Ducks on Christmas Eve

What, you might ask, do ducks have to do with Christmas?  Well, the cast of A&E network's very popular reality show, "Duck Dynasty", have been all over the news and social media since the Roberson family's patriarch, Phil Robertson, was suspended for stating his biblical beliefs in an interview with GQ.  I have watched and listened, ad nauseam, to the pundits and prognosticators from a plethora of venues.

I am a Christian, and I understand that Phil Robertson was just re-stating what he has read in the bible.  Like the apostle Paul he sometimes states things in very plain language that might offend those who are more given to euphemistic substitutions.  My friend David, who is also from Louisiana, and who has been featured here on several occasions, sent me his take on the situation.  I responded, and I am going to present our banter on the subject in today's post.  I hope you enjoy it.  Most Christians cannot separate the celebrations of Christmas and Easter because they are pivotal in understanding Jesus Christ and his ultimate purpose in coming to this Earth.  So, I think the discussion of Ducks on Christmas Eve is appropriate.

" Phil Robertson, star of A&E hit reality show Duck Dynasty, has been suspended from the show because of “anti-gay” remarks he made in an interview with GQ Magazine.

Explaining Robertson’s suspension, A&E indicated that “A&E Networks…have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community.”

But, as far as I read the interview with Robertson, he wasn’t responding to a question about homosexuality. He was responding to a question about sin.

When asked what he considered sinful, he mentioned homosexuality, bestiality, and promiscuity. Then he quoted from Corinthians that “…the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers. …Won’t inherit the Kingdom of God.”

We must ask why A&E was bothered that Robertson condemned homosexuality, but not everything else? Is it okay that he thinks bestiality, greed, promiscuity, drunkenness, slander, and swindling is wrong?

Is A&E’s problem that there are still Americans who believe there is something called sin? Or is their problem that Robertson includes homosexuality among those behaviors that are considered sinful?

Really, we should understand A&E’s dismissal of Robertson for what it is – the latest episode of left wing tyranny in America, aimed to undermine the legitimacy of religion and Christianity and to render the speech and religious freedom protections of the first amendment meaningless.

Here’s how my Webster’s dictionary defines sin: “The breaking of religious law or a moral principle, especially through a willful act.”

Christians don’t decide what sin is. The Bible does. Christians accept the Bible.

An individual speaking on behalf of homosexual activist organization GLAAD said he was “shocked” that Robertson “compared homosexuality to bestiality.”

But Robertson did not “compare” them. He simply noted behaviors that the Bible says are sinful.

It happens that the prohibition on bestiality appears in the Book of Leviticus in the verse directly following the verse prohibiting homosexual behavior.

Understanding Robertson is not hard. He is a Christian man who accepts the prohibitions which the Bible calls sin.

Understanding this gay spokesperson is a bigger challenge. He wants us to reject one Biblical prohibition – homosexuality – while accepting the Biblical prohibition on bestiality. Why?

If homosexuality is okay, why isn’t bestiality? Surely there are some who like it and would like their behavior legitimized. Why not?

So, again, we should be clear that the real attack is on Christians who take the Bible seriously. The real agenda is the de-legitimization of religion and casting our sense of right and wrong into the business of politics.

It’s pretty astonishing what is viewed as normal and acceptable today as part of the alleged openness of our society.

President Clinton, a very popular former president, who commands hundreds of thousands of dollars for speaking appearances, educated a whole generation of young Americans about oral sex, when it became public knowledge what he was doing with a young intern in the Oval Office of the President of the United States.

Just recently, our current president became the first sitting American president to address the annual meeting in Washington, D.C. of Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider and concluded his remarks saying “God bless you.”

Movies and television are awash with gratuitous violence, promiscuity, and nudity. And homosexuality is now regularly depicted as normal and as acceptable as Apple Pie.

Everything is open and acceptable in America today – except, apparently, being a believing Christian.

There was a time when religious freedom meant tolerance and living your life how you want.

Today religious freedom means open legitimization of whatever the Bible condemns and condemnation of any public statement of Christian conviction.

Maybe A&E is sending Phil Robertson out to pasture at Christmas time to deliver a message to the tens of millions of America’s believing Christians that it’s time to wake up, as our freedom disappears over the horizon."  David

My Response:

Disclaimer: I have watched Duck Dynasty twice.  The first time was because everyone said it was funny and didn’t have the kind of humor I find objectionable.  The second time was to insure myself that I hadn’t missed something.  Both times my “Hokey” meter went off early on in the broadcast and stayed on until I turned it off.  I had no objections to what was happening, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea.  I’m good with that.  I have an interior mechanism that is peculiar to me and I am satisfied that I don’t have to do what everyone else is doing.  I hate Face Book, but I find it a convenient way to communicate quickly with people I would otherwise not communicate with.  I think Phil Robertson has an audience that appreciates his honesty, and his boldness, in proclaiming before millions of viewers that he has been redeemed and is a Christian.  Even though I am not a loyal viewer, I very much appreciate this and think he has a special mission.

The Apostle Paul sent a letter to the Christian Church in Rome.  He did not plant the church, nor had he ever been there in person.  The church had been leaderless for about ten years when he wrote the letter.  The Emperor, Claudius, exiled the leaders of the Jewish Synagogue and the Christian Church (which he considered to be the same) for fighting with each other. The life style of the general population, and especially the elites (to include those in government) mirrored some of what we see today in our own country.  Paul addresses this early in his letter.  These excerpts from the letter are from the Living Bible (a transliteration in modern English).

Romans Chapter One.  Paul explains how God views sin; (Not Phil Robertson, God) verses 16,17 Paul gives us the theme of his letter and in it he says he is not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  In verses 18 and 19 he says; “But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, evil men who push away the truth from them.  For the truth about God is known to them instinctively; God has put this knowledge in their hearts.”  Men know what the truth of God is, but they have pushed it away so, in verse 24, Paul tells them what God has allowed to happen; 24 “So God let them go ahead into every sort of sex sin, and do whatever they wanted to – yes, vile and sinful things with each other’s bodies."  Paul, (Not Phil Robertson) lists sex sin first.  It was very noticeable in Rome in Paul’s day.  The ultimate result of their rebellion to the truth is found in verses 28 through the end of Chapter 1.  Verse 28; ""So it was that when they gave God up and would not even acknowledge him, God gave them up to doing everything their evil minds could think of.” 

The World, those who have refused to accept Jesus Christ as Savior, are still in rebellion to God’s implanted knowledge of what is right and wrong, and therefore subject to his righteous judgment.  The reactions of the executives at the A&E Network are very predictable and should not surprise anyone.  Phil Robertson has admitted that he is only a “sinner” saved by God’s grace.  The apostle Paul points this up the Chapter 3, verse 12; “Every one has turned away; all have gone wrong.  No one anywhere has kept on doing what is right: not one."

Paul then gives God’s solution to our dilemma in Chapter 3 verses 23 and 24.  23 – 24 “Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins.”

We know through reading the scriptures that because we are no longer “of this World” (although physically still in this world) we will not be liked when we shed some light on what is going on here by presenting God’s word.  When the light shines on the things that are going on in darkness, people will try to extinguish the light so their deeds, that they intuitively know are evil, won’t be seen.  As to how we should respond to this rebellion, I think this is answered by Paul in Chapter 12 of Romans verses 14 – 18; “If some one mistreats you because you are a Christian, don’t curse him; pray that God will bless him.  When others are happy, be happy with them.  If they are sad, share their sorrow.  Work happily together.  Don’t try to act big.  Don’t try to get into the good graces of important people, but enjoy the company of ordinary folks.  And, don’t think you know it all!  Never pay back evil for evil.  Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honest clear through.  Don’t quarrel with anyone.  Be at peace with everyone, just as much as possible.”

I think our response here is important.  We have a great opportunity to send the right message, and I hope we do so.   Pappy

Have a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year , Pappy

No Mas Pantalones

My dad told me when I was very young that there is no such thing as "Free".  He went on to explain that someone pays for it.

"Obamacare was sold as simply a refinement of the current system, retaining competition among independent insurers but making things more efficient, fair and generous. Free contraceptives for Sandra Fluke. Free mammograms and checkups for you and me. Free (or subsidized) insurance for some 30 million uninsured. And, mirabile dictu, not costing the government a dime." 

"I don’t care a whit for the insurance companies. They deserve what they get. They collaborated with the White House in concocting this scheme and are now being swallowed by it. But I do care about the citizenry and its access to a functioning, flourishing, choice-driven medical system."
Charles Krauthammer

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/charles-krauthammer-story-of-the-year/2013/12/19/1d862c98-68f9-11e3-ae56-22de072140a2_story.html?wprss=rss_charles-krauthammer

This article also contains numerous other stories about the huge fraud known as the Affordable Care Act, or more correctly, Obama Care.

The Federal Government is constitutionally allowed to legislate in the following four areas, Taxation, National Security, Manufacture of Currency, and Interstate Commerce.  All the rest is left to the States.

My uncle just wrote a letter to president Obama about his concerns for the future of our country if Obama Care is fully implemented.  Here is one quote from the response allegedly drafted by Obama.

"The Affordable Care Act is fulfilling that promise.  Before the law, insurers could discriminate against kids with pre-existing conditions.  They could deny coverage because of a past illness or charge women more than men for the same coverage.  And every day, people who thought they had good insurance were getting dropped from their plans and billed into bankruptcy just because they had the misfortune of getting sick." Barack Hussein Obama.

Folks, in case you didn't know, and obviously our president has no clue, that isn't insurance, it's WELFARE.

If you can name one program that the federal government is in charge of that actually works, I'll eat a bug.

Write your own letter of inquiry and I'm sure you'll get the same form letter in response with no real answers to your questions.  Our system with its built in checks and balances is broken and is being criminally abused by this president.  The current Congress and our Supreme Court are complicit in the illegal activities of this administration and all should be held criminally liable by the various states.  It is time for the individual states to exercise their constitutional rights and get rid of these criminal interlopers.

As you can see from the outset, the proponents of this unconstitutional piece of legislative garbage are incapable of delivering on even the most basic part, the sign up.

Folks, I don't care what your political affiliation is, it is time to seek and destroy this abhorrent piece of legislation.  There is no way that it will work, and it is sure to hit the mark of further destroying not only health care, but the freedoms that we value as United States citizens.  My doctor has already quit and I know of others who have mortgaged their homes just to stay in business.  I know of other peripheral health care providers who are looking at bankruptcy.  The law is in its infancy, and already the entire system of insurance and health care are at serious risk.

Harsh Winter

Dedicated to all those who live far enough north to experience this during the winter months.

               WINTER

Autumn’s colored splendor fades away.

It’s coming; I hear the north wind’s song.

Bare branches stand against a canvas gray.

Days shorten; nights become too long.

Cool, crisp, sharp, raw, blue.

Varied harshness marks its passing here.

Sometimes, weak ones do not make it through.

Occasionally, it makes the strongest fear.

Blinding brightness – Snow is on the ground.

Ice crystals bend the straining bough,

and break the silence with their tinkling sound.

Surreal, it manifests its beauty now.

The rudeness of its entrance dims at last

Warming gentle breezes bathe, heal.

God’s paints upon this dismal scene are cast.

From dormancy, a new life to reveal.

 Dennis Price

Christmas Passage

              CHRISTMAS PASSAGE

When I was young and all was fresh and new,

and Christmas trees were tall and covered up

with fancy balls and bubbling lights that shone

through glittering tinsel hung upon each bough,

I could not seem to tear myself away.

Colored wrappers topped with shiny bows

could hold me in their hypnotizing trance.

I could not sleep at all the night before

so tossed and turned until the morning broke.

With energy I’d never have again,

I peeped around the corner just to see

if Santa had put toys beneath our tree.

Then as I grew, my childhood feelings changed.

Replaced by facts, as notions were debunked.

But I still searched for presents just to see

if Santa had left one or two for me.

The years flew by and I was Santa Claus.

My kids were now where I could only dream.

And once again I shared with them the awe.

But, in that joy, was weariness it seemed.

Brought on by months of gaudy ads and things.

I sat amid the rubble of our fete

and thought on why we give the gifts we do.

And as I did a peace came over me,

Jesus was the reason for our mirth.

Born in the little town of Bethlehem

God’s gift to undeserving men on earth.

Dennis Price

Blue Spruce and Christmas

                    BLUE SPRUCE

With blue spruce tree I mark the season’s start.

Its Christmas smell stirs memories from my heart.

When as a child I marveled at the sight

of tinseled branches hung with colored fare.

Anticipating with each passing night,

the presents that Old Santa would leave there.

Its Christmas smell stirs memories from my heart.

With blue spruce tree I mark the season’s start.

Dennis Price

What do we make of this man?

I, like you, have only a filtered knowledge of the story and actions of Nelson Mandela.  Since his recent death I have listened to the canned praises of various media pundits who, I have come to know by experience, are about as phony as a three dollar bill.  So, I have done a little digging and I have gotten some information from sources outside the main stream and I offer them to you for your consideration.  You can then draw your own conclusions.

The following is the lead in to an article written by Dr. Pieter Moller, a South African historian.

"The Mandela Legend:

Webster defines a legend as “a story generally of a marvellous character, told respecting a saint”.  It has an historical background, but is often padded and tainted by fantasy.  In Mandela’s case, when the facts are viewed realistically and objectively, any sensible person will no longer see a saint, but a fantasy blown up to something supernatural.  It will become clear that a false image of the so-called beloved Madiba is being presented to the world.  He is by no means the peace-loving, gentle daddy he is made out to be, but nothing less than a tyrant.  He did not spend 27 years in jail for no reason, as continuously maintained.  One example of these untruthful presentations appeared in the London Independent, May 1993: “Nelson Mandela is a noble man ... imprisoned for 27 years for his dedication to the cause of Black majority in South Africa”.

How much of such misrepresentation could be ascribed to naive parrot-talk and how much to deliberate communist propaganda cannot easily be determined.  The truth is that he was not imprisoned on Robben Island without reason – not even because he was merely an opponent of apartheid.  He was there because he planned to overthrow a government and in the process, cause the violent deaths of thousands of innocent people (including blacks) – a crime which deserved the death penalty, and he must consider himself fortunate that the so-called apartheid-regime did not press for it.  In his auto-biography Long Walk to Freedom, het admits inter alia that he gave the order to plant the Church Street bomb during the 80's, which killed 11 innocent people and injured many more.

In spite of this he was built up to an icon and held up as “a man of reconciliation”, as “essentially moderate, a man of special discernment, a courageous freedom fighter”.  His international praise singers went as far as comparing him to Moses and George Washington.  Topping them all was the American negro, Jesse Jackson, who blasphemously lifted him to the level of Jesus Christ.  What is equally dumbfounding is that the post-1966 SA government hardly ever tried to unmask the real Mandela or his share in the Rivonia complot or his close bonds with the ANC/SACP, or to enlighten the public as to the aims of this alliance."

The remainder of the article can be read here:
http://hnp.org.za/site/index.php?id=67

Now let's look at an analysis of the history through the eyes of my good friend David, who is also an historian.

"Basically, Mandela was a communist and a terrorist who never renounced either philosophy.  I have heard on the news, ad nauseum, that he was a great "reconciler" when he got out of prison.  Not true.  He guided South Africa to where it is today, so let's take a very quick look at what Mandela has wrought.

When the Dutch, or Boers, first came to South Africa 400 years ago, there were very few blacks in the areas they moved into, mostly Hottentots living in caves.  The Zulus had a primitive, tribal empire to the north which they established after slaughtering the indigenous tribes who lived there.  As the Boers moved northwards and the Zulus moved south, conflict occurred.   Eventually the Boers prevailed and established a modern society for the time based upon agriculture.  When diamonds and gold were discovered in South Africa, the economy was further enhanced.  Thousands and thousands of blacks moved into the area over time and provided labor.

There had always been racial segregation in South Africa, and for that matter in all of colonial Africa, but the system was not given a name until, I believe, the 1940's when it became Apartheid.  So how bad was Apartheid?  Let's judge it this way.  From the 1960's through the end of the 1980's somewhere around 4 million blacks moved to South Africa from recently decolonized and now black governed surrounding countries.  Yes, they couldn't vote and had to ride on separate buses but they didn't care.  They had moved there to escape genocide because they were of the wrong tribe and to find decent jobs because there were none in their "liberated" native countries.

South Africa was a First World country with a booming economy with great educational institutions.  If you remember, I believe it was Dr. De Bakke, a Boer, who perfected heart transplants.  Both blacks and whites, could live there safely without worrying about having one's head cut off with a machete.

Today, South Africa's economy is in shambles, whites are fleeing the country, it has the highest murder rate and AIDS rate in the world, and laws have been passed prohibiting whites from holding most government jobs as well as restricting white employment by private firms.  The country has been reduced to a lawless, Third World jungle.

The cause of this was economic pressure from the US and Europe.  We were offended by South Africa's segregation system.  For unexplainable reasons, we have never been offended by the same thing in reverse in black governed countries, even when those countries seized all white property and forced white people to leave.  We applaud South Africa's new government even though it is corrupt, inefficient, and enacting policies against whites similar to those in force against blacks during Apartheid. 

We make heroes out of people like Mandela who was directly responsible for thousands of deaths, mostly of blacks.  We adore him even though he was a member of the Communist Party, an ideology sworn to overthrow our form of government, for most of his life and which he never, ever renounced.  He was given the Peace Prize even though he was a senior director of the African National Congress, a terrorist organization. 

What fools we are.  We were primarily responsible for the destruction of the only even half way civilized country in sub-Saharan Africa and the only true ally we had on the continent.

I don't know if it is over yet in South Africa.  The Boers are a very tough and stubborn bunch of folks.  The government seems to be leaving those out in the country, on land they have farmed for 400 years, alone for now.  However, talk of seizing the land and giving it to blacks is going around.  I can't see that that will happen peacefully.  Basically, the blacks are scared of the Boers...and they should be.  Those folks have no where to go.  It is my understanding that most of the whites leaving the country are of English extraction, people left over from the colonial days when South Africa was an English colony.  I could be wrong, but I think the Boers will fight.  If left alone and if we don't interfere, there is a very good possibility that they could win.  Unfortunately, we will probably stick our noses into it again to make ourselves feel good and that would result in a terrible tragedy for the Boers."

David

Walking Alone

Here is another guest editorial by my good friend David.  He has included an editorial written by a female Marine.  I like this picture.  It says a lot about what we as concerned Americans should do in this time of blindly following the Pied Piper of political and social correctness.

Here is a link to the best evaluation of using women in combat I have seen.

http://www.westernjournalism.com/the-problems-of-women-in-combat-from-a-female-combat-vet/

I remember seeing an hour long special on the Israeli military 20-25 years ago.  One segment was on women in the military.  It showed them marching with their Uzis and undergoing combat training in segregated units.  There was a woman reporterette who was handling the females in the military part.  She was interviewing a female Israeli general and babbling about how wonderful it would be if the American military would allow women in combat roles.  The general looked at her and said, "I don't think you understand.  It is true that all our women are trained to fight, but our women don't fight until all of our men are dead."

Some time in the past year or so, the liberals in Israel won out and women were put on the lines in a women only combat unit.  Didn't work out too well.  The last I heard, the women are still officially listed as being in a combat unit but what they actually do is guard duty.

This administration is causing damage to our military that will take years to recover from and believe me, our enemies are noticing.  My friends in the military tell me that the women serving in many positions in which they have no business being in are a large part of the problem.  On average, 25%, often more, of the women in a ship's complement on a six month deployment have to be shipped home due to pregnancy, injuries, nervous breakdowns, etc.  One fellow is an orthopedic surgeon and he says that the injury rate among women is at least ten times that of the men....and that's before any have been assigned to actual combat units.  For one thing, they don't have to meet the same physical standards as the men.  In fact, if a man can only meet the women's standards, he is discharged.

Homosexuals are wreaking havoc.  Thus far this year there have been more than 2500 male on male rapes recorded.  Senior officers, mostly lesbian, have now come out of the closet and there have been numerous cases of harassment and outright destruction of men's careers who do not agree with homosexual marriage.   Homosexual couples are showing up at the various academies' dances.  Chaplains are being discharged for refusing to marry homosexuals.

Throughout all of the history of the military, lying by an officer for any reason was grounds for discharge.  Has anyone thought about all of these homosexuals who have lied about their sexuality for years not being punished for doing so now that they have come out of the closet?  If they can get away with lying about that then why can't someone else lie about anything they wish?  You see the problem?  And now very senior commanders appointed by Obama and his minions are lying to Congress and the American people about the state of the military.

Women and racial and ethnic minorities are promoted in all ranks without regard to merit or ability in order to meet quotas.

Obama has been purging the ranks of senior generals, admirals, colonels, and Navy captains and replacing them with political appointees.  As an example, I would point to a comment made in front of a Congressional committee a while back by the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  He said the greatest danger facing the US is global warming.

Finally, our Navy has been reduced to a size less than before WWI, at least 30 squadrons in the Air Force and I don't know how many in the Navy and Marines have been grounded, the remaining pilots are often not even getting enough flight time to receive their flight pay because their flying time has been restricted, and our nukes are being dismantled in alarming numbers.

And that's just what I know about from the outside.

A couple of senior officers have recently told me that they have never seen morale so low, and that discipline and unit cohesiveness is ordering on being non existent.

This country is in great danger at the moment from a variety of sources with the emasculation of our military close to the top of the list.  This administration sees the military as some kind of grand social experiment, but it also perceives it as a some kind of fascist outfit which needs to be reduced in number and brought in line to be politically controlled from within by people who are like minded with the administration.

If Patton were still around he would likely be starting a revolution about now.

David

The Old Sage

Aging Memories

A century old sage
on his old Farmall cub
strokes his gray stubbled beard
stained with tobacco juice.

“Everything’s changed
Ain’t nothin’ the same
‘cept the tractor,
the house,
and the barn.”

He grins and spits.
“Got no teeth, but still chew.”

His old red tractor
chugs, sputters, and squeaks
much like he does.

Slowly, memories come.

Memories of childhood
clearer than yesterday.
The house as it once was.
His life as a young man.
Those in his family now
all passed away.

“Everything’s changed
ain’t nothin’ the same
not the tractor,
the house,
or the barn.”

Dennis Price

Life

Perception (from the Latin perceptio, percipio) is the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the environment.^{[1] Wikipedia}

Life’s Little Pleasures

We plan.

We work.

We save.

We dream.

But life is seldom as it seems.

A germ.

A gene.

A wayward act.

Can throw perceptions off their track.

A hug.

A kiss.

A tender word.

Can let us know we’re not alone.

That other’s dreams have not come true.

Life is life.

So on we go.

Not so sure of what’s in store.

But fearing less that great unknown.

Enjoying “little” more.

Dennis Price

Patriotic Bikers Ride

This is written in support of all those "Patriotic Bikers" who joined in the effort to show in numbers their support for their country in riding to Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2013.  Authorities in D. C. have refused to give them a permit to ride straight through with the streets blocked (a two hour closure).  Now they plan to ride through obeying all traffic laws (stopping at stop signs and traffic lights), a plan that will likely take the entire day.  The quotes used in this post are taken from an article in WND by Bob Unruh.

Gabriel says the facts are that Muslim immigrants to the U. S. are responsible for a disproportionally large number of domestic terrorism cases.

“Of all immigrants who have ever immigrated to America since its birth, America never encountered such hatred and terrorism coming out of one faith based group in our country that accounts for less than 2 percent of the American population and is now responsible for over 80 percent of attacks against America,” she said.

“In 11 years since 911, the Islamic American community has not organized a one million man march to condemn Islamic terrorism against America and call Hamas, al-Qaida, Hezbollah, al-Shabaab, and other groups by their names – terrorists,” Gabriel said.

I add my thoughts in poetry:

           AMERICA

Out of revolution,

the grip of monarch’s rule.

Driven by freedom.

Necessity.

Founded on values

from God’s holy book,

the glue that binds,

in trust,

its varied masses.

America

Through fire of war,

without,

within,

was forged in strength

a strong republic.

America

And though the vision dims

in her prosperity,

she rises to the challenge

when tyrants seek

to quell her voice.

America

Blessed by God,

we must hold those

values close

that bound

our loose knit colonies

in their infancy.

America

Dennis Price

Obama's Military Leadership

I don't know about you, but given Obama's lack of respect for anything that resembles the established values for our great nation, I have trouble taking him seriously on anything.  I was struggling with just how to say in a few words what some of our politicians can't seem to grasp, so I turned to an e-mail sent by my good buddy David earlier this week.  I think it is a great capsule view of what's going on.  I hope you enjoy it. Thanks David.

http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/2013/08/30/patton-middle-east-mess-may-be-exactly-what-obama-wants/   This article is by Doug Patton

"Barack Hussein Obama is either the most inept president ever to sit in
the White House or he is an enemy of the Republic. He could be both, but
I defy anyone to suggest a logical third alternative.

For the last ten years, I have watched this man’s uncanny rise to the
pinnacle of power and vacillated between those two choices. His
inexperience suggested the former, but his ideology made me wonder what
he would do when the international chips were down. I have come to the
conclusion that ideology trumps inexperience. His ego is so massive, and
his leftist beliefs and Muslim upbringing are so strong, that he is
willing to throw our country as we have known it — not to mention any
inconvenient allies — under the big international bus.

Let’s review our Middle East policy since Obama took office in January
2009. He made it his top priority to go to the region and prostrate
himself before the Islamic world, bowing before Saudi sheiks and telling
outrageous lies about the great and glorious history of a religion
rooted in 7th Century barbarism in his now-infamous speech in Cairo.

Since then, he has unilaterally withdrawn from Iraq while perpetuating a
semi-war in Afghanistan that is doing nothing but getting our troops
killed a few at a time.

And, of course, he has proceeded to do everything in his power to place
as many crazy Muslim zealots in power as he possible can.

So now what do we have? We have Egypt, formerly a solid U.S. ally whose
leader kept the peace with Israel for thirty years, in flames and in
danger of becoming a Russian ally, at best, or imploding into Islamist
chaos, at worst.

Next door, in Libya, where every terrorist in the area is still laughing
at us after the fiasco in Benghazi, we have replaced a tinhorn tyrant
with a truly dangerous al-Qaida-run government, a scenario we are about
to repeat in Syria.

Meanwhile, the calculating Shiite Ayatollahs in Iran are watching our
every move and threatening to “rain down missiles on Israel” if we
attack the government of their friend in Damascus, Bashar al-Assad.

Hard as it may be, try to look at the Middle East through Obama’s eyes.
He thinks the United States is the problem in the region. He has stated
so repeatedly, beginning with that speech in Cairo. He obviously
believes the same canard George Bush kept repeating about the “religion
of peace.” The difference is that Obama cannot or will not differentiate
between so-called moderate Muslims and radical Islamists. Bush at least
knew that when people attack us, they probably are not our friends. He
also was willing retaliate against them when they proved themselves hostile.

Obama hates Israel, and he no longer has any need for the naïve liberal
Jewish vote that helped put him in office — twice — so he feels
emboldened to do what he wants to the tiny Jewish state. If Iran attacks
Israel in promised retaliation for a U.S. strike on Syria, Israel will
be forced to defend itself, possibly with nuclear weapons. Given Obama’s
willingness to twiddle his thumbs and pretend to agonize over his
decision to make any moves against the Syrian regime, thereby giving
every terrorist mullah in the Middle East time to plot revenge, one has
to wonder, will he do anything to defend Israel?

And if you think that lofty entity known as “The World Community” gets
up in arms over the use of a few canisters of chemical or biological
weapons, wait until you see the ginned-up outrage that will arise
against Israel when they defend themselves with nukes. After all,
America is still getting flak from the Left for using them on Japan 68
years ago. Such a scenario would provide Obama — not to mention a lot of
cowards in Congress on both sides of the aisle — with the excuse he has
long sought to abandon our only real ally in the Middle East.

Add to that the fact that the chaos this president has encouraged all
across the region could drive the cost of gasoline in the United States
to double digits — another Obama dream come true — and one more piece in
his radical environmental puzzle slides into place.

If I could name more than a handful of statesmen in Congress, I would
begin to wonder when the word “impeachment” might seriously be spoken there."

Doug Patton

What am I missing here?

I am having great difficulty with this whole idea that we are somehow compelled to take action in Syria.  I had no problem with trying to take action against Iraq.  We were attacked here in  the United States of America on September 11, 2001.  And, to the best of our ability we, in conjunction with our Intelligence Community determined that the biggest threat came from Iraq.  We took definitive action, and almost without argument the people of the United States including a majority of our elected representatives agreed with that action.

Unfortunately for the military personnel on the ground there, the decision making process was taken out of the hands of our generals and put back in the hands of politicians after our initial overwhelming success.
Then the political scheming started and the opposition party claimed that the intelligence was faulty and started to chip away at the resolve of our troops there.

Then, the portion of the electorate that hardly knows geography beyond their street address, elected a president who, by all standards previously applied to the office, was unqualified to hold the office.   He has systematically chipped away at the morale of the military and has minimized its ability to carry out its original task of ridding the world of the threat from Al Queda through our efforts in Afghanistan.

Now he wants to unilaterally engage in acts of war with Syria.  There has been no attack on the United States, and there is no immediate threat from Syria.  They are engaged in a bitter civil war.  Now, the same people who railed against the actions of president George W. Bush for his actions after we were attacked on September 11, 2001, are the same ones calling for U. S. military intervention in the civil war in Syria.

In the whole of the middle east, we have one ally and that is Israel.  Why? Because Israel is not a Muslim country.  The rest of the region is in the death grip of the world wide Muslim movement to force Islam on all people.  Those who resist will be killed.  They also have power struggles going on within the various Muslim sects over which sect will be in control.  It really isn't going to matter in the long run who wins because the resultant government will be run by Muslims.  There will be no democracy and no freedom because Islam does not recognize these concepts. This is true of all the Muslim countries in the World.

If these chemical weapons attacks are in fact real, regardless of who was responsible for their use, shouldn't the United Nations be condemning the actions of Syria and bringing the full weight of the rest of the World to bear on punishing them?  As it stands, we can't find anyone who seems concerned enough to get involved.  I would like to address the Congress and the President and tell them to stand down.  We have no business in Syria.  We have problems enough of our own that require our full attention.  If the World is so concerned, let them form a coalition to address the matter.

Dieting

I am always being told by the doctors I see to lose a few pounds.  At one time in my life I could lose 30 pounds in a month with no problem.  I also could keep it off for more than a week.  Now I am lucky to lose 10 pounds in three months.  I wrote this poem long ago and it still seems to fit today.

            DIETING

No, low, free, light;

words I often see

when browsing through my pantry

or refrigerator door.

Let us have some lettuce

with our sprouts and tofu.

One more glass of water if you please.

Measure out a steak

no bigger than my palm

and I shall chew it slowly

while moving Brussels sprouts around.

Adjust the bathroom scale.

Move it ‘round the floor.

Take an average weight for best results.

One more glass of water if you please.

Do you have a public restroom?

I ask every where I go.

One more glass of water if you please.

How many times should one get up at night?

I wonder how much pressure

waistband closures can take?

Isn’t there a pill out that doesn’t make you shake?

One more glass of water if you please.

I’m fasting today.

I really think it’s water weight.

Dennis Price

"Food is an important part of a balanced diet."
       -- Fran Lebowitz 

Rodeo Champ

On a hot summer afternoon, I was driving home from Killeen, TX to Leander, TX after a hard day's work digging out a fire scene.  I spotted an old pick-up truck parked on the road side with the bed full of watermelons.  I knew my wife loved watermelon, so I stopped to see if I could get a good one.  An older gentleman got out of his lawn chair and met me at the back of the truck.  He introduced himself as Joe Hood, former Rodeo Champion.  I enjoyed his company for quite a while and he was the inspiration for this poem.

                OLD RODEO CHAMP

I saw an old pickup all loaded with melons

one hot summer’s evening not too far from Austin.

Sitting beside it, a graying bent cowboy

in faded blue Wranglers watching the cars pass.

I stopped, we spoke, he arose from his lawn chair,

struggled to stand, and walked to his truck’s bed.

“Good ones?” I asked.  “Sweet ones?”

He nodded.  “Three dollars a piece or two for a five spot.”

“Pick me a good one.” I said as we stood there.

He turned a few over, and looked at their skin.

“Rabbits won’t scratch the ones that aren’t sweet.”

He said nonchalantly, his blue eyes a’ sparkle.

I found a scarred one and placed it aside.

“I’m Dennis,” I offered. 

“I’m Joe,” he replied

“Did you farm all your life? 

He answered, “No”.

Then I stood there and listened for two hours or so.

“I’m a Rodeo Champ.” He smiled as he spoke.

“Or I was through the fifties, that’s a few years ago.”

“I did it all.  Rough stock, ropin’.

“We had to back then - the purses were small.”

“Bulls were my favorite.  Everyone liked them.

I got extra money when side bets were made.”

He told me about it, the good rides, the great ones.

Clay Bank, Poison Ivy, the rankest of all.

Each ride was re-told from cinching to buzzer.

The bucks, the twists, the bruising come downs.

I finally left.  He was smiling and waving.

Three bucks and two hours well spent for us both.

Dennis Price

Gore - bal Warming

I normally wouldn't post twice, especially poetry.  However, that great trumpeter of Global Warming continues to amaze me with his not so transparent antics.  This guy is not a scientist, or a poet, but he will use anything to keep the myth alive.  The myth of a "man made" causation of climate change has been debunked at the highest levels of science.  Climate changes because God wants it to change from time to time and nothing the Green Energy crowd can do will ever change that.  Al Gore is comical in his attempts to keep his cash cow alive.  He probably has the largest carbon footprint of any current or former politician, but will keep spouting his bilge until his coffers are full.  If you missed the poem he wrote, you can Google it, or click on the link below for a reference.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/6757794/Al-Gore-pens-bleak-climate-change-poem.html

I read the poem when it came out, and decided to pen one of my own.  It follows stanza for stanza Gore's effort.

Whatever month you choose,

the world will turn

and tilt as seasons cycle

in their scripted course.

As vapors come and go

from land and sea,

so may some life forms

as they have through

eons past.

Snow falls when temperatures

dip low,

and rain, where temperate

climate reigns.

And floods, whenever God allows.

The score of nature is

not ours to tweak.

And lightning burns

the forest for a reason.

Our world is still in flux

and changing,

as all of life,

is here but for a season.

The deserts shift to

fruited plains.

The sea becomes dry land.

But not one change

on this old earth

was wrought by man’s

own hand.

Creatures come and go,

but not because some bell

has rung.

The shepherd does

the best he can.

But in the end

it’s up to God.

Not man.

Dennis Price

Dragonfly Verse

I've seen quite a few Dragonflys lately.  I'm sure they've seen me too.

Dragon Fly

A dragon fly

with bulging compound eyes

zigs, zags, and zips

across the sky

transparent wings a whir.

Landing lightly,

dainty,

sprightly,

on my shoulder now.

In kaleidoscope

it sees my face.

Dennis Price

That wonderful time before your mind completely lets go of the night.

        Sunrise

Epiphany?

No, just the rising sun

blasting through the frosted

glass on the east wall.

A laser.

Eyes closed,

I can feel it.

No fast moves.

Aroma of dark elixir.

Quiet electric hum

inside insulated walls.

A favorite time

that does not last.

Dennis Price

Jake and Shorty

Some folks might question the value of poetry about cowboys, but I hope you enjoy the story of Jake and Shorty.

               JAKE AND SHORTY

The day was hot when he was born

Midst bushes low and full of thorns.

Without the aid of doctor’s skill,

Just mid-wife and his mother’s will.

With serenade of howling wind.

In shanty house with roof of tin.

And there he grew, a ranch-hand’s son.

He learned to ride and use a gun.

Roping, throwing, branding steers

Hard work hardened through the years.

A lot of man on stubby frame,

Shorty Briscoe was his name.

Jake Reed was another hand.

He and Shorty raised some sand.

They worked from dawn to setting sun,

Then went to town when work was done.

Jake was tall, wiry and hard,

And Shorty Briscoe was his Pard.

One weekend when the work was done

They rode to town to have some fun.

Ambling through the swinging door

At Pecos Rose’s as before.

They spied a stranger standing there

A fancy Dan with perfumed hair.

The stranger’s gun was tied down low

With yellowed ivory grips for show.

His eyes were steely gray and mean,

Soft hands with fingers long and lean.

He drank alone, but glanced their way

Inviting them to make a play.

Jake just laughed and turned away.

A grave mistake - He’d make them pay.

The stranger called for Jake to draw.

Jake moved and faced the pale outlaw.

The gunman’s move was smooth and fast

Jake hit the floor ‘neath fiery blast.

  

There was Shorty standing tall.

The bullet missed and hit the wall.

The shootist knew he’d erred that day

As Shorty Briscoe blazed away.

When smoke had cleared, the stranger fell;

Jake stood up alive and well.

 Dennis Price