The American Apologist

I don’t usually forward “chain letters” that I receive in my email — I don’t have the time (I get anywhere from 200-400 emails a day after the spam filter has done it’s work). When I got this email, however, I decided it was worth passing on. Furthermore, I thought the idea merited a short post here:

When doing your Christmas cards this year (if you still send cards), take one card and send it to this address. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful, special people (who have sacrificed so much) would get.

Please include the following:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

If you approve, please pass it on.

Thanks,
Joe

I like one premise in the movie “Starship Troopers” (you remember, the one with the bug invaders from outer space) — to be a voting citizen you had to have served in the military.

If we switched to that sort of model, it would take us back to the founding of this great nation. Back when the decision makers were not only TALKING about revolution, but they were actually LAYING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE to choose what direction this country would take. Yeah, I like the idea of that — let the veterans vote and the rest whine about it — they will anyway!

I’m not serious, of course, but I’ve been thinking about this fact: In my adult life, I’ve seen 2 honorable, worthy, dedicated men — both bona fide war heroes (Senators John McCain and Bob Dole) — lose elections to slick, commercially-packaged, liberal elitists… people who ride a sound bite (like “I feel your pain” or “Change we can believe in”) to the White House.

I fear this nation has lost its moral compass. We are no longer serving the ideals of democracy and individual freedom. We’ve become a union state. Just look at where we’re headed:

• We are essentially told how much we can earn — that is, the Government takes more and more through taxation, thereby reducing your effective salary. VP-elect Joe Biden even went so far as to say paying taxes was your patriotic duty — his idea of patriotism and mine differ… considerably!
• They want to provide, (sorry) dictate your level of health care coverage and insurance, and the price you pay for it.
• They are now buying into entire industries (financial institutions, the auto makers, and you *know* the airlines won’t be far behind) which makes me suspect we’re headed toward some nationalization issues.
• We are “given” a pension in the form of Social Security (actually, it’s our money that we lost to the Government) — and just like the unions & big business, the system is not properly funded and it probably won’t be there when we retire because those in power have usurped the funds for one “crisis” or another.

We’ve become risk intolerant. I’ve heard talk-radio callers (liberals mostly) telling me that it’s not fair that tycoons like Henry Ford made millions of dollars while the workers at Ford continually face layoffs and work for a pittance of the profits. The fact of the matter is that Henry took the chance and reaped the rewards. The workers (unions) want health insurance and a retirement package. They don’t care that they don’t earn their wage based upon their skills and effort — they are willing for the best welder to be paid (virtually) the same as the most inept welder because they want the safety and security of a “union job”. The fact is that Henry Ford went bankrupt before he made his millions. He “rolled the dice” and the first time he lost and the second time he won — big. When was the last time you won a billion dollars by playing the nickel slots? You don’t! You win big by playing the BIG GAME. So stop whining and roll the dice already!

Are you willing to stand up to make this country better? Are you willing to fight to preserve our individual freedoms — the freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, the right to live as an individual without Government interference? If so, then you have probably already served in the military… so again I say, THANK YOU for your service, but the fight is not over. We still need you to defend our rights. Get involved in the direction this country is heading. Serve us once more… do it for the children.

Joe

Is anyone else more than slightly concerned that Barack Obama hasn’t even taken office yet and the Government is now changing the terms of the Banking Crisis Bailout? It seems Secretary of the Treasury Hank Paulson now says that instead of buying “toxic assests” (i.e. — bad mortgages), the Treasury will instead buy stock in the financial institutions. The same type of proposal is rumored to be in the works for the struggling auto manufacturers.

So now the Feds are going to use OUR money to buy into banks and car makers and the centralized authority will be in Washington DC. Does this sound like the first step toward nationalization of private industry?

Stay tuned…

They say a picture is worth a thousand words…

THANK YOU… and God Bless each and every one of you!

AverageJoe

P.S. — I believe these photos are all in the public domain. If not, please drop me a note and I will remove any copyrighted material.

From the Weather Underground:

Paloma’s impact on the Cayman Islands

Paloma roared through the Cayman Islands Friday night and Saturday morning as a Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph winds, brushing Grand Cayman Island, but pounding the “Sister Islands” to the northeast–Little Cayman and Cayman Brac–with its northern eyewall. The hardest-hit Cayman island was Cayman Brac, population 2,000, which was the only Cayman island to receive a direct hit from Paloma. Damage on Cayman Brac was very heavy, with over 90% of all the buildings damaged. However, the Cayman Compass reports that relief efforts are progressing swiftly. The airport has reopened, most of the roads have been cleared, and both gas stations on the island have re-opened. One person on the island sustained injuries requiring hospitalization. Paloma was the worst hurricane to hit the island since the deadly 1932 hurricane that flattened Cayman Brac, killing 69 people. Ironically, both hurricanes occurred on November 8.

Hmm, I have a friend attending a wedding in the Cayman Islands on Saturday, Nov 8th. I wonder which island the wedding is on…

Did you?

I voted even though my presidential vote is pretty much moot (see Illinois’ history of voting or just look up Cook County Democratic Organization if you need more info)…

Now the counting begins… as Josef Stalin said: “I consider it completely unimportant who in the party will vote, or how; but what is extraordinarily important is this —- who will count the votes, and how.”

Semper Vigilans!

AverageJoe