Taking A Stand: Embryonic Stem Cell Research

"...and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path. Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them." Psalm 119: 128-129

"If this bill were to become law, American taxpayers would for the first time in our history be compelled to support the deliberate destruction of human embryos." President George W. Bush

"Unfortunately, because of the stubbornness of one man — President Bush — these people continue to suffer as they wait" Diana DeGette, D-Colorado

As maligned as our president is these days, George Bush has done something to remind me why I admire him and why I voted for him. He stood up against Federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, further supporting his assertion that this legislation "crosses a moral line that I and many others find troubling." I can't agree more.

In cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother's health, I agree that abortion may be the only option. But otherwise it is immoral. Period. There is nothing you can say or show me that would justify it - not even the harvesting of embryonic stem cells.

"A woman should have the right to control her own body," is something I've heard argued, and I totally agree. With all the preventative measures out there - for both women and men, there's really very little excuse for an unplanned pregnancy. The problem these days is that too many people are not willing and able to take responsibility for their own actions. And parenting a child is an immense responsibility.

Another concern is that the harvesting of embryonic stem cells could encourage some women to get pregnant for the sole purpose of providing stem cells. They would essentially prostitute themselves to the health care industry who in turn would likely pay them as little as possible.

Stem cell research does not require embryonic stem cells. Just as it is no longer necessary to kill a rabbit to determine a pregnancy, it is also not necessary to terminate a human life to harvest stem cells. Duh! There is plenty of material out there. Embryonic stem cell research is just another way to justify abortion.

Stem cells offer us hope to potentially cure many dreaded diseases. I'm all for that. But stem cells do not have to be embryonic.

I have one of those dreaded diseases myself. I have type-II diabetes. I expect it will be my ticket to heaven sooner or later. So what? Even Lazarus - whom Jesus raised from the dead - eventually died again. We all die, and stem cell research isn't going to change that.

Too many people have already sacrificed their lives for my physical needs and my freedom. Indeed, Jesus sacrificed his life for my very soul.

Personally, if it ever becomes practice, I will ensure any medical directive of mine clearly states that I will not allow the life of a human embryo to be sacrificed in order to save mine. If such measures are taken against my wishes, then those medical personnel better hope it doesn't work. Because when I get better, I will sue the crap out of them.

Do you think President Bush is being stubborn? Do you think I am being stubborn? Fine. But know this - some things are right and true whether you believe in them or not. I've made my stand.

Back From Camp

Another summer music camp has come and gone...now I'm back home where it's nice and hot (whoopee).

This year's camp was a bit smaller as about a dozen kids we usually get from one particular church did not come this year. Too bad.

We also had a rather unfortunate and serious incident (of which I can't really elaborate) that resulted in sending one camper home. On Wednesday night, Pastor B and I drove back to Phoenix to take him home. Not something I ever want to do again.

Otherwise, it was a really great camp. The children wrote and performed a wonderful little opera. The weather was cool (even downright cold one day), and we even got to have campfires despite the fire danger.

From our church we had three children attend this year - they all had a great time. Their parents and grandparents can attest to that.

As for me, this was perhaps the best camp experience (even with the glitch) that I've ever had. There's just something about that place. I consider it one of my God places. As one of my fellow staff members said, it's a place that helps turn my spiritual life back to normal. Without a doubt, I prayed more this past week than I have been lately. I got to catch up with some old friends and make some new ones, all with whom there was much levity. My friends at church told me today that I looked more peaceful. Well, I sure feel that way. Onward and upward.

Headed Off to Camp

I will be spending the next week at camp, so obviously I won't be blogging unless someone brings a computer with an internet connection. But it is, after all, about getting away from it all, isn't it?

There are some things I won't miss. Like the summer heat in Phoenix (although it hasn't been that bad this year yet). Like hearing about the continuing saga of Paris Hilton (can we serve some cheese with that whine?). Like work.

And who knows, maybe I'll even see one of those elk thingies.

Checking In

With everything going lately, I've been too busy to blog. So here's the latest:

Met The Future In-Laws
With J and R's wedding coming up in October, it was decided that we should meet with J's future in-laws. So we met for dinner at J and R's house last Sunday evening. Nice folks. Not surprising since they have such a nice son. Got to see the grandson, the future granddaughter, the grandpuppy, and grandcat also. It was a grand evening.

The Grandpuppy Visits
We got to see Zoe again on Monday evening. Zoe had some surgery on a fractured front leg recently, and she now seems no worse for the wear. I think Princess can attest to that. Zoe has grown a bit since she last visited and is probably two or three times bigger than Princess. When I got home, I was being told to go rescue Princess from her "mauling" - and indeed she was pretty wet around the neck and sides from all the dog slobber. But closer observation of their antics revealed that Princess was the chief instigator (gotta love a little dog with attitude) and Zoe was just being a puppy. Princess, as usual would let Zoe chase her around and around the chair, then turn around and get in her face. Zoe's usual defense was body-slam Princess and sit on her. Funny and cute.

Nice BBQ at Church
For the Memorial Day weekend, it was decided by our Congregational Care Committee (of which I am now a member) to hold a barbeque. I was volunteered to flip burgers on the church's new charcoal grill. Hmmm. Standing by an open fire on a May afternoon in Phoenix. Actually, it wasn't too bad - we were in the shade (although it was just a palm tree). Lucky, the church cat, layed in the grass next to us - no doubt hoping for a handout or an accidental drop. The food turned out great. The best part of it was the fellowship with my fellow griller and our kitchen helpers. I'd do that again in a heartbeat.

Princess Goes to the Vet
Princess was overdue on her shots so I took her in Thursday for her exam. All is well with her, although she seems to have allergies (which I've noticed whenever she's been out on the grass for a while). I don't think she was too traumatized, but between the thermometer, two shots, and (pardon my sharing of TMI) an expressing of her anal glands, Princess didn't seem to appreciate the extra attention toward her rump. I made it up to with a trip to Petsmart.

Camp is Coming Up
A week from now I shall be packing for my week at summer music camp. Should be fun as always, even with the challenges one normally faces when dealing with that many kids. Mingus Mountain is my favorite "God place" and I look forward to spending some time up there.

Open Letter to David Stern

NBA Commissioner David Stern, you defended your decision to suspend Phoenix Suns players Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw on ESPN Radio's Dan Patrick Show yesterday.

In your opening comments, you said, "One of the things we did was put in a rule that said nobody leaves the bench, so if the players were not playing, it means they violated the rule. It means they either didn't know about it . . . or they knew about it and they forgot about it or one of the six assistant coaches that were there didn't grab them fast enough. So these players took themselves out."

Okay, so we're playing by the rules as far as the Suns players go. I can accept that on the basis of the rules alone. So what about Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen? They also left the bench during a rather physical play (which involved only INCIDENTAL contact) during the second quarter. Here's the video in case you missed it. Doesn't the rule apply to Duncan and Bowen?

You were asked if this rule was subject to interpretation. You said, "No."

Again I ask, doesn't the rule apply to Duncan and Bowen? According to your interview, it does. Therefore DUNCAN AND BOWEN MUST SERVE A MINIMUM ONE-GAME SUSPENSION. What part of that do you not understand?

You questioned Stoudemire's and Diaw's intent for leaving the bench. Did you really? Or did you just come to your own conclusion without asking them? For that matter, did you question Duncan as to why he left the bench (I know why Bowen left - more on that later)? What the hell did you assume his intentions were?

Here's one of your better quotes: "It's being decided because two Phoenix Suns who knew about the rule forgot about it, couldn't control themselves and didn't have coaches that could control them. And don't you forget it."

'"And don't you forget it." ???' What was that for? How old are you, Mr. Stern?

You sit there and harp about the Suns assistant coaches not being able to control their players. So where the hell were the Spurs assistants when Tim Duncan who wasn't playing but was ON THE COURT WITHIN THE THREE-POINT STRIPE DURING PLAY? Obviously not doing their job. The video (here it is again in case you still missed it) clearly shows BRUCE BOWEN pulling Duncan back to the bench where (in your words) he belonged. And don't YOU forget it!

You rant and rave about how Stoudemire and Diaw were twenty feet from the bench before being called back. But I guess it's okay if Tim Duncan goes onto the court during play, even if he's not playing. Granted, if he had wandered twenty feet away from the bench, he'd be in the paint and he'd be pretty obvious (guess you have to give credit to Duncan's smarts on that one). So did Duncan stay within some magical, yet invisible, line? Where's that in the rules?

Again, let me quote you: "Is it a red-letter rule? Absolutely." Given the outcome, I'd say you bent the rules for your Golden Boy, Tim Duncan.

I heard your radio interview with Dan Patrick and I've got to say that you came off as an arrogant SOB with a serious case of foot-in-mouth-disease (refer to your quotes above and below). A couple more of your choice quotes included: "You better stop that!" and "You don't understand anything!" While Mr. Patrick was simply asking you (in a professional manner) the questions that America wants to know, you came off as sarcastic, condescending, patronizing, defensive, offensive, and unprofessional (I come off that way in this letter because it seems the only way you know how to communicate).

My biggest pet peeve is people who don't follow the rules. You're so quick to quote book, chapter, and verse on the rules, yet you hesitate to impose them on the Spurs. What's really up with that?

While not necessarily the case, this has every appearance of foul play. The public isn't as stupid as you may think, and this looks like a fix. Like it or not, the NBA now has a serious image problem. Perhaps the only way it can be restored is if the rules are followed and penalties imposed - even on Duncan and Bowen (oh my God!).

As I conclude my letter to you let me offer another of your quotes: "If I had a team, I would make sure that my players never the leave the bench and so would you." Well, Mr. Stern, you have 30 teams and you are responsible for all of them - including the Spurs (imagine that).

Well if I had one those 30 NBA teams, I would be asking for your immediate resignation. Your actions or lack thereof clearly demonstate a lack of integrity and/or competence to handle the immense responsibility you have. Also, be careful what you say in public - it can be quoted back.

You are quick to place the blame on players, coaches, and even the owners. But the responsibility is yours. If you are so steadfast in your decision, why didn't you come to Phoenix? Can't handle a few "boo's?" Gee, even the Spurs can do that.

To defend your position with the fans is absolutely mandatory. But what you have done is discounted the fans. And that is not good for the NBA. Time to step down, Mr. Stern. What are you waiting for? This is your written invitation.

Spurs Rewarded For Dirty Play Against Suns

With precious time ticking down on the game clock, Steve Nash expected to be fouled. I think we all expected Nash to be fouled. It's part of the game of basketball.

But I find it hard to believe that anyone - including Steve Nash - that Robert Horry would blast his way at Nash like a Mack truck. Talk about a sore loser. That is not basketball.

Deservingly so, Robert Horry is serving a two-game suspension. But Suns players Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw are also suspended for tomorrow night's game, simply for getting up off the bench. There were other players and coaches involved in the near-melee. But the actions of one punk (I can't call him a man) cost the Suns more. It does not make sense, and it cannot help the image of the NBA one bit.

Stoudemire was right when he publicly called out the Spurs and called them a dirty team. Last night's antics only prove it more. But David Stern and the NBA do not have the balls to call them out.

I find it hard to believe that the fans in San Antonio are so proud of their team. It's quite possible that the Spurs may advance to the Western Conference finals, and then the NBA Championship. But it will be a hollow and dirty victory. Just like when the Mexican army won the Battle of the Alamo (stick that in your pipe and smoke it, San Antonians).

Perhaps you disagree. Perhaps you think I'm one of the whining Suns fans. Yes, rules are rules. But rules are not absolute. And if you think what happened is right, then stay away from me - I don't want to know you. You have much more serious issues to deal with.

Personally - win or lose - I hope the Suns beat the living snot out of the Spurs.

Pet Food Crisis: Why Are We Exporting Wheat From China?

This whole thing related to the pet food recalls has gotten quite messy. We're finding now that the tainted stuff has been fed to livestock, so now it's in the human food supply. And now there have been two arrests in China of those thought responsible. They'll probably end up getting shot or hanged or something. Not that the Chinese necessarily care that they've tainted our food supply. They're more concerned about saving face and possibly losing some export business.

Which begs the question: WHY ARE WE EXPORTING WHEAT FROM CHINA?

Meanwhile, I've attached a link to the latest recall list from the FDA.

Pat Burke: A Sign of Good Times

Pat Burke isn't exactly a household name. But he's definitely my favorite bench player. While the likes of Nash, Stoudemire, Thomas, Marion, Bell, Diaw, Jones, and Barbosa are tearing it up on the basketball court, Pat Burke is there cheering them on from the Phoenix Suns bench.

This Auburn alumnus had a stint with the Orlando Magic but has played most of his professional career in Europe. Now he's back in the NBA in a Suns uniform. He doesn't get a whole lot of minutes, but when he does, he's fun to watch.

Last night's game was his most recent appearence; when the Spurs had pretty much conceded the game and sent their bench out to play, the Suns did the same. Pat Burke got to play. And when Pat Burke plays, it means the Suns are doing well. Let's hope we see more of him in the next - oh - eleven games.

Thursday Report, 3 May 2007

New Appliances Anyone?
Last month I paid off Home Depot for the new dishwasher we got last Christmas. Now our refrigerator is on the blink. Keep in mind that my wife has been wanting a new refrigerator for quite some time. So I went and looked up refrigerator repair on the internet and came back to my wife saying, "So you want a side-by-side this time?" The new fridge arrives Monday.

Just When You Thought Things Were Bad in YOUR House
Our older daughter J and our grandson have moved in with her fiancee and his daughter. You may recall they have a new puppy, Zoe. Well Zoe had a little accident a few weeks ago and apparently (although not apparent the first time it was X-rayed) she broke one of her front legs. She's having surgery today.

On top of that, J went to the emergency room because of abdominal pain. She has gallstones. She will be discussing gall bladder surgery soon.

A Good Supreme Court Decision
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that those idiots who get involved in police chases can't sue the police for stopping them, provided the police don't use excessive force in stopping the suspect vehicle. Mind you, when a car is speeding along and barely under control, it only takes a tap of its bumper to push it completely out of control. Just ask the plaintiff - he was speeding along at 100 m.p.h. on a suspended license. The police intervened according to the standard procedure for stopping these wingnuts, and now he's a quadraplegic. If you ask me, it's better than having him kill an innocent bystander and ruin other peoples' lives.

Iraqi Government Entity Targets Sunnis
While we're busy "surging" against the insurgency, it was reported that Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki has set up an office within the government consisting of military advisors dealing with the whole mess over there. This agency has been found to have an extreme Shiite agenda which is only contributing to the sectarian violence. Cute.

Oh, What A Tangled Web We Weave
Meanwhile, it appears that some Sunnis have had enough of al-Qaeda, as evidenced by the increasing numbers of Sunni militants who are fighting against al-Qaeda; they've even claimed that they killed the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Gosh, don't you just love a civil war based on differing religious, political, and economic agendas?

Phoenix Suns Advance to the Western Conference Semifinals
Last year they made it look hard. This year, they made it look easy (except for the one game they lost). Just like last year, the Suns faced the Lakers in the opening series of the NBA playoffs. But this year, there's something different about this team, and I like their chances. The Suns were able to dispatch the Lakers in five games. Now they face the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. Should be interesting. And a lot of fun to watch.

How 'bout Those Diamondbacks?
Since last week the Arizona Diamondbacks are 5-2. I'm not sure how, sometimes, but I'll take it. Looks like their biggest nemesis this year will be the Dodgers.

Thursday Report

Thursday Report
The idea for this title comes from a former coworker of mine who has quite a wit about her, and whom today I was reminded of one of the things she would do.

Every Monday we used to receive an email sent by my employer about things that were going on in our center and in the company in general. It was called the Monday Report. Then the next day, our coworker W would send out an email to our team which was essentially an amusing commentary about the Monday Report, as well as other amusing anecdotes. It was called the Tuesday Report. The Tuesday Report was not so imformative; but it was definitely worth looking at each week.

We no longer get the Monday Report. And since W has left the company, we haven't been getting our Tuesday Report either. But since I was reminded today of the Tuesday Report, I have been inspired to write a blog article each week that had some not-so-in-depth commentary just for fun. And I work half-days on Thursday. Hence the Thursday Report.

Don't worry, I will continue to comment on other topics as I am inspired to do so.

She's Baaaaack...
Over the past weekend, one of our grown children has moved back in with us. We love her dearly, though, so it's okay. Besides, it gives us an excuse to clean the garage again (always a work in progress). Our little dog Princess is thrilled to have another people in the house as well. Granted S & I have had to make some minor adjustments, but it's nice to have E home with us for the time being (whatever that will be).

Speaking of Princess
We've had some other adjustments in our household since the passing of our last cat, Snoopy. We now have a doggy door. Woohoo! I can't tell you how much that makes us happy - no more getting up to let the dog out, let the dog in, let the dog out, let the dog in, etc., etc. Princess can go potty any time, go sun herself when she feels like it, come back in and sleep whenever. It's great. Princess also no longer has a problem with jumping onto the bed at night knowing she won't accidentally land on the cat (always a plus).

How 'Bout Those Suns!
The NBA's second season - the playoffs - have now started. Our Phoenix Suns are now leading the Lakers 2-0 in the first playoff series. The first game was a bit shaky, but the Suns won in a fashion typical of their regular season. In the second game, though, the Suns absolutely demolished the Lakers. In fact, Charles Barkley, who is frequently critical of the Suns, was pretty quiet Tuesday night.

Sir Charles has been somewhat right about the Suns. After great seasons the previous two years, the Suns could not get it done. This year, many - including myself - have a sense that the Suns may win that elusive NBA Championship. We shall see.

The D-Backs: A Different Story
The Arizona Diamondbacks have certainly had their struggles this past week. Not even the ace from yesteryear, Randy Johnson, could eke out a win in his first start of the season. It's just a matter of slow offense. But they did manage to win it last night with a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 9th with two out. Wow.

Spring Weather Ending?
I sure hope not. Although we did barely touch 100 degrees last March, we've had quite a nice spring. We've actually had a bit of rain, too. Enough to delay the fire season by - oh - ten days. But this weekend is the time we may actually hit 100 for the first time this year. Let the hot times roll.

Blacksburg: Reflections On A Tragedy

Is it my imagination, or does it seem like the flag has been flying at half-mast a bit too much lately? Sure, it's to be expected now and then - like when former president Ford died. But not when it's a senseless tragedy like what happened at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia on Monday.

Of course there are always the questions as to why. But when it comes down to it, if I were alone in a room with Cho, I don't think I would ask why - his words would be meaningless. There is no justification whatsoever for this wasteful and hideous act of evil. Perhaps I would share the good news of redemption through Jesus Christ - at least give it a try. But it's too late now anyway. Satan has claimed another soul and Cho was probably honored that evening by "having dinner with Hitler" as I like to put it.

I would also call NBC on the carpet for even considering to air this insane man's manifesto. Again, it is pointless and provides no added value to our society whatsoever. The materials sent to NBC should have just been turned over to the FBI - period. Because of NBC's irresponsible handling of these materials, others may now be emboldened to follow Cho's footsteps and perhaps - God forbid - try to top him. Although all the news outlets are showing it, I think NBC should be singled out for boycott of all their programming and sponsors, at least until those who decided to air Cho's rantings are fired. After all, Don Imus fired for less (and I'm not trying to minimize the effect of his inappropriate comments or discount the response to those comments).

So who's all to blame? Do we blame the psychologists who did little or nothing to treat Cho's mental illness? Do we blame our medical system which no longer institutionalizes the criminally insane? Do we blame the lax gun control laws that allow people like this to purchase weapons? Or do we blame strict gun control laws that disallow security personnel to carry the very weapons that could have dropped this animal before he snuffed out 32 lives? Was Cho's upbringing not strict enough? Or too strict? Do we blame those who did not reach out to Cho? Or do we blame the disease that made him so unapproachable to those who tried to reach out?

As I watch this and other world events unfolding before me, I submit to you the root cause of the world's ills. This is not a God-fearing world. We live in a generation that goes about its business as if there is no God with whom to be accountable. As if there is no God to judge them. As if there is no God at all.

It is better to depend on the LORD than to trust mortals. - Psalms 118:8

If God is so good and loves us so much, how can He let this sort of thing happen? That's a valid question, for which I have a valid - if also simplistic - answer. We are all God's children, and God created each and every one of us with a free will. Instead of robots that obey His every beck and call, we are to make our own choice to love God. And it's that free choice that makes our love of God truly genuine.

Yet there are others that choose not to love God. They don't respect God's creation, and they don't respect God's children. They don't care who gets hurt. They just go on and live their lives as if God doesn't exist.

What we saw Monday was a clash of values. And 32 people innocent of the charges leveled by an insane animal were killed in the crossfire.

It is time to mourn again. I leave you with this link to the Virginia Tech homepage which has a fitting tribute to their fallen students and faculty.

Snoopy, 1991-2007

Often with a 16-year-old cat, it's just a matter of time. For Snoopy, his time came today.

The circumstances had an odd timing. Almost two weeks ago, I bought a new cat food for Snoopy. His appetite had been downright voracious, and so I thought I'd find him a cat food formulted for his special diet (he had an early history of urinary blockage). He ate some of the new food for the first few days, but he did get sick (and vomited) and never really liked the new food. It turns out that some of the cans I brought home would be part of the Menu Foods pet food recall.

We quickly reverted back to Snoopy's regular brand of cat food. But he never really seemed to get his old appetite back. On Wednesday night he was pretty sick and definitely not sick. I thought for sure he was suffering from kidney failure.

After a visit to the veterinarian and some blood tests, it was determined that there was no urinary blockage, no kidney failure, and no diabetes. However, the vet had felt around Snoopy's belly and thought it didn't feel right, and that perhaps one of the kidneys was quite small. Also, the white blood cell count was too high - indicative of cancer. Even with antibiotics, however, Snoopy's prognosis was not good. The vet said even though Snoopy couldn't really tell us, he probably felt like crap.

With our vet's full support and understanding, and given Snoopy's advanced age, S and I made the very difficult decision not to treat him, and to end the suffering which was only going to get worse anyway. And the cat food? Probably just a coincidence.

We already miss Snoopy very much.

Call to Discipleship

I have a friend at church whom I don't always see eye-to-eye with. And I'm sure I annoy her at least as often (if not more) than she annoys me. Yet while I don't always agree with her (and I choose to agree to disagree), we have some really profound spiritual moments together.

She has had some real struggles with her health for the last several years, not the least being the breast cancer which started her whole struggle in the first place. I saw her today as she was walking by, and since I hadn't seen her for a couple of weeks (when I'm sure I annoyed her last), I motioned for her to come give me a hug.

Turns out she really needed that hug, the kind that says, "I'm so grateful for this safe, comfortable place because I'm not okay." She just found out that her cancer is back. As we held each other much longer than your typical casual hug, her tears flowed and she shared how she dreaded the stuggle. She said she was tired of fighting. "I know you are, honey," was the only response I had. It was the only response appropriate for that moment. I think it spoke volumes.

So today was obviously one of our profound spiritual moments together. So pray for my friend.

Okay, Would You Believe October?

So our daughter's wedding is probably not next March. She thinks she can swing it (and has the groom about 90% convinced) for October 20.

Makes no difference to me. The sooner they get married, the sooner I'll have a new son-in-law and granddaughter.

Life in the Fast Lane

It's that sort of busy time of year, and it's been sort of busy around here, but a lot's been accomplished.

I borrowed my dad's pole saw (chainsaw-on-a-stick) and trimmed up our mulberry tree real good. February is the best time to do that so you catch them before they bud and bloom. Besides, we had bulk trash pick up. I'm eyeing other trees in the yard now for the next bulk pick up. Fun. I like chainsaws-on-a-stick. Heck, I just like chainsaws.

I had my wife get our healthcare reimbursement figured out, which in turn helped get our medical expenses figured out for taxes. Then I did our taxes (nice and early) and we already have our Federal and state refunds.

Then last week I got to write up my annual performance appraisal for work. Fun (NOT!).

All this in light of our upcoming vacation plans. My wife has an aunt who lives in Maryland - right smack dab between Washington and Baltimore. Can you say "sightseeing?" I've never been to Washington, but I've always wanted to go there. And we'll see a bit of Baltimore also. It's kind of ironic - I've been to five national capitals in my travels, but never our own. Being the history buff that I am, I am really looking forward to this trip.

New Additions Coming to the Family

Well, it's Valentine's Day, and he popped the question. Our older daughter, J, has been dating R for about six months now. And tonight they are engaged.

S & I have been commenting on how much we like R and what he's done in J's life. We look forward now to having him as our new son-in-law (the first one was such a disappointment and continues to excel in mediocrity).

This makes for a ready-made granddaughter as well - R has a three-year-old girl. K and our grandson J get along great as well.

Looks like a March wedding next year!

What The...? The Defense of Marriage Initiative

I don't yell at the TV very often, but I did last night. Married couples would be required to have children within three years or their marriage would be annulled. What the...? Excuse me?

According to this news report, "Initiative 957 was filed by the Washington Defense of Marriage Alliance. That group was formed last summer after the state Supreme Court upheld Washington's ban on same-sex marriage."

Here's the details:

• If passed by Washington voters, the Defense of Marriage Initiative would:
  add the phrase, “who are capable of having children with one another” to the legal definition of marriage;


• require that couples married in Washington file proof of procreation within three years of the date of marriage or have their marriage automatically annulled;


• require that couples married out of state file proof of procreation within three years of the date of marriage or have their marriage classed as “unrecognized;”


• establish a process for filing proof of procreation; and


• make it a criminal act for people in an unrecognized marriage to receive marriage benefits.¹

These people have absolutely no clue what a marriage is. And now that the people of the great state of Washington have spoken up and taken a stand in favor of marriage, this bunch of sore losers has taken their fight to a new low. Let's hope this initiative goes down in flames.

---

¹http://www.wa-doma.org/Default.aspx

Super Bowl XLI: Pushing the Envelope?

Once again, the Super Bowl raised some eyebrows this year, both good and bad. And it was more of what happened off the field than on it that grabbed peoples' attention.

The Snickers Commercial
This ad featured two auto mechanics inadvertently kissing while sharing a Snickers bar, then trying to make up for their error by acting more masculine. Gay rights groups are protesting because they think this is gay-bashing. Others would say it promotes the gay lifestyle. Personally I thought it was tasteless and disturbing. M&M Mars has pulled this ad off of the airwaves and it appears it is no longer on their website.

General Motors Robot Contemplates Suicide

I thought this was a cute commercial - until the despondant robot jumps off a bridge. Of course it was all a dream and, of course, robots would never do that. But again, the message that was conveyed was disturbing, implying that suicide was okay. Perhaps it was art imitating life, especially when you consider that GM (and other car makers) are essentially committing suicide with their business practices.

Prince's Halftime Performance [link]
Not since Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction have we had a controversy with the halftime show. The controversy here was the point at which the shadow of Prince and his custom-made guitar were projected against a large sheet of fabric which had a phallic connotation.

Now I've never been a fan of Prince, but I thought he performed wonderfully. I can also see - quite clearly - what is implied by the offended masses. But I also see it for what it really is - a man and his guitar. That's really the only way one can properly play a guitar, and I don't believe any other meaning was intended. What I questioned more was: What was up with that thing on his head?

So another Super Bowl passes - and again, the envelope was pushed. We live in a society where the envelope of morality is constantly pushed; it's just expressed more artistically at the Super Bowl.

Next year the Super Bowl will be played just a few miles from my house. At least it won't rain - unless they forget to close the roof and it's raining (now that would be a controversy!).

Nobody's Perfect - But That's Okay

Some convicting words I heard in this morning's sermon:

"Raise your hand if you're perfect." No hands went up. "Raise your hand if you would like to be more Christ-like." Most - if not all - hands went up.

See, here's the thing. If you're not perfect and you want to be more Christ-like, that means you've got some work to do on yourself. I know I do. But that's okay. The Bible is full of instruction on how to be a better person.

...do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. ♦ Romans 12:2

Is America Getting Too Soft?

I'm wondering now if there will soon come a time when we as nation will say to the terrorists, "Okay, you win." And then what? That will certainly be a dark day for the United States - that is, if we continue to exist.

Border Incursion into Arizona [link to story]

We have had National Guard troops from various states stationed along the border with Mexico. This is meant to discourage illegal immigration and smuggling into the U.S. Early this month, an armed band of gunmen crossed the border into Arizona. No shots were fired, but the National Guard troops did withdraw from the area. Despite having up to 6000 troops on the border, they have authorization to engage anybody.

Excuse me? This is something we should be very concerned about. This act of agression was no less than an armed invasion of U.S. soil, and yet we have rules of engagement that do nothing to protect the integrity of our border, and are probably designed more to appease the ACLU. Even the Palestinians - outgunned and outmaneuvered - fight back whenever the IDF makes an incursion into their territory. These invaders have no honorable intent, and every effort should be made in capturing them or eliminating them if they don't cooperate, even to the point of calling in airstrikes if it comes to that (there are two Air Force bases and a Marine Corps air station in Arizona).

The last time this country had a border incursion was when Pancho Villa raided New Mexico. We dealt with it then; we need to deal with it now.

Iraq

What can I say that I haven't already? It sounds like we're ready to give up in Iraq, just like we did in Vietnam - and look what they've had to endure.

We justified our invasion of Iraq by stating they possessed weapons of mass destruction. Despite the reports from the press who would have you believe we found none, we have found them. No, not stadium-fulls. But caches have been found and documented. You don't need a lot of mustard gas to kill a lot of people. Saddam had plenty. And remember, he was executed for killing a mere fraction of his own people.

Lots of innocent people continue to lose their lives in Iraq, and the people losing those lives typically are civilians - those Iraqis trying to live a decent life - and those who have travelled a long way to help the Iraqis (but not the UN - they bailed out, remember?). How many combatants have been killed? Very few in comparison to those innocent bystanders.

There is no victory in Iraq unless we buckle down. Our enemies are those who don't fight with honor. They target the weak so that we will lose our will to fight. If we abandon Iraq, we are just as dishonorable as those we are fighting. The honorable thing to do is to eliminate that enemy and demand no less than unconditional surrender.

Some History

The Declaration of Independence was not a slam-dunk; the Revolutionary War continued for more than five years after that. The British were the odds-on favorite to win, and they nearly did. There would have been no defeat with honor for the thirteen colonies; the fight for liberty would have been over. And those who had signed the Declaration of Independence would have been signing their own death warrants.

But America did prevail, for the will to fight for liberty was stronger than whatever the mighty British Empire (argueably the greatest nation on the planet at that time) could throw at them.
When the American Civil War broke out, many on both sides believed it would be over quickly. Although outmanned, outgunned, and outmaneuvered by the Union, the Confederacy displayed a tenacity unlike any combatant in all of history, and at times it appeared they could actually win the war. Instead of a brief war with few casualties, the American Civil War was a drawn-out, ferocious ordeal that lasted four years and was one of the most dealy, second only to World War II.

President Lincoln had to deal with generals in the field that, for whatever reason, were not getting the job done. Even by the summer of 1864, the war was not going well for the Union. There was not only a question of whether Lincoln would re-elected - there was even a question of whether we would be re-nominated! Finally by autumn, the Confederacy had been delivered some crushing blows deep in the South. Lincoln was re-elected (his chief oppenent being one of the generals he had fired) and the Union juggernaut by this time could not be stopped. By April the war was over.

Do the Math

Here are some statistics from American history's more deadly moments

Battle of the Bulge

16 Dec 1944 - 25 Jan 1945

19,276 killed
Hurricane of 1900, Galveston TX

8 September 1900

6,000 - 12,000 killed
Battle of Gettysburg

1-3 July 1863

7,863 killed
Guadalcanal Campaign

7 Aug 1942 - 9 Feb 1943

7,099 killed
Earthquake/Fire, San Francisco

18 April 1906

3,000 - 6,000 killed
Battle of Antietam

17 September 1862

3,654 killed
Battle of Shiloh

6-7 April 1862

3,477 killed
Battle of Iwo Jima

19 Feb - 26 Mar 1945

6,140 killed
Iraq War

23 Mar 2003 - 13 Jan 2007

3,019 killed (so far)
Terrorist Attacks - New York/Washington/Pennsylvania

11 September 2001

2,973 killed
Hurricane - Lake Okeechobee FL

16 September 1928

2,500+ killed
Attack on Pearl Harbor

7 December 1941

2,335 killed
Hurricane Katrina

29 August 2005

1,836 killed
Battle of Normandy (first day - D-Day - only)

6 June 1944

1,465 killed

Conclusion

We Americans tend be an impatient bunch. In our fast-moving society, we want results now - and if we can't get the results we want, then to heck with it.

After 9/11, I remember how proudly we Americans flew our flags. I remember how we Americans put yellow ribbons on our cars as our troops set off to make things right. Nowadays our cars are festooned with ribbons of all colors. Don't get me wrong - some of these causes are great - but why do others warrant their own ribbon? And what about the flags? Where have they all gone?

So here we are in America in 2007. We sip our Starbucks coffees, pump cheap gasoline (yeah, it could be much worse!), satisfy our materialistic urges with goods made in China, wait for tech support from a call center in India, and wonder what Britney Spears is up to (as if she were important). Where would we be if all those were gone?

The generation before mine tells stories of the Great Depression and how they sacrificed much just to survive. I often wonder if the generations after mine would even know how to cope with something like a Great Depression or a desperate global war. And I gotta ask you: Is America getting too soft?