North Florida Writer
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Life Around Us
  • Contact
  • MY BOOK PAGE

June 30th in History: Philadelphia Awaits (1776) and Gettysburg Prepares (1863)

6/30/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Independence Hall, Philadelphia
As the week moves on in two different places and at two different times in history, excitement and tension mount as the events which will dramatically change America get ready to hit full force. On this June 30th in Philadephia, Thomas Jefferson continues to work on his Declaration, making minor changes to improve the flow of words while the Union Army is catching up with General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia but are still moving at quick step. Most of the Army of the Potomac has made it to the Pennsylvania line by mid-afternoon and pauses with the exception of General Buford's cavalry which makes it on horseback into Gettysburg, expecting to make contact with Confederate forces in the town. Although he happened upon an element to the south but wasn't observed, Lee's forces were gathering west of town.  One element had planned to attack Harrisburg but plans were changed when they realized they would likely have to fight their enemy in Gettysburg.

Federal forces had gained one advantage: visibility. When Buford took high land where a church had a tall steeple, he had a built in vantage point to see the incoming Confederates from the north and west.  Not only did it give them visibility, but it would make it much harder for the Southern soldiers to attack by expending so much extra energy in horribly hot weather on the uphill climb. From his vantage point, Buford informed his superiors of the situation and also told them that the town was open.  Toward the end of the day, minor skirmishes took place from a distance, yet neither side was ready to commit their forces substantially until all were in place. So, with a strong guard element keeping watch on both sides, most of the soldiers on both sides by late afternoon were able to rest, if rest was even possible. While there feet might get some rest, their minds were busy thinking of the horrors they would face the next day.  Many spend time writing farewell letters to loved ones, marking them to be dispatched if they were to die and soldiers who might not have prayed in a long time found themselves humbled before God. They all knew they were going nowhere until the battle was joined and finished, either with the glow of victory or the agony of defeat in life or death.

And at the same time in today's America, what do we find going on.  Well, good Americans still plan to celebrate the Fourth of July, yet it will likely be scaled back because of all they hype about Covid-19 and resultant governmental regulations, many large cities continue to be war zones as violent protesters continue their push to end police forces and throw America into even more turmoil.  And so many just remain silent, afraid to speak up for what is right and good.  Just remember, folks, that if Americans had operated in a similar fashion back in Gettysburg or when brave representatives were willing to accept a death warrant from the Crown for what they were about to do, America likely wouldn't even be here today.  Something to think about as we continue our walk through a few days in history in 1776 and 1863.



0 Comments

A Momentous Week in American History Begins

6/29/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
The American Civil War: To try and erase it destroys our history and history reminds of us what we need to avoid in the future.
This week in American history, the period from June 29th through July 4th represents  a widely divergent set of events in our nation's past which we should never forget.  Some today want to erase it from our history, claiming that history is worthless  and serves no purpose but to hurt feelings, but only through truth and history can we ever hope to learn from our past, both the good and the bad.  In just a short span of eighty-seven years, a nation which was created by heroism and acknowledgement of the power of the Almighty in all things saw itself become divided and at war with itself.  Sadly, not only do today's rioters, mostly young people captured by sordid ideology and having no real understanding of the times before when life was so different, want them erased and want all Americans to no longer have awareness of them. Not only is this dangerous to freedom and liberty as we know it, it also has the impact of creating a society so dumbed down on reality that chaos and insurrection will likely lead to its downfall. It's for these reasons that I think it is more important for Americans why these events took place. With the lack of solid programs in history and civics so lacking these days, , many of our younger citizens don't even know what the Declaration of Independence means  or the reasons why so many young Southerners  and Northerners as well took up arms for their causes, be they good or bad.  This week I will endeavor to cover both stories, Independence and Civil War, since both are an integral part of history that should never be forgotten.

On June 29, 1776, Thomas Jefferson was finishing up his work in drafting the Declaration of Independence and preparing to submit it to the committee in charge of drafting the document for review and then to the full Continental Congress. It was hot in Philadelphia, yet spirits were high as the delegates were eager to approve the document which would declare to the King of England that they would no longer consider themselves his subjects.  Eighty seven years later to the day, General Robert E. Lee had moved his Army of Northern Virginia through Maryland and into Pennsylvania with sights set on Gettysburg where he hoped to then launch his assault toward Washington with plans to try and end the war.  He knew the Union was somewhere out there looking for him, but he knew not where, and Jeb Stuart and his cavalry scouts were looking for the Union army in blue, making quick raids to their rear to keep them off guard.  George G. Meade had just been appointed as the Commander of the Army of the  Potomac which had up until this point been very cautious in its action.  Lee knew that Meade would not apply a more conservative approach to battle and he hoped to advance to a favorable position with high ground before coming in contact.  Meade had just crossed the Potomac and had more ground to cover, but Lee didn't know that a cavalryman named Buford would be leading his forces to find Lee's Army at a time more favorable for the Union.  So, the battle lines would fast be coming together over the next two days before what most consider the turning point in the war which would come from the outcome of the battle approaching.

Make no mistake about it my friends, history is important.  And yes, America has made mistakes as have all nations but  just think, America not only established following the Revolutionary War, which the Declaration made inevitable, a nation with freedom under God, but eighty-seven years later the battle which would lead to the end of slavery in the United States.  The protesters don't know it and they don't care, for their goal is destruction of the America we know, not a process of healing. They are filled with loathing and hate for American and foolishly think that Marxist ideology will turn America into nirvana when it will turn the nation into rubble with bondage instead.  It's just one reason why history is so important and all good Americans today beginning a week of some amazing American history need to remember it, savor it and use it to provide the courage and strength to maintain America as the Land of the Free.  God bless America and may she always be free.  I'll be back to continue the story of this momentous week again tomorrow.

0 Comments

SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: Will God Still Shed His Grace on America?

6/28/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Are we losing support of the One we sorely need?
O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!
               - First verse of America the Beautiful, lyrics by Katharine Lee Bates

 
Those wonderful words were written as part of a poem in 1893 which would become a popular American patriotic song two years later. Shown is just the first of seven verses which are devoted to the beauty and majesty that God gave us with our beloved United States of America. Katharine Bates did such a wonderful job those many years ago of depicting our land and I have always believed up until now that she is truly blessed by God for being a nation under God. Sadly, today I am afraid that it is rapidly becoming a nation that defies God as much as it supports His purpose for us and it begs the question which I ask in the title. Each of us needs to think about it, for it is important and how we feel and act in response has everything to do with what the future lies for America. Believe it or not, God is always in control, He just allows us every opportunity to prove we are worthy until he decides to look away.
 
Now it is unquestionably true that God loves all of us since we are all His creation, molded in His image and given the free choice to choose whether we will live as He wishes or cave to temporary earthly standards and moral and social codes that can blow away as fast as the wind gives them to us.  But I think it is clearly the case that if we as a society turn our back on Him, God will not likely shed His grace on our nation when it turns its back on Him. Now that doesn’t mean that those of us who do live by His word, and try as hard as we can to stick to His word, despite our mortal limitations, won’t ultimately receive His grace but it won’t be found in the society where we live.  It will come in the next life, where a future of either Light and Life or Darkness and Death await each of us, depending on the course we choose. So, what can we do?
 
Well, if we believe and do our utmost to live by faith, it is incumbent on us to get involved, to refuse to be silent and speak up for God whenever it is necessary.  But before we do, we need to think things through carefully, pray to Him for guidance and ask Him to give us discernment to see through the fog and smoke that some try and use to cover up the true issues. When we do it this way, we will clearly see the truth, have the strength to go forth and stand for Him wherever it may be necessary. It could be in a social gathering, in a business meeting, in our church or even at a political event, but wherever we feel in our heart the need to act, with the preparation properly made, we can make a huge difference. Remember, there are many more followers than leaders out there today and many leaders are often led by beliefs that haven’t taken into account what God wants of us. So, we can make a huge difference when we speak up and stand for Him and don’t be surprised if others will listen. Many are looking for inspiration and we can represent that through God if our cause is right.
 
It’s not too late to maintain God’s trust in our nation, but He needs our involvement. Are we up for the challenge? That’s a decision that each of us must individually make, but make no mistake about it, he is likely losing patience with our silence.
 
Dear Lord, we thank you for your grace and love and we ask that you give us the strength and courage to stand for you in a way that you would find pleasing.  Help us to make sure that our great land continues to receive, and deserve, your wonderful grace.  Amen.

0 Comments

ABOUT REAL HEROES AND COURAGE

6/26/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Jumping from building to building takes courage but is it heroic?
In today's modern America, where so much has been turned upside down, we even see the terms courage and heroes taking on new characteristics, many of which really don't match up with the meanings usually applied to them.  In days gone by we associated heroism with major actions that showed the willingness of a person to overcome fear while doing something noble impacting others.  Perhaps it was the soldier who gave up his life for his fellow soldiers or the law officers and firefighters who entered a building like the World Trade Center to save others, often knowing they would never themselves come out alive. 

Today, however, in an age of colleges that have replaced debate and discourse with "safe rooms" and political correctness and some are even saying the social justice warriors, no matter how far they go with their activism, display courage and heroism. Now, if you are looking at an action like that displayed by Martin Luther King, I would agree, but that isn't what they are talking about. No, they are talking about people who go the step beyond from protest and add violence and vulgar actions directed at others and they say that the ends justify the means. Even the media glosses over the rock throwing and the business burning and show glee at the chaos which upsets our way of life. Think about that for a moment, for if we eliminate general rules of law and order based upon someone's view of a justified ending, chaos and violence will continue to erupt with increasing regularity and even more negative impact.  And when the media which today tries to mold opinion rather than report the news supports those claims, it becomes a horror show and voids any semblance of courage or heroism.  It doesn't take courage or heroics to use violence and filth to intimidate others. But should we be surprised in a land where history is squelched, understanding of what a democratic republic is has no meaning and young people have no clue about the circumstances under which life in an earlier time was experienced?  Of course not.

Let's get real again, America.  Courage is an action where we put aside fear in order to carry out a difficult action that carries out a worthwhile and valid purpose. Heroism is an action where that courage is displayed while putting others first.  And it is not just applicable to fear by violence, but also much more subtle things like the curse of America today which I call political correctness. It takes courage in America today to stand up against the bullying nature of political correctness, yet as children of God we are supposed to always stand for the truth.  Kowtowing to mobocracy and "groupthink" intimidation is never easy, but if we Americans expect to keep American free and have a future where individualism shines, not collectivism and its impact of imprisoning us by mental coercion  not chains, we better wake up.  For if we don't, the intimidation and mental coercion will eventually be chains, indeed, and America's future will be tyranny for all.  Don't say you haven't been warned.

0 Comments

SIGN OF THE TIMES: God is Great, Beer is Good and People are Crazy

6/25/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Faith and simple clarity about things is what we need today.
Like so many other Americans these days,  I find myself very concerned about our nation and the world and whether or not civilization as we've known it  can ever recover from the madness being seen around us these days.  As I pondered that issue over my morning coffee, I was looking for something to guide my writing on the subject when I came upon the Billy Currington song, "People are Crazy," which was a big country hit about ten years ago.  It tells the story of two men meeting for the first time at a bar, young young and one elderly, drinking beer together and spending hours talking about life, girlfriends and memories, then never seeing one another after they said goodbye. Yet later, the younger man reads a newspaper headline, realizes the picture in it is of the old man and it announced his death. He was a local man who was quiet and reclusive, yet he left his million dollar fortune to the young "good old boy" he had sent that one evening drinking beer with.

I thought of the words from the refrain to the song, "God is great, beer is good and people are crazy" and they seemed to be so appropriate to the things going through my mind.  God certainly is great.  As our Creator He has the power to do as He wishes and can do so at any time.  Yet, even though we abuse the free will that we have by often making bad decisions, He still loves us and wants us to live by His Way. It's just a shame that we don't realize that the consequences of not following His wishes are severe, while the rewards of following Him are wondrous.  In the end, however, each of us will find out, for good or bad, just how great and powerful God is.  

On a much more human note, beer is really very good, at least for many of us.  And while it is an alcoholic beverage, moderate use at a time and in a place that is appropriate is not a bad thing. It can help us relax and it also is recommended by many doctors as a great flusher of kidneys, some even say a great way to avoid kidney stones.  And on a hot summer afternoon when I don't have to go anywhere after cutting the grass, a cold beer is awfully appealing, but not one to be abused.

But what about people being crazy? Well, look at what is going on around us and judge for yourself.  We have a distinguished thirty-three year retired military officer prosecuted for something that never happened and still a judge wants to try and block the dismissal of the charges.  We force citizens to wear masks for work and shopping yet find it unnecessary for looters and rioters. We say we no longer need the police and immediately see violent crime spike by huge numbers soon thereafter. And, above all, we turn our back on all of God's Commandments, claiming we don't need Him while then blaming Him for not coming to our rescue.  Yes, indeed, many among us are crazy, but what should we expect if we allow our minds to be poisoned by evil and dogma.

Remember, however, that it is never too late to change our ways and put God first in our lives until we breathe our last breath.  God continues to love us and will mold us the way He wants us to be if we turn our lives over to Him.  He wants us to be with Him in Paradise when this life is done but it is our individual decision to make.  But just think, if all of us made that grand decision, maybe Currington's words could be, "God is great, beer is good, and people are beautiful."  Using the title of another song which was popular back in my youth, "Wouldn't it be nice?"

Picture
Country singer, Georgian Billy Currington
0 Comments

GOD'S AMAZING NATURE: Sahara Dust Storms and Atlantic Hurricanes

6/24/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
It's the one time that dust can be good for the summer.
God's power and glory is truly amazing. Things that are seen on this earth as very difficult for some can turn out to be very beneficial and beautiful for others and we can only understand such things and their purpose by focusing on His love and grace.  One such event is a powerful desert sandstorm, really more of a dust storm considering how fine the particles become in the wind.  I've witnessed them in Arizona where they can blast the paint right off a car or bike and they get through minute openings in any building to leave a blanket anywhere.  But none can compare to the great storms of the Sahara which can last for days and cause destruction to those caught in their path.  But what about the positive side of such storms?

Perhaps the best example can be seen right now as a massive Sahara dust storm is currently sweeping a cloud of dust across the Atlantic and likely to have a positive impact on both the Caribbean region and the far Southeastern United States coastline including the Gulf of Mexico as far west as Texas.  The Caribbean has already received it and parts should be impacting the United States in initial stages right now.  This particular dust storm was first identified by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with its SuomiNPP satellite, a joint venture with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  The satellite's Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OPMS), when overlaid over visible imagery data with the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIMRS), can measure dust using aerosol index measurements. In layman's terms, the system from the sky can determine how much dust is in the atmosphere and the impact it likely has on changing water content and storms in the atmosphere. In operation since 2013, it is showing tentative impact of dust on hurricane development and that data supports existing meteorologist concepts that the dust, which usually represents dry air (or it wouldn't be dust), can play a big role in limiting storm development.  This, of course, would be good news for those who reside along the coast.

The current dust storm should generate beautiful sunsets and sunrises in the impacted areas and will deliver many nutrients to the rain forest region of Brazil and increase nourishment of beaches in the Caribbean as millions of tons of minute sand particles are dropped on this broad area each year. On the negative side, however, with its high iron content, it can generate red tide formation in the Gulf of Mexico as well.  But the current bottom line estimate of what storms like this can do if they are significant enough can potentially provide a major tool in breaking apart hurricanes crossing the Atlantic with their influx of dry, dusty air.  Now I'm not saying to jump up and cheer when you hear of large dust storms sweeping westward from Africa, but I am saying that maybe they can give us a little more information to determine what is likely to happen when a storm is coming our way.  NASA and NOAA have much more work to do to come to scientific conclusions of what they fully do, but this is a great start. In the meantime, if you are in the impacted areas, enjoy some beautiful and colorful sunrises and sunsets.  Be aware, however, if you have serious respiratory issues, the air can have a negative impact. Each of us must use our own free will to decide what is right for us.

Remember, God deserves all the Glory for His Creation, but we are blessed that He has allowed these brilliant and dedicated men of science to develop tools that can give us better information in planning our lives in a time of the year when we worry about hurricanes.  His grace is given to those who use the talents they have been give by His plan for them.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if those who use their smarts to develop evil schemes instead were made to see the light of their ways.  They, too, could do so much good for mankind instead.  Let's all pray that a change of heart for them will be a future outcome and it will add even more talent to what needs to be done in the world of modern life.  Have a great day.

it can measure aerosol aerAnd while they can have some impact on folks with breathing problems, the principal impacts are largely positive.  These storms are not rare, in fact, they often occur during the summer months if the Sahara basin remains dry and trade winds blow steadily out of the east toward and across the Atlantic. The variation between the cool and dry desert earth when beneath a layer of much cooler air can create updrafts which such millions of tons of sandy dust upward from the desert where they come in contact with the heavy summer tradewinds sweeping westward.  The dust is then carried west up to five thousand miles across the Atlantic, frequently impacting South America, the Caribbean, and even the entire coastal region of the Gulf of Mexico and the southern portion of that Atlantic coast in the United States. The prime season for this activity is June and July, but it can continue into the heart of hurricane season in late summer and have a potentially dramatic impact on hurricane development.



0 Comments

Sometimes We Just Need to Smile

6/22/2020

0 Comments

 
I started my Monday in a lousy mood. Being a light sleeper, it doesn't take much to awaken me and once awake, getting back to sleep if it's after two in the morning isn't easy. So, when my wife's favorite cat, Charlie, who often sleeps at our feet decided he wanted to stare at me like a vulture as  I slept instead, I came wide awake.  I padded off in my bare feet to make some coffee, then fired up the computer which I often do early and started looking for something to brighten my mood.  Usually I can find a picture, a story, or even a Bible passage to do so, but today it didn't work.  Instead, I opened the front door, turned off the outdoor light, and walked out on the porch. With my eyes soon adjusted, the security light at the front gate provided enough light for me to see something that really made me smile.

Before my eyes, at the pasture gate, our two Great Pyrenees were lying side by side with our two best barn cats stretched out one beside each dog.  Salvador and Anna, the two big dogs and Rusty and Recon, the barn cats were dozing pleasantly with their tour of duty to protect things almost done as dawn would soon break.  But the smile came from realizing what they could teach us.  It wasn't always this way, for Great Pyrenees, like all dogs, naturally will chase cats and cats will drive dogs crazy if they can.  But we have an operating principle on our little piece of heaven and it involves making all of our animals live by our rules for the farm.  If they can't live in peace with the other animals who are part of our external animal family, then they can't stay. The two big dogs, guardians by nature from their lineage in Spain guarding sheep, were quickly taught upon arrival who were the good guys and who weren't. Simply put, if an animal is part of our extended family, they are the good guys.  The bad guys are those who don't belong here and the dogs religiously carry out their job and the cats now realize they have large guardians who will protect them as well. That's why those smart cats love to sleep with those big and lovable dogs.  They bring safety, meaning that the cats are free to catch and destroy rodents who love to come for feed in the barn, knowing that those two great "critter gitters" are nearby who has their back.

So, what do they teach us.  Well, it's simply this.  They teach us that they can be taught what is expected of them by learning the consequences of not what is expected. It wasn't always an easy task, for early on each dog took a chicken, an animal they were told was off limits and they paid the consequences.  No dog likes being penned up but after only a few such timeouts, they learn. And when they do, they are a wonderful addition to the family. And then there are the barn cats, nocturnal animals that sometimes you can't see but you know they are around.  And when a rodent heads toward the barn seeking spilled feed from messy horses, WHAM! He doesn't have a chance and, what's more, snakes don't like cats either. While we have many neighbors with lots of snakes, including moccasins abounding, we have very few as they stay clear of cats.  It all boils down to dogs and cats carrying out their assigned duties religiously and only requiring a little food and water and a word of encouragement.

Gee, just imagine how much better off we'd be if we took the time to train our children as well as we train our animals. After all, if dogs and cats can get along, why do so many people go out of their way to create agony and chaos for others. And all I can figure is that if we don't train our young people with good moral values and an appreciation for the good life as God intended, they are likely to find someone else who will train them in other ways.  And this is a fact of life in America today as it goes haywire. But I'll stick to the happy side, for life when it is lived right and with love in our hearts, it makes for a wonderful existence and that indeed makes me smile. There is, however, one little thing.  What am I going to do with Charlie?  And the answer is and I can hear my wife telling me, I just have to put up with him.  And all druthers aside, that's not too bad either, for SSHHH!  Sometimes he makes me smile, too.

Picture
A cat named Charlie. See what I mean?
0 Comments

SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: Father's Day, 2020 and a "Line in the Sand"

6/21/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Captain John Ripley, USMC (1973)
"Sometimes you just have to draw a line in the sand." 
                                             - Captain John Ripley, USMC (1972)


In early 1972 and arriving for his second tour of duty in Vietnam, Marine Captain John Ripley found the country far different than during his last tour of duty as a rifle platoon leader in 1967-68.  American combat units were no longer operating in the country since being pulled out as part of the plan to fully Vietnamese the ground operation. Navy ships still patrolled the waters and flight missions were still operational but on a smaller scale and Ripley found himself assigned as an advisor to a battalion of Vietnamese Marines, seven hundred strong. He found these soldiers to be the cream of the crop and his counterpart, Major Le Ba Bihn, was an excellent officer and a highly decorated one and the two men quickly developed a close working relationship. This would prove to be very important very soon as the unit was ordered to Dong Ha on the Cua Viet River with the mission of keeping advancing North Vietnam forces from crossing the river on the way to Saigon. The assault on Saigon was beginning and the North had every reason to believe that without the strong American ground forces, they could successfully end the war. Over twenty-five thousand regular North Vietnamese troops would be crossing the bridge with some two hundred tanks as well. Major Bihn's Marines were tasked with taking out the bridge. His small force of  Marines were huge underdogs and could get no air support, but Bihn and his advisor, Ripley, came up with a seemingly impossible plan to accomplish their mission.

Captain Ripley was well trained in demolition and it was decided that with Bihn's Marines fighting hard to hold their positions and giving Ripley cover, he could somehow place explosives under the bridge while the enemy was held on the north bank of the river.  It was difficult for the American Marine to traverse largely open ground to the bridge, yet somehow the brave South Vietnamese Marines provided the cover necessary and kept the enemy from reaching the bridge for the three hours necessary for Ripley to place the charges.  The bridge was destroyed, the North Vietnamese advance stopped and was turned around with many casualties, and it would take three full years to accomplish their mission which they thought would be over soon.  Bihn's unit was nearly decimated but accomplished their mission and Bihn would himself when the fall eventually came spend eleven years in a Communist prison but would eventually be allowed to come to America and become a citizen. Captain Ripley lived to be a career Marine, rising to the rank of Colonel and becoming the first Marine to become a recipient of the Distinguished Graduate award from his alma mater, the Naval Academy, the highest award the academy can give to a former Midshipman. Many years after the two men worked so bravely together, they were reunited and stayed good friends until Ripley's death in 2008.

So, why would I use this story on Father's Day?  What is the lesson that applies to the duty of a father in raising a child?  Quite simply put, it's because of the quotation which then Captain Ripley used to explain why he did what he did, "sometimes you just have to draw a line in the sand" and the way the Marine lived his life. You see, Captain Ripley served in his dangerous assignment while missing his wife and his young daughter back home.  And like every good father, getting home to those loved ones was so important to him that he would do whatever it took to both successfully complete his mission and get home again.  He was a man of faith and he knew that only full success would allow him to return home, that otherwise he would have quickly become just another gruesome statistic from war and that only with God's help could he do the seemingly impossible. He prayed for himself and Major Bihn and his brave Marines and God answered his prayers and his actions serve to tell any father something that is not war related but is also very important to fulfilling the task of being a good father.

Again, I repeat the quotation, "sometimes you just have to draw a line in the sand." As a father, a man must instill good moral values and godly virtues in their children to prepare them to face a world that is in many ways so jaded.  And while it would be easy to just surrender our values and take the easy way out, if we did so our children would be of very little value to God and his mission for  them.  God gave each of us a purpose, and in the case of a father, it's to prepare a child to live a good life and honor God in all that we do and, in this world today, that definitely requires each of us to "draw a line in the sand" regarding what we will expect of  our children which should govern the way we raise them.  Now that is never easy, but it is what is expected by Him.  And so, in raising your children, fathers, will you draw your line in the sand as to what is acceptable and not?  If you do, and you instill it for all the right reasons, a child will learn a way to live that will come back to him or her, even if they falter along the way.  If you don't, well, the result will not be one that is likely to be very admirable at all. And that's why I chose the heroics of John Ripley for the baseline of this Fathers Day commentary. I hope you find these words valuable and worthwhile. Happy Fathers Day, everyone.

0 Comments

Will SCOTUS Title VII Ruling Directly Impact Women's Sports at all Levels?

6/20/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Is that what Americans want in high school and college sports? (Photo courtesy: Getty Images via Brietbart)
Many of us were shocked this week when the United States Supreme Court came out with several rulings which have the potential to adversely impact many facets of America in a major way, including our free practice of religion and women's sports. In the case of the latter, it is hard to figure how a heretofore very conservative Justice could justify his vote, yet he tried to and now there is already legal action being planned by the left to use this decision to void new laws in Idaho, also proposed in other states, to make women sports a domain for women by biological fact, not based upon personal preference.  But the Title VII ruling in the equal employment realm, since it is so different from the approach in Title IX over education and athletic opportunities for for female students, could have the effect of destroying sports for biological women.

But, why is that? Because there is a strong empirical and scientific basis showing that biological males are stronger in general and bigger and faster than biological women.  Since sports opportunities for women was a key to the creation of Title IX, do we want to close that door to biological women and turn it over to inclusion of biological men preferring to be women? I don't think so and I know that most women in athletics find the current ruling abhorrent.  Despite what so many on the left want us to think, men and women are much different and, frankly, it is what God intended and the world operated based upon the empirical basis therefrom for thousands of years until someone saw making a change as just another way to tear society apart which seems to have been the game plan all along.  I can think of no other logical reason.

Apparently, my views are in consonance with Attorney General William Barr who announced that the Justice Department will not accept the argument made by the Supreme Court.  The Justice Department will defend the State of Idaho and its recently approved Fairness Act designed to protect the rights of biological women to have their own sports programs in appropriately designated sports. The AG said the Equal Protection clause of the Constitution is the basis since biological women should be afforded the protection from stronger biological males who claim to be women.  Again, to do otherwise would likely be the end of the possibility to win and thrive in sports by women due to their physiological differences.  I see it as a breath of fresh air and common sense in a nation that seems to have lost its foundation and Supreme Court now running amok.  This clearly smacks of the Court, supposed to be a co-equal, trying to legislate from the bench (a function of Congress) while also usurping Executive authority as it dictates how the President goes about managing his realm of the government.  This was seen in a different matter this week, making a determination that the President can't countermand an executive order by a prior President (the DACA order) without their determination of the administrative process he must use.

If we want a government made up of three co-equal branches as it was established by our Founders, then the Supreme Court needs to be challenged directly and not be allowed to overstep the purposes of it's creation.  The step taken here by AG Barr is a refreshing indication that perhaps at least someone is trying to get things back in balance and if so, it is a refreshing change.  And as for the future of women's sports,  if biological males are allowed to play in the more physically demanding sports against biological females, then the future shows sporting events made up again in only two categories in the select sports, those being male and transgender.  And biological women will have lost out, all because of misguided and out-of-control Progressivism trying to once again tinker with something that was never broken in the first place.

0 Comments

So, What Happens When You Need a Law Officer and No One Shows Up?

6/19/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Yet all we hear from the MSM is about the few.
The question above is one I never thought would apply to most of us, but it is becoming apparent that it very well might be soon. And it should also be addressed today by both Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Paul Howard, Jr. and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms. two elected Georgia officials who have both publicly proclaimed that Officers Garrett Rolfe and Devin Brosnan are guilty of felonies before any trials have even been set.  Mayor Bottoms called Officer Rolfe a murderer before the facts were even in as did DA Howard in his news conference. Presented more like a trial than a conference to provide information, the DA presenting eleven crimes for indictment against Rolfe, including felony murder, and Brosnan for aggravated assault and two lesser charges.  It was all based on the death of Rayshard Brooks on Friday after he assaulted the officers as they tried to put him in handcuffs following his positive testing for driving under the influence.  He had been asleep in a parked car in the customer lane to a Wendy's in the city and the restaurant had called police. Initially cooperative when questions, Brooks then assaulted both officers, tased one and stole the taser during the altercation, ran away and then turned and fired again, to which Rolfe returned fire, killing Raynard.  The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the state's preeminent investigative agency has initiated an investigation which is in its early stages, yet DA Howard decided on his own to announce charges with no results received. The GBI said they were never notified of his plan to file charges so early.

The media, as is their normal overreaction, have been quick to jump on the case against the police officers, just like they did in times past in Ferguson, Baltimore and most recently in Minneapolis. Of those, only Minneapolis was a case of clear police misconduct but, even then, the media went so far as to literally "egg on" the violence which followed there and in so many other urban areas as well. And now, in Atlanta, where street riots followed and the Wendy's where the shooting incident occurred was destroyed by arson, little if any mention is made of the response by quickly formed rioters. As ins common,, the media overlooks the violence and destruction that has hurt so many needlessly and makes excuses for the mob action based upon the incident.  Furthermore, in the Atlanta incident, there are so many things that are strange in the treatment of the police officers that have not been addressed at all except by a few brave reporters who are scooping what really happened.  The deceased victim, Rayshard Brooks, was on probation for a number of violations including domestic violence and abusive treatment of a child. In his case, a parole violation from a DUI would likely result in a voiding his parole and putting him back in jail. That would explain his change of countenance when told he was being arrested for a DUI after being well over the limit on a breath test. It is also now known that the second officer, Devin Brosnan was tased by Brooks after he wrestled away the taser and as he fell in response to the taser, he suffered a concussion. Then there is the matter of Brooks turning and firing at Officer Rolfe and the use of the taser by the subject also is considered deadly force according to Georgia law.  DA Howard stated as much in an earlier case, yet isn't it amazing how in this case he not only failed to mention that, he stated that at no time was Brooks of danger to the officers. Both were physically assaulted, he resisted arrest, made a run for it and then turned quickly to make the motion of firing.  So, here we have a police officer running after someone who had broken the law, had assaulted them and had to make a judgment call in the flash of a second.  And now we are told that the police should not only be powerless to defend themselves, but they should have just let him go. What if Rolfe had also been tased and was incapacitated and what if at that time Brooks decided to cause more harm?  No one wants to think about that from the officer's point of view. Surely a close investigation is in order, but to make a felony murder charge in such a case is clearly out of line.

So, now that so many urban police departments are being faced with defunding and in others police now have no idea of how to defend themselves when it is necessary in dealing with those who have no respect for the law, what are we expected to do when we need an officer?  That is the $64000 question and there is no answer right now, but without police officers on the street and on duty in our schools, the future will be chaos and violence on steroids. It's already showing that in those cities thinking that we can police ourselves without the mechanisms to do so. Of that, we will rue the day when police are needed and it will be too late. We might find out sooner than later as large numbers of police are calling in sick or otherwise refusing to go on calls where they will be sitting ducks with no course to respond.

Look, I get it that there are some bad apples in law enforcement work, just like there are some bad apples in all occupations. But to immediately assume that the police are guilty of something without a thorough and fair investigation would be like saying a doctor was guilty of malfeasance with no evidence of any wrongdoing in their tough job of saving lives.  It doesn't make sense and it is obvious that what is driving this is not really about race at all  but about destroying the very fabric of law and order that is needed in our land. I am also sure that if we required a modicum of self-control and good decision making on the part of citizens when dealing with the police, most of the problems would never fester in the first place.  The average police officer, just like you and me, wants to go home to his family at the end of his shift and unwind. But while working, he has the difficult task of being ready to deal with lawbreakers and keep them from causing harm to others. To play Monday morning without all the facts is dangerous and if we don't get it under control, this society will burn out of control. 

Just think about what it would be like if you were in a major car accident and there were no police officers?  Or what about if someone was routinely driving through your neighborhood at breakneck speed and there were no police? How about a home break-in or a violent crime against a loved one?  One thing I know for your, sending a social worker to your house isn't going to make things better and they probably wouldn't even want to come without a police escort depending on where you might reside. And, yes, Black Lives Matter, but so do Caucasian Lives, Hispanic Lives, Asian Lives  and All Lives Matter. And those lives that matter include Blue Lives as well. The sooner we come to that realization as the truth, the sooner we can solve the problems we face.  It's known as honesty and we have to look at the entire picture, not just the selected parts that the politically correct want us to. 

Finally, why did the two leaders in Atlanta come so quick to judgment? Politics, plain and simple. Mayor Bottoms would love to be Joe Biden's vice presidential pick and is rumored to be on the short list and DA Howard is up for reelection and isn't doing so well to date based upon his record. What's the easiest thing for someone in his party to use to stir up his voting base?  Racism, pure and simple.  Pay attention, folks, we can do much better than this for all citizens.  Now will somebody please pass me the bottle of Aunt Jemima or Mrs. Butterworth's?  Oh, I guess that is another discussion for a different day.

0 Comments
<<Previous

    ABOUT ME

    Hi, I'm James, a writer who studies nature,  animals and all things created by God. I also write from time to time about what I think God expects of us.  I would love to hear your thoughts on these subjects. I hope you enjoy my comments.

    Archive

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    America
    American Sports
    Animals
    Armed Forces Day
    Conservatism
    Doctorpatient0717615167
    Elections-2016
    Florida
    Florida-politics
    Freedom
    Freedom-of-speech
    Geese
    God
    Gods Glory0546cd6883
    Health Care
    Honor
    Integrity
    Jesus Christ
    Koch-brothers
    Leisure-time
    Love
    Military
    Nature
    Primaries
    Proverbs
    Safety
    Savior
    The Future
    Top-political-donors-list
    Tyrannical-government

    RSS Feed

Thanks for contacting northfloridawriter.com.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Arian Zwegers, trvlto, thomas pix, taberandrew, Justin A. Wilcox, Glyn Lowe Photoworks, ckay, phalinn, curtis palmer, bnpositive, oddsock, HooLengSiong, jespahjoy, illustir, ljlphotography, Out at Bob's, The Labour Party, ljlphotography, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, eli.pousson, JasonParis, Fibonacci Blue, wht_wolf9653, bsabarnowl, ` TheDreamSky, Ken_Hoffman, dsearls, NCinDC, James Byrum, DonkeyHotey, Waiting For The Word, cliff1066™, possan, dpape, David Holt London, akeg, Waiting For The Word, Glyn Lowe Photoworks, MilitaryHealth, yukali, infomatique, goforchris, cliff1066™, Wootang01, dctim1, Donald Lee Pardue, LizMarie_AK, campdarby, CedarBendDrive, bill85704, faeparsons, TMAB2003, cliff1066™, Rennett Stowe, KOMUnews, cliff1066™, chris.huggins, USDAgov, mat_walker, gruntzooki, DonkeyHotey, ljlphotography, Elvert Barnes, Paulsasleepwalker, facebook.com/snapshotsofthepast, foto3116, Miller_Center, digitonin, BostonCatholic, Watt_Dabney, jepoirrier, EpicFireworks, derekskey, cletch, DonkeyHotey, KOMUnews, DonkeyHotey, ravensong75, Alan Cleaver, Francisco Diez, hermmermferm, cod_gabriel, Marxchivist, Fibonacci Blue, dbgg1979, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, David Barrie, rjs1322, Just Another Wretch, Keith Laverack, Waiting For The Word, whoohoo120, AFS-USA Intercultural Programs, Brett Jordan, yisris, Michael Hodge, Waiting For The Word, MilitaryHealth, doceggman, AlmazUK, taberandrew, cliff1066™, krossbow, shinya, The Jewish Agency for Israel, kudumomo, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, cliff1066™, johntrainor, emilio labrador, cliff1066™, EraPhernalia Vintage . . . (playin' hook-y ;o), **emmar**, Mrs. Gemstone, Andrea Westmoreland, Jeff Kern, Waiting For The Word, Abdulsalam Haykal, Donald Lee Pardue, roberthuffstutter, Dougtone, b1mbo, DonkeyHotey, paularps, kaatjevervoort, Simon Davison, BONGURI, Marion Doss, ex_magician, Bergfels, Brett Jordan, Tim Evanson, Art4TheGlryOfGod, Jeff Kubina, sskennel, DonkeyHotey, VirtKitty, Rodrigo_Soldon, resistealeau, MilitaryHealth, edalisse, Mervi Eskelinen aka tasselflower, Kaz Andrew, nitram242, Andrew Aliferis, uitdragerij, Paul J Everett, Joe Shlabotnik, Jeffrey, Harry Thomas Photography, Tim Evanson, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Ron Cogswell, Nationalmuseet, escapedtowisconsin, Michael Cory, DonkeyHotey, timsamoff, mrbillt6, bnilsen, themonnie, valeehill, dichohecho, Waiting For The Word, technochick, cliff1066™, RTD Photography, Randy Wick, Enokson, Rising Damp, DonkeyHotey, Waiting For The Word, SteveNakatani, Fovea Centralis, Dru Bloomfield - At Home in Scottsdale, lisaclarke, Mulad, Roswell_UMC, Bengt Nyman, U.S. Embassy New Delhi, FreedomHouse2, SuperFantastic, Rory Finneren, Alaskan Dude, Larry1732, Mr. T in DC, ikewinski, Ivy Dawned, RLHyde, Waiting For The Word, heartajack, dyogi, dailymatador, David Paul Ohmer, Pleuntje, Leonard Bentley, midwestnerd, Donald Lee Pardue, DonkeyHotey, Oli-Oviyan, PatrikWalde, flamesworddragon, The U.S. Army, Zach Heller Photography, DonkeyHotey, EvinDC, Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections, Ronnie Macdonald, Gerry Dincher, The U.S. Army, Jeff Belmonte, DonkeyHotey, Texas Military Forces, jim.greenhill, Ben Sutherland, the Original Jeff Martin, Loz Flowers, CBP Photography, spbpda, OCVA, Hot Rod Homepage, brianholsclaw, dozodomo, quinn.anya, KOMUnews, wtstoffs, Leo Newball, Jr., lilli2de, dmott9, Justin A. Wilcox, sören2013, boboroshi, newagecrap, CoreBurn, simminch, ninahale, EvinDC, Mister Awesome, HeyRocker, beggs, Donald Lee Pardue