ICE Capades

In order to fully understand what is going on today with ICE, (Immigration & Customs Enforcement), especially in the context of Minneapolis, you need to hearken back to the Biden administration, specifically their lack of border control.  As millions, (14 million according to the Pew Institute) streamed across our southern borders during the last administration, hundreds of thousands were dangerous criminal felons; murders, child molesters, rapists, gang members and violent, anti-social people that should have been in prison.

Today, approximately 1.5 million illegals have Final Removal or Deportation orders and yet remain in the country.  Over 660,000 are either convicted felons or have pending criminal charges.  Within this group are some 13,000 CONVICTED MURDERERS and 15,800 CONVICTED SEX PREDATORS.  Not suspected, or charged or on trial, but adjudicated and convicted.  These people belong in prison.  Please, someone on the Left, stand up and explain to the rest of us the justification of protecting murders and rapists?  When you create a so-called “Sanctuary State or City”, who exactly do you think you are going to attract?  States and cities defined as “sanctuaries” should lose all federal funding.  Elected officials creating them should be criminally charged as co-defendant in the result of murders and violent acts perpetrated in their jurisdictions by these illegals invited to be safe in their communities.  Victims should have a legal recourse against those elected officials breaking federal law.

If we are to actually call ourselves “a nation of laws”, then enforcing them is part of the process.  If you are flummoxed by the apparent disconnect those on the Left have with these seemingly clear-cut and rational explanations of legal enforcement, here is where their self-proclaimed but misguided “righteous indignation” comes from and how it today comes into play.

Many white Leftists hate themselves.  This self-loathing is attached to the premise that the original sin of slavery and the way we treated the American Indian so significantly stains our founding legacy that anything we do before and without addressing that sin, that unforgivable foundation on which we exist, is unjust because it builds upon the fatally flawed condition without any redress.  The whiteness of their skin just reminds them of the sins of their ancestors and reinforces the awfulness of their shamed lineage.  They can’t stand themselves because they can’t stand who they came from.  Their dilemma turns dangerously towards delusion and insanity as they struggle to somehow make amends.  They rationalize open borders and sanctuary spaces as ways in which they can pay their penance for being who they are and denying their evil forefathers.  They seek a divorce from their legacy and this kind of acting out relieves them of the sin of their “white guilt”.  Screaming at the police, protesting and perhaps even getting arrested promotes their “street-cred” and makes for bragging rights at the ladies Wine Nite get-together.

A quick history lesson would be in order.  The USA led the world in addressing the evils of slavery and eradicated it over 100 years ago.  The American Indians were indeed poorly treated and we have been making amends for that ever since and continue to do so.  There is no history of any nation or tribe or people that doesn’t include war, plunder and unjustified death.  We all did terrible things to each other and from those awful histories we have observed, learned and evolved, all of mankind.  Some have learned faster than others.  All humans and regions and nations throughout the world took eons in order to become civilized and the United States was no exception however, we were the exception when it came to leading the way in that civilization process.  Today, our nation is about to have its 250th birthday, still intact and still civilizing.  We strive today to make ourselves better people, our nation more strong and righteous and the world a better place.  We are happy to share our democracy and our way of live with whoever is interested, but we do it in a lawful and organized way.

We are indeed a nation of laws and we need to vigorously enforce them if we are to maintain our country.  Liberals need to wrap their heads around the fact that yes, we made mistakes, but we strive to do better, we are a nation of compassionate people trying to constantly evolve to the next higher level of civility.  There is no going back, we need to look forward and up not back and down.  We won’t do that until we embrace one another and make that advancement our common goal, within the framework of the Constitution and the well defined laws that have flowed from that document.

  To those on the Left, we are not the awful people you think we are.  We want all of the things you want, peace, happiness, security, safety, healthy children, and we can all begin to work together to increase all of those things by humbling ourselves, renewing our relationship with God Almighty and continue to make America the greatest nation on God’s earth.  . “Through one’s tears for the past, one’s future becomes blurred.”Criss Jami


Protecting criminals won’t absolve you from your own self-loathing but God will, if you embrace Him.

Standard

From Fright to Faith

Our first brush with fear comes at birth, thrust from the serene safety of the womb into a world of bright lights and jarring noise. For many, that fear lingers, shaping a life of caution.  Learning how to manage our fears is the key to a happier and more enjoyable life.  Once we learn how fear is used to manipulate us, it becomes less powerful.

Fear is used in ways you probably don’t recognize.  If you don’t use our product(s); you won’t be able to sleep/lose weight/be alert/have more energy/better sex/digestion or regular bowel movements.  If you don’t support our cause; puppies/refugees/babies/the homeless and the elderly will die.  In politics, if you don’t support our party, you will be over-taxed/unpatriotic/financially ruined and hated by everyone.

External fears, like those peddled by advertisers or politicians, thrive on our compliance. Learning to question their claims—‘Do I really need this product to be happy?’ negates their power.  Many fear facing tomorrow, their state of health, their financial condition, their relationships, their careers, their futures.  Many more fear anything new; change, making new friends, losing old friends, their neighbors, traffic.  Fear slows us down, undermines our decision-making and causes indecision.  Fear can make us sick, (“I’m sick over this…”)  Fear, at the least, undermine our life’s pleasures and in some extreme cases can even end it.

There are two distinct forms of fear; the external kinds delivered from others and the internal source, entirely of our own making.  Standing up to the school-yard bully addresses the former, controlling our own mind the latter.

Napoleon Hill said, “Fears are nothing more than a state of mind.”

That said, it is key to know and understand the difference between real, legitimate fear and everything else.  Fearing the dangerous and life-threatening prevents us from death or injury.  This is an appropriate fear, processed in our brains amygdale region which triggers the fight-or-flight response.

Every other form of fear is ours to manage, whether wisely or not.  Learning how to do this means the difference between a happy life and something quite less than that.

A turning-point experience in managing my fears came to me in the form of buying my first motorcycle as a 15-year-old.  The used bike I bought came from the coolest kid in high school.  He had the nicest car, the most radical bike, and the cutest girlfriend in our school.  Everyone loved this guy and I wanted to be more like him.  While I loved motorcycles, I had no clue how to ride one.

 When “Mike” was delivering the bike, he started it up and said, “Here you go, take it for a spin.”  I made some excuse, telling him I trusted him.  Truth was, I feared that Mike would know I was a fraud.  Once he left, I wheeled that bike into the darkened garage and got out the owners manual to see how it worked.  I taught myself how to ride that bike by trial and error.  I faced my fears and I conquered that bike.  Learning about that motorcycle taught me that fear, at its core, often boils down to simple choices—act or retreat, embrace or avoid.

Facing that fear led me to a lifetime of motorcycling.  Mingling the sensation of speed, the in-your-face rush of air, the smells and sights all coincide to push the fear and the danger back into its place as you trade off the uncertainty for the sheer joy of the experience.  I learned that I could be cool too.  The fear was worth the ride.

Fear does not stop death, it stops life.

Fear, in all forms require choices—act or freeze, trust or doubt. This clarity can light the way forward.  For example, you are either healthy or you are sick.  If you’re healthy, you have nothing to worry about.  If you’re sick, consider two things; you’re either getting better or you’re getting worse.  If you’re getting better, you have nothing to worry about.  If you’re getting worse, consider two things; you’re either going to live, or you’re going to die.  If you’re going to live, you’ve got nothing to worry about.  If you’re going to die, consider two things; are you going to heaven or are you going to hell?  If you’re going to heaven, you’ve got nothing to worry about.  If you’re going to hell, well is something worth worrying about and maybe the best example of the importance of how we might best prepare ourselves for the future because we all must face our own death.

Simplifying fear into choices helps us act, but enduring peace often comes from a deeper source—whether philosophy, spirituality, or personal conviction.  While not all fears reduce to simple choices—chronic illness or systemic challenges can feel overwhelming—the principle remains: focusing on what we can control shrinks fear’s shadow.

For centuries, wisdom traditions have offered tools to tame fear, from philosophy to faith. In my own journey, I’ve found solace in the Bible’s guidance.  The word ‘fear’ appears roughly 500 times in the Bible, reflecting its dual role as anxiety and reverence.

It is interesting how fear is used as a contronym, both for the traditional meaning indicating anxiety and terror, as well as the non-traditional meaning when it come to God, meaning holding him in awe and reverence, (“fear of the Lord”)  Using it this way, Proverbs says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”  Overwhelmingly, the Bible tells us, “Do not be afraid.”  And as our faith deepens, we can depend upon and take comfort in passages like, “”There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear.”

With faith in God, fear fades when we anchor ourselves in something greater.  Quite simply, fear thrives in the absence of faith. … Belief is the antidote to fear.

What’s your earliest memory of fear? And how does it still shape you today?

Putting our fears into perspective can make them easier to understand and manage.  Going back to our life-and-death story, in those final earthy moments before our demise, I believe our thoughts might be consumed with wondering, did we do enough, are we prepared to face our death, do we move closer to death with faith or with fear?

Faith conquers fear.

Recalling a time of good health, when worries faded, offers perspective for today.  Because we are enjoying our good health and we are alive right in this moment, doesn’t the thought of all this clarify for us the fact that this time, right now, is the time of our lives?  Can not this perspective relieve us all of our fears, if just for a moment in reflection?  Isn’t it true that right now, any of us are free to do whatever we want, if not for whatever fears we allow to persuade us?

Yesterday provides experience and tomorrow is only a hope.  Today is the only certainty. 

In this moment, our fears are an illusion. As Plato said, ‘We can easily forgive a child afraid of the dark; the real tragedy is when we fear the light.’ Embrace your trust in God, and step boldly into the life awaiting you, today.

Standard

I’m Conservative but… Part II

If you’re still in doubt or even have overt disagreement with me concerning my sentiments about how our government “deported” the Tren De Aragua gang-members, ask yourself this:

  • When was the last time the US “farmed out” the detention of prisoners to a 3rd world country?
  • When was the last time we showcased the demeaning and head-shaving of prisoners on national TV?
  • How can defense lawyers gain access to their clients to prepare for trail?  How can trials even be held?  Are we flying them back one-by-one to stand trial here in the US?  If not, under what legal theory are we holding them in a foreign country and how will they be tried?
  • Why didn’t we simply deport them back to their countries of origin?

And regarding Khalil, the Columbia University student, why did we transport him to Louisiana?  He committed his acts in New York.  I can tell you why.  It was an act of retaliation and punishment in order to inconvenience his legal council, and also to separate him from his 8-month pregnant wife in New York.

Really?  Is this who we have become, just because we now have some power?  Wonder no more how someone gets “radicalized.”

Anyone who knows me knows there is no bigger patriot, but I have to be honest and say I’m ashamed of my country right now.  We have lectured and shamed others about the supposed sanctity of the, “rule of law” and now when we should be demonstrating to the world how a “nation of laws” actually functions, we betray our own legitimacy.

Since first being politically aware, this is the first time I have seen emotion and feelings overcome the reason and logic of my conservative brethren.  I guess the days of deriding liberals for yielding to their emotions are gone when we have done just that.

Standard