Transition August, 2013
Hello “Patriot64″ readers and fans. We will finally be transitioning to the site application of simply www.patriot64.com. It has been under construction for a while and should be ready for full release in the next few weeks. Don’t worry, when it goes on-line you will automatically be redirected from the old blog site which will remain active as an archive. We ask that you register and bookmark the new site also for your convenience. Thanks for being part of the discussion and we hope you enjoy "patriot64.com". Remember, “truth and reason first”… Spread the word…
Feel free to have look around the new site: http://www.patriot64.com/
Independence...
December 2024 M T W T F S S « Nov 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 “Patriot64”
7-4-1776
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.-----
“We the People”
"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."Categories
-
Recent Posts
patriot64Archives
What folks are saying…
- Jeffrey A. Coulter on Living the numbers…
- Mark Poirier on “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7)
- Eugene Bolton on “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7)
- Fred Comella "Patriot64" on June 6, 1944…
- Jeffrey A. Coulter on Indifference on a Presidential scale…
My Links
- Abundant Life Assembly of God My Church 10
- AK's and Cupcakes Some things just go together… 10
- Conservative Chronicle Conservative writing… 8
- Country Babies USA For the finest Americana Crafts… 10
- Gold Star Moms Honor those whose children have honored us… 10
- Imprimis Education not indoctrination… 9
- Mark Levin The Great One… 9
- NASCAR The latest from the speedway… 10
- Paul Ryan Must listen to this! 7
- Rush Limbaugh Talent on loan from God… 9
- Sean Hannity A great American… 9
- The Blaze News and opinion… 10
- The Cary D. Conover Daily Published by Cary D Conover – 228 news spotters today 10
- The Good News Today “The” Christian Newspaper of record… 10
- The Heritage Foundation Leadership for America 9
- The Providence Journal My local read… 8
- Wounded Warrior Project Help those who fight in our stead… 10
Special Mention
- Country Babies USA For the finest Americana Crafts… 10
Category Archives: History
Independence Day 2013…
Every July I write a lot about the birth of this great nation. As part of that discussion this year I posted a story on Facebook and Twitter about “Lady Gaga” and how she elected to “modify” our National Anthem during a recent appearance. Mind you, I will always celebrate the hard-fought freedom which facilitates any persons free speech, including that of the controversial performer from New York. But free speech should always come with a fundamental understanding and basic respect for the price paid to attain it. Accordingly, I am substituting the following video for my annual Independence Day post as just another way I may suggest reflection and education when it comes to our country’s beginnings. Make no mistake, liberty and freedom are inherent and essential maxims derived from our maker and not any man or government. That said, many have died in their defense and we must take care to preserve and protect them for posterity’s sake.
Be well and be safe this holiday weekend, and may God please continue to bless the United States of America.
[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hZe8CPGA1E&feature=c4-overview&playnext=1&list=TLfPfBYtxQEGY’]
POTUS knows best…
The science of “climate change” is debatable at best, and while curbing pollution should be an objective of any civilized nation, it mustn’t come solely at the expense of the economic stability necessary to pay for it. I am not writing today to debate President Obama’s assumptions about global warming, but to condemn his use of personal ideology to “dictate” policy in spite of our Constitutional Republic. This Commander-in-Chief has set new benchmarks for side-stepping the process of a free government in order to promote and enact that which (he believes) is ultimately necessary. This is the height of elitism and Socialist expression.
History clearly demonstrates that when politics trump the best interest of “We the People”, no good ever comes of it for “We the People”. Now I’m not suggesting an economic approach devoid of the regulation necessary to ensure the fundamental public health and safety, but rather one enabled by “common sense” application of those regulations which does not unduly handicap the industry and companies creating jobs and producing products we need and use every day. The goal of a world without fossil fuel is unachievable inside a period of time acceptable in “quality of life” terms, and it turns out, wholly unnecessary. These goals can be addressed in a far more realistic and generational manner, while ensuring economic and international stability throughout the process. In the end, one man’s selfish quest for ideological glory must not come at the expense of our representative government and the “unfiltered” will of its people.
National security or my iPhone…
As we debate the issue of combating terrorism in the 21st Century, a number of things come to mind. Ben Franklin once reflected that those who would sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither. I support that assertion. History tells us the eventual providers of the “security” we seek, often become the tyrants who rob us of what remains. Nevertheless, we are faced with a global enemy who means to exploit our freedoms in order to murder innocents, (9/11, Boston Marathon etc…). So where is the balance? Frankly, I’m not sure there is one.
To be sure, “We the People” simply cannot allow our government carte blanche access to the privacy associated with our individual and unalienable rights as outlined in the Constitution. We must however accept that “terrorism police work” often requires the same “NCIS” tactics which glue us to the flat screen on Tuesday night. Consequently, in order to occupy that “national security” middle ground everyone is talking about, judicial oversight must be ever-present, relentless, and transparent, with swift and significant accountability for any abuses. Our freedoms are far too unambiguous and precious. Moreover, what we are seeing today is proof that “clandestine” data mining and the like, can corrupt even the most well-intentioned of efforts, especially if government is involved. So as keepers of that government, and if we continue to immerse ourselves in the wonders of rapidly advancing technology, then we must also be steadfast and diligent in policing its misuse.
The House Obama Built…
“Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.” Abraham Lincoln.
Frankly I’m getting a little tired of hearing 44 liken himself to the aspirations of President Lincoln. That said, it’s always a trick of the Left to hijack the intentions and accomplishments of beloved (and successful) Patriots in order to somehow reconcile their own warped vision for our country. Truth be told, Lincoln might well have jailed the current Commander in Chief for some of his efforts had he been living in Lincoln’s time.
I have studied Lincoln extensively and there is room for discussion of his politics and application of government, (as is certainly the case with all the Presidents). Appropriately, that discussion would have to be in the context of his day and the monumental decisions he was faced with, both from the stand-point of the Civil War and of the nations exploding growth. One thing is for certain however, and it is that Lincolns unshakable faith in God, along with an immeasurable love and understanding of his country’s culture and creed, clearly place him a league Mr. Obama could not possibly hope to play in, ever. Enough said!
June 6, 1944…
Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.
Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory!
I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!
Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.
— Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
Who is Joe Biden???
Do you know this man?
For this “40 something” there is an element of surprise at the lack of outrage over the recent scandals plaguing the Obama Administration, though I would point to a recent Quinnipiac poll showing the President’s job approval numbers finally taking a hit. That said, I can’t help but wonder how we go forward when so many people seem unconcerned with matters that will surely impact them in the short-term and their children in the not so long-term.
As a research outlet, I watch most of the news and commentary shows, (with the exception of “Hardball”). Matthew’s analysis lacks even a shred of objectivity, and his unbridled affection for the Commander-in-Chief borders on “sketchy”. FOX’s O’Reilly on the other hand mixes it up a bit. I especially love it when he sends out roving crews to ask basic civics questions of the American Electorate. Now these forays are interesting and even entertaining at times, but they’ve become more troubling recently. As an example, I think it’s fair to say when your average “20/30 something” has no clue who the VP is, especially considering the infamous gaffe-master in waiting Joe Biden, then “We the People” are a little more than just “disengaged”. Moreover, when the average American is unaware of a terrorist attack that took the lives of four brave Americans on foreign soil, including an American Ambassador, it’s downright sad.
It is clear the IRS, Benghazi and Holder scandals are the stuff which break Presidential Administrations and erode the confidence of a people in their government. But what of the current time and a President twice elected more on the basis of his skin color than qualifications? What of a national posture of historical revisionism and/or indifference for the sake of political correctness and diminished accountability? And what of a country which sets aside storied values and principles that have undoubtedly changed the world for the better, and chooses a road of dependency instead? Look, I’m not suggesting “We the People” are done just yet. But in the absence of the “Greatest Generation” who are fast passing into history themselves, the task of resurrecting out of our current situation, that spirit which won “the great wars”, inspired economic revolution, and served as beacon of liberty and opportunity to millions around the globe seems daunting at best. To be sure, time is certainly not on our side, and our enemies know this…
Memorial Day 2013…
Memorial Day is always special to me. I think of the wonderful people I have had the pleasure of knowing and loving who are no longer with us. I remember family who have served, along with all the others who’ve made it possible for me to share this day with my wife and son. And I remember two special individuals with whom I share an exclusive bond. There is not a day goes by I do not remember you…
No matter how much I write, I’m always at a loss on Memorial Day. It seems I can never find just the right words. Having said that, I posted a picture on Facebook on Friday that was originally posted by one of my “Twitter” friends. It was a photograph of a women lying on the grave of who was most likely her soldier husband, with an outstretched arm and gently touching his headstone. I have seen similar photos in the past, but this one just nailed me right in the gut. I thought of all the lost holidays, birthdays and special moments, and I could literally feel a pain I am all too familiar with as if it happened yesterday. I shared it in order to convey the sacrifice borne by our military for the sake of “We the People”, but also to remind folks there are some things in this life worth dying for. Now I know this is not a 21st Century concept to be sure, but for those who understand freedom. But someone took me by surprise when he commented on the post stating only, “senseless death”. Normally, I am not moved unnecessarily by the things people comment about my writing. Frankly, one must have quite a thick skin to do what I do, especially around the North East where I’m from. But on this day, the hair on the back of my neck stood up as I contemplated how little some in our country truly understand of our heritage and creed. So from my basement, and just recovering from the floor after working on my “sick” water heater (again), I quickly punched out the following on my trustworthy iPhone. I later realized, (after many positive comments from some true Patriots), it said it all… Be safe this Memorial Day weekend friends, and please join me in a prayer of thanksgiving for the brave men and women of the United States Military.
– To see a world without the necessity of these brave souls and their sacrifices, is self-induced blindness to fact and reason. We may debate the politics to a fault, but reality reaches back to our beginnings. No matter your stripes, you should understand the historical cause of this great nation, and mind the cost of your liberty and security… Fred Comella
Indifference on a Presidential scale…
Listening to the same tired talking points from the POTUS yesterday was as it always is for me, nauseating. Not surprisingly, there was the all too familiar elitist condescension as his remarks dripped with disdain for his critics and political opponents. What was striking this time, was that even in the face of a legacy which will most certainly be bracketed by unprecedented acts of corruption and ideological warfare, the President of (our) United States seemed indifferent, unapologetic, and even arrogant. Nevertheless, his inexperience and non-negotiable style have cost the President in terms of how he is perceived here and abroad, and have handicapped this nation’s overall standing as well as the future potential of its posterity.
In his remarks I did not hear a President humbled by the raging scandals playing out on his watch. I did not hear a leader accepting a stitch of responsibility for the actions and tone of his Administration during these crises. I did not hear a man willing work with Congress for the betterment of “We the People” and/or to resolve the critical issues of our time, but rather I heard a headstrong ideologue anxious to press a bad position no matter the cost, and willing to re-write the pages of history as it happens to reflect his version, to change the truth if you will, in order to fit the narrative of a failed agenda.
NRA not the problem…
This is a letter from a doctor in my home state of Rhode Island. Read my response below.
Doreen Ciancaglini: NRA vs. our children
Doreen Ciancaglini: NRA vs. our children
As a pediatrician, I spend much of my day providing guidance to the parents of my patients, to educate them regarding many issues, ranging from nutrition to safety. I was disheartened to see the defeat of the bill on expanded background checks on gun sales bill. Most of us want less gun violence. Most of us want fewer gun fatalities, such as in the Newtown tragedy.
Most of us want our schools safe for our kids. How can this be accomplished? We have to make a start. The organization that promotes gun ownership at all cost, the National Rifle Association, is not primarily interested in these safety issues. They aggressively and actively lobby senators to reject any type of reform. They’ve duped some Americans into believing that it’s about their freedoms.
Their victory is a defeat for those if us seeking to keep our children safe.
As I and my colleagues continue to advise parents on child safety, we hope that part of our anticipatory guidance won’t have to include “since there are so many guns out there in the hands of the wrong people, just stay home.”
Doreen Ciancaglini, M.D. North Providence
Response:
The biggest problem supporters of the Second Amendment face is ignorance, (purposeful or otherwise), in terms of what it really means. After that, it’s just plain ideological.
This is evidenced in Doreen Ciancaglini’s letter of 5/5/13. In it she refers to the NRA as “not primarily interested in these safety issues”, referring to the defeat of the “background checks” bill. Now I don’t necessarily wish to school the good doctor on the “entire” text of that particular piece of legislation, or for that matter, the nightmares sure to arise out of legal challenges by way of the “HIPAA” statutes, (regulations I would hope she is familiar with), but I will take issue with her assertion on safety. It is a simple fact that there is no agency or entity which has done more to promote the safe ownership and handling of firearms in this country than the NRA. A simple google search would help the average person understand this. Regrettably however, and while I respect and admire her commitment to serve her fellow human being, Dr. Ciancaglini (and others) seem content to demonize that which they clearly do not understand. I wonder what her position is on, swimming pools, automobiles, alcohol, or even “fireworks and ball bearings”, none of which are directly associated with one of the “Bill of Rights”, or the foundational liberty which built and now protects the nation she practices in. The “reasonable discussion” continues to elude…
“This is what change looks like.” – Barack Obama (2010)
Change looks like economic instability fueled by ignorance and/or even disdain for a free market system which has made our nation the envy of the world. Change looks like the empty promises of an ideological demagogue, embraced by those who seek “promise” without price. Change looks like fast flight from accountability in all its forms and the validation of excuses as a way of life. Change looks like selfish manipulation of the nuclear family to the detriment of posterity and of society as a whole. Change looks like “Plan-B” for a 15 year old child, further relegating the sanctity of human life to that which is fueling our moral decay. Change looks like a Newtown Police Chief, wounded by unimaginable tragedy, but blinded by that same tragedy to all truth and logic, describing the Constitutional rights so many have died to protect as “entitlements” which must now be forfeit for the “greater good”. Change looks like higher taxes and the strengthening of an all-encompassing federal government far beyond that which our founders envisioned, and at the expense of historical fact and reason. And change looks like a President of the United States who feels “constrained” rather than empowered by two of the three greatest documents ever penned by the hand of man.
So you tell me my fellow Americans, what does change look like for your kids?