PACKER  DAY

     December 27, 2009----by Fred Kelly Grant

 

      Today  on Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin, the Packers ruled the world.  Over 70,000 fans could not have been more pleased.  Not only did they dominate the Seahawks, it seemed as though they were taken over by the great Lombardi’s spirit.

       In the second   quarter, the Packers leading 14-0, Green Bay had a first and goal on about the 8 yard line of Seattle.  Three plays got them to the 1.  Fourth and 1, and already leading 14-0, any coach in today’s “modern” National Football League would simply bring on the field goal unit.

      The season ticket holder next to me yelled “look up at that wall (on which the names of Packer heroes appear) and do what Lombardi would do, ay.”   During a time out quarterback Aaron Rogers conferred with coach Mike McCarthy on the sideline.  The crowd began to yell “go”, “go Pack go.”  Without a doubt Vince Lombardi would have “gone for it” and would not have settled for a field goal.  But today’s coaches fear the result, and nearly always take the field goal.

      Lombardi did not really consider the field goal a viable weapon except in the most dire circumstances.  He would not consider this to be one of those circumstances.

       Time was in, and as Rogers trotted back on to the field the crowd roared its approval---the Pack, in Lombardi style, would go for the touchdown.

        The play was successful, but the touchdown was called back on a holding call on the big lineman from Boise State.  With the ball moved back to about the 17, then the field goal unit went on the field and made the score 17-0.

        But, for just a moment, the spirit of the famed coach and leader was on the sideline.  Not many in the crowd were old enough to remember the famous Ice Bowl except second hand from reading about it.  Those of us who remember seeing it remember the drama as the Packers lined up in a 40 below zero evening at the Cowboy one yard line.  The Packers trailed by three, a field goal would have tied the game at the mark of thirteen seconds remaining in the game.  Overtime would have been the result.

         At home, go for a tie from the one yard line?  That was not the Lombardi style.  Instead, he and an assistant conferred with Starr and the quarterback then plunged the ball into the end zone for a Packer win and a championship.  As my friend Ralph Nichols, a lifelong Packer fan, says, “Jerry Kramer (Packer left guard) blasted Jethro Pugh (“all everything” defensive lineman of the Cowboys) into history” in opening the hole through which Starr sneaked.

        Lombardi explained his decision as though there was not really a decision to be made:  “No team of mine that cannot get one yard deserves a championship.”

       Today, on that play from the one yard line of Seattle the great one would have been pleased.  In fact, he would be pleased with the entire effort of the entire team, through the entire game.

        Let me clear about watching the “Ice bowl”----most remember it from watching the game on television.  At that time the stadium only held about 50,000 fans.  The tour guide who showed us around the stadium on Saturday evening said “Only 50,000 were there, but today 250,000 claim to have been there.”

       Today the game was a marvel to watch, but the crowd was almost as much a spectacle as the game itself.  Next to me sat a man and wife who had the distinctive “near-Canadian” accent; their comments through the game were priceless and typical of Packer fans:  get on them hard on every mistake, but don’t let any other fans get on them.  It should be clear that such was the attitude of all fans of the great “Black and Blue Division” of the old NFL:  Baltimore, Chicago, Green Bay, Detroit, hard hitting and smash mouth football all.

       Below us was a young woman dressed in a see through wedding garb, with yellow tights from the waist down, urging Rogers to “make it legal” and marry her.  A fan with suspender overalls was shirtless in 15 degree temperature.  Four others were overall and shirt free---wearing only green and gold shorts.  Lots of alcohol anti-freeze had been consumed that dulled the cold.  There will be much less life and verve in those folks when they have to open their eyes tomorrow morning.

     Once again it has been worth the trip, worth even spending a good part of Christmas day in airports.  To watch the Packers play in Lambeau Field, the longest tenured ball park left in the League, is worth a lot of sacrifice.  For four hours, the stress of work, the stress of issues, the stress of bills can be put aside while the green and gold ply their trade.  Glad I could be there to witness it first hand.  Can’t wait until next year.  Know I have to stay alive for at least two more years because Ralph can come season after next.  He deserves to sit in this stadium and see the Packers first hand, and I deserve to join him.

FROM THE SHRINE TO THE GAME!!!!
 
Last night, December 26, 2009, we (family) visited a shrine.  It is indeed a shrine to which to which hundreds of thousands of people come annually to quietly and reverently pay homage to greatness.
 
We saw, felt, and toured Lambeau Field in Green Bay Wisconsin.   It is not just a ballpark---it is indeed a shrine dedicated to the winners of 6 world championships, to a town that owns its own team----with 175,000 townspeople and outsiders holding stock in the team.  So, it is a team that cannot be moved at the whim of a rich guy with more money than brains who simply wants to own and team and become a big shot in town.  This stadium, its team, and its town stand as highlighted reminders of traditional values---endurance, loyalty, stability, courage and adaptation to the critical elements of life.
 
As we waked up to the Stadium, it was snowing hard, already an inch to 2 inches on the ground.  This was winter in Green Bay, every football's fan dream---a pilgrimage to Green Bay where the played the Ice Bowl.   The field lights were turned on;  shining through falling snow, and casting their light on the huge flag of the United States the Stadium looked every bit like an ancient Cathedral that we were seeing in a dream.
 
Once inside, we knew it was no dream.  We were walking the Stadium with the tour director who has been a season ticket holder for 53 years.  He led us thorough the ediface, ending with a walk through the tunnerl from which the Green Bay Packers will enter the field today against the Seattle Seahawks.  As we moved up the tunne, all of a sudden the voice of the PA announcer came up as though introducing the "6 time world champions, our Green Bay Packers."  At that momement we heard the roar of the crowd that the Packers here when they are ready to make their move on to the field.  On the left of the tunnel entrance is a huge placque carrying an award for the mighty history of the Pack.    I told my granddaughter that each Packer places his left hand on the plaque as he passes it on his way out.  Between the cement runway from the locker room and the actual entrance to the field, there are three or four blocks and some bricks that came from the old City Stadium in which the old Packers played.  The guide said that all rookies are reminded that Bart Starr, Jim Taylor, Paul Horning, Wilie Davis, Ray Nitsche, Herb Adderly, Sterling Sharp, Donny Anderson and Reggie White walked on those blocks every home game.  Granddaughter Kadyn reached down and touched it and held up her hand to show me some residue from the shoes of Brett Favre.
 
It was teary eyed time as we walked out on the magnificent field to the sounds of the crowd----such heroes played here.  The field was covered with a tarp to catch the up to 3 inches of snow expected to drop.  Heat tubes were blowing hot air in under the tarp to keep the field from freezing solid----finely tuned by computer to make sure the field didn't get sloppy.   A huge John Deere dozer, blade lowered with a huge pipe in it was sweeping the tarp of snow, so that it would be easier to get up this morning.   The tour guide answered granddaughter Samantha's question as to why they had the field covered.  He explained that the mixture between artificial turf and grass required that it not be frozen. so the cover went down to prevent snow buildup and and freezing---helped by the hot air blowing machines.  We got to stand there looking up at the tv booth where the national televison technicians were getting things set up for today's game.  I looked up toward the top of the stadium, and with the snow coming gently down, it was a sight for the ages---the sight of a Mecca to me.  This must truly be the heart-home of everyone over 50 who has been a lifetime lover of football.  Here legends were made annually, heros weekly.
 
The tour guide told us that the great, great Paul Horning who went to Notre Dame, earned the Heisman trophy and came to Green Bay (he ran, punted, kicked and sometimes quarterbacked) for a three year contract plus a signing bonus----and he got the grand old total of $35 THOUSAND DOLLARS.  The Packers, the child of Curly Lambeau who started the Packers, were allowed into the first league set up for the entry price of $50.   A few years ago Houston entered the league as the 32nd team for an entry fee of $800 MILLION DOLLARS.
 
The "Packers" got their name from the company that sponsored the first team with $5,000 to buy uniforms and carry them thrugh the year---Acme Packers and they kept that name for several years.  "Packers" unlike other team names specifically describes its blue collar attitude----for the team played for a meat packing plant.
 
It will be cold today, but somehow I believe I am going to be able to get through it, several times having my eye on the spot on the field where in the Ice Bowl, Jerry Kramer, Idahoan who is a Green Bay Hall of Famer, blocked and knocked Dallas' Jetro Pugh into history, clearing him out for Bart Starr to sneak for 1 yard and the winning touchdown with 13 seconds to play.  Vince Lombard was asked about his decison to run instead of kicking to tie and go into overtime.  He replied that he never considered the field goal.  Our tour guide said that everyone in the park would have been surprised and disappointed if Lombardi had kicked for a tie.  After all, he said, "The Coach"  would not give up the chance for a win at home-----he told us"you know his rule was tie on the road, win at home."
 
I have to end this version of our journey experiences.  It is not snowing, but it is bitter cold and we go off now to walk two blocks to the most frigid December stadium in the world-----Green Bay football at the Shrine.  What could be better----unless Lodice could have been here, she loved the Packers.  Onward to the Shrine!!!!!!!!! 

DAY AFTER CHRISMAS IN MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN

 

       After a long day in the air, but most of it on the ground in airports and in airplanes being very cautious after what happened in Detroit yesterday,  and a long night of sleep that didn’t get me past aching joints, I would like to say it is a beautiful day in Milwaukee.

 

      But, it is not!!   It is snowing and the wind is blowing unmercifully.  Never again will I spend a Christmas day in airports even to see the Packers play.  It was like living through a real life “Ship of Fools”.   The people for the most part were as desperate as though they were dining alone on Christmas in a Dennys.

 

     Saw one family fight not very appropriate for the day that the Prince of Peace was born.  The husband/father apparently had been very friendly with a lady either on the prior flight or in the airport.  Consequently, he was sitting alone.  His daughter (one of two children in their teens) asked the mother/wife “why isn’t dad sitting with us?”  The reply was a chilling “because he can’t attract the ladies if he is saddled with us.”  After several more minutes the guy got up and walked back to where the family was sitting. As he stood there, apparently waiting to be welcomed “home”, the wife/mother said “don’t do us any favors, there are no extra ladies here.”  So he went back to sit alone.  Must have happened before because the kids didn’t seem surprised or nonplused.

 

     So, yesterday over 200 passengers cheated death when a man of Arab descent attempted to blow up a plane in Detroit.  Word is this morning that he started his trip in Nigeria and came through the Netherlands.  Word is that he is claiming that Al Qaeda in Yemen made him do it.

 

      I am neither surprised that our courts have ruled against profiling, nor that the government has given in to the judges as wimps.  After all, this is a politically correct or incorrect life which we now lead.  Common sense does not have much to do with our status in this day and age.

 

     After all, why should this Arabic descent man  not be subjected to extra screening just because he is Arab and coming from the Netherlands (again, how many times does Amsterdam let through explosives before we put a quarantine on anyone flying from there?).   A 60year  plus Caucasian American grandmother is just as likely to strap a bomb to her leg to destroy other Americans as is an Arab male of about the same age as the terrorists who paid us a 2001 visit.

 

     How ridiculous, or as my grandson Alex says “ridiclus”, is it that we cannot focus our security protection on those who meet the profile of every terrorist who has attempted to destroy some of our people since 2001.  Of course, we should not focus there at the expense of others, but good Heavens profiling Arabs who come through Amsterdam seems to be “no-brainer.”  I would say that every federal judge who would rule such profiling unconstitutional has never read the history of the United States Constitution---revealing the attitude of our Forefathers toward taking extra care with non-American visitors to our shores.

 

     I remember when an officer could stop someone for questioning or identification on the basis of race or color PLUS some other telling event.  For example, if a car loaded with six  white teen-agers is cruising at “seeking speed” through an all Black neighborhood filled with the drug traffic at 3 a.m., why should not an officer be allowed to stop that car and seek identification of “purpose of visit”.  It is not the question of whether to seek identification from ANY car load of white teenagers, no matter where they are or when---the answer should be that when such a group appears WHERE THEY NORMALLY AND FOR LEGAL PURPOSES WOULD NOT PROBABLY BE, the police should be able to be preventive.

 

     I understand that the process is misused; I understand that the fact situation, when turned around and it is a car loaded with Black teenagers driving through an all white neighborhood at 3am, has often resulted in severe police over-reaction.  But, in reality, such over-reaction involves only a small percentage of our officers and the incidents in our cities.  Is the violation of law by a small percentage of officers sufficient to close down one of the most effective preventive methods that we have?

 

    Oh well, it is not a situation that I am going to change---or you.  But, fortunately in this country we can still talk about it and challenge it in our opinion development even if not in court.  I offer this bet to anyone on the ultra left who claims that profiling is bad:

 

               “I bet (amount to be decided by the other party) that the next four terrorist attempts in this country will be by persons of Arab descent, with Arab names who have a security file already in some law enforcement office.”

 

     According to this morning’s news, this guy is the subject of a security file held by some agency, but was not on a “no fly” or “look carefully” list.  I wonder if we won’t find the same thing that we found after September 11---that at least one agency knew about him and his propensities but did not share the information.

 

    I hope that President Obama does something about that!!!! It is one of the few things that he can do, without anyone else’s input.  He can DEMAND AND DIRECT that all the federal agencies compare and exchange information regularly---and he can propose the consequences:  every time some terrorist is caught, and it turns out that an agency has not shared information with all including Air security forces, the head of the offending agency and his or her two top deputies get fired.   Such action could and would bring about intelligence changes among our agencies.

 

    Well, enough about what could, but won’t, happen.  In just an hour I meet with a good friend in Wisconsin to discuss the awful possibility that Wisconsin rural landowners face destruction of their way of life and their property rights. 

 

    Then, with the family it is off to the frozen tundra of Green Bay.  Many things will be different from the situation facing Green Bay during the famous Ice Bowl when at temperatures of up to minus 57 the Packers’ Bart Starr sneaked in from the one for a victory.   The biggest change to me will be that there is no Vince Lombardi patrolling the sidelines as there was then.

 

    Many times have I had the privilege of watching Packer games in person when Lombardi, in a fashionable camel hair coat and fedora, led his Packers to victory.  In the “Ice Bowl”, he wore a large Russian type fur hat.  His team faced time for only one play and they trailed by 3.  He could have kicked for a tie, but he did not.  The man who considered second place to be abject failure remarked about his call of the winning play:   “I did not ever consider trying to just tie the game; a team of mine that cannot gain one yard when the game is on the line does not deserve a championship.”

 

     A lot like my idol in football, John Unitas----a few years before his death he was interviewed by an ESPN reporter who asked him when he decided not to go for a field goal to safely win the overtime, sudden death  championship game between the Colts and the Giants.  As the Colts moved down the field on passes from Johnny U to Raymond Berry and short runs by Lenny Moore, finally Johnny handed off on a draw play to Alan “the Horse” Ameche who pounded in a touchdown from several yards out.  Unitas’ answer to the reporter’s question:  “I never really considered the field goal to be weapon in our arsenal.  It didn’t figure into my thinking on that drive.”

 

     Wouldn’t it be nice to again witness such football----to replace the spectacle of a field goal kicker starting to warm up on the sidelines when the team has a third and long on the opponent’s 30 yard line?  Hopefully that’s what we will see when we get through these snow and wind barriers and get to the really cold of Green Bay on Sunday.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

    Christmas Eve, December 24, 2009---by Fred Kelly Grant

   Tonight marks the pinnacle of my faith.  On this night, all of history took a turn for the better.  All of history changed.  One man, without weapons, without money, without worldly goods, without a home, without a carriage or even a horse, toured the land and set the stage for changing men’s hearts forever.

   He didn’t accomplish that during His lifetime;  He wasn’t even on the stage of life all that long; all He really managed to do was assemble a core gathering of followers who learned commitment and love from Him; who learned how to “stay the course” through thunder and lightning; who were committed to teach His love.

   Think about it---He was homeless, He was a vagabond, He was a ne’er-do-well who had no permanent job, no regular income.  He walked around with His head in the clouds, talking in riddles, talking about theories that regular men couldn’t understand and had little interest in.  He went into a desert and lived alone as a hermit for 40 days.  Sometimes He would disappear for days at a time—no one could find Him. He “taught” by drawing in the sand.  By the standards of our materialistic world He was an abject failure.

   Seriously, how would you view a man today who evidenced all those absences of material things?  I remember a story that Lodice told me about the wonderfully pastoral Bishop of Idaho Sylvester Treinen.  One day when Bishop Sylvester came into the Chancery the receptionist told him about a “street bum” that kept hanging around the front of the Chancery asking for hand-outs.  As she described the unkempt “bum”, Bishop Sylvester said to her “we must be understanding, he could be our Lord.”  That He could.

   Our Lord was short of material “things”, but not short on courage.  Just imagine His courage in the synagogue in Nazareth when He first advised that He was the Messiah for which the Jews had waited centuries.  Israel had waited, and longed, for a Savior, a warrior King who would lead the Nation through strength and power.  Then, into the synagogue strode the vagabond, and, according to Luke:

       “So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day, and stood up to read.

        And He was handed the book (scroll) of the prophet Isaiah.  And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

        ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed;

      ‘To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’

   Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

    And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

    So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth.  And they said, ‘Is this not Joseph’s son?’”

    According to Luke, after it sank in that Jesus was claiming to be the Savior, and after He had told them that “no prophet is accepted in his own country”, they “were filled with wrath.”   They worked themselves into a rage and forced Him out of Nazareth, His home town, and led Him to the crest of the mountain to “throw Him down over the cliff.”  And, in one of those elusive passages of the Gospels, He escapes without description of technique---“Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.”

    Imagine that courage---to face the crowd and tell them that they had been wrong all along about what the Savior would be like---that they had to settle for Him, that they would have no warrior King.

    Tonight God gave us Jesus, the Christ, the King of Kings.  A simple Man who changed the world.

    It is a magical night, and the magic starts with Christmas Eve Mass.  Years ago, when my wife Lodice was expecting our first born, we set out to decide on a home church for our family.  She had been brought up as LDS, but neither she nor her parents were devout or even partial practioners.  I had been brought up Methodist, southern Methodist at that.  So, we started going to different churches without finding a “fit.”

     Her good friend from work at the Johns Hopkins Press, Peg Winchester who would become Godmother to both our boys, invited us to attend Christmas Eve midnight Mass at Corpus Christi in the inner city of Baltimore----a not very safe neighborhood.  We agreed to go.  On that day, one of the worst snow storms in all our years in Baltimore hit the city.  By 10:30 that night, there were nearly two feet of snow on the ground.  But, we had said we would go and then have breakfast with the Winchesters, so we set out.  There were no cars on the streets, yet it took us an hour to drive five miles to the church.  Snow posed such a seldom problem for the City that not much money was spent on plows or street clearing equipment.  At least a foot of snow was in the streets themselves.

      When we went inside the church, the lights were dimmed as the choir was just starting the pre-Mass caroling.  That night, I witnessed the majesty of a High Latin Mass. I realized that I was home.  As we left, Lodice turned to me and asked “well?” I told her that I felt as I think you should feel in church.  We started instruction the next week with Father, later Monsignor Ballard, a scholarly but practical leader of people.  For many years he was spiritual advisor to the Cardinal Archbishop of Baltimore, but down to earth and real.

     The wonder of the Latin High Mass is unknown to young catholics today, but those who experienced it will never forget.

     Things have changed significantly---changes that were hard for me to accept, harder for me than for Lodice.  She accepted the Church and whatever changed she would accept without question. I loved the Latin.  I loved the formality.  The “peoples’ Mass” as it was called at the time of change disappointed me.

     I thought about that tonight at Mass, a beautiful Mass at St. Paul’s Church in Nampa---Lodice’s parish.  The formality is pretty much gone.  In the place of the High Latin Mass chanting choir were the angelic voices of the St. Paul’s School choir. I absolutely will never tire of hearing them, being moved by them, and talking about them here and in everyday conversation with friends.  Those of you who are fairly regular readers know that I think quite highly of the school and its staff, and the religious leaders of the Parish.

     Tonight, Father Saul celebrated a beautiful Mass.  His smile is absolutely radiant.  He enjoys his “work” and the joy that he has in celebrating the Mass is contagious.  Last summer I wrote a piece about the importance of every man and woman doing his or her absolute best at the job, no matter the job or the circumstances.  My favorite professor, the great Karl Llewellyn, proclaimed constantly that no matter what the job, the performer should excel and perform as though everyday was a special day.  His example was the clerk of court who mumbles or hurries through the oath being administered to a witness.  He would stand before the class, put his hand in the air as high as he could reach and pronounce the oath in dramatic tones---in a way, as he put it, “that makes the witness know that by God he better tell the truth.”

     I wrote about the pastor of St. Patrick’s celebrating a 7:00 am Mass as though it were the high noon, full house Mass---and there were just a handful of us present.

     Father Saul performs like that.  So does Father Gerry Funke.  Tonight, of course, was a special event, but Father Saul was the same tonight as he is at a regular Mass---full of joy, smiling, enjoying the children, laughing at himself, and being honest with the parishioners.  Tonight, he commented on how nice the crowd looked and how full the church was and remarked that “it would be nice to see this more often.”

       He said something tonight that moved me to think about the courage of Jesus in the synagogue.  He said that tonight, as we welcomed the new born Jesus each of us should think of himself or herself as the “face of Jesus, the hands of Jesus” to do His work among our friends and neighbors. He urged us to learn about our neighbors, about the folks sitting next to us at Mass, to introduce ourselves and ask their names.  He urged us to tell people in the community that we go to St. Paul’s, to tell them about our church and our faith.  So often we, or I should say “I” take the safe route and avoid conversation with those we don’t know; I particularly avoid bringing up the topic of religion.  Wonder if I can change that?

        As usual the choir of St. Paul’s school was magnificent, was moving.  And, the choir leader and pianist, Wendy Quarve, just plays with abandon, the way an old southern boy likes to hear the piano played.  She brought back memories from long ago on this night of nights---Memories of my mother’s piano playing and memories of the piano playing at the old New Market Methodist Church in Pond Hollow, South Carolina. 

       Being brought up Methodist, I was brought up on spirited singing.  If you got to New Market a little late, as you drove toward the “parking lot” which was the grass field around the church, you could hear that piano from a block away.  Methodists and Baptists know how to sing and how to “plink” the keys.  The piano was key to the music---had to keep the tempo going.  Tonight, Ms. Quarve “made” my night---remembering the sound of that piano as I drove up to New Market over half a century ago---a nice memory on this Christmas Eve.  She plays with gusto, the way the piano in church ought to be played. No good southern Methodist church would settle for an organ when there was a piano to be had---and no good southern Methodist church would be without a pianist who played with gusto, with verve.  Ms. Quarve plays that way----she does with the piano what Father Saul does with his celebration of the Mass, shows joy in what she does.

     And, talk about courage.  I so admired the St. Paul’s students reading the scripture readings (including I must add with unashamed pride my granddaughter Samantha), leading the prayers of the faithful, playing solos prior to Mass, singing with Christmas spirit before a church brimming with people---as I have said repeatedly, they never fail to amaze me.  They too sing and read with joy---they obviously enjoy their “work” in making the Mass something very special.  I watched their faces tonight as each of them finished his or her reading, and then as they sang----a look of satisfaction, of peace, comfortable that they did the job and well.

     A pleasing memory centered on the introduction of the first school choir Mass on a regular Mass day back in 1974.  Father Roland was assistant to the pastor Father Flynn.  Both priests were very supportive of the school as are today’s St. Paul’s priests.  But, Father Roland took on the school duty and loved the kids.  I was president of the School parent organization---can’t remember what it was called in those days.  One night when elections were held, I was out of town and got elected.  As president of that group I was on the Parish Council too---and I was not a fan of the new-fangled Parish Councils.  Remember I liked the old ways where the priests were absolute bosses.

     Father Roland was a lover of lively, saintly but spirited singing.  So was I of course.  The church choir in those days at St. Paul’s was pretty good, but very formal and stoic.  Father and I decided that it would be a good idea to plot for establishing a school Mass, with the kids singing, with guitar music.  We knew that to pull it off we had to suggest it as a one time only event.  So, over a period of about two months, we talked about it kind of speculatively at Council meetings, just enough so that the idea was there.  The choir director was a strict formalist and was on the Council so we had to be circuitous.  It worked, gradually the idea grew and with Liz Bilbao and her music magic, the kids’ music caught on with the congregations.

        As I remembered the look of sheer glee on Father Roland’s face when the idea was approved---a look that he tried to hide so that no one thought the school Mass was going to be a big deal---I had to smile.  Sweet memories.

      Lodice loved St. Paul’s.  It was her parish.  I must say that when I go there, and especially when the school choir and music leaders participate, I feel like I think should feel when in church.

      It was a fine night of sweet memories, of fun memories.

      And, so to Christmas morning---Merry Christmas everyone.

GOVERNMENT CLIMATE WARMING SCAM REVEALED ON JESSE VENTURA’S RADIO SHOW “CONSPIRACY”

Global Climate Control Hysteria Masks Government Attempt to Establish a One World Government that Will:

·        Control Our Finances,

·        Establish and Regulate Our Currency,

·        Impose Global Taxes On U.S. Citizens, and

·        Dictate:

o   Where We Live,

o   Where We Travel, and

o   How We Get Our Food and Energy.

Hundreds gather to protest Global Warming!

 

by Fred Kelly Grant

December 17, 2009

For many months my good friends, particularly Vicky Davis, Russ McAfee, Sr., and Marcia Snyder—all excellent researchers—have shared a deep skepticism of the climate warming “threat.”

I think for all of us, particularly me, there has been doubt not only because of woeful gaps in the climate “science” pitching global warming, but also because of government’s intended interference in nature’s Grand Design set by a Power Higher than any bureaucrat. A perfect example of what happens when man attempts to “right” a perceived “wrong” in nature itself is the messy failure of the Endangered Species Act.  Whatever it is that God has planned, man will not successfully alter by bureaucratic planning.

Last night, as I was attempting to sleep, concerned about the next strategic step to take in defending Colorado landowner ranchers/farmers from the State’s attempt to take their property through ill conceived conservation easements, I noticed that an episode of Jesse Ventura’s “Conspiracy” television show was about to begin, and the subject was “Global Warming.”

In place of sleep, I decided to watch.  I had heard about the Governor’s series but had missed earlier sessions.  So, tonight I watched him take on directly—head on—the global warming scam.

The protocol for the series is for Ventura to confront a major disputed policy issue and send skilled young students and specialists into the field to conduct interviews as to the “myths” or “truths.” As I watched, I thought how special it would have been to have participated in such an effort in my college years.

In spite of exchanging emails with Vicky, Russ and Marcia, I had not spent much mental effort on global warming, even with the current email flap which evidences scientific fraud.  But, with memory of the government’s fraud in placing fake evidence of a lynx in an area that bureaucrats lusted to control, I accepted the fact that the current email fraud was just business as usual for our bureaucrats—and let’s not hear “this is Obama’s work” because this whole scam started decades before Obama was even in the Illinois legislature.  In fact, the email fraud makes it pretty clear that Republicans and Democrats alike have been playing the old government trick of picking out certain facts for focus and discarding the damning information that contradicts what they say.  Strange that the government continues to try to get away with a ruse as old as the “Sting,” a movie about the greatest “con” job ever conceived outside of government.

A very articulate researcher for the Ventura group interviewed a scientist who had been threatened with his life for criticizing  the world control movement using climate change as their vehicle. He had gone into hiding, along with the members of his family; death threats and other means of distracting him from his work having driven them there.  He spoke from shadows and with his face in the dark.  He said that there is a conspiracy at work to establish a one world government, then to dictate one set of currency issued by a world bank, and establish a financial system governed by an amorphous board made up from foreign countries.  He claims that the conspirators have chosen the issue of global warming to create fear in the minds of human beings so they will more willingly accept global control through cap and trade agreements and world taxes to support such regulatory measures.  He maintains that the conspirators count on the people not having enough knowledge to doubt the “science” being advanced to fuel the fear.

I had some questions as to the objectivity of this witness, who had gone into hiding to protect his role, and his view that a scam for money is involved. Often in so-called conspiratorial times during my organized crime days in Baltimore, we would find that the availability of money—and the apparent ease with which it could be collected and used—put into play scams to get at that money that otherwise would be seen to have no merit.  The availability of this money is what triggered the schemes to get it; steal it, in essence.  When there was that kind of money at stake, at work, and in play with a scam, I often looked at other leaders of organizations to see whether there was anyone not mixed up in it, who would stand up and say publicly the truth.  That’s not to say that I necessarily doubted the truth of what a witness in hiding said, but I always sought out public corroboration from someone not in hiding. When someone risked public corroboration, the statements of the witness in hiding were strengthened.

Solid corroboration was found by one of the more skilled of the interviewers who went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology to interview a faculty member who said that he believed that global warming is an issue being pushed by the United Nations and organizations that seek control over the political sovereignty of nations, the lives of people as to where they live, how many children they have, what they do and how they are governed.  His opinion—stated openly for television—is that climate change is an issue that is being played by the “one world” interests who want control of all aspects of human life.

Another scientist who has taken no active role in speaking for or against global warming, but is recognized as an expert in matters of climate science as well as in carbon use in the environment, was interviewed by the same young man.  He immediately said no matter what the value or truth is about global warming research, the issue is one pushed by “one world” government enthusiasts.  He also said that organizations are getting geared up to make billions of dollars from cap and trade and all other aspects of “fighting” global warming.

A chief adviser to the great Margaret Thatcher said categorically that he believes the global warming issue is heated up by those who want to create a world government, with control over every element of  human life, and to make a fortune off the establishment of that control through their world government. The advisor, Lord Christopher Monckton, served Thatcher, a free market and private property enthusiast who as prime minister of England  brought that nation out of a deep depression brought on by wild and overspending by predecessors,

Lord Monckton told the Ventura interviewers that the real purpose of the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Control is to use global warming as the pretext for laying the foundation of the world government. 

Speaking to a Free Market Institute at Bethel University this past week, Monckton predicted that the Treaty on climate control actions would be signed by the American president.  He also predicted that most of the third world countries will sign it because they believe the bigger boys are getting far more money than they are, and they want their share.

He told the Institute that the first element of the treaty is the establishment of a world government.  The second element is transfer of money from the Western countries to the third world countries because the Western countries have been burning carbon and the third world nations have not.  So, Western powers will in effect be paying a world tax because they have been contributing to “climate warming.”  Monckton said the third announced purpose of the treaty is to place enforcement powers in the hands of the few who will control the new world government.

Monckton reiterated his charges to the Ventura investigators.  He said that under this treaty, a global tax would be assessed against the United States to facilitate payment to the other nations of the world who have not burned carbons.  According to World net Daily, “. . .Monckton is a well-known critic of the theory of anthropologenic causes for global warming who has argued repeatedly that global warming hysteria is an ideological position of the political left advanced in the interest of imposing global taxes on the United States in the pursuit of international control of the U.S. economy under a one world government to be administered by the U.N.”

Monckton told the Ventura investigators that in a UN commissioned report on global warming, five times at five different parts of the report, one world supporters removed statements and findings that human effects on global warming were insignificant. When the Ventura investigator asked a UN official about the deletions, he could only respond that “on balance” the true story got told.  Why resort to “on balance” arguments?  Why not leave in the negative evidence so that the American people can see both sides of the issue? The only rational argument for why the report was “doctored” is that the books were being set up to favor the evil era of global warming.

Monckton again stated, categorically, that there were supporters of global warming who were set up to make billions of dollars of profits.  The investigators learned that Al Gore holds a business interest in the software company that has developed massive programs that will be needed when and if the cap and trade legislation is passed and treaty signed and ratified by the United States.  If Gore holds such business interest that he will gain billions from cap and trade regulations, then his “unbiased”, “objective” concern for the world’s humans that got him a Peace Prize and an Oscar gets as tarnished as all other lobbyists for pay.

Although not reported during the Ventura program, Monckton claimed last April that he was invited to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee by Representative Joe Burton of Texas, ranking member of the Committee.  Burton wanted Monckton to appear on the panel of witnesses that included Al Gore.  Monckton agreed and flew to Washington.  On his arrival he was told that the leadership of the Committee refused to allow him to appear with Gore.  He claims that he was told that the Committee leadership did not want to expose Gore to the Monckton assertions that Gore stands to make a fortune from preparations for implementing cap and trade.  To substitute for Monckton the Committee settled for former Speaker Newt Gingrich who of course made no mention of world government.  In a 2005 article noted constitutionalist Devvy Kidd reported that Gingrich was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a private think tank that promotes world government.  (See “Treasonous Agenda of the Council On Foreign Relations”, posted on June 17, 2005 for WorldNetDaily.)

When hearing that Gore has a financial interest in the software company that stands to make a fortune when cap and trade is implemented, Ventura took a stand that any good prosecutor always takes:  if you want to get to the source of any conspiracy or plot, follow the money.  That was what led the Washington Post writers to the Watergate issues that caused the fall of a President—follow the money.

With that in mind, attention was turned to Dr. Maurice Strong who is rumored to be the behind the scenes money man who stands behind world government supporters like Gore and other members of the Council on Foreign Relations. Strong helped initiate the environmental scare that lead to the early United Nations treaty work on global warming and on the need to reform carbon use.  Strong became the expert who pushed for global government that could punish offending nations with global taxes for violating the premises of global warming. 

Ventura’s people found that Strong was completely inaccessible.  The disclosure of his participation in the oil for food scandal that rocked the United Nations resulted in his leaving employment in the UN.  He went to China where he lives in a carefully guarded compound and ignores all calls for interviews.

During his career in the U.N. he was responsible for two of the early, and most critical of the Earth Summits which set the world on the course of one government rule and environmental control of the world.  The first Stockholm Conference was scheduled for 1972, but by 1970 there was no world interest.  Strong was put in charge and before long he had persuaded leaders from third world nations to come to give important speeches at the conference.  The attendees developed and adopted a Declaration of Principles and Action Plan to deal with global environmental issues.  As a result of the accomplishments of Strong, the UN General Assembly established the United Nations Environmental Program, elected Strong to head it and moved it to  Nairobi.

He was appointed secretary general of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Technically it was the Conference on Environment and Development, but it was known as the Earth Summit.  The Conference set the stage for the big movement toward one world government to be run through the United Nations.  The Conference produced Agreement on Conventions on Climate Change and Biodiversity and initiated the process which led to the Convention on Desertification.

[The Convention on Desertification is virtually unknown in this country; it was ratified late one night by voice vote in the Senate when a bundle of 34 treaties were voted on.  It lays the groundwork for the revision of the Waters of the United States bill to be implemented in this country to give the Corps of Engineers control of every drop of water in the United States and every acre of land that adjoins or even affects those bodies of water.  Senator Crapo of Idaho has pledged to filibuster that Water revision bill.]

Perhaps the best known of the developments from the Earth Summit was the set of principles to set a course on sustainable development throughout the world; the action program became known as the anti-free market, anti-private property program Agenda 21.

Strong has continued his efforts through positions on boards of world wide companies that press for uniform currency and laws around the world.  Having a life long fascination with China as do I, he did something about it, moving there a few years ago and devoting his time to pushing for environmental deals with China for his big money clients-making deals involving environmental concerns, energy and technological advances.  His hand can certainly be seen in the seven oil fields on which China has outbid the world and taken them over in Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan. During his career he has spent much time on the governing board of the World Bank, and was instrumental at the Fourth World Wilderness Conference in Denver in 1992 in gaining establishment of the World Conservation Bank.  That is the bank in which carbon trades and deeds will be made and banked.  He introduced Edward de Rothschild to the Conference.  When discussions lead by Rothschild focused on world control, Stong’s assistant George Hunt objected. However, Hunt was stopped by David Rockefeller to lay off the critical remarks or he would be sorry.

Strong has repeatedly led discussions of one world government, one world bank and a currency the same for all nations.  Through his UN work he was instrumental in strengthening the European Common Market, and the furtherance of a scramble inside the Union to develop a common currency that will be accepted as a world currency.

Strong of course was unavailable for an interview by Ventura’s staff, even for a comment.  So, Ventura himself went to China to try to see him and discuss his position with regard to climate control and world government.  Strong advised through spokesmen that he would be busy all the while Ventura was in China.

But, Strong’s former assistant, George Hunt, was available and did tell Ventura that the whole climate warming effort is a scam designed to scare Americans enough that they will accept world government.  Hunt says that climate matters are simply a beard for world government; a means to an end; a scare tactic to convince people that one world government is required to make possible carbon purchases and reductions.

Hunt, who worked with Strong at the UN, told Ventura that Strong’s dream is of world government and control.  According to Hunt, Strong has been instrumental in bringing to the table European nations who have pretty much scrapped their own measure of currency and adopted the Euro as the currency denomination for all of Europe.  The people behind the movement have complete control over setting the rate of the Euro.  This is consistent with Strong’s ideas that one world bank should be created.  He promoted the World Conservation Bank at the United Nations in which nations can do their cap and trade negotiations, sell carbon units, and buy carbon units from one central bank.  The idea behind that is the one world government concept.  In order to take over the world and rule the world, supporters know they must rule the financial system and the currency system.  It is not political control that comes first, it is financial— “Follow the money.”  (You may recall that Baron M.A. Rothschild wrote that “Give me control over a nation’s currency and I care not who makes its laws.”  Thomas Jefferson wrote that “if the American people allow private banks to control the issuance of their currency...the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”)

Strong continues to get richer and richer, and he continues to hold positions of strong influence on the boards of huge corporations that will be pushing for one central financial institution and one world currency standard.

When Ventura interviewed the company in America that holds the software that can turn out all the documents, forms and controls that are necessary for the world government to be put in place, he asked whether Al Gore was associated with the company and had an interest in the profits the company would make off implementing climate controls like cap and trade. The manager declined to answer the question.  Several more penetrating questions about Gore having a conflict position as to money to be made off implementation of climate controls were not answered.

Before you buy into the global warming hysteria, or before you even give any credence to it, look up the names Maurice Strong, George Hunt, and Lord Monckton—you will find more than enough reading to keep you up most of the night, and enough to scare you enough about the prospect of one world government to keep you awake the rest of the night.

GOVERNMENT CLIMATE WARMING SCAM REVEALED ON JESSE VENTURA’S RADIO SHOW “CONSPIRACY”

Global Climate Control Hysteria Masks Government Attempt to Establish a One World Government that Will:

·        Control Our Finances,

·        Establish and Regulate Our Currency,

·        Impose Global Taxes On U.S. Citizens, and

·        Dictate:

o   Where We Live,

o   Where We Travel, and

o   How We Get Our Food and Energy.

Hundreds gather to protest Global Warming!

 

by Fred Kelly Grant

December 17, 2009

For many months my good friends, particularly Vicky Davis, Russ McAfee, Sr., and Marcia Snyder—all excellent researchers—have shared a deep skepticism of the climate warming “threat.”

I think for all of us, particularly me, there has been doubt not only because of woeful gaps in the climate “science” pitching global warming, but also because of government’s intended interference in nature’s Grand Design set by a Power Higher than any bureaucrat. A perfect example of what happens when man attempts to “right” a perceived “wrong” in nature itself is the messy failure of the Endangered Species Act.  Whatever it is that God has planned, man will not successfully alter by bureaucratic planning.

Last night, as I was attempting to sleep, concerned about the next strategic step to take in defending Colorado landowner ranchers/farmers from the State’s attempt to take their property through ill conceived conservation easements, I noticed that an episode of Jesse Ventura’s “Conspiracy” television show was about to begin, and the subject was “Global Warming.”

In place of sleep, I decided to watch.  I had heard about the Governor’s series but had missed earlier sessions.  So, tonight I watched him take on directly—head on—the global warming scam.

The protocol for the series is for Ventura to confront a major disputed policy issue and send skilled young students and specialists into the field to conduct interviews as to the “myths” or “truths.” As I watched, I thought how special it would have been to have participated in such an effort in my college years.

In spite of exchanging emails with Vicky, Russ and Marcia, I had not spent much mental effort on global warming, even with the current email flap which evidences scientific fraud.  But, with memory of the government’s fraud in placing fake evidence of a lynx in an area that bureaucrats lusted to control, I accepted the fact that the current email fraud was just business as usual for our bureaucrats—and let’s not hear “this is Obama’s work” because this whole scam started decades before Obama was even in the Illinois legislature.  In fact, the email fraud makes it pretty clear that Republicans and Democrats alike have been playing the old government trick of picking out certain facts for focus and discarding the damning information that contradicts what they say.  Strange that the government continues to try to get away with a ruse as old as the “Sting,” a movie about the greatest “con” job ever conceived outside of government.

A very articulate researcher for the Ventura group interviewed a scientist who had been threatened with his life for criticizing  the world control movement using climate change as their vehicle. He had gone into hiding, along with the members of his family; death threats and other means of distracting him from his work having driven them there.  He spoke from shadows and with his face in the dark.  He said that there is a conspiracy at work to establish a one world government, then to dictate one set of currency issued by a world bank, and establish a financial system governed by an amorphous board made up from foreign countries.  He claims that the conspirators have chosen the issue of global warming to create fear in the minds of human beings so they will more willingly accept global control through cap and trade agreements and world taxes to support such regulatory measures.  He maintains that the conspirators count on the people not having enough knowledge to doubt the “science” being advanced to fuel the fear.

I had some questions as to the objectivity of this witness, who had gone into hiding to protect his role, and his view that a scam for money is involved. Often in so-called conspiratorial times during my organized crime days in Baltimore, we would find that the availability of money—and the apparent ease with which it could be collected and used—put into play scams to get at that money that otherwise would be seen to have no merit.  The availability of this money is what triggered the schemes to get it; steal it, in essence.  When there was that kind of money at stake, at work, and in play with a scam, I often looked at other leaders of organizations to see whether there was anyone not mixed up in it, who would stand up and say publicly the truth.  That’s not to say that I necessarily doubted the truth of what a witness in hiding said, but I always sought out public corroboration from someone not in hiding. When someone risked public corroboration, the statements of the witness in hiding were strengthened.

Solid corroboration was found by one of the more skilled of the interviewers who went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology to interview a faculty member who said that he believed that global warming is an issue being pushed by the United Nations and organizations that seek control over the political sovereignty of nations, the lives of people as to where they live, how many children they have, what they do and how they are governed.  His opinion—stated openly for television—is that climate change is an issue that is being played by the “one world” interests who want control of all aspects of human life.

Another scientist who has taken no active role in speaking for or against global warming, but is recognized as an expert in matters of climate science as well as in carbon use in the environment, was interviewed by the same young man.  He immediately said no matter what the value or truth is about global warming research, the issue is one pushed by “one world” government enthusiasts.  He also said that organizations are getting geared up to make billions of dollars from cap and trade and all other aspects of “fighting” global warming.

A chief adviser to the great Margaret Thatcher said categorically that he believes the global warming issue is heated up by those who want to create a world government, with control over every element of  human life, and to make a fortune off the establishment of that control through their world government. The advisor, Lord Christopher Monckton, served Thatcher, a free market and private property enthusiast who as prime minister of England  brought that nation out of a deep depression brought on by wild and overspending by predecessors,

Lord Monckton told the Ventura interviewers that the real purpose of the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Control is to use global warming as the pretext for laying the foundation of the world government. 

Speaking to a Free Market Institute at Bethel University this past week, Monckton predicted that the Treaty on climate control actions would be signed by the American president.  He also predicted that most of the third world countries will sign it because they believe the bigger boys are getting far more money than they are, and they want their share.

He told the Institute that the first element of the treaty is the establishment of a world government.  The second element is transfer of money from the Western countries to the third world countries because the Western countries have been burning carbon and the third world nations have not.  So, Western powers will in effect be paying a world tax because they have been contributing to “climate warming.”  Monckton said the third announced purpose of the treaty is to place enforcement powers in the hands of the few who will control the new world government.

Monckton reiterated his charges to the Ventura investigators.  He said that under this treaty, a global tax would be assessed against the United States to facilitate payment to the other nations of the world who have not burned carbons.  According to World net Daily, “. . .Monckton is a well-known critic of the theory of anthropologenic causes for global warming who has argued repeatedly that global warming hysteria is an ideological position of the political left advanced in the interest of imposing global taxes on the United States in the pursuit of international control of the U.S. economy under a one world government to be administered by the U.N.”

Monckton told the Ventura investigators that in a UN commissioned report on global warming, five times at five different parts of the report, one world supporters removed statements and findings that human effects on global warming were insignificant. When the Ventura investigator asked a UN official about the deletions, he could only respond that “on balance” the true story got told.  Why resort to “on balance” arguments?  Why not leave in the negative evidence so that the American people can see both sides of the issue? The only rational argument for why the report was “doctored” is that the books were being set up to favor the evil era of global warming.

Monckton again stated, categorically, that there were supporters of global warming who were set up to make billions of dollars of profits.  The investigators learned that Al Gore holds a business interest in the software company that has developed massive programs that will be needed when and if the cap and trade legislation is passed and treaty signed and ratified by the United States.  If Gore holds such business interest that he will gain billions from cap and trade regulations, then his “unbiased”, “objective” concern for the world’s humans that got him a Peace Prize and an Oscar gets as tarnished as all other lobbyists for pay.

Although not reported during the Ventura program, Monckton claimed last April that he was invited to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee by Representative Joe Burton of Texas, ranking member of the Committee.  Burton wanted Monckton to appear on the panel of witnesses that included Al Gore.  Monckton agreed and flew to Washington.  On his arrival he was told that the leadership of the Committee refused to allow him to appear with Gore.  He claims that he was told that the Committee leadership did not want to expose Gore to the Monckton assertions that Gore stands to make a fortune from preparations for implementing cap and trade.  To substitute for Monckton the Committee settled for former Speaker Newt Gingrich who of course made no mention of world government.  In a 2005 article noted constitutionalist Devvy Kidd reported that Gingrich was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a private think tank that promotes world government.  (See “Treasonous Agenda of the Council On Foreign Relations”, posted on June 17, 2005 for WorldNetDaily.)

When hearing that Gore has a financial interest in the software company that stands to make a fortune when cap and trade is implemented, Ventura took a stand that any good prosecutor always takes:  if you want to get to the source of any conspiracy or plot, follow the money.  That was what led the Washington Post writers to the Watergate issues that caused the fall of a President—follow the money.

With that in mind, attention was turned to Dr. Maurice Strong who is rumored to be the behind the scenes money man who stands behind world government supporters like Gore and other members of the Council on Foreign Relations. Strong helped initiate the environmental scare that lead to the early United Nations treaty work on global warming and on the need to reform carbon use.  Strong became the expert who pushed for global government that could punish offending nations with global taxes for violating the premises of global warming. 

Ventura’s people found that Strong was completely inaccessible.  The disclosure of his participation in the oil for food scandal that rocked the United Nations resulted in his leaving employment in the UN.  He went to China where he lives in a carefully guarded compound and ignores all calls for interviews.

During his career in the U.N. he was responsible for two of the early, and most critical of the Earth Summits which set the world on the course of one government rule and environmental control of the world.  The first Stockholm Conference was scheduled for 1972, but by 1970 there was no world interest.  Strong was put in charge and before long he had persuaded leaders from third world nations to come to give important speeches at the conference.  The attendees developed and adopted a Declaration of Principles and Action Plan to deal with global environmental issues.  As a result of the accomplishments of Strong, the UN General Assembly established the United Nations Environmental Program, elected Strong to head it and moved it to  Nairobi.

He was appointed secretary general of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Technically it was the Conference on Environment and Development, but it was known as the Earth Summit.  The Conference set the stage for the big movement toward one world government to be run through the United Nations.  The Conference produced Agreement on Conventions on Climate Change and Biodiversity and initiated the process which led to the Convention on Desertification.

[The Convention on Desertification is virtually unknown in this country; it was ratified late one night by voice vote in the Senate when a bundle of 34 treaties were voted on.  It lays the groundwork for the revision of the Waters of the United States bill to be implemented in this country to give the Corps of Engineers control of every drop of water in the United States and every acre of land that adjoins or even affects those bodies of water.  Senator Crapo of Idaho has pledged to filibuster that Water revision bill.]

Perhaps the best known of the developments from the Earth Summit was the set of principles to set a course on sustainable development throughout the world; the action program became known as the anti-free market, anti-private property program Agenda 21.

Strong has continued his efforts through positions on boards of world wide companies that press for uniform currency and laws around the world.  Having a life long fascination with China as do I, he did something about it, moving there a few years ago and devoting his time to pushing for environmental deals with China for his big money clients-making deals involving environmental concerns, energy and technological advances.  His hand can certainly be seen in the seven oil fields on which China has outbid the world and taken them over in Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan. During his career he has spent much time on the governing board of the World Bank, and was instrumental at the Fourth World Wilderness Conference in Denver in 1992 in gaining establishment of the World Conservation Bank.  That is the bank in which carbon trades and deeds will be made and banked.  He introduced Edward de Rothschild to the Conference.  When discussions lead by Rothschild focused on world control, Stong’s assistant George Hunt objected. However, Hunt was stopped by David Rockefeller to lay off the critical remarks or he would be sorry.

Strong has repeatedly led discussions of one world government, one world bank and a currency the same for all nations.  Through his UN work he was instrumental in strengthening the European Common Market, and the furtherance of a scramble inside the Union to develop a common currency that will be accepted as a world currency.

Strong of course was unavailable for an interview by Ventura’s staff, even for a comment.  So, Ventura himself went to China to try to see him and discuss his position with regard to climate control and world government.  Strong advised through spokesmen that he would be busy all the while Ventura was in China.

But, Strong’s former assistant, George Hunt, was available and did tell Ventura that the whole climate warming effort is a scam designed to scare Americans enough that they will accept world government.  Hunt says that climate matters are simply a beard for world government; a means to an end; a scare tactic to convince people that one world government is required to make possible carbon purchases and reductions.

Hunt, who worked with Strong at the UN, told Ventura that Strong’s dream is of world government and control.  According to Hunt, Strong has been instrumental in bringing to the table European nations who have pretty much scrapped their own measure of currency and adopted the Euro as the currency denomination for all of Europe.  The people behind the movement have complete control over setting the rate of the Euro.  This is consistent with Strong’s ideas that one world bank should be created.  He promoted the World Conservation Bank at the United Nations in which nations can do their cap and trade negotiations, sell carbon units, and buy carbon units from one central bank.  The idea behind that is the one world government concept.  In order to take over the world and rule the world, supporters know they must rule the financial system and the currency system.  It is not political control that comes first, it is financial— “Follow the money.”  (You may recall that Baron M.A. Rothschild wrote that “Give me control over a nation’s currency and I care not who makes its laws.”  Thomas Jefferson wrote that “if the American people allow private banks to control the issuance of their currency...the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”)

Strong continues to get richer and richer, and he continues to hold positions of strong influence on the boards of huge corporations that will be pushing for one central financial institution and one world currency standard.

When Ventura interviewed the company in America that holds the software that can turn out all the documents, forms and controls that are necessary for the world government to be put in place, he asked whether Al Gore was associated with the company and had an interest in the profits the company would make off implementing climate controls like cap and trade. The manager declined to answer the question.  Several more penetrating questions about Gore having a conflict position as to money to be made off implementation of climate controls were not answered.

Before you buy into the global warming hysteria, or before you even give any credence to it, look up the names Maurice Strong, George Hunt, and Lord Monckton—you will find more than enough reading to keep you up most of the night, and enough to scare you enough about the prospect of one world government to keep you awake the rest of the night.

THE UNITED STATES FIGHTS TERRORISTS IN AFGHANISTAN WHILE WE DO NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PAROLE SYSTEM THAT RELEASES TERRORISTS TO MURDER POLICE OFFICERS

 

What is a terrorist?  The online dictionary, at Dictionary.com, defines the term as one who frightens or terrorizes.   A combination of dictionary sites concur that the word “terrorizes” includes causing fear, intimidation, threat to safety.

 

Because of the state of the world in which third world, syndicate and religious fanatics murder innocents simply to further their cause,  we think of terrorists as foreigners who wage terror on our nation.

 

But, within our borders, terror is practiced by parolees who have been released from prison before their sentences have been completed.  Every day we read of a parolee, freed early from a sentence imposed for a violent crime who rapes, robs, and kills.

 

My book Justice My Ass which is now available on this website, as well as at Barnes and Noble and Amazon, was named as a result of a discussion of such a parolee.  In Idaho, years ago, a man serving life sentences without parole for rapes was released on parole in spite of the sentence imposed by the court.  A few days later he raped and murdered a nurse in Seattle.  I remarked to my long time friend, Red Merritt, a retired Los Angeles detective, “That’s Justice.”  And, Red replied “Justice, My Ass.”

 

What conversations Red and I could have today in view of the  war that domestic terrorists have waged on police officers, murdering them from ambush, lying in wait, and simply during the process of traffic stops.  It is a war that has claimed 47 police officer lives in this year alone.

 

Our discussions would have centered on the fact that no one in our nation is outraged over this war-----not national, state or local officials who could take action to clean up the parole system.  If nothing else, there should be a public clamor to end paroles for any prisoner who is serving time for a violent  crime.  The only way the slain officers could be rewarded with “Justice” would be to stop the stupidity of parole boards composed of political appointees and “civic pixies” who have no understanding of the criminal mind.   Consider the following, just from the standpoint of “Justice My Ass.”:

 

In March, four Oakland, California police officers were murdered by a parolee who had committed numerous rapes since his early release on a six year sentence for armed robbery and battery that occurred during a car jacking.

 

The killer, Lovelle Mixon, shot and killed two officers who stopped him during a routine traffic stop.  After shooting them and rendering them helpless he stood over them and shot them again.  Then he fled to a sister’s apartment and killed with an AK-47 assault rifle two members of a SWAT team before he was gunned down.

 

Mixon’s uncle later said that his nephew was trying to “do right” but couldn’t get and hold a job. Here’s how Mixon was trying to “do right”:

         

                      While on parole, he kidnapped and raped a 12 year old girl in his own neighborhood; DNA evidence had linked him to the crime just the day before he murdered the officers;

                       He now has been linked also to a  rape prior to that of the 12 year old girl;

                        He has been linked to the rapes of two women on the morning of the day he murdered the officers;

                        He was identified as the murderer of a 42 year old man on the street in Oakland, but the sister of the victim who made the identification was afraid to testify, so Mixon was never charged.

 

Mixon had a long record of juvenile crimes when he was first sent to prison.  He was involved in a carjacking attempt in San Francisco.  The victim was pistol whipped and as he broke away and ran, Mixon fired at him.  The victim required 16 stitches and identified Mixon as the gunman. 

In a sentencing report to the court, a San Francisco probation officer said that Mixon’s juvenile record was that of a “cold hearted individual who does not have any regard for human life.”  The recommendation was that prison was the only way to “rein  in this man’s proclivity for violence.”

 

In spite of that report and recommendation, the court imposed a sentence of only 6 and one half years.  And, in spite of that report and recommendation, the parole board let him out early.  Let him out early so that he could rape at least four women, probably murder one man, and then murder four police officers.

 

Do you think Mixon would qualify as a terrorist?  I am sure that the four women would characterize him as a terrorist; as would the motorist who was pistol whipped while Mixon held the gun; and the families of the four slain officers.

 

So, where is the national, or even California, reaction against this early release of a terrorist?  If an organization of foreigners took action resulting in four rapes, another probable murder and four murders of police officers, the state of California authorities would be at a state of alert and attack.  An organization of  do-gooders and political appointees on the California parole board allowed these attacks to occur by releasing a killer in spite of a report that so labeled him.

 

If a middle eastern “terrorist” was shown to have been sold an assault rifle in this country, the military would be all over the seller.  Where is the outrage that a parolee like Mixon was able to gain possession of such a weapon?  Note that I’m not talking about “gun control”.  I’m talking about an unlawful  act on the part of some gun seller, or gun runner in allowing such a weapon to end up in possession of a violent parolee.

 

In less than a month after the California police murders, three Pittsburgh police officers were murdered by a white  supremacy survivalist who gunned them down with a semi automatic AK-47 assault rifle.  The man, Richard Poplawski lived in the basement of his mother’s house.  His mother made a 911 call and Poplawski lay in wait in ambush for the officers, after making a call to a friend in which he told him that he was going to die that day.  Unfortunately, he did not.  His bullet proof vest protected his vital organs from SWAT team fire, and the people of Pennsylvania will now have to pay for his defense, his room and board in prison, and probably millions of dollars for his up keep for the rest of his life.

 

Poplawski, according to a friend, was a really “nice guy who didn’t mean to harm anyone.”  Really?  Poplawski married at the age of 17, a girl he met while both were doing time in a juvenile facility.  After his divorce, he hitched up with another girl friend who he beat up in 2005.  A month later he was arrested for violating a protective order restricting him from bothering the girl.  He had several fistfights with neighbors and got into trouble for shouting a racial slur at a Black neighborhood resident.

 

Unable to stay out of trouble living in his mother’s basement, he moved to Florida where he got into trouble over the disappearance of his land lady’s German Shepard.  So, he moved back to his mother’s basement.

 

Throughout these years he had enlisted in the Marine Corps, but was dishonorably discharged when he lost his temper and threw a meal tray at a drill instructor.

 

Poplawski was involved with several white supremacy internet groups.  He had made website postings during the month prior to the murders warning that the “Jews were coming”, that “we’re all under the thumbs of the Zionists”, and was worried that President Obama would take away “our guns”.  He predicted in postings “civil unrest if not downright balkanization of the continental U.S. civil/revolutionary/racial war.”

 

After his arrest, Poplawski bragged that he thought he had killed as many as five officers, and said that he would write a book while in prison.  He admitted that he shot one of the officers as he lay helpless on the floor, thinking that the officer was faking death----so he shot him to make sure he was dead.

 

This man should never had been able to possess guns bought from any registered seller.  His dishonorable discharge would disqualify him---that question which appears on applications for gun purchases is an automatic disqualification.  So, how did this “terrorist”, a man who brought fear through temper loss and physical violence to girl friends, neighbors, residents, and finally three dead and several wounded police officers, get the guns and the bullet proof vest with which he ambushed the officers?

 

Poplawski has been charged with capital murder, and already the cost to the taxpayers to pay for his defense has begun.  His public defender, paid for by tax dollars, has asked for tax dollars to pay for mental examinations by the director of forensic psychiatry at Western Psychiatric Institute---ironically both the public defender and the high priced mental expert will be paid from tax dollars which include taxes which will be paid by the surviving families of the murdered officers.  Only in America.

 

In addition, the public defender has asked that the case be dismissed because a prosecutor violated the court’s gag order by explaining to the public through the press why he was seeking the death penalty.  She also wants the case dismissed because some police officers signed an online Facebook petition  calling for the death penalty to be imposed on Poplawski.  In short, she says that the murder charges should be dismissed because an elected prosecutor explained to the public why he was seeking the death penalty in the name of the public, and because police officers exercised their right to free speech.  Only in America.  But, fortunately, the case and the motions are in the hands of an experienced judge who has presided over other capital cases without bending over backward to public defender falderol.

 

When the Attorney General announced that suspected terrorists were going to be tried in a federal district court in the criminal justice system in New York, there was a huge outcry from Republican leaders like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and others of their ilk, and citizens all over the land.  Where is the outcry that a murderer of these police officers are being represented at tax payer expense with motions that are absurd.  There are scores of witnesses to these murders; there is no earthly reason why a court should even spend time listening to a motion to dismiss because police officers wish the defendant to die.

 

There is no earthly reason why tax dollars should be spent on psychiatric studies; Poplawski was mentally able to set up an ambush, put on a bullet proof vest, call a friend to tell him he was going to die, and then decide he would write a book in prison about the murders.  So, he is mentally able to be tried, convicted, and sentenced to die.

 

But, all this goes on with no public outcry at all.  Just two years prior, a Pennsylvania state police officer was murdered by a parolee, and a television station studied two years of parolees and found that over half of them had gone back to prison for commission of violent crimes.  But, this reign of terror by armed wackos and parole violaters stirs nary an outcry from good solid conservatives anywhere.

 

Just a few months later, four Seattle area police officers were gunned down in a coffee shop near Seattle.  They were victims of a deliberate execution by a man with a long history of violent crimes.

 

Maurice Clemmons, age 36,  was convicted in Arkansas in 1989 for the crimes of burglary of a home,  a second burglary, two thefts, two robberies, an aggravated robbery and firearms violations.  He was sentenced to consecutive sentences totaling more than 95 years.   He could not refrain from violence even during his trial---a piece of metal was discovered in his sock during a pre-trial hearing and he threw a padlock at a bailiff.

 

In 2000, after serving 11 years of the sentence, he petitioned Governor Mike Huckabee for clemency.  His petition, that has been provided for public viewing by Seattle news media,  prayed for clemency because he had been victimized by the crime infested neighborhood of Arkansas in which he lived.  It is solely the old “I blame it on society, not on myself” excuse that has been used by convicts for generations.  The difference is that Huckabee and the parole board fell for it.  So, Huckabee granted him clemency and Clemmons was paroled.

In less than a year, Clemmons was back in prison.  He was arrested for aggravated robbery (“armed” robbery in most states) and theft and taken back to prison for parole violation.  Prosecutors screwed up the process and did not serve warrants for the violent robbery and theft until he had served three more years on his parole violation.  A defense attorney threatened to move  to dismiss, and the prosecutor dismissed the warrants.

 

So, Clemmons was once again let loose, this time with the Arkansas parole board saying only on condition that he be transferred for parole to an out of state site.  In effect, the parole board said “good riddance, and stay out of our hair.”

 

Having returned to Washington, Clemmons indeed turned his life around as he had promised Governor Huckabee.  He turned to child rape.  In May of  this year he was charged with child rape and assault on an officer.  Just six days after being released on a $150,000 bail, he walked into the coffee shop near Seattle and executed four officers.  The night before he had told friends and family members that he was going to kill some “cops”.

 

Do you think this armed robber, home burglar, child rapist fits the definition of a “terrorist” in that he created massive fear in his victims and in the society in which he committed the crimes?  If so, again, where is the outrage against the parole board that released him, the Governor who granted him clemency, and the judge who released him on bail just six days before he murdered the officers?  The judge’s name has not even been mentioned in the news.  Why in the name of heaven would a judge release on bail a man charged with child rape and assault on an officer who had the criminal record that Clemmons sported?  And, why in the name of heaven is nothing being done about that judge or the parole board members?

 

I wish that our government would divert some of the intensity aimed at terrorists in Afghanistan to cleaning up the parole and criminal justice system that allows violent terrorists roam the streets, victimizing innocent people.  There is a war that has been declared right here on our shores against police officers, by criminal terrorists.  Citizens should arise with such outrage that the government---federal and state has to clean up the mess.

Downsizing the News And Pretending to Increase Quality by Walter Brasch

Executive management at the Allentown Morning Call recently laid off more than two dozen persons from its newsroom, most of them veteran reporters drawing higher salaries. Management plans to cut 35–40 positions, according to a letter sent by publisher Timothy Johnson. The cuts are about one-fourth of the news staff. The remaining reporters are being told to write more stories under the same deadline constraints. Coverage of local meetings has been put into secondary importance; bureaus have been combined. The Morning Call is not alone. About 85 percent of all dailies with more than 100,000 circulation, and about half of all dailies with circulations under 100,000, have cut the number of reporters and editors, according to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. During the first half of this year, newspapers laid off or froze more than 6,500 news positions. This was the biggest loss in three decades, according to the American Society of Newspaper Editors. With the layoffs, news quality has suffered. A newsroom filled with younger reporters--they aren't paid as much as the senior reporters who were terminated or laid off--leaves a newspaper vulnerable to a newsroom with less knowledge of the community and how to gather, report, and write news. Almost no newspapers have proofreaders. About 40 percent of all newspapers report they have fewer copyeditors today than just two years ago. No proofreaders means more typos. Fewer copyeditors means sloppier copy, more factual error, and a lot more stories that are incomplete. During the past few years, newspaper owners demanded and were getting at 20–40 percent profit, among the highest for any industry--and that includes Big Oil. With newsrooms and the news product already lean, the owners kept taking and taking. And now there's an economic recession. Subscribers are questioning their annual $150–250 investments. Businesses are folding, and the ones remaining are reducing newspaper advertising budgets. Go to any journalism conference, and you'll see a lot of hand-wringing. Reporters and editors are whining about how bad it is. They rightly blame owners and publishers. But, they also blame readers for accepting abbreviated news drops from TV and myriad cable networks. They whine about the Blogosphere and Internet domination. They complain about the short attention span of their readers. It's this and it's that. And so, with the help of $500 an hour consultants who eruditely harrumph their grandeur of divine guesses, they make cosmetic changes. They follow the 24/7 cable networks and increase entertainment and gossip. They give us more syrupy "feel good" news. They say they want to be "relevant." Editors at the Morning Call, like many newspapers, are placing light features and how-to columns higher than hard news. Some changes improve the product, most are band-aids. A decade ago, the American Society of Newspaper Editors published a study that revealed Americans wanted less, not more sensationalism, gossip, and celebrity news. Apparently, no one was listening to the people. The system is broken, and it's the owners' fault. They have already "maximized profits" by low salaries and minimal benefits, giving veteran reporters "involuntary terminations," significantly reducing employee education programs, cutting the number of pages, reducing the page size, and increasing the use of material provided by syndicates rather than local news staff. These latest cuts are deep into the muscle. Owners of the Morning Call, like owners at hundreds of other newspapers, apparently believe that reducing quality improves profits. The owners of the newspaper industry need a course in Basic Journalism 101.   A quality news product will increase circulation. Increased circulation will bring more advertising. More advertising brings better profits and allows even more news quality. Cutting reporters, benefits, employee training, and news coverage is not the way to save newspapers.

The Ching-Chang Chumps by Walter Brasch

She's a 77-year-old slightly overweight white-haired widowed grandmother from northeastern Pennsylvania who has worked the past 15 years for the state at a minimum wage "Green Thumb" job. But five or six times a year, she and two of her closest friends pay $22 to a bus company that hauls passengers the four hours to Atlantic City.     "I can't afford not to go," Gloria Adams says with a twinkle. Depending upon which casino the bus goes to, and which day of the week it is, each bus rider receives $10-$15 in tokens from the casino, usually another $3-5 good for the next trip, and a $3-5 meal credit. She can choose from any of 92 restaurants or 30 cocktail lounges; if she eats at one of the lower-priced buffets, her meal is almost free. To lure 31 million "visitor trips" a year, one-third of whom come by bus, casinos spend about $800 million a year, one-fourth of their revenue, on promotion.     For most senior citizens, the $15-25 worth of "comps" is sufficient. But, for the late evening "high-rollers," the ones who think nothing of dropping a few hundred every Black Jack hand or roll of the craps dice, the casinos will provide free limousine or helicopter service, luxury suites, food, beverages, show tickets, myriad trinkets from keychains to suits, and just about anything a loser could want.     Every day, about 800 buses, each carrying 40-50 passengers, most of them women over 55 years old, pull into the casinos, stay six hours, then leave. With travel time, combined with limited bus parking, the casinos have figured that six hours is the "right" time for the "low-rollers." On the casino floors the senior citizens scramble to their favorite slots--they have 23,000 to choose from--and most won't leave for three or four hours, just shoving coin after coin into the machines, watching the dials spin, and hoping for a jackpot. They'll crowd the nickel slots first; few ever try one of the 46 $100 slots. They'll put in five quarters, get a cherry, and win two quarters which hit the metal coin tray and boldly announce yet another "winner." Sometimes, they'll get mini-jackpots of five, ten, even twenty times what they shoved into the slot. But, they'll recycle the change, hoping for the Slotbusters payoff that'll give them and their grandchildren an income for life. Sometimes, even if there are people waiting, they'll play two slots at once; if one doesn't pay, its neighbor will--at least that's what many figure. And most go home with less money than they came with. It's not unusual for bus travelers to drop a hundred, two hundred dollars in their allotted six hours at the casino. A few have dropped most of their entire month's social security checks.     For their part, the casinos tell their players--in TV commercials, on all the printed literature, even in random announcements beamed from concealed loudspeakers--to "bet with your head, not over it." But then they put an acre of machines, tables, dealers, and provocatively-dressed hostesses into an air-conditioned room that has no windows or clocks, and entice their victims to sign up for plastic card memberships that, when inserted into slots, record the number of times a coin was dropped, and lead to even more trinkets to lure them back into the casino. The casino also sends employees around to convert currency into coins, and provides free drinks for parched throats that yell encouragement to the machines, and "wipes" for fingers that become dirty handling all those winning coins. For those who have arthritis or don't have the energy to pull a lever, the slots even have push buttons. The casinos want their victims to sit there, in one spot, and lose. If they could figure out a way to catheterize the players so they don't even have to go to the bathroom, they would.     Gloria Adams often comes back with more than she began with. "I know my limits, and I don't go over them," she says, emphasizing that unlike some players, she never resorts to using a MAC card to get "just a little more" playing cash, just in case the "big one" is on the next slot pull. It doesn't upset the casinos. They like it when people win. Nothing entices other people to lose money like the ching-chang of coins dropping into slot trays, and the excited boasts of winners back home. But, most of the gamblers are supposed to spend the freebies, then gamble some more. It has worked very well for more than fifteen years.     According to the Casino Control Commission, the "handle," the amount of money bet, since the first casino opened is about $30 billion, about 55 percent of it from slots. Last year alone, the revenue, the amount of profit prior to expenses, was about $3.2 billion. By law, each slot machine must pay back at least 83 percent of its take; most now pay about 90 percent. The Casino Control Commission even makes public which casinos have better payoffs and which groups of machines pay better than the others. But, few study the numbers, and none of the casinos see any reason to post them. With accountants taking advantage of every tax law and loophole, and with the casinos themselves heavily leveraged, the after-expenses "net" last year was a mere $165 million.     The first of the twelve casinos went into business in 1978 following a statewide referendum to allow gambling in a city that had combined Miss America, salt water taffy, rolling wicker chairs, a four-mile boardwalk—and a deteriorating downtown, tenement housing, and the state's highest violent crime and poverty rates. Gambling will save the city, proclaimed the voters, the legislators, and even businessmen who planned to mine the east coast, smugly knowing that a third of the nation's population lived within six hours driving time of Atlantic City and could easily be lured to a gambling empire that promised instant wealth. For its part, the casinos since 1975 have paid over $2.5 billion in revenue taxes, $850 million in property taxes, $575 million in regulatory fees and licenses, $760 in federal corporate taxes and $250 in state corporate taxes. Another $375 million, $40 million last year alone, from a 1.25 percent tax, went to Atlantic City's Casino Reinvestment Development Authority to be used for civic improvement.     For its part, the state of New Jersey has been so appreciative of receiving money, it has built a 43-mile long expressway from Philadelphia directly into the Boardwalk. To lure even more middle- and upper-class marks to the casinos, the city and state are building a $254 million 500,000 square floor convention center and a $70 million three-block "corridor" to link the center with the Boardwalk.     By the mid-1980s, speculators and the casinos had gobbled up all available land in Atlantic City, expecting as many as thirty-five casinos to rescue the city. Only when it appeared there would be a saturation of twelve casinos could the school district (which last year received 69 percent of its $33.5 million property tax income from the casinos) finally buy enough land to relocate its high school. But, the taxpayers of the proposed $80 million high school still had to pay $8.7 million for 48.8 acres, a lot for a school district but less than the $4.6 million the Showboat recently spent for three acres so it could add 200 more hotel rooms.     Although city officials are now proudly proclaiming a renaissance for the ocean front resort, which has received about $500 million in property taxes from the casinos since 1978, about 69 percent of its property tax base, they are also faced by the blemish that four of the past six mayors were indicted on a variety of malfeasance and criminal charges, the downtown has deteriorated even further, population has declined 14 percent since the first casino opened, there has been an increase in violent crimes and prostitution—and poverty is still the way of life for a large chunk of the 38,000 residents who live in a city with no theaters and only one supermarket. So deteriorated has Atlantic City become, even with its proposed massive revitalization, that most of the 41,800 casino employees won't even live in the city where they work.     Nevertheless, no matter what the city's problems are, the buses still come to Atlantic City, and senior citizens flood the casino floors by day, and the high-rollers take over by night. And the ching-chang of coins continues to lull Americans into believing that the good dream belongs to them.

Mr. Obama, Beware of the New 'Silent Majority'

By Patrick Dorinson

The political force our new, and frequently loud, “silent majority” has unleashed in 2009 will determine America's future in 2010 and 2012. It should not be underestimated.

In November 1969 President Nixon addressed the American people from the Oval Office about his plans to end the Vietnam War. Most of the speech was dedicated to that topic but towards the end he uttered this one line that has defined the speech ever since.

“And so tonight to you, the great silent majority of my fellow Americans, I ask for your support.”
The reaction to the speech was extremely positive as telegrams, phone calls and letters of support poured into the White House.

And just as today, the mainstream media displayed their disdain for these folks.

Here is what CBS’ Dan Rather said in his report the next day: 

"The president spent much of today convincing himself and trying to convince others that his Vietnam policy speech is an overwhelming success." 

He then went on to question if the strong public reaction in favor of the president’s speech was manufactured: 

“How many of the letters and telegrams are spontaneous and how many are part of the carefully orchestrated Republican Party publicity campaign, it is too early to say."

Glad to see Dan Rather has been consistent all these years in delivering his biased opinions.

But despite all his tragic flaws that eventually led to his resignation, Nixon knew who this “silent majority” were. -- He knew them because he was one of them. He came from the same America they did. He understood their struggles because he had seen his own family struggle during the Great Depression.

He felt the sting of class prejudice from the East Coast elitists when, despite graduating third in his class from the prestigious Duke University Law School—an accomplishment that should have landed him a job with a top notch New York law firm—no job offers ever came his way.

And that “silent majority” believed him that night and propelled him to a landslide re-election victory in 1972.

After Watergate they deserted both Nixon and the Republican Party giving the Democrats a huge victory in the 1974 midterm elections and two years later Jimmy Carter edged Gerald Ford for the White House. But after four years of Carter’s weak leadership, high interest rates and unemployment, they returned to the Republican column in 1980-this time as Reagan Democrats.

And then in 1992 when the country again faced out of control spending and high taxes they rallied to Ross Perot with his charts and dire warnings of the fiscal train wreck we were headed for. In June of that year he was polling at 39% compared to George Bush the Elder’s 31% and Bill Clinton’s 25%. And while he may have been an imperfect messenger his message has proved prescient.

In 2006 and again in 2008 many of them turned on the Republicans who had forgotten that it was these very people who put them in power in 1994. They became more enamored with power than with fixing the nation’s problems.

And after the fiscal mismanagement of the Bush administration and profligate spending of the Republican Congress that has since brought our country to its knees, they had had enough and took a chance on “hope and change.”

As buyer’s remorse sets in they are realizing that the only “hope” they had was hoping they could keep their job and that “change” was what they would have left after Obama’s huge government spending plans were in place.

They have now revolted and in a big way.

Yes, I am talking about the “Tea Party” folks. But there are others. Not all of the forgotten Americans attend rallies and burn up cyber-space with their anger.

But for everyone who goes to a rally or comments on an article or blog on the Internet there are many who feel the same way. Polling data bears this out.

The media and political elites -- aided and abetted by their fellow travelers in Hollywood -- are determined to squash this rebellion against their hero Barack Obama.

The continued assault on Sarah Palin is but one part of it. While many of these forgotten Americans might not vote for Sarah Palin, like Ross Perot before her, she is strikes a chord with them.

Why?

Because like Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan before her, she knows them—she is one of them.

Tonight, President Obama will speak to the American people from West Point about the way forward in Afghanistan. He is in the exact same position that Nixon was in November 1969. Like Nixon, he has been president for a year and he is going to try to rally the American people to support his new strategy for an increasingly unpopular war—one that he himself has called a “war of necessity.”

And these forgotten Americans that his supporters dismiss as “right-wingers” and “paranoid tea baggers” are the very people he will need to convince. -- It’s their kids who are doing most of the fighting and dying in this war.

I think he’s going to have a hard time doing so because he does not understand them. His life is as far removed from theirs as Sarah Palin’s is close to theirs.

He proved he doesn’t understand them when during the 2008 campaign he told a crowd of wine and cheese Democrats in San Francisco that they were “bitter” and “cling to their guns and religion”. While his audience nodded their heads in agreement, the “bitter” small town Americans seethed.

The political force this new, frequently loud, “silent majority” has unleashed will determine this nation’s future in 2010 and 2012. It should not be underestimated.

Because just as the British dismissed the patriots at Lexington and Concord in 1775 as “rude rabble,” the Obama Democrats and elitist mainstream media dismiss these patriots at their peril.