Westboro vs. Jesus

Westboro "Baptist Church". We've all heard that name, whether it be for their anti gay protests, their celebrations of soldier's deaths, or their latest plan at a funeral of young boys killed by their father. The clearest thing about their message is hate. Hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate with a side of loathing. The only thing good about them is how they unite so many other groups. From biker groups who rally to defend soldier's funerals, to Christian groups, and even now Occupy Seattle. Occupy Seattle plans to "protect it (the boys' funeral) from Westboro's abhorrent message". Yes, leave it to Westboro to make a full Occupy group the good guys.

With their message of hate, they show the truest form of hypocrisy. They twist Bible verses to fit the meanings they wish upon them. But to them I have but one clear and simple message. Matthew 22:36-39 "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Jesus, and through Him God the Father, made it very clear how we were to treat others, with love. Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, with a side of caring. Jesus showed this throughout His life. He took care of those in need with His own time and energy, He visited the sick, He hung out with the tax collectors, He showed mercy to prostitutes. In short He loved and cared for everyone (note: not demanding that the government do it for Him). The only times we see that Jesus became angry or lashed out were times such as the temple being used as a market place. Righteous indignation, has it's place, it is not meant to be an every day thing that consumes our life.

Who's side do you think He would've really been on Westboro's message of hate or His own of love for all? Westboro wold've protested Jesus for healing. They would've seen those He helped as deserving of their illness and troubles. Westboro would've been on the same message then, that God hates everyone, and is punishing you for what is happening in the world around you. Not the message of Jesus, one of which God cares for you no matter your past or circumstances.

Felon Obama?

If a newly proposed law passes in Arizona, then Obama, and any Senator or Representative that voted for Obamacare, could be charged with a class four felony in Arizona. Especially guilty by the law would be anyone who voted for or signed anything requiring Arizona to pay for it.

The bill in question was introduced on Monday, and begins by stating that Obamacare is "not authorized by the Constitution of the United States and violate its true meaning and intent as given by the founders and ratifiers and are declared to be invalid in this state". It continues to give Arizona the right to "adopt and enact any and all measures as may be necessary to prevent he enforcement of" Obamacare.

If this passes in Arizona, and it could very well do so, look for similar bills to pop up in other states. 28 states have law suits against the US government over Obamacare's constitutionality.

Recently it has been in the news a lot due to the American Catholic Church coming out against it. Part of the legislation would require Catholic schools, hospitals and charities to buy birth control pills, abortion-producing drugs and sterilization coverage for their employees. All of which are against their beliefs, and therefore infringe upon their religious freedom.

The Defense of Religious Freedom

I am not a Catholic, but I am appalled that Obama and his administration have the audacity to insist that it is their duty to trample upon the religious rights of Catholics and the people of this country. Our country was founded on religious freedom. Our forefathers were religious men and it was clearly their intent to preserve and protect the religious freedoms of the people of the United States of America. So important to them was this, that when writing the Bill of Rights, it was number one on their list of things to add to the Constitution as evidenced by the fact that it is the first sentence of the First Amendment.

Amendment I: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

That rumble you heard was our forefathers collectively rolling over in their graves.

Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise (of religion). This administration is bound and determined to undermine the Constitution and prohibit the free exercise of religion. Today it is the Catholic church, who will be the target tomorrow?

There have been references made to Pastor Martin Niemöller’s statement:

“In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.”

--Martin Niemöller, 1945

Obama may stand up and say he is a Christian, say he supports Christianity, say he is not anti-religion, but his actions say otherwise. We cannot stand by and allow this administration to run roughshod over religion. Where will it end? How can anyone agree with what they are doing?

The Catholic Church does not believe in the use of contraceptives. I, personally, do not agree with that belief. What I do believe, however, is that the Catholic Church has the right to believe that. I do not believe that the Catholic Church, and their businesses, even if they are hospitals, should be required to provide contraception, it goes against its belief.

I keep hearing from those who support this measure that the measure is needed so that everyone who wants contraceptives has access to contraceptives and that this measure is the only way to guarantee it. This is where I cry Bull Sh*t!

Let me lay it out for you:

1. Those who work for a Catholic organization are aware it is a Catholic organization that follows Catholic beliefs when they were hired. If you don’t like it, work for someone else. I worked for a Seventh-Day-Adventist hospital, and I knew that every day I would hear the daily prayer over-head, it was a given. If you agree to work for a religious organization, you agree to work under guidelines set forth by the beliefs of that religion.

2. Your job is not the only place to receive contraception.

3. Patients have options too, mostly the same as the employees, go somewhere else.

I don’t care where you live; you cannot tell me that a Catholic Hospital or organization is the only means to receiving contraception. It’s not.

As for those with an aversion to Catholic hospital services, if there was such a great demand non-Catholic hospital services, there would be non-Catholic hospital services. If so many people disagreed with and would not go to a Catholic run hospital, the hospital would close or be bought out. Trust me, hospitals change hands every day. There is a hospital in my area that has been owned by 3 different organizations in the last 20 years.

Let me tell you about my Great Grandfather Newman Dube.

My mother’s mother, my grandmother, Judy, was Newman Dube’s daughter. My mother was very close to her grandfather Newman and grandmother Jenny and even lived with them for a while. My grandmother had 4 brothers and 1 sister. My grandmother's sister died at the age of 16 from the Spanish flu. Great-grandpa Newman didn’t sit back and complain that the government should have provided a hospital for her he said, there needs to be a nearby hospital. He gathered up his friends and founded Israel Zion Hospital of Boro Park in Brooklyn, New York. Great-grandpa Newman was the first president. His son, Daniel, my 103 year old great-uncle, still is involved with what is now Maimonides hospital.

For more on my Great-grandpa Newman Dube

Now, Great-grandpa Newman didn’t complain that others didn’t provide for him and his daughter, he saw a problem and he fixed it. You want contraception, go get it.

We must stop Obama here and now, for who knows how far it will go? Will it stop at contraception? Will Cedars-Sinai hospital be required to serve pork? Will it then move outside the hospital setting? Will kosher delis be required to serve bacon on Saturday morning, or Southern Baptist Churches required serving beer at the Friday fish fry or Jehovah’s Witness’ required to celebrate their birthdays? Will there then become a national religion, the religion of Obama?

It is unconstitutional! It should never have gotten approved in the first place. Let’s stop it now.

Marco Rubio has introduced the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2012 and in a statement today said:

This is very straight forward. This is about whether the government of the United States should have the power to go in and tell a faith-based organization that they have to pay for something that they teach their members shouldn’t be doing. It’s that simple, and if the answer is yes, then this government can reach all kinds of other absurd results.

I think the vast majority of Americans, whether on the left or the right, will tell you that the government of the United States should not have the power to be able to go in and tell a church based organization that they must pay for something that that faith teaches their members not to do. And that is what this issue is about, and that is why you have commentators on both the left and the right saying that this is wrong. That is why I think you have people in the White House uncomfortable with it.

So here is the solution in my mind. The solution is for the President to come back and say ‘You know what, maybe we over reached. Maybe we went too far. We’ve heard from a lot of people, we are going to reconsider this decision.’ There is nothing wrong with that.

“We have plenty of other issues to argue with this President about. We have plenty of other issues to take to the American people throughout the year and in the next November election. This does not have to be one of them. And all the President has to do is basically reconsider the decision they made and acknowledge that maybe they went too far and maybe they did not think about it all the way when they made it. And I hope that is what will happen. If it doesn’t, then I hope that this Senate and that House will act on it, as well, because the American people are asking us to, and I think that’s an important issue.

http://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=f11959a9-0a60-4c5b-bb6c-bf0372224de8

Rubio is giving Obama an out and perhaps too much credit. Obama went way over the line, the war on religion in his attempt to make this a socialist nation. While Obama was able to sway the people into electing him President of the United States, he is losing his hypnotic ability. While there are those who still believe the great words spewed forth by Obama, there are even more who once believed who do not. This also may have pushed those who were on the fence firmly to side against Obama. This is because Obama made a crucial mistake, he deiced to go against something that is so ingrained in the thoughts of the people that he will not sway them. Our country was founded on religious freedom, it is what the founding father's believed in and it is clearly stated in the first amendment. It is the belief of religious freedom that is ingrained in every American's psyche. Even Atheists and those who claim no religion, believe in the principle that the government should not dictate religious beliefs. This is why Obama will ultimately fail.

I defend religious freedom.

Making Fun Illegal

Frisbees and footballs are now illegal on Los Angeles County beaches. Tuesday legislation was passed that prohibits "any person to cast, toss, throw, kick or roll" any thing other than a beach ball or volleyball "upon or over any beach" as well as "in or over the Pcific Ocean", during summer. It does also allow for water polo.

Anyone who is caught with the "illegal materials" could be fined up to $1000. Ball throwing areas will be created, and it would also be possible to purchase a permit so that you could carry a ball or other sports equipment on the beach, or in the ocean. And during the rest of the year, anything goes.

The bill also makes digging holes, on the beach, deeper than 18 inches, illegal unless you have a permit for filming a tv show or movie.

Nasheed Confirms Coup

The protests in the Maldives have continued and escalated despite the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed. In an interview he said, "You call it what you want. But when someone metaphorically and physically puts a gun at your head and tells you to resign, that's a coup in my mind."
He also stated that "it was nothing but a coup by Islamists" that took him from power, and he plans to put his name in for election. Former vice president Mohamed Waheed, the new president, denies that there was any kind of forced resignation and states that it was popularly demanded by the people.

However Nasheed's supporters have taken to the streets demanding that he be returned to power. Current reports would suggest that the majority of the country still supports the deposed president. The crowds do not appear to be going anywhere, only growing. With the police and military already split between the sides, it is unsure if anyone will be able to keep this from getting truly violent.

Maldives President Resigns

In a series of events which seem all too familiar these days, President Mohamed Nasheed, of the Maldives, has resigned. Vice-President Mohammed Waheed Hassan has been selected by the military to take power, and will serve until the regularly scheduled elections in 2013. President Nasheed, elected in 2009, had been the first democratically elected president in the history of the Maldives.

Disputes have been growing for some time between the ruling party and the opposition, but since January they've increased until they exploded recently.

In 2009 defamation was decriminalized by the government, ending a history of arresting anyone who criticized the government. But in early January the government asked police to begin investigations into opposition leaders who had been accusing the government of undermining the country's Islamic faith. Instead of investigating the opposition, the police arrested them. The ruling party, the Maldavian Democratic Party, started a legal policy that forbade "baseless allegations" against it. Clearly a return to the old ways.

In mid January, the Chief Judge of the Criminal Court, Abdulla Mohamed, ruled that one of the detentions by police was illegal, and orderd the person released from police custody. In response the police asked the Maldives military to assist in apprehending the judge. Since January 16, the judge has been in military custody. That is what ignited the current protests, which have continued since. Many of the opposition parties and prominent lawyers have cited the military's act as unlawful, pointing out that the military has no right to detain citizens. At this time he still has not been charged with anything, prompting the United Nations and Amnesty International to ask for his release.

On Monday, the streets became filled with violence as what are being described as thugs from both sides began street fights, rioting, and looting. A mutiny of police officers joined the opposition and then stormed government buildings and the state TV station, demanding that the president resign. At that point the military went on the streets to "maintain order". Immediately after resigning Nasheed was taken into military custody.

It is unclear whether the resignation will have any effect on the protests. The military and Hassan have made no move to release Judge Mohamed, and have not stated whether they will do so. The possible coup could make things worse or better. Only time will tell how it will go for the nation of islands.

Massacre in Syria

The people of Syria have a clear message now, one of asking the world for help. More than ever the regime of Bashar al-Assad has been slaughtering the people who dared stand up to him. The violence has reached new levels as the regime has been emboldened by the veto of the Arab League's proposal in the United Nations, by Russia and China.

It is estimated that over 100 are now dying daily as Syrian army forces shell towns and cities that have opposed and protested against the abuses of the government. Not all the dead were civilians, but the great majority are. Some do belong to the Free Army, as the fighters call themselves, most of whom are defectors from the national army. Funerals in some towns are no longer possible, as anyone seen on the street is shot at by the military. The dead are buried in the dark of night, by daring volunteers, who even then must dodge bullets.

Tanks and other armoured vehicles have been seen encircling rebel areas, and troops were spotted near some of the fringes of shelled territory. It seems clear that Syria has decided to wipe out the rebels completely, before it can become a civil war. The Free Army has ordered all under it's command to not fire, to preserve what little ammo they have. Orders are to protect the civilians from a ground assault when, not if, it comes.

More Sanctions on Iran

President Obama signed an executive order today imposing even harsher sanctions against Iran, including ones against Iran's Central Bank. The sanctions require that companies trading on US stock exchanges release any information on any business with Iran and increase penalties on energy and uranium mining joint ventures with Iran. They also allow for penalties against financial institutions in other countries, who do business with the Central Bank. The United States and the European Union have been imposing strict sanctions against Iran's oil industries, and the EU is also considering striking against the Central Bank. A big shock was when long time ally China cut it's purchasing of Iranian oil in half. Only Russian vetoes have kept the United Nations from adding it's own sanctions.

The world sees the sanctions as the best way to break Iran into stopping it's nuclear enrichment programs, which Iran maintains are entirely for peaceful purposes. However, the latest reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency, state that they are convinced that Iran is seeking to build nuclear weapons. Israel, the US, the EU, and most of the world have been accusing Iran of just that, since they began the program.

In response to the sanctions, Iran has made repeated threats to close the Strait of Hormuz if the sanctions are actually enacted, which they are not due to, til this summer. Both Israel and the US have stated their willingness to attack Iran, if necessary, to keep it from gaining nuclear weapons. Russia has countered that by stating that any attack on Tehran would be considered an attack on Moscow. And just within the last week Iran restated that it would attack any country who allowed itself to be used as a base against it.

You Can't Speak That Here

Apparently Spanish is acceptable, but speaking your family's native language is not. A seventh grader Sacred Heart Catholic Academy in Shawano, Wisconsin found this out when a teacher over heard her speaking in the Menominee language. Not only did she get in trouble over this, but was suspended from a basketball game for her "attitude problem". Her "attitude problem" being that she was teaching a classmate some basic words in her language.

The girl is completely bilingual in English and Menominee. Her grandmother is the director of the Language and Culture Commission of the Menominee Tribe. And holds a degree in linguistics from the University of Arizona's College of Education-AILDI American Indian Language Development Institute.

The school, which is located just six miles off the reservation, has apologized, and stated that it will make a very public apology as well. Said apology will not just be to the student and her family, but to the whole tribe. Ironically, Sacred Heart, does have an option for Spanish on their phone system, but not for Menominee, which is spoken by over sixty percent of the student body.

Firing Range Funding

Democrat Senator Mark Udall, senior senator for the state of Colorado, has written the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act, and is asking Coloradans to sign a petition in it's support. The bill does not grant states more federal funding, but rather would allow for a greater percentage of already granted federal money to be used toward the building, expansion, repairing, and reconstruction of public pistol, rifle, and or archery ranges in any state. Currently states are not allowed fund a project with more than ten percent federal money, the Act would move the maximum up to seventy-five percent.

In his petition, Udall said, "Hunting and recreational shooting are an important part of America's heritage. By improving the shooting experience, we can bring more Americans into the sport, thereby increasing the revenue generated for wildlife restoration. And by giving states greater flexibility over federal funds they already have, we can do so with no increase in spending while better managing designated places to safely use firearms."