My name is Steve and about 3 months ago I was flipping through the stations and for the first time I heard the name Moby. I started listening to you and my first thought after a few days was "How is this gentlemen coming across to his fans?" My first thought was that you were being real smart to them, but then after listening to you for about another month I said that this just must be your personality, because your fans love you. I've also noticed that the ones who do love you, really love you, and that the ones who don't, really don't. I think the one thing that kept me listening is your "Small Town Soapbox". …….
It’s one’s & nine’s, Steve, and that’s just the way it’s always been.
What you hear is me, and I do hope you’re touched by it in some way and entertained by it in others.
I’ll not waste even one day trying to do a show based on my opinion of what I think other folks would want my show to sound like. What you’ll consistently hear is simply a man attempting to be part of a radio family’s morning.
Some days it seems like some folks listen just to get mad. If that’s what makes them happy, then so be it.
If they could feel the love in my heart, the patriotism in my soul, of the compassion in my spirit, they might just find we have much more in common than they assume to be true.
God protect our soldiers, and give comfort to their families while they are away defending freedom, and protecting the Constitution given to us from the passions and commitment of our founding fathers.
God bless all those who’ve chosen a career with a badge and gun that protect us from the bad guys in our homes, and on our streets.
I try my best to live my life by the Golden Rule.
My prayer is that those that really don’t like me, might at least realize that part is true.
I teach my daughter that we are reflections of those around us, and that to receive kindness, we have to project kindness. To be loved, we must love.
I thank you for listening. I’m grateful for what ever brought you to us in the first place.
My prayer is you find a daily friend here in our radio family, and you’ll not only return most if not all days, but you’ll, from time to time, bring some one with you, understanding that they’ll not thank you, but sometimes they will.
I’ll never do this show in a way I feel will please everyone, but I promise to consistently do it with honesty, honor, integrity, Christianity, patriotism and sincerity.
If those that really don’t like me still listen from time to time just to get their dander up, then I’m OK with that.
Bless their hearts.
And that’s this morning’s Small Town Soap Box

In this week’s AP American please find a response that I wrote to a fellow American who does not agree with a possible future draft and basically wants everyone else to pay for his freedom. The e-mail is not meant to argue the merits of the draft, but simply to respond to his e-mail that I thought was disrespectful and did not contain much common sense.


Dear David,

I came across the e-mail that you had written to members of the of the US military concerning the draft, and how America would be communist to even think about re-instituting it. You say that the only people to agree with a draft would be the “dishonest Republicans”. You also state that you would never turn your kids over to the government. Before I attempt to respond to your remarks and thoughts I would like to give you some background pertaining to myself. I have served my country for more than 25 years as an active duty soldier and as a reservist as a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces. I have three sons that are 23, 16 and 14 years of age. So you see, I not only have served my country as a soldier, but I too am also a father.

Conscription is a very serious and controversial issue. It was an institution that we as a people tolerated, and our government implemented throughout America’s history until the Vietnam War. It was in that era that we went to an all-volunteer service. In order to understand that decision and decipher the reasons behind that decision we must revisit that time period. First, Vietnam was a very unpopular war with the American people. There were many reasons for that but I feel the number one reason was the media coverage. This was the first time in American history that the “war” was shown nightly in our living rooms. We all got a chance to see the ugliness and ambiguity of war.

The 60’s and 70’s were the catalyst for many of the emotional bricks that make up America’s mindset today. So many things happened to America. We had “The Bay of Pigs”, the peace movement, Vietnam, the students killed at Kent State and the Civil Rights movement. We had a President assassinated along with other charismatic leaders that died much to soon in this time period. Bobby Kennedy, Martin Luther king, Malcolm X and Medgar Evers to name just a few. We had a President resign office, as President Nixon did during the Watergate scandal. All these events changed the face of America forever. For the first time in America’s history the people seriously questioned our government. Their faith in government was diminished So you see a lot of politicians were fighting for their political lives. Could this be why conscription was terminated? Was it terminated for political expediency and not for the good of the country? I’m sure we could argue this point all day. I am convinced however, that just as doing away with the draft was political, not re-instating it is also political. Let’s face the truth. Because of the form of government that we both choose to live under; everything is political.

We have a lot of problems in this country. We have the highest prison population of any industrialized country per capita with 714 people out of every 100,000 being incarcerated. Suicide is increasing among our teens more than any other age group. Over 40 million people still don’t have adequate health insurance. Moral decay is an epidemic within our society. What can we do? What will save America? I don’t know the answer. But I do know that when the founding core of any institution is eliminated drastic results will occur. Any institution or system where faith has eroded will not stand. Look at America. We have become a country of ethic groups and individuals. We cannot even utter the word “American” without putting a description in front of it. Has America lost its founding core? I’m talking about “love of country.” Patriotism. The one thing that gave our fore fathers the strength and courage to stand up to tyranny and forge a new country. When we serve our country, even as draftees, we are not slaves as you stated in your e-mail. When slaves are put to work they will never reap the benefits of the product that they produce for their master. But we as Americans, volunteers or draftees, will reap the benefits of service to our country by being paid in liberty.

You may say that not everyone can have liberty here in America. Well, Some are discriminated against and equality is not always realized, but the potential for non-discrimination and equality is greater here than anywhere else on this earth my friend. You also stated “we just turn our children over to the government.” David, millions of Americans do this on a daily basis when they send their kids to a public school. Think about that. The same government that you will “not” turn your children over to in reference to the military, you gladly let educate them. Listen, I see both sides of the debate. If someone does not want to be in the military then I can see how they would be a liability and not an asset. But I also see that there are many young people who are drifting in this country. Turning to drugs and gangs in an attempt to find an identity. Never having to take responsibility for their actions, and never knowing how to be responsible. I’ve seen many young people get “turned around” in the service of their country. David, you can have your view. I respect it. Just make sure that you look at the whole picture.

As far as the words written by the Congressman you failed to identify that “agrees with your view; we can always find someone to agree with us on anything. His words and statistics support a “political” viewpoint that may or may not be good for this country. Would he still write this if the draft was popular and those written words would get him defeated in the next election? Only he knows. But this is what I know. Nothing in this world is free. There is a price tag on everything. Remember this the next time you let someone else pay for the freedoms that you enjoy and have. This is our house. We should all take part in its upkeep. Respectfully, A fellow American.

I thought about it. I really did, but I don’t need to interview this fella, even though this might be an OK book he’s written. It’s made unnecessary by implementing some good ol’ common sense. What he would have brought to us really is good information for parents, so listen for just a minute. OK?
Title: Back to School – Back to Bed
According to the National Sleep Foundation, more than 25% of students fall asleep in class, 22% fall asleep doing homework. What’s a parent do?
Parents should set a good example and enforce a consistent bedtime routine. Sleep expert, Pete Bils, can provide listeners with several simple tips parents can use to maintain a family bedtime routine.
What’s a parent do? Just BE a parent!!!
How about the old nursery rhyme:

There was an old woman
Who lived in a shoe,
She had so many children
She knew not what to do.
So she gave them some broth
Without any bread,
And whipped them all soundly,
And sent them to bed.

You don’t need to read this gentleman’s book, but it might take the place of a belt in certain situations. Try sayin’ something like this: I’m the boss in this home, & it’s bedtime. I don’t want any lip about it. Now good night. Period. Your option, is to play ball with me tonight, or play hurt tomorrow. Understand me?!?
Don’t try to be their “buddy” or their “best friend”, be an authority figure. Exercise the discipline a parent should consistently excerise, and mean it when you say it.
In the short term, they won’t like it very much at all. So what? They’ll absolutely respect you, and comply if you enforce your God-given authority. In the long term, they’ll benefit from having had a real parent in the old school definition of the word. That’s much more important than being their friend. Be fair & consistent with these miracles, but be their respected commander. You’re the boss!! BE the boss. They’ll never learn the most important lessons of life from their buddy. They’ll only learn them from their mama & daddy. Morals, ethics, principals, integrity are the important building blocks they’ll only get from a parent figure they respect and obey. Your job is to make them absorb those cornerstones of adulthood from you, their parent.
If you disagree, then you might want to go buy this guy’s book, because I’m pretty sure that it’s more touchy feely than what your mom and dad did to you.
That’s this morning’s Small Town Soap Box.

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then to everyone's amazement he quieted down.
A few shovel loads later the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back the donkey was doing something amazing.
He would shake it off and take a step up.
As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.
Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Enough of that crap. The donkey later came back, and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him.
MORAL FROM TODAY"S LESSON:
When you do something wrong and try to cover your a... Butt, it will always come back to bite you.

After being interviewed by the school administation, the prospective teacher said: 'Let me see if I've got this right. 'You want me to go into that room with all those kids, correct their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse, monitor their dress habits, censor their T-shirt messages, and instill in them a love for learning.

'You want me to check their backpacks for weapons, wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of self esteem and personal pride.
'You want me to teach them patriotism and good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, and how to register to vote, balance a checkbook, and apply for a job.

'You want me to check their heads for lice, recognize signs of antisocial behavior, and make sure that they all pass the final exams.

'You also want me to provide them with an equal education regardless of their handicaps, and communicate regularly with their parents in English, Spanish or any other language, by letter, telephone, newsletter, and reportcard.

'You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a bullentin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that qualifies for food stamps.

'You want me to do all this and then you tell me... I CAN'T PRAY?

Moby,
I listened to your small town soap box last week about Michael Vick, and I disagree with your reply. I know he paid the time given by law for this, but I have absolutely no respect for this man. I firmly believe that a person’s core personality does not change. You may control it and dress it up to be socially acceptable, but the part of you that can enjoy torturing or killing any living being for pleasure has to be pretty warped. I just don’t think you can change your soul and remove the part that enjoyed having such control and ability to cause pain. This wasn’t something Michael Vick did once or even twice in a fit of anger. This was something he obviously enjoyed to keep repeating it.
If it were people that he had treated the way he did those dogs, he would have received the death penalty or life in prison at the least. I know they were dogs and not human, but I can’t help but think of hearing how many serial killers practice on animals until they actually get brave enough to try it on a human. You can forgive him if you want, but how would you like to be somewhere alone with this man with no protection and make him really angry? Or maybe if he had some of his buddies around to impress that might enjoy the show?
I turned the station after I heard your response the other morning and don’t plan to listen in the future. Thank you for allowing me to express my opinion before I go.
Thank you,
Mary Ann Black

Dear Mary Ann,
I'm a bit taken aback by your decision to stop listening to me because of a different opinion.
I can't think you were a very dedicated "radio cousin" to begin with.
I'm not a Michael Vick fan, but I do have faith in our justice system, and I wouldn't align myself with those like yourself that would deny him a future in his line of work, because of his horrid mistake he was made to pay for.
Should you reconsider, and ultimately decide to return to our radio gathering, you'll be welcome here.
If you remain committed to your decision to depart our daily companionship, you'll leave with our best wishes, and our prayer that you find forgiveness in your heart for all that fall short of your lofty expectations. God bless you and yours. Yeah baby, MOBY

Dear Mr. Moby and Ron,
I hear friendly voices in the morning saying that Michael Vick has paid his dues. He should be allowed to go forward. Well according to the legal system, I guess that is true.
However, if I ever have an opportunity to see Michael Vick play, I will boo him until I can breathe no more.
Michael Vick didn't make a mistake. He didn't "make a bad choice.” Over a period of five years he forced dogs into deadly fights, and he personally killed, or conspired to kill, thirteen dogs. He didn't pick a quick, painless method of killing, but instead chose a variety of means that qualify as torture. Pit Bulls are powerful dogs. Imagine how hard you would have to work to kill a Pit Bull by forcibly drowning him.
What got Vick into the most trouble was his lying. Vick denied and denied. But prosecutors said Vick, after taking a polygraph test in October, admitted to a more active role. Vick said he carried a dog to a tree, tied a rope around its neck, and dropped the dog.
He abused dogs to make them vicious. He starved animals to make them meaner. He put them into a ring with another dog, and made them fight to the death. The dog fight was a match to the death that usually ended with one dog ripping out the throat, literally, of the other. Michael Vick was instrumental in facilitating, putting together, organizing and funding this cruel and inhumane warfare.
If they did not perform to his satisfaction he would kill them. He killed thirteen dogs by various methods including wetting one dog down and electrocuting her, hanging, drowning and shooting others and, in at least one case, by slamming a dog’s body to the ground.
Twice Vick put family pets into the fighting ring with pit bulls because he “thought it was funny to watch the pit bulls. . . injure or kill the other dogs.” Mr. Moby, do you have a pet dog in your house. Can you imagine the animal that looks to you for its life being mauled by a vicious Pit Bull? Michael Vick would have laughed as your dog was in absolute fear and pain as it was mauled and killed by a wild dog owned by a wild man.
After he was arrested, 47 dogs that were taken from his property.
He admitted to “making mistakes” and “immature acts.” But deliberately and repeatedly planning dog fights and repeated premeditated violent killings of dogs are not “mistakes.” They are not the acts of someone who’s merely immature. They are the acts of a sociopath and a predator.
Here’s a little picture. Hope it makes your day. (picture is not included here)
You may think he has paid for his mistakes, but I say never.
God bless America
Pray for our troops
Tim

Dear Tim,
I sincerely think you should "rethink your position."
Other than your lack of forgiveness, I don't dispute a word you've written.
What he did was indescribably atrocious.
He was suspected, investigated, arrested, tried, convicted, sentenced, incarcerated, and then released with the record and shame of a convicted felon.
That's precisely how it's supposed to work.
Many people have made terrible mistakes in their lives, and have been treated in this same way. As law abiding citizens, our obligation is to allow the perpetrator to move on.
When it's over, it's over.
While I don't advocate "getting over it", I do advocate rehabilitation..
I wish him luck.
MOBY

 

Moby,
I want to be honest with you. I have taken your station off of my preset channels since you started. I used to never miss a morning show. I am not entertained anymore. I am listening to the station after you show but not in the mornings. Let me tell you what turned me off and tuned me out. You are just like those right wing extremists who insist on insulting and undermining our government. I am all for opposition...heck that's what democracy is You are not doing our country any justice by constantly tearing down our leader. I didn't vote for Obama (though I did vote) but he has the job now.You are selling hate and malcontent to your listeners (few though they may be). That is not how I want to start my day and it certainly isn’t going to reunite the citizens of our great nation. If I ever do feel the need to listen to the aimless ramblings of an angry madman I will listen to Limbaugh. I believe that one day your station will find their senses and return to their roots. I'm sure this letter will never make the airwaves because if you can't make someone sound stupid you don't want them taking part in your show.

Dear XXXX,
Are you not at all worried about our future proceeding down the path we're currently on? How can you truly not be?
I'm grateful to you for taking the time to write, but we disagree on many things it would appear.
Take careful note however that I, unlike you, stopped well short of name-calling and insults.
I'm a terrified, patriotic, flag waving American that's worried about the future. It would seem that there are many such as yourself that do not share my concern. That doesn't lessen my concern. As a matter of fact, it compounds it.
I'm grateful to you for the hours you do chose to spend listening to this station. .
Perhaps in the not too distant future, we can find an area of common ground, and move forward from there. Nothing's impossible.
MOBY

Moby,
Don't get me wrong. I am concerned about our country and I am sure that our individual stances on the issues are not that far apart. I just don't want to hear "Right Wing Talk Radio" on my country station. It isn't the proper venue. If you would like to win me and my friends back I issue this challenge. Script a show which has no political rhetoric at all. Instead of a "Small town Soap Box" you could do a "Small Town Hero" spotlighting someone who has done something extraordinary and is likely not to be noticed (or something of that nature). Just do a show that is for everyone and not just for those who share your personal beliefs. If you do that (and tell me when it will be) I promise I will listen and I'm sure I will enjoy.

I really don't think I can do that, because I so strongly believe the below quote to be true:
"Patriotism means to stand by your country. It does not mean to stand by your President" Theodore Roosevelt
I honestly believe TR would say "bully" and encourage me to continue the "good fight."
Your challenge encourages me to stand down from a battle for our future. It's not in me to do that.
There are many times in everyday's shows when my content is not at all political in nature.
I'd like to think mine is not a "Right Wing Talk Radio" show, but a fairly well-rounded show espousing three basic elements of our nation. "Fear of God, Love of Country, & Respect for Authority." When I feel our nation, or any of those three cornerstones are threatened as it is during this "Tyranny of the Majority" we're currently enduring, it's not my nature to idly stand aside, and not frequently let my voice be heard in what I feel is an echo of the passion of our founding fathers.
I am grateful that I felt a bit more warmth in your 2nd email, but I'm thinking that's about to subside. I would hope that you could find some things to enjoy about my show, and let's talk about the areas where we disagree.
God bless & Yeah baby, MOBY

A cowboy named Bud was overseeing his herd in a remote mountainous pasture in California when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced toward him out of a cloud of dust. The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, RayBan sunglasses and YSL tie, leaned out the window and asked the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, Will you give me a calf?"
Bud looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, "Sure, Why not?"
The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer, connects it to his Cingular RAZR V3 cell phone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite to get an exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo. The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg , Germany . Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image has been processed and the data stored. He then accesses an MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, receives a response. Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer, turns to the cowboy and says, "You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves."
"That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves," says Bud.
He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on with amusement as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car.
Then the Bud says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?"
The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay, why not?"
"You're a United States Congressman,.” says Bud.
"Wow! That's correct," says the yuppie, "but how did you guess that?"
"No guessing required." answered the cowboy. "You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked. You used millions of dollars worth of equipment trying to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don't know a thing about how working people make a living - or about cows, for that matter. This is a herd of sheep. ...
Now give me back my dog.

In the year 2010, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in the United States, and said: "Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see the end of all flesh before me. Build another Ark and save 2 of every living thing along with a few good humans." He gave Noah the blueprints, saying: "You have 6 months to build the Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights."

Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard - but no Ark. "Noah!," He roared, "I'm about to start the rain! Where is the Ark?" "Forgive me, Lord," begged Noah, "but things have changed.

I needed a building permit. I've been arguing with the inspector about the need for a sprinkler system. My neighbors claim that I've violated the neighborhood zoning laws by building the Ark in my yard and exceeding the height limitations. We had to go to the Development Appeal Board for a decision.
Then the Department of Transportation demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the passage for the Ark's move to the sea. I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it.
Getting the wood was another problem. There's a ban on cutting local trees in order to save the spotted owl. I tried to convince the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls - but no go!

When I started gathering the animals, an animal rights group sued me. They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued the accommodations were too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in
a confined space.

Then the EPA ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until they'd conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood.

I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights Commission on how many minorities I'm supposed to hire for my building crew.
Immigration and Naturalization are checking the green-card status of most of the people who want to work.

The trades unions say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire only Union workers with Ark-building experience.

To make matters worse, the IRS seized all my assets, claiming I'm trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.

So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish this Ark."
Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky. Noah looked up in wonder and asked, "You mean you're not going to destroy the world?"  "No," said the Lord.
"The GOVERNMENT beat me to it."

It is difficult for me to admit that my liberal friends were right.

They told me if I voted for McCain, the nation's Hope would deteriorate, and sure enough there has been a 20 point drop in the Consumer Confidence Index since the election, reaching a lower point than any time during the Bush administration. They told me if I voted for McCain, the US would become more deeply embroiled in the Middle East, and sure enough, tens of thousands of additional troops are scheduled to be deployed into Afghanistan . They told me if I voted for McCain, that the economy would get worse, and sure enough unemployment is approaching 9.5% and the new stimulus packages recently sent the stock market lower than at any time since 9-11. They told me if I voted for McCain, we would see more "crooks" in high ranking positions in Federal government and sure enough, several recent cabinet nominees and Senate appointments revealed resumes of scandal, bribery and tax fraud. They told me if I voted for McCain, we would see more "Pork at the trough" in Federal government and sure enough, 17,500 "Pork Bills" showed up in Congress in just three weeks. They told me if I voted for McCain, we would see more deficit spending in D.C. and sure enough, Obama spent more in just 30 days than all other Presidents together in the history of the good 'ole USA. A 3.8 trillion dollar budget, with a 900 million dollar per day interest on this current debt. Well I ignored my liberal friends in November and voted for McCain.

… And they were right. I voted for John McCain, and all their predictions have come true.

Today’s Soap Box from Radio Cousin Ginger Crabb:

I just wanted to let you know how much the Small Town Soap Box meant to me on Aug, 12. It pricked my heart in compassion for those with disabilities and anger for those who are in charge of our nation. In response to those feelings, I wrote the following:
Today, our country stands with toes perched on the ledge of disaster. We are being fed information that rings much like those speeches of the early communists in 20th century Europe. I find that not only do I want to leave what was once the "Greatest Nation in the World" but I am ashamed to call her my own.
Someone should blindfold "Lady Liberty" so that she cannot see the atrocities perpetrated upon her people by their "elected" (whatever) officials. Someone should cover her ears so that she cannot hear the lies being dumped on her people like manure being spread on a field. The only fruit that this will bear is pain and heartache for hundreds of thousands, if not millions.
The American Patriots who live here, work here and try to maintain a pleasant experience here are only going to take so much. Wake up Washington DC!!!!!!!!!!! We are AMERICANS. Have you forgotten that??? We are the ones who fought the British........and won--against the odds!!!!! We are the ones who have the young men and women who are WILLING to fight and die for their country. Perhaps you should listen to the country song, "Have you forgotten" by Darryl Worley. Maybe you should hear "Red, White and Blue" by Toby Keith. His lyrics state, “we'll put a boot in your ass, because IT'S THE AMERICAN WAY!”
I am not the only GOD-FEARING-GUN-TOTING-AMERICAN-MADE-FLAG-WAVING-SINGER-OF-THE-STAR-SPANGLED-BANNER type person out here. We put all of you in there. We will NOT re-elect you either. We'll clean the whole house from top to bottom. My momma used to say, "When the trash stinks, TAKE IT OUT"!!!!!!!!!!!!
Perhaps we should send this to Nancy Pelosi, Arlan Specter and the Obamination!!

Every year in the south the month of July brings certain things that announce its presence; the heat, the long days, the mosquitoes, baseball. It brings families together for a reunion, and all Americans together to celebrate their independence. It takes us back to high school and summers down in Panama City. We remember the laser show at Stone Mountain, or our first trip to Memphis to see Graceland. It gives us a sunset over the Smokey Mountains and a tube ride down the Oconee. It gives us music on Bourbon Street down in the French Quarter. It gives us country nights so clear that we swear we could look up and see heaven, and flowers so beautiful we think they came from there. But for me, it also brings memories of losing a best friend, and the gift of finding another.

July 23, 1999, Steve Reeves was killed in the line of duty while serving his community as a police officer. Steve was leading an entry that night for a large metropolitan police department SWAT team. He and another team member were fatally shot by a man who was holding a family member hostage. The events of that night have been investigated in detail, and hundreds of pages have been written concerning what happened that night, and what, if anything, could have been done better. Hopefully somewhere in the investigation information was found that would assist in saving another SWAT officer somewhere in the future during a similar incident, but the fact will always remain that Steve was dead at 35 years of age, leaving behind a wife, two boys and many friends that loved him dearly.

I first met Steve 23 years ago as an officer that worked for the same police department. Steve and I were assigned to the same precinct and shift. He had been hired four months prior to me and had just been released to solo status while I had to ride several weeks with a field training officer (FTO). The first night I worked, Steve backed me and my FTO up on a traffic stop. There were four individuals in the car we had stopped and it became apparent very quickly that the men had just been involved in a robbery. One of the passengers began to flee on foot and I gave chase. It felt like I had chased the guy a couple of miles before I finally caught him. I didn’t know it while I was running but Steve was right behind me. After I caught the man Steve helped me get handcuffs on the struggling robber. Right then and there Steve and I took a liking to each other.

Through the years it seemed our paths always crossed. We both went on to be a FTO, a member of the SWAT Team and we both made Sergeant. During the years that we worked together on SWAT we became partners. Steve and I would work cases together and for several years were stake out partners. When you sit beside a person in a car for several hours a day you get to know them very well. Steve and I would talk about our families, hobbies, dreams and anything else that would pass the time of day or night. Over the course of our friendship he became a person that I loved as a brother, and respected as a man. He was sincere, funny, loyal, dedicated and brave. Steve won the department’s Medal of Valor, and on the night he gave his life, he was awarded a second Medal of Valor. Steve was the only person to be awarded two Medals of Valor in the history of the department.

After Steve and the other officer were killed on that fateful night, the community support was overwhelming. Steve was buried in a local ceremony while the other officer was buried several states away. People within the police department and all members of the SWAT team wanted to attend both funerals but because of the number of people involved the department could not bear the cost of flying everyone to the other officer’s funeral. A prominent local personality who had sang at Steve Reeves funeral, and who had always been a staunch supporter of law enforcement, volunteered to help when he was informed of the problem. The man who had sang the song, “In the Garden” so beautifully at Steve’s service, now made it possible for all SWAT team members and their wives to fly to the other officer’s funeral and pay last respects to a fallen officer.

The man who did all this never asked for anything in return other than the opportunity to help in this time of tragedy and grief. A few weeks passed after the funerals and I could not help but think about the man’s display of caring and generosity in all that he had done for the families, friends and fellow officers of the two slain men. I decided that I would attempt to contact the man and give him an unsolicited gift to show appreciation for his efforts. I called him and we met at a local restaurant and had lunch. We sat for an hour or so and talked about the incident and he accepted my gift with a humble heart. As we parted we promised that we would stay in touch and speak again. We both kept that promise and we did speak again. In fact, he became the best friend I have ever had and still remains so today.

I often think about Steve and miss him a lot. I have moved to another state since that tragic night, but each time I come back to visit, I always go to his grave and say a silent prayer for a great man, and a great friend. I also give thanks for the friend I found during that terrible time of loss. Sometimes I wonder if the friendship I found could have been Steve’s last gift to me.

Oh by the way, the man who sang and helped so much doing that time should not be a stranger to any of you. You listen to him every morning. It was your ole pal Mr. Moby. Moby thanks for all you did that July in 1999, and for all the other great things you have done since that time that I personally know about. I’m proud to know you and call you my best friend. I love you. Yeah baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The reason why most members of congress who want the government to take over health care haven’t bothered to read the bills is that they know it doesn’t really matter. Their goal is to have the federal government control every aspect of health care in America. Once the government is given that extra-constitutional power, then they can do whatever they want. Troubling things that the bills include, and troubling things that aren’t even mentioned, are immaterial because with total control goes the ability to set the rules and change the rules at will.

Are death panels a concoction of those who are against government controlled health care, or are they a necessary result of the proposed legislation? One thing is for sure. They are scary, and they really should scare the hell out of you. If the government controls health care, then it must decide two basic things. What is health care, and who gets it. Bureaucrats will be hired in droves to staff panels who will decide these things. Your doctor won’t decide what’s best for you. In fact, the need for doctors will diminish because HCP’s, minimally qualified health care practitioners, will enter your symptoms on a government website and the diagnosis and treatment, if approved, will be printed out. The HCP will face heavy fines or loss of his license if he tries to deviate from the plan for your sake. Pharmacies will not be allowed to fill any HCP’s prescriptions for you without the government’s stamp of approval. Right now, in Britain, you’re not allowed to spend your own money to bypass the government health care bureaucracy. You have to leave the country to do that. If America becomes like Britain, where will you go?

Government resources are finite. Therefore, health care rationing will take place immediately if the government is allowed to take over. That is absolutely certain. Death panel bureaucrats will consult charts and graphs to ration your health care. They will follow guidelines developed by dispassionate statisticians. They will allocate resources to younger, potentially more productive people. Older people, or anyone with any kind of physical or mental limitation, will be denied resources. You see, there is no love in this system, and no regard for the intrinsic value of human life. There is only cost/benefit analysis. It will always be cheaper for you to die. That should be repeated. It will always be cheaper for you to die, no matter what your age. What is the cost of a pain pill and a “Have a nice death” pamphlet compared to treating you?

I have a wonderful daughter with Down Syndrome. She is able to work and take care of herself, but her main purpose in life seems to be to bring joy to everyone around her. She won’t fit into the new system. There will be government mandated tests during pregnancy and children like her will no longer be allowed to be born. Abortion will not only be funded by the government, it will be required. Death panels will be there at the beginning and the end of your life, and everywhere in between. They may not be mentioned in the bills before congress, but they are there if you read between the lines. Ultimately, death panels will deny care to anyone who opposes them. Never before in the history of this country have so many lives hung in the balance.

There are people out there who will send this subversive and soon to be illegal document to the White House so that the author can be properly dealt with, so this author has chosen to remain anonymous because the content of this document is self-evident. I hope you remember your world history well enough to now be reminded of other times and places where citizens have been asked by the government to report people who oppose their policies.

The murder of Carl Lackl in Baltimore has shocked the criminal justice system and renewed the debate over whether law enforcement should have the power to jam illegal cell phone transmissions. Carl Lackl was scheduled to be a witness in a murder trial in Maryland against Patrick Byers. Byers was being held in Maryland’s version of a Super Max prison yet was able to obtain an illegal cell phone. From his prison cell, Byers orchestrated the murder of Lackl. Even more shocking is that after this happened while Byers was awaiting trial for Lackl’s murder he obtained yet another illegal cell phone. As a result of this, prison officials and law enforcement across the nation have been pushing the FCC to allow them the authority to use cell phone jamming equipment in prisons. Believe it or not, there are those among us against the idea.
Gary and Margaret Shipley, Lackl’s parents have become advocates for the idea of cell phone jamming in prisons. They will be in Nashville August 11th at the American Corrections Association trade show with Howard Melamed, President and CEO of CellAntenna Corporation who is also advocating the need for cell phone jamming. Would you be interested in interviewing the Shipleys on this horrible tragedy and why they are advocating cell phone jamming for law enforcement? David E. Johnson
Not really. Because I can’t imagine any one of sound mind and body thinking it should be within a prisoner’s rights to have access to an unjammed cell phone, or any luxury item such as a cell phone for that matter.
Prison, by definition, is a separation from life as you’ve known it in the free world. In prison those behind bars are allowed only the freedom granted by those holding the key, and any other right they feel they deserve might just be the sense of entitlement that got them there to begin with. To disagree with that, is simple lunacy. But the good Lord knows it has appeared that the lunatics have been running the asylum for quite some time now.
If you’re listening to this broadcast in jail, you’re lucky to have a radio, and it makes no sense for you to have any access to any cell phone whatsoever.
If you don’t agree with that, I think you’re wrong, and part of a much larger problem.
We’ve lost sight of right & wrong, of good and evil, of dark & light, and of the rights of our citizens vs. the forfeiture of those rights.

One day, when a seamstress was sewing while sitting close to a river, her thimble fell into the river. When she cried out, the Lord appeared and asked, "My dear child, why are you crying?" The seamstress replied that her thimble had fallen into the water and that she needed it to help her husband in making a living for their family.The Lord dipped His hand into the water and pulled up a golden thimble set with sapphires.
"Is this your thimble?" the Lord asked.The seamstress replied, "No."
The Lord again dipped into the river. He held out a golden thimble studded with rubies.
"Is this your thimble?" the Lord asked. Again, the seamstress replied, "No."
The Lord reached down again and came up with a leather thimble.

"Is this your thimble?" the Lord asked. The seamstress replied, "Yes." The Lord was pleased with the woman's honesty and gave her all three thimbles to keep, and the seamstress went home happy.
Some years later, the seamstress was walking with her husband along the riverbank, and her husband fell into the river and disappeared under the water. When she cried out, the Lord again appeared and asked her, "Why are you crying?'' "Oh Lord, my husband has fallen into the river!"
The Lord went down into the water and came up with George Clooney. "Is this your husband? The Lord asked.

"Yes," cried the seamstress.The Lord was furious. "You lied! That is an untruth!" The seamstress replied, "Oh, forgive me, my Lord. It is a misunderstanding. You see, if I had said "no" to George Clooney, you would have come up with Brad Pitt.

Then if I said "no" to him, you would have come up with my husband. Had I then said "yes," you would have given me all three. Lord, I'm not in the best of health and would not be able to take care of all three husbands, so THAT'S why I said "yes" to George Clooney. And so the Lord let her keep him.
The moral of this story is:
Whenever a woman lies, it's for a good and honorable reason, and in the best interest of others. That's our story, and we're sticking to it. Signed, All Us Women

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

Laughter is like jogging on the inside. Exercise your 'innards' every day.

Last week I was in Atlanta , Georgia attending a conference. While I was in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me beginning to clap and cheer.
Moving thru the terminal was a group of soldiers in their camos.. As they began heading to their gate, everyone (well almost everyone) was abruptly to their feet with their hands waving and cheering.
When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and cheered for, it hit me. I'm not alone. I'm not the only red-blooded American who still loves this country and supports our troops and their families.
Of course I immediately stopped and began clapping for these young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us so we can go to school, work and home without fear or reprisal.
Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our service men and women, a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years old ran up to one of the male soldiers... He kneeled down and said 'hi.'
The little girl then asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her.
The young soldier, who didn't look any older than maybe 22 himself, said he would try and what did she want to give to her daddy. Then suddenly the little girl grabbed the neck of this soldier, gave him the biggest hug she could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.
The mother of the little girl, who said her daughter's name was Courtney, told the young soldier that her husband was a Marine and had been in Iraq for 11 months now. As the mom was explaining how much her daughter Courtney missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up.
When this temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of the soldiers huddled together for a brief second... Then one of the other servicemen pulled out a military-looking walkie-talkie. They started playing with the device and talking back and forth on it..
After about 10-15 seconds of this, the young soldier walked back over to Courtney, bent down and said this to her, 'I spoke to your daddy and he told me to give this to you.' He then hugged this little girl that he had just met and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He finished by saying 'your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything and he is coming home very soon.'
The mom at this point was crying almost uncontrollably and as the young soldier stood to his feet, he saluted Courtney and her mom. I was standing no more than 6 feet away from this entire event.
As the soldiers began to leave, heading towards their gate, people resumed their applause. As I stood there applauding and looked around, there were very few dry eyes, including my own. That young soldier in one last act of selflessness turned around and blew a kiss to Courtney with a tear rolling down his cheek. We need to remember everyday all of our soldiers and their families and thank God for them and their sacrifices. At the end of the day, it's good to be an American.

This is a classic really, and I’m sure that in years past, it has been a Soap Box before, but I was sent it again, and it touched me once more.


The soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as brightly as his brass.

"Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?

The soldier squared his shoulders and
Said, "No Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears,

I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here,
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord
It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God,

"Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well,'
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,

You've done your time in Hell."

To all that serve

Moby,
Since I visited your studio a few months ago, I have become a fan of your morning show. I listen to you each morning on my way to work. I really enjoy your Small Town Soap Box stories...there are many times I shed a tear or two. This seems like an incredible story and I wanted to share it with you.
Thanks for being you! And for banking with Fidelity Bank! We love Mary Beth and Gracie too!
Patty Voelz Fidelity Bank
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:
Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her. Love, Meredith
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We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.
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Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies..' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey &Meredith and this note:
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Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.
Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by..
Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love. Love, God

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Dear moby,
I don't really know where to start. I have a nephew in iraq for his second time and my 20 yr old brother is leaving on saturday for ft.normany iraq. I support them 110%. Nathan is a member of the styker unit based in ft lewis washington. He has a mother, a 3 yr old son, & 2 sisters that are going insane missing him and wanting him home. but we know he has a job to do. I remember rocking him to sleep, feeding him dinner, and making sure he don't play in the road. there i was
protecting him. See, i was 14 when nathan was born so we looked after him while mom worked and took care of us all. we were used to protecting him well now it is 20 years later and he is the one now going to protect me.funny how things come back around. he listens to you via web cast every morning
after pt. could you please say a pray for him and play the colt ford song.... ride through the country? ..that sums him up he’s in a big city now but just a country boy at heart. and let him know we will be here praying for him and all the others over there to return home safe to us.
thank you mr. moby and for your support of our troops and remember the famlies who have loved ones over there it's just as hard on them..

Michelle Brock--Cleveland in honor of specialist Nathan Anderson Cleveland Ga

Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job. I work; they pay me. I pay my taxes, and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass a random urine test with which I have no problem. What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test. So here is my question: Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check because I have to pass one to earn it for them? Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do, on the other hand, have a problem with helping someone sitting on their rump-doing drugs, while I work. Can you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check? I guess we could title that program, 'Urine or You're Out'. Something has to change in this country - and soon!!!!

All the best!
An American Tax Payer