Is This For Real?

The Median Sib points to a post she found on the Democratic Underground.

(Speaking of Osama Bin Laden and the recent videotape) - and how it was probably a fake orchestrated by President Bush to swing public opinion his way) Actually, I don't think he ever existed. I think he is a muppet. But if he IS real and IS willing to stop in Iraq and Afghanistan, that would be good news. Not that I want attacks here, but we can absorb them a lot lot better than those poor people. If it is real (and I hear you about the orchestrated element) it seems rather promising? Or am I drinking the Kool-aid. I really like the orange flavor.

I went over and took a gander and there is more: Another poster writes:

It's like being in an alternate universe Nothing surprises me anymore. Right is wrong, black is white. Osama and Bush are working together. Really, how can there not be a connection here? This is just WAAYYYY too overt. To say it might be orchestrated is an understatement..there is definitely a connection. And we have to remain vigilant, continue to stay smart, and go after this hard, knowing the truth will soon be uncovered if we just keep pressing.

This site is full of these kinds of post. Talk about conspiracy theories. We may need more than orange flavored kool-aide! More about this at Knockin' On The Golden Door

American Soldier in Iraq Perspective

The Guppyman's Rant Zone has a guest post today by Brian of Across The Pond. Brian is currently serving our country in Iraq. His post is interesting and encouraging. I hope you'll take a minute to read it. When all we hear is the anti-military propaganda that is spewed out all day long, it's so good to hear a little about the wonderful things our men and women are doing over there. First hand accounts are the best and most reliable. I thank God for our brave young soldiers who willingly put themselves in harms way, keeping the battle over there. It's young men like you who believe in America, our Constitution and Bill of Rights and are willing to do the heavy lifting to ensure those rights are not destroyed. Thank you SGT Capozzi for sharing your story. hat tip: The Median Sib

CAIR Issues Plea to Spare Hostage

Islam Online notes that U.S. Muslim leaders have sent a delegation to Iraq with a request that kidnapped American reporter, Jill Carroll be spared.

A delegation representing the leading US Muslim advocacy group arrived in Baghdad on Saturday, January 21, 2006, to plead for the release of Jill Carroll, a US reporter taken hostage in Iraq. A deadline set by kidnappers, who threatened to kill Carroll unless US occupation forces released all Iraqi women in their custody, passed late Friday with no word on her fate. Iraqi Sunni leaders have also appealed for release of Carroll, who has reported on the suffering of Iraqis living under US occupation.

The American Muslims are going to Iraq under the auspices of CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations. CAIR has done this before. They plead for the release of 4 Christian anti-war activists kidnapped in Iraq in December 2005. At that time they released a statement that said in part:

They have worked in Iraq since October 2002 opposing the US/UN economic sanctions policy, the escalation of the war against the Iraqi people in March 2003, and the continued occupation of Iraq by all Western military forces.

The CAIR leader praised the four hostages as "longtime friends of the Muslim community". He stressed that on numerous occasions "they stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Muslims advocating for their causes – from forming human-shields in Iraq before the US invasion, to protecting the honor and property of the Palestinian people."

Unfortunately, the only other victims of kidnapping by Muslim groups mentioned are those that were released for one reason or the other. The arguments for releasing these particular hostages is that they are friends of Islam. Release them and they will continue to help our cause, they argue. Note: OUR cause. Oh - and there will probably be a backlash on us over here in the U.S. if you behead this woman. We really don't want to have to deal with that, so release her, okay? I sincerely hope for the best for Ms. Carroll. I hope they release her unharmed. But I can't help but wonder, where was CAIR when Daniel Pearl or Nick Berg or the many other hostages were decapitated?

hat tip: The Jawa Report

Al Quada Job Application

Allahu akbar! So you've decided to join the fastest-growing organization of psychopathic murderers in the world today. Due to the exciting type of work we perform, we always have room for more volunteers, and so we welcome you to our ranks. We'd like to get to know you, while we can, so please answer a few questions for us: Name: Abu ____________ Real name: __________________ Gender: ______ Male __________ Chattel (if so, stop here) Marital Status: ____ Single _____ Married (# of wives: ______) Reason For Interest In al-Qaeda (circle all that apply): a. Hatred for everything Western, except those hot babes on Baywatch b. Suicidal impulse but lacking the skills to carry it out c. Inability to get women to date me d. Want to travel and see the world before I realize my ambition to destroy it e. Having 72 inexperienced young girls later sounds better than dealing with one nagging woman now Would you be willing to relocate? Y/N If Y, in pieces? Y/N Do you have any of the following disqualifying conditions? a. Conscience b. Soul c. Survival instinct d. Half a brain or more e. Fear of flying As seen on Affairs of a Sordid World Who saw it at The Captain's Quarters Dad29 Texas Hold Em Blogger

You Might Wanna Read .....

Affairs of a Sordid World has some good posts from the past week. In Clinton's Revisionist History he points to an article luminating Clinton's own version of historic fact.

It's understandable since without the adulation and love poured on the man known as Slick Willie, he'd be left alone with himself. And the reality would set in that beneath all the bluster and verbal gymnastics lay a man who's basically an empty suit. But for now, that is a non-problem for Clinton.

Freedom Eden gives an indepth analysis of Ben Laidover's latest release. She also has a 'Wall of Shame' in her sidebar that is worth a look-see.

Basically, he reiterates much of what Dr. Dean, Ted Kennedy, John Murtha, John Kerry, Al Gore, Russ Feingold, and Harry Belafonte have been saying -- Bush lies, Bush tortures, etc. The criticism of President Bush and the Administration coming from bin Laden is not all that different from what the American critics are saying. Of course, they do not threaten to carry out terrorist attacks on our soil; but other than that, the rhetoric is very, very similar.

later :)

Ted Kennedy A Member of Club That Bans Women

Kennedy is a current member of the Harvard alumni social club, The Owl Club, that bans women from membership. From Jules Crittenden at MetroSpy Kennedy says he's not a member, but then says he's going to quit the club as soon as he can (lol).

In an interview with WHDH Channel 7’s Andy Hiller that aired last night, Kennedy said, “I joined when I . . . 52 years ago, I was a member of the Owl Club, which was basically a fraternal organization.” Asked by Hiller whether he is still a member, Kennedy said, “I’m not a member; I continue to pay about $100.” He then said of being a member in a club that discriminates against women, “I shouldn’t be and I’m going to get out of it as fast as I can.”

Mr. Kennedy, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Check out: The Utter Degradation of DC Culture, The Distinquished Gentleman From Massachusetts, Back To Kennedy, Alito Confirmation Hearings

Quote of the Day

Our duty to ourselves, to posterity, and to mankind, call on us by every motive which is sacred or honorable, to watch over the safety of our beloved country. Thomas Jefferson

ACLU - Willfull Ignorance?

Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one who thinks that this war is about more than a handful of al-Quada medieval cave-dwellers with satellite dishes, laptops and cell phones. My Vast Right Ring Conspiracy has a rant about this very issue, Stupidity or Sedition? I couldn't agree with her more and I think more of us should say so. For some reason we are not supposed to say what we really think. We are not supposed to call Muslims terrorists or terrorists Muslims. We are not supposed to call this a war of ideologies or a religious war. We aren't supposed to say anything about it being a war between the Muslim world and Western culture. We aren't supposed to look at the American citizens who are undermining our country by giving aid and comfort to our enemies and tell them to shut up or get out. It's not fashionable to be patriotic. It's fashionable to criticize our country and have 'understanding' for our enemy. It's fashionable to blame the United States for being attacked. It's fashionable to blame the United States for basically everything that's wrong in the world. The childish, naive, sheltered, silly, clueless, trying-to-be-hip rhetoric of the 'intellectual elite' and the hobbyworld airheads would be comical if it weren't so irritating. More importantly it's dangerous. The recording Osama Bendover released yesterday is proof enough that our enemies keep a close eye on American media. He spoke directly to his supporters in this country. The Michael Moores of America. I guess we'll just keep going on as usual. Like nothing else is going on in the world around us. We really don't want to have to think any deeper than our Beemers and Versace. Admitting there is a war with a radical cult ideology that is embraced by a huge percentage of the world's population is a real party-pooper. Bummmm-err! People aren't hung for treason anymore. Mores the pity. hat tip: The Median Sib Please visit: Cao's weekly Open Trackback Party and Linkfest Haven

It's Always Good To Be Prepared

I ran across this somehow today. At Ready America there is a detailed explanation of what you should do should you find yourself in the vicinity of a nuclear blast. I'm not kidding. The site gives advice like:

During a nuclear incident, it is important to avoid radioactive material, if possible.

And there are pictures:

Consider if you can get out of the area.

It's good to have pictures with our manuals. Are you taking notes? We should alway have a plan. You know, take action and do something when we find ourselves in a, in ... ah, well, in .... hmmm ......... uncomfortable circumstances.

Jill Carroll

Former Christian Science Monitor Reporter and Free Lance journalist Jill Carroll is scheduled for execution tonight by her kidnappers. Her captors released a video of her speaking, but with no sound. They demand the release of female prisoners or they will execute Ms. Carroll tonight. I have read some of Ms. Carroll's writings in the last few days. She writes compassionate articles about the struggles of the Iraqi people in the midst of the war raging around them. Articles like: Ordinary Iraqis bear brunt of warand Old brutality among new Iraqi forces. Her articles are certainly not one-sided pro-American.

While the US military has been training Iraqi police and soldiers for almost two years, critics say it has offered recruits abbreviated courses that are ill-suited for Iraq's security situation. The classes may have covered the basics, but have left many Iraqi police unprepared for the harsh conditions of their jobs.

So what is her crime? Why has she been kidnapped, tried, convicted and sentenced to death? Because she's a western female? Because she exercises free speech? Or is it just because she's an easy and convenient target? It is my sincere prayer that Ms. Carroll will be spared the fate of other journalists whose crimes have been that they were western jounalists trying to shine a light on the dark corners of oppressive regimes. She has joined an elite club that no one wants to join. Some members of this club have been spared. Most have not. Steven Vincent, author of In The Red Zone blog who wrote in The Power of Shame:

I feel a simmering anger over the pointlessness of these attacks and those aspects of Arab psychology that cling to humiliation and rely on violence to satisfy grievances. And my anger burns hotter when I read comments from the Western media ennobling these murderous "insurgents" by calling them the "Resistance" — or, more horribly, the "Revolution" — ignoring the thousands of Iraqis who risk their lives every day opposing the nihilistic bloodlust of these men.

Daniel Pearl is perhaps the most famous, as he was one of the first murdered in this battle. There are many others. Whether or not you agree with what they have to say, you have to admire the courage it takes for them to say it. They write and speak out in places it's not safe to do so. They ply their trade without the protections of the Constitution of the United States of America. I am curious about something though. Where are the crowds who gather to protest executions of murderers in the United States? Why aren't these same people out protesting and trying to stop the execution of a reporter whose only crime is being a western female speaking out for the Iraqi people? Where are you?

Brief Thoughts On Marital Bliss

Pick your battles. Just like raising children and in most of our other relationships, if you fight over everything that comes up you'll be fighting all the time. So just stick to the important stuff. My husband was born without a decorating gene. It doesn't exist within him. He's notorious at his work for the lack of any effort whatsoever to do anything with his office. There's a desk, chair and what else do you need? One day he told me he had put some pictures up in his office. Wow! I was really impressed. He was fixing up his office. So I stopped by to see what he'd done. As I walked into his office I saw plain paper taped to the wall in front of his desk. Yes, he had printed out his pictures on PLAIN paper and TAPED them to the wall in front of his desk! They were situated in such a way that I couldn't see what was printed on them as I walked in and I thought for a moment how sweet that was. He had tried to decorate. I laughed to myself at how typical that was of him to do it so ineptly. It was endearing - really! He looked up and we chatted for a second and then I walked around his desk and saw the pictures of his family he had put on the wall. He had printed out pictures of his dogs. HIS DOGS! I asked him if it had occured to him to put human beings on the wall. Like maybe a picture of his kids or his wife for instance! He looked so puzzled that I had to laugh. The good part about this is that it has given me something to never let him live down. :) Since then, his staff has helped him some. He has a lamp and actual picture frames with pictures of his grandkids in them. He has started printing out his pictures on photo paper at least, but still tapes them to the wall. He has pictures of Doc Holliday and various cartoons and gun-slinging photos with sayings like 'Go Ahead Make My Day' and other such things. Still no picture of his wife. Is that worth fighting over? No. Not to me. That's just him.

I think that one of the secrets to a happy marriage is being able to be okay with your husband being who he is.

Quote For Today

Some see private enterprise as a predatory target to be shot, others as a cow to be milked, but few are those who see it as a sturdy horse pulling the wagon. Winston Churchill

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

I think the world is an extremely dangerous place right now. I see trouble brewing, boiling over really, on so many fronts, and wonder when it's going to explode. Here's what frustrates me. We are in such a state of denial about the seriousness of the problem, the determination of our enemy to destroy us and the dire consequences of continuing to ignore the problem. There is so much at stake. We are in a war of ideologies. There will be a winner and a loser. I don't want western civilization and the United States in particular to be on the losing side. Iran, North Korea, Jihadist gathering in the Middle East to fight our soldiers. Clouds are gathering, seemingly from every direction. And yet, we continue to keep our heads in the sand. The cost of our choice to remain blind is to prolong the bleeding. One soldier dies here, another there, the Jihadist kidnap another reporter, chop off their heads, the gruesomness of their savage acts are minimized while any mis-step by an American Soldier is displayed and replayed and made to seem worse than it probably is in reality. This seems backward to me! My husband is a Vietnam Vet. He tells me that road side bomb deaths are the most demoralizing type of deaths for the troops. There is no one to fight against. The bomb explodes and they are powerless to do anything about it. Hillary Clinton has been running her mouth about 'collateral damage' in relation to the bombings in Pakistan. I look at that and see that some top al Quada operatives were killed in that bombing. That undoubtedly has saved American lives. Who knows how many lives have been saved by that one bombing. Score one for the good guys (that's us). Would she rather we have lost 100 American Soldiers going in on foot to kill these guys? I realize her rhetoric is just to find ways to Bash Bush, but I don't have a problem with doing what we have to do to protect our homes and families and way of life. I do have a problem with American Soldiers dying because cameramen are following them everywhere and Monday morning quarterbacks are second guessing their every move with replays and slow motion anaysis ad nauseum. Our guys have to practically get a Jihadists blood type and do a DNA analysis to make sure he's a terrorists before they can shoot him! American Soldier: 'Excuse me, sir. Please let go of the button attached to the bomb strapped to your waist for just a second. We need to verify your identiy before we can take this stand-off to the next level. As civilized Soldiers we expect that you will conduct yourself as a gentleman soldier and .... ' Jihadist: 'Huh?' Looks directly into the camera and smiles, 'Praise Allah.' Boom. When I look at the 'collateral damage' from those bombs in Pakistan, or any American bombs, I weight that against my children's lives, the lives of my friends, family and neighbors and my husband's beautiful grandchildren. Frankly, the scale tips off the chart for me. My problem with this war is that we aren't fighting it aggressively enough. I'd just asoon we cut the dogs loose and have at em. We'd lose fewer soldiers and we'd end the war sooner. We are so careful of 'collateral damage' that our own soldiers are dying trying to keep from killing a non-combatant. If only our enemy were as humane! And yet, our soldiers are portrayed as the bad guys. I read on the web, on all these blogs, and I see a political division in the country like I've never seen before. We are judged by our party affiliation. Are you a democrat? Are you a Republican? That's what matters. MLJ,Jr. Day this year seemed to me to be used for a symphony of racial divisiveness. I've never seen it used that way to that extent before. One speech after the other, one gathering after the other, pushed the envelop on how far someone could go in using divisive language, inflamatory rhetoric. Black vs. white. Republican vs. Democrat. I have always considered myself an 'Independent'. To me it's not about the party - it's about the candidate. Who is the Statesman? Who will put the country before his own personal interests? Who will serve us best? It is freightening to me that so many are willing to put party affiliation before the best interest, indeed the safety, of this country. A country divided. As a united country we are a force to be reckoned with. The mightiest military power this world has ever known. Democrat? Republican? Libertarian? Green Party? We can remain divided. Or heres a new and radical idea. How bout lets be PATRIOTS! Just the comments on Sanity Bluff's post here gives a clue about what we are up against in our own country. Good night all. Sleep tight - our Soldiers are in the desert tonight, keeping watch over us.

We Are At War

I just received news that a close friend of mine's husband has been killed by a road side bomb in Iraq.

I have a hard time understanding how people don't understand we are at war.

My friend's sons are also Marines.

It's a Beautiful Thang!

You have GOT to love this country. Who else can send an UNmanned drone with a hell-fire missle and take out four (count them 1, 2, 3, 4) AlQuada high level operatives. The drone being controlled from 1,000 miles away. They are there and then *poof* they are gone. What a wonderful example of our immense military superiority. Dang! Ain't America Grand!!!

La-La-La-La-La

Lordy, Lordy. Just saw some interviews of Hobbyworld 'Stars' who were being asked if 'Middle America' (that's us in the fly-over world) was ready to accept a movie about gay cowboys. As Web Loafer points out in the comments section of this post, they weren't cowboys but were sheep herders. But the people in Hobbyworld might not know the difference since most cowboys are in the fly-over world. The closest any of them probably have ever gotten to cowboys was watching Dances With Wolves. Anyway .... I was laughing my head off at the answers the 'Stars' were giving. One said, 'Uh .... who?'. The interviewer asked again, 'Do you think hollywood has lost touch with Middle America?'. The actor replied again, 'who?'. After being asked again the actor slurred, 'I don't know, what do you think?' Then another actor, I'm sorry, 'Star', replied to the question, 'With the internet, cable TV, and all, I think people in Middle America are getting more hip.' He said this with a little question mark at the end of the sentence. As if he wasn't quite sure that Middle America was very 'hip' at all. But maybe there's hope. I had the distinct impression he was trying to be very 'hip' by being tolerant and understanding of Middle America. I think that means Middle America (that's us in the fly-over land) is a different breed altogether from the 'Stars'. Weren't they born and raised in Middle America? Guess not. They were born to be 'Stars'. I think that also means that if you want to be 'hip' you have to like what the 'Stars' like. Otherwise, you just aren't very well informed at all. And you certainly aren't 'hip'. arrivederci

Arcata, Arcata

Arcata, California officials are predominantly members of the Green Party. The City of Arcata is making news in that their city council is calling for the impeachment of our President and calling for our troops to pull out of Iraq right now. They are making a lot of noise generally considered highly disrespectful of our government. A statue of President McKinney is repeatedly vandalized in the town and the city council has laughed about these hijinks and made not so nice jokes about the vandalisms. Apparently, the mayor of the town is concerned that the city council is not in touch with what the people of the town think and feel. More specifically, he seems concerned that the outspoken la-la-land-isms are going to affect the town's tourist industry. Who cares? I'm just wondering if California has considered seceding from the Union yet.

Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys

Hollywood seems to be all tingly at the movie “Brokeback Mountain”. It’s nominated for an Oscar in several categories. It is about two gay cowboys who fall in love. It was designed to ridicule a venerable American institution, the dusty, decidedly heterosexual, badly groomed, gun-slinging, rotgut swilling, cowboy. Of course, this is just the kind of thing Hollywood loves. Can any of us accept this new paradigm? I’m just not ready to, well, embrace this concept. Call me old fashioned but when I think of two angry cowpokes settling their differences by slapping leather I prefer them to be facing each other. I don’t think I’m ready for an Outlaw Josey Wails. I can’t wrap my mind around a new song “Don’t take your purse to town Keith”. It just isn’t right for the town marshal to fill his hand with anything but a six-gun. I’m horrified at the prospect of a new TV series Have Swatches, Will Travel. It gave me some comfort to know you had to wire Paladin in San Francisco and not Kiki. Marty Robbins has to be rolling over in his grave at the prospect of new words to his song “Mr. Shorty” and “Big Iron” was about a cowboy with a large shootin’ iron all right, but it meant a Smith and Wesson and it was in a holster on his HIP. I can do “Dances with Wolves”, but Dances with Pomeranians, no way. I don’t want my cowboys to be sensitive, well groomed and immaculately dressed. I want gold dust in their saddle bags not hair care products. The only thing I want in the way of body piercing is a slug from a .44 caliber Colt. Somebody please save us. Wyatt, Doc, Virgil, Morgan, where are you when we really need you? * written by my Beloved Curmudgeon, published here with permission. Please visit: Cao's weekly Open Trackback Party and Linkfest Haven

Addendum to Marital Bliss

When I got up this morning my Beloved Curmudgeon and I were talking about nothing in particular when he said, 'Why did you write reasonably happy?' 'Huh?', I asked with my usual stunning brilliance. 'Reasonably happy [emphasis on reasonably]. Why'd you write that we have a reasonably happy marriage?', he rephrased. I realized he was talking about this blog. 'What word should I have used?', I asked, making a mental note to myself to only write very nice things about him on the blog. 'How about ecstatically happy?' He suggests. 'Ecstatically?', I laughed. 'Well, maybe not ecstatically ....' he hesitated a nano-second. Then jokingly asks, 'Aren't you estatically happy?' [Note to self: don't laugh when husband says to describe marriage as 'estatically happy'.] 'I wanted it to sound more or less believable', I said. 'Would you describe our marriage as estatically happy?' I laughed again. 'You are messier than I am, by the way.' He suddenly gets to the point and says this as fact. I looked at him astonished. No he didn't just say that! [note to self: don't laugh a second time over the idea of an 'estatically happy' marriage]. 'Oh, I am? Who washes your clothes, who washes your dishes? You empty trash cans, but you don't clean.' Clever retaliation, don't cha think? I start thinking about the comments in the previous post, the ones about what we really think when we are mad at our husbands. Y'all know what I mean! 'Who mows the lawn? Who blows off the decks?' He says. Not regular chores I think, squinting at him in a feeble attempt at 'the look'. A completely wasted effort because he didn't notice it. The marriage is getting less ecstatically happy by the second. I can't tell you how this scintillating conversation ended. Something else caught our attention and it just kinda petered out. Sigh ... So, to set the record straight. We have an ecstatically happy marriage and I'm a bigger slob than he is. [read this dripping with sarcasim]. All in fun - Love ya hun.

Brief Thoughts On Marital Bliss

My Beloved Curmudgeon and I have a reasonably happy marriage. Most of the time we get along well, enjoy the same things, have basically the same views (I'm not quite as hard-core as he is), think the same things are funny and have the same cynical outlook on life. In between those times we tolerate each other as best we can. The content times last longer now than the 'why am I putting up with this?' times. There have been times, over the years, that it was the other way around. Maybe as time has gone by we've both mellowed out a little and gotten a little more accepting of each other's eccentricities. I have learned a few things along the way about marriage. So I'll pass along a few of my little pearls of wisdom ... (Lucky whoever is reading this!) From the beginning I noticed that he and I are at approximately the same level of sloppiness. We are pretty much equals in the amount of messiness we can stand. As I was piddlin' around the house this weekend, straightening and cleaning I was struck with that reality once again. We both work more than full time in demanding, stressful jobs. Neither of us feel like cleaning and scrubbing when we get home. So I do most of my cleaning on the weekend. But I can't avoid the fact that in the last few years that my housekeeping has definitly gone downhill. I should hire someone, but I have to get the house clean enough to hire someone to clean (g). So I still do it myself. Whenever I start cleaning, he gets up and empties the trashcans. It doesn't matter how much is in the trashcans, it can be one single piece of paper. But he'll go around the house emptying all the trash cans. Equal labor??? I think he feels he should be doing something since I'm cleaning. So for today's little pearl of wisdom: One of the keys to marital bliss is compatablity in the amount of slovenliness that is acceptable to both parties in the relationship. goede nacht

Have We Lost The Dream?

Michelle Malkin sites the Gateway Pundits round-up of activities for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. It's a sickening spectacle. The Gateway Pundit provides an impressive list of anti-Bush activities to celebrate King's birthday. He comments....

The rally on the US Capitol today to mark the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech was broadcast live on C-SPAN. The event was attended by Democratic presidential contenders Howard Dean, Carol Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton. The following are my personal observations, facts hidden from you by puff-pieces appearing on the wire services. The most stunning aspect of this rally was the almost complete, seemingly choreographed absence of the Old Glory throughout the vast crowd, estimated by organizers to number 50,000. The fact that not a single black person thought it proper to show appreciation to a country that freed his forefathers from the clutches of slavery by proudly flying her flag, seemed almost offensive to me. Seen among the crowd were various pro-Palestinian banners and others denigrating America, one calling it "The greatest purveyor of violence in the world".

This is sad to me because the message being sent seems to me to be exactly the opposite of what Dr. King spent his life for and died for. Dr. King had undoubted ability to express himself. He doesn't need me or anyone else explaining his vision. In his own words .... Dr. King was clear that his vision was an American vision:

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

Dr. King was clear that his vision was inclusive, not exclusive. He was clear that his vision was for a non-violent, dignified protests to bring about social change:

In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. we must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

Dr. King was clear that his vision was of unity, not seperation between Americans of all races:

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

How did this great man come to be used to support personal agendas?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, 'It's not the length of your life, it's the quality of your life that matters.' The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a tragedy on so many levels that it's hard to imagine the true impact his death had on our society. We can say simply that he was a man whose life changed the world. Dr. King was one of the greatest statesmen our country ever produced, bar none. His vision, dignity and courage was without equal. His life and then his death were turning points for all of us. I remember the day he was murdered. My parents were upset and watching the news. I was very young and didn't really understand what was happening, but watched with them. I remember my parents saying that this was a horrible tragedy. I remember them saying the repercussions of his death would be felt for years to come. My parents acted pretty much the same way they had acted with President Kennedy had been assassinated. Because of the reaction to his assassination in my home, I expected the same reaction as I had seen after the assassination of President Kennedy. It was very confusing to me as a child because I heard my parents and then heard other people who were actually saying it was a good thing. The dignified and peaceful demonstrations of the early Civil Rights Movement transitioned into violent, bloody events. Although a number of people stepped up to fill Dr. King's shoes, no one seemed able to provide the leadership and vision and power he had provided. In retrospect, it would appear that he had been born for this purpose - to lead the Civil Rights Movement. As we celebrate his birthday, I think it's important to remember who he was and that his life was dedicated to freeing a people, uniting a nation and basically saving us all from ourselves. I believe he knew he'd be killed. It's so ironic his 'I've been to the Mountain Top' speech was given the night before he was murdered. He was willing to die for what he believed. He was willing to die for his country, black and white together. He made the statement one time that history had claimed him. There can be no doubt that he was the right man at the right time in history.

Dr. and Mrs. King celebrating his birthday.

An excellent post on Dr. King can be found at Daddys Roses

Best Blonde Joke I have ever seen!

Check this out. It is without a doubt the best blonde joke I have ever seen.

I'm still laughing!

Hat tip to The Black Republican ....

Cartoon of the Day

Cartoon By Mike Lester.