'Target' Acquired - Fire For Effect

My good friend WB posted on the OES blog on Friday. In the midst of some general updates about what is going on with his company he linked to a really great article by Kevin McCullough about how Target is starting to regret not allowing the Salvation Army to do its annual kettle drive in front of their stores. Kevin wrote:

To the Salvation Army's credit – even though they are now being denied space on public sidewalks – they have been careful to publicly state that they wish only the best for their future relationships with stores like Target which have eliminated this important revenue stream for them.

But I don't have to be as gracious, nor will I. Target needs to hear "en masse" that Americans miss our ringing bells. We miss the thought of true charity as expressed at Christmas time. Having spoken with Target Corporation in their worldwide headquarters, they informed me that senior management is extremely concerned about the impact of this controversial decision and will welcome and read all correspondence on the matter. Please send your thoughts to guest.relations@target.com.

Good show, Kevin. I heartily agree! WB also included a link that can be clicked so that you too can send disparaging email to Target's corporate office.

Click here to email Target.

I really like this. It is nice and convenient. When you make it this simple there really isn't any reason to not drop them a line. So I did. Here's what I wrote:

To whomever it may concern:

I want to take this opportunity to tell you that I will never set foot in a Target store again. Your decision to bar the Salvation Army from collecting funds from in front of your stores is a total affront to me.

The Salvation Army is one of the most efficient charities in the nation. Very little of the money that they collect is lost to bureaucracy. They run homeless shelters and food banks. They feed and clothe people after natural disasters. They are a Christian organization, but they are one of the most low key ministries around.

It is a complete farce to say that you are just trying to be fair to the other charities that may want to solicit funds. You're going to be fair by keeping them all away? What a load of rubbish! The simple fact of the matter is that this is double speak to say that you want to be politically correct and not support the Salvation Army because of their Christian belief and stance on several social issues.

This, of course, is your company's right. We live in a free country and you can ban or allow anyone you choose from soliciting funds from your customers. However, it is also my right to choose to spend my dollars wherever I see fit. I will make it a point to shop at Wal-Mart and Big Lots this year (and I have never shopped at Big Lots before in my life) because they have welcomed the Salvation Army with open arms. I will also exercise my freedom of speech and tell all of my friends why they shouldn't patronize your bigoted, fascist organization.

In fact, I have already gone further than that by telling the world through my web log about my displeasure with your decision. I am sick and tired of corporations and organizations that are trying to impose their secular world view on me and my family. If you want a secular society move to France. I'll help you pack. Though you are not a French-owned company you should feel right at home.

I hope that they try to come back with some sort of politically correct, hand-wringing, "it isn't our fault" response! I can hardly wait! I'm loaded for bear, and there aren't any bears in my part of the state. Guess it is time for some Target practice!

Straighten Up and Fly Right

Do you understand what I'm saying, Jacques? Do I have your undivided attention? 

Dubya

What a great picture! 

It is funny how I really haven't seen any pictures of President Bush that made him look like John Kerry in this picture:


He Just Makes It Too Easy... 

It's great to see someone enjoying their job!

Mission Accomplished

Ready for Action 

I heard from Kevin's wife yesterday, and the news is excellent. Kevin's unit made it through the battle to retake Fallujah without losing a single Marine! Phenomenal! Kevin ended up tending a couple of the wounded Marines and rendering first aid until the corpsman could get to them.

The unit has returned to their "home" base away from Fallujah now.


Kevin in the big sandbox... 

Kevin's wife makes no bones about why she believes that they all returned alive. Her firm response would be that our prayers for their safety factored in mightily. I am so very pleased that the mission was so successful. You can't take away from the training that these Marines received, but I would have to agree with Kevin's wife. The prayer of a righteous man or woman is very efficacious, and if I had to choose just one or the other I'd take the prayer every time!

Kevin's mission there has been successful in many other ways too. There have been a number of decisions to follow Christ and a number of baptisms as well.


Welcome to the family! 

Recently, some leftwing moonbat idiot (but I guess that title is rather redundant) saw a picture of a bunch of Marines praying and raised a big stink, saying that they were Federal employees praying while on duty. That's pretty easy to say standing over here where you are not having to dodge bullets, cowboy. Put that jerk in the middle of a firefight, and I'll bet you'd have a pretty quick convert. Better yet, let some of those terrorists capture him and threaten to saw off his head with a butter knife. I guarantee he would cease to be so against prayer. (Here's a newsflash to any idiots who think that this fellow has a good point: Congress is opened with a prayer and employs a chaplain. More Feds praying on company time! Oh, the horror!)

Check out Alamo Nation. Dan Peugh wrote a couple great posts there that address this stupidity. There is Constitution 101 (Saturday, November 13) and Constitution 102 (Sunday, November 14).

Well, that is all for tonight. I need to get out of here, but I'll be back soon! Remember to keep praying for our troops. It works!

Some Reflections on the Election

Yeah, yeah, I know. Old news. Sleep deprivation kept me from talking about it then, so you'll have to bear with me. Why? Well, because it's my blog!

It is interesting to note in the wake of the election what emotions have been touched upon. Of course, for the left there has been despair, despondency, and depression. I can totally understand these feelings. This is the way I felt when I realized that Bill Clinton was going to be elected the first time, when I realized that he had been re-elected, and most especially of all when it looked like Al Gore might get away with stealing the 2000 election. These feelings are not surprising, and frankly, the folks that are despondent that President Bush was re-elected have reason to feel that way. They felt that his approach to governance was wrong and they realize that with him back in the White House for another 4 years that very little will be changing. Had Al Gore or John Kerry stolen their respective elections - and they both tried to - I would have been just as despondent, knowing that the country was about to be taken a very different direction than I would desire.

But they didn't succeed in stealing their elections, now, did they?

My man definitely won on November 2. I actually expected to feel elated, overjoyed, and ecstatic. Oddly, that wasn't my primary emotion. I felt it, but it wasn't primary. No, the primary emotion that I experienced was relief. I was actually surprised by how many Bush supporters that I talked to that told me the same thing. We are all so relieved that it is over. We are relieved that the President will be able to continue his successful policies, and most of all we are relieved that a man whose faith is real and not merely puffery will be presiding over the direction of this country again.


Oh yeah! 

Here's something that is unfathomable to me. Everywhere I went prior to the election, I didn't encounter one single person who would admit that they supported the absent Senators John Kerry and John Edwards for President. In fact, most of the people that I know were quite vocal in their support of President Bush and even more vocal in their detraction of John Kerry. Here's the scary part - even in my little Southern small town county the vote was 34,549 for Bush to 16,517 for Kerry. I couldn't account for nearly that kind of a margin in my communication with others or by outward signs such as bumper stickers or yard signs that there was anywhere near that much support for Kerry in this county. In spite of all of our conservatism, Kerry still got 1/3 of the vote. I am totally perplexed by this one. The margin was even closer on the state level. Totally weird.

I guess my sign theory doesn't work. Even though Ballentine creamed Easley in the number of signs posted around the state, Easley pretty well destroyed Ballentine in the election. I will never understand why North Carolina will vote for a Republican President, two Republican Senators and a Democrat for Governor. The best Governor that I can remember was Jim Martin - the only Republican Governor to ever sit while I have been alive. He managed to cut taxes, cut spending and still have a surplus when Jim Hunt took office. (Hunt managed to destroy all of that in a couple of years, leaving the state all but bankrupt when Easley took over. Thank God for term limits.)

Anyway, enough of that for now. I found an article quoted on the Powerline Blog the other day. They were quoting Tony Blankley who was commenting on Lawrence O'Donnell's call for the blue states to secede from the US. He wrote:

This dominant sentiment of the Democratic Party elite — that scores of millions of Americans are categorically unacceptable as fellow countrymen — is evidence of a cancer in the soul of that party. These Democrats, quite expressly, are asserting that "Christers," people who believe in the teachings of Jesus as described in the inerrant words of the Bible, are un-American, almost sub-human. Some of these Democrats would rather secede than stay in the same country with such people. If they were in the majority with no need to secede, what would they do? Their bigoted and absolutist view of religious people is at least a second cousin to the Nazi view of the Jews.

Interesting, no? I'd like to comment on this statement on two different levels. First of all, I'd like to say that I am absolutely thrilled to learn that the demonized denizens of the left have come up with a new derisive name for Christians. That tells me that we're (Christians are) finally doing something right. Of course, I am not naive enough to think that there isn't something disturbing about it at the same time. When these sorts of notions begin to take hold - especially among a ruling class - you can believe that persecutions are soon to follow. I think that Target's decision to ban the Salvation Army from soliciting funds in front of their stores is a perfect example. Mr. Blankley doesn't exaggerate. This view is very akin to the attitudes held by the Nazis and you can rest assured that their actions wouldn't be much different if they are allowed to go unchecked. (A very good reason to fight tooth and nail for the protection of the Second Amendment in my opinion.)

Level two. If they want to secede I'd be more than happy to accommodate them and help them pack. However, if they secede they need to realize that there will be no entitlements coming from us. There will also be no military assistance unless it is in our best interest. There will also be no dual citizenships. Choose wisely. Once you have run your country into the ground and are broke and desperate you will likely cry for us to re-absorb you into our wonderful, prosperous, safe country. However, I doubt that we will let you back in. Stupid people have stupid children. We don't want the bad bloodlines coming back into the country.

Anyway, that is about all that I have time for tonight. As I breathe a sigh of relief that we have not only retained power but also increased it I am extremely pleased to see that the Left still doesn't get it. Perhaps we'll add 5 or 6 more seats in the Senate in two years!

My Favorite Verse...

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier 

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us as a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

THANK YOU, Veterans

For All Those Who Served: THANK YOU. 

Though Hollywood and the left seem to have a hard time grasping the sacrifice of those in our armed forces, I want to take a moment to sincerely thank all of those who have sacrificed their freedoms in defense of mine. I am eternally grateful for the things that you have done and endured so that I could grow up in a land that is free. I thank you for the many men and women who have volunteered for military service since the draft was done away with. You service made it unnecessary for me to serve and I truly appreciate that gift. Thanks to both of my grandfathers who served during World War II to keep Germany and Japan from succeeding in their ambitions to take over the world. Thanks to my mother's brothers who volunteered to serve during the Vietnam era. Thanks to my friends Kevin, Joe, and Brian who have left their families to fight in Iraq while I stay safely behind. Your sacrifice isn't lost to me. Thanks to all of those like Pat Tillman, who gave up their own personal comfort and fortunes to serve this great country. May you never be forgotten.

Joe and Brian are members of the National Guard unit here in my town. They were recently activated and will be heading to Iraq in the coming months. They are father and son. Joe is leaving his wife, his youngest son, and two daughters. Brian is leaving his new bride. Yet they go willingly. To them, the defense (and propagation) of freedom is worth it. Can you grasp this at all Hollywood? I didn't think so.

I had the opportunity to go to the sending off ceremony at the Armory two days before they left for Ft. Bragg. As I sat there, I couldn't help but wish that I were going with them. I have said it many times before: I regret having never served in the United States Armed Forces. Perhaps if I can get into shape I can get them to take me yet!

Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are truly heroes!

I leave you with the words of President Bush:

Veterans Day is set aside to remember every man and woman who has taken up arms to defend our country. We honor every soldier, sailor, airman, Marine and Coastguardsman who gave some of the best years of their lives to the service of the United States and stood ready to give life, itself, on our behalf. Twenty-five million military veterans walk among us, and on this day, our nation thanks them all.

These are the hidden heroes of a peaceful nation: our colleagues and friends, neighbors and family members who answered the call and returned to live in the land they defended.

Our veterans are drawn from several generations and many backgrounds. They're Americans who remember the swift conflict of the Persian Gulf War; and a long Cold War vigil; the heat of Vietnam and the bitter cold of Korea. They are veterans in their 80s, who served under MacArthur and Eisenhower and saved the liberty of the world. And still with us in the year 2004 are a few dozen Americans who fought the Kaiser's army and celebrated the end of the Great War on this day in 1918. The last doughboys are all more than 100 years old. Our nation will always be proud of their service.

Some of our veterans are young men and women with recent memories of battle in mountains and in deserts. In Afghanistan, these brave Americans helped sweep away a vicious tyranny allied with terror and prepared the way for a free people to elect its own leaders. In Iraq, our men and women fought a ruthless enemy of America, setting the people free from a tyrant who now sits in a prison cell.

All who have served in this cause are liberators in the best tradition of America. Their actions have made our nation safer in a world full of new dangers. Their actions have also upheld the ideals of America's founding, which defines us still. Our nation values freedom -- not just for ourselves, but for all. And because Americans are willing to serve and sacrifice for this cause, our nation remains the greatest force for good among all the nations on the Earth.

Some of tomorrow's veterans are in combat in Iraq at this hour. They have a clear mission: to defeat the terrorists and aid the rise of a free government that can defend itself. They are performing that mission with skill and with honor. They are making us proud. They are winning.

Our men and women in the military have superb training and the best equipment and able commanders. And they have another great advantage -- they have the example of American veterans who came before. From the very day George Washington took command, the uniform of the United States has always stood for courage and decency and shining hope in a world of darkness. And all who have worn that uniform have won the thanks of the American people.

Today, we're thinking of our fellow Americans last seen on duty, whose fate is still undetermined. We will not rest until we have made the fullest possible accounting for every life.

Today we also recall the men and women who did not live to be called "veterans," many of whom rest in these hills. Our veterans remember the faces and voices of fallen comrades. The families of the lost carry a burden of grief that time will lighten, but never lift. Our whole nation honors every patriot who placed duty and country before their own lives. They gave us every day that we live in freedom. The security of America depends on our active leadership in the world to oppose emerging threats and to spread freedom that leads to the peace we all want. And our leadership ultimately depends on the commitment and character of the Armed Forces.

America has needed these qualities in every generation, and every generation has stepped forward to provide them. What veterans have given our country is beyond our power to fully repay, yet, today we recognize our debt to their honor. And on this national holiday, our hearts are filled with respect and gratitude for the veterans of the United States of America.

May God bless our veterans and their families, and may God continue to bless our great nation. Thank you.

God bless you all, and God bless America!

I've Got a New 'Target'

Just when you thought the idiots would learn...

I just found an article on Newsmax.com (Click HERE) that reports that Target stores have decided to prevent the Salvation Army from collecting money in front of their stores this year.

Target Corp. has decided to keep the Salvation Army kettles off its property this Christmas season.

That decision has Northwest Indiana leaders of the Christian charitable organization scrambling to make up part of the $9 million that kettles raise nationally. That’s almost 10 percent of their Red Kettle income.

The group has sent Northwest Indiana donors mail claiming that limited access could affect about one-third of its annual budget.

In Indiana, Salvation Army officials say the group’s state charity budget is between $25 million and $30 million annually. The Chicago-area budget is about $50 million annually.

But the Salvation Army has stopped short of criticizing Target. In fact, the mailings don’t even mention the company that won’t allow them on its property.

The article states that the Salvation Army provides relief to over 33 MILLION people in need every year. I know from WB that Florida received a lot of relief from the Salvation Army in the wake of the pummeling that they got this year from hurricanes.

“I don’t think there’s any question that someone bullied Target into doing this,” said Robert Knight, director of the D.C.-based Culture and Family Institute, an associate of the conservative group, Concerned Women for America.

But Paula Greear, spokeswoman for the Minneapolis-based Target, denied that charge, and said Target was trying to be fair to other worthy, not-for-profit organizations by not allowing exceptions.

Target has long had a no-solicitation policy, Greear said.

Well, Merry Christmas. Obviously, that policy didn't apply to the Salvation Army before. Now it does. Hmmm … Wonder what has changed?

I am glad to see that the Salvation Army has taken the high ground in this fight. It is a credit to them to have done so. I do hope that the Lord of Hosts will see their response to this tacit persecution and will provide by filling the Salvation Army's coffers doubly this season. I also hope that He will withhold revenue from Target. That would make me smile.

You would think that Target would be a bit more careful about stuff like this - especially after the urban legend that went around last Christmas that claimed that they were a French-owned company that should be boycotted. You would think that they would realize that the sleeping giant that was mobilized for this election because of morality issues just might not take too kindly to actions that could be interpreted as punitive against an organization as well thought of as the Salvation Army. You would think....

In all fairness, Target has the right to allow or prevent the Salvation Army (or anyone else) from soliciting funds on their premises. Regardless of whether it is the right thing to do or not, it is their right.

But it is also my right to tell everyone that I know and everyone that visits this blog that I think that Target is evil for making this decision. It is my right to never set foot in a Target again, and it is my right to encourage everyone that I know and everyone that visits this blog to join me in my boycott of Target because of the stance that they have taken against the Salvation Army. I hope thousands will join me. It won't hurt me at all to avoid Target. There are plenty of other retailers out there that will have a Salvation Army volunteer standing at the front door ringing their little bell. These are the stores where I will do my Christmas shopping.

If you want to get in touch with Target I will try to come back soon and get some contact information to you. I do know that the CEO's name is Robert J. Ulrich. I'll need to confirm the other phone numbers that I have been able to find before I post them here.

It is time that these left-wing nuts and politically correct freaks begin to understand that there are consequences to their hateful decisions and speech. The Dixie Chicks have begun to discover that. So have Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, and Linda Rhonstadt. France has also begun to find that out. May they learn it well.

So, whenever you see some brave soul standing next to a red kettle ringing a bell this Christmas, remember that Target stabbed his charity in the back. Give him or her a generous donation, (We're talking the green stuff - not the stuff that goes "clink!" You can also click HERE to give an online donation.) and make it a point to find the manager of the store that you are going into, and thank them for allowing the Salvation Army to solicit in front of their store. Tell them that you won't be shopping at Target this year, and that you are glad to give his store your business because of his or her support of the Salvation Army.

Bowie Isn't Feeling Too Good Today

Trey "Jim Bowie" Berryman over at Alamo Nation isn't feeling too good today, so I guess I'll have to wait to hear if he'll grace us with a post. I hope that he will. If you haven't checked out his blog before you should. He has some great commentary on political news from a refreshing "Right Wing" perspective.

Anyway, while we're waiting to hear from Trey, I just want to send out my wishes to him for a speedy recovery from this ailment that has him under the weather. Get well soon!

I Knew He Wouldn't Disappoint!

Well, I told you that you would be entertained! WB will most likely need to publish a glossary for anyone that isn't Scottish to be able "tae" read the thing! If you aren't familiar with the fabulous work of Terry Pratchett you probably didn't know what he was referring to, but that is OK too.

I would heartily recommend Terry Pratchett's work to anyone - well, anyone with a sense of humor. I discovered him while on a 5 month mission to Scotland. I brought back a couple books for WB and he was hooked. Up until Ivan the Terrible washed through his house he had all but about 6 of the novels in Pratchett's Discworld series. WB has actually read more of them than I have!

Perhaps you are wondering what this Terry Pratchett's work is like. Well, it is hilarious for one. Terry makes fun of everything that can be made fun of. He is an equal opportunity lampooner - don't be offended with him; he makes fun of everyone! The great thing is that the things that he derides are things that really are scorn worthy!

Terry Pratchett has created this wonderfully weird world called Discworld. Discworld is flat - hence its name - and has a grand ocean that continually flows over the edge into space.

In the event that you would happen to be unfortunate enough to do this (i.e. go over the edge on Discworld) you would realize that Discworld is carried on the back of 4 enormous elephants. As you continued to plummet through space you would discover that these elephants are standing on the back of a giant seaturtle swimming through outer space - the Great A'Tuin.

Discworld is a very magical place, so you won't be surprised to find that there are witches and wizards there. There are also dwarves, trolls, assasins, street vendors, and whole host of other rich characters. As I think of it, there is only one type of character that is completely absent from Discworld - normal people! Everyone there is a little cracked!

If you are looking for a good place to start with Terry Pratchett, get the first two Discworld novels: The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic. Go ahead and get both of them. The Colour of Magic leaves you hanging and you'll need The Light Fantastic to finish the story. Buy it. Read it. Laugh yourself silly.

Well I guess that is about all for now, so I'll wish you a...

GOOD NIGHT.

A New Day Has Dawned

"Even the most rational approach to ethics is defenseless if there isn't the will to do what is right..."
----Alexander Solzhenitsyn

As I sit in front of my laptop, scarfing down Rice Krispies Treats Mini Squares and M&M's, the time for rational thought and reason is long past. The sugar rush and long hours of trying to put my house back together after Hurricane Ivan, along with the ensuing battle with mildew and mold have taken their toll on me and my patience (which was almost nil anyhow).

In the immortal words of the Nac Mac Feegle (the fightin', thievin', tiny blue-skinned pictsies who were thrown out of Fairyland for being Drunk and Disorderly...The Wee Free Men):

"Oh waily, waily, waily. This bigjob's on a geas, ye ken".

Yes, it's time to gloat...time to throw the election results into the face of the minority of Liberals that have tried force feed this nation their bunk and poo.

"Nae King, Nae Quin, Nae Laird, Nae Master! We willna be fooled again!"

Ach, see you, liberal scunners that y'are. I willna' be listenin' to ye blethers no longer. Ye mudlins a ken me as Jonathan's evil twin. Crivens, tis time you scunners dree your weird.

Poor Jonathan. He has no idea as to what he has unleashed upon an unsuspecting Blogworld...

"Let's just say: when the Wee Free Men trash a mushroom, it stays trashed..."
----Terry Pratchett

Sleep Is SO Underrated!

Wow! It is amazing how differently the world looks when you actually get a full night's sleep! I gotta do this more often!

In other news, I have invited WB to do some guest posts on this blog. He was so excited when I mentioned it yesterday that I figured I ought to do it! WB also has a corporate blog that he writes for (and I contribute to from time to time) but due to the tax status of his company he can't tell the world how he REALLY feels about some political things. Hopefully this will give him the opportunity to write about the political scene - something that both of us are very passionate about. WB is an excellent writer with a great sense of humor. I think that you'll enjoy reading what he has to say.

Speaking of politics, I have also invited Trey Berryman of Alamo Nation to do some guest posting as well. Trey is totally into the whole political scene and his projections for election night were right on. I think that he only missed one or two states. He was the calm voice of reason in the midst of the media storm that tried to convince us that President Bush was going to lose. He reminded us that most of the polls being published were utter crap and that the President would win convincingly. I'm so glad that he was right!

So, hopefully between the three of us we can keep you entertained! Have a great day!

I'm Tempted...

WB has chided me on several occasions for my slackness in keeping up with this blog. Mea culpa! I admit my guilt! If I can ever get myself back on a normal sleep routine, perhaps I can start writing a bit more regularly. It certainly isn't that I don't want to write - it is just that I don't want to write as badly as I want to go home!

Anyway, lately I have been tempted to add him as a contributor to this blog, but I am scared of what you guys (and more importantly what I) might be subjected to! Those of you who have looked at some of his comments can probably understand what I mean!

Still, WB is a great friend and an excellent writer, so I'm tempted...

We'll have to see. I guess I'll keep you in suspense! But if you start reading something that just doesn't sound like me, check the author! I may have gone and done the unthinkable!

Kevin's Unit Seeing Action in Fallujah

I found out recently that my friend, Kevin Rumsey's unit is involved in the fighting in Fallujah. I have already heard of a couple of casualties that he will have to deal with. According to Fox News this morning a couple of Marines were killed when their bulldozer turned over. I haven't heard of any US Combat casualties from this operation yet. Hopefully there won't be any. Anyway, say a prayer for the Marines and Soldiers involved in the effort to secure Fallujah and wrest control of this city from the rebels fighting there. Remember to write the soldiers too. Kevin's address is:

RP2 Kevin A Rumsey
1/23 H&S Comp Chaplain Office
UNIT 41900
FPO AP 96426-1900

I know that he or any other Marine or Soldier serving over there would appreciate it!

Too Bad Everyone Isn't One...

Here is the text of an email that was forwarded to me today. Perhaps it is an urban legend, but I doubt it. Even if it is, frankly, I don't care. This is pretty well how I feel about stuff so it makes it into my blog. I love blogworld! Anyway, it is very good. Sorry I'm not writing all of this myself. I wish I had come up with it. When I read what Mr. Esseff has written here it sounds to me like he is describing an American - not a Republican. How sad that it doesn't describe the Democrats too.

Wednesday, October 20th 2004

You're a Republican?

In today's America, ask a growing number of high school and college students; their teachers and professors; the self-anointed media elite and/or hard working men and women of all ethnicities, the question, "What is a Republican?" and you'll be told "a rich, greedy, egotistical individual, motivated only by money and the desire to accumulate more and more of it, at the expense of the environment the working poor and all whom they exploit."

I am a Republican. I am none of those things, and I don't know any Republicans who are.

WHAT I AM ... first and foremost, is a loving husband of some 52 plus years, the father of four and an American who's proud of his country and his country's heritage.
WHAT I AM … is the grandson of immigrants who risked everything, including their lives and those of their children, to escape tyranny in search of freedom.
WHAT I AM … is a man who grew up during the Depression and witnessed, first hand, the effects of the Stock Market crash and the soup lines that followed. I watched as both my parents and grand parents, who had very little themselves, share what food they had with a half dozen other families, who had even less.
WHAT I AM … is someone who worked his way through college by holding down three and four jobs at a time and then used that education to build a better life.
WHAT I AM … is a husband who, at age 24, started his own business for the "privilege" of working 60, 70 and 80 hours a week, risking everything I had, including my health, in search of a better life for myself and my loved ones.
WHAT I AM ... is a businessman whose blood, sweat and tears - and plenty of them - made it possible for me to provide a secure living, not only for my family and myself, but also for literally hundreds of my employees throughout the years. Employees, who in turn, were able to buy their own homes, raise their own families and give back to their communities and their country.
WHAT I AM ... is a man who believes in God; a God who has blessed this country and all for which it stands.
WHAT I AM ... is someone who knows, if you doubt miracles exist in today's world, you need only to look into the face of those who received them and the eyes of those who give them.
WHAT I AM ... is an American who's proud that his President embraces a belief in God; proud of a President who understands, as "politically incorrect" as it may be, there is evil in this world and for the security and safety of all freedom loving people everywhere, it must be confronted and it must be defeated.
WHAT I AM ... is an American who takes comfort in the knowledge that our President refuses to allow decisions concerning the very safety and security of this nation, to be governed by the political whims of foreign governments.
WHAT I AM ... is tired of hearing from leading Democrats who see only negativity in America; racism in her people; class warfare in her society and "political incorrectness" in her character.
WHAT I AM ... is a former democrat who now understands that it is the soldier and not the reporter that guarantees us our freedoms of press, speech and dissent.
WHAT I AM ... is a man who believes in the sanctity of life. A man who is repulsed by the pandering of the political left for votes, at the expense of the unborn.
WHAT I AM ... is a husband and father who believes in the sanctity of marriage and the preservation of the family unit.
WHAT I AM ... is a movie goer who is repulsed by those insecure, socially inept, elementary thinking, ego-inflated "entertainers" who have appointed themselves "experts" in the fields of national security and geo-politics and then use their forum to attack this nation, its leaders and its actions, much to the delight and encouragement of our enemies.
WHAT I AM ... is an American who understands the difference between "censorship" and "choice". Evidently, these individuals do not, because when these same "celebrities" receive public ridicule for their offensive actions, the first thing they yell is "Censorship!" What they seem incapable of understanding is the right of free speech and dissent is shared equally by those offended as well as those who offend. I support and will continue to support those films and performers whom I choose to, and refuse to support those I don't. It is my right as an American - a right I will continue to enthusiastically exercise.
WHAT I AM ... is a voter, tired of politicians, who, every time their voting records are subjected to public scrutiny, try to divert attention from their political and legislative failures by accusing their opponents of "attack ads" and "negative campaigning" and the news media who allow them to get away with it.
WHAT I AM ... is a Catholic who loves his God and his Faith and who's been taught to respect all religions whose teachings are based in love, peace and charity. As such, I am embarrassed and ashamed of those individuals, in both private and public life, whose decisions and actions are devoid of any sense of character or morals; individuals who are only driven by what's best for them rather than what's right often times at the expense of many - including our national security.
WHAT I AM ... is a realist who understands that the terrorist attack that murdered hundreds of innocent Russian children could have occurred here, in our heartland. That's why I sincerely believe America needs now, more than ever, a President who sees with a clear and focused vision and who speaks with a voice when heard by both friend and foe alike, is understood, respected and believed.
WHAT I AM … is eternally grateful to Ronald Reagan for having the bravery to speak out against Communism and the courage of his convictions in leading the fight to defeat it; and George W. Bush for the vision, courage, conviction and leadership he has shown in America's war on terrorism amidst both the constant and vicious, personal and political attacks both he and his family are made to endure.
WHAT I AM ... is a human being, full of numerous faults and failures, but a man nonetheless, who, though not always successful, has continually strived to do "what's right" instead of "what's easy". A man who is challenging the religious leaders of all faiths, to not only preach to their congregations the fundamentals of "what's right" and "what's wrong", but to also then hold them accountable for their actions in both the public and private sectors.
WHAT I AM ... is disgusted with the Courts who, on one hand, call the murder of a pregnant woman a "double homicide" but then refer to the abortion of her baby as, "pro-choice".
WHAT I AM ... is someone deeply troubled by a political party which embraces a candidate whose primary "leadership" qualities center around his protesting of the Vietnam war and his labeling the honorable men and women who fought in it, (50,000 of whom gave their lives in that action), as rapists, and war criminals. That same political party then stepped forward this year to block the appearance of a true Vietnam war hero, retired Admiral and former United States Senator, Jeremiah Denton, (a man who spent seven years and seven torturous months in a North Vietnam prison), from speaking before an open session of the California legislature as part of that state's 4th of July celebration. The reason Democrats gave for refusing to allow this American hero to speak before their state legislature was because of the "conservative" nature of his views. As an American, that troubles me deeply ...as well it should you.
WHAT I AM ... is a man who feels the need to spend, $104, 655.60,(tax paid) of his own money, to purchase this advertisement, in order to set the story straight. Some may say this money would have been better spent feeding the world's poor. At the risk of sounding self-serving, as an American and as a Republican, for the last six decades of my life, I have done exactly that and more. Following the examples of my parents and grand parents, I have used my earnings to feed the poor, shelter the homeless, provide housing for the elderly and medical care for the sick... and continue to do so and I'm not alone in that work.
WHAT I AM ... is someone who is paying for this announcement, at my sole expense, in hopes of opening the eyes of those led blindly by ill-informed elements of our great nation, who, through either ignorance, or malicious intent, repeatedly attack and belittle those of us who belong to a political party that holds true to the belief, "the rights of the governed, exceed the power of the government." For those interested, I am speaking only as a tax-paying individual who is in no way associated with The Republican National Committee, nor with any of its directors, or delegates.
WHAT I AM ... is a man who understands, "the American way of life" is a message of self-empowerment for all.
WHAT I AM ... is an American who is grateful that our nation gives each of us the opportunity of self-determination and the right to benefit from the fruits of self achievement.
WHAT I AM ... is an American who wants to preserve that way of life for all who seek it.
WHAT I AM ... is blessed to be an American... and proud to be Republican.
George J. Esseff, Sr. george@esseff-foundation.org

The one that really gets me is the one where he talks about what happened in the Russian school. He is so right. I'd rather have a President that gets them in their back yard instead of letting them come and pee in ours.

Good stuff, Mr. Essneff. My hat is off to you!

I Have A New Election Predictor...

It seems that everyone these days has a foolproof way to tell who is going to win the election. I think that this is a lot of hogwash myself.

The only one that I put alot of faith in is the Weekly Reader poll of school kids. That one is predicting that America will vote about 66% in favor of President Bush and 33% in favor of that guy from Massachusetts. This seems a pretty reasonable predictor to me, because most kids don't get their information about the issues surrounding an election from polls and the media. They get that information from their parents. I think that is why the Weekly Reader poll has been so effective in predicting who will end up winning the actual election.

Well, since everyone else has their way to predict the election I'm going to make up one of my own. I guess we'll find out tomorrow if mine works. Here it goes.

My theory is that the candidate who has the most signs out there is the one that will win the election. There it is. Pretty simple, actually, when you think about it. I mean it seems reasonable to me that the candidate that has the most supporters willing to actually go to the trouble of going to the party headquarters and get signs, run the risk of offending the neighbors, and actually take the time to put them out in the yard stands the best chance to win. Because for every one idiot that is fanatical enough to do all of that there are probably 3 or 4 that still like the candidate that weren't willing to go that far.

I have been almost from one end of NC to the other over the past 2 weeks. I have been as far east as Cape Hatteras and as far west as The Pisgah National Forest. In my travels I have been paying particular attention to the number of signs that I have seen for each of the candidates in the major races in NC: President, Governor, and Senate. The signs have been giving me some interesting information.

Based on the sign distribution that I have seen, here is how it looks like these three races will play out in NC:

Bush will win the vote for president in a landslide. I see about 10 Bush signs for every Kerry sign.

Richard Burr will soundly defeat Erskine Bowles. I see about 6 Burr signs to every Bowles sign. (Is it just me or does Erskine Bowles look like an alien? He has that big round head and the skinny, pointy chin, and the tiny mouth. Looks just like that dude from Signs to me - except alot shorter!)

Patrick Ballentine will destroy Easley for governor. I have seen several hundred Ballentine signs and have only seen about 2 Easley signs statewide.

One of the things that I found particularly interesting was the large amount of Republican sign support that I saw throughout the eastern part of the state. That part of the state is traditionally VERY Democratic in its voting, but I saw very little support there for the Dems.

So there you have it, my (hopefully) foolproof way to tell who will come out on top tomorrow!

A Message To Those Without a Spine - DON'T VOTE!!!

Lots of good stuff being forwarded around today...

As you prepare to go the polls on Tuesday, consider the following:

1) Due to the emasculation of Al Qaeda, in which 75% of their number have
been captured or killed during the War on Terror, Osama Bin Laden has been
forced to send us a video tape, in lieu of a bomb, in an attempt to
influence our presidential election. (I'm sure Spain would have preferred a
video tape before their national election.)

2) In the tape sent to us, Bin Laden shows a keen understanding of our
Electoral College system, as he specifically threatens those American states
which vote for Bush. (See article below.) Let that sink in . . . The
world's most wanted terrorist has made his own choice for president known to
the world, and has threatened you and I if we do not do his bidding . . .
Which is to vote for John Kerry.

3) Joining other known terror organizations, like Hamas and PLO, who have
tacitly endorsed Kerry for president, Al Qaeda has now joined the ranks of
Kerry supporters. (Oh yes, . . . France, too!)

Doesn't it make sense that these terror organizations, (and France), would
desire Americans elect the "weaker" of the two choices, the one most likely
to appease them and accede to their desires? If you enter the polling booth
tomorrow with the intent of voting for John Kerry, consider the company you
keep.

-------------------------------

November 1, 2004 -- WASHINGTON - Osama bin Laden warned in his October
Surprise video that he will be closely monitoring the state-by-state
election returns in tomorrow's presidential race ‹ and will spare any state
that votes against President Bush from being attacked, according to a new
analysis of his statement.

The respected Middle East Media Research Institute, which monitors and
translates Arabic media and Internet sites, said initial translations of a
key portion of bin Laden's video rant to the American people Friday night
missed an ostentatious bid by the Saudi-born terror master to divide
American voters and tilt the election towards Democratic challenger John
Kerry.

MEMRI said radical Islamist commentators monitored over the Internet this
past weekend also interpreted the key passage of bin Laden's diatribe to
mean that any U.S. state that votes to elect Bush on Tuesday will be
considered an "enemy" and any state that votes for Kerry has "chosen to make
peace with us."

The statement in question is when bin Laden said on the tape: "Your
security is up to you, and any state that does not toy with our security
automatically guarantees its own security."

That sentence followed a lengthy passage in the video in which bin Laden
launches personal attacks on the president.

Yigal Carmon, president of MEMRI, said bin Laden used the Arabic term
"ay-wilaya" to refer to a "state" in that sentence.

That term "specifically refers to an American state, like Tennessee,"
Carmon said, adding that if bin Laden were referring to a "country" he would
have used the Arabic word "dawla."

MEMRI also translated an analysis of bin Laden's statement from the
Islamist Web site al-Qal'a, well known for posting al-Qaeda messages, which
agreed that bin Laden's use of the word "ay-wilaya" was meant as a "warning
to every U.S state separately."

"It means that any U.S. state that will choose to vote for the white thug
Bush as president, it means that it chose to fight us and we will consider
it an enemy to us, and any state that will vote against Bush, it means that
it chose to make peace with us and we will not characterize it as an enemy,"
the Web site said, according to MEMRI's translation.

All I have to say is, "Bring it on, you stupid, fanatical, demonic pig."

Under Construction... This one is going to take some time to write the way I want to! Check back soon!

Three Generations - 2004 

An MRE Letter

MREs (Meals Ready-to-Eat) Mmmm Mmm! 

A few weeks ago, I came home, checked my mail, and discovered this (see the picture above.) It was from my friend Kevin Rumsey, a Navy Reserve chaplain's assistant serving the Marines in Iraq. I've gotten lots of letters before, but this is one of the coolest! He actually wrote it on the back of a MRE box! I wish that I could show you the other side of the letter. Unfortunately, my boss' scanner was giving us problems and we couldn't get it to save as a .jpg file and all of my attempts to convert the existing file to a .jpg have been unfruitful.

Kevin reports that they have been doing a lot of visiting with the Marines where they have been able to share the Gospel. So far, they "have had 2 new decisions to follow Jesus, 8 re-dedications and 1 baptism." They are supposed to be having more baptisms in the future.

It has been hot there, but Kevin says that the temperatures have recently started to dip down to the upper 90s and lower 100s. In his words he said, "Time to break out the fleece!"

It is an odd thing about this letter. I don't hear any negativity in it. I don't hear low morale - quite the contrary. He sounds upbeat and positive that things are going well there. I trust that they are still doing so.

I have become totally disgusted with the media in America. Even Fox News, the panacea of the American conservative, has failed (with the exception of Oliver North's reports) to report about the good things that are taking place in Iraq or to cover the successes that we have had there. Is it any wonder then that the President's optimism about the war sounds so foreign in our ears? Today I received a forward from a friend that purports to be a letter from a US Army chaplain. I want to share it in its entirety here:

Letter from an Army Chaplain in Iraq:

Dear Friends and Family:

I am addressing this letter to you to express a frustration that I know has been voiced time and again, yet is met with little change. It concerns the media coverage of this war and the effect of that coverage on the morale of our troops. As a battalion chaplain I hear the comments and complaints of soldiers who, while performing an incredibly difficult job under hostile and stressful conditions, constantly see their efforts portrayed as futile. NBC's coverage this morning (your Thursday evening, 16 September 2004) is a prime example that I believe shows the gulf that exists between the truth of what is happening here and the deceitful agenda of the mainstream media at home and abroad.

Only 24 hours ago the NBC media crew arrived here and filmed hours of footage with our unit. They were told of numerous projects in which our unit is involved, not only in the area of force protection and Troop Medical Clinic support, but also in humanitarian aide to a local village here in Baghdad. Here is an example of some of the projects to which they were introduced:

1. The reconstruction and furnishing of a clinic.

2. Miscellaneous enhancements for a local elementary school and a local day care center.

3. Reconstruction of the decimated electrical, sewer and water systems.

4. Reparation of exterior walls and gates surrounding the village.

5. Rubble and garbage removal projects to clean up the entire village.

6. Construction of a protective chain link fence around the local Shi'a Mosque.

7. Studies to examine the development of agricultural systems and a garment industry to help the locals provide for themselves.

8. The ever-growing clothing and school supplies drive for the children of the village

In the roughly one minute clip that they drew from their day of filming, what did they show? The First Lieutenant who is the primary driver of these projects was shown with one quote about never believing he would be in Iraq, being a National Guard soldier. This was followed by their interview of another soldier's wife, saying her husband was supposed to have retired this summer, that his responsibility to the military should be over and that he should be home. They showed NOTHING of the great humanitarian efforts that are going on here!

It is coverage like this that is convincing more and more soldiers that the consistent media agenda is to show you, the American people, the futility of our current efforts and how everything is going wrong. There is no apparent attempt to show all the good that is happening that, for those of us who are here, far outweighs the very weak, though spectacular, moments of insurgency. And we see it via satellite, just as you do. In a day of great violence across the country, last Sunday, where the insurgency failed to take one American life, what one film clip was shown over and over? They showed the lone burning Bradley fighting vehicle, with Iraqis dancing on and around it, waving flags of the insurgency. Out of the thousands of troops who made it safely around Baghdad and the country that day, the media focused on one piece of impressive footage and repeated it over and over until the viewer receives the message that this is all that went on in Iraq today - an insurgent victory. I also remember how the body count, for two days thereafter, was printed in ever-increasing increments, never mentioning who the casualties were giving the impression that they were American casualties.

The despair and depression, as well as the thankfully limited anti-war sentiment, over our country's efforts in Iraq are not based upon all of the facts. They are rather based on what the media has chosen to show - and what they have chosen NOT to show. The media knows that they can always find those willing to complain, grouse, protest and disagree. And they splash those voices all over their screens and pages, drowning out the voices that will tell you, as I am, that there is good going on here.

There are things going on here you would be proud of, things that would bring tears to your eyes; like the looks of parents whose children are going to school for the first time in years, equipped with pencils, pens and paper and clothed with clean new clothes. There are essential services being provided to people to whom they were denied under the oppressive regime of Saddam Hussein. There is a trial going on for that man and at least eleven of his evil cronies who, let us remember, killed over 300,000 people under the watchful eye of the United Nations (pun intended) during the 12 years they had responsibility for the health and welfare of this nation (yes, the same, inept organization that is currently ignoring the Darfur, Sudan slaughter of Christians by Islamic fundamentalists). This was the same time that the oil-for-food program monies were being used to line the pockets of Saddam and his friends and build luxurious palaces like the ones our forces now occupy as headquarters all over this nation. And Saddam all the while complained that it was "American Sanctions" that were killing his people. I don't remember a sanction that required a mass grave.

Please know that the media is NOT giving you the right picture, much less the WHOLE picture. They have an agenda, it is clear, and that agenda does not include the current administration claiming success in this endeavor. It is unclear if their sensationalist "reporting" will change if the administration changes. The one thing I know as I watch the morale of the men who are here doing the job is that every time the enemy's paltry attacks are made out by the media to be marker events in Iraq, it becomes a little harder for soldiers to see value in even the greatest things we are doing. Your care packages, your letters and your constant prayers are the only things that remind us that the majority of thoughtful Americans are truly behind this effort and that what we are doing has great value.

Don't let that go. Keep supporting your troops, not just in word, but in action. Remember this: You cannot support the troops AND denigrate the war effort. It is a logical and a practical inconsistency. While the soldier fights the enemy, he needs those behind him to offer support to his back, not daggers. The news media is one of the greatest threats to this war. Just ask a terrorist. Every time he can do something desperate and spectacular and have the effect with one man blowing himself up in a crowd that an entire U.S. Brigade has in securing a city, the media has thrown terror the victory. It is not the side that wins the most ground anymore that is victorious, but the one that can satiate the blood-hungry media. We have given them the stories they need to show how much we are truly doing. The question then must turn to why they have a fascination with making the villain the victor. If we win this war, it may not be much of a story for them, but if we lose it...

Your troops are doing amazing things here - things many of them are not even trained to do, like a medical platoon leader doing public works projects! I hope that either the media start showing the REAL stories here or that you will show your contempt of their deceitfulness with your complaints and, ultimately, with your vote. Don't watch the news media that thrives on the death of American soldiers to bump their ratings! And remember your troops. Support of victory is support of your troops.

Sincerely, CH (CPT) Chris Bassett Baghdad, Iraq,

In my opinion, that the news media would not report on both the good and the bad is little short of treasonous - especially when you consider the consequences of backing down in the war on terror. Not only do our service men and women need the encouragement of the American media, but so do the civilians at home - many of whom have loved ones overseas. Why does this seem such a strange notion today? It wasn't all that odd back in the 1940s. Even Hollywood got behind the war effort. The movies all put a positive spin on the war. So did the news media. Americans were brave and heroic whether at the front or at home. Everyone rolled up their sleeves and got behind the war. Why not today?

Is it because there isn't a draft? No, that doesn't seem to be the case. There was a draft in Vietnam, but there were still people who didn't support the war. In fact, some, like Senator Kerry, chose to protest the war, claiming to have committed atrocities themselves and accusing all of their brothers in arms of doing the same.

I once heard Robert D. Raeford on the John Boy and Billy Big Show claim that most Americans don't really seem to realize that we are in a war. There is no rationing, there is no draft - nothing to make us realize that we are in a war. I wonder if this is true.

I wish I knew why so many Americans today choose to spit on the country that is their home. Hollywood is the worst culprit, followed closely by those in academia. What is it about our parents and grandparents - even great grandparents - that allowed them to continue to support the war even after the massive casualties of June 6, 1944 at Omaha beach? There were somewhere between 2,500 and 4,900 Americans killed in the D-Day invasion in one day. One figure puts the casualty number (those wounded and killed) at 6,036. We have lost a little over 1,000 lives in over a year in Iraq. Don't get me wrong; it is a terrible thing for someone to have to die fighting in a war. It would be a great sacrifice for one person to die. But we are fighting in a conflict every bit as important as World War Two and our casualty count is (comparatively) infinitesimally small. Where is our spine as a nation? Are we really so soft that we cry for our "Mommy" when we get a skinned knee?

Now we hear that Osama Bin Laden has endorsed John Kerry. He has promised to attack every state that supports President Bush. Europe also wants John Kerry. I say… well, I can’t say what I’d REALLY LIKE to say. I’m trying to keep this blog “G”! However, I can’t believe that ANY American would be willing to agree with the terrorist that was responsible for killing 3,000 innocent civilians on our home soil. If you ask me, spit in his eye and vote for George W. Bush!

Anyway, enough ranting for one night. Please remember to write to a service man or woman. They are far away from home, dealing with uncomfortable and dangerous circumstances. They need our support. If you need someone to write to, write Kevin! His address is:

RP2 Kevin A Rumsey
1/23 H&S Comp Chaplain Office
UNIT 41900
FPO AP 96426-1900

God save America!