The country is mourning the loss of former President Gerald Ford.  Ford's decision to pardon Richard Nixon, so divisive at the time that it probably cost him the 1976 election, was credited with healing public trust after Watergate.  The testimonials and tributes to President Ford were numerous since he passed away last Tuesday.  Vice President Dick Cheney, Ford’s old chief of staff, speaking in the Capitol Rotunda where Ford's body rested said, "It was this man, Gerald R. Ford, who led our republic safely though a crisis that could have turned to catastrophe," "Gerald Ford was almost alone in understanding that there can be no healing without pardon."  Cheney is no doubt hopeful that the next president will be as forgiving. 

            As the 110th Congress prepares to convene at noon on January third the Guilty Old Politicians are shamelessly using the death of one of their more noble leaders to spin a climate of reconciliation that they will most likely be in desperate need of. 

"In our nation's darkest hour, Gerald Ford lived his finest moment," said Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska. "He was the man the hour required."  The Los Angeles Times has reported that Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) has been investigated for doing favors for companies or organizations which paid his son Ben over $1.5 million in salary and "consulting fees."   

Said House Speaker Dennis Hastert, "In 1974 America didn't need a philosopher-king or a warrior-prince; we needed a healer, we needed a rock, we needed honesty and candor and courage. We needed Gerald Ford."  Hastert is the guy whom George Bush said would be fired if he found out who knew what and when they knew it with regards to ex-Rep. Mark Foley’s emails and sexually explicit computer messages to former pages.  I’m not quite certain what Hastert knows about healers or rocks or honesty, candor and courage.  I wonder if the young boys who were victimized under his watch would believe he understood anything of the principles he used to describe the late President.

President Ford will forever be remembered as the a selfless ray of light in one of our nation's darkest moments.  He sacrificed any and all personal and political aspirations in order that we might move beyond the loss of confidence resulting from Watergate.  President Ford deserved better than self serving eulogies from corrupt politicians.  We all deserved better.  It is fitting that this occurred in the waning hours of the last days of the year.   I am hopeful that in 2007 we will see leadership that will see the beginning of the return of our troops from Iraq, a reversal of warrant-less spying on American citizens, a reversal of the sanctioned use of torture of prisoners, and renewed commitment to alternative fuels, education, the environment and health care.   Happy New Year everyone.

 

            The kid did stand-up at the local comedy club last night.  It was his fourth Amateur Night performance at Penguins Comedy Club in Cedar Rapids.  Each time he gets a little better and he has been hired out for two separate gigs in January.  One will be a three show stop at a local coffee house and the other he is opening for a professional at a company holiday party.  Who knew? 

 

            The President interrupted his Holiday Vacation to meet with Condoleezza and Beelzebub Cheney yesterday because, evidently, he finally thinks this war thing is important.  In a totally committed act of selflessness the Decider-in-Chief set aside nearly three hours at his Texas ranch to design a new U.S. policy for Iraq.  The official word from the Crawford summit was that the President and his advisers need more time to craft the plan he’ll announce in the New Year.  I do not understand how the man can be on vacation, how he can have such a complete lack of urgency about this war when last week we saw the death toll of American Soldiers exceed the number of citizens killed in the attack against our nation on 9/11. 

            One thing the Bush Administration has not been known for is their ability to keep a secret.  It seems everybody in the beltway knows that Bush is planning to come back with a plan to escalate the war in Iraq with what is being described as a “surge” of troops.  This should not come as a surprise to anybody because that is exactly the plan that would discount the concerns of the Generals in Iraq, Secretary Powell, the bipartisan Iraq Study Group and the seventy percent of Americans who disapprove of the way the President is handling the war.  The Joint Chiefs of Staff are on record saying that a surge in troop levels will lead to more attacks by al-Qaeda and provide more targets for Sunni insurgents.  The arrogance of the evil little man that resides at 1600 Pennsylvania seems endless.  Our supply of soldiers is not.

            The preponderance of evidence and expert opinion on Middle Eastern affairs all support the theory that there is no military solution to the war in Iraq.  More US soldiers can reduce the violence occurring in Iraq to be sure but they can not solve the fundamental issues at play in that troubled land.  No amount of military force will convince the Shia, Sunni, and Kurd to resolve their differences, to sit down and seek a plan for peace.  What we will do by sending more troops to Iraq is delay the day that these warring factions will ever see a need to meet.  As long as we maintain a presence there, as long as we are creating any level of a false sense of security there is no incentive for the Iraqis to seek a resolution to their differences. 

            I have an idea!  Why don’t we announce to the Iraqi’s that the days we will remain in Iraq are numbered, encourage and support them in their attempts to be in charge of their own security, convince other countries that they have a vested interest in a peaceful Iraq and encourage them to support the transition of power in the region. 

Approximately 35-40% of all Iraqi’s are Sunni.  The majority of Iraqi’s; about 60-65% of Iraqi Muslims, are Shia.  The divisions stem from the 7th century, when Muslims split over the issue of who should rightly lead the Islamic community. Those who accepted the rule of the Umayyad family became known as Sunnis. Those who opposed the Umayyads in favor of the descendants of Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, were known as Shia's.  Another distinct division in Iraq is ethnic.  Kurds, who are mostly Sunni, are a distinct minority of the Iraqi population and mostly dwell in the highlands of northern Iraq.  The region inhabited by the Kurds encompasses Iraq’s richest oil fields.  The Kurds have their own agenda which is not motivated by Islamic differences between the Shia and Sunni’s but rather anger from ethnic oppression by the Arab Shia and Sunnis to the south.  So while the Arab Sunni and Shia of the south are warring against each other the Kurds to the north are compelled to establish an independent homeland.  The fact that these divisions have all been going on for 1400 years has me thinking that the people of Iraq don’t give a hoot about what the "All Hat No Cattle" rancher from Texas thinks about with regard to the future of Iraq.  It seems the people of Iraq and a majority of Americans have a lot in common.

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." — George W. Bush, Washington , D.C. , Aug. 5, 2004

 

            Ahh, I have to tell ya it is good to be back at work today.  I’m not quite certain I could have survived another day at home surrounded by the temptations of leftover holiday baking, turkey and the seasonal eggnog.  You would think there would be a point where eating more would result in some sort of diminishing return with regards to returns to the cookie tin or more significantly to actual weight gain.  I don’t seem to have reached that point and I gave it my best shot over the last five days. 

            I should be ashamed to admit it but my boys and I seem to find some warped kind of pride in our farting prowess.  The variety of gastric stressing foodstuffs available at this time of the year makes for a veritable stink bomb bonanza that provides unending hilarity for us.  The more sophisticated and delicate gender of our household hasn’t acquired an appreciation for our talents but that doesn’t seem to slow us down any.  Regardless of whatever reprimand ensues from our selfish enjoyment we have failed to get into the trouble that Brian Bruggeman of North Platte, NE finds himself in.  Bruggeman has been charged with a felony complaint of assault by a confined person because he lacked the discipline to perform his craft in the stealthy silent but deadly mode.  Yahoo news reported that Bruggeman passed gas in close proximity to another inmate which lead to fisticuffs and resulted in the additional charges.  So it goes.

            Former Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards officially announced his entrance into the presidential race yesterday.  The North Carolina Democrat’s web site lists a campaign slogan of “Tomorrow begins today” which seemed eerily prophetic as his original plan was to announce his candidacy in New Orleans today.  Edwards is campaigning on five priorities to change America: "Guaranteeing health care for every single American," "Strengthening our middle class and ending the shame of poverty," "Leading the fight against global warming," and "Getting America and the world to break our addiction to oil, and providing moral leadership in the world."  Edwards will no doubt continue his message of “two Americas” – one composed of the wealthy and privileged, and the other of the hardworking common man.  The message resonated well with independents and moderate Democrats in 2004 and should work well in today’s political reality.

            The Red Hog will be checking out the Edwards Campaign and report back to you with what I see.  One of the benefits of Iowa, beyond abundant fresh sweet corn and market fresh pork chops is that we get a lot of play from presidential hopefuls in the early days of campaign cycles. 

 

 

Why is it that vacations always seem to pass so quickly?  The Red Hog is scheduled to be back in his office on Thursday.  That sucks.    Maybe I mourn the end of vacations so much because even when gone I never manage to get away.  I took calls from work every day of my vacation with the exception of Sunday and Christmas Day.  I love the day job but give me a chance to win the lottery and you won’t see any video of me on the six o’clock news mouth breathing with a dead expression on my face while saying that I’m not going to let the winnings change my lifestyle or that I plan to go to work as usual the next day.  That’s just not how I roll.

           There is something to be said for the structure and routine of a work day that appeals to me.  I don’t quite understand how all of the unencumbered time that vacation affords left me scrambling to find time to get in the daily reading of my favorite blogs: Hahn at Home, The Peace Tree, and the others listed on my blog roll.  I am finding more and more commentary out in the blogosphere alluding to the divisive nature of our current political environment.  I find it frustrating that the results of the mid-term election have many advocating a redoubling of partisan efforts.  More refreshing, however, is the growing voice of moderation. 

A particular good read over the Holidays was Dr. Ernest Partridge’s guest post on the Peace Tree that primarily focused on the GOP tactic of framing the dialogue and the use of metaphors and doublespeak to shape the political agenda.  Of particular interest to me was his comment, “In fact, “liberal vs. conservative” is a false dichotomy. It is possible to be both, and indeed a thoughtful progressive is both.”  I have to admit, however, that I enjoyed his comment, “The right faces an invincible adversary: reality.” a little bit too much.  The author suggested that Conservatives have so shaped the vocabulary of political discussion that we abandon the use of the term Liberal and Conservative and replace them with Progressive and Regressive.  I am not of the mind to begin calling my Conservative friends Regressive but if their party platform warrants it I may be inclined to give it a whirl. 

I love the term “progressive” but I am not so willing to give up the label “liberal” that I wear so proudly.  Perhaps my affinity for the badge is confrontational.  Perhaps my affection for the term rests in some strong aversion to seeing it distorted and defined by partisan pundits who put their personal agendas ahead of a more inclusive America.  Webster defines “liberal” as: “Favoring reform or progress, as in religion, education, etc.; specifically, favoring political reforms tending toward democracy and personal freedom for the individual.  Progressive.”  I like all of that and in no way will I run from that definition but will instead embrace it. 

As a liberal I believe that the best qualities of humanity require all of us to fight for our personal freedom, responsive and representative government, equal opportunity and fairness under the rule of law.  I believe that we should forever strive ensure those rights are available to all citizens.  I believe in hand ups and not hand outs and I believe that applies not only to the indigent but Corporate America as well.  I don’t believe in abortion but I believe they must be legal and available because regardless of the law; abortions will occur.  I do not believe that any woman should be subjected to unsafe medical procedures because her circumstance or desperation is different than mine.  I believe in freedom of religion and our right to express it in our own personal way.  I don’t believe religion, any religion, should be sanctioned by the government.  And finally I believe that my government should be responsive to individuals and not campaign donations.  The argument that financial contributions are an expression of freedom of speech does not fly with me. I see little difference in offering legislative candidates financial gifts above an amount any typical voter could expect to offer as being the same as offering a police officer cash when you are caught in a crime. 

Yep, I’m just a big old liberal but you can call me progressive if you want to.  Maybe sometime in the future I will tell you all about, why I like to pay taxes.  Happy Hump Day!

 

            Christmas day was celebrated around the world.  In his Christmas Day address at the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI called for an end to conflicts across the globe and greater concern for the poor, the exploited and all who suffer.  In Partes, a Serb village in the snow-covered hills of eastern Kosovo two dozen U.S. peacekeeping troops celebrated the holiday among elementary schoolchildren.  At the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, pews were packed with hundreds of worshippers.  Queen Elizabeth II, in her annual Christmas broadcast, called for religious tolerance and mutual respect between the young and old in a fast-changing world.  In Southeast Asia, Christians in the world's most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia, ignored terror warnings and flocked to heavily guarded churches.  Foreign troops in Afghanistan woke up to a white Christmas and snowball fights. Soldiers wearing red Santa hats and even a couple dressed as elves walked around Camp Eggers, the main U.S. base in Kabul, the capital. 

Shoppers packed malls awash with tinsel, plastic pine trees and special promotions in mostly Buddhist Japan and predominantly Hindu India, reflecting the spread of the season's commercial appeal.  In China, where the government allows worship only in churches, mosques and temples run by state-monitored religious groups, the English-language China Daily ran a front-page photo of a Mass in Shanghai and published several comments urging tolerance — in response to recent calls for Chinese to resist imported holidays.  People in Australia's drought-affected southeast danced in the streets as summer rains drenched wildfires that had burned out of control for three weeks, enabling around 800 volunteer firefighters to go home to their families for Christmas. 

In Cedar Falls, Iowa the Red Hog made a pig of himself unable to resist the tempting fare spread before him on the Christmas table.  Our day began at 5:11 AM when two of our children were hovering at the base of “She Who Must Be Obeyed” and my bed. 

 

The kids, they begged us to spring out of bed

They shrieked and they screeched and they made such a clatter. 

I was sleepy and angry so their pleas did not matter.

 

It had taken past midnight to wrap all the gifts.

If they said another word we’d have a Holiday rift!

I shooed them away; back to their beds with a warning.

They were not to return until daylight proved morning.

 

I soon was unconscious and dead to the world.

They had promised to sleep so I had snuggled back in.

A victory as such I considered a win.

 

Fully eight minutes elapsed ere their return.

My blood started to boil.  My ire to burn.

And then I remembered Yule’s of my youth.

And I became anxious to tell you the truth.

 

So I arose from my bed

As the kids had insisted

It was their charm I had found could not be resisted

 

Sitting in my spot on the couch we began

It was hard to play the grouch as had been my plan

Amid smiles and laughter and all sorts of glee

We tore at the presents from under the tree.

 

Around the world this scene was repeated

For an hour or two thoughts of war were defeated

Through the eyes of the young and their jubilant elation

I found hope for peace. It was a splendid sensation.

 

            I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas.  The Red Hog was gifted a long desired digital camera which will prove a useful tool for this business of blogging.  Perhaps another Harley Tour is in order? 

 

 

Wishing you and yours all the blessings of the Season. 

 

Hey, Check this out.  The Red Hog Family was sitting around the table Christmas Eve, looking through old scrap books.  I found these pictures from my Father's old scrap book.  My Dad passed away in 1989 but somehow It seemed as if he were with us this evening.  God Bless you all, I'd hug ya if I could reach ya!

 

The first Picture is my Dad at basic training in 1944, Picture 2 is my Dad, his 1949 Pan Head and a devoted friend, the third picture is one of some of his buddies and the final is my Dad with buddies in WWII. 

 

            Saturday was Christmas at the In-Laws.  Holiday encounters with the family of “She Who Must Be Obeyed” (SWMBO) are always special events.  In 1987 the In-Laws witnessed the birth of their first grandchild only to see six additional offspring join the clan over the next 24 months.  The first two of those Grandchildren are now in college and the other five all graduate from high school this spring.  Those early Christmas’s were fairly harried events.  All the anxieties associated with a home full of newborns have been replaced with the apprehension of empty nests and college tuition.  One of the brother-in-laws and I were outdoors enjoying a smoke while we reminisced about how fast the years have sped by.  Thankfully another brother-in-law interrupted us seeking companions for a trip to the river before we turned into an unseemly glob of emotional mush.           

            The SWMBO family resides on a farmstead in the heart of Grant Wood country in Eastern Iowa.  The home sits high upon a hill overlooking fertile farmland that is flanked by timber that lines the Wapsipinicon River.  It had to be a fantastic place to grow up with all of the Tom Sawyeresque opportunities that the landscape affords.  In spite of the previous three days of rain a load of us jumped into the trusty Yukon and made our way down the muddy lane to the waters edge.  One of the spectacular things about trips to the river in the fall and winter months is that the Wapsi is home to large numbers of Bald Eagles.  Frequently, on these woodland excursions, pairs of Bald Eagles can be seen soaring above the trees and Saturday was no exception.  As the group of us strolled up and down the sandbar we were entertained by two pair of the majestic raptors gliding upon the air currents as if they were immune to gravitational constraint. 

            On one of the rare moments my eyes were not directed skyward one of the brother-in-laws had me examining a white glob of turkey excrement that seemed extraordinarily prevalent after it was initially pointed out to me.  The sandbar upon which we walked was loaded with raccoon, deer and wild turkey tracks.  The telltale signs of a robust wildlife population were way beyond abundant as the imprints of hoof and talon literally covered the entire shoreline.  Upon examining the phenomenal profusion of physical evidence it soon became apparent to me that we were interlopers in the animal kingdom.  It was at this point that my brother-in-law began an unsolicited oration on the minutiae of turkey poop.  It seems that fresh turkey poop is green and the sample we were currently examining, white in color, meant that it was several days old.  Further discussion taught me that the specimen in question came from a hen as it was round in shape where roosters will supposedly excrete a J-shape.  Being somewhat of a city-boy I was in no position to question what I was hearing but I did draw the line when it was suggested that if I tasted it I would be able to tell what part of the county the flock nested in. 

            Having personally experienced an overload of natural wonders I gathered my passengers and cranked the 1000 watt stereo of the Yukon with the bass thumping reverberations of “Brick House” by the Commodores.  I welcomed the mudslinging challenge of revving the big V-8 powered GMC up and out of the river bottom.  Suddenly I became fearful that on Christmas Eve; upon lying down for a long winters nap, visions of turkey poop will dance in my head.  As we made our way back out of the woods I reflected on the days events.  Such are the memories of Holiday’s in my life; the warmth of family and our history together, the wonderful tastes and aromas of a fabulous meal prepared by loving hands, the observations of the iconic National Birds soaring in the bright blue sky and an education on turkey poop.  All the kids may soon be off to college but as long as we can all gather for the Holidays everything will be okay.  Life just doesn’t get any better than that!

            Merry Christmas Red Hog Readers!  I hope your Holidays are rich and bountiful and that you appreciate your in-laws as much as I do mine.

             

            There was a man who worked for the Post Office whose job was to process all the mail that had illegible addresses.  One day, a letter came addressed in a shaky handwriting to God with no actual address. He thought he should open it to see what it was about. The letter read:

"Dear God,
I am an 83 year old widow, living on a very small pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had $100 in it, which was all the money I had until my
next pension check. Next Sunday is Christmas, and I had invited two of my friends over for dinner. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food
with. I have no family to turn to, and you are my only hope. Can you please help me?

Sincerely,
Edna"

The postal worker was touched. He showed the letter to all the other workers. Each one dug into his or her wallet and came up with a few dollars.  By the time he made the rounds, he had collected $96, which they put into an envelope and sent to the woman. The rest of the day, all the workers felt a warm glow thinking of Edna and the dinner she would be able to share with her friends.  Christmas came and went. A few days later, another letter came from the same old lady to God. All the workers gathered around while the letter was opened. It read:

"Dear God,
How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? Because of your gift of love, I was able to fix a glorious dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day and I told my friends of your wonderful gift. By the way, there was $4 missing. I think it must have been those bastards at the Post Office.

Sincerely yours
Edna".

 

Christmas Season is one of my favorite seasons. The remembrance and gathering of friends and family, the hope for peace on earth, the time honored traditions, familiar Christmas Carols and all the magic of the season seem to always sweep the trappings of worries, pressures and the boredom of routine from the front of my mind.  Last evening the 1964 Burl Ives narrated classic, “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” aired on CBS.  I am pretty sure I have seen that show every year since it first aired in 1964 and will never tire of it.  I found it ironic that the excitement I had for the news that the show was airing was not met with the same enthusiasm by “She Who Must Be Obeyed”, my daughter, or my seven year old son.  That was okay.  My eighteen year old wrestling son and I enjoyed every minute of it. 

            Rudolph rocks!  I learned something about Rudolph that I had never known before yesterday.  Rudolph is the original creation of Robert May who developed the story as a promotional campaign for Montgomery Wards stores.  I refuse to let the fact that Rudolph is a commercially inspired icon diminish my love for him.  Some things just work for me and that champion of the misfit toys is one.  How can you not love a misunderstood underdog that rises above adversity and selflessly puts his pain behind him for the benefit of all the children of the world?  Need I say more?  I think not. 

            Virgil Goode (R-VA) has sent a letter to his supporters warning that the US must close its borders to guard against the influx of Muslims.  It seems Representative Goode is alarmed over Muslim Representative-elect Keith Ellison’s (D-MN) desire to be sworn into office on the Koran.  In my mind it would not make sense to swear Ellison in on a Bible any more than it would make sense to swear someone into office on a copy of “My Pet Goat.”  To Ellison the Bible is merely an ancient text.  Actually, from the behavior of many in Congress he is not alone in that perception as evidenced by the degree to which they keep their oath.  If the Koran is the book seen as sacred to Ellison then it would seem logical that he would take his oath over the Koran.

            Goode went on to express his fear that “in the next century we will have many more Muslims in the United States if we do not adopt the strict immigration policies that I believe are necessary to preserve the values and beliefs traditional to the United States of America and to prevent our resources from being swamped.”  Virgil graduated with honors from the University of Richmond and graduated from UVA Law School in 1973 where he was selected for Law Review.  How does someone that educated go on to put such ignorant words on paper?   The first Amendment to the Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” 

            If Virgil did not learn the Bill of Rights in Virginia public school and managed to miss the day they talked about it in undergrad you would have surly thought that he may have got a hint in law school.  The thought that we might establish immigration policy as a litmus test to ensure those seeking citizenship in our land share a particular faith seems very un-American to me.  Um, Virgil, would that faith you deisre be Evangelical, Lutheran, Catholic or maybe Methodist?  The claim that an immigrant who practiced a particular faith would be a drain on our resources is nothing if not hostile bigotry.  To predefine desirable “values and beliefs” seems an exercise in absurdity because it would seem; if a majority of Americans were to hold Virgil to such a test he would most likely be unwelcome.  So it goes.

 

            All bow before the power of the blog!  A couple of days ago I blogged about my local paper opting to continue the War on Christmas instead of printing the letter I submitted in defense of liberal Christians.  The following day they ran my letter.  On Wednesday I went all Clark Griswold and hinted that my employer was behaving rather scroogishly with regards to our Christmas bonus.  That very evening the board of directors met and decided to include a bonus in our paychecks this Friday.  Wednesday morning you may have seen the news that I am Time Magazine’s Person of the Year!   I am half tempted to post something about Julia Roberts, Jodie Foster and me on a New Year’s trip to the Virgin Islands…Okay, I’m back. 

            The Red Hog Diary will be celebrating its one year anniversary in a little over five weeks.  Daily readership is over 180 unique visitors per day.  I am truly grateful for each and every Red Hog Reader and especially appreciative for those of you who have shared the site with your friends.  That being said I am considering the future of the Red Hog Diary.  I am committed to finishing out the year but I am not certain what next year will hold.  I am entertaining a variety of ideas which include: retirement, forming a coalition of bloggers on a shared site, submitting posts to more established sites, or encouraging frequent contributions for posts to the Red Hog Diary.  Of course you will be the first to know.

            One of the things that has me questioning the future of the Red Hog Diary as it is today is that I find myself frequently contributing to one of the problems that makes me most crazy in this world.  I frequently bemoan the tactics of partisan generalizations.  When my patriotism, spirituality or integrity is questioned as a direct reflection on my liberalism I tend to retaliate in kind.  There isn’t an issue on the planet that all liberals or all conservatives agree on and it is very unlikely that there are any individuals who would fit completely under the umbrella of either ideology.  A friend sent me an email yesterday that was very timely and convicting with regards to the discontentment I have been feeling with what I am doing on this site.  I asked and he said it was okay that I share his letter with you.  Here it is:

Hey Chris,

I looked over you blog for the first time. You warned me that it would espouse liberal views and that's okay. Many would think that my views are aligned mostly with conservatives, but let me explain.

First, I believe that the two-party system has done more damage to our country than good. It's a shame that someone has to sell their soul to the party line to get elected. It erodes patriotism and true commitment to moral values. My view might be naive (given the political realities of life), but why can't we have statesmen and stateswomen who are honest and honorable individuals, who will stand up for what's right vs. what's expedient.

Second, I believe that everyone has the right to his/her opinion on an issue. However, when that person uses his/her opinion to wantonly distort the honest views of another, that behavior (no matter its source or political affiliation) is out of line. Worse yet, attempts to destroy the personal reputation of others (to call bad good and good bad) are despicable. Political campaigns, unfortunately, are rife with such actions and leave me not wanting to get involved.

Third, many political issues have strong moral undertones. To try to remove morality from the discussion for the sake of political correctness or to attempt to remove religion totally from the equation is ludicrous. This country was founded by very religious individuals who were smart enough to know that religious beliefs could not (and should not) be foisted upon any individual, but who at the same time, extracted their own moral compasses from their own personal religious beliefs.

Finally, I often find those who claim to be "tolerant" of another's views and beliefs, to be the most intolerant of mine. Why is that? To answer my own question, there might be one of two answers -- either the so-called "tolerant" person finds their position to be diametrically opposed to mine, and for that reason alone, can't help but be intolerant; or perhaps, the "tolerant" person is using the "tolerance" card as an excuse to be accepting of immoral behavior.

Please do not misinterpret any of these comments to be directed "pot shots" at you or what you have written on your blog. I just wanted to share my opinions.

Your friend,

Keith Van Orden

            Keith’s final point, that of tolerance hypocrisy was especially poignant.  I would have to plead guilty to the charge of expressing little charity for another’s right to opinions different than mine.  It would be so much easier if they just weren’t so wrong so often…  So it goes.

 

            Hey, you know how the Red Hog has told you about the very real threat that big telecommunication giants want to steal your internet?  It’s true.  We were fortunate that the 109th Congress did not take action which would thwart “Net Neutraility” and if you were one of the over one million petition signors in support of Net Neutrality, Thank YOU!  Net Neutrality is not a liberal or a conservative issue.  It is an American issue and the phone companies are hoping you and I are going to become complacent on this very important issue when the 110th Congress convenes in January.  They have already started to contact the new members of Congress in the hopes that they can slip their legislation through.  So what?  Well I can make this easy on you.  Watch this short video and it will highlight the basic facts of the issue and how it affects you.

 

If you would like a bit more comprehensive detail on the issue watch this video.

 

            The coalition, Net Neutrality pledges to work with the new Congress to craft bolder policies that ensure all Americans can enjoy the unlimited choices the Internet has to offer.  It is now time to have a public conversation about what the future of the Internet should look like. This will not only include Net Neutrality, but making the Internet faster, more affordable and accessible to everyone.  The only way to win a better Internet in 2007 is to tell the new Congress that Internet freedom is a priority. But we need more Americans to join the fight. By forwarding this link-save-the-net to friends, you can help spread our message and build momentum for the New Year.

As the narrator says in the video: "We need to sound the alarm now ... use the Internet to Save the Internet."

 

            From National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Clark Griswold: “Hey. If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I'd like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people and I want him brought right here, with a big ribbon on his head, and I want to look him straight in the eye and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey shit he is. Hallelujah. Holy shit. Where's the Tylenol?”  I love that little ditty of dialogue.  That quote is especially dear to me this year as my employer has somehow, inadvertently I am sure, managed to not distribute our traditional Holiday bonus.  I understand completely that the key word in my previous sentence was “bonus.”  Yet, somehow, if you have always received a bonus and then suddenly you don’t receive one; thoughts of entitlement creep into your head.  Looks like the kids will get a certificate of enrollment to the “Jelly of the Month Club” for Christmas this year.  So it goes.

            I see Bill O’Reilly made a trip to Iraq over the weekend.  My God, is there no limit to what we expect our troops to endure?

 

            I am beginning to understand the “War on Christmas” a little more.  It has nothing to do with liberals as either proponents or participants in the assault on a sacred tradition.  Rather, I have come to conclude, it is more about insecure and insincere conservatives suffering a cognitive dissonance with their split devotion to the Biblical principles of the Holiday and their more powerful fidelity to the Almighty Dollar.  I have often wondered how the Neo-Cons reconciled their position on taxes and social services with the fundamental teachings of Christ while he walked the planet.  Much of the Conservative agenda is at direct odds with the teachings of Jesus at the Sermon on the Mount. 

            The Sermon on the Mount is found in the 5^th – 7^th chapters of the Gospel of Matthew and has five fundamental teachings which make up the foundation of Christianity.  First are the Beatitudes, the teachings that were meant to comfort suffering believers.  “Blessed are the gentle, the merciful, the peacemakers and the persecuted.  Next are the new laws.  Here Jesus warns us of adultery, divorce and making false vows.  He teaches us to love our neighbors and pray for our enemies.  Third we are provided with the Lord’s Prayer and instruction for the proper motivation for fasting and offering gifts.  The next to final lesson of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells us to not be caught up in the material concerns of the world.  We are not to worry about food, clothing or what the future might bring.  Rather our faith in God and our service to our brothers and their needs are the ways to inherit the Kingdom of God.  Finally we are taught to avoid judgment of our brethren.  We are warned of the hypocrisy of tending to our neighbors shortcomings while living a less than glorified life of our own.  Here is where Jesus teaches, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law.”  We are warned to beware of false prophets, wolves in sheep’s clothing as it were.