Purple Values

2nd Corinthians 11:14-15

2006-06-14T09:58:00.000-05:00

The book "God Less, the Church of Liberalism" has been a big hit for Ann Coulter, prolific author, proclaimed protector of Christian values and hit of the College Republicans speaking circuit. She’s the outspoken darling who tells it like it is about the godless liberals. Even James Dobson's "Focus on the Family" promoted her work in his "2004 Pro Family Booklist". I guess our children need bold inspiration from a lady who was once quoted "Bloomberg is wrecking New York City and I didn't want to pay for his f**king fascist smoking police who won't let me smoke"
(Washington Post (Reliable Source gossip column), Apr. 3, '03).

Well, she's all mad now how it's not fair that she can't freely assail the 9/11 widows personally, or at least can't without due criticism. Poor Ann, vengeful, personal attacks are her best weapon (as it has been for Oreilly, Rush, Hannity and others). Brutally effective, trashing the person rather than the issue is so easy - no thinking required! Everybody gets it and it doesn't even have to be true to work! So of course she trashed these widows anyway - for using their dead husbands to make themselves not so easily trashable!. But maybe it's all backfired on her this time - I hope so.

It's the bad rap for Christianity that gets me. I'm sure Jesus is up to the extra load - loving and forgiving us all the same, just as He always has. But it still pains me that my Christian brothers, good brothers, have intertwined Christian America with all this hateful stuff. I mean, GOD IS LOVE. The Lord's precious Blood washed all this filth out of us, didn't it? "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. " That's in the book, ya'll - 1st Corinthians 13:4-7

I guess nothing sums her up better than how Paul did in 2nd Corinthians 11:14-15

"And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."

And I guess we can't say He didn't tell to watch out - Matthew 7:15-23)

References:
http://www.biblegateway.com/
http://www.family.org/cforum/extras/a0034997.cfm
http://smokingsides.com/asfs/C/Coulter.html

Honoring the First Fallen

2006-05-29T16:18:00.001-05:00

Here on Memorial Day 2006, as our politicians are embroiled in the immigration debate, I'm reminded of Lnc. Cpl. Jose Gutierrez, the first Marine to die in Iraq. See, he crossed the border when he was 14. He got caught, but being an orphan, was made a ward of Los Angeles Juvenile Court. He obtained legal residency status in 1999 and joined the Marines.

We honor him today a fallen American hero. Some will tell you his bunch are no good, law breaking leaches at our country's throat. To that I say, well, this one took one of our sons place in that rifle squad. To this nation he freely gave the last full measure. Most native Texans will agree Jose is typical of the character of these people "flooding" our country. Life maybe better here, but it's a lot easier back there. Almost to the man, they come only to work hard for a better life.

And I can't think of anything this country needs more than people willing to do the hard work it takes for a better tomorrow. I believe we ought to help them to legally do just that, right here, with us, side by side.

But, some people don't. So how about today anyway, out of gratitude for what this Marine gave, we pay tribute to his loved ones by joining them in singing the Star Spangled Banner any way they want to sing it.

Here's the AP story http://www.militarycity.com/valor/256506.html

LOS ANGELES -- One of the first U.S. servicemen killed in combat in Iraq was not a citizen of the country for which he sacrificed his life.

Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez, 22, a rifleman with the Marines, died in a firefight March 21 near Umm Qasr.

Born in Guatemala, Gutierrez held permanent U.S. resident status, which he obtained in 1999.
At 14, with his parents dead, Gutierrez followed the path of 700,000 of his countrymen to California. He made the 2,000-mile journey from his Guatemala City neighborhood without entry papers. He hopped 14 freight trains to get through Mexico. U.S. immigration authorities detained him.

Fernando Castillo, Guatemala's consul general in Los Angeles, says the United States doesn't deport Guatemalan minors who arrive without family. Gutierrez was made a ward of Los Angeles Juvenile Court. He was placed in a series of group homes and foster families. He learned English and finished high school.

When he reached 18, he got residency documents, Castillo said.

Marcelo Mosquera, a machinist from Ecuador, and his wife, Nora, were the last couple that sheltered the lanky teenager. They cared for two younger foster children, as well, at their home in suburban Lomita, said Hector Tobar, a family friend.

Neighbors told the Los Angeles Times that Gutierrez acted as the big brother, taking the younger kids to the nearby McDonald's.

Tobar said Gutierrez talked of becoming an architect but put college plans on hold to join the Marine Corps a year ago. Jackie Baker, the Mosqueras' adult daughter, told Spanish-language KVEA-TV here that Gutierrez "wanted to give the United States what the United States gave to him. He came with nothing. This country gave him everything.

The U.S. Embassy notified Gutierrez's older sister, his only surviving relative, of his death. He will be buried in Guatemala at her request, Castillo said.

The Ugliest of Americans

2006-02-19T06:29:00.000-06:00

I just read an article by Gary Palmer of the Alabama Policy Institute arguing that Christian’s have no Biblical mandate to pay taxes in order to help the poor. (here) As clever as his high browed theological discussion was (complete with the Archbishop of Canterbury), I hope he don’t figure on trying to float this past the Lord God Almighty. Unless his Bible is different than the one thumped in to me, there no place any where in it that OK’s dodging our Christian obligation to help the poor around us. (Just ask your depression era grandmother.)

The Bible tells us flatly to get it done, no exceptions, no excuses. If Mr. Palmer cared about these people like the Lord told him to, and wanted to do his part, he’d be cheering the government on, finding ways to help over and above what their doing. It wouldn’t matter a hill of beans how they got helped – just that the needy got taken care of. So why is Mr. Palmer all hell-fired against the government doing anything? I figure he doesn’t like the thought of them making him and every other American to carry the load together.

I mean, how does the government making all Americans follow God’s Commandment offend a true believer? We are a Christian nation and this is one of Christ’s prime directives. A Christian nation should do the Lord’s work first. But people like Mr. Palmer have a problem with it – a big problem. These self avowed Christians, beneficiaries of the land God has blessed most; balk at having to share - the outrageous thought of being separated from their worldly treasure. I wonder how they think the Lord, whose flock contains millions of poor people not being reached takes to Mr. Palmers logic? Figure they’re more worthy, I guess, that the Lord must love them better.

These pathetic individuals are the most despicable of Americans, they, who in one breadth cheer costly wars, tolerate big breaks for oil companies, huge non-compete giveaways for contractors and drug companies, who then turn and wail about helping the least in our society, whining reasons they shouldn’t have to pay for any of it. They sit plopped up in self righteous patriotic wallow, with little flag stickers on their SUV, giving back nothing while they devour the bounty God’s given us. Just look at them and what’s they’ve already done to our beloved country.

Where are the real patriots? – The ones who once asked what they can do for our country, not what can be taken from it? They are dead now, I guess, and this new breed is an utter disgrace to the memory the hardworking, taxpaying Americans who built this country. These worthless sons of worthy sires sell out their own children’s future, their snouts full and still have the gall to bitterly oppose even paltry sums to lift up these little kids who will some day bear the NINE TRILLION dollar debt the selfish bastards have run up for them pay. Grandma would say their being ugly. And so they are the ugliest of Americans.

But Mr. Palmer will not live for ever – and what is sown will be reaped. There’s a greater Biblical principle that he will someday be called to answer. It’s found in Matt 25:34-47. May God have mercy on those souls whose defense on judgement day will be – “I didn’t think You wanted us to put up with the government taking our money and doing what you commanded”.

When a cartoon isn't funny

2006-02-06T13:52:00.000-06:00

Much has been made of the Muslim rioting this week over some unflattering cartoons of Mohammed. (Fox News is having a ball with it). But I think mostly, we just don't know what to think beyond "what's wrong with these people anyway?"

It reminds me of the flap back in the 60's when John Lenin said he was more popular than Jesus Christ. Boy, it really hit the fan then too. I don't remember anybody dying - but that was because they kept ole John out of sight. There was plenty of raw emotions and record burning going around. A man's faith is a pretty serious subject. Belittle it, and you'll find yourself on his wrong side every time.

There are those that mock the mess as just one more example of having to be "politically correct". I never understood this right wing line of whining. What does keeping a civil tongue in your head, showing some respect and treating other people the way your mama taught you have to do with politics? Whats the complaint in being of good character, upright in what we say, and never stooping to petty little words that might hurt other people's feelings. Weren't we all taught to live the Lords commandment of doing unto others? You'd never guess it by how modern day Christians love listening to Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly ridicule people. How our great grandmothers must be proud of us.

Good old "freedom of the press" comes up - but that doesn't really apply here either. This isn't about government dictating what can and cannot be printed. There's no getting truth out to the people here - they were just making fun of something sacred to sell newspapers. Just print it - never mind the effect it has on the sensibilities of billions of our fellow human beings. Did these newspapers have the freedom to print it? Yes, obviously - they did. Did they have a moral responsibility to not callously provoke people? Yes again.

Look at it this way. If the LA Times printed cartoons making fun of some little black "Sambo" character - would a subsequent siege of the Times offices surprise us? No. Or how about this, what would be your reaction to cartoons making fun of Jesus Christ? One would hope it'd incite us as much. People demand simple respect for what they hold dear. All people do and all are equally worthy of it. It's the American way and it's God's way. (If you doubt the connection of our religions, read Genesis 21 - in our Christian Bible.)

I've got a simple rule for life. Never make fun of anybody's ambitions, their religious beliefs, or any thing about them that they cannot change. It's been a good rule.

Funtown

2006-01-16T15:39:00.000-06:00

My old school teacher aunt was sure I would flunk out of college, so just about every day of my summer after high school she'd strand me at the local college library . That place got real boring, but I did run across a collection of audio tapes featuring famous speeches old and new.

Fancying myself a pretty good public speaker, I spent my time there, listening to the speeches, looking for pointers on how and when to inflect my own delivery. Being a good southern boy of the times, I didn't much care for Martin Luther King, but the way he'd stirred people, and having listened to all the others, I started in with his speeches anyway - just to find out what his magic was. The first tape label simply read "Funtown"

The speech was about an amusement park in Atlanta, and his young daughter. She had seen it on TV, and really wanted to go. So relentlessly she'd ask "Daddy, can I go to Funtown". But Funtown was segregated. The core of his speech wrestled with how he was going to tell the little six year old that she can't go to Funtown. She hadn't been bad. She would have been polite and had a great time with all the other kids. But they just would not let her in because of the color of her little face and hands and the hatred for that color it in hearts of the people there.

He described his agony with it in a letter: "...when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six- year-old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people..."

He stirred me too that day, but not by the polish of delivery, but by the substance of what he said. It turned around my way of thinking, and I decided to do all I can in the future to see that she, and everybody else like her could to go to Funtown, or any public place they wanted.

I read that later, after he learned that Funtown had quietly desegregated, Dr. King took his daughter, Yolanda, there. The white people greeted them warmly and told her how glad they were to have her there.

I was glad too.

What I believe

2006-01-13T13:06:00.000-06:00

I believe that our government shouldn't favor Christianity, or any religion for that matter, and not try to convert atheists, or restrict Muslim's. I believe that everybody has the right to say what they think, print it, and pass it out freely if they want. Any group, anti-war or otherwise, can gather any where in public, if they keep it peaceful, and be assured that they won't be arrested, hassled, followed, or chased off. I believe anybody should be allowed to get a petition going to stop war, abortions or anything else they think is wrong and that the government should look in to their complaint.

I think every state should keep a well run National Guard to protect the freedom of it's citizens, even from the federal government. As part of this, the federal government should never be allowed to interefere with the citizen's right to the have the guns need for this purpose.

The government should never be allowed to invade my house and use it for military purposes, not even in time of war, unless congress passes a law specifying exactly what they can and cannot use.

I believe that everybody has a right to keep their personal affairs private - and that nobody (police, feds or anybody) should be allowed to go through my pockets, my papers, my house, or eavesdrop on my private conversations unless they got real reason to believe I may be doing something wrong; reasons that they've taken before a judge and obtained a warrant identifying who, where and what is allowed to look at, take, or listen to.

Nobody, terrorist or anybody, should be locked up on order of the President of the United States, or a governor, or a district attorney or any government official unless good evidence has been first presented to a fair & impartial grand jury (except by the military in a declared war or if temporary martial law's been ordered because of a national emergency). I don't think anybody should ever have to defend himself twice for the same crime, even if new evidence can prove he's guilty. (Otherwise the government could just keep trying someone until a jury found them guilty) I don't believe the police or DA should be allowed to trick anybody in to giving out evidence to convict themselves and nobody should be executed, locked up or fined unless he's had the same legal treatment that everybody else got - rich and poor alike. Nobody's property should be confiscated, seized, sold at auction, or used at all, by the police, DEA, or any government agency, whether they found it with drugs or not, unless the owner gets paid in full for it - lest we tempt law enforcement.

I don't think the the DA's should ever be able to just put somebody in jail and throw away the key. I think they should be forced to go before a judge with their evidence as soon as possible after they arrest somebody. In America, I believe everybody gets a fair trial - everybody, citizen or otherwise. The DA can't take an accused off somewhere else to be tried by a prosecution friendly jury. He should be tried where the crime happened by an unbiased jury of people more or less like the guy on trial. There should never be any secret trials. There's absolutely no reason why the public can't see what the governments doing to people. The government has to be open & honest on what the crime is and why they think a crime was committed. Even if we think hes a terrorist, the accused has the right to challenge face to face every witnesses and examine every piece of evidence, even classified evidence - otherwise the government could just classify everything not helpful to their case. There's no way anybody can defend themselves against made up evidence if they don't know what it is. The accused should have the right to make the government force witnesses to testify for him . No matter how despicable or guilty he may look, the government has to make sure he's got a good lawyer, even pay for one if he doesn't have the money to hire a good one for himself.

If I want to sue somebody for more than twenty dollars, I believe I have the right to ask for a jury to hear my case and if that jury rules in my favor, no judge can overturn their decision - period.

The government can't just lock someone up and charge some ridiculous bail so they can't get out. They can't treat one person any different than anybody else, and they can't do anything weird or cruel as punishment.

I don't think the government has the right to take away any other rights I have that I didn't mention.

I believe the any power that the US Constitution doesn't specifically give to the Feds, still belong to the states and to the people.

Pretty radical thinking, huh? But it is the very core fabric that make us Americans. It's the United States Constitution - our Bill of Rights! Read it again, in it's original English.

Amendment I
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.

Amendment II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III
No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV
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.

Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

Amendment VII
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X
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.

Finest hero - a Clarification

2006-01-10T09:54:00.000-06:00

Perhaps I better clarify myself about Lt. Calley's escapade souring me on the military.

I got a reply from my last post that "maybe we should put all our troops in prison to make me and John Kerry happy". Seemed like a pretty silly response to me - especially since Kerry & I both had stood up with our hand in the air to swear ourselves to military service. Seeing anybody go to jail has never made me a bit happy, especially if I was one going.

It wasn't the military having let a sadistic kook like Lt. Calley command a platoon that turned me. I mean things happen. I remember a late night conversation in a NCO club with a half toothless marine who looked ever bit like he'd stepped out of the movie Deliverance. He was just back, and bragging about the killing and shooting old mama-sons in the field for bending over the wrong direction. Normally I'd thought it was just drunk talk, but the cold look of enjoyment in his eye as he kept talking about it - well, after 35 years I still remember what he said.

What dumbfounded me about Mai Lai was the response from my military peers. And there the people in charge were covering it up, and defending it as if it was OK that we slaughtered unarmed women and children. In my mind that put them all closer to being accomplices than the fine tradition and honor of officers and gentlemen in the United States Armed Forces. I mean, hadn't we just saved the world from the terrible Germans & Japanese doing the same thing? Now we were saying it's actually permissible when we do it?

It was my fellow midshipman perogative I guess - to feel how they did about it. But it didn't make me any prouder to be dressed like them. Right is right. Wrong is wrong - no matter who does it.

Passing of the finest kind of American hero

2006-01-07T19:12:00.000-06:00

I didn't go to Vietnam. Coming out of military school in '68, I was a pretty gung-ho dude and thought I just might want a military career. Got accepted for helicopter pilot training but ended up taking a better, albeit longer hitch doing officer training in the Navy. A college degree came with it and that took me passed the war, and never further than the Caribbean.

It was fine by me, my heart changed over time for many reasons. I guess, not the least of which was the little episode that Lieutenant Calley and Captain Thompson squared off in.

Hugh Thompson, he died yesterday. Oddly enough, it was an Irish news source that noted his passing. His was truly the finest kind of American hero. Here's his obit.

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=71989552&p=7y989854
Hugh Thompson, My Lai massacre hero, dies
07/01/2006 - 09:41:32

Hugh Thompson, a former US Army helicopter pilot honoured for rescuing Vietnamese civilians from his fellow soldiers during the My Lai massacre, died early yesterday. He was 62.

Thompson, whose role in the 1968 massacre did not become widely known until decades later, died at the Veterans Affairs Medical Centre in Alexandria, hospital spokesman Jay DeWorth said.

Trent Angers, Thompson’s biographer and family friend, said Thompson died of cancer.

“These people were looking at me for help and there was no way I could turn my back on them,” Thompson recalled in a 1998 interview.

Early in the morning of March 16, 1968, Thompson, door-gunner Lawrence Colburn and crew chief Glenn Andreotta came upon US ground troops killing Vietnamese civilians in and around the village of My Lai.

They landed the helicopter in the line of fire between American troops and fleeing Vietnamese civilians and pointed their own guns at the US soldiers to prevent more killings.

Colburn and Andreotta had provided cover for Thompson as he went forward to confront the leader of the US forces. Thompson later coaxed civilians out of a bunker so they could be evacuated, and then landed his helicopter again to pick up a wounded child they transported to a hospital. Their efforts led to the cease-fire order at My Lai.

In 1998, the Army honoured the three men with the prestigious Soldier’s Medal, the highest award for bravery not involving conflict with an enemy. It was a posthumous award for Andreotta, who was killed in battle three weeks after My Lai.

“It was the ability to do the right thing even at the risk of their personal safety that guided these soldiers to do what they did,” Army Maj. Gen. Michael Ackerman said at the 1998 ceremony. The three “set the standard for all soldiers to follow”.

Lt. William Calley, a platoon leader, was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the killings, but served just three years under house arrest when then-President Nixon reduced his sentence.

Hersh called Thompson “one of the good guys”.

For years Thompson suffered snubs and worse from those who considered him unpatriotic. He recalled a congressman angrily saying that Thompson himself was the only serviceman who should be punished because of My Lai.

As the years passed, Thompson became an example for future generations of soldiers, said Col. Tom Kolditz, head of the Army academy’s behavioural sciences and leadership department.

“There are so many people today walking around alive because of him, not only in Vietnam, but people who kept their units under control under other circumstances because they had heard his story. We may never know just how many lives he saved.”

Wars over. Did Christmas win?

2005-12-26T10:41:00.000-06:00

I guess the Christmas war is over - at least for this year. I suppose you could say Christmas won - but like any war, neither side comes out better than when it went in. That’s sure true for Christmas. I think this was about the least joyful I've ever seen. If this was the time of togetherness and sharing, of joy in giving to those in need, of reconciliation and forgiveness, I think I missed it.

Sitting here at work, I see only a couple of Christmas cards hung up where there was a dozen last year. With this years hassle on what to say, "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays", companies must have figured that the best play was to just not send out any cards. Same with people - choosing between awkwardly mumbling "Merry Christmas", or jumbling up something like "Happy Christmas" so not to insinuate you think the guy hates Christmas, some folks chose to not mention it. Now, there were those who stared you down then proclaimed loudly "Merry Christmas" as if daring you to make something of it, and boy, were they spreading the spirit of Christmas.

Wonder who started it - this war I mean. And why? First I heard of it was that a Fox News anchor wrote a book just in time for Christmas called "The War on Christmas". I hope book sales were good and at least somebody benefited. I think I'd had a better Christmas if I didn't even know there was a war against it. I still don't know who the enemy is. I can't name a single person I know, liberal or conservative, Christian or not that wants to put an end to Christmas. Can you? I'm not talking about some story you heard about the ACLU, but a real flesh and blood person you know that's fighting Christmas. If you do know one, you can tell him for all of us that he is way out numbered.

I heard some grumbling about a school district banning red and green and another changing the words to Silent Night. But that didn't surprise me none. Think back about high school? The mindless bureaucrats we have in our schools spend there lives making people follow what they think the rules are - never mind any common sense. I don't believe for a minute anybody in the Plano Texas ISD tried to stamp out Christmas. But tell them there may be a rule somewhere and there’s no end to how far they will go forbiding anything even remotely similar, remember?

And what's with boycotting companies that don't advertise the word "Christmas"? My sister, the sweetest, most sincere practitioner of Christian love I have ever known, told me the other day that she received a card wishing her a Happy Holiday and she was miffed. She thought she just might give them a good piece of her mind. It made me sad, really. How could my loving sister be mad at someone for wishing her happiness? Anybody priced stamps lately? Or the cost of printing? Who could believe some company hated Christmas time so much, and my sister's faith that they'd spitefully spend a dollar just to insult her and Jesus at the same time? I can't imagine my sister mad at anybody - much less at somebody that didn't mean any harm. It just isn't, or I guess wasn't like her.

Merchant’s using Christian icons to draw customers has always made me feel uneasy. I'm not too sure how our Lord feels about it, and it is His name and His birthday. Just judging by the way he took a whip to those merchants in the Temple, I don’t suspect he had Walmart or Target in mind as an necessary part of His celebration, especially with all the crowding and shoving going on down there. Everybody just got to get their piece of the mammon pie before its all gone.

There's just not a single thing about all this that fits His message, at least as far as I can find in the Bible. Yet in our great Christian nation we've turned Him in to the very poster boy of fourth quarter profits. Now we're ranting at the stores for not plastering His name up high enough to make sure He gets the credit. The very fact that we even think Jesus and shopping belong together like eggs and bacon really says something about us, doesn’t it? It hints just how far off we’ve gotten. It asks a question. Do we really know Him anymore?

Whether the devil had anything to do with this war or not, I'm sure he enjoyed it. What say next year we stay with the true meaning of Christmas, and try to act more like the Guy it’s named for.

George

About Purple Values

2005-12-22T10:50:00.000-06:00

Those purple mountains were sure something to see. Don't matter if you're a liberal, or conservative, Christian or not, they give you pause. They're part of our American treasure, a gift from God.

There sure is a lot of head butting going on in our great land today. Wars and squabbles big and small going on at almost ever turn. Even as I sit here, there's a war going on over Christmas. Can you believe it, Christmas? Isn't that the time to come together and reconcile our differences?

Red mixed evenly with blue is purple, just like those mountains. .My hope here, with Purple Values, is to bring our attention back to the things we all hold valuable, lest like in the old cartoons, we wrassle our selves right off the cliff.

We have red states and blue states, but in no state is lying, stealing or corruption tolerated. Even the most selfish of Republicans will generously give to save a dying child. The most irrevenent of Democrats who treasures the right to burn our flag will turn when called and give his life to defend it against oppression.

These are the values common to us all, red and blue. Purple Values.