History is a teacher

Edward Gibbon (27 April 1737 – 16 January 1794) was an English historian and Member of Parliament. His most important work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788. (that’s a long time ago 😉

One quote of his on ancient Athens I really appreciate is the following:

“In the end, more than freedom, they wanted security. They wanted a comfortable life, and they lost it all – security, comfort, and freedom. When the Athenians finally wanted not to give to society but for society to give to them, when the freedom they wished for most was freedom from responsibility, then Athens ceased to be free and was never free again.”

I am truly afraid history is repeating itself. I hope I am wrong. The coming election will be a watershed moment in U.S. history.

Power Pride and Arrogance

Power Pride and Arrogance or Ignorance and Naiveté

Speaker Pelosi has placed herself in the position of defending the wording of her message to Syrian President Assad.

The issue is really not whether or not she delivered the wrong message – the issue is Speaker Pelosi’s obvious naiveté regarding politics on the world stage. Her demeanor is scary, dangerous and somewhat foolish.  She is the person only two steps away from assuming the Presidency of the United States and she is acting like a power crazed court jester.

Perhaps she did not violate any diplomatic rules when communicating with President Assad but she put herself in the position of being second guessed and criticized.  She is operating in an arena where she has no qualifications and obviously fewer skills on the world stage.  Does she really believe King Abdullah cares one bit about the number of women in authority in Saudi Arabia?  The comment did make for some good sound bytes however.

So now we have Prime Minister Olmert of Israel telling us that Speaker Pelosi delivered a message he did not authorize.  Speaker Pelosi’s press machine is already in full defense telling anyone who will listen how she did not break any rules and stayed within the boundaries of her office.  Once again, I say it does not matter what message she delivered it matters that she is not qualified to play in this sandbox. 

Will Syria now assume they are more than a second class country on the world stage?  No one really knows but visits from self important demagogues will certainly not take away from this perception.  Will King Abdullah realize the error of his ways and appoint more females to important posts within the Saudi government?  When pigs fly!!!  As a matter of fact King Abdullah is now preaching the rhetoric that the U.S. is an invader in Arab lands and needs to leave the area post haste.  He is putting a multi billion dollar arms deal with the U.S. in jeopardy with his current stance on U.S. Mideast Policy. 

One would have to suspect that King Abdullah is concerned with his power base in Saudi Arabia due to the large influence of radical Islamist in the country.  Perhaps we need to stop selling arms to the Saudi’s and let them slowly return to the 7^th century.  The radicals talk about returning to the glory of ancient Islam but I really wonder what they would do if they no longer had air conditioning and Coca-Cola.  Remove the facade they have installed and we might see they really like Western culture. 

Speaker Pelosi – please keep up the good work and you may find yourself wearing a veil and being the servant matron for King Assad.  Should radical Islam get their wish and dominate the world stage including the United States, it will be ironic that individuals such as Nancy Pelosi would be the first to have their power diminished in a male dominated culture.  Good thing she does not qualify for one of the 72 virgins’ positions.

Terry

Christmas – Does It Really Require Courage?

I (Richard) write and produce several eNewsletters. One I do for an automotive paint and supply distributor named Auto Color. I released the last issue of the newsletter for 2006 today – called SupplyLines (you can review all of the archived issues here … if you care to). I included in this last issue of 2006 a little piece I ran across from a website I follow by Richard Weylman. It’s about Christmas. It’s about all the politically correct crap we go through these days during the Christmas season. It is short and sweet and it just makes sense ….. and, it ain’t brain surgery. So, I decided to pass it along to our faithful and loyal readers. I hope you enjoy and will pass along the link to you friends. Thanks – Richard.

The other evening a dear friend (a former executive of a large multinational company) told me that my wife and I were courageous because we openly declare to others “Merry Christmas” and we celebrate the birth of Christ. I never before saw this as anything to do with being courageous. Since my earliest childhood memories, I have always known that Christmas is a birthday celebration. Compromising one’s principles or denying beliefs for the sake of being accepted or approved by others is situational ethics at its worst. Perhaps it is time people were willing to voice and discuss that which it is they believe. Why? History records what happens when people do not celebrate Christmas if they are of the Christian faith.

In 1647, when Oliver Cromwell came to power, celebrating Christmas and singing carols were stopped. Carols survived because they were sung in secret. Not until Queen Victoria’s reign was Christmas “politically correct” again.

In a free society, no matter what each of us believes, it should not take courage to speak up and, in the case of Christmas, celebrate this historic event. Thus, with all respect and deep appreciation for every single subscriber to this weekly tome, I do wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

~ Richard Weylman

Hey – from Richard and Terry … Have a very, merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. And remember …. Life Ain’t Brain Surgery.

The روح شريرة of Christmas Future

Not being versed in the Arabic language I have no idea whether or not the Arabic phrase or word in the title actually means ghost or poltergeist but the word is the result of a search of translations on the Internet.

Seeing as how the Christmas season has been upon us for several weeks and will soon culminate with the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, I thought Charles Dickens would forgive me for taking off on his famous Christmas Story.  You remember the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and the visits from the three shades, ghosts or spirits.  The final visit from the ghost of Christmas future presented Ebenezer with a frightening picture of death and the penalty we all pay for not living a good life.  Ebenezer was scared straight.

Christmas … let me see, where did we get that name?  Well goodness me, from the celebration surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ .  Now, we all know the celebration in December is based on the Roman celebration of Saturnalia and most likely Jesus was born sometime in March or April according to some Biblical Scholars.  My comment is WHO CARES??  There is enough fact to believe that a person named Jesus was born to a couple from Nazareth and this person performed several miracles according to eye witnesses.  The celebration has occurred for centuries and currently is responsible for most retailers being able to survive for the rest of the year.

My concern for Christmas future is a concern over the survival of Western civilization.  Islam is currently the fastest growing religion in the world and poses a serious threat to civilization as we know it.  I know several Moslems and yes, they are nice people, however their religion is one of control and dominance over all aspects of life.  Those who criticize some of the religious right in this country should investigate what will happen when Islamic fundamentalism becomes a factor in our political process.  Notice, I say when and not if.  The trends are already in motion for this to happen.  For instance the recently elected Moslem who has stated he will use the Koran to be sworn into office.  Also note the public prayer call over loudspeakers in Hamtramck, Michigan.

An Islamic theocracy might actually have some positive aspects because they would virtually shut down the porn industry and most of the garbage from Hollywood, a fact overlooked by some of the politically correct myrmidons. Positive aspects aside, our future is very questionable should we allow the trend to continue unchecked.  Supposedly, a majority of Americans believe in at least some of the religious aspects of Christmas.  Why should this majority be denied the privilege to celebrate a holiday in public schools, public buildings or even airports?  Why are my so called rights any less important than someone of the Moslem faith?  There are no prayer rooms for Christians or Jews in the airports yet we are told we should set aside rooms for daily prayers for Moslems.  Another example of letting the camel get his nose under the tent.  Once the nose is under the head will follow and so will the rest of the body.

We have proven we can all coexist in our society and we should continue to do so with respect for culture and tradition.  I cannot imagine moving to Israel or any mid-eastern country and expecting them to meet my demand that a nativity scene be included in their public displays.  I suspect I would be asked to leave the country or face dire consequences.  Perhaps we should adapt the same principles when dealing with visitors or immigrants to our country.  All are welcome and may celebrate their own traditions but remember I too am allowed to celebrate mine and the fact that there are public displays in no way is a threat to you or yours.  Get over it!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!!

Terry

Immigration Reform: A Worldwide Issue

Let me say up front … I am not against anyone coming to America legally and playing by the rules; which should include speaking English. I ran across the following AP story about some proposed changes to immigration law in Australia. To me, this is another clear sign that this immigration issue is not just about Americans becoming paranoid or something. People in civilized nations across the globe are giving this issue attention. And as far as I’m concerned, it’s about time. A civilized society does not operate well without rules and guidelines and laws. The people create laws for a reason. It ain’t brain surgery. And I suggest we Americans start enforcing our laws on the books.

Australian PM Announces Citizenship Test

SYDNEY, Australia —  Migrants who want to become Australian citizens will have to take English exams and prove their knowledge of local history and customs under new guidelines introduced Monday by Prime Minister John Howard.

Would-be citizens and permanent residents will also have to sign a statement saying they understand commonly held Australian values, such as respect for the law, religious and individual freedoms, and the equal rights of men and women.

Howard said the tests are not intended to exclude non-English-speaking migrants.

“It is not designed in any way to keep some people out … but it is designed to ensure that people understand and have a working capacity in the national language, which is English,” he told reporters.

Read the full AP story here.

Write letters to the editors of papers. Write your congress representatives (link at right). Let your opinions on this issue be heard. Don’t be the silent majority. Do something. It ain’t brain surgery to figure out things aren’t working at the moment.

Have an unbelievable day!

Richard

Obituary of Common Sense

Someone recently sent this to us and based on what we can learn online, it has been around for awhile. There appears to be several versions with slight text modifcations. It says the Author is unknown. If you know who the author is, shoot us an email.  This is a great reminder of why we need to get this country back on track before it is too late.

Today, we mourn the passing of an old friend by the name of Common Sense.

Common Sense lived a long life, but died from heart failure at the brink of the Millennium. No one really knows how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He selflessly devoted his life to service in schools; hospitals, homes, factories and offices, helping folks get jobs done without fanfare and foolishness.

For decades, petty rules, silly laws and frivolous lawsuits held no power over Common Sense. He was credited with cultivating such valued lessons as to know when to come in from rain, the early bird gets the worm and life isn’t always fair.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you earn), reliable parenting strategies (the adults are in charge, not the kids), and it’s okay to come in second.

A veteran of the Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, and the Technological Revolution, Common Sense survived cultural and educational trends including feminism, body piercing, whole language and new math.

But his health declined when he became infected with the “if-it-only-helps-one-person-it’s-worth-it” virus. In recent decades, his waning strength proved no match for the ravages of overbearing federal legislation.

He watched in pain as good people became ruled by self-seeking lawyers and enlightened auditors. His health rapidly deteriorated when schools endlessly implemented zero tolerance policies; when reports were heard of six year old boys charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; when a teen was suspended for taking a swig of mouthwash after lunch; when a teacher was fired for reprimanding an unruly student. It declined even further when schools had to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student but couldn’t inform the parent when a female student is pregnant or wants an abortion.

Finally, Common Sense lost his will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses, criminals received better treatment than victims, and federal judges stuck their noses in everything from Boy Scouts to professional sports.

As the end neared, Common Sense drifted in and out of logic but was kept informed of developments, regarding questionable regulations for asbestos, low-flow toilets, smart guns, the nurturing of Prohibition Laws and mandatory air bags.

Finally, when told that the homeowners association restricted exterior furniture only to that which enhanced property values, he breathed his last.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son Reason. His three stepbrothers survive him: Rights, Tolerance and Whiner.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

~ Author Unknown

Pass it along.

Richard & Terry