Responders

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Two 110-floor towers collapsed into ruin, killing every person inside them, after two hijacked planes hit them in NYC. Other buildings were likewise destroyed. You may have seen the videos of New Yorkers running from them that morning, running for their lives.

But some ran toward the disaster. Those "first responders" chose selfless courage to try to give assistance to thousands of victims. Many came from a distance, while FDNY (New York's fire department) rushed in massively. They lost 343 of their people.

Just days after 9/11, a writer walked through the area and gave a report here: firefighters from out of town working 12-hour shifts to sort through the rubble - which included human remains. "I filled 25 bags with parts," said one of them.

There were long lines of people filling out identification surveys with details about their missing loved ones, like dental x-rays and what sort of mustache they wore. 

Years and years of terrible effects followed the terrible day.

from "South Toward Hell After September 11"

Barbary pirates

Capturing, buying, selling, and enslaving people has been done throughout human history, in every region and among every race. Before the transatlantic slave trade (1600's through 1800's), there was an earlier trade in persons.

From the time that Mohammed started a new religion in the 600's AD in the Middle East, slavery was commonly practiced in Muslim lands until the 20th century. As many as 1.5 million Europeans and Americans were enslaved. 

Raids on Europe (ex: 100 captured in an Irish village) and piracy on the seas were typical methods of capture. Pirates from the Barbary Coast (North Africa) were justified by the Tripoli ambassador who said the Koran told Muslims to "make slaves of all they could take as prisoners."

They demanded blackmail payments from America and Europe as a purchase of peace, and originally we complied. But eventually President Thomas Jefferson refused, resulting in the Barbary Wars (image).

(cont'd tomorrow)

Space Academy

As with the other branches of our military, there may soon be a U.S. Space Academy for the relatively new Space Force.

A commission chaired by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will figure out what that should look like and report back to the president in 120 days. We need leaders of strength, skill, and character in the vitally important domain of space who will secure our interests.

"The nation must prepare the next generation of astronauts, scientists, engineers, operators, entrepreneurs, civil servants and warfighters and ensure that they are capable of advancing American interests in space."

Graduates of this top-tier educational institution (with free tuition) may choose going into the U.S. Space Force, but most will go to NASA and civilian positions.

from The White House

"We're exempt" 3

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

"Compassion" justifies the sanctuary movement in their opinion. Our laws limiting who and how many may enter the US are an outrageous violation of the virtue of compassion, they seem to think. Instead of working to change those laws they consider un-compassionate (as our system allows), they choose to defy the lawfully created rules.

That's very bad policy. It won't work for them and it won't work for America.

Of course we need laws, and of course the laws should be enforced. Citizens who want completely open borders make a claim that is irrational, and they have left common sense behind. No other country's borders are open in that way, and for good reason.

If "no one is illegal [image]," then no one is safe either.

"We're exempt" 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

A 32-year-old woman, Kate Steinle, died in July of 2015 while walking in San Francisco. She was with her father and a friend when a man, Jose Garcia-Zarate, shot her in the back. He was in the US illegally and had a long criminal record.

He had earlier been arrested on a drug warrant. US immigration officials asked San Francisco police to hold him for a couple days, but they dropped charges and released him. Kate was shot less than three months later. He said at his murder trial that it was an accident. The jury found him innocent of that but guilty of a minor charge. Then an appeals court threw out that charge. He was only deported--for the seventh time.

How could a man here illegally break our laws, kill one of us, and get home free?

Under our previous president's administration, immigrants illegally crossing our border were set free and told to show up later in court for processing. One example in 2022 from Venezuela went to New York (sanctuary city), was housed at the Crown Plaza hotel, and then requested to be flown to Georgia. Taxpayers paid for his flight, then in Georgia he brutally killed a nursing student, Laken Riley (photo).

from Imprimis

(cont'd tomorrow)

"We're exempt"

Our first president, trusted for his integrity, was elected unanimously. George Washington "was, in every sense of the words, a wise, a good, and a great man" according to Thomas Jefferson. Some thought he was so good that he should be made into a king.

But he rejected the idea then, and we don't want a king today. Why? A king can be a tyrant with power to overwhelm the people. America is a republic. Our representatives are elected by citizens to make laws that govern us according to the people's will--not a king's will. We call ourselves a nation of laws (not men) and we enforce those laws.

That is, we all did respect and enforce our laws . . until recently. Now, segments of this country declare themselves exempt from laws they don't like. That's the "sanctuary" movement (image). It started with the city of Berkeley, California, back in 1971 and now it's that whole state and more.

A long list of cities, counties, and states declare that they refuse to enforce America's immigration laws.

from Imprimis

(cont'd tomorrow)

Dirtiest

Soccer fans visited America last month and discovered some good things about our country. I'm glad they were here to learn about us firsthand.

Because they came, we realized that we have reason to be more grateful in the US. Many of them loved our food and AC and big stores. We totally take them for granted. 

Here's another wake-up call for us. We need to thank God for clean living conditions. Surprised by this one? The video below makes it very plain that not everyone has that.

Nuclear & NASA 3

By the end of 2028, we will have launched our mission to Mars on the "first-ever nuclear reactor-powered interplanetary spacecraft" -- if Administrator Isaacman's ambitious goals come to pass.

Called the SR-1, it will begin a new era in space flight. “After decades of study," he said, "and billions spent on concepts that have never left Earth, America will finally get underway on nuclear power in space.” 

Chemical propulsion (hydrogen and oxygen) is being used to power rockets now and will continue to enable escaping Earth's atmosphere. But nuclear will power movement in space. It's far more efficient. So, with the same volume of fuel, space craft will be able to go further and faster.

from MIT Technology Review

NASA changes

Every incoming executive probably has plans to change something in his new role. New NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has a plan for America's space program which he says will take us back to basics.

We need more launches, he says first, "on a yearly cadence." Can our Artemis-designated space vehicle, Boeing's SLS, keep up with that aggressive push in light of its history of missing both budgets and target dates? His response: "It's 100% achievable." With regard to past SLS failures, NASA will take responsibility to "make better decisions." I hope so.

An additional launch was added to the original Artemis plan. Artemis 3 will launch next year, 2027, because it's "imperative," he says, to practice the docking of the SLS with the lunar lander (made by either SpaceX or Blue Origin). No human feet will stand on the Moon's surface til Artemis 4 which is scheduled for 2028.

Voter cleanup

How frustrating it is to learn of illegal or corrupt practices happening in real time while also knowing that nothing is done about it. Many of us believe that some of our elections have been corrupted, but we don't have the power to stop it.

Judicial Watch does have the ability to get things accomplished in the legal arena. Using various actions, they've worked on cleaning up voter rolls in several states. Their lawsuits in Oregon and Colorado led to the elimination of 1.1 million ineligible names recently, people who had died or moved away or were otherwise ineligible to vote.

Added to other initiatives, they have managed to get a total of over six million voter names across the country off the voter rolls--names which should not receive a mail-in ballot for the above reasons. 

It's good to know that somebody in a position to make a difference is getting things done.

from Judicial Watch

Welcome, world!

So much energy, so much passion is happening during the World Cup hosted in the US this summer! It's been thrilling to see global visitors have fun here, and to hear many say they felt a warm, friendly welcome. Somebody produced an awesome song about it.

Scots celebrated their Scottish-ness, Norwegians their Viking-ness; as the song below says, "Flags from every nation waving proud and on display!" We loved it. Only a small minority of us stick up their noses (meaning) at people who love their own country. You should love your country. I love mine.

Our visitors like things I wouldn't have expected, like Walmart and Costco, things in our day-to-day ordinary life and . . American food, another surprise. Media portrayal of America did not lead them to expect abundance in our way of life. I'm glad they came.

Enjoy 😄

Faith & freedom 3

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Human rights, responsibilities and liberty were granted by our Creator (see the Declaration). American founders and the people believed the government must support these things. So, they fought a war to separate themselves from a tyrannical king and to set up a self-governing system--not an easy task.  

After the Revolution, Founder John Adams had this to say about the government they instituted: 

“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other.”

Os Guinness, the interviewee in Wednesday's video, has explained the American system well. Freedom requires virtue, virtue requires faith, and true faith must be uncoerced--it requires freedom (image).

Happy Independence Day, Americans! Respect your heritage and enjoy your holiday.

Faith & freedom 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post) 

Liberty was, in one sense, the goal of all the revolutions: liberty from the ruling regime. 

Les Francais (the French) wanted release from their monarchy. But they murdered their king outright, then moved on to aristocracy in a "nightmare bloodbath of terror." Faith in God was present among the people, but it wasn't the foundation of the revolution. Priests and nuns were also targeted in the bloodbath. 

Russia's Tsar and his family were killed by Bolshevik revolutionaries in 1918 to make way for communist rule. Both in Russia and after the revolution in mid-century China, millions of their own people were killed to make way for regime change. Neither revolution resulted in the people gaining the freedom to govern themselves.

But America's revolution did bring that about. Faith in the God of the Bible had grown deep in its people, largely descendants of the strong people of conscience, faith and courage who had dared come to this land. The Great Awakening increased that faith's presence. They knew God was their ultimate Sovereign, not the government.

from NY Post

(cont'd tomorrow)

Faith & freedom

"Many educated people have no idea about this," says Eric Metaxas in the video below. In writing his book, Revolution, he found out that our founders were motivated by a strong desire for freedom inspired by their Christian faith - and schools tend to neglect that faith connection.

Other revolutionary wars happened in other countries, but usually they didn't end well. The French revolution (which happened soon after ours) produced mass executions, less freedom, and eventually a new dictator (Napoleon). 

Our own revolution produced peace, more freedom, and a form of government where the people were free to govern themselves. Metaxas's book documents the faith in God that led to a different sort of revolution resulting in good outcomes. It led to "covenant" power of the sort in the Bible, not to "hierarchy" power like the sort in the Roman Empire.

(cont'd tomorrow)

Intervention

Last week you heard on this blog that the leader of our war for independence, General George Washington, lost more battles than he won. You know that England was the most militarily powerful nation on earth at the time, while our military was far from professional.

How did America win that war against tremendous odds? Factor in the character of the General, the conviction of American patriots, the help of the French. There's still another factor: all throughout our history, Americans - including George Washington - believed they had the help of God Almighty.

Watch below to answer this question, "where did He intervene in a special way during the Revolutionary War?"

We should know the legendary stories around the founding of America.

Eyes opened

None of us average Americans (who have homes, jobs, families, neighborhoods, etc.) think America is perfect. But the horrid picture ("dangerous, racist, broken, failing") that legacy media paints for the world is not accurate. It's a delight to see global visitors for the World Cup get an experience of our wonderful country the way it really is.

So many have posted stories of their eyes being opened to the good things (which we average Americans take for granted) over here. Our current president's picture is featured on these videos, but may I suggest that you just ignore it if you don't like him . . and watch them anyway. They're not about politics 😊 (Woops, there is some political talk at the end of the first video)

Rights are real

Human rights exist independently of governments' decisions, regardless of whether or not government leaders ever write them into civil law. They come from "nature and nature's God" - so says our Declaration of Independence.

Our first president told Americans that "religion and morality" are essential supports of political prosperity and happiness. 

Faith and virtue supported the founding of this country. As Washington said: if you undermine them, you are no patriot.

Scots in Miami

World Cup soccer is big in the US right now. Last night, Scotland and Brazil (the biggest World Cup winner in history) met each other in Miami, Florida, and it was party time. 

About eight thousand fans from Scotland descended on the city, calling themselves the Tartan Army, singing "Country Roads," bringing their bagpipes and kilts and bursting with energy.

They enjoyed meeting "everyday" American people, watching them "being themselves, kind, welcoming, and, yeah, a little confused at our food choices. These are the real people, the people who are the fabric of the country." In Providence NJ they donated $30k to a local hospital.

A Miami sportswriter reports that they were friendly and they mingled with the locals. Miller Lite brought a barge loaded with beer to town, just in case the bars ran out (which has happened once or twice).

Fans from the world came to America, and they had a great time. I love it.

Indispensable

He was called the "father of his country," not just by historians many years later, but by his fellow citizens living in his lifetime. Some have called him "the indispensable man," i.e. the founding of America couldn't have happened without him.

Other leaders wrote the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution and the Federalist Papers. But Washington led his country through the War for Independence and through two terms as its first president. He shot down the idea of becoming their king.

Thomas Jefferson commented that the "moderation and virtue of a single character probably prevented this revolution from being closed, as most others have been, by a subversion of that liberty it was intended to establish."

In his farewell address to the new US after the second term, he advised them to "Uphold the Constitution, be vigilant in protecting the liberty of all, guard the nation's independence, and above all . .  maintain the civic and moral character necessary for self-government."

French hero

America's fight to separate itself from Britain did not take place in the dark. The world was watching. The founders knew they would be.

Writers of the Declaration of Independence addressed this in the very first sentence: "a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they [we Americans] should declare the causes which impel them [us] to the separation."

A young, well-connected noble in France was indeed watching. The Marquis de Lafayette was just 19 years old when he left his country and his family to go to America, hoping to help us win our cause. That he did.