Category: United States and/or World History

NO PODCAST TODAY

 

We all know just how negative the Media is regarding anything positive about/for Donald Trump. We all know Mainstream Media’s #1 goal is to publish, show, share EVERYTHING they can get their hands on that sheds a bad light on the President, his staff, his family members, and every policy he has implemented through legislation and with executive action.

That especially holds true for his foreign trips to meet with leaders of other countries: Kim Jong Un of North Korea, 50 Muslim countries leaders, G7, NATO, Japan, China, to name a few.

In one leg of his most recent trip, Mr. Trump stopped to meet the Queen and Prime Minister of the U.K. Pictures and videos of the massive protests against the President were EVERYWHERE. The American media breathlessly chronicled every step of his visit to the U.K., fawning over the Brits and their obvious disdain for the American president — like members of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe:”

It’s hard to believe that Mika and Joe during the early stages of the Trump Campaign actually supported Candidate Trump. Their “journalistic objectivity” went South along with their support of Trump when he reportedly shunned the two who wanted to have dinner with him at Mar Lago. They immediately joined the “Never Trumpers” and have spewed non-stop venom continuously since. They and their guests derided the President for having the audacity to make a stop in London. Assuredly (according to Morning Joe) Brits hate the U.S. President. MSNBC along with every other American news outlet showed the balloon of a diapered Donald Trump over and over again during the protests.  Based on the press coverage before the protests, I thought the balloon was going to be massive — similar to those at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. When it was shown live and in context, it was quite unimpressive. I thought the Brits were a bit more artistic than that balloon evidenced!

Hard to Believe

It gets tougher and tougher each day to scan through the “news” — if we can call it that — and determine which stories to believe and which to ignore. Quite honestly, seldom does ANY story contain just plain facts. All stories seem to come to readers/viewers/listeners always wrapped in a filter of opinion of whoever wrote or edited each story.

I am certain news publishers and editors understand that and are presenting their stories purposely in the manner in which we get them. But the “in-your-face” manner in which we receive our news has morphed into being not news at all, but a political hit piece story after story, day after day, that always feed the politically correct narrative those who create those stories want Americans to receive.

Here is the problem with this process continuing going forward: many who receive those stories the way they are given by the media are conditioned to simply accept the obviously “spun” message with the filtered political perspective as-is. Before you are tempted to look down on those who do so, remember this: for all of us baby-boomers, in those decades of our youth when the only news sources we had were local newspapers and radio with just three national television networks that each had one affiliate in each market. Every story we read in local papers, heard on our favorite radio station, and saw from Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley, and Frank Reynolds on CBS, NBC, and ABC Television News, we benignly accepted as factual — as news. Was it?

We are blessed today to have a multitude of news sources in this instant 24/7 media world. But that blessing often morphs into a curse. Those edits and filters that news producers, directors, anchors, and reporters use certainly jade the messages sent to us. How we receive and process that “news information” is OUR responsibility.

Regarding the President and his stay in London: what we saw and heard was definitely presented with filtered perspectives. We saw the huge protest crowds and heard some raucous speeches from several of those protestors. But what we did NOT see or hear was any positive position-taking by any individual Britts or groups.

Guess what: there WERE some. Watch and listen:

Yes, that was a Pro-Trump rally held in London during the President’s trip.

What: you didn’t see it? You didn’t hear about it?

What’s Up with That?

The two videos above illustrate the entire point of what Americans MUST do with today’s news media: we MUST process what we see and hear through a prism of “questioning.” That means we each need to develop our news summaries using a default position of simple fact collection without drawing an immediate conclusion. Then let that questioning prism guide us to sources for confirmation for validation of those “facts” we see and hear. We must NOT be fearful of ultimate disposal of that “news” that is fake or maybe just someone’s political perspective. (Wouldn’t it be easier for us if they would just tell us when something they say is editorial commentary?)

I bet you didn’t see or hear about that Pro-Trump rally in London even from FOX News, did you? No news organization today is exempt from holding skewed political perspectives. And humans being what we are, no one can totally obliterate personal opinion from affecting how we do what we do on a daily basis. “The Truth Will Out” — and it DOES.

These news events — especially with high definition video confirmation of the contents of each — make major impacts on our impressionable minds. Even without color and HD, major news events coverage changes people for generations.

Two such things impacted my life for eternity. The first was from John F. Kennedy’s inauguration. His line of instruction to Americans, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country,” touched me deeply and has stuck with me since I saw/heard it. I was in the first grade!

One late morning sitting in my 5th-grade class at Edgar Martin Elementary in Lafayette, Louisiana, the P.A. system suddenly crackled to life and began blaring a radio news report. President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas! Our principal, Mr. Beadle, — with no notice or warning — simply clicked the radio broadcast on the P.A. system. J.F.K.’s assassination rocked my world that day and it STILL impacts my life.

News — REAL news — should chronicle important occurrences in the United States and the World AND DO NOTHING MORE.

Summary

Here’s what we need to be prepared for: Leftist Mainstream Media coverage of conservatives, conservative policies, and this President — as negative as it is already — will continue to grow more and more negative and nastier the closer we get to the Midterm elections. I hate to think about how vitriolic I know it will get from here until 2020. For some reason, these Leftist media hacks feel empowered by a supernatural force to exhaust every negative they can muster to denigrate the G.O.P. and President Trump.

How do we prepare? Be vigilant. My temptation in the face of it all is to turn the television off or watch HGTV or the Cooking Channel. Escaping to peaceful television is tempting. But we all need to make certain the midterms are driven not by emotion and liberal rhetoric, but driven by policy presented through truthful and through messaging. That will NEVER happen from Mainstream Media. For that matter, FOX News — though more professional than most of their competitors — still shows more Leftist bias than in previous election cycles.

Truth is all we need. Truth if presented WHEN presented does not need our help, our explanations, or our editorial. Truth is substantial and all-consuming when implemented.

Americans get the Media. And it IS tiring to watch, listen, and read the constant barrage of hate-speech thrown at Conservatives. But consider this: those who spew venom at Conservatives and their causes, in doing so speak far more about themselves than about those whom they attack.

Put the truth out there; it can take care of itself. And try if you can to keep as much emotion out of YOUR messaging as possible. Certainly, strong emotion regarding issues will always assist in getting messaging received. But too strong and too emotional in the presentation will cause people to react and respond just as Conservatives are responding today to Liberals.

The video above proves that many people in the World — the “Silent Majority” — are smart enough to watch and listen to the substance of each message they see and hear regarding policies. And as they do, they are smart enough to discern the Truth of it all.

Let’s all be one of the smart ones.

 

Most Americans respect and honor our veterans. Unfortunately, it seems we almost have two Veterans Days each year — often we forget the fact that Memorial Day is NOT another Veterans Day. Today we honor all those who gave their lives for the cause of Freedom.

Thanks to everyone who has paid that price — including the families who today will think back on fond memories of outdoor cookouts, swimming parties, weddings and graduations shared with a loved one taken while defending our nation.

Click the link below and watch this video. If while watching, a tear runs down your cheek, don’t be ashamed. Why? Because by sunset somewhere in the greatest country on Earth, “A soldier Died Today.”

 

https://youtu.be/eEs4ke7cdNQ

I was up at 4:00 this morning — don’t sleep a lot. Turned the television on for early news and The Patriot was on. I’ve watched it at least 30 times. In fact I purposely watch it at least once a year. Why?

War in America

Colonel Benjamin Martin of the Colonial Army Militia lived a story that every American should know — should study. We should understand what happened to early settlers in the New World while still under the domination of the ruthless government of England’s King George. Martin led a rag-tag group of farmers, ministers, teenagers, with a few former soldiers mixed in against the largest, best trained, and best funded military on Earth. Why? American colonists wanted to finish what they fled Europe for: to build a free nation with self government. King George did not take to that idea too well.

That war killed thousands, tore families apart, destroyed homes, farms, towns, plantations and the government. But most of those colonial colonists held on to that dream of independence, re-grouped again and again to maintain their independence. Driving the British from American soil was not a hope — it was a must. And they did.

Another War

In a hotel restaurant in Modesto I saw an actor friend having breakfast. He came to my table to say hello. He gushed about a movie premier he had seen two nights before at his good friend Mel Gibson’s home. My actor friend (I will not give his name) is a Christian as was the movie. It was “The Passion of the Christ” — 3 Oscar Nominations, $612 million gross in its theatrical release, and remains the highest grossing non-English language film of all time.

That movie re-told a well-worn story to the World that personalized for all the last days of Christ. Its success came from its ability to relate to all. Jim Caviezel depicted better than any before the horrors of Christ’s last days. When I saw the movie the first time I sat riveted by its message to the World of the Savior. It changed me. How so?

My world as that of most Americans had numbed to the Christianity of my youth — my “personal relationship with Jesus.” Once more I was confronted with a real person who really lived and really died. But that was just the beginning — for the World AND for me.

Tie the Two Together

The Patriot vividly chronicled what is probably the single most important historical American event. There would be no USA without The Revolutionary War. Every tenet of our political system, every freedom, every social culture is a result of that war.

The Passion of the Christ chronicled what millions believe to be the most important person in World history. It did so in a manner that was identifiable to all who watched. Its magnetic attraction to its message imparted to all its viewers the realities of not only Jesus Christ the human being, but Jesus Christ the Son of God.

Both movies because of their messages and impact became and are still very controversial. Both have assisted in lighting the current Winds of War in America. And isn’t it ironic that both movies with their life-changing historical messages were given to us by an Immigrant — Mel Gibson!

Winds of War

The winds of war I refer to are those that were born here at home. They are not from the Heartland. They were birthed on the East and West coasts, the products of an ideology unrecognized by most Americans until recently. Those winds are of Fear and Hate. And just as the raging fires in California are still burning, so too are these winds.

These winds were sparked by a socialist education environment that now permeates American schools at every level. They birthed Antifa, Socialism and Supremacy’s rebirths, Me-ism, Elitism, and Political Correctness. It fanned Racism into a frenzy unseen in decades.

Other sparks ignited fires in churches whose messages for men turned from the person of God to the person of Man — Humanism. More and more Americans have slipped into a world where MAN is in total control of everything in HIS life and with total disregard of any responsibility for others. Americanism, Christianity, have no place there. But Fear and Hate are thriving.

Some will say that Fear and Hate have always lived among men. No doubt that is true. But because of historical events that called Men of every race, creed, and religion together for specific causes, Men have always found their way back to the fundamentals that made America the greatest nation in World history. Not so today. Certainly enemies have been and are there, but Men, because of their Hate and Fear that have dissolved into Political Correctness, cannot point out that foe for fear of stepping over the line. There are some that have anyway. Boy have they paid a steep price.

Fear and Hate have fragmented every social, religious, and political institution in America. Just look at Congress, the White House, the Media, churches and denominations. Races have turned against those of other races. Religious people regularly question the ideals of those of other religions. Those from political parties hate other party members. And the Fight of the Sexes is now at a fever pitch. Immorality runs rampant as does crime.

Historically, life in the U.S. has been cyclical: things are really tough for a while, get better for a while, get tough again, and then drastically improve. One can say we are in a “down cycle” right now and to not worry, the “uptick” is just moments away. I fear, however, the cyclical recovery this time will fail because it cannot successfully deal with the Fear and Hate that has rooted itself into the hearts of Americans.

What Next?

Previous down cycles in America sparked a Civil War, the War of 1812, two World Wars, the Korean conflict, Vietnam, Iraq, 9/11, and ISIS. Each time (until this time) Americans have dropped bias, racism, sexism, fear and hate and have pulled together for a common cause: the defeat of the enemy. That happened in these two movies, too. We won the Revolutionary War and Jesus won that battle — He conquered Death. But Americans always love to revel in the good times — maybe for too long. And in today’s U.S. when something bad happens, we simply bury our heads in the sand and act like it’s not there. But it IS there, whether we confront it or not.

Do we need another World War or a nuclear fight with North Korea or another 9/11 to scare us back onto the right track? I would love to say we do not….but maybe we do. What we certainly need is to lay aside our Me-ism and Humanism and narcissistic attitudes and understand there is a Higher Power, that we can do nothing good of ourselves but for that Higher Power, that the Higher Power is a God that our forefathers sought guidance from, prayed to, thanked for His blessings, and sought to teach others of His ways. Don’t jump on me about a “separation of Church and State.” SCOTUS got that wrong! Factually through hundreds of documents our Founders insisted to make and keep God at the center of our Nation in perpetuity. There was NEVER an attempt to found a national religion — which was one reason for their hasty departure from England. In the Constitution they clearly stated that and promised there would be freedom of religion for all AND no national church.

God is NOT a church building and He does NOT own any. God resides in the hearts of men. If men do not recognize that, we are doomed to a possible permanent down cycle in America. 9/11 worked for a bit. But it didn’t take long for the old Winds of War — Fear and Hate — to jump back up into the drivers seat and start doing what they do again — driving us down the wrong path.

WE CAN STOP THAT……IF we want to.

Jesus said that what we do wrong is NOT our sin — the state of our hearts and minds that allow us to justify those things is our sin. We can CHOOSE to do the right things. We can reject Fear and Hate. We can turn to God to once again and reject the totalitarian ways of Humanism that have taken hold of our Nation.

It will take some Benjamin Martins to commit to simply do the right things. It will take a BUNCH of Benjamin Martins.

Jesus started it all for us.

Who’s in?

 

 

I’ve watched the television ad at least a dozen times with Hollywood actors (several of whom I recognize but only can name two) “demand” that Congress stop Donald Trump.  If this weren’t so sad it would actually be funny.  The man will not be President until January 20^th.  Congress just convened for the 115^th time.  Congress – now totally controlled by Republicans – have just begun setting an agenda for both Houses for 2017 actions.  I highly doubt that ignoring November’s election of a Republican president, House of Representatives, and Senate is anything members of this Congress plan on doing, especially if “life in Congress after this” is something each might consider desirable.

But these actors are not alone.  The customary rush by Hollywood elites – both actors and musicians – to accept the honor of performing at a newly elected President’s inauguration has fallen to the wayside because THIS president is Donald Trump.  One after another declined invitations to perform, ostensibly because of political and philosophical differences with the POTUS.   But in reality it is because they are afraid – not of Trump, but of other Hollywood elitists who have become self proclaimed and anointed spokespeople for U.S. citizens.  They determined on their own to be “the” official voices of the majority of Americans, though they are not.  They have allowed the very things they previously hated and still rail against to become part of who they are, or whom they think they are.  They used to hate the rich simply because to become rich one must be uncaring, greedy, and oblivious to others.  But they themselves are now rich!  And in doing so, they have dispelled the being rich curse they disdained in their previous lives.  But instead of allowing good fortune to guide them away from the former curse of the rich to instead be socially conscious, fair and impartial, caring U.S. citizens, they have (in part) become the very people they hated.

Not all in Hollywood and New York are of this ilk.  There are true Conservatives.  But most simply because of the liberal leftists who have taken control of the consciences of those in both the Left and Right coasts control the one thing Hollywood and Broadway’s members must have to maintain power and wealth – Money.  Producers, Directors, Studio owners and movie investors totally control who gets seen and heard in movies and music.  And most of them are diehard liberals.  And because they number among the Entertainment Elitists, they hate all things Conservative and have made doing so not just all right, but mandatory for survival.  So many conservatives maintain their political identities quietly while not actively participating in visible liberal activities.

One quick thought here:  isn’t it sad that these conservatives find it necessary to go “in the closet” just to keep their jobs just because their political ideals are different from the money-changers?  Hasn’t it been the liberal mantra to champion the rights of members of all minorities in America?  Yet every day the roar of anger from the Left against the Right gets louder and louder and Lefties get more and more vicious in their attacks … and more demanding in their cries against conservatives and conservative ideals.  After all:  the rest of Americans are all deplorable, right?

Here’s what they all (well, at least most all) are missing:  even though California, Illinois, New York, and a few other states voted for a liberal Administration, the majority of states in which the “deplorable” of us live voted for a conservative Administration.  And that’s the law.  Do you think it is pure irony that the framers of our government created the Electoral College?  Do you even know why they did?  No, it’s not ironic; it was planned, and planned for this reason:  they knew that there would be large metropolitan areas clustered around centers of trade and politics, and that the populations in these areas would grow quicker than those in Middle America.  Because of what they left in Europe they also knew that these areas would fill quickly with those who leaned toward the left politically, socially, and economically, and in a pure Republic a popular vote alone would shutout all Americans who lived in more sparsely populated states and regions and that elections would be dominated by voters and votes from those who lived in these areas.

Before you get angry with me, think about this:  this philosophy does not only protect conservative Americans.  It protects liberal Americans too.  The political philosophy meter is not a perpetually stationary thing.  Right now “fly over” America leans conservative.  But it hasn’t always and probably will tilt toward the Left in the future.  When that happens, (and it will happen) Middle America will be protected by the Electoral College just like it protected conservatives in 2016.  The tide will turn.

But just suppose the Left refuses to wait and wants to take immediate action to do away with the Electoral College.  That can be done you know.  How?  Well, there’s an app for that.  I encourage all who want to study that process with complete instructions on how to do away with the Electoral College to go to your App store and download it.  It’s named the same on all of the various software app stores and it’s free, so it will be easy and affordable for all to download.  It’s called “U.S. Constitution.”

Download it, read it, and learn just how to change it.  This Users Manual was given to us to make certain NO Americans in the minority would ever be left out of the political process.  When it or any other process of operating the U.S. political system does not work, (and “does not work” is defined by voters) any of these processes can be Constitutionally changed.

So Hollywood/Broadway/Washington and any other political elites:  stop the television ads.  Get on your pony and head to D.C. to visit your Congressmen and Women, your U.S. Senators, and get an amendment to dismantle or change the Electoral College passed in both Houses of Congress, then out to the states for approval.  If you don’t want to pay the price that’s been in place for 220 years to change that, do what conservatives did for the previous eight years even when they did not like the Presidential Administration and what it did:  follow the law.

Yep, there’s an app for this…..there’s an app for everything!

A number of years ago I sat with my father-in-law in the Pearl Harbor WWII theater watching the movie presentation of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor 75 years ago. It was gut wrenching to say the least. After the movie, we all boarded small boats for the short jaunt out to the Arizona Memorial in the Harbor. As we stood there looking down into the water, droplets of oil and air bubbles popped at the surface. The oil and air came from the Arizona down below where a couple of thousand valiant Americans are entombed, left there forever. I will never forget the look in my father-in-law’s eyes as he looked around at the crowd with us in that theater and on that boat — almost all Japanese tourists.