Always remember and never forget...As a nation and people, we can't afford to

This is cross-posted from my blogfriend Ken over at Oblogatory Anecdotes. Ken is a great family man and has a gift for getting to the heart of the matter with current events. He has some really interesting articles over there and is not afraid to speak his mind. His writings are powerful and thought provoking without any BS to cloud the facts. If you like your stories straight up, honest and on the "right" side of the issue without the liberal bias that the media tends to spout, go check him out. This week you'll find out some things that will blow your mind and shock you to the core, maybe even anger you a little, about the new Flight 93 memorial that is planned.

Thanks Ken for allowing me to use your commentary today!
And thanks to AubreyJ for the DOD tribute as well!
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Click on image for special tribute to September 11th


Click on above photo- "We Will Never Forget September 11, 2001" for flash Slideshow from DoD. You'll be glad you took the time.

4 years ago today on September 11, 2001, Muslim extremists hijacked four Boeing 767s from American and United Airlines. There purpose was to fly the airliners into major US buildings and kill as many Americans as possible. There targets were both Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, The Pentagon in Washington DC, The United States Capitol Building and possibly the Whitehouse.

They succeeded in destroying both Towers in New York, Severely Damaging the Pentagon, and Killing over 3000 innocent people in the buildings and on the airplanes.

One group of passengers fought back however. On United Airlines flight 93, the hijackers had commandeered the plane, but their evil designs on the Capitol Building or the Whitehouse were foiled by a group of brave passengers who attacked the terrorists and took the plane down rather than allow it to kill even more Americans.

Since that dreadful day we have been at war with the terrorists who were responsible for that cowardly and murderous act. Many of those responsible have been killed or captured. Some that have not yet been apprehended are in hiding and dare not show themselves, the lead coward being Osama Bin Laden himself, the bankroller and planner of the dreadful event.

Because of September 11th and the fact that Saddam Hussein was a threat to a critical part of the world, The United States found it necessary for it’s own, along with the worlds safety to remove Saddam from power.

There is still a long road to victory against the terrorists. Militant Islam has been a growing threat for decades. They have only one agenda and that is a world subjugated by their twisted and vile view of Islam. Like the Borg on Star Trek they are hell bent on forcing everyone to bow down and submit to their blood cult. Anyone who does not must die or become a slave.

This view of Islam is held by at least 10% of all Muslims, which accounts for around 100 million people. That is what we are up against. Never before has our way of life been so threatened. Militant Islam has made great leaps in the last 30 years. They have not grown by peaceful conversion, but by war. They use western countries liberal immigration policies to in, not to assimilate into the new countries culture, but to destroy the it and replace it with extreme Islam. Europe is especially at risk of this and if current trends continue most of Europe will be enslaved to militant Islam. The only thing standing in the way to a world dominated by militant Islam is the United States of America. That is why they particularly hate us and seek for our destruction.

Right now Al Quada is in hot pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. They may have already acquired some. Their plans are to acquire enough to kill as many Americans as possible. Osama Bin Laden has said to even the score in his mind 4 million Americans must die and 2 million must be children. If Al Quada ever acquires nuclear weapons they will surely use them. They must be stopped. Osama bin Laden has declared war on us. Read his declaration of war. His designs are no secret. Osama and militant Islam must be stopped at all costs.

This is the war of the ages. It has been fought for over a thousand years. Ours is but a chapter in the great struggle to keep militant Islam at bay. It is the same war the crusaders fought, and it is the same war we must fight now. Our freedom, everything we hold dear, and our very lives our at stake. It is a war we must win or generations will be enslaved. The next Dark Age may come if we do not stand up and resist it.

Always remember September 11th 2001.

How I spent my Labor Day Weekend:

The weekend report:

What can I say about this weekend? My heart is just heavy and sad for the loss that the people I have been taking care of have suffered. Here is my recap of my weekend. I had brought my camera the first day, but never used it. It just didn’t seem right to take pictures of these evacuees (it is NOT refugees, they prefer evacuees) and the tragedy that they had suffered, so all I have to offer you are my words.

My dear friend Amy called me on Friday night and said that she wanted to help. Amy is a home health nurse with the disabled and elderly in Marble Falls and also one of my critique partners. She wanted to do something to help so we made plans for her to come in to town Saturday to volunteer with me. I normally would have volunteered through my CERT team, but they were not working the areas that I wanted to work on so I decided to volunteer myself separate from them and I am glad that I did. I’ve put in about 30-32 hours on Saturday and Sunday. I took yesterday off b/c Emily needed me in a bad way. She understands far too much of what is going on with this disaster. She saw a picture of a little black boy on the TV crying and every day since then she has said that she wants to “tell God that I will share my home with that little brown boy” - what a kind heart she has! She has been telling me that she doesn’t want to ever “losted” me. She is taking this hard and needed snuggly, cuddly Mommy time yesterday.

Early Saturday morning, Amy and I went shopping for supplies and then went to my church to help put together hundreds of personal care packages including washcloths and towels, toothbrush, shampoo, toothpaste, etc for about 300 people. My church has a wonderful mission’s pastor who I have been keeping in contact with as far as needs, etc. I also set up for the Sunday school classes to write letters to the children at the shelters that I would pick up after church on Sunday. There is a huge need for those kids to hear from other kids and know that other children care what has happened to them. After a brief lunch we went to the Burger Center to volunteer, only to find that they had closed it for general evacuees. Everyone had been moved to the Convention Center. Austin was getting too many evacuees for the Burger Center to hold. Amy was told to go to the Convention Center b/c she was a nurse and they needed nurses down there to triage. I stayed behind at the Burger Center to do cleanup with the Red Cross. A couple of hours later, right as the clean up was ending, I got a call to go to the Palmer Events Center which is where they were taking medical needs patients that were beyond basic triage but not critical enough to go to the hospital. Amy was sent there too so we paired up. Some times it was slow; some times it was fairly busy. I did stuff like talking to the patients, working on getting them to talk about what happened b/c so many were holding it in. I also did stuff like run prescriptions to the onsite pharmacy and pick up the meds once they were ready, ran and got food from the other side of the center for those in the medical area, etc. I originally brought my camera to capture some things on film, but decided against it. There was too much to do, and these people deserved privacy. I left my camera at home on Sunday.

Most of what people were looking for was a shower and clean clothes. They wanted more than anything to get clean b/c they hadn’t showered in about a week or longer. And surprisingly (or not), after shower, clean clothes, food and sleep, the next most requested item was a Bible. Most people hadn’t been able to take theirs with them or had lost them or the Bibles had gotten wet. Many found comfort in reading the scriptures. We actually ran out of Bibles on Saturday night, but thankfully, on Sunday, one of my former junior high teachers, Fireman Fred Dougherty, who had become a pastor, had literally an armful of Bibles with him and was passing them out to those who wanted one and not one person that he asked turned them down. Most of the medical symptoms that were coming in were diabetics, elderly people who hadn’t had their meds for a few days, people with ugly red rashes on their legs from the toxins in the water, cuts, scrapes, puncture wounds and breathing treatments. One of the ladies I worked with, her name was Esther, had been pushed down and stepped on when people surged forward to try and get on the buses and planes that were evacuating people. She said that the people that stepped on her also stepped on a baby b/c they didn’t care about anything but saving themselves. She had some pretty good bruises. She actually had to be evac’d via stretcher b/c she had been so trampled by the people. She didn’t know what had happened to the baby. Her husband, “T”, had gone without sleep for 48 hours straight b/c he was protecting her from the thugs that were roaming the Superdome. While I talked to her, got her situated, got her food and a drink, he was out like a light, having the first safe sleep in over a week.

Next up was the Friday night poker club. They were nicknamed that b/c they were a group of 4 elderly black gentlemen who just seemed like they would be ones to sit around a smoke some stogies and play poker or dominoes or something like that. They were in their late 60’s-late 70’s. I just adored them. There was Mr. Marigny, Mr. Howard, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Charles. They were so sweet and so funny and in spite of it all, they kept their faith, which was so strong. They kept on saying, “God is so good!” and they meant it. They were funny and kind and flirty and just so wonderful. They won everyone over who talked to them. They had one in a wheelchair and one walked with a crutch and we got them clothes, showers and hot food. Two of them wanted Bibles, b/c they hadn’t been able to take them. The other two had theirs and had been able to keep them dry. I was sad to see them go back to the general shelter b/c they were so delightful and brought a smile to everyone who spoke with them.

Most of the people that we treated and that were at the shelters were so thankful and kind and appreciative of what we were doing. There are those that are extremely bitter and are trying to make life unpleasant for everyone, including their fellow evacuees, but those are only about 5% out of the 5,000 or so that we already have here in Austin.

Probably the worst story that I heard that day was of a mother who handed her 2 year old baby up to people on a bus so that she could get on next. As soon as she handed the baby up, she was pushed out of the way by other people and pushed down. The bus left without her and she hasn’t seen her baby since. She has no idea where her baby is. I can only hope and pray and pray some more that they are reunited and are both safe. My heart is broken for that woman. I can’t even begin imagine the full extent of the horror she is feeling.

Amy and I left Saturday night, or Sunday morning, I should say, after 1:00. I got to sleep around 2:00. I was so exhausted and ready to hit the hay. When we woke up Sunday morning, Amy said that she had dreamed about Katrina and the floods and the stories that we had heard. I didn’t that night, but Sunday night I sure did. Last night too.

Sunday morning found Amy heading to the Palmer Center early, around 9:30. I went to church to pick up the letters from the Sunday school children. All ages from 3 through 5th grade wrote letters. I had close to 200 letters by the time they had collected them all. I went and dropped them off to the Convention Center as that was where the kids were sheltered at. I headed back to Palmer to work with Amy again and we were assigned to the geriatric patients. There weren’t too many, but they had varying needs such as a double amputation and his wife (Fred and Carolyn), progressive lung disease that needed breathing treatments (Louis – pron. Lewey), a wheelchair bound diabetic (Henry, a retired minister), a severely depressed elderly woman who, at first, refused to take her meds and preferred to just die (Myrtly – pron. Myrtle), Miss Cleo – no not the “psychic” – who was severely confused and had a serious incontinence problem (she was later sent to a hospital b/c her condition was diagnosed as too serious to be in a shelter situation, then we had our trio of the week. Eldon, Chester and Emelda. Eldon and Chester are friends and Chester and Emelda are married. Eldon and Chester wanted to ditch Emelda and Eldon wanted to go out drinking. Emelda and Chester both thought they were in New Orleans. They wanted to go home and Chester wanted to go to church. Just wanted to get away from Emelda. We’re not really sure why b/c Emelda was very nice, if extremely confused. Both Chester and Emelda showed signs of Alzheimer’s on top of dementia. Emelda was getting her hair done by two African-American volunteers and she was just sweet as pie. Preening and acting all coy. She wanted to pay them for doing her hair b/c she thought she was in NOLA at a beauty parlor. Chester decided that he was going to go come hell or high water (bad reference, I apologize). We had to physically stop him from leaving the shelter at the events center.

Shortly after that we were told that they were going to move all the med patients to the large shelter. The doctors that were there were furious and tried desperately to stop it. The last thing these elderly people needed was to be moved again. All their efforts were in vain. I packed up medical supplies in the back of my mini-van and followed the bus over there. Once we got there and got everyone off the bus, we were sent to the 2nd floor of the center. Our patients needed to be isolated without easy access to exits b/c of the issue with Chester earlier in the day.

We got them fed and set up sleeping cots. By this time it was about 7 in the evening. Most of them went down without any troubles. Mr. Henry, the pastor was taken to the worship service by one of the other volunteers, while most of the rest of them sat or lay in their cots to read or sleep. Emelda and Chester were another story though. More on that in a minute.

There was some really good news out of all of this! Carolyn and Fred’s daughter and niece found them. They had driven from Virginia and went to all the shelters in Houston and San Antonio and spent a day in Austin being sent between shelters more than once b/c the computers still showed them to be at Palmer instead of the new place. I was outside of the door, trying to keep an eye on the volunteer who was walking with Chester and keeping him sort of distracted when this short white woman came up with two African-American women who were looking for one of their dads. I asked them what his name was. “Fred” was all that they said. “Carolyn and Fred?” I asked. “YES!!!” The look on their faces was nothing short of a Kodak moment. I told them that they were sleeping but that I would bring them in so that they could get them. I mean come on, family is just a little more important than sleep. They went in quietly and woke Carolyn and Fred up. It was a wonderful reunion, with the exception that Carolyn and Fred didn’t want to go that night. The niece brought her husband up and the five of them talked for about 45 minutes and it was agreed that Carolyn and Fred would stay the night and would get picked up in the morning. The daughter and niece weren’t about to leave Austin without them. Plus, they had to drive to Corpus Christi to see if their other family members were down there. They were looking for about 6 more people. They knew that as of Friday they were alive and being moved to Texas, but they also know that two were separated from the group of six.

Carolyn and Fred’s daughter was mistaken by Emelda for her niece Evelyn. We found out that Evelyn was in NOLA and we don’t know if she survived. Emelda finally accepted that the daughter was not her niece. She was, however, convinced that Evelyn was downstairs with the rest of the evacuees. By around 10:00 we finally convinced Emelda that we would look for Evelyn and to get in bed so the doctor assigned to them could check her out since she was complaining of pain in her knees, etc. She had been following Chester around all evening and all Chester wanted to do was get away from her. After the doctor checked her out and she had some meds, she agreed to go to bed, but only after she had said her prayers. She said them 3 times before we finally convinced her that she had already said them and that her front and back door had been locked and the windows were shut and locked and the porch lights and rest of the house lights were off. This went on for about 30 minutes. I finally got her to get under the covers and lay her head down all the way when I told her that I was not going to check any more items until she was laying down and sleeping. I started singing Amazing Grace and she hummed the first two verses with me and then was out by the middle of verse 3. Just to make sure, I sang through the end and she was asleep. I got a silent round of cheers for that one and was nicknamed the songstress of the second floor. LOL.

Chester wasn’t so easy. The doctor gave him the limit that he could have in meds to calm him down b/c he was very agitated and only grew more so as time went by. The night doctor was this great little Asian lady who, instead of trying to coax him to take his meds, which wasn’t working anyway, she shoved it in his mouth to let it dissolve – it was a wafer pill. Chester refused and refused to go to sleep, even though he was so tired he was hallucinating and picking up imaginary coins and stuff on the floor and weaving while he stood. We had to change him while he stood. With the help of two men we were able to get him into bed. After that, he was fighting the guys to get his legs up so he could get out of bed. I finally ended up singing to him too as they were trying to get his legs down. He struggled through Amazing Grace, started calming down during It Is Well With My Soul and finally fell asleep during The Lord’s Prayer. I was starting to sweat it b/c I knew they were Catholic and I didn’t know that many slow hymns that were coming to mind in the moment and I wasn’t about to sing stuff like Up From The Grave He Arose – that kind of tempo would have defeated the purpose. The only song I had left in my memory at that point was Ave Maria. If he didn’t fall asleep during that one, he was going to get Mary Poppins, Dumbo and Cinderella, etc. – the Disney songs I sing to my daughter at night. Of course, after it was over, a ton of slow hymns came to my mind.

Amy and I left after 1 in the morning again. It was really hard on Amy. She’s so used to knowing how it ends with her elderly homebound patients. And for now she doesn’t know with these evacuees and it’s really bothering her. I told her that I knew it was hard on her but that she had to content herself with the knowledge that she was the right person for this job at this time and that her experience helped to make things a lot easier during the shelter transition with the elderly patients we were taking care of. She had to believe and know that she did a good job and that she was needed at this point, at this time and that she got her job done and now it was up to someone else with the same experience to take over and continue. It really was breaking her heart. She’s a good person.

I’m still trying to get some issues straightened out b/c we’re trying to get volunteers in and while we have 3 social service workers with elderly care and adult protective services experiences, nobody is clearing them to go up there b/c nobody is really “in charge” up there. I may have to step in tonight for a little while to make sure that something happens. These workers are African-American, which is what we need for these elderly patients, especially Chester and Emelda, and they are available to work for the long term in rotating shifts. The red-tape, egocentric, bureaucratic BS on this is just frustrating the HECK outta me. If I can’t get connected with the person in charge that was there Sunday, which I’ve left a voice mail for her today, I may just end up having to take the lead on this, and I’m not sure I’m ready to take on that much responsibility. I could surprise myself though.

A Texan mom who speaks her mind

This comes from my blogfriend Heather. All I can say is SING IT, Sister!

Something different to today's FFT (lots of links to help the victims of Katrina) UPDATED 10:52PM

I will be updating the links as I find them. Also stories of heroism and interesting stories of how corporations are helping are located at the bottom of this post.
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With the devastation in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida going on in our back and front yard, we are going to have a field trip to some places where you can donate money, etc. to help out these victims of a hurricane's wrath and the desperate aftermath including violence from the roving street thugs who are out there raping and murdering with impunity, not to mention the latest with the chemical plant explosion this morning.

If you can't give money, give your time at the local charitable organizations in your area. They need help to pack supplies, etc. Austin is designated as an overflow city and here in Austin there is an overflow shelter at an activity center where there are some 200 families already housed there with more expected to come in this weekend as the Astrodome is now at capacity and turning people away. I am going to look into volunteering there for a few hours a week.

Aside from the heartbreaking story of the man whose wife was literally ripped from his arms, this one truly broke my heart the other day...there was, on the news, a little 3 year old black child who was very sick, dehydrated, lethargic, his mother was holding him as he listlessly flopped in her arms, trying to shelter him from the sun's harsh rays with her body as much as she could b/c there was no shelter to be found. She was pleading to the news crew for water, for food, anything to help her child out. He had not had any clean water to drink in days. What a horribly desperate situation! I thought of that little boy and of my own Emily who is also 3 and I think of what I would do in that situation. I can only thank God that that is not my family and pray for those who are caught in that horrible situation that relief, food and water be brought to those hurting and hungry families, especially those with children, right away.

When it comes to the thugs who are roaming the streets with their guns ( many of which are stolen), terrorizing those unable to defend themselves against the brutality of rape and murder and beatings, whatever needs to be done, should be done to stop them. I think it is the right thing to do, to defend the weak against those who would prey on them in order to satisfy their lust for flesh and blood. New Orleans and the surrounding parishes have turned into a true third world country in the span of a few days. It reminds me of some of the scenes in Black Hawk Down with the roving street gangs under the rule of the warlords in the area. It must be stopped and stopped now, by whatever means necessary. I truly hope that once the National Guard, military, etc. gets in place that the terrible violence will stop.

Anyway, here are the places that you can contact to donate your money and/or time:
Although government and private agencies are en route to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina, federal officials said people wanting to help should not head to the affected area unless directed by an agency. Instead, people are urged to make cash contributions to these groups:
* American Red Cross, or (800) 435-7669; (800) 257-7575 in Spanish.
* Samaritan’s Purse; Phone (828) 262-1980
* Salvation Army, (800) 725-2769.
* Feed the Children - Hurricane Katrina
* America's Second Harvest, or (800) 771-2303.
* Catholic Charities, (703) 549-1390.
* Operation Blessing, (800) 436-6348.
* Southern Baptist Convention -- Disaster Relief, (800) 462-8657, ext. 6440.
* Adventist Community Services, (800) 381-7171.
* Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, (800) 848-5818.
* Church World Service, (800) 297-1516.
* Convoy of Hope, (417) 823-8998.
* Episcopal Relief and Development, (800) 334-7626, ext. 5129
* Lutheran Disaster Response, (800) 638-3522.
* Mennonite Disaster Service, (717) 859-2210.
* Nazarene Disaster Response, (888) 256-5886.
* Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, (800) 872-3283.
* United Methodist Committee on Relief, (800) 554-8583.

Here are some more links that I've gathered from online if you want to look into these as well, some are very interesting like Whole Foods and Great Harvest Breads as well as Brett Favre's organization among countless others...

*Network For Good -- A nonprofit organization that has a page on its site devoted to listing different types of groups to whom you can donate besides the Red Cross -- including the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (rescuing pets), Charity Hospital of New Orleans, Salvation Army, and Operation Blessing.
*Storm Aid - run by Clear Channel in conjunction with the Red Cross.
*Mercy Corps -- Formerly refugee-focused organization that now focuses on helping find long-term solutions for families living in poverty.
*Hurricane Housing -- This is a housing clearinghouse trying to match people made homeless by the storm with available beds and rooms and couches located within 300-500 miles of the Gulf Coast.
*The Chicago Tribune's McCormick Foundation -- This group is matching 50 percent of each dollar of donations made through their site (up to two million dollars). All donations go directly to hurricane relief organizations.
*Give Life -- A blood donation site that helps get quick appointments at clinics near where you live.
*The Humane Society of America -- The link takes you to its disaster-relief fund.
*Noah's Wish -- An animal-rescue facility, critical because so many people are being forced to leave their pets behind or make Sophie's Choices between several.
*Southern Mutual Help -- Appears to be a for-profit organization that aims to help rebuild disaster-stricken rural areas.
*Ronald McDonald House -- There was a Ronald McDonald House on Canal Street in New Orleans that probably will need some major help. The families staying there have children being treated for cancer and other serious illnesses at nearby hospitals. I haven't heard anything specific on the news, but it seems like both the families staying there and the building itself will need help. I don't know the URL for the Ronald McDonald House in New Orleans, but donations can be made to the national office. You can also find contact information for your local Ronald McDonald House there.
*St. Vincent De Paul -- A reader shares, "My alma mater of LSU has recently been turned into a makeshift shelter for evacuees. Our local chapter of the Red Cross is up to capacity with donations and has asked that funds be sent to the St. Vincent De Paul Dining Room. These folks are working overtime to feed the thousands of people taking refuge in the capital, and I'm sure donations would be much appreciated. Unfortunately everything must be snail-mailed, but the contact information is located online."
*Some local branches of the Great Harvest Bread Co. in Southern Minnesota are donating all of Saturday's proceeds to hurricane relief; I suggest you contact your local branch to see if they, too, are participating.
*Whole Foods Market -- Apparently you can buy donation coupons at the chain's stores, and Whole Foods will apparently match these donations up to $1 million. Proceeds go to the American Red Cross. Click the link for more information. The supermarket is also implementing a job relocation plan for people who worked in its damaged locations.
*Brett Favre: New Orleans has been the focus of most of the stories, but other regions have been blown away and left in ruins. Favre, the Green Bay Packers quarterback, is a Mississippi native whose Fourward Foundation is taking donations for the victims. Click the link to find out how to contribute.
*DonorsChoose.org - A reader says, "Right now they're participating in the Amazon Challenge, in which a group of charities is competing to receive the most donations until Sept. 30, because Amazon will then match those donations. DonorsChoice just sent out an e-mail this yesterday saying that all donations to the Amazon Challenge for the next week will go to Hurricane Katrina-related projects, such as a 4th-grade class that wants to replace lost school supplies for another class in the region."
*Food for the Astrodome - A reader from Houston writes, "I am a volunteer in the Houston area for the displaced New Orleans evacuees being housed in the Astrodome. If you would like to donate money to provide meals to these evacuees locally, you can do so by clicking that link. If any of your readers are in the Houston area, they can also find information on how to volunteer their time serving food and providing other services at the Astrodome."
*Second Red Cross link -- Yahoo! has up a site that gives straight to the Red Cross, but can handle overflow traffic the regular Red Cross site can’t.
*Office Max is apparently allowing its customers to add donation money to their total bill when they check out.
*Northwest Medical Teams -- The site says, "We are... helping local church-based groups provide lodging and food for refugees; shipping emergency health supplies; dispatching mobile health vans to address public health needs; sending staff and volunteers to help medical relief efforts." NWT has a four-star rating from Charity Navigator.
*A friend mentioned that Stater Bros. Markets were accepting cash donations both outside of the stores and inside at the cashier.
*PETsMART - The retailer is funneling funds from its usual charities to Hurricane Katrina victims. Click to investigate and donate.
*The Barry Manilow Fund - The Schnozzed One's personal foundation will match donations and send all of it to the Red Cross.
*Best Buy - Through the end of September, if you donate at the register or through the Web site, the company will match it dollar-for-dollar and send the contributions to the Red Cross.
*Costco - The retailing giant is matching contributions dollar-for-dollar.
*Lisa Kline - From an employee, "Starting yesterday (and we haven’t put a cap on it, just going on as long as necessary) Lisa Kline has pledged 5% of all sales -- not just profits -- from www.lisakline.com to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief efforts."
*Crafters' United - An online shop created exclusively to sell donated items. All the proceeds are going to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund.
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Positive Stories of Help from all over:

*Anheuser-Busch, the King of Beers, is going to become the King of Water.
ST. LOUIS (Sept. 2, 2005) –Anheuser-Busch Companies said today it will be increasing its donation of fresh drinking water to nearly 2.5 million cans per week to Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. Recognizing the unique position the company is in to provide safe drinking water, the company will also be converting operations at its Houston brewery, in addition to its Cartersville, Ga., brewery, to producing canned water.

The company’s Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Anheuser-Busch Companies, is also increasing its donation to the Red Cross to $1 million to help ongoing relief efforts along the Gulf Coast communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Anheuser-Busch will also match contributions made by its employees to the Red Cross Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

In addition, the company announced it will match up to an additional $1 million from its independent wholesalers nationwide.

“As the extent of the devastation in the wake of Hurricane Katrina becomes clearer, our resolve to help becomes stronger. We have the ability to bring something life-saving to the victims: fresh drinking water. Together with our network of wholesalers across the country, we are mobilizing all of our resources to get water to these victims and to relief workers,” said Patrick Stokes, president and chief executive officer of Anheuser-Busch Companies. “Anheuser-Busch and our wholesalers nationwide are proud to continue providing support to those who need it most.”

Separately, Anheuser-Busch announced that it is making its truck fleet available to the Red Cross to ship emergency supplies such as generators, food and clothing. The trucks are located at the company’s 12 domestic breweries in St. Louis, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, Jacksonville, Fla., Williamsburg, Va., Baldwinsville, N.Y., Cartersville, Ga., Columbus, Ohio, Fort Collins, Colo., Merrimack, N.H. and Fairfield, Calif.

Anheuser-Busch’s logistics network, its freight carriers and wholesalers are working with officials to find passible routes into the stricken areas to deliver the water.
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WAL-MART - September 2, 2005. Items such as clothing, diapers, baby wipes, food, formula, toothbrushes, bedding and water will be given out free of charge to those with a demonstrated need at "Mini- Wal-Mart" locations.
Wal-Mart also will offer free check cashing in about 126 stores in the hurricane disaster area for an initial two-week period beginning today. This includes government, payroll and insurance checks and computer-generated checks. Proper identification will be required.
As a part of the emergency relief convoy to New Orleans today, Wal-Mart is sending nine trucks containing water.
Following President Bush’s announcement yesterday that former Presidents Bush and Clinton will lead a nationwide fundraising effort to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, Wal-Mart President and CEO Lee Scott contacted President Clinton and the White House and committed a $15 million cash donation from Wal-Mart to jump-start the effort.
The Emergency Contact Service has been created in our stores and on the internet to allow Wal-Mart associates and customers to post messages regarding their well-being on our websites.
We have management on the ground, working with moving supplies, helping stores to re-open, and helping displaced Wal-Mart associates. We are taking calls from associates needing emergency assistance and sending cash through our Associate Disaster Relief Fund.
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Dow Chemical Company, announced August 31 that it will contribute $3 million to the hurricane relief efforts. The donation will consist of:

$1 million in an immediate cash donation to the American Red Cross,
$1 million match to employee and retiree donations to the American Red Cross, and
$1 million in products and technology donations for the longer term reconstruction effort.
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These Minnesota based corporations and companies are donating to the relief efforts as well:
*3M Co. and Medtronic Inc. have joined other Minnesota companies in making large donations to the relief effort in Louisiana and Mississippi.
*3M Co. and the 3M Foundation have announced plans for an initial contribution of $1.5 million to help with relief efforts. The donation includes a $500,000 grant to match employee contributions to the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
*Medtronic has pledged $1 million through its foundation to support Red Cross relief efforts.
*Supervalu said it has made a donation of $50,000 to the Red Cross and is delivering water, food and other critical supplies to the Gulf Coast region.
*Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group's foundation said Monday it will donate $10 million.
*Target Corp. also is contributing $1.5 million.
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GlaxoSmithKline - As an immediate demonstration of support, GlaxoSmithKline is donating one million dollars to the relief effort. Of those funds, $500,000 will go to the American Red Cross, $250,000 to the Mississippi Hurricane Fund and $250,000 to the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation. The company will also provide medicines and health care products in support of the disaster recovery.

As a health care company with a broad range of medicines, vaccines and consumer health care products, GSK is also working closely with relief organizations and government officials to donate products to the Gulf Coast region. These organizations are expert in determining how best to distribute supplies efficiently, where and when they are most needed.

Given the extensive damage to basic utility services, a number of prescription medicines such as antibiotics and vaccines are likely to be in high demand. GSK's medicines for diabetes, respiratory diseases and other chronic conditions may also be needed by patients. GSK also stands ready to donate substantial quantities of personal hygiene products such as toothpaste and toothbrushes, and nonprescription medicines.
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UPS - In response to the destruction from Hurricane Katrina, The UPS Foundation is donating $1,250,000 toward relief efforts and UPS is taking separate steps to assist its employees and their families in the affected areas.

The $1.25 million donation will include $500,000 in cash and up to $750,000 of in-kind services for the shipment of medical and health-related items. The funds will be divided between The American Red Cross, America's Second Harvest and other relief organizations that assist with long-term rebuilding activities.
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Chevron - Chevron Corporation today announced it is making a commitment of $5 million to support recovery efforts in the communities affected by Hurricane Katrina. This includes a $3 million contribution to the American Red Cross in support of disaster relief efforts in Louisiana, Mississippi and other affected areas following further analysis of the devastation. The remaining $2 million will go to local charities and relief efforts near Chevron businesses in affected states, as determined by the Company.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with our employees and the communities affected by this disaster," said Dave O’Reilly, chairman and CEO of Chevron Corporation. "We are pleased to partner with the American Red Cross to provide aid and we will be evaluating opportunities to expand relief efforts near our businesses as we learn more about local needs."
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Abbot Laboratories - ABBOTT PLEDGES DONATION OF $4 MILLION IN FUNDS AND NUTRITIONAL, MEDICAL PRODUCTS — In response to widespread damage throughout the Gulf Coast caused by the catastrophic hurricane Katrina, Abbott has pledged $2 million in cash donations and an initial $2 million in nutritional and medical products to help victims of this disaster. The nutritional products, which are already being distributed to those in need, were rapidly shipped to affected areas in response to initial requests from aid organizations yesterday soon after the disaster struck.

"The effects of this disaster are absolutely devastating. Abbott is answering the call to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina," said Miles D. White, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott. "Our thoughts are with all of those who live in the affected areas. We encourage all of corporate America to help."

Working with disaster relief organizations including the American Red Cross, AmeriCares, America's Second Harvest and MAP International, Abbott's initial contributions include cases of pediatric and adult nutritional products such as Similac® infant formula, PediaSure® and Pedialyte® nutritional drinks and Ensure® and ZonePerfect® bars.
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More stories to come as I find them...

The myth of no expression of faith in the public school system

There are many of you out there who, for whatever reason, can not home school your children or afford to put them into a private school or maybe don't even want to have your child in a private school. There is the myth that in a public school, your child can have nothing to do in regards to showing or sharing his or her faith. That is simply NOT true. So that you can figure out just what your child is able to do in regards to his or her faith in a public school and what is allowed, here is some information put together for you by Koinonia House with links included from such places as the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) and the First Amendment Center.

If there are any questions you have regarding something that may have happened to your child in terms of disciplinary action or warnings given in regards to their faith (or you in the workplace for that matter), please contact the American Center for Law and Justice. They are a FREE legal representation and legal counsel for any and all religious matters pertaining to faith in the workplace or public school system.

Also, below the information for public schooling, there is information regarding home schooling for those who are interested in that as well. Home schooling doesn’t have to be faith based, though most of those who home school do have a faith based curriculum. Personally, if I could afford to be a SAHM, I would look into home schooling Emily. Since that is not an option, I want to put her into a private school. Of course that is a discussion that Matt and I will have to have. We’ve already discussed it and have agreed that private school is a good thing for Emily, now it’s just choosing the school.

I was in the private school system from K-9 and transferred into the public school system in 10th grade. I wish now that I never would have made that transition. My worldview got very skewed for a while, especially regarding peer pressure because everything was so different, I could do so many things in public school that I couldn’t do in private school. Now I know that there is a reason for that. Character gets compromised; maybe the ethics stay the same, but the morals get changed to “fit in” with the crowd.

Hindsight is 20/20 and I’m just happy that I can take advantage of my hindsight when it comes to Emily and how I want her to be raised and what I want her to avoid and the character traits I want to be instilled in her. The public school system doesn’t offer that – especially around here. In Austin, pretty much the whole district fails every year when they go in to check the schools and give them grades based on how well they are performing in the basics, etc. I would much rather scrimp and save and have it be tight in order for Emily to get a good faith-based education in a private school rather than the crap that the NEA shovels out en mass.

BACK TO SCHOOL: FAITH IN THE CLASSROOM

The role of religion in public schools continues to be a hotly debated issue. Some public school teachers avoid the mere mention of religion in their classrooms because they are afraid of offending students, becoming the target of a lawsuit, or even losing their job. Other teachers would like to talk about religion, but don't know what they are allowed to say and what would be considered "crossing the line." If you are among the many teachers, students, and parents who may have questions concerning religion in public schools, you may wish to take a moment to explore some of the resources available to you.

A publication by the First Amendment Center called Finding Common Ground: A Guide to Religious Liberty in Public Schools can be downloaded for free online (see link below). Finding Common Ground is a guidebook that explains teachers' and students' religious rights. It gives information concerning a wide variety of subjects such as equal access, judicial court rulings, and religious holidays. Below you will also find a link to the United States Department of Education Guidelines on Religious Expression in Public Schools.

Freedom of Speech

The Supreme Court has ruled that students retain their freedom of speech and expression when at school. According to the 1969 Supreme Court decision in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District, a school may only silence students if they are actually disrupting school discipline. That is, a student's freedom of expression does not give him or her the right to interrupt class. However, during free time, students are free to:

• Read their Bibles
• Talk to peers about religion and pray with their peers
• Wear clothing with Christian symbols and messages
• Pass out religious tracts

Equal Access

If a secondary public school receives any federal funding and if it allows any other non-curriculum clubs (like the chess club or the glee club) to form, then it must allow students to form Bible clubs or other religiously oriented organizations on campus, with the same rights to the facilities as other clubs. Religious clubs are guaranteed the right to official recognition, which means the school must offer them access to the school newspaper, bulletin boards, and the public announcement system et al. Religious clubs, however, must be student-initiated and student-led. The students may invite outside speakers, but the club must be organized and led by the students themselves.

Educational Opportunities

Because religion is such an integral part of history and politics and the human experience in general, it is a relevant topic in the classroom setting. Teachers and students are free to discuss different religions and the impact religion has had on society. While teachers must maintain a neutral position with the students, students are free to offer their own personal opinions on religious matters. [Teachers are free to discuss religious issues with their own peers outside of the classroom.]

Students may write papers on religious subjects, including the Bible. The Bible has had an enormous impact on history and literature and is an important book to know, even from a secular viewpoint. Literature from Shakespeare to Faulkner is full of allusions to the Bible, which can only be fully appreciated with a working knowledge of God's Word.

Teachers

Teachers also retain their First Amendment rights at school, but at the same time represent the school while in the classroom and at school events. Therefore, public school teachers are not permitted to "force their religion" on the kids. However, teachers do have a lot of freedom to teach about religion for educational purposes. They may teach on comparative religions, including Christianity. They may discuss the impact religion has had on history and science and literature. They may even discuss religion with students one-on-one, if the student initiates and maintains the conversation and is not compelled to agree with the teacher's position.

As school starts up again, continue to pray for those faithful teachers who are striving to teach students according to righteousness in the face of an increasingly liberal education establishment, and for those students who are willing to stand up for their faith and be a light to their peers rather than just going along with the crowd.

Related Links:
United States Department of Education Guidelines on Religious Expression in Public Schools – ACLJ
Finding Common Ground: A Guide to Religious Liberty in Public Schools - First Amendment Center

TRAIN UP A CHILD: THOUGHTS ON HOME SCHOOLING

An estimated 2 million children were home schooled last year and that number is growing fast. The effectiveness of home schooling has been the subject of much research and debate. Critics decry home schooling as being ineffectual for scholastic achievement. The facts speak otherwise.

On almost every standardized test, home schooled children seem to excel. Statistical data continues to conclude that home schooling not only works, but it works effectively. And it works without the myriad of state controls and accreditation standards imposed on public schools. According to the National Home Education Research Institute the home educated score better, on average, than students in conventional state-run schools.

But these are only academic measures. The Spiritual value of home schooling is difficult to measure on a standardized test. Spiritual integrity and close family relationships are the real prizes of home schooling.

God's creation design is for married couples to bear children and train them to be righteous before Him. God gives us the great commandment in Deuteronomy 6:4 and then instructs us further:

"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up (Deuteronomy 6:6,7)."

God has placed children in families that they might learn from their parents' character and skills what will be needed in order for them to fulfill their life's purposes. The instruction of parents is vital. Parents who home school are discovering the blessed opportunity to direct more closely the spiritual growth of their children.

If you want to consider home schooling, you don't have to re-invent the wheel or do it alone. There are many resources available to help. The Home School Legal Defense Association website has answers to many commonly asked questions as well as lots of good resources to get you started.

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6)."

Home School Legal Defense Association -
National Home Education Research Institute -
The Myth of Socialization by John Loeffler - Koinonia House
The Un-Neighborly Neighbor by Vicki Brady - Koinonia House

The Rally Report

The Crawford rally and candlelight vigil through my eyes.


We left Austin around 11:00 on our way to Crawford. This was an impromptu trip as my mom had heard about it on Friday morning and called me up at work and asked me if I wanted to go. My response was, "YEAH! Let's do it!" It was a way for us to be able to show our support for our troops and the duty that they are doing in order to provide the same kind of freedom that we have here in America. Though, admittedly, there are so many factions here in America who are working to undermine the basic freedoms that we are afforded under the Constitution, the Amendments and the Bill of Rights. The basic right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Take abortion for instance. Abortion cuts that first basic right to life. Abortion is NOT a guaranteed right. There is NOWHERE in the Constitution that says that anyone can kill the baby that is growing inside of them just because they don't want it, or that child isn't "convenient" for them "at this time in their life". Abortion is NOT a Constitutional right, people. The people who believe in socialistic, humanistic and communistic values that seriously undermine the American way of life that our founding fathers fought to give us are trying to change all of the foundations and priciples that America was founded on. If they get their way of the minority trying to silence the majority, they just might succeed, to the detriment of us all.

So, we were on our way to Crawford for about a 2½ hour drive and when we get to the rally there were cars everywhere!

(I personally liked the sign that this truck was sporting)

Thankfully we got a space that wasn't too far from the event and I had the forethought to bring Em's big stroller. She still fits in it, thank God.

Even though she is the size of a 5/6 year old, she still is only 3 and it would have been impossible to carry her everywhere for any length of time with her size. We also were able to put several bottles of cold water, Gatorade and a gallon of tang/protein mix drink in the bottom of the stroller. When we got there, there was an area where you could make a poster to hold up or sign a huge roll of paper for the troops and another for the President, showing your support for both. My mom and I both signed the yellow roll for the troops.


The crowd there was amazing, very patriotic and very supportive of our troops.


Some member of the press from SanFran came by wondering how many people were there and someone said about 1,000. I had to laugh b/c it was more like 2,000. I guess my mom had heard it wrong on the radio...two thousand...ten thousand...when the radio connection is kind of choppy, it happens. The really sad thing was that there were very few members of the media from the US who were actually there. Most of them were at Cindy's camp. Of course that's what the liberal media does, they only show one side of the story – the one they are predisposed to be biased toward (Anyone remember the recent "Rathergate").


Shortly after we got there they threw out 3 Sheehan supporters that had managed to get in with their signs. Unfortunately I didn't get to see what the signs said as a member of the Blue Angel's dragged the signs out in front of the few members of the media that were there surrounding the Sheehan supporters as the police escorted them out.




The man in the black shirt was at the Crawford Peace House later in the day after the rally was over. The lady in the pink hat was also part of it. Funny how the media that was there crowded around them like hungry sharks looking for blood. Most of the media, it sounded like, were from foreign countries. Most of them were speaking foreign languages to each other. That's a downright shame when the media from other countries have more interest in the pro-troops rally than those from our own country.

The crowd chanted "Cindy go home!" several times throughout the rally as family member with loved ones in Iraq, former Vietnam Vets and current military soldiers spoke throughout the 2 ½ hour rally. They had free ice cold bottled water in ice-filled tubs throughout the site area and people with misters to spray a mist on people. They also had a huge tent set up, which, thank GOD they did b/c it was hot, hot, HOT! In the SHADE the temp reading on my car's gauge was 105, so you can just imagine what it felt like in the full sun!


Thankfully we brought our camping chairs and found a spot for my mom and Emily to sit under the tent in the shade while I went around taking pictures and talking to people and getting some great BBQ for us to eat!


A woman taking a break from the heat by sitting under a tree holds a poster that says "The land of the Free BECAUSE of the brave".


AustinTownhallConservatives.com members Brian McAuliffe (right), who also is a member of the Hays County Republican Party and Brad Ward (left), who is a self-described Pro-Constitution, Pro-Gun, Anti-United Nations American, were on hand to show their support of our troops and had a few choice words for Cindy via their signs.


A huge flag is displayed that was sewn together with each square that makes up the red and white stripes decorated by a different person who supports the American men and women in uniform and supports their decision to go and bring freedom to those who had none over in Iraq. This flag was HUGE.


Two of the guys cutting the brisket and sausage were from the Austin Fire department. One of them worked in east Austin and one of them worked the campus area.

Speaking as part of the lineup were Gold Star family members, former and current military personnel, Vietnam Vets, and even the wife of one of the men on the plane that went down in Pennsylvania on 9-11. She said that the reason she is supporting our troops in Iraq is because she knows that they are over there fighting to bring freedom to others and to also prevent another 9-11 from happening again. Another speaker who is a current military member who had just returned from a tour in Iraq said that Cindy Sheehan is lowering the morale of the soldiers over there b/c all they are hearing is how "the people" back home aren't supporting them and how "the people" back home are against the war so even though they know that they are fighting for a noble cause, they don't believe that they have the support of the American people back home. He said that it was time for the rest of America to stand up and speak out against people like Cindy so that the soldiers in Iraq know that they are not forgotten, abandoned or disrespected by those whom they are also over there fighting to protect. (I mean really, what do Cindy and the rest of her ilk believe? That if we pull out and go home the terrorists – yes TERRORISTS NOT FREEDOM FIGHTERS – are going to be content to sit there and twiddle their thumbs? No, they will be over here making war on our home soil. Why don't the people like Cindy understand that?)

The Gold Star family members, who had lost family members in the War were going to go over to Camp Casey and take the crosses from the site b/c there were SEVERAL family members at the rally who were furious that Sheehan were exploiting their deceased family members in that way. They were ready to make a statement that CINDY DID NOT SPEAK FOR THEM!! Unfortunately, members of the Democratic Underground got wind of their plans and knocked over the crosses that were out there. Eventually most of the crosses were recovered by the families and put up at the Candlelight vigil held at Fort Qualls, which was set up behind The Yellow Rose, Crawford's big gift shop. However, about 40 that were originally there were missing, which really incensed those family members who's loved ones crosses were among those that were missing.


On the way into town to get a bite to eat after the rally, we drove by the Crawford Peace House where several anti-Bush, anti-war signs were up all around the house and the grounds.


Two women from the "Lesbians Against Bush" part of Sheehan's fans were on the corner of the parking lot to one of Crawford's most frequented restaurants and the owner came out and told them to get off of his property so they stood in the street right across from Fort Qualls.

There was a display set up in front of The Yellow Rose, the Crawford gift shop and site of Fort Qualls, that had a replica of the Liberty Bell that people could ring as well as a display of the Ten Commandments. Emily at first was scared of the bell b/c it was LOUD, but later in the evening she tried it out on her own and almost was able to ring it. She did eventually ring it with mommy's help!



Only in a small (Texas) town would a restaurant be able to get away with having this up without getting slapped by a lawsuit from the ACLU or some other ridiculous organization.


My mom and Emily sitting on the sidewalk in front of Fort Qualls.


This was the very small group of anti-war protesters across the street from Fort Qualls that were protesting the candlelight vigil.


A local Crawford resident who supports Bush and the troops painted his classic car to reflect his patriotism.


A young girl wears a shirt that reflects the family's feelings about their loved one who is currently on tour in Iraq.


Fort Qualls was established on August 18, 2005 1. To refute and to ANSWER the untruths that Camp Casey, Cindy Sheehan & The Crawford Peace House have falsely made about our soldiers, our country, and our President! 2. To continue to let the truth of FREEDOM ring & keep America free. 3. To aggressively challenge untruths, wherever they are.

Fort Qualls was named in memory of a Central Texas soldier Marine Lance Cpl. Louis Wayne Qualls, 20, who died in Iraq last fall.

"If I have to sacrifice my whole family for the sake of our country and world, other countries that want freedom, I'll do that," said the soldier's father, Gary Qualls, a friend of the local business owner who started the pro-Bush camp. He said his 16-year-old son now wants to enlist, and he supports that decision.

Qualls' frustration with the anti-war demonstrators erupted last week when he removed a cross bearing his son's name that was among hundreds the group had put up along the road to Bush's ranch.

Qualls called the protesters' views disrespectful to soldiers, and said he had to yank out two more crosses after protesters kept replacing them.

Fort Qualls' motto is "DO NOT LET GOOD BE OVERCOME BY EVIL! LET EVIL BE OVERCOME WITH GOOD!"


Retired Military Chaplain stopped at the rally and vigil on his way to Laredo to work with the boarder patrol. He has been petitioning Bush to release some of the surplus supplies and allow homeless vets to work with the border patrol and give them a home on the border and let them help take care of the border problem with illegal crossings. He already has gotten some favorable response from the White House over this plan.



An unknown man, presumably the father of one of the fallen soldiers, stood in reverent silence in front of a garden of crosses with the names of the soldiers who had given their lives in battle. Sometimes silently shedding tears, sometimes praying silently with head bowed. He finally kneeled before the cross of Robert Thornton and touched the dog tags that had been placed there. Finally after about 10 minutes he went and sat in a chair next to the crosses and was just silent and the look on his face was haunted.


A tribute set up by the parents of their son in the garden of crosses at Fort Qualls.


The angel at Fort Qualls is a sculpture that was created in support of our troops.


Wade Fortin, a Vietnam Vet, who has been in and out of hospitals since he came home from complications due to Agent Orange has had both legs amputated, most of his fingers amputated, almost all of his teeth gone, and is very depressed – his friend was afraid that he is seriously considering suicide, was finally given his homecoming tonight at the candlelight vigil. It was a very touching ceremony complete with the 100 or so people who were at the candlelight vigil cheering for him and thanking him. I could tell that it touched him very deeply and his toothless smile was just beautiful. I can only hope that it is enough to get rid of those suicidal thoughts in his head. The sad thing about this story is that b/c he is missing so many appendages, his friend said that few people get to know him b/c of his appearance. He has been really hurting for some friends and the friend that was there with him said that Wade often asks why he is his friend b/c nobody else seems to want to be. The friend was able to get the former military men there, including the chaplain to go over and talk to him and salute him. It really meant a lot to this Vietnam Vet who had been shunned for the most part by society ever since he had gotten home.

Wade's friend


"We did not lose the war in Viet Nam, we lost the cause in America because the media told the country that we were losing and stopped supporting us and through their bias urged others to do the same but if we keep supporting the troops here, we will win in Iraq and it will not become another Vietnam. This is the best thing you can do for the troops right now – show your support at rally's like this. Be vocal about your support of the troops. Don't let the media or the other side try to keep you silent. You know we are not the minority, but the majority and the majority are no longer silent. The minority can not silence us anymore."


The candlelight vigil was very emotional, spiritual and patriotic with many of the military veterans and loved ones offering prayers, tears flowing freely among those whose loved ones were over in Iraq or who had lost someone there. Everyone said the Pledge of Allegiance, which was led by a former Vietnam Veteran and sang our National Anthem.


Some of the vets that were at the candlelight service. Very quiet, very staid, very reverent and respectful with big rumbly voices that were surprisingly gentle.


Some of the names of soldiers that their family members wanted their crosses removed from the Camp Casey site.


Some of the crosses that were rescued from Camp Casey by irate patents and family members who were angry at Sheehan for using their children/loved ones names to further her anti-war, anti-troop rhetoric.


Some of the family members re-erecting the same crosses at Fort Qualls in support of the duty that their loved ones died performing.


The parent of one of the soldiers who was KIA in Iraq holding her son's cross that they took back from Camp Casey. She said it was a disgrace what Cindy was doing to the memory of her son and to the memory of every other soldier who had died or were still fighting over there.


A military father proudly holding up pictures of his son, who, he said, had been proud to be in Iraq, working toward giving the Iraqis the same freedoms that we were privileged to have here in America. He said that his son and everyone that his son served with in his squad/platoon/where they were stationed in Iraq believed in what they were doing and that what Cindy was doing was spitting on their memory and spitting on their efforts and that it was a disgusting display to have someone like her trashing the soldiers who were over there doing their duty.


Em prayed right along with the Chaplain as he said a prayer for the protection of our brave men and women in Iraq. This is probably one of my favorite pictures of her this weekend along with this one:



During the candlelight vigil a storm started to kick up. Lots of lightening in the distance, wind gusting pretty hard, huge, infrequent drops of rain. The storm, they say, was going to produce gusts of up to 60 miles per hour, possible large hail, huge showers, etc, so we decided that safety had become the order of the day, plus Em was READY to go.
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And now Sheehan is calling the mothers of other slain soldiers "brainwashed" for supporting "murder and mayhem". After calling the terrorists in Iraq who killed her son "freedom fighters," anti-Bush activist Cindy Sheehan now says other mothers of those slain in the conflict whose views oppose her own are "brainwashed." She said, "I am starting to lose a little compassion for them. I know they have been as brainwashed as the rest of America, but they know the pain and heartache and they should not wish it on another. However, I still feel their pain so acutely and pray for these 'continue the murder and mayhem' moms to see the light."

Before calling someone who has lost their son brainwashed for disagreeing with her spitting on their child's memory, she might want to look in the mirror and see how much of what is coming out of her mouth is left-wing regurgitated rhetoric. Who's the one who's been "brainwashed". She has become the parroted mouthpiece for the left, in fact so much so that Martin Sheen visited her on Sunday – he the KING of the ultra liberal Hollywood leftists. The more she belittles other who don't think like her, the less people are going to listen to her and the less credibility she will have with the general American populous at large. She's already starting to lose credibility as she starts speaking about channeling her deceased son and the other fallen soldiers. She herself has said that had she "been in her right mind" after Casey died she would have denied him a military burial and refused to let him be buried in his uniform, and what was she doing while she was not "in her right mind"? In her own words - she sat on the couch and cried and drank for a week, then went to meet with Bush and had nothing but the most complimentary things to say.

And now a word from Chuck Colson

We will get back to our regularly scheduled program after this message. I am in the process of putting together the recap/photos from our trip to the Crawford rally yesterday but I felt compelled to share this right now. This was a Breakpoint Commentary earlier in the week by Chuck Colson. It is very telling as to how much influence and our dependance on Saudi oil has allowed us to turn a blind eye to the demands they are putting on us.

Who Is Becoming Like Whom?
The Saudis Get a Pass . . . Again

A key goal in the war on terrorism is the promotion of democracy and pluralism in the Islamic world. It’s expected that these Western ideals will cripple radical Islam by reducing the number of potential terrorist recruits, and by making the Middle East more like the West.

Apparently, someone in Blacksburg, Virginia, didn’t get the word.

Blacksburg is home to Virginia Tech, Virginia’s largest public university. This past summer, Virginia Tech was paid $246,000 to host a program in “faculty development” for King Abdul-Aziz University in Saudi Arabia.

Such arrangements aren’t unusual, but what was unusual was the Saudis’ request that the classes be gender-segregated. University officials said that the Saudis wanted the courses to “mirror classroom settings at their home institution.”

As one Virginia Tech spokesman put it, the university “chose to respect the Saudi culture ‘rather than impress our culture on them.’” Well, that explanation did not go down well with Tech faculty members. One professor even filed a grievance. Virginia Tech’s provost issued an apology-of-sorts and called the flap a “learning moment” that will guide Tech’s future actions.

This particular issue is moot because the Saudis will be long gone by the time the grievance process is over. What isn’t moot is the way that Saudi Arabian oil wealth buys an exemption from our professed values and ideals.

A decade ago, the Supreme Court ruled that the Virginia Military Institute’s (VMI) single-sex policy violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause. As a public institution, VMI couldn’t do, as a matter of conviction, what its sister institution, Virginia Tech, now gladly does for money. Please.

Our bending over backwards to accommodate Saudi sensibilities isn’t limited to American college campuses. As scholar Daniel Pipes puts it, “In Saudi Arabia, the U.S. government submits to restrictions on Christian practices that it would find totally unacceptable anywhere else in the world”—including foregoing saying grace before Thanksgiving dinner during a 1990 visit by then-president George H. W. Bush. As recently as 2002, American servicewomen, when they went off-base, were expected to wear “abayas,” the black head-to-foot garments worn by Saudi women. Meanwhile, we allow Saudis to finance schools that teach hatred of the West and send Korans into prisons.

These and numerous other examples prompt an obvious question: Who is becoming like whom? There can be no doubt which one needs to change. After all, Americans didn’t hijack their planes and fly them into the Kingdom Centre in Riyadh.

Yet, Americans are expected, by both their government and ours, to become more like Saudis. And as the price of oil rises, this leverage and influence can be expected to rise with it.

Let’s be clear: This is not “respect” for another culture; it is cravenness. It is letting oil wealth blind us, not only to our values, but also to our best interests. In any war, it helps to know who your adversaries are. The poor, misguided folks in Blacksburg may have done us a favor if this wakes us up to the double-standard we practice with the Saudis.

It's been a HOT, long and rewarding day...

So we’ve been back home from Crawford and the "You Don't Speak for Me, Cindy", pro-USA, pro-soldiers tour for about an hour. I’m still sweaty - I can't seem to cool down, slightly sunburned in that oh so charming redneck, farmer’s tan kind of way, my head itches where it was under my cap and plastered to my head with sweat, I’m stinking exhausted (at least I’m not stinky - just smell like a lot of dust), my contacts really needed to be taken out (AHHHHH!), I’m really dusty, in desperate need of a shower and I’ll probably be asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. It was a long day. A looooooong day. I’ve been up since about 4:25 this morning. I tried to get back to sleep, really I did, but my mind went over all the stuff that we had to get together still. SIGH. I itch. Not just where the sunburn is but under my clothes. The wind really blew the dust around, and oh, there was a lot of it, ummm, dust that is - just enough wind to annoyingly blow that dust but not enough to be any relief until the candlelight vigil. I am extremely glad I went and I have a lot of pictures to share as well as a recap of how the day went. However, if I can, I am going to hit the hay and blog about it tomorrow. This trip was a fascinating experience and there’s quite a bit to tell!

Follow the yellow brick road

Well, today I am going to Crawford, TX to a "Support the Troops" rally being held there. They are expecting over 10,000 people to show up. Even though I don't agree with a lot that the President has done lately, especially regarding the Israel disengagement plan (more on that later and why I believe it's a bad idea), I still support him b/c he is the President, but this is not about him today. It is about counteracting the nutcase, anti-war protester, Cindy Sheehan. She crossed the line from another anti-war protester looking for her 15 minutes of fame, which is WAY past up, to nutcase when she said that she was "channeling" her dead son and has the support of tens of thousands of angels and Casey's fellow fallen soldiers backing her up in her protest as well as saying that at 1 week old, Casey could already read her mind.

To clarify, I don't believe that she is a nutcase for protesting the war, she has that right, she is, however, becoming a crackpot b/c she is starting to be delusionary and a little bit on the "fringe" of normal b/c she is talking about "channeling" her dead son and his fallen brothers-in-arms and trying to speak for them post-mortem by saying that they have given her messages and spoken to her.

Three down, two to go...

This is for my first player, the lovely, the delightful, the sweet and sassy Lois Lane! If you haven’t had the chance to read her yet, she is a true riot. Full of great emotion, especially humor, and not afraid to spill her embarrassing stories.

1. Random: Kind, loyal, protective, great sense of humor

2. I’ll tell you what song or movie reminds me of you:
Song: American Pie (Don McLean) – very American, more sensible and hip in the way America was back in those days – not the outrageous "hip" mother trying to be a teen again crap that is out there today.
Movie: E.T. (Your sometimes chaotic yet always close-knit household reminds me of that family – of course Mr. Lane is in the picture at your house.)

3. I’ll pick a color/flavor of jello to wrestle with you in. Since I’m not into jello wrestling, this is a hypothetical question:
Cherry b/c you are sweet and down-to-earth like cherry pie.

4. I’ll say something that only makes sense to you and me:
Overalls and spooning.

5. I’ll tell you my first memory of you:
I can’t remember when I came across you first but my first memory of you was the really nice comments that you left on my blog when I first started blogging, even the one about me being an aspiring romance writer and you not liking romance novels but that you liked me just fine anyway - LOL! “You had me from hello” and I’ve been so happy that you’ve been my blogfriend ever since. You are a real treasure!

6. I’ll tell you what animal you remind me of:
You are a turtle. A turtle symbolizes love, protection/protectiveness, and grounding – as in the grounding influence that you are for your family.

7. I’ll ask you something I’ve always wondered about you:
When was the last time you cut your hair? It’s soooo long and...I remember your public restroom story. ROFLMAO!!!
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Next up is the warm, the witty, the distinguished Captain Picard. A frequent visitor to Nic’s Place from a distant galaxy, Captain Picard has always been nothing but gracious, kind and encouraging. A real great blogfriend to have! Captain Picard’s blog is a highly entertaining peek into the life of a harassed and beleaguered Starship captain in the 24th century. You definitely won’t want to miss out on the fun there!

1. Random: Encouraging, champion, stoic, hidden mischief

2. I’ll tell you what song or movie reminds me of you:
Song: Unchained Melody (Cyndi Lauper’s version). The lyrics remind me of the feelings you have for Bev. Feelings you will only admit to yourself, alone in your quarters, in the dark of night after having some good brandy.
Movie: Close Encounters of the Third Kind. That is your life, you seek to make contact with new, emerging and undiscovered civilizations.

3. I’ll pick a color/flavor of jello to wrestle with you in. Since I’m not into jello wrestling, this is a hypothetical question:
Since Earle Gray doesn’t make a jello flavor, I’m going to have to go with Sparkling Grape (made by adding ginger ale instead of water). You have hidden depth and many facets to you that are only shown under the right light. It is a surprising and welcome treat.

4. I’ll say something that only makes sense to you and me:
Beware of wearing your red shirt on your initial visit to a planet

5. I’ll tell you my first memory of you:
I found you through a comment you had made on Master Yoda’s blog and followed the link. There were only a few posts up as the blog had just started but I was amused and intrigued by the humor in the posts and kept coming back.

6. I’ll tell you what animal you remind me of:
Deer b/c it denotes Gentleness, Caring, Sensitivity, Peace and Wisdom

7. I’ll ask you something I’ve always wondered about you:
When will you ever admit to Bev how you feel? It’s so obvious to everyone. It’s almost a tangible entity, those sparks between the two of you.
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The third brave soul is a strong one for truth, justice and the REAL American way. Ken from Oblogatory Anecdotes is a real sharp guy with well-spoken opinions. He has articles up there from a conservative viewpoint regarding issues that you don’t see on many blogs unless they’re liberal ones defending their side of things. If you’re looking for the conservative viewpoint on the political, current events side of things that is well-reasoned, this is one of the best places to go.

1. Random: Patriotic, strong beliefs, family man, truth teller

2. I’ll tell you what song or movie reminds me of you:
Song: God Bless America. Reminds me of small-town, patriotic celebrations where everyone looks out for one another and is a close-knit community. You strike me as that kind of a person.
Movie: A Few Good Men. Just like the JAG team in that movie, you search for the truth and then put it out there.

3. I’ll pick a color/flavor of jello to wrestle with you in. Since I’m not into jello wrestling, this is a hypothetical question:
Strawberry. Backyard bbq’s, children chasing fireflies, sparklers, sunsets on clear summer nights. That’s what strawberry jello reminds me of and your blog does too.

4. I’ll say something that only makes sense to you and me:
RE: Cornered Dog, etc. - Support makes a difference.

5. I’ll tell you my first memory of you:
I’m not sure how I first found you, but it’s only been about 4 weeks. I know though that when I read my first post of yours that I was very happy to find an intelligent mind out there who was blogging issues from my POV. It seems to be an infrequent phenomenon in comparison to the left-wing opinions out there in the blogsphere.

6. I’ll tell you what animal you remind me of:
Ant – because an ant denotes teamwork, patience, action, and community.

7. I’ll ask you something I’ve always wondered about you:
Hmmm, that’s a toughie. If you could make America exactly how you wanted her to be, what would you make different and why?
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Who else is ready to play? I can take two more players. See, isn't this fun!