Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day everyone. I hope everyone among the cookouts takes some time to remember the reason. Right now, my roommate is in Afghanistan. His wife is pregnant with their first child. Not only could he potentially lose his life, but now he is sacrificing time with his young family, as are many right now.

Monday my tradition is to watch classic movies like "The Longest Day" about the landing at Normandy or "Sands of Iwo Jima" two classics featuring the Duke. "Midway," "Patton," "The Patriot" "We were Soldiers" and "Band of Brothers" are also good. Each of these stories, most true, remind us of the sacrifices that aren't numbers, but individual people.

I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't go on a political rant. President Obama has chosen not to lay the traditional wreath on Memorial Day. He is instead going to New York for a party thrown for Paul McCartney. Apparently to this commander-and-chief, the Beatles are more important than those who have given everything for this country.

Can't read?

Apparently Democrats can't read. They sure as heck don't. There were a lot of people who did not read the Heath Care Bill, nicknamed ObamaCare. Among those are those that voted for it, and the one that signed it into law.

Now, they are ripping Arizona for being racists for passing an immigration law. This law mirrors the Federal law. But now, they have admitted that they have not read it either. Now the Health Care Bill was 2000 pages, but Arizona's law is a whole ten pages long. Ten! That's just too long for the President to read before he starts slandering Arizona internationally.

Today, the president is meeting with the president of Mexico, and they are talking about immigration reform. Aparently, the President of Mexico does not like his people not being allowed to flee the brutal conditions down there. Why? Because most of those illegals are drug dealers and criminals and he wants to get rid of them. The decent, hard working people are legals.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm all for immigration. I'd love to reopen Ellis Island. However, the illegal entry of Canadians and Mexicans while well-deserving immagrants are denied entry is insane. In Arizona, they have a problem with drug dealers killing locals. They also have a problem with kidnapping. Pheonix Arizona has become the kidnap capital of the United States, and in that city, you are the second most likely to be kidnapped of any city of the world. One democrat, who I will not name, said "What's the big deal? It's just the immigrants that get kidnapped." These are the same people that think Arizona is being just too darn mean by letting illegals in, but we should let the illegals kidnap the legals.

These are the same people, in order to save money, that said ObamaCare does not extend to legal immigrants, but illegals are covered. How does that make any sense? We should just start paying people to jump the border, and charge that money from legal immigrants. That's what it amounts to in practice. Rewarding crime by punishing law-abiding Americans (yes, I just called legal immigrants Americans). They call this social JUSTICE????!!!!!!!!!!!

One more fact about the President, he apologized this week to China for Arizona's law as a human rights violation. This to a country that WILL kill you for following virtually any religion, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, or Muslim. Who can forget the video of the boy standing in front of a tank? This to a country that tells it's citizens that they can only have one child, and will kill any you have beyond that if necessary. Come on, seriously? He apologized to one of the biggest human rights violators, a nation where slavery is perfectly legal, for a state passing a law that says the same as the federal law, because the feds will not enforce it, and with their own law they can. This whole thing is stupid.

Iron Man 2

Saturday, I went to see Iron Man 2. As a fan of Marvel Comics in general, I was excited to see not just Iron Man, but War Machine, Nick Fury, Black Widow, Justin Hammer, and Backlash. I was not disappointed. To be honest, I expected the movie to be a let down. I greatly enjoyed the first Iron Man movie.

The fact that this movie was cleaner than the first pleased me. It still had scantily-clad cheerleaders, but no bed time with the reporter. The action was hot. Scarlett Johanssen was more than eye candy. I can see why they replaced Terrance Howard. Terrance Howard is smooth, but Rhodey is supposed to be more hard military. Don Cheadle was more military, but still had chemistry with Robert Downey Jr.

Tony Stark was depressed and reverted to his old ways, which is appropriate if you are familiar with the character so plagued by inner demons. Despite this, the movie included lots of humor and action. I would highly recommend Iron Man 2 to anyone.



=SPOILER ALERT=
If you stay to the end, you get to see a S.H.E.I.L.D. agent say "We have found him." It zooms out to show a huge hammer buried in dirt, referring to another Avenger and future Marvel movie, Thor.

First Amendment

I have heard it said that when a tyrant wants to eliminate freedom and consolidate power, the first thing to go is the freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Look at nations like China, where they are famous for their violation of freedom. They are one of many, many nations that kill people for converting to religions they do not like. Christianity is one of the favorite worldwide. (In India, Muslims and Hindus hate each others and both are highly violent. However, they know the repercussions and retaliations that would follow, so they kill Christians, who "turn the other cheek.")

We have seen the affects, in the USSR, Nazi Germany, North Korea, Vietnam, and most every Muslim country. Actually, in many ways, only America has afforded these freedom to the degree we have them. The first Amendment of the Bill of Rights, the basis for the rest of our rights, states:

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

Or maybe I should say had. They are trying to eliminate these. Who? Those in power. Those in power want more. From the Patriot Act, we see clear violation-freedom of speech. Even in the past, they said "You can't assemble unless you are under a flag." We have these rights in our own country regardless of props.

This week seniors were told they could not say grace before dinner. Seriously? Seniors? I guarantee there were veterans in that crowd. Vets who preserved those freedoms in places like Iwo Jima, Germany, Korea, and Vietnam now were being denied the first of our rights (the nursing home since reversed the decision).

President Obama, unfortunately also makes this list of violators. He tried repeatedly to silence his critics in unprecedented ways. He attempted to deny Fox News access to the press core, until the other networks balked. He has also been on a rampage against Glenn Beck. Yesterday, he made a speech saying that things like the iPod and Xbox were evil, because there was too much information out there. For starters, the Xbox doesn't spread information. Two, he specifically talked about conservative bloggers (me), talk radio hosts, Fox News, and virtually anything else that contradicts the all-powerful White House.

You also have the Attorney General trying to get Miranda Rights to no longer apply to US citizens. I don't care if they don't tell me I have the right to a jury trial, silence, speedy trial, to an attorney, and protected from unreasonable search and seizure or cruel and unusual punishment. They are trying to say that I don't have those rights until they tell me I do. Screw that. Those rights are given to me by the signers of the Declaration, and all those who have fought and died for this country since. I don't care what they tell me. They are trying to strip that away for any citizen "suspected of terrorist ties." Considering some (like Nancy Pelosi) consider anyone who voices a differing opinion of being a terrorist, this is not comforting.

A Job, A Calling

How do you like you job? Most people hate theirs, but they have to pay the morgage? I have once heard some ask, "If you could do anything, with money not being an issue, what would it be?"

I love my job. I speak on behalf of a non-profit organization. We raise money to help needy kids and their families. This month we're partnering with an organization who helps women. They try to give those considering abortion to see that there is hope. They can keep the child. Moreover, it helps those who decide to keep the child. For those that do not, they provide group counciling for those overwhelmed with grief and guilt.

We've collected school supplies for needy kids, and collected food for other things. We've given heaters to Social Services for the neediest in our community. Weekly I read to a boy who has trouble. We also organize family activities. Recently, we hired a new staff member to work with kids in areas of education. Volunteers spent the last two weeks fixing up the house they were moving into. It involved way too much of my time, and was a big pain, but it's over now.

Point is, I like my job. It's fulfilling and I make a difference. If you hate your job, consider a change. If you won't, find a place to get involved. Boys and Girls Club is one that I have partnered with that makes a real, genuine difference.

The Lies We Tell

I would say that the deadliest poison in our society is pornography. Why the deadliest? Because it does not kill people. It destroys families, homes, lives, even societies. Did you know that in the middle east, America is known as the Great Satan? They use our TV shows and internet as proof. Its all pornographic, showing, in their minds, our evil.

I've seen way too many families, homes, people, churches, careers brought down by pornography. It is deadly. Part of its deadliness is that it comes in a variety of forms. It also does not seem that bad. Many today say that is it "normal" and that "everyone does it." But its not. You also hear "I looked, but I didn't touch" and "it doesn't hurt anyone." ALL LIES.

True, pornography has been found in ancient Greece and Rome, places known for depravity. From the greek, we derive the word "Hedonism." If you argue that its normal because it is so old, than so is murder and pediophilea. Not everyone does it. Most do not, especially in most cultures. As far as the other two, it does hurt other people. If a man looks as porn, it hurts his wife. But I'm going to get to that. And as far as the user, 40% of men have a "serious problem" meaning addiction.

When we think of porn today, we think of what is known as "hard core" pornography. But it means more. Websters defines pornography as

1. the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement
2. material (as a book or photograph that depicts erotic behavior and is intended to cause sexual excitement.

If you're paying attention, anything designed to make you aroused is porn. This includes TV, music videos, movies, posters, Victoria's Secret catalogues, etc. It can be virtually anything. Making it that much more subtle and dangerous. Psychologists also say that viewing such things imprints the memory in ways few other things do. It stays with you. It is always there to recall. It is a poison with barbs. Once it gets in, it doesn't leave. I know from experience. They poison stays with me.

Men have a question that we always ask, deep in our hearts. "Do I have what it takes? Am I strong enough? Am I a real man?" The question takes a variety of wordings, but it all comes down to the fear that when we are called upon to stand strong, when we are tested, we won't be enough. This is especially true in our relationships with the opposite sex (impotence literally translated means "without power").

When we turn to porn, the lie we tell ourselves is that these women do these things FOR US. It makes us feel like they believe in us. Sadly, what men do to make ourselves feel adequet is the same thing that makes women feel inadequet, like they aren't beautiful enough to please us. (Not that they exist to please us, but it makes still makes them feel not enough) You can see how the poison destroys the bond of a husband and wife. He feels not enough, so he turns to porn. She catches him, they argue, and she withdraws and withholds herself. He feels more inadequet, and goes back to porn. Their relationship dies, as does their individual selves. Porn destroys not just the consumer, but those around him.

I hope that this helps men understand why they are drawn to it, why they need it. And I hope women can understand it's not because they aren't beautiful enough, but because we feel SO WEAK. Don't take this as an excuse, but maybe enough understanding to help us survive.