So there we were, standing in a processional line in front of 5,000 fans for the big homecoming game against the cross town rivals from Cow Pie High.  My son, Clayton, didn’t at first appear to have a snowballs chance in Hades in the homecoming king contest that was responsible for our presence at the end of royal court procession.  Five of the candidates were varsity football players and took their place in line dressed in full battle gear for the game that was about to begin.  At the front of the line was the academically gifted class president.  All along I thought my kid had a good shot at winning this thing but somehow standing out there on the edge of the field with all of these strapping lads in their football gear a little doubt began to creep into my mind. 

          Obviously I hoped beyond hope that he would win and I knew from his friends that his chances were good but having a last name that begins with W and an introductory order that was alphabetically sorted gave us the opportunity to hear the roar of the crowd as each candidate made his way to the fifty yard line.  That was a little unnerving.  All week long I had emphasized to Clayton that only one person could win and that he should enjoy every moment of the week as it unfolded.  On our way to the stadium I reminded him how proud I was of him and how significant it was that his classmates had chosen him as one of only seven males in a school of over 2000 kids to be on the ballot.  Finally it was our turn to make our way across the front of the stadium and I couldn’t believe my ears. 

          The noise in the stadium nearly doubled as we lead Clayton to his final place for the coronation ceremony.  The positive affirmation as expressed in the roar of the crowd sent chills down my spine as I imagined what it had to feel like for my oldest son as the recipient of all that adoration.  I gently threw an elbow to his ribs as we walked and said, "I think they like you."  He somehow managed to smile just a little bit more but all he could do to respond was say, "Yeah." as if he couldn't believe the response himself.  It just doesn’t get much better than that for a parent unless you count the glimpse I got of his twin sister’s face at the front of all the students.  Yeah, she was proud of her brother.  No matter what happened next couldn’t have mattered because our entire family was together to enjoy that moment. 

You always hope that your kids are well liked.  You hope that they are popular not because that has any value in its own but more because it reflects the way they treat others.  It is obvious to me now that with regards to the respect Clayton shows for others at his school he is king and tonight his classmates let him know they appreciate that.  Congratulations Mad Dog.  I love you.

          I received some fan mail Thursday, "Good (post) yesterday…….terrible today!  I will tell my Grand children that this new law help saved thousands (if not millions) of lives.  It is easy.  I love my mom so I want my government to do what ever they need to do to prevent another 911…..obviously you don’t like your mom as you don’t care if those people do it again.  You terrorist lover you!  “protect their rights, protect their rights” I bet you thought Hitler got a raw deal too didn’t you?" 

          A summary from the National Intelligence Estimate, completed in April, is the first formal appraisal of global terrorism by United States intelligence agencies since the Iraq war began.  This report represents a consensus view of the 16 primary intelligence services of the United States. Titled "Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States,'' the report says that the Iraq war has made the overall terrorism problem worse and rather than effecting a retreat in terrorism and the proponents of terror both are on the increase.  The key here is that the best and brightest of our security experts in the field say that the Iraq war has made terrorism worse.  So what did our House of Representatives do yesterday?  What does it look likely that our Senate will do tomorrow?  They are going to continue to go down the slippery slope of failed policies and this November they will tell every voter in America that they voted to be tough guys in the war on terror. 

The war on terror is a factor encouraging Islamic factions around the world.  “Activists identifying themselves as Jihadist are increasing both in number and dispersion” which means that more people support the idea of violence against America and our allies.  The report claims some of the things fueling the Jihadist movement are grievances against corruption, injustice, fear of western domination and the slow pace of real and sustained economic, social, and political reform in Muslim majority nations.  The report says that the underlying factors of those grievances outweigh the vulnerabilities of the Jihadist movement and are likely to do so for the time frame of the estimate.  Okay, here is where you have to pay attention.  This means that if we “stay the course” terrorists will continue to gain ground in spite of all of our efforts.  If we escalate the policies that the GOP have endorsed we will be even less safe in the future.  The majority of the people of the Middle East do not buy into the view of the future offered by Jihadists.  They do not support indiscriminate violence against non-combatants.  What they want is what we want but they don’t want Western society telling them how to do it.

          The Intelligence Estimate went on to say “Countering the spread of the Jihadist movement will require coordinated multilateral efforts that go well beyond operations to capture or kill terrorist leaders.”  We need to have a strategy for getting people to not believe in the Jihadist strategy.  We need to convince the people of the Middle East that the freedom and opportunities we possess could be made real in their lives so they don’t see us the way Bin Laden and his supporters do.  Do we do that by endorsing torture or by withholding evidence against prisoners and then finding them guilty on that withheld evidence?  That we would sacrifice our liberties, pass unprecedented legislation that is contrary to the real spirit of America and endorse torture as a means of coercing confessions without the accountability of verifiable evidence smells of chicken-shit cowardice to me.  Shame on the GOP.

          When those in support of the Un-American ideals such as those presented by George W. Bush have no moral standing on which to defend such allegiance are threatened by others demanding that we examine our conscience they lash out.  They question if those opposed to the misguided policies of their leader are sympathetic with the likes of Adolph Hitler.  The reality is that Hitler was able to achieve his reign of terror because nobody stood up and told him he was wrong.

 

National Intelligence Estimate Text 

          I shouldn’t be surprised but I am.  The House of Representatives passed resolution number HR 6166 by a vote of 253-168.  This draft law authorizes special military tribunals to prosecute the Guantanamo detainees and allows for secret CIA-run prisons without further clarification of what cruel and unusual punishment is when interrogating detainees.  Detainees would be deprived of all legal recourse to protest the conditions of their detention.  The legislation allows interrogators to continue using "alternative" methods of questioning that include a simulated drowning technique known as "water boarding," sleep deprivation, and subjecting suspects to extreme temperatures.  The House of Representatives of the United States of America actually passed a law that turns a blind eye to torture!  It is as if I am in a bad dream and can’t wake up.

House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi argued against the measure, saying "permitting indefinite detention under conditions that cannot be challenged in court is contrary to our history and values." Um, yah, just a little but Republicans are so far over the top with having nothing substantial to run on this November they have trumped up the war on terror to some “if you’re not with us, you’re against us” hysteria that plays on the fears of the American public.  Or at least they hope it will.  I can only hope that we as an electorate are not so blind, so arrogant, and so easily mislead to buy into the false sense of security that the GOP is selling. 

What else could you call it but arrogant to believe that we could pass a law that would hold us outside international convention on a matter as critical as the fair treatment of detainees in a time of war?  What do we think will happen to our soldiers when they fall into the hands of our enemies?  They will you know.  And when they do will we be outraged when our troops are mistreated?  Have we forgotten how we felt when we saw the corpse of one of our soldier’s drug behind a vehicle in Mogadishu?  This is bad legislation and Congress has so far lost touch with the people they represent and the values of what it means to be an American that it is now up to us to set them straight.

I would loathe the day when I had to tell my children I sat back and did nothing when our Congress was considering this legislation.  Some day in the future when my children or grandchildren look up and me and say, “How could that have happened?” I don’t want to have to tell them “I don’t know.  I did nothing.” The Senate bill number is S 3930.  Your Senators need to hear from you.  They need to know you oppose this bill.  You can get their phone number or email address here:  US Senate.  What are you going to do?

          I found myself getting verklempt a couple of times today when I looked back at the last year that my children have enjoyed.  Spending the summer and longer in DC, my daughters participation in the World Food Prize, Virginia Girls State Senate, and interning at Senator Tom Harkins office, and my son’s foray into stand up comedy and now his homecoming king candidacy.  My youngest son spent a year in a Spanish immersion school, had the opportunity to swim every day of the summer and is now delighted to once again roam the wide open spaces of rural Iowa.  All in all it is making for a pretty incredible year that they will no doubt cherish throughout their lives.  Regarding the homecoming king thing; on Friday She Who Must Be Obeyed is flying home from DC so we can escort my son at the coronation ceremony.  My goal is to not tarnish my big Harley guy image by crying in front of 4,000 screaming football fans if he wins.  I’m having one of those “these are the best times of our lives” moments and I just thought you should know.

          Really it doesn’t matter if my son is elected king or not.  I hope for his sake he enjoys every moment of this week and I hope that as we escort him onto the field in front of all those fans I don’t do something stupid like trip and take out a row of cheerleaders or something like that.  Of particular interest to me in not tripping and taking out a row of cheerleaders is the last time that I tripped and fell in front of a group of people I bounced.  It didn’t matter that it hurt like the bejesus what mattered was that I bounced.  And people noticed.  That was humiliating.  So I got that going for me.

         

          It was a night, not like any other night.  I chose not to prepare the typical fine cuisine of which my children have become accustomed since they returned from their mother’s DC apartment in late August.  Tonight they would not feast upon savory sausages smothered in marinara sauce, melted cheese, and interlaced with fresh veggies nor would they be treated to pork roast baked in a golden flakey crust with succulent gravy and an assortment of chopped carrots and snow peas.  They would not nosh on fire grilled fajita steak, grilled onions and bell peppers wrapped tightly in a fresh flour tortilla while served with a side order of steaming Spanish rice.  No, not on this night, we would not be dining on Pizza Hut delivery, Swanson pot pies or Taco Bell take out.  Tonight I would prepare my self described world famous tuna casserole.  Fresh frozen egg noodles, Campbell’s crème of mushroom soup, a can of Star-Kist tuna all mixed up and nuked under a covering of cheese and poof!  Nearly instant home made cooking, sort of.  They didn’t even complain!  They didn’t ask for seconds but they didn’t complain.  Score one for the old man.

          My eldest son, Clayton,was nominated to the homecoming king court at his school and has a busy schedule this week filled with meetings, assemblies and appearances this week.  Spirit is high at Kennedy High School as his team returns to the home field to protect their undefeated record against some dark evil empire conference rival.  I have to admit that my chest swelled quite a bit when my son called to tell me he was a finalist in the annual autumn festivities.  He must be a chip off the old block as I was a Queen escort and Sadie Hawkins King candidate in my senior year.  I was not successful in my runs at royalty but that noble path of leadership was set before me.  Somewhere at the first crossroads after my candidacy I must have gotten lost but that is a post for another day.  Win or not such opportunities make for wonderful memories and I am glad he will get to experience all of it.

          As much fun as I had and as much as I learned on my trip to Salt Lake it is always questionable if it is worth any gained benefit to leave the office.  I returned to work today to find an overflowing in-box, 117 emails and 39 voicemails.  I had been careful to set the “I’m out of the office” auto-reply on my email and a voice message advising to try another extension and still I returned to an onslaught of pending projects, requests for support and pleas for procedural definitions.  I’m not telling you anything that you don’t experience when you are out of the office but it’s my blog so and I’ll whine if I want to.  So I got that going for me.

          Okay get this, my daughter is in the next room watching “The Top 20 Cutest Celebrity Babies” on vh1.  My protests have been unheeded, my demands unmet and my pleading has fallen upon deaf ears.  The way I see it there are basically two huge problems with programming of this sort.  First, that anybody would produce a show about celebrity babies.  Second I have a problem that a direct descendant of mine would watch such insignificant drivel.  I am a committed advocate to the idea that all reality TV, other than American Idol of course, is a hideous waste of resources and contributes greatly to a diminished sense of personal significance.  I associate watching morons on TV messing up their lives with a pathetic excuse to avoid living our own lives in anything resembling a meaningful existence.  I could go on and on here but after this commercial break I am hoping to finally get a glimpse of Tom and Katie’s baby Suri.  Gotta run.  See ya!

 

COMMENTS:

Ah, well, I finally read your post, as I do every evening.  I know what a good cook you are as you drool over the descriptions of the meals I toss together on the nights I choose to cook.  Please note dear readers that I am looking for a “wife” who will both cook and clean for me (forward all responses to Red Hog).  I promise endless devotion and a few other perks, but I am for sure no sugar mama.

I have but one piece of advice from a fellow Midwesterner who used to do some cooking at www.Hahnathome.com regarding the tuna situation.  Put it in a pan instead of a casserole dish, use a different shaped pasta, sprinkle some more cheese on top, and some bread crumbs.  Then, to bring it home, make toast and call it “Tuna on Toast.”  Then, go to the store and buy some Martin Elli’s Sparkling Cider and serve it in plastic champagne glasses.  Suddenly, it becomes a delicacy.  I don’t know why, but try it, and let me know.   

Your faithful reader,

 www.hahnathome.com

 

          Airport reunions are one of my favorite things to behold.  Seeing lovers embrace upon reuniting, young parents proudly lifting their newborns to the outstretched arms of anxious grandparents, and watching little boys and girls jumping into a returning parent's arms are among the finer moments in life.  All of those types of airport greetings are spectacular but perhaps the greatest airport reunions occurring across the land these days are those of returning service members.  When I entered the Salt Lake City airport on Saturday three service men were coming down the escalator to the baggage claim and were met with a huge fanfare of cheers and applause.  Everybody in the airport stopped to witness this beautiful homecoming.  As the battle toughened soldiers approached the bottom of the escalator the emotions of love, relief and soaring heartfelt joy was palatable to everybody in the area. 

          No matter what your view of the decisions behind our soldiers being at war you would not have been able to quell the swelling of pride in your heart for those soldiers who have put their lives on the line.  The fact of the matter is that this democracy has elected its leaders and they are fighting the war on terror the best way they know how.  While I have commented numerous times in this space that I do not support our administrations decisions or methodology for combating terrorism I do fully support the mission to eliminate terror and the soldiers who are taking orders to do so.  It is time for the United States to make a stand for civil liberty, justice and to begin healing the perception of others in the world that we have become the problem. 

          How is it that we have lost the mantle of righteousness when were so savagely attacked on 9/11/2001?  We have every right to seek out those who attacked us and insure that they can never repeat an attack such as that.  We have a responsibility to the entire world to do all that we can do to make civilians safe from the tyranny of radicals.  The best way to do that is to create a world where people see an America that stands as a beacon of hope, justice and opportunity.  We must maintain the principles that created the opportunities for the world leading stature that we have enjoyed.  We can do that by bringing to justice those responsible for the attack and showing the world that we value individual rights and freedom above fear, revenge, or capital interests. 

          This week our congress will be debating if we would employ torture, warrantless spying and using secret evidence in trials as acceptable methods to fight the war on terror.  I have called both of my Senators and told them that I strongly oppose those methods.  I will call them again this week as the debate takes on further clarification.  I find it unacceptable to think that one day I would have to explain to my grandchildren that I did not do everything I could to ensure that our government preserved a path of dignity and honor in the face of these difficult times.  If we are to accept torture as an acceptable means of protecting us from the fear of terrorism where will we draw the line?  If torture is acceptable for fighting terrorism why not murder?  If murder then why not drunk driving? 

          Our version of civilization is one that respects individual rights and is the greatest gift we can give the world.  We should all be willing to stand up and fight to protect it.  This is a democracy damn it and it is about time we started acting like it and let our elected officials know that we voted for them and we believe in an America that is just, fair and humane.  Go here: ACLU and then please let your conscience be your guide.  Please find the time to call your congressional leaders.  That’s how democracy works!  Congress – Contact info.  Senate – Contact info.

He’s Baaack!  I finally walked into my home at midnight last night after flying from Salt Lake.  Boy, were my arms tired!  The five hour wait for my departure in the Salt Lake City airport after motel check out proved interesting.  Dozens of flights around the country had been rerouted due to storms in the middle of the country and the terminal was packed with anxious and frustrated flyers.  There were no problems with my flight and surprising as it may sound, huge numbers of stranded travelers did not have Des Moines as their final destination.  Once again I was able to overlap the narrow seats of my economy class seat, much to the relief of the wide eyed gentleman who was seated in the row that I was originally assigned.

          So get this!  The Salt Lake City airport has huge smoking lounges right in the middle of each of their terminals.  I love that!  There was a huge difference in the interaction of passengers who sat in the smoking lounge and those in the larger area of the terminal.  Smokers are not accustomed to being afforded humane treatment and typically form a social solidarity when relegated to back corner out of the way places to practice their nasty habit.  In the comfort of our smoking lounge we shared our disbelief of our good fortune, commented on how unlikely a city such as Salt Lake would afford us such luxury and generally enjoyed each others company.  We heard stories of frustration from flight rerouting, excitement of trips to attend weddings, rejoin families, and meet grandchildren for the first time.  One lady was on her way to celebrate her great grandmothers 100^th birthday.  My five hour wait for my flight passed relatively quickly.

          My flight into Des Moines was the last arrival of the evening at the Des Moines airport and many of my fellow travelers returned to shrieks of joy and open arms.  I just lumbered dejectedly past the revelry and celebrations of welcomed returnees and made my way to the baggage claim.  There is something anti-climatic about returning to a nearly empty airport knowing that you had parked your vehicle on the back side of the overflow long term parking lot, it is raining and you know that you have a two hour drive ahead of you. Travel weary, I was delighted when I made the final turn onto my home street and saw the kids waiting at the end of the driveway.  I opened the truck door and got my own private display of affection complete with shrieks of joy and open arms.  Moments like that don’t require an audience and just like my fellow travelers back at the airport, I was too wrapped up in the joy of being reunited with those I love to have noticed anybody around us anyway.  It’s good to be home.