Free Republic

IMMEDIATE RELEASE Operation Santa-USMC launches holiday outreach for troops Last year the Marine Corps Family Foundation, along with the dedicated help of Marine Corps families and friends, sent Christmas-in-a-Box to over 17,000 Marines deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. For many of these young men and women, this will be their first Thanksgiving and Christmas they will be away from home and family. And it is an unfortunate fact that some of these young men and women will not receive mail and packages from friends and family members. Marine Corps Moms and many other volunteers hope to make a difference for...

Members of the powerful US National Rifle Association (NRA) on Friday grilled presidential hopefuls on how far they would go to protect Americans' right to bear arms. "We believe that God, guns and guts made our country free and we're fighting to keep all three," NRA member Ray Oostdyk, from Virginia, said in between speeches mainly by Republican contenders vying for their party's nomination for the 2008 presidential election, including Rudy Giuliani. "The NRA speaks for the gun owner, the American patriot who still supports the premises our founding fathers created this country upon," added John Jenkins, who had traveled...

JERUSALEM (AFP) - Thirty-six Israeli soldiers were wounded Tuesday by two rockets fired into Israel by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, a military spokesman and medics said. The rocket struck the Zikim base located north of the Gaza Strip, said the spokesman. There was no immediate information on the extent of the injuries to the soldiers, who were evacuated to hospitals by two helicopters and around 20 ambulances. The toll is the worst from Palestinian rocket attacks in months. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned last week that Israel would "without hesitation and without pity" launch counterstrikes against militants who...

Top News Back Four People Arrested Protesters Heckled During Graduation At St. J. Academy BY GARY E. LINDSLEY, Staff Writer Tuesday June 6, 2006 ST. JOHNSBURY VERMONT A line of about 50 protesters in front of Colby Hall evoked a range of reactions -- and emotions -- from both pedestrians and people driving by as they headed to the St. Johnsbury Academy graduation Monday morning. Some of the drivers yelled profanities or displayed their middle fingers as they drove by; others gave a thumbs up or honked their horns in support. People walking by, including some of the Academy's soon-to-be...

The latest in a stream of eye-opening Iraqi documents shows Saddam Hussein's regime was planning suicide attacks on U.S. interests six months before 9-11. Why won't Washington get the word out?Last month the Pentagon began releasing records captured during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Among the documents is a letter dated March 11, 2001, written by Abdel Magid Hammod Ali, one of Saddam's air force generals.According to an unofficial translation, Page 6 of the letter asks for "the names of those who desire to volunteer for suicide mission to liberate Palestine and to strike American interests." Assuming the document's accuracy, this shows...

Singles Weekend at FRee Republic 17 February 2006 ~~ In the Men's Speed Skating Team Pursuit event Matteo Anesi, Enrico Fabris, and Ippolito Sanfratello of Italy won the gold to the cheers of the Olympic host country crowd The Olympics are “big stuff“ . There is something for anyone‘s taste. One must respect the sacrifice & work the athletes have endured to get where they are now. What are your favorite events, athletes. Post Pix from present or past Olympics. Share you favorite memories. Olympic Links US Olympic Team Official Site Olympic Movement Official Page Ancient Olympics And what...

January 24, 2006--California's Republican governor is neck and neck with either of two potential Democratic challengers. In a match-up with State Treasurer Phil Angelides, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger leads Angelides 41% to 39%. Matched with State Comptroller Steve Westly, Schwarzenegger trails 39% to 40%. Schwarzenegger is now viewed favorably by 44% and unfavorably by 49%. Those unsure have increased to 8%. Angelides is viewed favorably by 34% and unfavorably by 27%, with 39% "not sure." Westly is viewed favorably by 26% and unfavorably by 25%, with 49% "not sure." Forty-four percent (44%) of voters favor the governor's budget proposal, just a...

Values group hails unanimous decision Tuesday CINCINNATI -- In an astounding return to judicial interpretation of the actual text of the United States Constitution, a unanimous panel of the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Tuesday issued an historic decision declaring that "the First Amendment does not demand a wall of separation between church and state." In upholding a Kentucky county's right to display the Ten Commandments, the panel called the American Civil Liberties Union's repeated claims to the contrary "extra-constitutional" and "tiresome." See Cincinnat Enquirer at: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051221/NEWS01/512210356/1056 See U.S. Court of Appeals decision, page 13: http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/05a0477p-06.pdf "Patriotic Americans should...

Once a week Paul and his sister come to my house to clean it. They're recent arrivals to America from Russia and work at cleaning houses in order to support themselves and take courses at night at Irvine's community college. They're part of a larger group of Russians that live, not in the astronomically expensive beach towns along Southern California's solid gold coast, but inland where life is considerably cheaper. Every Tuesday Paul and his sister arrive in a beat-up old Toyota, haul their vacuums and supplies in and set to work. They're in and out in an hour and...

We're Not Spain! ©2004 Patrick Rooney Any state that does not mess with our security has naturally guaranteed its own security.--The Coward Well, Senator Kerry finally got the ultimate endorsement —from the Coward. The endorsement came in the form of the Coward’s eighteen minute poison-tongued tribute to the Bush family. Make no mistake about it—the Coward does intend to sway our elections, and we know in which direction. But I believe the Coward has made a small error in judgment: You see, we’re not Spain! We all know that Spain cowered to the Coward. They backed off, and put a...

With Justice David Souter's 65th birthday last month, the only member of the Supreme Court who is under retirement age is 56-year-old Justice Clarence Thomas. While Supreme Court justices have proven the adage that with age comes wisdom, there is no denying that with age also come ailments: Three of the four justices over the age of 70 have suffered from cancer. And, on Monday, it was revealed that Chief Justice William Rehnquist, 80, has joined this group, with a diagnosis of thyroid cancer. The severity of Rehnquist's illness is unknown, but he expects to be back at work on...

Conservatives say they face hostility for Republican beliefs Fireman John Darminin has charged into burning buildings, but said his hottest assignment was serving in union leadership as a Republican. The Redwood City resident and former director of the San Francisco Firefighters Union Local 798 said the union ordered him to remove a Bush/Cheney bumper sticker from his car in 2000 and to take down his Web site that was critical of liberal San Francisco politicians. And those were just some of the many attacks on his conservative political beliefs that have left him bitter. "I thought I was back in...

Here are the top nine comments made by NBC sports commentators during the Summer Olympics that they would like to take back:1. Weightlifting commentator: "This is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning during her warm up and it was amazing."2. Dressage commentator: "This is really a lovely horse and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted her mother."3. Paul Hamm, Gymnast: "I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father."4. Boxing Analyst: "Sure there have been njuries,and even some deaths in boxing, but none of them really that serious."5. Softball announcer: "If...

A bill to grant more than 500,000 District citizens a voting member in the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time was introduced last night by House Government Reform Committee Chairman Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.). Staking out uncharted constitutional and political terrain, the D.C. Fairness in Representation Act would temporarily expand the House by two members to 437 seats, adding one seat for a representative from the District and a fourth member from Utah. The change would be effective Jan. 3. The House would revert to its present size after the 2010 U.S. Census. The District would keep...