Executive Order 13547 - Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts and the Great Lakes

Presidential Documents

Title 3--
The President


Executive Order 13547 of July 19, 2010


Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Purpose. The ocean, our coasts, and the
Great Lakes provide jobs, food, energy resources,
ecological services, recreation, and tourism
opportunities, and play critical roles in our Nation's
transportation, economy, and trade, as well as the
global mobility of our Armed Forces and the maintenance
of international peace and security. The Deepwater
Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and resulting
environmental crisis is a stark reminder of how
vulnerable our marine environments are, and how much
communities and the Nation rely on healthy and
resilient ocean and coastal ecosystems. America's
stewardship of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great
Lakes is intrinsically linked to environmental
sustainability, human health and well-being, national
prosperity, adaptation to climate and other
environmental changes, social justice, international
diplomacy, and national and homeland security.

(Blogger's Note: This is only a problem because this administration took so bloody long to deal with the problem of of the Deep Water Horizon Oil Crisis. Had they dealt with it in a timely manner, it would not have been a problem to our coastal areas, or our ecosystems. Remember, never let a good crisis go to waste, you can use it to put out an executive order and demand more control over people.)

This order adopts the recommendations of the
Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, except where
otherwise provided in this order, and directs executive
agencies to implement those recommendations under the
guidance of a National Ocean Council. Based on those
recommendations, this order establishes a national
policy to ensure the protection, maintenance, and
restoration of the health of ocean, coastal, and Great
Lakes ecosystems and resources, enhance the
sustainability of ocean and coastal economies, preserve
our maritime heritage, support sustainable uses and
access, provide for adaptive management to enhance our
understanding of and capacity to respond to climate
change and ocean acidification, and coordinate with our
national security and foreign policy interests.

(Bloggers note: I thought the oil spill was in the Gulf of Mexico, not the Great Lakes? Is my geography failing me? And what does our maritime heritage got to do with it? And exactly what does acidification have to do with an oil spill or national security or foreign policy interests?)

This order also provides for the development of coastal
and marine spatial plans that build upon and improve
existing Federal, State, tribal, local, and regional
decision making and planning processes. These regional
plans will enable a more integrated, comprehensive,
ecosystem-based, flexible, and proactive approach to
planning and managing sustainable multiple uses across
sectors and improve the conservation of the ocean, our
coasts, and the Great Lakes.

(Blogger's note: Like we need more people involved in decision making in the government? And we need the ecosystem involved in EVERY decision we make...I think we need our ECONOMY to come first, not the tree-huggers....the American wallet is a bit more important than the trees.)

Sec. 2. Policy. (a)To achieve an America whose
stewardship ensures that the ocean, our coasts, and the
Great Lakes are healthy and resilient, safe and
productive, and understood and treasured so as to
promote the well-being, prosperity, and security of
present and future generations, it is the policy of the
United States to:

(i) protect, maintain, and restore the health and biological diversity of
ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems and resources;

(ii) improve the resiliency of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems,
communities, and economies;

(iii) bolster the conservation and sustainable uses of land in ways that
will improve the health of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems;

(iv) use the best available science and knowledge to inform decisions
affecting the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes, and enhance
humanity's capacity to understand, respond, and adapt to a changing global
environment;

(v) support sustainable, safe, secure, and productive access to, and uses
of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes;

(vi) respect and preserve our Nation's maritime heritage, including our
social, cultural, recreational, and historical values;

(Blogger's Note: Ummmm, excuse me, how can you preserve our maritime heritage if you're constantly talking about global identity? That's an oxymoron....that's erasing our heritage and blending it into a soup of the world identity. duh. They even follow that with perform duties in accordance with international law.....? do they think we're stupid?)

(vii) exercise rights and jurisdiction and perform duties in accordance
with applicable international law, including respect for and preservation
of navigational rights and freedoms, which are essential for the global
economy and international peace and security;

(viii) increase scientific understanding of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes
ecosystems as part of the global interconnected systems of air, land, ice,
and water, including their relationships to humans and their activities;

(Blogger's Note: are they covering all bases here, in case of global cooling and every thing is covered in ICE?)

(ix) improve our understanding and awareness of changing environmental
conditions, trends, and their causes, and of human activities taking place
in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes waters; and

(x) foster a public understanding of the value of the ocean, our coasts,
and the Great Lakes to build a foundation for improved stewardship.

(b) The United States shall promote this policy by:

(i) ensuring a comprehensive and collaborative framework for the
stewardship of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes that facilitates
cohesive actions across the Federal Government, as well as participation of
State, tribal, and local authorities, regional governance structures,
nongovernmental organizations, the public, and the private sector;

(ii) cooperating and exercising leadership at the international level;

(iii) pursuing the United States' accession to the Law of the Sea
Convention; and

(iv) supporting ocean stewardship in a fiscally responsible manner.

Sec. 3. Definitions. As used in this order:

(a) ``Final Recommendations'' means the Final
Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task
Force that shall be made publicly available and for
which a notice of public availability shall be
published in the Federal Register.
(b) The term ``coastal and marine spatial
planning'' means a comprehensive, adaptive, integrated,
ecosystem-based, and transparent spatial planning
process, based on sound science, for analyzing current
and anticipated uses of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes
areas. Coastal and marine spatial planning identifies
areas most suitable for various types or classes of
activities in order to reduce conflicts among uses,
reduce environmental impacts, facilitate compatible
uses, and preserve critical ecosystem services to meet
economic, environmental, security, and social
objectives. In practical terms, coastal and marine
spatial planning provides a public policy process for
society to better determine how the ocean, our coasts,
and Great Lakes are sustainably used and protected--now
and for future generations.

(Blogger's Note: Reduce conflicts among uses, does that mean make sure it's used the way they want to, and not the way the people want to use it? Reduce environmental impact: make sure man doesn't have an impact by taking it away from man....beware they've done it before with imminent domain. That's where social objectives comes in.)

(c) The term ``coastal and marine spatial plans''
means the plans that are certified by the National
Ocean Council as developed in accordance with the
definition, goals, principles, and process described in
the Final Recommendations.

Sec. 4. Establishment of National Ocean Council. (a)
There is hereby established the National Ocean Council
(Council).

(Blogger's Note: Oh, yea, establish another council. Filled with Obama-ites.)

(b) The Council shall consist of the following:

(i) the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality and the Director of
the Office of Science and Technology Policy, who shall be the Co-Chairs of
the Council;

(ii) the Secretaries of State, Defense, the Interior, Agriculture, Health
and Human Services, Commerce, Labor, Transportation, Energy, and Homeland
Security, the Attorney General, the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget,
the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (Administrator of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the Administrator of
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Director of National
Intelligence, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff;

(Blogger's Note: Someone tell me how eco-stuff affects our defense...please...they are bringing EVERYTHING under the banner of eco-friendly....THIS IS A RELIGION FOLKS. They are becoming just like a Muslim, but their religion is the environment.)

(iii) the National Security Advisor and the Assistants to the President for
Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, Domestic Policy, Energy and Climate
Change, and Economic Policy;

(iv) an employee of the Federal Government designated by the Vice
President; and

(Blogger's note: The Constitution doesn't give the Vice President this much power.)

(v) such other officers or employees of the Federal Government as the Co-
Chairs of the Council may from time to time designate.

(c) The Co-Chairs shall invite the participation of
the Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, to the extent consistent with the
Commission's statutory authorities and legal
obligations, and may invite the participation of such
other independent agencies as the Council deems
appropriate.

(Blogger's Note: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission? and such other independent agencies as they deem appropriate? I hate blank checks.)

(d) The Co-Chairs of the Council, in consultation
with the National Security Advisor and the Assistant to
the President for Homeland Security and
Counterterrorism, shall regularly convene and preside
at meetings of the Council, determine its agenda,
direct its work, and, as appropriate to address
particular subject matters, establish and direct
committees of the Council that shall consist
exclusively of members of the Council.

(Blogger's Note: Determine it's agenda? So the agenda they just set doesn't mean a bit they can change it. They can decide it means cap and trade.)

(e) A member of the Council may designate, to
perform committee functions of the member, any person
who is within such member's department, agency, or
office and who is (i) an officer of the United States
appointed by the President, (ii) a member of the Senior
Executive Service or the Senior Intelligence Service,
(iii) a general officer or flag officer, or (iv) an
employee of the Vice President.

(Blogger's Note: They can decide to let a secretary that has not been vetted take over the committee functions. They can appoint any Czar, any member of an Intelligence Service, any flag officer or any employee of the Vice president...does that include a pledge?)

(f) Consistent with applicable law and subject to
the availability of appropriations, the Office of
Science and Technology Policy and the Council on
Environmental Quality shall provide the Council with
funding, including through the National Science and
Technology Council or the Office of Environmental
Quality. The Council on Environmental Quality shall, to
the extent permitted by law and subject to the
availability of appropriations, provide administrative
support necessary to implement this order.

(Blogger's Note: A blank check ... subject to availability of appropriations .... support necessary to implement this order. With Democrats that means whatever they need from You. Your pockets are deep they'll just raise your taxes.)

(g) The day-to-day operations of the Council shall
be administered by a Director and a Deputy Director,
who shall supervise a full-time staff to assist the Co-
Chairs in their implementation of this order.

(Blogger's Note: Well, need to hire some more Obama-ites...will we get to vet them? Will the be members of the Weather Underground, or Marxists?)

Sec. 5. Functions of the Council. (a) The Council shall
have the structure and function and operate as defined
in the Final Recommendations. The Council is
authorized, after the Council's first year of
operation, to make modifications to its structure,
function, and operations to improve its effectiveness
and efficiency in furthering the policy set forth in
section 2 of this order.

(Blogger's Note: So, it's only what you want for the first year, then they get to change it into whatever they want ... make modifications and operate as defined below... oh goody can't wait to see how they're going to change it... hope and change.)

(b) To implement the policy set forth in section 2
of this order, the Council shall provide appropriate
direction to ensure that executive departments',
agencies', or offices' decisions and actions affecting
the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes will be
guided by the stewardship principles and national
priority objectives set forth in the Final
Recommendations, to the extent consistent with
applicable law. The Council shall base its decisions on
the consensus of its members. With respect to those
matters in which consensus cannot be reached, the
National Security Advisor shall coordinate with the Co-
Chairs and, as appropriate, the Assistants to the
President for Energy and Climate Change, and Economic
Policy, and the employee of the United States
designated by the Vice President, subject to the
limitations set forth in section 9 of this order, to
present the disputed issue or issues for decision by
the President.

(Blogger's Note...so if they can't come to a consensus, the President gets to decide...how dictatorial of him.)


Sec. 6. Agency Responsibilities. (a) All executive
departments, agencies, and offices that are members of
the Council and any other executive department, agency,
or office whose actions affect the ocean, our coasts,
and the Great Lakes shall, to the fullest extent
consistent with applicable law:

(i) take such action as necessary to implement the policy set forth in
section 2 of this order and the stewardship principles and national
priority objectives as set forth in the Final Recommendations and
subsequent guidance from the Council; and

(ii) participate in the process for coastal and marine spatial planning and
comply with Council certified coastal and marine spatial plans, as
described in the Final Recommendations and subsequent guidance from the
Council.

(b) Each executive department, agency, and office
that is required to take actions under this order shall
prepare and make publicly available an annual report
including a concise description of actions taken by the
agency in the previous calendar year to implement the
order, a description of written comments by persons or
organizations regarding the agency's compliance with
this order, and the agency's response to such comments.
(c) Each executive department, agency, and office
that is required to take actions under this order shall
coordinate and contribute resources, as appropriate, to
assist in establishing a common information management
system as defined in the Final Recommendations and
shall be held accountable for managing its own
information assets by keeping them current, easily
accessible, and consistent with Federal standards.
(d) To the extent permitted by law, executive
departments, agencies, and offices shall provide the
Council such information, support, and assistance as
the Council, through the Co-Chairs, may request.

(Blogger's Note: So, bury them in paper work, make them comply, punish them if they don't do it right. I wonder what the penalties are if they report wrong, or don't give enough of their resources to the religion of eco?)

Sec. 7. Governance Coordinating Committee. The Council
shall establish a Governance Coordinating Committee
that shall consist of 18 officials from State, tribal,
and local governments in accordance with the Final
Recommendations. The Committee may establish
subcommittees chaired by representatives of the
Governance Coordinating Committee. These subcommittees
may include additional representatives from State,
tribal, and local governments, as appropriate to
provide for greater collaboration and diversity of
views.

Sec. 8. Regional Advisory Committees. The lead Federal
department, agency, or office for each regional
planning body established for the development of
regional coastal and marine spatial plans, in
consultation with their nonfederal co-lead agencies and
membership of their regional planning body, shall
establish such advisory committees under the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App., as they deem
necessary to provide information and to advise the
regional planning body on the development of regional
coastal and marine spatial plans to promote the policy
established in section 2 of this order.

Sec. 9. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order,
the establishment of the Council, and the Final
Recommendations shall be construed to impair or
otherwise affect:

(i) authority granted by law to an executive department or agency or the
head thereof; or

(ii) functions assigned by the President to the National Security Council
or Homeland Security Council (including subordinate bodies) relating to
matters affecting foreign affairs, national security, homeland security, or
intelligence.

(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to
impair or otherwise affect the functions of the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative
proposals.


(c) In carrying out the provisions of this order
and implementing the Final Recommendations, all actions
of the Council and the executive departments, agencies,
and offices that constitute it shall be consistent with
applicable international law, including customary
international law, such as that reflected in the Law of
the Sea Convention.
(d) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

Sec. 10. Revocation. Executive Order 13366 of December
17, 2004, is hereby revoked.


(Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

July 19, 2010.

A Study of Daniel 11:20-12:13

First, some background: Daniel had been fasting and had a vision that left him pale. It took the archangel Michael 21 days to help the angel that did get to Daniel to get there and explain the vision that Daniel had. The first part of Daniel explains the various kings involved, but starting with verse 20 is the beginning of the end of days.

The Bible I use is a Precepts Bible that is used by Kay Arthur. This means that it has absolutely no study notes, no explanations by other scholars, only the scriptures. It is the New American Standard Version.

Daniel 11:1-20 tells of 3 kings coming to power, and then a 4th king will rise that gains more riches than any other. Then it says "And a mighty king will arise..." I don't know if they're still speaking of the 4th king, or of a next one, but this one will have his kingdom parceled out to the 4 points of the compass against his will. Then the king of the South gets strong and strikes a bargain with the king of the North, through a daughter. But she doesn't retain her power; one of her descendants arises and strikes against the king of the North.

This new king takes Egypt captive and refrains from attacking the king of the North for some years. Then he takes the king of the South, but returns to his own land.

The king of the South will fight the king of the North and lose. Then this other king will take the Beautiful Land (which I take to be Israel). He will take a woman to ruin it, but she's not on his side. Then he turns his attention to the coastal areas. But a commander will put a stop to his scorn against him, and repay him for his scorn. At this point, he stumbles and falls, and is no more.

Then someone takes his place who is very oppressive but only for a few days. He's shattered but not in battle or anger.

In HIS place comes a despicable person who is not a king and comes during a time of tranquility and seizes the kingdom by intrigue. After the alliance is made, he will practice deception, and will gain power with a small force of people.

In a time of peace, he will enter the richest parts of the kingdom and do what his ancestors had never done. "He will distribute plunder, booty and possessions among them and will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time."

The king of the South will come against him, but he won't win. This not-king will scheme against the king of the South. He will plant traitors: "Those who eat his choice food will destroy him." They will speak lies to each other at the same table, but the end will still come at the appointed time. He will go home with plunder and his heart set against the holy covenant.

At the appointed time, he will return to the South, but the ships of Kittim (or the Islands of Cyprus) will be against him. He will return enraged at the holy covenant and take action. He will favor those who forsake the covenant (or godless). Forces from him will set up the abomination of desolation.

With smooth words he will favor godlessness and those who act wickedly. But those who know God will be brave and take action. Those with insight will give understanding to many, but they will also fall by sword, with flame, into captivity and by plunder for many days. "Now when they fall, they will be granted a little help and many will join with them in hypocrisy." This means that even though there are people standing with them, they don't help them once they are captured. This is to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time because it is still to come.

The king (non-king) will do as he pleases and put himself above every god and say monstrous things about God. He will prosper until all the indignation's are finished. He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or the desires of women because he places himself above all things. He honors a god of fortresses. He honors him with gold and silver, costly stones and treasure.

He will take action against the strongest fortress with the help of a foreign god. he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and cause them to rule over many and will parcel out land for a price.

At the end time, the king of the South will collide with him and the king of the North will stand against him. He will enter countries, overflow them and pass through them. He will also enter Israel and many countries will fall. These will be rescued: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. The land of Egypt will not escape. He will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt and the Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels.

But rumors from the East and North will disturb him and in anger he will go and kill many. He will settle between the seas and "the Beautiful Mountain" and there come to his end, with no one coming to help him.

At this point, Michael, the archangel, will come to our defense. There will be a time of distress such as has never occurred. At this time, everyone who is in the Book of Life will be rescued. The dead will rise, and those in the Book get everlasting life. Those not, get disgrace and everlasting contempt. So, everyone lives forever, just a matter of whether it's with God or not.

Those with insight will shine brightly and those who have lead others to God will shine like the stars forever.

Here, Daniel is told to seal up the words until the end time. When he looked up, there were 2 men, one on one side of the river and the other on the other side. One asked the other one how long until all this happened. The one in linen answered, "A time, times and a half a time, and as soon as the finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed."

The wicked will continue to do wicked, but those with insight will understand. From the time they set up the abomination of desolation there will be 1,290 days. How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days.

Then he tells Daniel it won't be during his lifetime, because he tells him he will enter his rest and rise again at the end of days.

Lori Ann Smith

Did you know there's a gun bill in congress?

Yep. I decided to browse the bills put forward in the 111th Congress, and low and behold there it was. The Citizens' Self-Defense Act of 2009, put forward by Congressman Roscoe Bartlett. He's naturally a Republican. I wanted to see where it was in congress right now, so I called that up. Bill Summary: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. I guess they are afraid that if normal citizens get the chance to own a firearm, we might become terrorists. Let me explain the bill to you. This will make your head explode.

________________________

The Congress finds the following:

(1) Police cannot protect, and are not legally liable for failing to protect, individual citizens, as evidenced by the following:

(A) The courts have consistently ruled that the police do not have an obligation to protect individuals, only the public in general. For example, in Warren v. District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department, 444 A.2d 1 (D.C. App. 1981), the court stated: `[C]ourts have without exception concluded that when a municipality or other governmental entity undertakes to furnish police services, it assumes a duty only to the public at large and not to individual members of the community.'.

(B) Former Florida Attorney General Jim Smith told Florida legislators that police responded to only 200,000 of 700,000 calls for help to Dade County authorities.

(C) The United States Department of Justice found that, in 1989, there were 168,881 crimes of violence for which police had not responded within 1 hour.

_________

Well, that sounds to me like an intelligent argument to me, doesn't it to you? He has his facts in order. He didn't make it sound like the fault of the police. He said they are not legally liable to protect individuals, but the public at large.

_____________

(2) Citizens frequently must use firearms to defend themselves, as evidenced by the following:

(A) Every year, more than 2,400,000 people in the United States use a gun to defend themselves against criminals--or more than 6,500 people a day. This means that, each year, firearms are used 60 times more often to protect the lives of honest citizens than to take lives.

(B) Of the 2,400,000 self-defense cases, more than 192,000 are by women defending themselves against sexual abuse.

(C) Of the 2,400,000 times citizens use their guns to defend themselves every year, 92 percent merely brandish their gun or fire a warning shot to scare off their attackers. Less than 8 percent of the time, does a citizen kill or wound his or her attacker.

___________

Hmm, let's see, if the Department of Homeland Security is stalling this bill, it must mean that either 1) they don't want us protecting ourselves as honest citizens; 2) they don't want women to protect themselves from sexual abuse; or 3) they're scared to death of a mere 8% of HONEST citizens who kill or wound an attacker. These are clear cut statistics so far. There must be something more ominous further down in this bill to make it be in committee for so long. This was introduced in January, 2009. I suppose that makes it considered a dead bill.

_____________

(3) Law-abiding citizens, seeking only to provide for their families' defense, are routinely prosecuted for brandishing or using a firearm in self-defense. For example:

(A) In 1986, Don Bennett of Oak Park, Illinois, was shot at by 2 men who had just stolen $1,200 in cash and jewelry from his suburban Chicago service station. The police arrested Bennett for violating Oak Park's handgun ban. The police never caught the actual criminals.

(B) Ronald Biggs, a resident of Goldsboro, North Carolina, was arrested for shooting an intruder in 1990. Four men broke into Biggs' residence one night, ransacked the home and then assaulted him with a baseball bat. When Biggs attempted to escape through the back door, the group chased him and Biggs turned and shot one of the assailants in the stomach. Biggs was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon--a felony. His assailants were charged with misdemeanors.

(C) Don Campbell of Port Huron, Michigan, was arrested, jailed, and criminally charged after he shot a criminal assailant in 1991. The thief had broken into Campbell's store and attacked him. The prosecutor plea-bargained with the assailant and planned to use him to testify against Campbell for felonious use of a firearm. Only after intense community pressure did the prosecutor finally drop the charges.

_________

So, criminals are getting better treatment than honest Americans who are the victims. That should be getting the bleeding heart liberals up in arms....they should be playing the victim card all over the place....why aren't they? Is it because they want to villainize the American Average Joe? They want Americans deemed to be gun-toting villains? We're all out to kill every one who steps foot on our property. Those guys weren't robbers...they were just property redistributionists.

_____________

(4) The courts have granted immunity from prosecution to police officers who use firearms in the line of duty. Similarly, law-abiding citizens who use firearms to protect themselves, their families, and their homes against violent felons should not be subject to lawsuits by the violent felons who sought to victimize them.

___________

That's self-explanatory.

______________

SEC. 3. RIGHT TO OBTAIN FIREARMS FOR SECURITY, AND TO USE FIREARMS IN DEFENSE OF SELF, FAMILY, OR HOME; ENFORCEMENT.

(a) Reaffirmation of Right- A person not prohibited from receiving a firearm by Section 922(g) of title 18, United States Code, shall have the right to obtain firearms for security, and to use firearms--

(1) in defense of self or family against a reasonably perceived threat of imminent and unlawful infliction of serious bodily injury;

(2) in defense of self or family in the course of the commission by another person of a violent felony against the person or a member of the person's family; and

(3) in defense of the person's home in the course of the commission of a felony by another person.

______________

Just so the Homeland Security doesn't think we want to skirt the process of determining who can have a gun. He isn't saying give a gun to every nut job. He wants HONEST Americans to have a gun, not the nuts. He also affirms when you can use one in defense of property and self or a member of your family...it has to be in the commission of a violent felony or perceived threat of imminent and unlawful infliction of serious bodily injury, or in defense of the person's home in the commission of the felony.

____________

(b) Firearm Defined- As used in subsection (a), the term `firearm' means--

(1) a shotgun (as defined in section 921(a)(5) of title 18, United States Code);

(2) a rifle (as defined in section 921(a)(7) of title 18, United States Code); or

(3) a handgun (as defined in section 10 of Public Law 99-408).

_____________

Then for the idiots in Congress, he defines a firearm. It's sad that we have to do this, but some will skirt and get around it I suppose if you don't.

____________

(c) Enforcement of Right-

(1) IN GENERAL- A person whose right under subsection (a) is violated in any manner may bring an action in any United States district court against the United States, any State, or any person for damages, injunctive relief, and such other relief as the court deems appropriate.

(2) AUTHORITY TO AWARD A REASONABLE ATTORNEY'S FEE- In an action brought under paragraph (1), the court, in its discretion, may allow the prevailing plaintiff a reasonable attorney's fee as part of the costs.

(3) STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS- An action may not be brought under paragraph (1) after the 5-year period that begins with the date the violation described in paragraph (1) is discovered.


_____________

And what we as citizens can do if our rights are violated. I imagine THIS is what is stopping Homeland Security. They want to figure out how to get around this last bit. How do they come in and take away our guns and not get prosecuted when they do it. They are probably trying to figure out how to put in a clause that exempts them.


Lori Ann Smith

I've been cleaning house and I found a blog I started a while back....amazing how that works. I'm not sure how old it is, but it's very applicable now, so I'm picking it up now and taking up where I left off.



I don't know why I've never seen an article on these connections before (and I still haven't), but think about this for a minute. What does the Left, the Democrats (or Progressives or whatever they want to call themselves, the flavor of the day) constantly claim? They are for the poor, working class man. they are for the uneducated, those that never seem to get a break. In today's flare, you hear that they are the only one for the black man, and the brown man. The Right is the one for the rich and the highly educated. The Right is only concerned for big business and wants to tear down the poor.



Well, let's walk that logic out a bit further. Where are the policies from the left that increase the educational opportunities for the poor? If you believe the propaganda, they would work themselves into extinction if they lifted everyone out of poverty. They would be erasing their own voting base. They are the ones in power right now. They have the opportunity to put into place all the policies to eradicate poverty. They can build up small businesses and give the opportunities for people to better themselves. They don't have any opposition to speak of from the Republicans. But if you follow their logic, to do so would be cutting their own throats. Once they lift up the poor, who would see that capitalism works, they would by all rights, be rich. What then, do they become rich capitalist REPUBLICANS?



Once they've been lifted out of the squalor of the ghetto, and are no longer poor and uneducated, do they see the lie and turn on the Democrats and see who it is that held them down so long? Is this their twisted logic? Is this the true reason why the Democrats voted against the voucher system in Washington, D.C.? Is this the reason why the worse schools are the ones with minorities in them? Is this the reason why, throughout history, you find Democrats behind the efforts to repeal civil rights movements? Is this why the KKK was started by Democrats? Is this why severely racist black movements are generally funded by Democrats?



They have a twisted logic. The poor vote Democrat, so lets make everyone poor. The rich vote Republican so we have to ensure that they don't become rich - that's the same thing. They also established that the highly educated vote Republican, so the less educated vote Democrat. So they must find a way to interfere with public education. They have to dumb down America. They limit our choices. They make sure our teachers don't need to pass tests. They institute the tenure system so we can't get rid of bad teachers. They make sure the unions get a foothold and we're paying for it. In a Washington State post, this was posted:

Teachers' Union Dues

Speaking of teacher salaries, how much must teachers pay each year to the Washington Education Association and its local, regional and national affiliates? An average of $763. Kent and Bellevue teachers pay more than $1,000. It varies by district. To find out how much teachers in your district must pay, follow this link.

Teachers who do not wish to be members of the union do have a right to “opt out” and receive a refund for a portion of their dues – hundreds of dollars in many districts.



A PORTION of their dues is refunded to them. That means they still have to pay union dues even though they don't want to be in the union. That's a shake down. That's protection money, in my opinion. That's like buying a house and then your neighborhood deciding they want a homeowners association and you don't and they come up and say we all voted and you have to pay $1,000 a year for this homeowners association now. And you say, but I didn't vote for it. I don't want it. They say well you can opt out if you want, and we'll let you keep some of that money. We'll only charge you $500 a year because you opted out. WHAT???



Have they infiltrated our school system? You be the judge. Have the infiltrated our political system? You be the judge. It's Saul Alinsky. Not only is it divide and conquer, it's ridicule the opposition.

The Most Curious Thing

The Left is really trying to capture us. A couple weeks ago, we had a flyer left on our door. I'm sure it was a random thing, left on everyone's door based on the neighborhood I live in. It was offering a free cell phone to anyone who is in a government program. I've since shredded the offer, because I read the whole thing and it just sounded plain spooky to me. But get this, you got 200 free minutes a month, with a basic phone. It had text capabilities, but you would have to pay extra for it. So, get you hooked, and then get you in debt, I suppose. But in order to qualify, you had to be in some sort of government program, like my son being on SSI. What caused me to shred it, was that they reserved the right to change the applications on the phone, even remotely, without notice at any time. How do you change an application remotely?


I had an attack of paranoia one time (the Obama administration has me doing that) and thought my cell phone was bugged by my mother in law. I know, sounds insane. But I checked it out on line. I discovered that it is possible to bug a phone, but it has to be one of those really fancy phones, the ones that can hold lots of applications, and you have to have access to the phone personally. As in if the government mailed you one? The program, I forget the name of it because it's illegal to bug someone's phone if they don't know you're doing it (unless you're the federal government) costs over $200. Like I said, you have to have access to the phone to install it. So I know I don't have it, because I've never let my mother in law have access to my phone, and it's not a complicated phone. It sends all the information to a predetermined location, either another phone or a computer, in a download.


Interesting, huh? So the Government is sending out flyers, trying to give away free phones to everyone on government assistance of some sort. Is this so they know where they are? I was really tempted to take it. I thought to myself, this would be a great way for my son to have a phone in case we were gone and the power went out. With 200 free minutes a month that would be all he needed. And the kids could share it.


Then we got a call from a marketing agency....to tell you the truth I've forgotten the name. We've been involved with them before. They send $1 in an envelope and tell us they're going to call with survey questions. Well, this time they called before we got the envelope. They wanted to know if we would be willing to wear a device that monitors everything we watch....it just makes it easier. It picks up all our electronic devices. It scans our grocery purchases, etc. EXCUSE ME???!!! Can it also monitor my cell phone calls? Can it also tell them where I'm at at all time? We said absolutely not. The next day we got the letter explaining it with $10. They wanted to pay us $50 per person willing to wear it.


THIS IS BIG BROTHER! This is the scariest thing I've ever heard of. I just could not believe it. And when you put these two things together? How do things like this happen in America? I would not have believed this was possible just a short year ago. I would have said *I* was crazy for even suspecting anything was wrong. But I was the person who, at the age of 20, went with a total stranger and let him show me around New York City. And I don't think THIS is safe. You tell me that wearing a tracking device in this day and age is right. Yea, it's just marketing.


And everyone knows that cell phones have a GPS in them. Why would anyone let the government give them a phone with a GPS in it? So the government can track down all the people on disability? It specifically says only the person assigned the phone can have the phone. That is population control. Hand out the phones so at a later date they know where everyone is.


If you know anyone who got those, make sure they tie them to rats...just like in the move with Arnold ...what was it where he went to Mars? We'll have all the government men tracking down varmints instead of Patriots!


Lori Ann Smith

I've just about had enough

I've just about had enough. And I can guess my friends have just about had enough, too. I have friends of all colors. I have never in my life mistreated a person of a different race, at least not intentionally. My mother would beat me all the way home if I had. I have never spit on a black person. I have never spit on a white person, or a brown person. I find that extremely offensive. I have been spit on once myself, but it was by accident. To tell you the truth, I haven't been mistreated by any black person intentionally, after they met me and realized I wasn't going to be mean to them. I've had a few people look me in the eyes, with a moment of measuring as if they thought I might be racist, and then determine I was an OK person, and move on.

And now, my FIRST LADY is telling me I'm a racist, when she hasn't even met me, based on MY SKIN color? HOW RACIST IS THAT? And just WHO is the RACIST? This is the lady (and mind you, I use that term very loosely) who wrote a term paper in college on how college changes a black person and makes them not want to hang around their own race any more. This is the person who decided that it might just be better if they had their own college because colleges made black people not want to help ONLY black people anymore when they got around white people in college. Maybe it was because they didn't believe the bull crap that was shoved down their throats that all white people are evil slave owners just out to destroy them and hold them down. Maybe it's like the few people who I met who measured me up before treating me nicely.

I'm a people watcher. I watch eyes. These people I'm talking about are people I interacted with usually in my professional status as a clown, or when I lived in the working poor part of town and my son, who doesn't know a stranger, would run up and hug them. I can't be shy with a Down Syndrome son. I have to admit, a little was naive. I would just be wanting to explain that he just wanted to give them a hug. They would see in my eyes that I didn't want to hurt them either. I was just a mom who loved her son. And I didn't see anything wrong with my son hugging them so why should they? I wasn't telling him, son, you can't hug them, they're black. Oh, the horror. So they accepted me. I had a smile. I was friendly. This working poor part of town bordered the drug part of town. The first week I moved in, there was a drive by shooting. Actually, to be technical, it was a reverse drive by shooting; I had never heard of those before. I guess it was a drug deal gone bad. I never took my son to that park after that.

And now, I have my FIRST LADY telling me all white people are racist and the TEA PARTY Movement is driving us back to before the Civil Rights movement? Has she been to a Tea Party event? Someone should tell her there are black people in the Tea Party movement. Are they racist, too? Has she lead such a sheltered life with the Reverend Wright that she doesn't know there are black conservatives? That would equate to some redneck back in the woods who only lived around KKK members all their lives, wouldn't it? Who was only exposed to White Liberation Theology?

UNLESS there is another motive here: They are so terrified that the Tea Party Movement will succeed. They are afraid that the Black Man/Woman is smarter than they gave them credit for. I know my friends are. I know the average person in my neighborhood is. They still know that I'm not a racist. They still smile at me. They still wave when I go by. Don't they know that the FIRST LADY has deemed all white people racist? I mean, I fly my flag, I'm in the tea party, I must be a racist. When I go to Walmart, and I stop to help someone, don't they know I'm white, I must be a racist? Why are they saying thank you to me? And the greeter, who is from Jamaica and just the sweetest lady I ever met in my life, why did she ask about my boys today? Doesn't she know that the First Lady has said I'm a racist? That's so sad that the American people are so uninformed. I guess I'll have to stop by tomorrow and tell her. "I'm sorry, I can't talk to you anymore, Mrs. Obama tells me that I'm a racist now." ......NOT!!

Boy, Michelle, my Belle, are you in for a shocker come November when you no longer have any power. You'll just have to be satisfied with your husband's million from his Nobel Peace Prize for the peace he brought this nation....was it from bringing the races together? Or for the way be brought the Democrats and Republicans together?

Lori Ann Smith

Economics made easy

I've got an easy economics lesson for you. Let's put this into a life lesson so people can understand it. Obama keeps saying that he wants to stimulate the economy by injecting the economy with stimulus money and is amazed when it doesn't work. He gives out money from his magical stash (which is our tax money, by the way, folks, but we won't get into that part about taking from one pocket to pay us our own money).

I'm going to use as an example my sister in law who just got married. She's a great person, her and her new husband. They're really happy. But they have nothing. He has a small job, working part time as a pen setter in a bowling alley. He's extremely grateful to even have a job. They've lived together for 6 years and the only reason they haven't gotten married until now is he wanted to be able to do it right. He wanted a wedding and a reception. He wanted to do his bride right. He also wanted to be able to give her a place of their own, not staying with other people. They finally are renting their own place, with no roommates. My other sister-in-law, her sister, paid for most every thing, with their mother. That's the only way they were able to do this now. They still don't have hot water, because they can't afford to fill the propane tank, but they have their own place. Andy (not his real name) is used to poor and is really happy.

Now, let's suppose the government gives him a $2,000 stimulus check. What do you suppose he's gonna do with it? I can tell you exactly what he's gonna do with it. He's gonna fill his propane tank first so they have hot water. He's gonna make sure he's not behind on his rent. He's gonna make sure his electric bills are paid so they don't get their electric turned off. He's gonna put minutes on his go-phone. IF there's anything left over he may run down to a thrift store and see if there's any furniture he can get or household items they need to furnish their place. Or they may splurge and eat out. But paying the bills is not gonna stimulate the economy. It puts the money right back in the government coffers. And thrift stores don't stimulate like buying new. They don't have any credit cards, but a lot of people would choose to do that, pay off credit cards. They may put the money in the gas tank and drive the hour and a half to come visit me. And before you start criticizing, they don't have cable or satellite, and they don't have 2 TVs. I can't imagine not having anything but network TV. I have to keep her informed about what's really going on in the world. She doesn't have Internet service, either. She just got given a computer, but can't afford a connection. Before that, she had to go to the library to get on-line.

It is my belief that family should help out people like this. They are not deadbeats. Andy has a job. Dana (also not her real name) has some disability issues. It may be enough to get her disability, but I told her not to depend on it. They are going to apply for food stamps, another thing I told her not to depend on, but it would help. I would love to be able to help, but I'm paying 2 mortgages. If my MIL, her mother, who is living there and who owns the other half would just get a reverse mortgage and buy us out, we would be able to help her out. I do what I can. When I see something in a thrift store that I know she needs, I pick it up if I can afford it. I went through my cabinets and if I could spare it (do I really need 2 2-cup measuring cups?) I gave her one. I had started collecting Fire King on better days. So I gave her some of my Pyrex. The next time I can stewed tomatoes, I'll put some up for her. That's what family does.

This economy is not going to get better until we feel like we CAN spend money. The only way we will feel safe spending our own money is when we feel like we know we will have more. That's why cutting taxes works. We know that there will be more in each paycheck. When you get $15 an hour, but when 1% goes to federal withholding, 6% goes to Social Security, and 1.5% goes to Medicare (those are off my husband's check)...it adds up. I could do a lot with that nearly 9% of our income. I feel like, maybe we'll let you keep part of your check. I heard someone on talk radio (I'm sorry, I listen to so many different hosts, I can't remember which one it was, and I think it was a suggestion from a caller) suggest that they should cut all with holdings for one year from our checks as well as stopping all federal income tax. Then, when it starts back up, it should be at the rate that it was originally, if it starts back up at all, and it should be a flat tax, across the board the same for everyone. None of this progressive stuff that is adjusted to hurt the rich man. All that does in penalize success, and reward laziness and spread the wealth. And we need to get rid of the loopholes so the uber-rich can't kick the ladder out from success and the rest of us can get up there. And there shouldn't be with holding for this, and that. Just Federal. Everyone will yell, what about social security? I've got news for you. We, the working force, didn't put in for us anyway. We put in for those who are retired now. We are currently paying for our parents to live. We are right now supporting our retired parents anyway. Give me my money so I can send the check directly to my parents to help them. According to my husband's check, I'd be able to send each of our parents $90 a month. I know that's not much, but if his parents bought out that house from us, we could raise that even more. We wouldn't have 2 mortgages.

But, then the Progressives wouldn't have our money to play with and they wouldn't be able to skim from the till. So it will never happen.

Lori Ann Smith

Prepare for the Future

I've heard for a couple of sources now about our near future. No, not in a future telling sense. I mean in a headed to a depression sense. I've heard a couple times that we won't be able to deduct from our taxes our mortgage interest. Sure, it may be scare tactics, and it may not. I know one thing for sure. About a year and a half ago, I had a normal life. Things I believe now, I would have thought were conspiracy theory. Now, I don't believe EVERYTHING I look up on the Internet. I also don't believe everything I see on national news. I used to believe it if it was one the big three. Not anymore. I used to believe it if it came from the White House. Not anymore. Is that a sad place to be? You betcha.

How far has America sunk when the President of the United States puts out a false history lesson about the Statue of Liberty? Especially when he HAS to know it's not true? Oh, excuse me, what's the politically correct term? Disingenuous? I don't know...he lied. So far I still have freedom of speech. Did you know they have suspended the 1st Amendment in the Gulf of Mexico? If you go within, I think it's something like 65 feet of a worker or an oil covered bird or a boom you can be fined $40,000 and imprisoned? Excuse me? Why aren't the nature fanatics going ballistic? Why aren't the news teams plastering the TV with oil covered birds? Why aren't they demonizing BP by saying just how bad this is for the environment? Look at the pitiful birds and how bad this is for the fishermen and you killed the gulf...everything is dead! The news people can't get anywhere near it...and this is from CNN! You go try it, and see if you aren't fined and told to go pump sand. Let's see if anyone has the cahonies to risk a $40,000 fine and prison time to get some footage out or risk a fly over. I don't live near there, and I don't have that kind of money to throw around.

So, what am I gonna do? I'm gonna stock up on food for when the crap hits the fan. And for all of those who will ask, don't you think God will get you through this? Yes, He will. He gave me a brain to be reasonable. God wrote the Bible. Did you realize the pre-tribulation wasn't a theory until 1830? And it was started by a woman who had a Revelation about it. She was a Bible scholar. She just said that God revealed to her that He was going to take his people out of here before he sent Jesus back. Wow, I never knew that. Google it sometime.

But this blog wasn't intended to be a religious blog....I wanted to let you know what I'm doing in regards to stocking up. I'm Southern Baptist, but I heard that the Mormons are pretty knowledgeable on stocking up, so I researched a bit. They are. I had been just going and buying cans of stuff sort of willy Nelly. Not a good idea. If the crap hits the fan, you have a bunch of green beans and corn and what do you do with it?

Here's their idea. Go through your recipe books. Find some recipes that your family likes that you can make with just canned goods and noodles or rice...in other words all non-perishables that you can put away. Maybe with something you can do with canned meat in a pinch. Maybe something you could substitute game meat....if you could hunt. If it got really bad, you can hunt and then clean your own game but you would need a meat grinder for ground meat. But take those recipes and write out the amounts of each ingredient...don't forget the spices.

Also come up with some good bread recipes. You can always make bread in the oven instead of buying it. Or if you had a bread machine. Now this is assuming the power is still on, and consumables are just too expensive. If it gets really bad, and the power goes off, you may be cooking over an open flame or on a Coleman stove, I'm not sure how to make bread that way...I'll figure that one out when the time comes. I may be digging an oven in my back yard...lol. I have to have my bread.

But, the more meals you can come up with the better. Try to come up with at least 7, then you can have at least one a day for a week. Come up with some breakfast ideas, remembering what keeps. You can substitute applesauce for an egg in a pinch (I've done it in gluten free recipes), but you can also get dehydrated eggs - don't know what they taste like. Or just stock up on MRE's. We can't because they only make gluten free MRE's with an entree...not the full meal.

Then, after you've figured out what each meal takes you just multiply out for how every many meals you would need for the number of months you want to save up. That includes who much flour you need to make a loaf of bread, based on how many loaves of bread you think your family would eat. If you google the Mormons, they have a calculator for doing that but I had to change it for gluten free. They try to keep a year's food supply on hand at all times. I never knew that.

Also, as you get new stock, and you want to use it, rotate out of your building up stock. That way it doesn't get too old. Keep the oldest stuff in front, and put the newer in back. That way, if we're wrong, you don't end up with 10 or 20 year old green beans that are not usable.

And if you're going to store things in your garage, don't store directly on a concrete floor. Put things at least a few inches up off the floor. Some sort of pallet is fine. Those pallets they throw away are fine. My husband told me he wasn't about to buy shelving when he could be putting the money into food stuffs. We have the floor of our pantry stuffed and stacked. We are putting stuff on the floor of our closet. You can put stuff under your bed. Be creative. We have a stack of water cases next to our front door. We figured out that we need at least 3 bottles of water a day per person....multiply that out for a month. We would need 10 cases for a family of 4 for a month (our case has 35). If you have scrap wood, you can make storage units, if you're handy. Just remember the amount of weight it's holding.

Another thing my husband thought of is to remember the neighborhood you're in. He wanted to spread out when we bought our water, because he wasn't so sure he wanted our neighbors seeing us haul in all that water. Or seeing us stock up on food. Do you want your neighbors knowing you have a ton of food in your house? Spread it out when you buy all your stock food. I got a funny look at Sam's the other day when I bought 6 cases of water...I just laughed and said, "My husband works outside all day, he goes through some water." They laughed with me then. Before that it was, do you know something I don't? I've also been saving milk jugs and collecting rain water....for flushing toilets and watering my garden. I've got one spot on my roof that just gushes perfectly for filling a jug in a downpour.


So, in a nutshell, stock up. Even if we're all wrong, you'll be prepared in case you lose your job for a few months. What harm is there in that? Have you seen the unemployment rates lately? Can you imagine trying to feed your family with no income? If you had saved back meals for, say 3 months even, you would have 3 months to look for a job without having to worry about food, only your bills. That would be one thing off your mind. And if we're right......? Get bullets, too.

Lori Ann Smith

Freedom of Worship

Is this How Our Founding Fathers Felt?

I sometimes feel as if I live in 2 Americas. Maybe our America is bi-polar. There is the America that I hear of on talk radio, and in the news. I know things are bad. I blog, I try to do my part. I have my patriot sites that I participate in. I do research on line on my computer for relevant topics that are in the news. I consider myself fairly informed on the current issues at hand. There are numerous ones, so I'm sure I'm not up on all of them. And it's pretty hard to separate fact from fiction on line. There is a lot of misinformation out there. And sometimes you have to wonder who is putting the misinformation out.

Take for example the latest speech from our President. That was pure fiction. I know my history. The French GAVE US the statue of liberty, we did not hold a contest to raise money for it. I have to wonder why the President of the United States is putting out misinformation on purpose. Especially when he went out of his way to tell college students that you get too much information from your IPODs...excuse me? I didn't know IPODS gave news reports. Of course, I don't have an IPOD, can you surf the net with one? I thought they were just for music, but I digress.

I was talking about the bi-polar aspect of America. Our leaders and the news reports know about the trouble we're in. Well, I guess I should correct that. I only watch Fox News. That's where you get REAL news reports. I don't know if the local news stations are reporting real news yet. I know the national news stations haven't caught up, unless Fox has broken it and they don't want to look ignorant. I remember when I was in college, in the early 80's, people didn't want to get scooped on news reports. They rushed out to news stories. Now, I think if it's going to make President Obama look bad, they try to make the news people look like they have an ulterior motive....he must be racist. Well, tell it like he is...he must just want his job. The news reporter just wants to be president.

The other side of my coin here is my real life. The people that I come into contact with on a daily basis, that I know intimately, pretend that nothing is going on. When I try to bring any of this up, I'm insane. I don't know what I'm talking about. I'm a racist. I'm a conspiracy theorist. God is in control, and He has a plan. All of this will work out. We just need to pray. Nothing bad will ever happen if we just pray. Really? Have you been watching the news?

I have to wonder if the Founding Fathers felt this way. I feel as if I'm leading a double life. I have to wonder when things are going to break and come home to these people? I really pray I'm wrong and it's all in Washington, and that it never comes home to Main Street. But I don't think I am...

Time is short. I know my Christian friends believe that time is short and they'll be gone. How sad. If they truly believed that, why aren't they out in the streets evangelizing? Instead, they are going on as before. Do they believe they are safe, and they aren't really concerned for anyone else? How is that a Christian attitude?

I fight for Freedom. If this is truly Armageddon, and these people believe that America isn't in the Bible, and therefore has to fall, then what I'm doing is stalling the end. I'm giving the evangelists time to save more people.....they should be hitting the streets and knocking on doors and winning souls to heaven. I've told them this. They look at me like I've grown a third eye in the middle of my head. God is never surprised, they tell me. I tell them, "No, and he sent Jonah to warn Nineveh." Jonah didn't want to warn Nineveh, because he thought the whole town should die. I'm not against America, because I LOVE America. I want America to turn back to God and be saved. America doesn't want to turn back to God, or at least a lot of it doesn't. And some just aren't interested in trying to save the others. They are too interested in going to their church and then going home to their own lives.

The few of us that are researching the information and getting it out there, can't do everything. If you're one that thinks God is in control and all this political stuff is just crazy stuff, that's fine. Start knocking on doors and evangelizing. The Great Commission applies to us all. If someone crosses my path, I mention it, but I feel this to be my calling right now. If you're doing nothing, you have to examine your motives. Will you be like the virgins with the oil lamps and be caught without oil at the wedding? Will you be asleep when the groom comes?

Lori Ann Smith

What Makes America Great?

Whether people want to admit it or not, you can not erase from history the fact that America was founded on Religious freedom. People from other European countries came to America for something they didn't have: the right to worship freely any way they chose to as long as it didn't break someone's leg or pick their pocket. We also have something else here, or rather don't have something. We don't have a class system, or caste system.

That means that if you're born poor in America, you don't have to stay there. There is no permanent poor, middle class or elite class. Or, I should say, there wasn't. It's possible that we're becoming that way, but I'll get there in a minute.

When this country was founded, and our Founding Fathers set up our documents, the established it as a Republic. Why didn't they us a Democracy? Because they knew slick talking politicians could talk the people into anything. You can get a majority of people behind you in an emergency to sign away your freedom. But a tyrant won't give it back, and then the people are goners. They were under a king. They people who sign their freedoms over to a tyrant in an emergency are left with a dictator. Just like waking up with a hangover after an alcoholic black-out and saying, "What the heck just happened?" It's called group-think. You do things en masse that you would NEVER do as an individual.

Good leaders know when to turn power back to the people. George Washington knew when to step down. But good people now adays are home raising their kids. Good people these days don't run for office. The people these days (usually) who run for office are the ones who WANT power. The people running for government jobs are becoming the elite. It used to be if you wanted to be a public servant, you got a thankless, low paying job. You did it because you wanted to help. Now they make more money than the public sector. I don't have the figures, but I believe it's something like quadruple? In the private sector the average salary is $40,000 and an average government job is $170,000? That's ridiculous. And the only job market that's growing is government jobs. And who pays their salaries? We do. That means in order to pay their salaries, our taxes have to go up. We are going to have to evolve into a caste system just to pay for the government workers currently on the payroll.

Just like the city ordinance violation I received. My tree wasn't 8 foot off the sidewalk or 14 foot off the residential street. So I trimmed it. I admit, I didn't measure it, I just trimmed it, before the deadline, with a manual pole tree trimmer. I got another notice, the second and final notice, thanking me for my progress, but stating that if I didn't come into compliance they hire city workers and then place a lien against my house to be compensated for the cost. I imagine they would make sure to do the work on the 4th of July, so that they could charge union dues and triple over-time.

This has grown beyond the Federal Government. And now the Russian leader is against the American people, but for the American President? Don't you see where this is going? The American PEOPLE are the last hold out for freedom. President Obama has told the world that he wants to turn America into a Marxist country and the leaders of the Communist/Marxist countries have heard him loud and clear and are with him. We're the bad guys for still wanting our freedoms.

Freedom of Religion is only the first to go. We have to get prayer back in the schools while Pelosi and the liberals/progressives/whatever they call themselves right now are talking about God. We have to be bold enough to strike with legislation. If Freedom is Bad, I'm the baddest of the bad.

Lori Ann Smith
Are You Awake Now? Can you Hear Me Now? I Can Turn It Up!

Muslim Children and Prayers in School

I decided to pull up all I could relating to Muslim children being allowed to pray in school. This is why our illustrious leader doesn't want this information on the Internet. Because the News people won't do their job and pull these individual articles together for you. So I will. They are attacking Christianity and not allowing prayer in school. Why are they allowing Muslim children to pray in school. They are attacking Christian children for wearing symbols of their faith, carrying Bibles and wearing t-shirts with Christian symbols, why do Muslims get a pass?
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0712/p01s03-ussc.html

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When afternoon recess comes at an elementary school on the outskirts of San Diego, some students rush out for a quick game of hopscotch, while others gather in a room for Muslim worship. Like a growing number of school districts around the country, San Diego's is changing its ways to meet the needs of its Islamic students. Here, a controversy with constitutional overtones erupted: In accommodating Muslim students, is the school unfairly promoting religion? The school's policy "presumes that Christians are less religious and less inspired to worship and praise the Lord and come together," says Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute. He is asking the school district to set up special rooms where Christians can pray, too. The San Diego district took special action regarding the timing of recess because "the Muslim faith requires specificity of prayer obligations ... that most other religions do not," Mr. North says. He denies reports that a new recess was added specifically to address the religious needs of the Muslim students.

"As a constitutional law attorney, I don't care whether kids do or don't pray in schools. I don't care to whom or how they pray," North says. But he adds that he does have to make sure that religious requests are treated in a neutral way.

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So, amidst talk of increasing the length of the school day and cutting out recesses, some schools are actually adding a recess so that Muslim children can pray during recess. When I was in kindergarten, we had to go grab our nap blanket and take a nap. Now, Muslim children go grab their prayer rug and pray during recess? But we can't wear a cross to school or carry a Bible? I like North's comment...I don't care whether you do or don't pray....but EQUAL JUSTICE. If we can't, you can't.

And a little closer to home, in Richardson, TX, I found this article. http://www.becketfund.org/index.php/article/453.html

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On November 8, 2005, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty wrote the principal of L.V. Berkner High School in Richardson, Texas (outside Dallas) to demand that he immediately “cease and desist from [the] school’s illegal decision to punish Muslim students” for exercising their right to pray. In an email to all teachers and staff, the principal had previously stated that “No students are to be allowed to leave [the] classroom at any time to go pray.”

The school’s policy failed to accommodate Muslim students’ constitutionally protected right to manifest religious belief through prayer. Under the policy, Muslim students were ultimately forced to choose between eating lunch and praying the mid-day prayer required by their faith. Other students were prohibited from praying at all.

However, on December 16, 2005, as a result of The Becket Fund's intervention, the school district admitted that there was some “confusion” regarding their policy and declared that Muslim students, like other students, have the right to pray on campus. According to the School District’s new policy, students now have both an opportunity and designated place to pray in the school, either at lunch or during 10 minutes of class.

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That one confuses me a bit. Do Christians have the right to leave class and pray? If so, then I have no complaint. If Christians can pray during 10 minutes of class, I have no complaint. Once again, equal justice. I really don't mind if Muslims get to pray in school, as long as we do.

And I'm sure everyone has heard of the school in California who, right after the 9-11 terror attack, forced 7th graders to become Muslim for 3 weeks: http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=25997

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The course mandates that seventh-graders learn the tenets of Islam, study the important figures of the faith, wear a robe, adopt a Muslim name and stage their own jihad. Adding to this apparent hypocrisy, reports ANS, students must memorize many verses in the Koran, are taught to pray "in the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful" and are instructed to chant, "Praise to Allah, Lord of Creation."

"We could never teach Christianity like this," one outraged parent told ANS.

Elizabeth Christina Lemings, a teacher in the Byron, Calif., Union School District, was unaware of the course until her seventh-grade son brought home the handouts. Obtained by ANS, the handouts include a history of Islam and the life of Mohammad, its founder. There are 25 Islamic terms that must be memorized, six Islamic (Arabic) phrases, 20 Islamic proverbs to learn along with the Five Pillars of Faith and 10 key Islamic prophets and disciples to be studied.

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And here's a slap in the face of our legal system; a whole school who is defying our laws. Apparently a charter school is not supposed to be a religious school, but this one is. You can read the whole article here: http://www.startribune.com/local/17406054.html

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Charter schools are public schools and by law must not endorse or promote religion... Evidence suggests, however, that TIZA is an Islamic school, funded by Minnesota taxpayers...Students pray daily, the cafeteria serves halal food - permissible under Islamic law -- and "Islamic Studies" is offered at the end of the school day. ...Now, however, an eyewitness has stepped forward. Amanda Getz of Bloomington is a substitute teacher. She worked as a substitute in two fifth-grade classrooms at TIZA on Friday, March 14. Her experience suggests that school-sponsored religious activity plays an integral role at TIZA....the day's schedule included a "school assembly" in the gym after lunch. Before the assembly, she says she was told, her duties would include taking her fifth-grade students to the bathroom, four at a time, to perform "their ritual washing." Afterward, Getz said, "teachers led the kids into the gym, where a man dressed in white with a white cap, who had been at the school all day," was preparing to lead prayer. Beside him, another man "was prostrating himself in prayer on a carpet as the students entered." "The prayer I saw was not voluntary," Getz said. "The kids were corralled by adults and required to go to the assembly where prayer occurred." Islamic Studies was also incorporated into the school day. "When I arrived, I was told 'after school we have Islamic Studies,' and I might have to stay for hall duty," Getz said. "The teachers had written assignments on the blackboard for classes like math and social studies. Islamic Studies was the last one -- the board said the kids were studying the Qu'ran. The students were told to copy it into their planner, along with everything else. That gave me the impression that Islamic Studies was a subject like any other."

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I ran into an article from Europe that opened up another question in my mind. If schools are offering prayer rooms specifically for Muslim children to go and pray in during recess and lunch breaks, why aren't these rooms available to other denominations? Roman Catholics pray, Baptists pray. As a matter of fact, we Baptists hold prayer vigils. We have prayer chains...we should be allowed cell phones in case we get a phone message and have to pray on our prayer chain. What if one of our teenagers is on the prayer chain? Things don't just happen at lunch time and breaks. We could be texting our prayer warriors who could be excused to go to the prayer room of the Muslim children and pray for a few minutes for an emergency. We have some mighty prayer warriors in our youth department.

If the liberals/progressives are going to suddenly start spouting God and trying to say that Cap and Trade is our moral obligation, by golly, they need to bring God back into our country. Let's start with the schools. Obama has all but come out and said that he's Muslim. He says with his mouth that he's a Christian, but then turns around and says that we are not a Christian nation. He says that he believes in God but that we are not a Christian nation. Now when he want legislation to go through, knowing we ARE a Christian nation, he wants to play on our sympathies. Well, Mr. President, prove it. Enact legislation that allows us to pray when and where we will. Stop all the nonsense of not allowing seniors to pray over meals because they're in a Senior Center that gets federal money. By golly, they ought to be allowed to all hold hands and say their prayers out loud.

Lori Ann Smith