Why I Say No to Syrian Refugees.

In the spring of 2008 I signed a form and walked off the base at Ft. Drum, once again a civilian. Truth is I missed it almost immediately. But after 5yrs and two deployments I felt it was the best thing for my family that had sacrificed so much along with me.

 In the months that followed I started to experience signs of PTSD. They were relatively mild compared to others but certainly struggled with a heightened sense of alertness, nightmares and rage. The rage was hard for me...I had to watch the look in my families eyes when I, "went off." For the record I never even came close to hurting one of them and the rage was never directed at them. These rage events were more then just an emotional outburst these events were also accompanied by physical symptoms, heart racing, blurred vision and shortness of breath.

 Near the end of 2008 I was also dealing with a serious back injury and uncontrollable pain. After dealing with the VA, which can be frustrating, the "events" became more common until one day I really lost it. I was at the VA clinic trying to get answers for my back and I was forced to deal with a less then friendly Physicians Assistant, who treated me very rudely. This was the breaking point for me. As I walked out of the office she made a smart comment and I calmly but sarcastically shot back a comment to her. Things escalated and soon we were standing there shouting at each other. One of the VA Reps grabbed my arm and took me to the front of the lobby to talk to me. He was trying to be kind I should add. When he asked what was wrong I started to explain and then it happened. The rage came out. I don't remember much about the conversation until I had an almost out of body experience. All I remember is the gentleman asking me, "Have you been tested for PTSD?" I remember standing in the lobby yelling to the top of my lungs, "I DONT HAVE F$@*& PTSD!!!!!!!" I knew at that moment with all these people standing around looking, I needed help.

 Shortly there after I entered a new program that used writing as a way to deal with PTSD. I don't know if the program ever took off but it sure helped me. I was one of the first case studies. So today I am going to use writing again to express my feelings and hopefully bring me some healing and maybe some others as well. This will be the most open and detailed I have ever been about some of the things I have seen over seas, some of which I have not even told my family. It will be real. It will be raw but I am just baring my soul and giving you a peak into what men and women like me have seen and what we feel even after all these years.

 The recent attacks on Paris opened many wounds for me. When I turned on the TV and started to watch the news a "rage event" started to boil. After throwing out some choice words and looking at my shocked children's faces (profanity isn't allowed in our home), I realized I needed to leave the room and calm down. Over the coming days the shock of the attack changed from how to deal with ISIS to what to do with all the Syrian refugees. I have seen every side of the spectrum from bomb the Middle East back to the stone age to people reciting the quote from the Statue of Liberty...."bring me your tired....". Anything from I wouldn't even take a 3yr old orphan to your not a Christian if you don't just open your doors to everyone.

 Not surprisingly, I had an opinion that rankled the feeling of some and was lauded by others. My wife and I disagreed as I did with friends and family alike. I tried to strike a middle ground where we vetted the men thoroughly while bringing in the women and children. Some people said the vetting process was too long and could take up to two years. I thought that was ridiculous when you realize the average American soldier that has served the last 10 years has probably come close to double that away from family. Then a female suicide bomber blew herself up while resisting arrest as one of the conspirators. So clearly we can't just let all the women in. How do we go about doing this? Well I have changed my stance. I realize it won't be popular. I will probably be considered Islamaphobic, un-Christian and uncaring. That is fine I will live with those but before you stop reading, listen to someone who has a perspective that most will not have and see if there is any wisdom in what I write.

 I love kids. I hate to see them suffer. When we first got into Iraq I wanted to give them all candy. food, soccer balls and money. It didn't take long for me realize this new opportunity to mingle with children would bring me some of my greatest heartbreaks.

 On one of my first patrols a young man came up to my truck and communicated through broken English he had Pepsi for sale. I quickly grabbed a couple of bucks from my wallet and gave them to him and he ran away excited by his sale. Two days later we came back and I had my eyes open for this little boy. I finally saw him standing far off and he had casts on both arms. We found out later his arms were broken for selling US Soldiers, Pepsi's.

 My unit quickly transitioned to Abu Gharib a place you may remember because of the well documented abuse of Iraqi prisoners at the hands of their American captors. Those worthless soldiers cost the life of many good soldiers by inciting the region against us. They should have been given much harsher punishments than they received. While patrolling this region we were under constant attack from IED's. Our mission was to prevent IED's and capture or kill those placing or making them.

 During our time in that region we traveled down this one road past many little family farms. We would stop and talk to the locals often in front of this one particular farm. Kids would always gather to get candy and toys that were sent from home. It was amazing to me even at the young ages how awful the boys would be to the young girls. There were two sisters that lived at the farm and they were about the age of my daughter back home. The first time I tried to give them something they ran away and I laughed thinking they were shy or afraid of me. The next time I realized why they ran away. The boys would immediately descend upon them and hit them and steal whatever they had been given. The older sister would try to defend her younger sister but to no avail. They would end up running for their safety dodging fists and stones the whole way. I finally got smart to this and would throw candy in a place the boys would all run to and while they were busy fighting each other I would give the girls an MRE and tell them to run and eat it before the boys found out. This went on for several weeks.

 One night while laying in my bed we got a notice to come to the headquarters for a briefing on that nights raid. As I looked at the map I realized we would be raiding the home of the little girls I had tried to look out for. I remember pulling up to the house and being one of the first soldiers through the door. At that point training just kicks in. Smash down or through the door, clear the fatal funnel,  take up your position, depending on where you were in the stack going in, and under no circumstances do you ever stop in the fatal funnel! When I got through the door one of the first things I witnessed was that little girl staring at me terrified as I came in and pointed my weapon and yelled at her father to get on the floor. The look on her face of broken trust, confusion and then terror as we dragged her father outside will never leave me.

 As the rest of the soldiers searched the farm for evidence of IED's I went and sat down under a palm tree to pull security and cry. I am not ashamed to say I tried not to bawl.

 A few weeks later while on patrol a mother walked up to me and tried to express that her baby was sick. This child was more then sick, it was blind and deaf. It would just lay there in her arms and moan. I called over our medic, Doc Jackson, and he tried to act like there was something he could do but I am pretty sure all he did was give the baby something to make it sleep and give the mother a little bit of peace. Once again I stood near my truck doing my best to not bawl as the mother walked away. I will never forget the moaning of that child that would never see, never hear and was headed for an almost unimaginable life in that part of he world with no resources for the handicapped.

 When I left for my first deployment I prayed and asked God, not for my safety but, "if I must die please don't let it be on a Holiday, so that day will be ruined for my children forever and please don't let me kill any children or women." That was a really the prayer I prayed as the 747 left Ft. Drum.

 On Dec 24th 2004 I was part of a group of soldiers that was guarding a communications tower in Baghdad. Around 9:30PM a shot rang out and, as it turned out it was an accidental discharge by an Iraqi soldier. My good friend Ryan Decker was standing near the Iraqi soldier and immediately started to read him the riot act. When he was done he came down and I remember saying to him, "I am not nearly as worried about getting killed by an insurgent as I am these idiots." We laughed neither of us knowing what would happen just 25 minutes later.

 At 9:55PM a large fuel tanker pulled onto the road adjacent to the facility we were guarding. I want to say the road was about 75 yards from where we were standing. Ryan turned to me and said, "that is unusual to see a tanker out this late." There was a 10PM curfew and no one was allowed on the road. I will never forget the face of the man as he looked out the window at what was probably 18 American and Iraqi soldiers. I knew in my heart something was wrong but I just had nothing that I could positively identify as a threat. I wish to God now I had shot. I could make that shot from that distance any day of the week but I didn't... Less then a minute later there was a loud explosion and the instant heat and light almost blinded you. I turned to look in the direction of the explosion to see a fireball rolling towards me. I turned to find cover and when I did my shirt came up and I could feel the intense heat from the explosion probably 500yds away. The suicide bomber had detonated his truck in front of the Jordanian Embassy. The embassy was badly burned but no lives lost, the other side of the road was very different.

 In the house across the road lived a man with a wife and 6 daughters. I don't know their ages but I know one was an infant. The man of the house was not home at the time but I am sure he wished he had been. His wife and 6 daughters burned alive in that fire and there was nothing we could do. I remember myself and two other soldiers were the first ones on the seen. It was heart breaking and devastation. Although I personally didn't hear it, other soldiers reported you could hear the screams and cry of a little baby in the rubble. When the husband and father came home he was inconsolable. I remember walking back to the relative security of our post and all I could say was. "why didn't you shoot? And F@#*& this place!! From that day on the sound of a crying baby is almost more then I can handle. Several years later while laying in the ER due to a kidney stone a baby in the next space over started to cry in pain. She just kept crying. The nurse came in and saw me sobbing and figured I must be in severe pain. She left to get me more drugs. The pain of the kidney stone didn't compare to what I was feeling in my heart.

 Christmas Eve has never been the same for me. I always think back to that night. I wish I would have taken the shot even though I realize it would have probably cost me my life, had the truck detonated when it was close. I may have been badly burned and wished I had died. I would have given my life for those 6 girls and God knows it is true. For several years I couldn't sleep the night before Christmas but it wasn't excitement. When ignorant, not always bad, people ask, "Did you kill anyone over there?" These are the first people I think of.

 Why am I telling you all this and how does it apply to the Syrian refugees?

 The first reason is because I have seen many, not surprisingly, soldiers saying don't let the Syrian refugees in. At a minimum serious vetting needs to take place but it is more then that. We have seen this culture up close and personal. We have also seen those that are "extremist" and what they are capable of and are willing to do. I have seen people post its our, "Christian duty" to take in the refugees. When I hear someone say, "you don't care about the children I want to read them the stories I wrote above, ones that I had to stop at least 4 times while writing to wipe away tears, and then I want to tell them your misguided human compassion is what will ultimately bring death to many innocent children. I have read and heard from those that have never seen the true face of war, telling us, "I am not afraid," as they type from their smart phone or laptop in their comfortable home, while their children sit safely in a school or around their feet. It may be time for people to start listening to what those of us have seen and experienced in that culture. Lets be honest if politicians had listened to the military ISIS wouldn't even have gotten off the ground.

 I understand that not all Muslims or followers of Islam are bad. I have worked beside and even lived beside some that are as true blue American as any of us. I have seen some die fighting for their country and its new found freedoms. I had several Muslims in Michigan that I would consider friends. We often hear of two categories, the extremist and the moderates. I would argue there is a third category and that would be the back-slidden. We use this term in Christianity for people that have effectively walked away from the faith, but still consider themselves a follower of Islam. I would consider them to be like a Catholic that goes to church on Easter and Christmas but faith means little to them apart from recognizing it in their past, nor does it have effect on their everyday lives. I would argue the US can not afford to bring in Extremists or Moderate followers of Islam. This may seem harsh but let me explain from a few perspectives.

 Our culture is not compatible with theirs nor will they ever be. I have yet to talk to someone who is advocating for the acceptance of Syrian Refugees, that has been able to answer this one simple question. Will the refugees assimilate to our culture or will they be allowed to continue theirs? Of course that is almost blaspheme in the United States and the answer is usually something like this. "It would be un-American to not allow them to practice their culture here and force them to change to ours." If you find yourself thinking this way please pay close attention to what I say next.

 One of the heinous aspects of the Muslim culture is its treatment of women. I would argue that moderate Muslims still espouse to the teachings of the Koran that allow honor killings, stoning's and even rape. If you think I am crazy I personally know soldiers that have listened to women, little girls and boys being raped but were not able to do anything about it. In the past few months there was a case of a US Green Beret that tried to assist a little boy that was being repeatedly raped. SFC Charles Martland was potentially facing disciplinary measures for beating up the pedophile. My one experience with even "moderate Muslims" has shown me a serious lack of respect of even common decency for Muslim women.

 In November 2004 I had one of my more terrifying situations during my deployment. With the new found freedom in the country more and more citizens were able to afford vehicles thus putting a strain on their fuel supplies. There would be long lines and waits for gas because of so many new cars. For about a week we had to police these lines because, big surprise they would turn violent. Instead of being excited and appreciative of their new found freedom they would fight and quarrel to get gas first. I can tell you it is nothing like what you see in America and Europe when there are catastrophes that bring people together.

 The fuel lines were not working that day and nerves were tense. Once the fuel delivery came and the pumps were working we began to allow the people to come forward to fill up their tanks and 5 gal jugs. There were 4 of us directing the fuel disbursement and the rest of the platoon was pulling security. I motioned to the ladies to come forward first and it started an all most immediate riot. Men started to push the woman and hit them. Men forced women they didn't even know to carry two or three 5 gallon jugs for them. The men finally got so mad they started to push forward and I was certain this would be it. I figured I was either going to die for trying to show the women respect or I was going to end up on the news for gunning down a mob. I was back to back with 3 other soldiers. At one point they had pressed in so hard that I could barely raise my weapon. At that point I told Lieutenant Calderon I was about to open fire. I switched my selector switch to fire and at the very last moment SFC Bass brought the rest of the platoon in to break things up. To this day I hate being in a crowd and started a twitch that has never went away. Now its kind of a joke and my son Jason will do it just to get a rise out of me. To this day if you walk up and touch me on the back and I don't see you coming I will jump. Then after I know your there I will jump every time you touch my back. We laugh about it now but it wasn't funny then.

 My point is that massive violence almost broke out over treating women with dignity and respect. Why do you think you see so many pictures of single able bodied men as refugees? Its because they don't care about the women. I know pictures can be deceiving as each side tries to show their side of the case but think about this.

 When the Titanic went down the rule was women and children first to be saved off the ship. In America and other countries, that value women, they and children are the first to be saved. Ask yourself this. Why are any men coming as refugees? If there are 30,000 refugees coming to the US, and 8,000 of them are men I can't think of anything more disgusting. Those 8,000 men represent 8,000 women or children that could be saved. So again I ask you. If we are allowing these refugees in are they going to assimilate to our way of treating women or not? The answer is no and that doesn't even address the fact of how many are coming here with evil intentions.

 Some will try to use the argument I am afraid and this is letting the terrorist actually win. That is preposterous and may I add disingenuous to those that have already faced moderate and extremists on their turf. Is it fear or wisdom that causes me to lock my door at night if I live in an area with high crime? Is it fear or wisdom to pay for insurance for my vehicle in case of an accident? Is it fear or wisdom to put additional security at our schools because of the rash of violence we have suffered there? Is it fear or wisdom to put safe guards in many areas of our lives so as not to reap great harm? The idea that fear is winning is laughable and only ignorant people would actually say that. When it is your children laying on the floor of the restaurant or being mercilessly murdered or blown up let me know how your fear theory works out for you. Our cultures without assimilation can not and will never blend. The fact is they can't even blend with themselves over seas.

 Finally its not that the financial costs are to great, we just don't have the money. I know I will get hung the most for mentioning money but hear me out. Can you in good conscience give money to refugees when you have children starving in your own country? Can you give money when you have countless homeless veterans? How can you slash the budget for our military veterans by $1.4 Billion and to spend billions on refugees? Even more confusing is how do you pay for this when the country is borrowing $4 billion dollars a day.

 The idea that we are a rich country is a fallacy. We may have what appears to be wealth but we are teetering on the brink of collapse. We are servants to our masters the Chinese, that to this point, ironically haven't taken any refugees. What we are doing by taking in refugees is giving money that we don't even have. How do you commit billions of dollars when you will have to go borrow it? For those of you that are Christians and believe in paying tithe that would be like living it up during the week and still borrowing for your fun and needs then borrowing more to pay your 10%. When will we wake up in this country and realize if we continue down this road we will no longer be great and a help to anyone. If non profit organizations want to take the lead and respond to these needs then by all means raise as much as you can but expecting our government to give out more handouts is fiscally and morally irresponsible. Maybe that is what some want a nation that is no longer great. For me I know the world is better off when the US is truly great. I believe in helping and frankly we do. We are the most generous nation in the history of the world but at some point we must strengthen ourselves, even if that means we have to say no at times.

 We often hear talk about the other nations in the Middle East bringing stability and taking responsibility for that region. Now is the time for the powers in the Middle East to step up and if they won't take their own doesn't that alone say something about that culture and religion.

Turning the Other Cheek

 I grew up in a home that taught the Bible and believed the Bible. My parents did their best to teach me the scriptures and many of their teachings stay with me to this day.

 One teaching was the Biblical teaching of turning the other cheek. You can find this teaching in Matthew 5:39 "But I tell you, do not resist and evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also."

 This teaching has been taught in Bible believing churches for centuries. Many have used it as a reason to avoid any kind of violence, including protecting themselves and their families. Conscientious objectors have used this as one of the main reasons for avoiding combat. They simply could not harm their enemy.

 Although I respect those that have used this scripture in that manner, I have to say I strongly disagree. Not just with the thought of avoiding combat but with the idea in general that Christians should just let people run all over them and their beliefs. I have seen it in an even greater way with how we react to political attacks, make no mistake there is a war on Christians in the US, and attacks from the media.

 Today Phil Robertson, patriarch of Duck Dynasty, was skewered for sharing his beliefs about homosexuality. Although I personally believe he went too far by using explicit details, I believe in the core of his message, that homosexuality is indeed wrong and a sin. This does not mean I hate homosexuals or that their sin is in any worse then my own, it just means it made the list of sins against God.

 I make no apologies for my belief in God but what I will apologize for is that as a Christian I took the "turn the other cheek doctrine" to the extreme, I let is silence me. I believed that being a peace maker meant being nonconfrontational, unless of course I was arguing with other Christians.

 Sadly many Christians of my parents generation and before allowed the same thing to happen to them as well. They sat back and watched God be taken out of school, Roe V Wade get passed and a general eroding of ethics and morality. Why we turned the other cheek humanist and the godless started to decay the moral fabric of society. Now we are getting all our cheeks kicked.

 I can tell you for me the time has come to be like my name sake from the Bible, hopefully minus the stoning. Stephen was a man that spoke with such clarity and passion that his enemies could not even answer him because they were so befuddled. It's time to speak up Christians. Not with arrogance or hatred but with conviction and passion. Gods ways are not outdated or old fashioned, regardless of what the politically correct in society say.

Thanks For Reading,

Steve

Failure Is The Stepping Stone To Greatness

We both sat back in our tree stand disappointed and defeated. I had been waiting for this chance all season and my daughter had waited for five years to get her chance at a buck. He came in just like I had envisioned he would. Everything was going perfectly then suddenly everything went wrong.

 The buck would not turn and give my daughter a ethical clean shot. Then the battery on the video camera I was using showed signs of dying. The buck turned and started walking the wrong way and my daughter was having a hard time getting into position. Up to this point everything was moving in almost slow motion but then in an instant went into warp speed. The buck appeared out of the thick brush again and a hasty shot was taken and I wasn't even able to get the camera on it. It was a clean miss. All that hard work and effort gone in a millisecond. There was nothing left to do but deal with the disappointment and try and learn from our mistakes.

 About a year ago I was talking to the woman who became my wife and we were discussing how I viewed failures, Lord knows I have had plenty and I should be an expert on the subject. I used to beat myself up over failures. They would drive me into times of depression and anxiety. However, over the last ten years I have started to view them differently. Failures are nothing more then a stepping stone, they are used to set us up for success the next time around.

 So often in life people do what I often did and let their attitude towards failure drive them in the wrong direction. We sulk, we cry and we throw a pity party when the realty is we are closer then we were before the mistake. We took that next step. Failure can teach us things that easy success never will.

 Two nights ago I was sitting in another stand with my daughter. Armed with the lessons we had learned from two weeks earlier. This time the buck was not a small buck but a giant mature whitetail. The pressure was intense. The battery was dying again (apparently I didn't learn all the lessons of the previous hunt) and the buck we were trying to get was one of the biggest I had ever seen while hunting. When the moment of truth came we were faced with many of the same scenarios as the last time; quick shot, camera problems, rough angle and ridiculous amounts of adrenaline. Ashley performed with tremendous poise and I was able to hold it together and get enough battery life out of the camera. We had succeeded.

 There is no doubt in my mind that had we not faced the adversity and failure of the previous hunt we would not have gotten the much bigger buck the other night. Ashley and my disappointment was very real two weeks ago but now is a distant memory to the sweet success we had this weekend. Had we not failed that opportunity would not have materialized.

 Don't fret the failure it is just a stepping stone to something better...

Thanks For Reading
Steve

Sitting Under the Tent

 The humidity was not normal for Northern New York and the suit and tie I was wearing was not helping the situation at all, I was uncomfortable. I was inclined to start grumbling but the event I was attending demanded that I look my best. I am sure I wasn't alone in my discomfort because everyone around me was dressed up and most of them were in Class A's or Dress Blues. To be quite honest I was feeling a little under dressed and a little jealous that I wasn't wearing the same uniform.

 When I got out of the car with the family we were greeted by a officer who escorted us to where the event was to take place. Along the way our escort asked us if we needed or would like anything, he was very eager to meet the needs of seven strangers. He ushered us to our seats under a large tent and we sat down. This was first class treatment to say the least.

 When I sat down I looked out at the other soldiers and their families that were sitting in the bleachers, uncovered from the glaring sun and thought to myself how uncomfortable they must be in the heat and humidity.

  To an uninformed bystander it would appear that the place to be on this day was under the tent. There was shade, a good view and escorts to care for your every need. But today that couldn't be farther from the truth.

 The tent was set up for Gold Star Family members on Ft. Drum. Becoming a Gold Star Family Member is not what it sounds like. It means that you have lost a family member in the wars our nation has been fighting for the last decade. I was honored to sit with my wife and three step children as they came to honor the lose of a husband and father.

 As I sat among such great loss and sacrifice I was immediately humbled by a question? Are you willing to pay the price to sit under the tent? There is no doubt that the tent for this event was the place to be for comfort, but the price to get their was very high. Everyone under that tent had paid a price for their comfort at that memorial, and all will do so for years to come.

 I couldn't help but think about how easy it has been for me at times to look at someone that is successful or prospering; someone that in appearance is sitting in the comfort of the tent we call life. It is an entirely different matter when you start to find out what they paid to get their. The hard work, the sleepless nights, the time away from family and most importantly the times they failed and had to get back up. I walked away from the Remembrance Ceremony with a lot to think about but no thought was bigger then what price are you willing to pay to sit under the tent?

 This can carry into so many areas of life; relationships, finances, raising children, work, and the list could go on and on. Everyone has a proverbial tent they are working towards. Maybe it is retirement or another level in education, financial freedom or some other form of success. But let me tell you about a tent, that if you are reading this in the United States you have already been blessed to sit under.

 I am talking about the freedom we have as Americans. Yesterday I was moved by the sacrifice of the people that have paid the ultimate price so we can remain under that tent. We have a solemn obligation to never forget that sacrifice but we must do more then just remember. We need to continually be willing to offer ourselves to keep this nation free as it was intended.

 Our country is entering the darkest times that I can remember in my life; the country is deeply in debt, there are monumental issues to address like immigration, terrorism and the level of governmental control in our lives as citizens. If you believe the news we are more deeply divided then anytime in our nations history. I have never seen greater attacks or questioning of our fundamental freedoms. Washington D.C. is full of politicians that are so lost, that menial decisions take months to be made while major decision like Obamacare are rushed through in days.

 It is my firm belief that without major involvement by the citizens of this country our way of life is doomed. I am not speaking solely about voting but greater political involvement. Call your local, state and federal politicians, write letters, attend rally's and most importantly discuss with other citizens the issues so you are informed. What price are you willing to pay to sit under the tent?

 I recently started a Face Book page for political discussions. I welcome any one reading this, regardless of political leanings to join the discussion. The link is https://www.facebook.com/CommonSensePolitics.

Thanks For Reading

Steve

The Politics of Fear

"America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and unbeatable determination to do the job at hand." President Harry Truman.

 Unless you are living under a rock, things in the United States are becoming more and more hopeless by the day. We are witnessing the decline of one of history’s great and most powerful empires; our strength is fading, our economy crumbling, our status in the world has greatly diminished.

 Talk to the average citizen and most will tell you things aren't right in this country. Most will tell you the government is the problem; it must either do more or do less. Most citizens will have big opinions about what is going on but little to no idea how to fix it. They will act like the issues facing our nation are beyond understanding and only the best and brightest minds could actually come up with an answer to correct the problem. We put our trust in politicians who promise us action and answers yet fail us time and time again. Any hope of meaningful change is destroyed by partisan bickering and stalemate. We are now in a vicious circle of political games, where the only real goals seem to be controlling the people and maintaining power; and the tool used, FEAR.

 I used to think the government used fear to control, which they do, but now I think fear is controlling the government.

 Over the last few months I have repeatedly read news and thought to myself, there is no way that politician can be that stupid. I am not going to name any specific politicians because I have literally thought this about leaders of both parties. I can hardly watch a discussion about the national debt without screaming at the TV. Highly educated people sit and argue with foolish and meaningless facts about fixing the economy and the debt, when the real answer is very simple. You cannot spend more than you take in. This is not rocket science, its simple math.

 Now I know many of my friends that dislike Obama will disagree with this statement, but he is not a dumb man. With a degree from Harvard he would at least have a minimum understanding of basic math which is all that is really required to balance a budget. Some would say I am over simplifying this and there are far more complicated issues to be raised then just the dollars and cents math, I would have to respectfully disagree. It really is just simple math.

 What do you do when you have bills to pay and you want to get out of debt or at least have manageable debt? Well, if you are going to be successful you reduce your spending, usually by cutting out extras. You get your budget as lean as you can by focusing on the necessities only and placing any disposable income on your debt. This works for individuals and it would work for the government. So the logical question is why is the government not doing it?

 I am not a conspiracy theorist but here is what I believe is really going on in our country today.

 According to several respectable news sources, anywhere from 35-45% of the US Population receives some form of direct government assistance. The assistance can come in everything from retirement benefits, unemployment benefits, Medicare, Medicaid and welfare benefits like Food Stamps and HUD.

For the sake of this argument let’s use 35% of the US population, which is 110 million people. That is an astronomical number of people dependent on the government. We can debate the question of who deserves help and those that are playing the system. We could discuss the massive amounts of waste that could be found in all the bureaucracy but that would take away from the point I am trying to make. So again for the sake of this argument lest just say that 90% of the people on assistance actually need the help or have earned the benefits through paying into Social Security. This would mean that there are 11 million people who are abusing and taking advantage of the system. I can tell you there are far more than that abusing the system but my point can still be made with these numbers.

 Now let’s imagine what will happen when the government is no longer able to give these 11 million people the entitlement that they need.  I use the word WHEN because let’s be honest it is really only just a matter of time. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but we will see a catastrophic financial collapse in this nation in the next 10 years. It will probably be in the next 4 four years but the point remains it is coming, and everyone knows it. Even scarier is that your elected officials know it. They are stuck between two decisions; enrage the masses now by cutting the entitlements that are destroying the wealth of this nation or allow this current path to run its course into collapse. In any event this nation will see the greatest unrest since the Civil War. Imagine the social unrest of the Hurricane Katrina, the Race Riots in New Jersey, Detroit and Los Angeles and play that out in probably every city, county and state in the US.

 Is it any wonder why the government is trying so hard to destroy the 2^nd Amendment? Can you imagine the intensity of the civil unrest if there are weapons all over? I know that it may sound like I support gun control but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I will not give up my right to protect myself and my family when this all happens. The military and National Guard will not be able to control this event and there is a real possibility, depending on who is in office, that we could see United Nations soldiers on our soil. Is it any wonder that Congressman Ron Paul stated the, “national debt was the biggest national security issue our country is facing?”

 It is not hard to figure out why the Department of Homeland Security has purchased 1.2 Billion bullets this year? I think not. Could it be that our government knows what is about to happen and they are looking to control it? I find it ironic that when average citizens stock pile ammo and cling to their guns the government calls them paranoid, yet the government is doing the very same thing. Fear has taken over the government and every decision that comes from Washington is based on fear.

 We are inundated with information that makes us fearful about financial collapse, terrorist attacks, a struggling job market, failures in education and a ballooning national debt. Every issue and every topic is fear, fear and more fear.  When was the last time you heard something on the news that made you proud to be an American? We are fearful people being led by fearful leaders.

 You cannot lead with fear. In fact leading with fear generally turns into ruling not leading. The government of the United States was not set up for a ruler. If we are to maintain the freedoms we hold dear in this country we must have leaders that are not afraid. Men and women that are not afraid to make the hard choices, the choices that require sacrifice. This country can no longer afford to elect managers we need effective and steadfast leadership. We need leaders who will not shrink back from the difficult issues in this country and more importantly will not take away our freedoms because they are unwilling to make the hard choices. Benjamin Franklin stated, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” We are a nation that looks for easy and quick answers but there are no easy answers this time. We need to make the painful choices, the hard choices and even the seemingly impossible choices.

 Fear is a choice it doesn’t have to be a way of life. Too many in this country, myself included, have allowed the present state of this country to cause us fear and doubt but that is not what the United States was built on. We were built with courage by men and women that chose to do the impossible and make the tough choices. I trust it will be so again.

Thanks for Reading

Steve

Here I Make My Stand

"There is a spirit in a man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. Great men are not always wise, nor do the aged always understand justice. Therefore I say 'Listen to me, and I will declare my opinion." Job 32:8-10

 I love that passage from Job. I love the passion of Elihu, the young man that corrected Job and his friends. His attitude is one of explosion! He waited, he listened, to “age” and “wisdom” trying to convince Job. Yet, the right answer had not been found. Finally, he had his chance to speak. You can almost feel his frustration and anger, and then with wisdom and humility, he corrected Job and his friends.

 I feel like Elihu today, the spirit inside this man must speak. It is not because I am one with wisdom, or great eloquence, but like Elihu I have a spirit within that compels me to speak with intelligence and share my heart. Like Elihu, I am frustrated and angry.

 Before I get into what I want to say, let me state clearly and unequivocally that this blog is not in response to anyone person or group. I do not have an individual in mind while writing this. I know there are those I love and respect greatly that may disagree with some or all of this. My desire is not to correct, lecture, or divide people. My only hope is that you would consider what I say and see if you can find truth in it. If you are a person of faith, weigh it in prayer and with the scriptures to see if what I write is true.

 Over the last year, starting with the election season, and culminating with the recent passage of laws dealing with the 2nd Amendment, I have read literally thousands of posts on Facebook and probably hundreds of blogs and articles dealing with the question as to what should be the Christians response to what is a very dysfunctional government? I have read everything from friends Facebook posts, to articles and sermons from nationally known speakers. I have read every extreme opinion from, "pick up your weapons and let’s go to war," to “we are slaves to the government so let’s do what the Bible says and just submit to this nation’s leadership." There are voices on one side calling for violent revolution, and those on the opposite side of the spectrum stating if you really love Jesus and the Bible you will just roll over. It is infuriating to say the least. After reading these posts or blogs I am always confronted with two questions. One, as a professing follower of Jesus, how should I respond to this government? Two, to what length should I as a Christian go to protect the freedoms I hold dear?

 Let’s start by making the case that our government in the United States is seriously broken. I don’t know if anyone reading this will actually argue contrary to that statement. Just in case, let’s cover the basis. Look at some of the more pressing issues right now.

 We have an economy that is teetering on total collapse. We hear constantly about the fiscal cliff, and the only answer that our “highly educated” officials can come with, is raise the debt ceiling so we can borrow more. Anyone that has dealt with bankruptcy can tell you, borrowing more to save a sinking ship never works! In fact, it only delays the inevitable collapse. Taxes are at an all-time high, and Obamacare, which the Supreme Court ruled, would be the biggest tax increase in history, hasn’t even went into effect yet! We have an increasing number of citizens that are dependent on the government to survive. We have government cover ups in Benghazi, attacks on some of our most important freedoms, corruption, and the most partisan Washington, DC I have ever seen. These are just a few of the issues we are facing. We are a mess and spiraling out of control more every day.

 As a young man I made a decision to live as a follower of Christ thus giving me citizenship in another kingdom, the kingdom of Heaven. So my first response to any ethical, moral or spiritual decision is to emulate Jesus’ example. He taught us that we are to be meek and lowly, Matthew 5:5. He taught us to love our enemy and do good to those that persecute us, Matthew 5:44. He taught us to turn the other cheek, Matthew 5:39. With these scriptures alone it would seem that I am saying we just need to roll over and do what we are told. However, as I read Matthew 5, a very interesting thing stood out to me. Matthew 5 talks almost exclusively about how we are to act towards other individuals, not the government. You may think that is a stretch but here me out. Almost every verse states how we are to react to someone that is mistreating us. For example, take one of the most famous verses, Matthew 5:39: “But I tell you not to resist and evil person. But whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also.” So if we are true believers of the Bible, then we should not condone anything that thwarts stopping an evil person. In other words, we should not have fought against Hitler and Nazi Germany, al-Qaeda and certainly not against the King of England in the American Revolution. But is that what Jesus is really saying? I don’t think so.

 So what does Matthew 5:39 mean? Let me give you an interpretation that you may not have ever considered. To actually turn the other cheek you have to be in a position of strength. If I was walking out of a gas station and got jumped by five guys and was beaten would that be considered turning the other cheek? Of course not! One on five generally turns out badly for the one, and I would most likely be grateful to be alive when it was done. Now say I came out of the same gas station and was confronted by a single individual, one on one, that I could handle. Allowing that individual to strike me, without retaliating, would be turning the other cheek. Let me give you an even clearer example. Did Jesus turn the other cheek when he died on the cross? The answer is an obvious, yes! How do we know that? We know that because Jesus could have come off that cross whenever he wanted to. If He couldn’t have then He was not God and He wasn’t turning the other cheek he was just another man being subjected to the cruel devices of a stronger power. Matthew 5 is dealing with our response to one another not the government.

 Jesus is conspicuously quiet when it came to government issues. There is a reason for this and that was He was coming to a people and region that was looking for a deliverer from the Romans. We know from scripture that was not why He came. He came to die for the sins of man and for the redemption of our souls. But there were a few instances where Jesus dealt with the government and I think some clues about how we should act can be gleaned from his approach.

 Many use the story of Jesus being asked about paying taxes as an example of why we should obey the government. Jesus stated, “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s”…Mark 12:17. But every gospel that tells this story states that the Pharisees were trying to trap him in his words so they could make a complaint to the Romans. In fact, Mark states it was one of the lies they tried to pin on him at Christ’s trial. It is clear from the gospels that Jesus’ answer was based on the fact they were trying to trick him.

 I think a better example of Christ’s feelings for the government could be found at his trial. There is no doubt that Jesus was meek and lowly, but I recently thought there were a few points in the time after he was arrested and before the crucifixion that he displayed the awesome power of God. I believe Jesus showed his disdain for the puppet court and government of that day when he refused to answer both Herod and Pilate. Can you imagine being the ruler of the region and bringing in this carpenter and He refuses to answer you even though you have his life in your hands? What power! What strength and how God like! His silence spoke volumes about who He was and what He stood for. The gospels bring out that Pilate marveled at the fact Jesus wouldn’t talk. It was if Jesus, through his silence, was stating who was really in charge that day. The Almighty was still the King in that court regardless of who was perceived to be in charge.

 What an amazing contrast Jesus is. He is a God of love, mercy and grace, but he is also a God of justice, the Lion of Judah and a protector of the weak! The God of the Old Testament is the same God in the New Testament. The Jesus of the Gospels is the same Jesus of Revelations 19. Hebrews 13:8 states, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” How can the God of War (Exodus 15:3 & Psalms 24:8 also be the God of Love and Mercy. This could be confusing until you read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven…a time to love, a time to hate, a time of war, and a time of peace.”

 So the first and most important question that we as believers should be asking is what season is it? Do you know? Have you prayed about it or have you let your emotions take you in a direction without clarification? It is easy to do but we must seek God to see what season it is. Is it a time of war or a time of peace? Let’s look back and see if we can glean anything further from the life of Jesus.

 If Jesus was about anything he was about freedom. He went about healing the sick, healing those possessed, healing the hearts of man and finally freeing us from the law of sin and death. On the day he died on the cross his blood stamped pardon on our souls and we were set free. “He who the Son sets free is free indeed” John 8:36. In fact His whole plan from the beginning was to free us. So how would Jesus respond to a government that is starting to take away the freedoms of its people? I strongly believe He would support freedom. I believe he would emphatically and charismatically support freedom. The scriptures both old and new are full of stories of freedom from oppression. Just because Christ did not free the Jews from the Romans during his life does not mean he was not interested in their freedom. Christ came to present another kingdom but that doesn’t mean He was condoning the Romans and their treating of the Jews. He simply had come for another purpose. Yet the final book of the Bible, the final chapter in history is written with one ending, freedom.

 How then should I respond as a follower of Christ to a country that is starting to take away freedoms? I think the answer is obvious from the Bible and that is we must fight to maintain freedom. To take a casual and apathetic approach to the state of our nation puts us in the category of the unfaithful servant found in Matthew 25. “To whom much is given much is required” Luke 12:48. We have been entrusted with this great nation and to let it go down the road it is headed would be a travesty. I can no longer silently sit on the sidelines and not act. The future of all I hold dear is at stake.

 What then should our approach be as Christians? Should we write letters and make phone calls? Am I suggesting protests? Am I saying run for office? Would I even go as far as to say that we not only can, but should, join in active rebellion if necessary? The answer is emphatically yes to every question. Do whatever it takes! Sitting on the sideline is no longer an option. A good friend of mine recently challenged me with the thought of outworking those that are looking to make changes and laws that I deem dangerous and unconstitutional. Do whatever it takes.

 Almost as bad as doing nothing is spreading toxic comments or posts on Facebook without doing anything of substance. Organize, get involved, fight for what you believe and do not let the disease of political correctness quiet you. Fight for your freedoms.

 In the passion of the battle you must remember that we lose our voice when we act and open our mouths out of emotion. One of the things that infuriates me is when a person states my view point but says it in such a vulgar or uneducated way as to totally turn off any open minded person that could be won to our cause. Calling the president an “F…ing Idiot” or stating from, “My Cold Dead Hands” only destroys the wisdom behind our cause. Be well written and well spoken. If you are writing to one of your representatives I encourage you to read how our founding fathers wrote to King George III when they expressed their grievances. They used words like “humbly” and “beseech” even though they were months away from armed conflict. “A soft answer turns away wrath” Proverbs 15:1. This would be the time for meekness. Most importantly pray for your leaders. Praise their decisions when you can and let them know you support them when they make the right decisions. Politicians are real people and trust me the tide of public opinion is still very powerful.

  I know some will think that my statement about active rebellion is radical and I would say they are correct but that places me in good company. Our founding fathers were radical. Look at the reasons they went to war with England and you will find many of the same issues we are dealing with today, namely a government that no longer places the needs of the people above its own devices and desires.

 I am not suggesting we are at a place where we pick up arms but if anything I have said resonates with you then you should at least take notice to this fact. The government is actively looking to reduce your ability to take up arms, even though it is explicitly guaranteed by the Constitution in the 2^nd Amendment. Wake up citizens, things are happening fast.

 I recently read a blog in which the writer stated, “for a government to work effectively there must be humility and an attitude of servant hood. These two characteristics, if missing, will destroy any leadership and render it useless or worse tyrannical.” Think about humility and servant hood when you think about the way our fore fathers acted when they brought this country into existence. I challenge you to do a little research about the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence.

 Five signers were captured and tortured until they died. Twelve had their homes burned or ransacked, several lost children in the war. Nine fought and died from wounds or hardship from the war. Many of the men lost their wealth and died bankrupt. They were men that pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to defy a king and a super power. I am afraid that today most Americans would not even sacrifice their cable TV to fight for their freedom. How can we say we love liberty and freedom if we are not willing to put it all on the line like our fore fathers? How can we be worthy of this great gift to be born into this country if we are not willing to sacrifice it all to keep what we hold sacred and dear?

 As citizens we have lost the ideals of humility and servant hood. The American of today thinks about self and how he can prosper self. We do not emulate those characteristics that Jesus taught us and that our founding fathers exemplified; humility and servant hood. Sacrifice is needed to right this ship, and a revolution always has a price. So what are you willing to do? Will you do anything? I have decided that I will follow the example of Jesus and the founding fathers and lay my life down. I will do whatever it takes. I will write, make phone calls, contact my representatives, write blogs, protest and educate the uneducated… Lastly, God forbid that this day comes, I will take up arms and defend the Constitution of the United States of America from enemies foreign, and even domestic.

 So, what would Jesus do? What should our response be as Christians to the state of our nation? Quite simply, He would lay his life down for others, especially the weak. Our response as believers should be the same. I have decided that as for me, I will begin to make my stand here. I have planted my flag and this is a hill I am willing to die on. “Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for a friend” John 15:13.

Thanks for reading

Steve

Does Abortion Matter in Politics Anymore?

In roughly 48 hours I will step into a small booth in a little library and cast my vote for the President of the United States. I was able to vote for the very first time in 1996. Since then my candidate has won twice and lost twice, this year will be the tie breaker.

 Back in 1996 my knowledge of politics was very limited and I basically voted for one issue, abortion. I make no apologies for the fact I am pro life and am not ashamed in the least to let people know about it. Ever since 1996 I have supported pro life candidates from both parties but over the last 8 years as I have gotten more interested in politics I have had to ask myself is abortion really an issue in politics anymore? My answer and it may shock you is that abortion doesn't matter anymore in politics. That may seem like a ridiculous statement when you consider it is one of the issues that has been brought up at every presidential debate on domestic issues for as long as I can remember.

 Usually what you see is the Democrat candidate try and say something to the effect that although he or she may not like abortion they believe in a woman's right to choose what to do with her body. This statement is intended to not make him look heartless but also shore up his liberal base. The Republican will say something like he or she is strongly against abortion except for in cases like rape or incest or for the life of the mother. This statement is intended to not make them look heartless towards a woman that has suffered from rape or incest and yet shore up their conservative base.

 I have been hearing these lines since I voted for Bob Dole in 1996. Yet in my 20 year voting history what have I gotten in return for my support of the Republican Party in regards to a pro life stance? In my last blog I stated that blacks overwhelmingly support Democrats with little to show for it, they have been duped. In the same way conservatives, myself included, have been duped by Republicans that stand for, "the sanctity of life", but do nothing about this.

 A man that I highly respect confronted me on this just last week when he stated that President George Bush gave more funding to Planned Parenthood then any other president before him. What?!?!?....Its true and I encourage you to do a little research on this fact. In fact go back and look at the Republican Presidents and show me a major attempt on anything to do with abortion let alone Roe v. Wade. Do it, I dare you!! There isn't much on a federal level and there was little support for states that have tried to make pro life laws. Listen Republican, Christian, conservative you have been duped by one of the Republican Partys' great hypocrisies. I for one am ashamed of myself for not realizing this earlier. While many of us sit back in expectant hope that our conservative candidate will actually move on what we consider a gross injustice, they have done nothing but make lame pronouncements of their pro life beliefs. That's all it takes for Conservatives to hop on the band wagon and declare our support and charge into the battle with our new found champion.

 I have stated earlier that I will be voting for Mitt Romney for several reasons but his being pro life is not one of them. He has definitely changed his spots on that one. When he was running in the Republican Primary many conservatives said he is no different then Obama yet now that he has the nomination he is the savior. Romney record in Massachusetts was less then stellar as pro life candidate so conservatives don't get your hopes up.

 So allow me to quickly make the case for why abortion should be an issue worth fighting for. One of my best friends was born at 23 weeks and survived. That was over 36 years ago when we didn't have the technology we have now. It's not a fetus or as one abortion supporter stated nothing more then a parasite. That's an interesting choice of words because that is what Hitler called the Jews. It is a life plain and simple.

 Abortion is racially charged. Although blacks make up 13% of the population they have almost 40% of the abortions. Planned Parenthood has a ridiculously high amount of offices in areas heavily populated by minorities. All you have to do is look at the words of Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, to see the foundations of that organization. Here is a staggering fact. More blacks are killed through abortion every week then were killed by the KKK in history.

 Finally I have a hard time with the hypocrisy of abortion. In the state of New York if you destroy the egg of a protected bird you can face a $50,000 fine and 10 years in prison but ending the life of a fertilized child is a right? Women claim that they should be able to make choices with their own bodies and I say I agree but here is a thought. What if the father doesn't want the baby but the mother does? Can he force her to abort? No, of course not but can he at any point decide he doesn't want to support the child? He can, but he won't get away with it. Eventually he will be forced to pay child support and he will until the child is 18 or 21 depending on the circumstances and the state. Where is the mans' choice? The point is men don't get one and they shouldn't. If you created it then you are responsible for it. That standard should be the same for women and men. Finally, how can we as a country honestly look critically at some countries with horrendous civil rights records when we won't even protect the weakest among us.

 There is still a place in politics for the abortion fight. Here is hoping we get a true candidate in either party that would be pro life, not just in name only but in conscience and policy.

 Over the last few days I have covered some pretty touchy subjects and by the hits I have been getting I know many are reading them. I am certain that with the numbers of people reading there are those that don't agree with me and that is great. Please feel free to challenge me with your feelings and opinion. One of the reasons I started this blog was to start up dialogue not just with people that think like me but honestly more for those that do not. This allows me the opportunity to grow and progress as I am faced with differing thoughts and opinions. We may end up having to agree to disagree and that is okay as well but our politicians are doing a terrible job talking so maybe it will be up to the citizens of this country to start meaningful dialogue again.

 Thanks For Reading
Steve

PS. VOTE ON TUESDAY!!!!!!!!