"A Hamas spokesmen responded publicly with hysteria (about the Israeli action). "This is a revolution against human and democratic values," Hamas spokesman Mushir Al-Masri told Al-Jazeera. "This is an international crime and an open declaration of war against the Palestinian nation [sic]... The international community must speak out. Where are the Arab and Moslem countries? The arrrest of the ministers and legislators is not just a blow agains the Palestinian Authority, but against the sovereignty of the parliaments and governments of all the Arab, Moslem and free nations.""

Well, it's very obvious that Hamas is a victim. I mean, all they did was attack an Israeli tank crew of four, killing two, and seriously wounding another, then kidnapped an Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit. Oh, and there's that matter of the daily kassam missiles being sent into Israel from Gaza.

And then there's France. They've condemned the arrests of the Hamas leaders. Naturally. They're probably supplying the kassam missiles. Did I mention that Gilad Shalit is a french citizen?

They should feel grateful that Israel has shown the restraint that it has.

"No WMD's in Iraq!"

I don't kow about you, but I get really tired of hearing talking heads exclaiming the there were "No WMD's in Iraq!"

This is a blatantly false statement, whether they know it or not. But what if they did know it? I suspect that this misinformation is more about establishing or retaining a following than providing the truth.

After all, it's always easier to accept and believe what you want to, regardless of the facts.

Read this FAX about the WMD's (you'll need Adobe reader).

"We will rule the nations"

“We will rule the nations, by Allah’s will, the USA will be conquered, Israel will be conquered, Rome and Britain will be conquered…” pronounces a reclining Ghalban in the video, promising to “crush the Jews and expel them from our country Palestine.” He adds, “Just as the Jews ran from Gaza, the Americans will run from Iraq and Afghanistan…"

"The video was produced by the Al-Qassam Brigades terrorist group, the military wing of Hamas. In addition to the Hamas clip, a video from the Al-Qaeda international terrorist organization is posted on the PMW site, featuring pictures of dead and injured American soldiers with English-language captions, including “They Are Coming.”"

The U.S. Senate voted on Friday to block aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority, even as the European Union announced it would provide more than $100 million in aid to PA Arabs.

Watch for senators to start back-pedaling on their votes for this blockage of support. They're a wishy-washy bunch. As for the EU....well, what would you expect?

"Frog in the pot" freedom

We've all heard the parable about the frog that's placed in a pot of cold water, and then the water temperature is slowly raised, so that the frog doesn't notice - until it's too late, and then he's cooked.

So it is with our freedom. Our fore-fathers enjoyed freedoms that we know nothing about today. Our grandparents did too. And our parents. But with each generation, some freedom was lost, but since the new generation never had that freedom, they have no basis for comparison, and therefore no reason to complain.

Consider the income tax. The United States didn't collect an income tax until 1862, in order to finance the Civil War. The civil war came about mainly because each state was considered sovereign, while agreeing to be a part of a united group of states. This sovereignty was slowly being challenged in the slavery arena, over a period of years. The "northern" states were passing laws against slavery, which allowed for the freedom of escaped slaves in their territory, while the southern states contested the legality of this based on the constitution.

The slow process of passing laws which opposed the constitution was gradually accepted by the people, and those that didn't accept it, the southern states, were forced to accept it. The issue over slavery was a sign to the South Carolinians that if this could be taken from them, then eventually their sovereignty could be taken altogether (See "December 24, 1860 South Carolina "Causes of Secession" document").

I'm not advocating slavery, I'm only using this as an example. So how much freedom has been taken from us over the years by our ignorance? I can't say for sure, but you only have to look at what the government; local, county, state, and federal, have control over.

They can dictate how businesses will run, they control how and where your home is built - on your property. Try to add on to your home, and you'll find that the government has it's hands in that, too. You must have their permission. If you own land, and someone wants to put a mall on it, or a housing complex, all they have to do is work with the city, and the city government can condemn your property, then take it away from you. The city of Keizer, OR. did just that.

How much freedom will you see disappear by the time the next generation comes along?

Just like water heating up slowly......

At Odds: The Media, and Reality

The Media:
Reuters, June 10th, 2006
"...five family members were among seven Palestinians who died when an explosion tore through the beach in northern Gaza on Friday as Israeli artillery shelled the coastal area used by militants to fire rockets into Israel. ....Armed militants, firing in the air, vowed revenge."We will kill 10 Jews for every one of the Ghalya family martyrs," one gunmen shouted through a loudspeaker."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(June 13, 2006) The Reality:
"Despite hasty condemnation of Israel, IDF finds that the Arab family decimated on a Gaza beach was not hit by IDF artillery. The only other option: A Hamas mine placed there against Israel.

According to the findings, shrapnel taken from two wounded Palestinians who were evacuated to Israeli hospitals showed that the explosives were not made in Israel, the officials said.
In addition, the last Israeli shell fired toward Palestinian rocket launchers who operate in the area was seven minutes before the blast and landed 250 metres away from the scene, the officials said.
Also, after the blast, Israeli military viewed Hamas militants collecting the shrapnel from the area, in an apparent effort to prevent authorities from revealing that the explosion was caused by explosives it had laid, the officials said."

A short comment on politicians.....

I just wanted to make a short political statement......

Just as Massachusetts has Ted Kennedy, so New York has Hillary Clinton.

You can make your own decision on this paradigm.

PA - Our Friends?

The picture to the left is from the Hamas Weekly, a publication from Gaza. It depicts a Palestinian boy urinating on the Statue of Liberty, specifically the book she's holding, which is titled "Democracy."

Of course, this isn't the only such cartoon they've carried. Check out http://www.pmw.org.il/ for others.

What's interesting here, is if this picture depicted a young American boy urinating on the quran, there would be world-wide protests.

So, you have to ask yourself, is this government trying to be our friend, or is the U. S. on it's list with Israel to be destroyed from existence? The U. S. must remain strong in it's resolve to fight terrorism.

The U. S. must remain a strong ally of Israel. Israel is a sovereign nation, and should not be dividing it's country up to terrorists, or subjugating itself to others. The U. S. should not condone this divvying up of Israel.

Israel has made three agreements to work with these people, the Oslo Agreement, an agreement in 1993 with Yasser Arafat, and the Gaza withdrawal. Every time Israel is the one that has had to make concessions. All the PA wants to do is continue to cause problems, like a spoiled child that keeps stamping it's foot until it gets what it wants. And they will continue to do this as long as they can get away with it, as long as they have sympathizers.

Or at least until Christ returns.......

http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110008442