Conservative Profile #1---John Ashcroft

Ever since I started this blog I wanted to do profiles on Conservatives that I respect and admire. Once I figured out how to put pictures on my blog I knew I had to put up this picture. This is a picture of my congressman,Sam Graves, me and John Ashcroft. So I figured John Ashcroft would be an awesome person to start with.

At one of the Republican fundraisers I got to volunteer at, John Ashcroft was there. I was very excited. Ever since I first moved to Missouri in '92 I have been a big fan of his. He is one of those men who has firm principles and never deviates from them. And as we all know that is a rarity in today's world let alone in D.C. I had always viewed him as humble, honest and a man of integrity. When I met him I am proud to say that he came across as just that. I was very nervous and yet I mustered up my confidence and introduced myself to him. He was so great. He was very nice and said his name when he shook my hand. I was cracking up because, like I didn't know who he was. He was very kind and humble. In his speech he made jokes at his own expense and was very gracious. It was a great day for me.

So I had a lot of fun doing research on him for this profile. I found some neat websites in the process but was also disappointed in how many links were dedicated to trashing him. Even Wikipedia dedicated most of their info to what his critics said about him. Amazingly one of the most positive pieces about him was written by the BBC of all places.

He was born in 1942 in Chicago but grew up in Springfield, Missouri. His father was an Assembly of God minister and he grew up in the church. He is a born again Christian and his faith has always been an integral part of his life. He graduated with honors from Yale and went to law school at the University of Chicago where he graduated in 1967. He taught business law at Southwest Missouri State University before entering politics. In the 70's he held several positions in Missouri state government. He went from being state auditor, to assistant attorney-general to the attorney general where he served until 1985. In '85 he became Governor of Missouri and stayed there until '93. In 1994 (when I finally got to vote for him) he was elected to the U.S. Senate and started his term in '95. He was a great senator and I was never disappointed in decisions that he made or votes that he cast. He was a solid conservative with core values.

Then in 2000 we had a historical senate race. Ashcroft was ahead in the polls and I wasn't worried about his re-election at all. I'm sure on the Beltway Boys on Fox News that they rated him in the safe column to win. But then there was a freak accident. His opponent Democrat Mel Carnahan (the Governor of Missouri at the time)died in a plane crash just 2 weeks before the election. Ashcroft being the man of integrity that he is stopped campaigning out of respect. Then the Lieutenant Governor who had replaced Carnahan as Governor announced that Carnahan's widow would serve if Carnahan won since it was too late for his name to be removed from the ballots. Then between the sympathy vote and the corruption spun by Jesse Jackson in St. Louis where the polls were illegally kept open hours later than 7:00, Carnahan (a dead man) won the election. I was crushed. Between having panic attacks over the 30 day standoff between Gore and W and Ashcroft losing, I was a mess. But as always Ashcroft graciously accepted the defeat and was kinder to Jean Carnahan than I ever would've been. My other senator, Republican Kit Bond, was spitting fire over the injustice of the corruption in St. Louis which cost us the Governorship and the senate seat.

And then it was amazing to see the irony of how it all worked out. John Ashcroft was nominated by W to be Attorney General. (I was a very happy camper the day that was announced.) A Republican won the senate seat against Jean Carnahan in a special election in 2002 and Republican Matt Blunt won the Governorship in 2004. So all Jesse Jackson's corruption ended up giving the democrats very short-lived victories.

Anyway, all that to say Ashcroft has been a wonderful public servant and a man to look up to. Even the Associated Press article about him admitted that his public life was scandal-free. The White House bio of him quoted W as saying this about him: "a man of great integrity, a man of great judgment and a man who knows the law". I couldn't say it any better.

Ashcroft was known for being unashamed of being a strong conservative and would say, there are two things you find in the middle of the road: "a moderate and a dead skunk", and that he didn't want to be either. And to that I say, Amen!!

Human Trafficking Update

I did a post on Human Trafficking on December 8th. I have some good news and bad news for my update.

"Sweeping legislation to combat human trafficking unanimously passed the House last week and will soon be heading to the Senate."

To read the rest of the article go here.

Unfortunately one of our favorite senators is trying to hold it up in the senate. The following is an update I received from Focus on the Family:

"Urge Sen. Biden to Stop Blocking the Trafficking Bill

Last week, the House of Representatives passed the
Trafficking Victims’ Protection Reauthorization Act, H.R.
972, by an overwhelming vote of 426-0. The bill authorizes
funds for a variety of programs for victims of human
trafficking and provides for enhanced U.S. efforts to
combat trafficking. The legislation is now awaiting a
Senate vote before the President can sign it into law.
Unfortunately, for the second time in less than a week,
Democrats are holding a noncontroversial bill hostage.
Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., is preventing a vote on the
trafficking bill by attempting to amend it with
pro-abortion language.

Human trafficking is now the second-largest and
second-fastest-growing criminal enterprise in the world.
Every year, 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked
across international borders and held against their will,
primarily for sexual purposes. Half of these victims are
children. The Trafficking Victims’ Protection
Reauthorization Act will make great strides in protecting
women and children from trafficking, as well as helping
those who have fallen victim to trafficking.

TAKE ACTION: Biden needs to hear from you immediately. If
he continues to block a vote for the duration of this
week, the Trafficking Victims' Protection Act will not
reach the President's desk for signature until next year.
Please call Biden’s Delaware and Washington, D.C., offices
as soon as possible and respectfully urge him to stop
blocking a vote on the Trafficking Victims’ Protection Act
and to discontinue his efforts to amend it with
pro-abortion language. For this effort, phone calls are
preferred over e-mails."

Wilmington: 302-573-6345
Milford: 302-424-8090
Washington DC: 202-224-5042

I would encourage all of us to give Senator Biden a call :-).

You Go W!!!!

President Bush did a press conference yesterday morning right after doing a speech the night before. He is finally On Fire and I along with other conservatives are very happy to see it. Tony Snow mentioned a couple of weeks ago that the President needed to start firing back hard and often. It looks like someone in the White House was listening. All I can say is: Woo-hoo!!! It has been so hard to hear my President be continually demonized and not fight back when the truth is on his side.

The best part of the press conference was his defense of the much-needed Patriot Act. I need to do more studying of the Patriot Act myself but here is a link to some of the myths about it. I think even some conservatives and libertarians have misconceptions about what the Patriot Act actually says.

Anyway, here is his awesome (not so subtle) message to Pelosi, Chuckie Schumer, Hillary, and Reid:

"Let me say something about the Patriot Act, if you don't mind. It is inexcusable for the United States Senate to let this Patriot Act expire. You know, there's an interesting debate in Washington, and you're part of it, that says, well, they didn't connect the dots prior to September the 11th -- "they" being not only my administration, but previous administrations. And I understand that debate. I'm not being critical of you bringing this issue up and discussing it, but there was a -- you might remember, if you take a step back, people were pretty adamant about hauling people up to testify, and wondering how come the dots weren't connected.

Well, the Patriot Act helps us connect the dots. And now the United States Senate is going to let this bill expire. Not the Senate -- a minority of senators. And I want senators from New York or Los Angeles or Las Vegas to go home and explain why these cities are safer. It is inexcusable to say, on the one hand, connect the dots, and not give us a chance to do so. We've connected the dots, or trying to connect the dots with the NSA program. And, again, I understand the press and members of the United States Congress saying, are you sure you're safeguarding civil liberties. That's a legitimate question, and an important question. And today I hope I'll help answer that. But we're connecting dots as best as we possibly can."

I just loved it. Remember that great cheer Julia Roberts does on "Pretty Woman" when she's at the horse race? That's me cheering for W.


Rush made a very good point today about the Patriot Act. If the Patriot Act is indeed not renewed and we are attacked again guess who we are going to blame? All the Dems who voted for the filibuster (except Tim Johnson & Ben Nelson--the only 2 Dems who didn't vote for the filibuster) and the list of the 4 GOP senators who joined them--Chuck Hagel, Lisa Murkowski, John Sununu and Larry Craig.

The Wrong Shall Fail, The Right Prevail- Bush's speech December 18, 2005

The President gave an awesome speech last night. Bill Kristol said it was similar to FDR's fireside chats. I agree. I'm soooo glad the President has finally gone on the offensive instead of letting the anti-war zealots define him and the war.

My quote of the week was the words he said at the end of the speech. My title for this post also came from there. It was so well said. He was so honest in this speech. He took responsibility for his decisions and actions and yet called his critics to task. I printed the speech out to read it and highlight the good parts. Most of the speech is highlighted. I'm going to put a bunch of excerpts from the speech in this post but I thought one of the most critical lines was this one:

"We do not create terrorism by fighting the terrorists. We invite terrorism by ignoring them."

I so wish liberals could understand this. And I hope liberals and moderates were listening last night. I don't know how you criticize W after this heartfelt speech. He made several pleas to realize what is at stake especially in this line:

"Do not give in to despair, and do not give up on this fight for freedom."

The speech was so good that the liberal who was complaining about W after the speech just made me laugh. No matter what he says or does it will never be good enough. I felt like I was watching a Charlie Brown special and the democrat chic was the teacher and everything that came out of her mouth sounded like, "Wa, Wa, Wa..."

If you want to read the entire speech go here. Below I have posted some of the great excerpts.

"This election will not mean the end of violence. But it is the beginning of something new: constitutional democracy at the heart of the Middle East. And this vote -- 6,000 miles away, in a vital region of the world -- means that America has an ally of growing strength in the fight against terror.

He (Saddam)was given an ultimatum -- and he made his choice for war. And the result of that war was to rid a -- the world of a murderous dictator who menaced his people, invaded his neighbors, and declared America to be his enemy. Saddam Hussein, captured and jailed, is still the same raging tyrant -- only now without a throne. His power to harm a single man, woman, or child is gone forever. And the world is better for it.

I see a global terrorist movement that exploits Islam in the service of radical political aims -- a vision in which books are burned, and women are oppressed, and all dissent is crushed. Terrorist operatives conduct their campaign of murder with a set of declared and specific goals -- to de-moralize free nations, to drive us out of the Middle East, to spread an empire of fear across that region, and to wage a perpetual war against America and our friends. These terrorists view the world as a giant battlefield -- and they seek to attack us wherever they can. This has attracted al Qaeda to Iraq, where they are attempting to frighten and intimidate America into a policy of retreat.

The terrorists do not merely object to American actions in Iraq and elsewhere, they object to our deepest values and our way of life. And if we were not fighting them in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Southeast Asia, and in other places, the terrorists would not be peaceful citizens, they would be on the offense, and headed our way.

September the 11th, 2001 required us to take every emerging threat to our country seriously, and it shattered the illusion that terrorists attack us only after we provoke them. On that day, we were not in Iraq, we were not in Afghanistan, but the terrorists attacked us anyway -- and killed nearly 3,000 men, women, and children in our own country. My conviction comes down to this: We do not create terrorism by fighting the terrorists. We invite terrorism by ignoring them. And we will defeat the terrorists by capturing and killing them abroad, removing their safe havens, and strengthening new allies like Iraq and Afghanistan in the fight we share.

We continue to see violence and suffering, caused by an enemy that is determined and brutal, unconstrained by conscience or the rules of war.

The terrorists will continue to have the coward's power to plant roadside bombs and recruit suicide bombers. And you will continue to see the grim results on the evening news. This proves that the war is difficult -- it doesn't mean that we are losing. Behind the images of chaos that terrorists create for the cameras, we are making steady gains with a clear objective in view.

Three days ago, more than 10 million Iraqis went to the polls -- including many Sunni Iraqis who had boycotted national elections last January.

One Iraqi, after dipping his finger in the purple ink as he cast his ballot, stuck his finger in the air and said: "This is a thorn in the eyes of the terrorists." Another voter was asked, "Are you Sunni or Shia?" And he responded, "I am Iraqi."

Today in Iraq, seven in 10 Iraqis say their lives are going well, and nearly two-thirds expect things to improve even more in the year ahead. Despite the violence, Iraqis are optimistic -- and that optimism is justified.

Yet there is a difference between honest critics who recognize what is wrong, and defeatists who refuse to see that anything is right.

Defeatism may have its partisan uses, but it is not justified by the facts. For every scene of destruction in Iraq, there are more scenes of rebuilding and hope. For every life lost, there are countless more lives reclaimed. And for every terrorist working to stop freedom in Iraq, there are many more Iraqis and Americans working to defeat them. My fellow citizens: Not only can we win the war in Iraq, we are winning the war in Iraq.
It is also important for every American to understand the consequences of pulling out of Iraq before our work is done. We would abandon our Iraqi friends and signal to the world that America cannot be trusted to keep its word. We would undermine the morale of our troops by betraying the cause for which they have sacrificed. We would cause the tyrants in the Middle East to laugh at our failed resolve, and tighten their repressive grip. We would hand Iraq over to enemies who have pledged to attack us and the global terrorist movement would be emboldened and more dangerous than ever before. To retreat before victory would be an act of recklessness and dishonor, and I will not allow it.
Our forces in Iraq are on the road to victory -- and that is the road that will take them home.

And tonight, I ask all of you listening to carefully consider the stakes of this war, to realize how far we have come and the good we are doing, and to have patience in this difficult, noble, and necessary cause.

And the need for victory is larger than any president or political party, because the security of our people is in the balance. I don't expect you to support everything I do, but tonight I have a request: Do not give in to despair, and do not give up on this fight for freedom.

And I have never been more certain that America's actions in Iraq are essential to the security of our citizens, and will lay the foundation of peace for our children and grandchildren.

Next week, Americans will gather to celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah. Many families will be praying for loved ones spending this season far from home -- in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other dangerous places. Our nation joins in those prayers. We pray for the safety and strength of our troops. We trust, with them, in a love that conquers all fear, in a light that reaches the darkest corners of the Earth. And we remember the words of the Christmas carol, written during the Civil War: "God is not dead, nor [does] He sleep; the Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail, with peace on Earth, goodwill to men." Thank you, and good night."

P.S. Brit Hume did an awesome special on the separation of church and state last night. If they re-air it, it is a must-see.

"A Day to Be Proud"

First, I want to revel in yesterday's huge victory. It was truly a day to be remembered and a day to be proud. (Right now I am furious over the news that W has given into McCain's supposed torture ban. But I am going to hold off on that for another post. I probably won't be able to wait until tomorrow but it at least needs to be in a separate post :-).)

The turnout was large and for the most part peaceful. An article that describes how things went is: "Polls Close After Iraqi Voters Turn Out in Droves". For those of you liberals that have been asking why Iraq? I think this Iraqi man gives a good answer: "I am proud as an Iraqi because our country is becoming a center of attraction for all Arab countries," said Mohammed Wadi, a 50-year-old Shiite schoolteacher casting his ballot in the capital's Karada district. The new situation in Iraq, the democratic system, is starting to put pressure on the Arab systems to make some changes toward democracy."

Ben Elliott, former director of speech writing in the Reagan Administration, writes a good article entitled, December 15th Is a Day To Remember. He says that it "is a day in history that will change the world." And on the Power Line blog they describe it as "A Day To Be Proud". They tell an inspiring story of a Vietnam Vet and then conclude by saying, "It seems to me that we are witnessing the legacy of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have served and sacrificed like Rescorla to make this day possible."

It was a day of great victory, an awesome day for the cause of freedom and a day to be proud. And to all the naysayers (Murtha, Kerry, Dean, Pelosi, Kennedy, Durbin, etc.)you will be forgotten but W will be remembered as a man who protected America and the world and brought Freedom to Afghanistan and Iraq and possibly the Middle East.

P.S. Also read Oliver North's inspiring column entitled E-day in Iraq.

P.P.S. Rich Lowry has written a great article on the democrats' response to Iraq in "Dazed and Confused on Iraq".

Iraqi Update

My post yesterday was a little long so I will make this short and sweet. If you haven't had the chance to read yesterday's you might take the time because I had some good and encouraging articles in it.

Today I just HAD to post the comments of this awesome Iraqi woman. Rush played her comments several times on his show and I thought, now that is great. Her name is Betty Dawisha and this is what she said: “Anybody who doesn’t appreciate what America has done and President Bush, let them go to hell.” Can't say it much more eloquently than that :-).




On another unrelated note Brit Hume interviewed W yesterday. It was a fairly good interview. And I was once again proud of him for not being afraid to speak his mind. Brit asked him what he thought about Tom Delay and his situation. W didn't even hesitate and said he likes Tom Delay and wants to see him stay majority leader. Politics might've dictated W keeping his distance but if W likes you he's loyal. And I was glad to see it because I like Tom Delay and I'm not afraid to say it even though he's been demonized by the MSM. He has a backbone and principles and there's a lot of Republicans (we won't even mention democrats) who can't say that.

Iraq

Since the Iraqi Elections are tomorrow I thought I would highlight some of the positive things that are happening there. The MSM keeps us up to date on all the negatives and even makes some up so this blog will err on the side of being encouraging and postitive.

The first item I have is a personal story that is from a friend of a friend. I got permission to post it here as long as there were no names mentioned.

"Because I can't stop smiling. . .
. .I have to tell you all the most awesome thing I've heard in months. Today I had breakfast with my friend who is Iraqi. She and her family fled Iraq when she was very young because her uncles and a bunch of other relatives had already been killed in an ethnic cleansing campaign. She hasn't seen her country in twenty years, but she still loves it very much. This morning she was late to breakfast, which is totally not like her, and when she came in she was grinning from ear to ear and her index finger was purple. That's the symbol of support for voting in Iraq because, in order to prevent voter fraud, the poll workers dip your finger in purple ink once you've received a ballot. When she walked in this morning, she grabbed my arm (which is way strange for her--she's even less touchy-feely than I am), shook me and said, "I did it! I voted!" And then she hugged me and both of us burst into tears.

Guys, this is SO huge. For her to be allowed to vote in a free election for the first time in her life is so amazing I can't even express it. She went to the polling place at 6:30 this morning because she wanted to be there when the doors opened, and at 8am both she and her 57-year-old mother voted for the very first time in their lives.

Last time, more than 60% of the country turned out to vote, and they expect numbers to be even higher this time because the promised attacks from last time fell so short. Those of you who pray, please keep the Iraqi people, and the Iraqi and coalition soldiers who will guard the polling places in your prayers for the election on Thursday."

Apparently people in the U.S. and all over the world were allowed to vote in the Iraqi elections yesterday as long as they are still Iraqi citizens. Very cool story.

The second item is some positive things that were reported by ABC News of all places.

Dec. 12, 2005 —"Surprising levels of optimism prevail in Iraq with living conditions improved, security more a national worry than a local one, and expectations for the future high. But views of the country's situation overall are far less positive, and there are vast differences in views among Iraqi groups — a study in contrasts between increasingly disaffected Sunni areas and vastly more positive Shiite and Kurdish provinces.

An ABC News poll in Iraq, conducted with Time magazine and other media partners, includes some remarkable results: Despite the daily violence there, most living conditions are rated positively, seven in 10 Iraqis say their own lives are going well, and nearly two-thirds expect things to improve in the year ahead.

Campaigning Stops a Day Ahead of Iraq Vote
Iraq's Wolf Brigade Said to Be Effective, at Times Brutal
Securing the Election
Surprisingly, given the insurgents' attacks on Iraqi civilians, more than six in 10 Iraqis feel very safe in their own neighborhoods, up sharply from just 40 percent in a poll in June 2004. And 61 percent say local security is good — up from 49 percent in the first ABC News poll in Iraq in February 2004.

Nonetheless, nationally, security is seen as the most pressing problem by far; 57 percent identify it as the country's top priority. Economic improvements are helping the public mood.

Average household incomes have soared by 60 percent in the last 20 months (to $263 a month), 70 percent of Iraqis rate their own economic situation positively, and consumer goods are sweeping the country. In early 2004, 6 percent of Iraqi households had cell phones; now it's 62 percent. Ownership of satellite dishes has nearly tripled, and many more families now own air conditioners (58 percent, up from 44 percent), cars, washing machines and kitchen appliances.

Life In Iraq: Percent Saying Good

In Your Life 70%
For Country 44%

There are positive political signs as well. Three-quarters of Iraqis express confidence in the national elections being held this week, 70 percent approve of the new constitution, and 70 percent — including most people in Sunni and Shiite areas alike — want Iraq to remain a unified country.

Interest in politics has soared.

Preference for a democratic political structure has advanced, to 57 percent of Iraqis, while support for an Islamic state has lost ground, to 14 percent (the rest, 26 percent, chiefly in Sunni Arab areas, favor a "single strong leader.")

Whatever the current problems, 69 percent of Iraqis expect things for the country overall to improve in the next year — a remarkable level of optimism in light of the continuing violence there. However, in a sign of the many challenges ahead, this optimism is far lower in Sunni Arab-dominated provinces, where just 35 percent are optimistic about the country's future."

Ofcourse the article went on to list a bunch of negatives also. It wouldn't be an article from the MSM if they didn't. If you would like to read the whole article go here.

The third item is a good article by Thomas Sowell. Here are some excerpts:

"Our troops can kill ten times as many of the enemy as they kill and it just isn't news worth featuring, if it is mentioned at all, in much of the media. No matter how many towns are wrested from the control of the terrorists by American or Iraqi troops, it just isn't front-page news like the casualty reports or even the doom-saying of some politicians.


The fact that these doom-saying politicians have been proved wrong, again and again, does not keep their latest outcries from overshadowing the hard-won victories of American troops on the ground in Iraq.

The doom-sayers claimed that terrorist attacks would make it impossible to hold the elections last January because so many Iraqis would be afraid to go vote. The doom-sayers urged that the elections be postponed.


But a higher percentage of Iraqis voted in that election — and in a subsequent election — than the percentage of Americans who voted in last year's Presidential elections.


Utter ignorance of history enables any war with any casualties to be depicted in the media as an unmitigated disaster.
Even after Nazi Germany surrendered at the end of World War II, die-hard Nazi guerrilla units terrorized and assassinated both German officials and German civilians who cooperated with Allied occupation authorities.


But nobody suggested that we abandon the country. Nobody was foolish enough to think that you could say in advance when you would pull out or that you should encourage your enemies by announcing a timetable.


There has never been the slightest doubt that we would begin pulling troops out of Iraq when it was feasible. Only time and circumstances can tell when that will be. And only irresponsible politicians and the media think otherwise."

Calvin & Hobbes & Snowmen

Another scary thing you need to know about me is my husband and I love Calvin & Hobbes and that is where we got another one of my children's names from. Sometimes he acts too much like Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes and I think, what was I thinking?:-). Anyway now that I know how to do the picture thing I thought it would be fun to post some snowmen cartoons.

Human Trafficking

I watched a movie recently on Human Trafficking. Below is an article from Focus on the Family about it. My eyes were opened to how widespread this is and how truly horrific it is. If your daughter gets sold into this and even if you get her back she will be scarred for life. It is a very scary prospect to me. One of the scariest things is how they often times take very young girls. When I have the time I am going to do more research on this. If you have a chance make sure you call your member of congress. I also urge you to visit the Shared Hope International website which I have linked.

December 7, 2005

Sex Trafficking Now No. 2 International Crime
by Pete Winn, associate editor

"Taking women and children by force and selling them as sex slaves is a greater tragedy than ever.Human trafficking is now tied with the illegal arms trade as the second-largest and second-fastest-growing criminal enterprise in the world—both of them trailing only the illicit drug trade.

According to the United Nations, more than 30 million people are literal slaves around the world—most held against their will for sexual purposes. Every year, 600,000 to 800,000 victims are trafficked across international borders, half of them children.

Dr. Janice Crouse, senior fellow at the Beverly LaHaye Institute at Concerned Women for America, said sex trafficking has become a $10 billion a year industry.

"It is absolutely astounding when you think that over 30 million people are caught in this form of modern day slavery," Crouse said. "That's what the president has called it, and that's what it actually is, really, because the people who are trafficked get very little of the money—'s the pimps and big-time criminals who are getting rich off the sex trafficking of little children and women."

Former Congresswoman Linda Smith, who heads the anti-trafficking organization Shared Hope International, has been fighting sex trafficking for the last eight years—from inside and outside of Congress.

She first discussed the problem with Focus on the Family Chairman Dr. James Dobson on a series of broadcasts in 2003.

"We had people literally call who had pulled off the road and were crying," Smith said. "They just could not believe what they heard as we told the stories of some of the women we've rescued around the world."

Smith said she's always thought the numbers of those caught in human trafficking could be even higher than statistics for the illegal arms trade or drug trafficking.

"We have thought for a long time that all three of those products went to market in somewhat the same way, along the same path, with the same bad guys," Smith said. "Part of that is funded by really bad criminal enterprises in the world. And a lot of those are the same people that are involved in terrorism."

The former congresswoman from Washington State can cite plenty of cases to illustrate what she's talking about. There's Hope, for instance, a young woman Shared Hope International has been helping.

"She's 14 and she was trafficked out of Africa into Amsterdam—one of the marketplaces of victimization that most people would know about," Smith told CitizenLink. "Hope was made to service many men a day—standing at a window. They would dress her up like a woman and have her smile—and if she didn't, she didn't get to eat. Then they would pull the curtain and she would service the men.

"She was raising about a thousand euro a day (more than $1,000), seven days a week. She was making more than a quarter of a million a year for them."

And you can find exactly the same kind of thing in America.

"I can show you the same thing in a ring we just discovered just walking distance from the Capitol," Smith said, "of Korean girls being brought in—brought to New York first—and then sold here to people that come in for business or tourism right here in D.C."

The trafficker, she added, doesn't really care where he brings his slaves—as long as there is a marketplace. Indeed, some women and children are actually being sold over the Internet.

"Most of the sales of this product are going the same way as the sales of shoes, the sales of cars and other things," Smith said. "It is a product, so yes, there are sales online."

Both Crouse and Smith say the Bush administration has made stopping trafficking a priority, with the president committing $50 million to restore and help victims.

Crouse, who has worked for nearly a decade to combat sex trafficking, said there won't be a reduction in the sex trade, though, until demand is addressed.

"While the U.N. blames social and economic disparities for fostering trafficking, the demand for prostitutes is the driving force behind sex trafficking where the victims overwhelmingly are women and girls," Crouse said.

There is action in Congress right now, she noted, on legislation sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., which would work to end the demand for sex slaves.

H.R. 972, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005, is being finalized in the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

"We have to make it a bad thing to buy sex," Smith said, "because the reality is, it's going after younger and younger people—and the depravity is cycling down."

Shared Hope International, meanwhile, also is planning an upcoming education campaign.

TAKE ACTION
The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday will finish marking up Rep. Chris Smith's bill, H.R. 972. It will be up to the leadership of the House whether to bring up the bill this year—or wait.

Please take time to urge your member of Congress to support H.R. 972—and encourage the House leadership to bring the measure for a vote right away.

For help in contacting your lawmakers, please see the CitizenLink Action Center.

To learn more about Shared Hope International and Concerned Women for America, please see their respective Web sites."

"Rumsfeld Spanks the Media"

Okay, this is AWESOME!! I found this on Real Clear Politics, on their blog site. I have to mention that I love Donald Rumsfeld. I have so much respect and admiration for him. In fact now that I think about it he should've been on my heroes list. And to show you what a political news junkie I am instead of having dreams about movie stars or other things I once had a dream that I met Donald Rumsfeld and got to have this great political discussion with him. Anyway all that to say I loved what this article had to say.

"Rumsfeld Spanks Media
I was under the impression Rumsfeld's speech at the SAIS today was about Iraq - and it was. But sandwiched between a recitation of Bush's "stay the course" rhetoric from the other day was a classic Rumsfeldian rebuke of the media's coverage of the war:


The media serves a valuable -- indeed an indispensable -- role in informing our society and holding government to account. But I would submit it is also important for the media to hold itself to account.

We have arrived at a strange time in this country where the worst about America and our military seems to be so quickly taken as truth by the press and reported and spread around the world -- with little or no context or scrutiny -- let alone correction or accountability -- even after the fact. Speed it appears is often the first goal, not accuracy, not context.

Recently there were claims by two Iraqis on a speaking tour that U.S. soldiers threw them in a cage with lions. Their charges were widely reported -- still without substantiation. Not too long ago, there was a false and damaging story about a Koran supposedly flushed down a toilet, and in the riots that followed people were killed. And a recent New York Times editorial implied America’s armed forces -- your armed forces -- use tactics reminiscent of Saddam Hussein.

I understand that there may be great pressure on them to tell a dramatic story. And while it is easy to use a bombing or a terrorist attack to support a belief that Iraq is a failure, that is not the accurate picture. And further, it is not good journalism.

Consider this: You couldn’t tell the full story of Iwo Jima simply by listing the nearly 26,000 American casualties over about 40 days; or explain the importance of Grant’s push to Virginia just by noting the savagery of the battles. So too, in Iraq, it is appropriate to note not only how many Americans have been killed -- and may God bless them and their families -- but what they died for -- or more accurately, what they lived for.

So I suggest to editors and reporters -- whose good intentions I take for granted -- to do some soul searching. To ask: how will history judge -- if it does -- the reporting decades from now when Iraq’s path is settled?

I would urge us all to make every effort to ensure we are telling the whole story. To take a moment for self-reflection and reassessment."

The line about asking reporters to do some soul searching is brilliant. I lOVE how Rumsfeld is one of the only conservatives that takes the media to task. Brit Hume once aired a clip from Saturday Night Live about Rumsfeld. It was hilarious. It showed how the media was scared of Rumsfeld and how he just made mincemeat of them. It was great. In a perfect world W should take lessons and be a little more "Rumsfeld" when dealing with the media. I can always dream.

Favorite TV Shows

Mahndisa did a post awhile back on favorite Tv shows. I meant to do one right after her and I had to go out of town and other more pressing subjects came up so it was delayed. Since I have a nightmare weekend ahead of me (between my 4 kids we have gymnastics, karate, 2 birthday parties and choir rehearsal tomorrow). Plus my youngest son is having his 6th Birthday party on sunday and somewhere in between all of this I'm supposed to put my tree up and decorate my house. I get tired just thinking about it. Anyway all of this to say I wanted to post a light, fun subject for the weekend.

I must confess that after being a political news junkie I am also into movies and TV and pop culture. I am fairly selective but my interests range from "Legally Blonde" to "Black Hawk Down" so go figure. In college everyone tried to figure out how I could be into Harley Davidsons and Precious Moments at the same time. I have varied interests. I've also noticed that between my 2 daughters they make up my complete personality. The older one is the "precious moments" side of me and the younger one is definitely the "Harley Davidson" side of me :-). Coincidentally we named the younger one Harley so what did I expect :-)?

All that aside here are some of my favorite TV shows from the past and present. Let me know what some of your favorites are.

TV Shows

1) Little House on the Prairie (oldie but goodie, whenever life is bad put a LHOP episode in and everything is right with the world :-))
2) Alias (Love this show, wish I could be Sydney :-))
3) 24 (Gotta love Kiefer Sutherland)
4) That 70's Show (I just started watching the reruns of this lately and it is hilarious. I have never watched a show that made me laugh as much.)
5) Seinfeld (my favorite comedy, all of my friends know that I consider EVERYTHING in life relates to a seinfeld episode, and it is amazing how many times it comes up)
6) Survivor (yes I'm into some reality shows, my kids and I actually watch this together)
7) ER
8) Dawson's Creek (Okay so I have to confess I like some of the melodrama :-))
9) Fear Factor (my daughter and I would to like to go on this show)
10) Roswell (Most of you have probably never heard of this show. One of my very close friends got me hooked on watching all 3 seasons of this. The 1st season is awesome and then they torture you in seasons 2 & 3. Despite all the torture it was still a great show :-).


I have more but those will do for now. Let me know your favorites. I think we are always surprised at what shows we think people will like and then what they actually do like.

P.S. I must admit that it was a lot of fun everytime I came to my blog yesterday and saw my title from that post "Hillary Clinton can kiss my butt" :-).

Bush's Annapolis Speech

Bush's speech today was awesome. Here are some excerpts. The part where he talks about Corporal Starr was especially moving and inspirational to me.

"These terrorists have nothing to offer the Iraqi people. All they have is the capacity and the willingness to kill the innocent and create chaos for the cameras. They are trying to shake our will to achieve their stated objectives. They will fail. America's will is strong. And they will fail because the will to power is no match for the universal desire to live in liberty. (Applause.)

The terrorists in Iraq share the same ideology as the terrorists who struck the United States on September the 11th. Those terrorists share the same ideology with those who blew up commuters in London and Madrid, murdered tourists in Bali, workers in Riyadh, and guests at a wedding in Amman, Jordan. Just last week, they massacred Iraqi children and their parents at a toy give-away outside an Iraqi hospital.

This is an enemy without conscience -- and they cannot be appeased. If we were not fighting and destroying this enemy in Iraq, they would not be idle. They would be plotting and killing Americans across the world and within our own borders. By fighting these terrorists in Iraq, Americans in uniform are defeating a direct threat to the American people. Against this adversary, there is only one effective response: We will never back down. We will never give in. And we will never accept anything less than complete victory. (Applause.)

To achieve victory over such enemies, we are pursuing a comprehensive strategy in Iraq. Americans should have a clear understanding of this strategy -- how we look at the war, how we see the enemy, how we define victory, and what we're doing to achieve it. So today, we're releasing a document called the "National Strategy for Victory in Iraq." This is an unclassified version of the strategy we've been pursuing in Iraq, and it is posted on the White House website -- whitehouse.gov. I urge all Americans to read it.


Senator Lieberman is right. Setting an artificial deadline to withdraw would send a message across the world that America is a weak and an unreliable ally. Setting an artificial deadline to withdraw would send a signal to our enemies -- that if they wait long enough, America will cut and run and abandon its friends. And setting an artificial deadline to withdraw would vindicate the terrorists' tactics of beheadings and suicide bombings and mass murder -- and invite new attacks on America. To all who wear the uniform, I make you this pledge: America will not run in the face of car bombers and assassins so long as I am your Commander-in-Chief. (Applause.)



Before our mission in Iraq is accomplished, there will be tough days ahead. A time of war is a time of sacrifice, and we've lost some very fine men and women in this war on terror. Many of you know comrades and classmates who left our shores to defend freedom and who did not live to make the journey home. We pray for the military families who mourn the loss of loves ones. We hold them in our hearts -- and we honor the memory of every fallen soldier, sailor, airman, Coast Guardsman, and Marine.

One of those fallen heroes is a Marine Corporal named Jeff Starr, who was killed fighting the terrorists in Ramadi earlier this year. After he died, a letter was found on his laptop computer. Here's what he wrote, he said, "[I]f you're reading this, then I've died in Iraq. I don't regret going. Everybody dies, but few get to do it for something as important as freedom. It may seem confusing why we are in Iraq, it's not to me. I'm here helping these people, so they can live the way we live. Not [to] have to worry about tyrants or vicious dictators_. Others have died for my freedom, now this is my mark."

There is only one way to honor the sacrifice of Corporal Starr and his fallen comrades -- and that is to take up their mantle, carry on their fight, and complete their mission. (Applause.)

We will take the fight to the terrorists. We will help the Iraqi people lay the foundations of a strong democracy that can govern itself, sustain itself, and defend itself. And by laying the foundations of freedom in Iraq, we will lay the foundation of peace for generations to come.

You all are the ones who will help accomplish all this. Our freedom and our way of life are in your hands -- and they're in the best of hands. I want to thank you for your service in the cause of freedom. I want to thank you for wearing the uniform. May God bless you all, and may God continue to bless the United States of America. (Applause.)"

Sex Offender Registry

I was on the way home from my trip and I heard John Walsh make a passioned plea on Hannity's show for these bills to go through the senate and the house. I think these bills are really important. It could make such a huge difference in keeping our kids safe. I called both of my senators and my representative today asking them to support SB 1086 in the senate and HR 3132 in the House. I encourage everyone to take a couple of minutes to do this. If the bills get held up they will have to start all over next year. Below is an article from Focus on the Family explaining everything.

Crime-Fighting Icon Urges Congress to Act

John Walsh, host of "America's Most Wanted," appealed to
Congress today to sign into law more stringent
sex-offender registry guidelines before year's end.

Walsh, whose son was abducted and murdered in 1981, is
co-founder of the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children (NCMEC). NCMEC is a key contributor to
H.R. 3132 and S. 1086 -- identical bills that would create
a national system for sex-offender registry and community
notification.

"How many more children and other victims need to suffer
before our elected officials do the right thing and pass
this legislation?" Walsh said. "Enough is enough. We see
what these predators do and we know how easily they
disappear."

Currently lawmakers are set to adjourn without sending a
bill to President Bush.

Ernie Allen, president and CEO of NCMEC, said keeping the
ball rolling on such an important bill is critical.

"We can't wait another week, another month, another year,
for this legislation to become law," Allen said.
"Statistics from the U.S. Justice Department show that 67
percent or reported sexual assault victims are children.
This is powerful testimony to the fact that children are
at risk and we must do something to stop it. Passing this
legislation, this year, will be a step forward in helping
to reduce the risk."

Walsh agreed that lawmakers need to act quickly.

"They owe it to Carlie Brucia, Jessica Lunsford, Shasta
Groene and all the other precious children show were
abducted, abused and murdered by repeat sex offenders," he
said.

TAKE ACTION: You can find contact information for your
senators and representative in Congress in the CitizenLink
Action Center:

http://www.family.org/cforum/action_center.cfm?capwizurl=http://www3.capwiz.com/fof/dbq/officials/

A Legacy

As I was reflecting on my Pastor's memorial service what stood out to me the most was what an awesome legacy he left. After reading what was written about him by his wife and children I sat in awe. I realized that not only had he been a great pastor who loved and encouraged people but he had been a great dad and husband. Anyone who is a CEO of a company down to a pastor of a church faces the temptation to be a workaholic. Many people in ministry let the demands of ministry (which are many) sometimes cause them to neglect their family. Franklin Graham has even admitted that his dad wasn't around enough. My pastor said "I consider my life to be a success because our two children love the Lord."

I watched his daughter and her strength as she played her dad's favorite songs at the service. His son gave the message. I had known him as a kid growing up and so even though I knew he was now a Pastor of his own church it was still hard for me to picture. His message was very moving and the greatest portrait of a living legacy of his dad. He referenced sayings and scriptures that were important to his dad. His mannerisms and even his voice reminded me of his dad. But his humor and message was his own and an awesome tribute. I have read John 11 and heard messages on it before but he had my attention from beginning to end. It was about listening to God and faith. And at the end he teared up (I still get tears in my eyes) and he said that we should be wanting to join Pastor in heaven not want him to be back down here with us. Those words are hard to hear but meaningful all in one. I think all of us hold on a little too tightly to this world. I know I do.

One of my brothers came a long ways to be at the service also. As we were talking we realized that the biggest reason Pastor had meant so much to us was because we knew he cared about us. It was amazing how many people went to great lengths to come to the service because of what Pastor had meant to them. As a result his death leaves a big hole. But he also leaves a great legacy. Nichole Nordeman sings a song called Legacy. Here are a few words from the song that I think apply:

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

There was a "Little House on the Prairie" epidsode called "The Legacy". Charles thinks he needs to make these tables with his initials on them so he can be remembered. But in the process he starts neglecting his family. He ultimately realizes that his family & his children are his legacy.

As I reflect on all this I see how important our relationships are. We all think we need to do something "important" with our life and we all do have a purpose. But our legacy will be left by the lives we touch. Whether it be our family, our children or others that we have reached out to.

My Pastor touched people's lives to draw them to the Lord. So in honor of him my quote of the week will be "Stay Straight with the Lord" and my verse will be Romans 10:17--So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Because thats what he wanted people to know.

One Life Can Make a Huge Difference

My heart is broken today because I found out that my Pastor from my growing up years died last night. My heart is very sad but yet I know he is rejoicing in heaven.

It is hard to explain the difference he made in my life. When I was 13 yrs. old my dad sought out a different church. This new church was like night and day for me from our old church. The people were loving and accepting and made me feel special. The Bible was important and I began to learn a lot about it. My pastor and his wife were wonderful to me. My pastor's wife prayed with me to accept Christ. And they both helped me to grow in my faith. I could come to them with any problems or questions at any time and they would listen and care.

My pastor believed in me and challenged me and I was only a teenager. Most people treat teenagers like they aren't important and can't contribute much but my pastor made me feel important. Him and his wife invested a lot of time in my life and it made a difference. It was a small church and I know sometimes they might've wanted to be at a bigger church where they could reach more people. But there were many individuals like myself for whom they made a world of a difference.

Because of them I developed confidence and a strong faith in the Lord. They encouraged me to go to a good Bible College and so I went to Moody Bible Institute just like they did. I met my husband there who is a great Christian man. I teach kids at my church and my own children about the Lord because of their influence. They made a difference in my life for eternity.

I think in life we need to slow down and remember that it is the personal connections we make with people that make a difference. It takes time to invest in people's lives but it is worth it. I have invested a lot of time in my kids and I know it will make a difference. My husband is a Youth Pastor and his strength is the relationships he has with the teens. They know he cares about them and he has a huge influence on them.

So this is a tribute to my pastor and how much I love him and will miss him. But it is also an encouragement to others to take the time to invest in people's lives.

UPDATE: I will be out of town for a few days for the memorial service. I will be back to blogging when I get back.

Perspective

Today I will take a small diversion from politics to discuss people. Although I'm sure it could relate to politics.

My daughter had a Drs. appointment this morning and I ended up taking all 4 of my kids with me. I will not pretend that my kids are perfect by any stretch of the means. My oldest daughter is quiet and well-behaved but my other 3 are normal children. But it always amazes me how other parents seem to be in denial and have interesting perspectives on childrens' behavior.

My youngest son that I have told you about is almost 6 yrs. old. He was coloring and playing with the toys in the waiting room when he began to be harassed by a bully. The kid was younger than him but clearly aggressive. He took my son's stuffed animal away, hit him numerous times and was trying to take over whatever toy my son was playing with. My son didn't hit back but he also didn't lay down and let the kid walk over him. He stared him down and retrieved his stuffed animal and didn't let him take it back although the kid tried numerous times. He also didn't back off on whatever toy he was playing with when the kid tried to bully him away. As you can imagine I was getting more and more irritated as I watched this and the other boy's mother was completely oblivious. This is one of my huge pet peeves. Parents who have children that are bullies usually appear to be completely oblivious to what their children are doing. Finally I just pulled my son aside and told him to try to stay away from the other kid but to no avail because the kid kept following him. Then the mother says real loudly (to no one in particular) laughingly that these 2 boys have been in a power struggle all morning. I'm sitting there incredulous. Any objective person would not have described the scenario that way. My older 3 children were outraged that this kid was being a bully towards their younger brother. My oldest son was about ready to intervene. I am a very transparent person so people can usually tell what I'm thinking. It had to be obvious that I was not happy and did not agree with this lady's assessment. We were saved by the bell so to speak when the nurse called my daughter's name and we left the waiting room.

Do I have a point to this story? I guess it would be that parents in denial irritate me. And that it seems our culture is accepting bad and irresponsible behavior more and more and justifying it. I don't think that is good for the kids and for society in general.

Who Would You Pick?

I spent too much time this afternoon researching the reported "short list" of candidates W is going to be picking from for the next Supreme Court Justice. I ofcourse want W to pick the most qualified person but I have to admit I would really like a woman. The only 2 women SCJ have been Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg who have both been dismal failures. I would love to have a woman hero like Scalia & Thomas. So here's the "short list" (I have set up links for some of them for those that would like to read more):

Alice Batchelder
Karen Williams
Priscilla Owen
Janice Rogers Brown
Maura Corrigan
Samuel Alito
J. Michael Luttig
Michael McConnell

These 3 are the only ones who aren't judges:

Senator John Cornyn
Chris Cox
Maureen Mahoney

As some of you know I have been leaning towards Janice Rogers Brown but I would like to know more about the other women. Karen Williams looks good but I wasn't able to find out much about her. Out of the men I like Samuel Alito the best but Luttig looks good too.

So fellow bloggers let me know who you would pick. And anybody that has some good info on any of these people I would love to know more. Thanks.

Townhall asked the same poll question and Janice Rogers Brown was by far the favorite at 42%, Michael Luttig 25%, Samuel Alito 12% and everybody else only getting anywhere from 2-5%.

Inspiration

I finished watching the 1st series of 24 again last night. I was thinking about what it was that made me like Kiefer Sutherland's character Jack Bauer and the character David Palmer. 24 portrays Bauer and Palmer standing up for truth and justice. They do the right thing even when they are pressured not to. They bring about justice even when they have to sometimes go outside conventional norms. They inspire admiration in me because they represent a rare breed.

There are people like them in the real world. My optimism wants to believe there are lots of people willing to fight for truth and justice. Although I'm often told by others that is not so. I run into many cynics who say that all politicians and many others are corrupt and money and power hungry. The more I live life the more I see their point. However, no one can ever convince me that there aren't still numerous heroes out there. People who are willing to fight for truth and justice in politics and in many other arenas. They aren't perfect. Many of my heroes are very flawed but that is life in the real world. In the Bible there are many heroes and the only one without flaws was Jesus. So it is in our world today.

One of my favorite movies of all time is Braveheart where Mel Gibson plays a character that is the ultimate in inspirational. He plays William Wallace who leads an army into trying to obtain freedom for Scotland. As the common, everyday people are rallying behind Wallace Robert the Bruce is torn on whether to support him. His father who is a hideous looking man believes in compromise. He tells Robert the Bruce that "uncompromising men are easy to admire". I think Mel Gibson purposely made the compromising father hideous looking because of what he stood for. The politically correct people of today would tell you that compromise is the ultimate virtue. Don't take a stand for truth and justice because you might offend someone. You can't always get what you want. The ideal is unattainable. Compromise may be important and good in your marriage and in personal relationships. But when it comes to sticking to your beliefs and your virtues and taking a stand on what is right compromise is not admirable. At least not to me.

I may be in the minority but I guess thats what makes me, me. I've always had a passion for taking a stand for what is right. So thats why fictional and real life people who fight for truth and justice will always be inspirational for me. I love reading books and watching movies with these heroes in them because they give me a snapshot into what I can aspire to be. They give me examples to give to my children to inspire them to be better. To communicate to them it is important to stand up for what is right. Truth and justice are worth fighting for and it is part of the reason God has us here on earth.

Remembering September 11th

I was a little disappointed at how little attention September 11th got yesterday on only the 4th anniversary. There are so many reasons why it is important not to forget that tragic day and the people who lost their lives. It is why we are still fighting terrorists over in Iraq. I think many have gotten shortsighted and want to give up on the war because they don't remember September 11th. A friend sent me a website that had tributes on it with videos and pictures. As I watched them tears streamed down my face as I remembered that day. I don't ever want to get to a point where I don't cry when I remember.

Even though many did not take the time to remember 9/11, some did. The History channel had documentaries on all day and the Discovery channel had an awesome one on Flight 93 called THE FLIGHT THAT FOUGHT BACK. Kiefer Sutherland was the voice throughout the documentary. Since I am a huge fan of 24 I found him to be the perfect person as he fights terrorists on a consistent basis. I realize thats only in the Hollywood world but he does such a good job he makes you believe he would be W's best man to fight the real terrorists. But I digress. The documentary was very objective and gave you a picture into the lives of the 40 men and women aboard the flight and their genuine heroism. Their lives are another reason we shouldn't forget. I thought of Darryl Worley's moving song, Have You Forgotten? It has always meant a lot to me and it had a renewed special meaning to me as I played it yesterday.

September 11th is the worst terrorist attack in our country's history. It is important to remember the lives that were lost and the meaning behind it. We are now in a War on Terror and it started on 9/11. May we never forget.

Welcome to The Chatterbox Chronicles!

In college, a friend would refer to me as "Little Miss Chatterbox," although, truthfully, the title could equally be applied to her. We would get together and rant about all sorts of subjects, a habit that still stands after nearly 15 years.

Now, though, I wind up sending out emails or placing very long phone calls to my friends and family in order to rant about whatever social or political event has me up in arms.

And so, in the interest of sharing my rants with the world at large, I bring you:

The Chatterbox Chronicles

~ Little Miss Chatterbox