JACK'S BLOG
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HistoryI have prayed for the safety of President Obama ever since the day he was nominated despite the fact that I have disagreed with everything he has done or attempted to do. The repercussions of his assassination would tear the nation apart. Fortunately, it seems that the vast majority of his detractors, like me, also limit their attacks to words and ideas. John Kennedy never engendered the same level of dislike among his opponents. Although they differed ideologically, Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives in those days all wanted the same thing, a strong and safe Republic. Who then could have wanted President Kennedy dead, even more so than President Obama? Unfortunately, there were many candidates. The mafia was not happy that Kennedy didn't follow through on the invasion of Cuba. They had lost a gold mine when Castro came to power and threw them out of their casinos and hotels in Havana, and the mafia had reason to believe that Kennedy owed them the favor. Castro himself was another likely candidate if for no other reason than to seek revenge for the countless assassinations attempts on his life. There were others. However, it seems that a lone gunman did the deed, inspired by ideas that were planted in him by America's enemies. No, Oswald didn't just wake up that morning and fire his rifle at the President on an impulse. Someone else incited him. That is why some jurisdictions have begun prosecuting those who utter hate speech. Professor/Senator Hayakawa famously wrote that "there is no magic in words". He was wrong. There is. People who utter hate speech cast spells on the mentally feeble and impressionable youth, and trouble ensues. Look at the recent outbreak of teenagers playing Knockout, aka Hunting Polar Bears. For decades, race baiters have grown rich sermonizing about the depredations of slavery even though that institution was ended nearly a century and a half ago and no one who either practiced it or suffered from it remains alive today. Likewise, they daily vilify whites as racial bigots even though the government dominated by whites legislated the end of that practice nearly five decades ago. Certainly, racial bigots still exist, but they no longer have legal sanction to inflict their prejudice on members of any race and are reviled by the majority of whites. Interestingly, these race baiters cling to the politics of the party that fought to retain slaver, who fought against legislative attempts to end racial discrimination, while castigating the party that fought for both. No one outside their confidants, certainly not me, can explain it.
Now the race baiters decry me and others like me who criticize President Obama as racial bigots. They refuse to acknowledge that our disagreements can be based on anything other than racial animus. It seems that they are so heavily invested in the election of the first black President that all reason escapes them. I understand. I cheered for them when they assembled in record numbers on the Mall in Washington, DC to celebrate his inauguration. Although I saw little hope for his success, based on his lack of qualifications and experience, I still hoped for his success just as I hoped for John Kennedy's and every other President regardless of their political affiliation, race, or religion. After all, to do otherwise is to hope for the failure of America.
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Army LifeThe family and friends of Michael Behenna have failed to obtain justice for this American soldier who has been incarcerated for a crime committed while serving his country. The Supreme Court refused to overturn the decision in his case in spite of numerous letters from senior military leaders warning that this injustice served only to deflate morale among service men and women as well as thousands of pleas from family and friends. The latest news from Michael's family, seen below, announces that they have hope that the newest parole hearing may result in his release. Let's all pray that it does. You may read the previous episodes of this continuing story at the following linked postings in this blog as well as the website dedicated to Michael. Original Posting: Who is more deserving of justice than the men & women who fight to defend our freedom? Update 1: Parole hearing scheduled Update 2: Parole denied Update 3: Government dragging its feet in responding to Supreme Court Update 4: Is justice delayed justice denied in the case of Lt Behenna? Update 5: Justice plods ahead slowly: Lietenant Behenna's case in conference at the Supreme Court Update 6: What price justice? Update 7: Justice denied Update 8: Can mercy answer an injustice? To the thousands of Michael supporters,
A retired Army colonel recently told us that there are three things that will change a person’s soul: war, prison, and the desert. These are all things that Michael has experienced in the past five years. As for the state of Michael’s soul we would say emphatically that it is at peace. In fact that is what Michael told the reviewers at his first Parole Hearing at the US Disciplinary Barracks (USDB) in Leavenworth on October 22nd. Without qualification he has no bitterness or enmity towards anyone for the unimaginable path he has traveled. Instead he continues to read, study, and improve himself as he looks forward to a future beyond prison walls. The USDB Board Michael met with will make a recommendation to the full Army Clemency and Parole Board in Washington DC. Hopefully, we will be scheduled to represent Michael before the full Parole Board some time in December. We will know two weeks after the full Board Hearing as to whether Michael will receive Parole. The holidays are fast approaching. For most of us that means the hustle and bustle of busy malls, Christmas music, and time with family and friends. But for those like Michael who ‘celebrate’ the holidays behind iron bars there is a dark and heavy cloud of loneliness that is difficult to fathom. Amid the smiles and laughter inside the packed visitation room at Leavenworth there remains an unspoken sadness; the cruel knowledge that when the clock strikes 4pm families will exit out one door into the fresh air of freedom and the inmates will exit out another door that takes them back to an unnatural place, devoid of so much of what we consider human. One door represents life, the other door represents death. Like life and death, grief and gratitude are blood brothers. One cannot have one without the other. It is almost always the experience of grieving what has been lost that makes us aware of how much we have to be grateful for. So on this coming Thanksgiving day, as our family sits between those two doors in the crowded visitation room at Leavenworth, our hearts will be filled with gratitude for the blessing of sharing time with those we love most on this earth. We will know that our time is short, but it is that very knowledge that will help us appreciate it even more. Our gratitude extends to all of you who have supported our son and our family on this journey. May you each have a wonderful Thanksgiving that is filled with a grateful heart and time spent with those you love. Peace be with you all, Scott & Vicki Behenna P.S. Please consider sending Michael a card, a letter, or even a money order (for snacks and phone calls) during this upcoming holiday season. We promise you it will make Michael’s day! Michael’s address is: Michael Behenna 87503 1300 N. Warehouse Road Ft. Leavenworth, KS 66027-2304 Guest BlogIt seems that my friend, Bill Husztek, a self-proclaimed conservative curmudgeon, has discovered the miracle of Obamacare. It has awakened the American press corps from a fifty-year coma... -- Jack Durish "For tis the sport to have the engineer Hoist with his own petard" – Hamlet Reading this morning’s Washington Post Editorial page, I had to rub my eyes and check the heading on the paper. Surely I thought someone was playing a joke upon me because there in bold print were two of the page’s three editorials in total opposition to every thing I know of the current Liberal programs. First, came "Ethanol takes a Hit – EPA policy change helps right an environmental and economic mistake." It opened with this,"ONCE TOUTED as a climate friendly renewable alternative to foreign oil, the corn-based liquid ethanol has been exposed as an environmental and economic mistake." Then,"Lured by federal subsidies, Mid-western farmers have devoted millions of acres to corn that might have otherwise been devoted to soil conservation or feed-grain production. Meanwhile, a `dead zone’ fed by fertilizer runoff spreads at the mouth of the Mississippi and production costs throughout the grain dependent U.S. food industry rise." I felt all my Conservative corpuscles swell in pleasure with this, "on Friday the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) delivered another policy defeat for ethanol - which is to say, a victory for common sense." Finally, I feasted on these closing statements: “In the case of ethanol subsidies the benefits do not outweigh the costs." And,"Indeed, the only flaw we can see in the EPA's announcement is that it doesn't go far enough." The second Editorial Title that caught my attention was this: "Liberalism gone awry". It was a delicious morning of reading these editorials in the Washington Post of all places. Is it possible that those people down there at that paper aren't in fact socialist wanna bees, but rather really Patriotic Americans with whom I tend to disagree? I shudder to think that, and yet... ? Please don’t let me wake up and find out it was all an April fools joke. You can read more of Bill's thoughts at Loomings of an Intemperate Mind 11/11/2013 2 Comments Does one-size-fits-all fit you?Trifle Robert sat on the seat in the corner of the fitting room. His wife waited outside. Sweat beaded his forehead as he rested before making another attempt to raise the sweat pants above the middle of his thighs. “Robert?” A scowl warped his features as his eyes rose towards the locked door. “Robert?” Robert hooked his fingers around the elastic waistband and stood to relaunch his efforts
“Robert!” “Yes, dear.” “What's taking so long?” Robert answered with a “harrumph” and gave it one more go. Minutes passed and the door opened just as his wife called out once more, “Robert?” Robert strode past his wife without looking at her. “Let's go,” he muttered and headed for the store exit. “But...” his wife protested trotting behind. “I told you that I didn't like the color,” he called over his shoulder. She frowned. “No, you didn't...” Robert stopped and turned to look at his wife. “Well, I did.” “No,” she repeated with a finger resting near the corner of her mouth and her eyes attempting to peer into her memory. “Well, I didn't.” “You didn't say it.” “I didn't like the color.” “There were others.” “I don't need new sweat pants.” “But the old ones are torn in the seat.” “Sew 'em up.” “What?” “Nothing.” Later, belted into their seats, Robert turned and wrapped his right arm over the back of the passenger side seat. He could see his wife out of the corner of his eye, pondering what had happened in the store. “Were they too small?” “Mfff.” “They were labeled 'one-size-fits-all'.” Robert glanced at his wife and the color rose from the back of his neck until it filled his cheeks. “One size never fits all,” he shot back. “But...” Robert interrupted his wife's thought by backing out quickly into the path of an oncoming car. The driver honked his annoyance and Robert answered with a curse. “Please be careful.” “I thought he was signaling that he wanted our parking space.” “Oh. I guess he didn't.” Robert glanced at her. “He's right behind us.” Robert checked the rear view mirror in time to catch the one-finger salute the other driver waved. Robert answered in kind. Robert's wife pouted without speaking until they pulled into the driveway at home. She held her silence until they were inside. “You shouldn't be so sensitive,” she said as he followed her through the front door. “I'm not sensitive.” The smile that crossed her lips in response wasn't humorous. “Don't you see the irony?” “What irony?” “You've been arguing with the rest of the school board to implement Common Core all month,” she began. “It's the same thing.” “What does that have to do with anything?” “You want our school district to adopt Common Core.” “And?” “Isn't that a one-size-fits-all system for education?” “Common Core is the program we have to adopt if we want to receive any federal funding.” “But, it's a ridiculous idea...” “Not you, too!” Robert cut her off. Robert's wife ignored his outburst. “You can't teach all children in any one school the same way. How do they expect teachers to implement the same program for all children in every school in the nation?” “They're the experts,” Robert demurred. “Who are we to argue with them.” “Parents.” “What?” “We're the parents. Aren't we supposed to know what's best for our children?” “Of course, we do...” Robert responded without ending his sentence. “What?” “We know what's best for our kids,” Robert answered, “but not every parent does.” “Oh my.” “What?” “You're beginning to sound like those experts in Washington.” “What?” “You know what's best for other people's children?” Robert paused and looked away as though searching for an escape. “Well?” “Maybe I... they do.” “I'll believe that...” she began and opened the refrigerator to retrieve a bottle of spring water. Robert waited for the challenge while his wife removed the bottle cap and took a drink. “...when you can get into 'one-size-fits-all sweatpants.” |
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