A handful of CIA/NSA officials are putting the lives of countless spy personnel in danger, not to mention the entire US by releasing confidential information relating to our ability to gather intelligence - intel that has (according to the NYT story in question) already thwarted some attacks.
First they "leak" the info about the CIA airlines. Then they leak the info about the overseas prisons. Now they leak the info about the wiretap of international phone calls. It seems the only “leaker” that gets any scrutiny is the one that made the administration look somewhat good (Plame leak). Why aren’t we in an uproar over these other well-placed leaks? I know - its because Rove isn’t behind those leaks.
At what point does the exercise of First Amendment rights morph into treason? It seems like people associate treason with something that could only happen back during the Revolutionary War. It is as much a real issue now as it ever was. We are all free to question policy and disagree with policy, but when we actively (by leaking classified information) oppose legal procedures by our government in a time of war – that has to be at least considered treasonous.
In 1990 the US had figured out the type of cell phone used by Bin Laden and the particulars around how he used it – so that we may listen in. But somehow the press found this out and published it. Guess what? Bin Laden stopped using that phone and we stopped getting our intel. Point being - our actions carry consequences. The person who leaks the classified information should recognize the harm he is causing, and the media should recognize the harm caused by publishing. If the media wanted to run a “watch-dog” story on perceived abuses by the administration, it could do so without disclosing the particulars.
You can sit there and wish our troops were not engaged in a war. You can wish that the Jihadists don’t want you dead. You can pretend that America will be safe if we only pull out now (funny, I don’t recall us being engaged with Iraq or Afghanistan prior to 9/11 – as if those were the reasons they attacked us). But none of that wishing will get rid of the facts. And whether you like it or not, real people are in harms way to ensure that we don’t have to be. Leaking classified information, especially during a time of war, for petty partisan gain puts us all in harms way and is below reprehensible. It is treason. And if we ever uncover who did the leaking, they should be tried and once convicted - hung!
Monday, December 19, 2005
Friday, December 16, 2005
Tis the Season to be Thankful
This Christmas season has been just as hectic as the last 6 (they started getting that way the time I started really working). This, despite my resolution each year to finally stop and ‘smell the roses’ known as family. It is only now, as I sit hear after a torrid week of work that I can sit still and reflect on how very special my life is.
I’m not sure where to start, and I suppose this is in no particular order, but here is what I am thankful for in 2005. My thanks goes to directly to God for blessing me with the following:
- A wonderful wife and mother to my boys who sleeps so lightly at night so that I can sleep so soundly. A wife who takes care of the house, the bills, the birthday parties, etc while still managing to work 40 hours a week – that’s something to be thankful for.
- Two awesome boys who bring so much joy to me. Each night I open the door and Jackson exclaims, “Daddy – your home!” while Jacob runs to me with a huge grin and his open arms, speaking some language that I’m certain translates into, “Daddy – your home!” Man, if that aint enough to make you forget about all the troubles of the world, I don’t know what is.
- A good job - paying a good salary. Which pays for all the junk in my kids closet and room!
- The DART train. Sounds odd? If not for the train, I would not have had the time to read the awesome books I did this past year. The topics have ranged from hard-core quantum mechanics, to religion, to finance, to politics and as always, the wild west (Elmer Kelton in particular). Reading is exercise for the mind. These books have strengthened my imagination, my spirit and my politics.
- A wonderful grandmother (known as Nanny in our household) who prays every night for my family and I. Nanny, who while living on a tiny fixed income, will give one of her grandkids her last penny for the month so that they can feed their kids and turn on their electricity. I thank God that I don’t need this type of physical assistance from her, but I do need her prayers, and I am thankful.
- For Papaw. For hanging on to this world on that day in January, just long enough for me to make it down from my house in time to say I love you. For holding off St. Peter long enough for me to say the things that your suppose to say way in advance.
- For the Patriots standing in harms way, who, even as I type this, are likely taking fire right now to protect everything that I love in this world. The men and women of our armed forces who risk their lives to spread freedom where there was none. The warriors who deal out swift justice to those who kill innocent people. The sentries who eliminate the threats to my country before they even have time to become a threat. I am thankful for their service and I wish them continued success so that they may soon be reunited with those that love them even more than I.
- For my parents. It would take more hard drive space than this computer has to list out how fortunate I am to have my mom and dad – lets just leave it at that. I can only hope my boys look back 20 years from now and feel as proud of me as I do my parents.
- For groups like the Alliance Defense Fund who will fight the war against our religious freedoms even though many of us are not even aware of the severity of the attack
- For Howard Dean. For ensuring that Republicans will maintain their majority in Congress for years to come (you didn’t really think I would close without a political point – did you).
Well, those are the big ones, but not the only ones. Each member of my family is special to me - my brother and sister, their children. And I suppose if you twist my arm hard enough, I could even admit to having a pretty good mother-in-law (who despite having raised two odd daughters, appears to be doing a good job with her 16-year-old son. At least he appears to have some sense on him, unlike his older sisters).
I suppose that now that I have gotten that off my chest I have just enough time to get out of here and run to the mall. I gotta get those two globes, the cell phone, the new toy, pick up something to eat, grab some batteries, get the…….
Merry Christmas!
I’m not sure where to start, and I suppose this is in no particular order, but here is what I am thankful for in 2005. My thanks goes to directly to God for blessing me with the following:
- A wonderful wife and mother to my boys who sleeps so lightly at night so that I can sleep so soundly. A wife who takes care of the house, the bills, the birthday parties, etc while still managing to work 40 hours a week – that’s something to be thankful for.
- Two awesome boys who bring so much joy to me. Each night I open the door and Jackson exclaims, “Daddy – your home!” while Jacob runs to me with a huge grin and his open arms, speaking some language that I’m certain translates into, “Daddy – your home!” Man, if that aint enough to make you forget about all the troubles of the world, I don’t know what is.
- A good job - paying a good salary. Which pays for all the junk in my kids closet and room!
- The DART train. Sounds odd? If not for the train, I would not have had the time to read the awesome books I did this past year. The topics have ranged from hard-core quantum mechanics, to religion, to finance, to politics and as always, the wild west (Elmer Kelton in particular). Reading is exercise for the mind. These books have strengthened my imagination, my spirit and my politics.
- A wonderful grandmother (known as Nanny in our household) who prays every night for my family and I. Nanny, who while living on a tiny fixed income, will give one of her grandkids her last penny for the month so that they can feed their kids and turn on their electricity. I thank God that I don’t need this type of physical assistance from her, but I do need her prayers, and I am thankful.
- For Papaw. For hanging on to this world on that day in January, just long enough for me to make it down from my house in time to say I love you. For holding off St. Peter long enough for me to say the things that your suppose to say way in advance.
- For the Patriots standing in harms way, who, even as I type this, are likely taking fire right now to protect everything that I love in this world. The men and women of our armed forces who risk their lives to spread freedom where there was none. The warriors who deal out swift justice to those who kill innocent people. The sentries who eliminate the threats to my country before they even have time to become a threat. I am thankful for their service and I wish them continued success so that they may soon be reunited with those that love them even more than I.
- For my parents. It would take more hard drive space than this computer has to list out how fortunate I am to have my mom and dad – lets just leave it at that. I can only hope my boys look back 20 years from now and feel as proud of me as I do my parents.
- For groups like the Alliance Defense Fund who will fight the war against our religious freedoms even though many of us are not even aware of the severity of the attack
- For Howard Dean. For ensuring that Republicans will maintain their majority in Congress for years to come (you didn’t really think I would close without a political point – did you).
Well, those are the big ones, but not the only ones. Each member of my family is special to me - my brother and sister, their children. And I suppose if you twist my arm hard enough, I could even admit to having a pretty good mother-in-law (who despite having raised two odd daughters, appears to be doing a good job with her 16-year-old son. At least he appears to have some sense on him, unlike his older sisters).
I suppose that now that I have gotten that off my chest I have just enough time to get out of here and run to the mall. I gotta get those two globes, the cell phone, the new toy, pick up something to eat, grab some batteries, get the…….
Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 02, 2005
Merry Winter Holiday Season
It seems like the last few years, just about this time, we hear stories about the attack on the word “Christmas”. Most liberals dismiss this at right wing, Christian right nonsense. But this really is a lazy or naïve dismissal. Or perhaps its just another attack on all things perceived to be platforms of the “Christian right”. In reality, it takes only a little digging to compare our current political correctness during the “Holidays” to how we went about discussing this time of year just 10-15 years ago. Go to any newspaper archive and compare the 1980’s Christmas specials to today’s Holiday specials.
I find it hard to believe that there is anyone out there who doesn’t admit to the secularization of Christmas. By secularization, I refer to the increased importance given to gift giving and material adoration than time spent reflecting on the meaning of Christmas and time spent enjoying family. This transformation is not a mere 10-15 years in the making, but multi-generational. This secularization is not just the handiwork of non-Christians, but of all those who celebrate Christmas in some form or fashion. Anyone who stands in line at 4am the day after Thanksgiving (Christian or not) in order to get the best deal on the latest gadget is responsible for this type of secularization. But even the concept of gift giving has a basis in Christianity (not that the Three Wise Men shopped at Best Buy or anything). So I suppose this secularization doesn’t bother me as much as the other.
The other that I refer to is the trend that is most disturbing - the effort to whitewash “Christ” from Christmas - the concerted effort in the name of diversity to replace Merry Christmas with Happy Holidays. The idea that tolerance and respect for minority views somehow equates to intolerance and disregard for the majority is tragic. We would rather call the company party a Holiday Party than a Christmas Party so that we don’t offend the two Muslims working in accounting. We somehow think it is better to ban all Christmas carols from the school play than to take a chance that a Jewish or Hindu person may “feel” uncomfortable.
This trend, this whitewash, is not the only aspect that bothers me though. The combination of removing the word Christmas while still including other religion displays is what is ruffling my feathers. When was the last time you heard someone call the menorah a “Holiday Candle”? Why is it acceptable to display the menorah and the Muslim star and crescent, but we cant display a nativity scene on public property? Why is ok to call the Muslim holy month of Ramadan by its name but not ok to call a single day in December – Christmas?
Displaying the other religious symbols, while suppressing Christian language, symbols and customs in a predominately Christian society is not inclusive. It is an insult to 90% of Americans who celebrate Christmas.
Remember, the Constitution does not protect us against “feeling” excluded. We have no “feeling” protections. The Constitution does, however, protect us from discrimination. But it seems to be doing a poor job of protecting Christians against discrimination when it comes to the celebration of one of our holiest times of the year - Christmas.
I find it hard to believe that there is anyone out there who doesn’t admit to the secularization of Christmas. By secularization, I refer to the increased importance given to gift giving and material adoration than time spent reflecting on the meaning of Christmas and time spent enjoying family. This transformation is not a mere 10-15 years in the making, but multi-generational. This secularization is not just the handiwork of non-Christians, but of all those who celebrate Christmas in some form or fashion. Anyone who stands in line at 4am the day after Thanksgiving (Christian or not) in order to get the best deal on the latest gadget is responsible for this type of secularization. But even the concept of gift giving has a basis in Christianity (not that the Three Wise Men shopped at Best Buy or anything). So I suppose this secularization doesn’t bother me as much as the other.
The other that I refer to is the trend that is most disturbing - the effort to whitewash “Christ” from Christmas - the concerted effort in the name of diversity to replace Merry Christmas with Happy Holidays. The idea that tolerance and respect for minority views somehow equates to intolerance and disregard for the majority is tragic. We would rather call the company party a Holiday Party than a Christmas Party so that we don’t offend the two Muslims working in accounting. We somehow think it is better to ban all Christmas carols from the school play than to take a chance that a Jewish or Hindu person may “feel” uncomfortable.
This trend, this whitewash, is not the only aspect that bothers me though. The combination of removing the word Christmas while still including other religion displays is what is ruffling my feathers. When was the last time you heard someone call the menorah a “Holiday Candle”? Why is it acceptable to display the menorah and the Muslim star and crescent, but we cant display a nativity scene on public property? Why is ok to call the Muslim holy month of Ramadan by its name but not ok to call a single day in December – Christmas?
Displaying the other religious symbols, while suppressing Christian language, symbols and customs in a predominately Christian society is not inclusive. It is an insult to 90% of Americans who celebrate Christmas.
Remember, the Constitution does not protect us against “feeling” excluded. We have no “feeling” protections. The Constitution does, however, protect us from discrimination. But it seems to be doing a poor job of protecting Christians against discrimination when it comes to the celebration of one of our holiest times of the year - Christmas.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)