A Happy Ending: Deputy Spillman Survives Attempted Murder Of A Peace Officer

I just posted a blog honoring three  fallen Texas Peace Officers.  My cousin, a police officer at Baylor University, informed me of Deputy Spillman's brush with death in Waco this week.  Lt. Spillman was shot while he and other officers confronted a kidnapper and the kidnapper's victim in one of the rougher parts of Waco.

The shooter had kidnapped his on-again-off-again girlfriend and police were called.  During the confrontation and rescue of the hostage, Lt. Johnny Spillman was shot by the suspect.  The suspect then received his just reward in the form of several police bullets, and is now in the hospital in critical condition.  Deputy Lt. Spillman is at home with his family and will get to celebrate one more Christmas with them.

The victim and the shooter had a relationship that had gone on for several years, and had involved calls to the police in the past.  It is a shame that officers must put their lives on the line for victims who continue in deadly relationships even though they have been abused, humiliated, and even injured by the person who "loves" them and without whom the victims just can't go on living.

Having been an officer for several years, then a child welfare investigator for several years, yes...I am aware that victims trapped in abusive relationships find it difficult to get out of those relationships for many reason, not the least of which is fear for their lives at the hands of their significant other.  Yet, for all those reasons to leave, many victims remain in the relationship.  That is their choice.  The bad thing is that these victims not only endanger their lives, their children's lives, their relatives' lives, but also the lives of officers who must come (often numerous times) to save them from the harmful and often deadly attacks by their significant others.  In the end, even though we have sympathy and compassion for those victims, they are still adults who made obviously informed choices, and remained in harmful relationships.  And like in this case, it so often innocent people who pay the price for the "victim's" choices. 

May the Good Shepherd continue to watch over the officers who place their lives at risk to protect those who do not have that same respect for their own lives.

Prayers to Lt. Spillman for his speedy recovery.

End Of Watch for Three Texas Peace Officers: Deputy Adam Davis, Sergeant Investigator Adam Sowders, and Officer Robert Deckard

Due to uncontrollable circumstances, I have been off the grid, so to speak, for several days.  Sadly, as I return to my blog, it is to honor three Texas Peace Officers, all who were killed since December 11th, 2013.  I have made it a ministry of sorts to honor all fallen Texas Peace Officers in my blog, but it is still a somber duty, and with the pain I feel, I cannot even imagine what the families of these officers must be going through, how these officers' colleagues must miss them.  All of their deaths were related to situations of high risk, though in reality every time an officer confronts someone, it is a high risk situation.  It is in believing that a contact is "routine" that an officer exposes a weakness.  People outside law enforcement tend to wonder why that police officer that wrote the traffic ticket kept his hand hovering near his gun throughout the contact.  Some may wonder why that police woman seems so cold and unfriendly while taking a report.  In fact there is no routine situation for a police officer simply because the officer never knows when his or her life will be threatened, as officers must react, while a criminal can act whenever he wants, especially when he is at the advantage, either through numbers, or through the officer's ignorance that the "civilian" he is talking to just murdered someone down the road.

On December 11th, Deputy Adam Davis of the Bell County Sheriff's Office, responded to a call of someone brandishing a firearm and threatening those around him.  The officer drove as fast as he safely could in order to reach the scene, which was several miles from the location where the deputy received the call.  Deputy Davis put the safety of others over his own as he drove at rescue speed on a treacherous Central Texas farm road.  Unfortunately the officer lost control of his vehicle and died in the resulting car crash.  May God bless his family and his fellow officers. 

Just a few days later, on December 19th, Sergeant Investigator Adam Sowders of the Burleson County Sheriff's Office, made the ultimate sacrifice as he and other officers forcibly entered a residence where a wanted felon was hiding inside.  As officers entered, the criminal opened fired and struck Sergeant Sowders several times.  The officer died at the scene, while the suspect meekly surrendered as he realized the numbers were stacked against his continued resistance.  May God bring peace to this officer's wife, children, and friends.

The very next day, Police Officer Robert Deckard of the San Antonio Police Department, spotted a vehicle that had been used in fifteen bank robberies in and near San Antonio.  The officer pursued the vehicle, which was occupied by two men, into neighboring Atascosa County.  During the pursuit, one of the suspects opened fired, sending several rounds into the officer's windshield.  One of the bullets struck Officer Deckard in the head.  The injury was fatal, but the officer also suffered other injuries as his vehicle crashed after he was shot.  Again, as is so often the unfortunate case, the two suspects meekly surrendered when they were confronted by several police officers in Wilson County.  Even after Officer Deckard was mortally wounded, he continued service to others, as he had previously designated himself as an organ donor.  May the Good Shepherd be with this family and with Officer Deckard's colleagues, and comfort them.

I am proud to honor these men with my blog space.

 

An Officer's Last Watch: Deputy Adam Davis, Bell County Sheriff's Department

The people of Texas lost another Peace Officer this week when Deputy Sheriff Adam Davis, of the Bell County Sheriff's Office succumbed to injuries he sustained in a one-vehicle accident.  Deputy Davis had served as a peace officer in several agencies in Bell County, including the Rogers Police Department and the Troy Police Department.

On December 11th, Deputy Davis was responding to a report of a man brandishing a weapon near Troy.  As the deputy drove at emergency speeds on FM 1237, he lost control of his vehicle on a very sharp curve.  Peace officers often put the safety of other citizens over their own as they try to come to the aid of other persons, usually people they do not even know.  Officers are not only at risk when they face persons with guns or other weapons, but also when they must speed down rural roads and highways to reach distant parts of their jurisdictions. 

Officer Davis did his best to place himself between citizens and the person threatening them with immediate harm.  In so doing, he paid the highest price a peace officer can be called on to pay.  The Deputy left behind a wife and a young son.  May the Good Shepherd comfort this family, and the officers who lost a friend and fellow deputy.  I am saddened but honored to offer my sympathy and respect for Deputy Davis here on the pages of this blog.

May God bless and protect all police officers as they do they their jobs, regardless of the danger they face in the performance of their duties.

 

A Parable We Call "The Prodigal Son" Part 4

Yesterday, what a glad and happy reunion we saw, when the son completed his journey home, yet, while he was still afar, no doubt dreading the impending meeting with his father, the father ran to him.  Yes, the father RAN TO HIM while he was still at a great distance.  The father fully accepted his son back into the family.  In fact, the father did not even let the son finish the speech he had rehearsed for days.  Instead, the father clothed the son in the best robe to be found on the property, gave the son a ring (which I believe was a family signet ring, but that is an opinion only!), and placed new sandals on his youngest son's blistered and dirty feet.  Then the fatted calf was slaughtered, a great celebration followed, and the family, as well as the servants on hand, began to be merry!  A great reunion was had by all!

Well, almost all.  Like I said yesterday, I have often wished the parable ended right here.  But Jesus was not finished.  He had yet another lesson to teach.  So we read today that the older son was not at the celebration.  In fact, he did not know that his brother had returned or that the fatted calf was slaughtered.

It happened that, presumably because everyone was so overjoyed with the prodigal son's return, no one went into the field to tell the great news to the older and more faithful brother.  The brother toiled through the day and finished his work.  Only in the evening, at the end of his labor, did he begin the long walk from the fields back to the family home.  As the older brother neared home, he began to hear the music and dancing, the shouting and the laughter.  He sent one of his servants ahead to find out the reason for all this clamor.  The servant returned with the good news!  I can hear the servant shouting with joy, "Rejoice, for your lost brother has returned!  They have slaughtered the fatted calf, and everyone is at the party but you.  Come, let us celebrate!"  The servant's words here are just my conjecture, but I think this must be fairly close to what was said.  I can almost see the servant tugging at the older brother's arm, trying to hurry him to the celebration, to the glad reunion.

The older brother immediately began rejoicing at the glad news....well. no.  Not really.

In fact, the older brother was filled with anger.  The Good Shepherd said in St. Luke Chapter 15:28, "But he was angry and would not go in."  I suspect "angry" was a rather kind and subdued word for what the brother was actually feeling at that moment.  In any case, he told the servant he would not even enter the home, much less join the celebration.  But the father, so happy that the lost son had returned, went himself to his older son and pleaded, yes, begged his son to enter the party, to join the family in celebrating the return of the prodigal son.  But the son was angry beyond comfort, even though his father wanted him so badly to join the celebration.

Here is what the older son told his father: (St. Luke Chapter 15)

²⁹ So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. ³⁰ But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

How I wish the parable had ended with the celebration, but the Good Shepherd had to explain another great truth to us, even though this truth is not necessarily good news.  You see, the older brother can be seen as representative of many of the Lord's servants today.  They have worked for the Lord for years, doing good and helping those around them.  But somewhere along the way they, like the older brother, lost their joy in their service.  Their Christian lives became not a source of joy and strength, but of tasks and chores, of rules and commands.  They were Christians, yes, but they found little joy and happiness in their service.  And they became bitter and envious.

The older son worked for his father, not because it was a good way to earn a living, not because he was helping his father sow and reap in the fields, but because he believed that he was EXPECTED to work at these tasks, but never to have joy, never to celebrate.  And not only that, the older brother probably spent a lot of time watching his younger brother as the younger man worked in the fields.  Maybe the brother was a little too happy, a little too light-hearted as he worked.  Maybe he was too pleasant and kind to the servants, who were not part of the family.  The longer the brother labored for his father, the more bitter he became.  I believe he was so bitter that he NEVER ASKED his father for a feast.  He never asked his father to allow him a party with his friends, and to kill the fatted calf.  Why, he even told himself, my father would not even let me have a miserable, sick goat to share with my friends.  He felt sorry for himself as he labored day after day, unnoticed by his father, he believed.  No doubt he was bitter even before the younger son took his inheritance and left the family. 

When the older brother learned that his little brother had gotten his inheritance and left the family land, I suspect that he was almost glad his little brother was gone.  Did he even hope his brother would not return?  But while the prodigal son was gone, the older brother still labored and toiled in bitterness.  This is apparent because he never asked his father for anything, even a party with his friends.  But something else was apparent, too.  The older son, through means unknown, had somehow kept track of his little brother.  He knew his brother had engaged in prodigal living.  He also no doubt knew that his brother had squandered away his father's wealth then was penniless when famine struck that distant land.  Since we know that the prodigal son nearly starved, and only saved himself by becoming a swineherd, it is clear that the older brother never lifted a finger to help his sibling.

But the father explained to his son: (St. Luke Chapter 15)

³¹ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. ³² It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”

Jesus, the Good Shepherd Himself, tells us that we who labor for Him are with Him, and He is with us ALWAYS.  All that He has, He has given us, including eternal life.  The Good Shepherd gave us peace and joy as we serve Him and as we walk with Him, the kind of peace and joy not found in the world at large.  He gave us the "fatted calf" so that we can celebrate and be happy in Him at any time.  How much more should we be happy and joyous when we learn that a lost brother or sister has at last returned to the Lord, and we have the privilege to celebrate with the person, because in reality we are celebrating with Jesus.

So, in a way, I wish the parable had ended with the celebration of the prodigal son's return.  On the  other hand, the Good Shepherd had a bigger purpose with this parable, and I have come to see that purpose as well.  In this parable we are taught both to work for Him, and to find joy in our work.  We are taught that it is good to be faithful and obedient, but if we stray, we are always welcomed back with celebration.  And, we are taught that we can celebrate our blessings anytime; therefore, working for the Lord  should never be unpleasant and obligatory toil, but should be our way to express our love and care for our fellow Christians, for our fellow man, and for the Lord.

The Parable of The Prodigal Son is and will always be one of my favorite parables.  At different times in my life, I have found myself in the shoes of both the bitter and envious older brother, and in the beaten and worn out sandals of the prodigal son.  How great is it to be a faithful servant to the Good Shepherd, but how great it is to know that if we fall short, we are always welcomed back by Him, and thus we SHOULD always welcome back our brothers and sisters in the Lord, when they have strayed but then return.

May God Bless You

A Parable We Call "The Prodigal Son" Part 3

When we left the prodigal son yesterday, he had started out on the long trip back to his father's land, and he had decided that he could only hope to be hired on as a servant, having lost, he believed, his status as his father's son.  Things are looking bleak for the young man as he finally headed home, but he did not know his father as well as he thought.  He had turned his back on his father, disdained his father's blessing and squandered it all, and finally had worked tending swine, which he not only had to care for, but undoubtedly he also had to touch these animals and tread in their filth.  Surely his father would refuse to let the young man even enter the family home, but rather would cast him out to live with the other hired servants.

Unknown to the prodigal son however, the father was in fact watching for his son.  The Good Shepherd tells us in St. Luke 15:20 "But when he was STILL A GREAT WAY OFF (emphasis mine)his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and FELL ON HIS NECK AND KISSED HIM (emphasis mine again)!"  This father was not a grudge-bearing father at all, but was full of mercy and compassion.  And we see that he did not even wait for his son, but went running to him while the son was still a long way off, still at a distance.  The Good Shepherd himself is never far from us, and runs to us even when we ours selves have gone afar, and remain at a distance.  God never runs away from us, but certainly runs TO us when we take just a few steps back to him.  He comes the rest of the way to meet us!

The prodigal son saw his father running to meet him.  We are not told whether the son started running to meet the father, but what a scene the Good Shepherd relates to us at their meeting.  The father does not reach out his hand to shake his son's hand, but literally falls on his son's neck, we might think of it as a bear hug, and begins kissing his son, a custom still seen in the Middle East today.  The father must have smothered his son with his loving embrace and his kiss of acceptance.  No doubt the father was shedding tears as well, and telling his son how much he had missed him.

At this point the son, having worked himself somewhat loose from the father's embrace, launches forth into his prepared speech.  Remember, I pointed out earlier that the speech consisted of three elements.  So the son tells his father, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son."  The prodigal son was able to make two points, that he was a sinner and had shamed his father, and that he was no longer worthy to be called his son. Before he could utter the third part of his rehearsed speech, however, the father cut him off. 

I can see the father cover his son's mouth as he began giving orders to the servants.  And notice what those orders were.  The servants were told to bring out the best robe and put it on the son, to place a ring on his hand, and sandals on his feet.  The father wanted there to be no doubt that this young man was his son, and would be treated like his son, and welcomed back home in the highest way, by killing the "fatted calf" and cooking it.  Then they made merry!  It was such a celebration, and the father was happy to the point of being overjoyed, "for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found."  And they began to be merry. (St. Luke 15:24)

The use of the word "merry" is not an accident, not a random selection of a synonym for "happy."  No, merry signifies a degree of happiness that is not an everyday thing.  This level of happiness is used rarely in the English language; in fact, we usually use it in ONLY ONE instance: that is when we wish our friends and loved ones a merry Christmas!  So the father, his son, presumably his mother (the Bible does not say this, so I am not forcing this on anyone), and all the assembled servants began to make merry!  There was much noise, much music and dancing.  We read in St. Luke Chapter 15:7, "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, who need no repentance."  What a happy scene! The prodigal son was home, and was not taken in as a hired hand but as his father's beloved son.

No matter how far you may have wandered from the Good Shepherd, no matter how badly you think you have ruined your life, this parable teaches that us that while one is still yet far away from the Good Shepherd, He will run to meet the poor sinner, embrace him with His tender, yet strong comforting embrace and His kiss of love, and will take him back, not as a poor, unworthy servant, but as a son of the Good Shepherd Himself, once again worthy to receive the blessings promised in the Gospels.

I have to tell you that from the very first time I read this parable, I wished that the story had ended with the party.  There was so much joy, so much happiness, that this lost son was home.  But the story unfortunately, does not end here.  For you see, there was one person who was not present at that great celebration.  The older brother was at that very minute in the field working.  No one had even gone to tell him that his younger brother had returned!  Did you realize that the older son had finished that day's work and was walking toward home for the evening when he first heard the noise? 

Next time: The older brother is not so happy...

 

A Parable We Call "The Prodigal Son" Part 2

Yesterday we saw that the prodigal son had asked for, and indeed received, the blessing of his inheritance, even though this thoughtless and selfish son was both dishonoring and shaming his father.  But Jesus said in St. John Chapter 14:13 "Whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do for you."  So when this younger son ask his father for his birth right, the father gave it to him, just as he had asked.  And this son took the blessings, the wealth, his father had given him and went to a foreign land, where, we are told, the son engaged in "prodigal" living. 

One definition of the word "prodigal" is "spending wealth or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant."  We are also told that the son went to a "far land" or in some versions of the Bible, a foreign land.  But wherever the prodigal son went, it was apparently not so far from his home that word of his way of life did not reach his family, as we will see later.  But here is an interesting detail.  The prodigal son lived his wasteful, extravagant lifestyle for several years, until two things happened.  First he ran out of money.  But, no sooner had he run out of money than a famine struck the land.  So, he could turn to his friends for food, right?  Wrong!  It turned out that this young man, shunned and forgotten by his fair-weather friends, was in danger of starving to death.  What could be worse for this young man than starving to death? 

It happened that things COULD get worse.  The prodigal son could not find any means to support himself, so in desperation he hired himself out to a landowner.  Guess where the son, a Hebrew, was assigned to work.  In fact, he was assigned by this rich man to work caring for swine.  In the Hebrew culture, swine were unclean and were not to be eaten or even touched.  But this was the only way the young man could survive, so he cared for the swine.  And, he noticed that he was barely given enough food to eat, while the swine were well-fed...by him!  The Good Shepherd tells us that here, at this low point, the prodigal son "came to himself."  It is usually when we are down at a low point that we come to our senses, as it were.  The young man, Jesus says, wished he could eat the very food the pigs received, but he was not even allowed to do that.  Then the prodigal son came up with a plan.

The prodigal son knew that he had done wrong, both in the way of life in which he had lately indulged, and in the way he had dishonored his father, and squandered the great gifts his father had given him.  The young son had done a stupid thing, but he was not a stupid person.  So he realized he needed to return to his father, even though it would be in a state of shame and humiliation.  The young man even rehearsed what he would say to his father when he returned.  The Good Shepherd tells us that the prodigal son decided he would say, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” (St. Luke 15:18-19)

I would like to point out that the speech this young man devised for his father consisted of three elements.  First, the son confessed that he had sinned against heaven and before his father.  Second, the son expressed his self-judgment that he was no longer worthy to be called his father's son.  Finally, the son expressed his desire to return to the father's care as a HIRED SERVANT, not as a son.  So, when the prodigal son finally reached his father's land, he planned to say these three things to his father.  The prodigal son appeared certain of two things: one, he was no longer his father's son; and two, his father MIGHT be kind enough to let him stay and work the land, BUT ONLY as a SERVANT.

Next time: The father sees his son coming from afar.

A Parable We Call "The Prodigal Son" Part 1

One of my favorite parables from the Good Shepherd is found in St. Luke Chapter 15: 11-32.  It is sometimes called the Parable of the Lost Son, but I know it is the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  This parable has a story to tell, lessons to show us, that are in some ways the very opposite of what the Good Shepherd taught us about love and giving, and about the true meaning of Christmas, that is that God loved all of us so much that HE GAVE to us Jesus, who was Emmanuel (God WITH us).  Jesus taught many things, but the most important thing He taught us was that no greater love has a man for his friends that to give his life for them.  Jesus not only taught the principle, He lived it, and especially He DIED IT.

The Prodigal Son, in some ways, illustrates the opposite principles, yet it teaches us positive life lessons, nonetheless.  As we know, a rich man had two sons, both of whom worked faithfully and did as they were told.  However, a time came when the YOUNGEST son seemed to grow tired of working on the family land, doing the chores expected of him.  So he threw down his tools, went to his father, and demanded that his father give him his inheritance.  The father did so, and the younger son turned his back on his father, left his older brother laboring in the fields, and set on his journey to find his place in the world.  As we know, the younger son went to a foreign land, where over the next few years he spent every dime he had on partying and on false friends who wanted only to live off his money.

As I read this parable over the years, I came to believe that the father represented Jesus, and that the sons represented Christians who were to receive the promise of Jesus, that is the unknown riches we will receive when we leave this world and meet Jesus in Heaven.  What I did not grasp for many years was the underlying context of the son's request, that is the disrespect and dishonor that the son showed to his father by asking for his inheritance while the father was yet alive.  Especially in the Hebrew culture would this young man's request have been a slap in his father's face, and would it have brought shame on this family.  Just imagine going to your parents and telling them, look, I know you are still alive, but I want my inheritance now.  Not only was this a terrible and obscene request, but it violated another Hebrew custom, which was that the first-born son always received his inheritance before the younger children could receive theirs.

So we see that the prodigal son was thankless, greedy, selfish, and willing to shame his parents and disrespect his brother just so he could get his own share of the inheritance and go out to see the world.  What a far cry from the One who was willing to give everything, even His life, to save you and me.

NEXT TIME: The Prodigal Son squanders his wealth, then tries to return to his father.

The Fourth Thursday In November

Most Americans, from the post-Civil War era to the present day, have celebrated Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday of November.  I, for one, thought "Thanksgiving" had been on the fourth Thursday ever since the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock.  The "Pilgrims" had a terrible year in 1620, but had a successful harvest in 1621, thanks largely to the assistance given them by Native Americans.  Actually, however, Thanksgiving Day, as we know it, originated in the midst of that terrible conflict known as the War Between The States, the American Civil War.

In  October, 1863 President Lincoln, perhaps due to Sarah Josepha Hale's three decade campaign, issued a proclamation that proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November.  Further, Mr. Lincoln called for this day to be observed annually.  Actually, prior to the Lincoln proclamation, several states had declared their own "thanksgiving day," but the dates varied with each state.  The President's proclamation served to standardize the celebration and give it national status. 

Americans take their Fourth Thursday Thanksgiving very seriously, it seems.  During the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt took the extraordinary measure of ordering Thanksgiving Day moved back to the THIRD Thursday of November.  President Roosevelt hoped to introduce more money into the US economy by creating a longer Christmas shopping season.  Thanksgiving was observed on the third Thursday of November in 1940, but by 1941 public outrage with "Franksgiving Day" finally forced Mr. Roosevelt to rescind his order.

Many Americans still take some time during Thanksgiving Day to give thanks to the Lord for their blessings.  Thanksgiving is celebrated in many nations around the world as well, but the original American Thanksgiving was unique among the celebrations.  It was a celebration of blessings and of peace between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe of Native Americans, who had helped the Pilgrims survive the previous winter and then plant a successful crop. 

I am thankful for all the blessings I have received, and I am thankful that we have a day set aside specifically to remember everything with which we have been blessed. 

A Late "Thank You" To Our Veterans and a Remembrance Of Those Patriots Who Gave Their Lives

Veteran's Day has come and gone...but our Fighters continue their service to this nation.  As this past weekend stretched into the "Monday Holiday" the sacrifices of our brave men and women were always in my thoughts.  Sometimes obvious, sometimes thoughts just out of focus, but I remembered their sacrifices.  Not personally, of course, because I have never been present at any combat engagement, but still I thought about what it must have been like, the horrors of war, the camaraderie built and shared by those brave men and women, and terrible losses they shared when their friends were killed or maimed, or even when they themselves were wounded.

Unfortunately war has been a necessary evil in this human world of ours.  For instance, our great, though lately floundering, nation was borne out of the blood shed by our ancestors who sought freedom from Great Britain.  For all the negative things that could have been said about the United States that arose out of the ashes of the War For Independence, it was the new America, and the sacrifices of American veterans, that made victory possible in both World War I and World War II.  Americans have fought and died for their nation since 1776.  Today we find our nation involved in a different kind of war, one in which the foe is nameless and faceless, yet the sacrifices made by the men and women of our armed forces are just as great, and just as sacred.  Whether or not we agree with the politics of this new warfare, we cannot help but be proud of our soldiers, to support them, to cry for them and with them, and to thank them for their service to this nation.

One of the first times in my life that I can recall being cognizant of the great sacrifice made by our veterans was the time I read the following poem.  I believe this poem was assigned reading in one of my high school English classes.  I can recall to this very day how at first I did not want to read this short poem, how boring I thought the assignment was.  But I have to say that in the more than thirty years since I first read this poem, its words are just as haunting, just as poignant now as in those three decades past.

Here is the poem:

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army


In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

RIP all you brave men.

This very short poem says so much in just a few lines.  Colonel McCrae wrote this poem after having served over a year in Flanders fields.  Unfortunately, the spark of inspiration that caused him to pen these now most famous words was the death of his fellow soldier and former student, Alexis Helmer.  The Germans at this time unleashed a terrible weapon on the Allied soldiers at Flanders, a chemical called mustard gas.  Thousands of soldiers, including Helmer, were killed or severely injured by this and other chemical weapons employed by the Germans.  Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, as you can see from his biographical information above, did himself not survive World War I.  Colonel McCrae succumbed to asthma and pneumonia while still in the fields of battle, his illness no doubt brought on by his fatigue and weariness at seeing all the death and destruction wrought by "the War to End All Wars."

At the time that McCrae wrote this poem, there were few Americans, if any, serving in Europe, because the United States had not officially entered the war.  But British and French forces were made up, not only of those nations' fighting men, but of men from throughout the British and French Empires.  The haunting yet beautiful part, aside from the poem itself, is that poppies bloom every year among the thousands of crosses that mark the final resting place of these brave soldiers.  It is almost as if the very ground where these men died is seeking to comfort them and look over their rest.

Veterans Day of course is meant to honor our soldiers who fought and survived the several wars our nation has seen since the American Revolution, yet it is almost impossible to remember and to honor our living veterans without thinking of those who fought and died.  But I nonetheless am proud to honor our veterans in my blog, to thank them, and to remember that because of these people, and all who served in our armed forces over the years, Americans are a free people.  I am proud to says that I owe my life and my freedom to these, our veterans, for without these people and their service to our nation, I would not have the freedom that I share with all Americans today.  Without the sacrifice and service of our veterans, I would not be free to write these simple and inadequate words of thanks on a forum that potentially can be seen nation-wide. 

God Bless America, and God Bless our Veterans.   Thank you, Veterans, for your unselfish service to our great nation. 







 

The last few weeks have been quite interesting as we have observed an ever-growing course of (gasp!) Democrats joining in the masses of those crying out in anger and outrage as more and more negative and disastrous aspects of Obamacare are realized.  Many people who first fawned over Mr. Obama and who could not re-elect him fast enough, who were gung ho in their support for this President NO MATTER HOW ILLEGAL AND OUTRAGEOUS were his policies, have now found themselves facing huge premium increases and insurance deductibles, while losing many benefits afforded by their "pre-Obamacare"  insurance, and have now raised their voices in protest and dismay.  Indeed, in all the clamor one can no longer differentiate become Democrat, Republican, Tea Party, Communist, or any other label, as one loud clamor spreads across the nation.  Many of the most dogmatic Obamistas are now faced with the truth: Obamacare is a disaster, and for many people, "affordable" insurance has been plucked right out of their hands by the very man they put in that most high office to bring his brand of "Hope and Change" to this nation.

Obamacare was not the brain-child of Obama, but was in fact instigated years earlier by his Congressional predecessors, including Newt Gingrich.  Obama's minions later inserted their own ideas, presumably with the overall idea of creating "affordable" health care, and trying to use "the Government" to solve the "problem" of "the uninsured."  As we all (should) have learned by now, a solution primarily offered by "the Government" usually worsens the "problem."  Even good-intentioned programs have normally proved to produce the opposite effect of that envisioned by "the Government."  Examples, you ask?  Sure...

First, Social Security.  A GREAT idea, but UNSUSTAINABLE.  People have to provide for themselves, and not ALL people are smart enough to do so.  It is much more effective to have a personal retirement program than to depend on Social Security.  An obvious concept, but no amount of legislation can get stupid people to provide for themselves.  So, "the Government" then stepped in (unconstitutionally, in my opinion) and FORCED people to contribute to Social Security, thus denying this amount of money that a person could have used in his own pension program.  This confiscated money (remember, a GOVERNMENT HAS NO MONEY, but CAN TAKE ITS CITIZENS' MONEY) was then redistributed by the government to "those less fortunate."  I do not have time to debate whether people who do not work should be "provided for" in this short blog.  My point is that Social Security was doomed from the start, because as time went on, there proved to be more money going out to retired persons than was coming in from those paying taxes.  AND, of course, Congress had exempted itself from paying Social Security.  Hmmm....maybe they knew from the start that the system would eventually by unsustainable.

Second, the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act.  Some may say this "Act" was thrust upon us with "good intention."  Again, I do not have time to debate that issue in this blog.  Regardless, this most sinister law, which was supposed to "unite and strengthen" America by providing "law enforcement" the necessary tools with which to fight or prevent terrorism in the United States, has proven, like Social Security, to do the exact opposite.  This tyrannical law has neither UNITED this nation nor STRENGTHENED it against terrorism.  Since its passage in 2001, USA PATRIOT has divided the nation, causing otherwise honest and law-abiding citizens to be wary, not of terrorists, but of the terror of falling victim to over-zealous "law enforcement" agencies that are now authorized to act contrary to the United States Constitution by uttering those three words "related to terrorism."   At the same name, most American feel no safer than they did prior to 9/11, but feel a great deal more inconvenience and frustration when trying to use the airlines and other means of public mass transportation.  And, most outrageous, "the Government's" own records show that USA PATRIOT has been used by law enforcement, in most cases, on non-terrorist, "routine" criminals and on persons who are members of such terrorist groups as religious organizations, government dissension, and anyone who publicly stands in support of the United States Constitution. 

Now we see that many members of Congress, both Democrat and Republican, are calling for the "revamping and reformation of the entire American espionage system."  I have to warn you, my friends, that when the likes of Senator Harry Reid or Dianne Feinstein call for "the review of the entire National Security Agency (NSA) spy program, you should not expect less espionage, both foreign and domestic.  Instead you should feel the noose tightening, as civil liberties, already well-eroded by USA PATRIOT, take another BIG HIT by any anti-spying bill authored or supported by Senator Feinstein.  If the NSA is using clandestine and illegal means to carry out its operations, why would a visit from Feinstein or anyone else force the NSA to change its methods?  In truth, if the likes of Reid or Feinstein are demanding that "national spy laws" be reformed, I think we should understand that to mean that the current laws are not STRONG ENOUGH!  Any "reform" that does not weaken the current pervasive and illegal domestic spy network nor call for the various illegal and unconstitutional laws to be rescinded will in fact only further strengthen those laws.  Yes, I am sure that any reformation of USA PATRIOT or the National Defense Authorization Act will in the end result in more government oppression.   

 






 

End of Watch: Chief Steven Fleming, Gainesville PD, and TSA Screening Officer Gerardo Hernandez, LAX

About a week ago Chief Steven Fleming fell off a ladder while working in the evidence room at the Gainesville Police Department. The Chief fought for his life for several days, but eventually lost the battle on November 1st.  While his death did not occur in a way commonly associated with peace officer deaths, he died in the performance of his duties, nonetheless.  I join hundreds of other Texans in offering my condolences to his family and to the officers serving under him.  Chief Fleming leaves behind a wife and daughter.  May the Good Shepherd comfort them as only he can.

In something I have never done before, I honor the memory of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Screening Officer Gerardo Hernandez.  My own feelings about this agency's mission aside, I join millions of other Americans who are shocked and saddened that an unarmed officer (and indeed most people know that TSA Screening Officers are not armed) was so coldly targeted by the murderer, then shot again several times as he lay wounded at his post.  The gunman is seen on video about to leave the fallen officer's vicinity, but upon seeing that the officer was still moving, turns around and calmly fires more rounds into the officer's body.  Officer Hernandez is the only TSA screening officer to be killed in the line of duty in the entire history of the agency's existence.  The shooter clearly came to LAX with sole intention of killing TSA screening officers, and it was only by chance that one TSA officer died, as several others were hit before the shooter himself was shot by police officers.  I send my deepest sympathy to Mrs. Hernandez and her children, and to Officer Hernandez's fellow workers.

Life "Post-Scare," or, The Purposeful Procrastinator

This may come as a shock to many of my readers (maybe not to ONE or TWO of them) but I am somewhat of a procrastinator:

Hi, my name is Jim Silver, and I am a procrastinator....

It is true, my friends, I do occasionally put aside for next week what could have been done LAST week.  In this spirit, I have to admit that I procrastinated in writing what could have been my last blog until I had run out of the time and the technology to do so.  But, as it happened, I passed my medical tests and will live at least long enough to get another one finished.

Procrastination is a congenital disorder that defies the strongest medications known to medical science.  It has the ability to "out doctor" Dr. Phil, Joyce Brothers, Napoleon Hill, and even Mr. Rogers, all combined and giving it their best effort.  I myself have been a helpless victim of this disease for....well, for....okay, I will calculate how long as soon as I get the chance.

Anyway, I am happy that I completed the stress test yesterday.  The results of the stress test told the good Dr. Miller two things.  One, there was nothing medically wrong with my heart.  Two, I am a year older and further out of shape than I was last year.  You see, I just kept putting off starting an exercise program. Nay, let me tell the truth here.  What I meant was I just kept putting off the SECOND DAY of each of my physical fitness programs that I started this year.  Sorry, Lori!

I have learned a couple of things.  First, don't procrastinate in writing your last blog until you get to the hospital.  Second, don't depend on the hospital's "free Wi-Fi" in a pinch!  Procrastination not withstanding, I am happy to be here this 17th day of October, in the year of Our Lord 2013, to write another blog.  I am also happy to be here this 17th day of October, etc., for the simple reason that the alternative is NOT to be here at all!

Having been given at least a little longer to dwell on this earthly plane (although none of us really know how long we have!) I have given myself certain challenges, then supplied deadlines with the challenges.  I want to meet these goals by the deadlines I have set.  Procrastination is indeed a difficult birth defect to overcome, but this is what I have set out to do.  Yes, I know I just said that none of us really know how much time we have left.  In my case, I hope to reach my goals, but if my time should run out first, I hope to be fully in the process of attaining those goals at my final curtain call.

I had obtained several "motivational" books many months ago, but (of course) I never found time to read these books.  My life is so busy, you know.  But I did open one of the books, the shortest one I think.  Scanning the book I came across a chapter about "purposeful procrastination."  I could not believe it!  A whole chapter written to ME!  Purposeful procrastination was right up my alley, I thought.  Not really.  I mean, it was for me, but it was not the easy button I thought I had found.

Purposeful procrastination means to procrastinate alright, but to procrastinate on doing those thing that a person DOES NOT NEED TO DO.  This would be watching TV beyond moderation, playing too many games of golf each week, standing by the water cooler instead of occupying your office, etc.  These are things that people LIKE TO DO, but they do not NEED TO DO, at least not when more important things need to be done.

What a challenge!  I can think of a hundred things I would like to do, while staring at five or ten things I NEED TO DO.  Guess which ones usually get done first.  But with purposeful procrastination, I can fulfill my brain's need for procrastination while completing what needs to be done, or working toward goals that I really want to accomplish.

So far all I have is a list of a few things that I want to accomplish, and a working timetable to do so.  Having boasted about all this in my blog, the test will be to see how far along I am on my way by this time next year.  But that is not the only gauge.  I will test myself to see how far along I am next month, next week, and yes, even tomorrow.  I know a certain person must have fainted at this point.  Still the test is not in what I write, but what I DO.  So here goes..............


















 

A Federal Agent and A Bull: A (Mostly) True Story My Uncle Told Me

I love going "back home" to visit with the old folks.  You just never know when you will hear a bit of unknown local history, or sometimes just a good laugh.  For example, just the other day I heard this from my uncle. It could be a true story, and I think it is, or a least part of it.  After all, why would Uncle Rodger make up something like this?

An old farmer was hard at work one morning when he noticed a man trespassing on his property.  The farmer went to the man and told him to leave, because he had not given the stranger permission to enter his farm.

The stranger, full of bluster and arrogance, sneered at the farmer and pulled out an official looking ID card.  "This badge," the man said, GIVES me the right to go anywhere I want.  You can't stop me."

The old farmer examined the ID card, then grudgingly conceded that he could not stop the stranger, who worked for the USDA. On the back of the ID card were these ominous words:  Whoever shall interfere with the holder of this card while in the performance of his duties will be guilty of a felony.

The federal agent then told the farmer, "You just stay out of my way while I inspect your farm.  This is official Government business."

The agent then walked away.  Instead of inspecting the barns and shed nearby, the agent opened a gate and walked into a beautiful pasture.  There were a few head of cattle grazing in the distance, and the agent began walking toward them.  About this time, the old farmer remembered that his mean bull had just been turned out into the same pasture just the day before.  He started to warn the arrogant agent, but then thought it would be a waste of time.  If the bull was anywhere nearby, the agent would find out soon enough.

Sure enough, just as the federal agent got about halfway about across the field, a large Bramer (Texanese for Brahman) bull appeared, stamped the ground a couple of times, then proceeded to attack the hapless agent.  The farmer, already a little miffed at the agent, could not help but enjoy this pleasant turn of events.

As the man ran across the field, dodging and twisting this way and that to avoid the bull, hollering for help all the while, the old farmer could not resist.  "Hey Stranger," the farmer shouted.  "The bull thinks you are a trespasser.  Just show him your card!"

"What?!" The agent shouted back as he ran around a small mesquite tree.

"Just show him your government ID Card and tell him you have the right to be here.  Maybe he will let you be!"

After offering this helpful advice, the old farmer chuckled and went back to his chores.


This was an entertaining story and I tend to believe it is mostly true.  I mean, Uncle Rodger has told me (mostly) the truth all my life.  And that ain't no bull!

A Fallen Officer: Deputy Billy Kennedy, Upton County Sheriff's Office

A peace officer's job carries the same risks whether that officer works in a big city or a rural county.  This was proven once again on Friday, October 2, 2013 in the small town of McCamey here in West Texas.

On that particular night Deputy Billy Kennedy, Upton County Sheriff's Office (Rankin, TX), responded to a disturbance at a convenience store in McCamey.  At some point the suspect produced a weapon and began firing.  The officer returned fire.  As many as eleven shots were fired by both men.  The officer was hit first but returned fire and wounded the suspect.  A short time later Deputy Kennedy died of his wounds.  The suspect survived and is hospitalized as of this writing.

Deputy Kennedy was a 14-year veteran.  He left behind his widow and two sons.  I have heard many people over the years talk about the safety of "policing" in a small town, where everyone is friendly, everyone knows you, etc.  But officers, of whatever size jurisdiction, know this sentiment is not borne out by reality.  Often, criminals are emboldened in small towns and on lonely country roads because they know that the peace officer they confront may be miles away from the nearest aid.  Criminals that are "passing through" a small town may believe that if only one officer stands between them and freedom, they have nothing to lose by killing that one officer and making good their escape.

Recently, in another small town not far from Midland, a young deputy, a lifelong resident of his hometown, was shot and killed by another longtime resident of the same town.  That particular resident was also a lifelong crook, and finally decided to take the ultimate step.  So a police officer faces life or death in the performance of his duties, no matter the size or location of his jurisdiction.

I offer my praise to Deputy Kennedy and my thanks for his service, to which he paid the highest loyalty - his own life, in exchange for the safety of the people in his county.  For his family, I pray the comfort that only the Good Shepherd can offer them, both in the form of friends and relatives, and in the form of that mysterious loving care that surrounds those who have lost loved ones and offers solace when no one else can help.

And I pray for the safety of the officers that must go on with their duties even in the shadow of the death of their fallen colleague.

Rest in Peace, Deputy Kennedy...your watch is over now.

One Of Midland's Heroes

It is my pleasure to honor a local fireman in my blog today.  This firefighter's action, along with help from two truck drivers, saved a man's life, and probably prevented a multi-fatality accident as well.

Captain Bryan Chatwell, Midland Fire Department, received the Medal of Valor earlier this month at that fire department's employee banquet.  The Medal of Valor is the fire department's second highest honor, and is presented to a firefighter who risks his life to protect or save another.

In July, Captain Chatwell, while off-duty, was driving on a highway in the Midland area when he noticed that the pickup travelling in front of him was being driven erratically, sometimes straddling the lane markers.  Captain Chatwell carefully passed the vehicle but was still concerned about it.  As he watched the pickup in his rear view mirror, Captain Chatwell saw the vehicle drive into the oncoming traffic lanes then stop.  Captain Chatwell drove back to where the vehicle was stopped.

As Captain Chatwell walked over to the driver's window, he recognized the driver.  Chatwell had treated the man for diabetic complications on a previous occasion.  The pickup's engine was still running but the doors were locked.  The man drove slowly away at this time, with Captain Chatwell running along side trying to get the man to stop. 

At this point, two tractor-trailer rigs were approaching the pickup, which was driving on the wrong side of the highway.  The operators of the big rigs took in the situation immediately.  They positioned their trucks so that the pickup had to stop.  Captain Chatwell obtained a hammer from one of the drivers and knocked out the driver's window of the pickup.  He was able to turn off the pickup's engine.  The firefighter then provided first aid to the man until an ambulance arrived.  Not only was the pickup driver saved, but in all probability a major accident was avoided as well.

So I salute Captain Bryan Chatwell for his bravery and quick-thinking that saved at least one life.  Also a big thank you to the two anonymous (to me anyway) truck drivers who stepped up when they were needed, and assisted Captain Chatwell.

Another Senseless Attack On Our Military At Home

Members of the United States Navy, relatives of those killed, and indeed many of us across the nation, are still reeling from the second multiple-killing perpetrated at a US Military facility in less than five years.  On Monday, an otherwise “ordinary” person walked into the Washington Navy Yard, was cleared through Security, and then walked into a restroom.  When he emerged from the restroom he immediately opened fire with a shotgun.  One of the first victims was a security guard, from whom Aaron Alexis obtained another weapon, a pistol.

When Aaron Alexis was finally killed by police about thirty minutes later, twelve people were dead and several others were injured.  With each passing day since this horrific killing, new information is unearthed indicating that Mr. Alexis should not have had a gun, should not have been allowed on government property, should not have had a military secret clearance, and should not have been awarded government contracts.  Just lately we learned that US Investigation Service (USIS), a private corporation that also does “contract” for the government, had completed a background check on Mr. Alexis (whose name I will never mention again in my blog).  USIS found no reason to deny a security clearance to the killer in 2007, even though the killer had committed a serious crime with a firearm in 2004.

There were several factors and circumstances that culminated in this criminal attack.  The killer was obviously an unstable person who slipped through the “cracks” in Seattle.  He also had a run-in with the law in Fort Worth (at least one).  He was involved in an argument that nearly turned physical while in an airport terminal in Virginia.  Since the argument was with a family member, no one notified the police.  The killer also had several contacts with various police departments in which he told officers that he heard voices, knew that people were following him, and believed that one or more of the people following him were “sending vibrations” into him.  Apparently none of this information was enough to restrict the killer’s access to military facilities or to revoke his security clearance.

Questions remain unanswered, and I will leave that to the police.  I hold up the people who lost loved ones, the Navy personnel who lost their colleagues, and the families of the two security guards who went down in the early moments of the attack, to the comfort only the Good Shepherd can offer.  And I thank the police, who endured what must have seemed like an eternity of suspense and fear as they hunted down the killer on that huge naval facility.  I can say from personal experience that it is a definitely a test of a police officer’s nerve, or anyone’s for that matter, to pursue a criminal in an unfamiliar area, knowing that the criminal has a shotgun.  Many times a handgun wound is not fatal, but MOST TIMES a shotgun blast is.  

I hope most of all that this, the SECOND multiple-killing on a “secured” military base, will finally catch the attention of the President, the Department of Defense, the Joint Chiefs, and whoever else of import there might be, and will call attention to the ridiculous fact our military personnel are not allowed to be armed on military bases, other than the military police or security units.  It is not necessary that EVERY soldier on a base be armed, but it borders on insanity that military police or other military personnel assigned to security duties cannot be placed on military facilities in sufficient numbers to respond quickly these types of attacks and either prevent them or at least put an end to them as soon as possible.  In the latest attack, the first police on the scene were municipal officers, even though there were military police on the base.

I also hope that military contractors, especially private corporations that do “background investigations” for the military, are themselves investigated.  It is obvious that USIS failed in its contracted mission.   But USIS does not share all the blame.  In fact, the military itself had more than one opportunity to rescind the killer’s security clearance, but did not do so. So it is my hope that the military will take this opportunity to revamp its criteria for selection and retention of vendors and contractors. 

Of course this attack would not have happened at all if the killer himself had not decided to commit this atrocity.  He was probably mentally ill.  He was an intelligent person, obviously, since he was doing IT work for the government.  But something went wrong somewhere and the man chose to take it out on innocent persons.  He paid the ultimate price for his actions.  Unfortunately, other people also paid the ultimate price, as well. 

May the Good Shepherd continue to hold all those effected in his comforting hands. 

There is one more thing I would like to note here.  The killer’s mother is grieving tonight.  Yes, she is grieving for her son, but this poor woman’s heart is also broken for all those lost, and all who weep for their loved ones and friends.  For this sweet lady, too, I pray that the Good Shepherd comfort her during her time of sadness.

Three Big Jokesters

President Putin of Russia has taken his well-deserved place with those lovable jokesters, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Kerry of the United States, as the joke of the day, or the outright hypocrite of the year, again with the same company.

President Putin now has the gall to call the United States the “aggressor,” and to tell us that the proposed attack on Syria would be a violation of international law.  Now, first let me say that I agree with President Putin that the United States is the aggressor, and the coming attack on Syria does appear to be contrary to accepted laws of international warfare; however, Mr. Putin makes himself the idiot by presuming to counsel the United States against a possible Syrian intervention.  What a joke, Mr. Putin, both your statement and yourself.  After all, how many of the former Soviet states have your forces attacked or threatened in the years since the collapse of the former Soviet Union, Mr. Putin?  By the way, Russia (under Mr. Putin) currently supplies over 70 percent of Syria’s weapon supply.  But I am sure, Mr. Putin, those arms are meant merely “stabilize” the Syrian government, nothing more.  Sure they are.

President Obama’s joke (beside his very presidency) was that he would end the wars in the Middle East.  Well, at first it was not a joke, but a campaign promise.  Instead, Mr. Obama led the expansion of war in both Iraq and Afghanistan.  Now he tells us that the United States must attack Syria due to that national government’s use of chemical warfare, so that rogue governments around the world will know they cannot follow Syria’s example without the expectation of punitive actions from the rest of the world.  Really, Mr. Obama, is it that MUCH MORE CIVILIZED to rain missiles down from drone aircraft?  I believe that (known) numbers of those killed by drones is upwards of 1500.  But at least MISSILES were used rather than chemical weapons; right, Mr. President?  Thank goodness for your “hope and change,” Mr. Obama.

Secretary of State Kerry told us for years in the 1970’s that war was not the answer, and that we should end the Viet Nam War, that the United States was attacking a smaller nation that was not a threat in any way to this nation.  Now, just over a decade into the new century, Mr. Kerry tells us that we must attack Syria for using chemical weapons against its citizens.  But wait a minute!  Isn’t Syria a small country halfway around the world that poses no threat in any way to the United States?  Mr. Kerry’s justification for a US attack on Syria is that nation’s use of chemical weapons. His assurance to us that an attack on Syria would be “incredibly small” is just “incredibly stupid.” 

 So President Putin lowers himself from a “make no bones about it” strong man to become, instead, the third member of the three-ring circus that is debating the fate of Syria.  Yes, what a joke is the former KGB agent and current Russian President, with his lectures to the United States concerning “illegal acts of war.”  Congratulations, Mr. Putin, on your induction into the Joke of the Day Club.  You, Sir, are the latest joke.

September 12th, or My Thoughts On The Terrorist Attacks

Yesterday marked the twelfth anniversary of the 9/11/01 attacks, and for that reason I did not write the blog I am posting today.  The memories of all those who lost their lives and who lost loved ones in the attacks was so important to me that I did not want to intrude upon their memories and the sacred day.  Today, however, I will write the things I did not want to say yesterday.

Most Americans were in a state of shock and denial that lasted for many days after September 11th.  I know I was.  And perhaps that is why the discrepancies between the words of the news reporters and politicians, and the facts displayed in the pictures did not focus in my mind then, or for years afterwards.  Now, over a decade later, there is more than enough evidence on hand to prove that our own government, or rather cells within our government, as well as those at the very top, were participants in the attacks.  There is more than enough evidence to show that the three structures that fell that awful day were taken down in controlled demolitions, killing hundreds of firemen, policemen, and fellow Americans.  These Americans were murdered by terrorists, that is true, but not by Arab terrorists.

On the very day this awful attack happened, I myself was struck by the FACT (as seen in the various news footage) that at the Pentagon and in the woodlands outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania, there were no airplane parts of any significant size at the crash scenes.  In Shanksville, there was a small, deep crater, some scrapes on the ground, and various pieces of litter, but no plane tail, no parts of engines, no luggage, and NO BODIES.  At the Pentagon, the hole in the building was not even airplane-shaped, as were the entrance damage in both of the twin towers.  In other words, there was a nearly perfectly round hole in the wall of the Pentagon, but no areas damaged by the wings, the engines, the elevators, or the rear stabilizer, which was over forty feet (four stories) tall.  And NO BODIES, other than those that were identified as Pentagon employees.  If you can remember the Lockerbie crash several years earlier, the airplane was blown up while it was thousands of feet in the air, yet large pieces of the plane survived in tact after hitting the ground.  Bodies were found. Luggage was found.  Not so at the Pentagon or in Shanksville.

During the historic call from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that grounded all flights, the mayor of Cleveland, Ohio appears on television and assures reporters that Flight 93 landed safely.  He further stated that the airliner then taxied to the far end of the airfield, where all the passengers were escorted off the plane and into a large building owned by NASA.  But then those many passengers were never heard from again.  Yet we were told that Flight 93 crashed NOSE-FIRST into the Shanksville countryside, as mentioned above.

Back to the World Trade Center, we now know that the fires in the Twin Towers could not have melted the steel beams so that those buildings collapsed.  And more than that, we know that Building 7 was not significantly damaged, either by fire or by getting struck by airplanes, yet it too collapsed, but not until nearly five hours later.  And we know that firemen were ordered out of Building 7 at around 11:30 AM. Why?

Due to the attacks on September 11th, Americans stood by while USA PATRIOT became law, and while a falsely justified attack on Iraq was carried out.  The attack became a war, then an occupation, and these twelve years later the end of that war still remains illusive.  Same with Afghanistan.  Millions of citizens of those nations have died in these wars, and thousands of United States servicemen and women have died as well.  In all of that, no conclusive evidence was offered as to who was responsible for the attacks in America, nor was evidence ever provided that showed Saddam Hussein was in any way connected with the attacks.

Mossad agents were arrested in New York as they filmed the burning World Trade Center, and appeared to dance with joy as the second airplane found its target.  These people, believed by the local police to be Arab terrorists, were later released.  They quietly disappeared into the vast city of New York, never to be seen again. Oh yes, let us not forget the passport that an FBI agent happened to find in the pulverized ashes.  Remember, the flames, we were told, were so hot that the airplanes, including the large parts, were melted into oblivion.  Yes, there were papers floating down from the sky that morning, but any papers on the airplane itself, if we follow the official story, would have been burned to oblivion, just like the planes themselves.  Regardless of this almost impossible tale, the culprits of the attack were now "identified." 

Speaking of identified but dead terrorists, at least seven of the "hijackers" were found quite alive by British and Arab reporters within days of the attacks.  These reports were of course rejected by "Washington" but there the photographs were, in black and white, for all the world to see.

I could go on, but that would be pointless.  I believe that any one who reviews all the publicly available data will reach the same conclusion I did, that the attacks were, beyond a reasonable doubt, perpetrated by someone (a BUNCH of someones) other than the several "terrorists," none of whom could fly the airplanes they were said to have hijacked, and much less could have executed the extremely difficult maneuvers needed to hit the Twin Towers.

I have, through my own research, reached the conclusion that the 9/11 attacks were perpetrated by our own government.  That government, the George W. Bush Administration, has so far escaped justice, and probably will never be brought to trial for one of the worst crimes on humanity ever perpetrated.  One senator, Mark Dayton, stood courageously before Congress and called the government employees and officials "liars," called the 9/11 Commission Report a book of lies, and then demanded a new investigation as well as criminal prosecution for those responsible.  Of course neither of those things ever happened, and the Senator was subsequently voted out of office.

So, there is my short but to the point manifesto on 9/11.   Some may call me a paranoid lunatic for my beliefs, some may well even call me (gasp!) a Truther.  You are free to think of me however you would like.  As a trained (former) police officer, as well as just a plain citizen who finally looked at much of the evidence with calm emotions and an open mind, I am a person who can no longer follow the sheeple and bleat the same old tune about the terrible terrorist attack on that September day.  I can no longer bleat along with the ridiculous chorus that some guys with box cutters defeated the entire United States defense system.  But if you choose to think I am paranoid, crazy, or just plain stupid, I would ask you not to permanently label me as such until you yourself have spent months of your life researching this event on your own.

Incidentally, according to numerous news articles and public surveys of the various developed nations, ONLY the people of the United States, on the whole, continue to buy the official version of the "terrorist attack" handed to us by our government on that horrible day in September.



 

Before You Use Your Phone Or Nav System While Driving...Read This

Before you talk, text, or use any other electronic device or system while driving, think about this:  The State of Texas and its municipal and other law enforcement agencies are no longer tolerating traffic accidents caused by someone using a cell phone, car navigation system, or other electronic device.  In a change of stance somewhat reminiscent of the sudden lack of tolerance for drunk driving, police officers are no longer merely chalking up traffic accidents to distracted driving, shaking everyone's hand, and driving away to write up their accident reports.  And it is probably high time police agencies take this action.  But, if YOU are the one who becomes the distracted driver that causes an accident, consider the following.

A few weeks ago a traffic accident occurred on Texas Highway 191, the major state highway linking Midland to Odessa, TX.  This is a heavily travelled highway with a posted speed limit of 75 miles per hour.  Because of the high speed limit and the traffic volume, there is little room for error while driving.  On this particular night, a young man was using his cell phone's "nav app" as he was driving from Midland to pick up his friend in Odessa.  The young man was not necessarily speeding.  In fact he was driving with the flow of traffic, which was moving at just over 75 miles per hour.  Apparently the young man's nav app told him he was about to miss his exit.  As you know, there is always another exit a mile or two up the road.  In this case, the young man saw his exit just ahead and to his right.  The only problem was he was in the LEFT lane.  Rather than go to that next exit, the young whipped his steering wheel to the right.  His vehicle immediately rammed a sports utility vehicle that was in his "blind spot" according to the police report.  The SUV was forced off the pavement onto a narrow gravel shoulder then onto grass.  The SUV rolled over several times before coming to rest on its side.  The driver, a young man of only twenty years of age, was dead in the driver's seat.

Just this week the young driver that caused the accident was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide.  The Texas Highway Patrol is no longer playing softball.  This young man will be brought to trial and will face a penalty of at least two years in the state prison system.  He was on the way to Odessa to pick up his friend for a fun night out. It was very sad that a person was killed in this accident.  It is also very said that such a young man, not otherwise a lawbreaker, could go to prison.  His life is on hold at the moment.  The best he can hope for is probation, the worst - ten years in prison. 

No doubt this young man believed up to the second of the accident that he was perfectly capable of using his cell phone while he was driving.  No doubt he HAD done this many times without causing an accident.  Perhaps he had even dodged other drivers who were themselves texting while driving.  I cannot judge him harshly, because I myself have nearly wrecked my vehicle while texting.  Luckily I did not cause an accident, but I could have found myself in that young man's position.  Even if this young man should receive only probation, it quite likely that he will be haunted by the other man's death for years to come.

If you regularly text while driving, or use some other device while driving, maybe this is a good time to consider 1) a hand's free device or your car's built-in telephone system and 2) not texting, typing, etc., at all while driving.  Perhaps while driving you have seen another car occupied by two or three people.  With all these people in the car, perhaps you have seen the DRIVER texting or typing while the passengers sat and did nothing (except possibly cringe as they escaped close call after close call).  Why is it necessary that the driver do the calling, texting, programming, or whatever?  Why can't one of the passengers be entrusted with this job?  According to those who come up with these kinds of statistics, one is eight times more likely to have an accident if he or she texts or is otherwise distracted while driving. 

As law enforcement agency priorities shift, I am sure that in Texas we will see more and more people prosecuted for causing accidents while using some electronic device, including even the ever-more complicated command and navigation systems that are integrated into the vehicle itself.  The sad thing is that there is no conversation, no text message, no navigational programming, no car command system use, that is more important than driving your car in a safe manner, certainly not worth the life of another.

Things could get soon get bad for "texters" in one of the eastern states.  I apologize for not being able to provide the name of this state at the moment but my note has gotten away from me.  But the gist of it is that a person who "knowingly texts another when the actor knows the other is driving" will be charged in any resulting accident.  In other words, if you text someone and that person texts back to you that he or she is "on the road" you could find yourself being charged either as an accessory or even with the actual crime itself if you continue texting that person.  I do not know if this law will pass, but it could be enforced rather easily - all the officer needs to do is get the phone records just prior to the accident.  It is not that far of a stretch for these types of laws to pass across the nation.
 
Distracted driving due to texting, typing, programming, or even just talking on your phone, is no longer being tolerated, and will no longer serve as an excuse for a needless accident.  There is nothing you can do with your phone or other device while driving that is worth accidentally killing someone.  Remember this too: Someone you love could be the next victim of a distracted driver.  So please, try to break habit and break the cycle.  It is not just that you might wreck your car or someone else's; it is not just that you might kill someone in the wreck you cause.  Both scenarios are bad enough.  But now, there is a very strong likelihood that you will go to prison if you injure or kill someone due to being a distracted driver.

So get that hands-free device now.  And before you text, type, or program...think.  Maybe it can wait until you get to a red light.  Maybe it could even wait until you pull off the road into a parking lot or a wide shoulder.  But be careful when you pull to the shoulder to use your phone.  A distracted driver might well crash into you while you are texting.

The People of Syria And The Coming US Invasion

I did something the other day that I have never imagined I would do...I watched a cable channel called Al Jazeera America.  It turns out that, like the BBC, Al Jazeera has a news channel dedicated to North America.  I have not watched enough of it to have made a decision as to its "fairness, balance," and such, but it was interesting nonetheless to get a different slant on the "news." Of course, the news dominating Al Jazeera America is the same news as that dominating the American channels: The coming United States invasion of Syria.  The particular aspect of this "story" that was covered while I watched was the state of mind of the Syrian people themselves, the "average Joes" of Damascus, in particular.  And the state of mind of these average people was not exactly what I expected.  In some ways not surprising; in others, very.

On the one hand, the people who spoke to the news reporters were somewhat anti-American in their sentiment, certainly not an unexpected outlook.  On the other hand, some expressed views that surprised me just a little.  For instance, not all the people are against the Al Assad government.  Said another way, not all people there support the Muslim Brotherhood, the strongest faction facing the government at the moment.  There are other factions as well, some moderate in idealism, some orthodox, and some very fundamentalist in outlook.  Some of the people support one or another of the various factions, but most of the people just want the civil war to someday grind to a halt.  Almost universally, however, most of those interviewed do not support an American invasion, and the almost inevitable American occupation of that nation.  Most do not believe that any good will result from such an action.  None of them believe the "intervention" will result in a "democratic" Syria.  Quite a few of those interviewed did not, in fact, want a democracy as you and I know it, they just want peace and stability.

A few Syrians expressed an idea that has only been discussed rarely in American news debates of the Syrian "intervention."  These people want to know why the United States government intends to weaken the legitimate government of Syria, to level the playing field so to speak, so that all factions, including Al Assad's army, are of about equal strength.  This is indeed a question worth pondering.  Remember, the original intention of the Syrian "intervention" was to punish those responsible for the use of chemical warfare, and thus to serve as a "warning" for other "rogue governments" who might feel emboldened to use chemical warfare should the United States NOT invade Syria.

Other Syrians asked a more basic question, and one that certainly begs answer in the halls of Congress, where President Obama is making his case for the Syrian "intervention."  This question is, with the Syrian civil war now well over two years old, and with over two hundred thousand people dead directly because of the war, why is the United States only now interested in "intervening?"  Put another way, why are the deaths of about 1400 people more important than the deaths of the first two hundred thousand people, in the view of the United States?

Of course the logic expressed by President Obama is that the Al Assad government used chemical weapons on helpless citizens.  By this logic, President Obama expresses the idea that the numbers of people killed in a war torn nation such as Syria do not really matter to the world at large, as long as chemical weapons are not used for this killing.  But kill just under two thousand people (less than one percent of those killed already in Syria) with chemical warfare...whoa boy, that changes it all!  President Obama would have us believe that if the United States does not "teach Al Assad a lesson" and thus does not "warn other rogue governments" by punishing the Syrian government, chemical weapons will start flying the world over!  Really?  Is Al Assad the ONLY leader with such weapons at his disposal?  I don't think so.  Will a Syrian "intervention" TEACH the other villains of the world not to use their chemical weapons?  Again, probably not.

What, in reality, would be the results of an American "intervention" (read invasion and occupation) of Syria?  Listening to the Al Jazeera report was insightful to me.  For instance, it is obvious that life in Syria is very difficult at this time, and death is all around.  It is clear that civilians are continuing with their lives in the face of constant warfare between the government and the various factions, as well as between the factions themselves.  Most of all, it is clear that Syrians do not want and will not support the United States intervention.  As constant as death is in that nation, it is obvious that many hundreds, if not thousands, would die defending against the invasion.  Even if that did not happen, how many American soldiers would be shot, one by one, by snipers?  How many hundreds would be killed or maimed by IEDs?   And, how many civilians would be killed as inevitable collateral damage?

No, the people of Syria do not support an American invasion, and, by the way, neither will the rest of the world, other than France and Turkey.  The French interest and support of the American invasion puzzles me.  Turkey, on the other hand, IS actually endangered by chemical warfare unleashed in Syria.  But, save those two nations, world consensus is against a US invasion of Syria. So there will be no "coalition army" for this upcoming fiasco.  Syria and Turkey have had border skirmishes several times over the past few years.  Turkey does support a "punitive intervention" in Syria...er, by the United States, of course.  Turkey does not want to sacrifice ITS soldiers to the upcoming bloodbath. 

Perhaps it is just my fantasy, but let us assume that Congress should actually vote against approving the Syrian intervention.  And in even DEEPER fantasy, let us assume that Mr. Obama ACTUALLY CANCELLED the Syrian invasion due to the Congressional vote.  All is not lost!  Not by a long shot.  Since Turkey is one of the nations ACTUALLY THREATENED by chemical warfare in Syria, let us call on and support Turkey in an invasion of Syria.  Let the Turkish army punish those responsible for the chemical warfare, because after all, Syria is not, and has never been, a threat to the United States of America.  Yes, Turkey could deliver the punishment to the "rogues" that fired the chemical weapons, while the United States, and any other nations that wished, could support Turkey by sending hospital ships and medical supplies to the area.  After all, if the Mexican government, for instance, fired a chemical missile into Vera Cruz, would we want Russia to invade Mexico to teach that "rouge government" a lesson?