"The Department of Defense denied a request for a military flyover at the 2009 'God and Country' rally. Obama denied a military flyover at the annual "God and Country" rally in Idaho, where new military recruits were inducted and all military were honored. This is the first time in 42 years that there has not been a military flyover in formation, and organizers were stunned that Obama refused to allow this. . . . . it was because of the event's "Christian nature." This is beyond unbelievable action by the Commander in Chief and President, and Americans need to know about it!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Yes, stunning - they were stunned, I tell you -- stunningly unaware that in November of 2001 the Department of Defense under George W. Bush decided to prohibit the Military's support of events that
"provide a selective benefit to any individual, group or organization, including events with religious themes."Yes, America's memory is short and in only a year, the deeds of Bush can be attributed to his successor with impunity - and with outrage. Whether or not the event "honors the military" or was in previous years primarily for that purpose, it's organizers stated purpose for 2009 was that
"Our mission is primarily about spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ."According to Snopes.com, the Treasure Valley God & Country Festival; "unabashedly a Christian event" has four steps to witnessing about Jesus Christ (i.e., bless people, fellowship with them, meet their needs, present the Truth), and say of the rally's program of events: "At the end of the evening, we move to step four, presenting the Truth. Each year, we ensure that the message of the Gospel is presented, and information is provided for those who have heard and want to know more about Jesus Christ."
That's all well and good, but not when it's done with taxpayer money; not when it requires the US government to spend a great deal of money proselytizing for any religious group, using the prestige of the US military to raise money for churches and doubly so in times when the public wants to justify every unnecessary expenditure. In a nation of churchgoers, government financing of revival meetings is more than just unnecessary, it's illegal.
Of course lying to the public to make it seem like the President "disrespects the troops" because of a decision made in accordance with the US constitution, almost a decade ago and under the previous and Republican administration , is in fact necessary to people who write these electronic cruise missiles. Necessary because they have nothing to offer but lies and no hope of being relevant without stirring up anti-American hysteria. Necessary because they need power the way a vampire needs blood and they'll do or say anything to get it including ripping the throat out of America. They need hysterical people and what better way to get them into the fold but to insinuate that Obama hates their religion?
To a rational person the unprecedented tsunami of false witness from the radical right would wash away any pretense to being Christian or to be of any other reputable religion for that matter, but that's where the hysterical irrationality, the gullibility and yes, the intellectual laziness of America comes in and any chance for a free and prosperous future goes out.
If you, like me, ever thought this flood of anti-Obama fear e-mails that inevitably end up in my in-laws' e-mail boxes were not random occurrences, you would be correct:
ReplyDeleteThe FWDing of the Conservative Revolution
Rovian, not random. They're saboteurs working against our country and it's stated purposes and knowing full well that they lie, they can't be differentiated from what they like to call "enemy combatants."
ReplyDeleteI don't recognize America anymore.
ReplyDeleteI'm about ready to give up blogging and go back to my first love, knitting animal-shaped pot holders.
A lot more productive and a lot less stressful.
I know what you mean. I can see me sitting in a rubber room knitting too. Not a pretty thought at all.
ReplyDeleteHey guys, don't get discouraged. That's what the Aristocracy WANTS!
ReplyDeleteRemember, they got the money but we got the numbers. And the internet is a helpful leveler of the playing field. Spamming wackos with hate-Obama-mail may sell a lot of bumper stickers but I doubt it changes any minds; the only people who think that stuff is funny are people who already believe it.
And meanwhile, this younger generation is used to checking up on facts. That's our advantage, let's use it.
And ... of course ... share our own humor too.
"A health insurance CEO went into a bar, and the bartender asked, 'Whaddya have?'
The CEO said, 'Everything you've got!'"
I would take up knitting, but they won't let me have sharp things anymore.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I've trained people not to forward anything to me, ever. It's worth being banned from having pointy sticks, really it is.
Actually knitting might be a comfort after all this crap.
ReplyDeleteNearly everybody is a younger generation to this old man but I have little confidence that the people least likely to buy the bullshit will check anything more than when the next video game or iPhone application will come out.
ReplyDeleteI hope they surprise me and prove me wrong, but it does seem they live in a hermetically sealed capsule.