Recent revelations have not done much to give us confidence in the security our government is providing to our country. We have been told that over the Fourth of July weekend, various high level government sites suffered denial of service attacks by what may well have been the North Koreans. We have not heard much of the other, more dangerous attempts to hack into our so-called secure data. Then GAO officials testified in a Senate hearing that their agents managed to penetrate ten secure government office buildings with bomb components, assemble them and wander through various parts of the building. The high point of the report was a picture of a security guard asleep at his post.

These news stories make one wonder if our government can even protect itself, let alone the people of this country. President Obama just commented that “The future does not belong to those who gather armies on a field of battle or bury missiles in the ground.” His contempt for the value of our military is obvious and he apparently does not take external threats seriously. Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama apparently believes the silver tongue that won over American voters will work its magic on those who hate everything this country used to stand for and sooth their savage souls. He certainly seems to be heading down the road of unilateral disarmament... which is nice in theory, but presents huge risks to those without access to the presidential bunker.

Where he and his administration are paying attention is to the domestic unrest that is building through out the land. The Department of Homeland Security* is looking at gun rights advocates, pro-lifers, constitution advocates, states rights supporters, even evangelical Christians as possible threats to the Obama regime. These threats ARE being taken seriously. The MIAC* report confirmed this as do numerous corresponding state reports*. These citizens expressing our traditional American values are ranked right up there with white supremacist skinheads and head bangers.

Sure there is some attention to the groups like al Qaeda, Hamas and the like but far under the proportion of their threat. Little attention is paid to La Raza which openly wants to reclaim the southwest US for Mexico. Political agendas are hard to hide.

When we look at this distrust of American citizens unhappy with the administration and the direction it is taking the country along with some of the anti-gun and anti-dissent pronouncements of some of its officials we see some cause for alarm.

The 29 Palms survey showed that some of our fighting men were willing to serve under the UN banner and some were even willing to fire on US citizens who refused to have their fire arms confiscated, they were a small enough number to render such plans ineffective. Our military is full of fine young men and women who take an oath to defend our constitution and protect the American people.

This year, the National Level Exercise 2009 (NLE 09)**, is concentrating on “terrorism prevention and protection, as opposed to incident response and recovery” and includes “participation of Australia, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom”. It is true that foreign troops have been trained in the US for many years, but never in the numbers anticipated and never for the suppression of anticipated acts of terrorism.

Some might say that our own capabilities have slipped as evidenced by the examples cited at the beginning. I find it hard to believe that the American military has fallen so far that we need foreign soldiers to protect us. Others take it all at face value... that these soldiers are merely being trained to return home and do their job. Yet others are concerned that foreign troops would not share our own soldiers hesitancy to use the force necessary to control angry mobs of American people.

I don't know what the answer is, but from what I've seen in the brief history of this administration, we need to continue to watch closely what people do, not what they say. We need to do what we can to minimize the potential for unnecessary violent conflict, and we need to pray that our leaders will govern with wisdom from above and a fear of the Lord.

* These documents and others can be found at http://www.politicalchristian.org/documents.html

** The full FEMA report can be found at http://www.fema.gov/media/fact_sheets/nle09.shtm

Way too early on the morning of July 4, I rode into our nations capitol with a bus load of patriots from Chester VA. As we passed the Pentagon and followed the Southwest Freeway across the bridge into Washingon DC, passing the Jefferson Memorial, I heard a comment that it used to be exciting coming into the city and visit the famous landmarks, but now it was depressing. It seems the government buildings and the city itself no longer represented the beacon of freedom we heard about as we grew up, but had become a symbol of oppression and a drain on the American people.

Several thousand people from all over the country gathered in Upper Senate Park in the shadow of the halls of congress. Speakers came from all over he country as well and said some mighty fine things. However, what they said was not nearly as important as the fact that we were standing together on a beautiful summer day, within stones throw of the Capitol (to my knowledge no physical stones were thrown), meeting new friends, fellow patriots, from about twenty to twenty five different states.

We had a great time encouraging each other and just enjoying the company of people who love their country. I'm sure this was the case at every other party around America the Beautiful. I'm sure everyone left inspired by new ideas and with a fresh enthusiasm to continue the fight to preserve our country.

The test of the experience will be rolling out of bed Monday morning, Tuesday morning and every other day that follows. We have our daily lives, most of them so full of stuff that it is easy to forget the big picture of what needs to be done. Work is certainly important. Families are important. Our church and communities are important as well.

It's easy to loose sight of the big picture – the big problems facing our country when we have twenty minutes to get dinner together before Billy's Little League Game, Mary's dance lesson or a church committee meeting. It's easy to believe what many tell us: that one person can't make much of a difference or that someone else will take care of the problem... or that the problems just cannot be solved.

Lies, they are all lies, every one of them! Let's start with the first one... that you can't make a difference. If you attended any of the tea parties, you were with any where from several hundred to several thousand people who believe pretty much the same things you believe. You are not alone! Samuel Adams told us, "It does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men."

Someone else may NOT fix the problem. Would you be willing to bet the future of your children and grandchildren on the actions of someone else you may neither know nor influence? As I've said before, to all your friends, neighbors and acquaintances, you ARE someone else. If you can look in the mirror and tell yourself that you are willing to let the future of this great country up to the the actions and dedication of other people, perhaps this fight is not for you. The fact that you are reading this, gives me optimism that this is not the case.

As far as problems not being solvable... we are Americans! Our fathers and grandfathers chased tyrants from Europe and Japan. Our scientists and engineers made it possible for men to walk on the moon. Our medical system is finding cures for diseases that used to kill millions. When the naysayers tell us that problems cannot be solved, all we hear is that we have problems and have just not found the solution yet.

Even if you did not get to participate in this July Forth outpouring of support for our country, take heart because of those who did. There are millions of us and we will only be denied if we loose heart and permit it. Of course we're in for some rocky roads ahead, but consider the colonists taking on the strongest economic and military power of their time... and they won! But not without cost. If we persist, if we don't loose heart, if we hang together, we will win too.

Remember what Winston Churchill told the Harrow School in October of 1941, an extremely bleak time in British history with the blitz going on at home and the advancing German army abroad, “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” Good advice then, and good advice now.



See what others say about about defending your freedoms at http://www.politicalchristian.org/quotes.html .

Sure the people of California voted on the issue... TWICE! From the left coast even. And yet, the issue is not settled. The courts are still sticking their nose into the peoples business one more time, looking for ways to impose their will on the fruits, nuts and flakes along our western coast. Fortunately there are people who are able and willing to stand in the gap and defend what is right against against the best the secular humanists have to throw at them.

San Francisco, CA – Today Liberty Counsel is filing a motion to intervene in the recent lawsuit against California’s Marriage Amendment (Prop 8). Attorney David Boies and former Solicitor General Ted Olson filed a federal lawsuit against California’s marriage amendment, claiming that it violates the U.S. Constitution. Liberty Counsel is representing the Campaign for California Families (Campaign).

Shortly after the amendment passed in November, three lawsuits were filed at the California Supreme Court by same-sex marriage advocates, also claiming that Prop 8 violates the state constitution. In May, the California Supreme Court upheld Prop 8, affirming the constitutional amendment that defines marriage as only the union of one man and one woman. This new lawsuit now claims that the marriage amendment violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Liberty Counsel has represented the Campaign in the defense of marriage in California for more than five years, arguing at the state trial and appellate court and the California Supreme Court. Liberty Counsel also represented the Campaign as Intervenor and argued in federal district and appellate courts in defense of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. The federal courts threw out the challenge to the federal DOMA. Now California marriage laws are again under attack. Since Attorney General Jerry Brown is not likely to vigorously defend California’s marriage laws, Liberty Counsel has requested to once again intervene on behalf of the Campaign to defend the marriage amendment.

Mathew D. Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, commented: “The battle for marriage continues in California. Redefining marriage to include same-sex unions would undermine marriage and the family and would have significant negative social consequences. The United States Supreme Court has previously hinted that the U.S. Constitution does not grant a right for same-sex couples to marry. Common sense and a quick read of the Constitution say there is no such right to same-sex marriage.”

# # #

Liberty Counsel is one of several groups of attorneys gathered to help people stand against an overreaching government. Two others that come to mind are The Rutherford Institute and the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

My wife and I depended heavily on the helpful advice we received from ACLJ when we battled the local school district and their affinity for a local group called the Richmond Organization for Sexual Minority Youth... and we won! The point of all this is that we will most likely be facing ever increasing challenges from a government that neither shares nor respects the values that made this country great.

These people are here to help us fight the good fight. While we are never alone when we are doing the right thing, having the advice and help of any of these organizations may make all the difference in the world. Don't be afraid to contact them and don't just sit on the sidelines when you see something is wrong. Just remember: the harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” So says one of the most important documents in the history of the United States of America: the Declaration of Independence. The realization of these rights was the whole point of the bloody struggle to break free from the control of the British crown that saw itself as the originator and dispenser of rights to the people, both at home and in the colonies.

The signers of this document pledged “our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” to establishing a government in the new land where these rights to life, liberty and so much more were recognized. Once free of the oppressive monarch, they set about to create a system where the people were the ultimate authority and government answered to its employers: the citizens.

They laboriously created a constitutional plan where three branches were supposed to balance each other so no one reigned supreme. They did this by limiting the reach of the legislative, executive and judicial branches to restrain dictatorial rule. So concerned were some of the leaders immediately following the presentation of the document that it did not sufficiently restrain the power of the central government that its ratification by all the states could not have been accomplished without the promise of additional guarantees of individual freedoms and restraints on governmental power. Hence the first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, quickly followed acceptance of the original document.

Many today believe they have the rights of free speech, religion, personal protection through firearms because of these amendments. In reality, every human being has these rights, because they were bought into being by a loving creator who wants to see each one of us live and prosper to the best of our abilities. Then why was it necessary to codify them in the constitution? The answer is the same as for any other provision of the constitution, and that is so the government would recognize the limits of its power.

If we were to take the approach that the piece of paper granted us these rights, we would be in the precarious position of leaving them up to what ever men, legislative body or judiciary panel would decide to give us. This would return us to the plight of the colonists under King George. Our creator created us to be free and governments that fail to recognize these rights are operating in violation of what the founding fathers called “natural law”, which was the law that was self evident to anyone with the Christian background of these men.

Why is this important? If these rights are unalienable as our founders believed, they are existent apart from any decree from DC. On the other hand, if they come from men, they can be taken away by men. We then have no recourse if these men (or women) decide that we have few or none of the rights laid out by our forefathers. Worse yet, by doing this, we move from being citizens in charge of our government to being its subjects.

This is the price the secular humanists are willing to pay to eliminate the Christian influence from our great country. Their fear of the absolute moral teaching coming from the Word of God leads them to accept enslavement to whims of leaders, ultimately a much more heavy handed control, but without the moral measurement of the ten commandments.

This is the underlying basis of the entire culture war in our country... but it isn't really cultural, it is spiritual.

We conservatives and libertarians tend to keep to ourselves and have a desire to just be left alone. This thinking has usually worked well for us, but over the past years we have seen all kinds of crazy protests instigated by unions, homosexuals, ACORN... even illegal aliens have had the gall to prance through our streets demanding access to the public purse. Often these are the only voices coming through. Even setting aside the media bias, they are the only voices being raised.

Our political representatives often respond to public pressure when it does not conflict with contributor interests, and up to now, most of the pressure has been coming from those using one hand to hold a picket sign and the other to reach out to scoop up more goodies from the public trough. While most of us have been working to get money to pay our taxes, they have been whining and looking for to ways to take hold of more of this money for themselves. We have abdicated our responsibility to speak up and have left the playing field to the to the avaricious mob. We lost by default!

Does this mean that we can't get the word out? Definitely not! Sure it is one more thing to squeeze into your schedule and mine, but I have found that there is always time for things we see as most important. The issue then becomes recognizing the damage that is being done to our country and making a priority to stop it.

Now is the time... no, it is past time for us to overcome some of our natural tendencies to live quietly by ourselves. Although it's not really in our nature, we must band together and speak up, not just individually, but publicly as a body of citizens. There are enough of us to make a difference. Our problem is that we are busy working, spending time with our families, helping to make our community better and all sorts of other productive activities. Our opponents tend not to have so many of these demands on their time... they often don't have such a rough time fitting self-serving public protest into their schedules.

Tonight, was the first I took part in such a protest in close to twenty years... the last being way back in New Jersey when we gathered around an inappropriately located adult bookstore in the pouring rain... and made the front page of the Star Ledger.

About two hundred of us gathered outside our local ABC affiliate to protest the ObamaCare infomercial they were running. This was not a normal event for most of us but it was refreshing to spend the evening with many who had not been too involved in the past, but have been awaken from their slumber by the outrageous changes being inflicted upon our land.

We made new acquaintances, renewed old ones and found many people with whom we share a lot more in common than we would have ever thought. The first lesson learned was the WE ARE NOT ALONE! If you are concerned about your country, you are not alone either.

It doesn't matter if there are ten of you coming together or a thousand. There is a fellowship among those who cherish their liberty and are willing to take a stand for it. With the tea parties and patriot groups, combined with our government's encroachment on so many areas of our lives, there will be many more opportunities to make your voice heard. It's well worth working it into your busy schedule. Keep in mind that the most meaningful things we do are things that reach beyond ourselves and contribute to the greatness of our country and the welfare of our neighbors.

Four hundred Pace High School students in Santa Rosa County FL defied the bullies from ACLU by standing and reciting the Lord’s Prayer during their graduation ceremony on June 4. The Anti-Christian Liberties Union got worked up into a tizzy when days before, the principal had the audacity to permit a blessing at a dinner function. This should not be, they warned the school. Food must be eaten unblessed. In demanding the school censor any student religious expression, they created a situation where no student was permitted to have any part in the program.

Benjamin Stevenson, an attorney for the ACLU whined, “Our feeling is that it’s regrettable that the students took over the ceremony to impose their religious views on the audience who may not have shared the same religious views. School officials have a responsibility to protect the silently held religious views of others.”

Translated, this means that imposing the secular religion must be done at the expense of those who chose to recognize God in public. I would venture to say that Mr. Stevenson, Esq. Would have been smacked senseless by most any of our founding fathers who saw recognition of our creator and protector as a necessary part of public life.

By sticking together and holding to their values, these young people, many of whom even sported crosses on their caps, made the point that they were free people… freely exercising their rights to free speech and free exercise of their religion. There are a few lessons that can be learned from this student rebellion.

The first lesson is to stick together. Individually, any of them may have gotten into trouble, missed receiving their diploma or whatever the vindictive would-be masters should decide to inflict on them. Benjamin Franklin understood this when he said, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” There is safety in numbers, but there is also the multiplier that is recognized as far back as the book of Deuteronomy where it says, “one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight,”

The second lesson is that often the power of those seeking to control us exists more in our own minds rather than in reality, Sure there are times when we can be faced with billy clubs and handcuffs, but often the bullies have nothing more than hot air. Push back and they frequently turn tail and run, yelping all the way.

The third lesson we see is that the control hungry statist types believe in rule from above by the elites who know better than anyone else what should be done. This shows they have no understanding of the beauty of the US constitution where the power rests, not with the government, but with the people… who then assign some of it to the government to accomplish needed tasks. They do not understand that any official, the principal included, works for the people and is subject to the direction of his employer. Most in DC have forgotten this as well, but as Bob Dylan sang years ago, “Times, they are a changin’”, this time for the good.

As time goes by, and issues become more serious and the desire to control us becomes more intense, we may be called upon to face more intense harassment or arrest, like the protesters recently objecting to a commencement speech by a pro-abortion president at Notre Dame. By hanging together everyone gains extra courage and resolve.

Restrictions on prayer are just the tip of the iceberg that we see coming toward us. These kids got the idea… stand up for what you believe. Otherwise you become just another one of the sheeple that Ted Nugent talks about. For those content to live a life where they are told to jump, and then told how high to jump, none of this will make any sense. However, for those of us with a strong sense of right and wrong, we must agree with James Madison when told us, “Resistance to tyranny is service to God.” It’s also service to our fellow man.

The death of George Tiller was all over the media eager to show the hypocrisy of the pro-life movement. The same media that tells us that Islamic terrorists are aberrations wants to paint all of us who value the lives of the unborn with the same brush of violence. Most responsible groups have condemned this action saying the taking of human life is always wrong.

The sixth commandment tells us the “Thou shalt not kill.” Dr. Tiller was breaking this commandment every time he put on the garb of a healer and ended the life of an innocent creation of God. The question of whether it was the right thing to do has and will be discussed ad nauseum. On one hand, one has to look at the potential lives that would be saved by stopping this man’s work. On the other hand we have Deuteronomy 32:35 (NIV) which says, “It is mine to avenge I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.”

It is clear we are not to seek to inflict justice upon unjust humanity. That is not our job. We may feel offended by the actions of others, but it is really God whose plan for life is being rejected. The offense to Him is far greater than anything our sensibilities may feel since He is the one who created the tiny beating heart.

Taking a life to save an innocent is something we have to look at as this has been an accepted practice when a police sniper will sometimes take out an armed madman holding a school full of children hostage. Hardly any one quibbles with this action. Moses even killed the Egyptian while protecting a fellow Israelite. These cases both involve immanent danger to someone, and it could even be danger to one’s self that would justify a violent, lethal response.

The death of Dr. Tiller represented no such situation. However, considering the thousands of lives snuffed out at his abortion mills, some might argue that it was more of a strategic move than a tactical one. Most of us would have fully supported the assassination of Adolf Hitler as a means of ending World War II and in the process, saving many thousand innocent lives. The same could, and has been, argued in Tiller’s case.

But Dr. Tiller was just a symptom of the problem plaguing our country. Our country where the power of the government is loaned to it by the people… but where courts have become our masters, making laws no legislature would consider. And we permit it! Tiller was working within the legal framework we permitted to exist.

Classic liberal theoretician, Frederic Bastiat, wrote “The safest way to make laws respected is to make them respectable. When law and morality contradict each other, the citizen has the cruel alternative of either losing his moral sense or losing his respect for the law. These two evils are of equal consequence, and it would be difficult for a person to choose between them.” Unfortunately, this is the situation we find ourselves in today.

While Dr. Tiller’s demise set the talking heads all abuzz, just two days later, Pvt. William Long was gunned down outside a Little Rock recruiting center by a radical Islamic convert named Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad who is reported to have traveled to Yeman on a Somali passport for indoctrination and training. It will be interesting to watch this play out to see if the real terrorists will be demonized as much as the entire pro-life movement because of the actions of one man.

Whatever happens, we can’t allow the Rahm Emanuel driven White House use this “crisis” to further restrict free speech and protest, nor can we permit them to continue using US Marshals to be pulled away from real law enforcement work to protect the clinics where babies go to die.

We cannot afford to back down in our opposition to this barbaric practice, as some “leaders” would like us to, as doing so would lend credibility to the shared guilt they would like to lay upon us. In some ways, Dr. Tiller suffered the natural consequences of building a good life for himself and his family by depriving countless others of the opportunity for any life at all.

We need to speak up all the more loudly that all lives are worth protecting… not just the rich, politically connected doctor, but also the soldier, just doing his job for his country and the innocent in the womb who may just be carrying in his DNA the wisdom to cure cancer or bring about world peace.

There has been a lot of talk about Barack Hussein Obama’s associate justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor and her potential performance on the supreme court. Many of us have all sorts of reasons to object to her helping make the far reaching decisions in this position. We now have some unexpected allies in working to shoot down this nomination. It is a delicious bit or irony that this Queen of Quotas, as some have called her, is now criticized by the politically correct anti-religionists who are now fussing about her as addition to the Roman Catholic majority on the court.

Never mind that the Catholics on the court do not vote as a block. Some are pro-life, some are pro-death. The public religious affiliation of the men (and women) in black is not a good indicator of how they will rule on any case. Today I heard some pusher of identity politics ranting about the need for a Muslim or an atheist on the court. By their rulings, I think we have at least one of the latter… if not more. I personally would like to see the addition of a Baptist and a Pentecostal to liven the mix but these are not constitutional qualifications.

If we are going to start adding additional qualifications beyond a good grasp of the law and its application, we have to start looking into areas that are officially none of the governments business. Will we next need to add a homosexual seat or an unwed mother seat. How about someone to represent the feelings of child molesters. If an empathetic court is the goal, this may very well be the only way to achieve it.

We may even need to add an associate justice who is vertically challenged in order to give the court an understanding of the needs of this underrepresented minority. Taking into account who is before the bar of justice and the impact of the rulings on the people involved rather than looking to the law for a decision makes us all subject to the transitory whims and irrational prejudices of those sitting in judgment.

My reading of the constitution tells me this just should not be. Our representatives in Washington need to receive a backbone transplant and proudly embrace membership in the “Party of NO!” when presented with pure foolishness… or find another line of work. They say “pick your fights”, which I hear as back up and roll over if you don’t have the stomach for the conflict. Well, win or loose, if you stand for what is right, you still accomplish something. Unfortunately many don’t understand the power that may be behind them if they just step out and try to do the right thing.

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of attending a We Surround Them/912 meeting with about 70 other concerned citizens. Last week, I spent the evening with about 20 others in a similar meeting. Tonight about 30 more people gathered to in a similar group. What is particularly encouraging, is that most of these people were either new to involvement in public affairs or were coming back after a lengthy hiatus.

The tea parties provided the catalyst to bring them back. The crowds provided the push that let them know they were not alone. Most people are not constitutionally suited to standing against the power of the federal government alone. We cheered the Chinese student staring down the tanks in Tiananmen Square, but tend to shy away from confrontation ourselves. With a group of like minded citizens, the patriots can become warriors.

I was amazed by the intensity of the emotional display. People are concerned about their country. They don’t like where it is headed. They are concerned about the world they will be leaving to their children and grand children. They are looking for ways to channel these feelings and energy.

Members of two of these groups combined to visit local Congressional and Senate offices to present a Petition for Redress of Grievances. These petitions outlined various actions by the federal government that, by almost any reasonable interpretation, were clearly unconstitutional. It must have been a bit of fun to be part of the group of about 25 as the filed into the local legislative offices with video and still cameras. One aide did a great deer in the headlights impression - but I don’t think he was acting, two aides welcomed them in and held a pleasant conversation and one office only showed them a shaken receptionist hiding behind her bullet proof glass shield.

In all cases, it was obvious they were not accustomed to dealing with the public who actually expected them to change the way Washington does business. Another thing that was obvious was that it is necessary to keep up the contact and the pressure. Even the good guys need the encouragement and supervision of their constituents. Lobbyist are continuously in their face… the same should hold true for their constituents… their real employers.

This is just one way citizens can get involved. More needs to to be lined up to keep these good folks involved in the process and get the message across to those who believe they rule from a distance. There is a staggering amount of passion and energy looking to get involved in the process of changing our country back to the free society it was in years past.

Just as many cheered the Chinese student, many also cheered the priests, pastors, and everyday citizens who faced arrest while protesting the desecration of the Notre Dame graduation ceremony. They cheered, but did not take part… myself included. My excuse was the 600 or so mile drive to South Bend. The question I have to answer as do all other Christians and others who say they hold values dear, is that, if the event were in my city, would I have faced arrest for a good cause, or would I have backed away because I did not want a police record. Everyone who loves their country has to consider this question.

The founding fathers understood that by signing the Declaration of Independence, if they failed, they would be facing a hangman’s noose. Even in victory, many faced financial ruin, loss of their homes and loss of family members. Since that time, countless service men and women have given their lives preserving the freedom that people like Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Adams and Henry gave us. So many that we have set aside a day, Memorial Day, to remember and honor their sacrifices.

What sacrifices are we, both individually and collectively, willing to make to leave the country and world a better place for our children and grandchildren? With increasing restrictions placed on ever more areas of our lives, and more of our resources being taken to fund irrational and often immoral schemes, will we stand up and say “No more!” or will we sit, quietly complaining, as our country hurtles toward the “eve of destruction” as Barry McGuire would call it. In answering this question, we would do well to remember the words of James Madison, “Resistance to tyranny is service to God.”

Now we are hearing from many moderates in the mushy middle that the Republican Party should set aside some of the social issues and concentrate on economic issues where “everyone” can agree. I have mixed feelings about this message. On one hand we have the hypocrisy displayed by those pushing this view point as we have seen precious little economic common sense from those who want to elevate that to the top of Republican agenda. On the other, there is an element of truth to the position... but not for their weak kneed reasons.

For the most part, these are the same people who have helped the previous administration push through very unRepublican expansions of government and federal budgets. Now, they are suddenly talking like fiscal conservatives they know the country is looking for. As far as concerning ourselves with the welfare of the unborn, the ability to keep our guns, the sanctity of marriage and the like, perhaps it is time to take a bigger picture view of the situation. It's not that they are not critical issues and must be dealt with as we look to preserve our country for our kids and grandkids.

The point is that we are working in a political environment that is not only hostile to our values, but, according to a recent Department of Homeland Security report, hostile to us as individuals. The decision makers in Washington are heading full speed in the opposite direction. The are busy expanding the power of the federal government and using it to push our traditional values as far into the distant past as possible.

So before we can, once again, go on offense and pursue the necessary changes we have to put the brakes on this headlong rush to disaster. The teeth of this administration are the increasing powers they are accumulating. It is only because they can impose their views in the American people that their ideas present a hazard to our well being. Pull these, often unconstitutional, teeth, and their big government interventionist policies cease to be a problem.

So our first priority needs to be putting a stop to the growth of our increasingly hostile government so we can, once again, work in an environment where our requests and arguments can receive an honest hearing. This means we cannot afford to be single issue voters and activists. Stopping the explosion of the heavy handed administration has to take precedence over everything else.

Does this mean we follow the “moderates” wanting to steer the Republican Party to the left? Besides the fact that it wouldn't work, that would only be slowing the velocity of negative changes. We need to think more like chess players. We cannot just look at our current move, but many moves ahead. If we are to make more than cosmetic changes to our government, we need to set ourselves up to capitalize on success in putting a stop to this current nonsense by having people in place who are ready to help us with our key issues.

It is not that we forget our concerns. It is not that we are looking for different candidates. What we need to do is all pull together to restore some form of sanity to DC. We need to get the budgets under control. We need to put a crimp in the federal governments plans to run our lives and impose their radical agenda on our culture.

Then, and only then, can we return to the battle for the individual concerns that drive each of us issue voters and activists. Gun rights people will have to work with pro-lifers. Marriage activists will have to support gun owners as we all work to make America, once again, the shining city on a hill. As Ben Franklin once said, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

It's easy to think about Captain Robert Phillips of the Maersk Alabama as a hero... and he is. Despite his denials, he fits our normal perception of heroic behavior. A contestant in a beauty pageant is usually not in a position to do much more than look pretty and give verbal encouragement to world peace. Carrie Prejean's situation was different. Everyone picked her to be the next Miss USA – she led in all the components. Her big opportunity came... answer the question properly and she would be home free.

Her question came from a judge whose agenda outweighed a desire to pick the best Miss USA... although, in his puny but prejudiced mind, Perez Hilton thought he was helping to pick the best Miss USA... one who would not be so stupid as to actually believe marriage should be between one man and one woman. To this openly homosexual gossip hound, having a different opinion made this woman, who was qualified in every other respect, completely unsuitable to hold the title. Whatever made the pageant organizers think this person of questionable lifestyle and non-productive profession could “judge” a good woman is totally beyond me.

To Carrie, the question from a judge who publicly advocates a different set of values than the ones she grew up with, as did most of us, stood between her and the goal she worked so hard to gain. She could have rolled over and given the politically correct answer... and most likely won the contest. Instead, she gave an answer straight from her heart. Her ingrained beliefs came out just as ours should when challenged, publicly or privately.

This time it cost her. This should be no surprise as nowhere is it written that standing by Christian values would not carry a price. In view of what it cost Jesus, it should be considered normal that we would have obstacles and challenges. As Ms. Prejean commented later “God was testing my faith.” She passed with flying colors as she came up against a secular society populated by those with an ever increasing hostility to traditional values and the one behind them.

As expected, Hilton threw a hissy fit on his blog. He wanted a politically correct answer. Even though she was from the left coast, Miss California had no time for such nonsense. He asked a question, fishing for a PC answer that would further his agenda. She gave a straight (pun intended) answer and left poor Perez squealing like a stuck pig. She had her victory and he got his revenge when the scores were tallied. But, that's OK. I'm sure there are things coming her way far beyond the lost Miss USA title... they may or may not be as public, but whenever we give up something of value in the name of righteousness, there is something of greater value awaiting us.

People inside the beltway and capitols throughout our land, and the world, will most likely look at this and tell us this is what happens when you stand for principles. Only, like the late Paul Harvey, we need to wait for the “rest of the story”. Perhaps she feels like Joseph when he was sold into Egypt... but that wasn't the end for him either.

It's unfortunate that we have such short time horizons when we view the impact of these actions. We miss out on much of the good and fail to appreciate much of reward for our sacrifices. Often politicians talk of plans that reach ten or fifteen years into the future when the only time frame they really care about is up to the next election.

They, and we, need to set aside immediate consequences and do the right thing... and not be surprised if there is a price to be paid. Stephen did the right thing and he was pelted with stones until he died. John the Baptist did the right thing and his head was presented to the queen on a platter. While we'd like to think these things won't happen to us, nothing should be too surprising in view of the growing hostility in some quarters to Christians and the teachings of the Bible. I've looked, but can't find anywhere where we are given a pass on doing the right thing just because it isn't easy.

On the third of August, 1492 Christopher Columbus left Spain leading an expedition consisting of three ships of brave adventurers. He had an idea where he was going, but he couldn't be certain. His crew knew even less. But they pressed on. On October 11, while off the southeastern coast of North America, he spotted the Caribbean islands. While not the land they were looking for, their mission was a success.

After centuries of informal and state celebrations, Columbus Day became a federal holiday in 1970. It was a day to celebrate country, history and the spirit of adventure. Italian-Americans rejoiced in their heritage. Recently the holiday has fallen into disfavor among the academic elites and politically correct. Brown University has become the latest institution of supposedly higher learning to banish this American tradition to the dust bin of history.

At the request of the student body, the faculty voted to replace the Columbus Day recognition with a Fall Weekend celebration. One has to wonder where these students got the information on which they based their righteous indignation. Some would see the possibility of manipulation of these students trying to find their way on their own for the first time in their lives.

The historical revisionists have now chosen to emphasize some of the things that may have gone on between Columbus and the native Americans over the magnitude of his accomplishment. One web site explains this thinking by telling us it “rejects the celebration of Christopher Columbus and his legacy of domination, oppression, and colonialism. We also reject historical misconceptions regarding Columbus and his 'discovery' of the Americas.” He is called a savage and castigated as a slave trader.

What is interesting is that many of the most vocal opponents of Columbus and his discovery of the new world have long ago expressed deep admiration for revolutionary butcher Che Guevara. The same people who are loudly critical of Columbus alleged brutality admire the very same qualities in the communist guerrilla. Guevara's victims are well documented, and I've never met one of his fans that will argue that he was not a ruthless killer.

It looks like it's not the action these people really object to. Could it be that one resulted in the birth of the greatest free nation on earth, based on Christian values and the other was trying to tear down certain levels of freedom and substitute the iron hand of communism? How revealing is this?

Nothing takes place in a vacuum. Are the students (and faculty) rejecting Columbus because of his supposed deeds, or because of what he represents: the spread of western civilization – the benefits of which they all enjoy? Do these same people so admire Che because he lived the life of a terrorist, killing innocent people, or because he was trying to tear down western civilization? The next time you see a kid with his cool Che Guevara t-shirt, you may want to ask him that.

Christopher Columbus wasn't perfect, but he was a man who had the courage to go where no European had gone before. He was the James Kirk of his day. He was one of leaders in the creation of a civilization that was to be the lighthouse to world. Those who would argue with this must think that the idyllic Middle Ages were the peak of man's existence with their bleaker living conditions and significantly shorter life spans. Surely they could not be looking at communist regimes that killed millions of people around the world to maintain their dictatorial power, only to ultimately fail anyway, as the model we should be working toward, along with the likes of Guevara. Unfortunately many of them do!

As we dig deeper into the governments' suspicions of American citizens, we see the Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) was not the only body looking askance at our everyday activities. We see another coming from the cradle of our liberty, Virginia! In a manual titled “Terrorism & Security Awareness Orientation for State Employees” the public servants were told that along with racist and hate groups, psychopated animal rights advocates and street gangs they should be watchful of people who stood up for property rights and religious extremists. No made mention of Islamofascists... just religions in general. I guess they thought, or hoped others would think, that followers of Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson were just as likely to kill their neighbors in large numbers as those trained in Al Qaeda camps in the mountains of Afghanistan.

In a further indication that they are grasping at straws and don't really know how to identify the bad guys, state employees were told to watch for people carrying such dangerous weapons as: cameras, small tape recorders, maps, notebooks, SCUBA gear and disguises. Now, other than the disguises, it sounds like many of us going on vacation. Anyone who as been to the capitol that Mr. Jefferson designed in Richmond or any of the other historic buildings and monuments knows that some of these things are almost obligatory for tourists walking the city streets. Then they have the gall to watch for groups that want to “influence government or social policy”... as if anyone of would want to do that. Oh yes, that's what political parties, corporations and public service groups do all the time.

Back in the days of the Clinton Administration, the Phoenix office of the FBI issued a flier called “Freedom in the 21st Century” which told police to watch for such depravity as defending our constitution against the US government and the UN or not being particularly social.

In fairness to law enforcement, there is usually a pattern of behavior that accompanies criminal or terrorist actions. The only problem is that effective terrorists blend into their surroundings and usually don't call attention to themselves by open opposition to the system.

It appears that we have those in government grouping citizens just looking to be left alone with those who want to destroy our country. Stopping terrorists is their job... protecting themselves against the people they hurt is something they do for survival. Rather than look into why people are upset, they are looking to keep an eye on those who protest. It is odd that when the hated George Bush was in office, dissent was patriotic, now it is suspect. We have a government that is in self preservation mode because they realize people are waking up to the disappearance of our God given rights and our country.

The point of all this is that we are moving further from the freedom and greatness that our country once was. People don't trust the government, the government doesn't trust the people. As Christians, we have been told to "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." and most of us try to do this. However, because our primary loyalties are to our God, rather than Washington, we are looked on with suspicion. Is it possible for any of us find ourselves in the position of Danial, or Shadrach, Meshach and Abedego as the increasingly secular government makes more and more demands for our resources and our loyalty?

We are living in interesting times... and where does it say we are exempt from struggles and hardships just because we are Americans? Consider the colonial soldiers who spent the brutal winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge with General Washington. They lacked adequate food, clothing and shelter... most of us haven't begun to be worthy of their sacrifice.

Need I remind anyone of the price the signers of the Declaration of Independence paid to give us the freedoms we see evaporating day after day? Some died, some lost loved ones, many were bankrupted. There is a price for standing up for what is right. Thomas Jefferson once said "Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God" Let's hope we do not find ourselves in this position... but we need to be prepared if we do.

One of our great historical icons has now become a badge of dishonor to the Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC). The flag created by Colonel Christopher Gadsden and used by the colonists prior to the adoption of the stars and stripes is now considered to be a sign of a possible domestic terrorist. Never mind that many naval personnel have such a sticker on their cars. It is also revered by many who have an appreciation for American history.

MIAC compiled the report to help law enforcement personnel identify persons who may need watching to protect their citizens from terror attacks. They have decided the modern militia movement is sufficient threat to distract police and investigators from following up on those who have sworn to destroy our country.

Who else is considered troublesome? People who voted for or promoted third party candidates like Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin or Bob Barr. People who are standing up against illegal immigration or may be supportive of our constitution. People who are concerned about the federal reserve system. People who are looking to keep their guns in the face of potential federal moves to restrict second amendment freedoms.

If any of these fit you, it's time to be concerned. Missouri is middle America... not Governor Schwarzenegger's land of fruits, nuts and flakes. Sure we have crazies running around, but the inability to draw a more precise picture shows perhaps the internalized prejudices of the group or a complete misunderstanding of our American heritage, culture and values.

Even if those concerns are not your hot button issues, but you have the audacity to believe we should not condone the killing of babies or even if you just take your relationship with God seriously with something as innocuous as the “My Boss Is A Jewish Carpenter” bumper sticker, you could be in the governments cross hairs. They can't seem to distinguish between the white supremacist Christian Identity movement which raises some legitimate concerns and the prayer warriors at your local church.

The primary things we Christians need to take away from this report is that not only are we not understood by the people now in charge of our society, but in some quarters there is actual hostility and a desire to make Christians look as bad as AIG executives. So... do we pull back, hide and keep our mouths shut as some would like? What would be the result of this cowardly posture? For one thing, we would not be doing our job of being salt and light in a world full of darkness. Then, even more important, many others would live life without the witness to the truth that could change them forever.

There are already rumblings that the charitable tax deduction may be going away and federal funding for anything remotely connected with God is quickly drying up. Our environment is quickly changing. We have decisions to make. So back to the question, do we pull back, hide and keep our mouths shut or do we continue doing what we know is right? These times appear to be requiring focus and courage. The people in Washington and our state capitols would like us to quietly fade into the background. Will we?

Even though we have no intention of blowing up buildings or poisoning water supplies – and the left knows it, dedicated Christians, even law abiding one, do pose a threat because our loyalties lie far from the oval office... no matter who sits in it. Just as Detrick Bonhoeffer spoke the truth in Nazi Germany, we too are called to speak the truth today. We need to be prepared for the time when all or part of Christian teaching may be officially condemned. This may seem far fetched, but just over our northern border, Canadian pastors have been charged with hate crimes for preaching that homosexuality is a sin. Now is the time to decide our course of action and not wait until opposition materializes.

We need to look back into the history that many would love to have us forget and hear the words of Patrick Henry when people tried to shout him down with cries of “Treason”. He responded with “If this be treason, make the most of it!” What will our answer be?

In 1966, while running for Governor in California, Ronald Reagan's formulated what has come to be known as the Eleventh Commandment: "Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican." This was in response to the trash talk about conservative 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater by so-called moderate Republicans. In general is was a pretty useful and workable rule at the time.

However today it seems to only work in one direction as we have seen in the uncivil treatment received by Ron Paul and others at the conservative/libertarian end of the spectrum. While conservatives have gotten used to the being ostracized and having lies and half truths told about them, the more moderate members of the party seem to have much thinner skin.

We are told we should not be criticizing Republicans who are throwing conservative principles under the bus as the country plunges downward in an economic tailspin. While party members are squelched when bringing this up, polls show more anger among conservatives at the Republicans than Democrats. This should be cause for concern by those counting on this voting block.

The practice of catering to incumbents, despite a lack of adherence to generally accepted, smaller, less intrusive government thinking has led the party to silently take the poison pill of semi-Democrat influence in the leadership positions. Yet no one is supposed to speak up.

We saw this in action when President Bush supported Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter during his last primary fight against a conservative Pat Toomey. It was explained that we are better off with a “moderate” Republican who can win than with a real Republican who may not. While credit must be given for Senator Specter's support during the Clarence Thomas hearings, it could be argued that over the course his career, he has done as much damage to our country as many liberals in the Senate.

Part of the problem comes from the uneasy alliance between many of the professionals for whom the political game is a vocation devoid principled involvement and many in the grassroots who are motivated by causes and issues the other half can not comprehend. The “values voters”, as they are sometimes called, have this nasty habit of wanting candidates to stand for something other than just wearing the right jersey when trotting out onto the playing field.

This is an ongoing battle in which the professionals expect the values voters to stick with and work for the Republican Party as it is the only one that even gives lip service to their issues. Conservative candidates are labeled as “extreme” which really means they are more passionate some issue than the poll driven “moderates”. It means, also, that by invoking the eleventh commandment, the true believers are forbidden to point out the squishiness and wayward behavior of the traditional party leadership and office holders.

The last two national election cycles have shown that the public is catching on to this Democrat-lite in Republican clothing practice. Yet many of the political class continue to tell us that we should not stand so strongly on principle and be a little more amenable to the ideas of the left. They think this is where the people are going and the party must adapt.

There is only one word to describe this thinking: Wrong! It means that we who believe in values such as life, personal responsibility and the like need to be more vocal. We need to hold leaders to their promises and, if they don't perform, replace them! It's time to remember that voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil. We can no longer accept being used and abused by political leaders who covet our votes but not our input.

Some will say that life would be even worse with people who don't even give the time of day to pro-life activists, second amendment defenders or property rights advocates. I would ask them, how much worse could it be than the situation we have now with an almost non-functional minority in both houses in Washington? The liberal/progressive left is poised to run roughshod over any semblance of common sense. Yet we are being told by many, that politically, we need to do more of the same that put us in this position.

It's time for those of us who value the promise of America and the values on which it was founded to reject the efforts of those who would silence us. It's time to move forward on what we know to be right rather than what we are told is expedient. It's time to consider what Charles Stanley's grandfather taught him, “obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.” We've tried everything else, now it's time we use right and wrong as our standard of involvement and support rather than practical expediency.