4th of July

As I'm typing this, it's less than a hour from the 4th of July. I wont have time to update the blog tomorrow so I'm writing it now.

While some use this day as an excuse to pop fireworks, I avoid doing so. But I will watch a fireworks show near Ala Moana Beach Park.

July 4th is the day the USA declared independence from Great Britain. It is the birth of a nation, that while flawed, is the symbol of worldly progress.

The Founding Fathers understood even then, that while things aren't perfect, there is room for improvement.

The Founding Fathers weren't consistent on the concept of freedom. Some were slave-owners. But their words on freedom is what inspired Martin Luther King to tell America to start being more consistent and practice what it preaches.

There have been tragedies of the USA. There was slavery of African Americans, genocide of Native Americans, Jim Crow, the military draft. That's the only part of US history the Radical Left wants to talk about. But US history is more than that.

US history is also about inventions. Stuff like telephones, light bulbs, cars, television and the computer were invented in the USA. Music like jazz, country, blues, rock n roll, and hip-hop is American.

US history is also social progress. An African American woman Condoleeza Rice is the Secretary of State. That means the US President (with the approval of Congress) trust her in dealing with foreign relations. A Mexican-American man (Alberto Gonzalez) is in charge of the federal law enforcement system. This is a sign that non-whites are getting into ranks of great power. This is progress.

USA is the destination of many immigrants. Mexicans aren't moving to Guatemala (no offense), they're moving to the US. People worldwide are waiting in long lines for visas to the US. Meanwhile, millions are saying "screw the lines, I'm coming illegally". It's proof that the USA lifestyle is attractive to millions worldwide.

Tobin Jones (remember him?) will continue to bitch about how bad things are in this nation! Tell him the great news and he'll act like all the bad news erase the good news. It doesn't.

But we can look back on the progress made, then continue on for more progress.

God Bless the USA!

Luther Vandross 1951-2005

The legendary R&B singer Luther Vandross has passed away

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/02/arts/music/02vandross.html?ei=5094&en=43b2b988cd9558b2&hp=&ex=1120363200&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print

When I was younger, I wasn't into his music. Back then, I was more into heavy metal, and gangsta rap.

As I matured, I have gotten more into the slower forms of music. I started to appreciate the songs by artists like Luther Vandross a lot more. Songs like "Dance with My Father", "Here and Now", and few other songs I can't list in my head at this moment.

So it is with great sadness that I hear about the death of Luther Vandross. My heart goes out to his family and friends at this difficult time.

Reverend Graham endorsing the Clintons?


Reverend Billy Graham, a famous evangelists, had what is possibly his last speech (he is aging and in ill health) in New York City.

At the speech was ex-Prez Bill Clinton and his wife (and possible Presidential candidate in 2008) Hillary Clinton.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45083

Dr. Graham said, "I told President Clinton that when he left office, he should be an evangelist because he has all the right gifts for it, and he should leave his wife to run the country."

The way I interpret that statement, Graham was probably joking with Bill Clinton. I mean people like to joke with each other by saying "you should be president" or "you should be a star".

In fact, at my job, one of the senior staff members joked to one my colleagues (who is still in college) that she should be in charge of the entire program next year. Everyone in the room know it was friendly joke.

Back to Graham, he noticed that Clinton has the gifts of speaking to audiences, so Graham joked to Clinton that he should be a preacher. Being that Hillary has political aspirations, he joked that she should be president.

Yet, Reverend Rob Schenck couldn't get the joke.

Now don't get me wrong, I didn't leave in a huff. I was more in a daze. I couldn't believe that I had just witnessed the Clintons manipulate their way to a quasi endorsement by the leading evangelical of the last half-century. It was shameless exploitation of a sacred platform by the most powerful, cunning and recklessly ambitious political duo in American history.

Nevermind that Graham had friendly relations with a lot of Presidents, both Democrat and Republican. He had invitations to the White House from Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, the Bushes and Clinton.

So I doubt Graham was making an explicit endorsement at his last speech in New York

9/11, Iraq, Pearl Harbor, Germany


It's been awhile since I last posted on this blog. I work long hours at a summer program, and what little time I have for internet use, it's not enough to keep the blog updated.

Anyways, we hear talk that Bush exploited emotions around 9/11 to go to war with Iraq.

Here is some commentary from DANIEL HENNINGER

http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/dhenninger/?id=110006899

So it is that below the level of exquisite analysis now common in our politics, some Americans do exist who credit a connection between September 11 and events in Iraq. Perhaps there will be a poll out in a few weeks that will expose their sentiment to the greater weight and rigor of statistical science.

In time even Pearl Harbor became more a symbol than the bloody reality that ultimately hurled American forces against a Germany that didn't attack us at Pearl Harbor.

In 1941, Japanese warplanes attacked Pearl Harbor. That got President Franklin D Roosevelt to declare war not just on Japan, but on Japan's allies at the time - Germany and Italy.

Japan and Germany alliance had nothing to do with love for each other. Hitler was a white supremacist. But Japan was far enough away from Germany to not to be a threat. So while Germany aspired to rule over all of Europe, Japan aspired to rule over all of Asia. That brought Japan and Germany into conflict against Great Britain, France, Russia, China and the USA.

So in World War 2, Japan, Germany and Italy were on one side. On the other side was USA, Great Britain, Russia, France and China.

In the early 21st century, the USA is in conflict with some Middle Eastern terrorists. There is Al Quiada, who want to terrorize the world into submission to Islamic faith. That brings Al Quaida into conflict with the USA, Israel, Great Britain, Spain, India, Phillipines and other nations.

Saddam Hussein is not a part of Al Quaida. However, he is allied with Al Quaida against the USA. In 1991, Hussein led Iraqi troops into invading Kuwait. President Bush Sr. decided to defend Kuwait. Hussein became enemy of America. Al Quaida is enemy of America. So the worry was that Hussein might be supplying weapons to Al Quaida.

The 9/11 attacks were committed by Al Quaida. President Bush Jr decided to declare war on Al Quaida. Al Quaida was headquartered in Afghanistan, so Afghanistan was invaded 1st.

Since Hussein had interests in destroying the USA, Bush decided "might as well invade Iraq too".

So just like how FDR fought against both Germany and Japan, GWB fought against both Al Quaida and Afghanistan.