Paineful Truth

Again this week, the headlines have been bombarded with more news of ISIS attacks and counterattacks. And our question from last week remains unanswered - what is that something that makes the US different from the war-torn Middle East? After a brief look at the Constitution and the Declaration we determined that those documents are not what truly make the difference. Even though they are great historical works with more importance today than ever, they sadly are not a bandage that can just be used to try and mend the gaping wound of unrest and war that the Middle East suffers from. It was decided we must look back further to find that something . The Constitution and the Declaration were the fruit of seeds planted long before 1776. John Adams, an eyewitness and authority on the subject, said, “ The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious senti

“Why can’t the Middle East just get their act together?” I heard this question asked by a radio personality as ISIS continues to gain ground in the Middle East, capturing the strategically important city of Ramadi and the Syrian city of Palmyra just this week. This one simple question got me to thinking. As Americans, living most everyday in a lot of peace and not much danger, we tend to forget that this is not the norm. What is going on in the Middle East is painfully tragic but what is even more tragic is that it doesn’t have to happen. What makes the US different from the Middle Eastern countries that are torn apart by war and terror? The reasons for unrest in the Middle East are many and complex, far more than this one article could possibly tackle. But the reason for America’s peace and prosperity is much more simple and draws a clear distinction between the two. Please do not think that I am saying that the US is somehow ‘better’ than every other country. I do n

Why do you believe what you believe? I’m not asking what you believe. We get asked that all the time, and often offer an opinion without being asked. No, today the question, like a little five year-old, is “Why?” Everyone has in their mind what terms such as ‘liberal’, ‘conservative’, ‘Democrat’, and ‘Republican’ mean to them. Then there are thousands of variations and combinations of the theme. But whether you choose to label yourself or not, you have beliefs that would land you in one of those categories more than the other. My personal beliefs tend to land me in the ‘conservative camp’. And today I want to tell you why. I am a conservative because conservatives are the “Yes” people. “What?” you may say, very surprised, “How can you say they are the “Yes” people?” A good question. I mean after all, was it not the conservatives who said “No” to Loretta Lynch? Was it not the conservatives who said “No” to universal health care? Was it not the conservatives who said “No”

The 2016 elections seem like a long way away. But, in my opinion, the more issues that are hashed out now, the easier the choice will be when it comes that time. It’s going to be a crowded race anyway you cut it, so why not pare it down a bit? The sooner there is a united front the better chance we have of getting a good person into the highest office in the land. I want to take a slightly different tack in this round. We know that government’s purpose is to protect the rights of its citizens and that among these rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Do these two candidates agree with this? Have they used their past positions of political power to protect rights? Will they protect these rights if entrusted with the presidency? Let’s find out.  Life: Life begins at conception ( proof ). A candidate that does not believe in protecting all life has no business pretending to protect some. Without life, none of our other rights matter. If a

  What The American People Need to Know Equality, Marriage and  the Supreme Court America was watching as the Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding the Obergefell vs. Hodges case on Tuesday. A case that could determine the fate of marriage in America. This may seem like a complicated subject on the surface, but I’ve broken it down into what I believe are the main three distinct areas of argument and attempted to give a simple answer to each. The three areas are: equality, the definition of marriage, and the court’s role vs. the people’s. So let’s jump into this - equality. Twitter has been abuzz with#equalityforall. But there is an inherent flaw with people’s understanding of the whole concept of equality. They are missing the key word. All men are created equal. Given certain rights by their Creator. And government’s purpose is (supposed to be) to protect those rights (see the Declara