"When the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British Parliament was advised by an artful man, - who was governor of Pennsylvania, to disarm the people; that it was the best and most effectual way to enslave them; but that they should not do it openly, but weaken them, and let them sink gradually, by totally disusing and neglecting the militia."
--George Mason, speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, 14 June 1778
Here he is once again in all his arrogant splendor...Mr. Magic. Please Mr. obama, tell us all once again how you are bringing 'change' to America's political scene; I seem to remember during the campaign that there would be no new taxes and 95% of Americans would receive a tax break....did I take your campaign pledge out of context or were you just 'campaigning'(in other words, lying)?
Your 'stimulus bill' smells like pork chops but you say there are no earmarks or 'pork' in that little gem; re-paving airport runways, making sidewalks, teaching birth control....if I were to name all the pork(read, pay back all the favors rendered for getting your dumba** elected), I'd be typing here till doomsday or till my fingers were wore plum down to the nubs.
Now you start talking 'fiscal responsibility'....are you on the same planet as the rest of us? A tax levied on mileage by way of a GPS system installed in our cars....are you insane? What else will these beauties be monitoring? When I worked for the USPS, we had scanners that we had to scan bar codes at certain locations...had nothing to do with customer service, it was all about tracking us and checking to ensure that we weren't sitting under a shade tree taking a nap...but that's another story. You aren't going to make permanent the tax cuts Geo. W. Bush instated, when that expires what will happen then is a TAX HIKE dumba**! And if I'm not mistaken, there will be way more to contend with tax wise as far as you and your cohorts are concerned.
Top of this column is mentioned the way to 'enslave' a nation or the people....let me remind you Mr. obama, any infringement on our 2nd amendment rights is a violation....that includes forced insurance, imposing excessive taxes on gun purchases and shooting supplies. As a matter of fact, your policies so far are very reminiscent of national socialist party policies in 1930's Germany. How's that grab ya? Ol Adolph always said, if you're gonna lie, make it a big one...they'll fall for it better that way, have you been reading Mein Kampf? Thinking of adding any amendments to it?
Yessir, the only thing you didn't lie about was the fact that you were going to redistribute the wealth...Ol Joe the Plumber nabbed ya on that one but the voters musta been wearing their 'blindman's bluff' sunglasses, along with not cleaning out their ears cause you sure pulled that bunny out of the hat....stimulus my butt, fiscal responsibility, my butt....you are 'transparent', I'll give you that....just like the Emperor and his new clothes....we're starting to see right thru your kloak, the mirrors are starting to crack and the smoke is clearing. I just hope and pray to Our Lord that our Nation can survive however long your term turns out to be. You sir, are not 'Joe Cool', you are though, an empty suit without an original thought of your own in your entire life, you want to close Gitmo, where are those enemy combatants going to reside...maybe san francisco, maybe western Pennsylvania with your pals pelosi and murtha....why not let them stay with you at the White House? Joe Cool my butt...Joe Pathetic is more accurate.
Mr. obama, I will not be led around by the slick rhetoric your flute plays, nor will I be fooled into thinking you might ever tell the truth. You and your minions will realize one day what a nation can and will do when they finally come together and rid themselves of the pox you and they have visited upon our Nation....you were a long time coming and I hope you'll be a long time gone.
I recently visited the site where little Caylee Anthony's remains were discovered, found 2 Eagles nesting in the area and felt that they were sentinels that had been there the whole time watching over little Caylee...it did offer some comfort and I learned that Eagles are a Spirit Guide. These Eagles were nesting not more than 10 yards from where Caylee was found, normally when the amount of commotion that the discovery of Caylee caused, these fine birds of prey would have found a more solitude place to inhabit, yet they remain still....Angels from the Lord Jesus? That would be my guess.
These 3 crosses mark the place where Caylee was found, the area under normal conditions would be under water but since we've been under drought conditions since the summer storms, all the water has dried up. A privacy fence is no more than 15 yards to the right of these crosses, marking the back property line of a residence....how near to people yet so far and un-discovered. How is it possible that a neighborhood dog did not pick up the scent of little Caylee? In the below picture you'll see just how close to the street (Suburban Drive) ..maybe 6 or 7 yards, little Caylee rested so uncomfortably....I am incapable of understanding how a mother could take the life of her own Daughter, let alone leaving her in such a place as this. How is it that our nation has suffered such moral decay that the life of a little girl or boy, such as Caylee can be just tossed aside so the mother or parents can enjoy their lives without caring for the life they brought into this world? Where do we turn to find the means to correct such defects other than Our Lord, Jesus Christ?
This memorial to little Caylee grows each day, residents and visitors from all over come by regularly to leave a little something for Caylee....she deserved better, may the Angels and Eagles forever watch over her.
It does gall me to no end that while Caylee lay out in the elements, crawled over by all kinds of animals, insects and whatever other creatures, her mother had shelter, food, clothing and comfort...even though it was in jail...she wasn't treated as she had treated her own Daughter...with grave indifference. I certainly hope that whatever Judge and Jury deliberate this crime keep those thoughts in mind while trying to untangle the web of deceit and indifference the mother's defense puts forth....may Justice be served and may Caylee find peace and happiness at last with Our Lord God Almighty.
"The President is the dignified, but accountable magistrate of a free and great people. The tenure of his office, it is true, is not hereditary; nor is it for life: but still it is a tenure of the noblest kind: by being the man of the people, he is invested; by continuing to be the man of the people, his investiture will be voluntarily, and cheerfully, and honourably renewed."
--James Wilson, Lectures on Law, 1791
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"History affords us many instances of the ruin of states, by the prosecution of measures ill suited to the temper and genius of their people. The ordaining of laws in favor of one part of the nation, to the prejudice and oppression of another, is certainly the most erroneous and mistaken policy. An equal dispensation of protection, rights, privileges, and advantages, is what every part is entitled to, and ought to enjoy... These measures never fail to create great and violent jealousies and animosities between the people favored and the people oppressed; whence a total separation of affections, interests, political obligations, and all manner of connections, by which the whole state is weakened."
--Benjamin Franklin, Emblematic Representations
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Curiosity...now that word in itself can spur mankind on to great things; it can also lead mankind down a trail best left untrod upon. The mania created by the candidacy of barack obama for president was of a nature I have never witnessed, the promise of 'change' so far has been the only thing that I see was a mislead or more factually, a lie....there has been no change in the way politics are run in D.C., more 'cronyism' than I can think of, less transparency than has ever been and the assembled cabinet is one of the most corrupt and self-interest serving bunch that has ever been assembled.
For instance: have you ever been ticketed by an officer of the law for an infraction that he himself was guilty of while ticketing you? I don't mean speeding....although I've been passed by quite a few that were traveling well beyond the limit...but say, a burned out head or tail light? Small thing you say but you put enough of the 'small things' together and you have a big thing, you have those enforcing the laws thinking they are above it....our new treasury secretary, the man in charge of the IRS is guilty of not paying his own taxes and only attempted to pay what might satisfy the vetting process so he could take his seat at the cabinet level....his name escapes me at the moment but y'all know who I'm talkin' about. Then cometh tom daschle, his conveniently leaving out over $100,000 of unpaid taxes and looking to be confirmed as what, commerce secretary? The guy in charge of the ways and means committee, charley rangel owes over $75,000 in taxes but there's no out cry for him to step down from being the committee chairman....I guess he's above the law like daschle and the other guy. Now a few words about our new secretary of state, hillary rodham clinton who's hubby...you know, slick willie of cigar smoking fame...receiving contributions from foreign countries that his wifey will be dealing with as sec. of state....that's encouraging isn't it? What happens when she has to get tough with a country that has contributed beaucoup money to hubby? Will she keep the best interests of America in mind or worry about maybe owing a 'debt of gratitude' to that particular country for it's financial generosity to hubby?
obama has sworn to protect and uphold our Constitution, I sincerely hope he does but there are nagging questions in my mind...too cynical or skeptical you think?, maybe but it's hard for me to understand, let alone accept a politician from Chicago, an unknown one at that, to rise so high, so fast without owing someone or group of 'someones' a few favors. Mr. obama, will you be a guardian of the Constitution or a destroyer of it? Our founding fathers were adamant about the role of the Federal Government and the role of State's Government...making States fall subject to the Fed in so many different instances creates animosity, same as trampling the People's rights, clearly defined by our Bill of Rights. To turn your back on either will only kill both, destroy our country/republic and lead us down the path to socialism/communism....barry, just do the right thing because it's right.
The Greatest and Most Recognized of the Shawnees was The Great War Chief & Warrior, "Te'-cum-seh" (which means "Panther in the Sky) in Shawnee he was killed in the Indian Wars of 1813, October near Lake St. Clair,Ohio.He was 44 years old.He is buried in an unknown, hidden place near his birth place of Pi-qua, Ohio.
4 Bands of the Shawnee Nation: 1. Loyal Shawnees 2. Black Bob Shawnees 3. Eastern Shawnees 4. Absentee Shawnees
4 Divisions in Ohio 1. Ne-qua-cha-Ke' 2. Chillicothe 3. Kis-Ka-po-Co-ke' 4. Pi-qua (Courtesy of the Kansas Historical Society in Topeka,Kansas, 1908)
13 Clans of the Shawnees 1. Wolf - Ma'-na-Wa 2. Loon- Ma'-qwa 3. Bear- Ma'-Kwa 4. Buzzard- We'-wa-see 5. Panther- Ma'-se-pa 6. Owl- Ma'-ath-wa 7. Turkey- Pa'-lu-wa or Pe'-le-wa 8. Deer- P'sake'-the or Pe'ski-the 9. Racoon- Sha'-pa-ta or E'the-pa-Te' 10. Turtle- Na'-ma-tha' 11. Snake- Ma'-na-to' 12. Horse- Pe'-se-wa- or Me'-she-wa' 13. Rabbit- Pa'-tahe-e-ne'-the
"But with respect to future debt; would it not be wise and just for that nation to declare in the constitution they are forming that neither the legislature, nor the nation itself can validly contract more debt, than they may pay within their own age, or within the term of 19 years."
--Thomas Jefferson, letter to James Madison, 6 September 1789 ______________________________________
In these days, especially in the past three and a half months, the words of Thomas Jefferson above should have more significance than what is being practiced in our federal government. The original stewards of the lands comprising our Nation, did a much better job of management...our own Native Americans...I prefer to call them the Indians because that's what they are and were before the days of the idiocy of political correctness. They managed the land with respect, they paid their debts in full at the time they were incurred; respect and responsibility were their watchwords.
For the sake of expanding the original colonies, the Indians were hoodwinked by the government at that time and forever more taken advantage of at every turn throughout the 'settling' of the west. If the way the Indian reservations of today are managed is any indication of how the corrupt elected officials in D.C. will manage our tax dollars...we, as a Nation, a Country and People are in very sad condition with an extremely bleak future outlook. Think about this as you enjoy the accompanying music slideshow, created by the great, great granddaughter of Tecumseh, war chief of the Shawnee tribe. Thank you Hanta' Hoi, LadyHawk, Little Hawk....my Tribal Sister....Na'Wa-cum'-seh, Little Bear.
We, as a Nation should be ashamed with the way we've let our government handle the stewarship of our Country......THINK ABOUT IT!!
"No country upon earth ever had it more in its power to attain these blessings than United America. Wondrously strange, then, and much to be regretted indeed would it be, were we to neglect the means and to depart from the road which Providence has pointed us to so plainly; I cannot believe it will ever come to pass."
—George Washington, letter to Benjamin Lincoln, June 29, 1788
To continue with my trip around the famous or infamous battlegrounds of The Great War, after touring Ft. Douamont, we trekked in a circle east of the city of Verdun; various monuments and trenchworks were everywhere to be seen. One amazing story I have mentioned earlier was the one about the 'Bayonet Trench'; it's a fascinating story to say the least. At one point in the battle for Verdun German shellfire was so intense, so concentrated that it buried French soldiers alive in their trenches. Pictured above is the entry way into one of these trenches, it had to be barb-wired off because of souvenir hunters taking the bayonets off the buried rifles...some of the rifle barrels are still visible; a very sobering sight to say the least. The area around the trench is beautiful and serene even as the horror is heard from the buried soldiers voices; truly a stark contrast and a testament to the brave Souls that perished there.
This is a view of the trench itself, if one would start to excavate around just about anywhere, they would unearth rifles, helmets and bones...this would be tantamount to desecrating a grave and is highly discouraged. Given the danger of unexploded ordinance all around the Memorial, it's not really safe to wander off into the lush wood surrounding the trench; try as hard as I could, I couldn't get a picture in my mind of how devastated the surrounding area had been during the battle. Although the A.E.F. did not take part in the battle of Verdun, I felt a deep pride, knowing my Countrymen had taken part in defending the freedom of the French and helping by doing their part in the preservation of the world as it was to become. It's just too bad that a more fair treaty at Versailles had not been attained....but then, is it possible that it wouldn't have mattered anyway and things would still have played out as they did? A good thought to ponder.
Here is a monument preserving the site of a village that had been targeted many times by the Germans and French as they fought back and forth for the ground, all the inhabitants that didn't flee were killed; a dramatic waste of human life, a whole generation of the worlds fine men were cast into battle like so much firewood into a fire...how many scientists, scholars, authors, doctors, artists, poets and other writers were lost, not to forget fathers and mothers, sons and daughters. A terrible waste of life but it was all for something that we all cherish....Freedom! If you die a free man or woman, it only matters that you've died free and fighting for what you believe in or, just a free man or woman passing after a full, free life. How many would exchange that for life under the rule of a dictator?
Montafucon, Fleurry and others that I didn't get to visit, it's all surreal as you drive on the road and read the sign saying you are now entering Fleurry or Montafucon and then the sign saying you're leaving that village...with nothing but a monument in between; very somber feeling that is.
Next time will be the west side of Verdun along with some of the Meuse/Argonne offensive.
The family and friends of Col. John Walker Ripley said their final goodbyes during a moving funeral ceremony on November 7, 2008 at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He was laid to rest with full military honors in a ceremony that left most attendees either teary eyed or speechless. Among the honorary pall bearers was Lt. Col. Le Ba Binh who fought with Col. Ripley in Vietnam and actually witnessed the destruction of the Dong Ha bridge; the 30th Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Carl E. Mundy; Lt. Gen. Sir Henry Beverly of the British Royal Marines, a long time friend of the deceased; and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Col. Wesley Fox.
As the polished black hearse carrying the body of Col. Ripley approached the steps of the main chapel two Marine infantry platoons in dress blue uniforms with rifles and fixed bayonets snapped to attention. The seriousness of their demeanor was a clear indicator that they were just as capable of fighting a battle as they were of paying tribute to a war hero. Moments later, six more Marines, looking like they were carved out of marble, approached the hearse in a slow cadence and solemnly removed the casket. They then carried it up several flights of steps and gently placed it on the bier in the back of the chapel. “Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee” The afternoon sun filtering through the stained glass windows illuminated the incense that wafted through the air, creating a blue haze that seemed to hover over the top of the flag-draped coffin. All of this created an ethereal ambiance that was truly unique. The people I met on the previous night at the wake made up part of the crowd who packed the chapel to say farewell. As I entered that blue haze, I saw a sea of 2500 mourners, many of whom were forced to stand for the entire mass. Row after row of academy cadets, dressed in formal attire filled the balconies above, while military officers, adorned with medals of gold and silver, sat in the pews below. As the coffin was brought forward, the Naval Academy choir intoned the mournful and soul stirring lines of the De Profundis; “Out of the depths I cry unto thee, O Lord.” The plaintive chant was originally composed as an appeal on the part of the disincarnate soul pleading for mercy before the throne of God. On this day, it produced an atmosphere of added grandeur considering the stature of the man whose funeral mass we were now witnessing.
Funeral Eulogies In his homily, Fr. Peter McGeory chose to bypass the stories of “Col. Ripley at the bridge.” He preferred to focus his words instead on the personal and religious side of the man. Col. Ripley was a soldier who went to mass on a daily basis when he was in town and did so with humility. “He was living proof that serving both God and country can be done with equal fidelity,” he said. His faithfulness to his wife Moline, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, was equally intense. Moline was an archetypal Southern lady who had been reduced to a wheel chair because of her illness. Father McGeory told of witnessing Col. Ripley at an Academy event one day kneeling on one knee next to his wife’s chair, gently speaking to Moline as he spoon fed her. Seeing his wife reduced to such a state caused Col. Ripley more suffering and required more strength of will than his superhuman efforts in the destruction of the Dong Ha Bridge. It would be one of the last bitter gulps from his chalice of suffering.
Captain Tom Ripley gave an equally stirring eulogy of his father after mass and also touched on his father’s religious side. He surprised the audience by telling them the proper way to use a kneeler during mass. You should not let your bottom touch the seat. “If you are going to sit, sit” he quoted his father saying. “If you are going to kneel, kneel, but don’t do both.” He then outlined some of the essential qualities of a Marine Corps leader. He must have the spirit of the attack, boldness and a receptiveness for risk taking. “If you are not comfortable operating with risk,” Col. Ripley would say, “then you need to get into a new line of work.” Academy cadets leaned with elbows against the pew in front of them soaking in every word as Captain Ripley finished with an anecdote that illustrated the loyalty of his father. In 1985, Col. Ripley lost a good friend when the commandant of the Naval Academy, Leslie Palmer died. When Col. Ripley went to pay his final respects to his friend, he was shocked to find there was no honor guard. He remedied the situation with a sacrifice that was as noble as it was arduous.“As the Senior Marine at the Naval Academy,” Capt. Ripley said, “our father stood at parade rest by Capt. Palmer’s body for ten hours. It was only after our mother called another Marine to replace him that our father would leave his friend's side.”
A Legendary Marine The Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James Conway began his eulogy with a reference to the long history of the Marine Corps and legends such as Joe Foss and Chesty Puller. "We read about their stories," he said, "but we did not have the chance to know them." “We were honored to know an authentic Marine Corps legend,” he said, “John Walker Ripley.” General Conway knew him for over 30 years and defined Col. Ripley as “a commander, a mentor, a friend” and “a consummate Southern gentleman.” A man who never got angry and the closest he ever came to using a bad word was “dog-gonnit.”“John was direct,” he said, “and you didn’t need to ask him something if you couldn’t stand the answer.” A good example of this was the heroic and politically incorrect testimony Col. Ripley gave against women in the military in June of 1992. Regarding women in combat, the Commandant quoted Col. Ripley as saying: “There are sheep and there are wolves and the wolves always win. So in the end political correctness has no place on the battlefield. There are generations of young Marine officers out there today, defending this country with that thought process in mind.” After the Commandant finished his comments, the choir intoned the Marine Corps hymn. The audience joined in and the words of this song never seemed so meaningful, since they seemed to define Col. Ripley so well. “We fight our country's battles…for freedom…and to keep our honor clean.”
Sublime Symbolism...At the conclusion of the funeral mass, the 2500 mourners followed behind the coffin as the body of Col. Ripley made one last trip across the academy grounds to the cemetery a mile away. The Marine Corps band, playing a drum beat, and two infantry platoons led the way followed by the hearse, the immediate family and friends.
As the coffin was put into place over its final resting place, the sorrowful crowd looked over their shoulders at what sounded like a plane taking off from a nearby airport. As the sound grew louder, four AV-B Harriers in a missing man formation flew directly over the flagged-draped-coffin. While the audience experienced a prideful chill, Captain Ripley choked back tears of gratitude for the enormous tribute on behalf of the United States Marines. He was unaware that his father would receive such an honor and explained for me the deeper meaning behind the gesture. Col. Ripley’s older brother Mike was a fighter pilot who flew three, thirteen-month missions in Vietnam and was considered by many to be the most tested pilot of the time. When he returned to the United States in 1971 he was asked by the Marine Corps to test fly the Harrier and was killed on one of the first runs when his plane crashed into the Chesapeake Bay. He left such a mark on the Marine Corps however that the top marine test pilot in the United States every year is presented the Mike Ripley Award in honor of him. It was one of the many symbolically beautiful gestures witnessed during the day: one Ripley hero honoring another. As the band played the Marine Corps hymn off in the distance, there was another symbolic gesture. In every other branch of the armed forces there are eight body bearers, who carry the coffin of the deceased. The Marines pride themselve in using only six. Unlike the others branches who carry the coffin at waist level, Marines carry their dead at chest level. After the fly over of the Harriers, we witnessed one more thing that makes a Marine burial unique. In a display of extraordinary strength, the six Marine Body Bearers raised the coffin of Col. Ripley to chin level as a symbol of the final respects being paid to a fellow Marine.
After lowering the coffin, the body bearers slowly grasped the American flag and pulled it taut over the top of the coffin while Father McGeory said the final prayers for the soul of Col. Ripley and sprinkled the coffin with Holy Water. The grave-like silence which had descended upon the audience was briefly interrupted by the traditional 21-gun salute. The three volleys, during wartime, were a sign that the casualties were taken care of and the fighting could resume. The painfully sad conclusion to the burial was the moment when the six Marines ceremoniously folded the American flag and presented it to Col. Ripley’s only daughter Mary: yet another symbolic gesture of thanks on behalf of a grateful nation.
Final Farewell..... At the conclusion of the ceremony, everyone was invited to a reception yet few wanted to leave. Many chose to remain close to the polished cherrywood coffin. A number of soldiers took the opportunity to give a final salute. Some kissed the eagle embedded in the top while others exhibited an almost inconsolable emotion. Col. Binh approached the bier and placed both hands on the coffin, as if seeking one final support from the man who fought so hard for his people. Overcome by grief, he mechanically fell to his knees, embraced the casket and wept profusely. I later had the chance to speak to Col. Binh. “You are no doubt moved by the remembrance of what Col. Ripley did for your country,” I asked. Being a man of few words, he simply nodded his head in mournful recognition as his eyes welled up with tears.
Before leaving the burial, I recognized a Marine who had been at the wake the night before as I sat alone in the chapel praying for the soul of Col. Ripley. I never tire of seeing the way American soldiers do the smallest things in the grandest way. This Marine entered that night, drew near the casket, removed his hat and bowed his head in prayer. He then replaced his hat squarely on his head, stood bolt upright and executed a solemn salute. After an about face, he departed the room in a decisive military fashion. Col. Ripley would have been proud of him.We spoke for a moment beside the grave and he seemed to have a need to share his feelings about the man to whom we were now saying our final goodbye. His demeanor was strikingly humble yet his upright posture and the glow of admiration in his eyes seemed to indicate a firm determination to follow in the footsteps of this great man. He was not alone. I saw the exact same look on the face of Naval Academy students who attentively followed every eulogy given for a man who is truly an American legend. While we all mourn the passing of such a legend we are consoled by the thought that his example will inspire generations to come. ______________________________________
Col. John Walker Ripley June 29, 1939 – November 1, 2008 * * * ______________________________________
Our sincere and heartfelt condolences go out to the family of Col. John Ripley. May he rest in peace!
Mr. obama, I will not be led around by the slick rhetoric your flute plays, nor will I be fooled into thinking you might ever tell the truth. You and your minions will realize one day what a nation can and will do when they finally come together and rid themselves of the pox you and they have visited upon our Nation....you were a long time coming and I hope you'll be a long time gone.
