Ignorance is bliss? May be...

My Mother-in-Law often observes the world is a terrible place and getting worse all the time. I don't agree with her. People are people wherever they are, whenever they lived. The difference the constant bombardment of information. Since the invention of the telegraph allowed news to travel great distances almost instantaneously, information has gone from a sprinkle, to a shower, to the deluge we "enjoy" today. One hundred years ago, life was bad enough right where you were. You didn't want to share everyone else's troubles. Your own were sufficient.

Are we better off flailing around in an indiscriminate information ocean? (I don't exclude this blog.)

I refused to look at news on TV or listen to talk radio the last four days. The closest I came to breaking over was walking thru the livingroom when my Dad switched over to Fox News. It took a lot of willpower, but I just walked by into the kitchen without stopping. (the desserts on the counter didn't have a thing to do with it. It was willpower, I tell you!!)

What did I miss in those four days? Celebrity trials, celebrity plane crashes, celebrity births, knifings in the midwest, abandoned baby in Arizona, missing children, murder # xxx in New York, Dems trying to figure out the election, pundits telling everyone the painfully obvious or ridiculously obscure, Republicans grandstanding... I could certainly go on and on. And by the way, if you think I cheated and looked back at the news, you're wrong. All these just swam from the murky water between my ears right onto the blog. I didn't even listen to Bill Bennett this morning or Hugh Hewitt this evening. Hey, that makes it five days. Well, I'll admit I did look at RealClearPolitics.com this afternoon.

Will Rogers was often quoted saying, "All I know is what I read in the papers." Would we be better off it that was all the information we had? I don't think so, particularly if all one read was our local liberal rag. But, it would be more manageable, easier to assimilate and actually has some potential value to us locally. Maybe that is what attracts many people to blogs. Bite-sized bits of information about things they really care about in one spot, with links if they want them.

Maybe the day will come when we can really customize the news we want to see, and can filter out all the junk that shouldn't have been reported more than 50 miles from where it occured. I'm not saying that less news will make us happy. I'm just saying it might make us less sad.
GBW

'Scuse me whilst I drag my knuckles...

If the Left was as open-minded, tolerant, and caring as they claim to be, this excellent article by Bernard Moon wouldn't be necessary.

Course, us Neanderthals ain't got no reel idee whut the reel smart peepul in the city thank about up thair in thur ivuree tairs. Brung 'em on up ta Red cuntry. Weel shoot 'em, skin 'em and eat 'em fer dinnr.
GBW

Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation 1863

Washington, DC—October 3, 1863

The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well as the iron and coal as of our precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the imposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purpose, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity, and union.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Abraham Lincoln

Done at the city of Washington, this 3d day of October, A.D. 1863, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.

There's a new blog in town.

Cardinal Coalition is a new cooperative blog started by GotDesign. I'm very pleased to be able to participate. SWFw/Attitude is also posting there, and I expect others may join in as time goes by.

Cardinal Coalition was recognized on Hugh Hewitt's blog after his live broadcast Friday evening from the Frazier Historical Arms Museum. Congrats to the local bloggers who were able to speak to Hugh last evening and received an on-air mention. I must admit I'm a bit envious, as I was unable to attend the event. I have every intention of making the next one a priority.

So, I recommend Cardinal Coalition for your consideration as well as the other fine blogs listed in my blogroll. Remember, we want to hear from you, too. Leave a comment.
GBW

I really haven't abandoned my blog!

I have been unable to post since last Thursday. All I get are errors. My posts via email never make it, either.
I'm keeping this one simple in hopes it doesn't disappear into LaLa Land like the last several I have tried
GBW

Mandate, shmandate, we're WINNERS!!

Does anyone really think that the Democrats wouldn't be acting as though they had a mandate if the results had been reversed? Does anyone really think the Democrats would be talking about the 56 million people who would have voted against them? Does anyone really think that even if they didn't talk about a mandate the Democrats wouldn't be pushing the Liberal agenda down our throats?

Remember, we're stupid. We don't have the sense to get in out of the rain unless talk radio tells us to.

Remember, we're bigoted. We have to be shown the way to sexual and racial enlightenment.

Remember, we live in an outdated past. We have to be dragged into the 21st Century, away from the "Dark Age" morality we espouse.

Remember, it's for our own good.

Liberals reading this would shout, 'YES, HE GETS IT!!"

But.

Remember. Bush won. We picked up 4 seats in the Senate. Four. And four more seats in the House.

It's about time we quit talking and started acting like winners. Remember?

Veterans Day

When the Tree of Liberty is "freshened with the blood of patriots and tyrants," the men and women who serve in our armed forces carry the brunt of the cost. I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who have served, and currently serve in any capacity in our armed forces.

The greatness of our country is due in greatest part to the sacrifice of those who placed themselves in harm's way for our sake, who were not afraid to say, "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day so that my child may have peace."

If you are a veteran, or currently serving in the armed forces, please accept my sincere gratitude for your service and sacrifice.

If you are not a veteran, please make the time today to thank someone for their service.

Hut, two, three, four...

In my youth I spent a number of years in marching bands, both in high school and college. If you've ever watched a marching band, I'm sure you've noticed that all the members are in step. At least, they're supposed to be.
When a member is out-of-step, it's usually pretty obvious to observers. The person marching sometimes takes a while to figure it out, but when they do, they hop and skip for a moment until they get back into rhythm.

Kind of reminds me of the hopping and skipping I'm seeing from some Democrats in print who are trying to figure out how to get back in step with the center. However, a very large portion of the Left hasn't figured it out yet. They still think the center and right are the ones out of step, kind of like the dad who remarked to a bystander, "Look at that, everyone in the band is out of step except my son!"

Like that poor dad, I don't think they'll ever figure it out.

Great turnout??????

Fantastic turnout! How do you figure?

Compared to last time! So?

About 72% of registered voters went to the polls. Exciting until you flip it and and realize 28% stayed home. About 43 million registered voters stayed home! Plus the tens of millions who aren't registered but are otherwise eligible to vote?

GOTV has a long way to go on all sides.

The next challenge: the under-30 vote

Looking at the demographics of who voted for who across the country, it seems to me the Republican Party's next great electoral challenge is the under-30 voter. This must be a grassroots effort. Personal relationships with younger voters is the only way to make any headway here. Conservatives who are passionate about their values must share them in a passionate, logical, reasonable way. We must become the party of persuasion to this age group.

The younger we reach them, the better. Democrats have an advantage that is not easily overcome. By the time students have completed their "Liberal Arts" education, too many have become too thouroughly indoctrinated with the Liberal Agenda. According to Michael Barone's comments last evening on Fox, voters with advanced degrees are overwhelmingly Democrat. Contrary to Liberal elitist tenets, it isn't because smart people are naturally Liberal. (or that Liberals are naturally smart)

Polls are saying Bush won every age group except the under-30 folks. True, a large portion of the age group doesn't seem to interested in voting, but I have to believe that the passion we saw from the Right in this election, passed on to passionate, committed younger voters, would translate into large gains for the Republican Party in years to come.

So, each one, mentor one. Find a younger voter with whom you have some personal credibility and let them in on your side of the issues. Treat them like adults. Don't talk down to them or make proclamations from On High. Persuade them with the truth.

Friends, it's time to enlarge the Base. Will you do your share to grow it?

"...we esteem too lightly."

"...we esteem too lightly."
(See the full quote on the previous post.)

Somewhere between 40-50 million people who are otherwise eligible to participate in the upcoming election are not even registered to vote. Some may decide upon arising from their slumber this morning, that it is a good day to vote. Some may even avail themselves of the provisional vote now allowed under Federal law. But by and large, most of them will go about their normal day. On Wednesday, when they find out who won, they will rejoice or complain about the results, but will have no hand in determining them.

It is shameful.

When I hear someone complaining about an elected official, I am compelled to ask, "Did you vote last election?" An affirmative response keeps my attention. A negative response usually sidetracks the conversation into a discussion of why I should listen to the opinions of a person who does not participate in the process that produced the official about whom they are complaining.

You may say, "Why, GBW, that person has as much right to an opinion as you do!" Sure they do, but I don't have to listen to it.

It isn't rocket science. Even if you can't read, you can get assistance filling out a voter registration card. Twice a year, at most, you go to the polls (assistance is available there, too), flip a few levers, fill in a few circles, or whatever your ballot system requires. Why is this so difficult for so many people?

In my last post, I wrote, "...a substantial portion of our people, uneducated in the history and foundation of our country, desiring only what is easy and without personal effort or cost, no longer have the desire or will to work for what they want." Have too many become too soft, too dependent? Have the costs paid by so many brave men an women in lonely places all around the world lost any meaning? Are our wars to small to stir the patriotism and citizenship of the population at large? Do so many care so little because it has cost them so little?

I wonder how many members of the families who lost loved ones Sept. 11th will not vote today? I wonder how many members of families who have loved ones in harm's way in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Balkans will fail to cast their vote? How many men and women serving our country in uniform don't care enough to participate in the governance of the country they protect? I expect most of them will find a way to make it to the polls.

They've paid the price. They know what is at stake.

I hope the poll count proves me wrong today, but too many have obtained too much, "too cheap," and will disenfranchise themselves for petty reasons at best, ignoring the cost paid by others and having no appreciation for it.

Please vote. It is your right. It is your duty.

God bless the United States of America.