Memory Lane

I was home from work that day and decided to turn on CNN for some background noise while working in my home office. I was watching a live report when the second plane hit the towers. I watched it as it flew directly into the building and my first thought was "Oh my God! We are under attack!" I immediately picked up the phone and began calling loved ones who were at work in their respective offices and unaware of the tragedy unfolding in New York City.

I am sure that everyone of you reading this can recall exactly where you were and what you were doing when you first heard about the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Of course you can, it was a day that forever changed America and by extension, the world. The memories of the images of September 11, 2001 are as clear to me today as if they occurred yesterday rather than eight years ago and the swelling of pride in our Nation and patriotism that followed those horrific events are easily recalled memories as well. However, it seems that many people in America have forgotten the terrible events of that day and the emotions that accompanied them.

The fear that we would be attacked again very soon, perhaps even the next day, was so strong, you could actually feel it in the air, the concern that was felt for those missing and feared dead in the attacks was overwhelming and the pride in being an American could be seen everywhere you turned. There were lines of willing donors outside every blood donation center, flags proudly displayed on every street corner and most cars, and for a few days in September there were no Democrats or Republicans, liberals or conservatives, blacks or whites, we were all just Americans and we were grieving together. Then psychologists told news networks that it was best not to broadcast those images of the attacks anymore and everything started to return to normal and we began retreating to our separate corners. And that is where we have remained for over eight years.

What is the reason behind this trip down memory lane? Because, sometimes it is necessary to take a step back and remember the path that we have traveled and survey the landscape that lies ahead of us as a nation in order to maintain a healthy perspective on the current situation. Currently, we are engaged in two wars in two countries, both of which are Muslim nations. This has led to increased diplomatic difficulties in the region between the United States and other Muslim nations such as Syria, Lebanon and Iran. In addition, it has been suggested that all three of these nations have been aiding the insurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan by supplying weapons and men to fight. President Bush spent seven years doing everything he could to ensure that our troops had the necessary tools for waging a successful war and that we were not attacked by terrorists again here at home. Although, he and his team made some mistakes in the wars, we have not been attacked again and the policies put in place by his administration and the tireless efforts and dedication of those charged with our security have been successful in their protection of the home front.

Now, Obama and his team want to dismantle so much of what the Bush administration put into place simply because it was President Bush's handiwork. Obama made many promises on the campaign trail about these issues, such as vowing to close Guantanamo Bay, ending "torture" of detainees and restoring America's positive image throughout the world. He began working on fulfilling these promises as soon as he took office, but soon found that it was much more difficult than he originally thought.

He has encountered great difficulty with keeping his promise to close Gitmo by January 2010 because he does not have anywhere to send these prisoners that are currently housed there. Other countries do not want them, they are suspected TERRORISTS! There is not room for them in American prisons, so he is not sure what to do with them. Now, the White House is saying he needs more time.

He did sign an executive order to end "torture" of detainees, but was not planning on former Vice President Dick Cheney to be so outspoken in his defense of the Bush administration's techniques of interrogation or the CIA memos that detail the success of water boarding Khalid Sheik Mohamed. This has led many Americans to question the intelligence of releasing details of our interrogation techniques and the benefit of ceasing to use them.

Obama has been criss-crossing the world on an "apology tour" since taking office in January and has done all in his power to improve the image of America overseas; but has he been successful? Although he has been welcomed with open arms by the people of other nations, he has not achieved any real results. Russia still refuses to join with us in using sanctions on Iran to compel them to end their nuclear pursuit, Great Britain is our greatest ally, and they are sending more troops to assist us in Afghanistan, but only 500 more. Germany and France are there as well, but will not permit their soldiers to fight, only to engage in support activities. The Olympic Committee did not award the 2016 Summer Olympics to Chicago even though President Obama and Michelle both appeared in front of the Committee in Copenhagen. In fact, Chicago was the first city eliminated from the voting. North Korea continues to defy the international community in spite of President Obama reaching out to them and sending President Clinton as an ambassador to free two imprisoned American journalists. Obama may be seen as a "rock star" worldwide, but his Presidential power has yet to yield any tangible fruit.

Perhaps, we need to remember as a nation the day after September 11th, the day we all wondered when it was going to happen again and where. The time when our nation's leaders were frantically brainstorming the necessary actions to take in order to ensure our security and retaliate against those who dared to attack Americans on American soil. Those people are still out there, scheming, planning, training in the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan, the deserts of Iran and Syria and Lebanon and most likely, some secluded places in our own country. We must be ever watchful and remain vigilant in order to maintain our security. President Obama and the members of his administration's National Security team and members of Congress need to take a moment and reflect on where we were eight years ago and the path we have yet to travel before taking actions that will compromise our security and open the door once again to terrorists and their deadly attacks.

Excuse Me, Mr. President...

Imagine my surprise on Sunday morning when I read the news that Obama had spoken at the Human Rights Campaign dinner on Saturday night to a crowd of more than 3,000 and promised that he "will end 'Don't ask, don't tell'. Do not doubt the direction we are heading and the destination we will reach." I am so glad that he wants to focus energy on changing military policy while in the middle of two wars rather than actually trying to fight and WIN those wars. This was excellent news in light of the fact that he still has not pledged to commit the necessary additional troops to Afghanistan as requested by his hand-picked General, Stanley McChrystal. As the wife of a career Navy sailor, it is very personal to me that he has not put our troops' needs first and that he has taken over two months to even begin meeting with his "War Council" to determine what his level of commitment is going to be to winning the war in Afghanistan. Our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines' lives are in grave danger and he wants to continue to talk about it rather than act like a President and send them the help they so desperately require.

While having a conversation with a friend yesterday whose brother-in-law is deploying to a war zone in Afghanistan with the Army this month, it occurred to me that the situation there is exactly the same as the situation was in Iraq just a couple of years ago. I asked her if he was going to Iraq or Afghanistan and when she responded "Afghanistan", my heart skipped a beat. This was the exact same response that I had when my nephew deployed with the Marines to Iraq two years ago. I thought how ironic that now the concern lies with those serving in Afghanistan more so than Iraq and all because the deteriorating situation is not being properly handled by our leaders, namely our President.

Even Senator Diane Feinstein, one of THE MOST liberal members of Congress, actually came out in support of General McChrystal on Sunday and said, "I don't know how you put somebody in who is as 'cracker-jack' as General McChrystal who gives the President very solid recommendations and not take those recommendations if you are not going to pull out". Perhaps, she knows more than the rest of us and that is exactly his plan - to pull out of Afghanistan and accept defeat, or more likely, she recognizes the caliber of McChrystal and the fighting prowess of our soldiers and believes that President Obama should follow the recommendations given by his General.

If Obama truly wants to help members of the military he should increase troop levels in Afghanistan so that the lives of their fellow brothers and sisters in arms will be better protected and put more money into defense spending so they are better equipped to fight and win against a cunning enemy. That is a policy every military member can appreciate, no matter their sexual orientation.

And the Winner Is....

for the Nobel Peace Prize - U.S. President Barack Obama! When I woke up this morning, wiped the sleep from my eyes and turned on the news, I was joyfully awakened with this marvelous news. How wonderful! Our President has joined the ranks of so many other amazing individuals who have gone before him and won the Nobel Prize for Peace. Only two other sitting U.S. Presidents have ever won, Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson in 1919. Of course, these two gentle men actually DESERVED to win. Theodore Roosevelt won for his efforts in bringing an end to the war between Japan and Russia. Woodrow Wilson won for his creation of the League of Nations, the precursor to the current United Nations, after the conclusion of World War I. Both of these men spent countless hours working towards and were tireless in their efforts to bring peace to an embattled world and actually brought this peace during their lifetimes. In contrast, Barack Obama has simply spoken about wanting peace and only at the cost of America's national security. He was awarded the prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen diplomacy and cooperation between peoples" with "special attention attached to his vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons". Basically, the Nobel Committee gave him the award because he makes great speeches and dreams of a perfect world where everyone gets along and plays together nicely.

The Nobel Peace Prize is to be awarded annually to "the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses". (http://Nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/shortfacts.html) Although, Obama has talked repeatedly about brokering peace between nations such as Israel and "Palestine", and Iran, North Korea and the rest of the world, has begun a troop draw down in Iraq and wants to see the abolition of nuclear weapons from the world, he has not actually done any of these things except talk about them. Even more surprising, the nominations for this award were closed on February 1, 2009 - that was literally 12 days after he took office. Seriously, what peace did the man broker in 12 days that made him worthy of this honor? I submit that he is not worthy.

One glance at the list of recent winners proves my point, with the minor exception of Al Gore in 2007 for Climate Change. I am not really sure how that correlates to brokering peace or reduction of armies, but I am not on the committee, obviously. In 2005 El Baradei won, not a bad choice given the fact that he is responsible for the regulation of nuclear power worldwide. In 2001, Kofi Annan won, also not a bad choice given the work he did with the United Nations as Secretary General, ignoring the embezzlement scandal of course. 1n 1994, Shimon Peres, Yasser Arafat, and Yitzhak Rabin and in 1993, Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk; all of these men can point to great accomplishments in the name of peace and in my humble opinion, were very deserving of this honor. However, not to demean Barack Obama, but he just hasn't been in office long enough to have achieved any great peace accomplishments and certainly not in the 12 days before the nominations closed.

Maybe, this was a knee-jerk reaction prompted by the election of an African American to the office of President of the United States which stunned the international community, maybe it was a consolation prize for not being awarded the Olympics in 2016, maybe it was an example of the awe and fascination the rest of the world seems to have with Barack Obama, or maybe it was a combination of all these factors and more. Whatever the impetus for this decision, in my opinion it was a poor choice. Maybe next year, the Committee will choose wisely.

It's Just a Race Thing

I have had it! I am so tired of being labeled a racist by the liberal left wing of the Democratic party. I am a proud participant in the Tea Parties that have happened nationwide and have done so because I disagree with the direction the government is taking the country in. I am not now, nor have I ever been, a racist. Of course, the fact that there are people of all creeds, party affiliations, and ethnicities participating in these tea parties seems to constantly escape the notice of those who seek to degrade our protest. If you have any doubt of this, all you need to do is listen to Janeane Garofalo on the Bill Maher show this weekend. [I have attached the video to this page for you to view it for yourself. Click on the top video in the video bar.] In her so illustrious way, she calls us "teabaggers" a white supremacist group. She says that we are clearly a "white identity" group or a "white power" group. The only problem that we have with President Obama, according to her, is that he is black. To put it as politely as possible, I could care less whether Barack Obama were black, white, green, purple or polka dot, I DO NOT agree with his socialist agenda! How dare she and other liberals insult me and my family and friends (many of you reading this) by calling us racists? It is not enough that she calls us racists and white supremacists, but she continues on with her train of thought and says that we are all pretending that racism is not the reason that we are protesting and speaking out against Obama. She says that we are "no different than any other white identity group throughout our nation's history". This implies the Klan and Nazis to me, but you can draw your own analogies. And, then says that we are tacitly nudging the country and each other towards violence by showing up to these rallies armed with our legal weapons. Last time I checked, it was legal in this country to own firearms so long as you are not a felon and prohibited by the law from doing so. Also, it is our right to assemble peacefully that we are exercising as granted to us by that document which binds our Nation together, the United States Constitution. Perhaps, she should try reading it sometime, maybe she would learn about our inherent freedoms in this country as guaranteed by the Constitution.

Freedom of speech is not extended only to those who are in power, but to ALL Americans. It is our right in this country to protest and speak out against government policies that we do not agree with. It is our right to carry signs asking our leaders, our ELECTED officials to be more responsible with our money, to listen to the concerns of their constituents, to create a health care plan that benefits everyone, not just the people who are currently uninsured.

I have watched the coverage of these "tea parties" very closely and I have not seen one single incident where the protesters became violent and the police were forced to get involved. As far as I can tell, they have all been peaceful gatherings to voice our opposition to a myriad of issues from the stimulus package to the health care proposals, to the advocating of a fair tax system and the rejection of socialist policies. I have seen signs asking our government's leaders not to burden our children and grandchildren with insurmountable national debt. Signs that ask Obama to revise the tax code in favor of the "fair tax"and others asking for the "flat tax" system. Signs against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and signs in support of our troops fighting in those wars. The Americans that participate in the tea parties are people who truly believe that they have a voice and that it should be heard. For so many years, Americans have been so apathetic about politics and have been involved as little as possible in the decisions that our leaders make; this has changed this year. It has absolutely nothing to do with the color of the President's skin and has everything to do with the direction of his political agenda. Every policy that he has advocated since taking office has been more and more socialistic than the one before it.

Many people are beginning to see through the lofty speeches and the glossy magazine photos and see the man for what he is - a Socialist in Capitalist clothing. If African Americans had protested the policies of George Bush as vehemently as people are protesting those of Obama, no one would have said a word about racism. But, with the shoe on the right foot, politically speaking, the door has now swung wide open and the insults are being freely hurled at those who would dare to stand up for their rights as Americans. It is such a comforting thought to know that since I am a white person, I have given up my right to advocate for policies that are anathema to Obama's simply because he is a black man. What a great commentary on our times!

The True Cost of Defeat....

Since this is my blog and I can say what I want I am going to be brutally honest. As if this is a surprise to anyone who actually knows me. I have been pondering the war in Afghanistan or "Operation Enduring Freedom" as it is officially titled and have reached a sobering conclusion. The fact is that very few people are being honest about the true cost of defeat in Afghanistan. It has become so commonplace in America to simply brush aside the human rights violations that take place everyday in Muslim countries that are ruled by Sharia law and turn a blind eye to the atrocities that occur in the name of Allah. It has become politically incorrect to remind fellow Americans about the 19 Islamic terrorists that flew planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania killing 3,000 innocent people on September 11th. It has become inconvenient to tell American women that little girls in Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban, prior to American involvement, were not permitted to attend school or learn to read and write. Or that these same little girls had acid thrown in their faces while walking to school after the toppling of the Taliban in Afghanistan. It has become inappropriate to ask the liberal women that stand up for women's rights in this country and scream at the top of their lungs about something so minute as non-existent pay discrimination, why they don't use that same platform to advocate for the rights of women who are oppressed all over the world in Muslim nations like Iran and Saudi Arabia. Perhaps, some of you who are reading this don't know what I am talking about. Let me enlighten you.

In countries ruled by Sharia' law, women are not permitted to step outside of their home unless they are covered from head to toe. Why? Because the mere sight of a woman's flesh might tempt a man and if he chose to act upon this temptation and raped her, it would be HER fault and HERS alone. The reasoning - She acted like a whore because she was a temptress. If she were alone or not with one or more other women (depending on the country) her word against his would not stand in a court of law and she would most likely be killed by her family for bringing dishonor upon them. The man, however, would suffer no punishment at all. Women are publicly stoned or flogged for wearing trousers, for speaking to a man who is not their husband or their male relative, for not being properly covered and for many other reasons. (I urge you to do some research on your own and check the veracity of my claims. I know I have, along with my husband. I have included some links on this page to some very helpful websites for checking out this information. But, I digress.) I ask you - where are the Gloria Steinems and the NOW chapters advocating for these women? I am quite certain that if they had evidence that these same men were preventing these women from getting abortions that they wanted, they would stand up for them and scream "DISCRIMINATION"! Why won't they take up the cause of these most oppressed women?

The true cost of defeat in Afghanistan will be borne by the women of Afghanistan. The Taliban will be restored to power and the women will be returned to their black, stifling, head-to-toe, face included, coverings, known as berkas, required to remain in their homes, their little girls will be forced to leave their schools never to return, the women will be stoned and raped again, and the law of Muhammad will rule. Afghanistan will become a terrorist training ground again and we will once again be in danger of imminent attack from Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda. Is this the choice that Obama and Congress truly want to make? Do Barbara Boxer, Nancy Pelosi, Diane Feinstein & the rest of the liberal women that have strong influence in Washington truly want this "blood" on their hands?

It is time for the women of America - liberal, moderate and conservative - to band together and fight for the rights of women not only in our country, but in countries around the world. Afghanistan would be a great place to start since we already have influence in the government there and changes have already been made. We need a battle cry - "Freedom for Women from ALL Oppressors - Foreign & Domestic!" All women who read this, I call on you to stand with me and forward this to all your female friends, no matter their political persuasion, and ask them to stand up for the women and girls of Afghanistan and write and call President Obama and let our voices be heard in Washington. The true cost of defeat is oppression and this must not be allowed to happen! Stand with me ladies and FIGHT!!!

Mr. President?

As I sat watching Fox News last night and earlier this morning, I was mystified once again by our "President". I know I should be used to his antics by now, but I still find myself stupefied every so often by new revelations about his job description. Since when did it become part of the President's job to pitch American cities to the Olympic Committee? I am so thrilled that he is going to fly to Copenhagen (on taxpayer money, no less) to pitch the windy city to the Olympic Committee this Friday. Of course, after the brutal and fatal beating of the honor student that recently occurred there I am sure that the committee is just going to JUMP at the chance to bring athletes and spectators from all over the globe to that wonderful host city. Aren't you? I wouldn't send my worst enemy, or for that matter, my ex husband, to Chicago if you paid me! Nobody deserves that kind of abuse. However since it is Obama's home city and he is neck deep in Chicago politics, I assume he probably has no choice but to use his status to help Chicago win the bid for the Olympics. I am sure that Mayor Daley has given him his marching orders and like a good little soldier, he has followed them.

However, I am wondering when he will stop busying himself with other things and actually get down to the business of "governing" the people of the United States. So far I have seen nothing that would lead me to believe that he has any clue what that actually entails. He does nothing but give lofty speeches, fly all over the world to apologize for being American, and push a health care plan that over half of Americans object to. He can't even make time to meet with his Generals regarding the two wars that we are fighting.

I was absolutely appalled to learn on Sunday night, as I am sure most of America was, that in the 70 days since he appointed General McChrystal to lead the war in Afghanistan that he has only spoken with him ONE time. How is this possible? Does Obama not think that the Afghan front is important to our national security? All signs point to NO, he does not. Apparently, President Obama does not grasp how important it is that we do not lose to the Taliban in Afghanistan. Losing this war would be tantamount to our "defeat" in Vietnam because it would empower an entire sect of radical Muslims to attack America.

In Islam, withdrawal or defeat is seen as the greatest flaw of a person or nation. In other words, all Muslim nations that want to destroy the "Great White Satan" and the terrorist organizations that they sponsor would see this as a perfect opportunity to strike at us where we live. September 11th would pale in comparison to the havoc that they would wreak on us if we lose to the Taliban and by proxy, Al Qaeda. It baffles me that President Obama is not immediately responding to his hand-picked general 's request for 40,000 more troops in Afghanistan and is quite possibly going to deny his request. Does he truly not care about the safety of Americans on American soil and is he really that cold hearted that he does not lose a wink of sleep over the thousands of American soldiers that we have lost in the War on Terror? What kind of American President is he?

Last night, I saw Bill O'Reilly interview John McCain and I found myself asking out loud, once again, why he isn't our President. I know, because 54 million people were misguided and chose to vote for Obama in a reactionary vote against all things Bush and all things Republican, but those people did not make a wise decision and the rest of us must share in the consequences of their actions. I know that Obama despises John McCain, but he could certainly learn alot from him about fighting a war and putting your country first. Maybe he should take a lesson from those who have been there and seen the face of war and the consequences of accepting defeat. I hope Obama finds time on his flight to Denmark this week to read a history book or two about American wars. John McCain wrote a great one about courage and another about standing strong in war Faith of My Fathers and Why Courage Matters- I am sure that he would give him a copy, he would probably even autograph them for him.

Something Must Be Done....

It has been many months since I last posted on this blog and I have no idea who is going to read it, but I wanted to start posting on it again. So much has happened since my last post before the election. Of course, we all know how that turned out. While I was certainly not pleased with the results of the Presidential Election, I was willing to give Barack Obama a chance to prove himself. But, all he has proven, to me, anyway, is that he does not know how to govern our Nation and wants to create an America where we all feel guilty for being Americans. He was inaugurated and immediately began apologizing for all of our actions during the Bush administration and then went on his European "apology tour" to make sure that the rest of the world knew how sincere he was. Since that time, he has done absolutely nothing to make us any safer, any stronger economically, militarily or domestically and has only divided this country more and more. His campaign was all about bringing us all together as one, but he has done nothing but encourage us to remain divided. His healthcare proposal is merely the latest occurrence of his divisive ways. Since the beginning of his administration, he has personally reminded the Republicans, more than once, that HE won and that although he will listen to their ideas and opinions, they really don't matter. That is awesome, since 50 million Americans chose NOT to vote for him. How much more divisive can he get than to tell half the country that our opinions and ideas are not important to him because our party is not in power? We do have democratic rule in this country and that is why we have a balance of power and elected officials in both the House and the Senate as well as a President. This system was created by our Founders to ensure that all people have a voice and that it is not always just about majority rule. Perhaps, they did not teach that to Obama when he was going to a Muslim school in Indonesia as a child. In fact, I am quite sure that they did not. But you would think that he would have picked it up somewhere along the way in his Harvard education. Then again, maybe not.

There is so much that I want to say about the current situation in our country's political system that I could write for hours, but no one would want to read all of that in one sitting, so I will break it up into small bites. Suffice it to say that Barack Obama is not the President that we need right now and that I hope that his time spent at the U.N. General Assembly these past couple days with real leaders like Benjamin Netanyahu and Stephen Harper and Nicolas Sarkozy and the like will teach him how to "man up" and stand firm for his country. Maybe Netanyahu will loan him a "pair", (I am quite sure the Israelis have extra sets), and he can get tough with rogue nations and their despot dictators like Iran and North Korea and Venezuela. Maybe he will walk away from Ahmadinejad and Chavez and refuse to embrace Qaddafi like the "son" that Qaddafi thinks Obama to be. By the way, what an awesome compliment! Reagan must be turning over in his grave right now to think that the President of the United States is so loved by Muammar Qaddafi that he thinks of him as his "son". Way to go, Barack!!! You should be SO proud!!! Maybe Chavez and Ahmadinejad will call you "brother" next time. Then you will have truly arrived. And America will be forever embarrassed. Your goal will be accomplished. I guess we will have to wait until Obama's next "World Tour" to find out. In the meantime, my prayers will be with Israel and her strong leaders. And with ours as well, no matter how weak our leaders appear to be.