Benazir Bhutto Assassinated in Pakistan

A sad day for Pakistan and the fight for freedom!

One of the last photos taken of Benazir Bhutto before the gunman/suicide bomber struck

Former Pakistani Prime Minister, and the first woman to preside over the government of a largely Muslim country, knew the risks when she returned to Pakistan. On her return to the country last October, she noted that a terrorist had kidnapped a child, rigged it with explosives and attempted to hand it to her in a blast that nearly killed her.

Today, the monsters succeeded in killing Ms. Bhutto and throwing Pakistan into chaos.

It's a sad day for Pakistan and a sad day for all those who worked hard under conditions of great personal danger to save Pakistan from extremism and death.

Merry Christmas!!

I was listening to the radio the other day and heard the above song, We are the Reason. It used to be one of my favorite songs in high school and I hadn't heard it in a long time. It is a beautiful song with very special words. I thought it was the perfect song to post for Christmas. Here is an excerpt of the lyrics:

As little children we would dream of Christmas morn
Of all the gifts and toys we knew we’d find
But we never realized a baby born one blessed night
Gave us the greatest gift of our lives

We were the reason that He gave His life
We were the reason that He suffered and died
To a world that was lost He gave all He could give
To show us the reason to live

I am heading out of town this morning and will be away for the holidays. Mike has graciously agreed to blog sit while I am away so I'm sure he will keep you entertained and informed ;-).

I want to extend a warm and hearty Merry Christmas to all of you. May God bless you and may you have a great time of fellowship with family and friends.

The Case Against Mike Huckabee

Sorry for the lack of visiting lately at everyone's blogs. It is Christmastime and I'm busy with Christmas Cards, baking cookies, running errands, finishing up school, planning my daughter's birthday party and the list goes on.

For those of you who want to hear about another candidate besides Rudy, it looks like the Hunter campaign responded to my email and I may be able to interview a representative of his on the radio show in the near future.

If anyone has any Fred Thompson contacts let me know, I would love to interview someone from his camp as well.

I hate to be a broken record but here is another article that does a good job of showing why Huckabee would be a disaster. I don't agree with some of what Bainbridge says but he makes a lot of good points. His conclusion was right on the money:

In sum, Mike Huckabee may be a “different” kind of Republican. He’s also the wrong kind.

Ice Storm Hits KC

Missouri and KC are notorious for their ice storms. We had one so bad in 2002 that people were literally without power for over 2 weeks. When it is freezing out it is impossible to stay at your house without heat. We were one of the few people that didn't lose power so we had several house guests for awhile.

This ice storm isn't as bad but we did lose power for 4 hours last night. By the time the heat came back on, the house had cooled down by 6 degrees already. All the area schools are closed today and my kids' co-op was canceled as well. The kids and I are going to make Christmas cookies later today since we won't be able to go anywhere.

Ronald Reagan's Farewell Address

A friend bought me A Patriot's Handbook awhile back and it is a neat book that compiles patriotic songs, poems, stories and speeches. I checked out the audio version from the library so that my kids and I can listen to it and I'm hoping to have us memorize some of the founding documents.

I was listening to it last night and I heard Reagan's farewell address and I thought it would be neat to post it. The video has the whole address and below are some of my favorite excerpts:

"Well, back in 1980, when I was running for president, it was all so different. Some pundits said our programs would result in catastrophe. Our views on foreign affairs would cause war. Our plans for the economy would cause inflation to soar and bring about economic collapse. I even remember one highly respected economist saying, back in 1982, that "the engines of economic growth have shut down here, and they're likely to stay that way for years to come." Well, he and the other opinion leaders were wrong. The fact is, what they called "radical" was really "right." What they called "dangerous" was just "desperately needed."

And in all of that time I won a nickname, "The Great Communicator." But I never thought it was my style or the words I used that made a difference: It was the content. I wasn't a great communicator, but I communicated great things, and they didn't spring full bloom from my brow, they came from the heart of a great nation--from our experience, our wisdom, and our belief in principles that have guided us for two centuries. They called it the Reagan revolution. Well, I'll accept that, but for me it always seemed more like the great rediscovery, a rediscovery of our values and our common sense.

Common sense told us that when you put a big tax on something, the people will produce less of it. So, we cut the people's tax rates, and the people produced more than ever before. The economy bloomed like a plant that had been cut back and could now grow quicker and stronger. Our economic program brought about the longest peacetime expansion in our history: real family income up, the poverty rate down, entrepreneurship booming, and an explosion in research and new technology. We're exporting more than ever because American industry became more competitive and at the same time, we summoned the national will to knock down protectionist walls abroad instead of erecting them at home.

Common sense also told us that to preserve the peace, we'd have to become strong again after years of weakness and confusion. So, we rebuilt our defenses, and this New Year we toasted the new peacefulness around the globe. Not only have the superpowers actually begun to reduce their stockpiles of nuclear weapons--and hope for even more progress is bright--but the regional conflicts that rack the globe are also beginning to cease. The Persian Gulf is no longer a war zone. The Soviets are leaving Afghanistan. The Vietnamese are preparing to pull out of Cambodia, and an American-mediated accord will soon send 50,000 Cuban troops home from Angola.

The lesson of all this was, of course, that because we're a great nation, our challenges seem complex. It will always be this way. But as long as we remember our first principles and believe in ourselves, the future will always be ours. And something else we learned: Once you begin a great movement, there's no telling where it will end. We meant to change a nation, and instead, we changed a world."

The Power of Political Women Bloggers!

A lady named Catherine Morgan has started a blog entitled, The Political Voices of Women. She is a liberal but is compiling a list of women bloggers who are liberal, conservative and anywhere in between. I stumbled across her project because she had somehow found my blog and added me to the list.

I decided I would make a list of all the women bloggers I have in my blog roll who blog on politics. Morgan only had 4 of my fellow bloggers on her list so I figured this would be a neat way to add to her list. I am going to list all of these women's blogs and possibly something unique about them.

Sorry men, you don't get any linkage here but you can still enjoy checking out all these awesome conservative women bloggers ;-).

1) Always on Watch

2) Bottom Line Up Front--Amy Proctor

3) The Anchoress--This bigger name blogger was a breath of fresh air when I was frustrated by the Bush bashing by conservatives over immigration.

4) Anna's Clue Tank

5) Big Girl Pants--Heidi is a new ally who lives in the KC area. It is always nice to find a fellow conservative woman blogger, but even more fun when she lives close by.

6) Blue Star Chronicles

7) Chicken Hawk Express--Robin was also a breath of fresh air during the Bush bashing time. Her and I often see eye to eye on issues we feel passionate about. She is an expert on the Haditha Marines' saga and made a great guest on my radio show about the topic.

8) Confessions of a Closet Republican--Incognito is a neat chick (I still use that word for women ;-)) who describes herself as a working actress. She offers a neat perspective on what it is like to be a conservative woman working in the Arts.

9) Dragon Lady's Den--Gayle and I have been blogging buddies since the very beginning. She is an older, wiser woman from Texas ;-).

10) Frankly, My Dear...--Linda and I both enjoy The Amazing Race and share some personal things in common. She is a big supporter of the troops.

11) Frog Princess

12) Grizzly Mama--Monica is a fellow home schooler so it is enjoyable to share things about school and politics.

13) Inches Away From Sanity--Debbie

14) La Shawn Barber's Corner

15) Lone Pony--Becky is an awesome High school Science Teacher and has overcome a lot in her life. She is one of my heroes. She is my only internet, blogging friend that I have personally met besides Rebecca & Michelle who are personal friends apart from blogging.

16) Marie's Two Cents--Marie

17) Michelle Malkin--While Michelle ticked me off during her immigration tirades against Bush she does run a great blog.

18) Midnight Blue--Skye eats liberal trolls for lunch and is a fellow Sawyer fan ;-). Her and I are kindred spirits when it comes to almost everything in politics. She has been a crusader recently at rallies supporting the troops.

19) Now For Something Different--Jennifer

20) Pondering Penguin--Karen

21) Public Pondering--RT has a great sense of humor and is a fellow Prison Break & 24 fan.

22) Right Think--Rebecca is a personal friend of mine from church. We have a lot in common. We both care passionately about politics and we both have sons that have had challenges. Her and I have gone to see George W. Bush, Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity together. She is an unbelievably good singer that sings with her group, One Voice.

We started blogging together at the same time and she was the first one who started being aggressive about finding connections and catapulted us into the blogging world.

23) Sister Toldjah--This big name blogger discovered me when I was blogging on Amendment 2 last election season. She has been very gracious in giving me advice and help.

24) Suzie's blog--Suzie has been a great friend in my blogging journey. She does a lot while combatting many health issues. We both share a passion for Fox News and for protecting children.

25) Tammy Bruce

26) This is my United States of Whatever!--Michelle is a fellow home schooler, mother of 4 and we both worked for our U.S. Representative last election season making phone calls.

27) Woman Honor Thyself--Angel

Also, if you know any conservative political women bloggers that I don't have listed here leave their links in the comments' section and I'll check them out. Thanks!!

Veteran's Day!!

All gave some, some gave All!!

"People across this country are praying."

"We thank God that Liberty found such brave defenders."

"I want you to know that our nation appreciates your commitment and your sacrifice in the cause of peace and freedom."--President George W. Bush

Words cannot express my thanks and appreciation for all our veterans. Thank-you and God bless you!! You are our American Heroes!!

My Take on the Writers Strike

This is my take on the Writers strike.

First, I think the Writers strike is valid and they should get their demands. The above video explains what they are upset about. While Hollywood is awash in money and actors may make obscene amounts writers often don't get near what they deserve. I am almost always against strikes since I am no fan of unions but this time I think they have a point.

Second, I am concerned about the strike. The thought of some of my favorite shows being disrupted is not fun. Save all the lectures on how I will have more time to read and pursue other worthier causes, they won't help ;-). I'm hoping they come to a speedy resolution and soon.

24 already appears to be taking a hit. This article says this season is being cancelled all together and this one says it is just being postponed.

TV Guide shows the status of some of the popular shows, below is the status of some of the shows I watch:

Grey's Anatomy: Eleven episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are four left.

Lost: Eighth episodes will be produced. None have aired yet, so there eight episodes left.

The Office: Twelve half-hour episodes will be produced. Eleven half-hour episodes have aired, so there is one half-hour episode left.

Prison Break: Thirteen episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are six left.

Private Practice: Ten or 11 episodes will be produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are four or five
left.

One Tree Hill: Twelve episodes will be produced. None have aired yet, so there are twelve episodes left.

Another perspective: This guy points out how many people are being put out of work by this strike. Camera, make-up, hair people are all out of work plus numerous others. He talks about how during these strikes many lose their houses and much more. I think it is a bad deal all the way around and I don't understand why the powers that be don't just pay the writers their due and not make everyone, including themselves suffer.

My Interview with State Rep. Doug Ervin

As I've alluded to in past posts I view State Representative Doug Ervin as a stellar conservative legislator. Thats why I'm thrilled that I'm going to have the honor of having him on my internet radio show next Monday, November 12th.

We will be talking about HB818, the groundbreaking health insurance bill that he sponsored that was passed this past summer. It is free-market health care reform that Missouri is leading the way on. This is the ideal direction that we needed to be headed towards instead of some form of Hillarycare.

Here is what Beverly Gossage from the Show-Me Institute had to say about it:

"...the bill offers a common-sense approach to health care reform — not more government intervention and bureaucracy."

I'm sure I will ask other questions as well and it should be an enlightening hour for all. Make sure to tune in and feel free to call in with your comments and/or questions.

The details:

When--Monday November 12th

Time--9:00-10:00 am CST

Where--Togi Net site

Name--The name of my show is the same as my blog, Conservatism With Heart

Number to call in--1-877-864-4869

Interview with a Liberal

I will be interviewing the one and only James Manning from Peace on That on my radio show this coming Monday, November 5th. He will be my first official liberal guest and he is my oldest liberal blogging friend. He made a comment on my Tom Delay post which I did at the very beginning. He obviously is a pretty good guy if he has been able to survive all this time without getting banned :-). In fact, I don't think he's ever even been deleted.

Tune in for the fireworks as we talk about various political candidates.

One of my favorite things about him is his comedic ability. I've told him he should be a writer for SNL. Here are my top 4 comedy posts of his, take the time to check them out:

--The Cuss Out Kit (I take partial credit for the inspiration for this because he did this in response to a troll problem I was having :-))
--Christian Cuss Out Kit
--Press Secretary
--Bush Appoints Liberal Blogger as Ambassador to Venezuela(This is my favorite since I play a starring role in it :-).)

Sweet Justice!

The family of Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder, US Marine Corps, has begun this civil lawsuit* against Mr. Phelps and certain members of the so-called Westboro Baptist Church to bring an end to the reign of terror and abuse that they inflicted upon the grieving families of US service members killed in defense of our nation. Using innocent children to deliver their twisted message of hatred and fear, the defendants in this suit have sought to attack the memory of our departed heroes, to strip their loved ones of their dignity, and to use abuse and intimidation as a tool for preventing surviving family members from reaching closure over their loss.

It is the sincere hope of Mr. Al Snyder, Matthew’s father, that this suit will spark similar legal actions against Mr. Phelps wherever he seeks to inflict harm upon the memory of our heroes and their families.--from Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder's website

I was one happy camper when the verdict came in on Wednesday that a Maryland jury had awarded a Marine father $11 million in his lawsuit against Fred Phelps and his cult. As I pointed out in my comprehensive post on Phelps back in April, he is evil incarnate and his group is not a church but a cult.

My hope and prayer is that every single military family who has been subjected to Phelps' picketing at their loved one's funeral will file suit also. This group of hateful people need to be bankrupted so they are unable to inflict pain on anyone else. They are not preaching a message from God. The message they preach is straight from the pit of hell and does nothing but subject innocent people to enormous harm.

Previously:
Fred Phelps=Pure Evil

Others blogging:
Marie's Two Cents
Amy Proctor
Chicken Hawk Express
Born Again Redneck

You Go W!!

Bush has had a fire in his belly lately and it is great to see. This is just an excerpt of what he had to say about House Democrats yesterday:

...Congress is not getting its work done. We're near the end of the year, and there really isn't much to show for it. The House of Representatives has wasted valuable time on a constant stream of investigations, and the Senate has wasted valuable time on an endless series of failed votes to pull our troops out of Iraq. And yet there's important work to be done on behalf of the American people.

They have not been able to send a single annual appropriations bill to my desk, and that's the worst record for a Congress in 20 years.

--The Whole Transcript
--The Video

In all fairness I urged my fellow citizens back in 2006 not to put the Dems in power, if only more had listened. Hopefully, many will have learned their lesson and vote differently in 2008. Kristol points out how that could be a very likely scenario.

Also blogging:
Mike's America
Chickenhawk Express
Marie's Two Cents

Laura Bush's Trip to the Middle East

I have to admit I have been baffled and disheartened at the conservative backlash at Laura Bush for some of the things she did while in the Middle East.

So I was happy to see Mike and Amy Proctor both posting their take on it all. I thought Amy's post said it all, and said it well.

I have seen so much bashing of our own side recently and I just don't get it. I love Michelle Malkin's blog but every time I go there she has something negative and hateful to say about conservatives or Republicans. I have completely stopped listening to Laura Ingraham because she seems to be slowly sliding into Michael Savage mode. I don't get this bandwagon of trashing our own side and I refuse to get on.

This is not to say that I won't be critical of Republicans when they deserve it (as I clearly have been) but I don't get this overwhelming negativism and pessimism about our own side. Why do we insist on eating our own?

Arnold Rocks!!!

Hat tip: Wordsmith

This is the side of Arnold that I love. He has been a little disappointing recently on some issues but he has been awesome on the California Fire Crisis. He rocks in this video, it is a must-see!! He totally calls the Drive By Media on their pessimism. Anyone who takes on the Drive By Media gets hero status with me.

Anyone who is complaining about the planes just wants to complain because its a bunch of nonsense.

Trust me when I tell you, you are looking for a mistake and you won't find it because its all good news. As much as you maybe hate it, but its good news.--Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Why Bush Isn't a Lame Duck President!

There has been much talk about Bush being a lame duck President. Liberals have been screaming it forever, especially because of the War in Iraq and conservatives have been yelling it because of immigration. I would argue that especially as of late Bush has been showing quite a bit of strength and muscle and is anything but a lame duck.

1) The President & GOP's victory in defeating the disastrous expansion of SCHIP.

2) Bush's speeches on the necessity of a Missile Defense System. Iran is a serious threat and Bush is well aware of that and taking the necessary preventive steps.

3) The Continued Progress in the War in Iraq.

4) Bush Warns Cuba!

5) Judge Southwick is confirmed by the Senate!

Mike Meets Fred Thompson

Fred Thompson came to Mike's neck of the woods yesterday and Mike got to meet him and ask a question. Check out his excellent post. He also was interviewed by a local news station, to read the article go here!

In the Presence of My Enemies

I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the story of Gracia and Martin Burnham. Here is a brief excerpt about what happened to them from a review of Gracia's book:

In The Presence of My Enemies tells the story of Martin and Gracia Burnham, a missionary couple who were kidnapped and held for over a year by the Abu Sayyaf, a terrorist group with ties to Osama Bin Laden.

While celebrating their anniversary at a small resort in the Philippines they were snatched away and spent the next year of their lives on the run, fighting to survive in the Philippine jungles. They were constantly faced with incredible hardship and often lacked even the most rudimentary comforts. They were held pending the payment of a large ransom, one which missionary groups will never pay. It was not until the aftermath of September 11 that real progress was made in trying to rescue the Burnhams.

This was an event that was very close to my heart and affected me in a personal way. The Burnhams both went to Calvary Bible College which is here in KC. There were people from my church that personally knew them and when they were abducted in the summer of 2001 it was talked about a lot here in KC. I prayed for them on a daily basis while they were missing for over a year. I will never forget hearing the news that Gracia had made it out alive while Martin had been killed during the rescue. It was a huge deal.

I think it was a year later that Gracia published her book and came and spoke here in KC. I was fortunate enough to get to hear her tell her story and she even autographed my copy of her book. The book is extremely compelling and very moving on so many different levels. It gives you a first hand glimpse of terrorists and what it is like to be a captive at their hands.

I was reminded of all of this Saturday night when the History channel aired a documentary entitled, Stalking Jihad. It was a great program telling the other side of the story of how the CIA was involved in helping the Philippine military rescue the Burnhams and the other innocent people the Abu Sayyaf had kidnapped. It is sad how much the Philippine government limited our involvement, otherwise I think they probably could've been rescued sooner and perhaps Martin would've escaped alive.

What I did find interesting was that 9/11 actually helped speed up their rescue rather than dampen the rescue efforts.

For so many different reasons I highly recommend that you read Gracia's book, In the Presence of My Enemies and watch the History channel's, Stalking Jihad. I'm hoping that the History Channel re-airs it because I didn't get to see the whole thing and Netflix doesn't have it.

I Heart Rush Limbaugh!!

I saw this video of Rush on Hannity and Colmes Monday night and I was just standing up and cheering. Rush rocks!! Marie did an excellent post on it all.

Rush isn't a Marine but his speech reminds me of that quote in "A Few Good Men" where Jack Nicholson says, "You messed with the wrong Marine." In Rush's case, you messed with the wrong Talk Show Host ;-).

What Kind of Reader are You?

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Literate Good Citizen You read to inform or entertain yourself, but you're not nerdy about it. You've read most major classics (in school) and you have a favorite genre or two.
Dedicated Reader
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Fad Reader
Book Snob
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

I found this quiz at Patrick's and found it to be fun. I have several friends that I would love to see how they score on this. It only takes a couple of minutes so indulge and share your results in the comments' section.

My Letter to Bill O'Reilly about the Michael Devlin Case

To Bill O'Reilly:

I am a regular watcher of your Tv show and 70% of the time I love your passion and agree with what you have to say. Yet, one issue that I have had a problem with from the start was your questioning of the victim, Shawn Hornbeck. It distressed me at how you questioned and almost blamed him for not escaping earlier.

Now that the details have come out of the torture he endured (even his defense attorneys were horrified at having to watch the videotape of Devlin torturing Shawn) and the "deal" he made to stay alive I think you owe Hornbeck and his family an apology. I see you as a stand up guy who has done so much for the children and I applaud your courageous stand on Jessica's law and your willingness to go after states who aren't passing one.

I live in KC, Missouri so I have followed this issue on my blog and look forward to your response.

My Talk With Sean Hannity!!

When I heard that Dobson was going to be on Hannity's show yesterday I knew I had to call in. Amazingly, I got through pretty quickly. I got to talk to Sean about Dobson and his lack of support for both Rudy and Thompson & his possible 3rd party support. I got to express everything I've talked about here on this blog. At the end Hannity quoted this poll that obviously, has both of us concerned. He said he would convey my comments to Dobson during the interview.

I then listened intently while Hannity interviewed Dobson for about 45 minutes. I'm glad I got through when I did because there were no phone calls during their interview. I have to say that I was extremely proud of Hannity and once again disappointed in Dobson.

Dobson refuses to support Rudy because of abortion and yet when Hannity pointed out the strict constructionist judges and all the moral issues that Rudy stood up for while Mayor of New York, Dobson was not impressed. He also refuses to support Fred Thompson because Thompson supports State Marriage Amendments instead of a Federal Marriage Amendment. I find this to be incredulous. He is willing to almost guarantee Hillary the presidency because of a minor disagreement like that. First of all, a Federal Marriage Amendment is very unlikely. The U.S. Constitution rarely has amendments added to it and for good reason. I'm not against a Federal Marriage Amendment but as long as Thompson is for traditional marriage this isn't worth quibbling over.

Dobson says he will support a 3rd party if either Rudy or Thompson get the nomination. This will be disastrous and almost ensure Hillary a win. My only thought is that even though the poll says that 27% would vote for a nameless 3rd party I'm not sure that would really translate once a 3rd party person was running. It would have to be someone very charismatic and inspiring to get anywhere near 27%. I also think that Rudy might very well be a problem if there is a 3rd party but not necessarily with Thompson. There is no way that people would follow Dobson in his lack of support for Thompson over a difference in federal and state issues.

I would also like to know who this 3rd party candidate is going to be that Dobson would be able to support 100%. When I've looked at Thompson's conservative record the only thing I disagree with him on is his support for the National Endowment for the Arts. You aren't going to find a better candidate than that, especially at this stage of the game.

The other thing that I just couldn't get over was that Dobson thinks that by sabotaging Rudy and Thompson he is going to get one of the 2nd tier candidates to become viable. He said that there were other lower candidates that he might be able to support and who knows what could happen. He has been involved in the political game much longer than I and he knows that is extremely unlikely.

I was proud of Sean because Dobson was somewhat implying that by Sean and others like me being willing to support Fred or Rudy that we were only interested in winning politically. Sean said that couldn't be further from the truth, this was about right and wrong and that he just couldn't allow Hillary to become president for the sake of this country and the moral issues that he holds dearly. To that I say Amen!!

I think that by supporting a 3rd party candidate you will be indirectly electing Hillary Clinton. More babies will be slaughtered during her presidency, marriage will be in more jeopardy and this country will be far less safe, I have no doubt about it.

Someone recently accused me of being willing to vote for someone just because they have an R by their name. That couldn't be further from the truth. I've never supported Specter, Warner, McCain, Hagel or many other Republicans just because they have an R next to their name. It is a worldview and philosophy on life difference. Rudy may be liberal on some issues but he has a drastically different world view than Hillary Clinton. He would pick stellar supreme court justices and would keep this country safe and I do think he would continue to stand up for what is right including moral issues like he did in New York.

Bottom line: those of us who care passionately about moral issues cannot hand the reigns of the presidency over to Hillary. Bill Clinton did a lot of damage in his 8 years. We cannot allow Hillary to do worse just because of disagreements in our party.

Free Burma!

I have been very concerned about the situation in Myanmar/Burma. I have been meaning to do some research and write a post on it. I checked out Incognito's blog last night and she has done some excellent research and written several very comprehensive posts on what is going over there. Please take the time to read them.

In her first post, "Living In Fear in Myanmar fka Burma- and the Buddhist protests", she explains the history of Burma and how they've gotten to the place they are now. In her second one she gives the details on the Free Burma Blogger Campaign. I encourage everyone to go to their site and join the list of participants and to grab one of their graphics and put it on your blog. I've got a smaller version of this graphic in my sidebar.


The above video is one that was smuggled out since there has been a major crackdown there on any communication. It gives just a glimpse of some of the violence that is going on there.

Here are Incognito's posts and other bloggers who have also posted on this important issue, take the time to check them out:
October 4th, Free Burma blogger campaign!
Living In Fear in Myanmar fka Burma- and the Buddhist protests
Gateway Pundit
Horrible Violence in Burma Caught on Tape!--Gateway Pundit
Sister Toldjah
Big Girl Pants
Real World Libertarian
Born Again Redneck

Articles on the Crisis:
Burma: UN envoy meets top general as regime blames foreigners for violence

Rush & Dobson Updates

RUSH--

Robin came up with the above pic and gave me permission to use it on my blog as well. I had been meaning to get my Rush babe pic back up in my sidebar (I had taken it out when I was trying to make my blog easier to load but since it didn't help I figured I'd put it back). Not that there was any doubt but I've got my Rush babe pic back up to assure everyone of my support :-).

Fred Thompson scored MAJOR points with me when he came out with this statement in support of Rush:

"Congressional Democrats are trying to divert attention from insulting our military leader in Iraq and pandering to the loony left by attacking Rush Limbaugh. He is one of the strongest supporters of our troops, yet Democrats claim he is not being strong enough. I wonder who General Petraeus and his troops think is most supportive?"

I had been meaning to join a Fred Thompson blogroll and finally got around to doing that last night. I am also a Friend of Fred and getting his email updates. Fred and his wife also had an interview with Sean Hannity on Hannity and Colmes last night. Go here to watch the video.

UPDATE:
In my previous post I gave out phone numbers to contact some of the senators and Congressman Kingston. I called Senators Reid and Harkin and expressed my strong disapproval. I also called Kingston and applauded him for his resolution in support of Rush and the troops.

DOBSON--

I also called Focus on the Family yesterday to talk to someone about Dobson's comments. I was able to talk to one of his assistants. She let me know that she would pass my comments on and she then said that the news about the 3rd party support hadn't been presented accurately. She said if she is allowed to she will send me a link to an AP story that presents it more accurately. I will share that with you if I get it.

ANOTHER UPDATE (3:15 PM):
One of Dobson's assistants sent me the link to an Op-ed that Dobson wrote for the NY Times. It doesn't dispel the rumor at all that he will support a 3rd party. The bottom line is if Rudy gets the nomination Dobson and others will be supporting a 3rd party. Hello, President Hillary!!

My Grandfather's Son

I'm a huge fan of Justice Clarence Thomas. He is a great man who has been unfairly demonized by the left. The left tried to bork him and take him down during his confirmation hearing with trumped up charges of sexual harassment. Never mind the fact that we've had a sitting president who actually did commit such acts and was defended by the very feminists who went after Thomas.

Clarence Thomas has said relatively little in his defense up until now. He has come out with his autobiography, My Grandfather's Son. Last night he was on 60 Minutes, go here to see the video. Today, he is going to be on Rush's show for a rare 90 minute interview. I'm very excited, and plan on tuning in. Here is a little of what Rush had to say about it when talking to a caller last week:

"He's going to be in the second and third hour. It's going to be the first 90-minute interview we've ever done with anybody. I taped it after the program yesterday because the first day of the new term of the Supreme Court is on Monday, and he couldn't make it live.

He has two segments on 60 Minutes Sunday night. By the way, the name of the book is My Grandfather's Son. He did two interview segments for 60 minutes. ABC has been following him around, too. Jan Crawford Greenburg is their court writer. She is a good reporter. I don't mean to harm her reputation saying that with her peers, but she's a good reporter. She has followed him around with the crew for I think Primetime or 20/20, whatever the show is. He's going to be all over the place later in the week next week. But I have to tell you something about this interview and I don't want to give any of it away.

Other than to say, I start out with him when his mother gave him up. She couldn't afford him and his brother, and his grandfather took him in, and the title of the book is My Grandfather's Son. I started from there, and I didn't get to the confirmation hearings 'til what was like the end of the first hour. But during this interview -- and I don't want to give away any secrets here -- Dawn, who was here transcribing what he was saying for me in case I had trouble understanding him, which I didn't, cried twice."

I'll have to find room in my budget to purchase both Thomas's & Ann's new book, I'm off to Sam's tomorrow!!

Other interviews:
Clarence Thomas: A Silent Justice Speaks Out

Others blogging:
Patterico's Pontifications
Chip's Church Chat
Born Again Redneck
Bloviating Zeppelin

Jason Whitlock Nails it Again!!

"Jesse and Al, as they’re prone to do, served a kernel of truth stacked on a mountain of lies."--Jason Whitlock

It is ironic to me that Whitlock is a Kansas City Star columnist because every time he has an excellent article I find out about it via the national news. I think it has something to do with the fact that I NEVER, EVER read the sports page. I linked to his page on my blog so I could check in on his articles from time to time but I have been so busy I don't even get to visit a fraction of my favorite blogs.

His recent article is on the Jena Six controversy. As usual, he speaks the truth and makes Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson look like the fools that they are. Here are some excerpts from his column but take the time to read the whole thing:

"Where was our compassion long before Bell got into this kind of trouble?

That’s the question that needed to be asked in Jena and across the country on Thursday. But it wasn’t asked because everyone has been lied to about what really transpired in the small southern town.

There was no “schoolyard fight” as a result of nooses being hung on a whites-only tree.

Justin Barker, the white victim, was cold-cocked from behind, knocked unconscious and stomped by six black athletes. Barker, luckily, sustained no life-threatening injuries and was released from the hospital three hours after the attack.

A black U.S. attorney, Don Washington, investigated the “Jena Six” case and concluded that the attack on Barker had absolutely nothing to do with the noose-hanging incident three months before. The nooses and two off-campus incidents were tied to Barker’s assault by people wanting to gain sympathy for the “Jena Six” in reaction to Walters’ extreme charges of attempted murder.

Much has been written about Bell’s trial, the six-person all-white jury that convicted him of aggravated battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery and the clueless public defender who called no witnesses and offered no defense. It is rarely mentioned that no black people responded to the jury summonses and that Bell’s public defender was black.

It’s almost never mentioned that Bell’s absentee father returned from Dallas and re-entered his son’s life only after Bell faced attempted-murder charges. At a bond hearing in August, Bell’s father and a parade of local ministers promised a judge that they would supervise Bell if he was released from prison.

Where were the promises and supervision before any of this?

It’s rarely mentioned that Bell was already on probation for assault when he was accused of participating in Barker’s attack. And it’s never mentioned that white people in the “racist” town of Jena provided Bell support and protected his football career long before Jesse, Al, Bell’s father and all the others took a sincere interest in Mychal Bell.

You won’t hear about any of that because it doesn’t fit the picture we want to paint of Jena, this case, America and ourselves."

His conclusion:
"But the kids responsible for Barker’s beating deserve to be punished. The prosecutor needed to be challenged on his excessive charges. And we as black folks need to question ourselves about why too many of us can only get energized to help our young people once they’re in harm’s way.

I’ve been the spokesman for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City for six years. Getting black men to volunteer to mentor for just two hours a week to the more than 100 black boys on a waiting list is a yearly crisis. It’s a nationwide crisis for the organization. In Kansas City, we’re lucky if we get 20 black Big Brothers a year.

You don’t want to see any more “Jena Six” cases? Love Mychal Bell before he violently breaks the law."

Lincoln--A stupid baboon?

"We admire Lincoln today as an American folk hero. During the Civil War, however, he was the most unpopular president the nation had ever known. His critics called him a tyrant, a hick, a stupid baboon who was unfit for office. As commander in chief of the armed forces, he was denounced as a bungling amateur who meddled in military affairs he knew nothing about."

--Russell Freedman from his book, Lincoln A Photobiography

Does the above quote sound familiar? I am currently reading, Lincoln A Photobiography by Russell Freedman. I was struck by the similar attacks that the critics expressed over 140 years ago about Lincoln to what Bush's critics accuse him of today. As Solomon said, "There is nothing new under the sun."

History has since regarded Lincoln as one of our greatest presidents and very few people remember what his critics had to say. I think history will view Bush in a much more favorable way than he is viewed now and his critics will be forgotten over time.

It is always important to be a student of history so we can see the big picture and realize that life is much more than what is talked about in the latest poll. Bush is a student of history and he realizes that. This is why he is willing to stand on principle and do what is right despite how much criticism he gets and no matter how low his poll numbers go. He sees beyond the latest poll to what is best for this country 40 years from now.

According to one of Clinton's own advisors, Clinton didn't deal with the terrorism problem while he was in office because he knew his poll numbers might suffer as a result. He cared more about his poll numbers than protecting this country. He was offered Bin Laden on a silver platter and turned it down because of fears of what public opinion might be. We should all be thank-ful that Bush cares more about protecting this country than about his poll numbers.

Bush's Speech

I am knee deep in my projects so no time to post. Check out Mike's excellent post on Bush's speech. As for the Democrats' response, D is for Defeat!! Gateway Pundit calls them whiny :-).

I only had a chance to check several blogs so if you've done a post on his speech let me know in the comments' section and I'll add it to my list below. Thanks!!

Others blogging:
Sister Toldjah
Gateway Pundit
The Oxford Medievalist

Also, wonder why I love both Fred and Rudy? Check this out!!

Becoming Jane

As most of you know I am a HUGE Jane Austen fan. I have seen the movies: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Emma and Persuasion so many times that I probably have them memorized. I also have the movie Mansfield Park but it is my least favorite. Austen's other book Northanger Abbey has yet to have a decent movie done on it, I saw a BBC version once and it was horrible. I have read the actual books of my 4 favorites but have yet to read the other 2.

For my birthday a friend took me to see the movie, Becoming Jane which is a movie about her real life and romance. At first when I watched the movie I was confused because they were having her life be similar to Pride and Prejudice and I had always heard that her story was similar to Persuasion.

So when I got home I did some research. I found out that she had 2 different romances and one of them was similar to Pride and Prejudice and the other to Persuasion which made it all make sense. Jane's sister, Charlotte destroyed most of their letters so little is known about how serious either of these romances were.

What I found fascinating is that without even thinking about it I had always pictured Jane Austen to be very like the heroine Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice. And that is how the movie portrays her so that was very encouraging to me because it fit what my perception of her was.

Of course, the movie on her real life doesn't necessarily have a happy ending (at least romantically) like her novels do. Neither of her romances worked out and she died at the age of 41, unmarried. She also died without having a clue how extremely popular her novels would really become.

Yet, the movie was good because it was the true story about a woman fulfilling her dream of being a writer when women didn't have professions back then and didn't make their living by being a writer. She also did have a marriage proposal from someone whom she didn't love but who had money and she didn't settle for him. She was above settling and was willing to make her own way in the world. That is hard enough to do today let alone back then when it was unheard of.

It is a great movie and I highly recommend it, 2 thumbs up!!

September 11th--My Generation's Pearl Harbor

I spent a lot of time trying to find the right videos for today. Something different, but equally as moving as some of those I've seen in the past. I thought both of these were good.

I am grieved today and it is not just over the horrible tragedy we suffered 6 years ago. I am also grieved at how callous and hateful many have become and how they seem to have forgotten we were all attacked that day. This growing conspiracy theory about how 9/11 was an inside job is such a slap in the face to all the victims.

Terrorists attacked us that day and they have caused unending horror for so many people. I watched some videos of 911 calls that day of people who were scared because they were afraid they were going to die. How many 911 operators have post traumatic stress disorder because of what they experienced that day? It seems to me that anyone who experienced and then survived the events of that day had a hard time picking up the pieces of their life.

September 11th is one of those days that anyone who lived through it will remember what they were doing that day. It is an event seared in people's minds like Pearl Harbor or the assassination of JFK. The reason it is so important not to forget is so we don't have to live through a similar event again.

May we never forget!!

Previous posts:
9/11 Tribute
The Importance of Remembering 9/11

Today's Inspiration--Sgt. Matt Lammers

“Everybody keeps calling me a hero,” he says. “I have a hard time hearing that. I was just a soldier doing his job. The heroes are the men and women still over there. … I got to come back. I didn’t die. That’s a blessing.”

“I keep telling people I’m not the story,” he says. “I was just a soldier doing his job. The story is the men who saved my life.”--Sgt. Matt Lammers

The KC Star highlighted a local soldier who was wounded in Iraq and is recovering at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. The story is very inspirational and I found myself getting choked up several times. Here are some excerpts from the article, Infantryman's Latest Battle:

"Lammers lost both legs and his left arm June 9 when his Humvee hit a buried explosive in Baghdad. Comrades saved his life, and now he’ll lean on other comrades as he begins at least a year of rehabilitation at the Center for the Intrepid, a gleaming, glass-and-metal center that opened this year to treat grievously injured soldiers.
..............

It was Lammers’ act of generosity that put him in that Humvee. Scheduled for a trip home, Lammers switched places to let another soldier go home for his first wedding anniversary.

Lammers and his men were returning to base in Baghdad when the Humvee drove over the explosive.
.................

Lammers probably will spend at least another year here, retraining his muscles and mind. He and his wife recently moved to base housing, where their daughters — Jaelen, 1, and Taena, 5 — will join them next month.

The hope is that Lammers will leave Texas in a year on new legs with a new arm. His doctors think he’s a good candidate for a new type of bionic arm that responds directly to a user’s nervous system.
..................

Peer motivation plays a huge role. Soldiers who lost a leg visit with soldiers who lost two; burn victims meet with burn victims. The idea is that soldiers with grievous wounds benefit from bonding with others facing the same challenges. The message: You’re not alone. You can do this. I can help.

“These guys don’t say to each other, ‘I’m sorry you got hurt,’ or ‘Oh, that’s a tragic injury,’ ” says Mark Heniser, Lammers’ physical therapist. “It’s like a locker room in here. They compete with each other. They tease each other. So we can’t then turn around and tell them there’s something they can’t do.”
....................

A total of 571 service men and women had lost limbs in Iraq and Afghanistan as of April 1, according to Pentagon statistics.
....................

Soldiers who lost limbs in Iraq have gone on to run laps with President Bush, take up snowboarding and run for Congress. Just as importantly, they’ve also gone back to work, held their babies and tied their shoes.

The newest devices give amputees unprecedented control and mobility.
.....................

Gary Lammers, principal at Holy Trinity Catholic School in Lenexa, worried like any parent but respected his son’s decision.

Asked now about his son’s service and his attitude, he pauses. His voice thickens.

“I well up with pride,” he says. “And at the same time, I understand that this strength comes from Matt and not me. But I’m so very proud to be his dad.”"

To read the rest of the article, go here!

How to Help:
To contribute to the Sgt. Matt Lammers Medical Fund, send checks made out to the fund to Country Club Bank, 13451 Briar St., Leawood, KS 66209. Contributions made by credit card are accepted by calling 816-751-1470.

UPDATE: To donate to other wounded soldiers, go here!

When you look at men like Sgt. Matt Lammers you can't help but be so thank-ful and so proud of our men and women in the military. There are always some bad apples in the bunch but I think most are like Lammers and deserve our gratitude and support.

Those like John Murtha who would disgrace our soldiers without having all the evidence and without giving them the benefit of the doubt are traitors of the worst kind. Robin has been on top of the story on how the Haditha Marines are being cleared one by one of the crimes that Murtha unfairly accused them of. He owes those men and their families an apology and he owes the Country the decency of resigning.

Sawyer Says...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEE!!!

Wishing you an early Christmas greeting :)

There is always room for more Sawyer on your birthday!

Off To Somewhere Cooler

I am headed out of town for the next week. My kids and I are going to Michigan to visit my family. KC is having temps in the 100's so I am hoping to have some cooler weather there.

Since I won't have much access to the internet while I am gone I have asked Mike from Mike's America, Wordsmith from Sparks from the Anvil and Skye from Midnight Blue & Ancora Imparo to be guest bloggers. They have graciously agreed to fill in and lest any trolls think they will have a free ride my friend Kelli has agreed to monitor the comments' section.

I pre-taped my radio show for next Monday so it won't be live but make sure to tune in. I continued my interview with pro-life leader, Bill Price and it was a great discussion.

Have an awesome week everyone and make sure to check in for the great insights from Mike, Wordsmith and Skye!

Karl Rove

"They are likely to nominate a tough, tenacious, fatally flawed candidate by the name of Hillary Rodham Clinton."--Karl Rove

Karl Rove was loved by many conservatives and hated by the left. Whatever you want to say about him he's been a huge force in the political realm. To be honest I was shocked today to hear the news that he was leaving a year early. I asked my radio guest, Bill Price (who personally knows Rove) if he saw this coming and he said he didn't.

Paul Gigot describes Karl Rove in his column as "relaxed and cheerful". That is amazing to me when you look at the amount of stress he's been under for numerous years and how much he is vilified by so many. Yet, in the brief amount of time that I got to meet him last September that was my impression of him as well.

As Gigot points out, Karl Rove has clearly been extremely influential and I would argue that its been an influence for good.

I love his quote about Hillary at the top, I can't think of a more accurate term for her than "fatally flawed".

Bush and Presidential Nominees Coming to KC for VFW

President Bush, Fred Thompson, John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are all coming to KC next week. They are coming for the six-day national VFW convention that will be held at Bartle Hall. It will run from August 18th to the 23rd. President Bush's date to speak is still to be announced but Hillary Clinton and John McCain will speak on August 20th and Fred Thompson and Obama will speak on August 21st. I will be out of town but it wouldn't have mattered since the convention won't be open to the public.

Also, speaking will be my Governor Matt Blunt and our new KC Mayor, Mark Funkhouser.

The VFW last met in KC in 1999 when Bill Clinton was President. Before that it goes all the way back to 1931 when Harry Truman was a judge and was the general chairman of the convention.

The VFW makes up an important voting block since 91% of veterans vote in presidential elections and when you combine them with their families they make up approximately 75 million Americans.

The VFW members will also get free tours of our World War I Museum which is the nation's only World War I Memorial and Museum.

Source:
KC Star--Bush and presidential wannabes to address VFW convention at Bartle Hall

Cute Boy & the Alligator at The Missouri State Fair

A friend and I and our kids all went on our annual trip to the Missouri State Fair yesterday. It was HOT!!! I don't know what the actual temperature got up to but it was supposed to be 97 degrees and who knows what it really was with the heat index. It felt hotter.

The above picture is of my youngest, ornery son (devil horns boy) that I nicknamed "Cute Boy". I have yet to see a teacher or therapist that has worked with him that hasn't loved him. He has a charm about him and this sparkle in his eye, and he is just cute!!

Well, this cute boy is scared of most animals. He is scared of almost all cats and dogs and doesn't want to have anything to do with them. Yet, yesterday while at the fair we went to "Kachunga and the alligator show" and he was dying to get his picture taken while holding the baby alligator. So the above picture (I'm not sure why the date on it is wrong) is of him with the baby alligator and it cracked me up because he wasn't scared at all.

He was so cute, as we were leaving he asked if I would put the picture of him and the alligator on my blog. I was a step ahead of him, I had already thought of it and here it is!!

Related Articles:
Heat doesn’t keep visitors away from the Missouri State Fair

Family Pics Simpson and South Park Style

My kids all wanted to make South Park versions and Simpsons' versions of themselves. I meant to post a South Park family awhile ago but never got around to it. So now I'm going to post both. These first 2 are my 7 yr. old son (the one with the devil horns).










These 2 are of my 12 year old daughter, soon to be 13 and the attitude to go along with it ;-).














These are of my 9 year old daughter, they really give you a good pic of what she looks like and her personality.














These are of my 11 year old son and are a good representation of him as well.















These final 2 are ones that my oldest daughter made of my husband.










Again, if you want to make your own South Park character, go here! If you want to make your own Simpson character, go here!

Margaret Thatcher Quotes

"I am in politics because of the conflict between good and evil, and I believe that in the end good will triumph."--Margaret Thatcher

I opened my radio show today with some Margaret Thatcher quotes. I was verifying that a quote I attributed to her was indeed one of hers and found a goldmine of good stuff. I thought they were good enough to post.

"In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man; if you want anything done, ask a woman."

"If my critics saw me walking over the Thames they would say it was because I couldn't swim."

"I seem to smell the stench of appeasement in the air."

"If you set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing."

"If you want to cut your own throat, don't come to me for a bandage."

Human-Rights Charade

Toon Credit: Glenn McCoy

"We want a butterfly, we're not going to put lipstick on a caterpillar and declare it a success."--John Bolton talking about trying to reform the UN

I'm not that familiar with the columnist Kevin Ferris but he hits the ball out of the ball park with his latest column entitled, "Human-Rights Charade Continues at the UN". Here are some excerpts:

"Amid much fanfare about reform at the United Nations, the council replaced the U.N. Human Rights Commission, which was widely regarded as a den of dictators, terrorism sponsors and rights abusers interested in hiding their own crimes and singling out Israel for condemnation.

After a year, what’s changed? Only the name.

The dictators, terrorism sponsors and rights abusers remain. Israel is still the only country singled out for condemnation.

“No one anticipated that within one year it would be possible to gut the intended agenda of the council and make a mockery of its stated purpose on the scale that the Human Rights Council has managed to do,” says U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, a Minnesota Republican.

Coleman is sponsoring a bill to ensure that the council gets no part of any U.S. funds sent to the United Nations, at least for the next two years. His criticisms are echoed in reports by human-rights organizations such as U.N. Watch and Freedom House:

•Of the 12 country-specific resolutions the council passed in the last year, nine condemned Israel. The council pretends this is out of concern for the rights of Palestinians, yet it is silent when Hamas slaughters innocents in Gaza.

• Three of the year’s resolutions raised concerns about Sudan, but there was no condemnation of the genocide there.

If the council doesn’t improve, Abrams says, “At some point, we at Freedom House will walk away and encourage the U.S. to do the same.”

When they go, they can say: “We represent the conscience of humanity."

I just read a recent article that says the situation in Darfur is continuing to get worse, yet the UN does nothing. This should be the ideal situation for the UN to deal with, otherwise, why do they even exist?

Norm Coleman may be a moderate Republican who doesn't often impress me but when it comes to dealing with the UN, he gets it right. I'm with him 100% that the UN Human Rights council shouldn't receive a dime of U.S. money until they start ACTUALLY caring and doing something about human rights. The council is a mockery at this stage and until it changes we should not be supporting it in any way.