Conscientious Objector: The Desmond T. Doss Story

Hey blogging friends! Remember my post a few weeks back on Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector in American history to win the Medal of Honor? Well, the poignant documentary on Doss' story will air tomorrow at 9pm CST on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. I have no idea what channels TBN is aired on around the country or what time the film will show in different time zones, so please check your local tv guide so you won't miss this very moving film. I almost cried when I first saw this film and was disappointed that I didn't get to see it all. This time I'm going to record it so I'll always have it and watch it whenever I want. Please make sure you see "Conscientious Objector: The Desmond T. Doss Story". It's one small way to remember our vets and their sacrifice this Memorial Day.

Pray For Ted Kennedy

I've just learned that Senator Ted Kennedy has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. I'm floored. I don't like Ted Kennedy's politics at all but I'm asking everyone who reads PGZ to pray for him. Cancer is a demon. I've lost two family members to that monster and I feel for anyone who's stricken with it, and I feel for their families. So please put aside your political animus and pray for Ted Kennedy. He's a human being battling a dread disease; this is no time for schadenfreude. Compassion is what's needed now. May God bless you and keep you, Mr. Kennedy. In Jesus' name, amen.

The Company He Keeps

Poor Obama! He just can't seem to get away from unsavory associations.

First, there was his infamous 20 year friendship with America hater Jeremiah Wright. Then came an endorsement from the New Black Panther Party, followed by the revelation of his schmoozing with unrepentant, left-wing terrorist Bill Ayers. Later, the Palestinian terror group Hamas voiced it's support for an Obama presidency. And now a pro-Obama phone bank in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. You read that right. In almost every primary a group of Palestinians has called Americans urging them to vote for the big O. What's Obama to do?

Of course, no candidate can control who will endorse him. I'm sure there are violent extremists of one sort or another phone banking for Hillary Clinton and John McCain, too. Still, Obama's track record of attracting disagreeable people to his cause should raise some eyebrows, don't cha think? I mean, the fact that people who hate and kill Americans believe they have something to gain from an Obama victory is telling, is it not? Just what do they know about the senator from Illinois that we don't? Talk about things that make you go, hmmmmm.

Thwarted Again

It's happened again. Yesterday four members of California's Supreme Court flipped the bird to the people of that state and ruled that gay marriage must be allowed, despite the voters' rejection of it. When is this going to stop? When are activist judges going to return to their role as interpreters, not makers, of law? When are they going to stop spitting on the will of the people?

I'm sick of this! From gay marriage to illegal immigration we, the American people, are being spat on by judges and/or elected officials who think their job is to impose their "enlightened" views on us. The issue really isn't gay marriage, illegal immigration, or other things. The issue is the perversion of the American way of government by liberals who are committed only to their agenda, not to the political rules or moral heritage of our Republic.

Throughout America's history there have been people who wanted to change things. The movements against slavery and for women's suffrage are prime examples of that. And that's fine. If you want to change something in this country you're perfectly free to try, but there are rules to follow. If you want to repeal or add a law you lobby the legislature, and if you don't get your way you don't then get the courts to impose your change for you. That, however, has been the strategy of liberals, on both the state and federal levels, ever since Roe v. Wade. And it's kept this country in a state of constant ideological conflict.

Take Roe v. Wade for instance. It was the unconstitutional way the law was imposed, and not just revulsion against abortion, that has fanned the flames of the abortion controversy. If the fight over abortion was returned to the states like capital punishment was it would be a much less bitter and divisive issue. It's the same with gay marriage. In state after state gay marriage activists have failed to persuade most people to their point of view. But rather than redouble their efforts to change the public's mind they opt for the Left's usual tactic in the face of defeat: using the courts to impose their agenda.

It's amazing to me that liberals don't understand how much ill will this strategy has earned them. Many people who might be willing to accept gay marriage if it's voted in fairly are turned off by the courts shoving it, or anything else, down their throats. Liberals don't care. They are committed to "enlightening" us lunch pail folks, from the top down if need be. It's for our own good, don't cha know. This paternalistic attitude is one reason why I oppose liberalism.

I believe in persuading people to a point of view. I believe the legislature makes laws and the judiciary interprets them. I believe the Constitution is a "living" document only when it's amended the way the Founding Fathers intended. I DON'T believe in perverting our system in order to impose laws, policies, ideas, or values on the people when the people have already declared they don't want them. Sorry, liberals, but not everyone thinks your views are progressive; in fact, many of us find them downright corrupt, and forcing them on us after we've said "No!" only alienates us more. So, the California Supreme Court's decision may be a hollow victory for gays and their allies. The people of California have seen their will treated with total contempt. When they speak again it won't be pretty for the Left. I can't wait.

Happy Mothers' Day!

"When ever I held my newborn babe in my arms, I used to think what I did and what I said to him would have an influence, not only on him, but on everyone he met, [and] not [just] for a day or a year, but for time and for eternity." Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, mother of one war hero, one senator, one attorney general, and one president.

I've long felt that this quote from Rose Kennedy was an elegant testimony to the profound power, for good or ill, of motherhood. Please, mothers, use it for good. Happy Mothers' Day to all the moms out there who are shaping eternity for the rest of us.

Universal Health Care Explained

I've always been against universal health care but could never really explain why in a simple, effective way. Below is an article that does just that. It was written by my blogging friend Roadie who blogs at Roadhouse; check him out in my blogroll. Roadie was nice enough to let me reprint his article on PGZ. Once you read this you'll understand perfectly why universal health care is a bad, bad idea.

Universal Health Care Explained
by Terry Leasure, aka Roadie

"There's no such thing as a free lunch." One of many old sayings that have proven to be very accurate. This concept can be applied to many things in life, but none quite as important as life itself and, to a lesser extent, health care. As I watch the presidential candidates try to out-liberal each other on the "health care crisis" I can do little else than shake my head in disgust.

First of all, there is no "health care crisis". Yeah, I said it. Is health care expensive? Yes. Does that constitute a crisis? No. Cars are expensive. College is expensive. Coffee, cable, and blue jeans are expensive, but we don't refer to them as crises. A health care crisis is when there are no doctors to be found. Or when hospitals shut down. Ironically, this will be the result of the liberals' plan for universal health care. Let me explain.

Health care is a service, an important service, but a service nonetheless. It could also be considered a product. For this reason I can use the following analogy. Think of our health care system as the fast food business. Because we have the power to eat at McDonald's or Wendy's, Burger King has to make sure they make a better burger and offer better service than the other two. Arby's has to make sure it offers something even better by virtue of the Beef & Cheddar. Then Subway steps in and offers an even better deal than any of the others. This is called "competition", the end result of which is constantly improving quality, constantly expanding options, and competitive prices for the consumer.

Now, what if the government stepped in and offered free cheeseburgers for everyone? At first, everyone would rejoice. Then we'd notice a few changes. First, we'd notice McDonald's stores closing down, followed by Wendy's and Arby's. After all, no one is buying their products any more. Then we would notice a persistence drop in the quality of our government issued burgers. After all, why does the government need to worry about quality control when they are the only game in town? Menu options? Think again. Extra mayo? Not a chance. Fries? Don't even think about it.

You see, now the people we rely on to make our burgers are government employees. You know, like the friendly folks down at the DMV or the IRS. As long as they don't stick out in the crowd their job is safe. Now that the government has taken the profit out of the food business why bother with ten years of cheeseburger college just to punch a clock for Uncle Sam? Where's the incentive? Who wants to be a burger chef now? Certainly not the cream of the culinary crop. In fact, few people jump at the chance to do the job at all now that the money is taken out of the equation. This leads to burger shortages due to lack of production. Yet the demand increases due to the fact that the burgers are free now, and everyone wants one whether they need it or not.

To get your "free" burger you are put on a waiting list. Six weeks later, you have the cheeseburger you were promised. It is issued to you at a government facility and it resembles exactly what you would think a government issued cheeseburger would look like. If they forget the cheese just fill out the appropriate forms and someone will review your case in six to eight weeks.

Oh, you don't like cheeseburgers? You wanted a Big Mac, or a hoagie? Too bad.

Remember folks, it's one thing to sacrifice the quality and expediency of a cheeseburger for its cost, but what about your child's heart surgery? Do you want free health care or good health care for your child? You can't have both.


Bravo and amen, Roadie!

The Anti-Wright

Look at the picture of the handsome man to the left. Know who he is? He's Dr. Benjamin Carson, one of the world's preeminent neurosurgeons. He rose to fame in 1987 when he performed the first successful separation of Siamese twins joined at the back of the head. Dr. Carson shows how far any American can go, and what any American can achieve when they put their mind to it. Dr. Carson's story is remarkable, that's why I call him the anti-Wright.

Dr. Benjamin Carson was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1951, when in-your-face racism still stalked America. His father left the family when Carson was young so he and his brother Curtis were raised by their mother, Sonya. Sonya sometimes worked three jobs to support her sons. Rebellious, hot tempered Benjamin was on his way to becoming the stereotypical Black male failure until his mother stepped in.

Seeing the bleak future facing her troubled son, Mama Carson limited tv time for both Benjamin and Curtis and required them to read and write a report on two library books every week. The boys had to turn in the reports to their mother. That was the beginning of Dr. Carson's salvation. For years he'd hated and done poorly in school. Then one day his teacher asked his class a question about rocks. Carson was the only child who knew the answer, an answer he'd learned from the books his mom had made him read.

Suddenly, Benjamin Carson realized that he COULD LEARN! And with that realization came a thirst for knowledge that propelled him through middle school, high school, and university and eventually landed him in that operating room separating those little twins. And what really makes this story amazing is that Benjamin's mother, who'd required him and his brother to turn in book reports to her, had only a third grade education and COULD NOT READ. The book reports had been for her sons' benefit, not hers. By making them read books and write about them Sonya Carson was making her boys learn AND making them love to learn. She was also teaching them the discipline they'd need to be successful in all of life, not just school.

Dr. Carson, who survived a bout with cancer in the '90's, continues to distinguish himself in medicine and has also become a successful speaker and author. He especially seeks to inspire young people to achieve their intellectual potential and develop high character. To that end Dr. Carson created a "creed" which he calls Think Big. Follow this "creed" and you stand a good chance of being a successful and moral human being. Here it is*:

Think Big

T is for Talent. God has given you intellectual talent. Develop it and think of the careers where it will be useful.

H is for Honesty. Live an honest life and you won't have to worry about skeletons coming out of your closet at the worst time.

I is for Insight. Learn from the experience of people who've already gone where you want to go.

N is for Nice. Be nice to others and they will be nice to you.

K is for Knowledge. Knowledge makes you a valuable and needed person whom others will pay to keep.

B is for Books. Books, not television, are where you get knowledge.

I is for In-Depth Learning. Learn for the sake of learning, not just to impress people.

G is for God. Never get too big for your Creator.

This is the stuff Rev. Wright should be teaching in his church, not that the-government-is-out-to-get-you junk. All of us has a choice. We can choose to Think Big and become an inspirational success like Dr. Benjamin Carson, or we can think small and become a loud mouth high priest of the cult of grievance like Rev. Wright. I choose to Think Big. I choose to be an anti-Wright. What's your choice?


*This is a paraphrase from the info on the website http://www.achievement.org/.