This piece is lifted in its entirety from the Corner on National Review. It is by Hans von Spakovsky and would normally be just linked. There is much of great worth on this web site and I encourage you to click away and enjoy.
My reason for outright theft of this article is I could never say what von Spakovsky says with such skill and accuracy. Don’t look to the media for confirmation of any of this damning commentary. Read on.
“When former president Jimmy Carter accuses the opponents of Barrack Obama’s policy of nationalizing broad aspects of our economy and spending us into bankruptcy of being “racists,” perhaps he should look in the mirror. In his 1982 book, Keeping Faith, Carter disingenuously said he “was not directly involved in the early struggles to end racial discrimination.” No kidding — in fact, he directly and unambiguously supported segregation. When Carter returned to Plains, Georgia, to become a peanut farmer after serving in the Navy, he became a member of the Sumter County School Board, which did not implement the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision handed down by the Supreme Court. Instead, the board continued to segregate school children on the streets of Carter’s hometown.
As Laughlin McDonald, director of the ACLU’s Voting Project, relates in his book A Voting Rights Odyssey: Black Enfranchisement in Georgia, Carter’s board tried to stop the construction of a new “Elementary Negro School” in 1956. Local white citizens had complained that the school would be “too close” to a white school. As a result, “the children, both colored and white, would have to travel the same streets and roads in order to reach their respective schools..” The prospect of black and white children commingling on the streets on their way to school was apparently so horrible to Carter that he requested that the state school board stop construction of the black school until a new site could be found. The state board turned down Carter’s request because of “the staggering cost.” Carter and the rest of the Sumter County School Board then reassured parents at a meeting on October 5, 1956, that the board “would do everything in its power to minimize simultaneous traffic between white and colored students in route to and from school.”
I am not aware that Rep. Joe Wilson has ever supported segregation or engaged in the same type of reprehensible, racist behavior. The idea that opposition to Obama’s policies reflects “racism” is absurd; even the White House has rejected it.. All of this raises a larger issue about Carter’s remarks. When he makes such a claim, is he projecting his own inner racial beliefs? Is he so guilt-ridden over his past racist behavior that he wants to make amends to the race-baiters that today populate the Left? Or is he just cynically helping them score political points?”
There you have it. My only disagreement with the piece is that nowhere does he even come close to being uncivil and declaring Jimmah as a bitter, senile old fool. I have no such inhibitions.
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
A Geezer Reflects on a Revolution
What drives people to assemble from an entire nation to a single place to voice a single opinion? I suspect the answer lies in my own motivation. Over the years I have had many advantages to observe other countries, other systems of government, and behavior—both good and horrendous—of a variety of peoples. Opinions vary among our own citizens on the nature of governance we can tolerate. They also manage to disagree on any number of other issues as well. On the occasion of 10, 11, and 12 September, 2009, the petty differences disappeared and the mutual necessity for a unilateral return to principle and love of country reappeared.
I have tired of trying to accurately calculate the crowd who jammed Washington, D.C. on those dates. Just pick a number—850k, 1m, 1.2m, or as CNN reported early on, at least a thousand. As an eye witness, I may assure you that it was a sea of people. The number was large enough that it was impossible to get close enough to see the speakers. With a superb sound system, their voices could be easily heard everywhere. What was really important was that they came from far and wide to have their voices heard and their presence noted.
Over the years I have visited places and seen things which made my heart swell with pride in my country. Some I noted in prior postings on the way to Washington. Others are less immediately available. On a visit to the liberated concentration camp at Dachau I thrilled over the role of the United States in freeing the survivors and insuring no repetition of the horror. More recently, I followed carefully the flotilla of US ships and aid to the Tsunami victims. I read with immense joy the contributions our citizens and government have made to Africans afflicted with the deadly AIDS virus. No matter the tragedy, be it world war, disease, or natural disaster, my country is standing as a protector of the disadvantaged. Not least, the greatest thing about any trip abroad is returning past Bedloe’s Island, seeing the Statue of Liberty surrounded by multiple poles flying “Old Glory.” If you truly care about America, it will bring a tear of joy to your eye.
I covered nearly nine miles milling through endless throngs of my fellow citizens on 9/12 in D.C. It was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. I have never been prouder to be an American or more convinced that I was witnessing a turning point from the happenings of the last eight months. I was engulfed by people who understand the
Protections of the Constitution, the intent of the founders, and most important, had a voluntary willingness to leave their comfy couch and march for Freedom.
I spoke with many and found them knowledgeable, ably conversant on government, and eager to do what it takes to restore our liberties. To a man (woman and child) they clearly understood the necessity to peacefully assemble and air their grievances. They accomplished this without a hint of rowdyism, violence, or civil disturbance of any sort. Police officers I spoke with, although on the alert, admitted that it was the best behaved large group they had seen. Universally, they showed respect for each other, law enforcement and the grounds upon which they stood. I found the lack of any trash accumulated as the hallmark of that respect. In any large crowd, people bump into each other and the possibility of conflict occurs. On 9/12 the only words heard were “excuse me please,” “pardon me,” or “sorry about that.” Each person demonstrated an absolute consideration for their neighbors. I heard no expletives—even when talking about the administration—and saw no drunkenness.
Since I wore a black vest with a small bore target stapled to the back with the words “RIGHT WING EXTREMIST” in bold letters around the outer ring, I was frequently asked to stop so someone could take a picture. The request was always accompanied with a polite please and a thank you after the fact. On the rare occasions I found a place to lean or sit for a moment, I found my new companions eager to make a place and engage in conversation. We were all friends from the “git-go.” I have never felt safer or more secure in my person in other large gathering I have ever attended.
After the fact, I am distressed that so many feel compelled to downplay the event even though I do understand their motives. If I were part of the current administration I doubt I would be anxious for the nation to be aware of the intensity of disapproval shown by the gathered multitude. Think about it. How often do hundreds of thousands of people come to town to suggest you are wrong on most every issue? Keep in mind; we came from every state in the union. Early on I carried a Missouri State flag but took it back to the car because it dawned on me that I came to protest the actions of the United States government.
After nine previous Tea Parties and visits to offices of legislators it is tempting to think of this event as the big finale. That temptation should be avoided at all costs. We are just at a point of raw beginning. Those who engineer the destruction of America and our way of life have only just begun. We should all clearly understand that this effort will not be fulfilled until the last corrupt, greedy, vile person in government has been forced aside and replaced with those who have the interests of all the people at heart. We can survive this moment in our history if each person realizes that we are under an all-out assault from the destroyers of the republic. There is obviously no end point. The price of liberty is to remain constantly alert to dangers from within and without.
There is a line which is popularly attributed to, but unconfirmed, by Naval Field Marshal General Isoroku Yamamoto on the news of Japan’s successful attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." I believe his words to be as prophetic today as they were 68 years ago. Our administration has done just that. I saw a people awakend to peril to the republic. I saw ordinary citizens in a state of alarm over the developments over the last few months. I saw those who fear for our beloved country and are more than ready to take action. I truly believe I saw the future in their eyes.
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
I have tired of trying to accurately calculate the crowd who jammed Washington, D.C. on those dates. Just pick a number—850k, 1m, 1.2m, or as CNN reported early on, at least a thousand. As an eye witness, I may assure you that it was a sea of people. The number was large enough that it was impossible to get close enough to see the speakers. With a superb sound system, their voices could be easily heard everywhere. What was really important was that they came from far and wide to have their voices heard and their presence noted.
Over the years I have visited places and seen things which made my heart swell with pride in my country. Some I noted in prior postings on the way to Washington. Others are less immediately available. On a visit to the liberated concentration camp at Dachau I thrilled over the role of the United States in freeing the survivors and insuring no repetition of the horror. More recently, I followed carefully the flotilla of US ships and aid to the Tsunami victims. I read with immense joy the contributions our citizens and government have made to Africans afflicted with the deadly AIDS virus. No matter the tragedy, be it world war, disease, or natural disaster, my country is standing as a protector of the disadvantaged. Not least, the greatest thing about any trip abroad is returning past Bedloe’s Island, seeing the Statue of Liberty surrounded by multiple poles flying “Old Glory.” If you truly care about America, it will bring a tear of joy to your eye.
I covered nearly nine miles milling through endless throngs of my fellow citizens on 9/12 in D.C. It was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. I have never been prouder to be an American or more convinced that I was witnessing a turning point from the happenings of the last eight months. I was engulfed by people who understand the
Protections of the Constitution, the intent of the founders, and most important, had a voluntary willingness to leave their comfy couch and march for Freedom.
I spoke with many and found them knowledgeable, ably conversant on government, and eager to do what it takes to restore our liberties. To a man (woman and child) they clearly understood the necessity to peacefully assemble and air their grievances. They accomplished this without a hint of rowdyism, violence, or civil disturbance of any sort. Police officers I spoke with, although on the alert, admitted that it was the best behaved large group they had seen. Universally, they showed respect for each other, law enforcement and the grounds upon which they stood. I found the lack of any trash accumulated as the hallmark of that respect. In any large crowd, people bump into each other and the possibility of conflict occurs. On 9/12 the only words heard were “excuse me please,” “pardon me,” or “sorry about that.” Each person demonstrated an absolute consideration for their neighbors. I heard no expletives—even when talking about the administration—and saw no drunkenness.
Since I wore a black vest with a small bore target stapled to the back with the words “RIGHT WING EXTREMIST” in bold letters around the outer ring, I was frequently asked to stop so someone could take a picture. The request was always accompanied with a polite please and a thank you after the fact. On the rare occasions I found a place to lean or sit for a moment, I found my new companions eager to make a place and engage in conversation. We were all friends from the “git-go.” I have never felt safer or more secure in my person in other large gathering I have ever attended.
After the fact, I am distressed that so many feel compelled to downplay the event even though I do understand their motives. If I were part of the current administration I doubt I would be anxious for the nation to be aware of the intensity of disapproval shown by the gathered multitude. Think about it. How often do hundreds of thousands of people come to town to suggest you are wrong on most every issue? Keep in mind; we came from every state in the union. Early on I carried a Missouri State flag but took it back to the car because it dawned on me that I came to protest the actions of the United States government.
After nine previous Tea Parties and visits to offices of legislators it is tempting to think of this event as the big finale. That temptation should be avoided at all costs. We are just at a point of raw beginning. Those who engineer the destruction of America and our way of life have only just begun. We should all clearly understand that this effort will not be fulfilled until the last corrupt, greedy, vile person in government has been forced aside and replaced with those who have the interests of all the people at heart. We can survive this moment in our history if each person realizes that we are under an all-out assault from the destroyers of the republic. There is obviously no end point. The price of liberty is to remain constantly alert to dangers from within and without.
There is a line which is popularly attributed to, but unconfirmed, by Naval Field Marshal General Isoroku Yamamoto on the news of Japan’s successful attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." I believe his words to be as prophetic today as they were 68 years ago. Our administration has done just that. I saw a people awakend to peril to the republic. I saw ordinary citizens in a state of alarm over the developments over the last few months. I saw those who fear for our beloved country and are more than ready to take action. I truly believe I saw the future in their eyes.
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
The Best Shot of the Crowd
Without a doubt, this is absolutely the best shot of the crowd taken in Washington on 9/12. When I saw it, I felt it was worth a singular post to call it to your attention. Click the link and enjoy the view from the Capitol steps. That's a location, not the rock group. It was taken well after the conclusion of the parade down Pennsyvania Avenue. Be sure to move the bar at the bottom of the shot. Click it and enjoy.
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Monday Morning Rant 109
Okay, I know it’s Wednesday and not Monday and I apologize for not posting sooner. Coming back from D.C. got a little complicated since I came back through Chicago, Cedar Falls, IA, and Independence, Mo. I wasn’t lost, just visiting some old friends and a relative or two. One thing about it I didn’t like was missing church. God was so good to me on the trip by keeping me out of peril and offering His protection, I felt really bad about not formally acknowledging His presence.
A Couple weeks vacation
As I left the car to come into the house at one of my stops I was greeted in the yard by an old friend of the family. Ever courteous, she inquired what brought me to their neck of the woods. Eager to tell the tale of my recent trip to D.C., I shared a couple details and waited for a response. She said, “Well, we have just decided to take a couple weeks off from politics.” I thought about the statement and realized that it was code for not wanting to engage in discussion of political matters. I was disappointed in her response anyway.
I though about and it came to me what my reaction might be if I called the fire department and said my house was on fire. What if the fireman said, “Gee we have decided to take a couple weeks off and avoid really hot and flaming things?”
Further, what if I called the cops and reported a break-in by armed robbers? Would their response be, “Thank you for calling the police department? All of our officers are currently taking a break from confronting armed felons and traffic enforcement. They’ll be back in a couple of weeks.”
Worse, if I went to my doctor to complain of pain or a broken bone and he announced that he was taking a short sabbatical from curing mine or any anybody’s ailments would I understand? In each case, the result could be devastating to me personally and possibly to my neighbors as well.
In short, with the issues which threaten the nation at the moment and which also appear to worsen as time goes by, dare we turn our back and take even a rhetorical vacation. I am personally convinced that each individual citizen working with others holds the key to counter the pressures to change our American way of life. Only the most clueless will not see the sea change taking place in our government. With each passing day we move closer to socialism and further from the constitutional mandates we have previously enjoyed.
Like the professionals mentioned above, we are not free to abrogate our responsibilities to the nation by a random choice to ignore a lawless government in any form or for any length of time. With a cabinet of tax cheats, abortion proponents, green crazies, and other unsavory characters abetted by a corps of unvetted, yet individually powerful czars and a personal staff of Chicago hoods, the time to be alarmed is NOW! It is extremely foolish to believe that some senator or representative is going to come charging in on white horse to save the nation. It aint gonna happen. It is up to us—the citizens—to demand that those who serve us do their jobs within the framework of our principal founding documents.
If discussion of hard issues makes one uncomfortable then it may be time to do some research on how others in the world live. Pick just about any country you wish and ask yourself, “would I want to live there and be subject to their government?” Would I wish to inflict my new citizenship on my children—my grand children? I lived “on the economy” in Germany for two years and although I made many friends among the locals it was a visit and not a life choice. This nation is worth protecting. Our way of life is exemplary. Surely we must remain ever alert to those who would willfully destroy it.
The Recapitulation
Our latest addition to the automotive stable came as an inheritance. That 2004 Explorer is a lovely piece of work and the last gift my late brother gave me. The time had come to teach it that “life ain't all romance.” I rigged it with the camping equipment I routinely use and the superb bed was duly enclosed along with groceries, water, computer, and way more stuff than I would ever use. In the 6 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes I was on the road, I covered 2866 miles or 409 miles average per day.
I did not sit down in a restaurant or have to overnight in a motel and was extremely comfortable in the Wal-Mart parking lot. They allow RV’s and overnighters and it is safe and comfortable. Keep it in mind if you ever need a place to park for the night.
For all the estimates on attendance from CNN’s original of 1000 to the BBC’s overblown 2 million I have decided to offer my own figure. From conversations with capitol police, experience gained from counting the house for the preacher from the choir loft, seeing 100,000 people enter and exit countless foot ball stadiums, and the most useful of all, the restroom method I have decided on a number. They had 100 over taxed port-a-potties, each with 35 to 40 people in line. Many, with foresight, didn’t use them or else took advantage of other facilities in the surrounding museums and other public places. It was not an event for the incontinent. From all this, I have decided on 1,200,000 as the best estimate. What ever the number, they were of a universal mind—enough is enough!
I have never been prouder of my fellow citizens. Courtesy, generosity, patience and respect and extreme cleanliness marked the day. One was hard pressed to see any trash of any sort disposed of on the mall or the capitol grounds. Not so much as a cigarette butt on the ground, or a gum wrapper marred the pristine beauty of the nation’s capital. One reason for this may well have been that the normal scourge of public events was absent. You couldn’t buy a beer or a soda from ever present vendors usually seen at large public gatherings. I witnessed no scuffles and the cops I talked to had not seen any either. All in all, it was a beautiful day for America.
And finally
It was, as usual, great to get home even though the grass had grown a foot. Jan reported a near constant visitor on the deck outside my office—an opossum.
I dearly love to travel but there is truly “no place like home.” I visited many places familiar to my childhood but all had changed so drastically that they were unwelcoming. I do believe that will be my last go-round in the Iowa of my youth. My travels took me past the birthplace and also boy hood home of Abe Lincoln. I also went right by the original U.S. Grant home in Galena, Il. These are all well maintained by the Park Service but would probably be still be unrecognized by the original occupants. Things change, I guess I’ll just have to deal with it.
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
A Couple weeks vacation
As I left the car to come into the house at one of my stops I was greeted in the yard by an old friend of the family. Ever courteous, she inquired what brought me to their neck of the woods. Eager to tell the tale of my recent trip to D.C., I shared a couple details and waited for a response. She said, “Well, we have just decided to take a couple weeks off from politics.” I thought about the statement and realized that it was code for not wanting to engage in discussion of political matters. I was disappointed in her response anyway.
I though about and it came to me what my reaction might be if I called the fire department and said my house was on fire. What if the fireman said, “Gee we have decided to take a couple weeks off and avoid really hot and flaming things?”
Further, what if I called the cops and reported a break-in by armed robbers? Would their response be, “Thank you for calling the police department? All of our officers are currently taking a break from confronting armed felons and traffic enforcement. They’ll be back in a couple of weeks.”
Worse, if I went to my doctor to complain of pain or a broken bone and he announced that he was taking a short sabbatical from curing mine or any anybody’s ailments would I understand? In each case, the result could be devastating to me personally and possibly to my neighbors as well.
In short, with the issues which threaten the nation at the moment and which also appear to worsen as time goes by, dare we turn our back and take even a rhetorical vacation. I am personally convinced that each individual citizen working with others holds the key to counter the pressures to change our American way of life. Only the most clueless will not see the sea change taking place in our government. With each passing day we move closer to socialism and further from the constitutional mandates we have previously enjoyed.
Like the professionals mentioned above, we are not free to abrogate our responsibilities to the nation by a random choice to ignore a lawless government in any form or for any length of time. With a cabinet of tax cheats, abortion proponents, green crazies, and other unsavory characters abetted by a corps of unvetted, yet individually powerful czars and a personal staff of Chicago hoods, the time to be alarmed is NOW! It is extremely foolish to believe that some senator or representative is going to come charging in on white horse to save the nation. It aint gonna happen. It is up to us—the citizens—to demand that those who serve us do their jobs within the framework of our principal founding documents.
If discussion of hard issues makes one uncomfortable then it may be time to do some research on how others in the world live. Pick just about any country you wish and ask yourself, “would I want to live there and be subject to their government?” Would I wish to inflict my new citizenship on my children—my grand children? I lived “on the economy” in Germany for two years and although I made many friends among the locals it was a visit and not a life choice. This nation is worth protecting. Our way of life is exemplary. Surely we must remain ever alert to those who would willfully destroy it.
The Recapitulation
Our latest addition to the automotive stable came as an inheritance. That 2004 Explorer is a lovely piece of work and the last gift my late brother gave me. The time had come to teach it that “life ain't all romance.” I rigged it with the camping equipment I routinely use and the superb bed was duly enclosed along with groceries, water, computer, and way more stuff than I would ever use. In the 6 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes I was on the road, I covered 2866 miles or 409 miles average per day.
I did not sit down in a restaurant or have to overnight in a motel and was extremely comfortable in the Wal-Mart parking lot. They allow RV’s and overnighters and it is safe and comfortable. Keep it in mind if you ever need a place to park for the night.
For all the estimates on attendance from CNN’s original of 1000 to the BBC’s overblown 2 million I have decided to offer my own figure. From conversations with capitol police, experience gained from counting the house for the preacher from the choir loft, seeing 100,000 people enter and exit countless foot ball stadiums, and the most useful of all, the restroom method I have decided on a number. They had 100 over taxed port-a-potties, each with 35 to 40 people in line. Many, with foresight, didn’t use them or else took advantage of other facilities in the surrounding museums and other public places. It was not an event for the incontinent. From all this, I have decided on 1,200,000 as the best estimate. What ever the number, they were of a universal mind—enough is enough!
I have never been prouder of my fellow citizens. Courtesy, generosity, patience and respect and extreme cleanliness marked the day. One was hard pressed to see any trash of any sort disposed of on the mall or the capitol grounds. Not so much as a cigarette butt on the ground, or a gum wrapper marred the pristine beauty of the nation’s capital. One reason for this may well have been that the normal scourge of public events was absent. You couldn’t buy a beer or a soda from ever present vendors usually seen at large public gatherings. I witnessed no scuffles and the cops I talked to had not seen any either. All in all, it was a beautiful day for America.
And finally
It was, as usual, great to get home even though the grass had grown a foot. Jan reported a near constant visitor on the deck outside my office—an opossum.
I dearly love to travel but there is truly “no place like home.” I visited many places familiar to my childhood but all had changed so drastically that they were unwelcoming. I do believe that will be my last go-round in the Iowa of my youth. My travels took me past the birthplace and also boy hood home of Abe Lincoln. I also went right by the original U.S. Grant home in Galena, Il. These are all well maintained by the Park Service but would probably be still be unrecognized by the original occupants. Things change, I guess I’ll just have to deal with it.
In His abiding love,
Cecil Moon
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