The Runaway Bride Says Yeehaaah!

What Will the Democrats Do in Power?

The New Democratic Party

What do I think the Democrats will do in power? I think they will do the best they can. They want peace and good things for America just as much as any Republican.

I think they sense that even though they won control of both houses, many of their new faces are actually conservatives. Jim Webb, for example, who beat George Allen for a senate seat in Virginia, is about as conservative as you get. Webb, a former Republican, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and was a highly decorated member of the Marine Corps in Vietnam. Webb served four years with the Reagan administration as the nation's first Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs and as Secretary of the Navy.

The New Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Howard Dean are wild-eyed radicals, literally, with Pelosi’s Runaway Bride eyes and Dean's "Yee-haah!" Pelosi brings her “San Francisco values.” I don’t intend any negative reference to pro-gay by this—rather, I mean ultra-leftist positions like hating the military. Dean is just a hateful guy, ready to blow his temper in a moment, always disrespectful of the President and of half the country.

Yet, these two are pros also. Pelosi, I believe, will set aside her wild-eyed instincts for radical socialism and radical progressivism in order to appeal to the American voter base, which is centered far to her right. She will work with Jim Webb well, and other Democratic conservatives. She will be outwardly cordial to the genial Bush, but will maintain her steely meta-message that this man, to her, is dangerous and needs to be followed with, uh, someone like, well, Hillary in ’08.

Corruption

Will the Dems be as corrupt as the Republicans were? I don’t know. I hope not. Can’t politicians ever learn? It does seem that power corrupts. We’ll all just keep an eye on them.

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The Budget

What about a balanced budget? Who knows? Dean balanced the budget in Vermont when he was governor. Pelosi champions a balanced budget in all her speeches. Yet, in the same breath, she’ll go on to mention all the new Democratic social programs she will introduce. Sounds like more spending to me.

What about taxes? Yes, I believe Democrats will keep their word on this. They will ruin the good economy by raising taxes, not just on the rich, as they claim, but on everyone.

The Environment

Democrats, I believe, will be more zealous in protecting the environment, which could be a good thing if they don’t ruin business in the meantime. I don’t object to solar panels on every home. Israel has these. Ultimately, they do help save oil, even though the initial costs are high. Go ahead, develop hydrogen power and ethanol resources. I’m not against becoming independent of the joke God played on the world by depositing many oil resources in the center of the radical Islamic world.

Civility

What about civility in government? The atmosphere will miraculously change now to civility, truly. Why? Because those nasty Republicans are out of office? No. Just the opposite. Because those nasty Democrats are in office, and they’ll stop their constant demagogic Bush-bashing and Republican-bashing in order to appear statesmanlike. There will be no need now for the squeaky wheel. They won’t have to harp day after day about the evil Republicans, the racist Republicans, the war-mongering Republicans. They have a new task, showing the American public that they are worthy of the presidency in ’08.

Democratic Agenda

The Democrats now will have the chance to at least propose their dream for America. Since their control in the Senate is slim, they won’t have a working majority in that body, but they will have a working majority in the House, which initiates bills. Of course, every bill they pass can be vetoed by the supposedly conservative Bush. So, any wild-eyed bill the Dems pass will be vetoed, even by the Great Appeaser.

The Democrats will have the chance to address all their pet concerns if they want, like health care, education, welfare, the homeless, gay marriage, ending the Iraq involvement, whatever. Their temptation will be to raise taxes, overspend, gut the military, abandon the Iraqi people, appease the terrorists, and empower the corrupt U.N. How much of this they do depends on how badly they want the presidency in ’08. If they are smart, they will curb their Runaway Bride eyes and “Yee-hah”’s, and become pragmatists—balancing the budget, advancing environmentalism responsibly, and remaining strong on the war on terror.

The Democratic Master Plan

My prediction is they will bide their time responsibly. They will act statesmanlike now, for the first time in years, in their dealings with the Republicans, and they will not propose a radical leftist agenda—until after they get the ’08 presidency. Then, all hell will bust loose. Then, they will change America forever. With Hillary in charge, and with Democrats still in control of both houses of congress, they will not be able to resist their deepest progressive urges, and we will become a socialist nation for some decades, until the pendulum swings back again to the good old days.

The War on Terror

I fear for the world in this area now that Dems are in control. Terrorists are celebrating the election all over the world. They are the happiest people on earth, even happier than Disney characters. I hope I, and the terrorists, are wrong. We’ll see. Either the terrorists will embrace the new appeasing American government, and stop blowing people up, or they will use this time of less pressure against them to build their arsenals quietly, so they can make their next attack even more spectacular than 9/11.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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Rushing to Carry Water

Conservative Rush Limbaugh said on his radio show on Wednesday, November 8, 2006:

Now, I mentioned to you at the conclusion of the previous hour that people have been asking me how I feel all night long. I got, "Boy, Rush, I wouldn't want to be you tomorrow! Boy, I wouldn't want to have to do your show! Oh-ho. I'm so glad I'm not you." Well, folks, I love being me. (I can't be anybody else, so I'm stuck with it.) The way I feel is this: I feel liberated, and I'm going to tell you as plainly as I can why. I no longer am going to have to carry the water for people who I don't think deserve having their water carried. Now, you might say, "Well, why have you been doing it?" Because the stakes are high. Even though the Republican Party let us down, to me they represent a far better future for my beliefs and therefore the country's than the Democrat Party and liberalism does.

See Rush’s entire diatribe.

With this, Rush speaks for me at this time. I sometimes don’t agree with Rush, but I have clearly stated in my prior posts how I feel that George Bush has abandoned his conservative principles, especially on immigration and spending. Plus, the toleration of corruption is not a conservative value.

In fact, to clarify, I would define myself as mostly conservative on several issues, but not mostly Republican. As one of the evangelicals who voted Democratic said yesterday, “We vote values, we don’t vote party.”

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Candor and Action

I notice that Democrats have a different tone today than pre-election. They are less yap-dog, less screeching. They actually sound sincere. I guess the power they now have is sobering them.

Republicans too sound different. The appeaser, George Bush, sounds terribly chastened. He got rid of Rumsfeld yesterday, surely in response to the electorate’s rebuke. Plus, he actually said (paraphrase) “The election’s over,” using this as the reason for his new candor on several issues.

This is a flawed strategy, Mr. President. The time to have fired Rumsfeld was two months ago. The time to have been honest was—all the time, not just after the election. Truth. I say it again and again. Just be honest. Explain what you believe, and why, now and always. Trust the voters to accept or reject who you really are and what you really believe.

The Need to be Liked

The Republican strategy in Iraq has been a failure, as has been their conduct in office. They abandoned their conservative principles in order to be liked. Bush is the leader of this kind of approach. Did it come from Carl Rove? Now Bush, with his instincts as an appeaser, will try even harder to be liked, leading to his being even less popular than he is now.

Rumsfeld, the Iraq War, and Political Correctness

I am glad that Rumsfeld is gone. He was not effective, and never was. I still feel that invading Iraq was right, and that we’ve done a noble thing there in liberating the people. We fought a politically correct war there, though, just like in Vietnam. Again, this is because Bush wanted to be liked.

Did it work, George? You should have just won the war, and ignored the leftist sniping. You’d be popular now. People would have ignored the sniping. Democrats would still not have loved you, but they never will. They never loved Reagan either. You usually can’t have love and respect from your opponents. These opponents, too, were not just opponents. They were enemies.

The Architect and the Evangelicals

So, the great Carl Rove, the “genius,” the “architect,” masterminded an historical defeat for the Republicans. He made the mistake of trying to fool his base instead of listening to it. He threw them some bones immediately before the election, while ignoring them the last six years. Even 29% of evangelicals this time voted Democratic. Why? They felt used. They were deeply unhappy with Republican pork barrel spending, the lack of immigration reform, and the botched war effort.

The Job of a Good Politician

I think the way you get liked and loved and respected is to sincerely try your best to help the people. If you believe in conservatism, then you explain it, promote it, teach it, propagandize it, and enact it. If the electorate then don’t want it, even after you’ve done your best to sell it, that’s their right. You don’t appease them. You respect them, but you stand your ground. You let them choose whether to accept or reject you. In order to be a great politician or president, then, you have to be willing to let the public vote you out of office for your sincerely held beliefs. Yes, listen to your electorate. But don’t hold your finger up in the air to test the blowing wind.

The Wimp Factor

Before the first Iraq war, George Bush Sr., Bush 41, was labeled with the “wimp factor.” He got this reputation by raising taxes after having promised not to. (“Read my lips: no new taxes.”) I accuse this Bush, Bush 43, of being a wimp.

Get a backbone, George. It may be too late to save this country from liberal values, from future terrorist attacks, and from a generation of Democratic control now, because of you. If you change course now, do it in the direction of courage, not appeasement.

Principle versus Appeasement

The models are Reagan versus Schwarzenegger. Principle versus appeasement. Reagan proudly proclaimed his conservativism and championed it with the American people. As a result, he won, big time. Bush now has lost the House and the Senate, with appeasement. California governor Schwarzenegger, on the other hand, did win with appeasement. I respect Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum more, though, who lost in this election by sticking to his conservative values. That’s the kind of man or woman I want in office. Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman from Connecticut, running as an independent, won without appeasement. It can be done.

Leadership

I think the difference is leadership. If you are a great leader, you listen to the people, and adjust to their desires and needs. You also, though, use the bully pulpit of the presidency to lead. If you are FDR, you try to urge America into the battle against world domination by the Nazi’s. If you are Reagan, you try to promote conservative values and get Mr. Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” If you are Bush, you do invade Iraq, but you fight an all-out war to win, and you ignore your critics until the job is done. Plus, if you are Bush, you teach the American people the lessons Reagan began about the values of conservativism. You don’t sign pork, and you don’t tolerate corruption. You do not put loyalty to your friends above the good of the country.

The American People Have Spoken

The American people announced they were no longer willing to be the water carriers for people who did not deserve to have their water carried. Conservatives voted for conservatives in this election, not for Republicans.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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Shock and Awe

Democrats Conquer America

I had a nightmare last night, and then I went to sleep. When I woke this morning, the nightmare returned. I guess it’s true. It’s worse than anyone thought. The Democrats have taken over the House, and probably the Senate. Nancy Pelosi and San Francisco values will Speak for the House. Governorships have fallen. The Republican Revolution? About as healthy as Castro.

Congratulations

First, congratulations to all you Democrats for your thousands of races in which you worked so hard. I know you are passionate about your beliefs, and you have won fair and square. The American people have spoken. We live in a democracy, and there is something to the collective wisdom of the people. So, I say to you America, you must know something that I don’t, and I humbly bow to your will.

A Few Bright Notes

Joe Lieberman won. The demagogues did not get this fine man.

Many of the Democrats who beat Republicans this election were actually conservative or moderate. This means that the country did not necessarily turn its back on conservatism. In fact, the Democrats, in some cases, may have learned a lesson from Bill Clinton and moved to the center, despite the leadership of the far-left Pelosi and Dean.

The Schwarzenegger Factor

Arnold terminated Angelides. Why? After his defeat in the special voting two years ago on all his losing, conservatively economic propositions, Arnold took a sharp turn to the left, firing conservatives, hiring liberals, but also engaging a crack Bush campaign team. The whole combination worked, and Arnold is back. He manages to remain conservative fiscally if in no other way. He’s not my dream Republican office holder, but I have to admit his formula is working.

The Pelosi Factor

I have to concede that this whacky raging liberal with her San Francisco values is a tough charmer, which makes her formidable. I, along with half a nation, cringe if her priorities and values ever become mainstream. We’ll get into San Francisco values in a near future post. Suffice it to say, she has reason to crow today, and she can relax her Runaway Bride eyes for a few days.

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The Dean Factor

Howard Dean is another reason to mourn. His demagogic tactics have paid off. This hateful man is now looking like the new Carl Rove. Democrats have also improved their get-out-the-vote drive, their internet prowess, and their general organization skills, beating Republicans at their own game.

Voter Fraud?

Where are the cries about voter fraud, my Democrat friends? I thought the Republicans were going to steal this election? With so many close races, voter fraud should have guaranteed Republican wins. What happened? Realize, Democrats, that you have been duped all along. The hysterical media you follow has always, and will always, lie to you. Again, yes, there is voter fraud. It is not organized, though, on a party-wide basis. There is no lurking Watergate with this Republican Party. At least in this area, the Repubs are clean. Learn a lesson from this, and start to be more discerning in your reading and viewing habits. Your hysterical sources are just that, hysterical and demagogic, simply untrue.

The Nightmare

So, now my friends, we live in the nightmare. Pelosi, Dean, Kennedy, Sharpton, Rangel and Reed will run the Congress and the nation, with an opposition, lame duck president. You get what you deserve. I hope that either these folks rise to the occasion and transform with power into something more than screeching demagogues, or that the next two years serve to show the American people what they have wrought.

A Few of the Good Guys Fallen

I deeply regret the fall of some great leaders. I’m sorry, for example, that Democrat Harold Ford fell. I love this guy. I regret that Republican Rick Santorum didn’t make it. Many good Republicans just got in the way of the Democratic tsunami. They apparently didn’t have a chance.

Why Did We Lose?

Republicans, and some conservatives, lost their races because there was a genuine desire for change with the American people. Republicans blew their chance. They botched Iraq and communicating about it, spent like drunken sailors, tolerated or participated in corruption, and failed to act on immigration.

I said before the election that the Republicans needed a spanking at the very least. They got a whipping. They were taken to the tool shed.

The Future

I fear for the future of my country. I will get behind our new government, but I lack any trust that they will act in the interest of the American people or the world.

On the other hand, maybe this loss will be a lesson for Republican leaders to listen to their base, and to blogs like this. You cannot ignore your base like you did, Mr. and Mrs. Republican leader, and Mr. Bush and company, and expect your followers to enthusiastically support you. Again, you did not live within your budget. You allowed our country to become more Third World with your open-border policies. You are fighting in Iraq the way we bungled Vietnam. You were corrupt, or turned a blind eye to the corruption in your party.

We are conservatives, Mr. President, and we elected you and your colleagues to be honorable, well-spoken conservatives, and you have failed us. Next time when we say close the borders, we mean close the borders. Don't think you can fool us with last minute electioneering and slogans about gay marriage.

The Demographic Time Bomb

One reason why the Republicans lost is changing demographics. America is becoming more urban, and more ethnically diverse, usually considered an advantage for Democrats.

In this area, I do think Arnold is smart, and Bush. Both never gave up on the minority vote.

My only problem is the way they have done this. They’ve both become panderers. Arnold and George refuse to stem the tide of illegal immigration, for example.

I think there is an alternate method of courting minorities. Invite them in. Bush has done this with his many African-American and Hispanic appointees, but he and Republicans must do more. Republicans and conservatives must actively court minorities. They must go to their churches and functions, recruit them as conservatives, and offer them even more leadership roles in the Party and in government.

I and my philosophical compadres deeply believe in the values of conservatism. I judge that Hispanic Catholics are a natural match for conservatism, and African-American churchgoers too. Plus, other minorities will join the cause if and when they realize that conservative values will help them financially as well.

Formula for Winning

Yes, we can win future elections by becoming liberal Terminators like Arnold, or, we can have the courage to act like Reagan, and become true conservatives again.

Believe me, Reagan would have won this election, Democratic tsunami or not.

Bush is no Reagan. Though I love George W. Bush for some of his stances, and for his doggedness and common decency, he just isn’t conservative enough.

And, he needed to study English in his formative years when he was anesthetizing his brain with alcohol. We need another Great Communicator.

Our Mission

Our mission is just and good and right. We can welcome Arnold into the fold, but we really need to find the next Reagan. Then, we need to do a better job of engaging.

Let’s get to work.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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Kudos to CNN

I always tune in to the “opposition” networks, the major liberal media outlets ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, MSNBC and the BBC. I do this to open my mind to the other side, to learn whatever I can that they have to teach, and glean whatever truth they may have in their biased presentations. Most of the time I cringe while I’m listening, as I hear another slanted story, another bash of Bush, their describing the war in Iraq as a “travesty,” their questioning the great economy, and so on. Their idea of “balanced” is to describe, constantly, what the Republicans are doing to get elected again, instead of talking about the issues. The ratio of guests is about 3 liberals to 1 conservative. They avoid talking about the things that are important to the nation, and instead harp on Democratic anxieties and fears.

You can always tell if you’re listening to a liberal station, or a truth station, by the content of the show. If the show is emphasizing voter fraud, it’s a liberal show. If they’re preaching “Broken Government,” it’s a liberal show. If the emphasis is on war casualties, how bad the war in Iraq is going, the national debt, voter dissatisfaction, the desire of the electorate for change, Republican corruption and so on, it’s a liberal show.

The truth stations are FOX, and, well, that’s all, and a handful of shows on the other stations, like The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Scarborough Country, and a few others with at least an attempt at balance, like This Week with George Stephanopoulos, and The Mclaughlin Report.

You know you’re listening to a truth station because they talk about the issues that are most on the mind of voters. They actually discuss terrorism, taxes, globalization, and the economy. They report corruption, but they don’t see it as a partisan issue. They investigate things like voter fraud, but without the hysteria. They talk about what’s going wrong in Iraq, but they seek solutions instead of just blame. They usually give equal time to liberals and conservatives.

Last night I was pleasantly surprised. I watched CNN’s election coverage, and it was a presentation of truth, for a change.

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The guests were, on the left, James Carville and Larry King, truth meister David Gergen, and all-around-nice-guy conservative J.C. Watts.

Kudos to CNN. Everybody on the panel actually spoke truth. For example, when asked why Democrats were complaining so much about voter fraud, Democrat Carville answered (paraphrase), “It’s because we’ve lost so many elections recently. The party that loses the elections is the one to complain,” he said, and laughed. How refreshing. The whole show was like this. Everyone was respectful and got along well. There was no bashing. They discussed the election possibilities without rancor and without slant.

One of the reasons for the quality of this show was the mix. For a change, it wasn’t heavily overbalanced with liberals. Plus, adding J.C. Watts brought dignity, and including David Gergen brought credibility. I could watch and enjoy shows like this all day long. I don’t mind if this type of show would present something critical of the government, or critical of conservatives. The presentation would be balanced. I could hear the message.

Message to CNN. This show was a winner. Use it as a model. I don’t mind if you lean left. I admit FOX leans right. Just throw a bone to the right once in awhile, and toss in a little truth from time to time, and I’ll be happy. I guarantee your ratings will go up too.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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Momentum Shift Before the Election

Recent polls show Republicans making gains. The most recent PEW poll shows likely voters favoring Democrats 47% to 43%, a marked narrowing from recent weeks. Two weeks ago, that gap was 51% to 40%.

Here are some of the most recent generic poll results: Generic Congressional Vote

Poll - Date - Republican - Democrat - Spread

RCP Average
11/01 - 11/05 42.0% 51.6% 9.6%

USA Today/Gallup
11/02 - 11/05 44% 51% 7%

Pew Research
11/01 - 11/04 43% 47% 4%

ABC News/Wash Post
11/01 - 11/04 45% 51% 6%

Newsweek
11/02 - 11/03 38% 54% 16%

Time
11/01 - 11/03 40% 55% 15%

The PEW results

Summary of Findings: Republicans Cut Democratic Lead in Campaign's Final Days: Democrats Hold 47%-43% Lead Among Likely Voters, Released: November 5, 2006.

A nationwide Pew Research Center survey finds voting intentions shifting in the direction of Republican congressional candidates in the final days of the 2006 midterm campaign. The new survey finds a growing percentage of likely voters saying they will vote for GOP candidates. However, the Democrats still hold a 48% to 40% lead among registered voters, and a modest lead of 47%-43% among likely voters.

The narrowing of the Democratic lead raises questions about whether the party will win a large enough share of the popular vote to recapture control of the House of Representatives. The relationship between a party's share of the popular vote and the number of seats it wins is less certain than it once was, in large part because of the increasing prevalence of safe seat redistricting. As a result, forecasting seat gains from national surveys has become more difficult.

The survey suggests that the judgment of undecided voters will be crucial to the outcome of many congressional races this year. As many as 19% of voters now only lean to a candidate or are flatly undecided. The Democrats hold a 44% to 35% lead among committed voters. But the race is more even among voters who are less strongly committed to a candidate; those who only lean to a candidate divide almost evenly between Republicans and Democrats (5% lean Republican/4% lean Democrat).

Republican gains in the new poll reflect a number of late-breaking trends. First, Republicans have become more engaged and enthused in the election than they had been in September and October. While Democrats continue to express greater enthusiasm about voting than do Republicans, as many Republican voters (64%) as Democratic voters (62%) now say they are giving quite a lot of thought to the election. About a month ago, Democratic voters were considerably more likely than GOP voters to say they were giving a lot of thought to the election (by 59%-50%). As a result, Republicans now register a greater likelihood of voting than do Democrats, as is typical in mid-term elections.

The Republicans also have made major gains, in a relatively short time period, among independent voters. Since early this year, the Democratic advantage in the generic House ballot has been built largely on a solid lead among independents. As recently as mid-October, 47% of independent voters said they were voting for the Democratic candidate in their district, compared with 29% who favored the Republican. Currently, Democrats lead by 44%-33% among independent voters.

Notably, President Bush's political standing has improved in the final week before the election. Bush's job approval rating among registered voters has risen from 37% in early October, to 41% in the current survey. Mirroring the GOP's gains among independent voters, Bush's rating among this crucial group of swing voters now stands at 35%, its highest point this year.

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GALLUP

Democrats Lead Republicans in House Vote by Seven Points: November 06, 2006. Narrowed lead still appears large enough to give Democrats majority control of House, by Frank Newport, Jeffrey M. Jones, Lydia Saad, and Joseph Carroll, GALLUP NEWS SERVICEPRINCETON, NJ –

The final USA Today/Gallup measure of Americans' voting intentions for Congress shows Democrats with a 51% to 44% lead over Republicans among likely voters. Although this margin has narrowed from previous USA Today/Gallup polls, it still suggests that Democrats have enough strength to gain a majority of House seats. Statistical models developed from previous midterm elections suggest that if the pattern of elections over the last decades continues this year, a national vote margin of seven points translates into the Democrats winning enough seats to give them a clear majority. The USA Today/Gallup estimate of voting preferences of likely voters nationwide is 51% voting for the Democratic candidate and 44% for the Republican candidate. This is slightly narrowed from the 54% to 41% lead enjoyed by the Democrats in the Oct. 20-22 poll, and considerably narrower than the large 59% to 36% Democratic lead in early October.

Bloomberg

Bloomberg.com: Japan: Democrats Have Narrower Lead in Election, Polls Find, By Nadine Elsibai

Nov. 5 (Bloomberg) -- The contest for control of Congress
has tightened in the days leading up to the Nov. 7 vote with the
Democrats' margin narrowing, two polls showed. Democrats hold a 51 percent to 45 percent edge among likely voters, down from a 14-point margin two weeks ago, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll. A separate poll by the Pew
Research Center for the People & the Press showed a similar decrease in support for Democrats, who now have a 47 percent to 43 percent advantage over Republicans compared with 50 percent to 39 percent two weeks ago.

My Predictions

I believe the Democrats will win control of the House, but by a narrower margin than previously thought. The Republicans will maintain a razor-thin edge in the Senate.

If this is true, I would define this as a minor victory for Republicans. The Republicans, if they lose the house, have only themselves to blame, with overspending, a weakness on immigration, and too many cases of corruption causing them to lose power. The Democrats, if they don’t swamp the Republicans in this year of anti-Republican sentiment, have only themselves to blame, with no positive platform for the country, no solution for Iraq, and their “anything but Bush” and “anything but Republicans” stands on all the issues.

There seems to be no great passion in this election except negative passion. On the left, the passion is to “throw the bums out,” with a fierce anti-Bush feeling and anti-Republican sentiment centered around the war in Iraq. On the right, the passion is to avoid Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House with her raging liberal San Francisco values, and to avoid putting national security in the hands of a party weak on defense.

I am disappointed in Republicans this year. There is no reason they had to get to this point where their power is in jeopardy. They should have spent less, handled Iraq better, and stopped illegal immigration. I am disgusted with Democrats, though, with their demagoguery. The polls have narrowed significantly in the last few days. We’ll see if the momentum continues for Republicans and away from Democrats. It is exciting, and we’ll see what the people say.

P.S. If the elections are close, or if Republicans win or close the gap further, look for the “voter fraud” excuse to be trotted out by Democrats and their hordes of "gotcha" lawyers already in place. Democrats never lose elections anymore; they are stolen, of course.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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Saddam and Wyatt Earp

Saddam Guilty and Sentenced: May Be Hanged in 30 Days

Reactions

At this point I am dispassionate about the verdict on Saddam and his pending demise. I no longer have the glee that I might have had some time ago. He is guilty of so many atrocities that I have no pity on the man, yet at least he has called, through his attorney, for no revenge or bloodshed on his behalf. The reaction to the verdict does seem to be mild so far, so are we left with the Butcher of Baghdad doing something Lincolnesque in his final days on earth? Well, that’s a stretch.

Implications of the Rule of Saddam

It appears now, in hindsight, that Saddam was a strongman who kept Iraq together as a country. He corralled and tamed the Kurds, the Shiites, and the Sunnis into a functioning nation. Yes, things were better for Iraqis when he was in charge. People could lead normal lives, go to the market, sit in cafes, visit nightclubs, walk around. Yes, those were better times. On the other hand, what was the price for those better times?

In order to keep the various tribes, sects, nationalities and political factions in line, Saddam had to be vicious. Threats, arrests in the middle of the night, rape, torture, murder and mass murder, the use of poison gas. This is one way to do it. Sort of like the mafia, only unimaginably worse.

So now, the Iraqi’s are trying to do without a strongman. They’re attempting to keep this quarreling nation together through democracy. Can they do it? Who knows? The place is kind of like the Wild West in America, which had to be tamed by strongmen called gunfighters who came down on the side of the law, but who skirted the law to “get their men” and impose order. Some of the heroes of the Wild West were unsavory characters, like Wyatt Earp. They shot and killed people without reading them their rights.

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Slowly, America transitioned, and it was a long transition, to the rule of law and habeas corpus and all that. Even until recently, we had a kind of strongman heading our FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, who wore dresses in private, but secretly taped Martin Luther King, persecuted his enemies, and probably even blackmailed presidents. Still, he transformed America into a relatively law-abiding place, reducing the clout of the mafia and other mobs, getting undesirables like Al Capone off the street, and creating an atmosphere of relative internal peace.

Right, he was no Saddam. He didn’t rape anyone or rip off fingernails. Yet he was a law-breaker and a man who used the might of a nation against all his enemies. The positive was that, along with his abuses of power, he kept the country in line.

Does Iraq need another Saddam to keep the peace there? I hope not. I hope they can transition to a lesser tyrant like Wyatt Earp or J. Edgar Hoover, and maybe from there to the kinds of leaders we now have in America. Democrats and liberals call Bush a tyrant, but they have no idea what the meaning of tyrant is—read your history and see what Nixon was doing, J. Edgar Hoover, even Lincoln during the Civil War. See The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War, a biography of Abraham Lincoln written by Thomas DiLorenzo in 2002. DiLorenzo presents evidence of civil liberties abuses such as the suspension of habeas corpus, violations of the first amendment, war crimes committed by generals in the American Civil War, and the expansion of government power. Lincoln was our most noble and benevolent tyrant, and thank God for him. Nixon was a good president except maybe for his handling of Vietnam, and for his tyranny. J. Edgar Hoover kept the peace, while violating civil rights.

Is there a Lincoln on the horizon in Iraq? I don’t see one, but I suppose it’s possible. These things take time. Again, they could settle for a Wyatt Earp, or even for a Nixon there. Then, they could improve to a J. Edgar Hoover, and then a Bush. That would be good enough for any nation. You don’t necessarily need to arrive at a Lincoln in order to have a good, functioning country.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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War and Peace: Dialogue with a Good Muslim

War and Dialogue with the Muslim World

Abdel Rahman al-Rashed, a Muslim and the general manager of Arab news channel, Al-Arabiya has said:

It is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims.

Yesterday’s post, which involved a guest blog by a good Muslim from the beautiful country of Lebanon, Tarek El Khatib, author of the blog rambling and blabbering, evidently aroused much interest, apparently in the whole world. It was a record traffic day for this blog, which has been increasing meteorically in traffic anyway.

I think the rapid rise in traffic for this blog is due to the exact attempt to deliver its name—truth. Truth is unusual. Truth is necessary for winning wars and gaining peace. Truth is lacking in most places because of the fear of retribution, and even of being unpopular. Many of my views are unpopular. I oppose much of the great continent of Europe in my views, 99% of the United Nations, much of the Arab world, and half of my own country. Plus, I oppose even half of the half of my country that agrees with me, when they are wrong too.

Am I always right? Yes. What, you expect me to be humble? Good luck.

I think one reason for the interest in yesterday’s post is that there are many good people in the world. Any sign of hope is much appreciated. We hunger for peace, and we want there to be good Muslims in the world. Well, I found one. He is a young man much like any young man in the world, just trying to succeed in life, have a little fun, and contribute his part for the good of society. This might not be remarkable except that he is a practicing Muslim, and willing to share his views about terrorism and Israel and his part of the world. Again, even this might not be remarkable, except that I am willing to tell this dear young man my version of the truth and engage him as he reacts.

So far, he has reacted with dignity. I know he will continue in the same vein. He truly is a good person, I have no doubt about that. Still, it is not enough, in our times, just to be good. Good people now are confronted with evil. When evil exists, good people must do something. Tarek is doing his part by being open, honest, and forthcoming. My readers are doing their part by considering what we say.

We await the Islamic world’s reaction to the West’s disappointment in them. Are they going to continue strapping on bombs and killing innocents, or turn Islam into a true religion of peace?

This is not an exhibition. This is not a show. This is our lives.

Tyk’s Comments on Yesterday’s Post

Hey Rock... Wow, very honored and touched by what you said already...

Listen, I love your reaction about what you think I am, i.e. an open minded Muslim, who will not send you anthrax or a bomb for disagreeing with, but I promise, MOST Muslims are moderate. It's because of the media and the attention that you only hear about al-Qaeda and about Iraqis ripping each other open and all the sort... You never hear about anything happening in Singapore or Malaysia, which are fully Muslim nations that integrated in Eastern Asia... You never hear anything about Morocco or Tunisia or how they're developing human rights and democracies while raising their standards of living...

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That's the problem. We have a communication problem and the West only sees the bad side of Arabs and Muslims, but ask people who have actually been to the Arab, Muslim worlds, or the Middle East what they think of what they've seen. Especially in Lebanon (which has probably the highest percentage of Christians in the Arab world). It's got beautiful nature and an amazing nightlife, with clubbing, drinking, pubs, bars, lovely restaurants and cafes... I've actually met Americans here who told me about curfews in places like Boston where clubs have to close at 3 whereas here in Lebanon there are clubs that don't get packed until 3-4... And with the exception of Saudi Arabia and some parts of some Arab countries, the countries ARE NOT DESERTS where women are covered from top to bottom and where some kind of hardline Zarqawi style police walk around beating up people who are not fundamentalist terrorists...

MOST OF THE ARAB AND MUSLIM WORLD ARE AGAINST OSAMA BIN LADEN. There are Sheikhs that have made fatwas (religious decrees) about how it is Islamically wrong to commit suicide attacks.

The thing is, UNFORTUNATELY, there are a bunch of people who were probably abused during their childhood or who have too much spicy food or for whatever reason ended being the fanatics that they are and again UNFORTUNATELY all what you hear is about these people and their murders and their terror plots, and again UNFORTUNATELY they associate and justify themselves Islamically with verses from the Quran playing in the background and the name of Allah hung behind their death announcements, and so people end up inclined to believe that Muslims are terrorists or that they support the killing of innocent children or whatever...

Rock you actually said something about Islam being currently used to spread hatred, and I hope I gave you a deeper perspective on things... We'll chat some more and I'll give you closer looks about how things function here and why things end up the way they are on this side of the globe...

Tyk

Again, thanks a lot for your post, and you're more than welcome in Lebanon anytime!!!!

Rock’s Response

Tyk, thanks for the welcome, and thanks again for your comments, and for the lovely pictures of Lebanon I took from your blog and put up in yesterday’s post. Lebanon indeed is a gorgeous country. You deserve peace in your land. I am deeply honored and grateful for your kindness, openness, and willingness to be forthcoming.

All I can say is I hope you are right. I’d like to believe you when you say that most Muslims are against Osama bin Laden and terrorism. If this is true, then yes, we do have a communication problem. You make valid points about all the peaceful Muslim countries you describe. This should get more publicity, so your words are a good start. This is a good thing. However …

I don’t expect you to answer this, Tyk, but I’ll simply point out that most of the world’s major problems today seem to be connected with Muslims. I’m not saying this to make you feel bad or get defensive. I take you at your word and believe you are reporting your sincere beliefs that the majority of Muslims are peace loving.

I don’t see it this way—yes, because of the reporting, but also because of the actual videos I see on TV, and the breadth of their examples, and the fact that most major problems today in the world, again, seem connected with Islam.

What We Need from Muslims

I’m going to get specific in a minute, but let me preface this with saying that you and your friends, Tyk, it seems, and Muslims like you, are important to the world. Yes, we do need to hear more from you. In addition, we need people like you, and more important, Muslim leaders, to speak out against terrorism and hatred for the West. I sense that you are a young man of good will. I think we need this. It is not enough for Muslims just to avoid being terrorists. It is not enough for Muslims just to avoid supporting suicide bombers. Good Muslims must also, I believe, speak out against hatred for the West.

Hatred for the West

I realize that a portion of the Muslim community, in my estimation a large portion, millions, hates the West. Part of the reason, I perceive, why they hate the West is exactly one of the things you promote as a positive about Lebanon. The clubbing, the pubs, the partying. Fundamentalist Islam, it seems to me, wants to control family life and women to preserve their idea of family values. I can even understand this desire.

We have our own fundamentalists who want to do the same. Mormons, fundamentalist Christians, Orthodox Jews, and so on. These people also have set ideas about family life, rituals, how women should dress and behave, who is the head of the family, even who is going to heaven and so on. There is even some residual anti-Semitism in some quarters, as in fundamentalist Islam. There is, too, a desire to “convert the world” to their way of believing, with some sects. Many of these people would consider Las Vegas, for example, to be the decadent symbol of a crumbling society.

I was born and raised a Catholic. At one point in my life I was a true believer and I even would avert my eyes during the sexy parts of James Bond movies. I have left my “fundamentalist” past over the years, but I still remember how it felt to be that way. I still retain, as you know, my belief in God, though I have expanded this to include most religions, except Islam, and added New Age beliefs.

My point is, I can empathize with a fundamentalist’s desire to have an orderly world, and an orderly progression to the afterlife. I can understand the hope for an intact family with common values. I can comprehend wanting my girlfriend or wife, and my sister, to be “pure.”

I might go to Las Vegas and enjoy the decadence, for example, but I still don’t want to become a part of it. I don’t want my family to become strippers or prostitutes (but, as Seinfeld would say, “Not that there’s anything wrong with that!”).

The difference, though, between our fundamentalists, or my lingering traditionalist feelings, and fundamentalist Muslims, though, is a matter of degree. The fundamentalist Muslim hates. He/she wants Christians, Jews, all infidels, dead. He wants Israel off the map. She wants Israeli’s driven to the sea. She is willing to strap on an explosive vest and murder innocent people out for a night of “clubbing.”

Let me be specific:

Examples of Muslim Attacks

7 March, 2006 Varanasi bombings. An attack attributed to Lashkar-e-Toiba by Uttar Pradesh government officials, over 28 killed and over 100 injured, in a series of attacks in the Sankath Mochan Hanuman temple and Cantonment Railway Station in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi.

9 November 2005 - 2005 Amman bombings. Over 60 killed and 115 injured, in a series of coordinated suicide attacks on hotels in Amman, Jordan. Four attackers including a husband and wife team were involved.

29 October 2005 Delhi bombings. Over 60 killed and over 180 injured in a series of three attacks in crowded markets and a bus, just 2 days before the Diwali festival.

23 July 2005 - Bomb attacks at Sharm el-Sheikh an Egyptian resort city, at least 64 people killed.

7 July 2005 - Multiple bombings in London Underground, 53 killed by four suicide bombers. Nearly 700 injured.

4 February 2005 - Muslim militants attacked the Christian community in Demsa, Nigeria, killing 36 people, destroying property and displacing an additional 3000 people.

3 September 2004 - Approximately 344 civilians including 186 children, are massacred during the Beslan school hostage crisis by Chechen Islamic Terrorists or "Chechen Separatists".

11 March 2004 - Multiple bombings, Madrid bombings, on trains near Madrid, Spain. 191 killed, 1460 injured. (alleged link to Al-Qaeda).

16 May 2004- Casablanca Attacks - 4 simultaneous attacks in Casablanca killing 33 civilians (mostly Moroccans) carried out by Salafaia Jihadia.

12 October 2002 - Bombing in Bali nightclub, 202 killed, 300 injured.

24 September 2002 – Machine Gun attack on Hindu temple in Ahmedabad, India. 31 dead, 86 injured.

7 May 2002 - Bombing in al-Arbaa, Algeria. 49 dead, 117 injured.

9 March 2002 - Café suicide bombing in Jerusalem; 11 killed, 54 injured.

3 March 2002 - Suicide bomb attack on a Passover. Seder in a Hotel in Netanya, Israel. 29 dead, 133 injured

13 December 2001-Suicide attack on India's parliament in New Delhi. Aimed at eliminating the top leadership of India and causing anarchy in the country. Allegedly done by Pakistan-based Islamic terrorists organizations, Jaish-E-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba.

September 11, 2001 attacks, 4 planes hijacked and crashed into World Trade Center and The Pentagon by 19 hijackers. Nearly 3000 dead.

The USS Cole bombing was a suicide bombing attack against the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) on October 12, 2000 while it was harbored in the Yemeni port of Aden. 17 sailors were killed.

7 August 1998 - 1998 United States embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya. 224 dead. 4000+ injured.

25 June 1996 - Khobar Towers bombing, 20 killed, 372 wounded.

26 February 1993 - World Trade Center bombing, 6 killed.

April 1983 U.S. Embassy bombing, in Beirut, Lebanon. 63 killed.

According to statistics of the National Counterterrorism Center, a national government organization of the United States, Islamic extremism was responsible for approximately 57% of terrorist fatalities and 61% of woundings in 2004 and early 2005, where a terrorist perpetrator type could be specified. Extremist acts have included airline hijacking, beheading, kidnapping, assassination, and suicide bombing. Terrorist threats have included fatwas and death threats. Both Muslims and non-Muslims have been among the targets and victims.

Some terrorist activities committed by Muslims do not fall into the category of Islamic extremist terrorism: Nationalist and separatist organizations in the Muslim world often derive inspiration from secular ideologies. These are not well described as either Islamic extremist or Islamist.

See Extremist Terrorism.

Muslim attitudes towards terrorism

In the parliamentary election of January 2006, 57% of Palestinians voted for Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, United States, Canada, and the European Union and responsible for a number of attacks against Israeli civilians. Observers are divided over whether the election results represent support for the organization's tactics, support for the organization's social programs, or dissatisfaction with the previous government which was widely seen as corrupt and incompetent. A public opinion survey released following the election, indicated that nearly three quarters of Palestinians believe that Hamas should change its policy regarding the destruction of Israel and 84% of Palestinians support a peace agreement with Israel. Among Hamas voters, 73% of respondents supported a peace agreement with Israel. However Hamas has ruled out removing the clause in its constitution which demands the destruction of Israel.

A 2005 Pew Research study that involved 17,000 people in 17 countries showed support for terrorism was declining in the Muslim world along with a growing belief that Islamic extremism represents a threat to those countries.

A Daily Telegraph survey showed that 6% of British Muslims fully supported the July 2005 bombings in the London Underground.

A 2004 Pew survey revealed that Osama bin Laden is viewed favorably by large percentages in Pakistan (65%), Jordan (55%) and Morocco (45%). In Turkey as many as 31% say that suicide attacks against Americans and other Westerners in Iraq are justifiable.

The Free Muslims Coalition rallied against terror, stating that they wanted to send "a message to radical Muslims and supporters of terrorism that we reject them and that we will defeat them."

Abdel Rahman al-Rashed, a Muslim and the general manager of Arab news channel, Al-Arabiya has said:

It is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims.

Statistics compiled by the United States government's Counterterrorism Center present a more complicated picture: of known and specified terrorist incidents from the beginning of 2004 through the first quarter of 2005, slightly more than half of the fatalities were attributed to Islamic extremists but a majority of over-all incidents were considered of either "unknown/unspecified" or a secular political nature. The vast majority of the "unknown/unspecified" terrorism fatalities did however happen in Islamic regions such as Iraq and Afghanistan, or in regions where Islam is otherwise involved in conflicts such as the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, southern Thailand and Kashmir.The methodology employed by the Center is sometimes disputed.

Iranian Ayatollah Ozma Seyyed Yousef Sanei issued a fatwa (ruling) that suicide attacks against civilians are legitimate only in the context of war. The ruling did not say whether other types of attacks against civilians are justified outside of the context of war, nor whether Jihad is included in Sanei's definition of war.

On the other hand, Fethullah Gulen, a prominent Turkish Islamic scholar, has claimed that "a real Muslim," who understood Islam in every aspect, could not be a terrorist. There are several, if not many, other people with similar points of view such as Karen Armstrong, and Prof. Ahmet Akgunduz, and Harun Yahya.

Conclusions

So, Tyk, the conclusions are uncertain. You are probably right, and I’ve learned a lot by researching this issue. There are millions of Osama lovers among Muslims, it seems, but also millions of peace loving Muslims like you.

I believe Islam needs a centralized kind of structure and a reformation. I don’t think good Muslims like you will be effective in countering the Islamic world’s bad press until and if the trouble spots in the world associated with Muslims go away.

Questions for the Islamic Community

Why can’t more Muslims speak out, as you have done Tyk? Why doesn’t Islam reform itself? Why won’t Islam let Israel exist in peace? Why do so many Muslims want to take over the world and impose Sharia? Why is much of the Islamic world governed by primitive tribalism and hatred?

These are tough questions. I can understand how difficult it is to answer them.

Thank You Tarek

You are doing your part for goodness in the world, and I am grateful for this. I just don’t know what is the answer for Muslims who choose to hate. I continue to believe that forums like this are a start, and people like you speaking out is a beginning.

This is the hope.

Truth, Love and Obligation

Unfortunately, war sometimes is the only alternative. When 3,000 of your fellow citizens are murdered, when young families are murdered, when teenagers out for a night on the town are blown up, something must be done.

Who will be stronger? People like you? The United States and Israel? Or, the terrorists? Or, their enablers, like most of Europe, pacifists, and Democrats?

I know you probably will continue to disagree with some of my conclusions. We will disagree about Israel. Still, I appreciate you for just being you. You do count. You do matter. For being a good Muslim with love in your heart, I thank you, and I believe most of America thanks you. We send our love to all good Muslims in the world.

For you and for us, though, there are difficult choices to be made, and much work to be done.

Rock


(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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To God, Atheists, Wiccans, and my Muslim Friends

The beauty of Lebanon, from Tarek El Khatib's blog, rambling and blabbering

Don’t worry, I haven’t gone off my rocker. Bear with me. I’m just being more open than you might be used to.

This post consists of a short letter from me to God, and a reply to a comment made by my new Muslim friend across the world in Lebanon, Tyk.

This is a real letter to God. I am sending this message to God, and making it public. I hope He doesn’t object.

To my readers, I’m not claiming any closer connection to God than you have. I’m not Pat Robertson. I’m not a religious nut, nor a Jesus freak. I’m just like you, talking to God, but in public. To my atheist, agnostic, and Wiccan friends, I really just intend to get in touch with the forces of good in the universe. Think of it that way.

I realize this is somewhat grandiose. I don’t think that I’m so special as to merit grandiosity. I just feel the topics we discuss are that grandiose. We talk about life and death issues, and issues of moral clarity, and goodness and evil. These really are grandiose topics, worthy of grandiosity. So, it’s not me that is important here, but what we talk about.

To you Muslims in the world, I’m am making this reply to a comment to invite you to begin taking part in an important dialogue with your fellow travelers in our journey of life on earth.

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Dear God,

I am doing my best down here to live a good life as You direct me. I am trying to listen to You, but it’s hard sometimes to know what You are telling me. I ask You to open my heart and my mind and let me hear what You are really saying. Bless my friend Tyk, and all Muslims, and let them listen to You also. Tell us what to do. Help us decide for ourselves how we can communicate to bring peace to the world.

To my Readers: Don’t think this means I’m no longer a hard ass. I still am.

I keep defining myself. This is one more definition. I am a hard line conservative on some issues, a hard line progressive on others; a deeply religious guy, but New Age and inclusive of all religions; a Republican, an Independent, a Libertarian, and a little Democratic; a seeker of truth; an all-around good guy, and, hopefully, a force for good.

Republicans can feel comfortable with most of my views. Democrats can open their hearts and minds by listening to me. Progressives can join me in urging reform. We are not all on the same side, but we are making the same journey through life at the same time. We all have the same God or Universe. We all live on earth and breathe the same air. We kill each other and we become friends. We help define the lives we lead, and thereby help define life on this planet.

We are not the be-all and end-all, but we do matter. We count. What we think and do affects our world.

My new Muslim friend from Beirut, Lebanon, Tyk, Tarek El Khatib, 23, from the blog rambling and blabbering, describes himself as “just your average guy trying to make it.” His website is a great contribution to the blogosphere. He is a very nice guy, fun-loving, intelligent, and with some definite views on Islam, Israel, and the world. We disagree perhaps on some things, but agree on others.

Tyk,

Nice to hear from you. I'm glad you're still with us. You said:

I wrote a huge comment, but then a pop up erased it.. So I'm just going to write the jist of it...

Hey Rock, how goes it?

Tyk, I consider you to be important to the world (am I exaggerating?), being an intelligent, well-spoken Muslim, and we need this, and Muslims need this—so I am grateful for your readership and your comments. I know you will reach inside and realize that you are talking to the whole world and what we say here can have an effect on people's lives.

I deeply respect you. I realize too that you’re a fun kind of guy. This is fine. Your blog has a charming flavor to it, and you should keep it that way.

This is actually one of the posts where I agree with a lot of what you said.. Truth, I think, can sometimes be white or black (stealing is wrong, the sky is blue, gravity pulls things towards earth) but most of the time it's a combination of both.. Ok so CNN will give me the liberal point of view and FOX will give me the conservative point of view; it is the job of my brain and common sense to make the truth out of it.. Unfortunately we tend to be biased ourselves towards the people who say what we want to hear...

I am honored you got it, exactly as I meant it to be gotten. You said it even better than I. You're right, CNN gives the liberal point of view, and FOX the conservative. One isn't necessarily better than the other, (except, of course, FOX tells the truth, just half-kidding!) and we need to hear both. But, you're right too, we are biased and hear what we want to hear.

But the thing is, you tend to be a hardliner about your conservative views.

Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm just as hard line, though, on my liberal views, if you notice. Still, I promise to try to be open. I'm not very open, though, as you have seen, about the Israeli question. On that issue you and I will just have to respectfully disagree. I will listen to your side of things, though, and your side of things on this issue is important to hear. I won't denigrate you for how you see things, but we'll probably never agree on these.

I wish I had commented on some of the previous posts you made, but I swear I've been swarmed with work, but I'll be commenting some more, and more often!

That will be great. I look forward to it. Plus, I really do want you to write a few guest posts. You being in Lebanon and being Muslim gives you a unique perspective. Plus, you have an audience on my blog that will appreciate hearing how you see and feel about things.

Just by being open enough to visit this blog gives you cache, I believe, and you can have some effect on the opinions people have about Muslims and their side of the issues.

Yes, I am dead set on my opinions. On the other hand I, like you I'm sure, try to listen to God. For clarification, the God I listen to isn't necessarily Christian, nor Jewish, nor Muslim. He is just God. I choose to believe He does exist, and I try to listen to Him. So, if He talks to me through you, or through anyone else in my life, I will be respectful and humble, and try to learn.

I am not above you, not smarter than you, not better than you. I am, like you, just trying to be a good person and live a good life. I've been given some talent by God for insight and writing ability, so I want to use it for the good of the world. I sense you are a good person, so I invite you to help me do God's work. Not in a stuffy way. You can still be the fun-loving guy you are. But in a way that does honor truth.

You've already done that by being open to at least communicate with my audience and me. Thanks.

Take care.

Rock

Here are some more wonderful pictures of Lebanon, "taken" from Tyk’s blog, rambling and blabbering. Go to his site for more great stuff, and enjoy the beauty of Lebanon below!

What a gorgeous country! Let's bring peace to this land blessed by God with such beauty.

(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)

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