Restoring America's Glory

I was just reading through the paper when I ran across the article by Don Newberry talking about honoring the U. S. Flag and America’s former glory.  It really reminded me of the things I have been through trying to stimulate some interest in our country right here in this county.

Post 9/11 when we were marching into Iraq, I helped form a Military Support Group.  We had several members and when we put on an event honoring those servicemen and women and their families, during that year’s summer festival, the crowd turned out in the “desert” heat to help do their part to support the cause.  After that event, the group quietly dissolved.

Christians Must Stand Up for Our Country

We must do more than just “fit in” to the stance of our local congregation/pastor (I believe what I do or don’t do is between me and God) or agree with a cause or simply stop doing something in protest.

We must find a way to “fight” for change, be it signing a petition, supporting or fighting against legislation, even vetting the right candidate and voting for them or just alerting people that the enemy is approaching.

I chose to exercise my  watchman calling by running for County Chair of the local Republican Party as a conservative Christian and by keeping up with current events from a variety of sources including liberal, conservative, Christian and Israeli.  I have chosen to be active in my support or non-support of legislation and those that know me, know that I am not shy about stating my opinion.  I tend to be a little radical in my thinking but if I am to be a watchman on the wall, I must always be ready to send the alarm when the enemy shows it ugly head and God’s people are being threatened.  I encourage Christians to pray, but to know that God works through people, so to be prepared to actually do something like vote or protest that which is not of God in our government or workplace.  If we don’t speak up as Christians, who will speak for us?  Madeline O’Hare? Barack Obama?

Bar Stool Economics (Borrowed)

$$$  Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100 and if they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do.

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. "Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20." So drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free... but what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?'.  They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33.  But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer.
 
So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay. And so:  
 
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before...and the first four continued to drink for free.  But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.

"I only got a dollar out of the $20,"declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man," but he got $10!"
 
"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!"
 
"That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!"
 
"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!"

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him.  But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something
important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from
a tax reduction.  Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

For those who understand, no explanation is needed...
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.


David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics
University of Georgia

Rebelling Against Obamacare

I just got a $50/month increase in my insurance rate because of Obamacare mandates.  I am ticked...BIG TIME!  I told my husband that I will not pay it.  I will pay the fine instead and let Obama pick up my tab. Congress has until January 25 to repeal the healhcare bill or I will be without insurance.  I have been covered by insurance for years.  The money I have paid in has probably been enough to pay for anything that could happen to me, did I have it, instead of the insurance companies.

Why do you think we have to pay for the increase? 

Do you know that you can get a significantly lower bill if you pay cash for the hospital's services instead of filing it with insurance?  Either it costs the amount billed or it doesn't.  No wonder insurance rates are so high. 

We have to pay not only for our medical expenses, but those that choose not to purchase insurance for whatever reason.  Then, we have to pay for illegals to use the doctors and hospitals that should not even be here at all.  And, how do the insurance big shots justify the money they make?  Ask yourself, if this were a totally free market, wouldn't the people and premium payers be in control of rates and NOT the big shots?  People would be finding insurance companies that would be able to offer them great service for affordable rates. 

And then, how can hospitals and doctors justify some of their charges?  Why do radiologists have to read every single xray?  Aren't medical schools teaching that anymore?  What is so expensive about a sonogram or CAT scan or MRI?  You pay one person to order the test (physician), another to perform the test, another to read it, then the physician again to tell you what the result was AND you have to pay that months payment on the machine plus rent on the rooms.  That's why.  These people are making money somewhere.  You can't tell me they aren't.

I know there are people that simply cannot afford healthcare and I don't mind helping those people.  I've been there myself for a time, although I never (Thank God) had to use the services.  I'm all for help for those that can't help themselves, NOT those that won't help themselves.  Protect the children, and the aged.  The rest are on their own just like the rest of us and are on an as needed basis only, not a mandatory one.  

I DO NOT believe we should be forced to carry insurance by the federal government or the state government.  That is a personal choice, usually brought on by affordability. I DO believe that the system needs some work, but this is not the way. 

I think more people would choose to be insured if rates were realistic, but when medical providers jack the rates up for an insurance bill, someone has to pay the difference.  Ever wonder why it takes 2 surgeons to perform surgery?  Are we paying them to train?  Are you aware that the emergency group that the hospital hires to come in and take care of their emergency room, doesn't necessarily have to accept your insurance even though the hospital does and you do not have to be notified of that?  

When government issues mandate after mandate to control every aspect of our lives, assuring that no one is without insurance, it's too much.  

Yes, I was ticked when the bill passed.  I fought it every step of the way with everything that I could do.  None of our legislators voted in favor of it.  Now that it's law, I am not any happier, but was riding along until it could either be repealed or found to be illegal and unconstitutional.  Now it has affected me directly and I am even more determined NOT to obey this law.  I am officially in rebellion.....like I haven't already been!  LOL 

Maybe I'll calm down before I actually cancel my insurance, but not likely.  I'm just back where I started when it was being manipulated through all the wheeling and dealing by the Socialists in Congress. 

Now, the government is trying to further control our food supply, even our private gardens.  What's next?  What do they NOT have their tenacles into? 

God bless America and the great nation that she has the potential to be!

The Establishment Better Wake Up or Be Left Behind

As County Chair of the Republican Party of my county, I am so proud to be a conservative Patriot surrounded by other conservative Patriots. 

When Ms. O'Donnell won the primary race in Delaware, the response from the establishment Republicans was surprising.  I did not expect that, but my reaction when I heard it was...the National Party is at it again. I am not a big fan of some of the things they do at that level.  I was glad when Senator Cornyn with the NRSC corrected the stance that they were supposedly taking.  Officially, I would not even consider NOT supporting what I refer to as MY candidates.  As a supporter of the Constitution as it was intended by the signers, I believe that when "we, the people" vote, then that's the way it is.  They have spoken. 

(Even when I don't like the results, as in Obama's case, I believe that it must be changed in the next election or go through impeachment proceedings as the Constitution allows.  So I ran for County Chair and decided to educate "we, the people" on how we can change things.)

So what does it take to show establishment Republicans that "we, the people" are fed up to here with the same old politics?!?  Continue to elect the best conservative Republican for the job.  If that is an establishment Republican, so be it, but if it is a new-to-politics candidate, even better.  Politics, the way they have been, are not working.  We don't want the same thing in the next session.  We want people in there who will listen to the will of the people and know that we know how to take care of ourselves apart from government intervention.

I support the Republican Party, especially the Republican Party of Texas, wholeheartedly, or I would not be County Chair.  I chose this party because its State platform is conservative and shares the same values that I have.  I was originally impressed with the Tea Party movement although I was apprehensive because I knew we could not afford to have a third party come into the fray or we would lose everything to the liberals.  I hope to continue to encourage grassroots supported candidates to come into the Republican Party.  We must be the Party of Conservative Values.  Those values are the only thing that will save this country.

I will go on record with Palin and DeMint and say to the establishment Republicans that you better get with the program or you will fall behind as the "sleeping giant" of conservative voters continues to rise up and make noise.

Even Fox News, as conservative and supportive as they are of the grassroots, do not completely understand the movement. Tea Parties are making noise, but there are a lot of people not being heard vocally who will definitely be heard in the upcoming election.  I think after all these months of trying to wake up the sleeping giant of apathy, that we are finally beginning to be aware of the tip of the iceberg as seen in the Tea Parties.  But you must remember that the Tea Parties arose from the grassroots, not visa versa, so there are many, many more out there who don't take on a label.

We, as the Republican Party, absolutely must encourage these voters to come into our party and we absolutely must have the courage, as the Local, State and National Party to say yes, we are the Party of Conservative Values! Come on!  Let's take our country back!

The Star Spangled Banner-Francis Scott Key

O say can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming!
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner!  O long may it wave.
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave,
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand,
Between their loved home and the war's desolation.
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land,
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it 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!

(Flag is from the World Trade Towers, 2001)

"Your Silence Gives Consent" (Plato)

Senator John Cornyn posted on his Facebook page today a quote by Plato (429-347 BC) "Your silence gives consent."  It reminded me of this article I started back in April, but never fininshed.....

To stand by and do nothing or to do nothing but complain, changes nothing. To see change, we must act and we must convince those around us to act.

Obama, Pelosi and Reid lied, cheated, dealt in back rooms, bribed, and gouged their way through the laws, both Houses, and all but a handful of the Democrat party to get what they wanted in the healthcare bill that we didn't want. Obama waits until a holiday recess to appoint people that Congress doesn't want. He issues Executive Orders to put into law things Congress doesn't want to pass. He appoints czars that answer to no one in the three Executive Branches of Government. He and his political ilk have circumvented so many parts of the Constitution to get what they want. (Republican presidents have done some of these same things, but never to the degree this one has and I don't approve of them doing it either.)

If you support the U. S. Constitution as the basis of our Republic form of government, and you are tired of having big government shoved down your throats, then you will understand why it is so important to do your part as the people that are suppose to be the trunk holding up and supporting the branches of government, not the other way around. It is up to us to hold the government accountable to the people. It is us who should be determining what the President, Congress, and Judges are allowed to do and how far away from the Constitution they are allowed to stray. I say its time to get back to the original intent of the Constitution.

Does this have anything to do with local politics? With some of the office holders, no, not much. They have run on the Democrat ticket because that has been the only one to run on for so many years. They are productive members of our community, have accomplished good things and really do have conservative values, but it is time that we remember what our mothers told us and that is that we are judged by the company we keep. Either they start making sweeping changes in their party to get more in line with the conservative majority that is finally waking up in the United States or they switch parties and align themselves with the Republicans or at least Independents.  It's time they asked themselves exactly what their party stands for and do they want to agree with that platform. 
 
I think we all would be perfectly content working a good job, enjoying our families, putting a little money away for the kid's college fund and maybe a little retirement for ourselves, except that taxes already take so much of it, we can't afford to put money back and are forced into social security and medicare.  These two awesome wonderments of the government are broke.  They have spent the money on other things, that we were forced to put in them.  So now we don't have that or the money we could have been saving ourselves. 
 
The economic recession and near collaspe caused by ineptitude of our federal government has caused our IRAs and 401Ks to be worthless.  The stock market, yet another potential source for health or retirement money is still not solid and predicted not to be anytime soon.  China owns more of our debt than we do, yet we import most of the cheap stuff we're forced to buy from them.  Unemployment is predicted to remain high through the end of the year.  The government is guaranteeing huge morgages for people that do not make enough money to pay them...ever.  Unions are being given too much power.  Do we really want more of this? 
 
Healthcare will be the same way.  We can't afford health insurance because of taxes already levied, so the liberals in power ram through a bill that says we must buy insurance or pay even more taxes; we must buy insurance whether we want it or not; we must be in the Obamacare system even though Obama, his wife, his children, Congress and their familes, aides, Cabinet members and others are exempted; we must be in Obamacare even though Muslims, Scientologists, Amish, Christian Scientists and Native American Indians can opt out; our businesses must provide insurance for all employees whether we can afford it or not; abortion is included in the bill, even though an executive order took it out, the same kind of order that just has to be signed to get it back in when it's convenient for the most pro-abortion president in history; etc.

Now we are looking at treaties with other countries taking our guns away and possibly being taken around Congress without having to be ratified (another underhanded tactic); our borders are still not protected from the influx of illegal aliens and our president has publicly aligned himself with the President of Mexico against Arizona, even allowing him to speak to Congress about the laws of OUR land when he can't even improve on the conditions in his own country forcing the illegals to come here.

The embarrassment of the United States just doesn't seem to have an end in sight.  Our debt just keeps rising.  Our rights keep being ripped away.  Washington is out of control.

To change things we must join in with those that are trying to take our country back.  We must be part of the solution and not the problem.  We must speak out.  We must write letters to the editor.  We must blog.  We must fax, email, write or call our representatives at all levels of government.  We must participate at the grassroots level in our political party and man phone banks, get out into our neighborhoods and introduce our candidates or encourage people to vote for our best candidates.  We need to thoroughly vet or investigate each candidate to find out what they believe in and how they vote and how solid they are.  We must run for office.  We must become precinct chairs or volunteers.  We must attend the precinct, county, and state conventions.  We must be willing to hold others accountable by paying attention to exactly how good a job they are doing in representing us.  We must DO something. 

Apathy will destroy this country just as thoroughly as voting for the liberals to stay in power.  That's why you are seeing, as the "sleeping, apathetic giant" of "we, the people" wake up, the tea parties making a difference and scaring the fire out of the liberal movement and the Washington elite in general.  That's why you are seeing the liberal media always attacking Palin, Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck and Bachmann.  That's why you are seeing the biggest growth of the Republican Party that it has seen in years if ever.  People that are tired of the status quo are standing up and participating in the grassroots movement, either through the Republican Party or the tea parties.  They are doing something.  They have moved beyond apathy and are standing up for our Constitution and our personal rights.

If your silence (apathy) gives consent, imagine the change that could be brought about by millions more people that finally decide to speak out?  Let's take our country back....

What is a Republic? (Adapted from My Speech from Meet the Candidate Event)

General Definition:  1. A political order in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who are entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them. 2. A political order whose head of state is not a monarch and in modern times is usually a president. 3. A nation that has such a political order
The American Ideal of 1776: The Twelve Basic American Principles Definition: a constitutionally limited government of the representative type, created by a written Constitution--adopted by the people and changeable (from its original meaning) by them only by its amendment--with its powers divided between three separate Branches: Executive, Legislative and Judicial. Here the term "the people" means, of course, the electorate.


The preamble to the Constitution says, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

President Lincoln recognized the power of the people when he ended his famous Gettysburg address with these words: "that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

I propose to you today, that we take this purpose of the creation of these great United States to the rest of the people and remind them of the fact that we are a Republic....that we, the people established this country, that we, the people established it as a Republic and as such, that leaders we elect, serve us. They are elected to not only fill a position, but to do it to the best of their ability. They are to take a stand on the beliefs they convinced us they had when running for office. They are to support their constituency and abide by the Constitution of the United States of America as it was written. We, the people of the Republic are responsible to be ever vigilant in holding them accountable. Our responsibility as citizens of this great country is to participate in its government just like the judicial, legislative and executive branches. The power of this government rests in the hands of we, the people, but only if we do our part.

Why I Identify with This Quote

"There is in every true woman's heart, a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity."-Washington Irving, The Sketch Book

For several years I tried, with all I had, to really immerse myself into doing "God's work."  I really felt that I was supposed to use my "spark of heavenly fire" to spread the gospel through leading a Bible Study, a Women's Group, publishing a newsletter, attending intercessory prayer meetings, and trying to pour myself into all "church" activities.  I won't go into why I'm not doing those things, but for a year or so, I was so depressed by the way things turned out, I didn't do anything but stay home and try to understand how I could have misunderstood so devastatingly what I thought the Holy Spirit had told me.  My "spark of heavenly fire" almost went out completely. 

Then little by little, the fire began to burn brighter.  A path was opening up for me that I knew was where I was supposed to be and why I was supposed to be moving along it. 

The "dark hour of adversity" moved in on me through the nomination of Obama for president.  It hit me so hard that I was moved to immediately identify with the Republican Party and more importantly with right wing conservatives. 

I have come to see our way of life threatened by the encroachment of big government, by basing that government on human efforts instead of Godly foundations, by the destruction of a free market system, by the socialization of our healthcare, by the lies, secrets, bribes and takeover by people that care nothing about "we, the people," only power-grabbing by themselves. 

The "dark hour of adversity" is continuing on, so I, like most mothers when feeling like her family is being threatened, am experiencing that "spark of heavenly fire" blaze up and burn brightly.  I am still following the path that I think God intended me to follow. 

I have thought for several years that I was called to be a watchman.  I think that is where politics comes in.  I have been called to watch and warn of the impending attacks by the enemy, in this case the liberals that want to take our freedoms away.  I have moved in the most effective way I could for a time such as this.  My "fire" is being utilized to warn you, the people through my writing, my social networking, and entering the political arena through the office of Republican Party of Jack County Chair allowing me to be vocal and to promulgate conservative values as the basic Godly foundation of at least Jack County.

My "fire" has been kindled, is beaming and blazing as I march in defiance to the liberal attempts of taking over MY REPUBLIC, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

So when you read Washington Irving's quote every time you get on my blog, I hope it ignites your "heavenly fire" and keeps it burning brightly in the fight for our freedom.

Getting Into Politics

I recently left my comfort zone and signed up to get on the ballot for the County Republican Party Chair.  It is a lot more responsibility than I ever expected.  Tomorrow is my first meeting to observe how things are done on the county level.

I want to tell those of you that don't know me this.... 

I believe: in the Godly foundation of our country; that the United States Constitution is not a living document that changes with every whim of Liberal thought; in the sanctity of life whether an unborn child,  handicapped or elderly; in "we, the people" being the voice of the government; that the Federal government should be small; that States' rights should be protected; that the freedoms we are guaranteed should be fought for; that the military be supported and any war entered into should be fought to win; that we are a Sovereign Nation and bow down to no one; that we are a Christian Nation and many more ideals that support family and Christian values.

As long as the Republican Party supports most of those values as well, I will support it.

I support the intentions of the tea parties and patriot groups as well.  I do not however, think introducing a new party or parties is the way to get the "old school politicians" out of office.  If new parties form, they will result in splitting the conservative vote and allowing the liberals to win by default.  We don't want to do that.

Please join me in taking back our government starting from the ground floor....the county level.  Vote for the person that will represent how you think the best, not because he or she "has been in office forever and must be doing something right"  or because their name is familiar or they go to church with your mother.  It's time each of us get involved in our government.  It's time that our elected officials do the jobs that they are elected to do to the very best of their abilities and it's time that we see to it that they do!  They are accountable to us, "we, the people" and they need to be reminded of that in every election, in every council meeting and commissioners meeting, in every vote on the Senate floor and every committee discussion in the House on both the state and federal levels.

Barry Goldwater once said that a government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you have. That is one of my favorite quotes.  It particularly applies now as the Democrats are trying to pass laws in back rooms and out of public view.  So, as my mother says, "Be careful what you wish for!" 

Carefully consider what party best represents your ideals.  If you are unsure what each party's platform is or what they believe, look it up on the Internet.  I'm pushing the Republican Party.  I joined it as soon as I discovered that Obama didn't have a foundation to stand on, on any level and that people were following him like the Pied Piper because he stood for some unknown "hope and change."  I did not want to be associated with any party that would support the kind of candidate that had no strong beliefs and it's proving to be the right decision.  I researched what the Republican Party stood for, looked into the candidates, joined the party and here I am, fighting the Liberal Left however I can. 

That's all for now.  I'm sure that I'll be back regularly with updates on the elections.  Y'all know me, I have an opinion on just about everything!

 

Socialism-Some Steps to Take to Fight It Now

Is anyone ready to start fighting the government takeover, yet?

If you haven't already done so:

*Be informed.  This is the number one requirement on any issue.

*Register to vote so you will be ready to vote in the primaries and local elections.

*As soon as you know who is running for ANY office, start learning as much as you can about them so you can make an INFORMED vote.

*Keep up with legislation as well as you can (Pelosi, Reid and the Democrats are making this difficult) so you can contact those in power and tell them how you want them to vote, then keep the pressure on.

*Participate in a tea party event or join an online group or a local group that supports your ideas and beliefs.

*Learn the lingo & about how the government is supposed to work.

*Sign up for news alerts from Fox and other sources (to keep it balanced) by email to do with politics.

*Join Twitter (this is the one I use) and only make "friends" with news groups or agencies that will provide you with the latest news from a variety of sources and views on the topics of your choosing, then check it often for the latest updates.

*Follow groups of interest on Facebook.

*Read papers, watch the news on TV, discuss it with your friends.

*Share with your friends and family what you have learned and then ask that they share it, also.

*Make up your own mind about how YOU feel about issues, but be sure that you have sufficient information to do so.

There are other things you can do but this will get you started. Please, please get involved. It really is your and your children's futures that are at stake. If you have questions, you can email me from Facebook, direct mail me from Twitter, or leave a comment here.

I love this country and do not want to see the foundation on which it was built totally destroyed so sharing information and my concerns with others is my way of trying to make a difference in this battle for it's survival.

Look on the Brighter Side

As Thanksgiving comes upon us, I think we need to be reminded of all the bad stuff that has gone on around us this past few years and really thank God that we have survived it all.  We should look at things in a way that turns bad into good....our thinking mainly.

My mother and my husband have been telling me how negative I have been lately and that it only seems like I talk about how terrible things are going with the government and how much worse they're going to get if something doesn't happen to stop it.  I have gotten a little radical about how most people just seem to think it's going to correct itself without our intervention.  I am negative about the trivial things people seem to care about instead of a federal government out of control.  I am negative about preachers and teachers of the bible that trust that God is going to take care of everything just because we pray about it, and don't believe that we must rise up to actually do something, obeying Him and allowing Him to work through us.  I am negative about the US not supporting Israel, therefor not believing the Bible.  I am negative about a lot of things, but what they do not pay attention to is the fact that I know where I am going to end up....in eternity....with our Lord and Savior in heaven.  It is the tribulation that I am negative towards not the outcome.  So, I am trying to recognize some things that I am thankful for...

For instance, the shooting atrocity at Ft. Hood is an awful event, but we should be consentrating now on how thankful we are for the survivors and that the attack has brought about an investigation to help prevent another one. We could be thankful that this was only one terrorist and that the carnage was limited to as few as it was.

I am thankful for my husband, who really is my better half, and my sons and their families, even though I don't see them nearly as much as I would like.  I am thankful for the rest of my family, as well, who are always there for me.

I am thankful for a God that cares so much for me that He made a way for me to spend eternity with Him in spite of my sins...who is always there for me even when I'm not there for Him...who allows me to come directly into His presence as His daughter even if it's just to rest there.....

We, as a nation, should be thankful for our freedoms while we still have them.  (Oops, that was a little negative!)  We should be thankful for people like Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and others that have the guts to speak out against the Liberals and Socialists.  We should be thankful that there are more and more people willing to take a stand for the preservation of and a return to the founding principles of our country. 

We should be thankful to organizations such as Fox News, World News Daily and the Heritage Foundation that are not afraid of the government or big business or the UN or other forces that would try to control the news media.  We should be thankful to organizations such as the National Rifle Association that fight so hard to keep our right to bear arms in tact; the Thomas Moore Law Center, Wallbuilders, and the Don't Tear Me Down group for fighting to get God back into the government and keep our war memorials in tact; the Catholic Church for threatening to withdraw all social services from D.C. unless they drop plans for a gay marriage bill; and many more.

We should be thankful for all of the little things that make so much of a difference in our lives, like good friends, a hot cup of coffee, sunshine warming our faces, birds singing, snuggling with our children, hearing nice words spoken, being able to praise our God, watching a sunset, having a car to drive, a house to shelter us and a job to pay for them, having a selection of fresh vegetables to choose from, finding a good recipe, sharing a milkshake with our spouse, living beside good neighbors, having time to spend with each other, our health, computer programs that allow us to share our lives, love and thoughts, etc.....you add to the list...

So, in this time of giving thanks, let us turn to the brighter side of things and find good in all situations.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Standing for Something

I hope you have heard about the New York Republican Party County Chairs for the 23rd congressional district, nominating Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava to run for the seat made open by incumbent John McHugh's selection as Secretary of the Army.  This woman previously has voted for gay marriage, abortion higher taxes and more.  Go to NBC News Link for full story.

The person that should have won the nomination, Doug Hoffman, is now running for the seat on a Conservative Party ticket.  This stupidity on the part of the county chairs, has cost us dearly by causing a split in the vote.  Mr. Hoffman is very conservative and represents the Republican Party's values much better.  This move by the New York Repubican Party County Chairs will result in the Democrats voting  for their party, but splitting the Republican vote into 2 parties, the staunch Republicans and the Conservative Patriots that are trying to save this country.  Unless the tea party supporters and the other real patriots really get out the voters, the Democrats/Liberals are going to win simply because they held together.

Sarah Palin has publically announced that her support is for Doug Hoffman.  I applaud her!  If she is a contender for the Presidential Run in 2012, it probably won't be on the Republican ticket, now. 

I voted in the Democratic primaries for years, since most of our county candidates were on that ballot.  Last year I actually joined the Republican Party to help as much as I could to keep Obama out of office.  However, if the Republicans veer away from their conservative platform, I will go to an independent party myself.  The horrible part to that is the same thing that has happened in New York.  One big party against 2 smaller parties??  Guess who's going to win?  Oh, my!

I suggest that you find out how the county parties nominate their candidates and let your opinions be known.  We need to keep our conservative values in tact or we haven't gained anything and we might as well vote for the Democrats because we've lost anyway.  I, personally do not know much, I am ashamed to say, about the way the parties run.  I know that the party county chairperson has to approve you before you can run for office on their ticket.  I don't know what enters into their decisions. 

I was told in a recent election that I probably didn't want to run against a certain other person and why didn't I wait until the next election or run for another office.  I won't say which office I was going to run for, but needless to say without the county chair approval, you don't run.  I don't know that he would have stopped me, but he certainly wasn't going to help me, either.  He wanted the other person to win, which didn't happen, but it wasn't my fault.

You can find out who your county party chairman is by contacting your state party website or probably calling your local county judge's office.

So we need to find  awesome candidates to win the seats being vacated in 2010 and then again in 2012.  After seeing a map of the supporting votes by state on the hate crimes bill, we need to pull out all the stops.  The Republican Party is going to have to stick to their conservative guns or lose the conservative movement to an Independent Party.  It's happened before, but it sure gets scary at the polls.  Independent parties rarely win, BUT this is not ordinary times.

Will It Ever Be the Same Again?

Will it ever be the same, again or have the Liberals managed to bring this great nation to its knees? Are we, the people, looking at the end of democracy and freedom? Of free choice and the best constitution in the world? Of a land so awesome that it has drawn people from every country to its shores? Of a people that came from religious bondage and founded, based on the foundation of the One, True God and ran for years, the most productive country in the world? Are we looking at the end of the most powerful and feared nation in our history?

Will we ever be free to once again make capitalism flourish? How often have we sat by and thought that the government will take care of us and keep us safe? Or how many times do we depend on the government to be sure that our pay is fair and our freedoms protected? How many of us protested when Madeline O'Hare instigated that prayer be removed from school? How many of us called, wrote, faxed, or emailed our Congressmen (women) and Senators to keep "In God We Trust" on our currency and coins or "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance? How many were eager to buy into the "Cash for Clunkers" program knowing it is our own tax dollars paying for it? Did you let your representatives know that capitalism does work but bail-outs don't and that the big companies were on their own just like the little ones?

You must know that it is you, your children and your grandchildren that are going to be paying for all of the trillions of dollars of money that is being spent right now, don’t you? It is all of the above that will suffer under an atheist government or worse a Muslim one.

What are you doing to protect our way of life as free Americans-the lifestyle that pulled in masses of people from every country-that basic freedom of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

Are you waiting on your piece of the government pie that "we, the people" are baking with our tax dollars? Or are you working or at least looking for work?

Employers… are you hiring illegal immigrants? Or are you putting American citizens or "green card" holders to work? If your business pays out too many millions of dollars in bonuses to your top employees, should you be exempt from failing? No. There will be someone else to take your place…survival of the fittest...capitalism. You start a business, hire employees, produce a product, sell the product, pay bills, pay employees, put profits in the bank, start another business, and take a vacation…Capitalism. Even if you suffer a loss, you have to forget the vacation, but it is America and you can start all over…Capitalism. It is also the best way to spread the wealth! Employees must actually work, get paid, and buy stuff from a store so their employees can work, get paid, and buy stuff from other stores, etc.-Capitalism at work, again. Big employer, big business, many employees... Even small business, few employees, money still trickles down...Spreading the wealth through hard work and determination, fair wages and a deserved increase in one’s self esteem!

Just think about your responsibility in the survival of the American Dream. Do you want to be able to start your own company? Or pass the company you have down to your children? Or work for someone else so your time is your own and still get paid well? Do you want to have to pay a good chunk of your hard earned dollars to a union, so that you are allowed to work? Do you want to continue to be able to work two jobs so that your family can have more? Forget Wall Street and the media's description of capitalism. You figure out what it means to you. It is not a Republican term, although most would support it. It is not a derogatory Democratic term, even though some would have you believe it's a bad thing. Capitalism is the foundation that the productiveness of this country is based on. It is the freedom to work as you see fit. It’s about choices.

The alternative that is being offered up right now by the Obama administration is socialism or worse, Marxism. The government takes everything over with promises of making things better (that hope and change thing) and runs all aspects of the country through forcing unions into the workplace, appointing non-vetted czars that are controlled only by the president, to head up all the different aspects of the new departments just created by the bailouts and taking control through illegal legislation by judges and Congress. The government tells you what you can do, when you can do it and where. It tells you how much you can make and where you can spend it and what doctor you can use and what treatment you can get. States' rights will go right out of the window. Of course, the upside is that you don't have to think at all. They do that for you also. You will be given an allowance to pay for a place to live in the town of their choosing depending on the work they allow you to perform. The 5% of your income you have left after they pull their fair share out of it to pay for all of these advantages of sharing the wealth, sending the union bosses on vacations with their million dollar salaries and taking care of all the illegal immigrants and others that only draw from the system, but don't pay into it, will have to be used to bury your parents because the government run healthcare system has denied them treatment due the fact they are non-productive citizens and the cost cannot be justified, and to buy medicine on the black market for your children because the quota given to the local hospital didn't cover the demand.

The "Company" at this point will not be the capitalist owners that pay you according to the work you perform allowing you to determine how your money is to be allocated, but instead will be the government that pays you what it pays everyone else, whether they work or not. Spreading the wealth in this type of society is not giving you money that the “fat cat” corporation owners are making, it is taking all of the profits from all of the companies now owned by the government, taking out their money first (that goes to pay Congress, judges, all who run the government, union bosses, healthcare, housing allowances, utility allowances, illegal immigrant welfare, etc.) then dividing up equally the rest of the piddly amount that is left between anyone not listed above no matter whether you have a PHD or just began training in your field.

Granted, the above scenarios could be a little "out there" but don't think it couldn't happen. The Liberals would love to be able to have the power to dictate all things to "we, the people" making them demi-gods in their own perverted minds. They have been trying for years.

Don't get me wrong, either. I am not against Democrats. I am anti-Liberal. I am in favor of a small central government. I believe in states' rights. I believe in the rights of "we, the people" above both of those. I believe that God is the foundation of our government proven by the documents left by our forefathers of this country; proven by the success of this great nation up to the point that we started taking God out. You can see the beginning of the decline at that point.

Our preacher says that he doesn't see the problems with this country as God's judgment on it because the judgments of the Old Testament are explosive and final (my words, not his.) He may be right, but I see it as God turning his back on us and leaving us (us, as a country) to wallow in the mud of our own making like the unrighteous that Paul describes in Romans 1, because we turned our back on Him, the lover of our souls. This happens a lot in the Old Testament. I know Jesus died to reconcile us back to God, but we must make the decision to repent as a nation and turn back to Him for that salvation and forgiveness. Once, again, a choice must be made.

I see the choice being made a little more each day. I see "we, the people" waking up and taking notice that our beloved country as we knew it has changed and that we need to do something about it before it is too late. I know that Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin and Fox News Network sometimes seem to be way "out there,” but people, the way it is now is not the way our parents were raised or me, either, for that matter. I still get tears in my eyes when I hear the Star Spangled Banner or see the US Flag in a rodeo grand entry. We were raised to be proud of our country. The country has changed though and it is not the way our country was intended to be, nor is it the way the constitution was written nor meant to be followed. Not all, but a good bit of that change has happened in the last few months. I don’t even blame Obama and the Liberals for all of it. I do get tired of hearing that it was all Bush, though.

This country has survived and blossomed by the sweat of our collective brows. It doesn't matter what color you are or aren't. It isn't a color issue and if you think so, you had better do some soul searching. It has taken all colors and races to get this nation to the pinnacle of greatness. We have worked side by side for many years. If you think about it, the Irish were frowned upon. So were the Japanese. It wasn’t just the Africans that were brought over as slaves. The Mexicans have had their share of bigotry. Yes, there are still bigots out there on all sides. Yes, we have to deal with those as they become problems, but for the most part, I think most will agree that color is no longer the issue that it used to be. I mean we have a black president. That is an accomplishment and his color doesn't bother me one bit. I don't think it would bother most people if he wasn't so radical in his thinking. His liberal views are his downfall, not his color. If you will look into the reports by the news media, it is the Democrats that bring up race issues, not the Republicans or any of the grassroots organizations popping up everywhere. Just a little side note here, my Irish ancestry and my Cherokee ancestry could have caused me to be full of hatred, but no one in this century has treated me any differently than anyone else. My point here, is that the hatred is in the past to be left there in the slave quarters of the plantations, in the streets of old New York, on the Trail of Tears. Let’s move forward and show the world how we can let go of these past wounds, heal and work together to become proud to be Americans. That is why we live here, right?

Why can the Liberals not understand the we actually have thoughts that are not based on race, like, “Why are you lying to me?” Or “Why are you not fixing Social Security and Medicare instead of jacking with our healthcare? Or “Why are you not on Social Security or Medicare? Or “How much is your retirement that I'm paying out of my grocery money?”

It will never be the same and it has nothing to do with race. It is our own fault, we have sat idly by and done nothing to stop the eroding away of our rights by our government. This has not just been only since January, when the new president took office and we got a liberal controlled Congress, either.

I think it is past time that we, the people, the conservative, working middle class of America step in and say, "Enough!"

Enough… to all elected officials not doing what they were elected to do… the will of the people.

Enough… Liberals/Democrats ramming and jamming legislation through Congress without even reading it.

Enough… Conservatives/Republicans/Independents not standing up to the Liberals. We aren’t hearing much about that in the news.

Enough… Kay Bailey-Hutchinson. You have been elected to be our Senator, representing our interests in the United States Senate, but you have decided that being our governor is more to your liking. Look at the State of the Union! We need your FULL ATTENTION AND VOTE in the Senate right now. Texas is doing just fine and better than most states to warrant you pulling your attention away from the job you were elected to do. This is not good timing!

Enough… Governor Perry. I think you are a great leader for our state, but I would like to hear more out of you concerning politics on the national level and how it pertains to our great state than who has signed on to back your campaign. This just isn’t the time for it.

Enough… Senators John Cornyn, Kay Bailey-Hutchison and Representative Mac Thornberry. We don’t hear you standing up and making waves against the Liberals, either. Your “You Tube” videos are not making the grade. We need to see and hear the voices of the statesmen that you are supposed to be, standing up against the headliners, Obama, Pelosi, Reid, etc. We hear nothing noteworthy, even on Fox News. Sure you go on the morning shows and talk about your differences, but there’s no fire. We have to get that from Hannity or Limbaugh. There’s something wrong with that picture.

Enough… News media. We want you to be fair and unbiased in your reporting. We support the advertisers in your papers, on your radio shows and on your television stations, but we don’t have to. They probably make stuff in China or Taiwan, anyway. The grassroots movement that you are making fun of and not taking seriously, can have a devastating impact on your bottom dollar, if you don’t clean up your act. Do not underestimate us simply because we do not appear to be organized. It will only take ONE act or ONE person to cause the people to come together. Do not think your jobs will be protected. We only ask for unbiased reporting.

Enough… Preachers. The Word says that we are to be watchmen, warning the people in times of danger. Better read up on it. If you know it’s coming and you do not warn the people, God’s wrath will be on you! Quit being afraid to preach the Bible. Encourage people to question their government leaders and to press them to do the will of God and “we, the people.” Encourage them to get to know the leaders they are voting into power before they vote. Provide the information for them. Remind them that God allows us to make our own choices, but then He also allows us to pay the consequences for those choices.

Enough…Sarah Palin. I would vote for you for President, but you need to decide to be in politics or not. We need a leader and we need someone that will stand up to the Liberals now, not next year or the next election. Are you that person?

There is just so much going on right now that is like teetering on a tightrope. This country is in make or break mode.

Even IF the news media straightened up AND the leaders actually started listening to “we, the people” AND “we, the people” actually started coming together as Americans, one people, one nation, under God, would the United States of America ever attain the greatness she once had?  I don't think that it will ever be the same, but I do think that we can get our pride and respect back....but we're going to have to hurry....

You can go to the Website for Charters of Freedom to view the Constitution in a larger format.

Give me some feedback! What do you think? Leave a comment. I read the comments, BTW, before I allow them to post on the website, so if you don’t want me to put your name on them, or to publish them, let me know that in the comment as well.

"We, the People" Published as Letter to the Editor in Jacksboro Gazette News 8/18/09

I try to keep up with current events especially legislation and comments/votes by our elected officials from the federal or state governments. I read a lot of email updates, Twitter updates and a few from Facebook. Sometimes I address my concerns on my website, www.yourpearlsmustalwaysbereal.blogspot.com or I "tweet" on Twitter and sometimes I write editorials.

My hope is to educate the public in the only way that I know how (by writing), so that you know how to get things changed; that you will recognize when things need to be changed and that you need to spread the word to others to do something.

We have been given a great gift in the freedoms that we have. People have fought and died for the freedoms that we take for granted. I know that many of you will be offended that I might be talking to you, but if the shoe fits.... I am talking to each one of you that did not vote in the last election; to each one that does not like the current plan for healthcare reform and has done nothing about it; to each one that voted for President Obama and now sees it as a mistake, but still does nothing to change what he is trying to do with his socialist agenda; to each one that did nothing when the stimulus package was up for a vote; to each one that does not know who his/her representatives are or how to contact them; to each one that does not know what is happening at the Townhall meetings or tea parties going on across the country; to each one that does not question everything that comes from any of the news media.

I do not care if you are Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative, Right or Left or none of those. What I do care about is the way this nation is headed. Do you think that the federal government should take over running our lives on every level? Are we that inept?

A question from a citizen of Pennsylvania on the healthcare bill to Senator Specter was: “What I see is a bureaucratic nightmare, Senator. Medicaid is broke. Medicare is broke. Social Security is broke. And you want us to believe that a government that can’t even run a Cash for Clunkers program is going to run 1/7th of our U.S. Economy?” Add to that the postal service is on the verge of bankruptcy.

Do you think that the citizens of the United States of America can stand more taxes, higher fuel bills, forced healthcare, more support of illegal immigrants, fewer jobs, less savings, fewer basic freedoms like freedom of speech, freedom to bear arms, freedom to protest when our government oversteps its bounds?

I do not think we will survive as the great country that we are without intervention by "we, the people." You and I must let our opinions be known. We must let our elected officials know how we feel and that we will not allow these things to continue. We must let our friends and family know that we must stand for what we believe. We must vote. We must NOT sit idly by while our country is taken over by politicians that don't care what their constituents want and vote for things anyway because of party lines or a misguided support of the president (one really said he would do that.) We must encourage everyone else we know to do the same.

We, the people, must get up out of our chairs and stand for something or the United States as we know it, will fall. This is no longer the status quo. Our doing nothing will have dire consequences this time. The extremist agenda of the current president and majority party will change things forever. President Ronald Reagan said, "The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a government program."

We must exercise our rights, NOW and protect "we, the people."

We, the People...

I don't understand why the Democrats and Obama have such a problem believing that there are people, voters, out here that do not agree with much of anything that they are doing to take away our liberty.

I can't seem to get the picture out of my mind of all the "red" states as opposed to the "blue" states on the election map following the presidential election this past year. Every time that I hear of something else the liberals have come up with to spread the tenacles of big government into our personal lives and my beloved Texas, I cringe, but thank God that we are represented by those conservative Republicans of a red state.

Where are all of the people of those red states? They're the ones forming tea parties and protests. They are the ones that see through the worship of a man and into the hearts of those that are ready to lay down their lives for the preservation of their country. I can even see, now, some of the people of the blue states starting to question their choices.

I know that Obama is egotistical and self-centered, but this frenzy he is constantly stirring up, surely cannot be what he had in mind when he was running for the highest office in the land. How could anyone want to cause, on purpose, this much turmoil in the country they have just been elected to lead? I mean, what is his hurry to self-destruct or to destroy all that the people of the United States of America have fought so long and hard to build?

Do we not have laws in place that protect our country from dictatorship? Obama says sneeze and Pelosi says in what direction? Then the Democrats follow this order because??? Even the "Blue Dog" Democrats were bought out! Not by their constituency, but by the Yellow Dog Democrats. There is something wrong with this whole picture and I can't for the life of me, figure out how it is being allowed to happen!

Okay, yes, I agree that we need fixing in some areas, but let us take our time and figure it out a little at a time. We, the people, have been lost in this whole circus somewhere. We, the people, are a diverse group of individuals that need to come together to save our country from being split apart by the diversity we are so proud of. We need to consentrate on being first and foremost Americans. Period.

We, the people, have every right to state our views, vote our hearts and minds and protest what we deem as wrong. This is what is happening every time that Obama and his cronies dare to chip away at our constitutionally given rights. Our federal government is not supposed to be huge. The states are supposed to govern themselves The people are supposed to govern themselves. We, the people are supposed to be in control, not the federal government.

Have we, the people, gotten so apathetic that we are going to allow our legislators or our president to take away our rights? Don't you think it's time to take this country back? I think that's what is happening at the townhall meetings. That is also why the liberals are so afraid of Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity and Palin. They represent us. We, the people, are speaking out, defending our way of life.

It's time that our elected officials remembered that they represent us, the people that put them there and that if they can't do the job we want them to do, we need to remind them that we can find someone that will.

Response to Comment on Would You Hold Up the Flag?

I agree with your comparison of the rod and staff, however, I do not believe that patriotism is dead. I think we are seeing everyday, a more and more arousing of the sleeping giant of God-fearing patriots. I think that the apathy that has taken over the right wing conservatives is gradually melting away as we see what Obama and the other liberals are doing to this country. Even the media is starting to question. Some of the Democrats are starting to question. I think people are finally realizing the government isn't going to let us take care of ourselves without intervention, and that we don’t want to share our wealth with those that are too lazy to work and that we want other nations to know we ARE a Christian nation, NOT a Muslim one, among many other issues.

I don't think you should write off patriotism just yet. I think the basic Christian principles are still at work. Our country is founded and grown on them. I just think we have allowed ourselves to become complacent especially since some of the major denominations of Christianity for years, taught that we should not participate in politics...that we should only pray and God would handle it. Biblically, we are supposed to give to Caesar what is Caesar's and God what is God's. In this instance "Caesar" requires the participation of the conservative Christians in order to save him. I think the past mindset is breaking as they see that maybe this is the result of our sins and God's punishment and just maybe we should get back to actually reading the Bible instead of following tradition. God gives us choices and those choices have consequences.

I think as the scales fall off of the sleeping giant’s eyes, he will arise and be a force to be reckoned with.

We may have failed in our job of instilling patriotism, but I don’t think so. I would like to think that all three of my sons would hold up that flag alongside my husband and me...….we love our country and we know where we’re going to end up in eternity. We’re not alone and I think the world will start to know that FACT very soon.

Would you hold up the flag? Published in newspaper 12/28/09

I received an audio link the other day with the story of Francis Scott Key and how he came to write the Star Spangled Banner. The story is moving and you can look it up in the history books or on the Internet.


The short version is that the British Navy had hundreds of ships in the harbor at Fort McHenry in the War of 1812. They gave the insurgents one way out of being slaughtered… they could lower their flag at any time and the battery of artillery would immediately stop, the war would be over and Great Britain would once again, be in control of the new country. The patriots, of course, were determined that wasn't going to happen. A flag had been commissioned with dimensions of 32 x 40 feet with each star being 2 feet across, so that there would be no question that the enemy could see it flying from any vantage point.

Francis Scott Key, an attorney, had been sent to one of the British ships to make a deal for the release of prisoners when the officer told him they would all be free by the next morning because they would again be in control of the land. The firing commenced and Key watched it all from the ship. He conveyed what was happening to the prisoners in the hold of the ship in a play-by-play account. They kept asking him if the flag was still flying? Is the flag still flying? Can you still see the flag? The men below were praying during the night that the flag was still there in the morning. The British aimed all they had at the flag for the last three hours of the assault.

In the morning after all was over, there on the high point was the flag...in tatters...and at an odd angle, but there nonetheless. History tells us that the odd angle was because during the attack, the flag pole was snapped and to keep the flag flying, even though bombs were coming in faster and heavier, patriots were holding it up there. As each man was killed, another replaced him and another and another. These were the patriots that won our freedom....the kind of men that are heroes...the kind of men that have maintained our freedom.

I think the generation before me had that same patriot spirit, having been through the great World Wars. They sacrificed a lot. They passed it on to our generation. We saw patriotism in action: saluting the flag, standing when the flag went by, learning the Star Spangled Banner, the Pledge of Allegiance, and we honored our military. We respected our government and trusted them to protect us from the Communists. We were proud to be Americans. New immigrants arriving on our shores or coming in from the south or the north were proud to be Americans. They learned our language and our ways because they wanted to fit into the American way of life and they cherished the freedom that came with it.

This has all caused me to wonder if our generation has managed somehow to instill patriotism and pride into the younger generations and to wonder if we have allowed being politically correct to dissuade pride in people that have newly come to the land of hope and opportunity.

Have our younger generations managed to salvage what it really means to be an American or realize how many have died for them to be able to live free from tyranny?

I know the Viet Nam police action took its toll against support of the federal government and the military. Corruption in the government hasn't helped any, either.

I know there are a lot of problems that have come out of diversity like having to have your own identity (ex. Mexican-American, Japanese-American or African-American.) I'm thinking that everyone should just be Americans and unify as one people. We have divisions of political parties that are supposed to be speaking for "we, the people" not self-interests or special interests, so much so, that you don't hear about bipartisanship working anymore. We have religiosity dividing us into even more little groups when it should be bringing us together. Diversity and patriotism are opposites. We can't have both.

Our patriotism must totally outweigh our need to be an individual. Our country must take precedence over any one person's or group’s ego or arrogance.

I keep hoping that patriotism may be laying in wait and hidden until "such a time as this" comes upon them like happened on 9/11 and that the sleeping giant of God-fearing patriots will awaken and be ready to strike back at the snake. We are seeing this more and more as tea parties form and Internet sites, blogs, and other groups are reacting to the liberal left's agenda.

We have a responsibility to instill patriotism in each generation by teaching and showing them how to defend our Constitution, our rights and our country especially against those from within the system that are supposed to be protecting and working for us.

Although there will always be those who scoff and put down our country, burn our flag and spit on our soldiers, I hope that there are more God-fearing patriots out there who are going to be ready to stand up to threats within the United States, when they have had enough. I hope that the generations, including mine, have enough pride in their country and belief in God so deeply ingrained in their hearts that they will rise up and go into action to keep our country free from the tyrannical threats coming from any direction.

Search your heart when you ask yourself these questions, “Are you a patriot that would defend your freedom? Would you hold up our Stars and Stripes to keep her waving, even in the face of certain death? Do you love this country so much that you would put her survival above your own?” Are you part of the sleeping giant or have we failed?