A Logical Solution May Not Be Had

A recent murder of a high school football star in Los Angeles recently has brought up an ugly fact about "law enforcement" in the City of Angels.
The coddling of illegal aliens in an attempt to "fight crime"
The gunning down of 17 year-old Jamiel Shaw,who was black, by gangster, suspect Pedro Espinoza, has opened up the dirty little-known Los Angeles police Special Order 40.
Special Order 40 was instituted in 1979 by former Los Angeles police chief Daryl Gates and it does not allow police officer to question suspects as to their immigration status. It was instituted as a way for those who break the law by being in the United States illegally, but have committed no other crimes to identify those who have committed crimes. The whole order is the ultimate catch-22.
In the case of Mr. Espinoza, he was in Los Angeles county jail on an unrelated weapons charge. While in custody, the police did not inquire to his immigration status. And, the day before Mr. Espinoza was suspected in gunning down Mr. Shaw, he was released from custody. Had the police inquired about Mr. Espinoza's immigration status, he would have been turned over to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. And, he would not have been out on the streets and Mr. Shaw would more than likely be alive today.
Now, Los Angeles city councilman Dennis Zine wants to clarify and codify that police can ask a suspect in custody their immigration status if it may have relevance to the potential charge. Supposedly, police can ask according to the windbag mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, or soon to be Villar. But, it is not clear in the provision.
But, of course the enablers for the illegal aliens, people like Mr. Villar and a woman by the name of Sara Zapata de Mijares who heads a local immigration "rights" group, Mundo Maya Foundation are crying foul.
Mr. Villar said that the ICE should be concentrating on the criminal gang elements, and he was told that ICE does not have the resources. Hey Mr. Villar, that is what the LAPD is supposed to do. You sir, are trying to pass the buck on this one.
But, Miss Zapata de Mirajes has the topper as to the efforts of Mr. Zine to bring sanity to an insane special order:
Amending Special Order 40, however is neither a just nor appropriate response to the young man's death. Instead we are certain police officers acting as immigration officials with suspected gang members will exacerbate the already tenuous relationship between the community and the men and women in blue. An amendment would continue to pit African-American brothers and sisters against the Latino community.
It is the classic shell game.
Mr. Villar blames ICE for not doing its job, which would impinge on local law enforcement. And Miss Zapata de Mijares runs the political correct gamut while saying that LAPD officers should not act as immigration officials. And, of course don't mention the name of Jamil Shaw for it would actually put a name to the "young man" killed by suspect Espinoza. And just for extra added PC, mention that there is the "pitting" of blacks against Hispanics.
All that this amendment would do is protect the police so that when it may be plain as the nose on the face that a suspect is an illegal alien, the police can notify ICE and the deportation process can begin. And that suspect would remain incarcerated, not a potential threat to the community.
The motion that was presented to the Los Angeles city council by Mr. Zine reads in part this:
While the overall policy goal of providing equitable public safety services to the people of Los Angeles must rightly be preserved, Special Order 40 should also be modified to address the specific situations of known gang members who are also undocumented immigrants.
That is important because while it will modify the special order, it will be balanced. It does not turn the LAPD into ICE agents.
Here is the actual motion submitted to the council:
I THEREFORE MOVE that the City Council request the Chief of Police and the Board of Police Commissioners to modify Special Order 40 to state that when, in the course of gang suppression investigations, LAPD officers are able to verify that a suspect is a known gang member, those officers be instructed to obtain information on the suspects immigration status and transmit that information to ICE.
I FURTHER MOVE that this modification to Special Order 40 also include a provision stating that if a known gang member is arrested by LAPD, and the person is also found to be an undocumented immigrant, that an immigration hold be placed on the arrestee by LAPD until such time as the arrestee may be released to the custody of ICE.
Now, what is wrong with that? Does that not clarify and codify the stated policy of Special Order 40 and make clear that only in an investigation of suspected criminal activity can the police inquire about said suspects immigration status.
It does not turn the LAPD into ICE agents as asserted by Miss Zapata de Mijares. And it will either prove Mr. Villar is right that when the police does notify ICE, they turn a blind eye or that he is, well fibbing.
It is a simple, logical solution to a problem of how gangs now operate not just in Los Angeles but in many major and not so major cities in the United States. With such international gangs an MS13 an American prison gangs as the Mexican Mafia showing no mercy and internationalizing gang activity, it is incumbent on the elected officials of Los Angeles and other cities to take a look at how they balance gang suppression, public safety and deporting known illegal aliens.
As an aside, my stepson is a legislative aide to Mr. Zine and wrote the proposed legislation. And, it should be noted that he is not like the old man. He is on the liberal side. And, if anyone tries to tell you that it is only xenophobic, right-wingers who want to throw all the Mexicans back, it is a bipartisan issue.

HT: Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles City Council

Exurban League: Obama does damage control.

Is this a new attempt at outreach to those bitter, gun-totting, religious nuts?


Exurban League: Obama does damage control.

Don't Have Sen. Barack Be A Travel Agent For Rural America

In the Award for the Most Arrogant Liberal of 2008, the winner is:
Sen. Barack Obama, Democrat From Illinois
And why does he get this dubious title over so many other numerous left-wing luminaries one might ask?
Because he spoke the way he really feels about rural and small town America.
And, like so much that has come from supporters of Sen. Barack like the "Rev." Jeremiah Wright, Michelle Obama and more of the cast of characters, this following comment came straight from the horse's mouth:
You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone for 25 years and nothings replaced them. And the fell through the Clinton Administration and the Bush Administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. So its not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who are not like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.
WOW! Unbelievable!
This is a man who wants to be president of the United States of America. And in one absurd comment, made at an event in San Francisco of all places, he has done more to damage his own candidacy than any fringe supporter like the "Rev." Wright and even wife Michelle.
What Sen. Barack has done is taken his mask off. Now, he can say what he really believes and that somehow, like everything else, it will be explained away by his Dinosaur, Drive-By, Mainstream Media allies like the "Rev." Wright was.
But, not this time.
What is telling is that he really does not know what rural and or small town America is really like. Or, for that matter a very urban area like Detroit which is the worst-off big city in the United States.
A man who has talked about his religious faith very openly, even quoting the Holy Bible, basically in a slightly more eloquent way than former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura is saying that religion is a crutch. That if you had a great paying job, you would not need that religion hocus-pocus. And your guns. You would not want your guns if you had that great paying job either because you would no longer be afraid. No, you would give up your gun and Jesus for the greenback. And, as a side benefit, if you had that great paying job, you would not be so leery of those not like your self. And, you would love all immigrants, whether they are here legally or not. Because, you would have that great paying job.
The arrogance is dripping. The contempt for much of the rest of the nation that Sen. Barack would like to lead is nauseating.
And, because he knows that what he said is what he really believes, he did not back down. He just touched off the talking point as noted in this speech today in Indiana:
So people end up voting on issues like guns and are they going to have the right to bear arms. They vote on issues like gay (same-sex) marriage. They can take refuge in their faith, and their community and their family and the things they can count on.
Even this "cleaned up" version drips with contempt and arrogance. Notice how he works guns and same-sex marriage in his screed. What happened to talking about those jobs? Is that not the real issue? To the socialist, all that is important is overturning the old order on everything. Once it is overturned, only a big government can come in and straighten everything out. That is what happened in the Russian revolution. How the fascists came to power in Italy. The communists in China. Then in Cuba. Now in Venezuela and other South American nations.
All I can say that in my travels across this great land, especially the road trip Mrs. rightviewfromtheleftcoast and our dog, Scout the Wonder Dog took last November to Mt. Rushmore, we discovered a wonderful America we did not know. A lot of it in small towns like St. George, Utah. In Evanston, Wyoming. In Cheyenne, Wyoming. In Deadwood, South Dakota. And yes, even larger towns like Salt Lake City, Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico. We saw great, friendly, hard working people. And they were not all one group. To be honest, I was surprised at how many Hispanics were in Wyoming. Glad, not "fearful". These are people that are the salt of the earth. They do not have two faces. And yes, they are God-fearing and yes, I am certain that many owned a gun.
What make the United States what it is is that there are all kinds of America. And, in the smaller towns and the rural areas, it is different than the so-called cosmopolitan big cities. And, as one in a large suburb, small town life looks very good some days.
And another thing. Some towns were on the brink and have staged comebacks. Some have not and that is due to a multitude of reasons. Income is just one aspect.
I for one love small town, rural America. For many living in an urban area that has become havens for law-breakers, gang-bangers, drug dealers and families going into bankruptcy to keep up with all the trends for their children, the small town and or a farm life is something to aspire to.
But, not in Sen. Barack's America. No, that is where the fearful, angry, gun-totting people are.
I do not think that Sen. Barack, should he lose either the Democrat nomination for president or the presidency, should get a day job as a travel agent specializing in tours of rural America.

HT: Powerline

Dr. Dean's Poor Bedside Manner

Leave it to the Democrat National Committee Chairman, Dr. Howard Dean, to slam Sen. John McCain on the so-called age issue http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/TheNote/stroy?id=3105455&page=1.
Dr. Dean couched his shot by saying that the age issue was not brought up by himself but by a focus group of "conservative" Democrat voters in Charleston, West Virginia.
According to the good doctor, these voters were concerned about Sen. McCain's age and health. And, remember this is a "conservative" group. These people, especially women, thought his views were "old-fashioned."
HUH?
I mean, what makes a conservative Republicans views "old-fashioned" to conservative voters?
Dr. Dean said that the women in the group were shocked, shocked I tell you, that Sen. McCain is in favor of not having the government pay for birth control and that he supports abstinence-only sex education.
The question is, does Dr. Dean know any conservatives? And does he have a problem with Sen. McCain being possibly the oldest elected president?
The answer is, no to the conservatives and yes to the age issue.
Dr. Dean is just trying to nudge the "age issue" in to create a doubt in voter's minds. You know, an old guy just can not do things like a young (60) Sen. Hillary Clinton or a youthful (47) and inexperienced Sen. Barack Obama. Never mind that Sen. McCain has something neither Sens. Clinton or Obama have. Wisdom.
A lot of things have been written in this blog about Sen. McCain, and yes the "age issue" was brought up. And, sure enough leave it to the grenade launcher, Dr. Dean, to broach the subject.
Here is the thing.
Dr. Dean, Sens. Clinton or Obama could not shine his shoes on a good day. Sen. McCain maybe 71 years old, but he has a fire in the belly. He wants to be president. He has a schedule that most people half of his age have a hard time keeping up with.
And, for Dr. Dean's information, Sen. McCain is a conservative. And while not one who talks much about his social conservatism, he has it and votes accordingly.
If these focus group people were "conservative" then they would not be ignorant to allegedly make such comments about Sen. McCain's stand on some social issues.
No, the grenade launcher that Dr. Dean is now is launching. No, we will not be treated to any screams, but he will lob as many as he can hoping it will stick.
I do not think that bringing up the "age issue" is a way that Dr. Dean wants to go. We shall see, but it does show that the Democrats are not all that comfortable talking about their issues, so they will make some up. Typical.

The "Rev." Wright Was "Imam" Wright?

On the Rush Limbaugh website is a stunning story http://rushlimbaugh.com that is being reported in the New Republic http://tnr.com that the infamous "Rev." Jeremiah Wright, late the former head pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ http://tucc.org and spiritual advisor to Sen. Barack was Islamic.
The story, by Ryan Lizza, was published in March, 2007 and was written more as an aside in the second paragraph in a story entitled "The Agitator."
The exact quote is this:
Wright was a former Muslim and black nationalist who studied at Howard (University) and Chicago (University of).
Now, that is astonishing. I mean, it does explain the cozy relationship between the "Rev." Wright and Calypso Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam. Why the two went all over the Mideast and even had a meeting with the Libyan dictator, Wacky Mohamar Qaddafi. That was before the United States restored diplomatic relations with Libya.
So, why has this not been brought up in all of the discussion on the "Rev." Wright and his "ministry"? Is it because this is part of the DDBMSM shilling for Sen. Barack? Is it because there would be renewed interest in the possibility that Sen. Barack was himself at one time Islamic? After all, he did spend some time at schools in Indonesia in his younger years.
All of this continues to raise serious and real questions as to the whole Sen. Barack narrative. And, who Sen. Barack surrounds himself with, starting with Mrs Obama herself, Queen agitator Michelle.
While Sen. Barack may be the Democrat presidential nominee, all of this will hang out there like a hot, humid day in Washington in July. And, it will take more than a break in the weather to try to change the narrative that will continue to haunt Sen. Barack all the way to November.
The "Rev." Wright maybe the man who leads to the downfall of Sen. Barack. And would that not be ironic?

State Of Minnesota Supports Islamic School?

It appears that in the politically correct climate we live in 2008 America, the State of Minnesota will financially and give legitimacy to an Islamic charter school-at taxpayer expense.
Columnist Katherine Kersten of the very left-leaning Minneapolis Star-Tribune http://www.startribune.com/local/17406054.html gives us a first hand look at the Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy or TIZA in the Twin Cities suburb of Inver Grove Heights.
What Miss Kersten found was that right off the bat, the public charter school is located in the headquarters of a group called the Muslim American Society whose stated aim is "establishing Islam in Minnesota." In the building headquarters is a mosque. That alone should be enough to decertify the charter status of the public school.
But wait, theres more!
The school cafeteria serves Halal food-Islamic kosher so to speak. And, "Islamic Studies" is offered at the end of the official school day. And the students have organized prayer daily.
But, thanks to a substitute teacher, Amanda Getz, the lid is blown off as she saw Friday noonday prayer take place blatantly in the middle of the school day.
Miss Getz describes the students being led to the school gym while a prayer leader was prostrating on a prayer rug and another was dressed in white, with the white Islamic skull cap.
Imagine if say a charter school was led by Roman Catholics and that there was a mandate to have chapel daily. Or to pray the rosary? And what if a priest came in to lead a Mass and or confessions. Oh, maybe the priest would not wear a Roman collar. The howls would be from coast to coast. The Americans United For The Separation of Church and State and People For The American Way would be marching on the school and demanding it be shut down. To be fair, the ACLU is launching an investigation of the school and now that this column has been written the state board of education is also launching an investigation
Oh, did I mention that TIZA is led by Asad Zaman? And guess what? He is an imam, essentially an Islamic minister.
The state of Minnesota department of education has inspected the school only three times in five years. And none of the visits focused on the clear violation of the school-that it is imposing Islam using taxpayer money as a charter school.
Even the columnist, Miss Kersten notes that if this were a Christian school, this would be shut down before your head could spin around.
Now there is a large Islamic population especially in the Twin Cities area. In recent visit, Mrs. rightviewfromtheleftcoast and I went to the Mall Of America in Bloomington and I was shocked at how many of the employees in the Nordstrom Rack store were dressed in the Islamic chador.
Personally, I was appalled. I admit that I was not at all comfortable. The real reason for my discomfort was the fact that I wondered if these woman realized that they set back the cause for human rights for women. Did they understand what wearing a chador means to a Westernized, predominately Christian nation?
I admit, I had a very negative image in my mind seeing those women. But, finding that there is this taxpayer-funded Islamic school is even more disturbing. The fact that the left-leaning Star-Tribune newspaper discovered this shows that Islamics may have crossed the line and that this expose will more than likely shut the school down.
While I struggle to overcome my negative reaction to seeing department store employees in full Islamic dress, what I am definite about is that no taxpayer money can fund any religious school. And, no matter how much the imam, Mr. Zaman, tries to skirt around it, that is what it is.
If this school is not reformed and or shut down, then there will be a wave of these charter schools across the United States. Lets see if the state of Minnesota, or any other state, will fund decidedly Christian charter schools. Don't hold your breath.

Those Baseball Predictions!

Well, for all looking comments on today's Gen. Petraeus/Amb. Crocker "hearings", you will just have to wait for this is a very important post on the major league pennant races, the real news!
Now that the season has started and is about a week old, it is really time to evaluate who has it and who does not and who will be in the Fall Classic.
In the American league, I see a surprise winner in a division and some teams falling down a notch.
In the American League East, look for the Toronto Blue Jays to win the division. The Blue Jays?! Yes, the Blue Jays. I think that Boston will probably come down to earth with a second place in the division. Oh, and the dreaded New York Yankees? Third is the best they will do. The smoke and mirrors that Joe Torre did towards the end will not hold up this year. And besides, I think this is the weakest division in the American League.
On to the Central division. The Cleveland Indians should win this with ease. They are starting a little slow, but as last season showed, when they catch on fire, they on really on fires. Detroit is the only serious competition in this division, but it will not be enough to win. A wild card possibility maybe.
In the West it will be the Anaheim* Angels and Seattle Mariners fighting for the division title. I think that the Angels will win it and Seattle will be the wild card. This maybe the toughest division in the American League. Even the Oakland A's and Texas Rangers could have a least a shot at the wild card.
Over in the senior circuit, the National League, I see the East as the New York Mets to lose. If they do not win this division going away, manager Willie Randolph must be fired for incompetence! This could be the National League team in the World Series. And have a real shot to win it all. Sorry, but this year the Atlanta Braves will be watching the playoffs at home. No division or wild card for the tomahawk choppers. Maybe they can get a head start on the decline of the planet that Ted Turner ranted about last week and use those tomahawks on him!
The National League Central division is the joke division of major league baseball. I mean whoever wins this division could win with a sub-.500 record. It is that bad! But, it is good enough for the Chicago Cubs. They will win the Central and, who really cares about the other teams!
And finally, the only division that counts, the National League West. The Dodgers will win this and it will literally be on the back of new manager Joe Torre. He has surrounded himself with the best coaches and with a renewed sense of fire in the belly, he will be able to get this team to the promised land.
So, here is the order and playoff scenarios:
NATIONAL LEAGUE
West:
Los Angeles Dodgers
East:
New York Mets
Central:
Chicago Cubs
Wild Card:
San Diego Padres
AMERICAN LEAGUE
West:
Anaheim Angels
East:
Toronto Blue Jays
Central:
Cleveland Indians
Wild Card:
Seattle Mariners
NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPS
Los Angeles Dodgers
AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPS
Cleveland Indians
WORLD SERIES CHAMPS
Los Angeles Dodgers

Hey, it is the 20th anniversary of the last time the Dodgers won the World Series against the Oakland A's. So it is about time the Dodgers won another one!

*In this blog, the Angels will NOT be referred to as the "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" but the Anaheim Angels. There is only one team in Los Angeles and that is the Dodgers. And, I am an Angel fan!

Two Preachers That Don't Get It

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mark 12.30-31
Go ye therefore, and teach(make disciples of) all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Matthew, 28:19
I start this with two of the most important passages of the New Testament because it is very relevant to two pastors of two distinctly different churches within American Christendom.
These two pastors strongly support two presidential candidates, one Democrat and one Republican. One has served as a spiritual guide for 20 years to one candidate. The other just recently endorsed the other and not much is known about their relationship beyond that.
Of course I am speaking of the "Rev." Jeremiah Wright, former head pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ http://tucc.org and the other Pastor John Hagee, head pastor of Cornerstone Church http://sacornerstone.com.
The "Rev." Wright is, still as far as is known, to be the spiritual guide to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill). Pastor Hagee at the time of the Texas primary became a supporter of Sen. John "F--- You" McCain (R-Ariz).
Both of the above passages fit these two pastors, yet while it appears that these two are so diametrically different in just about every way, they are alike in controversy.
The "Rev." Wright clearly has made a hybrid of Christianity mixed in with black liberation theology. He has spoken with great hostility toward many, and in no particular order, Italians, Jews, the American founding fathers and white America. The "Rev." Wright seems to have forgotten that the primary reason that he became a pastor was to spread the message of Jesus Christ and that message is open to all people. No matter what. And, clearly he has shown a lack of love for he clearly really does not love his neighbor as himself. It would appear that maybe the "Rev." Wright may not really love himself. What I fear that the "Rev." Wright has done is perverted the very meaning of the ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus went with those that were not like the perceived authorities of the age. He did that to show the authorities of his time how wrong that they were and that the love of God is for all people, not just a select few with the "proper" knowledge. If the "Rev." Wright does love his neighbor, why all the hostility? Why has he found a way to pervert the Holy Bible in such a way that one forgets what the ministry of Jesus Christ was and is? I can not answer those questions. That is up to the "Rev." Wright and it appears that he shows no interest in answering some basic questions.
Which leads to Pastor Hagee.
Now, what is wrong with Pastor Hagee? Well, in theological terms, probably not a lot. Except that he has spoken out against the Roman Catholic church, referring to it, not the people who are members, as the Great Whore of Babylon. And, he is a strong supporter of the State of Israel. And, he is of the Fundamentalist branch of the evangelical Christian movement.
But, the DDBMSM seems to have been fixated on his "anti-Catholic" statements.
Now, as one who does call himself a Protestant Christian, by that nature I am anti-Catholic-anti-Roman Catholic. That does not mean that I think that the Roman church is the Great Whore of Babylon. But, it is very clear in Fundamentalist Christian lore that the Roman church is bad and not to be trusted. If one reads The Articles Of Religion in the Episcopal Church Book of Common Prayer, there are without a doubt several very strong statements that are, anti-Roman Catholic. Because the DDBMSM knows very little about Christianity and even less about evangelical Christians, they just hear that Pastor Hagee made some "anti-Catholic" statements, not realizing that it is theological terms, not a call to arms against the Pope or the church.
But, by not making clear that he is not against the people and many of the church teachings, which both Pastor Hagee and Roman Catholic hierarchy would be in agreement, he has shown lack of love of neighbor. Pastor Hagee often comes off as overly judgemental, but that is part of Fundamentalism. It is all about the judgement of God. And, I believe that is important. But if one chooses the judgement over love, not one in the same, then he or she has already missed the point of the passage.
Now, I think both men fall short, as we all do, to the glory of God. That is in the person of Jesus Christ.
We try so hard to make our understanding of the Christian faith absolute and right. And, it is. But it often gets lost in the translation.
And, that is where the "Rev." Wright and Pastor Hagee fall drastically short. And they are missing the big picture of baptizing and teaching and loving as Jesus Christ commanded himself in the Gospel.
This is not meant to make any equalization between the two men. I believe that they are doing the work of the Lord as they have come to understand it. And, maybe their understanding is what needs to change. And to read those two passages a lot more often and praying and talking about that may be a start.

New Color

Well, fooling around with my template, I found some new color and decided, why not?
Not only that, but I think that it is much more readable and is that not why we do this in the first place?
I hope you enjoy and please feel free to comment, but KEEP IT CLEAN!

South Africa And Zimbabwe

Today is the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. A sad day in American history.
Today, I have been thinking a lot about what Dr. King would have to say about a lot of current events. Especially the state of affairs in Southern Africa and the contrast between South Africa and its northern neighbor, Zimbabwe.
Both nations emerged from colonialism and white rule. Zimbabwe in 1980 and South Africa beginning in 1990. But the results of the emergence of black rule ends there.
Zimbabwe was a jewel on a badly mismanaged continent. In 1980, when Robert Mugabe won election as president of Zimbabwe, life expectancy for all races was 60 years old. Now, thanks to the dictatorial rule of Mr. Mugabe, that has plummeted to an expectancy of 35 years old. And, Zimbabwe has sunk to the depths. Unemployment is hovering at 80% and inflation anywhere from 100,000 to 500,000% Yes, that is thousands.
Look at South Africa. The economy is the envy of the African continent. Blacks are attaining economic power and the white business establishment is encouraging it. Inflation is low and unemployment is low. And, this is most important, whites by and large are being integrated along with the majority blacks, mixed race "coloureds" and large Asian, mostly Indian, populations.
The reason is that Mr. Mugabe went from freedom fighter to dictator. He is the ONLY president that Zimbabwe has ever had. He has made himself a cult of personality and thus does have some support among the masses. But while Mr. Mugabe has presided over the economic collapse of this once prosperous nation, he decided to make the whites that have remained in Zimbabwe the scapegoat by beginning to seize their farmland in 2000. It only delayed the inevitable.
When Nelson Mandela was freed from the hated Robbin Island prison in 1990 and became the first elected black president in South African history, he did not hold on to the job like some potentate. He graciously stepped aside and let a new leader take over the African National Congress party. And, Mr. Mandela worked along with Anglican archbishop Desmond Tutu to lead a national reconciliation.
Mr. Mugabe used the whites to further his stranglehold on power.
Now, while it is clear that he lost the presidential election to Morgan Tsvangrai and his Movement for Democratic Change party, he is still trying to hold on to power by claiming that Mr. Tsvangrai did not get the 50% plus one of the vote and thus there should be a runoff. No doubt that at the very least there was electoral fraud and that maybe why the "official" results may show Mr. Tsvangrai with less than the required vote.
I think that Dr. King would be appalled at what has happened in Zimbabwe and would be happy to see what reconciliation can lead to as is the case of South Africa. And I think that the world is lesser today with out the moral leadership of Dr. King

Mugabe Ain't Gonna Go Quietly Into The Night

It appears that the loser of the Zimbabwe presidential elections, Robert Mugabe, is going to unleash his forces to stay in power http://FoxNews.com .
According to Fox, police raided a hotel where foreign journalists are staying and rounded up to six journalists including one for the New York Times, Barry Bearak.
And police also raided the headquarters of the winning party, the Movement for Democratic Change, MDC.
The delusional Mr. Mugabe has held an iron grip on this nation since 1980, when the white government was replaced by a provisional government and then by the tyrant himself.
Now, Mr. Mugabe is ready for a run off because he will claim that the rightful winner, Morgan Tsvangirai, did got get 50% plus one. Any one below that and the top two candidates are in a runoff.
But, most observers believe that Mr. Tsvangirai won the needed percentage, in fact it is 50.3% to Mr. Mugabe and the ruling ZANU-PF party's 43%.
Watch events in Zimbabwe. An outright win by the MDC, which has won control of parliament, and Mr. Tsvangirai will be welcome news. If this nation spirals into more of the abyss, look for the radical Islamics to try to spread money around to "help" the people. It is exactly how Hezbollah attained power in Lebanon.

A Sports Scam

While it is the beginning of the baseball season, praise hallelujah!, there is a disturbing trend of higher ticket prices going on.
Most teams have what seems like a hundred different ticket prices. It seems that each section on each level has a price.
But the scam is what are generally "premium" dates.
These are dates that the owners and the other powers to be seem to feel they can dig into us, the fan's pockets, a little deeper for the pleasure to see the "best of the best" in each league.
Here is but one example.
The Cincinnati Reds, now perennial cellar dwellers in the National League Central division think that $7 for the cheap seats are just not enough to see some teams. When the Cleveland Indians or Chicago Cubs come to town, just fork out another $5 bucks. Your $7 ticket becomes a $12 ducet. And, as the television informercials shriek, "But wait! It does not end there!" On opening day and when the Boston Red Sox come to town, please, add another $10 and that $7 ticket you started at becomes a $22 ticket. For the pleasure of seeing the Red Sox or opening day with the Arizona Diamondbacks, you better break the kid's piggy bank for you will need all the cash.
If you think that is absurd, the Houston Astros dugout box seats, the best in the house, go from $50 to $75 for their "Premium" games. And, by coinkydink, these premium games are against the hated New York Yankees and the, you guessed it, Red Sox.
Oh, another scam is trying to get you to buy season tickets.
The Seattle Mariners best seat, the lower box, is only $40 a game if you buy season tickets. Then there is the Early Bird special, which was only good until March 28, and you can buy same seat for $58. From March 29 to date of actual game, the same seat costs you $60. But, if you decide after a long day at work to go to the yard to relax, that same $40 seat now is $65.
AMAZING!
As a committed capitalist, I have no problem with any baseball team wanting to make money. After all, we must remember that they are not just paying the high salaries of glorified bench warmers. There is all the front office staff, the people who sell the tickets, and certainly get the most abuse, the cities that most teams lease their ball parks from. Keep in mind, the teams need to pay all of these people.
But, when major league baseball needs to do all that it can to attract the families and children to see the great American pastime, it sends the wrong message to put getting decent seats, and even the cheap seats, out of the reach of many the average fan.
I suppose some of baseball gets it. But their solution is somewhat disturbing.
Many teams offer "all you can eat sections" in which on top of the regular ticket price, usually anywhere from roughly about $15 to $20 more, you can gorge on hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn, soft drinks. It varies.
The reason it is disturbing is that, and I should talk, this nation has a weight problem. I am not saying that everyone should look perfect, thin as a rail. But we should not be aspiring to become Michael Moore or Rosie O'Donnell. This may not be such a hot idea. But, at least it is an idea.
This dizzying way for teams to make more money off of the fans can be laid at the feet of Bud Selig, the "commissioner" of major league baseball.
Mr. Selig is the worst commissioner ever. I think he should angle for a spot in a Sen. Barack administration. I mean, this moron saw players suddenly adding a lot of muscle in the 1990s and did not think that maybe there was something going on? I think that Mr. Selig probably looked the other way.
Mr. Selig seems hellbent on destroying major league baseball.
It was his hair-brained scheme to switch all kinds of teams from divisions and even leagues. He has gutted the distinctions between the American and National leagues. Umpires are no longer hired by the leagues but are part of "major league baseball". The only team that Mr. Selig switched was his Milwaukee Brewers from the American League to the National League. His team? Oh, that's right. Mr. Selig was the owner of the Brewers. And what was his claim to fame before ruining, er attaining, the Brewers? A used car salesman.
Now, all of this spiraling out of control is not all of Mr. Selig's fault. But, he can do more to encourage teams to offer better seats for less money on nights that teams do not get great attendance. But, no, Mr. Selig is just a whiner.
What we need is for an owner to say, you know what? ALL seats are half price on Monday games, no matter who we play. It would be gesture of goodwill, families can afford to attend the game without getting a loan for one of the children as collateral.
We, the fans, need to write to our favorite teams and make suggestions. For if not, this scam of tiered pricing will only continue and many a fan will simply stay home. And that is not good for any team's bottom line.

Good News In Zimbabwe?

In one of Africa's most tyrannical "democracies", Zimbabwe, the now hated Robert Mugabe era is about to end. And, unlike so much of the rest of the continent, without a shot but the result of an election.
Mr. Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe, formerly Rhodesia, with an iron fist since the white government collapsed and a deal was cut with Great Britain for the black majority to rule their land. Mr. Mugabe was the head of the ZANU-PF army that fought the white government of former Prime Minister Ian Smith. Then Rhodesia was recognized by few nations and was all alone in fighting black rebels seeking to wrest control from Mr. Smith. Eventually, Great Britain stepped in, put in a black provisional government and the government changed the name of the nation to Zimbabwe, the capital from Salisbury to Harare. Then there were elections in 1980. Then, Robert Mugabe won the election and has not looked back.
Mr. Mugabe has ruled with an iron fist. Sure, he let the appearance of a democracy for international consumption. But, there was the hidden hand of the armed forces and the police, personal fiefdoms for Mr. Mugabe and his minions.
Mr. Mugabe continued to "win" elections and the ZANU-PF party dominated the parliament. But, events happened that hastened the beginning of the end for Mr. Mugabe.
South Africa went from a white-only government to a multi-racial one. Nelson Mandela was released from prison and eventually was elected president of South Africa. That took away a propaganda tool of the Mugabe regime.
Then in 2000, Mr. Mugabe started making trouble for the few white Zimbabweans left and owned farms. Mr. Mugabe sent henchmen to intimidate the farmers and allowed squatters to occupy their land, based on nothing but age-old possibilities of those squatters maybe had rights to the land. That began setting the already tenuous economy on an incredible downhill spiral that may take a very long time for this troubled land to recover.
And in 2004, the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, led by Morgan Tsvangirai, gave Mr. Mugabe a run for his money and may have actually won the presidential election that year. But, Mr. Mugabe, the armed forces and police and the judiciary all under his thumb, made sure that the real results did not occur. In fact, Mr. Tsvangirai was jailed.
And now, Mr. Tsvangiri may have the last laugh.
According to Fox News Channel http://FoxNews.com, the MDC has won the majority of seats in parliament. The MDC has 105 seats to Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF's 93 and an independent candidate one seat. There are 11 outstanding and even if the ZANU-PF wins them all, they will not have the majority. And, according to MDC spokesman Tendai Biti, Mr. Tsvangiri has 50.3% to Mugabe's 43.8% and the rest to other candidates. If that holds and there are no shenanigans by the loyalists to Mr. Mugabe, it is all over.
And, those loyalists may be shrinking. Many police and members of the armed forces are rag tag and hungry. Of course that is because there is only 80% unemployment and inflation a mild 500,000% http://latimes.com . And many members of the armed forces and police do not have the means to get from location to location. And they do not have crisp new uniforms. Many are threadbare.
All of that makes it amazing that this once prosperous nation would even have 43% of its people vote for this Mugabe thug. But, maybe they did, maybe not.
A change in leadership can bring about other change that may restore this nation to prosperity and true democracy.
And it will be a welcome for South Africa and the west. Having an unstable Zimbabwe is an opening for the radical Islamics to spread their money and promises to a desperate people. Yes, this would be a major win for the good guys in the War Against Islamofacist Terror.
Now, the west needs to stand firm and for the new president, Morgan Tsvangirai and the people of Zimbabwe.

Babies Are A Punishment?

Leave to Sen. Barack Obama to equate bad sexual behavior and punishment with the potential for a young girl to have a baby. Just when one does not think that a serious presidential candidate can push the envelope on one of the great moral morasses of this age, in comes Sen. Barack.
At a campaign event over this past weekend, Sen. Barack said the following:
Look, I got two daughters, nine and six years old. I am going to teach them values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby. I don't want them punished with and STD (sexually transmitted disease) at age 16, so it doesn't make sense not to give them information.
To be fair, if what Sen. Barack is talking about sexual education, here is a clue. It is being taught with more vigor than United States history, reading, and math. It is all out for young people to see. Their knowledge about sex today would astound most adults.
But it is the comment about babies being some kind of punishment that is beyond belief.
Babies are a gift from almighty God. Maybe some were not created in a loving way. Some are created in the heat of passion. Some, unfortunately, are the result of rape and even the sick and depraved act of incest. But, overall, a baby is a gift to the world.
To call a baby a punishment, or the attaining an STD a punishment shows what the socialist left thinks about the outcome of sexual relations.
Are some, particularly young girls, not mature enough to have a baby? You betcha! And, there are plenty of adult women who do not have the maturity to have a baby. But, if a young girl does become pregnant, there are options beside abortion. There is giving the baby up for adoption. There is the reality of becoming a parent at a young age. And, for some it is an instant maturity that many, including the father and mother may have not known they had.
Is there any provision for when a young girl, or any woman, is the victim of rape and or incest? Yes, there are two. Again, the baby can be carried to term and either raised by the woman or, and I know some will argue, but in these cases an abortion should be considered. That is why I do favor exceptions to abortion. But, even those exceptions must be strictly enforced.
What Sen. Barack did in that statement say what many on the left and or socialists really think about babies and or transmission of STDs. That they are somehow a punishment for promiscuity. Maybe they are. I do not agree. I believe that sex is not taken seriously enough in this nation. Look all around. Erotic advertising is all the rage. Walk by an Abercrombie and Fitch store and see near sex acts on display in huge billboard-sized photos. How about the female homoerotic advertising? It is all on display. And the behavior of the narcissistic celebrity culture. Does anyone with a brain cell think that Britney Spears should be mother of the year? Do you think that she did not have sex ed while in school? Please!
Sen. Barack will try his best to backtrack this astounding statement. That is if the DDBMSM even reports this with any seriousness. His sycophantic media lap dogs will dismiss this the same way they dismissed his relationship with his pastor, the "Rev." Jeremiah Wright.
This man will be the Democrat nominee for president. It is time for all to see the light of day as to what kind of president Sen. Barack will make. A disaster that will make us old enough to yearn for the days of Jimmy Carter.
HT: Hugh Hewitt, Right Wing Sparkle

Baseball Is Back!

Today begins another year of triumph and defeat. Today is the day that 30 teams that make up major league baseball believe that they will be World Series champs.
Of course, that reality gets changed around June when pretenders become cellar-dwellers and the contenders just get warmed-up.
Of course last night was the home opener of the new Washington Nationals Park, and I posted on the disgusting display of the fans towards President Bush. And, the Nats beat the hated Atlanta Braves.
If that was not enough, my beloved Los Angeles Dodgers easily dispatched the truly hated San Francisco Giants today at their real ballpark, Dodger Stadium. And, it was a shutout, 5-0!
So, I will NOT make my predictions until the weekend.
Why?
Because I have come to the conclusion that making predictions before any season begins is, well a crap shoot. I mean. 30 exhibition games mean nothing. A player maybe hurt or a big trade is pulled off. No, I think, while to some it is gutless, I will wait and get a feel of the teams that everyone else seems to think will win their divisions and or the World Series.
But, a preview of who I think will end up in the Fall Classic.
The National League winner will be from the Western Division. The American League champs will be from the Central Division.
Wait until this weekend for the complete rundown!

SHOW SOME RESPECT!

In another sign that there is something wrong with what this culture chooses to respect and disrespect, tonight many citizens of Washington, D. C. chose the latter when President Bush threw out the first pitch in the opening game of the brand new Washington Nationals Park.
While rock stars, movie stars and people with absolutely nothing but money and narcissism get loads of respect by many, a man that was elected twice to be the commander-in-chief was mercilessly booed by many as he strode to the pitcher's mound and threw one just a bit high and outside.
Did President Bush cower and run and duck and hide in the dugout? Of course not. He did his business with a smile on his face and the pleasure of seeing another new baseball stadium open, this time in the nation's capital.
It is too bad that in a non-political moment, people let their politics interfere with a duty that every president has done while there have been baseball teams in Washington. It was a ceremonial first pitch, not President Bush signing a war-declaration against Iran for crying out loud.
I would love to see our public boo the crud out of someone like Paris Hilton the way they did President Bush. But, now a days it looks like it is all backwards. And we are considered a civilized nation!

115,300

That may seem like just a number to many, but to the baseball fan, the true baseball fan, it is the attendance at last night's major league baseball exhibition game between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In celebration of the Dodgers 50th anniversary of being in Los Angeles, owner Frank McCourt thought that it would be a great idea to have a game at the first home of the Dodgers when they high-tailed it from Brooklyn, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The Dodgers played at the cavernous, not-for-baseball Coliseum for four years before moving to the cathedral of baseball, heck St. Peter's Basilica of baseball, Dodger Stadium.
Now, the Coliseum is football stadium, but it was actually built in 1923 in hopes of luring the Summer Olympics. That came in 1932.
The Coliseum holds 92,000 when all areas are in use. And when the Dodgers came west, it created the weirdest baseball field in memory.
Because of it being a bowl, it was impossible to make legitimate dimensions. So, the left field line was 251 feet from home plate. To prevent a slew of homers, a 40-foot mesh fence was put in front of the left field stands. It did not get any better for hitters, but that is not the story.
It is at the Coliseum that the largest crowds ever attended a baseball game.
And last night, Mrs, rightviewfromtheleftcoast and I were part of 115,300 people who will be in the record books.
Now, it did take us roughly two and a half hours to get there and about the same time to get home.
Why you may ask?
Well, with little if any parking around the Coliseum, and a $25 to park, we decided that the Dodger shuttle from the Stadium to the Coliseum would be a great idea. So did about 50,000 other people. And while the Dodgers provided up to 100 buses and vans to shuttle back and forth, it still was not enough. And, we went at the worst time both to and fro.
But, the crowd was very good natured and for the most part well behaved. After all, the hangover of having the Oakland Raiders here and the "fan base" they attract does permeate in all local sports.
It was absolutely amazing to be a part of history. Positive history. So much of the kind of history we may be a part of is usually bad. But this was all done in the name of raising money for cancer research. History and a great cause, who can ask for more.
Oh, of course the Dodgers did lose to the game, 7-4.
But who cares? We were a part of history and that made all the negative worthwhile.

Another From The Jeremiah Wright's Greatest Hits

I tell you, the "Rev." Jeremiah Wright, he is amazing. I mean, just as one would think that there is not much more the "Reverend" could say insulting, as the television infomericals say, 'but wait! There's more!'.
At a eulogy for Asa Hilliard, a scholar who went to the glory, the "Rev." Wright had this little gem:
Jesus' enemies had their opinions about him. The Italians for the most part looked down their garlic noses at the Galileans.
Can I please have a drum roll for that hoot?!
Where do I begin?
Firstly, there were no Italians in that time. There was no Italy until 1867. They were R-O-M-A-N-S. No, not Italians but Romans. They were the conquerors and as conquerors, they were not exactly welcomed with open arms by the Jews that they had conquered. Like the Nazis nearly 2,000 years later, they had collaborators. They would be the elites. But, there were no Italians.
And, just what does the "Reverend" mean by garlic noses? I mean, he could have used the time-worn WOP, for these Romans were without papers as would be the slur to their Italian successors.
It is absolutely amazing that this creep, Jeremiah Wright, can walk around and claim to be a man of God, a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is nothing but a racist, black African nationalist who has co-opted a church much the same way as his buddy, Calypso Louis Farrakhan co-opted the Nation of Islam to spread very similar beyond divisive thoughts.
I am sure that there will be more hits coming out of the vault of the Trinity United Church of Christ, and there will be more questions as to how a man who wants to be president of the United States as does Sen. Barack Obama, stay in this so-called church. How Sen. Barack can claim the mantle of being a follower of Jesus Christ when his spiritual guide follows a non-Christian message.
Here is one for the "Rev" Wright. No, not God Bless Jeremiah Wright! no God D--- Jeremiah Wright!

Why Is McCain Such A "Gentleman" To The Dems

I have been giving this a lot of thought since Sen. John "F--- You" McCain became the 2008 Republican presidential nominee. Why is it that Sen. "F--- You" McCain seems to be, dare I write this, gentlemanly towards Democrats?
I think, maybe I have the answer.
Let us take a look at the elected history of Sen. "F--- You" McCain.
Then civilian John McCain ran for congress from Arizona in 1982. He ran for the John Rhodes seat, a long time Republican house leader. 1982 was a terrible year for Republicans across the board. The seat Mr. McCain won was as safe as one could win in that terrible climate. And Mr. McCain won that seat. However, all the gains that Republicans made in 1980 were wiped out and the Republicans lost 28 house seats to fall to a 166-269 minority. The house minority leader was Robert Michel (R-Ill). A nice man, one who would not be around in 1994 when the Republicans would sweep into power by retaking the House of Representatives.
So, Mr. McCain went into congress a decided minority in a very minority Republican party. And, those Republicans seemed to know that they would be in the minority for a long time.
Being in the minority in the house is no fun. Much of what a minority member proposes never sees the light of day. Minority members get the lousy office space. And, like children playing in a schoolyard, the bullies let the bullied know who is in charge.
In 1986, Congressman McCain ran for and won the Barry Goldwater seat in the senate. Ah, but once again, timing is everything. In that same year, the Republicans lost their tenuous majority in the senate and the whole congress was in Democrat control.
However, the senate is a little different. There is more of a buddy-buddy approach to doing things. The minority is not treated as badly and the constitution gives minority senators more power. The power to compromise. And, that is why a reliable conservative as John McCain became more like accommodating John McCain.
In 1994, the Republicans stormed the gates, winning back senate control, the house, the majority of state governors. It was a banner year. But, Sen. McCain did not get the memo and was still compromising John.
I think at the end of the day, when one is elected to an office and is in the minority, it is harder for some to shake that off when suddenly, you are the majority. And that is why we have the kind of Republican that we have in Sen. "F--- You" McCain. A deal cutter.
But, there is hope.
I am hopeful that if Sen. McCain is elected president, I think he can be more forceful for some conservative initiatives. Not want I would necessarily want, but he will no longer be the maverick. In fact, he is no longer the maverick. He is now the big cheese. And, he must act accordingly.
Being the one in charge has to be hard for one who started his political climb in the minority. But, I am hopeful that as the election season moves on, Sen. "F--- You" McCain will be more aggressive in a conservative, Republican agenda. Sen. John McCain is no longer in the minority. Sen. McCain is in control of his own destiny.

The Supremes Get One Right

Today in a 6-3 decision, the United States supreme court decided that the Bush administration overstepped its authority and ruled that the state of Texas does not have to reopen a case in which the convicted killer of two young girls was sentenced to death.
The case gained fame because the convicted killer, Jose Ernesto Medellin is a Mexican national who had been in the United States illegally. But, because Medellin was a Mexican national, according to the International Court of Justice, Medellin should have been able to contact the Mexican consulate and consulted with Mexican diplomats. Oh, yes Mexico is one of those countries that has such a high matter of conscience that they oppose the death penalty.
For the record, this animal killed two young girls, Jennifer Ertman, 14 and her friend Elizabeth Pena, 16, in such a sick, depraved, brutal way that I will not write it here in this blog.
But, Medellin has been very much fighting his execution and used his home country, Mexico, to do it.
The Mexican government filed suit in The Hague, The Netherlands, at the World Court that the United States violated a 1964 Vienna Convention pact that when a foreign national is arrested in another nation that the have the right to contact their nearest consulate and or embassy to huddle with diplomats. Of course Mexico won and the case and the Bush administration acquiesced and ordered Texas to reopen the case of Medellin.
Of course Texas said no way.
And the supreme court said that Texas did not violate the "rights" of Medellin and that they did not reopen the case. Now Texas awaits when the supreme court will rule on if lethal injection is "cruel and unusual" punishment. What this animal did to the two girls was beyond cruel and unusual.
This was a near assault on the United States constitution by the Bush administration and six courageous supreme court justices, led by chief justice, John Roberts, said not this time.
If you do not think this upcoming presidential election is important, look at this decision in November and vote accordingly.

More Telling Evidence Sen. Barack Is Nothing But A Garden Variety Socialist

Today, radio talker Hugh Hewitt http://hughhewitt.com, devoted his show to the fact that Sen. Barack Obama not only did the audio reading for his tome "Dreams Of My Father" but unedited. And due to the unediting, many a profanity made way to the abridged audio version of the tome.
Now, Mr. Hewitt thinks that this is another demerit along with the "Rev." Jeremiah Wright and the infamous Trinity United Church of Christ. You, it is unbecoming of a future president to read aloud how he talked in a lifetime ago.
I do not want to focus on that.
On one of the five soundbites, Sen. Barack talks about his entry to college. The disturbing line that stuck out was this.
When I entered college, I had to choose my friends carefully. I did not want to be seen as a sellout.
Firstly, who when entering college would think about such a thing? I mean, most people want to be assured that they will have A friend, let alone what "kind" of friend.
As the soundbite went on, Sen. Barack admits that he finds the most malcontent people he could associate with. You know the type. The socialist malcontents. Punk rockers, avant-garde types, 'politically active blacks', Chicanos, Marxist professors.
So, Sen. Barack, or was he known as Barry then, went for the worst of the worst in college life?
It is very telling on two fronts.
One, that this line of thought is not that of a "regular" person. One does not put that kind of thought into how they are going to have the college experience. As noted earlier, going to college is so different from high school. One can be the "big man (or gal) on campus" and be lost in the crowd in college. The thought most people have is are they going to have any friends at all. Not what kind of people they will hang with.
Then there is the calculating fact of those he "hanged" with. Why would someone who had aspirations at a serious political career, even becoming president someday, want to associate with those that are the worst of the worst in the college experience? To learn. To learn.
Being with these malcontents gave Sen. Barack meaning to his world view. It made what he had been thinking more than likely inside more alive. He went from being a mixed-race young man to one seeking his black identity.
There is a reason that he went to Chicago, became a "community organizer", code for left-wing agitator, joined a decidedly "black", no "African" church and moved up the political ladder in the Chicago Democrat party machinery.
The reality is that Sen. Barack, a man who was a "post racial" candidate, used his black identity to throw his white grandmother, one who he wrote in the tome that was nothing but sweet to him, under the bus by saying she used racial slurs and expressed fear about black men walking by her on the street. And, he stuck by his racist minister, expressing feigned shock and chagrin when confronted with some of his greatest hits, er sermons.
The fact is that Sen. Barack is nothing more than a garden variety socialist who has never let anything get in his way to attain power. Why, I am not sure he is really that much different from his opponent, Sen. Hillary Clinton. Maybe he has learned a little from the best.
Why would he put so much effort to chose the type of friends he would have in college? Only Sen. Barack knows.

John Adams

Have you been watching the HBO mini-series, "John Adams"? Well, you should for it is an excellent story of a forgotten hero in the American Revolution and shepherding the young republic.
Just finished watching episode three where it shows Mr Adams, played by Paul Giamatti, in France with Benjamin Franklin, played by Tom Wilkenson, trying to secure France's alliance with the fledgling nation to defeat and drive out the British.
I will give none of the plot away but I will write this.
Paul Giamatti is giving the performance of his career. And Laura Linney, who plays wife Abigail Adams is also stellar. Actually, all the stars, some lesser known, are putting in a terrific performance. The sets and the settings are very realistic and a testament to maintaining a painstaking accuracy that is so missing from many historical movies of this nature. It is a great story and the credit for this being brought to life goes to historian David McCullough who wrote such masterpieces as 1776 .
It is important to bring the history of this great nation to life. Since our public schools fail to do so, it is becoming more incumbent to turn to alternative forms to teach the next generation the important people that created the United States of America.
And for those that do teach American history and do so well, when this series becomes available on DVD, they should get as many copies as possible for this is one of those rare events that can be used for teaching, along with the book, which is an epic and a lot of pages.
Bravo to HBO and to actor Tom Hanks for being one of the producers of this masterpiece.
You still have time to catch up. The latest episode will be rerun throughout the week and part four will be next Sunday at 6pm, Eastern, 9pm Pacific time http://hbo.com.
It is well worth a little over an hour on a Sunday evening to watch such a drama unfold before our eyes.

HAPPY EASTER!

The Lord is risen, alleluia!
The Lord is risen indeed, alleluia!
Most of you will read this on Easter Sunday, the Day of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is the most glorious day on the Christian calendar. It is the time to renew one's life, remembering that God brought our savior, Jesus Christ, from the death of the grave to risen, new life. He showed the risen Jesus to those who believed, that were followers of his to the death. And, just in case there was any doubt, He showed the disciple Thomas, the doubting one, the scars on his hands and feet. The scars of his crucifixion.
It is the time of renewal, to draw closer to God and to renew not only our relationship with Him, but his son, the one that went to the cross for us, Jesus Christ.
Today, while you spend time with your families and friends and especially at church, remember that now is the time to make all things new.
For
The Lord is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed!

Don't Hire David And Michelle Patterson To Be Your Marriage Counselors

As if the state of New York does not have enough problems having a governor resign after being caught with his pants down, literally and figuratively, with a prostitute, the new governor and his wife admit to numerous episodes of adultery.
BEAUTIFUL!
According to the New York Post http://nypost.com, new governor David Patterson took the initiative and presumptively announced that he had been unfaithful to his wife, Michelle, not once but numerous times. And, if that is not enough, Michelle Patterson admits that she too had an affair, at least once.
But, folks, this gets better.
The Luv Gov, as the Post calls him, started with admitting to an affair with one woman. But it deteriorated from there.
Luv Gov then went on to blame wife Michelle and her infidelity, or multiple ones, as the reason he went on his spree of adultery. And there is the supposed fact that Mrs. Luv Gov was about to file for divorce. Gee, I do not have any idea as to why she would want to leave this winner.
As those infomercials scream, but wait there's more!
At least one or maybe two of the Luv Gov's conquests are on the New York state payroll.
And, here is how much of a cad this Patterson fellow is.
Some of his trysts were in a Days Inn in Manhattan. Now, I have stayed in many a Days Inn, with Mrs. rightviewfromtheleftcoast, and they are nice places and usually allow us to bring our Scout the Wonder Dog, but to have love in the afternoon? In New York City? As the New York Post's columnist Andrea Peyser noted, "Days Inn, David? Was Motel 6 booked?!"
Incredibly, this Luv Gov cad said this in a news conference, of course with wife Michelle at his side,
I betrayed a commitment to my wife several years ago. I do not feel that I betrayed my commitment to the citizenry of New York. I haven't broken any laws. I don't think that I have violated my oath of office.
WOW! Such an arrogant cad!
First of all, it is not just a "commitment" to his wife as the Luv Gov puts it. It is an oath. It is as follows in the Book Of Common Prayer:
In the Name of God, I take you to be my wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.
The last sentence has to be highlighted because a vow is also known as an oath.
Thus, the Luv Gov's claim that he simply failed to uphold a commitment with his wife, he really stretches the truth, big time.
It shows that both the Luv Gov and wife Michelle are not very mature people. Do not take the marriage vow very seriously. For if they did, should they have known that their marriage was in trouble? And, rather than hop in the sack with others not each other, should they have not gone into marriage counseling? To a religious mentor? Friends? One would think so.
But it shows how there is a real disconnect with those in power, whether it is politics, entertainment, business and regrettably, the clergy and the rest of us. Most of us would never let our marriages get to this point. Most would try to make even a token attempt to save a marriage.
But, these two feel it is nothing more than a commitment that they just could not keep. Kind of like being late for dinner. You apologize to the host and then enjoy the meal. Or a meeting. Again, you apologize and go on with the meeting. After all, these are just commitments, not much more.
Here is a real clue these people need to really read.
Marriage is the most serious vow that anyone will take in their life. For those of us of faith, we believe it to be the most important vow or oath we can make outside of, for the Christian, baptism. In the Holy Bible, Paul explains that it is the joining together of two different people, man and woman, as one. Jesus Christ must have taken marriage seriously for he did the first miracle of making water into wine.
I think that if politicians would take their marriage vows seriously, they may not be caught up in the power of their office that they think they can do and explain away anything.
No, David Patterson probably did not break the laws of New York state, but he and his wife broke the most important vow. The vow to each other.

Sen. McCain Already Looks Presidential

For this post, I will not refer to the Republican presidential nominee in waiting as Sen. John "F--- You" McCain. He is for this post Sen. McCain
The reason is that while Sen. Barack has to explain away his crazy uncle, er pastor, and Sen. Clinton sits back and laughs, Sen. McCain is travelling in the Middle East already looking like the president that he will be next year at this time.
Oh yes, it is bittersweet to write, but Sen. John McCain will be president and it is this trip to the Middle East that seals the deal with the American people.
So far, Sen. McCain has not done and or said anything wrong. He is meeting all the right people and avoiding those that will be nothing but an embarrassment. And once again, he started in Iraq and shows that as president, he will never hesitate to go to the front lines in the War Against Islamofacsist Terror. And that is something neither of the Democrat candidates for president can say.
Sen. McCain is calling this a congressional fact-finding trip, but that is a wee bit o' straight poop. Two of those along for the ride are Sens. Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), two of the senator's leading supporters. But, so what? I think they may be members of a future McCain cabinet and while they have some faults and one is not a Republican, they are supporters of the War Against Islamofacsist Terror. Too bad it could not have included Sen. Barack or Sen. Clinton. But they are too busy tearing each other to shreds to actually care about the focus of American foreign policy.
But, Sen. McCain and company do realize that while there are serious problems brewing with the economy, it is going to matter who is the commander-in-chief. And that, my friends, is the strong suit of Sen. McCain.
And that is what the American people are seeing, although it is getting sandwiched in between Spitzergate and his philandering succesor and Sen. Barack and the racist pastor.
Sen. McCain needs to keep up the aspect of his candidacy on the foreign policy issue of out time and focus hard on relaying to the American people that it will matter who the president is in this time of war. Sen. McCain is not for retreat and defeat. He is for victory. And not just in Iraq but in Afghanistan and all over the world where these Islamofacsist scum kill American soldiers and plot their next bloody assault on the United States.
Sen. McCain is transforming in our eyes as President McCain and the more he makes these kind of trips and explains his vision of the United States in the world in the 21st century, the more he looks like president of the United States.

St. Barack Is No More

One thing about "The Speech" that St. Barack Obama gave today in Philadelphia is that he did not back down and gave tacit support for his spiritual advisor, the "Reverend" Jeremiah Wright, soon to be former Head Pastor of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ.
And it is both a testament to "keeping it real" and the tragedy that he not only should have repudiated the vitriolic statements of the "Rev" Wright but said that he would have left the church.
The reality is that St. Barack was in a box. Had he condemned the "Reverend's" statements and said that he would leave TUCC, he would be a hypocrite and a political opportunist. And it would be correct. But, he threaded the needle by condemning the comments and explaining his relationship with the "Rev." Wright and basically saying he would not leave and is still a member of TUCC.
So, St. Barack has come to earth and is back to being Sen. Barack.
As far as the speech, there were some nuggets meant to appeal to a broad-spectrum in general, but when it comes to specifics, it was a rehash of grievances that will never seem to be overcome. Ever.
On the one hand, he talks about continuing the long march for a more equal, just, free, caring, prosperous America. Good, left-wing boilerplate issues.
As Sen. Barack goes on in the speech, he talks about his background, which is very much a modern American background for many. A black, African father, a white woman from Kansas, deep in the heartland of the United States. He talks about having relatives scattered across three continents. And, he pays due to the fact that this could only happen in the United States.
Sen. Barack addresses the issue of him being "too black" or "not black enough" for some Americans.
Then, he addresses the insidious comments of the "Rev." Wright.
Sen. Barack admits that the "Rev." Wright has been a harsh critic of United States domestic and foreign policy. That the "Rev." Wright had indeed made controversial remarks during sermons while he was attending services. And, that Sen. Barack did disagree with some of the comments and or views. And he points out that some pastors, priests and rabbis may have made remarks in which we have disagreed.
A couple of asides.
Sen. Barack does not mention imams for that would play into the rumors of he really being an Islamic, which I do not believe that he is. And, Sen. Barack deftly avoids some of the "Reverend's" greatest hits. Because he did not address specific remarks, he left it up to the imagination were he disagreed with the good "Reverend". And, that keeps the controversy from being swept under the rug, as Sen. Barack hoped that he would with this speech today. He failed on this point.
But, to Sen. Barack's credit, he went on to try to explain the "Reverend" Wright, where he is coming from so to speak. And here, he failed once again because it looked more that he was reading from Democrat talking points.
No where does Sen. Barack talk about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the fact that Jesus was so obedient to his father in heaven that he went to death on the cross to atone for our sins. And that Jesus sits at the right hand of God to await his coming in glory to judge the quick and the dead.
No, it is the Social Gospel. Or the Socialist Gospel. And in the case of TUCC, it is a black liberation, social gospel. It is where the "Reverend" Wright can, audaciously, claim that Jesus Christ was a black man that was killed by the white establishment of the day. Well, Jesus and the Jews are a Semitic people, not black. Unless the "Rev." Wright is referring to the Roman overlords, he really needs to re-read his Holy Bible. Pontius Pilate washed his hands and gave Jesus to the Jews to crucify. It is where the "Rev." Wright can say "No, no, no. Not God Bless America, but God D--- America. It is right there in the Bible!" Hmm, I am still looking for the "God D--- America" reference since America as a nation did not exist in biblical times.
Another aspect of the Sen. Barack speech is that he makes a not-to-subtle reference to his white grandmother. The reference is to her admission that she feared black men who passed her on the street. And for good measure, Sen. Barack made another reference to her uttering racial and or ethnic stereotypes that made him cringe. My question is, did anything his pastor may have said that were racial and or ethnic stereotyping make the senator cringe? How about when the "Rev." Wright made reference to "white" America getting what it deserved with the evil terrorist attacks on 9/11? Oh, thats right, he was not there that Sunday, so he says. And to the good "Reverend". Did the terrorists make sure to fly the planes into the buildings where only "white" Americans would be? Were there no blacks killed in the terrorist attacks of 9/11? I will not hold my breath waiting for that answer.
As the speech went on, Sen. Barack talk about his perception that issues of race have never really been talked about and worked out in this nation. Anytime people who think differently on race issues, like conservative black thinkers like Thomas Sowell, Dr. Walter Williams, Armstrong Williams (no relation to Walter), Larry Elder, Michael Steele and many others, they are referred to as sellouts or the time-worn insult, "Uncle Tom". So, unless we all agree with the socialist, left position on race relations, there will be no peace.
Further into the speech, Sen. Barack tries to justify how the "Reverend" came to his views. Coming of age in the 1950s and 1960s, when segregation was still law of the land. WHAT?! Yes, segregation was still the law, in a narrow part of the United States, almost entirely in the South.
Not to say that there was not tacit segregation in other parts of the nation, but it was not in law as it was in the South. That was not a slight error, it was a slight of hand to make his point larger. That it was in a negative environment that the "Reverend" Wright became the racial firebrand that he is now.
While there were some good points in the speech, overall it brought the once St. Barack back down to earth. He is now a human like the rest of us. His fault, if it is a fault, is that he is taken in by a minister that perverts the Holy Bible to justify an "African" view of the Christian story. In a sad way, it is no different from those in the Islamic community who pervert their religion for dominance and control.
But, Sen. Barack is running for president of the United States. For all Americans, not just black America. And, he needs to affirm that now more than ever. This was a mediocre start and it is a diversion that he can not afford to have now as he is about to nail the door shut on Sen. Clinton and become the Democrat nominee for president.
St. Barack is now Sen. Barack and that may not be a bad thing.