Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) speaks to the media alongside Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senator Charles Schumer on Capitol Hill on June 23, 2011. (Courtesy of Fox News)
Senator Dick Durbin is making plans to revive the DREAM Act, which is a controversial proposal to give illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. a path to legal status. In other words it could amount to amnesty if President Obama has his way. Durbin, who is announcing the first ever Senate hearing on the "DREAM Act", said it would "make our country stronger." Last year the bill passed the House but died in the Senate. The bill contains language that says illegal immigrants who came here as children and complete two years of college or military service could earn legal status. Two of the top administration officials that will testify before Durbin's committee about the bill are Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
As much as I believe military service is a great, honorable privilege, that in itself shouldn't qualify children of illegal immigrants to receive legal status. The Muslim terrorists who were planning an attack in Washington on a military enlistment facility were Navy veterans. I'll give you another example. Nidal Hasan, the Army major who yelled "Allah Akbar" repeatedly opened fire and slaughtered and wounded soldiers at civilians at Fort Hood, Texas. He had been in the Army for over 20 years. There's No telling how many potential terrorists that could be that are in the U.S. military, esp. if they're Middle Eastern descent.
This is another attempt to once again to provide amnesty towards those who are illegal aliens or are children of parents who aren't U.S. citizens. I believe it's important that there be uniform guidelines for those who have a desire to become U.S. citizens. For the last several years there has been much debate in the political arena about what to do with those illegal aliens that are already living in the country. Granting automatic citizenship status isn't the answer. The answer is for them to get in line to apply for U.S. citizenship. Everyone who is here illegally should be given a choice to either go through the proper channels to become U.S. citizens, apply for legal residency, or go back to their native country. Children of illegal aliens should go through the same procedure to become a U.S. citizen as all other foreigners who desire to become U.S. citizens. It should mean something to those who are applying for citizenship. Every foreigner should be submitted to the same tests and procedures in applying for citizenship. It's not right for some to play by the rules and others be automatically granted amnesty. The DREAM Act is part of the agenda of our elected elite to flood this country with illegals. I don't have a problem with foreigners coming to this country in search of a better life and in the process go through the procedures to become U.S. citizens. However, I have a problem when politicians sell out our country for cheap votes. Our elected elite are doing nothing but subverting our nation's sovereignty.
Tex Ritter does a recitation in a song about Gordon Sinclair's (a respected Canadian broadcaster) views of America from June 5, 1973 in his most famous radio editorial, "The Americans."
Bristol Palin, oldest daughter of former Alaska Governor and Vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin holding her infant boy, Tripp.
(USA Today) Yesterday evening Bristol Palin, the oldest daughter of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, was interviewed on "Hannity" at Fox News. She was speaking about her latest memoir entitled, Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far. She was speaking about some of the enounters she had as a teenager when she became pregant with her son Tripp from former boyfriend Levi Johnston. She also spoke about her mother's embattled 2008 vice-presidential campaign, through her pregnancy, and the spotlight she received when she was performing on "Dancing With the Stars." Before the book was released, it made headlines for what Palin said about Levi Johnston, Tripp's father. She stated that (he "Levi" cheated on me as frequently as he sharpened his hockey skates. She was not too fond of Meghan McCain, the oldest daughter of Senator John Mcain and Mrs. Cindy McCain. Palin stated she had a "sneaking suspicion she might need to watch her back" against Meghan McCain.
Palin was also speaking about the night she lost her virginity five years ago in the book and on "Hannity" yesterday evening. I will not devote any time covering the details of what happened that night or what led to this encounter. I will say from what I read about her former boyfriend, she said that Johnston is a deadbeat dad. I will not proceed any further mentioning any more details. If you want to know more of the details, click on the above link and you'll see the transcript of the entire interview between Bristol Palin and Sean Hannity. There are a couple of scattered thought I have concerning this situation which is why I decided to write this post. They are nothing profound but I believe they're important
First of all, there are some people who have been critical of Bristol Palin's unwed pregnancy for the simple fact her mother was the former governor of Alaska and John McCain's running mate in the 2008 presidential election. Some will be critical for the simple fact that Palin is conservative in her views concerning life and Biblical family values. However, there's a lesson to be learned and that is regardless how famous or what kind of position one holds in society doesn't mean they aren't immune to their children doing something disgraceful. Sin affects everyone and it's no respecter of persons--not politicians's families nor preachers' families. One of the problems with teenage relationships today is that teenagers are alone with the opposite sex for copious amounts of time and, as a result, it allows for temptation. Given the fact we live in a very sensual society, parents must be on guard and recognize their children are under tremendous peer pressure when it comes to sex. Parents need to make sure when it comes to teenage relationships with the opposite sex they are properly chaperoned. I don't care how smart, intelligent, or how Godly a teenager might appear to be, they are flesh just like anybody else. Proverbs 6:27 asks can a man take fire in his bosom and not be burned? If you play around with sexual tempation, you're asking to get burned. If young people spend copious amounts of time alone with the opposite sex, they're setting themselves up to losing their virginity. Virginity is cheap to this world. There are all kinds of influences in this world trying to tempt young people to experiment with sex. Pornography is a huge business in this society. Today there are all kinds of pornography websites on the internet. Children today face more temptation than ever in the history of this world. It's important that parents realize that the Devil is out to destroy their children. Allowing young people unlimited time alone is a gateway to fornication.
The second thought that I had on my mind concerning Bristol Palin was her mentioning about Levi Johnston being a deadbeat dad. We live not only in a sensual society but a lazy society as well. There are many young men that are nothing more than couch potatoes. There are numerous marriages today where the husband is a deadbeat. I've heard many single mothers say they don't receive any child support from their children's father and most of the reaons for that is their childrens' father is a deadbeat. Parents shouldn't allow their teenage daughter to occupy their time with a young man that doesn't appear to have a disposition to use his hands to accomplish something constructive. Young men that don't appear to be inclined to work don't have any business entering into a relationship with a young lady. Young men who are sluggards will cause undue stress in their marriages. Their wives will not only have to shoulder the financial responsibilities of providing a living but also will shoulder responsibilities for the household chores. One of the major causes of marital stress is financial issues. There are couples who struggle with financial issues where the husband is a diligent worker. Just think how much worse it is if the husband is a deadbeat. A wife who has a husband that is a deadbeat will have to shoulder the financial burden of her family upon herself. That's against God's plan concerning the home. God has designated the husband to provide for the home. I've never seen a strong, thriving marriage where the husband was a deadbeat. One of the things I've seen in deadbeat husbands and dads are not only will they not work a job to provide for the family, but they also won't involve themselves with the chores in that household as well. In other words a deadbeat husband tends to be deadbeat through and through. If they lift a fork to their mouths to feed themselves they're doing well. They won't lift their finger to hardly accomplish anything. I've heard of many wives that were stressed out and furious because their husband was a deadbeat. Young ladies don't need to devote any time to a young man who doesn't possess any interest to labor and provide a living. I do recognize that teenage boys aren't at the level to work a job to provide for a stable living. However, I don't believe high school girls should give a second thought to sharing their affection with high school boys if they're slothful and won't work. Those poor habits will likely carry into his adult years and he'll be a deadbeat husband. Life is difficult enough as it is. Young women don't need to be dating young men who are sluggards. If they are sluggards while you're dating them, then they'll more than likely be sluggards once you say your vows at the wedding altar.
Michelle Bachmann officially announces candidacy for president
Today Republican Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) officially tosses her hat into the ring by announcing her plans to run for the Republican nomination for president in 2012. She made the announcement in her hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, where she was born. She says she's the "bold choice" for president in 2012. "I often say everything I need to know I learned in Iowa," the 55-year old Congresswoman said during her announcement outside a historic mansion in Waterloo. Bachmann stated she's waging the campaign "not for vanity." Instead, voters "must make a bold choice if we are to secure the promise for the future." she declared. According to a Des Moines Register poll, her numbers have been rising in the Republican primary recently. The poll shows her neck-and-neck with Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney. She's also doing well in the polls in Florida against Mitt Romney as well.
Bachmann told the crowd of supporters, "We cannot continue to kick the can of our problems down the road, because they are problems of today and not tomorrow...We can't afford four more years of Barack Obama." I'll add to that we also can't afford four more years of a George W. Bush, which was President Obama's predecessor. Bachmann rose to prominence with the rise of the Tea Party, which is a movement she hides behind. She also heads the House Tea Party Caucus. She's running in a field of Republican candidates which include Ron Paul, Gary Johnson, Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, Tim Pawlenty, Jon Huntsman, and Rick Santorum. There's speculation that Texas Governor Rick Perry may join the race as well.
Michelle Bachmann makes the claim that she's a bold choice as a candidate for voters in 2012. She claims to be a fiscal and social conservative and states it's her goal to repeal Obamacare, which is a nickname for the Affordable Health Care Act passed in March 2010. I do agree with her voting record. She says many things that I agree with. It's not what she says that disturbs me but it's her actions that trouble me. She hasn't done anything of any substance to put a stop to Obama's socialist agenda, given the fact that the Republicans are in charge of the House and have the power to defund President Obama's socialist agenda. One of the things that disturbs me about her is she has the power to use her resources in the House to assemble a group of Republicans together to defund Obamacare. If she's serious about repealing Obamacare, she needs to devote her resources to defunding Obamacare since the Republicans hold the majority in the House. THERE WILL BE NO REPEAL OF OBAMACARE WHILE BARACK OBAMA IS PRESIDENT AND THE SENATE IS CONTROLLED BY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY! Why she isn't devoting her resources to defunding Obamacare is puzzling. If she won't use whatever means are at her disposal to defund Obamacare, I wonder how serious she will be about repealing Obamacare if she becomes president. Obamacare needs to be defunded immediately. The Republicans love to use the issue of "repealing Obamacare" as a campaign theme. How serious are they about following through on their campaign pledges? The Republicans need to utilize their power to stop ridiculous spending in their tracks and they are refusing to do so. The temporary budget agreement passed by the Republicans a few months ago was bogus. The cuts amounted to $352 million dollars, if that much. That's no excuse for this present Republican leadership given the fact they are in control of allocating funds for spending.
Two other things that disturb me about Michelle Obama is her silence about these senseless wars taking place in the Middle East as well as the need to build a border fence between the United States and Mexico. Why isn't Bachmann challenging the Defense Department and President Obama about the continuation of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Why isn't she speaking out against adding wars in Libya and Yemen, which we can't afford. She claims to be a fiscal hawk. These wars our soldiers are fighting in the Middle East are costly. What is the purpose of U.S. troops staying in the Middle East? If there's no agenda to win the wars, then our troops need to leave the Middle East. That's what she should be saying and isn't doing so. She isn't showing leadership in areas that are critical for our country. Also, she hasn't made any serious proposals for the building of a border fence between the U.S. and Mexico. There was a border fence built between San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico in the 90's that was very successful. We could replicate the same kind of border fence across the states of Texas, Arizona and California. The only areas that wouldn't have a fence around it are the checkpoint areas where people could cross the border. Those areas would be for border agents to patrol. Bachmann needs to be discussing these issues and hasn't. Some says that Bachmann is the best we have in Congress. I don't deny she's one of the best Congressional members that we presently have sitting in Congress. Consequently her leadership is lacking in certain areas. We need someone running that will boldly challenge President Obama's agenda and will do whatever's necessary to place the United States back on a course of following the U.S. Constitution. That's what we need. We need a candidate that will challenge the status quo in Washington and isn't worried about currying favor with certain political groups. It's about God, country, and the Constitution. That's what we need in a Republican candidate challenging President Obama.
As of today, I'm not prepared to write the post on the Gospel of John that I had originally intended too. Instead I have another thought which is in Revelation 1:3. It says, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand." Mark 13: 35-37 says, "Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping: And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."
Recently Harold Camping, who is an American Christian radio broadcaster, who is president of Family Radio, a California-based station group that spans more than 150 markets in the United States, made the prediction that the rapture of the church would take place on May 21, 2011. That date has passed and the rapture didn't take place on May 21, 2011. I can recall back in 1988 when I was a junior in high school there was a book written entitled, 88 Reasons Why Jesus Is Coming Back in '88. It was written by Edgar Whisenant whom I believe predicted that Jesus would come back around September 11-13 in 1988. That prediction never took place. Going back in time there was a man by the name of William Miller in Massachusetts who stated in 1843 that Jesus was going to return to this earth in March 1844. So he and several followers, dubbed Millerites, climbed a high mountain and looked up into the sky waiting for Jesus to return. Nothing happened. Why? March 24:36 states that "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of Heaven, but my Father only." Those who preach Jesus is returning on a particular date is in error. Jesus explicitly stated only the Father in Heaven knows the date. Nevertheless, since Jesus ascended into Heaven, there have been many that have tried to pinpoint a date concerning the Lord's return. Every time they've done so they've always been in error. Man's not going to outsmart God. The Heavenly Father will make sure no man can predict the exact day. According to what I read in the book of Mark, He will return unexpectedly in an hour we think not.
Matthew 24 lists some of the signs that indicate the Lord's return is imminent. Verse 4 in Matthew 24 mentions there will be those that come in Christ's name and deceive many. There will be wars and rumors of wars. Nation will rise against nation. There will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. We're seeing all those things taking place. In the last two years there have been a plethora of earthquakes throughout our world such as Haiti, Chile, New Zealand, Japan, one off the coast of Alaska, etc. There have been floods, droughts, deadly tornadoes across the South and the Midwestern part of the United States. Then in later verses in the same chapter you'll read about iniquity abounding and the love of many shall wax cold. Another sign of the Lord's coming is the rebirth of Israel in the Middle East which took place around May 15, 1948. Israel is now a country as the Bible predicted. One of the reasons why Whisenant predicted Jesus would come in 1988 was due to 40 years passing since Israel was reborn. The number "40" is significant in the Bible in a number of cases which I don't have time to cover in this post. However, man's not going to pinpoint a precise date concerning the Lord's return regardless the number of years since a major event took place such as Israel's rebirth.
There also will come the day where there will be a Great Tribulation upon this earth. This will happen once the rapture of the church takes place. I believe in a premillennial rapture in which all of God's people will be raptured out of this world before God's cataclysmic judgment takes place. Then Jesus will come back to this earth to establish his Kingdom on earth for one thousand years. There will be a thousand years of peace on this earth while Jesus rules and reigns. Nevertheless, Jesus is coming. He's not coming according to our timetable. He will come in His timetable. He will come in an hour that man knoweth not. Matthew 24:37 states that as in the days of Noah were, so shall the coming of the Son of man be. Jesus makes the comparison between the days before His coming to the times of Noah right before Noah and his family entered the ark. The people on the earth were eating, drinking, and making merry. Those on the earth at that time didn't pay any attention to the preaching of Noah concerning the fact there would be a worldwide flood. Then all of a sudden the flood came and destroyed all those that didn't enter the ark. They heard the preaching but they didn't heed to Noah's warning to get ready because the flood was at hand. That's the same thing happening today. God's men are preaching that Jesus could come back at any moment and those that are without Christ need to repent. How many are taking heed to that? Many are living like the Lord's return is years away. There are many that attend church faithfully that haven't given a serious thought to the fact that Jesus could come today. There are many professing Christians who believe Jesus will return, but it probably won't be in their lifetime. I'm afraid that's the mentality of many in the church today. WE live like Christ won't come back in our lifetime. The truth is he could come today.
II Timothy 3:1-8 mentions that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God .... I could continue with these verses but the point is we're definitely living in the last days. The signs are ripe for the Lord's coming. Matthew 24:42 says that we are to watch for we know not what hour the Lord cometh. Verse 42 goes on to mention that if the goodman of the house would've known what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and not suffered (allowed) his house to be broken up or burglarized. However, the goodman didn't know the hour the thief had come which is why his house was broken into. There will come a time when Jesus will return and there will be those that won't be anticipating his return at that particular time. They won't be ready for his coming. Jesus is coming. He's coming suddenly. No man can predict the day nor hour when Jesus will return. But we're to watch for his return as the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark says we should. As far as I'm concerned, there's no prophecy that has to be fulfilled before He returns. He is returning. Will we be ready when he does come?
Governor Andrew Cuomo Signs Same-sex marriage bill into law
(Newsmax) New York Governor Andrew Cuomo wasted no time in signing the gay marriage bill passed by the New York State Senate into law shortly before midnight Saturday, less than two hours before the Republican-led State Senate approved the measure in a 33-29 vote. The signature of the Democratic governor supposedly is to lead to a host of "gay" weddings beginning in 30 days. Many advocates of same-sex marriage are heralding the approval, which came after some tense days of debate this week leading up to the vote, as a historic step not only for New York but also in the effort to allow same-sex marriages on a national level. New York is the sixth state in the nation, and the largest, to legalize same-sex marriage. The Senate's vote of approval came shortly after Republican Senator Stephen Saland decided to shift his position from being undecided to supporting the bill. In 2009 Saland voted against a similar bill which helped kill the measure. Before Saland announced his intention, 31 Senators were in favor for the measure, which was one short of the majority needed to pass the bill. The Democrat-led assembly passed this bill last week. The other states that allow same-sex marriage are Iowa, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and the District of Columbia. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has compared the fight for gay-marriage rights to the civil rights battles of the 1960's, visited Albany twice in the last six weeks to aid Cuomo in his lobbying efforts.
It's despicable of the mindset many politicians and other national figures have concerning same-sex marriage. There is no intellectual nor logical justification for the homosexual lifestyle--much less same-sex marriage. Romans 1 says sodomy is unnatural. Homosexuality is a sin against, nature, a sin against society, and a sin against God. Every passage of scripture you read concerning marriage is marriage between man and woman--not man and man nor woman and woman. That's ungodly and wicked. I made a statement in one of the posts back in February that anybody that believes that a homosexual lifestyle or homosexual marriage is acceptable needs to be taught sex education. I still stand by that. I'm not being humorous when making that statement. I don't make humorous jokes relating to the subject of sex. God created marriage for man and woman. One of the purposes for sex is to produce children. Sodomites can't produce children. There is no way one can logically justify two men or two women having a sexual relationship with one another. It's perverted. It's a mockery of God's intention for the family. There are some that will say they don't believe in the Bible and don't believe what the Bible has to say regarding homosexuality. Regardless whether you're a Bible believer or an atheist, you can't logically nor intellectually justify sodomite behavior. There's no way two men can have a legitimate sexual relationship with one another. It's perverted and sexually transmitted diseases result from illegitimate sex. The very fact that the physical anatomy of a man and a woman are designed differently bears witness to the fact that homosexuality is sin. It's unnatural. If God had intended for two men to engage in sexual behavior together, then He would've designed their body's anatomy so two men can engage in sexual relations with one another. It can't happen in a legitimate fashion. Therefore, the promotion of the homosexual lifestyle or gay marriage is illegitimate. It doesn't make sense. It's also against God's laws. The only legitimate relationship is the relationship between a husband and a wife where the marriage bed is undefiled. That's the only relationship that's natural and Biblical. Anything that deviates from that is sin and unnatural.
I'm firmly convinced Governor Cuomo and those that passed the same-sex marriage know that sodomy is unnatural. They don't care. They're all about furthering the agenda of the sodomite community. If they are so naieve to believe that two men or two women can have a sexual relationship with one another, then they're "dumber than a box of rocks." However, I don't believe they're dumb. The homosexual agenda is part of a broader agenda to break down the moral fiber of our country. That's what it's all about. It's about the agenda. It makes no difference whether sodomy is natural or logical. Those kind of politicians need to be voted out of office.
This concludes the three-part series on JFK's assassination. There are 13 YouTube clips and I divided them into increments of 4-4-5. I hope you find it informative.
www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/gospel-of-john.htm Beginning today I'm going to begin a series of posts on the Gospel of John whenever I'm writing posts on "thought on scripture." The Gospel of John is one of the four gospels in the Bible and it's the fourth book in chronological order in the New Testament. The Gospel of John is different from the other three gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) in the fact that John presents a unique perspective of Jesus Christ. You develop an intimate knowledge of the Lord. John focuses more on spiritual themes rather than historical events. The author of this gospel was the disciple John, which is one of the twelve disciples that followed Jesus during his earthly ministry. In the last chapter of this book, the author identifies himself in the last chapter of this gospel (John 21:24). John was also known as the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 13:23, 19:26, and 21:7). This book is filled with first hand accounts of experiences with Jesus that occurred during Jesus' 33 years on this earth. Many scholars say that the Gospel of John was written between 50 and 85 A.D.
The first three gospels were synoptic gospels, which include many of the same stories in the same sequence, and sometimes similar wording. John is different from those three. One of the things that's different about John in comparison with the other three gospels is you learn about Jesus' speaking with his disciples once he had risen from the dead. This was before he was ascended into Heaven. You don't read about Jesus' account with his disciples in the other three gospels following his death, burial, and resurrection from the dead.
The Gospel of John is outlined into 21 chapters. The book begins with a foundational truth from God stating "In the beginning was the Word (Jesus Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." The accounts of Christ's life begin in chapter 1 with John the Baptist confirming prophecy and identifying Jesus as the "lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world." (John 1:29). Jesus also calls His first disciples to follow him in the first chapter. In the second chapter, you read where Jesus performs his first miracle and changes the water into wine. In John 2:19, He predicts His resurrection after three days. Chapter 3 speaks of the account of Nicodemus and Jesus telling him that except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3). The most famous passage of scripture is John 3:16, 17 where it says that "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved." That explains God's purpose for sending Jesus into this earth in a nutshell. The rest of the book presents vivid lessons and instructions from Jesus on how to live according to God's will and the most important priorities in life. Jesus used parables quite often.
What's the significance of the Gospel of John. First, the book establishes that Jesus Christ is the Jewish Messiah that was prophesied in the Old Testament of the Bible. Second, the book substantiates the purpose of Jesus Christ and the reason why He was sent to earth by God. Also, the Gospel of John distinguishes itself from the other gospels by focusing less on historical events and more on spiritual themes. Finally, there is a clear message in the Gospel of John that helps us to comprehend the truth about God, the truth concerning eternity, and the truth about man's need to be born again and accept Christ as his personal Saviour.
On Monday and Tuesday of this week, I shared some old gospel favorites from the Cathedral Quartet. The songs on these particular albums were made by in the 1960's and 1972. Those who sang for the Cathedrals during the 1960's and early 70's were George Younce, Glenn Payne, Danny Koker, Lorne Matthews, Mack Taunton, and Roy Tremble. I thoroughly enjoy old gospel recordings. I never cease desiring to listen to them. It's difficult to find gospel recordings that remotely resemble those of yesteryear. Most of my favorite gospel groups are those that sang years ago. Many of those gospel singers are no longer alive. Gospel greats such as the Goodmans (Howard, Vestel, Rusty, and Sam), Jake Hess, George Younce, Brock Speer, Glenn Payne, Dottie Rambo, to name a few, have passed away. I know I may sound prejudiced, but it's difficult to find many Southern Gospel quartets today that possess the same, unique sound as those in years past. Today gospel music's trend is shifting towards the modern-day contemporary sound. Much of the gospel singing of the past had the anointing and blessings of God on it. Today, the gospel singing industry is nothing more than entertainment, for the most part. Gospel music should be used to uplift and glorify the Lord. It should be used to worship the Lord. Psalms 92:1 says, "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High."
On September 21, 1957 Mike Wallace, who worked with ABC at the time, interviewed Margaret Sanger on her advocacy of birth control. This interview was prior to the introduction of the birth control pill in 1960, the feminist movement of the 1960's, and the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision on January 22, 1973. Much of her philosophy was later implemented in American society through the court system. Sanger's ideas on birth control and child birth were considered "revolutionary" at the time. She spent her life embarking on a crusade to legalize birth control. During her early years in trying to promote contraceptives, she was jailed for trying to promote birth control. She was the founder of Planned Parenthood (1916), which has aided many young women in committing abortions. She was opposed to abortion, due to the effect that it could have on mothers physically. Even though she was a believer in birth control, she didn't believe abortion should be used as a method of birth control. Consequently, some of those that are advocates of Margaret Sanger's theories on birth control today believe that women should have the right to use abortion as a means of birth control. Sadly, Planned Parenthood has played a role in aborting many babies from the mothers' wombs, which was something that Sanger opposed.
In 1968 the legendary Dottie Rambo recorded a negro spiritual album entitled, "It's the Soul of Me." She featured black backup singers for each one of the songs that she sang. As a result of the production of the album, Rambo went on to win an emmy and was declared Trendsetter of the Year in 1968 by Billboard Magazine. One of the songs she recorded on this album was "I Have a Father Who Can". It's a great song that exemplifies there's nothing impossible with God. He can do things that in our finite minds we would consider impossible. Nothing is impossible with God. I want to wish every father a Happy Father's Day today. I have a poem I'm going to share with you. It's entitled, "What Makes a Dad."
(USA Today June 17, 2011) On Thursday, July 16, 2011, Congressman Anthony Weiner made it official by declaring he will resign as Congressman of New York. The resignation comes after mounting pressure from both the Democratic and Republican leadership that Weiner needs to step aside as Congressman. Weiner steps aside after a nearly three-week Internet sex scandal that damaged his political career and has placed the Democratic party on the offensive in gearing up for the 2012 elections. Weiner stated that he had hoped to continue representing his district, but the "distraction that I have created has made this impossible." "I am here today to again apologize for the personal mistakes I have made and the embarrassment I have caused." Weiner's wife, Huma Abedin, was not with him during the time he made his announcement. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who called for Weiner's resignation close to a week before resigning, said that Weiner made the right decision.
Weiner's troubles began last month after a lewd photograph of him that he intended only for a Seattle college student was posted briefly on his public Twitter account. At first, Weiner denied he was the one that posted the pictures and claimed he was the victim of a prank. Then in a tearful news conference on June 6, he exclaimed that he lied and he was the one that posted the pictures on the Internet. He also confessed to sexually charged Internet exchanges with at least six women during the past three years. One of those women came forward and spoke of what happened on "Hannity" on the Fox News Channel. In the midst of his tearful commission, he had refused to resign. However, as more damaging material surfaced, such as an X-rated photo, Democrats pressured him more heavily to resign his Congressional seat. Weiner's district, which covers Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods, is a Democratic district, but his seat was in jeopardy due to New York lawmakers working to redraw Congressional districts. As a result of the 2010 census, the state will lose two seats.
It's about time that Anthony Weiner resigned. It alarms me that the constituents in his district don't seem to be bothered or concerned by his perverted behavior. That's sadly the state of our country in this hour. That's one of the reasons why we get the government we deserve. We continually re-elect Congressmen and Senators when they've proven they're unfit to continue holding office. In order to learn more about the Anthony Weiner resignation, click on the above link.
Louis Fisher, a scholar in residence at the Constitution Project who served for 40 years as a constitutional law expert at the Library of Congress, says the American people and Congress should understand that President Obama committed a "very grave offense" against the Constitution in taking military action against Libya on March 19 without any type of Congressional authorization. President Obama had ordered the U.S. military to take action against the Libyan regime of Muammar Gadhafi. The day before that President Obama stated that a resolution passed by the U.N. Security Council which authorized the use of force against Libya justified the United States's presence there. The problem is that our elected elites in Washington have no regard for the U.S. Constitution. Instead, they uphold any decree from the United Nations. They believe that anything that the U.N. Security Council passes is the supreme law of the world, which overrides anything the Constitution has to say. Our elected elite in Washington are globalist minded. Fisher is definitely on target. Ever since the events of 9/11, former president George W. Bush committed U.S. troops to both Afghanistan and Iraq. When Bush left office, both of those wars were continued under the Obama administration. This past year President Obama, who campaigned on withdrawing troops from Iraq in the 2008 presidential election, committed U.S. troops to two other wars this year which are Libya and Yemen. Last year President Obama added more troops in Afghanistan. The war in Libya was supposed to last for only days and as of right now the U.S.has involved itself with Libya for almost three months. Who knows what type of role the U.S. will play in Yemen and how long we'll be in that country. This past week Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) says the U.S. should consider military intervention in Syria to avoid the further slaughter of people there by President Bashar-al-Assad's forces. The U.S. military is already stretched thin with our troops in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Our military might has been stretched even further since the decision was made to commit U.S. forces in both Libya and Yemen. Where's it going to end?
It appears like it's the goal of the State Department or the globalist forces to wipe out all dictatorial strongholds in the Middle East. If that occurs, it will transition the Middle East to establish a Muslim Caliphate, which would disturb the balance in the Middle East and the world. It would also not be in the interests of Israel as well, which is an ally of the United States. Who's involved in the decision making process to commit the U.S. to involve forces in all these different countries in the Middle East and Africa? I personally don't believe President Obama is singlehandedly involved in committing U.S. forces to Libya and Yemen. I can recall when Obama was opposed to the war in Iraq as a U.S. Senator. Now he's become a very pro-war president, which is very dangerous. Who's side is Barack Obama on? There are some Republicans and even some "conservatives" who believe it's a good thing that the U.S. is in the Middle East to repel these dictatorships. The excuse for the United States committing itself to the Middle East is to fight Al-Qaeda. However, the methods the military brass is using to "fight Al-Qaeda" is ridiculous. The rules of engagement in these wars is way too restricting and it doesn't allow for these wars to come to a quick end. This isn't war! These are nothing but perpetual skirmishes. When a country commits its armed forces to war, it's imperative that the nation utilizes all the resources necesary to fight and win the war. Sadly that involves deaths, even on civilians. I understand that in a war strategy you want to minimize casualties as much as possible. However, you can't properly fight a war and not expect some casualties. That's just the nature of war.
Congress and the President of the United States need to revert back to the Constitution concerning the authorization of wars. Article I Section 8 of the Constitution says that Congress shall declare war. If there's a genuine need to go to war against another counry or against Al-Qaeda, the president needs to make that case before Congress. Then Congress needs to vote to go to war. Once Congress gives the green light to go to war, it should be during that process that the United States as a whole commits it's assets to go on the offensive in fighting a war. There needs to be full force used against the enemy and the war needs to end as quickly as possible. With the military might the United States has, there's no reason we should be fighting a war for 10 years. There's no excuse for U.S. troops to be in either Afghanistan or Iraq. There's a motive behind that. I believe much of that has to do with the profit motive. I've heard the old adage, "Follow the money trail." If there wasn't money to be made off these wars, then I don't believe the U.S. would be still in the Middle East. The reason why the United States is embroiled in these regions in the Middle East has nothing to do with terrorism. I'm not going to devote time in speculating why the U.S. is in the Middle East. There are a plethora of theories why the U.S. is involved in these wars in the Middle East. One of the more popular theories is that it's about protecting the oil interests of the United States. There's probably much truth to that but I don't have any evidence to authenticate that.
We need to revert back to the U.S. Constitution once again and allow Congress to declare war. When I say Congress should declare war, I'm not making reference to a sudden attack from another country against us. If our land was suddenly attacked, we should immediately go on the defensive to repel that attack. I'm not making reference to sudden, surprise attacks against our country. I'm talking about Congress making a conscientious decision to vote to go to war against another country or a terrorist network. We need to follow that prescription once again if we're going to consider a military strike against another country. We also need to fight wars like we once did. The United States shouldn't be fighting limited, protracted wars like we did against Vietnam and now against Afghanistan and Iraq. The way these wars have been prosecuted is disgraceful. The United States also should separate ties from the U.N. and the U.S. should be sovereign concerning its own destiny. The U.S. should make the decisions to go to war against another country. We shouldn't allow the U.N. to dictate to the United States whether we commit forces to Libya, Yemen, or even Syria. This is the United States of America. We don't need the U.N. guiding the affairs of the United States.
During the CNN debate, Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) made the announcement that she had just filed papers for the presidency of the United States in 2012. One of the statements that Michelle Bachmann made was she wasn't going to "rest" (I"m paraphrasing) until Obamacare is repealed. The question I have for Bachmann is why aren't she and other GOP Congressman using their power to choke off funding for the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) that was passed in March 2010? The Republicans have the power of the purse strings. They could stop the funding of Obama's socialist agenda right in their tracks. Obamacare should've automatically been defunded. All this talk about repealing health care is a red herring. There's no way that Obamacare is going to be repealed while the Senate is in Democratic hands and Barack Obama is president. However, Obamacare can be defunded. It must be.
If Bachmann is so serious about repealing Obamcare, then she should utilize all the resources available to choke off funding for Obamacare in the House. She can do that. If she won't or refuses to do so, then she needs to stop campaigning on the issue of repealing Obamacare. If the Republicans won't use the power they have in the House to defund Obamacare, then they definitely won't have the political will in the future to repeal Obamacare when there's a Republican majority in both Houses along with a Republican president. If Mitt Romney were to win the Republican nomination for president, can he be trusted to repeal Obamacare? I highly doubt it. He passed Romneycare as governor or Massachusetts, which is a disaster for the citizens in Massachusetts. Romney is a RINO that can't be trusted. I'm tired of Republicans campaigning on the issue of repealing Obamacare when the House Republicans have the means to defund it. The problem is they're only interested in the issue for campaigning purposes. They're not serious about repealing Obamacare. Bachmann is like so many other "conservative" Republicans. She says the right things and even votes right. However, when it comes to acting upon the principles they claim they hold dear, they default from it. That's what we don't need. We need GOP members that will act upon their principles, regardless of the cost. That's what's missing in the political climate in Washington.
Thank God for America. Thank God for the land of the free and the home of the brave. God has been abundantly good to us. America has been singularly the greatest country ever on the face of the earth. America has a rich heritage dating all the way back to the earliest colonial settlers in Jamestown, Virginia. Recently I've made statements concerning the two things that I believe has made America a very unique country. There are two things that I attribute to America being the greatest country on earth. Those two are (1) the Biblical foundation that America was founded upon, and (2) the entrepreneurial spirit. Those two attributes are what has made America a great and unique country. Our early Pilgrim and Puritan forefathers came to America for religious freedom. They came to America to establish their own colony and to worship God as they saw fit. They didn't want to be a part of a state religion. That's why they left England. They made huge sacrifices on behalf of their family so they could sail to unknown territory to establish a colony and within that colony a church so their family would have a place to worship. That's something that would be considered breathtaking to many people in this generation. How many people today would pack all their belongings and travel to another country so they could worship God according to their conscience? Not many. Even though our Puritan forefathers weren't perfect, they had their priorities in order concerning Godly things. They knew there was a holy God in Heaven who was just and perfect. God wasn't a byword to them nor just somebody they could call upon when their world was crumbling. God was more to them than someone who was just a call away. God was life to them. That doesn't mean they were Biblically correct in all the doctrine they preached and taught. The Puritans taught some doctrines that I believe were unscriptural. However, God was more than just an afterthought to them, which is in contrast to most churches and religious people today.
Throughout the decades, other Christians came to America for the purpose to worship God. God sent a revival to this nation twice in the eighteenth century. They were the First and Second Great Awakening. Many people were converted and as a result the atmosphere and culture changed in America. Saloons would shut their doors because of the work God was doing in the hearts and lives of people. Also, many of the U.S.'s early laws were based upon the Bible. America was built upon a very strong religious foundation. God blessed our early forefathers for their faithfulness to God in spite of their not always being Biblically correct in all their doctrine.
The other attribute that made America great was the entrepreneurial spirit that created the free enterprise system in America. The government in early America recognized that an economic system isn't built upon government programs and government handouts. They also recognized you don't build an economy by the redistribution of wealth. There wasn't class envy in early America, to my knowledge. Today all you hear from our politicians and the news media is the rich aren't paying their fair share of taxes. America's political leaders knew that wealth was created by rich people. Wealth wasn't created by the government nor poor people. As a result of government not interfering with the daily affairs of business, the free enterprise system prospered beyond imagination. Within 150 years following the signing of the Declaration of Independence, America went from being an agrarian nation to an industrial nation. It was due to men of talent using their talents to start a business and inventing new inventions which caused them to become wealthy. Some of America's early entrepreneurs were the pioneers of the free enterprise system such as Eli Whitney who invented the cotton gin, J.D. Rockefeller who developed and built America's oil industry, and Andrew Carnegie who developed the steel industry. I will admit that some of these industrial tycoons exploited the capitalist system to create monopolies and had used their money to influence and buy off the federal government. Even though there are excesses to capitalism, it's still one of the greatest economic systems in America. Capitalism allows man to explore, create, and innovate. It also allows the market to determine whether or not a product will be successful or fail. It depends upon what the population-at-large desires. The factors of production are determined by the free market system; not the government. Beginning with the Great Depression, government has placed a stranglehold on business and has made it difficult for a small- or medium-sized business to operate successfully. The government's philosophy of business today is in anathema to the Founders' philosophy of business. It's the talent and ingenuity of entrepreneurs that builds the free enterprise system.
Last time in May when I wrote the first portion to this post, I was explaining some of the reasons why parents should teach their children American history. I was stating that parents need to instill patriotism and a love of country in their children. They can't do so if they don't mention what's good about America. Children need to recognize that all the conveniences and gadgets we possess today is fairly recent. America hasn't always enjoyed the prosperity we enjoy today. There was a time when people had to travel by foot or horse. It's only been a century since Americans started purchasing automobiles. We need to teach children to appreciate what America has produced over the course of 404 years. The opportunities we enjoy today weren't always available in American history. There are people who sacrificed in generations past so future generations can enjoy the benefits previous generations never were able to be a part of.
Another reason why it's important for parents to teach their children American history is because the freedoms we enjoy today are blood-bought and blood-fought. When you read the Constitution and read the first ten amendments to the Constitution it's imperative that young people recognize our forefathers had to fight for those rights. They fought for them on the battlefield during America's war for Independence. Soldiers in future generations fought to maintain our freedoms during the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean, Vietnam, the two Gulf Wars and the War in Afghanistan. Freedom is costly. Vigilance also carries a price. There are those who despise what America has in the way of freedom and they're attacking our freedoms on a daily basis. It's important for young people to recognize that our freedom was fought for by those soldiers who left their homes to fight for freedom's cause. That's why we possess the freedom to speak what's on our mind, the freedom to assemble, to petition, and to protest, etc. Another sacred freedom is the right to vote. It's pathetic the perecentage of the voter turnout in many elections today. The last few generations of Americans have become apathetic and don't understand the significance of voting. That's why it's crucial to teach our young people the importance of voting and civic duty. A price was paid by our forefathers so we can vote and participate in government. If we don't seize the opportunity to vote and become politically involved, there will come a day when we won't have the privilege to vote or speak against the actions of our government.
Lastly, it's important to teach young people American history because they are the future leaders of our country. They need to know what America symbolizes. They need to know the American system and how it operates. They need to know the religious, social, cultural, and economic history of our country. Students need to be immersed in American history. If students don't learn their history, how will they be able to run a business or lead the nation politically if they don't know the history nor background of this nation? One of the handicaps for many of our political leaders today, including President Obama is they don't have an undestanding of America's history. They don't understand what the American dream represents. The last president who had a full understanding of the American dream was the late president Ronald Reagan. He not only knew what the American dream symbolized but he was able to articulate it to the American people. Listen to his stirring Farewell Address from 1989. He knew what America was about. He understood the kind of country our early forefathers built. Even though Reagan made mistakes as president, you knew he loved America and had a profound understanding of the American dream. All presidents since Ronald Reagan have been globalist-minded. They were too busy trying to sound politically correct instead of defending America's great heritage.
If we don't teach our young people America history today, then we're going to lose this country before too long. We're raising a generation of young people that don't know their history or what defines America's greatness. If we adults don't steer our children in the right direction and bring them back to America's roots, we will have a country before too long that won't recognize the America my grandparents knew. Children need to be well-educated on America history and its great institutions. They need to be taught that they have a reason to be proud of America. I'm thankful for the efforts of Glenn Beck and the 9/12 Project in the last couple of years playing their role in teaching American history both to adults and children. I'm thankful for all the events that are used to teach children about America's heritage. There are several parents involved in teaching children about America's history through Vacation Liberty School, which is an offshoot of the 9/12 Project. If there's ever a turnaround or a second revolution in America, it will be due somewhat to the efforts of Glenn Beck and the 9/12 Project. Parents have the responsibility to teach and inculcate an appreciation for American history to their children. Christian parents need to lead the way in this massive endeavor. I want to thank all those (such as David Barton and Glenn Beck to name a few) that have involved themselves in the last few decades in educating the American people about our history.
America the Beautiful
Kentucky 9/12 Resident Lisa Abler on the Glenn Beck Program
What????? Another war??????? There's been word that the United States is intensifying a secret campaign of airstrikes against Yemen. I thought President Obama didn't believe that the United States should be fighting wars in the Middle East. When then Senator Barack Obama was campaigning for president in 2008, he stated he was going to withdraw our troops from both Iraq and Afghanistan. In the last 2.5 years, the United States is still in both Iraq and Afghanistan. We've added two other wars since which are Libya and now Yemen. The President said we would only be in Libya for days. Now we've been in Libya for almost two months. Nowe we're supposedly fighting Al-Qaeda in Yemen. When's it going to stop? WE can't remove every potentate in the Middle East. All this uproar in the Middle East will eventually result in the establishment of a Muslim Caliphate in the Middle East.
One more question: Where are all the anti-war protesters? Where are all the protesters who protested so vehemently when President George W. Bush decided to make the decision to invade Iraq? I'm not asking this to defend former president George W. Bush. I didn't agree with Bush's Iraq war policies. However, President Obama has continued Bush's policies of fighting wars in the Middle East. Is it because of who's in the White House now? It makes me believe those who protested the war against Iraq when Bush was president didn't have so much to do with the morality of invading Iraq as it did with who was the Commander-in-chief at the time. To her credit, Cindy Sheehan has continued protesting the wars. I believe her motives for protesting the war in Iraq was because she was opposed to U.S. involvement in Iraq as well as the fact her son, Casey Sheehan, was murdered fighting in Iraq. President Obama has taken the wars to a different level by adding Libya and now Yemen. What will be next?
(USA Today June 10, 2011) Former House Speaker and 2012 presidential candidate Newt Gingrich's campaign imploded Thursday with the resignation of his senior campaign strategists and top supporters in key states. Gingrich vowed in a Facebook post to continue "the substantive, solutions-oriented campaign I set out to run earlier this spring," saying it would begin "anew" with an appearance before the Republican Jewish Coalition to the Republican nomination in 2012. I say "hogwash" to that. What's serious about the presidential campaign of Newt Gingrich? Nothing.
The mass exodus of his campaign staff, first reported by the Associated Press, raises questions about Gingrich's ability to raise money, attract grass-roots support and devise a credible path to the Republican nomination in 2012. Rick Tyler told USA TODAY, "The campaign manager met with the senior advisers and Newt, and they couldn't find a mutually agreeable path forward." "They decided to leave, and at that point, I decided I had a disagreement with the path forward, and when that happens the candidate's path forward is the path forward. It's not the staff's." Tyler, who has worked for Gingrich for 12 years, claims he believes Gingrich would make a "great president." Former Georgia governor Sonny Perdue, who had been Gingrich's national campaign co-chairman, joined a rival campaign for former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty's presidential campaign.
Gingrich's campaign manager Rob Johnson and strategist Sam Dawson resigned from the national staff, as did top Gingrich supporters in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina--Craig Schoenfeld, Dave Carney and Katon Dawson--according to Schoenfeld. "You have to be able to raise money to run a campaign and you have to invest time in fundraising and to campaign here in the state, and I did not have the confidence that was going to be happening," Schoenfeld, director of Gingrich's Iowa campaign, told the "Des Moines Register." The wave of resignations included all six paid members of Gingrich's staff in Iowa, site of the opening presidential caucuses. Gingrich's campaign had gotten off to a faltering start due to a statement Gingrich made in an appearance on "Meet the Press" last month. He criticized the House Republican proposal to overhaul Medicare as "radical", which he later back tracked from. He spoke favorably of proposals similar to the individual mandates in the health care law that are anathema in the GOP. Then later "Politico" reported that he had owned $250,00 to $500,000 in a "revolving charge account" at Tiffany's. Schoenfeld complained that Gingrich wasn't prepared to spend the time and resources he felt were necessary on the ground in Iowa, paticularly before an August 13 straw poll.
Fundraising had become problematic among both small donors and major contributors after Gingrich's controversial appearance on "Meet the Press," according to a source close to Gingrich who didn't want to be identified because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly. The final straw for many aides was Gingrich's decision to go on a long-planned cruise with his wife in the Greek isles for the past two weeks rather than stay in the United States and campaign.
According to my opinion, I believe many of Gingrich's top aides decided to resign was because they sensed a lack of seriousness on the part of Gingrich to mount a serious presidential run for the White House. I don't detect a serious, conscientious, effort by Gingrich to campaign aggressively to win the Republican Party's nomination in 2012, much less to defeat President Barack Obama in the November 2012 general election. Also, Gingrich damaged his reputation amongst many conservatives over the comments he made against House Budget Committe Chairman Paul Ryan's Medicare plan. Gingrich isn't a viable candidate for the U.S. presidency. He has too much baggage. It wouldn't surprise me if Gingrich withdraws from the presidential race prior to the upcoming 2012 presidential primary. If Gingrich were to win the Republican nomination, he would handily lose next year's presidential election to Barack Obama.
Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY) talking to reporters this past Monday.
Recently Americans have witnessed a whole assortment of sex scandals amongst various politicians, both Democrat and Republican. Some examples within the last five years were Mark Foley, Larry Craig, John Edwards, Mark Sanford, John Ensign, Arnold Schwarzenegger, etc. Last week Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY) was added to the list. Last Wednesday Weiner claimed his Twitter account had been hacked. He claimed he was the victim of a prank. It showed a picture of a man wearing underwear (emphasis added) and Weiner denied those were of him. This past Monday he revealed he placed pictures of himself with his naked torso and that he lied about his Twitter account being hacked. It was conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart on Breitbart.com that exposed the Weinergate story. Thank God for Breitbart's courage in exposing the facts about the Weiner sex scandal.
Weiner admitted earlier this week that he emailed lewd photos of himself to women he never met. He was involving with sexting women over the internet. One of the women that Weiner had an online exchange with was Meagan Broussard. She was interviewed by Hannity on the Fox News Channel Tuesday giving details on the encounter she had with Weiner.
To top the whole story, Weiner's wife, Huma Abedin of South Asian descent, announced she was pregnant on Wednesday June 8. She is a longtime aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Last year former president Bill Clinton officiated the wedding of Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin on July 10, 2010. I didn't know Bill Clinton was a minister? Ha! Ha! She has strong ties to the Clintons. It's tragic. Weiner is a sex pervert and he's going to be a daddy for the first time. I feel sorry for the unborn child.
There have been some Democrats urging Anthony Weiner to resign. Former Democratic Party chairman Tim Kaine has said Weiner should resign. Also Massachusetts Rep. Nikki Tsongas said it would be wise for Weiner to resign. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), claimed it would be in the best interests of the county for Weiner to step down. House Minority Leader stated that she would call for an ethics probe to investigate the matter in which Weiner assured he would fully cooperate. If there is an ethics probe it will be bogus. In spite of the calls for Weiner to step down, he remains determine to keep his seat in New York. Weiner has been representing his district since 1999 when then Congressman Chuck Schumer made the decision to challenge then incumbent Senator Alfonse D'Amato for the Senate seat in 1998. Schumer defeated D'Amato in the U.S. Senate race in 1998.
Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the pathologist who has the nickname Dr. Death, died on June 3, 2011 at a hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. Dr. Kevorkian was known for his crusade to legalize physician-assisted suicide. He had aided in the deaths of 130 patients from 1990 to 2000. He spent decades campaigning for the legalization of euthanasia. He served eight years in prison from 1999-2007 and was arrested numerous times in helping the patients commit suicide. The methods he used in physician-assisted suicide were injections, carbon monoxide, and his infamous suicide machine, built from scraps for $30.00. Those in whose deaths that he aided had medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis, malignant brain tumors, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Kevorkian made the statement that dying should be an intimate and dignified process, something that termilly ill people are denied. To learn more about Dr. Kevorkian, click on the above link at NYTimes.com. Additional information was obtained from The Washington Post.
(Wikipedia) Lawrence Sidney Eagleburger (August 1, 1930 - June 4, 2011) died Saturday. He was 80 years ago. Eagleburger served as the United States Secretary of State during the last year of George H.W. Bush presidency. Eagleburger was tapped to replace James Baker, the previous Secretary of State under George H.W. Bush, who became Bush's campaign manager in 1992 to help in Bush's unsuccessful bid to win re-election as president. Eagleburger was a former career diplomat and he served in lesser capacities under former presidents Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush. Eagleburger is the only career foreign service officer to have served as the United States Secretary of State. To learn more about the life of former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger, click on the above link at FoxNews.com.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) speaks to the media alongside Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senator Charles Schumer on Capitol Hill on June 23, 2011. (Courtesy of Fox News)
