Honoring a true hero: Greg Ebert, Killeen, Texas

If you are familiar with this blog you know that I devote several blogs a year to American, and even International, Heroes.  Some of the heroes I choose to honor are fallen Texas police officers.  At other times, I have honored firefighters and others who have made the ultimate sacrifice while performing their duties.  But one of the unique things I have chosen to do is to honor heroes who risked their lives performing some courageous deed and they survived while doing so.   

Today I would like to honor a man who did his duty and survived, yet he his actions saved untold numbers of soldiers and civilians.  I am speaking of Greg Ebert, one of the employees of Guns Galore, a gun shop in Killeen.  On July 27th, Mr. Ebert noticed a customer seemed to be acting "suspiciously" while purchasing several items, none of which, in themselves, were illegal.  Mr. Ebert reported his suspicions to the police.  A few hours later, police and federal officials caught up with the person at a hotel just off Fort Hood property.  Upon investigation, the police learned that the man, Private First Class Naser Abdo, was actually AWOL from Fort Campbell in Kentucky.  Mr. Abdo (a Muslim in the American Military...hmmmmm) was arrested.  A subsequent search of Mr. Abdo's motel room turned up more material used in making (yell it out when you know, Class) ...yes, in making bombs.  The police surmised that Abdo was only days away, if not hours, from wreaking some act of terror either on the military base or on civilian targets in that area known as the Texas Golden Triangle.

Greg Ebert was caring and vigilant, and was not afraid to get involved, to call the police.  He saw something that looked wrong to him, and he acted on his suspicions.  His actions no doubt saved lives.  And something more, his actions demonstrate to us that 1) our "Government" cannot save us from everything, and 2) the common person is smart enough to take action to protect himself or others by recognizing suspicious activity and then reporting the suspicious activity to the authorities.  In this case, the authorities acted quickly, apparently by attributing some credibility to Mr. Ebert's report.

I am proud to honor Greg Ebert as a true American hero.  Fortunately, we will never know how many lives were saved by this man's courageous action.  And to Mr. Ebert, I hope that now you can have some peace of mind, even though what happened two years ago was not your fault in any way.  For you see, Mr. Ebert, the vigilant store clerk, works in the same gun shop where, in 2009, one Major Nidal Hasan bought a pistol.  Major Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, used the pistol when he murdered several soldiers at Fort Hood that year.  Mr. Ebert did what any of us could, and should do, if called upon.  He was vigilant, as we should be.  He observed suspicious activity and reported it right away.  He did not try to minimize it or explain it away.  And his actions thwarted another act of terror against this nation.

An Interesting Quote: We thought, because we had power, we had wisdom.

I came across this quote a couple of days ago.  I repeated it to myself, and I thought about this great nation in which we live, the United States of America.  The man accredited with this quotation was the poet Stephen Vincent Benet, the son of an American officer of the armed forces.  Mr. Benet was born in 1898, making him about fourteen years old when World War I was fought, meaning that he was a young man during the Great Depression, and that he read the news or saw the news reels portraying the horrors of World War II.  He died in 1943, at the age of forty-four, after suffering a heart attack.  Mr. Benet, like many other Americans, witnessed the greatness and the tragedy that was the American saga.

Mr. Benet observed a great truth, and put it succinctly into one strong and poignant sentence.  It is difficult to know exactly what was on Mr. Benet's mind when he made this statement, but so many events of his day could have inspired the thought, as so many events of our day make this quote so appropriate to current events unfolding in and around this nation.  For me, the idea of power seemingly endowing "the powerful" with "wisdom" relates to this nation's impact on the world.  It seems that as our nation, the United States of America, developed into a world power, the ordinary citizen began dreaming, and then realizing the American dream.  Even more than that, minorities have, over the past fifty years, become full participants in the American dream, culminating with the election of our first Black president.  It seems that almost any dream is actually an unrealized possibility.

Unfortunately, even as we aspired to greatness here in America, it appears that our "Government" aspired to something less noble.  Over the years, our nation has become a "maker of nations."  As the United States became more powerful, particularly after War War II (and I believe our men and women who fought that war were truly the Greatest Generation) this nation involved itself in nation-building through aid to this or that military faction, through international political intrigue and even assassination, to covert and overt military operations to either remove "dangerous opponents" from power or to implant "friendly leaders" as the heads of "strategic ally" nations.  Now, after years of this "nation-building" we see that there is war of varying magnitudes on almost every continent, whether actual armed conflict or in the form of the various "Wars On (INSERT YOUR WAR HERE)."  Our armed forces (and I do support our soldiers whole-heartedly, not so much the "leaders") are stretched to the breaking point as we "bring democracy" to distant nations, whether or not these nations (They The People) want or can even exist under democracy.

Now, in the "Post-9/11 Era" our Government is now turning its power inward, that is Government is, and has been for some time now, imposing its "Wisdom" onto the people, the citizens of this great nation.  In the wake of the Terrorist Attacks, our government has imposed upon us the most radical laws robbing us of our inalienable constitutional rights.  Many of the contents of the USA PATRIOT Act were formulated prior to that terrible day in 2001, but were not enacted because, until then, no self-respecting congressman would have supported such clearly tyrannical powers, and no citizen would have allowed the government to impose such on the people.  Now, a decade later, We, The People, are subject to the most humiliating treatment while attempting to board airplanes and other mass transportation, are subject to warrantless search, property seizure, and arrest in police operations not supervised or overseen by courts, and subject to being arrested and placed in unknown prison facilities without being charged with any crime.

Through all the nation-building, through all the international intrigue, and intermingled with the loss of our civil rights and the eroding of the United States Constitution, that quote by Stephen Vincent Benet is only softly heard in the din of the growing chaos.  "We thought, because we had power, we had wisdom."  The United States Government has grown to monstrous proportions, and the national debt has grown to monstrous proportions as well.  Instead of reigning in and restraining our Government, the People are at the mercy of this creation that is almost omnipotent and omniscient.  The Government feeds on itself, and the People pay the price.  Our politicians won't themselves rein in the Government, and we, the People, are powerless, it seems, to do it ourselves.  The citizens of many nations around the world have been effected by our Government's actions abroad, and United States citizens in our own free nation are finding that freedom is coming with more and more restrictions as our powerful government guards and protects our lives with its great wisdom.  How terrible will be that whisper one day, when we are so "protected" that we can't even leave our homes without a government escort, and we can only hear those words, "We thought, because we had power, we had wisdom."  

A Balanced Budget: No One Has The Guts

That's right.  I truly doubt that anyone in Congress, except Ron Paul,  maybe Rand Paul, has the nerve to actually vote for a balanced budget law or to trim the United States national debt.  You see, there is no way to lower the national debt without cutting the national budget.  Some people say we should RAISE TAXES AND CUT the budget.  They are right on one count.  We do need to cut the budget.  No, we do not need to raise taxes, as the rate of taxation we face today makes the pre-Revolutionary War taxes look like your kid's allowance.  No, as we are being taxed at the highest rate in our history, yet are in the deepest debt in our history, it is clear that MORE TAXES only leads to HIGHER DEBT.  Why is that so hard to learn?  My Democrat friends are busy yelling about how the Republicans are trying to fire teachers, put firemen out of work, and so forth, and that Republican-owned business are taking their jobs overseas, or even just over the southern border.  Let's remember, anyone who WANTS to get re-elected would NOT want to be seen in any of the above categories.  As far as businesses, all the big businesses that are sending jobs out of the states (out-sourcing) are owned by corporations, which are owned by larger corporations, which are governed by boards of directors.  Now, I am REASONABLY sure that corporation boards are pretty much "bi-partisan," as they say. 

One reason they are sending jobs out of this country is that labor, honestly, is cheaper in most other nations.  Now granted, there are some nations that engage in slave labor, and the corporations know it, and do business with these nations anyway.  But granted also, one reason many jobs are lost here is that unions require a certain number of employees on a certain job, and a certain pay-rate for all the employees on the job.  Let me assure you it is not minimum wage.  I wish that every corporation that did business with slave labor governments could be shut down.  I also wish that we could learn exactly how many jobs high-paid unions have lost for their members.  Many other nations have free labor forces that, yes, work for less than union pay.  As long as corporations can get work done cheaper in some way, they will.  That seems to be a lesson we have not learned.

Another reason we lose corporations to overseas locations is, once again, the HIGH TAX rate that corporations pay here.  Now there is corruption and waste in corporations, of course.  But many of the very corporations that we rail at and assail are paying their fair share in other ways.  The countless grants, the huge annual monetary aid provided in communities across the nation by various corporations, all amount to millions of dollars.  Family fortunes contribute millions, if not billions, of dollars in grants to charitable agencies, both domestically and abroad; far more than the "Government money" that is contributed to such agencies.  And remember...No government HAS or OWNS money, but the government RAISES REVENUES by TAXING citizens.  Yes, many corporations, just as do many INDIVIDUALS, cheat the government out of taxes.  But in the end it is HIGH taxes that incite corporations to leave the United States, a choice not available to individuals, except they denounce their citizenship.

But back to our story:  The debt of the United States is out of control and may well be beyond this nation's ability to ever repay.  The national budget, on the other hand, is the one financial tool that IS under control.  One sure way of reducing the national debt is by having a BALANCED BUDGET, just like you and I do at home.  No, you say, we as people do not have balanced budgets, that is, we owe more that we have on hand in cash or assets.  Well, the truth is that most of us are in too much debt, but the other truth is that most of us meet our monthly payments.  What happens when we do not?  Creditors begin calling, and sooner or later our assets are seized by the debtor, as we all have seen in the housing "crisis."  In other words, any individual can become insolvent, but within a few months, the insolvent individual is no longer able to get credit, obtain loans, or buy anything on installments.  Not so with the United States government.  In the case of the US of A, our treasury simply prints more money, sells more bonds, etc., and everything is fine.  Nope! (A free point here: the former insolvent individual is able to become financially solvent in seven years or less even if he files for bankruptcy.  I am reasonably sure that the United States would be allowed back in the world market, even if at less than a AAAA rating, and the sky would not fall on us.)

In the case of the United States, the debt was allowed to rise by politicians of both (or all) parties, with only the "oddball" such as Ron Paul opposing the out-of-control spending.  Incidentally, Ron Paul is elected by his constituents time after time, and may well die in office (is there a lesson here?).  Now the United States debt is out of hand, and again, maybe not even payable.  What have we learned?  First, our social programs, and our constant military expansionism, are not sustainable.  Where are all the "green people" on this subject?  Social security is not sustainable, nor is Obama Care nor any other care.  All of these programs have ballooned out of control.  I am fairly certain that I will not get back what I have paid in to social security when I retire.  Knowing that, I would like to stop paying in to social security NOW, and put that money into investments.  That is what all wise people should be doing anyway.  Medicare...yes, medical costs are too high, medical insurance is too high, but the programs to assist us with paying for health care are not sustainable.  Good intentions are great, taken in moderation.

I hope, but do not really believe, that our Congressman (I am not even going to talk about Mr. Obama) will eventually come to realize that they have a higher purpose than simply being "Congressmen."  They have the purpose of leading the people, and indeed, of saving this nation from the inevitable collapse we are now facing.  Will people suffer?  Yes, they will.  Without government programs many people will not be able to afford medicine and health care.  Hmmm...what did they do before government?  I mean, the United States has been a part of world history for only two centuries.  Entitlement programs have been around only since the Great Depression.  Did you know that people survived, even thrived, for nearly 40,000 years before that?  The Roman Empire collapsed, but people survived, and even thrived.  If the United States somehow returns to a sane form of government, where government assists when appropriate, but does not promote "entitlement," we, the People, will survive.  It may not be pretty, but we can do it.  Our Congressmen do not have the guts to put this kind of government into action, because they believe they will lose their jobs.  Maybe so, but Ron Paul has not lost his (maybe there is a lesson here, too).  Balancing the budget will take guts, and some politicians will not survive the backlash, yet many others will, and the nation will be better for all the sacrifice.   I believe that you and I, We the People, will survive, and will bring our nation back to the forefront, a true world leader that leads the world by promoting a sane, sustainable, charitable, and PEACEFUL government, an actual good example to follow.     

Another Mexican Police Chief Assassinated In Broad Daylight

Santa Catarina Police Chief German Perez was shot at least eight times when several gunmen walked into the police department, then straight to his office.  The killing of a Mexican police executive has been an all too common occurrence in Mexico since President Calderon supercharged the "War On Drugs" and inadvertently brought on a full civil war.  But the killing of Chief Perez was different.  There are some particularly chilling details emerging as state police investigators attempt to bring the killers to justice.

It seems very strange that no one challenged the gunmen.  They parked outside the police building and carried several rifles in plain view.  It is even stranger that the Chief's bodyguards were all indisposed in other places at the time.  Those two circumstances become very significant when it was revealed that three Santa Catarina officers were arrested while apparently spying on some policemen in a neighboring city who were possibly employed by the Zeta gang.  There is also some speculation that the Santa Catarina officers were not doing an "official" investigation, meaning that they were possibly under employ of one of the rival drug gangs.  The murder of Chief Perez on the heal of these officers' arrest smacks of retribution, gangland style.  And the man caught in the middle was Chief Perez.

I am proud to honor Chief Perez in my blog.  He remained at his post of Police Chief of Santa Catarina knowing full well what could happen to him and any of his police officers.  It is very unfortunate that Chief Perez was probably a victim of corrupt policemen who had long ago lost any sense of honor and duty, and the public faith placed in them as police officers.  In the end, they were common criminals, and their Chief paid the price. 

I commend Chief Perez and all other honest police officers of Mexico who continue in their duties when their lives are literally at stake twenty-four hours a day.  Many officers have been slain off-duty and even inside their own homes.  And for many officers, death did not come quickly by a bullet, or several, but by the most horrific means of torture.  Other police officers disappeared from their posts, never to be seen or heard from again.  Yet brave and honest police officers, like Chief Perez, continue their daily mission in spite of it all.  And they, with a disquieting regularity, pay the ultimate price for their devotion to duty.

The Wife Carrying World Championship, Sonkajärvi, Finland July 1-2, 2011

As my readers may recall, I had to work the weekend, and the day of, July 4th, America's Independence.  How ironic to be forced to work on Independence Day!  But I stray...

If I had been free to travel during the holiday, I might well have chosen to attend the Wife Carrying World Championship, held this time each year in Finland.  While this may not seem like a completely PC (politically correct) event, surely the fact that over 6500 people came to watch it must lend it some legitimacy.  And what a way to add a little romance to his and her relationship, if the husband wins, that is...  I suppose if the husband loses, the wife (girlfriend, friend, partner, whatever) is not romantically inclined for the rest of the evening.  If the husband is not able to pick up the bride, he probably should have opted for a seat on the fifty yard line, so to speak.

This year, the winners of the event were Taisto Miettinen and Kristiina Haapanen, both of Finland.  It seems that this is the couple's third win in a row.  They were followed closely by couples from Estonia and Latvia.  The race is .15 miles long, less than a quarter of a mile, but still farther than I could run, and certainly much further than I could run while carrying my wife. 

Mr. Miettinen and Ms. Haapanen have perfected they own technique for the event.  Instead of carrying his partner, Mr. Miettinen concentrates on running hard and fast, while Ms. Haapanen rides over his shoulder in a position similar to what you and I would call the "fireman's rescue carry."  In this case, however, Ms. Haapanen is not simply along for the ride.  Instead, she reaches around Mr. Miettinen with both arms and holds on to her legs.  This leaves Mr. Miettinen totally free to run and wax the competition.  Incidentally, one part of the course is a water obstacle that is waist deep to the average male.  In spite of the water obstacle, Team Miettinen/Haapanen not only won the competition but ran the course in just over one minute.  This was a spectacular finish to a very exciting and unusual race.

Usually I go to my family reunion on the 4th of July, although for the past couple of years I have been working that day.  Next year I will probably miss the family reunion too, but not because I am working.  No my friends, next Independence Day I plan to visit the Wife Carrying World Championship.  But that is not all.  In the weeks and months leading up to Independence, there will be Wife Throwing Contests held all over the world.  From these contests around the world will be selected the finalists who compete in the big one...the Wife Carrying World Championship in Finland.  I am sure I join most of you in hoping that the national events will be televised so that people all around the world can savor the excitement of these events as they happen.   

By the way, you don't have to lose this event for your wife to get upset with you.  Believe me, she will probably send you packing to the spare bedroom when you tell her that you cannot pick her up off the floor.  If your wife suggests that she wants to practice, and you, the smart husband, know that you cannot possibly pick her up, I suggest that you, the smart husband, suddenly trip and sprain your ankle.  In this way you can be spared from both the wife carrying and the possibility of permanent separate bedrooms just because you sort of hinted that she weighs more than she did on your wedding night.  In any case, my congratulations to Mr. Miettenin and Ms. Haapanen as they bask in the glory of their third consecutive Wife Carrying World Championship title.  Oh yeah... one of the prizes this couple won was the wife's weight in their favorite beer.

He's FED UP, But Not Enough To STAND UP FOR TEXAS: Rick Perry

Threepeat Governor Rick Perry shouted to the world in his recent book about how he would stand up to the Federal Government, about how he was Fed UP with Washington and the trampling of the states under the Fed's Jackboots. So how did Threepeat Rick back his "fightin' words?"

Mr. Perry rallied Texans by proclaiming his support of the TSA No-Groping bill, trumpeting his beliefs in DEMOCRACY and STATE'S RIGHTS all over Texas.  BUT...after the No Grope bill passed the Texas House UNANIMOUSLY, the TSA threatened Texas (You and Me, Everyone who may EVER fly on an airliner in Texas) by announcing that it COULD declare Texas a "No Fly Zone" (apparently we TEXANS are now equated with my dear friend Muamar of Libya), thus causing a severe problem for state travelers and those passengers from around the nation and the world who must traverse the friendly skies of Texas.  Not that the TSA has this power, you understand, but they did make the threat.  And Threepeat Rick, like Gov. Wallace of Alabama, had stood on the proverbial steps to keep the Federal Government from groping innocent citizens in Texas airports.  Gov. Perry was a hero.  Now he was free to continue his great betrayal.

Shortly after the threat from the TSA was made known, Lt. Governor Dewhurst, who actually has more power than Threepeat Rick, made his way around the Capitol, calling in favors, and making veiled threats when necessary, to see that the No Grope bill failed in the Senate.  Dewhurst also sent a letter to Threepeat Rick requesting the Governor place the No Grope bill so far down on the list for the Legislative Special Session that it could not possibly be presented for another vote.  Speaker of the House Joe Strauss nailed the final nail in the No Grope coffin by enacting a special rule requiring that 80% of the legislators vote for the bill before it could pass into law.  Of course, Mr. Dewhurst had already assured that enough senators were against the bill to keep it from passing.

The people of Texas, through their representatives, made it clear that they were in support of the No Grope bill.  The Texas House of Representatives UNANIMOUSLY passed the bill.  The will of the people was then trampled by the Top Three Republicans in the State.  Governor Perry, Lt. Governor Dewhurst, and Speaker Strauss used all their power and their tricks to ensure that this bill, hailed by the people of our state and of several others as well (Utah and other states are now sending similar bills to their own legislators) as a means of stopping the runaway federal government, in the form of the TSA, would die without another vote.  Now the other states have seen our political leaders back down in the face of threats of illegal federal action.  I only hope that the other states do not cave in.  How shameful it is that Texas, the Lone Star State, born of the Alamo, should fold without a real fight and leave this battle to the other states.  It is even MORE shameful that the authors of this outrage were our own Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker of the House.

The biggest outrage of all is that Threepeat Rick has shown that his being FED UP with the Federal Government is simply a smoke screen, a sham, to get name recognition across the United States and to appear in the sheep's clothing of a conservative rather than be clearly seen in his wolf business suit as the UN-conservative conniver that he really is.  Remember, he did his level best to get the Superhighway ram-forced down our throats.  How soon was that forgotten as he was elected for his third term.  And now, even after his betrayal of all of us in the killing of the No Grope bill, I am sure there are many Texans, only seeing the Fed Up Threepeat Governor, who will vote for this man again for an unprecedented forth term.  I am afraid this could happen, and, for the first time, I actually hope Perry WILL run for President of the United States.  If he should win, the Great State of Texas would finally be free of this man.  Besides, even Threepeat Rick would not be any worse for the nation than President Barack bin Obama.

US/Texas Law Enforcement 394 - Mexican Drug Runners 6

No, our guys did not engage the drug runners in a highly one-sided soccer game.  Actually, police officers from various local, state, and federal agencies pursued a pickup to the Rio Grande near Abram, Texas.  By the time officers relocated the vehicle, the occupants were out and were paddling across the river toward Mexico, apparently to retrieve Marijuana and transport it back across the river, to the pickup so that it could be taken to points North. 

As Border Patrol agents stood around the pickup, several (six) shots were fired FROM THE MEXICAN BANK OF THE RIO GRANDE.  Bear in mind that no US lawmen could cross the river to pursue the drug runners, and there were no Mexican policemen to apprehend the criminals on THAT side.  So, really, it was not necessary to fire at the US officers.  Well, the US officers, now numbering, well, several, opened fire with assault rifles, shotguns, and handguns, and between all of them fired approximately 394 rounds into the crowd across the way.  Needless to say, further gunfire from that side did not occur.  Some wounded people turned up at Mexican clinics, apparently two DOA.  The Mexican police, finally arriving on the scene, confiscated several bales of marijuana and dispatched a couple of rubber boats to the bottom of the Rio Grande, some inches lower than the top of the Rio Grande.

Now, you may ask, is THIS blogger upset with the much one-sided response of our troopers firing over three hundred rounds into the midst of the doper gang that had only fired SIX shots at the policemen?  Not all.  In fact, I believe that this type of response will discourage the criminals from violating international law by firing across the border into the United States of Texas, I mean of America.  I believe that, since the US government has not seen fit to SECURE OUR BORDER, then it is only natural that policemen (who are not trained to be, and should not be expected to be, soldiers) should take extraordinary means and tactics to let it be known that they will not be shot down by the Mexican thugs like those criminals are doing to their own policemen and soldiers. 

The only disturbing aspect of this affair is that it appears that Mexican authorities are wanting the United States to discipline the various officers involved in this incident.  By the way, two Texas game wardens were assaulted in the darkness just prior to the gunfire by two or more Mexicans throwing large rocks.  No, not gravel, but rocks weighing a pound or more.  The game wardens were treated at a hospital for their injuries.  The Mexican government cannot control its border, and cannot even control its interior.  But they want the United States to chastise American officers for defending our border and attempting to thwart smugglers.  Does anyone see something wrong with this picture?  Mexico is losing (or has lost) its "War On Drugs."  The War On Drugs has become in reality a war for the very survival of that nation.  Shame on our own government for refusing to call it what it is, a Mexican civil war, and for not taking action to stop the war from crossing the Rio Bravo.  Shame on our government for refusing to bring military forces to bear on the invasion that is still happening on our borders.  Shame on our government for leaving civilian police agencies to stand as our only defense when our borders are being over-run and our officers are facing well-armed, well-funded criminals, and occasional confrontations with the Mexican police or armed forces.

No, I am not upset with our policemen.  I am glad they are alive at the end of the shift.  Two Mexican citizens died, others were seriously injured, and that is a shame.  Yet they all made the decision to attempt to ILLEGALLY cross the border to ILLEGALLY transport ILLEGAL drugs and whatever else into this nation.  I commend our police, at all levels, for having the courage and the character to stand and do their job, and even take on a military function, to defend our borders when the "Government" has taken precious little action at all to accomplish the same purpose. 

Now, our Government IS doing "something."  I hear rumours that two more "drone" aircraft MAY be sent to the southern border (patrolling from Texas to California!) and also, as you recall, Ms. Napolitano wants to fund drug treatment programs on the US side.  She reasons with less customers, there will be less reason to smuggle dope into the United States.  Of course, the money will be sent to border towns.  Does she really think the majority of drugs are STOPPING at the border?  Well, for me, I prefer the action that our armed forces, I mean our local, state, and federal police are forced to take in the absence of any direct response from DC.  No, the shootout will not stop all drug smuggling and illegal border crossing, but now there are at least TWO Mexican criminals who will no longer be taking part in those activities.

An Officer's Last Watch: Beaumont Police Officer Bryan M. Hebert - July 9, 2011

In what has to be one of the most calloused acts of cowardly but intentional murder of a police officer, a fleeing suspected felon deliberately drove head on into a parked police car while the officer was behind the vehicle retrieving stop sticks from the trunk.  He likely never saw the suspect approaching.  In any case, the suspect, driving a large sport utility vehicle, rammed head on into the squad car, demolishing the police car and forcing it several yards backwards, striking the officer in the process.  This murder was particularly savage and senseless because the fleeing suspect had three other lanes to use, so obviously the man had choices, and made the worst one he could make.  Yes, the man is charged with capital murder but the deed is done and a good officer is gone now.

Officer Hebert had been with Beaumont PD for ten years.  He was single and leaves his parents and siblings behind.  My prayers go out to his family and to Officer Hebert's colleagues on the Beaumont police force, several of whom witnessed the officer's murder.  I am proud to honor this hero on my blog, not because he was killed, but because he did his job for the people of Beaumont KNOWING that something like this could happen any time, with no warning. He made the ultimate sacrifice yesterday.  Now Heaven has another officer, and the thin blue line is one man thinner today.

Stop Illegal Border Crossing and Drug Smuggling By Providing Grants For Drug Treatment

Did that idea sound stupid to you, too? Luckily it is not MY idea.  This is Ms. Janet Napolitano's latest burst of genius.  She is, of course, the Secretary of Homeland Security.  Madam Secretary tells us that, while the efforts along the border to stop illegal crossing, drug smuggling, and human trafficking will continue, the federal government should also begin providing grants to border towns and cities to provide treatment for drug abusers.  If the abusers were treated, the smuggling of drugs would stop, yes?  Well, wait a minute.  I thought the United States had been providing drug treatment money for years, from counseling all the way to free needles.  After fifty or so years of this, the drug problem dried right up!  Uh...no it did not.  It is just as bad, if not worse, than it ever was.  The drug treatment grants would be earmarked for the towns along the border.  I have another question: Why? Are the drugs stopping in the border towns? Umm...no.  Are the drugs staying within the borders of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California?  Again, no!  So where do we send the grant money?  And again, that approach has worked wonders up to this point.  Right!

Ms. Napolitano also tells us that the numbers of drug smuggler and illegal alien arrests are up.  It was just a few weeks ago we were told that the numbers were DOWN.  I am not sure which it is, but I lean toward down, because so many drug smugglers have been killed in the cartel wars, and because would-be border crossers are afraid to travel through Mexico to cross the border, so it would seem likely that numbers would be down in that respect as well.  Unfortunately neither of these statistics have been impacted by US federal policy.  Ms. Napolitano also once again made the empty assertion that border safety is at an all time high.  I WOULD say ask the border residents but since the border towns (on the south side) are largely empty, or else under direct control of the cartels, we would find it very difficult to ask the residents ANYTHING.  But the bodies are stacking up with quite regular regularity.  I don't really feel any encouragement in believing that the body count is down just because someone told us it is.  They are still uncovering mass graves with fairly new bodies in them.

But, back to my headline.  Let's slow the drug smuggling and other border issues by providing grant money to the border communities so that they can treat the people who have drug problems.  This will in turn slow down the border crossing problem.  I miss the link here.  I know we have a border mess, but there are two different issues.  One is illegal aliens entering the United States.  The other is the Mexican government's "War on Drugs" and the related cartel violence.  These two issues boil down to one problem.  Our southern border is not secure, and the lives of our citizens who live along the border are, in turn, not secure.  And, as we learned by the killing of a policeman in Houston, even people who do not live near the border are placed "at risk" by our insecure border.  No, Ms. Napolitano, grants to provide treatment for drug addicts will not protect our borders, nor slow the border crossings and border crime.  I would suggest the the millions of dollars to be outlaid for drug treatment be instead diverted to the US military, while at the same time our troops should be withdrawn from those countries overseas that don't even want us there.  The money could then be used to provide funds for our troops to "occupy" our side of the border.  Then, with the full might of the military brought to bear, our borders could be truly secured, the illegal immigration problem would at least be slowed, and the drug smugglers, if not totally shut down, would at least have to go through much great expense and troubles to ship their drugs across our newly secured borders.      

Caylee Marie Anthony

I titled my blog with this sweet baby's name so that it will be forever memorialized in this blog. And I will never write her mother's name here. We all witnessed today what appears to be a miscarriage of justice, to the scale of another person who was found "not guilty" of two killings several years ago. I did not agree with today's verdict and I did not agree with that one of years past.

But our American system of justice is probably the best one in the world, at least in the original trial process. I think the English system could teach us a thing or two about appeals, but that is for another day. I am sure that there is a sense of outrage around the nation as many people say to one another "she got away with murder." The beauty, and the frustration, of the American system of justice is that a person is "presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law." The key words are "presumed innocent" and "proven guilty."

The United States Constitution guarantees that you and I, no matter what people think of us, whether we are liked or reviled, are PRESUMED INNOCENT, not by the news, not by the police, not even by the "people" but by THE COURT and THE JURY. Then, when the State (or the government) presents its case, the State MUST PROVE the defendant GUILTY by providing facts that prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Not beyond ANY doubt or A SHADOW OF A DOUBT as per Perry Mason, but a reasonable doubt. When a jury is not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury MUST render a NOT GUILTY verdict.

There will be many times that we do not agree with a jury's verdict, for the American system of justice is weighed heavily in the favor of the defendant, and with good reason. All one need do is review a few criminal cases in old England history to find all the "whys" that the State must prove its case, and must do so legally, that is by following a Code of Criminal Procedure. From reasonable suspicion to guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, if the State cannot prove its case, then the jury must find a person "not guilty." We saw that today and now that must be the end. This horrible woman was not convicted and our system worked the way it was meant to work.

My concern is not this woman and what fortune she might reap from movie offers and such. My concern is for the family that lost a little grand daughter and a sweet angel. This little girl lived a short and horribly sad life with a pathetic person for a mother. How I wish that sweet baby had not been killed. I know her grandparents would gladly have taken her if the mother had but asked. Now Caylee's loved one must take comfort in simply knowing that Caylee is with our Lord and will never be abused, will never suffer in any way again.

Heaven received a new little angel three years ago. Tonight the mother of this child was found "not guilty" of killing her. Instead of allowing one horrible pathetic excuse for a human to darken the nation's mood, I hope we can all think of Caylee being cared for perfectly in the hands of the Good Shepherd who said "Let the little children come to me." And we can also take some comfort in knowing that the mother still must account for her child to God at some point. God said in Genesis Chapter 4:10

Listen! Your brother's blood cries to me from the ground.

I hope that we do not lose faith in the great American system of justice, for if we do, and if we give in to the emotional and natural desire to "get justice" we will all lose something precious and valuable. We will lose a system of justice that, while it occasionally miscues, usually metes out justice to the guilty, and redeems the innocent. I for one cannot think of another nation in the world in whose justice system I would rather be tried than right here in our own American system. God Bless America

Fourth of July and Family Reunions

I found out Friday afternoon that I would not be making the annual trip to Gatesville to the family reunion that has been, for at least the last fifty years, held each Fourth of July.  For years it was held at the beautiful Mother Neff State Park, along the banks of the muddy and slow moving Leon River.  In the past few years, the reunion has been held in Gatesville at one of the community centers.  But in either case, it was always so much fun and so much joy to meet with over a hundred relatives each year, to talk about the changes and events of the past year, to play games, listen to the annual sing alongs (yes, SOME of the Meeks family and relatives have musical talent), and of course, to eat the various dishes proferred by the many fine cooks in the family. 

The good thing about missing the reunion, of course, is that I will also miss out on the weight gain that goes along with over-eating by several pounds.  But there are so many relatives I would love to have seen in person.  Yet, I know I will have a great time this Fourth of July.  Yes, I will work the day, but will be off in the evening with the family and relatives that live in this neck of the woods.  The spirit of the Fourth of July is not diminished by the disappointment of missing the family reunion.  There will be fireworks displays in the area, there will be good food (I may gain the pounds I thought I was going to miss), and there will be comraderie both at work during the day and at home (wherever we end up for the evening!).  Most important of all, there will be the spirit of the Fourth of July!

The Spirit of the Fourth of July is not contained by the boundaries of anyone's home, any city in Texas, or even by the borders of this nation.  All over this nation, and wherever American soldiers and citizens may be, people will see hundreds of American flags on display, or banners and bunting of red, white, and blue.  And we well all be reminded of the chance our Founding Fathers took, the risks that many ordinary people accepted, the suffering and hardships many people went through, not just for a day or a few weeks, but for years, as they fought what must have seemed an undefeatable force with endless resources.  But they hung on, those colonists that we now call Patriots, though they were legally treasonists by British law.  Now, these two hundred and some odd years later, we can remember the founding of this nation, the heroes of that day, and also the heroes of our own times as well.  So I will not spend the day as I would have preferred, but I will spend the day enjoying the freedom and the blessings of this great nation.  God Bless America, and long live the Red, White, and Blue. 

Pfc. Josue Ibarra - Hero From Midland, Texas

This Fourth of July will be much more special, and no doubt a little more sad, than previous Independence Days, for a particular family in Midland, Texas.  Yesterday Maria and Daniel Ibarra said their final goodbye to their youngest son, Josue.  Josue was critically injured by an IED explosion in Afghanistan this past Saturday.  He died of his injuries within hours, on Sunday morning.  His body was returned to Midland earlier this week and his funeral service was held yesterday.

When the jet landed at Midland International Airport, there were hundreds of people on hand, mostly strangers.  A few people present were loved ones and friends of the fallen soldier, but most of the people there had never met him and probably would not have met him even if his life had not been cut short.  But these people gathered at the airport to show their honor for this young marine and his sacrifice, and to show their love and support for his family. 

On the day of the funeral, the Ibarra's church house was filled to overflowing with family, friends, and members of the community.  Hundreds more people lines the street outside the church.  After the service, the procession from the church to the cemetery was led by perhaps fifty police cars, and the funeral coach was escorted by the Patriotic Guard motorcycle club.  As the procession passed through Midland heading south toward the cemetery, many hundreds of people lines the streets or stopped their vehicles and stood in respect as the procession went by.  Many people waved American flags or had flags on their vehicles.  It was a community coming together to support another family in the loss of their loved one to the War on Terror.

I too pay my respects to this young man, and add my condolences to the many said by the people of Midland.  Josue was cut down in the prime of his life while serving his country, and even more, doing his assigned tasks in the face of clear and present danger.  I personally do not agree with the "War on Terror," but that is not the point of this blog.  Today I honor Josue for his sacrifice, and his willingness to be a Marine, knowing that this fate possibly waited for him and his colleagues.  Josue knew that his life could be lost at any moment, but he did his job, and he was a Marine.  His sister, Adriana, said it this way,“He joined the military because he believed in what our country was fighting for and that he was going to make a difference. He always thought that things could change and be better.”

A Marine, or any service man or woman, is expected to carryout his or her duties and obey his or her orders, under all conditions, including during forays directly into harm's way.  That is easier said than done, however.  But Josue, and many others like him, did indeed fully follow through on their orders; Josue did his duty, and paid the ultimate price - made the ultimate sacrifice.  I know that his family is still hurting, and will hurt and be sad for some time to come.  I know they will look at this Fourth of July with new eyes, feeling the direct impact of the sacrifice their son and brother made for all of us.  Independence means freedom, but independence is certainly not free.  So let us all honor Josue and the other heroes who are not with us in body this Fourth of July, and let us remember the sacrifice they made for liberty.  But, equally important, let us take a few minutes at some point over the holiday, to honor the living soldiers who carry on in spite of seeing death all around them, in spite of watching their friends die in foreign lands and endless wars.  For we who remain behind in the safety offered by this great nation can only do so as long as our young patriots, such as Josue, are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for Freedom.