American Research Group Numbers for Iowa

The question was:

If the 2008 Republican presidential caucus were being held today between (names rotated) Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Alan Keyes, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, and Fred Thompson, for whom would you vote?

According to the American Research Group in their Iowa polling, the race is between Mitt Romney at 28% and Mike Huckabee at 27%.

The only other double digit is Fred Thompson at 14%.

Giuliani and McCain are both at 9% and those that don't even clear 4% are Ron Paul, Tom Tancredo, Duncan Hunter and Alan Keyes.

* 30% of likely caucus participants are undecided (9%) or say they could switch candidates between now and January 3 (21%).

* 56% of those saying they support Romney say their support is definite.

* 71% of those saying they support McCain say their support is definite.

* 75% of those saying they support Thompson say their support is definite.

* 89% of those saying they support Huckabee say their support is definite.

* Among men, Huckabee is at 34%, Romney 15%, and Thompson 17%.

* Among women, Huckabee is at 19%, Romney 43%, and Thompson 11%.

I have said quite often money means nothing without voters being willing to vote for you. The difference in men and women though are interesting for Huckabee and Romney.

The primaries are almost upon us so the polls are starting to mean a little more and the 5 top tiered candidates are truly the only candidates we need to keep our eyes on.

The rest are nothing more than distractions at this point.

.

How Can A Mother Kill Her Own Child?

Jennifer E. Jansma, 29, had traveled from Glendale to visit family in Tucson for the Thanksgiving holiday with her son Jordan Iacovetta, 8.

Yesterday morning her mother couldn't contact her so she went to the hotel they were staying at, the Holiday Inn Express at 620 E. Wetmore Road, near North First Avenue, and found mother and son, unconscious and unresponsive, so she alerted the authorities.

The son was dead and the Tucson police investigation findings allege the mother had overdosed the 8 yr old child with pain killers, then tried to kill herself, in an attempted murder suicide.

The mother is expected to survive and when released from the hospital will be booked on suspicion of first degree homicide.

Autopsy results have not been released yet on Jordon Iacovetta.

.

Hostage situation at Hillary Clinton's NH Office: UPDATE - Crisis Over, No one Injured

(Thread was moved here because of technical difficulties on other thread.)

[Update] Crisis is over, no one hurt.

Man had told his family earlier to watch the television today, so this was preplanned.

The mans name is Leeland Eisenberg. [End Update]

Hillary Clinton is not at that office but reports are saying a man walked into Hillary's NH office with what looks like a bomb strapped to his chest. That information came from a witness that called it in.

Authorities are standing by trying to deal with it and at the moment there are no injuries reported.

Bear in mind, just because it looked like a bomb to the witness doesn't mean it is real.

Hillary's campaign has no other details they say.

Fox is reporting.

A Clinton spokesman said that no one has been hurt.

It was unclear how many people were being held at the Main Street facility in Rochester.

Clinton was scheduled to speak at the Democratic National Committee fall meeting later Friday in Northern Virginia.

WMUR is also reporting on this:

"A young woman with a 6-month or 8-month-old infant came rushing into the store just in tears, and she said, 'You need to call 911. A man has just walked into the Clinton office, opened his coat and showed us a bomb strapped to his chest with duct tape,'" witness Lettie Tzizik said.

There are several police officers positioned across the street from the office, crouched down behind cruisers with guns drawn, according to a reported at the scene.

"I walked out and I immediately started running, and I saw that the road was blocked off. They told me run and keep going," said Cassandra Hamilton, who works in an office adjacent to the building.

Nearby businesses have been evacuated, and the St. Elizabeth Seaton School has been locked down.

Television reports say there are sharp shooters on the roofs nearby.

Two campaign workers are being held hostage.

A Newt One is all over this also.

Latest... The man allowed a woman and her child to leave, there is also a hostage negotiator there and the mans stated reason is that he wants to speak with Hillary... fat chance of that.

More from WCVB here and here.

Police said a man in his 40s, with salt-and-pepper hair, is in the building and has what appears to be an explosive device strapped to his body, TV station WMUR reported.

MSNBC is also reporting.

More from the New Hampshire Union Leader and Rapid Report.

Malkin is also discussing this.

[Update] Witnesses were reporting that the assailant had flares, not a bomb, strapped to his body.

Fox tells us about previous situations at political campaign offices in the years past:

In March 1980, intruders claiming to be with the Puerto Rican separatist organization Armed Forces of National Liberation (Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion Nacional, or FALN) stormed the campaign offices of Jimmy Carter in Chicago and George H.W. Bush in New York.

They bound and gagged campaign workers in both offices, but left without injuring anyone after spray-painting nationalist slogans on the walls.

There have also been several non-fatal explosions at the campaign offices of other politicians, none of whom were running for president.

In June 2003, a pipe bomb filled with roofing nails exploded outside Calif. Rep. Loretta Sanchez’s campaign office in Santa Ana. Garden Grove resident Hai Duc Le, who was severely scarred in the incident, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for the blast. No one else was hurt, and authorities said at the time that the congresswoman was not a target.

In 1998, a soda-bottle bomb blew up outside Jesse Ventura’s gubernatorial campaign office in Minneapolis. Again police said they didn’t think the bombings were politically motivated, and no one was hurt.

And in 1994, then-Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson’s campaign office was also struck by a pipe bomb, but no one was wounded.

News is announcing another hostage has been released.

Seems the man has surrendered also, approximately 6 hrs after beginning, no injuries and no fatalities.



[Update] Another hostage released for a total of 5 all together being released.
Developing story....

.

BREAKING: Hostage situation at Hillary's NH Office

Thread has been moved here due to technical difficulties....

Move America Forward Occupies Baghdad

The reports are in for Day #4 of the Move America Forward 40 stop rally moving across the country and I am going to show you a couple of the great photos they got from the town of Baghdad, Arizona.

Oh my god you guys we just had a Rally in the city of Bagdad Arizona as part of Move America Forward’s ‘Honoring Heroes at the Holidays Tour’. It was the best rally ever.

I was pretty skeptical, coming into town. We didn’t expect much. When we called Freeport McMoRan, the mining company that basically ‘owns’ the whole town, they said… “You want to do this here? Do you know anything about Bagdad, do you know how small it is?” We didn’t really care, it’s Bagdad!

So we rolled our bus into town fully expecting to have a short, tiny little rally and as we got to the parking lot of the Miner’s Diner it looked like that would be the case. There was not a single soul there to meet us.

That was okay, this town only has a few thousand residents anyways, it’s not like some gigantic media market that we’re trying to crack, but the name of the place being Bagdad, AZ it just made too much sense when the finale of our tour is (hopefully) a trip to Baghdad, Iraq. Well we were about half an hour late, so maybe they all left, That was one thought I had. The other thought was…well nobody cares.

How wrong I was.

We pulled our big red bus up close to the curb where the street traffic was, and where we thought passersbys would see us. We got some flags out from under the bus and stood there on the side of the road, pathetically begging the tiny population of two thousand to stop by on their way to work. We got a few things out and ready to go, not really expecting anyone to use or see them. Half out of boredom and half out of desperation, we decided to post a few sentries down the street, in front of the bus and up at the corner to wave flags at the few passing motorists.

It took just a few minutes, somehow, by some miracle, someone pulled up! We thought we were lucky to have car pull up and to have two women come to sign a card or two. Then, not long after, I don’t know how, but someone else pulled up and then another person saw the cars all parked, the flags, and came to investigate. Word around town traveled so quickly people started showing up all over the place. I was absolutely amazed. It was better than anything we could have expected!

There were so many kids coming up, on their bikes, walking, in cars with their parents. Couples were stopping by in pickup trucks and small SUVs. People were walking over to sign cards while their cars were gassing up. The kids were all around the table, signing cards, writing letters to our troops, everyone was so enthusiastic it was just FUN. I don’ know how else to describe it, but it was just FUN.

The owners of the local S&G gas station/mini mart came over and in our talking to them, we discovered that the husband was actually an Iraq war veteran! Michael and Margaret Adams live in Bagdad and from 2004-2005 Michael was deployed in Iraq with the US Army 1st Cavalry Division. He was stationed in the South West of Baghdad as a Forward Observer and talked a lot with me about his different jobs, training the Iraqi military, doing some missions with the Special Forces, and doing what he affectionately called psy-ops.

This kind of confused me. Psy-Ops, what’s that? Sounds like something a spy would do, like mind control or something…what it REALLY means is…outreach. Grassroots outreach, philanthropy. Psy-Ops means building infrastructure, handing out food and treats to Iraqi children, going to the orphanages, teaching the Iraqis about medicine and helping to rebuild hospitals, schools, etc., basically anything humanitarian. Mike told me that in his experience there, this kind of thing is what the soldiers really love and what makes them want to stay in Iraq. “Even if you don’t believe in the war, BELIEVE IN THE TROOPS” he said. “Even if you didn’t like the president, or believe about the WMDs,” he told me, when I asked about what he and his soldiers thought, “I didn’t want to go, but once you get over there and see the living conditions, we ended up being there for the kids, for the people. The old men, you can’t change their minds, but the kids, we are winning…we call it the hearts and minds.”

Read the rest of Day #4 and look at all those photos of true patriots.

The check out Day #3 here and here.

Day #2 can be found here.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOO PATRIOTS!!!!!!

More Democrats Think They are Mentally Unstable than Republicans

Ok, so the word unstable is mine, but this Gallup poll shows some very interesting findings.

In the minds of those that identify as Democrats, they are more unlikely to rate their mental health as excellent.

58% of Republicans rate their mental health as excellent, compared to only 38% of Democrats.

The differences are quite significant, as can be seen. While Democrats are slightly less likely to report excellent mental health than are independents, the big distinctions in these data are the differences between Republicans and everyone else.

One could be quick to assume that these differences are based on the underlying demographic and socioeconomic patterns related to party identification in America today. A recent Gallup report (see "Strong Relationship Between Income and Mental Health" in Related Items) reviewed these mental health data more generally, and found that men, those with higher incomes, those with higher education levels, and whites are more likely than others to report excellent mental health. Some of these patterns describe characteristics of Republicans, of course.

But an analysis of the relationship between party identification and self-reported excellent mental health within various categories of age, gender, church attendance, income, education, and other variables shows that the basic pattern persists regardless of these characteristics. In other words, party identification appears to have an independent effect on mental health even when each of these is controlled for.

I am not even going to get into the number of bad jokes that could stem from this, but I have often said that a portion, yes, reread that before hitting that comment button, a portion of the Democrats, in this country understand that they aren't in "excellent" mental health and this time it isn't me arguing that point, the Democrats themselves seem to understand it to be true also.

I actually have to give the kudos for being capable of admitting it.

Gallup also conducted a separate multivariate analysis that looked at the impact of a list of variables -- including party identification -- on self-reported mental health. This analysis showed that even when the impact of these other variables is controlled for statistically, there is an independent and highly significant impact of being a Republican on mental health.

More from Gallup:

What are the implications of these findings?

Correlation is no proof of causation, of course. The reason the relationship exists between being a Republican and more positive mental health is unknown, and one cannot say whether something about being a Republican causes a person to be more mentally healthy, or whether something about being mentally healthy causes a person to choose to become a Republican (or whether some third variable is responsible for causing both to be parallel).

I have often said, I was a Democrat until I grew up and realized that utopia doesn't exist and never will. One I faced that reality, I became a Republican.

Perhaps mental health and denial of the world we live in today have a bit to do with each other.

.

Panderers and Polls: Democratic Politicians and Pew

Just home and I see the wonderful Snooper has already posted about John Murtha's amazing turnaround in thinking about the "surge"..... Did I walk into the twilight zone when I walked in my door after my vacation?

No, that isn't it... its the polls stupid!!!

It isn't just Murtha's about face on the surges success, it is also the pew poll showing that the number of Americans that see the military effort going well has, yet again, risen, this time 18 percentage points since the last poll.

Now, 48% believe the effort is going very or fairly well.

Worse yet for those that have done their best to convince the American public that we had lost, some even saying that before the full compliment of troops or the counterinsurgency strategies had been implemented, (Talking about you, Harry "Baghdad" Reid) we now see that 48% of Americans actually think the U.S. will SUCCEED and only 46% think we will fail.

(Click graph to enlarge)

Congressional Democrats are even reporting that their constituents aren't even asking them about Iraq anymore.

Rep. Jim Cooper, a moderate Democrat from Tennessee, said not a single constituent has asked about the war during his nearly two-week long Thanksgiving recess. Rep. Michael Capuano, an anti-war Democrat from Massachusetts, said only three of 64 callers on a town hall teleconference asked about Iraq, a reflection that the war may be losing power as a hot-button issue in his strongly Democratic district.

[...]

For now, voters appear more upbeat as the war’s progress than at any point this year. The nonpartisan Pew Research Center for the People and the Press released a report this week showing that nearly half of Americans believe the military operation is going well — an 18-point increase since February. You have to go back to the days before the last election, in 2006, to find Americans feeling this positively about the war effort.

The Democratic politicians have been consistent in one thing...pandering to the polls.

They are for almost anything the polls tell them to be for, then they turn against it as soon as the polls turn against it and when the polls do an amazing turnaround....coincidence of all coincidence....so do the politicians.

One House Democratic aide refers to John Murtha's statements as a "real headache" as well as pointing out the Nancy Pelosi will be furious, which begs the question....why?

Despite the unpopularity of the war, considering we are there, shouldn't everyone be happy that progress is being made?

[Update] I wonder how badly Pelosi reamed Murtha.

Make sure to keep track of Operation Iraqi Truth.....The unvarnished facts about Iraq.

If you like this article please consider voting for it here...no registration required to vote.

.

The Words That Murtha Said?

~Snooper~

As previously posted here, the shock wave thrusting through the rank and file of the moonbats and Leftinistra, no matter the political affiliation, of Congressman Jack Murtha's "report" that the Surge is working, is creating a mammoth intestinal quandary.

Blue Crab Boulevard has it pegged...

[...] The polls changed and so did the weather vane that is John Murtha. AllahPundit has video of Murtha denouncing other Democrats who came back from Iraq saying there was real progress. (The weather hadn't changed then, apparently.) No matter how he tries to qualify this, Murtha just did a complete 180. My guess is that he is seeing polling that he is very worried about. This corrupt piece of work would not reverse course so completely unless he was actually worried - to the point of being frantic - about something. [...]

It could be that the winds of change are blowing his Lifer status into the Abyss of Obscurity and the challenge to the DIShonorable Toad Murtha by Lt. Col. William Russell has him worried a tad. Or, it could be that the lawsuit against him over his self-induced quagmire of ignorance, stupidity and blatant lies for political opportunism, is getting to him and perhaps he just won't be able to get the US Justice Dept on his side.

Quote of the day on this news come from Riehl World View: Murtha: The Surge Is Working

Well, duh!

LOL!!

Capt Ed seems to think that Jack Lad has redeployed to Okinawa.

John Murtha has spent most of the last two years demanding an end to the deployment in Iraq -- well, apart from the time he spends porking up appropriations in the House. He has insisted that the war has been lost, and in January plotted to kneecap the surge before it began. Murtha has worked tirelessly to declare defeat this year, threatening the funding for General David Petraeus unless it gets tied to a retreat. [...]

No doubt. Polipundit is guessing "he's got a willing suspension of disbelief".

Q and O has a thing or two to say...

[...] Although very late, welcome to the club, Congressman. Is that hell I see freezing over?

Hello, Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi?

Any comment?

Crickets, I am sure. And there is a great video collection at Hot Air. Some are saying that The Troops spiked his Thanksgiving meal with something but The Troops aren't saying. But Sister Toldjah won't ever forget the fools' Thanksgiving greeting just before he left for Iraq. Neither will A Newt One.

This week, around our Thanksgiving tables, there will be two families: One who say they support the troops, and they do, but they have sacrificed very little. They haven't had their taxes raised, they haven't been drafted, and they don't really participate in the war. The other are military families who have husbands and wives, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters in the war theater. It's them who shoulder the burden of the President's Iraq policy. America owes them our thanks in this Thanksgiving weekend. [...]

Jerk. And then he has the audacity to sup with the very people he shiites on for political gain? And then returns home to say that which he has? The Toad, using ITS logical fallacy, is equally complicit in the "President's Iraq Policy". Friggin' moron.


Catch the wave at meme...and here...

Listen to what the Libtards are spinning...

U.S. Public Sees Sharp Improvement in Iraq

Pew Research Poll reports U.S. public opinion on military progress in Iraq has improved “sharply” since the start of the surge in February.

Military effort is going very/fairly well:
FEB 2007: 30%

NOV 2007: 48%

Military is defeating the insurgents:
FEB 2007: 30%
NOV 2007: 43%

Public opinion has improved across party lines:

Republicans: 51% said things were going well in FEB 2007. The percentage is 74% in NOV 2007.

Democrats: expressing a positive view of the Iraq effort has doubled since February (from 16% to 33%).

Independents: went from 26% positive view of Iraq in FEB 2007 to a 41% in NOV 2007.

This doesn't reflect the significance and quantity of the progress in Iraq, but maybe Americans are catching on a little.

Cross-posted @: Bottom Line Up Front

Let's offer them the bullets to kill us, while we're at it...

It's time we consider giving some of our territory back over to the countries it used to belong to. Let's give England about a quarter of Washington, DC. New Orleans, let's see, we need to cede the French Quarter back to France. Seattle can go to Canada, Southern California we can give back to Mexico. Oh, and Anchorage, that definitely has to go back to Russia.

Think I've lost my mind and that I'm completely off my rocker? Think that I've worked too much this week and that I've been overcome by fatigue (ok, that one may be true, but still...). The United States wouldn't DREAM of turning any of these areas over to anyone else. These areas that I've mentioned are part of our nation, a part of US, part of our country, part of the whole of our people.

So...

Why would our state department even DREAM of having any PART of Jerusalem on the bargaining table for the Middle East peace conferences? Jerusalem is the traditional capital of Israel from time historic. It has no significance to Islam in any way, shape, manner, form or fashion other than to be a thorn in the side of the Jews. Yes, the Mosque of Omar is found in Jerusalem. Muslims argue until they're blue in the face about it being one of their religious places, but what's it built on? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller? Bueller? THAT'S RIGHT, by golly, it's built on the location of the site that was the Temple of Solomon. Giving Palestinians access to Jerusalem and allowing them to make it "theirs" makes about as much sense to me as would living south of Lamar Avenue in Memphis and not locking your doors at night. Or during the day for that matter.

Hamas demands UN rescind '47 partition
By JPOST.COM STAFF

Hamas on Thursday called on the UN to rescind the 1947 decision to partition Palestine into two states, one for Jews and one for Arabs.

The group said in a statement, released on the 60th anniversary of the UN vote, that "Palestine is Arab Islamic land, from the river to the sea, including Jerusalem... there is no room in it for the Jews."

Regarding the partition decision, Hamas said that "correcting mistakes is nothing to be ashamed of, but prolonging it is exploitation..."

And Syria, good old Syria, they want the Golan Heights. There's a very simple reason they want this piece of real estate, folks. It's very easy, VERY easy to set up small artillery and absolutely bombard pretty much any location in Israel that they want to target.

Saudi Arabia, those wonderful allies of ours? Their delegation refused to even shake hands with the Israeli delegation.

Anyone see a trend to all of this? Other than me? Yes, thank God, others see it as well, and are speaking out about it. Click this link to go to the American Center for Law and Justice petition demanding that our government do it's part to keep Jerusalem Israeli.

Unreal.

Israel is our ally, and they are struggling to maintain their national sovereignty. It's up to you, the American people, to speak loudly and demand our government help our ally to survive.

Once and Always, an American Fighting Man


.

Hell Hath Frozeneth Overeth: Murtha...The Surge Is Working!

~Snooper~

Oh. My. God.

I. Wonder. If. The. Haditha. Marines. Are. Innocent. As. Well?

HT Hot Air:

Via Bill Amos. I'm not giving you the direct link yet; I want you to watch this clip from July first so you can appreciate his ignorance, hypocrisy, and defeatism. CNN had him on for reaction after lefty war supporters Michael O'Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack returned from a week in Iraq and declared that conditions were improving, drawing furious attacks from the nutroots and the fawning cretins in Congress who represent them. A trip to Iraq, sneers Murtha; who could learn anything meaningful from that? [...]

Go read the rest and check out the before and after vids PLUS a special vid.

Check out Blackfive while you are at it...
Little Green Footballs

Merry Christmas From ReidCo and PelosiCo

~Snooper~

And here we have it, folks. At Military Dot Com, we find the following good News from the eyes of the Defeatists in CONgress:

[...] Army Vice Chief of Staff General Richard Cody has ordered top officers at all Army bases to provide detailed plans on how to trim excess spending and replace civilians with troops. Cody directs the bases to work under the assumption that furloughs will begin on or about February 23. Since civilian employees are entitled to 60 days advance notice, they'll get their furlough warnings on December 25, more or less. [...]

That's sweet, isn't it? Merry Christmas. I hope they remember this come elections 2008.

The entire memo is published here at the Fed Blog. We aren't making this up. This is real. This is hard cold fact. The Defeatists will do whatever they feel they need to do in order to gain the Upper Political Hand to appease their fruit loop base which, by the way, are insignificant in the greater scheme of things...like the war effort and National Security.

Our home grown defeatists abhor all this Good News from Iraq and Afghanistan and will wrangle a defeat for America at any and all costs...for political gain...that is all that matters...Political Power.

Hillary Plants LGBT "Operative" In The GOP Debate...UPDATED

~Snooper~

UPDATES BELOW:

What has A Newt One and many others been saying for seemingly an eternity? The Leftinistra will do whatever it takes to obtain the Almighty Power in the political arena.

Hillary planted a Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender operative into the Republicn debate sponsored by the Clinton News Network. From Jenn of The Jungle:

In the final seconds of the post-debate coverage, Anderson Cooper acknowledges that CNN messed this up and states that "CNN did not know that Kerr has a position within the Clinton campaign and that had they known, they would have disclosed the association."

Ja. Sure. We really believe you. Check out Townhall, Redstate, Blue Crab Boulevard, Stop The ACLU, Right Voices, The Politico.

I kid you not! It is no wonder that a Harvard Study Says More Than 60% Don’t Trust Campaign Coverage

I wonder why Hillary would want o ask a question about a topic her husband created and established?

Further evidence here. Hot Air has the video.

Quote of the night from Redstate:

Hilarious, really, that a Hillary campaign official would plant a question...criticizing a policy enacted by Hillary's husband.

Catch the wave at memeorandum.

The operative also worked for Kerry in '04...imagine that.

UPDATE 1: I have a feeling there are going to be more.

mm.com: the girl asking the abortion question is an Edwards supporter. The DNC/CNN plants are unraveling at Free Republic. Michelle has the gay general covered here. In reference to the Log Cabin Republicans, the fellow is an Obama supporter.

The Leftinistra haven't an ethical bone in their bodies.

Your Political Correctness Offends Me

Cross posted from Miss Beth's Victory Dance

'Tis the season for the fruit loops to come out of the closet, much like the fruit cake brick making it's appearance each year to be "re-gifted" to the next unsuspecting sucker in the gift giving chain.

I'm tired of hearing, year round, about all the little things people can find to be offended about and how it violates a perceived right of theirs. But Christmas brings it all to a head. We have serious problems in this country and yet every little city, county and state is scrambling to pass the most ridiculous nanny laws based on someone's offended status. At the apex of this is our completely useless congress. Then, we have a huge crop of idiots, led by Ron Paul (R-I Refuse to Disassociate Myself from Kooks, Wackos, Wierdos, Truthers and Hookers) and Dennis Kucinich (D-Where Did I Park My UFO?) all the way to Barack Hussein Obama (D-Ideologically muslim With No Substance); John Edwards (D-I Got Mine But I'll Be Damned if You Can Have Yours) and Hillary Clinton (D-Bill Borrowed My Balls Today) fighting for the top job in the land, none of whom have any more experience than a 2 year old in a sandbox.

You also have Mitt Romney (R-Is My Hair OK?), Rudy Guiliani (R-I Cross Dress for Fun) and Fred Thompson (R-I Really Need a Fire Lit Under My Ass).

I've lost count of how many "sound bite" debates have been run on either side--regardless of which side, they're totally useless and a waste of my time. I want to see substantive issues discussed substantively.

Then you have Nancy Pelosi (D-I Violated the Logan Act) and Harry Reid (D-Doing My Best Droopy Dog Impersonation While Trying To Hide My Land Scams and Screw the Troops).

In short, right now, America is screwed by every one of her so-called leaders.

**********************

Then, we have the wacko groups. People who believe gay men dressing in leather (when they're dressed at all) performing sex acts in public (in front of children and, by the way, our taxpayer dollars pay for these morons degeneracy in the form of cops) and doing their damndest to disrupt religious services (as long as they're Christian services--they're not brave enough to walk into a mosque and pull their shit)--and screaming they're the "normal" ones. An entire city that banned the military yet bitched when the Coast Guard didn't show up quickly enough for an oil spill. We have Code Pink--Snooper has them named correctly--Code Pepto Bismal. Stock up on a few cases.

And my favorite--CAIR. A front group for hamas/hezbollah, an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation issues, trying to tell us how offended they are whenever anyone exposes them for who and what they are--a front group for terror.

********************

You have the "nanny-staters" who try to run every aspect of your life from cradle to grave. Buckle your seat belt, you can't eat trans fat, we're not going to let you smoke in your own car or home, don't swat your child when they're running into the street or sticking a fork in an electrical outlet (you might damage the little bastard's self-esteem) and on and on and on...because after all, you can't possibly be trusted to run your own life.

********************

We can't say "Christmas" because "Christ" offends someone. WELL BULL-F'IN-SHIT. What do you think the season is about? And no, I don't want to hear from the pagans and it being the season of the death of the oak king and the birth of the holly king. We are a predominantly Judeo-Christian nation and I'll be damned if someone is going to tell ME I can't say "MERRY CHRISTMAS". Or tell me what color Christmas lights I can or can't put up. Or whether or not I can display my Nativity Scene. In fact, by the time I'm finished with my decorating, you'll be able to land the Concorde on my roof. If you don't like it or are offended--tough. You being offended offends ME.

********************

I'm offended by people who buy into the church of global warming and insist on forcing their choices down everyone else's throats.

FACT: Climate change has been going on as long as the earth has been around. Man has no hope in hell of stopping any alleged disaster. The only thing this hysteria is going to accomplish is putting us back into the dark ages, totally screwing up the economy and making Al Gore rich. I will admit there are many things people can do for practical reasons, and I do many of these things for practical reasons. But I don't for one second think there's any way to "fix" Mother Nature. I can keep my car running efficiently by something called preventative maintenance. This saves ME money by not ruining my engine, keeping my engine clean, keeping good tires on my vehicle--in short extending the life of my vehicle. And I maintain my vehicle for those reasons. Period.

I burn firewood in my fireplace. It saves me money on heating costs because of the way my house is built. Wood is one of the materials given to man to provide him building materials, fuel for warmth and cooking, and when alive, an air purifier. Deal with it. Wood is meant to be burned. Had there been prescribed, controlled burns in the wildfire areas--periodically--there wouldn't be devastating wildfires.

I turn my air conditioner/heater off when I'm not home. Again, that benefits me in lower utility bills. I plant my yard with desert friendly plants. Why? Because water is expensive. Again, to save me money. I use laundry soap that gets my clothes clean. Period. Because to use something "eco friendly" that doesn't get them clean costs me time, money and extra loads until the clothes are clean.

I use the lights I need, suited to my purposes, in my home. I would install solar panels because in the desert there's a LOT of free sunshine. However, the price to install solar panels is ridiculous and is nothing short of extortion.

I don't preach the evils of CO2 while traveling in private planes, limos and living in a house that uses more power in a year than I'll use in ten. I'm not a hypocrite about it.

I hear all kinds of crap about the glorious Protestant Reformation and how evil the Catholic Church is because of the papal indulgences at that time. Well, gee--we have a new church, a new pope and new indulgences--The Church of Global Warming, Al Gore and Carbon Offsets--respectively. You show ME the differences, because I don't see any.

You global warming hysterics offend me.

********************

You hyphenated people offend me. Get off the damned fence and make a decision. You are either American or you are not. And if you're not, get the hell out. You're black--not African-American. You're Asian OR American. Not both. You're Mexican OR American. Not both. And if you choose "African", "Asian", "Mexican", etc., then get the hell out and go back--even if you've been here 6 generations. If that's the way you choose to identify yourself, then go. We are American here. Period.

********************

You gays offend me. If you choose to live your life differently than the norm, then keep it to yourself. Telling me all about your sex life offends me. And, yes, you saw that correctly--"if you choose" because it has NOT been proven it's a genetic anomaly (except in some very rare cases) and until it IS proven beyond all doubt, then it's a choice. Period. To expect me and everyone else to subsidize your lifestyle--all the while preaching you just want "equality"--is bullshit. You don't want equality--you want extra accommodation and you want everyone to kowtow to you because of your choices. That offends me.

Because of your choices, you do not have the right to force me to accept your choices, you do not have the right to expect my children to be educated in your choices at my taxpayer expense in my public schools, under the guise of diversity training.

If you want equal treatment then act equally with everyone else--you don't see "straight" pride parades, you don't see "straight" leather fests at taxpayer expense, you don't see John Q. Public flaunting their ordinary lives under your nose, trying their damndest to get noticed by seeing how outrageous they can be, on a daily basis. You don't see the amusement parks closing down their parks for everyone but straights at any time. You want equal, then act equal. Period.

You offend me by trying to force your idea of marriage down my throat. You don't have that right. There is no Constitutional provision for you to demand your own special marriage laws. And don't tell me you don't have the same rights as every other couple. You can be at your loved one's bedside at death, you can be just as involved as anyone else--if you were smart enough to plan like adults instead of stomping your little fairy feet. Plain and simple.

********************

The whole separation of Church and state issue offends me.

First of all, the Constitution merely states the government shall sanction no particular religion. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. But you whackos have done your damndest to impose your atheistic, secular view on the majority because you're offended. Well, you offend me. You offend me thinking you know everything there is to know when you can't even provide the fossil record of evolution, much less explain how the universe and all in it were formed.

God exists. You are NOT the apex of creation, no matter how much you delude yourself. You do not have the right to take my Bible away from me or stop me from praying because it offends you. It only offends you because you know you're wrong and you don't like being reminded of it.

Accommodating a pathological societal ideal masquerading as a religion (islam) while telling me I can't practice my faith offends me. You're hypocrites to say no one can publicly practice their Judeo-Christian faith while accommodating islam and then screaming separation of church and state offend me precisely because of your hypocrisy. Expecting me to pay for this obscenity masquerading as a religion with my tax dollars (footbaths, time out for the kids to pray, special cafeterias and diets, changing the names of holidays, honoring ramadan, etc.) offends me.

********************

Words are not offensive in and of themselves. It offends me there are idiots who consider "noose" to be a racial slur. It is not. It is a method of tying rope. It is a method of tying rope used in executions from time immemorial. Screeching about it being a hate crime offends me. The same goes for "ho". A "hoe" is a garden implement. And if you're nappy headed and get offended at being called nappy headed, you have serious psychological and self esteem issues. But those are your issues and not mine. It offends me you think they should be my issues.

Affirmative action offends me because on the one hand, so called minorities want to be taken on their own merits, yet when they can't succeed on their own merits, as consequences of their own behavior and choices, then they want affirmative action. Bullshit. Either make it on your own or not. It's on you and your own accountability for your actions. It's not on me you can't face yourself in the mirror or accept your imperfections and/or lack of abilities and want me to subsidize them. You offend me.

*********************

The term "hate crime" offends me. Is there something called a "love crime"? I don't think so. all crime is a hate crime, so why the separate label? Oh that's right--we have to accommodate people's sensitivities. Bullshit.

Crime, all crime, is hate crime. To pretend otherwise is offensive to me. To waste my money on discussions of useless legislation is offensive to me.

********************

Double standards and hypocrisy offend me.

********************

Wasting my tax dollars offends me.

********************

Illegal immigrants offend me.

********************

People leeching off the system offend me. I understand there are times when people genuinely need help. That help is not meant to become generational. That offends me.

********************

Abortion and euthanasia offend me. Using aborted babies for experiments and research, using my tax dollars, offends me.

*********************

Talking points without substance offend me.

********************

People insulting our military, the very people who protect their freedoms, the very ones who protect their rights to be as insulting, seditious, treasonous and subversive as possible--with impunity--are insulted. They offend me. Stupidity in general offends me.

*********************

Men and women walking around half naked offend me. The pornification of the children offends me. I was at a dress rehearsal for my son's play. It's a pirate play, so there are some corsets as costumes. However, the corsets have to be worn over full shirts. These freshmen in high school were talking about wearing these things out in public, without the full shirts. And their parents, and society in general, are okay with that. That offends me--that parents don't give enough of a damn to see their children dressed decently in public, but instead dressing as hookers.

Children pierced, tattooed, hair any color, dressed to go street walking and it's not Halloween--completely sexified at 10, 11, etc. And society thinks this is okay. That offends me.

*********************

Public school agendas offend me. My generation had no extra weight on them. We learned basic subjects. We didn't spend our time in school preparing for only one test. We had something called Physical Education where you actually had to do something besides sit on your ass and be a smart ass. We said the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. We had morning prayers--and so did the public schools. But one or two were offended so we all suffer. You offend me.

Subversive teachers offend me. Teachers who try to "get" something on parents they don't like or suggest materials to kids they know the parents would not approve of. That's not teaching--that's indoctrination. That offends me.

**********************

Children who are ridiculed because they have parents who care enough to discipline, set limits, enforce rules and teach their children morals--and take them to church. The ridiculers offend me.

*********************

People more concerned with animals than people offend me. I have plenty of pets, but my family comes first. Period.

********************

Entitlement mentalities offend me. I'm fed up with college students wanting my tax dollars to subsidize their sex lives with birth control, not to mention all those who want abortions at tax payer expense, because they "can't afford protection" but can afford their cell phone bills.

That offends me.

********************

What the world considers stars offends me. Brittany, Paris, Lindsey, ad nauseum. They're talentless brats who trade on their sexuality and that's it. Such an example for the children.
What happened to real stars with real talent? What about stars who supported their country at all costs? And those that didn't, communists, were blacklisted? Now we have pseudo-intellectuals such as Sean Penn, who cozy up to murderous dictators and tyrants, thinking their uneducated opinions mean something to those of us with real educations.

They offend me.

*********************

In short, for everything you can find to be offended about, I can find an equal number of things to be offended about. You don't have the right to tell me how to live in my home, my car, my space. You don't have the right to tell me how to eat, how to exercise, what to read, what to say. You don't have the right to try to parent my children, particularly if your values are different from mine. You don't have the right to force me to accept your viewpoint because your skin is so thin. You don't have the right to insist on living in a world in which you're not offended by someone or something. You don't have the right to teach my children things which are morally objectionable. You don't have the right to demand one thing for you and something different for me. You don't have the right to tell me how to worship. You don't have the right to tell me what words I can say. You don't have the right to take my money and waste it. You don't have the right to give my money to those too lazy to do anything for themselves. You don't have the right to ANYTHING except life, liberty and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.

Look at those last three words. PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. It doesn't say you're guaranteed happiness. But nothing's stopping you from PURSUING happiness. However, I also have the right to pursuit of happiness and you being offended doesn't mean I have to give up my right to that pursuit of my happiness.

Got it? Well, get this--political correctness has no place on my blog. I call them as I see them and if it offends you? Tough. Grow up. And if it really offends you? Then leave. It's that simple.

Let the whining begin.

Good news from Afghanistan

This from email. Thanks, Billie!

More Good news!!!!!!!!

Best, Billie

*******************************

Nearly 80 Taliban killed in Afghan air strikes

Sun Nov 25, 6:19 AM ET

KABUL (AFP) - Nearly 80 Taliban rebels were killed in a series of air raids by international military forces near eastern Afghanistan's border with Pakistan, a provincial government spokesman said Sunday.

About 65 were killed in a single air assault late Saturday in eastern Paktia province on a "large group of Taliban," said Din Mohammad Darvish, a spokesman for the local administration.

Four others were killed in a second assault targeting a vehicle carrying rebels in the same region of the province, Patan district, and four in a nearby area, he said.

Another three were killed in an air strike near Gardez, capital of the restive province, he said.

"Altogether 76 Taliban were killed in separate air strikes by coalition forces," Darvish told AFP.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and separate US-led coalition could only immediately confirm the last incident which they said was targeted at three militants spotted planting a bomb.

Casualty tolls in battles between insurgents and Afghan security forces backed by their international allies are often difficult to establish with officials regularly issuing different numbers that can not be verified.

The Taliban, toppled from government six years ago, are the main militant group behind a spiralling insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071125/wl_sthasia_afp/afghanistanunrest_071125111918;_ylt=Aqf.RiUbUwwZO2IqZA1hoe_OVooA


"Good Friends are like the stars. You don't always see them, but you know they are always there." ~ Unknown

America Is Winning The Home Surge

~Snooper~

As we approach the Big Squeeze elections in November 2008, I find it interesting how the War In Iraq is becoming less and less significant...to the Leftinistra at least. This reveals how shallow and insignificant they themselves are. It also reveals something else as well.

It reveals how they will react to other issues which don't go the way they so desire to reinforce their ways and means. Apparently, as issues slide away from their desired direction, that particular issue will be side-stepped and played down as if it really has no bearing on the Greater Good.

As I was reading and scanning hundreds of posts this morning, I ran across an interesting post by Jules Crittenden. the post is entitled Mood Surge. Is it any wonder why that troll Olberman is eerily silent?

From MSLSD;

US public opinion on military progress in Iraq has improved sharply since the troops "surge" started in February but a majority of Americans still want soldiers brought home, according to a new poll.

Some 48 per cent of Americans now believe that the US ­military effort in Iraq is going well, compared with 30 per cent in February, according to the latest poll by the Pew Research Center. [...]

As is evidenced by the absolute and total flopping of anti-Americanist Hollyweird films of late, Americans know better than to contribute to the delinquency of minors. Americans are sick and tired of hearing the lies of Hollyweird and the defunct Democratic Party Leadership.

As usual, the whiners at MSLSD were unable to place the poll in perspective and Jules did it for them. Go take a view of the words of wisdom.

They did mention that the majority of Americans, 54%, want the troops to come but what they do not say is that we want them to come home when the job is done. Odd how they "accidentally" omit that "minor detail". The poll can be found here.

It All Depends Upon What "Opposed" Means

~Snooper~

It is said by many, perhaps referring to it as being Common Wisdom, that Bill Clinton is Hillary's biggest asset in the American political arena. However, yesterday, the former President committed an embarrassing gaffe. Can you spell "hurdle"?

The New Media has just been given an ammunition stores second to none. Bill Clinton made a pathetic and lame attempt to rewrite history by claiming to have "opposed Iraq from the beginning". Even ABC jumped all over that statement, known to be a false statement; read that as a lie.

So, what we have here "IS" this; a liar supporting another. As the world reels from what the definition of what "IS" is, now we have to wonder what "opposed" and "IS" is. Words mean things. The Leftinistra are very adept at rewriting history to suit their political aspirations.

As we witness the Leftinistra distancing themselves from the War In Iraq, they invariably return to the issue as being against it from the very start which, simply stated, is a bold faced lie. Funny how they soon "forget" that they signed onto the Iraq War Resolution. Remember, if you will, the vast majority of CONgress "approved of" the Iraq War Resolution but, that all depends upon what "approved of" "IS".

With the alarmingly amount of Good News in the War In Iraq flows in which the once main stream media can no longer ignore, why do the Leftinistra distance themselves from the fact of victory is at hand? Is it all that bad for them that they were on the wrong side of this issue from the very start? Would they not gain honor and dignity by admitting they were wrong?

Americans are indeed a forgiving people. We hate charlatans and liars and those that will not accept responsibility for their own actions or inactions. Blaming something or someone else for one's own short comings or inabilities is truly a sad state of affairs.

One would most certainly be infected with the Ostrich Syndrome while denying that even Al-Qaida has said Iraq is lost.

Boy. This could get interesting. I wonder what "interesting" means. Naturally, we could also wonder what "wonder" "IS" as well.

Please continue as you are Mr and Mrs Clinton. The Abyss of Obscurity awaits you.

RUSH POINTS TO THE BOTTOM LINE:

Hillary cannot win without him

Jimmy Z - Paraphrasing Rush Limbaugh just now on the radio: ‘This is becoming more and more obvious as Bill Clinton becomes more and more visible, tagging along with her everywhere she appears. He just lied outright, saying that he did not support the war in Iraq. There has been, up to this morning, a quote on the Clinton Library website supporting the decision to go after weapons of mass destruction.’

Hat tip to Limbaugh. Without former President Bill Clinton, Hillary has no chance. She can’t do it herself. She’s a weak candidate. She’s not likable and the democrats know it.

Now this is Jimmy Z’s opinion: I guarantee you that behind the scenes, democrat strategists are telling the Clinton war room, “if you don’t have Bill involved, and involved heavily, we’re going to throw Hillary under the bus and go with someone else. We want to win, and she can’t do it without him.”

LMMFAO! This is going to get really good.

Action Alert: We Have Troops In Korea Also

~Snooper~


I am getting ready to send a package to a friends unit stationed in the Republic of Korea. Many soldiers stationed in Korea do not receive any letters of support. If you would like to send a holiday card or two or just a thank you message, please mail it me by Dec. 6th and I will get to them. She has about 90 soldiers in her unit. The address is below! Also I could use more Holiday messages of Joy for the Troops. I have collected over 140 from my kids schools but need many more for the Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan!

'Operation Joy to the Troops'

Operation America Rising will be collecting Holiday Cards for our Troops stationed overseas. We welcome you to be a part of this noble cause. Get your local schools, churches, businesses, and civic organizations involved. All you have to do is collect holiday messages of Joy for the Troops and mail them to:

Operation Joy to the Troops
P.O. Box 2345
Franklin, NC 28744.

This will be a nationwide tour starting November 26th and ending on December 16th. The goal is to collect 100,000 holiday cards. OAR will deliver the messages of Joy on Wednesday December 12, 2007. It is time to send holiday joy and praise to the men and women that defend our freedom.

If you would like more detailed information email me at robert@operationamericarisingnc.com.

Thanks and God Bless our Troops!

Robert Nelson,
Operation America Rising
http://www.OperationAmericaRising.com
www.AmericaRising.org

Mahdi Army and Islamic Republic of Iran

From Debbie at Right Truth

Concerning "Tom Friedman’s assertion, made in his editorial in the NYT, according to which JAM is alleged to collaborate with IRI (Islamic Republic of Iran)", Albrecht Muth in Iraq, responds:

Beginning of Quote from The Case for Illegal Mingling:

The same thing has happened among Shiites. Iran seems to have dialed down its support for Moktada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army in Iraq — which has been purging Sunnis and Shiites to prevent any mingling — because many ordinary Iraqi Shiites had become fed up with this pro-Iranian militia and had begun to blame Tehran.

On Nov. 8, Agence France-Presse reported that the local police had publicly accused the Mahdi Army of carrying out a four-year killing spree in Iraq’s central shrine city of Karbala. “The Mahdi Army murdered and tortured and kidnapped people under Sharia law,” the police statement said. “They are the cause of the deaths of hundreds of people.” The news agency added that “the statement marks the first time the Iraqi authorities have directly accused Iraq’s most powerful Shiite militia of carrying out killings.”

The reason these events are important is that Iraq has become center stage for the struggle between a more moderate, modernizing Islamic outlook, advanced by the United States and some of its Iraqi allies, and another outlook, advanced by the Mahdi Army and Al Qaeda, that wants to “purify” the Muslim world of “the other.” --Thomas L. Friedman, NYT, 25.11.07 **End of Quote**:

Albrecht Muth would like to add for the record:

JAM does not, at this time, collaborate with IRI. Past operational and logistical links with the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, military and political, are held in abeyance. Sadrists do not view an alliance with Iran the preferred option for positioning post-Liberation Iraq in the Concert.

JAM and the Sadrist Movement are on the public record in re. the statements in-reference.

In addition:

Mr. Friedman is incorrect in stating that Iran has dialed down its support for JAM, without mentioning that it was JAM, first, to turn on the Iranians, operating illegally on Iraqi territory, in flagrant violation of Iraqi sovereignty, committing indiscriminate acts of violence against Iraq’s Shia faithful. JAM is on the record as considering these acts, committed by rogue Shia militias, under the control of specialized forces of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, acts of terrorism.

JAM has, on repeated occasion, taken direct measures against specialized forces of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, operating illegally on Iraqi territory, and we shall continue to do so, inter alia, in retaliation for Friday’s bombing in Baghdad. We do not share the view, held by some, that Iran has ceased zed its operational and logistical support for rogue Shia militias, intent on injuriating the good name and reputation of JAM as an Army for Peace.

The characterization of JAM as a pro-Iranian militia is erroneous. It is BADR who, prior to the Memorandum of Understanding of 6 October 2007, reached with JAM, was the pro-Iranian militia, receiving operational and logistical support from the Iranians, long after JAM had cut those links.

Mr. Friedman further errs in stating that JAM aims to prevent the mingling of Shia and Sunnis. To the contrary, the Hoyatoleslam is on the record as in support of Nonviolence, Tolerance and Empowerment, in advance of Iraqi National Unity, across all ethnicities and religious sects. He will make there points, yet again, in a key sermon, to be delivered at Kufa in December.

I am, personally, not certain whether the Hoyatoleslam envisions for post-Liberation Iraq to promulgate Sharia law. Dr. al-Hakim, on the other hand, is committed to Sharia law.

The statements of the Karbala police, cited by AFP on 8 November 2007, reference past-JAM actions, preceding my time in service. I shall refrain from commenting on actions, taken by JAM, beyond my time in service. I am not recommending JAM for the Nobel, nor canonization, nor am I prepared to whitewash them. They have done their deeds and, I am sure, could be swayed to do so, again. But, not on my watch.

I let the record of JAM in 2007 speak for itself. -- Albrecht Gero Muth

Move America Forward: Trouncing Trolls Under Their Feet

~Snooper~

Such a wonderful thing. Check out The Daily File for updates of the Honoring Heroes at the Holidays Tour. Check in frequently and check in every day at a minimum. Therein, you will find the verbal and pictorial coverage.

I especially liked the bags of coal delivered to the Moonbat Tauscher in Walnut Creek!

U.S. Casualties at Lowest Since Start of Iraq War

October and November 2007 have yielded the fewest U.S. casualties since the start of the war in 2003. September 2007 yielded the lowest since it tied with 42 in 2005. Otherwise, you’d have to go back to 2003 at the start of the war to find a lower figure. August 2007 yielded the lowest U.S. casualties since 2004.

Essentially, we’re seeing the best downward trends in both civilian and military fatalities since the start of the war. HOOAH!

Cross-posted @ Bottom Line Up Front

This Christmas, Remember the Troops and All They Do for You

Cross posted from Miss Beth's Victory Dance:


Two poems landed in my email, almost simultaneously. Both are to the cadence of "The Night Before Christmas" and both bring home what the troops do for us. Keep them and their families in your hearts and prayers, never forget they're ultimately fighting for you and YOUR rights--and they're giving time away from their families they'll never get back, they're blood and in some cases, their lives.

When you see a soldier, shake their hand, thank them sincerely, buy them lunch--anything to show you are grateful for what they do for you.

The first poem comes from Norm:

A Christmas Soldier Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps American, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at "Pearl Harbor,"
Then he sighed, "At Christmas we always remember."

My dad stood his watch in that "Asian Land",
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
Something red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a trench with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

********************

The second comes from Lew:

Santa meets a Soldier

"'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

Lt Col. Bruce Lovely, USAF
Dec. 1993

********************

The way these came it occurred to me perhaps the soldier Santa meets in the second poem is an older version of the soldier in the first poem. Regardless, remember our brave men and women.