Why I Will Vote Trump - A Curmudgeonly Decision

I have finally reached a decision.  It has not come easy, and it's not a decision that makes me particularly proud.  I have discovered that I cannot even follow Ted Cruz's advice to vote my conscience.  I have to vote despite my conscience.

First of all, let me tell you some assumptions I make in reaching this decision.

• I feel that a vote for a third party candidate is useless.  Either Trump or Clinton will win.  Also, there is only one such candidate I might consider, and he is not on the Missouri ballot.  
• I feel that not voting for a Presidential candidate will just be a possible contribution to a Clinton victory.  I considered this option for a long time, but in recent days, the polls in Missouri indicate that it is not a sure thing that Clinton will lose the electoral votes here.
• There are several characteristics that are true of both candidates.  They are both what I consider very immoral people.  They cancel each other out.  Both of them have foundations that appear to be shell games.  They cancel each other out.  Both of them have experienced illegal leaks intended to hurt their campaigns.  They cancel each other out.

 That leaves the following main reasons that I have decided to vote Trump.

1.  I will never ever vote for Hillary Clinton.  I will from here on refer to her as Unconstitutional Hillary.  Her actions and words indicate to me that she not only is willing to ignore the Constitution, but that she does not even like the Constitution.  She has even said a few things already that I would describe as saying that she was intending to violate it.  I can only picture her as putting one hand up to take the Oath of Office, having her other hand behind her back with her fingers crossed.  Her proposed policies could pretty accurately be described as diametrically opposed to mine.  She not only wants to make the Federal government bigger, she wants to make it huge.  America is already in incredibly deep debt.  We cannot afford to bring out the heavy equipment to dig us deeper.  Our children and grandchildren should have better.  Unconstitutional Hillary would not even consider the Constitution when she would nominate someone for the Supreme Court.  She would look for a Justice who simply agrees to make decisions in accordance with her agenda.  My idea of a great Justice was Scalia.

2.  The majority of the mainstream media has not only been attempting to destroy Trump, but they have also been painting Unconstitutional Hillary as having the qualifications of a saint.  Voting Trump would provide me with the satisfaction of sticking it to the media for their abominable behavior.  I can tolerate the media pointing out Trump's flaws, but they have to be blind to not see Unconstitutional Hillary's flaws.  They are simply propping her up, and she is so flawed, she needs plenty of propping.

3.  The above two factors were still not enough to get me to vote Trump, but I heard a comment recently.  It was said that Trump is impeachable.  That by itself is not surprising, but it becomes significant when you compare it to Unconstitutional Hillary.  She is NOT impeachable.  Just like President Obama was not impeachable.  It was always argued that we could never impeach the first black President.  Plus, the media would never tolerate it.  Likewise, Unconstitutional Hillary is not impeachable.  It would be argued that we could never impeach the first woman President.  And again, the media would never tolerate it.
     On the other hand, Trump is definitely impeachable.  The Democrats would definitely love to see his demise.  The media would love to see Trump impeached.  And even some Republicans would go along with the idea. 
     Therefore, I think I can live with giving Trump his shot.  He may surprise me and become a wonderful President.  However, if he does something outrageous or unconstitutional, it is quite likely that he could be removed.  That would leave Pence to take over.  I can easily live with a Pence Presidency. 

So I am going to vote Trump.  I hope you noticed that I did not say that I would vote FOR Trump.  I said I would vote Trump.  There is no way that I can actively go out and try to talk people into voting for Trump, trying to convince you that he is a wonderful candidate.  He is not.  I do at least agree with him on some issues.  On the other hand, I would be glad to go into all kinds of reasons why you should not vote for Unconstitutional Hillary.

I know the die-hard Trump supporters will not be thrilled to hear me talk about a Trump impeachment, but at this point, they should be glad that I intend to place my mark next to The Donald's name.  And I might say, they should probably not give me a hard time about this decision.  It wouldn't take too much to take away that vote in order to spite any obnoxious Trumpsters.

As for Unconstitutional Hillary supporters go, I have already had them attempt to encourage me to not vote for a Presidential candidate.  I know I don't look very smart, but I'm smart enough to know that they are trying to manipulate me in order to have their desired Clinton Presidency.

One final thought:  I don't want Bill Clinton to return to the scene of his crime either.

Beer Shelf

The local fairgrounds have gone to great extents to accommodate us men.  Now when a guy is eliminating his used beer, he has a place to rest his present beer on the above shelf.  Why don't more public men's urinals have this wonderful feature?

One Thought on the Confederacy

  Amidst all the discussion about the status of the Confederate Flag, I would point out one factor which might contribute to the angst which still exists in the South, and it has nothing to do with race.  I spent part of my career in the South....Tennessee to be exact.  While there, I had the opportunity to visit the site of the Battle of Shiloh.  In fact, on one occasion, I took a class of mine to experience that site.  At the time, I was rather clueless as to why some were not very thrilled that I wanted to take my students there. After my visit, I understood why.
    At this location, one cannot possibly miss the stunning beauty of the cemetery there for the Union soldiers.  Row after row of white crosses marked the location of soldiers who gave their life during this battle in the fight for their country.  The cemetery is maintained beautifully.....grass mowed.....weeds whacked....with a beautiful fence surrounding it all.  It is an impressive thing to see.
    Then at a few locations in that park, if you choose to follow the map provided, you can find where the bodies of the Confederate soldiers were laid to rest, but you have to make much more effort to view it.  You have to walk down a path for quite a distance, and when you get there, you see a sign in a rather forested area that says the Southern soldiers who died were quickly place in a mass grave made by simply digging a huge hole and dumping in the bodies.  No individual soldiers are recognized.  The stark difference between how the Union soldiers and the Confederate soldiers were buried is very evident.  I suspect other battlegrounds of the Civil War would be similar to this one at Shiloh.
    Many folks in the South look at such a site and consider it a tribute to the North.  They also see it as a slap in the face to the South.  I would submit to you that one of the reasons for the hard feelings that still linger in the South to this day might in part stem from the lack of respect which was shown to the South in the aftermath of the war.  Evidence of this attitude still exists at sites like Shiloh which serves as a reminder still today.  Those soldiers fought just as bravely during that battle, but their family members have only a mass grave to visit.
    I understand that the Confederate flag has been used as a symbol for some racist whites over the years.  However, one must also consider the feelings of a Southern culture that has wanted to hold on to their self respect and may want to continue to do that through the use of the Stars and Bars.

What Will Become of Ancestry.com?

    I cannot help but wonder what will happen to the realm of family research.  I am associated with a museum which also houses archives which can be used to research one's family roots.  A typical person comes to use our facilities looking for information about their grandfather or great grandmother, looking for documents concerning their birth, their death, their burial, their marriage, and the like.
    The use of websites such as Ancestry.com also provide services which accomplish such purposes, using such sources as census records, military records, immigration records, etc.  Such sites have to preserve the privacy of those who are now living, and because of that, the most recent census available to the public is the 1940 census.  That census was made when the American culture was based on the traditional family.  But the traditional family is dissolving before our very eyes.
    What will happen to family research in the future when people are studying their ancestors in an environment when the past may include much different family structures.  It is hard enough now to research something as simple as an adoption.  Can you imagine the complexity of researching families when it may be almost impossible to determine who the biological father may be?  Or imagine researching a family where the marriage is one consisting of two males......or two females?   And one could only throw up their hands in frustration when thinking about how bigamy might throw additional challenges into the mix.
    Will this even be called family research any more.  It might have to be called something like "Relationship Research".  What would become of terms such as mother, father, aunt, uncle, cousin, etc.?  What a mess!  I'm kind of glad I won't be around to see it.
    Ancestry.com may just display a surrender flag.

More Steam Coming from My Ears

    My grandchildren call me Grumps.  Today, that term is very descriptive of my mood.  I find it necessary to vent so that my high blood pressure does not become an even bigger health concern than it already is.
    The Supreme Court has just released their decision on the Obamacare issue.  Needless to say, I am angered by their decision.  As I see it, the Supreme Court has made their decision, not based on the Constitution and the rule of law, but based on the impact their decision could have politically.  They have for all practical purposes decided to rewrite a law passed by Congress.  That is not their job.  The law should not have passed in the first place, but that is fodder for a whole different post.  However, I can only see this development as a broadside attack on the Constitution itself.
    The separation of powers has taken another direct hit.  The Constitution has already been under fire from the Executive Branch as President Obama has already done plenty of his own rewriting of legislation with his executive orders.  Now the Supreme Court has let loose with their barrage, joining the fray with their own version of rewriting legislation.  Congress might as well pack their bags and go on home.  At least that would save us some tax money if they did.  But their main task of writing legislation has been co-opted by the other two branches of the government. 
    Then there's this whole feeding frenzy that is going on with the Confederate flag.  I think it is absolutely reprehensible that some people have used a tragic event to pursue a different kind of assault on the American culture.  American history is under attack.  People are trying to rewrite history just like the Supreme Court decided they had to rewrite a piece of legislation. 
    Yes, the Civil War was about slavery, an abomination of its own accord.  But the Civil War was not just about slavery.  It was also about Northern interests being in control of the federal government and inflicting their desires on the South.  The South felt powerless to do anything about it.  Their economy was suffering as a result. The issue of what rights the states had was at stake.  Well, folks, that debate has once again reemerged.  The federal government is more than ever inflicting its desires on states that are not happy about what is being done to them.
    I fear that we are going down a road which may end up in another civil war.....one that is not a geographical one, but an idealogical one.  It could get real ugly.  And I don't want my grandchildren to experience such a thing.
    It is really spooky out there.  Socialism is no longer a dirty word in America.  We have one candidate for President who blatantly admits to being a socialist.  Meanwhile, the Democrat Party has developed into a  combination of crony socialist/fascist ideologues.  The establishment Republicans have their own brand of crony capitalists.  All of them have the main mission of remaining part of the power structure that is Washington, D.C.  What is needed the most to remedy the problem is term limits, but none of those in power in Washington are remotely interested in that. 
    I have not given up my hope for America.  Contrary to what is portrayed intentionally by the media, America is the best country in the world.  That is why people are coming here in droves.  However, some way must be found to break down the power structure that exists in our nation's capitol and restore the relevance of the Constitution.
    An effort is being made to portray anything that is old, traditional, historical, etc. is harmful to our country and must be ignored or eliminated.  The people in our past.....the documents of our past.....the wars of our past.....the culture of our past......are all on the road to intention extinction.  We must not let this happen. 

    Need I say that while all this has been happening that the Congress has granted even more power to President Obama with the trade legislation?  Lord, have mercy.

Follow the Money

    In my opinion, I do not think we would be having the big discussion in America about gay marriage if it were not for our tax code and the benefits being offered by our government.  It is all about the money. If it was not about the money, I think the gay marriage debate would only be taking place in our churches and not in the Supreme Court.
    I also think there is a rather simple solution.  Change the tax code.  I happen to think that the best way to solve the problem is to eliminate the income tax and change over to a consumption tax.  If people do not want to pay high taxes, they can choose to limit spending.  I think the Fair Tax is a good plan for getting this done.  However, if we have to stay with the income tax, I think a flat tax with absolutely no tax breaks for any person or business or organization would also do the trick.
    The income tax with all its pages of regulations is just a way for politicians from both sides of the aisle to have control and to get votes.  Because of that, it will be a monumental task to get the Federal government to even talk about changing the tax code.
    Term limits would get us closer to making this happen.

A Story I Loved to Tell

    For several months now, I have been spending considerable time in the past.....sort of.  I have been writing a book.  It is a work of historical fiction which tells a series of stories which take place over a time period of ten years (1839-1849).  The characters are all real people, most of which were part of the immigration of German Lutherans to Missouri in which my great great grandfather's family took part.  The setting is mainly in Perry County, Missouri and St. Louis. The book chronicles many events which were significant in the early years of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
    One of the reasons I decided to write the book is that some of the conditions which caused my ancestors to leave Germany are now occurring in America 175 years later.  If this book ever gets published, I would hope that it would serve to remind people how courageous and faithful these people were.  Their example is certainly worthy for us to follow, and the time has come for people to once again stand firm in their faith without compromising.
    I have found that as I researched the people involved in this story, I got to know these people even though none of them were alive during my lifetime.  I have also learned so much about the historical context of this time period.  It gives me a greater appreciation of my own family's history, and even if the book is never published, it has been a blessing to me to have gone through the process of writing it.
   

Eternal Vigilance Required

     Entropy can be defined as a gradual decline into disorder. It's a scientific concept.  Nature is said to exhibit this quality.

     I submit that there is such a thing as liberal entropy, except in the case of liberal entropy, it is preventable.  Liberal entropy occurs when founding principles degenerate over time as a result of ignorance or apathy.  I see liberal entropy occurring in churches that drift away from the principles found in the Bible.  I see liberal entropy occurring in our country as we have drifted so far away from the principles found in our Constitution.  The cause of this liberal entropy is ignorance and apathy, which in some cases has been accelerated by forces that are opposed to the founding principles.

    Both of these examples of liberal entropy could only have been prevented and can be only be resolved with one thing:  eternal vigilance.  People need to be knowledgeable of their founding documents.  People need to respect and honor their founding documents.  People have defend the principles in their founding documents and base their course of action upon them.  It takes eternal vigilance.  We cannot let down our guard, or liberal entropy will occur.

     One more thing.  Despite what many may claim, liberal entropy is not a good thing.

     The next generation needs to know their founding documents.  Let's teach it to them.

State vs. State

     It is my understanding that the Supreme Court is presently in the business of determining how the word "state" is used in a particular place in the Obamacare law.  The states which are bringing this case to the court system are claiming that "state" means one of the 50 states that make up our country.  The lawyers in the Obama administration are claiming that "state" means the entirety of the Federal government.

     If the Supreme Court decides in favor of the Obama administration and allows Obamacare to continue as is, then I submit that we would have to change the name of our country.  Why would we retain the name, United STATES of America when the Supreme Court has determined "state" means only one STATE.  We would have to call it the United STATE of America. Then it would no longer require the word "United".  You only need that word if there are not a bunch of states that agree to be united.  I would then further argue that it would not make sense to keep "of America" at the end of our country's name.  It would be superfluous.  Consequently, our new name would be simply State and we citizens (and non-citizens for that matter) would be mere minions of the State.

     Then it would be necessary to throw out the Constitution.  After all, it says, "We the people of the United States of America....."  We would no longer fit that description.

      And there you have it.  President Obama wins.  He no longer has to abide by the limiting words of that stifling Constitution.  Out with the Congress.  Out with the Supreme Court.  He rules the State.  Executive orders would become dictatorial orders.

     Now on to the control the world.......

Christmas Letter

Since our Christmas letter was not the type where we elaborated the exploits of our family during the past year, I decided to share it here.

Dear Friends and Family,

This past year, for me, has been a year of genealogy.   I have spent countless hours researching the lives of eleven students who were in the first class of the Log Cabin College which was built on our property 175 years ago.  It has been an amazing journey for me.

Among many very ordinary stories I located some which were quite extraordinary.  I discovered the story of a young pastor who met a young lady to whom he proposed marriage just a matter of days later, only to be told by this young lady that she had to hear him preach a sermon before she could determine whether or not to accept his proposal.  Later that week, she listened to his sermon and agreed to marry him.  Within days of that acceptance, they were married and she joined him in returning to his home hundreds of miles away.

Another story was about a young pastor who died after falling off his horse in the middle of the winter.  His relatively new wife, who was also pregnant at the time, chose to travel a great distance with her husband’s body, in the opposite direction from where her own family lived, so that he could be buried in his hometown in Missouri.  It was there that she gave birth to that baby girl.  That girl went on to live to the ripe, old age of one hundred.  

Yes, genealogy can lead one to discover some very interesting stories.  Some of the stories I discovered are ones which I think should be retold and not forgotten. 

The most important story in all of history is one that is retold at this time of the year by many throughout the world.  It’s also a story that some would like erased from our history books.  The story begins in the book of Matthew in Chapter 1, verse 1:

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham…….”

This genealogy ends in verse 16:

“….and Jacob, the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, to whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.”

The story of Jesus’ birth is one involving another special marriage, complete with a virgin birth and a message from an angel to reassure the couple of its truth.  The birth of this couple’s firstborn son also involved an unexpected trip to their ancestral home, Bethlehem.  And what a life this child had!  He escaped death early on because his parents took him to Egypt.  He started His ministry at about the age of thirty, traveling around the countryside proclaiming His message of salvation while being opposed by the religious leaders of His day.  This led to Him being put on trial about three years later, and being unjustly nailed to a cross and crucified.  Amazingly, three days later, He rose from his tomb.  After ascending to heaven, those who believe in Him eagerly await His return to take them all to join Him there.  Many other stories about Jesus can be found in the Bible, and they are all worth retelling.

There is an important connection between Jesus’ incredible story and the story of the opening of the Log Cabin College in Altenburg.  The purpose of this College was to prepare future pastors and teachers who would tell the story of Jesus to the next generations of listeners and believers.   Since its beginning, the institution which carried on this task, Concordia Seminary, has had over 13,000 graduates who have been sent into the world to equip others to tell the Christmas story.  The Log Cabin College had a very humble, small beginning, but it also ended up with great big results.  That story was only possible with an Almighty God making it happen.  And I love to tell that story.

Sandi and I wish you a very Blessed Christmas, and we hope you, too, will love to retell the story of Jesus.

Happy 175th Anniversary to the Log Cabin College

On December 9, 1839, the Log Cabin College opened its door (It only had one).  God has blessed its history by taking this humble beginning and making great things happen.  This log cabin was built by three young men, Johann Buenger, Ottomar Fuerbringer, and Theodore Brohm.  The first class consisted of eleven students, seven boys and four girls.  Later in the 1840's, this institution became Concordia Seminary, training young men to become Lutheran pastors.  Three of the boys in the first class were graduates of Concordia Seminary, Altenburg before that institution moved to St. Louis, where it is located to this day.

The building of this school took place at a time when the German immigrants in East Perry County were under a tremendous amount of stress.  The leader of the immigration society was banished from their community because of scandal.  That first year after they had arrived was a year of great adversity.  Many died, and all suffered.  Yet despite their trouble, the three young builders, who also became the first teachers, persevered because they were on a mission.  They knew that this new Lutheran church body in America was going to need more church workers in their future.  They also knew the importance of passing on their faith to the next generation.  We can be thankful for their great faith.

Many lessons can be learned from the story of the beginning of the Log Cabin College.  The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod continues to be blessed today by what was begun in the wilderness of Perry County 175 years ago.

The short video below is a tribute to that little log cabin which was built behind my barn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-VsZDrhnvQ

Gotta Blow Off Some Steam

    I am so tired of being more-or-less forced into discussing race.  The situation which initiated the mess in Ferguson was not about race.  It was an American, who happened to be a police officer, doing exactly what he was trained to do, and who became involved in a situation where he had to shoot another American, who happened to be a criminal who was threatening the very life of the officer.  There is absolutely no reason that this event should end up being a national news story.  There is absolutely no reason why Officer Wilson should be singled out to have his life ruined because others want to make a political point. 
    Yes, there may be societal problems in certain locations in America, but that should not be a reason to put an American like Officer Wilson through his own version of hell.  Those issues can be dealt with in much more productive ways.
    This whole debacle has been orchestrated by some politicians, some political activists who have an agenda, and the media.  As a result, there has been millions of dollars worth of damage, too many small business people who have lost their livelihoods, neighborhoods ruined, and people who have been physically harmed.  These politicians, race-baiters, and media should not only be ashamed of themselves, they should be held accountable.
    Who would have ever thought that an America which has an African-American (I also hate hyphenated terms for Americans) President and Attorney General would see race relations deteriorate to the level we see now. 
    Lord, have mercy on us. 

A Glimpse into the Past......East Perry County, MO.

This video contains photos from East Perry County in Missouri.  Most are photos from years gone by, but a few are much more recent.  This video was produced to help celebrate the 175th Anniversary of the German immigration to Perry County in 1839. 

A big reason for the immigration was to move to a place where this group of Lutherans could have freedom to practice their religion instead of being told by civic leaders what they were to preach and teach.  They cherished their doctrine based on the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.  They still do.

I Vote....

I vote........for a nation with secure borders.
I vote........for a nation which has laws which are enforced.
I vote........for a nation whose leaders are there to serve the people.
I vote........for a nation which offers equality of opportunity.
I vote........for a nation which operates a free market economy.
I vote........for a nation made up of unhyphenated Americans.
I vote........for a nation made up of a legal citizenry.
I vote........for a nation made up of hard-working people.
I vote........for a nation of limited government.
I vote........for a nation which operates according to its Constitution.
I vote........for a nation of limited regulation.
I vote........for a nation that is proud of its history.
I vote........for a nation that respects the sanctity of life.
I vote........for a nation that honors its military and its veterans.
I vote........for a nation with a strong military.
I vote........for a nation whose citizens have the right to defend themselves and their property.
I vote........for a nation that strives to eliminate its debt.
I vote........for a nation that operates according to a balanced budget.
I vote........for a nation of strong moral character.
I vote........for a nation that fights against evil.
I vote........for a nation that values religious freedom.
I vote........for a nation that is respected around the world.
I vote........for a nation that fights so that the generations to come may have freedom.
I vote........for a nation that puts its trust in the Almighty God.

But before I vote for these things, I pray for them.

Umpire Uncle Sam

The way I look at it, the US government should be like a good umpire at a baseball game. If he does his job well, you don't even notice. He doesn't coach the players. He doesn't tell the coaches who should be in the game. And he certainly doesn't tell the fans which food to buy at the concession stand. He just knows the rule book, follows his job description, and the game is enjoyed by all.  Yes, the umpire must be present, but only to maintain the order of the game.

"Make-up Call" Justice

    There are times during athletic contests when an official, after making what he/she may realize is a bad call, will find an opportunity to make another call later in the contest which will go in the direction of the other team.  This is often referred to as a "make-up" call.
    It appears to me that our country's present Department of Justice, under the leadership of Attorney General Eric Holder, is in the business of "make-up call" justice.  AG Holder must feel it necessary to make his decisions based upon what he perceives to have been many lousy calls made throughout America's history, especially regarding African-Americans.  I think the most notable examples of this occurred when his justice department disregarded all charges made against two members of the New Black Panther who were videoed outside a polling place in Philadelphia brandishing weapons, thus intimidating the entering or exiting voters.
    In an athletic contest, it may be justifiable in an official's mind to issue a "make-up" call.  However, it would make no sense for a different official to issue a "make-up" call to rectify a lousy call made years earlier by someone else. 
    Justice is portrayed as a blind person holding the scales of justice.  This justice department seems to have one eye open, tipping the scales in a preferred direction.  This is not justice at all.

To Be or Not to Be

    I thought I'd share some word play that has been floating around in my brain lately.  It has to do with some forms of the verb, "to be".  This verb is one of those verbs which is incredibly irregular in its various forms.
    First there is the third person, present tense form:  is.  We have been bombarded with stories about ISIS, or ISIL.  Recently, it was reported that the ultimate goal of this organization is to become IS....an Islamic State which is global.  This is not a new thought.  For over a thousand years, there have been those who had the goal of a global IS, and some of them had a certain level of success in reaching that goal.  There was a time when parts of Europe were under the control of Islamists.  So on the one hand, we have a dangerous group of jihadists who are loyal to Allah and depend on the Koran for their doctrine.
    Second, there is the first person, present form:  am.  In the book of Exodus, we have God telling Moses that when people ask who sent him to lead them out of Egypt that he should tell them that I AM had sent him.  A whole series of Bible studies could be done on the use of the term "I AM" throughout the Old and New Testaments.  Jesus himself uses the phrase over and over.  "I am the light of the world."  "I am the way."  And the list goes on.  Both Jews and Christians will point to their God as being the I AM.
    I know that in the end....and I really mean the ultimate end.....AM is going to prevail over IS.  I find it significant that AM is a first person pronoun, while IS is a mere third person pronoun.  I do think, however, there will be times in history when IS will seem to prevail.  Those times will occur when people wander away from AM.  And I think we may be living through one of those times.  I also think that the success of IS may just be the factor that wakes up the world and leads them back to the great I AM.
    I also find it interesting that America begins with AM.  I know that when our country began, its founders understood the importance of being a nation under God, who endowed people with inalienable rights (although some would argue to the contrary).  What disturbs me is that there are forces within our country that are devoted to getting God out of public life in America.  It also disturbs me that these forces also dare NOT attack the religion of Islam.  It seems to be a protected religion in the USA, while Christianity in particular is under attack.  It makes me wonder if we may not always be America, and may indeed be transformed into becoming ISerica.......or the Islamic State of America.
    We certainly have an administration that does not seem to recognize the threat of IS.  I believe that if we want to remain AMerica as it was founded, we need to get to the polls and bring about many changes in leadership.  We also need to return to the pews, devote ourselves to I AM, and pray for His guidance and help.  Heaven forbid that America moves into the past tense forms of "to be", which would indeed mean that we were "not to be".

The Silenced Majority

    I am old enough to remember when a group of people in America was referred to as the silent majority.  I think that at this time in the history of America we have a silenced majority.  People in this group are intimidated in several ways to the point that they will not talk about or write about their points of view because of the negative consequences which may result.
    I think there is a large portion of people in our country who I would describe as very thoughtful, very compassionate, and very loving.  Yet, for a variety of reasons, are opposed to gay marriage.  Many of them, including myself, find their reasons to oppose this movement in the Bible.  They oppose gay marriage because it is a matter of faith.  Despite their strong beliefs, they remain silent.  They remain silent because they see the stories in the media.  A prominent CEO loses his job because of a donation he made to an effort to preserve traditional marriage years ago......an effort which was successful, by the way, until an activist court threw out the law.  A football player tweeted a handful of words which were construed as being in opposition to a gay football player being drafted, and he is punished by the league and must complete sensitivity training before he can have his job back.  When your job in endangered, you decide to keep your opinions to yourself.  For so many people, it just becomes an easier option to remain silent than to risk losing......losing your job, losing your friends, losing your reputation, or losing your credibility.  Being branded as a homophobe is just not worth it to most, even if they know in their hearts it is not true.
    There are quite a few issues that people avoid talking about because of the risk of being branded as a racist.  Being opposed to issues such as extending unemployment benefits, food stamps, or amnesty may get you that brand.  Being a proponent of voter ID laws or defending our borders may get you that brand.  Even speaking out against our current President is risky.  These people know they are not racists, but they keep quiet anyway.  They are bullied into silence.  What is even more amazing is the treatment that black conservatives receive because of their positions.  They may be the most bullied people in America.
    The IRS scandal may turn out to be the biggest silencer of all.  No one wants to be audited.  Yet, when you find out that those who have contributed to conservative causes have a greater chance of being audited, it gives you cause to consider whether it is worth making that donation.  One even wonders whether just speaking about being a supporter of the Tea Party might result in some sort of negative consequences.  Who wants to make an enemy of the IRS especially now that they are involved in the operation of their healthcare. 
    I must say that I personally have not suffered much in the way of negative consequences.  I do not even get much blowback when I express myself in social media.  My left-leaning friends know me, and I think they respect me for who I am and what I've done with my life.  However, there have been a few occasions when someone who has no idea who I am has lashed out with vicious responses filled with profanity.  I admit that on those occasions, I shut down my comments and become silent myself.  It's what we do.  People like me do not like conflict.  So we are silenced.  When that happens, the next step is to feel guilty for giving in.  It's tempting to think that the bad guys have won.
    Having a blog like this is therapeutic.  It gives me an opportunity to blow off some steam.  It just remains to be seen if I get punished for it.  It's a good thing that I am retired and have no job to lose.

Let's See If I Have This Straight

    It is my understanding that Muhammed, leader of Islam, has stated that most of the inhabitants of hell are going to be women.  He also states that they will be there because they are not as intellectual as the men, plus they have a tendency to be NOT submissive enough to the men.  Now that sounds like a war on women.
    Having said that, the progressives in our country devote quite a bit of time saying that it is the conservatives who are waging a war on women.  The reasons are numerous.  Conservatives, especially those who are Christian, are opposed to granting free contraceptives, especially abortifacients.  Conservatives are said to be responsible for inequal pay for women in America.  Conservatives are opposed to pro-choice policies. 
    Many of  these stances are based on Biblical principles.  The progressives have been way too successful at marginalizing the Bible.  It is said that Biblical principles are no longer relevant.  Just look at what has happened to the perception that our culture has towards homosexuality.  So those who maintain their belief in the Bible have also been marginalized, even demonized.
    So the perception is that progressives are the tolerant ones, and the conservatives are not.
    Do I have this straight?

A Letter to my Grandchildren

My dear grandchildren,

    I am writing this letter to you mainly because I want you to know how much I love you.  You are so precious to me.  I know Grandma also loves you more than you’ll ever know.  As I write this, I know that you either are not able to read this, or you are not able to understand what it means.  In fact, when you eventually read this, it is possible that I may already be in heaven. 

    I don’t think you have ever seen me cry.  Just because I don’t often cry does not mean I don’t care about things.  There are times when I am crying on the inside.  That is happening more often these days because of what is happening in our country.  I know that because of what my generation has done, your lives are not likely to be as pleasant as mine has been.  We have allowed the Federal government to get way too big, and it has been spending way more money than it has.  The national debt is already so big that it is not likely that we will ever get it paid off.  What I fear is that you will be the ones who have to suffer from our mistakes.  The Constitution is in shreds.  It was meant to put limits on the Federal government, but we have allowed the government to intrude into so many aspects of our lives.  I’m afraid we haven’t been able to protect our liberties, and you may not be able to live with the freedoms that we have had.

    Although I have been trying to do what I can to stop this from happening, I should apologize for not working hard enough.  I am so sorry that my generation has selfishly decided to spend money foolishly and leave the bill for you to pay.  We should not have done this.  We had chances to work on this problem, but we decided to kick the can down the road, and now you are going to have to live with problems which are our doing.  We have lost our way.  We have not had the passion to defend our American values, and have let you down.  We are now even condoning things which are contrary to God’s Will.  I just want to cry.

    I pray that I am wrong.  I pray that you continue to have the liberties that our ancestors fought for.  I hope and pray that your generation will be able to overcome these difficulties and will be able to pass on the legacy of American greatness to your descendents.  I pray that our country finds its way back to being a nation under God.  I pray that God continues to bless this nation.

    I do have some advice for you.  Pray and read your Bible every day.  Go to church every week.  Don’t miss out on the important things that are offered you in worship.  The only real solution to our country’s problems is for its people to renew their trust in God and their faith in Jesus who died on the cross to forgive their sins.  I pray that you remain faithful and that you do everything in your power to make sure your family is raised in the Christian faith.  Always appreciate your mom and dad.  They love you dearly, too.

    Make sure you know the story of how some really great heroes founded this country by their sacrifice.  Make sure you know the true story about how these great men of faith managed to work out a framework for government that was successful for so many years and became a great blessing for this country.  They understood the evil in sinful people’s hearts and attempted to put limits on a government to make sure it did not become too powerful.  It’s just shameful that we have wandered away from that ideal.  Teach these things to your children.  Be responsible citizens. 

    There will be a time when I will no longer be with you here.  I look forward to my time in heaven.  Just remember this.  When I get to heaven, I will be waiting for you to get there too, and when you do, you can expect some great big hugs from me.  Grandma may get to you first though.  She’s much faster than me.

                                                                                                Much love to you,

Grumps