Moby In The Morning

The Draft

2009-08-30T22:00:00-05:00

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.

Steve

2009-08-12T21:30:00-05:00

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just Say You're Sorry Mr. President

2009-07-26T22:30:00-05:00

On July 16th Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was arrested by a Sergeant of the Cambridge Massachusetts Police Department for Disorderly Conduct. The case stirred nationwide attention this past week when President Obama commented on it. The President stated that the Cambridge Police Department had acted “stupidly” in reference to the arrest of Gates. It is obvious now, that the president should not have responded about this incident during a presidential press conference until he had all the facts. We should not single out the president however in his quick “uninformed” assessment of the arrest, because the current Governor of Massachusetts, Devel Patrick, took it a step further in the area of uninformed media response when he stated the arrest of Professor Gates was “Every Blackmans nightmare.” Both have since “toned” down their initial thoughts.

Race relations have been a huge issue in this country since its inception. America had a civil war with slavery being a central causation. In 1955 Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery Alabama for refusing to give up her seat to a white person on a city bus. Segregation of schools lasted until 1954. Virginia and South Carolina had laws preventing the marriage between blacks and whites until 1967. I would be the last to state that I am proud of all of America’s history, but I will always state that I am proud to be an American. All can say that America has experienced periods of inequality and injustice in its history, but no one can say that America has not attempted to learn from its past and correct its mistakes. And as some men have shown their pettiness and cruelty by acts of racism and prejudices, others have stood up and fought and died for the rights of all humans regardless of their ethnicity. Many whites were involved in the civil rights movement along with its black leaders, just as many non-whites have fought in the defense of America and have sacrificed much for this great country. Every time an incident happens that stirs great debate, we as Americans have to look upon the incident and judge it by the facts and not by emotion.

I believe President Obama, or Governor Patrick, should not have commented on the Gates incident until both had a firm grasp of the facts surrounding the case. Professor Gates is a friend of President Obama and I am sure he is a very good man, but that does not eliminate the fact that on July 16th Professor Gates could have been wrong for his actions. News reports tell us that both President Obama and Governor Patrick attempted to call Gates after the incident. There is nothing wrong with either of them giving a friend a call to offer support, but it is wrong to have emotion and uninformed comments made to media when both are expected to be leaders, and ensure that no one is judged erroneously. I believe the facts of the case have shown to most that Professor Gates lost emotional control during the incident and Sergeant James Crowley acted appropriately. Sergeant Crowley’s arrest has been supported by his department, and officers who were on the scene to include a black officer, Sergeant Leon Lashley.

President Obama has since spoken with Sergeant Crowley and an invitation to the white house may be extended to Crowley and Gates to discuss this matter with the President. I can understand why the Cambridge Police Chief may want to discuss it, the Major of Cambridge, or even Devel Patrick the Governor, but I can’t understand why the president wants to continue to address this matter. President Obama should just be honest and say he was wrong for speaking about the incident before he got the facts straight. Professor Gates will get his day in court and if need be a jury of his peers will decide his guilt or innocence based on the facts of the case. What will the president accomplish at the white house? It is an on-going case and I don’t know if it would be wise for Sergeant Crowley or the City of Cambridge to allow him to travel to the white house to discuss it. Professor Gates has secured an attorney, Charles Ogletree. Will Mr. Ogletree be there also? It is just ridiculous on how this has grown from a regional arrest and dispute to a nationwide, presidential matter.

I am in no way stating that complaints of police misconduct are never justified. We all know that the police profession is just like any other and has police officers that do wrong. For many years I have known and been acquainted with police officers, and I can truthfully say that the majority are good dedicated people that only want to serve the public the best they can. In everything that we have read concerning Sergeant Crowley it seems that he is not a bad cop, but rather the image of what a cop should be. He has a meritorious career and is well respected by his peers. He should not be judged by his actions as a “white” officer, but be judged by his actions as a “police” officer and on the totality of circumstances that are involved in the incident. Professor Gates was wrong. He acted in a manner that seems to have violated Massachusetts law and Sergeant Crowley acted as any sworn police officer should; he did his duty and made a lawful and needed arrest. The President of the United States should get the facts straight before passing judgment or rendering an opinion on things he evidently knows very little about, or maybe he should just stay out of it and concentrate on two wars, the economy, and over-hauling the health care system. Professor Gates deserves his day in court, but not his day at the white house. Right or wrong, that’s the way A.P. American sees it. Yeah baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sacrifices

2009-07-12T22:22:00-05:00

A friend of mine lost his mother on Friday. She had suffered a major heart attack several days ago and had been on life support. He was notified a few days after she had the heart attack and he called home and spoke with his father. During the conversation he told his father that he would be there as soon as he could, but it may take several days. His father told him he understood, and to get there as soon as possible because his mother was fading. My friend did not made it home in time to see his mother alive one last time. She died, and of this writing my friend is still attempting to get there. Hopefully, he will arrive home on Monday or Tuesday. He was not by his mother’s side at the hospital because he was in Afghanistan serving his country with the military. My prayers go out to him and his family during this sad time.

Sometimes we don’t understand the sacrifices our military men and women make while serving America. Their sacrifices go much deeper than not being home during holidays, or living in a war zone. They are all soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen, but they are also dads, husbands, mothers, wives, sons and daughters. While their primary concentration may be surviving and fighting a war, they also face the same problems we all face in reference to family issues, financial problems and emotional situations. While most reading this are only a short drive, or a phone call away, from addressing the many issues of life, this is not the case with our military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I remember a young man who I served with in Afghanistan calling home and speaking with his wife. We were scheduled to travel to an isolated area of Afghanistan and communication with loved ones would not be an option. During the conversation she told him she was having doubts about their marriage and may not be there when he got back. The young man was devastated and wished that he could speak to her face to face, but that can’t happen when you are separated by 8000 miles and a 16 hour plane fight. It also does not help when your 15 minute MWR call is up in the middle of a conversation concerning the rest of your life. It was very hard for him to do his mission and find some way to hide the emotional turmoil I knew he was feeling inside. He did it, but I wonder if I could have. Could you?

I also remember another soldier who shared my tent in Iraq. His parents were elderly and lived alone. He had spoken with his father who had told him his car would not start. His father was attempting to go to the drug store and get a prescription filled. The soldier, from a phone in Iraq, called AAA in America, and initiated a work order to have AAA go out and get his father’s car started. The call to AAA was made from a soldier who was worried about this parents, but also from a soldier who had just gotten back in from a 19 hour patrol and had lost a couple of buddies from an IED blast.

We all go through the trials and tribulations of life. We talk to our son when his first love has given him his first broken heart. We give our daughter the “do better” speech when her grades are not up to par. We give support to loved ones when some type of tragedy strikes. We worry about the finances and how the bills will get paid. But, we don’t all do this while we are in a military uniform fighting a war. It takes a special person to fight life and a war at the same time. So next time you see one of our brave men or women who are serving this great country, please remember the tremendous pressures they are under as a military person, and as an adult addressing life’s issues. Sacrifices are made by them in many different ways every day. God bless them. Right or wrong, that’s the way A.P. American sees it. Yeah baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Michael Jackson

2009-06-28T19:00:00-05:00

This past week America lost three iconic individuals from the entertainment industry; Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and Michael Jackson. Each will be remembered in their own unique way, and each was responsible for creating a piece of television and music history. No one can think of the 70’s without remembering Farrah Fawcett as one of the beautiful ladies that made up “Charlie’s Angels”, or her provocative 1976 poster. Ed McMahon was a much a part of the Johnny Carson show as Johnny himself. Each night viewers heard Ed say the famous words, “Now here’s Johnny”. Michael Jackson lived with America for four decades, and in that time gave us songs and dance moves that will forever be part of music and our memories. He also was involved in controversy that will be part of his legacy.

Each time a famous person dies in the entertainment business the media, and America, puts them under the microscope of public opinion. Some will continue to defend, while others will continue to condemn. Michael Jackson is a prime example. As the story of his life begins to unfold within the media Michael emerges as a very tragic figure. The problems he had concerning past allegations of child molestation are being examined in greater detail, and his physical and emotional condition is being questioned. Everyone reading this has an opinion of Michael’s guilt or innocence pertaining to the allegations, with the real truth only ever being known for certain to the accusers and Michael. His family has now issued a request that a second autopsy be conducted to explain what happened. They want to know who was to blame. I guess they can look in the mirror and see who was to blame for his bizarre behavior, and if the truth is to be told, many in America can do the same.

America has gotten so caught up in the worshiping of the rich and famous, that we have trained these people that they are above normal behavior expectations, and above the law in some cases. Some will argue that this is not true and use Michael Vick as a poster child for “no one being above the law”. But we can always retort with names like O.J. Simpson and Robert Blake. Both should have been in prison for murder. Both had jury trials and were acquitted while the evidence was overwhelming for a conviction. Why do we continue to condone bad behavior, or look the other way when it comes to America’s rich and famous? Did anyone ever take the time to examine the allegations and testimony against Michael Jackson? There were several children accusers and while some may have been lying, some had very credible testimony. Also, there was testimony from adults who confirmed Michaels unlawful behavior with children, and since the time of the trial, three of the jurors have stated they may have gotten the verdict wrong. But his fans, and the leaches around him continued to tell him he was a good guy and did nothing wrong.

I remember watching TV during his trial and seeing a couple interviewed that had flown from Australia to stand outside the courthouse. They stated they knew he was innocent and had come to give him support. How did they know he was innocent? They had never spoken to him or been privy to anyone that was close to Michael. They knew Michael Jackson was innocent only because he was a good entertainer and he sang songs they liked. Well I hate to tell you all this, but just because a person can sing and entertain well does not make them a good person. To be fair, Michael did do a lot for certain charities, and was very active and generous in many ways, but the good does that erase his possible “dark side”. Let’s look at David Allen Coe, the country singer. He has certainly sung some memorable songs, but that does not erase the fact that he may not be the pillar of the community. I believe he demonstrated he is, or was a racist with one of his earlier albums. He is an ex-convict and had a relationship with the Outlaws Motorcycle gang. I don’t consider Coe next in line for saint hood. But he is still a good traditional country singer. Just as Michael will always be remembered as one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived, let’s not confuse the entertainer with the man. Right or wrong, that’s the way A.P. American sees it. Yeah baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank God for American Elections

2009-06-23T11:30:00-05:00

What do the following have in common?

-The assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan
-275 citizens reported killed in Nairobi Kenya in January of 2008
-Violent demonstrations in 2001 in Sir Lanka
-400 people killed in Nigeria in December of 2008
-Violent clashes with authorities in Mongolia in July of last year
-193 citizens killed in Ethiopia in 2006, and a report of 102 people killed in May of 2007 in the Philippines

All involved violent opposition to an election in that specific country. Much like what has happened in Iran this past week.

On June 12th Iran held its presidential election. Post election results reported that the incumbent, Mahmoud Ahmadinejab, had won and would remain President of Iran. The election results were disputed by a large number of Iranian citizens who supported Mir Hossein Mousavi. Protest began to turn violent and continues to escalate. This escalation is still occurring even after the supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, notified the Islamic Shiite dominated country that Ahmadinejab had indeed won. Some deaths caused by the protest were reported, but now the Iranian government is censoring news and media outlets to stifle the current situation. But with the advent of modern social networking technology such as twitter and face book, images concerning the situation there are continuing to be released to the world. A 16 year old Iranian female was captured on video dying as she lay mortally wounded by a bullet. She was a student in Iran and reports state she was talking on a cell phone when shot by a gunman. She is being called "Neda," Farsi for the voice or the call.

As most will remember, America had a disputed election in 2000 between Bush and Gore. Many still believe Bush stole the election. The intent of this A.P. American segment is not to debate who should have won in 2000, but to observe that during the dispute, which eventually was heard before the Supreme Court, no violent rioting or killing occurred. Were Americans upset? You bet they were, but not to the point where the streets of America became unsafe with violence, and clashes between American citizens and government elements transpired. What makes America different? Why can Americans agree to disagree and still not digress to violence?

Any student of American history will tell you that America has had its share of protest and violence. America’s independence was born out of protest, and we have continued to use the tool of protest as a means to get our government’s attention. Some protest were waged to solicit the inalienable rights of all men such as the civil rights movement, while other protest have been used to influence government on certain issues such as tax reform and immigration laws. Most protest in modern America have been orderly, such as the Million Man March, while others have turned violent such as what happened after the Rodney King verdict, the L.A. Watts riots and Kent State. But through it all the foundational security and stability of America were never threatened.

The 1960’s and 70’s were a volatile time for America. President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, as was his brother Bobby five years later. Martian Luther King and Malcolm X also lost their lives to violence. Students were killed at Kent State and America experienced the Watergate scandal that eventually led to President Nixon resigning office and validation of American government corruption. The anti-war movement began and anti-government organizations such as the Weathermen were spawned. It became the age of the “hippie” and “flower children”, the Black Panthers and youthful rebellion. Through all the turbulence however, America still stood firm and secure.

America has been through a lot since its birth during the American Revolution. It has withstood many tests since 1776. It has had its dark moments when justice was not served to all, and some may still feel the sting of injustice in some respects. But America has always attempted to self reflect and correct historical wrongs, and ensure that mistakes made were never repeated. I believe America has been able to do this because its citizens have always submitted to a rule of law, understood the importance of education and have been bound by the threads of a Christian faith. Hopefully America will continue to understand the importance of these three things and how they have “glued” us together as a people. No business could ever expect to be successful or continue to flourish without certain principles and loyalty that are shared by all. A country is no different. The protest in Iran this week should be a means to remind all Americans that they are blessed to live in America, and remind them of the extraordinary foundational rights and privileges we all share. Right or wrong, that the way A.P. American sees it.

Waht's Going On?

2009-06-14T20:25:00-05:00

In the words of Marvin Gaye, “What’s Going On”? Some things that we do, or don’t do in this country, gets me a little perplexed. Take California for instance. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his state are currently suffering from a $24 billion deficit. If the budget crisis is not addressed, California will run out of money next month. The Governor has already called for 5,000 state jobs to be eliminated, and a 5% pay cut for the remaining state employees. California’s various social programs, robust state employee retirement benefits, illegal immigration and safe haven cities have contributed to this fiasco. But even when Schwarzenegger attempts to take corrective action, the Obama Administration puts up a roadblock.

One of the budget cuts that California has suggested is trimming $74 million from a subsidy program involving unionized health-care workers. These specific health-care workers give in-home health care. The health-care providers in question are members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The SEIU was very active in giving President Obama campaign contributions and also personnel for election related activities. Currently the state of California contributes $12.10 an hour in reference to health provider wages. This is not what they actually are paid per hour, but what the state’s share is in reference to their hourly wage. California proposed to decrease its share to $10.10 because of the budget crisis. The Obama Administration has stated that if California lowers its share, it will withhold approximately $6.8 billion in stimulus funds from the state. I wonder if any of the $5 million per month the SEIU gets in union dues ever finds its way to the coffers of the Democratic Party.

You will all be happy to hear that Boston Massachusetts hosted a celebration of gays and transsexuals. On May 9th a Youth Pride Day event was held with a “prom” that evening inside City Hall. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino issued a proclamation welcoming homosexual and transgender youth to the celebration. The event was sponsored by the Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans-gender Youth organization. Some of the activities at the event were an Elvis transgender parade with condoms and pro-homosexual material being given out. You will all be happy to know however, that it was announced that “sex on the dance floor” would not be tolerated. It was also for individuals under 22 years of age. I’m happy to see that the City Hall of Boston, a government facility, is being used to do something for the city’s youth.

I don’t guess the city of San Diego was as tolerant of gatherings when it threatened to file a summons on Pastor David Jones and his wife for a bible study gathering at the pastor’s house. On this past “Good Friday”, while Pastor Jones was conducting a bible study, an employee of San Diego came to his residence and informed him it was illegal to have the gathering. By San Diego standards it was a “religious assembly”. Pastor Jones was told that to continue the gatherings would necessitate the need to obtain a Major Use Permit. What brought us to a time in America where you can have a gay and trans-gender rights event at a City Hall, complete with a proclamation, but you can’t have a bible study gathering at your own house without a permit?

I discussed the security issue concerning illegal immigration in an earlier A.P. American segment. The intent was not to generate ill feelings toward illegal immigrants, but to voice concerns of how illegal border crossings are decreasing America’s safety. As stated in my earlier article, in 2005, over 650 people illegally attempting to enter the U.S were from countries of special interest. As you remember, Special interest countries are those “designated by the intelligence community as countries that could export individuals that could bring harm to our country in the way of terrorism.” Well, it seems al-Queda has recently shown interest in our southern border as a method of entry for terrorist.

A video that aired on the Arabic network Al-Jazeera shows Abdullah al-Nafisi, a professor in Kuwait, stating how the Mexican border could be utilized to send terrorist and weapons into America. Nafisi states in the video:

"Four pounds of anthrax -- in a suitcase this big -- carried by a fighter through tunnels from Mexico into the U.S. are guaranteed to kill 330,000 Americans within a single hour if it is properly spread in population centers there. What a horrifying idea; 9/11 will be small change in comparison. Am I right? There is no need for airplanes, conspiracies, timings and so on. One person, with the courage to carry 4 pounds of anthrax, will go to the White House lawn, and will spread this 'confetti' all over them, and then we'll do these cries of joy. It will turn into a real celebration."

It is sad but America is under attack. Take the incident that occurred in Arkansas on June 1st. Two Army soldiers were shot outside a recruiting station. One, Private William Long, was killed, and the other, Private Quinton Ezeagwula, suffered gunshot wounds that he will recover from. As the investigation unfolded it appeared the shooter was a Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, 23, also known as Carlos Bledsoe. Muhammad was on the FBI’s radar because of his traveling to Yemen and being arrested for using a Somali passport illegally. It seems Muhammad shot the two young men for simply being American servicemen. Long and Ezeagwula were smoking outside an Army recruiting station when they were shot. After his capture, Muhammad admitted to the crimes and stated in an interview he gave via phone to the Associated Press:

“I do feel I'm not guilty. I don't think it was murder, because murder is when a person kills another person without justified reason. Yes, I did tell the police upon my arrest that this was an act of retaliation, and not a reaction on the soldiers personally. It was an act, for the sake of God, for the sake of Allah, the Lord of all the world, and also a retaliation on U.S. military. U.S. soldiers are killing innocent Muslim men and women. We believe that we have to strike back. We believe in eye for an eye. We don't believe in turning the other cheek.”

I could go on with other examples that make me ask myself what is going on in this country. Have our leaders gotten so fixated on saying and doing anything that will get them re-elected that they have replaced doing what’s right for America, with doing what’s right for them? How can a city let a government building, it’s City Hall, be utilized for a gay rights function, but another city determines that a Pastor cannot have a bible study at his home? How can President Obama’s administration show more loyalty to a labor union, than to one of the states of the Union? How can we continue to disregard that illegal immigration is one of the greatest threats to America’s security? We all better try to answer the question of “what’s going on” in America, before it is too late. Right or wrong, that the way A.P. American sees it. Yeah baby!!!!!!!!!

Where Will Elvis Buy a Cadillac

2009-06-08T23:30:00-05:00

I guess in every person’s life they have special events that are embedded in their memory. Events that had such impact on them they could tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing at the time of the event. For my Dad it was the day President Kennedy was assassinated. He told me that he was getting a haircut when he heard the news. It was on the TV that was playing in the barber shop. Everyone just “froze”, and listened to the reporter tell the sad story. He told me that every man in the barber shop had a tear in their eye, and all were mad because someone one had shot their president. It was the south and everyone voted Democrat. But that didn’t really matter. Because back then, the president was the leader of your country, America, and even if you didn’t vote for him, you respected him.

I guess the first real event that was seared in my memory was the day Elvis Presley died at Graceland. I remember it well. My family was in Daytona Beach Florida for a vacation, and my Dad and I were in a hotel inquiring about a room. My Dad didn’t like the price so we decided to leave and continue to look for a place to stay. We walked back to the car and found my mother crying profusely. My Dad asked her what was wrong, and for a while she was so upset she could not say. Finally she told us that the radio had reported Elvis had died. My Mom was a big fan. I still remember when Elvis came to town down in Georgia for a concert, and how my Mom, her best friend, and her best friend’s Mom stood for hours in a line to get a ticket. There was no Ticketmaster back then. If you wanted a ticket you stood in a line. They were like three teen age girls when it came to Elvis. He was the King.

I never was as big of an Elvis fan as my mother by any stretch of the imagination. I really did not understand the significance of him back then. He was just a singer to that 16 year old boy on vacation with his family in Daytona Beach. But as the years have come and gone I realize that he was much more. He was a person that became part of American history. A character that was larger than life. He was an American icon whose life will be remembered forever. He was an American legend. I guess you can say the same about General Motors. It is an American legend. But just as Elvis passed from us, so it seems this American business icon may also pass.

GM is a 101 year old company and was the world’s largest car manufacturer until Toyota eclipsed it in 2008. GM produces more than 9 million vehicles per year in 34 countries. It employs 234,500 people worldwide with 91,000 of those people employed here in the United States. It provides benefits to approximately 493,000 people on an annual basis. GM solicits business from 11,500 vendors and pays those vendors $50 billion per year for various parts and services. Yep, GM is a giant. It’s sad that this giant is slated to close 14 factories, shed 29,000 of its work force, and cut 2,400 dealerships. It has also been taken off the DOW index. We could debate the causes of GM’s current state of affairs and argue if the federal bailout should be given, and argue still if the bailout will save GM. But the sad truth is, a company as American as John Wayne is in jeopardy of becoming extinct. Will it make it? I hope so.

GM filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy this past week in an effort to save itself. It will re-appear as a more scaled down, profitable company on paper. It is projected to have approximately $7 billion less in structural cost in 2010 than it had in 2008. But the new GM will still need to sell about 2 million vehicles per year in America alone to be profitable. It has an uphill climb ahead to maintain its customer base, attract new buyers and fight off the other car manufacturers who will also be aggressive in the global vehicle market. As bankruptcy will help GM in many ways, it could also tarnish a buyer’s perception of GM and cast doubt on future stability. It is the classic case of “we will just have to wait and see what the future holds.”

GM’s problems are much more than a study of how a gargantuan business can fail. It communicates that the world as we know it is changing, and some of the things that were foundational pillars 50 years ago in America are now crumbling. Fixtures of Main Street America such as K-Mart, Sears, and now GM have become endangered species, along with some of our values and freedoms. The world is changing around us very quickly in so many ways. I can remember when a GM vehicle was the only car my Dad would buy or drive. But then again, I can remember when I said the Pledge of Allegiance and prayed every day before school began. Yep, the world is changing.

Elvis was reported to have bought over a hundred Cadillac’s in his lifetime with the first being a 1954 Series 60. I guess it’s a good thing that “The King” is not around to see this mess involving GM. He would probably get ulcers worrying about the future of his beloved Cadillac. I can see him wearing his white sequined jumpsuit sitting on the front porch of Graceland deep in thought. Wondering where in the world is he going to be able to buy a Cadillac if GM goes under. Right or wrong, that’s the way A.P. American sees it. Yeah baby!!!!!!!!!!

I Saw God Today

2009-05-31T19:37:00-05:00

One of my favorite country songs is “I saw God Today” by George Strait. I’ve been a George Strait fan for as long as I can remember and that song I think is one of his best. It helps me to remember to never take life, or the ones you love for granted, and many times our heart will see more than our eyes ever will. I was raised in the south and going to church on Sunday was just part of life. You knew on Sunday at 11:00 AM you and the family would be sitting on a pew getting ready to sing a hymn and listen to a sermon. The church my family went to was very small, as most churches across America are. The mega-church phenomenon of today did not exist. When I think about today’s mega-churches, Joel Osteen and Rick Warren come to mind. On any given Sunday they preach to a crowd that rivals some sporting events, and their popularity with Christian America can also rival most celebrities.

Osteen and Warren both have very charismatic ministries and both have written best sellers that generate a tremendous amount of income. Both seem to be very frugal in their lifestyle. Osteen is reported to take no salary from his church, and Warren reports that he lives off 10% of his royalties and donates the rest. It is very admirable on both of their accounts. But the truth is, both are very wealthy men and preachers of the gospel. The vast majority of the “white haired warriors” that preach in small churches throughout this great country of ours are not wealthy people. They go about the task of doing the Lords work with not a lot of monetary reward or recognition. Each Wednesday night and all day on Sunday they can be found spouting the word with a bible in one hand and a handkerchief in the other. This is where I believe the “real” gospel is being preached. It is also where I had the opportunity to see God for the first time.

I went to a small southern Pentecostal Holiness Church. The preacher had to preach loud in the summer time to be heard over several window air conditioning units that were always running on “high”. The air conditioning was needed because when the service got cranked up, there was a lot of running, healing and speaking in tongues. I learned early that being in the spirit works up a sweat. The church also issued out “paper fans” propelled by the human arm if you were not lucky enough to sit by an air conditioning unit. One of the most prolific characters at the church, and the man who helped me see God for the first time was one of the deacons named “Brother Jack”.

Brother Jack was a painter and a carpenter by trade during the week, and a very dedicated deacon at all times. I never knew him to miss a service other than the times he would take his family on vacation. Brother Jack could not read or write, but had managed to memorize the bible by listening to audio tapes. He was always prepared to “heal” the nearest person in need, and would preach a sermon every now and then. Brother Jack had a very unique “healing stance” that he would always use during the deed, and his sermons at times were a little confusing. Since he could not read and relied on memory to quote scripture, he would sometimes tell the congregation to turn to one passage but begin quoting another. Everyone loved him and didn’t seem to mind.

The church eventually got enough funds to buy a bus. It was just an old yellow county school bus bought at an auction, but it served its purpose. Brother Jack lived near the church and it was only natural that he became the “keeper of the bus”. Back in those days in the south, if a church had padded pews it was known as a “place of worship”, but if it had a bus and padded pews, it was known as a “cathedral”.

I remember one weekend during the summer when all the young people in the church were going to a youth retreat. The retreat was way out in the country, and Brother Jack and Brother Clements were going to be our chaperones. During the trip we found ourselves on a desolate stretch of a two lane highway. The bus began to shake and Brother Jack pulled over. He found that the bus had developed a flat tire. A flat tire is nothing to get excited about unless you have no spare, which was our case. Brother Jack got out and started to pray and ask God to fix the flat tire. I’m not saying that Brother Clements, the other chaperone, didn’t have the same amount of faith, but while Brother Jack prayed he began to walk. After a while I guess Brother Jack needed more “prayer” power, so he got everyone off the bus to help him pray. I can still see us all beside that lonely road praying for God to “heal” the tire. We prayed for about an hour and then Brother Clements returned in a tow truck. Another thirty minutes and we were on our way.

After we arrived at the youth retreat we had a service that night. During the service Brother Jack stood up and said he wanted to testify. Brother Jack told everyone there about our ordeal getting to the retreat, and how the devil had tried to prevent it by flattening one of the bus tires. He went on to tell how God had not let the old devil win, and had fixed the bus tire so we could get there. That was not the way I remembered the tire repair happening, but I was just a young boy back then and Brother Jack was much more experienced in the mysterious ways God. I had no reason to doubt Brother Jack, and I concluded that I had obviously seen God that day for the first time. He had looked nothing like I had thought. Actually, he looked pretty ordinary. He was wearing work clothes with a shirt tag that read, “Willard’s Garage”, and he was driving a tow truck smoking a cigarette.

The above story is not to make fun of Brother Jack or the power of God. It was only meant to illustrate one of the many fond memories I have of growing up in a small southern church. I still believe Brother Jack was one of the godliness men I ever met, and the power of God is extraordinary. Now as I look back on that day many years later I firmly believe I did see God that day. I saw him in the songs we sang as we drove to the retreat. I saw him in the love Brother Jack showed for us and his church. I saw him in my best friend who sat beside me during the trip. I hope in the coming years America continues to hold on to the values and faith the Christian religion has given it. Our belief in God has been instrumental in creating the greatest nation on earth. It has been the thread of America’s fabric, and the azimuth that has kept many of us on a course of hope during trying times. Every time I see one of my kids, my wife, a good friend, or just sit by a slow rolling river and fish, I can truly say, “I saw God today”. Right or wrong, that’s the way A.P. American sees it. Yeah baby!!!!!!

The Domino Theory

2009-05-24T21:00:00-05:00

The Domino Theory
By
A.P. American

On November 14, 2008, in the Netherlands the new world record for dominos was set. During this attempt, 4,345,027 dominos out of 4,500,000 were successfully toppled. It was really amazing to watch the video of the event. If you are not familiar with what I am speaking of please allow me to explain. The dominos used in world record attempts are the same dominos utilized in a regular dominos game kit; small rectangular black blocks. The object is to set the dominos up so when the first domino falls, it starts a chain of events that will ultimately topple the rest. I guess you could say that it was “cause and effect” in action. The cause of the dominos falling was the first domino being felled, and the effect was a chain of dominos being toppled until none were left standing. The falling dominos could teach us a very important lesson in life; for each action or decision, there is a consequence.

America is currently faced with many challenges, with the priority for most people being the economic situation. Many of us have had our “golden years” turned into more “working years”. Who would have ever thought that we would see GM, Chrysler and Ford in danger of becoming extinct? They are American business icons. Foundational strengths and traits that made America the greatest country in the world now seem to be voluntarily discarded by some, including our elected officials. The world in general has changed dramatically, and threats to America’s future stability are growing steadily. While the economic situation must be addressed for the sake of our future, we must not forget how vitally important security of our nation is. One of the greatest threats to the homeland is the porous state of our border and illegal immigration.

Each time we begin to debate the illegal immigration issue, cries of racism and hate mongering are raised. I can’t understand this because it is not racist to deeply care about your country and the safety of its citizens. There are many legal immigrants who have come to this country and contributed tremendously to strengthening America, and have fought honorably under its banner. The argument has been made that we are all immigrants to a certain extent, and there exist undeniable truth in that statement. Our ancestors came in search of a new world, and out of that search a great republic was created. Our history has not always been perfect, but America has always attempted to use mistakes of the past to be a greater country in the future. But we all must realize that illegally breeching the borders of a sovereign nation is unlawful and a clear and present danger to a country’s security and well being.

The issue pertaining to border security is not just an issue concerning illegal immigration. It is an issue of much greater proportion. In 2005 the border authorities apprehended 1.2 million illegal aliens who were attempting to cross illegally into America. Of those 1.2 million, 165,000 were from countries other than Mexico. In fact, 650 were from countries of special interest. Special interest countries are those “designated by the intelligence community as countries that could export individuals that could bring harm to our country in the way of terrorism.”

Republican Congressman John Culberson reported in 2005 that an al-Qaida operative who was on the FBI’s terrorist watch list was arrested near the Mexican border. The operative was subsequently held within the Brewster County Texas Jail. Culberson also reported FBI Director Robert Mueller had previously "confirmed" in testimony before his committee "that there are individuals from countries with known al-Qaida connections who are changing their Islamic surnames to Hispanic-sounding names and obtaining false Hispanic identities, learning to speak Spanish and pretending to be Hispanic immigrants."

In a U.S. government report entitled, “A Line in the Sand: Confronting the Threat at the Southwest Border”, U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement stated the following:

-Illegal aliens were smuggled from the Middle East to staging areas in Central and South America, before being smuggled illegally into the United States.

-Members of Hezbollah have already entered the United States across the Southwest border.

In 2006 the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General released a 52 page report that stated between 2001 and 2005 an estimated 45,008 illegal aliens from countries listed as state sponsors of terrorism, or states that protected terrorist members and terrorist organizations were released into the American public with no 100% confirmation of identity. This was not a document compiled by some “right wing” conservative news source, but rather a document released by our own Department of Homeland Security.

We can also look at crime and the economic consequences of the illegal alien issue. In Los Angeles 95% of some 1,500 outstanding murder warrants are for illegal aliens. Illegal aliens account for 67% of the 17,000 outstanding fugitive felony warrants. In 2005 border officials confiscated the following illicit drugs destined for American streets at the border:

222, 714 kilograms of cocaine

1,162,509 kilograms of marijuana

5,470 kilograms of methamphetamine

A 2004 statistic showed that approximately 267,000 illegal aliens were incarcerated in American correctional facilities with an annual cost of 6.8 billion dollars. And let’s not forget about the safety of our children when a report stated that there may be 240,000 illegal alien sex offenders within the borders of the U.S. It is obvious that the illegal immigration problem solicits a much larger question than just the issue of not wanting illegal aliens to come here and pursue the American dream.

I am in no way saying that without illegal immigration America would be safe. If we closed our borders tomorrow we would still have crime committed by American born citizens. Timothy McVeigh is a prime example of home grown terror. But I am saying the refusal of our government to enforce current immigration laws and protect American citizens to the fullest extent is negligence. Al-Qaida has already stated in its strategic plan that crippling the American economy is one of its primary goals. If you really want to see cause and effect, just think what would happen to our economy if another catastrophic attack occurred within our borders. The enemy is cunning enough, why should we help them. Security really is America’s first domino. Right or wrong, that is how A.P. American sees it. Yeah baby!!!!!

Face of the Republican Party

2009-05-18T00:00:00-05:00

Over the last couple of months I have heard various people on television and radio, give their opinion on who should be the new face of the Republican Party. They all have varying views as to whom that face should be.

As I sit and ponder that question, several people that I know, and have met on this road I call life come to mind. I think about a 27 year old Sergeant I work with in the Washington DC area that lost both legs a couple years ago in Iraq. He gets around these days on a set of prosthetics and still wears the uniform of the US Army proudly. I never hear him complain or dwell in self pity. He recently bought a condominium in the DC area, and seems to be adjusting fine with his disability. He is an inspiration to me each day and re-enforces the fact that freedom is not free.

I think about a waitress I saw a few months back at a Waffle House down in North Carolina. It was about 9:00 PM, and she was obviously working the evening shift. She was not my waitress, but I noticed her because she kept going over to a young boy sitting in one of the booths and assisting him with his homework. The boy was about 10, and you could tell from the conversation he was having some difficulty with his math.

My waitress was a young girl in her mid-twenties, and based on her service, should have thought about another profession. She was a good conversationalist however, and when asked about the boy she was happy to answer. The boy was the son of the waitress who was helping him with his homework. Her husband had been killed in a car accident and she worked the Waffle House in the evening and another job during the day to make ends meet. The boy came there each evening because his mother had no one to keep him. The boy was her only child.

I think about a young man I sat beside on a plane flying to the midwest. I tend not to talk much on flights and use the time to read a book or work on a project. On this particular flight I dropped my book as I positioned my tray and the young man reached over and picked it up. We struck up a conversation and he told me that he had been in Washington as a member of his state’s “Young Farmers Association”.

He was 24 years old and had worked on his daddy’s farm all his life. I asked him how it was to work on a farm and he simply answered, “hard and honest”. He then began to tell me about farming and the rotation of crops, and a hundred other things concerning his profession.

I also learned that his father had cancer and would probably not make it to the following year. He had gone to college for a short time but had to drop out to come home and help out when his father got ill. He assured me that one day he would go back and finish, but would always be a farmer.

I asked him what type of degree he wanted to get. He told me business because “you can’t run a farm these days without good business sense.” I learned a lot about farming before the flight was over, but I also learned that I had sat beside a fine young American, and a “son” a father should be proud of.

As I sit and think about who should be the face of the Republican party, the Sergeant who lost his legs in Iraq, the waitress who is working two jobs to survive, the young farmer I sat beside on the plane, all come to mind. That is who should be the face of the Republican Party.

It’s the police officer working night shift, the soldier who is away from his family, the old man who gets by on social security, the single mom, the construction worker, the successful business man, the boy scout, the young couple who just bought their first home, the lady who gave the homeless man a dollar as she sat at the traffic light. That should be the face of both the Republican and Democratic parties.

No party is identified by one person’s face. It is indentified by every person who considers themselves an American, and who takes ownership in this great country by exercising their right to vote. So the next time you want to see the face of your respective political party; just look in the mirror. Right or wrong, that is how A.P. American sees it. Yeah baby!!!