Hey everyone! Hope you all are having a great week. You’ve probably noticed a few new additions to Present Day Patriots home page… a few images, a hit counter, and some general flair! Thank you for returning to the blog… I appreciate all the support. Remember to tell your friends!
The news reels have been teeming with incidents and events this week… the oil spill devastating the Gulf of Mexico, Arizona’s new Immigration Law, and the bill to allow Puerto Rico’s statehood that has now passed the House… (Oh wait, you haven’t heard about that one…because most of the mainstream media has neglected to cover that story…oops).
I have been doing quite a bit of reading on Arizona’s newest immigration law—one that has caused quite a stir in the left and the right of the US. Of course the liberal left is against it, but I have heard quite a few staunch conservatives voice their opposition of the law as well, and this surprised me. I have found quite a bit of information on this topic… and I have quite a bit to say about it. So here goes…
I’ll begin with a few statistics. It has been estimated that “Arizona had one of the fastest growing illegal immigrant populations in the country, increasing from 330,000 in 2000 to 560,000 by 2008” and the Center for Immigration Studies (a non-partisan research institution) estimated (in 2007) that nearly 12% of workers were illegal. This takes jobs away from legal citizens of Americans… and unsecure borders put citizens of not only Arizona, and other border states in danger of drug cartel violence, but the country as a whole…as Ronald Reagan said, “A nation without borders is not a nation.”
I have family members that live in Arizona, and I asked my cousin for her opinion on the issue…
“I think our state has been suffering from the effects of illegal immigration for so long that we are at point where something must be done. The federal gov't is not solving the problems with their methods. Governor Jan Brewer is a strong Conservative, Republican politician with high moral values and a strong Christian. I trust her judgment and I agree that "racial profiling" is not the method for which the law will be carried out. Over half of Arizona is in favor of this law and I just heard that other states are looking into it. Whatever happens with this law, we are certainly getting the attention this crisis deserves from the nation. I just pray that in the end, we can get closer to securing our country.”
My cousin is not the only one that feels this way… a Rasmussen poll showed that 70% of voters were in favor of AZ’s immigration bill, and only 23% opposed it. May I remind you that, as the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution states, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Arizona decided it was time to take action to protect its citizens instead of waiting on federal action that was not going to happen.
From the Center for Immigration Studies, here is a good summary of the law’s provisions… please read it in full… it may debunk conceptions the mainstream media has thrown out there…
-The new Arizona law mirrors federal law, which already requires aliens (non-citizens) to register and carry their documents with them (8 USC 1304(e) and 8 USC 1306(a)). The new Arizona law simply states that violating federal immigration law is now a state crime as well. Because illegal immigrants are by definition in violation of federal immigration laws, they can now be arrested by local law enforcement in Arizona.
-The law only allows police to ask about immigration status in the normal course of "lawful contact" with a person, such as a traffic stop or if they have committed a crime.
-Before asking a person about immigration status, law enforcement officials are required by the law to have "reasonable suspicion" that a person is an illegal immigrant. The concept of "reasonable suspicion" is well established by court rulings. Since Arizona does not issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, having a valid license creates a presumption of legal status. Examples of reasonable suspicion include:
-A driver stopped for a traffic violation has no license, or record of a driver's license or other form of federal or state identification.
-A police officer observes someone buying fraudulent identity documents or crossing the border illegally.
-A police officer recognizes a gang member back on the street who he knows has been previously deported by the federal government.
-The law specifically states that police, "may not solely consider race, color or national origin" when implementing SB 1070.
-When Arizona's governor signed the new law, she also issued an executive order requiring the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board to provide local police with additional training on what does and what does not constitute "reasonable suspicion."(13)
(Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/center-for-immigration-studies-on-the-new-arizona-immigration-law-sb1070-92454374.html )
This pretty much sums up the law… Arizona Governor Jan Brewer gave a speech before her signing of the bill into law on April 23. She spoke of the law’s intentions to make Arizona a safer state, and to finally take action on what has been a pressing problem for the state for quite some time. Governor Brewer also vehemently stated that the practices of racial discrimination and profiling will not be tolerated within the carrying-out of this law. One particular section that stood out to me was as follows:
“Despite erroneous and misleading statements suggesting otherwise, the new state misdemeanor crime of willful failure to complete or carry an alien registration document is adopted, verbatim, from the same offense found in federal statute.
I will NOT tolerate racial discrimination or racial profiling in Arizona.
That effort led to new language in the bill, language prohibiting law enforcement officers from “solely considering race, color, or national origin in implementing the requirements of this section…”
The bill already required that it “shall be implemented in a manner consistent with federal laws regulating immigration, protecting the civil rights of all persons and respecting the privileges and immunities of United States citizens.”
While the general protection was already included, I believe the issue is so important, we needed to make it CRYSTAL clear.
Today I am issuing an executive order directing the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board – AZPOST -- to develop training to appropriately implement SB 1070.
Importantly, this training will include what DOES – and DOES NOT – constitute “reasonable suspicion” that a person is not legally present in the United States.”
(Source: http://janbrewer.com/article/governor-brewer-signs-sb1070-to-fight-illegal-immigration)
Among the cries of racism and discrimination, there have been accusations that this law violates the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, which states:
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
But the key word here is “UNREASONABLE”.
I hope that, by the sources I have provided here, the point has been made that police officers will not have the power to randomly ask Hispanic people for their identification when passing them on the street. President Obama’s perception of this law appears to be skewed in this direction, or perhaps he was just ignoring this fact when he stated to a crowd in Iowa that… "Now, suddenly, if you don't have your papers and you took your kid out to get ice cream, you're going to get harassed -- that's something that could potentially happen ... That's not the right way to go." Actually, Mr. President, the only way someone would be “harassed” when taking their child out for ice cream under this law would be if they a) stole the ice cream and were confronted by police, b) committed a traffic violation or other crime on the way there! Maybe he should actually read the law (though the left has seemed to have difficulty actually reading bills and laws) and he would get his facts straight…
(Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100427/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_15)
The law PROHIBITS officers from confronting people based on their race or color. As stated above in the law’s summary, officers must have REASONABLE suspicion... such as when a police officer stops an individual because of a traffic infraction, and they are unable to provide a drivers license, or when fake identity is seen being purchased, or the like. And as Governor Brewer stated, the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board will train officers of what will “…constitute ‘reasonable suspicion’ that a person is not legally in the United States.”
It’s not racist; it is Constitutional protection of legal residents of the United States. It’s not discriminatory, as officers are forbidden from singling out any suspected illegal simply because of race or color…and I must assume that, in the event an officer did step out of these boundaries, legal action would follow. I think the sources I have provided speak for themselves… and the fact that lawmakers in Texas are considering composing a similar bill to combat illegal immigration illustrates that Americans are ready to take it upon themselves to fight the illegal immigration battle—rather than rely on the federal government.
I find it saddening and despicable that Americans that value citizenship of the United States are labeled as racists. They’re not, and neither are supporters of this law. The citizens of Arizona are taking a stand to protect their families and livelihoods, and God willing, more states will follow suit.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Senate Bill 3217
Hi everyone, hope you're having a great week. As always, thanks for returning to Present Day Patriots. I'd greatly appreciate if you could either become a fan of the Present Day Patriots page on Facebook, become a follower of the blog (click to your right!) and/or email a handful of your friends (regardless of political stance!) with the blog address.
I'll start today's post by saying Happy Earth Day to all of the flouresent-lightbulb-loving-recycling-reduce-your-carbon-footprint-crowd... (and anyone else that celebrated Earth Day...). I wasn't surprised to read that President Obama and VP Biden both burned up a ghastly amount of fuel on several flights today (on separate airplanes, of course). I'm not good with math, so if anyone can tell me how much jet fuel these presidential jaunts spit into the atmosphere, let me know.
Yesterday, I recieved an email regarding the government's latest move to further solidify their grasp around the throat of the free enterprise system. It goes by the name of Senate Bill 3217...or rather, the "Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010". This bill (1,421 pages long... wonder if anyone will read this one?) as written by the Tea Party Patriots website...
In short it grants permanent, unlimited bailout authority to the Federal Reserve. It's like TARP forever without the nasty, unpopular debates and votes in Congress. Beyond that it gives the Fed the power to takeover vaguely defined "nonbank financial companies". And the Fed has the power to decide what constitutes a "nonbank financial company" on a case by case basis.
Mitch McConnell (Kentucky Senator) is quoted in saying, “This bill not only allows for taxpayer-funded bailouts of Wall Street banks, it institutionalizes them,” Mr. McConnell says on the video in a speech on the Senate floor. In another clip, Mr. McConnell says, “It provides for an endless taxpayer bailout of Wall Street banks.”
I found the Congressional Budget Office's Cost Estimate of S. 3217 ... http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/114xx/doc11454/s3217.pdf
Just reading the first line of the summary makes me cringe...
More government intervention and expansion. More taxpayer dollars going in the wrong direction. Just what the United States does NOT need at this point. I have emailed several Congressmen and women imploring them to NOT support this bill, and I encourage you to do the same if you have a free second. The government has already grown to a despicable level: a majority of the auto industry, the student loan industry, the health care industry are now in the clutches of the government rather than the PEOPLE... and in addition to the reckless spending by Washington... this is FAR from the nation our Founding Fathers intended to create when they signed their lives away with the Declaration, and framed One Nation Under God with the Constitution.
Government expansion has got to stop before the only freedoms and liberties left in this country are those printed in textbooks. Call or email your Congressmen/women ... every voice counts!
http://www.investmentadvisor.com/News/2010/4/Pages/Obama-Presses-For-Swift-Action-on-Reform-CBO-Estimates-Cost-of-Dodd-Bill-.aspx
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/business/economy/23regulate.html?hp
http://www.rightsidenews.com/201004219669/politics-and-economics/senate-bill-3217-another-horrible-bill.html
I'll start today's post by saying Happy Earth Day to all of the flouresent-lightbulb-loving-recycling-reduce-your-carbon-footprint-crowd... (and anyone else that celebrated Earth Day...). I wasn't surprised to read that President Obama and VP Biden both burned up a ghastly amount of fuel on several flights today (on separate airplanes, of course). I'm not good with math, so if anyone can tell me how much jet fuel these presidential jaunts spit into the atmosphere, let me know.
Yesterday, I recieved an email regarding the government's latest move to further solidify their grasp around the throat of the free enterprise system. It goes by the name of Senate Bill 3217...or rather, the "Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010". This bill (1,421 pages long... wonder if anyone will read this one?) as written by the Tea Party Patriots website...
In short it grants permanent, unlimited bailout authority to the Federal Reserve. It's like TARP forever without the nasty, unpopular debates and votes in Congress. Beyond that it gives the Fed the power to takeover vaguely defined "nonbank financial companies". And the Fed has the power to decide what constitutes a "nonbank financial company" on a case by case basis.
Mitch McConnell (Kentucky Senator) is quoted in saying, “This bill not only allows for taxpayer-funded bailouts of Wall Street banks, it institutionalizes them,” Mr. McConnell says on the video in a speech on the Senate floor. In another clip, Mr. McConnell says, “It provides for an endless taxpayer bailout of Wall Street banks.”
I found the Congressional Budget Office's Cost Estimate of S. 3217 ... http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/114xx/doc11454/s3217.pdf
Just reading the first line of the summary makes me cringe...
More government intervention and expansion. More taxpayer dollars going in the wrong direction. Just what the United States does NOT need at this point. I have emailed several Congressmen and women imploring them to NOT support this bill, and I encourage you to do the same if you have a free second. The government has already grown to a despicable level: a majority of the auto industry, the student loan industry, the health care industry are now in the clutches of the government rather than the PEOPLE... and in addition to the reckless spending by Washington... this is FAR from the nation our Founding Fathers intended to create when they signed their lives away with the Declaration, and framed One Nation Under God with the Constitution.
Government expansion has got to stop before the only freedoms and liberties left in this country are those printed in textbooks. Call or email your Congressmen/women ... every voice counts!
http://www.investmentadvisor.com/News/2010/4/Pages/Obama-Presses-For-Swift-Action-on-Reform-CBO-Estimates-Cost-of-Dodd-Bill-.aspx
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/business/economy/23regulate.html?hp
http://www.rightsidenews.com/201004219669/politics-and-economics/senate-bill-3217-another-horrible-bill.html
Oh and just for giggles... I found an article on Drudge Report regarding the number of gallons of fuel burned by President Obama's Earth Day Excursions... grand total: 9,116 gallons!
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-4962384-503544.html
Have a great day... and by the way, you still have time to take out your recycling bin. Just sayin'.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
No Longer Silent
Hi everyone, hope you had a great weekend! School is keeping me busy as summer approaches, but I still will be posting on Present Day Patriots as much as possible! :)
Monday, April 19, was an anniversary of many things... from watching a few different news stations, I noted that the Waco Siege and the Oklahoma City Bombing were mentioned. These were two horrendous events that took many lives and shattered countless others... but Monday was also the anniversary of something else... something perhaps not remembered by many, but something that set in motion the fight for the freedoms we subconsciously enjoy each day... the battles of Lexington and Concord.
I'm not going to give you a history lesson (don't worry) but I thought I'd give a brief overview of what happened on that fateful April morning, in case you don't remember from your last history class. British troops that were occupying Boston were ordered to take the military supplies the Massachusetts militia had stored in Concord. On the village green of Lexington, about 38 minutement stood before several hundred soldiers of the strongest empire in the world. The origin of the first shot is still not known, but it was on this village green that the "shot heard around the world" was fired.
These men stood for what they believed in...freedom and liberty...though they were labeled radicals and extremists. The American people find themselves once again at a crossroads in which they must choose the easy way, or the right way. I hope to God that people continue to stand for their values and morals, and fight to preserve the principles this country was founded upon, and those that our Founding Fathers pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to secure.
Bill Clinton compares the Tea Party movement to Timothy McVeigh's deadly act of anti-government sentiments.
"I realized that there were lot of parallels between the early '90s and now, both in the feeling of economic dislocation, the level of uncertainty people felt, the rise of kind of identity politics, the rise of the militia movements and right-wing talk radio, with a lot of what's going on in the blogosphere now, and in the right-wing media," Clinton said.
"A lot of the things that have been said, they create a climate in which people who are vulnerable to violence because they're disoriented, like Timothy McVeigh was, are more likely to act"
I have to disagree. The Tea Party patriots are exercising their right to FREE SPEECH which is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. Free speech and dissent is NEEDED for anything, namely a republic in which the people are the fulcrum on which it balances. Timothy McVeigh was not exercising any right protected by any Constitution anywhere! Leftist news anchors have constantly accused Tea Party protestors of shouting racial slurs and even "spitting" on Congress members during the Tea Party protest of the health care bill on Capitol Hill. Yet, strangely enough, no one can seem to find ANY audio or video proof of these accusations. Hmm.
The first minutemen and soldiers of the Continental Army fought with muskets and bayonets so we could fight peacefully with the written word. As Glenn Beck said yesterday of the Americans speaking out against a government that has overstepped its boundaries,
"Not racist, not violent...just, no longer silent."
Have a great week. :)
Monday, April 19, was an anniversary of many things... from watching a few different news stations, I noted that the Waco Siege and the Oklahoma City Bombing were mentioned. These were two horrendous events that took many lives and shattered countless others... but Monday was also the anniversary of something else... something perhaps not remembered by many, but something that set in motion the fight for the freedoms we subconsciously enjoy each day... the battles of Lexington and Concord.
I'm not going to give you a history lesson (don't worry) but I thought I'd give a brief overview of what happened on that fateful April morning, in case you don't remember from your last history class. British troops that were occupying Boston were ordered to take the military supplies the Massachusetts militia had stored in Concord. On the village green of Lexington, about 38 minutement stood before several hundred soldiers of the strongest empire in the world. The origin of the first shot is still not known, but it was on this village green that the "shot heard around the world" was fired.
These men stood for what they believed in...freedom and liberty...though they were labeled radicals and extremists. The American people find themselves once again at a crossroads in which they must choose the easy way, or the right way. I hope to God that people continue to stand for their values and morals, and fight to preserve the principles this country was founded upon, and those that our Founding Fathers pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to secure.
Bill Clinton compares the Tea Party movement to Timothy McVeigh's deadly act of anti-government sentiments.
"I realized that there were lot of parallels between the early '90s and now, both in the feeling of economic dislocation, the level of uncertainty people felt, the rise of kind of identity politics, the rise of the militia movements and right-wing talk radio, with a lot of what's going on in the blogosphere now, and in the right-wing media," Clinton said.
"A lot of the things that have been said, they create a climate in which people who are vulnerable to violence because they're disoriented, like Timothy McVeigh was, are more likely to act"
I have to disagree. The Tea Party patriots are exercising their right to FREE SPEECH which is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. Free speech and dissent is NEEDED for anything, namely a republic in which the people are the fulcrum on which it balances. Timothy McVeigh was not exercising any right protected by any Constitution anywhere! Leftist news anchors have constantly accused Tea Party protestors of shouting racial slurs and even "spitting" on Congress members during the Tea Party protest of the health care bill on Capitol Hill. Yet, strangely enough, no one can seem to find ANY audio or video proof of these accusations. Hmm.
The first minutemen and soldiers of the Continental Army fought with muskets and bayonets so we could fight peacefully with the written word. As Glenn Beck said yesterday of the Americans speaking out against a government that has overstepped its boundaries,
"Not racist, not violent...just, no longer silent."
Have a great week. :)
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
A Bit More on the Tea Parties...
Hi again everyone! Yesterday I spoke of the incredible grassroots Tea Party movement, modeled off the actions of the Sons of Liberty of almost 240 years ago. Today I have a few more comments/links to share with you on this topic.
Mike Fellows, who I am proud to call my cousin-in-law, spoke at a Tea Party last year in Auburn, Alabama. Below is the link to the youtube video of his speech... I was, and still am very moved and inspired by his words and encourage you to watch all ten minutes of the speech. Mike, in my opinion, is THE farthest thing from the extremist, racist, pitchfork-carrying radicals that liberals have labeled Tea Party Patriots as. He is a true American, concerned for the future of the country in which his children will live. View the Video Here.
Mike is a candidate for Lee County (Alabama) Family Court Judge (Circuit Judge, Place 3)... visit his website at http://www.fellowsforfamily.com/. (Thanks Mike for letting me post your speech :) )
Today in Boston, Sarah Palin made an appearance at a Boston Tea Party... strangely reminiscent of a similar Tea Party held in Boston over two centuries ago. Click here for the clip of Palin's speech.
With tomorrow being Tax Day--April 15--Tea Partys will be popping up all across the United States. These Americans will be fighting with words and the truth to take back America and the principles of the Founders; these Americans will be fighting to keep the government working FOR the people, not the other way around. Leftist dissidents (who happen to have way too much free time, and no facts to debate the Tea Party Patriots with) will possibly attempt to "crash" these Tea Parties... but as I said yesterday, the truth is something that can withstand even the harshest verbal beating.
If you will be attending or speaking at a Tax Day Tea Party, please email me at sarah.hinds515@yahoo.com, or leave a comment and tell about your experience!
Have a fantastic week, and long live the Republic. :)
Mike Fellows, who I am proud to call my cousin-in-law, spoke at a Tea Party last year in Auburn, Alabama. Below is the link to the youtube video of his speech... I was, and still am very moved and inspired by his words and encourage you to watch all ten minutes of the speech. Mike, in my opinion, is THE farthest thing from the extremist, racist, pitchfork-carrying radicals that liberals have labeled Tea Party Patriots as. He is a true American, concerned for the future of the country in which his children will live. View the Video Here.
Mike is a candidate for Lee County (Alabama) Family Court Judge (Circuit Judge, Place 3)... visit his website at http://www.fellowsforfamily.com/. (Thanks Mike for letting me post your speech :) )
Today in Boston, Sarah Palin made an appearance at a Boston Tea Party... strangely reminiscent of a similar Tea Party held in Boston over two centuries ago. Click here for the clip of Palin's speech.
With tomorrow being Tax Day--April 15--Tea Partys will be popping up all across the United States. These Americans will be fighting with words and the truth to take back America and the principles of the Founders; these Americans will be fighting to keep the government working FOR the people, not the other way around. Leftist dissidents (who happen to have way too much free time, and no facts to debate the Tea Party Patriots with) will possibly attempt to "crash" these Tea Parties... but as I said yesterday, the truth is something that can withstand even the harshest verbal beating.
If you will be attending or speaking at a Tax Day Tea Party, please email me at sarah.hinds515@yahoo.com, or leave a comment and tell about your experience!
Have a fantastic week, and long live the Republic. :)
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
"May your chains set lightly upon you..."
Hey everyone! Hope you all are having a great week. I am extremely excited that the Present Day Patriots' fan page on Facebook almost has 100 fans! Remember to tell your friends and family members about my blog, regardless of political stance! :)
With my last post discussing free speech, I have a continuation of that topic today, with a focus on the Tea Party movement. Members of the Tea Party are Americans --regardless of what their liberal counterparts label them as-- that gather at city halls, town hall meetings, street corners, even Capitol Hill--to peacefully protest (and exercise their First Amendment right to peacefull assembly) the reckless spending of the government, and the actions of said government that blatantly contrast to what the Founders intended, in general. Since the Tea Party was first formed within the start of President Obama's term, members of this group have been dealt ridiculous flak for their beliefs and for simply having the nerve to stand up and say enough is enough. I have yet to attend a Tea Party myself, but it is something I would really like to do in the near future if schedules allow.
Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, labeled them as "right wing extremists"... actress Janeane Garofalo labeled them "a bunch of teabagging rednecks," and added "this is about hating a black man in the White House. This is racism straight up"... and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi even teared up (or made a lame attempt at tearing up, rather) when speaking of such "frightening rhetoric" and "political violence" and wishes that we would all "curb our enthusiasm in some of the statements" that have been made. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) wants Conservative Tea Party members "talked to...interviewed" to probe for racist views. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/09/16/maxine_waters_press_should_probe_conservatives_for_racist_views.html
These are just a few of the lovely leftist opponents of the Tea Party Movement. One group in particular that caught my eye was an article regarding http://www.crashtheparty.org/ ... this group, with 65 supposed "leaders" (if they can even be called "leaders"... ) in cities across the US who plan to "...infiltrate and dismantle the political group by trying to make its members appear to be racist, homophobic and moronic..." and are "... trying to recruit members to infiltrate tea party events for April 15—tax filing day, when tea party groups across the country are planning to gather and protest high taxes."
To those that think the Tea Party is a racist, hateful movement directed at Obama simply because of his race, I think I speak for many like-minded Conservatives other than myself in saying, we don't care if he's white, black, yellow, red, pink, green, orange, or RAINBOW for Pete's sake... he is trampling the Constitution, spending tax dollars wrecklessly, and literally pulverizing the principles that our Founding Fathers fought so hard to build the United States upon.
Liberal dissidents of the Tea Party can call these protestors what they want, but the false accusations and just plain ridiculous and immature name-calling and attempts to silence the protests are proof of one thing: the Tea Party is right. If the left believed their principles held truth, I would think they would be debating the principles for which the Tea Party members stand for, such as lower taxes, smaller government, etc. But, liberals such as Garofalo, Napolitano, Waters, and those with way too much free time at http://www.crashtheparty.org/ and others, resort to pulling the race card, or by labeling them as violent and unruly, or just trying to silence them all together.
As you know, I'm a huge Glenn Beck fan, and I think one of his quotes--one of my favorites--applies to this discussion:
"Only those afraid of the truth seek to silence debate, intimidate those with whom they disagree, or slander their ideological counterparts. Those who know they are right have no reason to stifle debate because they realize that all opposing arguments will ultimately be overcome by fact."
It makes sense. Those trying to silence the Tea Party members are afraid of what they have to say. They are afraid of these average Americans--not radicals-- that are afraid for the future of their country, the future of their children, grandchildren, businesses. The fact that the state does not dictate the rights of a citizen, that each one of us has been "endowed by our Creator certain unalienable rights" and the fact that the Founding Fathers established a country based on these rights, those of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, the fact that the American people are perfectly capable of making business decisions for themselves with minimal government intervention...these facts, and countless others, will stand through even the most brutal verbal beating.
And just as a fun fact for the day, speaking of the Tea Party movement, check out this recent Rasmussen poll...
On major issues, 48% of voters say that the average Tea Party member is closer to their views than President Barack Obama. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 44% hold the opposite view and believe the president’s views are closer to their own.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/april_2010/tea_party_48_obama_44
48%. I'm thinking this is because the true Americans do not appreciate "spreading the wealth" nor do they believe in the "big government" ideals of the Obama administration.
For more information on the Tea Party Movement, visit http://www.teapartypatriots.org/ ... and in closing, I leave you with this quote of Samuel Adams...to those who fail to stand for the liberties that are in jeaopardy of being eradicated, keep in mind the lines in bold...
"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the
Tranquility of servitude better than the
Animating contest of freedom, go home from
us in peace. We ask not your counsels or
arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which
feed you. May your chains set lightly upon
you, and may posterity forget that ye were
our countrymen."
~ Samuel Adams, speech at the
Philadelphia State House, August 1, 1776
Have a great week :) God Bless America.
With my last post discussing free speech, I have a continuation of that topic today, with a focus on the Tea Party movement. Members of the Tea Party are Americans --regardless of what their liberal counterparts label them as-- that gather at city halls, town hall meetings, street corners, even Capitol Hill--to peacefully protest (and exercise their First Amendment right to peacefull assembly) the reckless spending of the government, and the actions of said government that blatantly contrast to what the Founders intended, in general. Since the Tea Party was first formed within the start of President Obama's term, members of this group have been dealt ridiculous flak for their beliefs and for simply having the nerve to stand up and say enough is enough. I have yet to attend a Tea Party myself, but it is something I would really like to do in the near future if schedules allow.
Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, labeled them as "right wing extremists"... actress Janeane Garofalo labeled them "a bunch of teabagging rednecks," and added "this is about hating a black man in the White House. This is racism straight up"... and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi even teared up (or made a lame attempt at tearing up, rather) when speaking of such "frightening rhetoric" and "political violence" and wishes that we would all "curb our enthusiasm in some of the statements" that have been made. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) wants Conservative Tea Party members "talked to...interviewed" to probe for racist views. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/09/16/maxine_waters_press_should_probe_conservatives_for_racist_views.html
These are just a few of the lovely leftist opponents of the Tea Party Movement. One group in particular that caught my eye was an article regarding http://www.crashtheparty.org/ ... this group, with 65 supposed "leaders" (if they can even be called "leaders"... ) in cities across the US who plan to "...infiltrate and dismantle the political group by trying to make its members appear to be racist, homophobic and moronic..." and are "... trying to recruit members to infiltrate tea party events for April 15—tax filing day, when tea party groups across the country are planning to gather and protest high taxes."
To those that think the Tea Party is a racist, hateful movement directed at Obama simply because of his race, I think I speak for many like-minded Conservatives other than myself in saying, we don't care if he's white, black, yellow, red, pink, green, orange, or RAINBOW for Pete's sake... he is trampling the Constitution, spending tax dollars wrecklessly, and literally pulverizing the principles that our Founding Fathers fought so hard to build the United States upon.
Liberal dissidents of the Tea Party can call these protestors what they want, but the false accusations and just plain ridiculous and immature name-calling and attempts to silence the protests are proof of one thing: the Tea Party is right. If the left believed their principles held truth, I would think they would be debating the principles for which the Tea Party members stand for, such as lower taxes, smaller government, etc. But, liberals such as Garofalo, Napolitano, Waters, and those with way too much free time at http://www.crashtheparty.org/ and others, resort to pulling the race card, or by labeling them as violent and unruly, or just trying to silence them all together.
As you know, I'm a huge Glenn Beck fan, and I think one of his quotes--one of my favorites--applies to this discussion:
"Only those afraid of the truth seek to silence debate, intimidate those with whom they disagree, or slander their ideological counterparts. Those who know they are right have no reason to stifle debate because they realize that all opposing arguments will ultimately be overcome by fact."
It makes sense. Those trying to silence the Tea Party members are afraid of what they have to say. They are afraid of these average Americans--not radicals-- that are afraid for the future of their country, the future of their children, grandchildren, businesses. The fact that the state does not dictate the rights of a citizen, that each one of us has been "endowed by our Creator certain unalienable rights" and the fact that the Founding Fathers established a country based on these rights, those of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, the fact that the American people are perfectly capable of making business decisions for themselves with minimal government intervention...these facts, and countless others, will stand through even the most brutal verbal beating.
And just as a fun fact for the day, speaking of the Tea Party movement, check out this recent Rasmussen poll...
On major issues, 48% of voters say that the average Tea Party member is closer to their views than President Barack Obama. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 44% hold the opposite view and believe the president’s views are closer to their own.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/april_2010/tea_party_48_obama_44
48%. I'm thinking this is because the true Americans do not appreciate "spreading the wealth" nor do they believe in the "big government" ideals of the Obama administration.
For more information on the Tea Party Movement, visit http://www.teapartypatriots.org/ ... and in closing, I leave you with this quote of Samuel Adams...to those who fail to stand for the liberties that are in jeaopardy of being eradicated, keep in mind the lines in bold...
"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the
Tranquility of servitude better than the
Animating contest of freedom, go home from
us in peace. We ask not your counsels or
arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which
feed you. May your chains set lightly upon
you, and may posterity forget that ye were
our countrymen."
~ Samuel Adams, speech at the
Philadelphia State House, August 1, 1776
Have a great week :) God Bless America.
Friday, April 9, 2010
When You Speak From the Heart...
Howdy everyone! I hope you all have had a great week. I am excited to say that the Present Day Patriots fan page on Facebook now has over 90 fans! Huge thanks to all my readers and supporters. In an effort to spread the word even more about my blog, I'd greatly appreciate it if you could send a quick email (or Facebook invite) to a good number of your friends, regardless of their political stance with the web address of my blog.
Today I want to discuss something very close to my heart, being the avid writer that I am--the right to free speech! The Framers of the Constitution accentuated this right by placing it within the First Amendment of the U.S Constitution:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The right to free speech, though many of us take it for granted every day, is a right that created our free country in the first place, and is a right that has kept it free to this day. A few brave colonists had the guts to speak out against an oppressive government and secure their basic God given rights, and break away from one of the most powerful empires of the 18th century through the power of words. The Founding Fathers knew the importance of this right, and how essential it was to maintaining liberty:
"Without Freedom of thought, there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such thing as public Liberty, without Freedom of speech." -Benjamin Franklin
“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” -George Washington
The People for whom the government works must be able to stand up against their government when it oversteps its boundaries; people thinking for themselves results in a government BY, FOR, and OF the people... whereas when a government thinks FOR the people, they become, as Washington said, "like sheep to the slaughter" and totally dependent on biased media and the promises of politicians. Educated citizens, citizens willing to speak out when their rights are threatened, keep a nation free.
Recently, there have been a few headlines that have caught my eye regarding free speech. In general, they are people that have decided to fully excercise this right to free speech...and some have paid dearly for it, from the loss of business to public smearing. However, they stand by their beliefs, and as Thomas Paine said, "The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."
Most recently, a man by the name of Dr. Jack Cassell has made headlines. Dr. Cassell is a urologist in Florida, a conservative, and outpoken dissident to the newly-passed healthcare overhaul. In his Mount Dora, FL office, Cassell posted a sign on his office door that read:
“If you voted for Obama, seek urologic care elsewhere. Changes to your healthcare begin right now, not in four years.”
Cassell also has a pile of Conservative magazines and other reading material in a waiting area with another sign posted nearby:
“This is what the morons in Washington have done to your health care. Take one, read it and vote out anyone who voted for it.”
Now, note that Cassell does not screen his patients of their political views before providing treatment, and does not turn potential patients away on the basis of their political beliefs, either. (http://www.sfltimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4192&Itemid=210)
Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) is quoted in saying, "he was 'disgusted' by Cassell's behavior." He further stated, "...If this is the face of the right wing in America, it's the face of cruelty...Why don't they change the name of the Republican Party to the Sore Loser Party?" (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/02/jack-cassell-doctor-refus_n_523076.html)
Grayson is just one of Cassell's many, many critics. All I can say is... really, Grayson? Since when is excercising one's right to free speech in their own workplace "cruel"? And this is not grade school kick ball...those that do not agree with the so-called "winners"--or group in power--should not be labeled as "sore losers". I say KUDOS TO CASSELL! More power to ya'. It is his office, his beliefs, and if patients do not agree, they may choose to recieve services from Cassell's office, or seek medical care elsewhere.
My next little tidbit is on a specific group of Tea Party protesters: African American Conservatives. The Tea Party movement, peaceful gatherings of every day Americans for lower taxes, smaller government, and government according to the Founding principles, are not radical right wing extremists (as Janet Napolitano labeled them)... they show up at city halls, street corners, town hall meetings, even Capitol Hill to voice their opinions and fight with the power of words for the future of their children and grandchildren. African American Conservatives that are involved with the Tea Party movement have had to take even more heat based on their race. From Fox News,
"A member of a group of black conservatives, who support free market principles and limited government, says: "I've been told I hate myself. I've been called an Uncle Tom. Black Republicans find themselves— always having to prove who they are."
Some of the disapproval also comes from supporters of President Obama. David Webb, a Tea Party organizer and radio personality, says some black conservatives are hiding their political views because: "I've gotten the statement— 'How can you not support the brother?'"
A political figure should not be supported simply because of race! And if those of the same race disagree, they should not be slandered for their beliefs! Also, I found this peculiar article condemning African American members of the Tea Party movement. Read through it... I think you'll notice a few just-plain-ridiculous claims by Mr. Robert Paul Reyes...
http://newsblaze.com/story/20100407092008reye.nb/topstory.html
This individual seems to think the Tea Party movement is specifically racist...based on the premise he has seen signs saying, "Fight Crime, Deport illegals!" Well, Mr. Reyes, that's just being an American concerned for one's nation. If they are here, and they are illegal, I see an issue with that. As Reagan said, "A nation without borders is not a nation." But immigration is a whole other bucket of worms for another day. :)
Again, I say KUDOS to all of the Americans who stand by the principles our nation was founded on, regardless of who disagrees with them.
I leave you with a quote from Newt Gingrich that I found especially true and moving, and one that we should keep in mind when listening to politicians, and simply people in general speak:
"When you speak from the heart, you don't need a teleprompter."
Have an awesome weekend, everyone. :)
Today I want to discuss something very close to my heart, being the avid writer that I am--the right to free speech! The Framers of the Constitution accentuated this right by placing it within the First Amendment of the U.S Constitution:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The right to free speech, though many of us take it for granted every day, is a right that created our free country in the first place, and is a right that has kept it free to this day. A few brave colonists had the guts to speak out against an oppressive government and secure their basic God given rights, and break away from one of the most powerful empires of the 18th century through the power of words. The Founding Fathers knew the importance of this right, and how essential it was to maintaining liberty:
"Without Freedom of thought, there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such thing as public Liberty, without Freedom of speech." -Benjamin Franklin
“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” -George Washington
The People for whom the government works must be able to stand up against their government when it oversteps its boundaries; people thinking for themselves results in a government BY, FOR, and OF the people... whereas when a government thinks FOR the people, they become, as Washington said, "like sheep to the slaughter" and totally dependent on biased media and the promises of politicians. Educated citizens, citizens willing to speak out when their rights are threatened, keep a nation free.
Recently, there have been a few headlines that have caught my eye regarding free speech. In general, they are people that have decided to fully excercise this right to free speech...and some have paid dearly for it, from the loss of business to public smearing. However, they stand by their beliefs, and as Thomas Paine said, "The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."
Most recently, a man by the name of Dr. Jack Cassell has made headlines. Dr. Cassell is a urologist in Florida, a conservative, and outpoken dissident to the newly-passed healthcare overhaul. In his Mount Dora, FL office, Cassell posted a sign on his office door that read:
“If you voted for Obama, seek urologic care elsewhere. Changes to your healthcare begin right now, not in four years.”
Cassell also has a pile of Conservative magazines and other reading material in a waiting area with another sign posted nearby:
“This is what the morons in Washington have done to your health care. Take one, read it and vote out anyone who voted for it.”
Now, note that Cassell does not screen his patients of their political views before providing treatment, and does not turn potential patients away on the basis of their political beliefs, either. (http://www.sfltimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4192&Itemid=210)
Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) is quoted in saying, "he was 'disgusted' by Cassell's behavior." He further stated, "...If this is the face of the right wing in America, it's the face of cruelty...Why don't they change the name of the Republican Party to the Sore Loser Party?" (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/02/jack-cassell-doctor-refus_n_523076.html)
Grayson is just one of Cassell's many, many critics. All I can say is... really, Grayson? Since when is excercising one's right to free speech in their own workplace "cruel"? And this is not grade school kick ball...those that do not agree with the so-called "winners"--or group in power--should not be labeled as "sore losers". I say KUDOS TO CASSELL! More power to ya'. It is his office, his beliefs, and if patients do not agree, they may choose to recieve services from Cassell's office, or seek medical care elsewhere.
My next little tidbit is on a specific group of Tea Party protesters: African American Conservatives. The Tea Party movement, peaceful gatherings of every day Americans for lower taxes, smaller government, and government according to the Founding principles, are not radical right wing extremists (as Janet Napolitano labeled them)... they show up at city halls, street corners, town hall meetings, even Capitol Hill to voice their opinions and fight with the power of words for the future of their children and grandchildren. African American Conservatives that are involved with the Tea Party movement have had to take even more heat based on their race. From Fox News,
"A member of a group of black conservatives, who support free market principles and limited government, says: "I've been told I hate myself. I've been called an Uncle Tom. Black Republicans find themselves— always having to prove who they are."
Some of the disapproval also comes from supporters of President Obama. David Webb, a Tea Party organizer and radio personality, says some black conservatives are hiding their political views because: "I've gotten the statement— 'How can you not support the brother?'"
A political figure should not be supported simply because of race! And if those of the same race disagree, they should not be slandered for their beliefs! Also, I found this peculiar article condemning African American members of the Tea Party movement. Read through it... I think you'll notice a few just-plain-ridiculous claims by Mr. Robert Paul Reyes...
http://newsblaze.com/story/20100407092008reye.nb/topstory.html
This individual seems to think the Tea Party movement is specifically racist...based on the premise he has seen signs saying, "Fight Crime, Deport illegals!" Well, Mr. Reyes, that's just being an American concerned for one's nation. If they are here, and they are illegal, I see an issue with that. As Reagan said, "A nation without borders is not a nation." But immigration is a whole other bucket of worms for another day. :)
Again, I say KUDOS to all of the Americans who stand by the principles our nation was founded on, regardless of who disagrees with them.
I leave you with a quote from Newt Gingrich that I found especially true and moving, and one that we should keep in mind when listening to politicians, and simply people in general speak:
"When you speak from the heart, you don't need a teleprompter."
Have an awesome weekend, everyone. :)
Monday, April 5, 2010
Happy Easter
Hi everyone, sorry for the long absence! Hope everyone had a great Easter weekend! I have a new blog post coming soon, but I just wanted to share a quote on Freedom of Speech with you...
"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” -George Washington
America was founded by those who spoke out against unjust leadership... we find ourselves back in that position today, only now those who speak out are at risk for public smearing, slander, the ruining of businesses and lives. A free people cannot remain free if they put the entirety of their lives blindly into the hands of a government.
Just a thought for the day.... new post coming soon!
"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” -George Washington
America was founded by those who spoke out against unjust leadership... we find ourselves back in that position today, only now those who speak out are at risk for public smearing, slander, the ruining of businesses and lives. A free people cannot remain free if they put the entirety of their lives blindly into the hands of a government.
Just a thought for the day.... new post coming soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)