The Midland Reporter says Andrews Soldier's Funeral Uninterrupted

One of the top stories in Friday's Midland Reporter-Telegram was headed with "Andrews Soldier's Funeral Uninterrupted."  It is really disgusting to me that the big news was not the life and the untimely death of this young man but the fact that a certain group of idiots calling itself the Westboro Baptist Church did not, after all, appear at the funeral as they had threatened.  This "church" is based in Topeka, Kansas, but apparently has the time and resources to appear at various functions around the country to "protest" by disrupting political rallies, state and local government meetings, and even high school graduations.  And yes, they take great pride in disrupting the funerals of our young men and women who have been killed in the service of their country.  The Westboro Baptist Church also protests or "pickets" any function related to homosexual rights.  In fact, one of their websites is called "God Hates Fags."  http://www.godhatesfags.com/wbcinfo/aboutwbc.html

This little group of hate-mongers, led by Pastor Fred Phelps, not only feels called upon (by GOD?) to protest at soldiers' funerals (selfishly exercising their right to free speech while ignoring common decency by allowing the families to mourn their loss in peace) but also, according to their own rhetoric, are the only church following the will of God.  Mr. Phelps, who I refuse to refer to as Pastor, has condemned everyone to hell unless the person makes the "proper" confession of faith as required by Mr. Phelps.  Personally, I believe any church has the right to their own religious beliefs, and of course, any church has the right to attempt to spread their religious beliefs.  The Westboro Baptist Church, however, is like any militant religious group because the church hides its disgusting and obscene actions under the cloak of the United States Constitution.  Not surprisingly, though, the Westboro Baptist Church derides the United States Constitution on their website.  And, like a good hypocrite group, they utilized the resources of the American Civil Liberties Union to take their case to the Supreme Court, while at the same time denouncing the rights of homosexual Americans.   The ACLU fights most stubbornly for the rights of homosexual Americans. 

I must say that I was most proud of the people of Andrews and of other cities in the area as well, as those people attended Mr. Castro's funeral not only to pay their respects but also to counter-protest the Westboro group.  As it happened, members of the Westboro church did not show up.  Maybe they were busy with funerals closer to Kansas.  And probably it was in their best interest that they did not show up, because there was a lot of talk around from people were going to give them a West Texas "welcome," whatever that might have entailed.

As with most hate-mongers that hide behind the United States Constitution, while denigrating it and the people who fought and died to give it its worth, the Westboro Baptist Church refuses to acknowledge, that but for the sacrifices made by the very people they are busy damning and condemning, and breaking the hearts of loved ones, but for their sacrifices, the Westboro Baptist Church would not be free to travel from Topeka to the places they intend to "picket."  But for the blood of our soldiers the Westboro Baptist Church could not condemn these very soldiers and the government they served.  But for the lives these men and women lay down for freedom, the Westboro Baptist Church would be outlawed by some truly Godless regime.  Speaking of Godless, I read somewhere (1 John 4:8) that  "He that loves not does not know God, for God is Love."  And also in the same chapter, in verse :20 we are told "If a man says he loves God, and hates his brother, he is a liar."

My little blog will of course not have any effect on Mr. Phelps or any of his minions.  Any person who believes he is the sole mouthpiece for God cannot hear anything but his own words.  This category of people includes Reverend Jim Jones and Brother David Koresh.  Mr. Phelps certainly fits well with this company.  And, like those two, he has his group of brain-washed followers.  Nonetheless, I hope that any of you who hear of Westboro Baptist Church protesting any function within driving distance of your locale will consider banding together with your friends and your neighbors that you may not know, and standing with your fellow Americans as a wall between Westboro Baptist Church and the families of our brave soldiers who deserve just a few final minutes to say goodbye to their loved ones. 

The Brown Sand Dune Lizard vs The People of West Texas

Just as the news about wildfires was winding down and the safety of several cities around the area was assured, another story broke on the West Texas news scene.  The United States Fish and Wildlife Service decided that the brown sand dune lizard needed to be placed on the "endangered species list."  This would mean for the oil industry that before any drilling in a given area of West Texas (apparently the counties adjacent to eastern New Mexico) could commence, the USFWS would have to assess the area and determine if this particular lizard would be endangered by drilling operations.  Apparently the lizard is only found in a few locations in New Mexico and now in West Texas.  Whether are not the lizard needs protection is not the point.  No, the point is that a federal bureaucracy is so DEEPLY CONCERNED about this little animal that the bureaucracy could potentially halt all drilling operations where any sign of the lizard habitat is located.  That such a ban would cause lots of economic hardships is fairly self-explanatory.

I personally am for the protection of any endangered species, even the little sand dune lizard.  What I am upset about is that so much effort and money is being devoted to the protection of this animal from the pollution and environmental damage caused by oil exploration, yet several agencies, both federal and state, have approved the Waste Control Specialists (WCS) facility near Andrews.  While it is possible that the sand dune lizard would be harmed by oil operations, I suspect the lizard (being fairly smart for an animal with a pea-size brain) would simply move to another sand dune.  Yes, it would be inconvenient, but once the drilling was over and either the operation closed or a pump jack put in place, the sand dune lizard would then move back home and life would go on.

In the case of people, there appears to be very little concern on the part of the state and federal government that the hazardous and nuclear waste would DEFINITELY be harmful to people.  By the way, something harmful to people would probably represent a hazard to the much endangered sand dune lizard as well.  In the WCS facility, we see a private corporation that has received approval from governmental agencies to bring radioactive waste by the trainload (and truckload) from thirty-six other states into Texas.  This load of waste does not include the waste we must by law bring import from Vermont (The State of Vermont is very concerned about the waste from so many states coming to Andrews because there might not be enough space for Vermont's continuing shipment of nuclear waste to Texas). 

Again, it seems so strange, yet so frustratingly familiar, that we (the US) are more concerned with the endangered lizard than the endangered humans living in the same area.  Maybe if the USFWS realized that the WCS facility ALSO endangered the brown sand dune lizard, the WCS operation would be halted immediately.  We can only hope! 

Blue (Almost) Skies Over The Desert

It is nice to finally be able to see a semi-blue sky over West Texas.  The blue is a sort of faded, pale blue, but good to see nonetheless.  Fires are still burning to the south of Midland, and possibly in the Panhandle.  But the firefighters have finally gained the upper hand, and the smoke is tapering off accordingly. 

For allergy and asthma sufferers, the cleared air is a blessing.  The inhalers, decongestants, and benadryl can go back into the medicine chest for a few days.  And hopefully some firefighters can rest for a little while.  I doubt if the firemen will be able to rest more than one eye, though, because fire danger is still at the critical level across most of the state.  In this area, the humidity is hovering at seven percent; meanwhile, no rain in the forecast for the foreseeable future.

I am praying for rain, and for a few days of no more fires, whether it rains or not.  The firefighters need so me relief, their equipment needs to be checked, and possibly repaired.  Firefighters from out of state are eager to get back to their homes.  So lets all keep our fingers crossed.  And lets do our part:  No open fires, no tossing out cigarette butts, no parking out in the grass, no metal work near grass or weeds.  Can you believe that one idiot from Odessa has been arrested for arson?  As if there has not been enough property damage, and the potential for loss of life.  This guy was actually firing bottle rockets into the grass near Midland International Airport.  Luckily several people called the police and fire departments.  This clown succeeded in burning a few acres before firefighters put out the intentional blaze.

Anyway, it was great to have blue skies once again, and I am hoping tomorrow that skies are even bluer and crisper than before.  And that no new fires blaze up for at least a little while.

Chernobyl: The 25th Anniversary - And WCS Andrews

Today marks the 25th Anniversary of the Chernobyl accident.  The Unit #4 Reactor exploded that day, killing thirty-one people.  The fallout from the explosion was estimated to be 200 times more potent than the radiation released in the Hiroshima bombing in 1945.  Since this disaster many people in the Ukraine and Belarus, as well as other nearby nations, have died due to radiation sickness or cancer.  After the blast, over 300,000 people were evacuated from the affected area as well as from areas in the path of the radiation cloud. One city had a population of over fifty thousand people.  It remains a ghost town to this day.  Thousands of people were never able to return to their homes.

Twenty-five years later, the clean-up has long since been accomplished, right?  Wrong! There is a permanent evacuation zone around the areas most affected.  And we (the US) are part of a multi-national effort to contain (yes, contain!) the damage to Unit #4.  Millions of dollars have been spent in the ongoing containment and cleanup effort.  The Ukraine alone spent $180 millions dollars during the first ten years after the disaster.  So far I have found no accurate count of the millions of dollars contributed by other nations to contain the radiation and help with decontamination.  Also, other millions have gone to pay for benefits to the people either sickened by the radiation or who lost their homes in the disaster.

Currently the Ukraine has received money or pledges for money totaling over $600 million dollars since 2005.  This money will be used to build a "containment shell" around Unit #4.  This shell will hopefully contain the  radiation that is STILL leaking from the crippled reactor.  Like I said, I have not been able to locate precise estimates of the monetary cost of this disaster, but some sources speculate that well over TEN BILLION DOLLARS have been spent since the accident occurred.  This figure includes all the dollars spent to contain the radiation, decontaminate the land, treat or bury people, and provide medical or relocation benefits to the survivors.  By the way, the damaged fuel rods are still there as scientists continue to try to come up with a satisfactory method of disposing of the fuel rods.  So at least $10,000,000,000 have been spent, more millions are needed each year, and no solution to the problem, other than time, is in sight.

I bring the Chernobyl accident to mind because it helps me make a point.  The Waste Control Specialist facility near Andrews is a facility that will store radioactive waste.  Just as the scientists and engineers have not found a way to clean up the Chernobyl disaster, I do not believe the WCS people have a plan to clean up the Andrews facility should an accident happen there.  Further, there is no provision, to my knowledge, in the WCS license that would require that corporation to maintain the WCS facility.  There is, however, a provision in the license that allows WCS to abandon the Andrews facility, leaving it to the state (read YOU and ME) to maintain the integrity of the radioactive waste stored there.

Now, I realize that the Chernobyl disaster was, and continues to be, a great tragedy, and the WCS facility in now way compares to the Chernobyl situation, but there are lessons we should have learned from Chernobyl.  First, unforeseeable accidents can happen.  In the case of WCS, the accidents could involve truck and train accidents resulting in radioactive contamination of areas all across the United States, including across Texas.  Second the WCS facility could leak (and in fact already is, according to state regulatory  agencies) causing untold damage to the Ogallala Aquifer.  In either scenario, WCS is limited to a $500,000 liability for accidents occurring on Texas soil.  And they have no liability for cleaning and maintenance should the corporation abandon the Andrews facility.  That leads to the final lesson: Cleaning up any accident or the WCS facility itself will cost untold millions of dollars, if not billions.  But, as I write this, the WCS facility continues to take in more radioactive waste, and other states are gearing up to send their waste to Texas.

Yes, there were lessons to be learned on this, the twenty-fifth anniversary of Chernobyl, but so far, those lessons have fallen on deaf ears.  We continue using nuclear energy though we have no workable means of controlling nuclear accidents, no practical means of remediating damage caused by nuclear accidents, and no safe means of disposing of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive wastes.  Maybe there will be no accidents involving radioactive waste.  Hopefully the WCS facility can be brought into compliance.  But it only takes one accident to contaminate an area for thousands of years.  It only takes one uncontrolled leak to render the Ogallala Aquifer lethal for generations to come.

A Deputy's Last Watch: Clifton Taylor, Johnson County Sheriff's Office

On Saturday afternoon Deputy Clifton Taylor and two other officers responded to a domestic disturbance call in the small town of Venus, Texas.  The suspect had threatened his relatives and then hid in a shed when someone called police.  When the deputies entered the shed to arrest Wesley Davis, he opened fire, striking Deputy Taylor three times. The other two deputies returned fire and shot Davis dead.

Deputy Taylor was thirty-one years old and was to be married in three weeks.  He lost his life in the performance of his duties, while engaged in one of the most dangerous situations an officer can face: domestic violence.  Deputy Taylor's murder emphasizes another myth.  Some people may think small town and rural police officers do not face "dangerous situations."  In truth, a deadly confrontation can happen anytime, anywhere, whether the officer is alone or with backup officers. 

Like many "shoot outs," Deputy Taylor and his fellow officers were engaged in a shoot out that lasted less than thirty seconds.  The suspect fired and the officers returned fire.  It was over in just a few heartbeats.  Deputy Taylor left behind his family and his fiancee.  May God comfort his family, his fiancee, and his fellow officers.  Incidentally, one of the surviving deputies found that a bullet had penetrated the walkie-talkie on his Sam Browne belt.  Life and death is indeed separated by only seconds and inches.  I am proud and thankful for our men and women in blue or in brown, and for the job they do.

Honoring A True Hero: Matt Clark of Gorman, TX

A few days ago a large fire broke out near the cities of Gorman and Eastland, Texas.  This fire grew to immense proportions and eventually required the response of numerous fire departments.  The ever-present hazard facing firefighters during a wildfire is being trapped by the flames.  On April 16th this happened during the Gorman fire.  A group of firefighters were forced to abandon their fire engine. 

One of the fireman caught in this critical situation was Matt Clark, a volunteer fireman.  At one point the flames actually caught him and he received third degree burns on his hands, face and legs.  He saw a fellow firefighter collapse onto the burning ground.  Clark, though injured, carried the fallen fireman to safety.  Both were transported to the hospital.  Matt Clark is still hospitalized as some of his injuries have become infected.
Let's all pray for Matt's comfort and a speedy recovery.  Because of his actions, another fireman's name did not have to be added to the growing list of fallen heroes.

Incidentally, thirty-one fireman have lost their lives across the nation since January 1st while engaged in fighting fires.  Some of the firefighters perished in intentionally set blazes.  It is a dangerous job, yet there is not shortage of those men and women who still willingly put their lives on the line each time a fire alarm sounds.  They are heroes in my eyes.  I only wish no more of them would ever have to give the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of our safety.

A Fireman's Last Watch: Elias Jaquez

Unfortunately it is my privilege to honor another fireman who lost his life in the performance of his duties.  Volunteer Firefighter Elias Jaquez and several of his fellow firefighters (Cactus VFD) went to the aid of the Dumas VFD, which was engaged in trying to control a wildfire near Dumas.  As firefighters know, brush fires are very unpredictable.  The speed of the fire and the direction of the burn can change in an instant.  Fires can easily overtake and surround the brush fire trucks.  In this case two fire engines were trapped by flames.  Several fireman were burned but most were able to get away and escaped serious injury.  Mr. Jaquez was overtaken by the flames and burned.

Over the next two weeks Firefighter Jaquez fought for his life in the burn unit at a Lubbock hospital.  No doubt each day was an eternity of pain and suffering.  On April 20th, Mr. Jaquez lost his battle for life.  He received burns over sixty percent of his body and remained in the critical burn unit until he passed away.  A benefit fund has been established in honor of Firefighter Elias Jaquez at the Happy State Bank at https://www.happybank.com


Once again, I say a big "Thank you!" to all firefighters, and I give Mr. Jaquez all praise due him for his willingness to serve his fellow man even as he walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.  And my prayers to his family and his colleagues.  May God cover all firefighters with his Hands.