Free Republic

Officials in Manassas, Virginia, say they are canceling an upcoming Civil War Weekend due to safety concerns. The event had been planned for later this month. "Recent events have ignited passions in this country surrounding the Civil War and the symbols representing it. The City of Manassas is saddened by these events and abhors the violence happening around the country," according to a statement from the city's communications manager Friday.  The statement went on to say Manassas doesn't want to "further exacerbate the situation." The city's Civil War Weekend had been scheduled to be held Aug. 25-27. Officials have called...

The VA Veterans Choice Program is supposedly a benefit that allows eligible Veterans to receive health care from a community provider rather than waiting for a VA appointment or traveling to a VA facility. I am rated at 100 percent totally and permanently disabled due to combat service-connected disability. The nearest VA dental facility is over 40 miles from my residence. I must wait more than 30 days for an appointment. I am therefore eligible for the program but VA tells me that dental care is specifically excluded from this program. Can anybody tell me why it is excluded and...

My cousin, visiting from Michigan and looking for a congressional intern job, received a call this evening from the Obama Campaign. Return to Lansing as soon as possible for protest against right-to-work. We will pay all expenses. I didn't know he was one of them. Another paid protest brought to you by the DNC.

Stay away from Obama

Date: Sun, 8 Aug 2010 05:10:44 PRIVATE BUSINESS PROPOSAL. Mr. Barry Soetoro 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC USA Tel/Fax: 202-234-1111. First I must solicit your confidence in this transaction. This is by virtue of its nature as being utterly confidential and top secret. We are top officials of the Federal Government Financial Stimulus Program who are interested in importation of goods into our country with funds which are presently trapped in the Federal Reserve Bank. In order to commence this business we solicit your assistance to enable us RECIEVE the said trapped funds ABROAD. The source of this fund is...

In today’s “Washington Times” a lead article begins with the sentence “Leading Democrats like to hold up the Veterans Benefits Administration as an example of how well government can provide health care.” On this I must comment. What I shall describe below is a comparison of my treatment under the current MEDICARE/TRICARE system and that received from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Keep in mind that my treatment by VA was probably expedited as I was already receiving disability and was not new to the VA system when the claim described below was submitted. Someone newly entering the VA system...

American history is not all just glory and pride LETTER TO THE EDITOR Potomac News Sunday, January 27, 2008 Many believe that American history is all about glory and pride, but the government has to sugarcoat and delete the shameful events out of our children's history books for that to be believable. But just because it's not in their biased schoolbooks doesn't mean it didn't happen. Slavery has been a necessity since America was founded. Africans were stolen from their homes and forced to work for free. Today, according to U.S. law, slavery is abolished, but those jobs still need...

Mexicans get documents (Manassas Journal Messenger) Men, women and children; mothers, fathers and married couples - all Mexican citizens - received official Mexican documents Saturday at the first Mexican Embassy-sponsored event in Manassas in five years. About 700 Mexican citizens received passports and consulate ID cards Saturday at the Manassas campus of Northern Virginia Community College. Manassas is back on the embassy's map, according to Consul Enrique Escorza, who said the growing number of Mexican citizens in the area justified their hosting a day where Mexicans could access embassy resources which are normally available in the District. In the wake...

Manassas Journal Messenger Editorial, January 24, 2006 Myers appointment makes us wonder It is abundantly clear that Washington is not listening to pleas for immigration enforcement from communities like ours. In fact, it looks as if the Bush administration doesn’t care at all. During the recent holiday recess of Congress, President Bush used a tool implemented by other presidents to slip some appointments past the congressional approval radar. Among them was the naming of Julie L. Myers as Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE in the Washington vernacular. If the residents...

On the Cover: B.D. a beloved character in Garry Trudeau's comic strip "Doonesbury," is comforted by wife Boopsie and friend Zonker, during physical therapy. In April, Trudeau explored the often ignored hardships faced by those who bear the scars of war when B.D., an Army public affairs officer serving in Iraq, lost his leg in battle. The image originally appeared in "Rolling Stone" magazine (Aug 5, 2004). Trudeau also allowed the DAV to use his artwork for thec2004 Veterans Day poster. For more on Trudeau and his aetwork, see page 5.

Been trapped by the snow in my duct-taped room wondering what weather forecasters and intelligence analysts have in common that causes them to so often be wrong. Thought others might know and offer opinions.