Memorial Day 2010

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic and was first observed on  May 30, 1868.  The first Memorial Day took place 142 years ago. It was first known as Decoration Day and the day was originally intended to remember and honor those who had died serving their country.  We also remember and honor people we know who have passed on.  In a way, some people who have died served their country even without being involved in the military. Individuals who have served in their communities, helped others, and were good citizens should also be honored on Memorial Day. However, the most important thing to remember is all of those men and women from the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror who have given their lives or were involved with securing and maintaining the liberties of the United States.

Today our family went to visit my Grandpa Alf's grave.  While we were there the VFW preformed a 21-Gun Salute and Taps was played.  Standing next to my Grandpa's grave, the beautiful day, and American flags everywere made me feel very appreciative of those who have fought for our countries freedoms.  Grandpa Alf drove a Sherman tank in the Pacific theatre of World War Two.  He, like many who have fought for others freedoms was just doing his duty, but what a great sacrifice they gave for us.  They sacrificed lives, family, pleasures, comforts, and dreams to protect ours. On this Memorial Day I feel extremely indebted to my Grandfather and all those other men and women who fought for my freedoms. 

Founding Fathers' Views on Faith

THAT it is an indispensable duty which we owe to God, our country, ourselves and posterity, by all lawful ways and means in our power to maintain, defend and preserve these civil and religious rights and liberties for which many of our father fought, bled and died, and to hand them down entire to future generations.
-First Continental Congress in 1774

This quote is from one of three posts on Glenn Beck's website which was written by Dr. Peter A. Lillback who wrote the book George Washington's Sacred Fire.  He also had two other authors write sections about the views our Founding Fathers had on faith.  The author of part two is Rog Gragg who wrote Forged in Faith: How Faith Shaped the Birth of the Nation 1607-1776 and the author of part three is Bruce Feiler who wrote America's Prophet: Moses and the American Story (Hardcover).  I read the sections and I found them very interesting and a great defense that our Founding Fathers were very much religious men who beleived in God.  They also based this countries laws and principles on those morals found in the Bible.  I am not saying that in America we are only Christians and except only those of Christian beleifs because under the founders ideas there is a right to the freedom of religion.  What I do wish all Americans would know is that this Nation was founded with a belief in "Providence" or God and that He has a lot to do with the principles of our nation.

If you have not already read these posts I have posted the links below if you would like to read them.

  Views on Faith Part One: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/41075/

  Views on Faith Part Two: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/41139/

  Views on Faith Part Three: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/41192/

Arlington National Cemetery and Obama

Arlington National Cemetery is located in Arlington County, Virginia and the land was previously owned by General Robert E. Lee.  It has been used to inter fallen soldiers since the Civil War.  Because it contains the bodies of men and woman who have served the United States since the Civil War it has a great importance to our nation.

It is amazing to think that Obama would skip out on a Presidential tradition which has taken place since the ceremony has existed.  Obama is the first president to be skipping the ceremony.  He will instead be in Chicago speaking at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery and then visiting with friends.  I think it is rediculous that President Obama would skip a tradition to honor past and fallen military men and woman.  It just goes to show that President Obama does not care about our military members.  This also shows that our President does not care about tradition and feels he can do just about anything he wants.    

The American Dream

I just finished a six page paper for english this morning and thought I would share it with everyone. . .Just kidding I am only going to share the last paragraph because six pages would make an extremely long post.  Here is the conclusion and I can email you the rest if you would like to read it.

As has been indicated the American dream is not always to own a home, get rich, have a beautiful spouse, or obtain material goods. In American literature we see that those who strive for these things can obtain them like Rudy Ruettiger or they can end with the shot of a gun like in Of Mice and Men. Material things are always great to strive for as an American dream and that is what most American’s picture it as. However, that is not the most important part of the American dream. The most important part of the American dream is the idea that as Americans we have the right to “the pursuit of Happiness” as is written in the Constitution of the United States. The concept of the American dream is the concept of America. America allows for freedoms no other country can give and in the United States of America it is possible to obtain any dream a person wants to obtain. The American dream is that you can go after whatever you wish to and nothing, but yourself is in the way. The American Dream is not reached by everyone as with the characters of Jay Gatsby, George Milton, and Lennie Small but the American dream is achievable.

Palastine Liberation Organization

Here is a paper I had to write for Sociology.  We have been learning about Cults, Religion, and Terrorism.  I found this terrorist group very intersesting. (If it seems like I have been doing a lot of posts on my sociology class, I have because it is a very interesting class and the teacher is really good.)

The Palestine Liberation Organization was created in nineteen sixty-four by the Arab League as a tool of war and terrorism against the Jewish state of Israel. The Arab League was made up of the countries of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen of which the religious majority was that of Islam. The Palestine Liberation Organization has had a history of terrorism towards the nation of Israel because of their religious differences and land disputes. The PLO has self-proclaimed their organization to include all Palestinians making membership to be an estimated four and one half million and is currently under the leadership of Mahmoud Abbas.

A few years after the Palestine Liberation Organization was created the Arab League lost power to a man named Mohammed Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa Al-Husseini or Yassir Arafat. (In Arabic Yassir means “easygoing”.) Arafat began as the founder and leader of the terrorist organization Fatah. Fatah, meaning conquest by means of Jihad (Holy War), was led by Arafat and would commit terrorist acts against Israelis specifically targeting civilians. Arafat became the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization in nineteen sixty-eight and his group, Fatah, became the largest faction of the PLO. Other major factions of the PLO include: Force 17, The Tanzim, and the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. These groups and all others in the Palastine Liberation Organization are based out of the countries of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and the geographical areas in Israel such as the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The Palestine Liberation Organization has committed many large acts of terrorism in the Middle East and elsewhere. In September of nineteen seventy, members of the PLO hijacked three Jordanian planes and blew them up. The king of Jordan, King Hussein, ordered martial law and defeated the military arm of the Palestine Liberation Organization which was being backed by Syria. Yassir Arafat and other high PLO leaders retreated to the safety of Syria after the defeat. In September nineteen seventy-two at the Munich Olympic Games eleven Israeli athletes were murdered by an arm of Fatah known as Black September. The following year, nineteen seventy-three, on March second PLO members murdered the U. S. Ambassador to Sudan, Cleo Noel.

Under Arafat’s leadership in the nineteen seventies, the Palestine Liberation Organization was recognized by the United Nations. In the nineteen nineties with the help of the United States, Israel gave the Palestinians control of Gaza and recognized the PLO. In return Arafat recognized Israel, renounced the PLO’s terrorism, and promised to revoke the covenant of Israeli destruction.

Conflict Theory can be used to analyze the Palestine Liberation Organization and its interaction with the country of Israel. Between the PLO and the Israelis we see the competitive element of Conflict Theory. When the State of Israel was created by the United Nations many previous occupants or many Palestinians were displaced. Because of the fact that both Palestinians and Israelis claim the area now known as the country of Israel, there have been many conflicts between the two groups and many have been affected.

As a result of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s acts of terrorism towards the country of Israel and others many have been affected negatively by the terrorist group’s existence. The whole nation of Israel has been in fear of those acts of terrorism that have taken place and many are in constant fear of attack by members of the PLO. In the end the area of the Middle East which includes Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel has been in constant turmoil because of the existence of Islamic terrorist groups of which the Palestine Liberation Organization is a very large contributor. The fire of hatred towards the nation of Israel has continued to be fueled by the terrorist group known as the Palestine Liberation Organization.

WE GOT THE TICKETS FOR GLENN BECK'S AMERICAN REVIVAL IN SALT LAKE!

Candidates for Wyoming Governor 2010

I have been learning a little about the candidates who are running for the Governor of Wyoming this November.  They have a lot of similarities begining with the fact that there are no Democrates running, making all four of them Republicans.  I have not seen much wrong about any of their viewpoints.  Those running are Reta Meyer, Ron Micheli, Matt Mead, and Colin Simpson.

Reta Meyer (R)-  She grew up with very little and learned how to work hard.  Her academic accomplishments include: two undergraduate degrees from the University of Wyoming, a B.A. in Education and a B.S. in Finance. She also has a MBA in International Business from Regis University, and a Master's in National Resource Strategy from National Defense University in Washington, D.C.  She has served as Wyoming State Auditor since 2006.  Her main emphasis is that she is qualified to help put Wyoming's economy back to what it should be.

http://www.ritameyer.com/c5/

Ron Micheli (R)- He is a fourth generation rancher in Ft. Bridger where he runs and operates a ranch in partnership with his father Joe G. Micheli and his brother Dale Micheli. He has eight kids and twenty-one grandkids.  Ron graduated from Mountain View High School in 1966 and received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wyoming in 1970 with a degree in Animal Science.He spent 16 years in the Wyoming House of Representatives.  While their he held various leadership positions including Majority Floor Leader, Speaker Pro Tempore, and Majority Whip.  Ron served in the cabinet of Governor Jim Geringer as the Director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture from 1995-2003. His main emphasis is that if he becomes governor he will sue the fedral government over the health care bill.

http://www.micheliforgovernor.com/

Matt Mead (R)- He is 47 years old and was born in Teton County, Wyoming. He has two children and lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Matt received his law degree from the University of Wyoming in 1987.  In his 20-year legal career, Matt served as a prosecutor for Campbell County, an Assistant U.S. Attorney, and a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Wyoming.  He served as U. S. Attorney for Wyoming from 2001-2007.  His main issue is that as governor he will help create jobs for Wyoming residents and make it so people want to stay in Wyoming.

http://www.meadforgovernor.com/

Colin Simpson (R)- He is 51 years old and was born in Cheyenne.  He has two sons.  In 1985 he received a law degree from the University of Wyoming and has practiced law since 1987. He was elected to the Wyoming Legislature in 1998 and is serving my sixth term as a Republican representative from Park County. He is the Speaker of the House and has also served in House leadership as the Majority Floor Leader and Speaker Pro Tem.  His main issue is that of healthcare and if he is elected he will also promote state rights.

http://simpsonforwyoming.com/

Bill Ayers, Social Justice, and UW

A recent incedent that has taken place at the University of Wyoming has caused some interesting controversy.  The University of Wyoming's Social Justice Reasearch Center, under Francisco Rios, invited William Ayers to speak at UW.  Bill Ayers was the co-founder of the terrorist group the Weather Underground which "claimed responsibility for a series of bombings, including explosions at the Pentagon and U. S. Capitol." (Jackson Hole Daily) After much protest against the former terrorist, UW cancelled the speech and planned on paying the former terrorist $5,000.  But, that was not the end of that for Bill Ayers and his supporters.

Meg Lanker, a student at the University, threatened to sue UW for cancelling.  She claiming the cancellation violated the First Amendment.  The Lawyer hired by Lanker issued a date for a response from the University after which, if they didn't reschedule, he would file a lawsuit against UW.  The University didn't respond and the lawsuit was filed.  A fedral judge ruled that the University of Wyoming would have to allow Ayers to speak because of the First Amendment.  Ayers ended up speaking at UW about social justice and education.

I find it very interesting that this William Ayers was a member of a terrorist group and people at the University of Wyoming wanted to listen to him.  He is a proffesor at the Universtity of Illinois-Chicago who teaches social justice and who has served with  President Obama on the board of a Chicago charity.  According to wikipedia social justice is "based on the concepts of human rights and equality and involves a greater degree of economic egalitarianism through progressive taxation, income redistribution, or even property redistribution". 

From what I see William Ayers is a terrorist who want's redistribution of wealth or in other words a communist economy for America.  This man should not be a proffesor or a speaker to young American college students. However, I think the University of Wyoming should have the right to allow or not to allow whomever they choose to speak to their students.  If the University cancelled the speach, it was probably cancelled for a good reason and should have remained cancelled.