Category Archives: History

Monday Morning Review

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Quote of the Day:

John Kerry: metaphor from Hell

John Kerry broke his leg. Riding a top-of-the-line bicycle (and presumably festooned in spandex that shows off his 71-year-old body). In France. Going nowhwere. He broke his leg at very low speed. He broke it upon hitting a curb.

One can’t help but notice that Kerry’s accident is an apt metaphor for the foreign policy of the Obama administration.— Erick Erickson, June 1st 2015

***

A story appeared today concerning a training seminar held by the People’s Democratic City Government of Austin, Texas. The seminar was to help female city employees deal, “with a new leadership dynamic: a female-dominated City Council.” The ensuing controversy forced the (male) Assistant City Manger to resign.

Why? Because the seminar dared say that women are different from men and, in some circumstances, react differently than men. Austin’s City Council declared that to be heresy and demanded a (male) head. They got one, a (male) sacrificial scapegoat.

***

Have you been watching the financial news? The EU, specifically Greece, has a problem. They’re broke, the debts are due, and they can’t pay. Greece seems to expect another last-minute bailout by the EU (how many times has the EU done that?), but the EU does not appear to be ready to repeat the failures of the past.

In so many ways, Greece is emulating California…perhaps that should be the other way around. California is our Greece.

Tsipras accuses Greece bailout monitors of making ‘absurd’ demands

Peter Spiegel in Brussels

Greece’s chances of striking a deal to access a much-needed €7.2bn in rescue aid looked even bleaker on Sunday after Alexis Tsipras, prime minister, accused bailout monitors of making “absurd” demands and seeking to impose “harsh punishment” on Athens.

Mr Tsipras’s accusations, made in Le Monde newspaper, came only days after his government claimed an agreement was imminent. They have increased the sense of chaos around negotiations in the week many believe a deal is needed to avoid a Greek default.

On Friday, Athens is scheduled to make a €300m loan repayment to the International Monetary Fund that is being closely watched by creditors after some Greek ministers hinted that it might not be met without bailout aid. A further €1.2bn of IMF payments fall due over the subsequent two weeks.

…

“The lack of an agreement so far is not due to the supposed intransigent, uncompromising and incomprehensible Greek stance,” Mr Tsipras wrote. “It is due to the insistence of certain institutional actors on submitting absurd proposals and displaying a total indifference to the recent democratic choice of the Greek people.”

The criticism appears directed at the IMF, which has taken the hardest line of the three institutions, particularly regarding cuts in public sector pensions, which Mr Tsipras described as already having been excessively slashed. EU leaders, including Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, have specifically warned Mr Tsipras that no deal is possible without IMF approval.

Apparently, if you read through all the accusations and counter-accusations, the IMF and two other bailout monitors wants Greece to cut spending. Greece says that have. The IMF says not enough. Greece has a hissy-fit.

If you change Greece to California and the IMF to Congress, imagine the hissy-fit California would have if Congress would cut all federal funds to California, ALL federal funds, not just some, until California complies with federal law—like those pertaining to illegal immigration and ending practices like issuing free driver’s licenses, free education to illegals, allowing illegals to register to vote (motor-voter) and ending the existence of sanctuary cities throughout California?

California has created their current ‘water crisis’ through their state EPA regulations that blocked the creation of new reservoirs since 1972, and diverting water to some ‘endangered species’ instead of to the existing reservoirs. Rather than dealing with the root sources of their water crisis, California has cut water rations to their citizens by 25%…except for the Elite, of course.

Greece, like California, created their crises. Now it is time for them to deal with those crises instead of looking for another bailout that will change nothing.

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If you fail to understand history…

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…you’re a target of any fool blathering nonsense that comes down the road. There’s more truth in that statement than many people realize.

Obama spoke at the National Prayer breakfast and made a fool of himself. That, in itself, is not surprising. What was surprising was his logic that gave a pass to the atrocities committed by ISIS.

What did Obama do? He compared the atrocities committed by ISIS to the Crusades, the last Crusade occurred around 700 years ago, and the Inquisition. The worst acts by the Inquisition occurred around 500 years ago, although the office of the Inquisition wasn’t abolished until after the Napoleonic Wars. The ISIS atrocities occur NOW!

Let’s take a look at the Crusades. There wasn’t just one. There were several, including one called “the Children’s Crusade.”

First.Crusade.Map

Map of Europe and the Mediterranean Lands, Circa 1097.

The first Crusade began around 1095 supposedly in response to a plea for help by the remnant of the Byzantine Empire. The Muslim Seljuk Turks had invaded the Byzantine Empire and the Empire was losing. The Empire lost the battle of Manzikirt in 1071. After that battle, the Turks proceeded to seize most of what is known today as Turkey.

The Catholic Church in Rome gave little thought to the Byzantine request. The “Eastern” Empire formed when the Roman Empire split. It also created a schism in the Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church, under the Pope, remained in Rome. The Eastern Church, later known as the Greek Orthodox Catholic Church, resided in Byzantium, modern day Istanbul.

According to many historians of that period, the pleas from Byzantium were not the primary motivator of the West. After winning the battle of Manzikirt, the Seljuk Turks proceeded to consolidate their new territory. They did so by slaughtering any Christian, Pilgrim and Jew they found or forcing them to convert to Islam. They had done the same, previously, when the Seljuk Turks seized Jerusalem a few years earlier.

In 1065 the Seljuks began a campaign of persecution against Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land in which the Bishop of Bamberg and 12,000 pilgrims were massacred by the Muslims only two miles from Jerusalem. — Crisis Magazine.

News traveled slowly in those days. The massacre at Jerusalem was still fresh in the minds of the Cardinals and the Pope in Rome when the plea from Byzantine Emperor Alexius I arrived. By that time, the Church was already in the process of calling for a Crusade to free Jerusalem and resume the Pilgrimages.

In all, there were eight crusades from the first in 1095 until the last in 1279 with the Invasion of Tunisia by King St. Louis IX of France.

Crusade

Dates

Major Events

Major Characters
First 1096 –1102
  •   Liberation of Antioch
    – 1098
  • Liberation of Jerusalem
    – 1099
  • Godfrey of Bouillon
  • Raymond of Toulouse
  • Bohemond
  • Bishop Adhemar
Second 1147 – 1149
  •   Siege of Damascus (failed)
  •  Louis VII of France
  • Conrad III – Holy Roman Emperor (HRE)
Third 1189 – 1192
  •   Liberation of Acre
    – 1191
  • Treaty = Christian access to Jerusalem for 3 years
  • Saladin
  • HRE Frederick Barbarossa
  • Richard I – King of England
  • Philip II – King of France
Fourth 1201 – 1205
  • Sack of Constantinople
    – 1204
  • Pope Innocent III
  • Doge Enricho Dandolo – Venice
  • Alexius Angelus
  • Boniface of Montferrat
Fifth 1218 – 1221
  •   Invasion of Egypt
  • Cardinal Pelagius
  • St. FrancisAl-Kamil
Sixth (a.k.a. Crusade of Frederick II) 1228 – 1229
  •   Restoration of Jerusalem by treaty
  • HRE Frederick II
Seventh (First Crusade of St. Louis) 1248 – 1254
  •   Invasion of Egypt
  • King St. Louis IX of France
Eighth   (a.k.a Second   Crusade of St. Louis) 1269 – 1272
  •   Invasion of Tunisia
  • King St. Louis IX of France

The later Hapsburg-Ottoman Wars are thought by some to be a continuation of the Crusades by the Muslims of the Ottoman Empire. The Muslim invasions of Europe continued for another 300 years after the Eighth Crusade culminating with the Battle of Vienna in 1683. Remember that date—1683! It was just 100 years before the end of the American Revolution. Muslim aggression was more recent that many now realize.

Not only more recent, but also much earlier than many know. In fact, Muslim forces invaded Europe well before the first Crusade, seizing modern day Spain and marching deep into France.

The Crusades were the result of Muslim acts of atrocity and in response to Muslim invasions of Europe. How many know that today? Is it being taught anywhere? It was a fifteen-minute discussion when I took Western European History in college.

I had intended to include a history and background of the Inquisition but that will have to wait for another day. Just one bit of information, the Inquisition wasn’t just in Spain. It covered most of Europe and throughout the Holy Roman Empire.

If/When you listen to Obama’s pack of lies from the National Prayer Breakfast, read this and know the truth.

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Second takes…

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I was listening to a local radio station this morning. The host was on a tirade about the flu and hospitals. The flu is in full swing in the KC area at the moment. Elsewhere, too.

A news item said that a woman had died of the flu. However, when you read the body of the announcement, it said she died of a staph infection as a complication of the flu. The situation is not uncommon. People, weakened by disease, often fall to other conditions as a side effect of their primary contribution of their death.

Then the host went off on the hospital. It said the woman died of a ‘staff’ infection, an infection the woman had acquired from the ‘staff’ in the hospital. I think someone took him aside and explained to him the difference between ‘staff’ and ‘staph’. One is people, the other is a class of infectious bacteria, staphylococcus. A few minutes later he attempted to backtrack and then wandered off onto another topic, immunizations, repeating the myths and ‘urban knowledge’ of falsehoods about that subject. The ignorance and outright stupidity of presumed adults continues to astound me. It’s a reminder of the degradation of education over the last fifty years.

***

In 1967, Adam Clayton Powell was unseated from the US House for corruption. The House and Senate has the right to not recognize members for specific reasons. Powell subsequently sued and was reelected in 1969. Congress then passed more legislation to solidify the process and justification for refusal to seat a member. That legislation was a result of the Powell controversy. It was a pyrrhic victor for Powell. He died in 1972.

Another New York City Congressman is in a similar situation.

U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm will resign from the House this week after having pleaded guilty to felony tax evasion, the New York Daily News reported Monday night. — The Washington Times.

At first reports, Grimm stated he would remain in Congress. Evidently, someone spoke to him and explained to him the realities of his situation.

Perhaps, NYC Mayor de Blasio should take a tip from Michael Grimm and resign, too. It has been said that no Mayor of a large metropolitan city can be successful without the support of the police. De Blasio has lost that support in New York City.

***

John Boehner thinks he has the Speakership in the bag. Truth is he is probably right. Not everyone, however, will rollover, unlike our local Vicky Hartzler, and rubberstamp vote for Boehner next week.

Conservative Lawmakers Plan To Vote Against Boehner For Speaker

Alex Pappas, 9:57 PM 12/29/2014

Some disaffected conservative House Republicans are planning to rebel and vote against John Boehner for speaker of the House when the new Congress convenes next week.

The official speaker’s election is set for Jan. 6., when the House will convene for a public floor vote to open the new Congress.

While the vote is usually just a formality, these conservative lawmakers are planning to vote for someone other than the Ohio Republican who has been speaker since 2011. (The column continues here.)

The Daily Caller can’t be labeled a conservative news outlet. Given that, they usually are more balanced that most of the MSM. I’m happy to see that there are still a few ‘Pubs in Washington who stand by the principles that elected them to office.

 

 

 

 

 

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Happy Birthday!

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I missed a birthday yesterday. I knew about it, was going to say something and then…I forgot. It happens.

I’m going to make up for it today. Quoting Lewis Carroll, “Happy Unbirthday!”

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/US_Navy_031029-N-6236G-001_A_painting_of_President_John_Adams_(1735-1826),_2nd_president_of_the_United_States,_by_Asher_B._Durand_(1767-1845)-crop.jpg

John Adams, 2nd President of the United States

Who, you ask? Why John Adams‘ birthday, the second President of the United States, Washington’s Vice President, first Ambassador to Britain, President during the United State’s first, undeclared war, and father to John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Abigail_Adams.jpg

Abigail Adams, 2nd First Lady of the United States

John Adams is also known as the husband of Abigail Adams. Their relationship would make modern romance novelists envious. But little recognized today is Abigail’s support of her husband and her thoughts on government and the nature of man in general that contributed to the creation of our nation. Her correspondence to John in the period leading to the Declaration of Independence provides insight to their characters.

Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams, 27 November 1775

November 27 1775

Tis a fortnight to Night since I wrote you a line during which, I have been confined with the jaundice, Rhumatism and a most violent cold; I yesterday took a puke which has releived me, and I feel much better to day. Many, very many people who have had the dysentery, are now afflicted both with the jaundice and Rhumatisim, some it has left in Hecticks, some in dropsies.

The great and incessant rains we have had this fall, (the like cannot be recollected) may have occasiond some of the present disorders. The jaundice is very prevelant in the Camp. We have lately had a week of very cold weather, as cold as January, and a flight of snow, which I hope will purify the air of some of the noxious vapours. It has spoild many hundreds of Bushels of Apples, which were designd for cider, and which the great rains had prevented people from making up. Suppose we have lost 5 Barrels by it.

Col. Warren returnd last week to Plymouth, so that I shall not hear any thing from you till he goes back again which will not be till the last of nextthis month.

He Damp’d my Spirits greatly by telling me that the Court had prolonged your Stay an other month. I was pleasing myself with the thoughts that you would soon be upon your return. Tis in vain to repine. I hope the publick will reap what I sacrifice.

I wish I knew what mighty things were fabricating. If a form of Goverment is to be established here what one will be assumed? Will it be left to our assemblies to chuse one? and will not many men have many minds? and shall we not run into Dissentions among ourselves?

I am more and more convinced that Man is a dangerous creature, and that power whether vested in many or a few is ever grasping, and like the grave cries give, give. The great fish swallow up the small, and he who is most strenuous for the Rights of the people, when vested with power, is as eager after the perogatives of Goverment. You tell me of degrees of perfection to which Humane Nature is capable of arriving, and I believe it, but at the same time lament that our admiration should arise from the scarcity of the instances.

The Building up a Great Empire, which was only hinted at by my correspondent may now I suppose be realized even by the unbelievers. Yet will not ten thousand Difficulties arise in the formation of it? The Reigns of Goverment have been so long slakned, that I fear the people will not quietly submit to those restraints which are necessary for the peace, and security, of the community; if we seperate from Brittain, what Code of Laws will be established. How shall we be governd so as to retain our

Liberties? Can any goverment be free which is not adminstred by general stated Laws? Who shall frame these Laws? Who will give them force and energy? Tis true your [Resolutions] as a Body have heithertoo had the force of Laws. But will they continue to have?

When I consider these things and the prejudices of people in favour of Ancient customs and Regulations, I feel anxious for the fate of our Monarchy or Democracy or what ever is to take place. I soon get lost in a Labyrinth of perplexities, but whatever occurs, may justice and righteousness be the Stability of our times, and order arise out of confusion. Great difficulties may be surmounted, by patience and perseverance.

I believe I have tired you with politicks. As to news we have not any at all. I shudder at the approach of winter when I think I am to remain desolate. Suppose your weather is warm yet. Mr. Mason and Thaxter live with me, and render some part of my time less disconsolate. Mr. Mason is a youth who will please you, he has Spirit, taste and Sense. His application to his Studies is constant and I am much mistaken if he does not make a very good figure in his profession.

I have with me now, the only Daughter of your Brother; I feel a tenderer affection for her as she has lost a kind parent. Though too young to be sensible of her own loss, I can pitty her. She appears to be a child of a very good Disposition — only wants to be a little used to company.

Our Little ones send Duty to pappa and want much to see him.Tom says he wont come home till the Battle is over — some strange notion he has got into his head. He has got a political cread to say to him when he returns.

I must bid you good night. Tis late for one who am much of an invalide. I was dissapointed last week in receiving a packet by the post, and upon unsealing it found only four news papers. I think you are more cautious than you need be. All Letters I believe have come safe to hand. I have Sixteen from you, and wish I had as many more. Adieu. Yours.

Happy post-birthday, John Adams. May you and Abigail not be forgotten.

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Chasing Pancho Villa

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It’s time for another story from my family lore. This one is about Uncle Bill, William Watson. Uncle Bill was born in Scotland, not far from Edinburgh, in 1894. He and the rest of the family immigrated to the US in 1904 when My father was two years old. Grandpa and a few of my Grandmother’s brothers were already in the US, having arrived some years earlier in response to the gold rush in Colorado.

Grandpa and his Brothers-in-law found a small gold strike near Cripple Creek, CO. The mine produced enough for their families to be brought to the US. Grandpa was the one selected to go back to the UK and escort the families to Colorado. This he did.

When the families arrived in Colorado, the Brothers-in-Law were missing and the gold mine was owned by John D. Rockefeller. According to the land records, the Brothers-in-Law sold the mine to Rockefeller three months after Grandpa left for England and disappeared. Grandpa and the rest of the family always believed the disappearance came first in that transaction.

The families of the Brothers-in-Law moved to Pennsylvania where they had other relatives. Grandpa’s family remained in Colorado for a number of years until they were forced to flee to Illinois.

The family settled near Trinidad, CO, to work in the mines. The family trade was hard-rock mining. My father was too young, at that time, to work in the mines like his older brothers, John and Bill.

Uncle John was the oldest and was able to get a scholarship to the Colorado School of Engineering. Uncle bill tried to do the same, anything to escape being a miner. He, unfortunately, lacked the scholarship of Uncle John. Consequently, he chose to escape the mines by joining the Colorado Militia. In 1911, at age 17, he became a cavalry trooper in the Militia.

Colorado had two different militia categories due to the Dick Act of 1903. A year or so later, Uncle Bill’s Militia unit was merged into Colorado’s National Guard. Uncle Bill had been a part-time Militiaman and attending a local Pueblo college on the side while gaining some blacksmithing skills working for the mines.

After being a National Guardsman a few months, the Army nationalized a few of the western Guard units to expand Cavalry coverage of the US border. The Mexican Civil War was building and cross-border raids were becoming a problem. Uncle Bill’s Guard unit was one of those nationalized for a six-month tour guarding the border around El Paso, TX.

Members of the 11th Cavalry, Circa 1913.

Uncle Bill liked being in the Cavalry and transferred to the 11th Cavalry. When the Ludlow Massacre occurred, the 11th was sent to Trinidad to ‘pacify’ the area. There was open warfare in some more remote locations between the miners and the Colorado Militia. When the 11th went to Trinidad, Uncle Bill, assigned to be a farrier, stayed in El Paso. There was the concern that Uncle Bill might not be ‘neutral’ if he went with the 11th to Colorado.

The cross-border excursions from Mexico grew. In 1916, the 11th Cavalry, along with Uncle Bill, was sent into Mexico after Pancho Villa. That trip soured Uncle Bill on his future in the Cavalry. A number of the 11th’s officers had been trained in the German Kavallerie Schule (Cavalry School) during the period after the Spanish-American War of 1898. The Germans did not treat their enlisted troopers well. The officer graduates retained that training when they returned to the US.

It was not uncommon for a German officer to slap or strike an enlisted trooper with the flat of his sabre. A saber-strike, although with the flat of the blade, often caused cuts and other small injuries. US trained Cavalry officers did not strike troopers. They told their NCOs to ‘instruct’ Trooper Smith as necessary. The NCO would then lead the offending Trooper behind the barracks and ‘reason’ with him.

A fight with an NCO was acceptable. In those situations the Trooper could fight back. But, when struck by an Officer, the Trooper could not. That difference caused problems when the 11th was sent into Mexico.

The techniques taught in the US and German Cavalry Schools differed. The US School taught officers to lead with their troops, live with their Troops, and fight with their Troops. The German School did not. They taught their officers to be aloof from their units, to lead from the rear, to ‘manage’ the fight by issuing orders from a vantage point. To the Troopers, this appeared to be cowardice. The opinion of the Troopers were that the German trained officers cared little for their men, that they were brutal and many Troopers said they would shoot any of those officers during a fight if that officer appeared in front of them.

Uncle Bill rejoined the 11th, after their time in Colorado, in New Mexico, and in 1916, under the command of General John Pershing, went into Mexico. For nearly a year, the 11th and other US Army units chased Villa around the Mexican state of Chihuahua. The effort failed to catch Villa and strained relations with Mexico.

Uncle Bill spent World War I with various Cavalry units patrolling the US/Mexican border. He was in high demand for his skills as a farrier and by the end of World War I was promoted to Sergeant. He left the Army in 1920 and entered College at Champaign, IL at the school that would later become the University of Illinois. I don’t know if Uncle Bill actually acquire a degree…I don’t remember if he or Dad ever said. Uncle Bill was hired by the State of Illinois as a highway engineer during the 1920s and would eventually become the state’s Chief Highway Engineer. He died in 1965 in the Veteran’s Hospital near Jefferson Barracks, MO.

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Notes: News, History, Events

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I don’t usually listen to internet radio. All too many programs are hosted by…well, let’s just say their light bulbs aren’t screwed in very tightly. The subject of the programs are spread from one extreme to the other, left and right, liberal and conservative, communist to anarchist.

I happened to listen to one for a few minutes the other day. The premise of the subject was that the United States is inherently racist because when it was first adopted, only white, male, property owners could vote!

Contrary to the popular myth espoused by many, voting requirements were never written into the Constitution, it was left to the individual states to determine requirements for suffrage, the right to vote. Many argued in the years prior to the creation of the Constitution to put limitations on the right to vote. One of the most famous, because it supported the property-owning myth, was from Alexander Hamilton.

Alexander Hamilton – 1775

[Hamilton is quoting Blackstone’s Commentaries, bk. 1, ch. 2:]

“If it were probable that every man would give his vote freely, and without influence of any kind, then, upon the true theory and genuine principles of liberty, every member of the community, however poor, should have a vote… But since that can hardly be expected, in persons of indigent fortunes, or such as are under the immediate dominion of others, all popular states have been obliged to establish certain qualifications, whereby, some who are suspected to have no will of their own, are excluded from voting; in order to set other individuals, whose wills may be supposed independent, more thoroughly upon a level with each other.”

From Papers of Alexander Hamilton, ed. Harold C. Syrett (New York: Columbia University Press, 1961-79), 1:106. — www.vindicatingthefounders.com

Some states, like New York, imposed voting and qualification limitations similar to that proposed by Hamilton.

…the 1777 New York State Constitution required that a man have considerable wealth to be able to vote for the state Assembly – he had to pay taxes as well as own property worth at least 20 pounds or pay an annual rent of 2 pounds. Ten of the original 13 states had property and/or tax requirements when the U.S. Constitution came into effect. — City University of New York.

Why did these early founders think property ownership was so important to gain suffrage? In the words of today, “it insured that they, the voters, had skin in the game.“

I don’t propose that we return to that standard for suffrage. But…think of the changes in government if we did. For one, I strongly doubt our welfare system would exist. And, the balance of power would shift from cities and urban areas to rural. Property ownership would rise…or would it?  It’s something to think about.

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ramirez_09172013Why was the Washington Navy Yard, most military bases in fact, undefended? By the order of one man: William Jefferson Clinton.

Military bases used to be guarded by the military. When I was in the Air Force some time ago, USAF Security Police manned guard posts at all entrances. They also policed the base, just like many of the neighboring police departments, and had roving patrols of the perimeter to guard against infiltrators. SAC bases were more stringent in their precautions.

McNamara, when he was Kennedy’s and Johnson’s Secretary of Defense, proposed replacing those guards with civilian employees. The four Chiefs of Staff, the CS of the Army, Air Force, the CNO of the Navy and the Commandant of the Marines, went to Johnson and threatened to resign enmass if McNamara continued with his plan.  Johnson stopped McNamara. I never heard this in the news but it was well known in the services. Unfortunately, it was the last instance, that I know of, of interdepartmental cooperation and unity between the services.

Navy Yard Shooting Another Clinton Gun-Free Zone Fail

Posted 09/17/2013 06:04 PM ET

Security: As the usual suspects call for stricter gun control, the fact remains that a gunman with two prior gun-crime arrests entered a secure military facility with a stolen ID and found no one able to shoot back.

It was Fort Hood all over again. Aaron Alexis, a gunman whose prior behavioral warning signs were ignored, opens fire in an installation belonging to the most powerful military on Earth and those who protect our nation and design our weapons are not allowed to have a weapon to defend themselves.

He was more equipped than the 12 people he killed on the base who were not permitted to carry weapons on the base, thanks to former President Bill Clinton.

In 1993 the president issued orders that barred members of the military and their civilian contractors from carrying personal firearms on base. Even officers were disarmed under the law.

Almost as soon as Clinton assumed office, in March 1993 the Army imposed regulations forbidding military personnel from carrying their personal firearms and making it almost impossible for commanders to issue firearms to soldiers in the U.S. for personal protection.

That ban extends to virtually all U.S military bases and related installations.

Under the ruling enacted by the Clinton administration, there must be “a credible and specific threat against personnel” before military personnel “may be authorized to carry firearms for personal protection.”

This was the reason that the Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan was able to go on a rampage for a full 10 minutes in 2009 without being stopped.

This is why, at Fort Hood, home of the heavily armed and feared 1st Cavalry Division, a civilian policewoman from off base was the one whose marksmanship ended Hasan’s terrorist rampage, to this day obscenely called “workplace violence,” denying survivors and the dead medals and benefits.

The liberal reaction to the Navy Yard massacre mirrors the reaction, after Fort Hood, of Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

He opined, “This latest tragedy, at a heavily fortified army base, ought to convince more Americans to reject the argument that the solution to gun violence is to arm more people with more guns in more places.” What?

On Monday night, anchor John Roberts asked Mandy Foster, the wife of one of the soldiers shot at Fort Hood, how she felt about her husband’s upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. She responded: “At least he’s safe there and he can fire back, right?” Safer than at the Washington Navy Yard or Fort Hood.

The article continues at the website. It’s a good read and places the blame for making our military installations a target of choice for terrorists, the disgruntled, and the insane, squarely where it should—the Executive Branch of the federal government.

Bush isn’t blameless, here. he could have rescinded Clinton’s order. He did not.

Let’s also note that the Navy Yard Shooter, was a liberal and an Obama supporter. He was NOT a Bible thumping, bitter-clinging, gun-loving, white american. He was none of the popular stereotypes so loved by the state media when they blame conservatives for the nation’s ills.

The 5th of July Follies

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Yesterday was the 150th Anniversary of the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg. The battle started on July 2nd when elements of the Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia met The Army of the Potomac, under newly appointed commander, George Mead, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The movie, “Gettysburg” released a decade ago, based on Michael Shaara‘s, “The Killer Angels,” provides an accurate accounting of the battle.

Michael and Jeff Shaara‘s historical novels, history written in the form of a novel, provides insight into historical characters and give life to history. One of the purposes of the books, in a statement attributed to Jeff Shaara, was to educate citizens and patriots in history as it really happened, giving life to the thoughts, living conditions of the soldiers and to the philosophies of the times.

Leading up to patriotism, the Gallup Poll conducted a survey earlier last month, June 1-4, 2013, a poll on a subject not often covered: Who is more patriotic, Conservatives, Liberals, Republicans, or Democrats? The poll confirmed long held opinions by Conservatives and Republicans.

Gallup: Republicans more proud to be American than Democrats

By CHARLIE SPIERING | JULY 4, 2013 AT 8:50 AM

The Patriot Poll

The Patriot Poll

In recognition of Independence Day, Gallup has released a poll on whether American citizens are still proud to be American.

Ninety-three percent of Republicans indicate that they are “extremely/very proud” to be American while only 85 percent of Democrats feel the same way.

Eighty-one percent of political Independents indicate they are “extremely/very proud.”

Likewise, 89 percent of poll respondents who identified themselves as conservative are “extremely/very proud,” to be American compared to 76 percent of liberals.

Come on, now, you always knew this, didn’t you?

***

It seems that just about all political pundits have opined, in one form or another, on the George Zimmerman trial. Some pundits attempt to report the facts of the case as they are presented in court. Others, like Al Sharpton, are stirring up controversy to gain more face time on TV.

I’ve not weighed in on this subject other than to note it appears that the Judge and Prosecutor in the case seem to be more interested in convicting Zimmerman than in serving justice. In general, conservatives seem to side with Zimmerman’s version of the events, while liberals side with Al Sharpton and the Prosecutor.

One “conservative” (I’ve put that in quotes because I’m not convinced he is a conservative,) who sides with the prosecution is Michael Savage. On Tuesday of this week, speaking on his radio program, Savage said Zimmerman was guilty of the charges levied against him. Now Savage, like everyone, is free to espouse their opinions on everything or anything. Savage did that and exposed himself as being an ignorant fool.

 

Michael Savage on George Zimmerman: ‘You have to find this man guilty’

Jeff Poor, Media Reporter

On his show on Tuesday night, talk show host Michael Savage said that George Zimmerman, who is currently on trial for the murder of Trayvon Martin, should be found guilty of second-degree manslaughter based on two things: 1) The state of his firearm and 2) The language he allegedly used on a 911 call when he was first reporting his suspicions about Martin.

But first Savage explained why his insight should be valued over others in the media covering the trial.

“I’m about to break an analysis that no one yet in the media has done, as you would expect from me — being the senior member of the American media and possibly the most insightful,” Savage said. “And I have to blow my own horn because everyone else tries to break my horn.”

…

Savage laid out his case, saying that the murder could have been avoided, but based on Zimmerman’s gun having a round in the chamber with the safety off, Zimmerman intended “to find some he could shoot or intimidate.”

“Zimmerman was carrying a Kel Tec semi-automatic 9mm handgun,” Savage said. “So? Big deal. It is a big deal because he had a bullet chambered in the gun and he had the safety off… Had he not chambered a round prior to meeting Trayvon, and had he not taken the safety off, even if Trayvon, during the altercation even if Trayvon had tried to grab the gun away from Zimmerman — had that gun not been chambered with a round and safety off, Trayvon Martin would have had to use two hands. You can’t do it with one hand.”

Anyone with a Concealed Carry permit or one who is familiar with firearms will immediately notice the errors in that statement. The comments below the article point out the fallacy of Savage’s position.

fltactical •

As an owner of the Kel-Tec PF9, I can say that Savage (whom I normally generally like) is a fool. There is no safety on this weapon. It has a 2 stage trigger with a long and heavy trigger pull. This acts as a “safety” and is the most common trigger on concealed carry firearms. Also, I don’t know anyone who carries that doesn’t keep a round in the chamber. If you are attacked, you have no time to rack your slide and chamber the round. I am shocked at Dr. Savage’s lack of knowledge on this subject.

Fltactical is more polite than the next commenter in the queue.

seattle61-> fltactical •

Agreed.. I was getting ready to post the same thing. Savage is an idiot

Savage has a history of jealousy with Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Mark Levin. Those three usually ignore Savage as a whiner. That is until this week. Mark Levin let loose on Savage.

Mark Levin blasts ‘transgendering’ ‘snaggletooth’ ‘troll’ Michael Savage

5:44 PM 05/24/2013

On his radio show Thursday night, conservative talker Mark Levin scorched his former radio competitor Michael Savage for attacking fellow conservative talkers.

…

Levin took on Savage for attacking two of his colleagues, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.“I’m thinking of doing a one-hour special on the life and times of Michael Weiner,” Levin said. “Little Weiner, Weiner Nation calls himself ‘Savage,’ changes his name but you can’t blame him. He’s named after male genitalia. He is a real cancer on this business. He is a phony, fake conservative. All you have to do is Google his name and Google ‘Allen Ginsburg’ and Google ‘Fiji’ and all kinds of stuff pops up.”“Now he goes on the airwaves and he trashes a couple of my friends — Rush [Limbaugh], Sean [Hannity] claiming they’re not conservative enough, you know, like him,” Levin continued. “I don’t know, I’ve never seen Weiner Nation at a tea party rally. I’ve never seen Weiner Nation helping the conservative movement.”

“Let me tell you something, you little troll, you little nobody,” Levin said. “I kicked your butt in the ratings head-to-head from one end of the nation to the other. That’s why you’re late night, got it? I’d like you to come back at 6 p.m. against, Eastern of course, so I can do it again, snaggletooth. I know all about you. All your little secrets — how you trash other hosts, how you try to position them to the left of you. You’re a puke. I’m going to tell you something else — I’m not finished on this subject. I am not finished.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize to you,” he continued. “But this thigh rash — this thigh rash is a hideous person. Yes, I remember what he said about parent’s with autistic children. I remember all of that. Yeah, I think I might do one-hour special: ‘The Weiner we didn’t know.’ You like that Mr. Producer? No, ‘The little Weiner we didn’t know.’ Actually, ‘The transgendering Weiner,’ or something like that. I’ll figure it out. Head’s up there pal.”

Ah, Levin, he certainly has a way with words. I have listened to Savage from time to time when I was out driving and there wasn’t anything else on. Anyone listening to Savage will quickly note one personal characteristic—he’s a hate-filled man.
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