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REQUIEM

Below are the two final essays to be posted on Allegiance and Duty Betrayed. The first one is written by a friend -- screen name 'Euro-American Scum' -- who, over the past four years, has been the most faithful essayist here. He has written about everything from his pilgrimage to Normandy in 2004 to take part in the 60th–year commemoration of the invasion, to his memories of his tour in Vietnam. His dedication to America’s founding principles ... and those who have sacrificed to preserve them over the past 200+ years ... is unequaled. Thank you, E-A-S. It has been a privilege to include your writing here, and it is a privilege to call you my friend.

The second essay is my own farewell. And with it I thank all of the many regular visitors, and those who may have only dropped in occasionally, for coming here. I hope you learned something. I hope a seed or two was planted. But, even if not, I thank you for stopping by ... 25 March, 2010

11/04/2008

Pray for America

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When I was a very young child, maybe two or three years old, my Dad hung the painting pictured above on the wall at the head of my bed. Through the years as I grew, I decorated my room with many photos, pennants, pictures, and the like, but that small painting always remained in place.

Many years later, for our tenth anniversary, my husband, Rick, had it re-framed for me (the frame had come to know its share of bumps and bruises over the years), and now, thirty-one years hence, it still hangs on the wall at the head of our bed.

My Dad passed away seven years ago last month. I miss him terribly, but I am thankful that he has not had to witness the devastation of his beloved country that has occurred since his passing. His heart would be heavy with grief and mourning.

Somehow, despite its long nearly sixty-year history, and the loving memories that history rekindles, the message that my Dad's painting portrays -- of the power of prayer, and the need to turn to His Word for guidance and direction -- has intensified in significance for us over the past few months.

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open Bible.jpg

Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,
from men whose words are perverse,
who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways,
who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways ... Prov 2:12-15

I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned.
Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they decieve the minds of naive people ... Rom 16:17-18

... For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience? ... 1 Cor: 10:29

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery ... Gal 5:1

Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover up for evil; live as servants of God ... 1 Pet: 2:16

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Heavenly Father, forgive us for what we have done.

You have prospered our nation for more than two centuries. You have strengthened us when we were weak, provided for us when we were without provision, directed us when we were willing to follow your guidance, blessed us when we were undeserving of blessings.

We have walked far from the path you laid out for us. We have betrayed those who sacrificed so dearly for our benefit. We have become lazy, allowing ourselves to be easily ensnared by carefully-crafted words and empty promises, delivered by men who worship self, who seek to oppress and control their fellow man, and who place no value in truth and goodness.

We have transformed prosperity into decadence; allegiance and duty into indulgence and complacency.

We have taken the gifts that only you can bestow (Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you ... 2 Tim 1:14) and placed them in the hands of men whose will is arbitrary and whose agenda is tyranny. The road ahead is dark, and steep, and fraught with danger –- made intentionally so by those who intend to ‘lead’ us, deceptively, through the fog they have created, and over the minefields they have laid.

Help us to continue to have faith in our own individualism, to insulate ourselves from the cacophony that surrounds us, and to listen for your gentle whispers. For we know that it is in heeding those whispers that our future security lies.

We cling to the knowledge that you work in miracles, when it is your will to do so. We pray that, if it not be praying against that will, you would help us to acknowledge what we have lost, muster the courage to reclaim it, and look to you once again in that endeavor for the strength, wisdom, and guidance and that only you can provide.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
We have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought us safe thus far,
And grace will lead us home.

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Amen.
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67 comments:

Anonymous said...

Me, too.

First_Salute

Anonymous said...

I can hardly see through the tears. God bless America. We need Him now more than ever.

Thank you, Joanie!

Anonymous said...

Some cowards, this evening, at FreeRepublic.com, have soiled their pants in public ... caving at the sight of TV polls, without even 1/4th of the vote counted.

I can only say, that at least we know who the quitters are under fire --- so many of whom talk tough, but apparently are not.

Good to know, that they cannot be relied upon in a fight, if ever.

Stand up.

I expect McCain *will* will Ohio.

First_Salute

Anonymous said...

Joanie, I share your grief tonight. I have to admit that I was much more optimistic than you until the numbers started coming in.

You are so right. We need to step back, consider how we can reclaim what we have lost (and what more Obama will take from us), and pray for His guidance in that reclamation effort.

Thank you!

Anonymous said...

First Salute,

They are realists, as is Joanie tonight, and as am I. That does not make them (or Joanie or I) "cowards."

M. A.

Anonymous said...

First Salute is right:

Free Republic---Home of the clueless.

Anonymous said...

Free Republic---Home of the clueless.

I have to agree about Free Republic in general, but those who are seeing the writing on the wall tonight are merely being realists, as Marcus said.

Anonymous said...

IF the G*d damn America crew actually is in--

---That's it for Israel.

---The US Justice Dept. will be a larger arm of

---Chicago politics will become US politics in spades.

---WHAT KIND of US gov. grants will go to Farakhan, ACORN, the NAACP, Planned Parenthood, CAIR, etc etc etc

---Expect to see the Smithsonian totally gutted

That would be every enemy of America's dream come to life.

Being anti-abortion will become a Federal crime.

Soros in control.

Anonymous said...

It's not over yet---

I agree with your crystal ball predictions. I don't agree with your screen name.

Israel is toast.

Free speech is a fond memory.

"Justice" is a fantasy.

America's founders and her founding principles will be buried as if they never existed at all.

Anonymous said...

From another forum:

The first thing the Rino Vichy republican traitors who forced Mac upon us ( and whom we supported out of loyalty and fear of BO ) will now try to do is blame Sarah Palin. We must not let that happen.

Amen to that!

Anonymous said...

I'm getting a little upset at the negativity being expressed here.

Because it's all true. :(

Thank you Joanie, for the beautiful post.

Anonymous said...

We mustn't be afraid of tomorrow. God is already there.

Anonymous said...

Who is John Galt?

Anonymous said...

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoons/CampbG/2008/CampbG20081106_low.jpg

Anonymous said...

We've come to this. Only God can keep the lid from closing forever.

Anonymous said...

This is a watershed turning point in the history of the United States. It has nothing to do with race, less to do with class. Raw intelligence is not a factor.

It is simply that there is a new majority world-view.

This world view wants the safety of the collective...and is willing to sacrafice the opportunity of personal achievement for the mediocre comfort of what they can take from others.

Do not underestimate the danger individualists and original thinkers are now in. Do not underestimate the danger now posed by the "tyranny of the masses". Yes, the Republic is dead. Even with all of the safeguards institutionalized by the Founding Fathers; the weak, the corrupt, and yes, even the scared have finally found a way to achieve mob rule.

After all, there is safety in numbers.

What, you may ask is the danger to the individualist, the original thinker...the man insisting on liberty? It is that we now may not have the right to take care of ourselves and those we care about...above others who are not us, and those we care about. We are fast losing the day, and perhaps it's now gone, where we can work harder, figure out a better way, and risk more...FOR more.

From the beginning of man extra effort....better ideas...the choice to achieve has elevated not only the individual but the extended society as well.

Trickle-down economics was the axiom upon which human society existed for thousands of years. Will trickle-up poverty now replace it?

The majority who voted today say that it will, that this Bud's on you. You will pick up the tab. And THAT ladies and gentlemen, means the end of the world as we know it.

Anonymous said...

Ronald Reagan began a tidal wave of popularity for the Republican Party. He reach out to working people and connected. He sought to end the days of tax and spend, spend and tax that had become dogma in the party of the Great Society. He captured the hearts and minds of the people by showing them a new shining City on the Hill.

Tonight, we all are seeing the next tidal wave of change breaking over the United States. This time the children of the Great Society are coming back into power almost to the extent of their parents' power of 1966. Only this time, the new generation has learned their lessons and are focusing on less controversial issues.

The left has dropped the notion of tax increases. Interesting that Obama even tried to discuss a reduction of taxes for the Middle Class while raising taxes on the Luxury Class. So, he didn't lose blue collar workers for confiscating tax policies like LBJ. The left also spent a great deal of time and effort to learn their international politics from their cousins in France, Russia and China. Instead of being blind-sided by a Nixonian Republican like McCain on the international front, they did their best by answering direct questions and not venturing out on any international topic. It was USA 24/7.

But, the really big blow to McCain was his muddled thinking about economics. When he stopped his campaign to rush back to Washington D.C. just to insert himself into the politics of the Great Bail-Out of October 2008, he demonstrated his incompetance. John McCain gave the Bail-Out a giant fig leaf that angered the working class. He appeared to be very much a Bushite at a time when Geo Bush II was extremely unpopular. That killed John McCain's presidential hopes. He opened the door for Obama's top media specialists to link McCain to the "white flag raising" republicans that gave their buddies on Wall Street a huge subsidy.

In this conservative writer's mind, that was the straw that broke the camel's back. McCain was just an old, out of touch Republican politician that didn't know economics and would have to rely on Henry Paulson to give him pointers on how the economy works. Good grief, we couldn't stomach another 4 years of this Hell.

Millions of voters on the fence looked at Obama as a 4 year candidate and not a mandate for Socialism. They wanted change. They wanted to end the Bush-Clinton-Bush years. They wanted a John Kennedy sort of change of politics.

Tonight, when Ohio was projected to go for Obama, you could hear the hearts breaking on Fox News. The eyes became downcast and the pathway to the Presidency for John McCain ended.

I guess at the end of tonight, the city on the hill became too pricey for the blue collar, middle class voters. They saw that under Republicans they had to watch the extremely wealthy billionaires fight for position on the Forbes 400 while their own meager means dried up to job losses and unemployment. They lost their homes, their jobs and their hopes due to the mismanagement of the Bush Administration. This led to a massive flood of former republicans that left the city on the hill and headed for new beginnings.

Only when the Republican Party turns around and sees that their greed did them in, that their secial interests killed their popularity, that their voice on ever increasing tax cuts only made life unbearable for those of us that lost our jobs that had no income, will they see that they lost America.

Someone better tell the city on the hill dwellers to prepare for the Vandals. You are about to be sacked!!!!

Anonymous said...

Can u imagine the obscenity of michelle obama as 'first lady' ?

Anonymous said...

When this country is a republic again, count me in. But not until.

Anonymous said...

fordwill is a TROLL.

Anonymous said...

Fordwill, half of what you say is intelligent, but the other half is lunacy.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't count on Israel being around much longer.

Anonymous said...

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s279/beetle_bucket/tombstone.jpg?t=1225860155

.

Anonymous said...

Reparations and “economic justice” on the way.

Anonymous said...

One of the saddest casualties of this whole debacle is Sarah Palin. God bless her!

Anonymous said...

Obama called small town Pennsylvanians "bitter" people who cling to their guns and religion, and Murtha called his western PA constituents "racists." Both Obama and Murtha won by big margins in PA.

What the hell is wrong with you people in the Keystone State????????

Anonymous said...

We cling to the knowledge that you work in miracles, when it is your will to do so. We pray that, if it not be praying against that will, you would help us to acknowledge what we have lost, muster the courage to reclaim it, and look to you once again in that endeavor for the strength, wisdom, and guidance and that only you can provide.

Yes to the bold!

Anonymous said...

Obama with 55% and Murtha with 58% in Pennsylvania.

Disgusting.

Repulsive.

Insane.

Luis said...

Joanie,

I can but send my commiserations on this result.

It is disappointing and concerning. Obama's whole line on wealth redistribution could be used to justify a raft of undesirable things. I only hope and pray that the reality of office constrains the worst excesses.

As a foreigner looking in I observe that America has a good system of government with many checks and balances built in.

The elections in 2 years offer to start correcting things.

It also seems that this is far from being a landslide in terms of the popular vote. The figures I am seeing are Obama 52 McCain 47.

In short, this can be reversed next time. Certainly a lot of damage can happen between now and then.

However I do genuinely believe that America and its people are bigger than one unwise choice made in difficult times.

I do pray for America.

Anonymous said...

For the record: I'm not a troll, and I thought fordwill was spot on. Other than prosecuting the war on terror, his tax cuts, and appointing two conservative supreme ct. justices, everything President Bush has done has been a total disaster. His Justice Dept. ignores voter fraud but prosecutes border agents for doing their job. His intelligence agencies sabotage his foreign policy and publicly embarrass him. He let his State Dept. dictate to him, rather than the other way around. For seven years, he's signed every stinking pile of garbage that the Democrats in congress dumped on his desk - like McCain-Feingold and "No Child Left Behind"...and now the "Wall St. Bailout".

But probably the worst thing was his standing by and watching while the American industrial base slipped away. We didn't need to produce anything - we'd just buy it from China. So we piled up debt upon debt buying everything we needed from foreigners. America now finds that it has sold it's seed corn and the tools it needs to even grow corn if it wanted. Not to worry, though, Obama's going to provide free corn for everybody! There are hungry days ahead my friends, and I accuse President Bush of setting the stage for them.

Is there any doubt left in anyone's mind that the Bush brothers have managed to destroy the legacy of Ronald Reagan? Here we conservatives are twenty years later without a leader who can articulate a simple idea like why capitalism is good and socialism is evil.

H.L. Mencken wrote: "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard."

From the vote yesterday, the American people apparently want socialism ...and, brother, they're gonna' get it, good and hard.

Anonymous said...

One day Solomon decided to humble Benaiah ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, "Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot which gives you six months to find it."

"If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty," replied Benaiah, "I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?"

"It has magic powers," answered the king. "If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy." Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.

Spring passed and then summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring. On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of he poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day's wares on a shabby carpet. "Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?" asked Benaiah.

He watched the grandfather take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it. When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile.

That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity. "Well, my friend," said Solomon, "have you found what I sent you after?" All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled.

To everyone's surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, "Here it is, your majesty!" As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face. The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band: _gimel, zayin, yud_, which began the words "_Gam zeh ya'avor_" -- "This too shall pass."

At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he would be nothing but dust.

Let us pray that the Obama presidency passes before we are nothing but dust on the "ash bin of history."

Anonymous said...

Joanie, once again you express exactly what we all feel. You and our country are in my prayers.

Anonymous said...

Bush brothers=father and son.

Anonymous said...

I see I'm not the only one out here who's a Sour Loser. John Derbyshire writes:
~~~~~
Just watched Wonder Boy’s speech. Hmph. “Callused hands?” When did he ever have callused hands?

All right, I'm sour. The most liberal member of the U.S. Senate! And that shakedown-artist of a wife, with the permanent frown! And Joe Biden!...

I'm sour about the GOP too. What did it all get us, those 8 years of pandering and spending? If GWB had turned his face against new entitlements, closed the borders, deported the illegals, held the line on calls to loosen mortgage-lending standards, starved the Department of Education, and declined those invitations to mosque functions, would the GOP be in any worse shape now? (emphasis mine)

What won this election was the packaging skills of David Axelrod, the swooning complicity of the media, the ruthless opportunism of Barack Obama, and the unprincipled thuggishness of his supporters.

What lost this election was the cloth-eared cluelessness of George W. Bush, the timid squeamishness of John McCain, and the deep lack of interest in conservative principles among Republican primary voters. (I disagree with that.)

Sour? You bet I’m sour. Where was conservatism in this election? Where was restraint in government? Where was national sovereignty? Where was liberty? Where was self-support? And where are those things now? Where are they headed this next four years? Down the toilet, that’s where. Pah!

Anonymous said...

Freedom Now Stands Alone by Melanie Phillips
~~~~~
So the answer to my question turned out to be yes, America really was going to do this. A historic moment indeed. The hyperbole for once is not exaggerated: this is a watershed election which changes the fate of the world. The fear however is that the world now becomes very much less safe for all of us as a result. Those of us who have looked on appalled during this most frightening of presidential elections – at the suspension of reason and its replacement by thuggery -- can only hope that the way this man governs will be very different from the profile provided by his influences, associations and record to date. It’s a faint hope – the enemies of America, freedom and the west will certainly be rejoicing today.
(snip)
So now we are promised a change in America’s fundamental values. And they really will be changed. Obama has said in terms that he thinks the US constitution is flawed. America’s belief in itself as defending individual liberty, truth and justice on behalf of the free world will now be expiated instead as its original sin. Those who have for the past eight years worked to bring down the America that defends and protects life and liberty are today ecstatic. They have stormed the very citadel on Pennsylvania Avenue itself.

Millions of Americans remain lion-hearted, decent, rational and sturdy. They find themselves today abandoned, horrified, deeply apprehensive for the future of their country and the free world. No longer the land of the free and the home of the brave; they must now look elsewhere.

Anonymous said...

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/state/#val=AK

click on this to get detailed results state by state.

Adjust for the state you want in the upper left hand area.

This was the ACORN 'election.'

The bookies will be taking bets on how many more months Israel lasts.

Soros now runs the US.

Anonymous said...

Would you feel safe to enlist (or re-enlist) in the US military?

Do you think Clinton was an acceptable commander in chief?

What about Mr. G*d Damn America?

Anonymous said...

I know several people in the military and they are going to get out as soon as they can.

Anonymous said...

The Minnesota Coleman-Franken race is the encapsulation of the insanity of the American electorate we witnessed yesterday.

An unhinged, violence prone, ex-comedian mental case gets more than a million votes and is less than a 800 votes from being elected to the US Senate.

Anonymous said...

Hey friend,

There will be a recount in Minnesota.

Will ACORN do the recount?

Anonymous said...

Will Obama, when taking the oath of office, say his full name?

If so, will it finally be OK to call him Barack HUSSEIN Obama?

Anonymous said...

Will he swear in on a Bible or a Koran?

Anonymous said...

Fordwill and Cooper:

This time the children of the Great Society are coming back into power almost to the extent of their parents' power of 1966. Only this time, the new generation has learned their lessons and are focusing on less controversial issues.

Is partial birth abortion a “less controversial issue”? How about “the [massive] redistribution of wealth”? How about retreating from a war when victory is in sight? How about maintaining friendships with known terrorists and America haters?

Anonymous said...

Millions of Americans remain lion-hearted, decent, rational and sturdy. They find themselves today abandoned, horrified, deeply apprehensive for the future of their country and the free world. No longer the land of the free and the home of the brave; they must now look elsewhere.

You can say that again!

Anonymous said...

What You Were Never Intended to Know in This Election

Anonymous said...

Great rants Cooper!

George Bush is every bit as responsible for what happened yesterday than anyone or anything we Republicans want to blame.

I just heard a senior Bush advisor being interviewed on Fox News. When he was asked, "How are Republicans going to regroup now in order to get the party back on track?" he went on and on about how Republicans have to start thinking differently than they have over the past generation of GOP leaders. They have to think about what Americans are talking about at the kitchen table-- like how will government protect my job? And how will government help me afford to send my kids to college or afford healthcare?

The idiot hasn't learned a thing! The only thing he was right about is that Republicans have to abandon what the last generation of them have done. Republicans have to get government out of the way so that Americans can do all of the above ON THEIR OWN!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Democrats have got election fraud down to a science.

Anonymous said...

In short, this can be reversed next time.

Luis, I have always enjoyed your well written posts here but, with respect, I really disagree with you on this one.

The Obama supporters--and that includes the mainstream media and the public school and university decision makers--are going to work hand in hand with Obama to make sure that free speech (and therefore political opposition) is stifled. Listen for news of passage of "The Fairness Doctrine" shortly after he takes office. That disgusting piece of legislation will effectively put a lid on talk radio, and talk radio has been basically the only source of real truth out there.

The unions will gain power once their freedom to vote by secret ballot is removed by the Card Check legislation, and liberal special interest groups will have a choke hold on Washington.

With the suppression of free speech and a ramping up of indoctrination of our students at all levels of their education the odds of "reversing this" are slim to none.

Anonymous said...

Schumer: Fairness Doctrine is "Fair and Balanced"

Anything Chuck Schumer supports is bad for America and this is no exception.

Anonymous said...

marcus aurelius - I always enjoy reading your comments too.

I will certainly listen out for the "Fairness Doctrine". As a foreigner you'll have to forgive me for not being so up to speed on this. However just the name sounds like something lifted from the pages of "1984".

I guess I was just trying to point out the raw electoral facts of last night. To put this another way 62 million Americans appear to have voted for Obama while 55 million Americans went out and voted for John McCain. That means despite the media "jubilation" that there are at least 55 million people in your country who, like you, are not happy with the result.

55 million Americans is an awesome force if they can be unified in a common purpose in forthcoming elections. The 55 million are likely to be far more sober and realistic than the 62 million. Many of the 62 million were probably also sincere in their motives and I suspect will become disillusioned before too long.

While the dust has not even settled I realise it is way too early to talk about rebuilding. However as America is a country I love and respect, second only to my own, I really hope that all is not lost.

The Fairness Doctrine sounds very bad news and I am sure there will be a hard struggle ahead.

However I still believe that if any people can turn this around, Americans have to be one of the nations most able to do so.

Anonymous said...

Just a reminder from today's Times of London that the world still really needs American influence (and firepower). Another reason, why I hope and pray all is not lost:

"President Dmitri Medvedev took advantage of the euphoria in America today to order the deployment of missiles inside Europe as a response to US plans for a missile defence shield.

Speaking within hours of Barack Obama's election as the new US President, Mr Medvedev announced that Russia would base Iskander missiles in its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad next to the border with Poland.

He did not say whether the short-range missiles would carry nuclear warheads. Mr Medvedev also cancelled earlier plans to withdraw three intercontinental ballistic missile regiments from western Russia. "

Anonymous said...

Luis, I was going to take your points one by one and respond to them and then I decided not to. You may be right. Not necessarily in being optimistic about sensible people regaining control of the government. I still disagree with that. ;) But it's probably time for us Americans to step back and take a short breather before we make statements about our future. It's been a long election campaign!

Here's something I think you might enjoy that I received this morning from a friend in Virginia:

To the citizens of the United States of America
From Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II


In light of your failure in recent years to nominate competent candidates for President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately. (You should look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary.)

Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (except Kansas, which she does not fancy). Your new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, will appoint a Governor for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.

To aid in the transition to a British Crown dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

1. The letter "U" will be reinstated in words such as "colour," "favour," "labour" and "neighbour." Likewise, you will learn to spell "doughnut" without skipping half the letters, and the suffix "-ize" will be replaced by the suffix "-ise." Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. (Look up "vocabulary").

2. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as '"like" and "you know" is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as U. S. English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take into account the reinstated letter "u"' and the elimination of "-ise."

3. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.

4. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not quite ready to be independent. Guns should only be used for shooting grouse. If you can't sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then you're not ready to shoot grouse.

5. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler, although a permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

6. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left side with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

7. The former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling gasoline) of roughly $10/US gallon. Get used to it.

8. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.

9. The cold, tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. Australian beer is also acceptable, as they are pound for pound the greatest sporting nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer. They are also part of the British Commonwealth - see what it did for them. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.

10. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie MacDowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's ears removed with a cheese grater.

11. You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full Kevlar body armour like a bunch of nannies).

12. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside of America, Cuba and Japan. Since only 2.1% of you are aware there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket, and we will let you face the Australians first to take the sting out of their deliveries.

13. You must tell us who killed JFK and Lincoln. It's been driving us mad.

14. An Inland Revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).

15. Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 p.m. with proper cups, with saucers, and never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; plus strawberries (with cream) when in season.

God Save the Queen!

Anonymous said...

I also enjoy reading your posts, Luis. I may not always agree with them but they are well thought out. I hope you'll continue posting here after "The One" has assumed office.

Anonymous said...

Amen, Joanie! Amen!

Anonymous said...

Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death
Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775


No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House. Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne! In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free—if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending—if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained—we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!

They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable—and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace—but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

Anonymous said...

Luis: I still believe that if any people can turn this around, Americans have to be one of the nations most able to do so.

I don't mean this in a hateful way, but when are the people of Great Britain going to get their gun rights back? That's right...NEVER!

Regardless of what the people want, when the government takes away their freedom, there's only going to be one way to get it back again. (e.g. what Americans did in 1776)

Anonymous said...

Karen - Thanks. I needed to read that again.

Luis said...

thank you marcus aurelius. That doesn't seem much to ask in comparison to an Obama presidency :-) (anyway something made me smile today)

Yes daveburkett I will be staying in touch regardless of "the one" !

Anon- there are many differences between the US and Britain. Our gun laws are very restrictive but we never had them enshrined in a written constitution. So if Obama or anyone tries to take away your constitutional rights, then maybe it would be worth thinking about what was needed in 1776.

James said...

Article from "The New American"
What Happened to the Third-party Presidential Candidates? E-mail
Written by Gary Benoit
Thursday, 06 November 2008 00:00
During the presidential campaign, as well as on election night, the major media generally ignored the third-party candidates who threw their hats into the presidential ring. These largely ignored candidates, none of whom attained even one percent of the vote, included: Ralph Nader (0.5 percent), Bob Barr (0.4 percent), Chuck Baldwin (0.1 percent), and Cynthia McKinney (0.1 percent).

In California, the nation's most populous state, former U.S. Ambassador (and former Republican presidential candidate) Alan Keyes got 0.3 percent of the vote. He did not do as well in the two remaining states where his name appeared on the ballot: Colorado and Florida.

Former Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul got 2.2 percent of the vote in Montana, despite the fact that he did not run for president in the general election and asked that his name be removed from the ballot. He also got 0.5 percent of the vote in Louisiana.

As in the past, most Americans limited their choice to one of the two major-party presidential candidates, as opposed to considering a third-party candidate whose views may have more closely matched theirs. Generally speaking, Americans vote for somebody they think can win. This lesson was clearly illustrated earlier this year when Ron Paul won his congressional district by a landslide in his Republican primary race for reelection to Congress yet lost both the district and the state in his Republican primary race for president.

Of course, by limiting their choices to the "viable" candidates, many Americans put themseleves into the positiion of voting for "the lesser of two evils" based on the notion that they would be wasting their vote if they voted for a principled candidate who has no chance of winning. The counter argument, of course, is that you waste your vote when you vote for somebody you do not belive in. Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin, who obviously is a strong adherent of the latter point of view, opined in an article he wrote prior to the election: "A wasted vote is a vote for someone you know does not represent your own beliefs and principles. A wasted vote is a vote for someone you know will not lead the country in the way it should go. A wasted vote is a vote for the 'lesser of two evils.' Or, in the case of John McCain and Barack Obama, what we have is a choice between the 'evil of two lessers.'
WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN OURSELVES LOCKED INTO A TWO PARTY SYSTEM. THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM GIVES CONTROL TO THE GOVERNMENT, NOT THE PEOPLE!

Anonymous said...

This just in ...

Bait and Switch

The Obama Administration in waiting, is already putting out news feelers, that the problems of the nation are so much, that you, the people, must not expect to much.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2126736/posts

Remember all those promises of hope and change?

You can forget about it.

Orders from the top, you are now to "temper" your hope for change.

Have a day,

First_Salute

Anonymous said...

Anon- there are many differences between the US and Britain. Our gun laws are very restrictive but we never had them enshrined in a written constitution. So if Obama or anyone tries to take away your constitutional rights, then maybe it would be worth thinking about what was needed in 1776.

A very good point, Luis! Thanks for making it.

Anonymous said...

Obama Supporters Wave Communist Flag at White House Rally

Anonymous said...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Anonymous said...

So far ... Ohio vote results ... 7:43 PM EST Thu:

President

Barack Obama (D) 2,749,587
John McCain (R) 2,545,491


Atty General

Richard Cordray (D) 2,721,602
Mike Crites (R) 1,859,624


Justice of OH Supreme Ct

Maureen O'Connor (R) 2,806,685
Joseph Russo (D) 1,364,659


Justice of OH Supreme Ct

Evelyn Stratton (R) 2,518,681
Peter Sikora (D) 1,470,628


Incredible, that Maureen O'Connor received more votes than Obama and nearly 500,000 more votes than McCain.



First_Salute

Anonymous said...

Make that 250,000 more than McCain.

joanie said...

I've been away from the computer for a couple of days, and am so gratified to see the wonderful responses here.

The readers here at AADB are what makes the 'real America' tick.

I have no comments to add to all of the wonderful ones that have been made by all of you. Thank you so much for sharing your insights on the tragic course upon which our beloved republic is about to embark.

As a friend wrote on Tuesday night:

We just lost our country.

We now have two choices.

Submit.

Or resist.


Continued best to you and yours in these troubling times ...

~ joanie

Anonymous said...

Stonemason: That was funny. Thanks.