Warning: Right Wing Conspiracy Detected....

Moving!

2006-04-20T17:36:00.000-07:00

Yup, that's right. I've moved. Due to taking a more liberal bent, I've moved to WordPress. Not to mention I'm having an easier time with them. ;)

http://crystalspirit.wordpress.com

Don't be surprised if George Orwell pops in more often than not, I've been rather interested in things he's said and so if it flavours my posts, so be it. With college looming up at the end of August, I have every intention of updating at least semi-regularly. Check it out!

AND....

2006-03-22T09:24:00.000-08:00

It's out!

Yuppers. Issue #2.6 for Virtue Mag is now out, and the first part of the point/counterpoint on the Articles of Confederation and the US Constitution. Check back a week from this Saturday for the second installment - republic, federation... what should we have?

Despotism started with the Constitution...

2006-03-04T16:12:00.000-08:00

...or did it?

Before there was the Constitution...

...there were the Articles of Confederation...

.....and without being given more than six years.....

.......those Articles were replaced illegally by the Constitution.......

.........replaced in a way that would have made Niccolo Machiavelli proud........

...........was this the start of Despotism in the newly formed United States of America?

Check out VirtueMag.org two weeks from today for the release of Volume 2, Issue #6. In this issue will premier a point/counter-point style debate between two staff writers. One will defend the Constitution and government as we know it, the other will side with the Anti-Federalists and defend the Articles of Confederation and a smaller federal government.

What will be decided? Who will be the winner? Was the Constitution really the start of despotism in America, or were the Articles of Confederation sorely lacking and in desperate need of replacement? That's for you to decide on March 18, 2006 Anno Domini...

Use of the Hatchet

2005-12-11T18:10:00.000-08:00

(All verses from the King James version)

Romans 13:3,4 - For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil...if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

The above is the reason that the Orthodox support jails. Jails exist, or they should, to enforce retribution and punihsment on those guilty of wrongdoing. On the subject of the death penalty itself, however, there is quite a bit of teaching in the New Testament to support not having it. In the Mosaic Law, many sins were punished by stoning. But what about the woman who was found guilty of adultery?

John 8:5, 7, 10, 11 - Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?...He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her...Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more.

The New Testament time and again teaches forgiveness and mercy.

Matthew 6:14, 15 - For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 5:7 - Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Luke 6:37 - Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.

Ephesians 4:32 - And be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

If you are going to say that things, such as murder, are punishable by death, how then do you explain this -

1 John 3:15 - Whosoever hateth his brother is a murder.

Are we to commit to death those who hate another?

Retribution spoken of in passages such as Leviticus 24:20 and Exodus 21:24 do support capital punishment...but look at Jesus' teaching here -

Matthew 5:38, 39, 43, 44, 46-48 - Ye have heard that it is said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on they right cheek, turn to him the other also...Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that which despitefully use you, and persecute you...For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Now, I will take the liberty of quoting Lactentius (240-320) from his Institutes VI, XX, 15 -

When God prohbits killing, He not only forbids us to commit brigandage, which is not allowed even by the public laws, but He warns us not to do even those things which are regarded as legal among men...And so it will not be lawful for a just man...to accuse anyone of a capital offence, because it makes no difference whether thou kill with a sword or witha word, since killing itself is forbidden. And so, in this commandment of God, no exception at all ought to be made the rule that it is always wrong to kill a man, whom God has wished to be regarded as a sacrosanct creature.

Of course, when the Christians were persecuted by the government and it was impossible for them to hol dpositions therein, it was relatively easy for the view of no capital punishment to be maintained. Now, however, more and more Christians are holding positions in the government, and things become a little more sticky. If capital punishment were to be maintained, it would need to be done consistently, which it currently is not. The State has the right to administer capital punishment, but that does not make it right. Also, a Christian can not, should not, administer capital punihsment. I understand that if capital punishment were to be repealed, criminals would have to either be reformed or inprisoned - in a strong, consistent penal policy. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is working to abolish capital punishment. In order to do that though, they realize we must also push for reform of our current penal system. Until that reform is in place, we can not repeal the death penalty.

If that made any sense, good, if not, I'm exhausted. Talk to me after I get my ACT scores. :P

Virtue Magazine

2005-11-18T19:56:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am in GenJ

2005-11-18T11:25:00.000-08:00

LOL. I just discovered that someone didn't know I was in GenJ. Well, now you do. And *points to the side* I linked them. I'm playing around with my links, so, let me know what you think of the "picture links" for Virtue Mag and Virtue Blog.

You're probably wondering when I'm going to blog on Capital Punishment. The answer is after I get the rest of my college applications in... It's a topic that requires a lot of careful thought and preparation. College applications are not condusive to that enviroment.

Japan's Princess Sayako who just lost her royal title, may be entitled (no pun intended) to get it back. If the bill is passed, it will allow women to retain their titles and if I am not mistaken, allow them to ascend to the thrown. That would be nice, since the Crown Prince only has a daughter, Aiko. And if Japan wants to keep her monarchy, she's going to have to let women take the thrown. It is a pity though, because I really admire traditions. But then again, I for one do not want to see monarchy leave the world, and Japan has one of, if not the, oldest monarchies in the world.

England's Prince Charles is taking legal action against a tabloid who published excerpts from his private journals. This is an event, since it is very rare that the royalty would take legal action. Apparently, the Prince of Wales called the Chinese diplomats from the 1997 hand over of power for Hong Kong, "appalling old waxworks" and detailed life in Windsor. At least we know it has embarrassed Palace Security.

So, what should I blog about next? Any specific issue you want to hear me talk about? Or shall I just go with what I feel like? (Which I may anyway, but a good dictator makes it seem like the people are in charge... ::wink::)

Yes on 1

2005-11-07T07:14:00.000-08:00

Yes on 1 - Preserve Marriage, Protect Maine.

A pity I'm not eighteen, otherwise I'd be able to vote yes on 1. Another pity is that I will turn 18 whilst I'm in college, and therefore can not drive up to the State House on my birthday, register to vote, and all that jazz. Regardless, I will be able to vote. Whee! *grins*

It's interesting to note that people are condemned today for promoting abstinence, or for working against allowing homosexual marriage. And yet the same people doing the condemning, complain because they don't have a way to stop STDs. You know, I have to wonder at the logic - if you don't have premarital sex, you're not going to have STDs transmitted. If you're not homosexual, you won't have STDs transmitted. And yet they continue to berate those who promote abstinence and who condemn homosexual marriage.

Make no mistake, I do not hate those who do not abstain and I do not hate those who are homosexual. Definitely not. We, as Christians, are called to love everyone. That doesn't mean you must love their actions. If Mr. X decided to go out and randomly murder someone, does that mean that if I love him, I must therefore love what he did? Any rational person should realize it's not necessary to condone their actions in order to love them. And it's the same way with homosexuals and those who do not abstain.

If people would abstain, and if they would not practice homosexual lives, than the AIDS rate and other STD rates would go down tremendously. (My dad is a doctor, I'm not making up medical stuff as I go along :P) But perhaps people consider the solution too easy, and therefore aren't going to bother to look at it.

And in other news, Virtue Mag passed 20 issues.

Weather report today is mostly cloudy, chilly, and windy. Typical November day.

In sports, baseball season is over, and it wasn't a good one at all since the Red Sox lost.

In entertainment, Pride and Prejudice comes out this month.

And in the grand International scheme of things... the European Union is considering a call from Iran about the resumption of nuclear talks with France, Germany, and Britain.

That's it for this morning's edition of the Annals of a Right Winged Princess, thank you and God bless.

I'm still alive...

2005-11-03T09:03:00.000-08:00

...though barely. :P

It's November - National Novel Writing Month. Whee. My new novel will be located at http://twilightsdaughter.blogspot.com. Comments are appreciated, so I can have feedback.

I know that there are millions, okay, ten, comments on my death penalty post. I will get a post done... I don't know when. I'm going crazy with my novel, and I'm supposed to edit articles for Virtue. (I'm a little late... but, oh well. I'm the chief procrastinator - i've refined it to an art ::grin::) Not to mention I've a college application due on Nov. 15, and I've barely started the essays. I swear, I will not do well in college. Oh well. And some charming college (University of Dallas to be exact) requires the written essay on the new SAT/ACT. Which means that oh boy, lucky me, I get to take the new stupid test! Whee! I am sooooo overjoyed! ::voice drowns from the dripping sarcasm:: It'll be the ACT. Lovely.

Anyway, I will respond, I have a response. Or two. Or something like that. But being a Princess is a tough job, dears, and I've got plenty of people clamouring for me to do this and that for them. Mostly siblings, but Virtue tends to do a good job, every other week with the articles to edit... So, I seriously need to stop procrastinating on my novel, and get to it. I haven't abandoned you, though you probably have lost all hope. "Trust not to hope, it has forsaken this blog."

And yes, SecDef, I am who you think I am. Pity though... now you know who I am. :P Miss K, Mara, Attourney General, whatever you want to know me as. :D

Off with his head

2005-09-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

The Death Penalty. One of the many dividing lines between liberals and conservatives. Your average Good Little Homeschooled Christian Conservative is going to be adamant about how wonderful it is, and why we should support it. Especially your average Good Little Homeschooled Christian Conservative TeenPacter. I mention "Christian" and "Homeschooled" because for the first 15 years of my life (more specifically the few I've been interested in politics - the past 2-3) I fit the mold. Actually, I still do. I'm still homeschooled, though almost done. I'm still a Christian, though no longer Protestant. I'm still a TeenPacter. And I still consider myself Conservative, though I don't necessarily fit the bill of a GLHCCT.

By now I'm sure you know what I'm getting at. But just in case you don't, I'll explain. And I'll use small words so that any warthog-faced buffoon who happens to read this (though the chances of that are slim to none, but then, R.O.U.S.'s "didn't" exist, so you never know) can understand. I Am Against The Death Penalty. There. That should be clear enough. :) At this point all the GLHCCs are writhing in agony. Especially the TPers. See, one of the things you come away with from a TeenPact class is an ingrained knowledge as to why the Death Penalty is right. (Now mind you, there's a difference between DP as in Death Penalty and DP as in Death Peppers. The latter is quite excellent, the former leaves much to be desired) I've broken the mold of a Good Little TeenPacter, and not for the first time. I think I first broke it when I became Eastern Orthodox. But here are my reasons as to why the Death Penalty is not all that it's cracked up to me.

Reason No. 1: We are all created in the image of God. Who are we to destroy that image? So yes, I am against killing someone. It's wrong. But if someone showed up and threatened to rape your wife and murder your children, you should use violence and save the innocent. The killing of the person is still wrong, but it would have been worse to stand by and do nothing. Same with war.

Reason No. 2: It is said that when we clothe the naked, feed the hungry, help the needy, we are clothing and feeding and helping Christ. So then why should we kill Christ?

Reason No. 3: The Death Penalty is preconceived murder. First Degree Murder. And in our society it's punishable by, guess what, the Death Penalty. What an odd circle to go in.

Reason No. 4: Christ came for the sinners, not the righteous. When the woman guilty of adultery was to be stoned, as Old Testament Law required, Christ said that the one without sin may cast the first stone. Then He told the woman to go and sin no more, that her sins were forgiven. Christ also told the Apostles that whosoever's sins they remit on earth are remitted in heaven and whosoever's sins they retain are retained in heaven.

Memoirs of a Homeschool Senior, Part One

2005-09-15T11:59:00.000-07:00

I'm not officially graduated from highschool yet, but by the end of the year I will be. So I still qualify for NCFCA, fortunately. And I'm not taking any college classes. Sadly. Oh well. Here is my tale, and I have much to thank to my parents, to the Somervilles who started Tapestry of Grace, to Dr. Farris and his ConLaw course, to Mr. Echols and TeenPact, to the whole lot of all y'all at Virtue Mag, to TPS and Mr. Spotts and his excellent (and fun) Latin courses.

I started school at the age of three, when I asked Mom to start. We started with Calvert's Kindergarten... and there may be some of you who remember what Calvert was like waaay back then... about 13-14 years ago. (Come on, it hasn't been that long since they used to be yellow and black...) I was reading soon thereafter, and read Heidi at 5. I love that book, and the sequels. Dad didn't believe I had really read it though, until we started watching the movie (no, not with Shirley Temple, as far as I know I've never seen anything with Shirley Temple), and I complained that Heidi's scarf was the wrong colour. :) That was the start of me and books and movies... At seven Mother assigned Shakespeare's Julius Caesar for history, and I came away with a love for Shakespeare. (Perhaps you could call it my first "crush"... because the only "crushes" I've ever had have been for people like Shakespeare and C.S. Lewis... *grin*) Antony and Cleopatra was also assigned, and from there I turned to Henry VIII. I've always been fond of that time period, it's been very interesting, so that was naturally where I'd turn to.

After I finished those three plays, I made a goal. I was going to read all of Shakespeare's work. And I did complete that goal. By 13 I had read all his plays, sonnets... the whole kit and kaboodle. And he's still my favourite author. I mostly did Calvert during these years, though we did do Greenleaf as well - Famous Men of Greece, Rome, the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Reformation... Well, around fifth grade Mom decided to try Covenant Curriculum, which a friend had really liked. It didn't go over well at all, and partway through the year we switched to sixth grade Calvert.

Then... something happened. Mummy (yes, I seriously call her Mummy or Mum or Mumsie) heard about this new curriculum started by a Mrs. Marcia Somerville (mhmm... the wife of Scott Somerville of HSLDA) called Tapestry of Grace. So, we got Year 2 of TOG, and did it with another family. It was fantastic. Amazing. I could sing it's praises from here to the ends of the earth. I loved it. Then we did Year 3, with a co-op. I still loved TOG, and we had fun Unit Celebrations. Year 4 came, and I especially loved the Literature. We did co-op for part of the year, but not the rest. Last year we did Year 1. I do have some complaints about Year 1. Not nearly enough literature selections for Rhetoric, I had to go read Dialectic and ended up reading quite a bit beyond what was scheduled. Even for those who aren't quite as avid as I am... I think there should be more reading selections. Though I will tell you, it was great - I was reading Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (an excellent book if I ever saw one) and he referenced Hesiod, so the next library sale I was at, purely by chance, was some Hesiod! Of course, me being me - obsessed with reading good literature, classics, and what not, I grabbed it. And thoroughly enjoyed it. Not to say I agree 100% with what was said, because I don't, but it made me think. And I adore things that make me think. The other thing was, I think that Egypt, Greece, and Rome were a little too rushed. But still, Tapestry is awesome. That's the one part I'm looking forward to about marriage right now... being able to use Tapestry of Grace with my children. :)

Anyway, more about my life during the TOG years... It was during our first year of TOG, Y2, when we actually spent the night at the Somervilles. And I can honestly tell you that I was downright scared about going. These people were like... famous... and I was about twelve, almost thirteen. Well, I can assure you, Mrs. Somerville isn't scary at all, though I was very scared around Mr. Somerville, until I saw that he could smile. *grin* I especially remember that trip because that's when I asked Mrs. Somerville about my research paper, though I ended up doing something completely different and in about an hour or an hour and a half I typed up my ten (actually, I think it was eleven) page research paper on why headcoverings are Biblically and historically commanded. And that was my first taste of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. And I can say now, it was not as bad as my imaginations of it were. In fact, I think I'm going to (if not already) like it.

The year we did Y3 I was thirteen turning fourteen. I hated politics, always had. My best friend, Katherine, loved it. Well, she talked my parents into sending me to TeenPact and I came away realizing politics was not inherently evil, boring or any of the preconceived notions I had. During Y4, I really dug down into the problems and fallacies of FDR's "New Deal" and why that is reason to the current state of our Constitutional Republic (if you don't believe that's what we are, check out Article IV Section 4 of the US Constitution). (Though Lincoln did lead to it... but that's a whole 'nuther story)

Y1... wow. That was the year I took Dr. Farris' ConLaw. That was one of the most amazing things I've done. I learned so much... and well... I suppose I can blame Dr. Farris for wanting to be a lawyer. :P Also, because of that, Virtue Mag started. Which I'm very blessed to be a part of. It's challenging at times, but I've learned so much. Also this year I've run for President at TeenPact's National Convention, something that several years ago I would have laughed at, and I've attended TeenPact Judicial. TPJ was incredible, and I love it. Public speaking isn't so bad after all! I can get up there, and deliver oral arguments, cite the case law, explain why my side is right... as long as I have a voice. If I lose it, I lose everything, as I now know. ;) And writing a brief is actually kind of fun (this is where you look at me to see if I have anything that resembles a life), though next time *slaps self* I need to remember to go back and answer the question at the end... Argh. No wonder Mom calls me an airhead at times. But it was a lesson I learned, and one well worth the learning.

Now, something I've not touched on at all. Latin. The third foreign language I started learning. French I started on with the Learnables, but we dropped that after a while because Mom thought it wasn't doing anything. We picked up Hey Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek, and even today my knowledge of the Greek alphabet is due to that. We dropped that, picked up Latina Christiana. I did the first two books, switched to Matin Latin, did some Henle and some purple Latin book, then I signed up for HSLatin1 through The Potters School with Mr. Spotts. We went through Oxford Latin 1 and half of Oxford Latin 2. I really learned a lot from that. The year after, I thought I could figure out some Latin on my own, so I went back to Henle, only to stop partway through in frustration. Last year we did HSLatin2 with Mr. Spotts, using Lingua Latina, a Norwegian Latin immersion program, and that was amazing. I really noticed progress, because I had such a hard time translating from Latin to English directly, but by the end of the year, I was trying to do direct translations instead of indirect. :)

I've really enjoyed being homeschooled. I can work at my own pace, and I've learned a lot of things that my public schooled friends (I don't really have a lot of them though) haven't even necessarily had the oppurtunity to learn. Homeschooling has fueled in me the love to learn, and I really enjoy it. If it's challenging, awesome. I love to read, and looking at reading lists for colleges that include things from authors like Aquinas, Aristotle, Plato, Aeschylus (and if I spelled that right, I'm doing good), Thucydides, Cicero, Tacitus, Descartes... it's incredible. Those are the colleges I like. Though I still don't understand why they're surprised that I'd actually look forward to reading something like Gilgamesh again, since I've read it once.

Anyway, for those who like TOG, you can sort of continue it on a college level at some colleges. St. Thomas Aquinas in California and St. Thomas More College of the Liberal Arts in New Hampshire both have 4 year rotating cycles, much like TOG, which I think is really cool. *end random comment*

Well, now in some mixed up way, you know some of me. I'll try and write something more coherent later, but I felt like writing something up of my life as a homeschool-since-the-cradle child. :)

Redesigning...

2005-09-04T11:33:00.000-07:00

Yup. I'm redesigning the look. As you no doubt can tell, it's not quite done, but it's getting there. Let me know what you think of the look... (though I did so like the black... but I'm having fun *grins*)

21 Ways to be a Good Democrat

2005-09-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

Or... watch me get flamed because I have no sense of humour, I'm cruel, heartless, and hate those who are different than me, I'm intolerant... I say! I should come up with ways to be a good Republican.... *evil grin* I love being able to laugh at myself. :) Well, the blog does have a warning... so read on.

21 Ways To Be A Good Democrat

1. You have to be against capital punishment, but support abortion on demand
2. You have to believe that businesses create oppression and governments create prosperity.
3. You have to believe that guns in the hands of law-abiding Americans are more of a threat than U.S.nuclear weapons technology in the hands of Chinese and North Korean communists.
4. You have to believe that there was no art before Federal funding.
5. You have to believe that global temperatures are less affected by cyclical documented changes in the earth's climate and more affected by soccer moms driving SUV's.
6. You have to believe that gender roles are artificial but being homosexual is natural.
7. You have to believe that the AIDS virus is spread by a lack of federal funding.
8. You have to believe that the same teacher who can't teach 4th-graders how to read is somehow qualified to teach those same kids about sex.
9. You have to believe that hunters don't care about nature, but loony activists who have never been outside of San Francisco do.
10. You have to believe that self-esteem is more important than actually doing something to earn it.
11. You have to believe that Mel Gibson spent $25 million of his own money to make The Passion Of The Christ for financial gain only.
12. You have to believe the NRA is bad because it supports certain parts of the Constitution, while the ACLU is good because it supports certain parts of the Constitution.
13. You have to believe that taxes are too low, but ATM fees are too high.
14. You have to believe that Margaret Sanger and Gloria Steinem are more important to American history than Thomas Jefferson, Gen. Robert E. Lee, and Thomas Edison.
15. You have to believe that standardized tests are racist, but racial quotas and set-asides are not.
16. You have to believe that Hillary Clinton is normal and is a very nice person.
17. You have to believe that the only reason socialism hasn't worked anywhere it's been tried is because the right people haven't been in charge.
18. You have to believe conservatives telling the truth belong in jail, but a liar and a sex offender belonged in the White House.
19. You have to believe that homosexual parades displaying drag, transvestites, and bestiality should be constitutionally protected, and manger scenes at Christmas should be illegal.
20. You have to believe that illegal Democratic Party funding by the Chinese Government is somehow in the best interest to the United States.
21. You have to believe that this message is a part of a vast, right wing conspiracy.

*grins* I believe we should have a good laugh once in awhile, and it is possible for Democrats to laugh at this. I know some who do. :)

Campin' o'er at Casey's Reality

2005-08-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

Say farewell to trivia questions and hello to political demonstrations. Just think. You're on vacation, on your ranch, and you're exhausted. Then, all of a sudden, not far down the road shows up Camp Casey courtesy of Cindy Sheehan. Then, across the road from there is the equally loud Camp Reality. Just when you think it couldn't get any worse, Camp Casey II pops up on the other side of your ranch. Not to mention Fort Qualls is set up nearby. Sound like an ad for some quiet vacation spot in the middle of nowhere? Well, if I were president I'd start looking at those ads. Because this isn't crazy, this is reality. Fun! Or maybe not.

In the past few days, the world seemed to be crushing to get in, overwhelming volunteers who are running shuttles, peeling potatoes and icing down water bottles. They all want a piece of Sheehan. Either they want to set her right about her critical commentary on the Iraqi war and Bush's policy, or they want to embrace her, encourage her - and get their picture taken with her.

It's Santa Claus meets Mrs. Sheehan! Come on boys and girls, there's fun to be had... snap a picture with the mother of a soldier who died in April of 2004... our only question is, why'd we have to wait over a year to get to the picture snapping point? We could have had this party last year, with the chili and co. Such a disapointing thought, wouldn't you agree. Unless of course they were perfecting the chili recipe...

Much of the Camp Casey activity has shifted another few miles on the opposite side of Bush's ranch, to Camp Casey II, where a landowner invited Sheehan to spread out on a field. Camp Casey II has a full-blown kitchen powered by generators where volunteers put together a lunch of chili and sandwiches and salad for 200 on Friday. A canopy the size of a football field, complete with lights, shaded visitors and the media.

I'd think about commenting, but I kind of doubt there's anything I can say... unless the thought of Texas chili, sandwiches and salad is enough to drag me down to Crawford. Get the food, and head to Camp Reality maybe. Now of course, this makes you wonder just how much money our dear Mrs. Sheehan has... what with the full-blown kitchen, food for 200, a tv ad... really, this can't go on forver, can it?

Judicial Activism...

2005-08-26T06:45:00.000-07:00

So, what are your thoughts on Judicial Activism? Is it okay or not? Better in moderation, never, wipe the Court from the face of the Earth... start a capitalist society, a communist society, what?

Yet again I am gathering information for my next editorial. :)

To Be (Constitutional) Or not to be...

2005-08-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

Separation of Church and State is Constitutional. Before I go any further though, I want to make it very clear that the phrase, ‘separation of Church and State’ is not in the US Constitution anywhere. That said, just because the phrase is not in the Constitution, does not mean that the idea itself is unconstitutional. The problem that both the conservatives and liberals have with this, is that they both have different definitions, both of which are wrong.

If I were to tell a conservative that I believed separation of Church and State was constitutional, one of the first things they would do would be to ask me if I believed in God. But believing in God is not what determines the constitutionality of the idea of separation. A conservative’s view of separation of Church and State is that the liberals are trying to say it’s in the constitution and therefore we must take God, religious morals, and what not out of the government. That definition is indeed unconstitutional, but it is not the one meant. It does not say ‘separation of God and State’ or ‘separation of Religious Morals and State’.

Now, if I were to tell a liberal that I believed separation of Church and State was unconstitutional, they would immediately brand me a religious bigot. After all, if I think it’s unconstitutional, that means I want to have the United States accept Christianity as their official religion, right? To them, someone saying it is unconstitutional is as if they were saying that the United States should go and have an official, Christian religion. Therefore, in order to prevent that, we must divorce all religion from the government. Which, as I have previously stated is unconstitutional.

If these definitions are unconstitutional, then how can I claim that this separation of Church and State is constitutional? Mayhap because the definition that is constitutional is not one that has yet been mentioned. Separation of Church and State does not say that the government must be separate from religious morals or from God. Rather, it says that the Church and the State must be separate. If, say, this were an institutional separation, as in the Church cannot control the State, nor the State control the Church, is this constitutional?

Amendment I to the United States Constitution starts out by saying, ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.’ Suppose we look at this Freedom of Religion clause in regards to our institutionalized definition. They fit together, do they not? The Freedom of Religion clause states that Congress (the State) can’t make a law establishing or prohibiting religion (the Church). Yes! They fit, they make sense, and separation of Church and State is constitutional! We can’t separate religious morals from the State, because if we were to take away anything that stemmed from religion we would be left with very little, if anything at all. Yet here, here we can separate the two institutions, and still be constitutional. Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and render unto God that which is God’s. The two institutions are to be separate, with neither one controlling the other. And it is perfectly legal under our federal Constitution. Now go out, and let people know that both liberals and conservatives have a little piece of the truth. It’s time to put them together.

What's up with the Right Winged Princess?

2005-08-15T06:53:00.000-07:00

Yup, I'm undergoing some changes. Most noticeably the change of my heading. Though I did really like my LotR quotes, because of the symbolism in the two of them when placed together. So... we shall seee. And I'm not sure if I'm going with this heading, or with a different banner. (I've got three, including this) Thus, you should expect a different banner over the next few days til I decide upon one I like.

Now, TPJ East was totally awesome. I learned soooo much. About law, about oral arguments, about brief-writing (and about Ultimate Frisbee). It was an amazing experience, and I can't wait to go back next year.

In other news, expect a post on 'Separation of Church and State' and its constitutionality - and it's probably not what you're going to expect from a "Right Winged Conservative". Sometime within the next few days it should be up. So, in order to start preparations for that, I'm opening this up for some comments etc:

How do YOU define "separation of church and state"? Do you believe it's Constitutional? Why or why not?

I'm collecting any and all answers, and I want to know what y'all think... it's going to be very helpful for my editorial and my blog entry (in other words it's actually rather necessary).

Coming Soon to a Blog Near You...

2005-08-15T06:07:00.000-07:00

Or rather it's already here. The newest in political commentary, updated frequently. Associated with Virtue Mag, Virtue Blog is here to stay. Featuring bloggers such as Agent Tim and the Blogging Boy Scout, it's the newest in right wing commentary... with a twist.

No Peter Jennings... no one on the blog is over 25... *grins*

TPJ East

2005-08-07T12:39:00.000-07:00

I'm off to TeenPact Judicial East. I'll be back some time on Sunday. Well, I'll be off tomorrow actually, 3 am about. Expect an entry then.

Until then, thank God for the help of the Brits, and the successful rescue of the crew from the mini-sub! Issue #15 of Virtue premiers tomorrow, along with some really cool new features... I'll miss launch, but at least the readers can see the new Virtue. *grins*

Nuclear Capacity for Peaceful Civilians

2005-07-31T18:40:00.000-07:00

Talk about oxymorons. Thank the Jerusalem Post for this one. Israel's adjusting estimates for when Iran will have nuclear bombs.

According to the new estimates, Iran will probably have a nuclear bomb by 2012, but could have the capability as early as 2008 "if all goes well for it," a high ranking IDF commander told The Jerusalem Post yesterday.

Two and a half years, and counting.

Iran has been developing nuclear capacity which, it says, is only for peaceful civilian purposes allowed under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. But many countries fear that Iran is secretly developing nuclear military capacity as well.

And I wonder why we'd think that? I mean, one would expect if someone was developing nuclear military capacity, you'd want to broadcast it, right? Especially if you're promtoing peaceful civilian purposes?

What most concerns Israel right now is the possibility of a nuclear-armed Iran in 2008, especially given that the US is more concerned with the later possible date of 2012.

And if Iran is nuclear-armed in 2008, and the US expected 2012, there's a slight problem. And not just with our intelligence...

In November Iran voluntarily ceased its uranium enrichment program as as part of talks with France, Germany and Britain regarding its nuclear development program. Iran is threatening to renew its uranium enrichment process.

My question is, who's to say they haven't already in secret?

Arlington

2005-07-18T19:14:00.000-07:00

Trace Adkins - "Arlington"

I never thought that this is where I'd settle down.
I thought I'd die an old man back in my hometown.
They gave me this plot of land,
Me and some other men, for a job well done.

There's a big White House sits on a hill just up the road.
The man inside, he cried the day they brought me home.
They folded up a flag and told my Mom and Dad:
"We're proud of your son."

And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property.
I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company.
I'm thankful for those thankful for the things I've done.
I can rest in peace;
I'm one of the chosen ones:
I made it to Arlington.

I remember Daddy brought me here when I was eight.
We searched all day to find out where my grand-dad lay.
And when we finally found that cross,
He said: "Son, this is what it cost to keep us free."

Now here I am, a thousand stones away from him.
He recognized me on the first day I came in.
And it gave me a chill when he clicked his heels,
And saluted me.

And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property.
I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company.
I'm thankful for those thankful for the things I've done.
I can rest in peace;
I'm one of the chosen ones:
I made it to Arlington.

And everytime I hear twenty-one guns,
I know they brought another hero home to us.

We're thankful for those thankful for the things we've done.
We can rest in peace;
'Cause we are the chosen ones:
We made it to Arlington.

Yeah, dust to dust,
Don't cry for us:
We made it to Arlington.

'Tis Done. We Have Become A Nation.

2005-07-13T06:22:00.000-07:00

A feeble executive implies a feeble execution of the government. A feeble execution is but another phrase for a bad execution; and a government ill executed, whatever may be its theory, must, in practice, be a bad government.
Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution, 1833

So it is the fault of the feeble executive for a bad government, n'est-ce pas? That makes sense. But, before one can go and pile on all the blame onto our executives, one must first look closely at the problem. If it is the feeble executive who implies a feeble execution of the government, how did the feeble executive get there in the first place? In the United States of America, the answer is simple. One does not go *poof* and suddenly one's in office. One does not hold a coup d'etat and suddenly one's in office. Instead, elections are held annually and the People elect their executives, their governing officials. For we are a government that is by the People, for the People. So, if feeble executives are elected, whose fault is that? The Peoples. And thus, whose fault is it for a bad government? The Peoples.

How is it then, that we can complain voraciously about the lack of good government, yet we do nothing about it. How now? Why is it that when it is our fault that our government is ill executed we seek to place the blame on someone else?

11And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

12And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

Genesis 3:11, 12

Ever since the beginning of the world, Man has sought to place the blame on someone else. Well, Adam and Eve still had to pay a price for their sin. And we today cannot escape the consequences of electing feeble officials. It is our fault if we have an ill executed government. And there is one way to cure that. We must take on the responsibility of voting for, and ensuring that, responsible, honourable, God-fearing, and Founding Father respecting people are running for office. The United States are a glorious nation with a proud and noble history. It is up to us to keep it that way, and a bad government only sheds bad light on her country and her history.

Sterner Stuff?

2005-06-25T10:19:00.000-07:00

All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree.
James Madison, speech at the Constitutional Convention, July 11, 1787

For does not power corrupt, and absolute power corrupt absolutely? If one has power... one cannot trust them fully. If one has power, what is to stop one from wanting more? It is addictive...

It's been my experience that Senators are only focused on pleasing those who fund their campaigns... and they are more than willing to forget the niceties of democracy to get those funds.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

Ambition reigns supreme when power can be had. But why? For what purpose? Because of the sin of man, greed is present. Personal gain and ambition takes precedence over the gain and ambition of the nation as a whole. The needs of the many no longer outweigh the needs of the few or the one. This can be seen clearly by the recent action taken by the Supreme Court in their decision allowing the government to take private property from citizens for high tax revenues. No longer is our Court content with defining laws as laid out in the Constitution. Now they must take more power. And the Senate, they who have the power to impeach these Justices for a breach of Constitutionality, do not even exercise what power they have. Despite the fact we have a Republican majority in both the House and Senate.

Food for thought?

Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place. It may be a reflection on human nature that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. What is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?
James Madison, Federalist No. 51, February 8, 1788

Doff thy cap young sir

2005-06-15T08:08:00.000-07:00

Annals of a Right Winged Princess

I'll say what I want and no one shall stop me. I'll say what I want, and I'm shameless about it. I'll say want, and I don't care what you think.

Hmm. Does that include swearing and cursing? Does that include lewdness? Does it includ wearing clothing that leaves little to be imagined? What has happened to honour, to chivalry, to Right and Wrong? Did we lose it when we switched centuries? Or was it dropped somewhere along the way?

I know not all hope is lost. I have a friend, now granted, he is a Marine, but he will stand until a lady sits. He will offer her a chair, hold open doors... more than you could imagine.

All I can say is save the males and let's hope there are still some females who aspire to be ladies rather than feminists.

Woe betide the day when we cannot find innocence anywhere. Woe betide the day when we can no longer whisper segments of the Lady of Shalott and feel the "magic" of the poem as it's wafted through the trees.

Where have all the flowers gone? Where have all the young girls gone? Where have all the young men gone? Where have all the soldiers gone? Where have all the graveyards gone?

How Nice is Suger and Spice?

2005-06-09T19:10:00.000-07:00

According to an article in the newest edition of Newsweek the number of fights between girls have been higher than fights between guys. One would think that seeing as guys are made out of “spiders and snails and puppy dog tails” they’d be more, how shall I say it, prone to, oh, strike out than girls who are made out of “sugar, spice, and everything nice.”

Perhaps it lies in the so-called “cattiness” of girls. Perhaps it lies in the fact that guys aren’t being raised to be men anymore. Perhaps it lies in a mixture of all or in none.

What is our nation coming too? Why is it that we’ve deteriorated enough that girls can’t find anything better to do than smash glass bottles on the head of some girl who’s currently girlfriend with their ex? And how come they have to go around in all these dating relationships claiming they “love” someone if they don’t really love them since they’ll never stay together for too long regardless?

Think for a moment. A little girl, around the age of nine, short brown hair, sparkly blue eyes. Adorable, kind and precious. Now picture another girl, around the age of eleven. A playful smile on her face, looking down with love at her nine-year-old friend. Later… the younger girl is jealous. She picks up a kitchen knife and stabs the other girl in the chest repeatedly. The two who had been so happy together before, are no longer such. The younger girl is in tears, the older one lying dead. How can this be true? Yet it is, and the rate of violence between girls isn’t shrinking. Rather, it’s growing.

Long ago when girls were raised to be ladies and guys were raised to be men, we had integrity, honour, and peace. Now, instead of someone like Queen Victoria, girls look up to people like Britney Spears. Just a tad bit of a difference between the two, wouldn’t you agree? Feminists like Hillary Clinton are popping up all over. What has happened to the men, and where are our ladies?

It has been noted that when girls were ladies and guys were men, there was less violence and more honour and integrity. It has also been noted that now, when most girls and guys don’t know how to act like ladies and men, there is more violence and less honour and integrity. Therefore, it follows, according to what we’ve learned from history, that if we want more peace, honour, and integrity, we must teach girls and guys to be ladies and men. Instead of following in the ways of the world, let us once more teach the ways of ladies and gentlemen, and through doing so, rediscover how sweet sugar and spice really are.

There and Back Again - A TPers tale

2005-05-10T05:36:00.000-07:00

I'm survived. Blegh. Bad grammar.

TAKE TWO.

I survived. And I am alive. Despite various sundry attempts on my life by persons bearing cologne. So many assasination attempts, both on my life and on Governor Emperor Doctor Mister My Yellis'. Tsk tsk. *Certain* people should behave better.

Anyways y'all, TPME '05 was GREAT!!!! w00t! Yups. Posted memories about it on Welcome Mainers on the TP site, so, go there if you're interested. But Nathanael forgot to mention the TPB... lol.

And, the soundtrack for Revenge of the Sith is waaaaay cool!!!!!!!!!!!

And I got to read the Gospel in Latin for Agape Vespers on Pascha. Or did I say that already?

There is the Utter East

2005-04-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I was reading through Agent Tim's blog and read an entry about the Pope and Catholicism.

They have almost created a religion of their own.

Actually, no, not really. They broke off from the Eastern Orthodox Church in 1054. It wasn't until Henry VIII that what is now the Anglican church split off. And then came the reformation. If you are going that route, then everyone, including the Catholic church and all that have come after them, have created their own religion, in a sense.

But I'm here to tell you, living in a state that has more Catholics than almost any state, most Catholics believe in a works religion.

No, they don't. Some may, but not the majority. However, it does say *blanks on the reference* that faith without works is dead.

So they can keep worshipping Mary and other objects.

They do NOT worship Mary. Nor does the Eastern Orthodox Church. She is venerated along with the Saints. This mean she is shown honour, but never worship. She is to be shown honour because she is the Mother of God, the Saints are to be shown honour because of the example they set for us. We honour our President, but we do not worship him.

But they must read Exodus 20:4,5:

"You shall not make for yourself any graven image...You shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them.

No, you are not to make a graven image. It means idols, of people who don't exist, else why would God tell them to weave designs of the cherubim and seraphim into their tapestries? Else why would He tell them to make gold statues of the cherubim for the Ark of the Covenant? And for decoration in the temple? If we are to assume this means no image of anyone or anything is to be made, we must start destroying Mt. Rushmore, the Lincoln Memorial, paintings and photographs amongst others. We do not serve the icons, we do not worship them. They are windows into Heaven. When we venerate them, we are not venerating the wood or the paint, but we are venerating the person depicted. We are greeting them with the holy kiss as St. Paul said to do, we are showing them honour. We are all alive in Christ.

Under your belief system?

2005-04-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

Oh for crying out loud. What is our nation coming to??

Apparently a woman in a Colorado middle school substituted the words "under your belief system" for the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. According to WorldMagBlog she said -

“It was the anniversary of Columbine, and it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. It was to acknowledge the differences within our society.”

Maybe it's time to have Constitutional Law a required course, complete with studying the Articles of Confederation and the Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States?

Habent Papam

2005-04-19T10:03:00.000-07:00

May God grant Pope Benedict the XVI many many years! Or former Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger.

Wow. The second pope in my life time.

Never saw the sun shining so bright

2005-04-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

We had a memorial for Archbishop Iakavos today. It's sad, and hard. He was Archbishop of North and South America for the Greek Orthodox Ardhdiocese, but he retired in '96. He's the Greek Archbishop mentioned in biographies of Martin Luther King Jr.

May his memory be eternal. 1911 to 2005. He lived a long life.

I have lost a father and gained a sister. Lera was baptized and chrsimated today, and we have the same godmother, making her my godsister! I now have the older sister I've always wanted! Lera is awesome, and she's soo sweet. I'm so glad that she's come home. I bet George is too. :)

And, Mrs. Clifford is helping us write icons. Some of us anyways. I'm writing the 'Petrov' Theotokos icon. It's sooo much fun! I really like it, and can't wait to start painting it. We sketched them today, and next Sunday we will transfer them to the material we are using for the icon (material not meaning fabric) and we will paint them. I'm really looking forward to it!

One Will

2005-04-14T07:12:00.000-07:00

A Tone Poem from Phantom Menace. Queen Amidala's to be precise.

There are things I cannot do
I cannot watch while people suffer
I cannot sit when something must be done
I cannot judge those who are different
There are things I cannot do
Run
Hide
Ignore
There are things I cannot do
But there are certainly things I will do.

A, B, C, D... C?

2005-04-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

We all know how the alphabet goes. A, b, c, d. But now it seems C will follow D as well as come before.

There was a young man who had an affair with a woman while he was younger and was in the military. Then the woman got married. The young man also got married. However, both ended up getting a divorce. After the young man's former wife died, he continued his affair with the first woman, though many believe he had continued it before his wife died, and before the divorce. Eight years after the death of his wife, the man finally married the woman with whom he had been having an affair.

That young man was Charles, Prince of Wales. The woman, Camilla Parker-Bowles. And the unwitting wife, Princess Diana. When it was announced that the Crown Prince was getting married, the entire world went up in a hullabaloo. Everyone loved the Lady Diana Spencer, and it was believed to be a fairytale wedding. Except that this one, unlike the others, would have a happy ending. Princess Diana and Prince Charles filed for a divorce. In 1997 the late Princess of Wales died. On April 9, 2005 Anno Domini, Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles, the woman whom he claimed to have loved since the beginning.

It is not the first time in the history of England that such action has been taken. Henry Tudor, the VIII of that line, separated from the Roman Catholic Church to create the Church of England so that he might divorce Katharine of Aragon, then Queen of England. Precedent has been set. But the people of England have frowned upon it.

Just as they frown upon the new Princess of Wales. Perhaps Charles should listen as his great-great-uncle had done before him. Abidication is not a cowardly act.

Responsible Children in an Irresponsible Society

2005-04-09T16:58:00.000-07:00

“I’ll be happy if my kid just stays off drugs, stays out of jail, and doesn’t make me a grandparent."

It's sad, the way our country is currently happy if kids stay off drugs, out of jail, and doesn't end up pregnant. What happened to the days when people wanted their kids to do something. When they wanted them to have goals, when they cared about them.

*will finish later*

Virtue

2005-04-05T07:06:00.000-07:00

Issue 7 of Virtue Mag is up with a record number of articles! Huzzah!

Some awesome articles, including a very educating one on tariffs, an article about LD 618 and it's concern nationally, the controversial issue of the Passion and many more.

So, go, read, and look upon the second to last biweekly issue of Virtue Mag.

New Jedi Order

2005-04-04T19:23:00.000-07:00

One of the top hits of E-Wok 'n Roll, the top band that plays live on Death Star News. (So I borrowed from the idea of Meduseld Live. But it's not LotR. *grins* Most credit for ideas comes from Miss Sarah)

From the halls of Yavin Four
To the shores of Dantooine
We fight the gal'xy's battles
With our lightsabers
We fight for rights and freedom
And for peace and order
We are proud to claim the title
Of the New Jedi Order

The Arrival of Tom Bombadil

2005-04-01T13:55:00.000-08:00

Imagine yourself in a dark forest, and but one of your party knows the way. The trees seem to move with every step you take, and you know not what might lurk along your path. You glance over, and through the dim light you see an anxious look on the face of your leader. Gazing into his eyes, you see there the one sign that he is lost and does not know where he exactly you are. A sinking feeling fills your heart. How are you ever to get out of this situation?

This is how Chapter Six of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings begins. Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Sam are traveling through the Old Forest, and only Merry knows the way. Fear is prevalent throughout the chapter, fear of the unknown. It is dark, like the Old Forest itself. The chapter takes a darker turn as Old Man Willow awakes and begins to swallow Pippin. Merry soon follows. Frodo and Sam, left on their own, begin panicking.

Yet with the arrival of Tom Bombadil, a ray of light shines into the Old Forest. Hope springs anew, and the promise of rescue is in the air. Despite the stickiness of their current situation, when Tom Bombadil comes, Merry and Pippin are rescued. Then, as if this new turn for the better was not enough, they are invited to his house. The chapter ends on a lighter note than it began, with the reader wondering what will happen at the house of Tom Bombadil, and to whom this new voice may belong.

Brazil

2005-03-29T18:10:00.000-08:00

Father Gregory at St. Basil's talked briefly about the bishop and the orphanage in Brazil. As he was talking about it, I had this sudden urge, I wanted to go to that orphanage.

I still do. I really want to go. Bethany went to one in Guatamala, and she talked about it and showed pictures, and I thought it might be neat, but this isn't like that. This I want to do. I really really really want to go to the orphanage in Brazil that the bishop was from.

sighs

2005-03-29T08:24:00.000-08:00

She is NOT in a vegetative state, and I repeat NOT. If she was, she would not stay in positions the doctor asked her too despite their being uncomfortable. She would not be pushing her leg against his hand. She would not be responding the way she does during neurological exams. Ask the doctors who have spent more than 45 minutes with her.

And pulling her feeding tube is NOT like removing someone from life support. It is like removing someone from life support and taking all the oxygen out of the room. They could still get oxygen into their lungs without it. She is NOT at the end of her life. She only is now because they are KILLING her for NO reason, save that her husband is greedy and selfish. He never used the money for rehab for her. He refused to allow her rehab or therapy. She could be doing better, but he won't allow it.

You, Me, and the Guy Next Door

2005-03-27T17:13:00.000-08:00

Okay. How's that for a random title? *grins* My life, as it stands today-

I've been sewing, sort of, more like basting. And cutting out. Working on my toile (mockup) of my bodice for my Regency gown. More details on my sewing journal.

I've started a new story, complete with uber-cool Welsh names. LOL. Well, the part that they have Welsh names is true. The uber-cool part is highly debatable. I don't know where it's going, I'm just writing it and letting it come out.

Latin - I'm working on my Pensa, and I'll be taking my quiz before the night is over. I've pretty much got my exercises ready to turn it. So I'm happy with that. Now, to survive the quiz, most importantly Pensum C part... I hate having to come up with complete sentences.

I've politely ignored all topics of "Happy Easter" on the boards I'm on. But I think I shall post a topic when Pascha comes around... from the Orthodox perspective. There are times when I wonder if I am all but surrounded by Prots. *sighs* C'est la vie.

Mummy and I read through several courtship stories today. Agh! One is really scary! I told Mum that if I had to do it that way, I was going to the nunnery and not looking behind. *grins* Fortunately Dad agrees with us. Not to mention my question - what kind of person names their daughter "Maranatha"? Some of the stories were really good though. I especially liked Mrs. Jennie Chancey's. The funny thing is, she's the lady who makes the patterns that I got my Regency pattern from, and I had no clue until Muom made some comment. I wonder how out of it I am...LOL.

Growing up is not fun, I've decided. Being old enough to drive and then to vote is, but, having to deal with relatives and friends asking why I don't have boyfriend of all things is enough to make one plot out the destruction of the world. Who wants a boyfriend? Not me anyways. Besides, the whole dating thing is stupid anyways. You're not going to marry the guy 99% of the time, so what's the point? Especially if you end up hating each other after... *shakes head* I'll never understand people.

Dammit

2005-03-26T10:55:00.000-08:00

ARGH! HOW CAN THEY DO THIS? How can you sit by and let them MURDER someone? It's just wrong! It's completely wrong! What happened to our inalienable rights to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness???? Does no one care anymore??? Does no one give a hoot about ANYTHING?

THis guy is a complete total scumbag! He has melted the wedding rings, he has called her something that reminds with a witch, he has given her shots of insulin, he's protested when the nurses have cared for her or fed her, he says he can't wait til she dies because then he'll be rich... AND WE JUST SIT AROUND AND LET HIM DO THIS??????

What has happened to our country? What has happened to our values? Do we treasure freedom anymore?

And the moronic judge has refused to listen to ANY evidence provided on Terri's behalf. He has refused to listen to the nurses because it's just "hearsay". He's refused to listen to doctors who have spent over 12 hours with Terri, and instead listened to this one doctor who spent no more than 45 minutes at most.

I find no pride in calling myself American. I am ashamed of my country. I am ashamed of our system. Is there no one who is willing to step in and say this is wrong? Why is this man being allowed to kill his wife?

People still go around saying God bless America. Well, you know what, He did. And look how you're treating it. Like trash. Dirty trash. You think He'd bless you with the way you're acting? There is no honour left in this country. None. Whatsoever.

We were made as a place where people could be free. Now we are a place where millions of babies are killed, and now euthenasia happens. I am ashamed to be an American. Deeply ashamed. I am hurt, and I am ashamed, and I am angry, and I am sad. This whole thing is just sickening.

So be it

2005-03-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

Well, so be it. The deed is done. At least this part.

Work Session was today. Daddy and I picked up Cassie and headed to the Cross Building. We met Mr. Hotham right inside. I tried not to be nervous while we waited for Mr. Hotham to copy my speech. Alex and Mr. King showed up to, so I did have some support. :D We ended up sitting on the other side of the room from our opposition...

Mine was the second bill up. I spoke, and had one question. After I sat down the Committee members who disagreed spoke. Grr. I could have rebutted everything they said, had they given me the chance. *mutters*

Well, one Rep made a movement that it ought to pass, Rep. Lansley seconded it. That motion lost though, 6-3. 4 members were missing however. It will come up into the House, and Mr. Hotham and Mr. Lansley will be advocating it when it comes up. I'm going to try and be there, if they can let me know when the date is.

I had many compliments on my speech, including from the librarians, who said they wished I was on their side. They also said they'd vote for me when I ran for office...

Shall We Dance?

2005-03-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

OOH!!! There's a Contradance on Friday April 1 at Bates College! Some of us will probably go. I'm so excited, and I hope we go. *does a happy dance* My only other hope about it is there will be no guys in skirts. *shudders at the memory* And the nerve at that guy showing up in my dream....

There's Some Good in this World

2005-03-24T08:02:00.000-08:00

"The only cause worth fighting for is a lost cause."

Sometimes I wonder, sometimes I think, why bother? You're not going to do it anyways, it's a lost cause.

"To fight the unbeatable foe."

If they're unbeatable, what's the point? I mean, why try to beat something that isn't possible to beat?

"To fight for the right without question or pause"

But I'm sitting here questioning it. I'm pausing, wondering what the purpose is. And I don't know why.

"There's some good in this world worth fighting for."

And then I realize, that despite how lost the cause may be, despite how unbeatable our foe is, despite the impossibility of our dream, there is some good in this world, and if we don't fight for it, who will? It's worth fighting for. If God would save Soddom and Gomorrah with 10 good people, we can fight for good that is bigger than that. If we don't defend it, if we won't stand up for it, who else will, who else will see our lead, and follow it?

"And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star
The fight the unbeatable foe
To dream the impossible dream"

Fear Is the Path to the Dark Side

2005-03-20T17:21:00.000-08:00

I'm scared. I'm so blastedly scared it isn't funny.

My bill went up for it's open hearing, and ended up going to Education and Cultural Affairs instead of Judiciary or State and Legal.

For those curious, it's LD 618.

Well guys, the ACLU doesn't like me. I take that as a compliment. I've got what was said, and I'm going to be able to rebutt it all at the work session this Friday. Rep. Lansley is talking about my bill Monday morning at 7:08 on WLOB 96.3.

I'm nervous. I really am. The guy running the talk show tomorrow may call me according to Mr. Lansley. What else is going to happen? I didn't expect this much publicity. Didn't want it. *sighs*

I'm scared, I'm nervous, I'm working on my speech like crazy, and I could really use your prayers.

An Explanation

2005-03-19T20:01:00.000-08:00

To Jake at least. Apples to Apples is a game that requires four peeps to play. Some friends of mine, i.e. Lady Aranel, Darth Solo, and yours truly wanted to play, but we couldn't find at least one more person. So we had the ingenius notion to deal the fourth player in, and randomly pick a card from their hand. I happened to have my Frodo action figure with me, so we designated him as the player. with his random cards he happened to be beating us for most of the game.

As to the Kisses... Hershey Kisses with Caramel inside are very very good. So are they're Dark Chocolate ones. Now, if you put Caramel inside the Dark Chocolate, you'd have the Best Hershey Kiss in the world.

And I was on vacation. Read VIRTUE - says so in Alex's bio underneath the editorial. :D

Caution!

2005-03-14T10:54:00.000-08:00

Warning: Do not play Apples to Apples with Frodo Baggins of the light-up Sting. He will win for most of the game, and may even win the whole game. Much thanks to Lady Aranel for beating him in Apples to Apples.

And Caramel Kisses are very very very very good. Almost as good as Dark Chocolate. Combine the two... and you get the best Kiss in the world.

There Won't Be A Return Journey, Sam

2005-02-22T09:57:00.000-08:00

Remember the Shire Mr. Frodo? The taste of strawberries in summer?

You might. But for how long? What will Mordor do? Will you ever taste the freshness of strawberries, feel the peace and tranquility of the Shire again? Unlike Peter Jackson's portrayal in The Lord of the Rings movies, no place is ever safe from harm.

But waht does that mean today? (Other than the fact that if I keep blogging I'll use up my article ideas for VIRTUE) Is any place truly safe from harm? I don't think so. When have we seen some place that has not been affected by what's going on in the world? Think about World War I, and World War II... no one was left unscathed, and in some ways the United States least of all.

Change is something that is happening all around us. Some for the better, much not. If we want there to be a return journey, we need to go and help that change. Ensure it's for the better. Do what we can to change things ourselves. There are many ways we can do it, we just need to find them and make use of them.

I bid you stand, Men of the West

2005-02-19T15:56:00.000-08:00

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
~~Deuteronomy 31:6

Fear. Fear is the driving force that plagues men today. Fear is what seeks to consume us. But we can not let it. What do we fear today? Attacks from terrorists, loved ones dying in the war, the list goes on. If we do not stand strong, do not trust that God will not fail us nor forsake us, then we will be consumed by this fear. Fear that will lead to anger at what is going on. Anger that will lead to hatred. And where does hatred lead us? Does it lead us to happiness? To satisfaction? Or does it lead us to suffering?

Spain was our ally in Afghanistan, and in Iraq. They fought with us, for the same values. To crush those who dared to question honour, those who dared to question the liberty that we cherish, the ideals that we hold in high esteem. And yet, then, fear overcame them. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the unexpected. And because of that, they withdrew their troops.

Then, on February 9, 2005, a car blew up in Madrid, Spain, not far from where King Juan Carlos, Queen Sofia, and Mexican President Vicente Fox would be for an inauguration a few hours later that day. The Basque newspaper Gara received a warning phone call from someone who claimed to be with the Basque Separatist Group ETA shortly before the car exploded. The ETA has been known to call a warning before an attack is done. These reasons have led the Interior Ministries to believe that it was the ETA behind it.

But what does this go to show? Does fear pay off? Or does it show that you are weak instead of strong? Maybe we need to re-examine things. The United States has entered with courage, and strength. And since we have entered Afghanistan, since we have shown we will not sit by and let our freedoms be torn asunder, we have not had to suffer another terrorist attack as we suffered on September 11, 2001.

Sons of Gondor, of Rohan. My brothers. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me! A day may come, when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of Fellowship, but it is not this day! An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you, stand, Men of the West!
~~The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

And on the side, note that we are in the West, and the terrorists are in the East.

Here, sir, the people govern

2005-01-30T10:59:00.000-08:00

Alexander Hamilton, speech to the New York Ratifying Convention, June 17, 1788

Or do they? Perhaps at the New York Ratifying Convention they did. Perhaps all throughout the Thirteen United States of America during that time period they did. Perhaps they did up until what is known as "The Civil War." But the pressing question is, do they now?

Do they now?

I would be very tentative to respond in the affirmative. For it appears to me, that the Steward of Gondor is daring to prevent the return of the King. If the people really governed now, then homosexual marriage would be banned. If the people really governed, there would be no question over who won the Presidential Election.

So, in that case, who really governs?

Not the liberals, not completely, not yet. But the Dark is rising... and the Light must stop it.

(BTW, it's no longer "goth" looking. Not that it ever was.)

I'm Suing

2005-01-28T14:51:00.000-08:00

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT! That violates my Fourteenth Ammendment Equal Protection Clause rights! I'm suing!!!!!"

Hmph. Well, first things first. One, HILARY ALERT!!! Two, I say that you my dear feminist, are violating others' Fourteenth AMENDMENT Equal Protection Clause rights.

How so? Read United States v. Virginia. I'll tell you how so. You have successfully made it, so that any college that is single sex UNLESS it's for women, is violating the Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause. You have made it so that colleges such as VMI which should be mens-only, allow women. There's nothing wrong with having a women's only college. But when the men want one, they're being jealous, and violating your rights under the Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause.

Funny isn't it, how today the people who are most likely to get jobs and into schools are minorities and women. The last person who you'll see get accepted is a white male. Strange isn't it, how we protest discrimination vehemently, yet practice it? Woe to you, you hypocrites!

There's something wrong with this picture. One, discrimination against men with women-only colleges yet the opposite is not allowed. Two, first choice preference to women and minorities. In our efforts to stop discriminating against minorities and women, we have swung to far to the left. To quote Mr. McKeen, No Left Turn.

Let's swing back, and stay in the middle. Though if you take away the woman's right to vote, I won't mind to much.

And yes, there is a reason I keep saying Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause.

Symbolism, Thou Art Subtle

2005-01-28T14:07:00.000-08:00

If you read the two quotes underneath my blog title, you will notice they are both from Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King movie directed by Peter Jackson. However, despite my like of LotR, there is more to the quotes than that. Read them, and read them in context of me. Not me personally... but the views I seem to hold. Perhaps then you might understand the underlying symbolism in them. Or perhaps again, it is just to me that this symbolism appears. All in all, symbolism, thou art subtle.

I have a sword, I offer you my service Theoden King

2005-01-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

Well, it's about time I got this figured out. Unfortunately I did not change my email under my other blog when I changed my address, and consequently forgot my password. Murphy's law, plain and simple. This is the result.

I have to say, I am far from impressed with Hollywood. Take Troy for example. A popular movie starring people like Eric Bana, Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, Brian Cox, etc. It portrayed Paris as the hero, which is what would have been thought of, naturally, from the Trojan point of view. (Aeneid anyone?) Whereas the Greeks believed Achilles .... in a way ... to be the hero (Illiad - Rage of Achilles) or Odysseus/Ulysses (read your Odyssey lately?) The problem does not lie there. Though I hardly believe Paris to be the hero, he took the wife of another man. The blame does not lie only with him however... it also lies with Aphrodite (Venus for you Romans).

What bothers me most about this movie, is the morals involved (or lack thereof) and how they are portrayed. Paris falls in love with Helen, Menelaus' wife, and she with him (*coughmovierumourcough*). Well, what are you to do if you love another, even if they are married? Troy says to give in to your heart and leave the spouse and get married yourself (or even just living together is fine...another flaw with todays society). Many changes were made in this movie. Menelaus is killed, Helen loves Paris, and many more. At the end, you are still left with "if you love each other, it's meant to be, ignore any things that might be in the way". WHAT? What kind of message does that present?

Today's teens and youth are being brought up amongst divorced parents, gay parents, separated parents, parents that aren't married.... and we want to reinforce that this is the RIGHT thing to do? I think not. Let's not take anymore left turns here people. Wake up! If we don't make a change, there won't be a return journey.

"If the Ring is destroyed,
then Sauron will fall, and his
fall will be so low that none
will see his arising ever again.
But if Sauron regains the Ring,
his victory will be swift
and complete."