A Mosque six hundred feet from ground zero, do we need that? No!

Here's the whole question in a nutshell that dictates the answer, clear as day. On December 7th, 1942 the Imperial Japanese invaded Pearl Harbor, Hawaii over two thousand Americans were killed and U.S. Involvement in World War Two was about to begin. Imagine that ten years later Japan announced plans to build a religious shrine six hundred feet from where the battleship Arizona was sunk. Then, just to stick the knife in a little bit deeper they want to have the dedication of this shrine on December 7th, 1952. Good Idea?

Now there is no shortage of do gooders who insist that this shrine will foster warm, fuzzy relationships between the U.S. and Japan. Just so, there is no shortage of do gooders among Muslims and non Muslims who wish to see the Mosque built near ground Zero. All of these have a special relationship to the 7th chapter of Matthew in the New Testament. "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but underneath are ravenous wolves".  Who but ravenous wolves among Muslim promoters of the Mosque would want to pour salt into the wounds of the families of over three thousand who  were murdered on 9/11? Who else but ravenous wolves,among the non Muslim promoters of the Mosque, so hungry for peace at any price would want to carry the salt for those who look to pour it into open wounds?

These are dangerous people.

Anybody remember the 1996 Khobar Towers Bombing? Nineteen U.S. servicemen and one Saudi were killed and 372 of many nationalities were wounded. How about a nice church and synagogue on that site to foster better relations between Muslims and others. Yes, in Saudi Arabia. Do not hold your breath. While we're fostering all these better relations please remember that U.S. service men and women in Saudi Arabia at the behest and for the benefit of the Saudis are absolutely forbidden to practice their religion.

How about this one?  Your son or daughter clerks in a convenience  store and is murdered during a robbery. A few years later an association of convenience store robbers proposes to build a monument to  better relationships between store clerks and robbers. Good Idea? There is no end to  perfectly logical  proposals that point out the  cruelty of the idea of a Mosque near ground zero, one dedicated on the tenth anniversary of the attack, to boot. Get it yet, do gooders?

Look, Islam has a centuries old history of conquest over people who were simply minding their own business then building a grand Mosque on the site of the conquest to say screw you, this is ours now and we're going to be here forever. But be here forever is not something these guys always get to do. Islam has been expelled by force from many, many countries.To be sure ruling the world is something the Muslim extremists would love to do, but the world is far too advanced to be overrun by barbarians anymore.  So they will have to play act and pretend to have won on 9/11, try to build their triumphant Mosque and hope they can remain forever. Public perception is catching up with the "religion of peace" so this simply may not work for them. Lets work to that end. Most people do not like being spit on even by a bunch only pretending to have won.

From the mid 1930s to 1954 there was a radio show known as, "The Shadow". It began with the deep, ominous tones of an announcer, "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men"? The answer came, "The Shadow Knows". There was an awful lot of mystery about the Shadow. Who, for example was his alter ego? In the radio show he was Lamont Cranston although he had other names in previous incarnations like earlier comic book versions  and a couple of quickie movie versions. He'd also been a soldier in the intelligence service in WWI. A master of every sort of hand to had combat and a crack pistol shot among other things. Sound like anyone you know of today, at least as far as  coming out of nowhere and from a cloudy, mysterious past?

How  about our president. Far fetched you say, well bare with me. After appearing on the scene in Chicago he cavorted with a known domestic terrorist, even began his political career in this persons living room later saying this fellow was, "just a guy from the neighborhood", even though he and the man had served on a board an arm of the Annanberg Foundation. He'd been a state senator in Illinois, but apparently did not leave much of a mark there, community organizer  in Chicago among other chores. He'd taught some constitutional law for a while. U.S.Senator from Illinois but mostly voted present while there.

There's even some mystery about President Obama's name, it depends on which records you look at, there are some  you'll never see like his actual birth certificate which has been sealed up tighter than the Manhattan Project in it's hey day by  the state of Hawaii. While we're on the subject of sealed records, do not count on seeing his university  transcripts in this millennium Seeing any similarities yet?

Both the Shadow and our president had mysterious, questionable backgrounds but in any event the Shadow was able to save the day and the country and the world from many evils on many occasions. Obama was advertised as coming along to do exactly the same job. The Shadow had many attributes to assist him in his work. Chief among them was, "the power to cloud men's minds." Surely by now your beginning to see the similarities. Contrary to popular belief, the Shadow could never render himself completely invisible, but could so control the minds of his adversaries as to  to make himself appear to be a few feet away from where he actually was. So someone might shoot at where they saw him but miss because he was not really there. The president's powers to cloud men's minds has to do less with his physical location than with fact and fiction. That is, to be blunt, making lies appear to be true. Shadow had another tool in his arsenal, a ring.

The fire opal is a beautiful, semi precious stone that often has brilliant flashes of color that seem to come from deep within the stone. The Shadow's fire opal ring was, in some versions a communications tool. The number and intensity of the color flashes are said to have contained information on his next mission and the location he was to go to to begin his next case. Also he was said to be able to communicate with other agents who had similar rings. Most important of all the ring was used for his enemies to concentrate on so that he could gain control of their minds.

Are you ready for this?

The special tool of President Obama that most parallels  the Shadow's ring in it's ability to help him control men's minds is, of course, the teleprompter. It makes him appear to others to actually know what he's talking about!

The old radio show ended with the same announcer's voice saying, "The weed of crime bears bitter fruit. Crime does not pay...The Shadow knows." I'll leave the rest to you guys. Have fun with it.

Chicago in the 1940s was a nasty place, and although much of the stench of unbridled industry has been cleaned up the even more pungent stench of the "Chicago way" of politics remains in all it's ugliness. Ever the democratic stronghold there were always democratic soldiers scurrying about before each election day reminding former immigrants, now proud citizen voters, to vote Democratic. After all, "the Republicans will take your money, the democrats will give you money".

And so it went, year after year. The dutiful would trudge off to the poles to mark an X in the Democratic box. Not fair to be sure, but that's the way the Chicago machine operated. So what's new?

Many long years ago,close to Abraham Lincoln's birthday, the Sunday newspaper magazine section had a great picture of the president on it's cover. Grandma, unfolding the paper, saw inside the magazine section and the picture of Mr. Lincoln. Instinctively she kissed the tips of her fingers then touched them to the image the of Lincoln, a Kiss for Mr. Lincoln. Why? Somewhere in the thirty plus years since she had landed, with my three year old father, at Ellis Island, Grandma had learned about slavery and about Mr. Lincoln's efforts to end it and save the Union as well. She recognized that he had died for what he believed, and so Mr. Lincoln got a kiss from grandma.

Do immigrants today learn that kind of U.S. History? Do many of them even want to know. Grandma's kiss for Mr. Lincoln was a spontaneous and lovely gesture. "Why did you do that, grandma", I asked. "He was a good man" she replied. And so he was.

Are we just slung about the universe at random, or is somebody steering?

Recently, and only heaven knows why, Abraham Lincoln’s magnificent
Gettysburg address popped into my mind. So I did a little reading and
learned the following: The cemetery at Gettysburg was to be dedicated
Oct 23, 1863. Charged with making an "oration" was Edward Everett who
had been a U.S. Senator, Representative and Secretary Of State. Everett
said he could  not have his speech ready by the proposed date so the
dedication was postponed until Nov. 19th. Involved in all the planning
was a wealthy, 32 year old attorney named David Wills. Almost as an
after thought he requested that President Lincoln, "...after the oration,
formally set apart these grounds to their sacred use by a few
appropriate remarks." Prior to burying the dead, there had been 7,500
dead soldiers and 5,000 dead horses rotting in the July heat and
humidity. The little town of Gettysburg,  population 2,400, had come to
know war as few ever would.

Edward Everett was the first speaker and went on for two hours.
Abraham Lincoln spoke second for about 2 minutes. The following day
Everett wrote to Lincoln: "Permit me to express my great admiration
for the thoughts expressed by you with such eloquent simplicity and
appropriateness at the consecration of the cemetery. I should be glad
if I could flatter myself  that I came as near to the central idea of
the occasion, in two hours as you did in two minutes." Lincoln
answered Everett: "In our respective parts yesterday, you could not
have been excused to make a short address, nor I a long one. I am
pleased to know that in your judgment the little I did say was not
entirely a failure."

The tale about Lincoln writing the Gettysburg address on a old envelope
on the train ride to the dedication is evidently a cute story but not true.
There are five copies existing. Two that were written for each of
Lincoln's private secretaries and three he wrote for other individuals
for charitable purposes. There are slight differences in them.
Following is the version I have always liked. This one was on a bronze
plaque outside our grade school principal's office. I memorized it
while doing hall guard duty when in the eight grade, so many years ago.

Do kids do that anymore? The concept of one student having some degree of
control over the others (as a hall guard or monitor) would no doubt be seen
to cause some degree of mental anguish in all the rest. As well, I don't believe kids
memorize things in school anymore. The value of doing that has long since been
forgot, and learning something by rote is much too much of an imposition on
the little darlings anyway. I bothered to memorize Lincoln's Gettysburg address
because I had been taught to recognize the beauty and eloquence of it and it's
 importance to the history of a great nation. I could not not take the time to
memorize it.

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this
continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the
proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation,
or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are
met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a
portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here
gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting
and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we
can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who
struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add
or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say
here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the
living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they
who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us
to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from
these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which
they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly
resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation,
under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of
the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the
earth.”

 Lincoln’s short speech is considered by most authorities as the finest
speech ever written in the English language. Along with other works
of his, it raises a serious question. There has been much doubt expressed
of late that Divine Providence had anything to do with our country’s
founding or with preserving it through peril after peril to light the way to
a troubled world. It has become the style of the times to argue that an
Omnipotent God had nothing to do with our founding. Judeo Christian
have become dirty words. Let’s get factual, where did Abraham
Lincoln come from?

Tall, gangly, born in nineteenth century Kentucky and raised in rural
Indiana and Illinois,barely any formal education at all. He became a country lawyer by
The method known as "reading the law". No one in that time would ever have
Pictured him as president. Somehow one of his greatest attributes became
an uncanny mastery of the English language. Unlike our “leaders” today, Mr.
Lincoln wrote everything that came out of the white house during his presidency.
letters speeches, all of it.

He had to contend with idiot generals to fight the civil war until Grant came
along. There were some in his own administration who had no respect for him.
He was most definitely a hands on leader, spending many nights at the telegraph
office in the war department communicating directly with officers in the field.
How did all this happen unless the same hand of God who guided the founders
Was guiding Mr. Lincoln. Lincoln who knew that the United States was the “Last
best hope of earth”. Had this United States not survived as one magnificent nation,
would earth have survived two world wars and so many other tribulations?

Speaking of tribulations, today the United States is fighting a murderous, barbaric
enemy while much of our leadership refuses to acknowledge this enemy even exists
and while we are in the clutches of a leader who's vocabulary does not contain the
word, victory. It will take every one of us getting out to the polls in the midterm
elections to begin the process of housecleaning. With the help of a just God we must
all help steer a true course to demonstrate to the current president and his henchmen
that he and they are washed up and on the way out.

Abraham Lincoln, the right man at the right place in the right time. Was it all random,
or was someone steering?

Take your pick. Imagine an approaching election with two candidates running for the same job, one democrat, one republican.  Heck, make it extra interesting. Make this make believe election an election for president of the United States. Let's have our election sometime after the civil war, and let's make the democratic candidate Barak Obama. Let's have his republican opponent be Abraham Lincoln. You take your pick, cast your vote, decide if you'd rather have old Abe who sees the united states of America as "the last best hope of earth" or young Barak who sees the united States of America as an arrogant, demanding, self serving nation that always wants others to confirm to it's wishes.

The reason this needs to be a post civil war election is simply this: after that terrible war no one will be able to call Lincoln or any of his supporters racist. This will make for a lot more interesting election. Obama et al will have one less lie to use. As soon as Barak Obama announced he was running for president everyone with a brain knew that any and all who opposed him before and after the election, if he won, would  instantly be tagged a racist. And now it's gotten even worse. Say anything against Obama or any of his ideas and your not only a racist but  your guilty of hate speech and promoting violence. So we're doing our dream election post civil war when nobody save a lunatic could accuse Mr. Lincoln of racism.

Does anyone think Barak Obama would have a chance running against Abraham Lincoln? Of course not. We'll even concede that teleprompters exist during the election. Merciful for Mr. Obama since imagining him running for office without one would just be too brutal. Mr. Lincoln, of course, would not be using a teleprompter since his command of the English language would preclude any need for one. Can you imagine a debate between someone with a Harvard Law Degree who's grades are a state secret And someone who's formal education spanned an actual period of 2 or three months?Obama would be brushed aside in such a debate and election and our blessed nation would be saved from the horror we're living now.

The good guy's turn is coming. The 2010 mid term elections, mid terms always go against the party in power, and this year many expect a bloodbath. If Obama ad his crowd can ignore the constitution and the obvious will of the people to the extent that they have and not be defeated big time them we are doomed. What's really funny is the arrogance of these jackasses and the my way or the highway attitude is precisely what Obama and his flunkies accuse the united states of, but it's them in spades.

These people know they're going to be dumped big time, but they're like alcoholics. They know it's going to hurt like hell in the morning, but they just cannot help themselves. Here's wishing them the mother of all hangovers.

After the surrender of Vicksburg Mississippi to Union forces in July, 1863, there was a lull in the prosecution of the war. So true was this that many union officers sent for their families to come and spend some time with them in the area where only a short time before Vicksburg had been under siege for forty seven terrible days. Grant had some of his family present even before the surrender, and afterward William Tecumseh Sherman was among the officers who sent for family.

Sherman had a son who was named after him, Willie. Willie was nine years old. The boy became positively enthralled with everything military  particularly Captain C.C. Smith's Battalion, Thirteenth United States Regulars. He was thrilled watching this battalion march and drill. When the boy became seriously ill and was diagnosed with Typhoid, there was much concern not only among his family but among the soldiers of the Thirteenth who had adopted young Willie as their mascot.On doctor's advice the Shermans and Willie headed for Memphis where there were reportedly newer medicines and a better doctor.In spite of all efforts,  the child died.

The following letter from General Sherman to Captain Smith speaks for itself. Have a tissue handy for more than likely there will be some tears as  you read the letter. Please notice demonstrated in this letter what people a hundred and fifty years ago could accomplish with the English language. You will feel Sherman's heartbreak at the death of his young son, and you will not just hear of the gratitude the general felt for those soldiers who had befriended little Willie, you will feel it in your soul. What do you say to someone after they pledge on behalf of themselves and their family that you will share "our last blanket, our last crust"? People hardly ever communicate on that level anymore and it is a huge shame.

Instead we're at a place where we chose, as a leader, a highly touted young superstar, intelligent, articulate, a great orator (if you fall for the hype) who has accomplished exactly nothing of merit in his entire life and who's  grades at university are a state secret. We've been had. We have gone from someone who said he was a "uniter" and not a divider to someone who generally cannot string together two coherent sentences without a teleprompter. At least we knew the "uniter" had a c average, and we are learning that the superstar is rapidly loosing the ability to cover up the raw anger, rage actually, that motivates him much of the time. God help anyone who reports a substantial profit, it is not the redistribution of wealth model  that he favors.

GAYOSO HOUSE, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
October 4, 1863, Midnight
 Captain C. C. SMITH, commanding Battalion Thirteenth United States Regulars.

 MY DEAR FRIEND: I cannot sleep to-night till I record an expression of the deep feelings of my heart to you, and to the officers and soldiers of the battalion, for their kind behavior to my poor child. I realize that you all feel for my family the attachment of kindred, and I assure you of full reciprocity. Consistent with a sense of duty to my profession and office, I could not leave my post, and sent for the family to come to me in that fatal climate, and in that sickly period of the year, and behold the result! The child that bore my name, and in whose future I reposed with more confidence than I did in my own plan of life, now floats a mere corpse, seeking a grave in a distant land, with a weeping mother, brother, and sisters, clustered about him. For myself, I ask no sympathy. On, on I must go, to meet a soldier's fate, or live to see our country rise superior to all factions, till its flag is adored and respected by ourselves and by all the powers of the earth.

But Willie was, or thought he was, a sergeant in the Thirteenth. I have seen his eye brighten, his heart beat, as he beheld the battalion under arms, and asked me if they were not real soldiers. Child as he was, he had the enthusiasm, the pure love of truth, honor, and love of country, which should animate all soldiers.

God only knows why he should die thus young. He is dead, but will not be forgotten till those who knew him in life have followed him to that same mysterious end.

Please convey to the battalion my heart-felt thanks, and assure each and all that if in after-years they call on me or mine, and mention that they were of the Thirteenth Regulars when Willie was a sergeant, they will have a key to the affections of my family that will open all it has; that we will share with them our last blanket, our last crust!

Your friend,

 W. T. SHERMAN, Major-general.

Now for the lessons from the past, lesson number one: The newspapers of the day often reported that Sherman was crazy, insane and otherwise unfit for duty and some of them even implored President Lincoln to relieve him of duty.The similarities in reporting about Sherman and G.W. Bush in his day are not unnoticed. The question is, how could someone so out of touch with reality, so crazy, ever manage to write such a letter as Sherman wrote regarding his beloved Willie? There's also another question begging for an answer. Has anything changed? Do we not still have a news media largely as  rotten as it was in Sherman's day?

Lesson Number Two: And this is for our President, Barak Obama and his Chicago cronies who definitely do not  think that our country shines above the rest or that it should. It is also for a president who has difficulty with the concept of victory because it would make his adversaries uncomfortable. Hirohito surrendering at the end  of World War Two is one example the president gives, but the Japanese emperor was never directly involved in any surrender. You'd think our president would know that, as prominent a thing in U.S. history as the details of our victory in the big war. But no, Mr.Obama seems more thoroughly steeped in America's aggressiveness and arrogance than in the details of our victory in World War Two. These are the attributes he mentions  in his visits with our neighbors. Unlike Barak Obama, Abraham Lincoln found much joy in the Union and the freedoms of the Declaration of Independence, enough to refer to all of it as, "the last best hope of earth", in his annual message to Congress in December, 1862. The thought of The United States being  exceptional is not something that warms the heart of President Obama. Remember, he did say that We are no more exceptional than "Brits think Britain is or Greeks think Greece is". Where Lincoln saw "the last best hope of earth" President Obama sees only the mediocrity of another welfare state but one which has many grave sins to atone for.

 General Sherman wanted our "flag adored and respected by ourselves and all the powers of the earth." He also wrote of the childlike "enthusiasm, the pure love of truth, honor and love of country" he found in his son. Does anyone think Mr. Obama will ever adapt such goals for the country he's supposed to lead?

Oh what a leader and  what a world we would have today if young Barak Obama had spent his time emulating the Shermans, both the general and Willie, rather than the Chicago mob.