Free Republic

”All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” (Edmund Burke) So much of the history of the struggle between good and evil can be explained by Edmund Burke’s observation. Time and again those who profess to be good seem to clearly outnumber those who are evil, yet those who are evil seem to prevail far too often. Seldom is it the numbers that determine the outcome, but whether those who claim to be good men are willing to stand up and fight for what they know to be right. There are numerous examples...

Obama got his 500,000,000,000.00 dollars today from the US Senate, thanks in no small part to Senator Son-of-a-Mitch McConnell, and Robo-Senator Reid-in-the-Wind. Obama had asked last night in his unfinished Jobs give-away bill , (i.e. "targeted") , for only 450,000,000,000.00 dollars. This is an obvious attempt to avoid a financial deadline. This timing of the speech, Joint Session, amount transferred, suggest a pattern of a sudden increase in spending by the Executive Branch of the US Government. It is now time to begin The Articles of Impeachment against President Obama to prevent further dereliction of financial duty and other neglected...

I've gotten a letter notifying me to report for federal jury duty(in Boston) on July 11th. Not a federal GRAND jury, just federal district court jury. I've filled in the online questionnaire and am supposed to call the court the night before the first day. Questions: the notice says "Monday, July 11 THROUGH Friday, July 29th." Does this mean that even if I am dismissed on the first morning I am required to keep calling for the entire two-week period? I live 62 miles--one way--from the courthouse. What is the mileage reimbursement(if there is one)? Is there a hotel reimbursement?...

There are too many white men in the U.S. military. So says a report released this week by the Military Leadership Diversity Commission (MLDC), commissioned by Congress to examine ways to "increase diversity" in the military. The MLDC report finds that 77% of active-duty senior officers are white, 8% black, 5% Hispanic, and 16% women (of unspecified race). What's the answer to this "problem"? Is the MLDC recommending that white males stop volunteering for military service? Do they want to start "selecting" who among them volunteers for service? Are they recommending that there be quotas for military service, as with...

Psalm 28 The Lord Is My Strength and My Shield 28:1 To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Lord your sons and daughters thank You for this very moment we have the breath to lift our prayers to the Foot of the Throne. 2 Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary. Father we plead for Your mercy...

Burial at Sea by LtCol George Goodson, USMC (Ret) In my 76th year, the events of my life appear to me, from time to time, as a series of vignettes. Some were significant; most were trivial. War is the seminal event in the life of everyone that has endured it. Though I fought in Korea and the Dominican Republic and was wounded there, Vietnam was my war. Now 42 years have passed and, thankfully, I rarely think of those days in Cambodia, Laos, and the panhandle of North Vietnam where small teams of Americans and Montangards fought much larger...

Tango Mike Mike (394 votes, average: 4.35 out of 5) Loading ... Share9774 Sign Up for the Video Of The Day Tango Mike Mike is the story of Green Beret Roy P. Benavidez and his heroic action in Vietnam that earned him the Medal of Honor. His story is truly amazing and is a tribute to all the Vietnam Vets whose stories haven’t been told. Check your library for the book “The Last Medal of Honor: The True Story of Green Beret Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez and His Six-Hour Battle in Hell” if you want to read more about Roy....

Inside the terrifying firefight that revealed what kind of soldier — and man — Wheaton's Rob Miller was. "I don't want to be remembered for dying. I want to be remembered for who I was. Miller and the Medal of Honor (posthumous)

A tribute to all American Armed Services Members.

Subtitled: A Pro-Free Enterprise Tax & Law Structure & An Opportunity Presented by Existing Violations of US Constitution Art.I Sect.1 The power to tax is the power to destroy.. Seems like we want to be careful about what we let our government destroy. Sort of an enumerated powers applicable to all levels of government might be useful at least as a thinking tool. It seems that social engineering is always divisive, toxic and provides opportunities for corruption. Social engineering by taxes, tax breaks, and subsidy is no different but more so. The removal of that propensity towards corruption is worthy...

I ask that those of us here on FR spend moments in prayer on Friday and Saturday, for the sake of those who are in DC with our fellow patriots, and for those in theatre who are fighting in our names. Cover them, Lord God Almighty, please, with Your Blessing and Mercy. Send Your angels before them and post Your Guardian angels around them all. Defend and keep them safe from all harm. Those that would cause trouble or disruption, please send them away on another errand, another path. Dear Lord, You are the reason we have America. You alone...

<p>29:1 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord Glory and strength.</p> <p>Lord, Your Elect Christian patriots gather to offer thanksgiving in the awesome shadow of Your Glory and Strength.</p> <p>2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.</p>

"When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me." - Psalm 56:9 Lord, with all the grateful joy in our hearts, we, your Elect, come boldly to Your Throne of Grace and cast these supplications. We ask that You incline Your ear to our exhaustive pleas. We that are imputed the Righteousness of Your Son ask what no reprobate is able. Father, the spawn of perdition are desecrating this country formed in Praise of You. We pray all Christian patriots regain the strength of eagles and cease living defeated,...

The ringleader of a bootleg alcohol gang which produced more than a million litres of illegal vodka costing the taxman £10 million in lost revenue was jailed for 12 years today. Harvey Conroy ran a 'determined and professional' outfit which produced fake vodka and tobacco without paying excise duty or VAT, defrauding the state of millions of pounds. Richard Christie QC, for the prosecution, said Conroy orchestrated the fraud in a bid to make massive profits, with the factories working 24 hours-a-day

The U.S. Navy has relieved the captain of a frigate (USS John L. Hall), because, two months ago, his ship bumped into a pier as it was docking in the Black Sea port of Batumi, Georgia. There was no damage to the pier, but the Hall suffered damage costing $160,000 to repair. After the investigation was over, the navy concluded that the captain should be relieved for “loss of confidence in his ability to command.” That makes seven ship captains relieved so far this year, more than twice the rate that it has been relieving them in the last few...

BOLLING AIR FORCE BASE, D.C., June 16, 2010 – When an airman is seriously injured, multiple agencies are ready to provide help. But if the servicemember is unable to actively engage those resources, the Air Force assigns a family liaison officer to help the family deal with the emotional and physical turmoil. Master Sgt. Robert D. Greenberg, an Air Force Honor Guard member here, recently served as the family liaison officer for Senior Airman Michael Malarsie's family. Malarsie was injured Jan. 3 in a roadside-bomb attack on his unit near Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he was one of a two-man tactical...

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) says she believes she must pursue public policies "in keeping with the values" of Jesus Christ, "The Word made Flesh." Pelosi, who is a Catholic and who favors legalized abortion, voted against the ban on partial-birth abortion that was enacted into law in 2003.

The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation Of David. 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Lord we come to you in search of the light of salvation, that You have shined on your Saints. The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? As the fear of seen and unseen calamity surrounds us, we look to You for righteous courage. 2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. The spawn of wrath purposes...

What kind of a person would voluntarily sign up for a job that entails everything the police have to contend with?Such a person as is described in "Why the Police are Great."Thank God for people such as this.Dedicated to the men and womenof Law Enforcement who have given their livesin the line of duty.1. The Police are great because they are always ready. They are ready to handle the mundane and trivial. They are ready to handle the ordinary and common. They are ready to handle the big jobs, the tough jobs, the dangerous jobs, and the heartbreaking jobs. Every...

BOYCOTT MICHIGAN Abolish Michigan’s criminal/felony child support laws A National plea goes out too; Boycott all Michigan Businesses, in an effort to stop Michigan from prosecuting its citizens with Criminal felony’s convictions for child support. see full thread @ http://boycottmichigan.blogspot.com

[New Year's resolutions are often put in terms of "I have to" and fill in the blank with what you think you must do. David Kelley warns that "To say 'I have to' is to speak the language of compulsion, duty, authority." David suggests we speak "the language of values instead of the language of duty, 'want-to' instead of 'have-to'."]How many times during the course of a week do we say "I have to..."? I have to take out the trash...change the oil in my car...pay my Visa bill...I have to give a presentation at the sales meeting...take the final...

From Concord to New Orleans. From the Northwest Territory to the American west. From the Philippines to San Juan Hill. From Europe before 1920 to Europe controlled by the Axis powers. From Korea and Vietnam to the Middle East. They have worn everything from the everyday to specialized outfits. They started with crude single shots and now use precision weapons. They've been shot down by their own government and hailed as heroes. They're doctors and lawyers, tradesmen and farmers. They are all different races, creeds, colors, nationalities, and faiths. They come from places as large as New York City and...

Muriel Martin spent four years helping train fighter pilots as a Women's Airforce Service Pilot, or WASP, during WWII.Muriel Martin struggles these days to remember the years she spent as a World War II U.S. Army Air Force pilot. The dates have run together in her mind and the details of her training and experience long ago faded into the background of a life filled with child rearing and community service. But some days, the memories push through and she finds herself back in her 20s and in the cockpit again. “I was flying to Dallas earlier this year and...

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) on Wednesday said it was residents' "patriotic duty" to get seasonal flu shots in coming weeks to make it easier for health officials to determine if outbreaks are related to H1N1, or swine flu. If residents do not get vaccinated against seasonal strains and later get sickened by them as a result, there will be little way to determine if those falling ill this fall and winter have been infected by less worrisome strains, or by the more contagious H1N1 virus, O'Malley said. The governor characterized that scenario as serious because it could stress supplies...

FOB DELTA — Fifteen months after deploying to Iraq, the Soldiers of Battery C, 1st Battalion, 21st Field Artillery Regiment, 41st Fires Brigade, are getting ready to head home to Fort Hood, Texas. From Bucca to Buehring, Basrah to Delta, the Soldiers of Btry. C have had an adventure of a deployment. Starting at Camp Bucca in April 2008, Btry. C's first mission in Iraq was conducting detainee operations. "Basically, what we did at Camp Bucca was set up vocational schools," said Capt. Robert Plowey, then commander of Btry. C. "We supported the Islamic discussion group. We helped run a...

"I'm going to say it again . . . I cannot believe this is happening,” John Finn said as he surveyed a crowd of more than 2,000 who traveled to Pine Valley to celebrate his 100th birthday. The Medal of Honor recipient has spoken all over the country about his heroic counterassault on enemy planes at Pearl Harbor nearly 68 years ago... But nothing could compare to yesterday's much more personal tribute, Finn said. “Who'd ever expect this kind of crowd out here?” the Live Oak Springs resident asked, supporting himself on two canes, yet fit and sharp-witted for his...

As you readers may recall from earlier postings, I had jury duty yesterday for King County Superior Court. You may also recall that back in January I emailed them, in good faith, a list of principles (you know, those freedoms us libertarian “terrorists” advocate for, despite government objections) I held that I thought would disqualify me from jury duty. Other than an acknowledgment of receipt of my objections, no substantive action on them was taken by the Court. When my day started, I had already been up for 24 hours, partly due to my odd sleep schedule, and partly due...

The United States have broken up. The economy is in shambles. Earthquakes and Hurricanes have ravaged the Southeast, and a low-intensity civil war is raging in Tennessee as the federal government tries to reassert itself over the states that are in open rebellion. The federal government is led by President Tambor, the first African American president - and closet Marxist - who is craven enough to try to use the military against its own citizens, and ruthless enough to bring in vicious foreign mercenaries when our own troops won’t completely turn against us. Then it gets bad. Really bad. Foreign...

Head Quarters, Newburgh, March 15, 1783 "Gentlemen: By an anonymous summons, an attempt has been made to convene you together; how inconsistent with the rules of propriety! how unmilitary! and how subversive of all order and discipline, let the good sense of the Army decide. In the moment of this Summons, another anonymous production was sent into circulation, addressed more to the feelings and passions, than to the reason and judgment of the Army. The author of the piece, is entitled to much credit for the goodness of his Pen and I could wish he had as much credit for...

Finding supports rights of press over prosecutor's desire for all of '60 Minutes' Wuterich interview CAMP PENDLETON ---- CBS prevailed Thursday in a battle with Marine prosecutors who wanted all the network's unaired tapes from an interview with the key figure in the killing of 24 Iraqi civilians in 2005. A military judge granted the network's request to deny a subpoena seeking all the outtakes from a "60 Minutes" interview with Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich first broadcast in 2007. The judge, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Meeks, ruled that forcing the network to hand over that material would place the network in...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2008 – The holiday decorations are ever-present at the 926th Engineer Brigade headquarters at Camp Liberty, Iraq. Competitions are under way to determine who can fashion the most festive door, and holiday parties – without liquor, of course – remind everyone that the days are counting down to Christmas. The lineup for Dec. 25 includes an all-hands “Saper call,” a “basketball brawl” similar to the one the brigade sponsored at Thanksgiving, and football games playing back to back on the dining facility TVs. But Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Talley, the brigade commander, said the festivities can’t overshadow...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2008 – Despite losing a leg in combat, Army Sgt. Chris Alvin Burrell is focusing on his rehabilitation to one day return to what he calls his “normal day of work.” Army Sgt. Chris Burrell is focused on his rehabilitation since losing a leg in an explosion in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood on Dec. 26, 2007. He hopes to return to his job as a canine handler. Courtesy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “My main focus right now is to heal properly and quickly in the right timeframe, and just make sure I’m healed...

nov 11th veteran's day

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Army wants every Iraqi Soldier to receive ethics training just like he receives marksmanship or drill and ceremony training. Since 2003, the primary focus for the Iraqi Army has been building the force. Getting Soldiers trained to fight took precedence over many other military functions. Iraqis came from all locations and all walks of life to join the fight to secure their country from terrorists. Every one of those Soldiers brought a unique set of values with him: personal values, family values, community values and religious values. Creating a culture of ethical behavior means that each...

Presumptive Democrat nominee Barack Obama’s trip to Afghanistan, Iraq and Europe is all part and parcel of a full blown media event that most intuitive Americans will view as contrived and overdone; an event to compensate for Sen. Obama’s lack of experience and extraordinarily thin political portfolio. The media has helped orchestrate this publicity stunt to attract attention to their chosen candidate. There is no more doubt that they are in the tank for the presumptive Democrat presidential nominee.

'Why would any rational human being sign up for this?" The question came up the other day as we discussed one of our public affairs staff sergeants possibly separating for a job in the private sector. There was a certain ease and even a slight euphoric relief about the conversation. He had opted to stay with us. He re- enlists Monday. The question was posed by our senior master sergeant — a man who has re-enlisted multiple times over his distinguished 26-year career. In the last few days, our staff sergeant had been really torn. Like most of us, his...

“Duty” as a New Year's Resolution By W. Thomas Smith, Jr Wednesday, December 26, 2007 On the morning of October 21, 1805, a force of some 33 British warships sailed in two columns toward a 41-ship French-Spanish fleet – the teeth of Napoleon's Navy – off Spain's Cape Trafalgar. The allied fleet commanded by Admiral Pierre Villeneuve was of course larger. But Admiral Horatio Nelson, commanding the British force, possessed the better tactical mind and perhaps the most superbly trained gun-crews in the world. As the British ships neared the range of the enemy's guns, Nelson – aboard his flagship,...

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, Nov. 28, 2007 – A soldier serving her third combat deployment returned to Afghanistan on Nov. 12 after receiving medical treatment in Germany for injuries suffered in her second improvised-explosive-device detonation. Army Spc. Cassandra L. Miles, a native of New Brunswick, N.J., volunteered to return after suffering a mild concussion and possible brain injury in an Oct. 28 IED attack. She survived another IED attack earlier this year, when she suffered headaches and burns. While Miles was serving as a medic attached to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd...

I had the privilege of attending the veteran's day parade yesterday and decided to share some thoughts with you about it. As we watched them march by I was taken by how humble these soldiers were. The crowd was applauding and yelling thank you, God bless you, and other things such as this. Over and over the soldiers pointed back to the crowd and called back no, thank you. To understand the position of a soldier you must know that these are men and women who have made a promise to give their lives in defense of the constitution, our...

When most kids were dreaming of being an astronaut or professional football player, William Scates knew he would be a soldier. "He wanted to fight for his country when he was just a little boy,” Whitson said. "He used to draw pictures of soldiers. It's just what he always wanted to do.”

BOSTON (Reuters) - Health authorities in Canada and Massachusetts are warning consumers of the risk from China-made counterfeit toothpaste after more tainted products were found, deepening concern about the safety of Chinese goods. Preliminary tests conducted in Canada on counterfeit Colgate toothpaste indicate the fake products may contain even more harmful bacteria than authorities first suspected, Health Canada officials said on Friday. Canadian authorities urged consumers on June 29 to avoid Chinese toothpaste in the Canadian market because 21 products were found laced with harmful levels of diethylene glycol, an industrial solvent used in some antifreeze products. New York-based Colgate-Palmolive...

For years now we have been subjected to a steady drumbeat of “it cannot be done” from you with regard to enforcement of our existing immigration laws. We are sick and tired of such and will not tolerate it any longer! You will NEVER convince us that although we can put men on the moon we cannot secure our own borders. That is sophistry of the first order and every one of you is fully aware of the fact. Enough! Stop it NOW! Article II Section 3 of the United States Constitution requires that the president …“shall take care that...

"Why don't you pick up that gun and blow your brains out?" "You could kill a whole lot of people with that gun." "Why not shoot her right now? That would shut her up!" These are the sorts of vile mental suggestions many people experience from within their own minds when they see a gun. That's right. Dark thoughts and impulses, too horrible to dwell upon or even acknowledge, occur to many of us at the mere sight of a firearm or a naked blade. When we see the firearm, we sense the presence of evil – so naturally we...

With a dented bugle, he brings dignity - Mike McCann, 14, plays taps at military funerals, then goes off to algebra. By Cynthia Anderson | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor - April 25, 2007 edition HINGHAM, MASS. On a blustery spring day, when other eighth graders are midway through their morning classes, Mike McCann stands with his trumpet on the steps of the Church of the Resurrection, awaiting the signal to play. The sun briefly shines then disappears. Dressed in a buttoned-down shirt and tuxedo pants, Mike looks cold. He waits alongside a color guard as the family of...

Vimy a breakthrough battle for Canada Used new fighting techniques that worked, and helped Allies defeat Germany Lorne Gunter, The Edmonton Journal Published: Sunday, April 08, 2007 The weather was with the Canadian corps at Vimy Ridge in northern France on Easter Monday, April 9, 1917. At least it wasn't against them. Much. The winter of 1916-17 had been an especially bitter one in the trenches. Frostbite claimed hundreds of thousands of fingers, toes, earlobes, cheeks and nose-tips. Troops claimed hot stew often froze in tin mess cups before it could be eaten. The great historian of the Canadian...

Harper government establishes bill of rights, ombudsman for veterans Colin Perkel, Canadian Press Published: Tuesday, April 03, 2007 KITCHENER, Ont. (CP) - Canadian soldiers who have done so much for freedom and peace deserve a government that is responsive to their needs, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday in announcing an ombudsman and bill of rights for veterans. Speaking to scores of former soldiers, many sporting numerous medals, at a legion hall in this southwestern Ontario city, Harper said his government was delivering on an election promise to ensure veterans get the respect they deserve from Ottawa. "Brave patriotic...

Marine Capt. Jason Schauble and his men were going to hit a certain farmhouse in Faris Town, south of Fallujah in Iraq, and they were going to hit it hard. They did exactly that. But twice the expected number of terrorists were holed up as Schauble's unit burst inside. In the ensuing military maelstrom, the then-29-year-old Schauble exposed himself to almost certain death to rescue a comrade. The captain suffered crippling wounds, but rallied his 30-man task force to win a bloody battle. Schauble's action earned him one of the military's top awards for courage in combat, the Silver Star....

Religious Band of Brothers: The holy men of the Dorchester By Rachel Zabarkes Friedman National Review Online August 17, 2004 Shortly after midnight on February 3, 1943, a German U-boat fired a torpedo into the USAT Dorchester, an American troop carrier on its way to Greenland. Twenty-five minutes later the Dorchester plunged into the Atlantic, and of the 902 men on board only 230 survived. Among the dead were four chaplains — the subjects of Dan Kurzman's No Greater Glory: The Four Immortal Chaplains and the Sinking of the Dorchester in World War II — who had calmed panicked...

"Friends say the 14th Aggie to die in war embodied school's sense of duty More than five years into America's war on terrorism, the routine at Texas A&M University — home of the Corps of Cadets — is well-established. When an Aggie is killed, the school's maroon flag is hoisted in mourning. Then it is lowered, folded and shipped to yet another grieving family. ...... "But the toll has been high. Of the nation's service academies, only the United States Military Academy at West Point has lost more graduates, 51, to the war." .... ""He felt he had a debt...

Casey E. Mellen is going back to the military as a way to honor his son killed in Iraq last year. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review) Herald/Review HUACHUCA CITY — This is a story about a father taking up the warrior’s mantle from a fallen son. Casey E. Mellen took off an Army uniform more than 20 years ago after serving more than six years in the service. In the two decades since, the 44-year-old thought the days of saluting, marching and other GI activities were over. But Mellen’s son, Casey L., who is known as Case, was killed in action while on...