Hamastan - The Newest Country

Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist organization known for its radical, fundamentalist adherence to Islam, has won a surprising upset victory in the recent Palestinian elections. The opposition Fatah Party which had been in power, as well as the rest of the world, was shocked by Hamas' clear majority win.

This does not bode well for any hopes of an Israeli/Palestinian peace agreeement. Hamas is intractable in its calls for the destruction of Israel - they don't even recognize Israel as a state.

Only one of two things will come out of the Hamas victory. Either Hamas, in power now, will further extend its aggression & terror against Israel while enforcing further radical Islamic policy on its own Palestinian people, or Hamas will find itself suddenly in the ironic position of moderation as a necessity of retaining the power they have now. The Fatah Party is no friend to Hamas & we expect armed violence between the two groups. Meanwhile, the Palestinian people will continue to suffer under corruption, mismanagement & self-interest of those in control.

On a broader scale, Iran, with its lunatic President, will certainly try to take advantage of this change in Palestinian leadership to further its antipathy towards Israel.

The Middle East has just become a more dangerous place. President Bush was right in stating that he will not deal with a Hamas-led Palestine as long as it refuses to recognize Israel's right to existence. Nor will he allow a lunatic-led Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Hamastan & Iran, the U.S. & Israel - juxtaposed for a coming conflict.

"Jessica"

© 2006 words & music by Francis Lynn





She wakes up to another day
Then it's time to wash all the sleep away.
Dressing now in a long brown skirt,
While her long black hair frames a crisp white shirt.

Jessica.

Books in hand, it is time to go.
She is sweet sixteen & so much to know.
Stepping out into morning sun,
She'll be back again when her day is done.

Jessica.
Jessica.
She's Jessica.

She meets up with some gals she knows.
Beck & Rad are here & the laughter flows.
Best of friends, they are filled with joy,
Then the giggles start when they talk of boys.

Jessica

School day ends & the fun begins.
She's a soccer girl & she aims to win.
Back at home there's no time to rest,
She will study late for a major test.

Jessica.
Jessica.
She's Jessica.

Full of smiles with a loving way.
She's a shining star & a golden ray.
Gentle soul, she just can't go wrong
For her faith in God is what keeps her strong.

She brings light to a darkened day
And she'll stop the rain if she has her way.
She gives warmth to a winter's chill
And she'll fight the storms with her strength of will.

Jessica, Jessica, Jessica.
Ohhhhh, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica.
She is Jessica.

Moonbeams dance 'round a sleeping girl.
She is set in bed like a precious pearl.
Dreams flood in & a smile appears.
Possibilities for her coming years.

Jessica.

Friends drift by, she can see each face,
And she holds them dear, in a special place.
Mom & dad, brother, sisters call.
Passing visions now & she loves them all.

Jessica.
Jessica.
She's Jessica.

Full of smiles with a loving way.
She's a shining star & a golden ray.
Gentle soul, she just can't go wrong
For her faith in God is what keeps her strong.

She brings light to a darkened day
And she'll stop the rain if she has her way.
She gives warmth to a winter's chill
And she'll fight the storms with her strength of will.

Jessica, Jessica, Jessica.
Ohhhhh, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica.
She is Jessica, Jessica, Jessica.
Lovely Jessica.

25th Anniversary of Reagan's Inauguration

Today is the 25th year since Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as President in 1981. The following is a reprise of our post, written upon the death of this great American:

Ronald Wilson Reagan - American Icon, American Hero

A sad day it is upon learning of the death of our 40th President. Much more elegant words will flood the media than I can dare to write. Suffice it to say that he & I share the same values, the same beliefs in America, the same hopes for a better country & a better world.

Ronald Reagan brought to the White House a sense of hope when we as a people were floundering in high interest rates, high inflation rates, high unemployment, & a festering despair that the Cold War was being lost.

He had strong core beliefs, strong convictions, & he acted upon them to better the country & the world, despite the villification & smarmy jokes from those who opposed him.

And he was good to his word - inflation down dramatically, interest rates down dramatically, the promised tax cuts. But it was his unflinching belief that we could & would win the Cold War that will be his most profound & enduring legacy.

And above all else - his humor, his belief in the inherent goodness of people, his belief in his God - the man had character. And more so, he had class.

He & I share the same birthday, February 6, & so my affinity toward him is even that more personal.

rip, Mr. President

Ninth Circuit Court Rules Parents Have No Rights

The infamous Ninth Circuit Court - the ones who ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional - has recently ruled that parents have no rights when it comes to what a school district can teach their children or how the district can administer them.

Palmdale school district in California distributed a survey for 1st, 3rd & 5th graders to complete. Consent letters were sent to parents to sign. However, the district failed to tell the parents that this psychological survey included sex questions. Instead, they cloaked it in bureaucratic gobblety-gook language - the notice merely stating that two psychologists would conduct an "assessment" to "establish a community baseline" for "internal behaviors such as anxiety and depression and external behaviors such as aggression and verbal abuse." The district was deceptive & deceiving. The Palmdale survey consisted of 54 questions. The two psychologists asked children to rate the following activities, among others, on a scale from "never" to "almost all the time". Remember - these are 1st, 3rd & 5th graders.:

"8. Touching my private parts too much
17. Thinking about having sex
22. Thinking about touching other people's private parts
23. Thinking about sex when I don't want to
26. Washing myself because I feel dirty on the inside
34. Not trusting people because they might want sex
40. Getting scared or upset when I think about sex
44. Having sex feelings in my body
47. Can't stop thinking about sex
54. Getting upset when people talk about sex"

The district eventually pulled the survey. Irate parents sued the district. And this is where the 9th Circuit comes into play. The suing parents were not even given the chance to state their case to the court. Instead, on a motion to dismiss the case, the court did just that. The court in their ruling stated that, "In summary, we hold that there is no free-standing fundamental right of parents to control the upbringing of their children by introducing them to matters of and relating to sex in accordance with their personal and religious values and beliefs and that the asserted right is not encompassed by any other fundamental right."

"... We conclude only that the parents are possessed of no constitutional right to prevent the public schools from providing information on that subject to their students in any forum or manner they select," the court added. "We further hold that a psychological survey is a reasonable state action pursuant to legitimate educational as well as health and welfare interests of the state." (no matter the content or young age, presumably - ed.)

The three-judge panel said "once parents make the choice as to which school their children will attend, their fundamental right to control the education of their children is, at the least, substantially diminished."

In response, the Constitution does not enumerate all rights. The court erred in this. Secondly, the ruling in effect tells parents "tough luck- the government will teach what it wants to your children & parents can go suck wind." They have given court sanction for school districts under their jurisdiction to teach what they please to whoever they please, no matter how outrageous or offensive to parents.

The courts are getting further out of control & the rights of citizens are further eroded. The recent disasterous emminent domain Kelso ruling, whereby the Supreme Court ruled that local & state government can take your property & give it to another private person, immediately reduced citizens to vassles of the state. And some states are quickly jumping on this ruling to take your property away.

Likewise, the smugness of school districts has just gone up a notch & some districts will jump on the 9th Circuit ruling to advance whatever agenda they please now, no matter how outrageous to parents.

Your rights as a citizen, & parent, are slowly being taken away - one ruling at a time. We pray there's a special hell for jackass judges of the likes of the 9th Circuit & Supreme Court.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The start of a new year. Everyone gets another chance. Do it right this time. Best Wishes.