Helvig's Helvitorials

Today's Seven Dwarfs

Unpublished - Today's Seven Dwarfs, by Alan Helvig

Dopey Annan - Kofi couldn't see the writing on the wall if he was strapped to a chair, facing the wall, with his eyes taped open. He is consistently on the wrong side of too many issues. Dopey has once again shown his true colors, as he has sided with the terrorists instead of siding with Israel. Any show of support for Hezbollah on behalf of the U.N. can only embolden them to continue their terrorist activities. Dopey's unsubstantiated accusation that Israel deliberately attacked the U.N. observation post in Lebanon  has caused grave damage to the war on terror. We need a Secretary General who understands that there can be no tolerance for terrorists and no sympathy for those who harbor terrorists.

Doc Chirac - According to the Jerusalem Post, 'German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Jacques Chirac discussed the crisis in the Middle East and agreed to consult closely on the next steps to take...' Doc believes 'that the UN Security Council must create the conditions for a lasting cease fire, and that the basis must be a "political agreement between Israel and Lebanon and the full implementation of resolution 1559," which calls for the disarmament of all militias in Lebanon.' Wow Doc! Did you come up with that one all by yourself? Let's sum this one up: Doc's plan calls for procrastination, deliberation and waiting on the U.N. to do the right thing. What else could we possibly expect from the French?

Sleepy Carter - Poor Jimmy.  He was a sleep at the helm during his presidency and he is still sleeping when it comes to today's global issues.  Sleepy wrote this in the Washington Post on August 1, 2006: "It is inarguable that Israel has a right to defend itself against attacks on its citizens, but it is inhumane and counterproductive to punish civilian populations in the illogical hope that somehow they will blame Hamas and Hezbollah for provoking the devastating response. The result instead has been that broad Arab and worldwide support has been rallied for these groups, while condemnation of both Israel and the United States has intensified." First off, Israel is not punishing the civilians in Lebanon. They are returning fire on Hezbollah rocket & artillery launch sites. It is Hezbollah who is using the Lebanese civilians as shields, thus making them targets of retaliatory strikes. The responsibility must be placed on the terrorist organization, Hezbollah, for the civilian deaths in Lebanon. Anything short of this only generates more sympathy for the terrorists. As for Sleepy, he needs to go back to bed and leave the thinking to people who are willing to fight terrorism.

Grumpy Ahmadinejad - Mahmoud's plan of using Hezbollah to draw Israel into another armed conflict has worked. His desire for the world to see Israel as the bad guy is being fulfilled. Grumpy's thirst for the destruction of Israel is being quenched, as global leaders are hammering Israel for defending herself against present and future terrorist attacks. As compassion for Hezbollah increases and as the condemnation of Israel mounts, Grumpy's evil goals are being achieved. If we are not careful, Grumpy will have to change his name to Cheerful.

Happy Nasrallah - Sheik Hassan has achieved his goal of making Israel out to be the aggressor in the eyes of the world. Sympathy for Hezbollah is growing daily, thanks to the words and inactions of many on this page. Happy may be running for his life and hiding out in a supposed safe-house, but he is undoubtedly pleased with how the global consensus is turning against Israel. The only good terrorist is a dead terrorist. Israel needs to find Happy and take him out, just like the U.S. took out that other happy terrorist in Iraq, Al-Zarqawi. Even if it means bombing the Iranian Embassy, Israel needs to turn Happy into a 'good terrorist'.

Bashful Bin-Laden - Osama must be loving this entire situation in Lebanon, while he cowers in his Afghan cave. Bashful is undoubtedly praising Allah for all of the Muslim deaths in Lebanon, as each one generates more sympathy for the terrorists. He gets to hide in his hole, while Hezbollah sacrifices a great number of their members for the sake of turning the world against Israel. As the world leaders condemn Israel's actions, Bashful's grin grows larger and larger.

Sneezy Chavez - Hugo may not care about what is happening in the Middle East, but he has to love what it is doing to the United States. I chose Chavez to be Sneezy because he must be doped up on cocaine to dream up all the allegations he has lobbed at America. One can only hope that he will sneeze the hatred right out of his mind and become an advocate for freedom and a friend of the U.S. Well, what do you expect? This is a fantasy based article.

Hezbollah is...

Unpublished - Hezbollah is..., by Alan Helvig

Don't let anyone fool you into believing that Israel is the aggressor and that Hezbollah is the poor, innocent victim in Lebanon.  Hezbollah is responsible for many of the suicide bombers who have killed Israeli civilians.  Their terrorist acts show us how ruthless they are and their combat tactics show us how cowardly they are.  They hide their rocket launchers next to civilian homes and businesses, then blame Israel for killing civilians, when Israel attacks the launch sites.  Hezbollah has not only been plaguing Israel for decades, but they have kidnapped, attacked and murdered hundreds of Americans too. 

Let's take a good look at our enemy and their terrorist activities over the past 25+ years.  Throughout the 1980's, Hezbollah kidnapped, held hostage and even killed a great number of Americans in Lebanon.  In April of 1983, the American Embassy in Beirut was attacked by a Hezbollah suicide bomber; 49 were killed and 120 were injured.  In October of 1983, a Hezbollah suicide bomber drove a truck into the U.S. Marine Barracks in Beirut, killing 241 U.S. Marines and Sailors, and wounding hundreds more.  That same day, in a coordinated attack on the French Paratrooper Headquarters, Hezbollah murdered 58 French Soldiers.  In June of 1984, Hezbollah terrorists hijacked TWA flight 847 enroute to Athens.  They took the plane to Beirut and also murdered U.S. Navy diver, Robert Stethem. 

Although Lebanese violence against Americans has been going on much longer, Hezbollah was formed in Lebanon in the early 1980's.  Shortly after the Ayatollah Khomeini took power in Iran, some of his followers in Lebanon and members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps founded the terrorist entity, Hezbollah.  You remember Khomeini... Students acting as his proxies seized the American Embassy in Tehran and held over 50 Americans hostage for 444 days (almost 14 months), until just before Ronald Reagan was sworn in as President.  You might say that Hezbollah is Khomeini's illegitimate child.

Over the years, Hezbollah has received the bulk of their funding from Syria and Iran.  Just like Khomeini, and just like Iran's current president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the end goal of Hezbollah is world domination for radical Islam.  The number one goal of Hezbollah is the complete annihilation of Israel.  The number two goal of Hezbollah is the destruction of the United States.  If they have their way, there will be no more religious freedom anywhere in the world.

Is it a tragedy that civilians are being killed in Lebanon?  Absolutely!  Should Israel be expected to just sit back and let Hezbollah do what ever they want?  Absolutely not!

Choices and Consequences

Unpublished - Choices and Consequences, by Alan Helvig on May 3, 2005 in response to Hope College students protesting the school's administration.

We all have rights which are guaranteed us by the Constitution. However, we also have responsibilities. For one thing, we are responsible to our employers. When a professor signs on at a college, he/she accepts responsibility for their actions. In choosing to exercise his first amendment right to free speech, the professor abandoned his responsibility to the school. In doing so, he triggered a response by the administration to exercise their right and their responsibility to protect the institution. The choice to exercise your freedom of speech does not excuse you from your responsibility to the organization of which you are part.

Freedom is not free. All freedoms come at a price. A member of the President’s staff has the “right” to speak his/her mind, even if it is contrary to the President’s policies. However, if they do so, they could surely be asked to resign or even be fired. The CEO of a major organization may have the constitutional right to say whatever he/she wants, but they still have a responsibility to bite their tongue.

In this funny little thing called life, we all have certain rights and certain responsibilities. In fact, with our rights come responsibilities. Many in our community have accepted the responsibility of funding a College they believe to be teaching invaluable life lessons to our youth. What do they get for their generosity? They are the subjects of protests and verbal abuse from liberals in the press and from the very mouths that they are feeding. You don’t bite the hand that feeds you. How many of the Hope protesters would still attend the College if their tuition was doubled due to a lack of financial support from donors. Where do the students who enjoy all the free amenities offered by the school think the money comes from to keep those amenities free?

I salute the donors who put pressure on the school administration and I commend the College for taking a stand. It takes great courage to stand up for what you believe in. Subsequently, I am glad to see that a number of students had the courage to take a stand for what they believed to be right. Although I disagree with their position and question their course of action, it is good to know that they are willing to fight against what they believe to be wrong.

In this game of choices and consequences, we have to pick our battles. We have to weigh the potential reaction against our options. We must decide if the end result will benefit or hurt those we care about. Why should the professors have the right to say what ever they want, but the donors are to just shut up and send in their checks? How arrogant, disrespectful and unappreciative can a class body possibly get?

When you live in a free society, such as the one we have here in America, your choices in life seem unlimited. However, with these unlimited choices come unlimited consequences. If you choose to eat fast food everyday, your body will suffer the consequences. If you choose not to complete high school, you will very likely suffer in the work force. If you choose to invest in the lottery instead of a savings account, you jeopardize your financial future.

I am appalled at all of the attacks on Hope College and any other institution which stands up for its own rights. It would appear that part of the liberal philosophy is that everyone is entitled to freedom of speech, so long as your freedom doesn’t say anything negative about them. John Kerry took a number of shots at the President, but when shots were taken at him, he whined like a baby. A number of celebrities took great offence when people voiced their opposing opinions regarding their political rebellion. Sarandon, Robbins and the Dixie Chicks, just to name a few, are examples of people who can dish it out, but can’t take it.

Freedom of speech is not only the right of an individual here in America, but it is also the right of organizations, companies and institutions. I applaud any individual or institution which has the courage to say and do what they believe to be right. Hope College exercised their rights when they took a stance and they should be acknowledged for taking a stand. Hope College handled the protesting students with dignity and respect, while the students exercised their right to be disrespectful toward the School’s administration. Anyone who has the courage to voice their opinions in the public forum should have the courage to face the consequences of their actions.

Christianity vs. the ACLU

Unpublished - Christianity vs. the ACLU; a letter by Alan Helvig

If more Americans were devout Christians, the ACLU would have no power.  The problem is that our country is walking away from God about as fast as it can.  There is this false stigma surrounding the so called "Separation of Church and State".  There is a call to remove God from the schools, government buildings, public officials, and yes, even groups like the boy scouts. 

The ACLU may be the hand of the devil, but it is just part of the problem.  The bigger problem is the average American.  He refuses to go to church regularly.  He refuses to embrace God's Word as the ultimate authority in his life.  He refuses to put on the armor of God and to take a stand for the Lord.  He refuses to tithe to the Church.  He loves the world too much to put God first in his life.  He refuses to make his personal relationship with Jesus Christ the number one relationship in his life.  Because of all of these things, he is ill prepared to face Satan's attacks.

America is on the same path that the Israelites were on between the time of the Judges and their 70 year exile.  Even though they were warned what would happen to them, they still turned their backs on God until God finally had enough of their worldly unholiness.  He allowed the Assyrians and the Babylonians to rout their country and to take their people into bondage.  This was the penalty for their disobedience.  Why should America believe that we will not suffer the same result?

As for my thoughts versus my prayers, I can only say this:  Jesus did not ask His apostles to think about Him when he was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.  In fact, he told them to "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation".  In Paul's letters he always spoke of prayer and called for prayer, "In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now..."  and "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." 

The point of the lesson was not to just think about someone, but to actually get down and pray with them or for them.  Simply thinking about someone is a worldly trait.  Praying for them is a Godly trait. 

I recently received a revelation regarding prayer.  When we say prayers such as "God is great... or Now I lay me..." who are we praying to?  We refer to God in the third person.  Our prayers are not just thoughts that include God.  They are a direct, personal communication with the Lord Himself.  It is a two-way communication between a person and their Savior.  A thought is not a prayer.  It is a one way line of communication, much like a radio signal.  A prayer expects a response from the listener, God.  A person who truly prays listens for that response.

Gun control is not the answer

Unpublished - Gun control is not the answer; a letter by Alan Helvig written shortly after 9/11/01.

I have said it before and will say it again.  Gun control is not the answer to our problems.  Living by established morals, accountability and responsibility are what we need in this country. 

The events of September 11th and again today go to show that guns are not the problem.  People are the problem.  Not one gun was present; not one shot was fired; and yet, our great nation suffered it's worst single attack against human life on September 11th.  Today, a man used a knife on a bus and cost 6 people their lives.  Neither incident involved the use of guns and yet, many people suffered and lives were forever changed. 

The bible clearly established the rules and morals we should be living by.  If we, as a nation, would return to a lifestyle which is governed by the word of God, we might yet survive.  We must be responsible and be willing to hold people accountable for their wrongdoings.  We must abide by the law and be willing to treat criminals as criminals.

Our legal system is supposed to serve as a deterrent against criminal behavior.  Instead, we have taught our children to fear and disrespect the law.  We teach people how to "Get Off" in court.  We have made heroes out of criminals who have gotten away with heinous crimes.  As long as we continue to allow this type of activity to flourish, we will continue to have the problems which destroy our way of life. 

Some criminals may use guns, but guns don't turn people into criminals!  The problem is people.  The problem is attitude.  The problem is a lack of respect for others.  The problem is a lack of respect for the law.  The problem is a lack of respect for God. 

The SOLUTION has been here all along.  The SOLUTION is people.  The SOLUTION is attitude.  The SOLUTION is respect for others.  The SOLUTION is respect for the law.  The SOLUTION is GOD.  Let's work together to SOLVE our problems.

The time is now

Unpublished - The time is now; a letter by Alan Helvig shortly after 9/11/01

Dear Representative Hoekstra and Senator Levin, I know this is a long email, but I believe it to be worthy of national attention.  I would like to thank you in advance for taking the time to read and reply to this message.

I don't understand how our legislators can stand in the halls of Congress, openly pledging allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, but they won't pass a law protecting our flag from public desecration or burning. 

I don't understand how our legislators can stand on the steps of the Capitol, singing "God Bless America", but wont stand up against these losers in our country who are claiming that the separation between Church and State means that any state funded organization (including our school systems) cannot have anything to do with or say about God.

I don't understand how our legislators can come on public television and ask for people to pray to God for the victims and the families of the victims, but won't allow our kids to have a Bible Club in our public schools.

This country used to be full of God fearing Patriots who would never allow someone to disgrace our nation or it's flag.  Our forefathers came to this land to get away from religious persecution and state mandated churches.  They fought for their freedom and wrote our declaration of independence, our constitution and our bill of rights.  Not one of these documents prohibits a belief in God.  Not one of those documents says that it is okay for someone to spit on, crap on, stomp on or set fire to our national flag.

Our flag is a symbol of freedom.  Our flag is a symbol of liberty.  Our flag is a symbol of our belief in God.  Our flag is a symbol of the sacrifices that have been made by the men and women of this country for over 225 years.  Our flag is a national treasure.  Our flag deserves to be protected and defended against all enemies foreign and domestic. 

When I was a kid, I would wake up early on Saturday mornings so that I could watch cartoons.  Sometimes, I would get up before the T.V. station had come on the air.  Remember those days?  The color bar was on and there was a tone that would drive you up the wall.  Next thing you knew though, the bar would disappear and you would hear music.  It was our National Anthem.  I would stand tall while they showed pictures of our flag during the playing of my National Anthem.  Television did not begin it's day without paying respect to our flag, our country and our God.  Television ended it's day with a similar program.

As a Marine, whenever I would go to the movies on base, we could not see the movie until after standing tall for the playing of our National Anthem.  My friends and I always wondered why this only happened on base.  Why don't all of the theaters play the National Anthem prior to showing their movies?  Why is it that sporting events are about the only place you hear our National Anthem in public anymore?  And even then, you usually have to be at the game to participate in this patriotic event.  The networks generally cut to a commercial during the playing of our National Anthem unless they are broadcasting a championship game.  These are the same networks who, just a few years ago, did not start or end their broadcasting day without performing their patriotic duty.

The motto of this country is "IN GOD WE TRUST".  You will find this motto printed on the walls of almost every federal building in Washington.  You will find our motto printed on every American dollar bill and on every American coin.  The separation of church and state was established to ensure that our Government was not run by any specific Church.  Our right to freedom of religion was established to ensure that our government doesn't tell you when, where, why and how to worship God.  Every president has been sworn into office holding a bible.  Every person testifying in our courts used to be sworn in on a bible before giving their testimony.  Every school classroom began it's day with the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag, which declared us as being "One Nation, UNDER GOD, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice For All".  Remember those days?

Had we misunderstood the intent of our fathers?  Did we spend almost 200 years doing it wrong?  When they wrote about having a separation between Church and State, did they mean God wasn't allowed in our Government?  When they wrote about freedom of religion, did they mean that my kid can't thank God for his blessings when he gives his acceptance speech at a public school?  Did they mean that our children couldn't say the Pledge of Allegiance in class because of it's reference to God?  NO!  That is not what they meant!  We didn't misunderstand them!  We were doing it right for almost 200 years!  IN GOD WE TRUST!  IN GOD WE TRUST!  IN GOD WE TRUST!

Do we get it yet?  This country was created by God fearing people who's morals, convictions, and beliefs were based on the word of God.  Our laws are based on the laws of the Bible (thou shall not kill, thou shall not steal, etc.).  We have strayed away from the intent of our fathers.  We have strayed away from their beliefs.  We have strayed away from their legacy.  We have strayed away from our God.  "In God we trust" is more than just our national motto.  It is the premise by which this great nation was formed and reality by which this great nation has survived.  We are a strong nation because of our religious foundation.  We are a strong nation because of our faith in God. 

The farther we get from God, the weaker we become.  God has spent over 200 years blessing this country.  How did we honor him?  We took God out of our schools and look at what has happened.  We took God out of our courts and look at what has happened.  We took God away from our leaders and look at what has happened.  We took God away from our children and look at what has happened.  Do we get it yet?  It is our patriotic duty to put God back where he belongs.  It is our patriotic duty to believe in God.  It is our patriotic duty to obey God.  It is our patriotic duty to trust in God. 

IN GOD WE TRUST.  IN God we trust.  In GOD we trust.  In God WE trust.  In God we TRUST. 

Let's get back to the basics.  Let's get back to being patriots.  Let's say the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag and mean it.  Let's establish laws which protect our flag from all enemies, foreign and domestic.  Let's reestablish the true definition of the separation of Church and State and allow God to have His seat in our government.  Let's reestablish the true definition of the right to freedom of religion and allow our kids to openly express their belief in God.  Let's get back to being patriots.

Thank you!  May God bless you and may God bless America.

Integrity

Unpublished - Integrity, by Alan Helvig

Integrity is everything in a man. A man without integrity is nothing. Webster defines integrity as: “soundness; firm adherence to a code of moral values; honesty.” We live in a world where men of integrity are few. People are more concerned about serving themselves than living up to a standard of integrity. In the U.S. military, one learns early that integrity is the most important leadership trait. A leader is nothing if he does not have integrity. The bible is full of stories about men and women of integrity. Here are a few examples:

Moses: From the burning bush, God called on Moses to be the deliverer of His people. In Exodus 3:10 God says, “So now, go, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” Although Moses did not think himself worthy of such a task, God used him to deliver the Israelites from of the hand of bondage to freedom. Later, when Moses was trying to do too much as the leader of Israel, God sent Jethro to counsel Moses. Jethro told Moses that he had taken on too heavy of a burden and that he should select men to serve as officials over the people. In Exodus 18:21, Jethro says, “Select capable men from all the people – men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain – and appoint them as officials…” They were to be men of integrity.

Joshua: One of only two men who lived as slaves in Egypt to cross the River Jordan into the Promised Land, Joshua was selected by God to replace Moses as the leader of the Israelites. In Numbers 13 and 14, when Moses sent 12 spies into Canaan, 10 came back and lied about what they had seen, instilling fear into God’s people. Joshua and Caleb were the only spies who gave an honest report. Later, in Joshua 24:15, Joshua made one of the most profound statements in the entire bible; “…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

David: Although God chose Saul to serve as the first king over Israel, Saul did not live up to the Lord’s expectations. Accordingly, He had to choose a new king. Samuel was sent to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as Saul’s replacement. When Samuel saw Eliab he thought, “Surely Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” After rejecting all of Jesse’s other sons, Samuel saw David and anointed him as king and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power. Although he stumbled later in life, David’s heart was so fully devoted to God that God chose David’s line to bring about the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Esther: At the risk of losing her own life, Esther confronted the king of Persia to prevent the annihilation of the Jewish people. Knowing what the future had in store, God put Esther in the right place at the right time to be selected by King Xerxes to be his queen. When the evil Haman plotted to kill off all the Jews, Esther stepped up and accused Haman before the king, leading to Haman’s execution. Haman was full of pride, self-importance and hatred. Esther was full of courage, careful planning and reverence. Haman was punished for his crimes, whereas Esther was rewarded for her integrity.

Daniel: Daniel and others had been selected by king Nebuchadnezzar to serve in the royal palace. They were to be taught the language and the ways of the Persians. When they were ordered to eat food which was forbidden to the Jews, they refused to defile themselves. Later, when ordered to bow down and worship a golden idol of Nebuchadnezzar, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego all refused. They would not forsake the Lord Almighty, not even to save themselves from the fiery furnace. After being bound and thrown into the furnace, they were seen walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed. After retrieving them from the flames, Nebuchadnezzar praised God and promoted the men. He respected God and the integrity of God’s servants.

We are called by God to live up to His expectations. We are called to be men who fear God – trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain. We are called to be men of integrity. I am accepting this call. Will you?

Wake Up Call

Unpublished - Wake Up Call, written by Alan Helvig immediately after the 9/11 attacks

Greetings to all.  In light of recent events, I have had a lot of people asking me about what is going on and what we can expect in the near future.  Having been so close to the fire for so long, as many of you were, I have a pretty good idea of what's coming.  Here is a brief editorial in response to some of the questions.

Who's behind this?  Osama bin Laden maybe the mastermind and the initiator of the attacks on New York and Washington D.C., but he most likely received significant financing and other types of support from countries like Iraq.  They have been planning this for months (over a year) and have been training and preparing for this day.  They had numerous connections here in the States and abroad.  Establishing and funding their support network, learning to fly jets, repeatedly flying on domestic flights to get the routine down, and countless rehearsals were just parts of the prelude to this attack.  This had been so well planned and well executed to the point that our intelligence community was unable to fully interpret the events that were about to unfold.

Why would someone do this to America?  We are the self-proclaimed defenders of democracy throughout the world.  In our quest to defend liberty and provide safety for countless people around the globe, we have made a number of enemies.  We go into other countries and tell their leadership what they can and cannot do on their own soil.  We implement embargoes, setup blockades and use force when necessary to uphold our position.  When confronted with a neighbor vs. neighbor situation, we pick a side to defend and attack the other.  In assuming our global position of authority, we have made ourselves targets for countless factions around the world.

Why us? Why now?  This is nothing new for America or Americans.  It isn't even new on American soil.  Our military lives with the threat of terrorist attacks every time they go abroad.  History has warned us that this day would come.  We were just too naive to see it coming.  Americans have been the targets of terrorism for decades.  Examples:

1970: Murder of American University of Beirut President, Malcolm Kerr, in Beirut, Lebanon.

September 1970: TWA #741 and Pan Am #93 hijacked by the PFLP and flown to Amman, Jordan.

March 1973: U.S. Ambassador Cleo Noel & DCM George Moore murdered in Khartoum, Sudan.

June 1976: U.S. Ambassador, Francis Meloy and two other Americans killed in Lebanon.

1979­1980: U.S. Embassy in Iran seized, embassy officials held hostage for 14 months.

April 1983: U.S. Embassy in Beirut attacked by Hezbollah suicide bomber; 49 killed, 120 wounded.

October 1983: Marine barracks in Beirut car­bombed; 241 U.S. Marines killed, hundreds injured.

June 1984: TWA #847 to Athens hijacked to Beirut; U.S. Navy diver, Robert Stethem murdered.

1980's: Several Americans in Beirut kidnapped and held hostage.

September 1984: William Buckley, CIA station chief in Beirut, kidnapped, tortured and murdered.

September 1984: U.S. embassy annex in East Beirut bombed; 2 Americans killed.

October 1985: Achille Lauro hijacked; Leon Klinghoffer murdered.

September 1986: Pan Am #73 hijacked to Karachi, Pakistan; 17 people killed, 150 wounded.

February 1988: William Higgins kidnapped in Lebanon and murdered.

December 1988: Pan Am #103 bombed over Lockerbie, Scotland; 270 people killed.

February 1993: World Trade Center in New York bombed; six killed, hundreds injured.

March 1995: American employees of the U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan killed in response to arrest of World Trade Center bombing suspect.

November 1995: U.S. troops attacked in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; five Americans killed.

June 1996: U.S. Marine barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia bombed; 19 Americans killed.

August 1998: U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania bombed;  223 killed, over 4700 injured.

It is hard for Americans to grasp the reality of what is going on around the world and relate it to what could happen here at home.  We live a sheltered life here and need to become better versed at what these kinds of events mean.

Why wasn't this prevented? Here in America, we have fought for the right to have due process.  We believe that everyone has the right to know everything.  We don't think that authorities should be allowed to search for criminals, terrorists or evidence without a search warrant.  If authorities do perform an "Illegal Search", we let the criminals go free on a "Technicality".  We want our freedom and unlimited liberties, but we don't want to have to pay for them.  We whine about having to wait for security at airports.  We protest the actions of our Government and local authorities.  We believe that people should have the right to burn our Nation's Flag.  We believe that the rights of the one outweigh the rights of the many.  We don't allow our military to walk our streets with weapons.  We fear authority instead of respect it.  We are in the middle of an open debate to allow illegal aliens to become legal citizens.  We think that illegal drugs should be legalized.  We don't treat criminals like criminals.  We attack the police every time they shoot someone.  We allow law suits against individual police officers and put our soldiers on trial for shooting suspects.  We don't honor or respect the law, especially if it means an inconvenience to ourselves.  We think that "Red Light" cameras are a violation of our civil rights, even though we get caught "on tape, in the act".  We allow our convicts to file law suits against law abiding citizens from the confines of their jail cells.  We believe that criminals should have the same rights as regular citizens.  We put our military in harms way without the means to properly defend themselves.  We believe that we can only fire upon our enemy if they first fire upon us.  Why wasn't this prevented?  Because we weren't willing to pay the price for security!  We aren't willing to make the necessary sacrifice!

What happens now?  Here in the country, we will have to allow our Government to heighten security.  We have to allow them to take the steps necessary to protect our citizens.  We have to allow them to exercise force when necessary.  We will have to endure realistic security checks at the airports and in government buildings.  We will need to learn about terrorist security measures and exercise them on a regular basis.  We will have to grow up and make some personal sacrifices.  We have to learn that liberty comes at a price and be willing to pay it.  We will have to gladly change our way of life.  This cannot be something we do for a couple of months, then slip back into the fold.

Anyone who has traveled to cities such as London knows that terrorist threats and heightened security are a part of daily life.  In walking through their airports, you will pass a number of armed soldiers, who are there to protect the facility and the people in it.  Their security checks are far more stringent than ours here in America.  They are not afraid to dig through baggage and check out anything that might pose a threat.  Most people accept these activities and even appreciate them.  Here in America, we would never stand for such a showing of authority.  We get offended every time someone accuses us or suspects us of doing something illegal.  We get offended when people in authority are just doing their jobs.  We get offended by the smallest of issues.

Our Government will need our support and the support of a number of allies to carry out what needs to be done in response to this terrorist attack.  The world needs to know that we will not tolerate this type of activity.  We need to rally behind our president, our leadership and our military.  We need to stand tall as Patriots and be strong as a Nation.  We need to let our military and our local authorities do their jobs without hearing America whine about how they do it.  We need to readdress our legal system and put the rights of the victims and potential victims before the rights of the suspects and the accused.  As a nation, we need to turn to God for guidance.  We need to put our faith in the Lord and allow Him to be our light.

Most of all, we need to reestablish ourselves as "ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL". 

Sincerely,

Alan

True protestor motivation

Unpublished - True protestor motivation

What is the real motivation of the anti-war protestor? Is it really the preservation of life? Do they really care that much about American troops getting killed on foreign soil? Is the death toll from the Iraq war so bad that these people can’t sleep at night, knowing that Americans are dying and more are going to die?

At no time in our history have we been engaged in such a long conflict with such low numbers of American casualties. Although the loss of even one American soldier is painful, the fact is that the casualty rate from over 2 ½ years in Iraq has not yet reached the level of the civil war battle at Gettysburg. We lost more men on Omaha Beach during D-day than we have lost in Iraq. War is an ugly and costly business. The war in Iraq has cost us billions of dollars and over 2000 American lives. However, the price of life has paled in comparison to every other long term engagement in history.

Motor vehicle incidents caused over 43,700 American deaths in 2004 alone. Some 15,000 Americans died from falls and over 14,000 died from poisoning last year. There were over 3,300 deaths by fire, flame and smoke, over 3,200 drowning fatalities, and over 1,300 Americans who suffocated to death in 2004. The total number of unintentional fatalities in America for 2004 was over 101,500. If the protestors truly want to preserve life, why aren’t they doing something about these figures? How many of the anti’s are involved in safety programs designed to prevent incidental deaths here at home?

If they really cared about saving American lives, they would dedicate their time and energy in a positive and productive way. Instead of protesting the war and the administration, they could form a safety alliance which could launch a campaign to cut the number of automobile deaths in half. In stead of crying every time they see a flag at half-staff, they could volunteer to pass out smoke detectors. Instead of voicing their anger at the President, they could hold safety seminars at schools and factories across the nation.

My son has completed two tours in Iraq. I do not want to see him go back for a third tour any more than any other parent in America. However, if he does go back again, he will know that his father loves him and supports him in every way. He can rest easy knowing that his father will never be seen on the steps of the Capitol building or on the streets of Chicago protesting his presence on foreign soil. He can accomplish his mission knowing that his parents will never be quoted in the press as being against that which he is defending. And if he were to die in combat, he could rest in heaven knowing that his parents would never bring shame upon his sacrifice by publicly denouncing the cause for which he died.

Vote yes on proposal 2

Unpublished - Vote yes on proposal 2

In Saturday’s Sentinel, there was a letter to the editor which attacked proposal 2 and its supporters. The writer quoted Leviticus 19:18, which reads, “love your neighbor as yourself”. There is more to the bible than just that one verse. In fact, Leviticus 18:22 says, “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.”

We cannot choose which parts of the bible we want to believe and obey and which parts we do not. We can’t just invoke the passages which support our particular beliefs in order to substantiate our position, while disregarding God’s promises and warnings. The bible clearly defines marriage. Jesus himself quoted Genesis 2:24 when he said, “Haven’t you read, that at the beginning, the Creator made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother to be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh’.”

As for protecting children, Jesus said, “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” That is not hatred. It is a warning to us from God, regarding the consequences of sin. God’s word is very clear regarding love and hate. We are to love people, but we are to hate sin. Homosexuality is sin, as clearly defined in the bible. We are not supposed to hate the people who practice homosexuality. We are to despise the detestable act of homosexuality, just as we are to despise all sin.

Proposal 2 is not about bigotry or hateful discrimination. Proposal 2 is about kids; it is about family; and it is about living according to God’s laws. Please vote “YES” on Proposal 2 on November 2nd.