A Salute to a Fellow American in Louisiana

LPJ readers, I want to introduce you to a fellow American, a patriot and a person who cares about her country, served in the US Army, and survived the terrible disaster of Hurricane Katrina.

I introduce you to her from her open letter to fellow Americans at her blog, False Arguments of Illegal Immigrants, hosted by WordPress …

Dear Fellow Americans;
In 1973 I served my country in the U.S. Army Reserve, with great pride and honor, when I served, my favorite song was, and still is to this day; “I’m Proud To Be An American”. But, lately, I’ve sat back and watch our elected representative officials in Washington DC take this country to places I thought it would never go; TO UTTER CORRUPTION!
Telling the WORLD and 12 million illegal law breakers it’s ok, we forgive you for coming into this country the wrong way, ILLEGALLY! Now we’re going to REWARD your crime by making you all legal citizens. … Well Enough is Enough!

You can read more of this open letter at her site under the Soldier link.

Richie Battiest Collins has demonstrated her talent by writing lyrics to the song at the YouTube video Take Back Our Country! © 2007. Richie is participating in the production of other songs to make an album.

Richie is a resident in the state of Louisiana where Hurricane Katrina struck to make it the worst national disaster since the San Francisco earthquake.

She is currently a commodities trader and she has a side kick canine she calls – Batman. Richie writes:

I believe we have to unite as one voice of opposition against all these enemies that has risen up against the American Peoples’ interest and supplanted the interest of an illegal class of people that has no plans what so ever to assimilate into this country’s way of life. Instead these people are hard down (that’s southern phrase) trying to force us to change our way of life for them. … Well, I am not going to give up this country without a fight. What about you? … To them I say go back! Volver! Vuelva!

Richie has provided comment to one of the articles here at LPJ. Take the time to read it and also visit her site.

And, to Richie, I thank you for your introduction and stand by you as a fellow Patriot, once serving our country as soldiers and now serving as loyal citizens.

Bassmaster Open Tournament Schedule and Information

For those interested in fishing tournaments and are eligible, the 2008 Bassmaster Open tournament began in January and includes three events in two divisions: Central and Southern. The top five anglers in each division after the three events qualify to fish the Bassmaster Elite Series and the top three in each division qualify to fish the 2009 Bassmaster Classic.

The Southern Division opened at the St. Johns River[i] in January, then to Santee Cooper[ii] in May, and finishes at Lake Guntersville[iii] in October. The Central Division schedule includes an April open event on the Red River[iv], followed by Kentucky Lake[v] in September, and Lake Texoma[vi] in late October. [Photo courtesy of ESPN.

Myth Blaster – The President’s Administration and Enron Scandal

Friend of LPJ sent the following email for Myth Blasting (Title: Did you know our President?) …

1. Enron’s chairman did meet with the president and the vice president in the Oval Office.
2. Enron gave $420,000 to the president’s party over three years.
3. It donated $100,000 to the president’s inauguration festivities.
4. The Enron chairman stayed at the White House 11 times.
5. The corporation had access to the administration at its highest level and even enlisted the Commerce and State Departments to grease deals for it.
6. The taxpayer-supported Export-Import Bank subsidized Enron for more than $600 million in just one transaction.
Scandalous!! But – the president under whom all this happened WAS NOT George W. Bush … it was President Bill Clinton.

 

American Politics, Part 3 – Early Republic and Its Political Establishment

After the establishment of a new nation, the task of establishing a democratic form of a republic was taken in hand by those who we have come to be known as the “Founders”. During that period and in the year of 1787, papers of discussion and planning were published. Henry Cabot Lodge, in The Federalist, wrote in New York in 1888 commentary and a compilation of those papers, which has come to be known as the Federalist Papers. …

Irshad Manji – Representative of the Islamic Reform Movement or A "Tokyo Rose" of the Islamic Movement?

It is aptly called the Moral Courage Project and the voice and spiritual incentive of the organization is something rarely heard in the world of the Muslim – a woman. Her name is Irshad Manji, which is the title of her Blog. Her theme is Muslim reform and moral courage. Irshad appears in the PBS Documentary: Faith Without Fear available on DVD in the United States and Canada. She is the author of the book The Trouble With Islam Today: A Muslim’s Call for Reform in Her Faith, published in 25 countries, soon to be released in Indonesia (audio version available) with free translations of her book available in languages where her book is banned: Arabic, Urdu, Persian and Malay editions. At her About Irshad page:

Vietnam War Syndrome Revisited

Here is an article that is reminiscent of the John Kerry congressional hearings of the Vietnam War era – Pentagon Holds Thousands of Americans ‘Prisoners of War’, Penny Coleman, AlterNet, March 26^th 2008 …

Sgt. Kristofer Shawn Goldsmith was one of the many soldiers and Marines, veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, who gave testimony at last weekend’s Winter Soldier investigation. The spoke from personal experience about what the American military is doing in those countries. … The panel Goldsmith was on was called “The Breakdown of the U.S. Military,” so he surprised the audience when he said that he was going to talk about prisoners of war.
He was not, however, going to talk about the three soldiers listed as missing in action on the Department of Defense website. He was referring to those who have been the victims of stop-loss, the device by which the president can, “in the event of war,” choose to extend an enlistee’s contract “until six months after the war ends.” The “War on Terror” is this president’s excuse for invoking that clause. Because that war will, by definition, continue as long as we insist that there is a difference between the terror inflicted on our innocents and the terror inflicted on theirs, American soldiers are effectively signing away their freedom indefinitely when they join the military. They are prisoners of an ill-defined and undeclared war on a tactic – terrorism – that dates back to Biblical times and will be with us indefinitely. According to U.S. News and World Report, there are at least 60,000 of them.

American Politics, Part 2 – Colonial Period to Early Republic

History books and historians look at history in ages or eras. In the case of American history, for example, there is the colonial period, foundation of a New Republic, Expansionism, Age of Jackson, Wild West, the Progressive Era, et cetera. In Morton Keller’s book of political history it is divided in what he calls “regimes”[i] –

Deferential-republican, running through the colonial period and the early Republic to the 1820s
Party-democratic, from the 1830s to the 1930s
Populist-bureaucratic, from the 1930s to the present[ii]

In Keller’s introduction he correctly states:

It is widely assumed that ours is a special time in American history: of a uniquely bitter politics and disillusioned electorate; an exceptionally dysfunctional president, Congress, and bureaucracy; a highly polarized Supreme Court. Title of recent books on public affairs make the point: Dark Ages America, Politics Lost, American Theocracy, The Twilight of Democracy, Protofascism in America, The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy. Is this sense of special malaise accurate? That question requires an answer grounded in history.

Easter Mass Disrupted By "Peace" Advocates

This is a short entry today. It is a news release concerning a despicable, disgusting and disrespectful act by Iraq War protesters that took place on Easter in Chicago. Reported by Association Press and published FOX News, March 24^th 2008 …

Six Iraq war protestors disrupted an Easter Mass on Sunday, shouting and squirting fake blood on themselves and parishioners in a packed auditorium.
Three men and three women startled the crowd during Cardinal Francis George’s homily, yelling “Even the Pope calls for peace” as they were removed from the Mass by security guards and ushers.
One Mass attendee, Mike Wainscott of Chicago, yelled at the anti-war protesters.
“Are you happy with yourselves? he said. “There were kids in there. You scared little kids with your selfish act. Are you happy now?”
The group, which calls itself Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War, said in a statement after the arrests that they targeted the Holy Name Cathedral on Easter to reach a large audience, including Chicago’s most prominent Catholic citizens and the press, which usually covers the services.
Kevin Clark of International Solidarity Movement told the Chicago Tribune that he attended the Mass to serve as a witness for the protesters. …
Speaking after the service, George said, “We should all work for peace, but not by interrupting the worship of God.”
Police charged each of the six protesters with one count of felony criminal damage to property and two counts each of misdemeanor simple battery. … They have a court date set for March 31 on the misdemeanors.

See also – FOX Chicago coverage.

Well, the protesters got the coverage they wanted and at the same time will probably get jail time and a police record for their disgusting actions. I don’t think they realize that they have not furthered their advocacy – but instead turned more against their movement. One must consider the organization behind the organization – being one that takes the side of Palestinian terrorism/political violence. Enuff said.

Gideon Polya: Talented Artist but Ignoramus Blogger

Gideon Polya marks the Easter Christian holiday with anti-Semitism and pro-Islamic fundamentalist propaganda message. The brainwashed or naïve (or combination of both) article he writes spells out the mentality of the blind hate and constant blame put upon the Bush administration with the following excerpts from his “opinion” posted at Newsvine, March 23^rd, Easter Day, 2008 …

Islamic Edict May Usher in New Strength Against Islamic Fundamentalism

The Nation reports good news in terms of Islamic clerics and “moderate” Muslims who are against violence and considered a stain upon the principles and ideology of Islam. Fatwa Dubs Taliban ‘Out of Islam’ by Shamim Shahid, March 23^rd 2008 …

American Politics, Part 1 – Where It’s Been, Where It Could Go

Political candidates who are working toward achieving the highest office of the land, the presidency, are talking about change – mostly in the camp of one particular political entity. But what “change” do they have in mind? Is it change in the way our government has been operating? Is it change in how their supported political party forms its ideologies? Or, is it just change from one political entity to another in the grab for political party majority between the two established main parties?

Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement; and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
George Santayana

Legislation Alert – Visa Guest Workers and Amnesty

About a week ago Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates testified before Congress requesting that there is a need for high-tech, skilled foreign worker visas. House leaders are reporting that HR 5630, sponsored by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), will increase the annual cap for high-tech H-1B visas from 65,000 to 130,000 starting this year, and up to 180,000 by the year 2010. This legislation will also make it easier for foreign students who are graduates in high-tech fields to enter or stay in the US and compete with US graduates. [Congress Now, March 18^th 2008]

Sir Arthur C. Clarke Dies at Age 90 – Science Fiction Visionary

Arthur C. Clarke died Wednesday, March 19^th 2008 [Reuters] science fiction writer and world-renowned visionary best known for his work on the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey in his home in Sri Lanka at the age of 90.

Optimism – The Gist of America’s Past Success

Beware the ides of March

– Shakespeare (Julius Caesar Act I, scene 2, 15-19) …

Doom, doom and more doom. From global warming to people who want to give into religious fascists to people who actually believe the present administration is being run by fascists to Christian fundamentalists accepting that Armageddon has arrived and we are in a modern Crusade against ALL Islam to people who say this is the year of the big crash that will match the woes of the Great Depression. (worldwide disaster)

My impression is that too many people look at issues and face crisis that occurs naturally, induced by those who use fear to get people to side with them in their propaganda that has a darker reason why they are advocates instead of meeting such things with the mind set of meeting a challenge, armed with as much knowledge as possible and using logic over emotional response.

Fishing Season Annual Opening Almost Here at the Peninsula

The slow process of thawing has begun. Soon the waters will be free of ice and by Memorial Day weekend, the traditional opening of the fishing season begins along with the annual opening of the Bass Tournament season.

It is that time of the year for anglers to go through their tackle boxes, check their inventory of equipment, ensure they have the correct array of lures, supply of plastic bait, required weights and other accessories of the serious angler’s inventory and to grease/oil their reels and check/replace line to ensure they won’t lose their catch because of faulty equipment.

Here, on the Peninsula the fishing season opens May 3^rd. The seasons and special requirements and catch limits are marked out on the yearly Wisconsin DNR booklet that is free at most anywhere you can get tackle. Also, new this year is the new electronic process of obtaining a fishing/hunting/sports licenses required by the Department of Natural Resources in the state of Wisconsin.

Letter to the Editor Concerning the Mexican Invasion

Rich Hupf, retired Coast Guardsmen and Friend of LPJ, writes …

It’s our Country and we should take a stronger stand!
The following immigration laws are proposed:
1 – There will be no special bilingual programs in the schools.
2 – All ballots will be in this nation’s language.
3 – All government business will be conducted in our language.
4 – Non-residents will NOT have the right to vote no matter how long they are here.
5 – Non-citizens will NEVER be able to hold political office.
6 – Foreigners will not be a burden to the taxpayers. No welfare, food stamps, no health care, or other government assistance programs. Any burden will be deported.
7 – Foreigners can invest in this country, but it must be an amount at least equal to 40,000 ties the daily minimum wage.
8 – If foreigners come here and buy land … options will be restricted. Certain parcels including waterfront property are reserved for citizens naturally born into this country.
9 – Foreigners may have no protests; no demonstrations, no waving of a foreign flag, no political organizing, no bad-mouthing our president or his policies. These will lead to deportation.
10 – If you do come to this country illegally, you will be actively hunted and when caught, sent to jail until deportation can be arranged. All assets will be taken.
Harsh, you say?
The above laws are current immigration laws of MEXICO.

Story of Freedom the Eagle and Human Friend

Donald E. Farr has a compelling story sent to him from a friend via email. The behind the scenes story is about the Sarvey Wildlife Center that was established in 1981 in Everett, Washington. The organization owns five acres south of Arlington, Washington that provides a place for animals to rehabilitate. The property has two ponds and is secured to keep recovering deer and waterfowl safe. There is a clinic, educational building, eagle flight area, and a range of cages on the property. Originally called the Wildlife Care Center, it was renamed in 1988 in memory of Bill Sarvey, a Washington Department of Wildlife Agent and friend of wild critters.

Campaign 2008 – Race Overrides the War and Other Issues

Notice that I haven’t written much about the election candidates lately? It is because the issues have stopped being discussed and most of it has to do with racial issues. We should always address such issues head on, but c’mon.

Early Spring on the Peninsula

I received my copy of the 2008 Door County Guidebook, an annual publication that can be obtained in local tourist shops and at the Welcome Center on Highway 42 just before the turn off to downtown Sturgeon Bay or the Internet via the link above.

I noticed that there is a new exhibit at the Door County Maritime Museum (Home of the Door Peninsula Lighthouse Preservation Society), which is my favorite next to the small, but impressive exhibits at the Door County Historical Museum situated in downtown Sturgeon Bay that is the county seat for the Door Peninsula. Last year it was the Pirate exhibition, which was impressive and a shame if anyone in the area or visiting missed it. Much of the exhibits were on loan from Florida, so it was a limited time. This year the special exhibit is called “Freshwater Fury” (May 24^th 2008 to January 20^th 2009) – and a bonus feature at the museum will begin mid-July of this year: A tour of the 149-foot tug John Purves located on the seawall behind the museum. Sturgeon Bay also has an art museum on 4^th Avenue called the Miller Art Museum, featuring Wisconsin art and even art classes, located in the Door County Library building. This museum represents the several artists that live or have lived on the peninsula, a place considered an artists haven. For artists who enjoy painting or sculpting nature – this is the place with several scenic spots to choose from.

Chinese Government Exterminating Cats

ZooToo published this article about the Chinese authorities ordering the death of thousands of cats that are stray and feral in order to “clean up” for the 2008 Olympic Summer Games forthcoming. But, should this be a surprise for a nation whose views on human rights are less than honorable?

 

 

 

Senators Kill the Earmark Moratorium

The Senate “bulls” – you know, the “old” guys who have been hanging around Congress it seems forever, has killed an attempt to ban the (temporarily) practice of earmarking federal funds for home-state projects.

What does that tell you? It is time to clean out the moth-eaten, politics-as-usual “bulls”. These are the individuals in Congress who have cause the oil price problem, the problems of illegal immigrants, and other issues that pertain to the responsibility prescribed by the US Constitution.

 

Economics and Ideology of Paul Craig Roberts: Bush Hater, Anti-War and Anti-American

Paul Craig Roberts is an economist and nationally syndicated columnist who served as an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan administration. His fame of understanding and implementing economics has earned him the title “Father of Reaganomics”. He is the former editor and columnist for the Wall Street Journal, Business Week and Scripps Howard News Service. He is a frequent writer for Antiwar.com, VDARE.com, Lew Rockwell’s web site, and CounterPunch. It is obvious that he leans towards Libertarian as far as political ideology. His criticisms of both the Democratic and Republican parties have been consistent in his ideology; however he is possessed with the anti-Bush syndrome. While he has a tab on matters of economics, his concept of America’s position in the volatile world of the Middle East and the ensuing and declared war against terrorism is naïvé to say the least. And while Paul Roberts criticizes the Bush administration intensely, he is known for praising Ronald Reagan and endorses much of the policies he had established as “true conservatism” He is one of the supporters, like the political hard-left who depict Bush supporters as …

“…brownshirts with the same low intelligence and morals as Hitler’s enthusiastic supporters.”

Legislation Alert – SAVE Act

The SAVE Act is a bi-partisan bill written by Congressman Heath Schuler (D) of North Carolina. On the Republican side of the political aisle the bill is sponsored by Brian Bilbray (R) of California. Rep. Bilbray is a congressional leader for FAIR.

The SAVE Act has been languishing in committee since it was introduced November 6^th 2007, despite being supported widely – even 48 Democrats are behind it.

The SAVE Act would reduce illegal immigration by both increasing border security and by improving interior enforcement. This combination-solution has not been performed by the Federal, and why the issue has become such a mess. The blame cannot be placed entirely upon the Bush administration – GW Bush just has continued the problem.

The proposed legislation would add technology, infrastructure and personnel at the border. It would provide grants to border towns and counties to assist with enforcement of criminal law. The number of federal judges would be increased in Border States, thereby increasing the number of immigration offenses that could be tried in those states. The SAVE Act would also expand the alien smuggling and harboring provisions of INA 274. Most importantly, the SAVE Act would make it mandatory for all employers to use the E-Verify electronic employment verification system, creating a quick and efficient way to verify the legal status of their employees. This would reduce the employment magnet bringing so many illegal immigrants into the U.S.

There is a process called the House Discharge Rule in which it can be used by members of Congress to bring legislation to the floor when it gets mired within the committee process, which is another way for the opposition to hope it will die. This is what happened to the Fair Tax Act proposed legislation that has been in committee for at least two years. Those that are against it, like the SAVE Act, don’t want it up for vote within an election year – because citizens will remember that they voted against it.

When congressional members sign a petition and submit it as a discharge petition to the Clerk of the House, 218 signatures must be on the petition in order to make the motion for the bill to be discharged. Which means it will be forced out of committee and unto the voting floor.

Since this is occurring in the House of Representatives, please call your state representative and tell him/her to sign the discharge petition now and get this bill through.

It is the only bill, thus far, that makes any sense concerning the illegal immigration issue. Amnesty is out of the question and we must next pass legislation that no longer affords the illegal immigrants to live off the doles of taxpayers, and most importantly create an amendment that allows illegal immigrants to give birth and stay here because the child was born in the United States. But let’s take one step at a time.

Denmark Salute – Show Solidarity

The following article was initiated by Donald Farr, Friend of LPJ,  when he sent a transcription via email of Susan MacAllen’s article that is in part reprinted below:

Susan MacAllen’s article Salute the Danish Flag – It’s a Symbol of Western Freedom is circulating all over cyberspace originating at Family Security Matters website …

Ned Kelly, Australian ‘Jesse James" May Have Been Found

Here is news concerning an historical character. Americans probably know more about our folklore persona here in America and elsewhere than they do about who represents them in Congress.

In this case, the person lived in the 19^th century in Australia and was the desperado-type of the renowned American Old West. His name is/was Ned Kelly and it is believed that Australian scientists have found his grave site – subject material for an upcoming historical action/adventure? Mel Gibson, are you getting this?

America as a Role Model – "Do Unto Others as You Would Have Them do Unto You"

In regards to interrogation procedures in light of recent news that President Bush vetoed the bill that would have banned the CIA from using the waterboarding technique in interrogation procedures that simulates drowning. Of course, the Democrats like Senator Dianne Feinstein, democratic-socialist of California [FoxNews} –

“This president has the chance to end the torture debate for good, yet he chose instead to leave the door open to use torture in the future,” said Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee[i]
She said Bush ignored the advice of 43 retired generals and admirals and 18 national security experts, including former secretaries of state and national security advisers, who supported the bill.[ii] …
The bill would have limited the CIA to 19 interrogation techniques that are used by the military and spelled out in the Army Field Manual. Bush said he vetoed the measure because it is important for the CIA to have a separate and classified interrogation program for suspected terrorists who possess critical information about possible plots against the United States.
Bush who used his weekly radio address to announce the veto, said the program had helped stop plots against a Marine camp in Djibouti and the U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, and plans to fly passenger planes into a Los Angeles tower or London’s Heathrow Airport and city buildings. …
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the nation’s ability to lead the world depends on its morality, not military might. “We will begin to reassert that moral authority by attempting to override the president’s veto next week,” said Pelosi, D-Calif. …
Bush said waterboarding currently is not part of the CIA program. The attorney general has deemed that program legal under domestic and international law, he said. Still, waterboarding remains in the CIA’s tool kit. The technique can be used, but it requires the consent of the attorney general and president on a case-by-case basis. Bush wants to keep that option open. …
Democrats say the CIA should be restricted to the techniques in the Army Field Manual. They include the “good-cop-bad-cop” routine; making prisoners think they are in another country’s custody; and separating a prisoner from others for up to 30 days.
In addition to waterboarding, the field manual prohibits hooding prisoners or putting duct tape across their eyes;[iii] burning or physically hurting prisoners in other ways; subjecting them to hypothermia or mock executions. It does not allow food, water and medical treatment to be withheld. Dogs may not be used in any aspect of interrogation. …
There also are concerns that the use of waterboarding would undermine U.S. human rights efforts overseas and could place Americans at greater risk of being tortured if they are captured abroad. …
Bush objected to two other provisions:
- a new independent inspector general for the government’s intelligence agencies to improve coordination and information-sharing. Bush said the position was unnecessary.
- Senate confirmation of the directors of the National Security Agency and National Reconnaissance Office. Bush said that could delay the directors’ ability to take over quickly and risk injecting politics into the selection process.

GOP Treasury ‘Irregularities’ Being Investigated By FBI

Last month rumors around cyberspace and media about the GOP searching where missing money from the political party’s treasury had gone, has apparently been discovered – at least where it allegedly went. Washington Post writer Paul Kane writes in the article NRCC Says Ex-Treasure Diverted Up to $1 Million …

Dragon Lady Cixi – The Last Empress of China

Daniele Vare, an Italian diplomat in Peking wrote in his 1936 biography, The Last Empress – Cixi:

Too much mystery surrounds the Forbidden City for us to write of its inmates with assured authority. Even when the facts are known, there are two or three versions, each giving a different rendering of what occurred. This vagueness is like the nebulous parts of a Chinese painting; it has a charm that it might be a mistake to dispel. Nor is it certain that the historian, could he lift the veil, would discover the truth.

You may have seen the film or read the book The Last Emperor, but did you know anything about the last empress? Sometimes called the Dragon Lady from the title of Sterling Seagrave’s book written in 1992. Smithsonian has published their story of – Cixi: The Woman Behind the Throne by Amanda Bensen, March 1^st 2008 …

Science Snippets – March 14th 2008

Egypt has always fascinated me, particularly ancient Egypt, as well as what is known as the Coptic period when Christianity, followers of Jesus of Nazareth (The Christ) during the historical age when the Christian Church was just starting to form into an organized entity. Archaeology is another subject of interest, which actually coincides with the former. The study of ancient Egypt is called Egyptology.

Light Side of Lighthouse – What You May Not Know About the Roswell Incident

K-Bo, Illinois sends a bit of political humor in lieu of something serious for a change – whoops! I guess folks are tired of reading the word “CHANGE” …

Many will recall that on July 8, 1947, witnesses claim an unidentified flying object (UFO) with five aliens aboard crashed on a sheep and cattle ranch just outside Roswell, New Mexico.
This is a well known incident that many say has long been covered up by the US Air Force and the federal government.
However, you may well NOT know that in the month of March 1948, exactly nine months after that historic day, Albert Arnold Gore, Jr.; Hillary Rodham; John F. Kerry; William Jefferson Clinton; Howard Dean; Nancy Pelosi; Dianne Feinstein; Charles E. Schumer; and Barbara Boxer were born.
That piece of information has now cleared up a lot of things.