Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Obama team launches group to eliminate news against Obama before it airs

 I know a lot of conservatives receive these e-mails, but then again, I know a lot of you don't.  So, I sometimes like to share the more interesting ones with the FNR readers.  Here's the latest one:

Crystal --
If you're someone who cares about seeing a campaign focused on substance between now and November 2012, I need you to become a part of one of our most important teams.
It's called AttackWatch.com, and it launches today.
Here's the deal: We all remember the birth certificate smear, the GOP's barrage of lies about the Affordable Care Act, and the string of other phony attacks on President Obama that we've seen over the past few years.
There are a lot of folks on the other side who are chomping at the bit to distort the President's record. It's not a question of if the next big lie will come, just when -- and what we're prepared to do about it.
AttackWatch.com is exactly what it sounds like: a resource that allows us to nip these attacks in the bud before they show up on the airwaves and in emails -- and then fight back with the truth.
By signing up, you'll be on the front lines -- you'll hear about false claims as soon as they come up, and we'll count on you to spread the truth to your friends and personal networks and let us know about new smears whenever you hear them.
Will you sign up now to be a part of AttackWatch.com?
I remember the smears from 2008 well, and I'm sure you do, too.
They didn't just attack Barack Obama and Joe Biden. They went after everything this movement is built on, and everyone who supports it.
This time, they're not just out to personally attack the President -- they're also out to mislead Americans about the record of accomplishments that he's compiled. Just the other day, a Republican financier actually quoted Saddam Hussein in telling a group of millionaire donors that defeating President Obama will be "the mother of all wars."
We're launching AttackWatch.com today to make sure we're ready for the attacks we know are coming -- and armed with the ability to fight back quickly.
Sign up for AttackWatch.com now, and let's get the facts out:
Thanks,
Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America


I have eliminated all the links because I don't want trollers to visit them through my blog.  There were also links to donate to the "cause," which I don't want to promote.  I just found it interesting that this movement assumes everything coming from "folks on the other side" or "them" will be a lie that civilian Obama supporters must be on the "front lines" to extinguish lest it sully the image of the anointed one.

Watch out for this group.  I have a feeling they'll be vicious.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Three Small Words: Remembering September 11

I posted this article a year ago, on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.  I have rewritten it to reflect what is going on today. Please read my updated article for this special year.


Ten years ago, I wrote this letter to the editor, which was published in the Eden Prairie News shortly after September 11, 2001:

On September 11, among the many lessons to be learned, I learned that three small words can be used to convey something fearful and despondent, while at the same time convey a message of reassurance and hope .

When my nine-year-old son came home from school that afternoon, he didn't seem to know much about what had happened. I sat him down and explained to him the terrible events of the day. He looked at me, his round blue eyes searching mine for reassurance. "Will we have a war, Mama?" he asked. "Yes, we will," I said, wanting to bite back my words, but at the same time knowing I was doing the right thing. I had to be honest with my son. Thanks to the evil of terrorism, my answer was true.

Later, my 13-year-old daughter quickly began to understand the gravity of the situation. In typical teenage fashion, avoiding my eyes and trying not to sound too serious, she asked, "Will America make it through this, Mom?"

I told her about the deprivation of the Great Depression, the civil war that pitted brother against brother, and two world wars that tested the strength of every American. "Yes, we will," I answered. I had to be honest with my daughter. Thanks to the indelible American spirit, my answer was true.
Three small words. "Yes, we will." They can mean so many things. That day they meant a promise of war and the promise of victory. Other days, they mean something else.

Life does go on, as it has, since September 11, 2001. We started wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, where our troops remain today. We've elected a president who has barely spoken of keeping us safe.

Worse, we've witnessed another terrorist attack in America:  the shootings at Fort Hood.

Our president and most presidential candidates talk about jobs and our economy. Many Americans want our government to give them more, more, more money, programs; you know, free stuff. There is little discussion about how those things won't matter at all if we are the victims of another massive attack by our enemy, which still exists as brutally as it did 10 years ago. Which wants us, and our way of life, gone, dead, buried.

But we also wonder who will be on this season of Dancing With the Stars.  We've become obsessed with vampires. Big news equals Jennifer Lopez and Mark Anthony's divorce and Kim Kardashian's wedding.

We've forgotten.

Before you say, "Oh no we haven't," I say to you, "Look around. The unity we found that day is lost. We are a country divided. We have stood on opposite sides arguing about whether a Mosque should be built near the Ground Zero site. Do you think this argument would have even found a voice on September 12, 2001?"

Then there are things like this:

NEW YORK, Sept. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – The human rights organization American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) will be hosting its second annual 9/11 Freedom Rally on September 11 at 3pm at Park Place and West Broadway.
While clergy, 9/11 first responders, and 9/11 family members are barred and/or not invited to the official ceremonies, all are welcome at the 9/11 Freedom Rally. And while White House guidelines forbid official 9/11 ceremonies from mentioning who attacked the U.S. on that day or why, the 9/11 Freedom Rally features more honest speakers.

I don't know how any thinking, compassionate American cannot feel ill after reading the paragraph above. People jumped out of those buildings rather than be burned to death. Firefighters rushed into the buildings to save others while knowing they would lose their own lives. Women lost their husbands, men lost their wives, children lost their mothers, and some lost their fathers before they were even born.

And whether we like to admit it or not, the atrocities of that day were carried out by Muslim extremists in the name of Allah. Even if the current regime in charge of the White House doesn't want to admit it, it's still the truth.

Do you remember? Do you remember the photos on the front pages of your newspapers of people, your fellow Americans, on American soil, covered in ashes to the point of being unrecognizable as they stumbled through the streets of New York desperate for safety, shelter, a sip of water, a breath of air? In America? Our America?

I remember that night here in suburban Minneapolis. The sky was clear and dark and salted with a few stars. My neighbor and I were standing in her backyard talking when a military helicopter roared over her house. We knew the skies had been shut down and cleared of all traffic. The helicopter was flying low, and even though it was one of ours--there to keep us safe--for a moment we were terrified. We stopped talking and just sort of hung there in frozen time, as if our hearts had stopped from fear and needed to be jump started before we asked, "What the hell was that?"

Earlier that evening my church held a special service. I'll never forget the image of my daughter, dressed in black, hugging a fellow Sunday School friend as they sat on the steps outside. They stayed in each other's arms for a long time, her head resting on his shoulder. Then they held hands, as if not wanting to let go of one another for fear of losing the other before our next church service. I watched from the top of the steps with tears rolling freely down my face as I realized my children's generation had just become a generation at war. They had become a generation in which the sanctity of the American bubble that had always protected them was shattered by airplanes filled with hate and bound for death. They changed that day--the children. Forever.

That night my children slept in bed with me. Their father couldn't sleep and stayed up all night. My daughter held my hand as she slept, something she hadn't done since she was very small. When she was little, she always wanted to hold my hand as she slept if she was scared. I lay awake and heard another plane fly over the house. I gripped my sleeping child's hand a little tighter.

As I write this on the eve of the tenth anniversary of this terrorist attack on America, I am saddened by how far apart we've come. The weight of this horrible atrocity seems to have slipped from our shoulders, and we've become the frivolous, politically-correct society we were before this ever happened.

Of course we can't be a society hobbled by the hatred lurking in the shadows waiting for an opportunity to kill us. We must move on.  But all I ask is that for tomorrow, please take a moment to remember. Really remember. Wherever you were in America, it hit you. It touched you.

It changed you.

Before this, you were safe. You are safe no more. You know it. You accept it. You scoff at it when you have to board a plane. It inconveniences you, but it does not effect you, not anymore.

I'm asking you, if only for one day, to let it effect you. Let in the fear of knowing you are never safe. Let in the knowledge that there are people on earth who hate you and what you stand for so much that they will kill you and your babies in the name of their cause without blinking an eye.

Then, see the issues of the day through those eyes. Is it better to to do as the White House says and not name our enemy? The Mosque near ground zero is still being built.  Why are we protecting our enemy?  I think some people act this way so they can appear "enlightened" in a world in which if you are against anything anyone does for any reason--particularly if those people happen not to be white Christians--you are called a bigot.

Islam is such a complex thing that it's nearly impossible to deconstruct. I know Muslim people who have Minnesota accents stronger than mine. I have personally seen the good side and the dark side of Islam. So I am not one of those who condemns all who cover their heads and pray five times per day. I just don't want the extremists to blow things up and kill Americans. 

I understand the pull toward political correctness that is threaded through our country. But without a healthy dose of fear, wariness and protectiveness, I believe that pull will become so strong we'll all be taken along for the ride whether we like it or not, consequences be damned.

So, will you say three small words for me? If I ask you, "Will you remember?" will you answer,

"Yes, we will."

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Obama turning tonight's speech into a campaign fundraiser before he utters one word

I just received the following e-mail from Barack Obama's campaign.  It speaks for itself, really, but I felt the need to point out a few things.

First of all, what a classless, ham-handed thing to do:  turning what should be a very sober address to the American people into a campaign fundraiser.  I wish this president had a modicum of the respect Reagan had for the office he holds.

Here's the e-mail:



Crystal --
I'm about to head to the Capitol to ask Congress to act on my plan to put Americans back to work.
Before I do, I wanted to write you directly to remind you that the fight to create jobs -- and provide the kind of economic security for middle-class families that's been slipping away over the last decade -- won't begin or end with the speech I give tonight.
What happens will be up to you. In the coming days and weeks, it will be up to you to pressure Congress to act -- or hold them accountable if they do not.
If you're with me, let me know. And the campaign will make sure you are looped into our efforts to support this plan.
Talk to you soon,
Barack
-----------
This campaign isn't funded by Washington lobbyists or corporate interests. It relies on donations from people like you. You should donate today.



I didn't add the two links included in the e-mail that direct you to pages where you can donate to Obama's re-election campaign.  But they were in the original e-mail. 

I am really surprised to find out that I'm on a first-name basis with the President of the United States.  But maybe it's fitting to address him by his first name because, in my opinion, he doesn't deserve the above-mentioned title.

I wonder if he'll tell the American people to "pressure" Congress, or is that kind of talk reserved for those of us lucky enough to be e-mail buddies with him?  I also wonder if he'll mention that in order to be kept in the "loop" about his job creation ideas, you must first donate to his campaign?

So, it will be interesting to watch Barack's speech tonight.  Do you think they'll have a crawl at the bottom of the screen directing you to places to make campaign donations?  Or maybe he'll just ask for money at the end of his speech.  

Even if he doesn't go that far, I think this incredibly tacky e-mail crossed the line between his being President Obama and Candidate "Barack."  



Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Pageant tot dressed as hooker--A word in defense of pageants

The video below shows a tiny tot, probably no more than five years old, dressed up in a costume created as a replica of Julia Roberts' costume in the film, "Pretty Woman."  Before she was rescued by her man.  In the thigh-high boots, platinum wig and midriff-baring shirt/mini skirt combo she wore as a street hooker. Watch and cringe:



I have been involved in pageantry for more years than I can count.  I was in a few teen pageants in my day, and I saw it as a way for a young woman to realize her potential and grow her self esteem.

Years later, at age 15, my daughter started competing.  There are several different pageants out there; not so many in the north as there are in the south.  Some are better than others.  I'm bit wary of Donald Trump's Miss Universe Organization, which owns Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.  I'm partial to the Miss America system, in which my daughter was a titleholder.

I have been involved in the Miss Minnesota Organization as a sponsor, judge and committee member.  I think this caliber of pageantry is excellent for young women.  There is a big focus on education (each winner receives a scholarship), and there is a huge emphasis on personal platform work, which is an issue of concern the contestant has chosen to do charity work and community service to enhance, enlighten or just raise funds for to help, for instance, find a cure for breast cancer or autism.

Through my exposure and work in pageantry, I have met some of the most intelligent, driven, talented, sincere, compassionate and hard-working young women in America.  I consider it an honor to have been associated with these incredible young ladies.  They are the future leaders of our country (and I have found most of them to be politically conservative. *bonus!*).  If you think this generation has gone to hell in a hand basket, just go to the Miss Minnesota Pageant, a local affiliate, or the pageant in whichever state you reside. You'll emerge a changed person.  You will have a positive view of pageantry instead of the horrible reputation portrayed on the show, "Toddlers & Tiaras," which provided the above clip.

I am a big fan of responsible pageantry, and a huge opponent of "kiddie pageants."  In my opinion, girls shouldn't be able to compete in pageants until age 15.  By then, they have something to say, something to feel, and possibly a well-developed talent.  The kinds of girls who would compete at that age possess a great deal of self worth, which is so essential in pageantry.  In most teen pageants, there is an emphasis on being age appropriate as well.

I wish reality T.V. were more interested in showing the positive sides of pageantry, instead of the horror show on "Toddlers & Tiaras" each week.

Kiddie pageants are more about the pageant moms than the girls competing.  And, yes, even in adult pageants, similar pageant moms can be found there.

But for the most part, women and teens who hold titles, represent their communities or states, or go on to Miss America, are the best of the best and have wonderful, supportive families, committees and coaches.  I'm saddened by how this sensational show about child exploitation colors people's perceptions of pageants in general.  They could not be more different.

Don't waste your time watching, "Toddlers & Tiaras."  Watch Miss America in January instead.  You may just learn something and come away knowing for certain that our world won't be in the hands of a bunch of lazy dolts many think embody the current generation.

There is excellence in young America.  You just have to seek it out.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Viable Jobs Idea From Bachmann--Outdoes Anything Obama's Proposed

I found this article today that briefly outlines one of presidential candidate Michele Bachmann's job creation plans.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9PFCVO00.htm

I'd love to hear more about this, as it's the most substantial plan I've seen lately.  I'm interested to hear Obama's wait-until-I'm-done-with-my-vacation jobs plan, which he will announce on television. Obama's job's speech was originally scheduled to be a blatant slap in the face of Republicans, whose debate would have been running against it, until he changed the time of the speech to run the following night prior to the Saints vs. Packers football game.

Is that Republicans 1; Obama Administration 0, because the President of the United States moved his speech so it wouldn't coincide with the Republican debate at Speaker John Boehner's "request?" Or Republicans 0; Obama Administration 1, because he may pick up a lot of football fans to listen to his speech by having moved it to the pre-game slot (with the possibility of delivering the money shot after having "accidentally" run a few minutes over time)? Something to think about...

I digress.

I am not an official supporter of Michele Bachmann for president.  I haven't put my deeds or words behind any candidate yet.  I need to see more--feel more.  I need to make sure the candidate I support would support me and my beliefs.

But I will give credit where credit is due:  Bachmann's simple job stimulus idea is the best we've heard so far, especially from this administration or from Congress.  She is a business owner.  That means she has miles more experience than Obama had when he became president, which is why we are in the ditch at this point.

Because a driver who has never had a license shouldn't be the one elected to drive the family car everywhere it goes. With the family in it.