Lions for Lambs, Defiance, and a look back/forward at Red Dawn

Today, I spent most of my day off work watching some movies.

I watched my Netflix delivery of "Lions for Lambs," starring Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, and a really good cast. I also viewed "Defiance," starring the current "James Bond," Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber, who you might know as "Sabretooth," in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Watchin both movies, with my current events/political radar going as it always is, I came to some interesting ideas and conclusions.

First, in "Lions for Lambs," I do want to congratulate and thank director Robert Redford for doing America a favor, and for doing the right thing. For once, finally, the American soldiers were NOT the bad guys. Much to the dismay of people like Senators John Kerry, Dick Durbin, John Murtha, and Ted [hic] Kennedy, our soldiers were portrayed as honorable, intelligent, brave, decent men. They were not shown as ruthless killers and pillagers, much as the descriptions our 'distinguished' senators have described. So, in all earnest, thank you, Mr. Redford, for not making a mockery of our soldiers like so many other Hollywood movies tend to do.

The movie tended to drag on with a lot of conversation. There were brief stints of military action and a few explosions and f-bombs to wake up the dozing, but overall the movie was a bust. I give Redford credit for seemingly trying to represent all the arguments involving the current War on Terror, including the legendary media personality who really cannot say that they want America to win the war, and is too timid to vocalize the fact they might actually support an American defeat. I really do not recommend the film, however, as it is more of a lecture that accomplishes nothing but offering the sad ending of two of America's bravest dying together on a frozen Afghan mountaintop.

Now, the movie I did enjoy today.

"Defiance," another in the recent trend over the past decade of Holocaust-related movies. The story is very good and very heart wrenching at times. It is based on actual events in Nazi-controlled Poland. The four Bielski brothers lead a group of Jewish refugees to avoid the Nazis and those working for SS. Despite the constant stream of WWII era films, this new story shows how a band of refugees refused to live like the animals the Nazis treated them as, and they tried to live as a free people. The title of the movie, as well as the book from which the film is based, was taken from the group's philosophy of living in defiance of Hitler.

Recently, I heard there is a new film in the works that will be a re-make of the 1980's classic, "Red Dawn." I am interested to see if the movie will be updated to where the American "Wolverines," who fought off the Cubans and Russians when they invaded the United States, fight a similar foe. Depending on the director's backbone, I would like to speculate that the remake will possibly be based in a post-9/11 world with post-9/11 combatants, but Hollywood shudders to acknowledge that the people who hate us and want to kill us just happen to be Arab Muslims. So that remains to be seen. Release date is set for September of 2010, so it will be very interesting if the movie contains Bin Laden associates or not, given the proximity of the date to a very painful date.

However, getting back to point. What is it?, you might ask. "Lions for Lambs" has no bearing on the rest of this blog, I just felt it necessary to point out and appreciate the rare movie that does not put our troops in extremely poor light. The point I am working toward is this. How would the American press, who, by and large, excitedly report any bad news involving the war on terror and the casualties our troops suffer, report the members of the Bielski group, or the Wolverines, today?

Picture Chris Matthews, who readily admitted on national television that Barack Obama gives him tingly feelings up and down his legs, or Keith Olbermann, or Katie Couric, or any of a million other television personalities, I mean TV 'journalists', reporting on the activites of the Bielskis or the Wolverines.

Picture it. Would it be fair? Would it be supportive? I know the answer. The Bielskis and the Wolverines would be portrayed as the problems, the instigators. The Nazis or the Cubans would be put on a pedestal and martyred in the media. The Bielskis and the Wolverines would be openly called terrorists. Media outlets would openly attack any credibility and publicly air all dirty laundry that any person associated with the groups would have. Bloggers for prominent publications would make inferences and outright accusations of indecency and immoral behavior amongst the two gender-mixed groups. They would be talked about as though they were the filth of the Earth. Stories of respect and memoriam would run to honor the fallen Nazi or Cuban/Russian soldiers killed by the groups, meanwhile the casualties suffered by the Bielskis or Wolverines would be talked with an air of "serves 'em right."

Democratic Senators would go on every 'news' show and talk to every print 'journalist' to decry the "antagonistic antics" of the Bielskis or the Wolverines. Those same senators, along with many in the left wing media, would plead with these people to surrender so that peace talks could begin.

Tell me I am wrong. Go ahead. But, before you do, remember this: I am talking about the same senators and media that scowl at Israel for trying to defend itself from Iranian or Palestinian annihilation. These are the same people that find every chance they can to degrade and insult our men and women in the Armed Forces. You think they would do anything less to a group of innocent people defending themselves in the same situations the Bielskis or the Wolverines faced?

With the constant "Let's talk because I am sorry," foreign policy of Barack Obama, Red Dawn could very well become a story based on actual events. How will we treat those fighting when America's ever growing weakness is exploited and the fight is brought home? Will we duck our heads in the sand and ignore it? Will we cower and kowtow to the guns and threats? Or would we fight, and actually put ourselves on the line for others?

Can YOU say it? Moreover...can you MEAN it?

I love America.

I love my country and am proud to be a citizen of this land.

I am proud to be an American.

Now, you say it.

Can you say it? Do you mean it?

Since the 1770's, we have been in a constant struggle to maintain freedom and our Independence. Countless men, women, and children have fought, suffered, and died in the name of freedom.

From the warriors that dug in their heels to push back Cornwallis into the awaiting cannons of the French, to the men and women who gave so much to get our country going in the two World Wars, to the men and women who were attacked and literally spit upon by fellow citizens during the Vietnam conflict, to the men, women and children who died on the battlefields as terrorists took a war ignored for 8 years to an unreal escalation, to the men and women fighting and dying in Afghanistan and Iraq, far too many to name have made sure we can speak freely and not fear a tyrannical government punishing us for our thoughts and beliefs.

American heroes that preserve our freedom are constantly overlooked or, even worse and far more tragic, insulted, berated, spit upon, and called terrorists themselves, sometimes by the same lawmakers that sent them to the conflict for which they are being attacked for going. Then there are these non-Christian groups portraying themselves and God-like Christians, but show no indicative signs of being God-like, who picket, protest, and spew hate and insults towards the men and women lying in flag-draped caskets, as well as their families, saying such 'Christ-like' platitudes like "God hates you!" and "God killed you for a reason!" and "God despises America." (To anyone that knows God, this completely discredits their movement because God, according to what we read and believe in the Bible, does not hate His children, EVER.)

During this extended weekend, in between the fun and the beer and the ribs and burgers; between the cursing the long wait in traffic as you travel this weekend; in between the dodging of certain people you are trying to avoid at your parties; in between the regular rigmarole, take one minute...take just 30 seconds...and say, "I love America. I am proud to be an American."

Try to mean it. Yeah, America is not perfect. Anything created, run and operated by humans will never be perfect. However, America is a truly great nation. Be thankful that you are able to enjoy the freedoms so many have died to ensure for you.

Thank a soldier. Thank a cop. Thank a fire fighter. And, most importantly, thank God.

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA

Fed Up With "Change"

For over a year, during his coronation to the White House, Barack Obama was bulletproof and covered in military-grade Teflon. Nothing hurt him and nothing stuck to him.

He is friends with a white domestic terrorist. It was racist to question that alliance, despite the fact that this terrorist wishes more US buildings (like the family home of a NYC cop) had gone up in smoke. Obama and he worked together on several different community boards. Obama was introduced as the successor to his eventually seat in the State senate in the living room of this terrorist.

No one cared. He talked really well.

His pastor of over 20 years, the man who baptised Obama's children, is a blatant racist and consistently speaks against America. This pastor even sells copies of his Anti-American rants in the very lobby of the church Obama attended for two decades. I think this is a valid concern. I don't want a President that hates America, or even condones a man of faith speaking so hostility toward my nation.

Yet, I am accused of being a racist for asking questions. Obama is the chosen one, how dare I question him!

Obama has close business ties to a convicted criminal now serving jail time. No one cares about this allegiance. I am so full of hate to ask about criminal connections to my President. The nerve it takes for me to doubt the savior of our times.

So, fine, Obama gets elected despite more than half of the living American voting public disagrees with him on everything. (He did get the unanimous dead vote...not to mention 300% of the homeless vote, 115% of the cartoon/Disney/Muppet vote, and the fact that Archie Bunker, Forrest Gump, Frank Sinatra, Jean-Luc Piccard, James T. Kirk, Garth Algar, and Wayne Campbell all voted enthusiastically for Obama, thanks to ACORN's voter registration techniques.)

Within his first two weeks in office, he crams down our throats two unprecedented spending bills, neither of which were read by anyone who was pressured to vote for them. He spent $2 Trillion in 2 weeks without batting an eye. The explanation was we needed stimulation or else we could see 9% or higher unemployment WITHOUT the emergency spending.

The bills passed. And, Obama was right. The massive spending did prevent a 9% unemployment rate. In fact, we are doing so much over and above that prediction. We are well on our way to double digits! And, the "emergency" money won't even be spent for another 18 months.

Let me explain this. You're house is on fire. I tell you that you HAVE to buy this really pricey insurance policy so that I can put out the fire. You HAVE TO buy this expensive fire extinguisher with the plan. You sign. Its an emergency! You give me the blank check. Now, its time to put out the fire! Right? No, not with the Obama administration. I promised to put out the fire, but the fire gets worse. I have the fire extinguishers on order. They were cheaper if I waited a few months. Your house is engulfed in flames, exactly what I promised the insurance policy you just signed without reading would prevent. I tell you that you owe more money to build a water slide in a different state. There are water fountains in California that need new filters. All coming out of your bank account. Your house is in ashes. The government comes and tells you, "Oh, we are so sorry. President Bush set the fire and we just cannot contain it. But hey, this is change you can believe in. Sign this contract to spend another $100K from your account. No no no, there is no time to read it. Oh, and expect your power bills to skyrocket. It is necessary. Oops! I almost forgot. Here is a fine from the EPA. Your house fire caused so much carbon dioxide to be put in the air, you need to pay this fine. Or call Al Gore and buy some of his trees."

That, pretty much, is what is happening. We are being financially raped by Obama. And despite the fact that we have hit the iceberg, the ship is taking on unbelievable amounts of water, and people are jumping overboard, there are still dumb sheep, being led to slaughter, who still support this guy.

All of the Right's worst fears are coming true. Obama owns the auto industry, the banking industry, and is squeezing out the heartbeat of the American economy, small business. Small businesses don't have Unions, and as such, don't contribute to Democrat party coffers, so they can all die slowly. Obama owns the banks, and the banks are refusing to prop up small businesses. He has his sights set firmly on the health care industry. He will destroy it, too.

Obama is destroying America. He is pulling the plug of the life-support machine on the American economy. He is killing our freedom day by day. And there are a lot of Americans that think they are okay with that.

If we don't wake up and realize what is happening, and do something about it in 2010, we could very well be doomed to complete collapse and a complete failure of America. We will be a third world country like North Korea. The upper class Democrats will suppress freedom, liberty, and all the genuinely American ideals to keep in power. You see what is going on in Iran? If we stay complacent and ignore what the government is doing to us, we will someday, within the next generation, face the same fate.

Please, wake up. Please do not let freedom and America die.

Edison, Bell, Ford, and other great American Inventors

Thomas Edison gave us the incandecent light bulb. It took him thousands of attempts and countless hours of work. Not to mention the unending frustration for each passing failure.

Alexander Graham Bell's telephone continues to revolutionize the world's communication systems. His simple call to Mr. Watson all those years ago spawned, for better or for worse, the unending, infinite conversations through voice, text, and data that we are enjoying today.

Henry Ford's assembly line production made automobiles a reality for every American, and billions of people around the world. This simple yet ingenius innovation is the kind of intelligent thought that has allowed growth and prosperity in America.

You know what the most amazing fact about these men is? They all share a common thread, other than being American legends.

All of their work, research, trial and errors, and the unending supply of materials they required came from one source.

With everything needed to create a new product such as the lightbulb or the phone or assembly line production, these men, and so many more of the innovations in America that we enjoy today, so many of those have occurred with the work and dedication of special people.

None of whom needed to be subsidized by the federal government, nor did they need to be mandated by over-reaching legislation to make these advancements.

Bill Gates did not need government to reach in and tell him to make the PC easy to use for everyone.

Doctors who have created life-saving technologies and techniques did not require a government law to force them to do so.

Advancements in American technology and the quality of life in America have NEVER come as a result of government mandates or forced response to power-grabbing law.

Americans work towards better, more efficient lives on a daily basis; not because they are easy or because they are government ordered, but because we are ingenuitive, smart, creative, and most importantly, the free market demands it.

The American free market is the best system for creativity, ingenuity, productivity, and innovation. The free market ushered in the light bulb, the telephone, the television, the PC, the laptop, the cell phone, and the thousands of medical innovations in practice in hospitals across the globe.

The free market determines the cost and profit of innovation. If your innovation is not profitable and costs too much, it will sit on a shelf until someone creates the technology to make that innovation more cost effective.

Government legislation that forces high taxes, fees, and increases in all energy costs upon the average American to force the development of energy efficient products will not work.

You cannot force a naturally occurring event to occur faster because you legislate it to. You cannot write a law that forces innovation. It won't work.

All this clean energy legislation will do is raise energy costs so high that the American people will have to find alternatives to survive. However, the standards by which the government is mandating the energy efficiency of the required innovations are impossible to reach unless there is some miracle intervening invention comes to the forefront. Even Obama's experts say the technology does not exist to create the required efficiency this clean energy act calls for.

The Free Market is the best way to inspire invention and innovation. You cannot mandate it from Washington. You cannot force it upon the average American by raising taxes and costs so extremely that something has to give. It is unfair and immorral. It is the type of taxation that led to the first American revolution...perhaps it will take another.