Our Runaway Government

Today's Wall Street Journal reports that the Federal Government has raided Gibson Guitar plants in Nashville and Memphis. Was it the DEA looking for drug dealers? Nope. Border patrol pursuing undocumented workers? Nope. Homeland Security uncovering a terrorist plot or the FBI taking down an organized crime syndicate? Wrong again. Would you believe the US Fish and Wildlife Service was looking for illegal ebony - as in wood - lumber - fret board material. USFWS confiscated several pallets of wood, despite Gibson's documentation that the wood was purchased from a Forest Stewardship Council certified supplier (they were trying to comply with a maze of laws restricting illegal forestry products from abroad). The article goes on to explain not to take your 1920's vintage Martin guitar made of Brazilian Rosewood out of the country - US Customs will take it from you for transporting illegal "flora and fauna" across international lines.

In June, the Department of Education Office of the Inspector General (OIG) RAIDED A HOME, SWAT style, over unpaid student loans. What the heck is the Department of Education doing with an armed SWAT team? Aren't crimes like fraud and embezzlement the FBI's jurisdiction?

I'm paying taxes for this?

I'm looking forward to November 2012. This government is out of control, and it's not just the Wood Nazis at US Fish and Wildlife and Customs. EPA, Education, Energy, BATFE: shut 'em down, fire the bulk of them from the top down and then take the few necessary remaining parts (if you can find any) and put them elsewhere.

Sara Palin Rides Again

So how is Palin responsible for the actions of a bunch of rabid reporters scurrying around trying to get a hasty photo or a selective sound bite? They complain of being treated like paparazzi when that is exactly the way they are acting! The reporters are responsible for their own actions and their own safety. They're grownups (well, sort of) with driver's licenses. If they get in a wreck because they're too busy watching the star-spangled bus and not what's going on around them, it's their own fault.

The other rabid bunch are the ones who froth at the mouth at the mere mention of Palin's name (both reporters and readers). Rational thought goes out the window, and they spew, regurgitate and believe every vicious lie and rumor. Using the image of the flag for personal gain is a federal offense! She's going to cause a wreck! She snuck out the back door of the hotel and we couldn't get a picture! Waaahhhh! She had the Down's baby just for the publicity of it. Trig is really Bristol's baby, fathered by Todd! She's getting divorced! She wants to ban books! She's a wacko religious fundamentalist! She's into witchcraft! She's done porn! She hates Jews! This one is priceless: she's starting all these rumors herself to generate sympathy and get elected!

I haven't decided if it's one of the funniest things I've ever seen, or one of the saddest. Personally, I think she's a strong, wise, classy lady who loves her country and is tired of taking crap from the mainstream media. She's also one of the most powerful people in Republican politics today. Even if she doesn't run, her endorsement will probably launch someone into the nomination. Love her or hate her, Sarah Palin is changing the way politics is done in this country, and that's a good thing.

Jesus is Risen!

We woke up to a blanket of fresh, spring snow! The world is white, fresh, and clean. Easter in Colorado never fails to disappoint!

Today we celebrate that Jesus, the long-awaited Jewish Messiah rose from the dead on a Sunday morning almost 2,000 years ago. The Resurrection changed everything! Eleven disappointed, doubting, scared, heart-broken disciples, greeted by Mary's unbelievable news, were transformed in a short time into fearless, unwavering, bold apostles, sent into the world with the Good News that sinful men can be redeemed and transformed. Jesus' Resurrection validated all that He ever taught and did. It was the final proof that He was the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul, another eyewitness to the Risen Messiah, wrote that if Jesus had not risen, Christians would be the most pitiful people on earth, lying about God, without hope, lost and foolish. (Funny how many think that way anyway!) Christianity would have died before it was born. The disciples would have gone back to fishing, farming and tax collecting, and all would have been forgotten. Instead, 10 of the 11 died martyrs' deaths and the 11th, John was imprisoned for his faith. All died courageously testifying that they had seen Jesus alive after He was crucified.

Flavius Josephus, the Jewish General who tried unsuccessfully to defend Jerusalem from the Romans in AD 70, became a historian and wrote about Jesus and the early Christians. Tacitus, a first century Roman historian also wrote about the beliefs of the early Christians. Neither one was a Christian, and both were critical of the early Christians, but they both verify Jesus' existence and the belief of early Christians that He was the Jewish Messiah, that he performed miracles and that he rose from the dead.*

The Resurrection changes everything. Because of it, Christians know that Jesus is God, that everything He taught is true, that there is salvation in no other name, that Christians who have died will rise again, and that we do not have to fear death, because Jesus conquered both sin and death, and will give eternal life to any who trust in Him for salvation. Let the critics try and say He never existed. Let atheists and agnostics question the reliability of the Scriptures. Let a sinful world reject the Gospel because accepting it would take away the pleasure (and pain) of their sin. I know that my Redeemer lives! It's like a bright, white, fresh, snowy morning in the mountains. Freedom is a wonderful thing. The Resurrection changes everything!

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* While I have little doubt that the Testimonium Flavianum was altered by later Christian editors, the core message from Josephus, believable as a Jew writing on the subject, was that the earliest believers held as fact that Jesus was the Messiah, did miracles, was crucified on a Roman cross and rose from the dead on the third day.

Hero Facing Possible Charges

Just to show you how insane New York City has become, a heroic school safety agent who picked up a fallen police officer's gun and defended the officer and others in the store from 5 criminals, exchanging gun fire and driving them off, is facing possible gun charges because he is not licensed to carry a gun. Liberals want us to be just like Europe. Well, they're accomplishing it. This is just like the United Kingdom, where defending yourself against armed criminals can get you in trouble with the law.

This kind of reaction from the authorities only exacerbates the problem of people who just walk on by others in need. In New York City, the brave hero might find him or herself in legal trouble for doing the right thing. Shame on the people of New York City for allowing their elected officials to strip them of their God-given rights. Shame on all of us if we allow it to happen where we live.

The Pink Equalizer

How does a 25 year old, 110 pound beauty queen defend herself against a burly, 42 year old career criminal? She uses a .38 caliber pink equalizer. Her fiance said she wasn't a very good shot at the range, but apparently she was good enough to stop the bad guy after he invaded their home, dragged her upstairs and beat up her fiance who tried to defend her. That gave her time to retrieve her pink equalizer and defend them from this monster.
Good girl. Now go back to the range and get some more practice!

Gun Control for Everyone!

In my reading today, I stumbled across a great article in the Washington Times, entitled, "A Gun Control Compromise for Everyone" by Eric Golub. It is an excellent, ironic proposal for a compromise everyone, liberals and conservatives, can agree on. Liberals do not want guns, so fine, do not allow liberals to have them. Conservatives want guns, so allow them to have all of them. Everyone gets what they want. Check out the article. You'll be smiling by the end.

A Salute To A Hero

At 84 years old, WWII hero Ted Gundy is still one of the best in the world. This is an amazing, touching video.