizens are and who is responsible for it. If we can't determine who is voting, who is getting hired, who is using our educational system, who is interested in keeping this human experiment in freedom and self determination going, then what difference does it make if Israel exists, if Iran dominates the Middle East, if Sharia Law infiltrates our legal system? Who cares about any of the issues involving the safety of our citizens, the destruction of the middle class, the dropping birthrate, the dysfunctional family? If the IRS uses it's power to intimidate political opponents, or the President uses executive orders to legislate? If we can't provide jobs for our less educated, or less privileged? If everyone is going to be a ward of the State, as Hillary would suggest, than who cares who comes and goes? If we can't define our Nation's identity, we don't have a Nation! It is increasingly clear that the mass media don't want to promote the same values and ideals that have built America. All you have to do is watch prime time TV to see that. The media (TV, Movies, News) reflects something foriegn to the vast majority of people in this country and they are DONE accepting it as THE NEW NORMAL! I wish I could have said this because it is a perfect summary of what is happening: "I have never seen or known a period of time where the people in Washington were so detached, disconnected, unaware of the thinking of the majority of the American people, as is the case today. I've never seen it. And it's getting wider. This divide is getting wider. This detachment, this distance is becoming even greater and more stark, and it is just all illustrated here every day more and more in the media coverage of the Trump campaign, or anything else involving Trump. It is genuinely eye opening. Washington Post...they've got a little story here. It's a blog, PowerPost, called The Daily 202. "Focus Group Shows Why Donald Trump Is Not Going Anywhere." Frank Luntz, focus grouper extraordinaire: "I've never seen anything like this. There is no sign of Trump's supporters leaving. He has created or found the magic formula." Then they go to the focus group participants themselves: "Asked about Trump’s proposal for a ban on Muslim immigration, 17 of the 29 in the focus group backed it. ... One big problem for Trump’s opponents: establishment Republicans hold no sway whatsoever with his base." Here is the bottom line: There isn't a single elected Republican in Washington with moral authority sufficient to denounce Trump with credibility within its base. Within its base, the Republican establishment is in such a state of disfavor that there's not a single one of them there who has the moral authority or credibility to be believed when he or she criticizes Trump or anybody else." Nope, I didn't say that, Rush Limbaugh said it.... The guy many people think is an extremist, a circus act that is nothing more than a talk show entertainer with little or no honesty or insight. Well, just like Trump it seems a lot of people are living in denial, because Trump has an enormous lead over all of the millions of dollars in PAC money, over all of the establishment power and influence. And of all the so-called main stream media, only Rush has a handle on what is going on with Trump. And all of the other candidates, Democrat or Republican are helplessly standing around with their thumb in their political pie hole, looking sheepish and ashamed because they have been checkmated by one of the greatest big-time chess players in history. By using their blindspot to the immigration issue, he has boxed them out of all of the other issues! The recent domestic terror attacks served to highlight the ineffectiveness and ignorance of what American's want from Government: it isn't social engineering, it isn't lectures about our 'who we are' and it isn't redistribution of wealth. We just want our leaders to keep us safe and then get out of the way! The more we see of the ineptitude, the buracratic stupidity, the misplaced priorities of virtually every level of government, the more we like about The Donald. I think a lot of people are starting to like the image of him sitting in the White House, bringing one bureaucrat after another before him and pointing his finger and announcing "Your Fired!" In October, following a deadly mass shooting, President Obama said, “Thoughts and prayers are not enough. It’s not enough."
Senator Chris Murphy, (D- Conn) tweets “Your ‘thoughts’ should be about steps to take to stop this carnage. Your ‘prayers’ should be for forgiveness if you do nothing – again,” The New York Daily News headline, about the mass murders in San Bernardino, declares in bold typeface, "God Isn't Fixing This." Isn't it a bit presumptuous of those who do not believe in God to criticize the motives and intentions, the actions and attitudes, of those who do? Isn't it the height of hypocrisy to suggest that by praying, a believer is wasting time and resources? If atheist's think that belief in God is superstition, than what value is there in complaining that believers are wasting their time praying or asking God for help? Wouldn't that suggest atheists are doing exactly what they are criticising believers for doing, hoping for something that is never going to happen? Atheists consider themselves as pragmatic. They see no value in believing that an unseen, unprovable force is going to offer any help in dealing with everyday life. So they condemn Christians, in particular, for looking to God to offer solace, comfort and support, or to make the world a better, safer place to live. A politician, like Senator Murphy, arrogantly complains that prayer is inaction, suggesting that looking to politicians like him, to 'do something' would be more productive. Talk about being self absorbed! Let me draw a parallel: I never offer criticism on music. I know what I like, but since I cannot read music, cannot carry a tune, and cannot play any instruments, I believe it would be presumptuous of me to attack the presentation or structure of a musical rendition. What do I know about it? It's OK to say I don't like it, but it is not OK for me to suggest I know more about instrumental arrangements or the selection of musical keys, because I don't. For someone to suggest prayer 'isn't enough' sounds like a violin being played by a beginner. How about language? You will never catch me going to Mexico and telling the locals they are using their own language wrong! No way Jose! What do atheists, or nonbelievers know about prayer? What do they know about God? To suggest withholding prayer because it won't help is not only arrogant, it's downright mean spirited. Sure, athiests can read all about religion. The precepts and the foundations of religious belief, but if a person has never come to know about God, in a very personal way, whether it is a Christian God, an Islamic God, a Hindu God, or whatever, reading about believing in something greater than yourself is a concept self-centered people just can't comprehend. In fact, it is anathema to their narcissism. Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day leaves me with mixed feelings. I understand the need to remember the sneak attack on the Naval Station in Paradise in 1941... How 2400 Americans were essentially murdered. How the whole course of history was changed after the US entered World War II. How 400,000 American lives were eventually lost to the most destructive war in World history. It was Pearl Harbor that brought the attention of the American people to a boil. It galvanized us, and turned a reluctant population into an energized War Machine. Today, December 7th, 2015 is the 74th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, the Day that Lives in Infamy. And we need to remember it, and learn from it. But I am afraid this current generation may have failed the lesson... Unfortunately, Pearl Harbor represents, for me,a sad analogy for our Modern World. Like Pearl Harbor, modern civilization has been attacked by an ideologically psychopathic clan of Islamic Fundamentalist Extremism. Not just one big sneak attack, though the attack on the World Trade Center certainly was huge, but in a series of smaller, disparate, sometimes clumsy, but all too often deadly attacks. All of them vicious, uncivilized and indiscriminate, sneak attacks. Instead of a massive attack on one of our large military installations, ISIL chooses instead to piecemeal their attacks. To nibble away like a pack of coyotes feeding on the corpse of an elephant. They chew away at the 'soft' spots, each small, but deadly, attack, slowly consuming their victim. Our response has not measured up. What worries me is what is it going to take for Americans to come together with a unified mindset to go out and kick ass? Let's not get so enamored with remembering the past that we forget to live in the present. As much as we should always remember and revere those who fought in World War II, and acknowledge the pain and suffering those who were directly affected by the vicious sneak attack at Pearl Harbor, we must not forget we still have a planet to protect, right here, right now. And the threat of the destruction of modern civilization by the Islamic Mad Dogs of ISIS is no less real than the delusional Japanese Imperialists or the Aryan Supremacist Nazis. ISIS may not have the industrial production that the Nazis had, or the near hypnotic control over the society as had the Imperialist Dynasty of Japan, but what they do have is the internet and potentially, weapons of mass destruction. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor did not have the effect the Japanese had anticipated. They thought the US would be so devastated that they would not respond, and instead would focus their attention on Germany, who only days after the Japanese attack also declared war on America. Isn't that exactly what Osama Bin Laden said about us? That we were the weak horse and his movement was the strong horse? That America doesn't have the will to fight? The Islamic State has made it clear they intend to conquer our world. America, the leader of the Free World, appears to be asleep at the wheel. All indications are the momentum is on the side of the marauding packs of Mad Dogs we assign the euphemistic terms 'sleeper cells' or 'insurgents' or 'disillusioned extremists.' If I were a leader of the terrorist movement, I would be feeling pretty good about my successes.The Islamic extremists may not have control over the planet, but they certainly aren't being controlled. While many of the most important and significant tenants of the US Constitution, freedom of speech, right to be armed, freedom to practice religion, freedom of association and equal protection under the law, have all been eroded, or at least restricted. We have imposed so many layers of restraints on our ability to identify, to monitor, to control or interrogate suspected terrorists, that we are essentially fighting with both arms tied behind our backs! What is so hard about agreeing to coalesce our efforts to fight this war and to win it. Not to just 'contain' it as our President proudly suggests, but to destroy all vestiges of it. Put it down like a Mad Dog, and bury it in the dustbin of history? The sneak attack on the quiet and beautiful Hawaiian Naval station was different only in that the Japanese military did not announce its intentions. The clans of Fundamental Jihad have made it clear what their goals are, and how they intend to achieve them. Contrast that with the muddled and confused messages being sent by the Obama administration. The seemingly distant reaction from many parts of America, especially from the college student movement that can't understand why society isn't paying more attention to their childish and selfish demands for 'safety', 'security,' 'tolerance' and the end of 'white privilege.' Is this unfocused attempt to deal with what could easily morph into the biggest threat to civilization since WWII the result of the world's afluency? Is it because we have simply become complacent and morally dull? Because it appears that the only reason this Caliphate movement has made the progress that it has is due to America's total lack of acknowledgement that it presents a real threat. On December 7th, 1941, everything America stood for was under attack. On December 7th, 2015, everything America stands for is under attack. In October, following a deadly mass shooting, President Obama said, “Thoughts and prayers are not enough. It’s not enough."
Senator Chris Murphy, (D- Conn) tweets “Your ‘thoughts’ should be about steps to take to stop this carnage. Your ‘prayers’ should be for forgiveness if you do nothing – again,” The New York Daily News headline, about the mass murders in San Bernardino, declares in bold typeface, "God Isn't Fixing This." Do those who do not believe in God have a right to criticize the motives and intentions, the actions and attitudes, of those who do? Isn't it the height of hypocrisy to suggest that by praying, a believer is wasting time and resources? If atheist's think that belief in God is superstition, than what value is there in complaining that believers are wasting their time praying or asking God for help? Wouldn't that suggest atheists are doing exactly what they are criticising believers for doing, hoping for something that is never going to happen? Atheists consider themselves as pragmatic. They see no value in believing that an unseen, unprovable force is going to offer any help in dealing with everyday life. So they condemn Christians, in particular, for looking to God to offer solace, comfort and support, or to make the world a better, safer place to live. A politician, like Senator Murphy, arrogantly complains that prayer is inaction, suggesting that looking to politicians like him, to 'do something' would be more productive. Talk about being self absorbed! Let me draw a parallel: I never offer criticism on music. I know what I like, but since I cannot read music, cannot carry a tune, and cannot play any instruments, I believe it would be presumptuous of me to attack the presentation or structure of a musical rendition. What do I know about it? It's OK to say I don't like it, but it is not OK for me to suggest I know more about instrumental arrangements or the selection of musical keys, because I don't. How about language? You will never catch me going to Mexico and telling the locals they are using their own language wrong! No way Jose! What do atheists, or nonbelievers know about prayer? What do they know about God? Isn't it a bit presumptuous for them to even pretend to speak about the value or effectiveness of prayer? Sure, they can read all about religion. The precepts and the foundations of religious belief, but if a person has never come to know about God, in a very personal way, whether it is a Christian God, an Islamic God, a Hindu God, or whatever, reading about believing in something greater than yourself is a concept self-centered people just can't comprehend. In fact, it is anathema to their narcissism. |
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