Wednesday, January 13, 2021

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

AMERICA IS CRACKED

PERSPECTIVE:

Did the President "incite insurrection?"

In my opinion:  Yes. Technically I believe he did.  But I am not a lawyer and Constitutional scholars already disagree. 

This is NOT to say the Trump in anyway intended to encourage anyone to commit a violent act including everything we witnessed at the Capitol on January 6, 2012. Furthermore, Trump has spoken out against violence far more than Democrat leadership!

Ironically, Trump was elected to drain the swamp and remove the Washington establishment.

BY IMPEACHING TRUMP HE GOES FROM UNDERDOG TO MARTYR.

If the USA continues to move to the uber Left, impeaching Trump for inciting Insurrection may actually make him a greater hero.  His impeachment secures his place in history as the President who stood up against big government, the D.C. establishment, and last but not least, the expansion of globalism and the evil CCP.  🤔

The attack on the Capitol began June 15, 2015: 

WHEN Donald J Trump came down the escalator.

The way the Left treated him and his supporters since then is WHY it happened.  

Neither is a justification for HOW the attack happened on January 6, 2021!  

VIOLENT RIOTERS should be prosecuted. That includes those who have been rioting violently for years!  

IF justice was pursued against violent rioters in cities across the United States for the last 12+ years, I don't believe the attack of January 6th 2021 would have occurred. 

Furthermore, if justice was pursued against those who perpetrated the Russian Hoax and Hunter Biden, I don't believe Trump would have lost the 2021 election. 

The double standard is undeniable.  There is no doubt that if the tables were turned and Trump were elected that there would be violent riots with far more death and destruction in Democrat cities across the Nation. And the Radical Left would be justifying the riots!

"Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may live and possess the land the Lord, your God, is giving you." Deuteronomy 16:20

THE HYPOCRISY IS GREATER THAN THE TRUTH.

THESE ARE SCARY TIMES INDEED.

Our Founders created the 1st and 2nd Amendments and the Bill of Rights for situations just like what is happening now. If we blow it now, we have failed as a Nation.

People are hell bent and making hasty decisions which can do serious harm to our nation. We have leaders and citizens rushing to judgment in a mental state of hate with prior prejudice combined with a biased political agenda.

The reactions to the rioters attack on the Capitol is reckless, highly emotional and rushed. This is a formula for a massive miscalculation.

We need to slow down, calm down and deeply consider justice, fairness and consequences of an even more divided Nation.

THIS IS NOT A DRILL -- America's Founding Principles are under attack.

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

REFUGE

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.Therefore we will not fear,
though the earth change,
though the mountains topple into the heart of the seas, though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains quake at their swelling. Selah
Psalm 46:2-4

The world is unsafe.  The deceiver of the world is forever plotting to steal us away.

But there is santuary to be found in the Word. 

The worst in others is less than the good in a pure heart.  People can survive and be joyful under much worse conditions than we have today.  And the evil inclination is capable of far worse atrocities than we have yet witnessed. Who are we that we should not endure?

I let faith in God, not people be the assurance I seek. The shared disappointment, sadness, pain, anger and fear that we who love Liberty and Freedom feel, is actually a great power. These deep emotions and our passions will find new constructive paths. Such feelings rise up to the LORD. 

Evil forces use deception and lies to feed division and sow choas. Evil plays all sides. The only "side" I am on is the LORD'S.  Pride and ego is a doorway that evil uses, so I desire humility.  

Victory and defeat is temporary.  Up is down and down is up in a twisted world. 

I guard my heart but open it to love. To do otherwise is to be a victim. My only hope is that I am ready for judgment. So I practice preparation. 

God gave us free will. It is key to know that which we can and cannot control.  Otherwise we will be drained of our energy.  If we make the right choices our strength increases. 

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18.2

There is plenty to guide me. There is more than enough wisdom to be found. I am careful not to let the loud voices dominate.  I listen to quite voices and voices from the past.  

We do not know the length of the battle.  We do not know the strength that will be required. I pray for my Shepard to gather me in.

When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13).

🙏PSALM 91🙏 



Saturday, January 9, 2021

THE MORAL DISTINCTION

When there is confusion, fear, anger and other factors which diminish clear thinking, it is important "how" one thinks. I am refering to the process. 

It helps to seek out individuals with great intellect and character. Sadly, those individuals are rarely found in the mainstream media. They have sold out - they are purchased assets.

Most of the time, politicians with an agenda see the world as black or white. They are right and the other side is wrong. 

Any who study history find that the truth is far more nuanced.  The truth is further complicated by the fact that so many are trying to manipulate it.

Thinking is hard work and takes time. Unfortunately, people are naturally lazy and impatient.  The hardest thing to do is to rise above yourself. 

What we have today is a formula for a massive miscalculation!!

One can count on Dennis Prager for wise, rational, calm and thoughtful remarks.  It's pretty common knowledge that he is highly Conservative. 

Dr. Prager is in the process of writing individual commentaries on each of the five Books of Moses (The Torah). This is more than an enormous undertaking. It requires a brilliant mind who has spent a lifetime studying scripture and has several other profound traits to even attempt such a monumental task. Dr. Prager has completed Genesis and Exodus. They are an excellent resource.  Coincidentally, the Orthodox rabbi who I study Torah with is also in the process of accomplishing this feat. He too is on the third book of the Bible.

In this video Dr.Prager documents his reaction to the Capital breakin, and so much more. He does an excellent job of explaining the moral distinction that is swept under the rug by the mainstream. 

I urge you to listen through to the end of this live Fireside Chat video including the excellent Q&A at the end.

NOTE: During this live unedited recording there is a section near the beginning with a scratchy audio. When that starts fast forward to 12.05

Let me add this:

“History doesn't repeat itself, but It often rhymes” – Mark Twain.

Will history show that what happened at the Capital on the 6th rhymes with the Reichstag Fire?

These are most dangerous times in our Nation. 

THE HYPOCRISY IS GREATER THAN THE TRUTH.

🙏PSALM 91🙏

Friday, January 8, 2021

NOT MY PRESIDENT

On January 21, 2021 Donald J Trump will not be my President and Joe Biden will be. And again, I will pray that my President succeeds.  Because my prayers are for our Nation. 

I went to our Nation's Capital this week to pray for America and to stand up for the Constitution. 

That's me freezing my tushi off
in the wind & cold and trying
to stay warm. LOL. 

I didn't vote for Trump in 2016 for all the reasons he will not be President on January 21, 2021.  I also did not vote for Joe Biden who will be. And I certainly didn't vote for Kamala Harris who may be. 

Ironically, Trump exceeded my expectations wildly from a policy standpoint. He kept his promises and earned my vote in 2020.  But before I go any further I am going to pull back, because this post is NOT about policies. 

I have been trying to figure out how I feel about all this - the election, this past week, etc.  I decided to stop feeling. That's right, I decided I want to stop having feelings about politics because they are overwhelming. There are too many feelings, they conflict and cancel themselves out.  They overload my brain and exhaust me. So I decided stop having them. I will see how that goes. 

Imagine watching a cook scrambling eggs in a pan for you. Now imagine that cook proceeded to add every seasoning in your spice cabinet. Would you eat the dish? But instead those seasonings are feelings and Presidential politics is a dish I'm refusing to eat.  Perhaps a better dish will be prepared in the future. 

Donald Trump is pure Donald Trump. People love him and hate him for it. And that IS fine!  The problem comes about when we as a nation start to hate one another for who we support as President. 

America did this in 2016, in 2012 when Obama was elected for his second term, and in 2000 when Bush two ran.  President's come and go. History will be their judge.  The future will tell whether their policies made America greater or not. 

Hate is the road to hell.  And the media has blood on it's hands.

The media promotes hate because they profit from it. They fuel our hate and help us nurture our grudge. They encourage us to take the hate deep into our hearts. We are so perverted by hate that it is no wonder that sins come from it.  Coveting power and bearing false witness are par for the course America is on. Who can we trust?

Americans have been hating one another for so long it is hard to remember when we loved one another. It is hard to remember when we were "our brother's keeper." And judging from the loud voices in Washington and in the media today, we are going to keep on hating.  BUT NOT ME!

Though I am a scapegoat for some, I offer my other cheek. I refuse to be dragged into the vindictive hate feeding frenzy happening in America today. 

Don't take that to mean that I will stop fighting for what I believe is right.  While the odds are slim, if Biden pursues policies that I believe in then I will vote for him in 2024. 

What broke into the Capital on the 6th was America. It was our brothers and sisters. Ashli Babbitt, the 35 year old military veteran who was killed along with three others is our sister. And her blood is crying out.

What happened on 1/6/21 at the Capital was Trump's fault. It was also Nancy Pelosi's fault. It was very much the media's fault. It was America's fault. But make no mistake -- it was America's Godless enemy of Communism's doing.  

That which seeks to divide us is the true enemy.  What Lincoln said in his famous "Divided House speech" should be resonating all over America today.  Sadly his words are but a whisper. And worse still are the loud voices of blasphemous hypocrites. We would do well to read Lincoln's 1863 Proclamation and to heed Washington's Farewell warning letter. 

The attack on our Capital building could have been avoided. But it may just be the wake up call that America needed. It may be the spiritual shacking that Americans need.  

Jonah warned Nineveh!

The enemy breached the gates of our country on 09.11.01. Nineteen years later, in 2020, a plague spread across our nation and the world. And on January 6, 2021 the holy of American holies was breached.

Wake up America!  The enemy wants to divide us. The enemy prosecutes with lies & deception.  The enemy is a Democrat and a Republican.  The enemy steals itself inside ALL of us and seeks to turn our hearts to stone.  

America is being tested. If we fail and continue on our Godless road of hate, America's future is terribly grim. If we turn on neighbor and take out our vengance through persecution, judgment will come down on us and our nation.

Nothing less than our Covenant is at stake. If America sinks the world will have lost the Rock we have been in world affairs and Evil will rise up and consume us. 

🙏PSALM 91🙏






Thursday, January 7, 2021

DEBRIEF ON MY 1/6/21 EXPERIENCE

PREFACE:  This about MY experience!  It is about what I personally witnessed, NOT what was on TV.  It is not about the speeches.  I left the rally BEFORE Trump spoke I have NOT watched the speeches online.  I did NOT go to the Capital so I was NOT a witness to those events.  Nor am I watching the news.  I watched the beginning of the debate in Congress but I turned that off to make it to my train.  

People will be unpacking and processing 1/6/21 for years to come.  I am glad to have witnessed and experienced it.  But what I experienced is different than what most Americans saw on TV.  And I certainly did not go to Washington to support any violence!  In fact everything that I witnessed was entirely peaceful and patriotic.  

Before I write about my experience in Washington DC let me reiterate why I write this blog in the first place. 

Writing is a way to collect and organize one's thoughts. It is a means to help one think. Writing is a thought process. Much has been said about the benefits of journaling!

Another reason that I blog is to share thoughts.  In this respect, my writing is a gift.  I don't expect people to agree with me. But I do hope to provide an understanding which bridges misunderstanding. I write to promote empathy. I write to help people who disagree find something in common. 

There is so much more that I want to say about why I blog.  But now . . . about the 6th. 

I can approach the subject of 1/6/21 from several perspectives and a multitude of directions. But this is a blog post, not a book.  Suffice to say that "January 6, 2021" could easily be the title of a book. Like December 7, 1941, there is way more to that infamous date.  

On 1/6/21 the Capital was breached and Congress saw the enemy.  The enemy is us.  You, me. Right, Left. Black, white. NY, Alabama. Backhoe operator, accountant. The enemy is what is dividing us. 

At 0630 hours on January 6th I reported to Airforce Colonel Jerry and his sister Julie in the lobby of the Mayflower Hotel. I met Jerry and Julie the day before at this hotel where we both were staying.  They were gracious people who welcomed me to join them for dinner the night before. We agreed to walk over to the protest rally together.  

Jerry chose retirement over an offer to rise to the rank of Brigadier General. Jerry organized medical operations on his half dozen plus deployments to the Middle East and elsewhere. He had knowledge and understanding that few people have. The Pentagon and his soldiers/medics prized him for that. 

Jerry's sister Julie was an intriguing and spiritual person. Little did I know that Julie was the reason the Spirit sent me to Washington D.C.  Neither of us knew that Julie had something to give me. I just didn't realize it until I was on the train ride back and I listened to it.

It was still dark, about 35 degrees and very breezy out when we embarked from the Mayflower to begin about a 20 minute walk to the Ellipse Park.  

As the Colonel, Julie and I set off for the Ellipse we became part of a stream that feed into a river and ended up in a sea. 

Because we arrived at the Ellipse relatively early, we got a position within clear sight of the stage. But soon after arriving it became too crowded for my comfort. So I separated from the Colonel and Julie to head up the hill to the more open space around the Washington Monument.


There were all walks of people.  We had so many differences and yet here we were together.  It is a phenomenal feeling.  So much to witness. So much to learn. 

One man I witnessed was Kevin, a fascinating fellow from NY/NJ who you see in this picture. His ethical kind nature was a great attraction. If one can create a bond in ~15 minutes I felt that with him. He gave me a subject to explore.

I spoke to a fellow from Vietnam who expressed his fear of the Communism he knew there coming to the USA.  Hundreds or perhaps thousands of Chinese held signs. They seemed desperate for Americans to understand. 

I met people from Missouri, the "show me state" who were at the protest for the same reason we all were - truth. 

I talked to a small group who drove all the way from Albuquerque New Mexico.  One man was clearly their fearless leader. They reminded me of what a tiny band of Civil war militia might have been like showing up to join forces with the army.  

There were people I didn't like too, such as two men from Kentucky.  They had only hate in their hearts. I walked away.

I met more kind people from across the country, including Michigan, Texas, Chicago and elsewhere.  The restroom lines were long and orderly with no pushing or budding. 

There was enormous energy in the air. Standing up on the hill by the Washington Monument, the winds were waving everyone's flag.  Personally, I was mostly trying to keep warm. 


I noticed some people putting their hand on the stone foundation of the Monument like it was the Wall of the Temple in Jerusalem. I was one also.

The people I experienced were polite and friendly. I chose not to march to the Capital.

There were police stationed on all the streets. They mostly sat in their cruise cars or stood in the shadows.  They clearly had rules of engagement.  The ONLY incident I witnessed was a small group of police detaining and questioning two pathetic looking "activist."

The atmosphere in the city changed dramatically when the Capital was breached.  Everyone became anxious.  I was relieved that my instincts served me well. On the 5th, a day earlier than my booked reservation, I did a late checkout for the 6th. I also changed my Amtrak ticket from the 7th to 4pm on the 6th. This would give me enough time to get back to the hotel from the park to grab my bag and Uber over to the Station. I gave myself 2 hours to arrive and wait for my train at the station.  This proved to be very good decision. 

Literally as I was walking out the hotel doors my cell phone received an emergency alert about the curfew. I got a bit stressed when my first Uber driver ditched me. I requested another and waited somewhat anxiously for an acceptance and hoped he would make it through all the road blocks to pick me up. Twelve minutes later my driver showed up. 

Ben was a tall strong black man who escaped his childhood in the Congo, so I knew he could help me escape D.C.  Ben loved America and his son serving in the Marines. Ben was just the man I wanted driving me through the crazy streets of the Capitol. I let him know it. 

Traffic was heavy and there was tension in the air. People were trying to escape the city. Drivers were blocking the box and squeezing into lanes. But Ben was calm and confident.  We talked and he became part of my Washington experience. 

When I got to the Union Street Station people were pouring in and lines were amassing to get tickets.  I was almost 90 minutes early for my 4.02 PM Amtrak Business Class reservation.


As my train pulled out of Union Station I felt relieved.  It was also when I had my first chance to let people know I was on longer in Washington D.C.  

The trip was over but the craziness was about to begin. I arrived home at 10:20 PM.  It will take me much longer to process my experience.  Sadly, most people never will.

I am glad I was able to be a part of history and witness January 6, 2021 - a day that shaked America.  There are more shakings to come.

🙏PSALM 91🙏

P.S. One of the highlights of my D.C. trip was a night time bicycle tour that I went on. My guide, Barry, was a former Airforce Policeman.  He rode me around for over 2 hours. He took to me a very obscure destination which is actually quite special.  This video tells about it.

Other blog posts about my trip:























Tuesday, January 5, 2021

BEING PART OF HISTORY

This is the time . . . this is the moment.
There are upwards of 70 million Americans, at least 140 sitting and incoming members of the House of Representatives, along with a growing list of Senators that are all challenging the Electoral College results in the USA swing states. 

On Wednesday I will be present in Washington D.C. to show my support for the sanctity of our Constitution.  Making the time, effort and investment to be here is my way of standing up for the importance of collecting and tabulating votes in a way that ALL Americans can have a high level of confidence are legal and in keeping with our Constitution. CLEARLY we do not have this today.  

CONSTITUTIONAL ARTICLE 2 - SECTION 1:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: 

Governor's, Secretary's of State and Courts have changed procedures in states without the direction of State Legislatures.  As a result, swing state Legislatures have submitted alternate Electoral votes.
We have a mess on our hands. It is a mess of our own making. This is not a mess of President Trump's making. To the contrary! It is a mess that the President, the Attorney General, and numerous credible experts started to warn us of a year ago. Since then, even more dramatic changes were made to election procedures.
These changes opened up our election to unacceptable errors, disruption and corruption.  Seeing this, State Legislatures, our Congressional Representatives and private citizens are speaking up. 
I believe the protestors are on the right side of history. Regardless of the outcome of the election, nothing could be more democratic, Constitutionally correct and patriotic than to express one's political objection by peacefully assembling in our Nation's Capital to protest.  

If there ever was a time to go to Washington D.C. to protest I believe this is it. Watching history on TV or the Internet didn't feel sufficient. I felt an obligation to make a contribution to history in a way that cannot be done through social media and blogging, even as I do.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” ― Edmund Burke

I brought my Stars & Stripes with me to D.C.  The FLAG represents the spirit of every soldier who has served our Nation and dedicated their life to the sacred value of our vote.  I don't need to be with anyone else.  

As I stand in a place designated by the National Parks Service for legal protest there is nothing I need to hear, that I haven't already heard or read. There is nothing I need to say.  For me, it is a matter of being present in the moment. It is about being part of history.

Monday, January 4, 2021

A SIGHT TO BE SEEN

At this time of national strife, this familiar spot is precisely where my spirit longed to be.  I faced one way to take the picture of the Washington Monument and turned around to take the other picture of Lincoln. 

There was a light rain falling on the Capital streets. Enough for me take an umbrella, but not so much that I opened it. The misting made all the stone glisten under the street lamps.


The monument lighting made structures glow in the night. There was just enough light left in the sky to make out the clouds moving slowly.

Standing in this very spot at this very time was a powerful and surreal experience for me.  From the top of the steps of the Lincoln Memorial one sees the glow of the Washington Monument reflecting off the pond. This is the view Washington and Lincoln have of one another on earth. I stood here for some time as the day set.

The city is quiet for the moment. Most of it is closed. I chose to come to Washington D.C. early, well before the 1/6 rallies, because most tourists and "locals" are staying away.  For the time being the streets are oddly adandoned. 

Police cars surround every major attraction because if you are trying to tear down a

government that is where you let it know.  BLM signs blanket the fences around the White House. Saint John's Church opposite the White House is still boarded up. 


Because of Covid, most everyone has a mask on. That added to the surreal quality of the silent respect which the visitor signs at the Lincoln Memorial actually ask for. This is a place for silent meditation and reading. 

Lincoln's second inaugural address is engraved on the inside wall of his monument. Lincoln was assassinated 42 days after delivering that speech. Visitors glance over at it, but I noticed only a tiny percentage of the visitors bothering to read it all all. I'm afraid fewer still took in the message and it's meaning, let alone it's relevance in these times. I contemplated what Lincoln would have to say if by some miracle in heaven I could hear him. 

I watched as visitors, came up the steps and got their first close up view of the massive Lincoln statue. I could see visitors' eyes widen and their cheeks raise. Even with their mask on, I could witness the expressions of justified awe on their face.

Lincoln draws an international audience of every age and all demographics. I believe that everyone who is drawn to this monument, not just visits it, does so in reverence. Which is

actually rather ironic, considering that the Washington establishment in his day, including the mainstream media in his time, utterly despised him. A good share had outright contempt for him and ridiculed him in every way, from his governance to his appearance to his family.  Experts do believe Lincoln would have been impeached had he not first been assassinated.  Many then wanted the distinction of doing so. 

Washington created the Nation. Lincoln tore it apart in order for it to be put back together. In either case, it was a miracle that America happened ex has survived 245 years. 

Both Washington and Lincoln warned us about Partisanship. Both men gave the praise and glory to God. 

Washington warned us of foreign interference and too much centralized power. Lincoln warned us in a famous paraphrased passage from the New Testament that “a house divided against itself cannot stand.”

But here's the thing which is most frightening to me today. Both men are considered evil racists according to the principles of "Critical Race Theory" which is the premise behind the NY Times "1619 Project."  

Some say we need to "build back better" some say we need to restore what made America great. One side is proposing that we stop using titles that denote gender like father, mother, daughter, son, grandfather and grandmother. One side is promoting family and biological gender. One side would remove praise of God from every institution and each occasion. While the other sees a nation in need of repentance and prayer. 

Washington and Lincoln would not be the men they were, and our Nation would not exist today, without the hand of Providence. But we cannot take up our bibles to defeat our fellow Americans. Our nation suffered through one Civil War - and one is enough.  

The evil powers and principalities that are attacking our nation are those which seek to divide us. They are those that seek to reduce our Sovereignty and Nationhood. They are those that tell us to put our faith in government rather than God. They are those that would tear down our Founders and cancel our Constitutional rights to free speech and bear arms. They are those that tell us what to think and say,  and what is true and false by their measure. They are those who remove our Liberties because citizens cannot be trusted with them.  

With the Declaration of Independence we claimed our personal and collective freedom and the right to pursue our individual happiness. But the Founders KNEW we would lose everything they risked and gave their lives and fortunes for if the people didn't PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM THE GOVERNMENT!  That is why they drafted and ratified the Constitution 11 years after we established our Independence.. 

Is Donald J Trump's time as President over? What will be, will be.  President's come and President's go. Very few leave a deep impression on a Nation.  History judged Lincoln very differently than the Washington establishment did in his day.  Whose to say what history will say about today. Whose to say whether America will maintain the Covenant that protected us and blessed this Nation with prosperity?

Selah