Remembering 911, 11 Year's Later

More than a decade later, most of us still remember 9/11 like it was yesterday.  I was working at my computer, updating WBFJ (Music From the Heart.  Now called, Your Family Station) Contemporary Christian Music Radio Station 89.3 website.  While tuning into my favorite TV National News Station FOX News, when the the News Alert come on.  My 1st  thought was how on such a clear Carolina Blue Sky could a Passenger Plane Crash into the World Trade Center.  Plane malfunction was all I had thought about.  

I had just a few months ahead of 9-11-2001 set-up a WBFJ contest called WBFJ “Where In The World Are You” Contest!!!  See the archived website at http://web.archive.org/web/20010709012035/http://www.wbfj.org/events.htm

I had used a picture of the World Trade Center for the Contest that my Daughter Jennifer had taken while visiting NY the year before.

We all remember how worried some people were about what the attacks would do to America. Would it weaken us in the world? Would it weaken us at home? Would we stand up?

Well, 11 years later we can say with certainty and pride that 9/11 didn’t reveal the weakness of America. It revealed the greatness of America. We didn’t have to wait long to see it.

In the first moments after the attacks, we saw the courage of the first responders. In the days and weeks that followed, we saw the goodness and generosity of the volunteers who descended on New York. As the months turned into years, monuments were dedicated, mighty buildings rose again at the World Trade Center site, and of course we’ve all watched with admiration and gratitude as so many have stepped forward since the 9/11 attacks to serve in the armed forces and in our intelligence community. We honor them today too. Thanks to their service and sacrifice, America is a safer place, many who were responsible for the 9/11 attacks have been killed or captured. Many of those who harbored them are on the run. And across the globe, there is little doubt today that ours is the greatest fighting force the world has even known.

Out of a great evil, we have seen greatness and goodness from our country and our countrymen and countrywomen. And that’s why we can now mark this solemn anniversary not simply with pain and  sorrow, but with a renewed pride in our nation, and an unbending confidence in the resilience and the goodness of its people.

In her darkest hours, America always has summoned the courage and the strength to persevere and to prevail. We now know that 9/11 was no different. And here’s why — because, as Americans, WE believe that every person counts. That’s why we’re still haunted by the faces of those who died, by the hopes and dreams that were extinguished, by the families and friendships that were shattered on that crisp September morning 11 years ago. And that’s why we are still should be determined to vindicate their lives.

In remembering those we lost on 9/11, we should testify to our shared belief that each and every one of them was irreplaceable. We renew our commitment to live lives of so many, worthy of their memory. And we should pledge, once again, to do whatever it takes to keep Americans safe from those who still wish to do us harm.

It's All About Government

Michelle Obama's speech to the convention was "all about government. I've got to say, listening closely to the speech, one of the things that struck me was it was all about government. When she talked at the beginning about the people who exemplified the best of the American spirit, she talked about teachers and first responders and the military, all very admirable professions, but all government. When she talked about ways to build the middle class, it was all about the auto bailout and student loans and health care reform. Once again, all government programs. And that was a subtle subtext to the entire speech.

Obamacare The Audacity to Lie

The audacity of deliberate dishonesty in the Obama administration's reaction to the Supreme Court ruling on Obamacare is unlike anything we have seen in American history. ~Newt Gingrich~

A majority of the Court agreed the Commerce Clause could not be used to justify Obamacare, as many on the far left had argued. The decision stated that police powers were reserved to the states. In other words, if the case for the law rested only on the claim that the individual mandate was a penalty, authorized under the Commerce Clause, then Obamacare would be unconstitutional.

Chief Justice Roberts' decision, however, pivoted and -- with the votes of the four liberal members of the Court, ruled that Obamacare was constitutional precisely because it was not a penalty but was instead a tax.

Chief Justice Roberts had in effect saved Obamacare by establishing a trap which might destroy it.

Obamacare was already opposed by 60 percent of the American people according to most polls before the Court ruling.

Since advocates of Obamacare must concede their project is a massive tax increase in addition to bad policy, it should become excruciating to sustain politically even though the Court upheld its constitutionality. The Chief Justice virtually set the stage for this rejection when he wrote:

"The Government argues that if the commerce power does not support the mandate, we should nonetheless uphold it as an exercise of Congress's power to tax. According to the Government, even if Congress lacks the power to direct individuals to buy insurance, the only effect of the individual mandate is to raise taxes on those who do not do so, and thus the law may be upheld as a tax...The Government asks us to interpret the mandate as imposing a tax, if it would otherwise violate the Constitution."

Saddled with such unpopular policies and with a Presidential election looming only four months away, President Obama and his allies have just one recourse left: to lie, to manipulate, and to rewrite history.

In fact, the White House's deceitful response to the Court's ruling was so audacious that it brought back memories of President Obama's book title, "The Audacity of Hope," and his campaign manager's memoir, "The Audacity to Win."

Before the Democrats rammed the unpopular bill through Congress, President Obama argued vociferously that the individual mandate in the bill was not a tax. When in an interview with the president, George Stephanopoulos used the word "tax," President Obama interrupted him, saying, "No. That's not true, George ... Nobody considers that a tax increase ... You can't just make up that language and decide that that's called a tax increase."

Once his administration had succeeded in passing the legislation, President Obama promptly sent his Justice Department and his Solicitor General's to court to defend the law as a legitimate use of the Congress's authority to tax. Indeed, his administration's brief for the Supreme Court case contains long passages arguing that the mandate is a tax.

Because few people pay attention to details spelled out in the form of legal briefs, they thought they could get away with this duplicity.

But now that the Court has declared for everyone to see that Obamacare contains a massive tax increase, the gap between what the president told Americans when he was trying to sell us the law and what we have today is glaring.

Faced with a threat that could destroy his presidency and the Democratic lock on the Senate, Obama's campaign has reverted to the audacity to lie on a grand scale.

The Obama team's position is very straightforward. If the truth will defeat them then the truth has to disappear.

The consistency and boldness of their dishonesty has rattled even their supporters in the elite media. Under repeated questions and even attacks the Obama team comes back with the same dishonest mantra. Every question which cites a Supreme Court reference to a tax is met by an immediate use of the word penalty. With enormous discipline the Obama team and its Democratic Party surrogates have erased the word tax from their vocabulary.

According to the Obama team there is no tax in Obamacare. It is a penalty.

So we now have the dishonesty of an Obama administration which knows its biggest achievement would have been declared unconstitutional if it were a penalty but, now that the Court has decided it is a tax, goes back to claiming it is a penalty.

The Democratic consultants know that "penalty" is a much less dangerous word than tax. Therefore they decided on a "big lie" strategy.

If referring to the Obamacare "tax" would lead to a political disaster in four months then there had to be a coordinated and disciplined effort to replace the word tax with the word penalty. The president led the way and his White House and campaign spokespersons and surrogates promptly rushed out to reinforce the message.

Other Democrats rapidly fell in line and talk shows were filled with Obama surrogates robotically repeating the "big lie" campaign.

If President Obama and his team succeed, the entire Supreme Court decision will have been rewritten in the news media by sheer mendacious repetition. 

This is a level of systematic dishonesty worthy of Orwell's "1984" or of Pravda at the peak of the Soviet Empire. Uncomfortable facts become nonexistent. "Necessary" falsehoods become the new truth.

It is the opposite of the fundamental honesty needed for self government.

The Reason We Celebrate July 4 in America

In 1775, people in New England began fighting the British for their independence. On July 2, 1776, the Congress secretly voted for independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence was first published two days later on July 4, 1776. The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence was on July 8, 1776. Delegates began to sign the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776. In 1870, Independence Day was made an unpaid holiday for federal employees. In 1941, it became a paid holiday for them.

What do people do?

Very few people have to work on Independence Day. It is a day of family celebrations with picnics and barbecues, showing a great deal of emphasis on the American tradition of political freedom. Activities associated with the day include watermelon or hotdog eating competitions and sporting events, such as baseball games, three-legged races, swimming activities and tug-of-war games.

Many people display the American flag outside their homes or buildings. Many communities arrange fireworks that are often accompanied by patriotic music. The most impressive fireworks are shown on television. Some employees use one or more of their vacation days to create a long weekend so that they can escape the heat at their favorite beach or vacation spot.

Independence Day is a patriotic holiday for celebrating the positive aspects of the United States. Many politicians appear at public events to show their support for the history, heritage and people of their country. Above all, people in the United States express and give thanks for the freedom and liberties fought by the first generation of many of today's Americans.

Public life

Independence Day is a federal holiday. If July 4 is a Saturday, it is observed on Friday, July 3. If July 4 is a Sunday, it is observed on Monday, July 5. Government offices and schools are closed. Some businesses may be closed as well. In some years, many employees use a proportion of their vacation days to create a long weekend. This can cause congestion in some places, particularly towards popular holiday destinations.

There are many public events, parades, shows and fireworks displays. This may cause local disruption to traffic. Public transit systems do not usually operate on their regular timetables.

Background

In 1775, people in New England began fighting the British for their independence. On July 2, 1776, the Congress secretly voted for independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence was first published two days later on July 4, 1776. The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence was on July 8, 1776. Delegates began to sign the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776. In 1870, Independence Day was made an unpaid holiday for federal employees. In 1941, it became a paid holiday for them.

The first description of how Independence Day would be celebrated was in a letter from John Adams to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776. He described "pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations" throughout the United States. However, the term "Independence Day" was not used until 1791.

Interestingly, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both signers of the Declaration of Independence and presidents of the United States, died on July 4, 1826 - exactly 50 years after the adoption of the declaration. It is also important to note that Native Americans lived in the country and each tribe had its own nation and government prior to the European settlers.

Symbols

The most common Independence Day symbol is the American flag. Its design is displayed in all possible ways on July 4 and can be seen in front of homes and buildings. Other symbols associated with Independence Day are the Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island in New York and the fireworks viewed all over the United States. Sometimes large civic works such as the Erie Canal and the Washington Monument start on July 4, emphasizing their contribution to the economy and culture of the United States.

~Scott Ray

Memorial Day 2012: 25 years later.

Memorial Day 2012: 25 years later, Rolling Thunder still honoring our brave missing...

A highway filled with large motorcycles roaring by in a long procession, their riders decked out in black leather and jeans, is an intimidating — some would say frightening — sight. It's also quintessentially American. Twenty-five years ago the founders of Rolling Thunder decided to use their motorcycles and biker garb to get the attention of Congress on Memorial Day. Their mission: to force the U.S government to account for all POW/MIAs from the Vietnam War.

The group's first "Ride for Freedom" to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial attracted 2,500 riders. Today, Rolling Thunder — the name taken from both the 1965 bombing campaign against North Vietnam and the sound of a column of Harley Davidsons — is a non-profit organization with more than 100 chapters throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe. The group is actively involved in promoting legislation to increase veterans' benefits and also, true to its charter, to resolve the POW/MIA issue from all wars.

The numbers of POW/MIAs from wars since Vietnam have declined — just six military personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan remain missing. But the numbers of those still missing from wars going back to World War II — 83,436 — is a haunting reminder of the layers of sacrifice our troops accept and the pain their families endure.

According to the Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office, most of the missing are from World War II: 73,681. From Korea, 7,957 remain unaccounted for; and from Vietnam, 1,666. Even the Cold War has its MIAs: 126. The POW/Missing Personnel Office was created in 1993 — five years after Rolling Thunder's first ride to Washington — to coordinate and manage all POW/MIA issues.

Rolling Thunder's mission today has also evolved into a "display of patriotism and respect for all who defend our country." On this Memorial Day, we honor the grass-roots veterans who created Rolling Thunder 25 years ago so that we never forget our missing warriors.

We also honor on this day all our war dead, especially the ones whose family and friends are still grieving.

Consider the names below of our area troops who fell in the war on terror. Think of their sacrifice, of what they might have accomplished and of the huge gaps they leave among family and friends.

And never forget them.

Army Sgt. Elmer C. Krause, 40, Greensboro/ Iraq, April 9, 2004.

Marine Lance Cpl. David B. Houck, 25, Winston-Salem/ Iraq, Nov. 26, 2004.

Army Sgt. Monta S. Ruth, 26, Winston-Salem/ Iraq, Aug. 31, 2005.

Marine Lance Cpl. Andrew D. Russoli, 21, Greensboro/ Iraq, Oct. 20, 2005.

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher W. Thompson, 25, Millers Creek/ Iraq, Oct. 21, 2005.

Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel F. Swaim, 19, Yadkinville/ Iraq, Nov. 10, 2005.

Marine Cpl. Felipe C. Barbosa, 21, High Point/ Iraq, Jan. 28, 2006.

Army Sgt. Anton J. Hiett, 25, Mount Airy/ Afghanistan, March 12, 2006.

Army Spc. David N. Timmons Jr., 23, Lewisville/ Afghanistan, May 5, 2006.

Marine Lance Cpl. Kevin A. Lucas, 20, Greensboro/ Iraq, May 26, 2006.

Army Cpl. Bobby T. Callahan, 22, Jamestown/ Iraq, Sept. 19, 2006.

Army Staff Sgt. Patrick O. Barlow, 42, Greensboro/ Iraq, Oct. 18, 2006.

Army Spc. Nicholas R. Gibbs, 25, Stokesdale/ Iraq, Dec. 6, 2006.

Navy Seaman Sandra S. Grant, 23, Linwood/ Arabian Sea, Dec. 31, 2006.

Army Spc. Ebe F. Emolo, 33, Greensboro/ Iraq, April 7, 2007.

Army Maj. Larry J. Bauguess Jr., 36, Moravian Falls/ Pakistan, May 14, 2007.

Army Chief Warrant Officer Paul J. Flynn, 28, Whitsett/ Iraq, Aug. 22, 2007.

Army Pfc. Adam L. Marion, 26, Dobson/ Iraq, April 28, 2008.

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua T. Harris, 36, Lexington/ Afghanistan, Aug. 30, 2008.

Army National Guard 1st Lt. Leevi K. Barnard, 28, Mount Airy/ Iraq, May 21, 2009.

Army Capt. Mark Garner, 30, Elkin/ Afghanistan, July 6, 2009.

Army Staff Sgt. Adam L. Dickmyer, 26, Winston-Salem/Afghanistan, Oct. 28, 2010.

Army Spc. Jacob C. Carroll, 20, Archdale/Afghanistan, Nov. 13, 2010.

Spring Has Sprung

Stepping out onto the deck with my morning coffee, I take a deep breath of the rich, earthy scents that yesterday’s wind have left behind and watch as the sun emerges from behind the pines that shelter our home from the winds...

It’s turning back into winter here in the triad, but the doves have returned to coo in the trees. And the Blue Birds, Robins, Cardinals are busy tending to their nest & newborn.

This is my favorite time of year. The compost pile’s may freeze tonight and the ground’s are too wet to work. But I always have faith in what's yet to come...

It’s was a very mild winter, but so far things look good except for mosquitoes that have overtook the back porch because of the mild winter...

The yard resilience amazes me. And the fact that we never need to reseed or fertilize the ground because we have next door friends that do.. and with the rains that have come and will come...Our garden & yard are well nourished...

To God be the glory in things that are to come and the blessing of his abundance to provide for my family and others that are in need...

May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you in all things that you do....

Scott & SuAnne Ray

God wants you to know

Never has anyone gone so far on the wrong path that they cannot return to the right one. Never has anyone become so wayward that they cannot benefit from the true light....