The Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) would require all U.S. operators of aircraft exceeding 12,500 pounds maximum take-off weight (almost all private aircraft) to implement security programs that would be audited by the TSA. This proposal is absurd and the private aviation lobby groups are up in arms.
Apparently, Kip Hawley has never visited a general aviation airfield. Citizens who use these facilities would be the first to report any suspicious or illegal activity as the activity is likely to affect them directly. All this move accomplishes is more red tape for people to go through to get on an airplane and go somewhere.
The cries of “Papers please, papers!” are slowly getting louder…
After watching Matt Damon bash Alaska Governor and candidate for Vice President, Sarah Palin, my brain had to take a break or it would have short circuited. Watch the video, you will understand.
Before we dive into the non sequitur that are Matt Damon’s comments, let’s get personal politics out of the way. My vote is still undecided, but Ron Paul will probably be my write-in choice. I want a small federal government with a balanced budget, so that knocks the current Republicans and Democrats out of the running for me. How do I come to this conclusion? Simple, look at the history of our country, our government, and the reasons we were founded in the first place. “No taxation without representation” sums it up well.
Now, for the real issue. Matt Damon, an actor, critiques Palin on a few things, but the one that stood out was the issue of dinosaurs and nuclear weapons. Damon stated, “I need to know if she really thinks dinosaurs were here 4,000 years ago. That’s important… I wanna know that, I really do. Because she’s gonna have the nuclear codes.” What? How is there any kind of correlation between her personal beliefs on evolution and nuclear weapons politics? Is he implying that he believes Palin thinks dinosaurs are still around and she is going to nuke them? At the very least, Damon’s comment is a logical fallacy and completely unnecessary. The truth is, it does not matter what her beliefs are regarding when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, what matters is her understanding of foreign politics and the issues at hand in this country. If personal beliefs are so important to the left, then Obama’s association with Reverend Jeremiah Wright and William Ayers should be just as important. If there is a correlation between dinosaurs and nuclear weapons as Damon suggests, then there has to be a correlation between the black liberation movement and nuclear weapons or at least the Weathermen and nuclear weapons. The latter actually blew things up.
To be honest, I do not know why I am getting so worked up over this, it does not matter, people are so engrained in their idea of what is normal and acceptable that Damon’s words are simply more fuel for a fire that has been burning for a while. The idea that there are correct and incorrect ideas is fine, but the notion that someone’s beliefs make them crazy and unacceptable are outside the bounds of what we tell ourselves we stand for. The side that touts equality and rights for all bashes others for what they believe, and imposes their own “correct” beliefs. If similar accusations were made toward a Muslim running for President, something like “I need to know if he really thinks 72 virgins is the reward in heaven. That’s important… I wanna know that, I really do. Because he’s gonna have the nuclear codes.” there would be an absolute uproar in this country. Neither the Palin attack by Damon, nor the statement about virgins is appropriate or even relevant to the issue of who is going to lead America, if they were then the whole ideal of our nation being a melting pot would vanish, leaving behind a dusty, dirty mess.
The best we can do is ignore people like Damon when it comes to politics and focus on what he does well, movies. Now step away from YouTube and watch the Bourne Identity one more time. I’ll try to tackle the market issues in my next post.
64 years ago today Allied forces began the largest invasion the world had ever seen. Their mission was to break the beachhead and establish a foothold on the European continent. They succeeded.
My Fellow Americans:
Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.
And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:
Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.
Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest — until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.
Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
And for us at home — fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them — help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
Give us strength, too — strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.
And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keeness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment — let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace — a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
Listening to chatter around the office and hearing “Neocon” repeated more than 20 times in a five minute span does more than annoy me, it proves to me that people take what they hear on the news and repeat it like parrots.
Me, being a straight shooting moderate conservative (who doesn’t necessarily share the same views of the entire party), has a responsibility to point a few things out.
Neoconservatism has nothing to do with military aggression – This misconception leads people to believe that the first Bush’s pulling out of Iraq during the Gulf War was a bad idea. That is completely false. Bush’s policy of not pursuing the war and driving into Baghdad had more to do with trying to keep the stable nature in a trying climate. There was, in my mind, a moral obligation to stay as we had promised the Kurds protection and in the end they were rounded up and killed because of our reneging.
Being conservative does not equate to neoconservatism – People can be conservative without being neoconservative, they are not the same. Please stop grouping them together.
Sorry for the rant, I just hear these things at work and my eyes roll back in my head because my brain cannot take it.
