The Rest Of The Story

He would greet us with the trademark "Hello Americans..... Staaaannnd by for News!!" When broadcast legend Paul Harvey past away this weekend, so too did a radio era. He was the last of a generation of journalists who had that unique ability to paint a picture in the minds eye with nothing but carefully crafted words and a technique that set Harvey apart from the rest, the masterful use of the inflection, the intonation, the.... pause. No one in broadcasting could wrap his arms around a story like Paul Harvey.

From the time I was in high school and knew I wanted to make a living at this craft, Paul Harvey proved an inspiration. I would wait with great anticipation to hear his news and comment as well as his Rest Of The Story broadcasts. It was a privilege to one day host my own talk show with the Rest Of The Story as my lead-in. I had the honor of meeting Mr. Harvey in person at a Radio Television News Directors convention in San Antonio, Texas in 1991. He addressed us all and I listened as a grandson would at the knee of his grandfather. I hinged on each word, each exhortation, each challenge to get it right as journalists and to maintain a standard worthy of the calling.

He once said of his unique style that as a young broadcaster that he tried to imitate someone else until his boss gave him this advice. If you try to be like someone else, the best you can ever hope for is second best. Be your own person. Good advise that I took to heart early on in my own career.

I admired so much about the man, but probably nothing more than his ability throughout his career to remain unchanged by fame, fortune and popularity. He was at his death, the same grounded individual who got into the business as a young high schooler in 1933. Paul Harvey was a man of high ideals, true integrity and deep faith. In a world where it's not always popular to share that faith, Paul Harvey never shied away from that important part of his life. As my sister so appropriately put it in an e-mail to me upon his passing, "Now Paul Harvey does really know . . . the rest of the story."

Rest in peace, Mr. Harvey. Job well done. . . . . . . Good Day!!

Let's Never Forget - Say A Prayer Today

This morning at 8:45 as I sat in the parking lot of a convenience story, I looked around me and saw people walking in and out, checking out at the counter, getting gasoline for their cars, most I'm sure not giving a second thought as to the significance of the moment.  At that very minute 7 years ago, the first airplane crashed into the World Trade Center setting off a series of events that day which would forever alter our world and how we see it.  As painful as it is (for family and friends of victims especially), we need to see that video again and again of what took place on that day.  We should never forget or allow anyone else to forget or minimize the attack that occurred not only on this country, but freedom loving people everywhere.  Thank God we have not seen another day like that since September 11, 2001, but that does not mean there are not evil, terrible monster still out there who wish us harm.  We must remain vigilant, not let down our guard and be willing to stand up and fight for what is good and decent.  

Encouraging news today out of the New York Times that President Bush secretly approved orders in July that for the first time allow American Special Operations forces to carry out ground assaults inside Pakistan without the prior approval of the Pakistani government.  Hopefully this will lead to bringing Bin Laden and others to justice.  Will it stop terrorism and the on-going threat?  No, but it is a step in the right direction.  If this nation is to remain free, it is imperative that the next President and Congress live up to their Constitutional responsibilities to protect and defend us or we will most certainly crumble as a country.

Sometime today, take a few minutes to reflect on the horrific day 7 years ago determined to do all in your power to hold government accountable to insure it will never happen again.  And do one other thing as well.  Pray for our nation, continued protection and for the families who's loved ones paid the ultimate price. 

Take a look at this video as well.  This is an interview I conducted and used in a worship service at Shore Fellowship Church in Egg Harbor Township.  It puts a real personal face on the events of that terrible day.

Who's Country Is This Anyway?

     This picture was taken not in Mexico City, but downtown Reno, Nevada.  Not only is it a direct slap in the face of all United States citizens, its illegal to fly any flag above the stars and stripes in this country.  But this is what is happening.  It's the frog in the simmering pot of warming water. If we don't do something, we will all awake one day speaking Spanish and under the domination of our neighbors to the South.  

     I know it's not the politically correct view to have and many see it as downright intolerant, but I maintain the view that if you are in this country, you should learn how to speak the language of this country. Those in Congress who continue to be unwilling to make English the "official" language of the United States are in my view nothing more than willing accomplices  to the takeover of the United States of America.  Abraham Lincoln said it correctly over 125 years ago.  If this country ever falls, it will fall from within.  That is exactly what is happening.

     By the way, a veteran courageously took down both flags with a knife, walked away with the stars and stripes and then left the Mexican flag on the sidewalk.  The shop owners who presumably put up the flags stood by outside as he did it.  When a reporter asked for their reaction, they walked back in their shop and shut the door, saying nothing.  Who knows ... maybe they didn't speak English!!!

     Let's talk about it on the radio tonight at six on WOND 1400 AM, Atlantic City, NJ and streaming LIVE worldwide. 

The Audacity of Obama's Hypocrisy

So now when the heat is on, Barack Obama denounces the words of his pastor of 20 years, the man who married he and his wife, baptized his daughters and preached in the pulpit that Obama has called his home church. Is Obama responsible for the comments of his pastor? Of course not. But I can't imagine why you would attend a church, consider someone a close friend and give to the ministry of someone who preaches hate, racism and division. Tonight on Fox News, Barack Obama said he was unaware of many of the comments made by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright until the last couple of days. This raises a lot of questions not the least of which is how anyone could on one hand be so close to someone (Rev. Wright) who is Obama's own words was like "an uncle to me", and on the other hand not know he held these extreme views. That doesn't say a whole lot for the judgment of the man who would be our next President. This whole issue answers other questions raised in the last couple of weeks. Hearing these statements by the Rev. Wright makes it much easier to understand where Michelle Obama has developed her beliefs about the United States of America considering she sat under the ministry of Wright.
Recently, Barack Obama delivered a stump speech where he touted the famous words of Dr. Martin Luther King, and words of the Declaration of Independence and other inspiring quotes followed by the rhetorical question, "Just Words"? Obama hammered home the ascertation that words are powerful and have meaning.
You're right about that Mr. Obama. In light of the recent revelations, my question to you is, Rev. Jeremiah Wrights sermons and messages, just words? If this had been any other candidate other than Obama he or she would have had to resign quicker than you can shake a stick. The fact that Barack Obama is still in this race is THE AUDACITY OF HYPOCRISY!

Private Property?

     Hey taxpayers of Middle Township (Cape May County, NJ)  you better ask for your money back.  It seems the local Board of Education feels that the Performing Arts Center in your township is private property.  That's right.  You paid for and now it's private property.  So, who is the private person or persons who own it?  

     If you didn't hear already, a former candidate for New Jersey Governor, Steve Lonegan and South Jersey Attorney and WIBG radio talk show host Seth Grossman were both arrested last weekend for protesting outside of a dog and pony show Governor Corzine brought to town to explain his plan to up the tolls on New Jersey highways.  (His way of fixing the fiscal mess we are in in Trenton).  So Lonegan and Grossman were handing out flyers explaining why we shouldn't buy into the Governors plan and they held up signs reinforcing the message.  They were both handcuffed and arrested after the Middle Township Board of Educations Walter Landgraf, the school district's business administrator told Lonegan he must take the protest off school grounds."It's not public property. It's owned by the Board of Education. There's a difference," Landgraf said. "You're going to have to leave the property, please. I'd like you to leave the school board's property."

     It's bad enough that the Governor is sticking it once again to the hard working residents of New Jersey with more taxes, now a taxpayer funded Public Arts Center is being referred to as private property.  How arrogant!   How disgusting!  How dare they!!!!

Watch Out! Here Come The Thought Police

     When the New Jersey State Assembly meets in its final session this coming Monday legislators will vote on a measure which if approved, will go a long way toward eroding our First Amendment rights.  The sad fact is, most people won't even pay attention and those who do take note most likely won't even understand what's at stake.   The legislation is A-4591, a measure designed to toughen hate crimes laws in New Jersey.  The State Senate already voted in favor of the companion measure last Thursday.  

     So what in the world could be wrong with being opposed to hate crimes.  Well, for one hate crimes legislation in general is severely flawed in its logic.  We've all heard the argument.  Someone kills an individual.  During the course of prosecution, we discover the murderer committed the crime because of their hate for the victim because of their race, gender or sexual orientation.  Oh, really.  Now we really have to punish the murderer.  I don't get the logic.  The victim is dead.  Does it really matter what the assailant was thinking when he or she committed the crime.  The crime is horrible enough.  I've never understood what difference it makes what the person was thinking when they intentionally committed the crime.  The result is still the same.  The punishment should be to the fullest extent of the law.  I don't care if the murderer was thinking, "Gee, I really hate this person" or "Gee, I have to kill them because if I don't they'll identify me to police when I leave the scene of the crime."

     As I see it, it's really all about "feel good" legislation.  We'll really give it to the murderer because of the hate.  That will make us all feel better.  It's ridiculous.

     This latest addition to the proposed legislation as written, strongly suggests that any expressed disagreement to homosexual behavior, "gender identity or expression" could be construed as bias intimidation.  In fact the bill specifies that if found guilty of "bias intimidation", the guilty party will be forced to attend "sensitivity training" which could have the effect of indoctrinating you to accept homosexuality or other "gender expressions" and reject your sincerely held beliefs.

     My concern and the concern of many others is that this legislation could dramatically impact free speech and freedom of religious.  How so, you ask?  What if a pastor decides to address his congregation on his Biblically held views regarding homosexuality?  Will he be hauled off to jail or sensitivity class?  We're not talking about someone advocating violence against any group.  We're talking about expression of deeply held beliefs.  What if someone asks your opinion about a certain group of people or issue, are you free to express that opinion without fear of being reported to the "thought police." This is very dangerous.   Our ability as a free people to openly express beliefs is a fundamental right guaranteed by our Constitution.  Don't let that right be taken away. Call your Assembly representative and urge them to vote NO!

Loosing Ground

There is an old saying in politics.  "He who slings dirt, only looses ground."   I emphasize the word old because it apparently doesn't apply to todays climate.  I may sound crazy, but current research shows that the more negative a politician goes, the better his or her chances are of actually winning.  Worse than that, is that much of the "negative" in advertising literature and commercials doesn't even have to be true or substantiated.  The hard, cold facts are that even if an opponents accusations are challenged, by the time they are refuted or corrected, the damage has been done.  With one day to go until Election Day, I am tired of hearing the radio and tv ads touting all the horrible and disgusting things a candidate for office has done; running that persons name through the mud over and over again and then having the nerve to end the commercials by saying, "that's why that individual is running one of the nastiest campaigns in history."  What?  Telling us nasty things about a person and then claiming that very person is himself running a nasty campaign. How twisted is that?  And are we the electorate buying it? Apparently so.  Why?  Because we are sound bite, catch a comment here and there, disconnected people who do little to study the issues or the candidates, vote my name recognition alone or how someone looks or simply party line or in many cases, not show up at the polls at all.  And then we complain over and over again about what we get.   It's not the nasty politician loosing ground. We, the people are the ones loosing ground because we are digging our own graves.

Listen To The People

The recent poll conducted on this blog asked the question: Should U.S. Public Schools align their curriculum to that of Mexican education standards? 100% of the respondents said NO. The poll was initiated in light of my blog entry of last week, "Remember The Alamo".
I know the majority of the readers to this blog probably lean more to the Conservative side of politics. However, that being said, I strongly feel that the majority of everyday you and me citizens of this country feel the same way. This is the United States of America; a melting pot made up of people from all cultures, backgrounds, creeds and colors. But the fact is over the 200 plus years of this countries history, we have evolved into a culture all our own. We are a melting pot. That means that immigrants, brought some of their own customs and traditions to "The New World", but they have not tried to turn the United States into their native country. they melted into our unique culture.
We are not Mexico. Spanish is not our primary language and it's time some politicians with a little spine spoke and up (in English) and laid it out the way it needs to be laid out. If you want to live in a Mexican culture or Muslim-style society, maybe this isn't the place for you. We welcome many of your traditions and customs, but don't try to turn the United States of America into Mexico City or Tehran.

We Had Him In Our Sight

Remember just after 9/11 and we found out as a country that on at least one occasion we could have taken out Bin Laden. We missed the opportunity and history tells us the price we've paid. I only hope that 3 to 5 years from now we won't be saying the same about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. There is strong evidence to show that Mahmoud was very much involved in the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979. By the way, no one has ever been brought to justice for that act of terrorism. My friend, columnist and former New York Congressman John LeBoutillier writes about that and more in his recent column @ "The Boots' Blasts". You can also check out my interview with John on my podcast @ VIEPodNetwork.com We talk about Ahmadinejad and his visit to the United States.

Have We Forgotten The Alamo?

“Remember the Alamo”, a mantra taught to Texans and found in history books in classrooms across the United States. (If you’re not familiar, its the idea that proud Americans who fell at the hands of the Mexicans at the Alamo in San Antonio must never forget that defeat and the price soldiers and freedom fighters paid from the legendary Davie Crockett to Colonel William Travis and Jim Bowie all of whom lost their lives in that battle of 1836).

Well, apparently a lot of educators ( or those who control education) in Austin, Texas, San Diego, California, Yakima, Washington and now the state of Oregon have forgotten. It seems The Oregon Department of Education and Mexico’s Secretariat of Public Education are discussing aligning their curricula so course taught will be valid in both countries. You heard it right, not only have we decided to turn our heads and use United States citizens taxpayer dollars to educate illegal aliens, now your tax dollars will be used to introduce Mexican school curriculum in our public schools. The reason, to assist hispanic students. Tim King who is the director of Clackamas Middle College and Clackamas Web Academy says "Students come to us with such complex issues. "We've had to change in order to fit into each school scene, become more complex and open ourselves up to new situations."

Now Oregon officials simply say the approach is intended as a supplement to keep students learning in Spanish while also gaining English skills. I say, you want to learn Spanish take a foreign language course. Anything beyond that, (now I know this may sound harsh) But GO BACK TO MEXICO! What is happening to to culture in our country.

Until now, Oregon school districts generally have relied on bilingual aides or used Spanish material different from the English material others are studying.

Patrick Burk, chief policy officer with the superintendent's office of the Oregon Department of Education says that’s not enough. He said the idea is minimal disruption for immigrant Latinos. What about minimal disruption for immigrants from Italy or France, Japan or a Muslim country. Oh, I forgot, a school district in New York City has already taken care of that. Did you hear about the PUBLIC school in New York that uses public tax dollars to fund an all Muslim public school? Do you think we would stand a prayer of having a taxpayer funded all Christian public school. Not on your life.

We are in serious trouble if you haven’t figured this out already. A philosophy is overtaking this country that has already at best weakened us as a nation and will in the near future if someone does not stand up and stop it, destroy the very fabric of the United States Of America. I welcome your thoughts and comments and be sure to participate in our on-line poll. I want to know what you think.

Look for an upcoming interview on the demise of our culture through the liberal infiltration of public school system or go to VIEPodNetwork.com and sign up for my newsletter. I’ll send you an e-alert when the interview is up and running.

MoveOn - Hillary, Chris & Barack

No doubt you heard about the U.S. Senate vote which overwhelmingly denounced an ad that appeared in the New York Times sponsored by the radical, left wing group, MoveOn.org. The ad was headlined: “General Petraeus or General Betray Us? Cooking the books for the White House.”

I just wanted to make sure you knew that while 72 Senators voted to condemn the ad, two of the Senators who want to be your next President refused to condemn it. Surprise , surprise . . . they are Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Senator Christopher Dodd. How about Senator Barack Obama, well he just didn’t vote at all, although he cast another vote only a few minutes before.

Are these the kind of “leaders” we want in the role of Commander In Chief? I think not.

We Need To Remember

As painful as today must be for those who suffered such a terrible loss at the hands of terrorists, it is important that the rest of us be reminded of what took place on this date. Time has a way of distancing us from reality. The major network news shows will devote time to images of memorial services and flowers being laid, names being read and songs being sung. But although painful to watch, those news shows really should devote an almost equal amount of time to replaying images like the picture above. Not to be sensational, but rather as a sobering reminder. We do need to see those airplanes turned into torpedoes crashing into the World Trade Center, The Pentagon and a field in western Pennsylvania. We must be vividly reminded that there are those who are sadly still among us who want to wipe us off the face of the earth in the name of Allah. They openly reminds us all that they will not give up until we are destroyed.
As bold as our sworn enemy is in their relentless determination, it still amazes me that so many of my fellow Americans along with others around the world refuse to wake up to the fact that this is war for our very survival. Whether it's their unwillingness to confront the enemy head on or their belief that somehow we must engage in dialogue to learn more about each other and appreciate who we all are, it continues to baffle me how so many can be so naive about the real danger that confronts us.
That is why marking days like these and being reminded of the unspeakable horror that rained down on this nation is exactly what we need as a people. May we be reminded daily of the enemy among us. The more complacent we become as a nation, the closer we get to a time when all we've fought for, sacrificed for and died for as a people will be no more. Then it will be too late. God bless the families of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice on that bright, crisp September morning six years ago. They had no choice on that morning. We who remain have a choice to do all in our power to see such a day never again occurs on our soil.

A Day To Remember

So, my family and I visited the annual Memorial Day ceremony in Ocean City, NJ this morning. On a day where most of the nation spends time at the beach, in the mountains, eating hot dogs and hamburgers or shopping for all the sales, a few still take time to (if only an hour or so) to recall what the day is really all about.

I can tell you it was sobering to hear the names of the local men, those with the same hopes and dreams that all of us have. The only difference is their dreams never came to be. Life was cut short on some far off shore, in some damp, dark jungle half a world away. Families were left to grieve and we reminded that communities like Ocean City were left to only wonder what contributions these men might have made to their hometown. It really makes you think hard about the many things we take for granted each and every day. We have been given an awesome gift of life and freedom. I don’t want to squander that gift. Much too high a price has been paid to let days roll into weeks and weeks into months and years to not make a difference where God has placed each of us.

It’s good to remember if only to cause us to reflect and renew a commitment to bloom wherever we are planted in life. Now go make a difference wherever you are planted.