Conservative Blogger
Thursday, April 14, 2016
'Duck Dynasty' star's NASCAR prayer enrages liberals
My good buddy Phil Robertson has drawn the ire of a bunch of
Jesus-bashing, liberal lug nuts after he petitioned the Lord during a
NASCAR invocation to put a “Jesus-Man in the White House.”
Brother Phil delivered the pre-race invocation on April 9th at the Texas Motor Speedway’s Duck Commander 500. And it was a mighty fine invocation, indeed.
Click here to join Todd’s American Dispatch: a must-read for Conservatives!
“I pray Father that we put a Jesus-Man in the White House,” he prayed. “Help us do that and help us all to repent, to do what is right, to love you more and to love each other. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.”
Brother Phil also mentioned the Bible, guns and thanked the Good Lord for the United States military – just like any good church-going, Christian man would do.
But the Duck Commander’s heartfelt invocation caused the Mainstream Media to blow a collective head gasket.
Sports commentators and journalists suggested pre-race prayers were too “Southern” and too “redneck.” As if there’s something wrong with being a Southern-fried redneck?
Deadspin called Brother Phil an “unapologetic bigot” and a “duck call industrialist.”
The Associated Press auto racing writer accused Brother Phil of pushing an agenda – and accused NASCAR of “clouding its image with politics.”
“There are Democrats who enjoy NASCAR,” writer Jenna Fryer sneered. “Jews and atheists and women, too.”
Consider the words from this Orlando Sentinel column titled, “NASCAR doesn’t need Phil Robertson’s prayers.”
“What if at next Sunday’s race, someone got up and prayed for gun control, the Koran and that a Muhammad-woman be put in the White House?” writer David Whitley opined. “Most of the people defending Robertson would be throwing tire irons at their TVs.”
Well, I sincerely doubt a devout Muslim would be asking Allah to put a “Muhammad-woman” anywhere near the White House. And let’s be honest, you don’t see too many burkas at Bristol.
“Beyond the Flag” ran an essay written by Christopher Olmstead that contemplated whether or not religion still belongs in NASCAR.
“For a sport that is trying to become a global success is it appropriate to attach a certain religion or religious tone to yourself? For a sport that might have several drivers who might not believe in God or religion is it appropriate to hold the pre-race invocation? For a sport that is trying to reach out to different cultures around the world who may believe in a higher power other than God, is it appropriate to have the invocation?”
It’s tempting to tell Brother Phil’s critics to blow it out their tail pipes – but that’s not the Christian thing to do.
And besides – Brother Phil has more supporters than detractors – including the president of Texas Motor Speedway.
“He said what he felt and believed there are a lot of people that agree with him and a lot that disagree with him,” Eddie Gossage told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Nowadays, you cannot say what you think because of political correctness. So I guess everyone has a right to free speech or nobody does.”
Prayer is an important part of Southern culture. It’s what we do. It’s who we are -- whether we’re asking the Good Lord to bless the butter beans or offering an “unspoken” prayer request before Bible Study.
And that’s why the Mainstream Media may be in for a rude awakening if they think they can “prayer-shame” the good, church-going racing fans of America. It’s not going to happen.
Why, NASCAR without Jesus would be like biscuits without gravy.
Brother Phil delivered the pre-race invocation on April 9th at the Texas Motor Speedway’s Duck Commander 500. And it was a mighty fine invocation, indeed.
Click here to join Todd’s American Dispatch: a must-read for Conservatives!
“I pray Father that we put a Jesus-Man in the White House,” he prayed. “Help us do that and help us all to repent, to do what is right, to love you more and to love each other. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.”
Brother Phil also mentioned the Bible, guns and thanked the Good Lord for the United States military – just like any good church-going, Christian man would do.
But the Duck Commander’s heartfelt invocation caused the Mainstream Media to blow a collective head gasket.
Sports commentators and journalists suggested pre-race prayers were too “Southern” and too “redneck.” As if there’s something wrong with being a Southern-fried redneck?
Deadspin called Brother Phil an “unapologetic bigot” and a “duck call industrialist.”
The Associated Press auto racing writer accused Brother Phil of pushing an agenda – and accused NASCAR of “clouding its image with politics.”
“There are Democrats who enjoy NASCAR,” writer Jenna Fryer sneered. “Jews and atheists and women, too.”
Consider the words from this Orlando Sentinel column titled, “NASCAR doesn’t need Phil Robertson’s prayers.”
“What if at next Sunday’s race, someone got up and prayed for gun control, the Koran and that a Muhammad-woman be put in the White House?” writer David Whitley opined. “Most of the people defending Robertson would be throwing tire irons at their TVs.”
Well, I sincerely doubt a devout Muslim would be asking Allah to put a “Muhammad-woman” anywhere near the White House. And let’s be honest, you don’t see too many burkas at Bristol.
“Beyond the Flag” ran an essay written by Christopher Olmstead that contemplated whether or not religion still belongs in NASCAR.
“For a sport that is trying to become a global success is it appropriate to attach a certain religion or religious tone to yourself? For a sport that might have several drivers who might not believe in God or religion is it appropriate to hold the pre-race invocation? For a sport that is trying to reach out to different cultures around the world who may believe in a higher power other than God, is it appropriate to have the invocation?”
It’s tempting to tell Brother Phil’s critics to blow it out their tail pipes – but that’s not the Christian thing to do.
And besides – Brother Phil has more supporters than detractors – including the president of Texas Motor Speedway.
“He said what he felt and believed there are a lot of people that agree with him and a lot that disagree with him,” Eddie Gossage told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Nowadays, you cannot say what you think because of political correctness. So I guess everyone has a right to free speech or nobody does.”
Prayer is an important part of Southern culture. It’s what we do. It’s who we are -- whether we’re asking the Good Lord to bless the butter beans or offering an “unspoken” prayer request before Bible Study.
And that’s why the Mainstream Media may be in for a rude awakening if they think they can “prayer-shame” the good, church-going racing fans of America. It’s not going to happen.
Why, NASCAR without Jesus would be like biscuits without gravy.
It's not like sports: Why the candidate with the most delegates may lose out
The Washington Post declares that Ted Cruz “is close to ensuring that
Donald Trump cannot win the GOP nomination on a second ballot.”
Which, if true, would mean Donald Trump’s only shot would be to win it on the first try.
But wait! RNC rules committee member Randy Evans told “Morning Joe” yesterday that Trump will be the nominee if he manages to win 1,100 delegates—in short, that 1,100 is the new 1,237.
Every hour, it seems, some pundit or politico is handicapping the hand-to-hand combat over delegates and praising or denouncing the procedures for picking a nominee.
When you play baseball, or football, or basketball, there are all kinds of rules—balk, roughing the passer, 24-second-violation—but even if the contest goes into overtime, the team with the most runs or points wins. Presidential campaigns, not so much.
The insiders can literally move the goalposts, by changing the rules for the convention. In 2012, Mitt Romney’s forces didn’t want anyone else seizing the spotlight, so they pushed through rules requiring a candidate to have won eight states to be nominated. That rule could be tossed out in 2016 if the rules committee wants to lower the bar.
With Trump saying the system is rigged and Cruz accusing him of whining, the system itself is on trial.
Suddenly, I’m not hearing about tax cuts. I’m not hearing about health care. I’m not hearing about ISIS. I’m hearing about the arcane Colorado selection process that gave the store to Cruz, and how Cruz won 11 of 12 delegates selected so far in Arkansas, and complaints that some in Trump’s orbit are being heavy-handed in their comments about targeting delegates.
Here we have Trump on the verge of a major victory in New York next week, and leading in Pennsylvania and Maryland the following week, and the media’s focus is on state-by-state rules—driven in part by Trump denouncing what happened in Colorado as a disgrace.
Now I get that the rules were established in advance and every campaign has to adapt to them. And I get that there are times that Trump has benefitted from formulas that awarded him a greater share of delegates than his percentage of the popular vote. And yes, as Al Gore reminded the country, you can win the most votes and still lose the presidency.
Clearly, the Cruz camp is far better organized for this sort of political infighting than the Trump team. But that argument misses the resonance of Trump’s complaint that insiders are gaming the system when he wins Colorado and gets zero delegates, without most Republicans having a chance to vote.
By the way, this CNN video underscores the absurdity of the process, showing how Colorado picked among 600 delegates from an assembly line in which they each got to make 10-second speeches.
Once we get to Cleveland, the Post says, “Cruz is poised to pick up at least 130 more votes on a second ballot…That tally surpasses 170 delegates under less conservative assumptions — a number that could make it impossible for Trump to emerge victorious.”
Well, maybe. While 95 percent of all delegates are bound to their state’s winner on the first ballot, nearly 60 percent will be unbound on a second ballot, and 80 percent on a third ballot, the paper says.
Of course the media have to cover the procedural battle over luring delegates in one state after another. In the end, math matters. But they shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that Trump will go to the convention with the largest bloc of delegates, and depriving him of the prize will be ugly no matter how skillfully the rules are exploited.
Howard Kurtz is a Fox News analyst and the host of "MediaBuzz" (Sundays 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET). He is the author of five books and is based in Washington. Follow him at @HowardKurtz. Click here for more information on Howard Kurtz.
Which, if true, would mean Donald Trump’s only shot would be to win it on the first try.
But wait! RNC rules committee member Randy Evans told “Morning Joe” yesterday that Trump will be the nominee if he manages to win 1,100 delegates—in short, that 1,100 is the new 1,237.
Every hour, it seems, some pundit or politico is handicapping the hand-to-hand combat over delegates and praising or denouncing the procedures for picking a nominee.
When you play baseball, or football, or basketball, there are all kinds of rules—balk, roughing the passer, 24-second-violation—but even if the contest goes into overtime, the team with the most runs or points wins. Presidential campaigns, not so much.
The insiders can literally move the goalposts, by changing the rules for the convention. In 2012, Mitt Romney’s forces didn’t want anyone else seizing the spotlight, so they pushed through rules requiring a candidate to have won eight states to be nominated. That rule could be tossed out in 2016 if the rules committee wants to lower the bar.
The latest headlines on the 2016 elections from the biggest name in politics. See Latest Coverage →
Suddenly, I’m not hearing about tax cuts. I’m not hearing about health care. I’m not hearing about ISIS. I’m hearing about the arcane Colorado selection process that gave the store to Cruz, and how Cruz won 11 of 12 delegates selected so far in Arkansas, and complaints that some in Trump’s orbit are being heavy-handed in their comments about targeting delegates.
Here we have Trump on the verge of a major victory in New York next week, and leading in Pennsylvania and Maryland the following week, and the media’s focus is on state-by-state rules—driven in part by Trump denouncing what happened in Colorado as a disgrace.
Now I get that the rules were established in advance and every campaign has to adapt to them. And I get that there are times that Trump has benefitted from formulas that awarded him a greater share of delegates than his percentage of the popular vote. And yes, as Al Gore reminded the country, you can win the most votes and still lose the presidency.
Clearly, the Cruz camp is far better organized for this sort of political infighting than the Trump team. But that argument misses the resonance of Trump’s complaint that insiders are gaming the system when he wins Colorado and gets zero delegates, without most Republicans having a chance to vote.
By the way, this CNN video underscores the absurdity of the process, showing how Colorado picked among 600 delegates from an assembly line in which they each got to make 10-second speeches.
Once we get to Cleveland, the Post says, “Cruz is poised to pick up at least 130 more votes on a second ballot…That tally surpasses 170 delegates under less conservative assumptions — a number that could make it impossible for Trump to emerge victorious.”
Well, maybe. While 95 percent of all delegates are bound to their state’s winner on the first ballot, nearly 60 percent will be unbound on a second ballot, and 80 percent on a third ballot, the paper says.
Of course the media have to cover the procedural battle over luring delegates in one state after another. In the end, math matters. But they shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that Trump will go to the convention with the largest bloc of delegates, and depriving him of the prize will be ugly no matter how skillfully the rules are exploited.
Howard Kurtz is a Fox News analyst and the host of "MediaBuzz" (Sundays 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET). He is the author of five books and is based in Washington. Follow him at @HowardKurtz. Click here for more information on Howard Kurtz.
Trump vows Mexico border wall will be built within two years
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump said Wednesday that
his proposed wall across the U.S.-Mexico border would be completed
within two years.
"I would say it would be complete within two years from the time we start, we'll start quickly," Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity at a town hall in Pittsburgh, Pa. "We'll start quickly, and it will be a real wall. It will be a real wall."
The self-imposed deadline was the most detail Trump has offered about his controversial proposal aimed at preventing illegal immigration. At one point, the crowd at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall began chanting "Build the wall! Build the wall!"
Trump followed that outburst with a call-and-response, asking the crowd "Who's gonna pay for the wall?"
After the crowd responded, "Mexico!", Trump told Hannity, "They'll pay in one form or another."
Trump again accused Colorado Republican officials of changing the rules of the state’s convention to select delegates for this summer's national convention in Cleveland after he officially announced his candidacy in June 2015.
“When I went into the race, which was in the middle
of June—after that, they changed the whole thing in Colorado,” Trump
said. “I would’ve done great in Colorado [if they didn’t] have this
arcane [delegate] system that nobody understands.
“My delegates went there, they wouldn’t put them on the list, then they even did “Never Trump, Never Trump,” the real estate mogul added, referring to a now-deleted tweet from the state party’s official Twitter account that included the hashtag popular among Trump's detractors. The Colorado GOP blamed the miscue on “unauthorized access” in a later tweet.
Trump also criticized April 26’s Pennsylvania primary. Voters there will award 17 delegates to the statewide winner and 54 additional delegates will be elected directly by the voters. But ballots will not identify which candidate each of the additional 54 delegates have pledged to support. Some of the delegate names will be recognizable local officials, while others may be less-identifiable to voters.
“I could win Pennsylvania by a landslide…get 17 delegates, and somebody else could get 35 or 40, and they didn’t even win—but they have connections to the machine. It’s not right,” Trump said. "We have to bring the voter back into it."
Trump also touched on his meeting earlier Wednesday with Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, with whom he has carried on a months-long dispute.
"She was very, very nice," Trump said. "Maybe it was time or maybe she felt it was time. I give her a lot of credit for doing what she did."
"I would say it would be complete within two years from the time we start, we'll start quickly," Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity at a town hall in Pittsburgh, Pa. "We'll start quickly, and it will be a real wall. It will be a real wall."
The self-imposed deadline was the most detail Trump has offered about his controversial proposal aimed at preventing illegal immigration. At one point, the crowd at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall began chanting "Build the wall! Build the wall!"
Trump followed that outburst with a call-and-response, asking the crowd "Who's gonna pay for the wall?"
After the crowd responded, "Mexico!", Trump told Hannity, "They'll pay in one form or another."
Trump again accused Colorado Republican officials of changing the rules of the state’s convention to select delegates for this summer's national convention in Cleveland after he officially announced his candidacy in June 2015.
The latest headlines on the 2016 elections from the biggest name in politics. See Latest Coverage →
“My delegates went there, they wouldn’t put them on the list, then they even did “Never Trump, Never Trump,” the real estate mogul added, referring to a now-deleted tweet from the state party’s official Twitter account that included the hashtag popular among Trump's detractors. The Colorado GOP blamed the miscue on “unauthorized access” in a later tweet.
Trump also criticized April 26’s Pennsylvania primary. Voters there will award 17 delegates to the statewide winner and 54 additional delegates will be elected directly by the voters. But ballots will not identify which candidate each of the additional 54 delegates have pledged to support. Some of the delegate names will be recognizable local officials, while others may be less-identifiable to voters.
“I could win Pennsylvania by a landslide…get 17 delegates, and somebody else could get 35 or 40, and they didn’t even win—but they have connections to the machine. It’s not right,” Trump said. "We have to bring the voter back into it."
Trump also touched on his meeting earlier Wednesday with Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, with whom he has carried on a months-long dispute.
"She was very, very nice," Trump said. "Maybe it was time or maybe she felt it was time. I give her a lot of credit for doing what she did."
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Bibles are being removed from Missing Man tributes at VA clinics and military bases. Why?
It really takes a special kind of low-life to desecrate a military
display honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action.
Over the past several months the M
It really takes a special kind of low-life to desecrate a military display honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action.
Over the past several months the Military Religious Freedom Foundation has waged a campaign to have Bibles removed from “Missing Man” displays located on federal property. They claim the inclusion of the Bible is a violation of federal law.
Click here to join Todd’s American Dispatch: a must-read for Conservatives!
So far at least three VA medical clinics and one Air Force base have complied with the MRFF’s demands to cleanse the displays of the Good Book.
I have been reporting on this religious cleansing for the past two years – and now a group of conservative organizations is preparing to fight back against the MRFF.
Fox News has exclusively obtained a letter sent to Robert McDonald, secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs – urging him to reinstate the Bible to the Missing Man displays.
“The removal of the Bible not only violates the integrity of these displays, but insults those returned POWs who gained daily strength from their faith in the prisons of our enemies,” they wrote. “When a governmental agency such as the VA removes any part of the display, it is a grave insult to the nation’s veterans who often gather together to honor those who have not returned, while also interfering with the message being expressed.”
The letter was signed by representatives from Family Research Council, American Family Association, First Liberty Institute, Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, Center for Military Readiness, Freedom Alliance, Liberty Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom, Freedom X, Judicial Watch, LION Associates, Military-Veterans Advocacy, Stand Up America US and the International Conference of Evangelical Chaplain Endorsers.
Secretary McDonald did not return my telephone calls or emails.
“There is definitely an all-out assault on the Christian faith within our military today,” said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William Boykin, executive vice president of the Family Research Council and one of the signers.
Boykin accused the VA of having a “knee-jerk” reaction to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
“It’s a sad situation that a guy would actually try to destroy the traditions of our military and the basic values of our country,” he told me.
The Missing Man Table was established during the Vietnam era. It was a solemn reminder of those who were Prisoners of War or Missing in Action.
The tables are typically displayed on military bases and VA clinics – and they are steeped in tradition. There are empty chairs for each of the five services, a red rose, an inverted glass, a yellow ribbon, salt sprinkled on a plate, a lemon slice, a candle – and a Bible.
“The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain us and those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God,” reads the official ceremony script.
But the Military Religious Freedom Foundation believes the Bible’s presence on the Missing Man table represents a violation of the law.
Mikey Weinstein, the founder and president of the MRFF, demanded VA clinics in Youngstown, Ohio and Akron, Ohio remove the Bibles from the displays.
In a disgusting act of cowardice, VA officials in Youngstown and Akron obeyed Weinstein’s demands and removed the Bibles. The MRFF also reports that a VA clinic in Houston got rid of the Bible, too.
The Youngstown clinic replaced the Bible with a “generic book” – a prop - “One whose symbolism can be individualized by each of our veterans as they pay their respects,” a VA official told Vindy.com.
In a separate incident, the Bible was also removed from a display at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
“This is not persecution or victimization of Christianity,” Weinstein told the Air Force Times. “This is simply an example where the Air Force should have a policy that makes it absolutely clear that nobody’s religious affiliation is on (exclusive) display.”
A base spokesperson confirmed to the newspaper that the Bible had been stripped from the display.
“Mutual respect is an essential part of the Air Force culture and we must ensure we create an environment in which people can realize their highest potential, regardless of one’s personal religious or other beliefs,” spokesperson Marie Vanover told the Times.
And by mutual respect – they mean anything remotely related to the Christian faith must be cleansed from the United States military.
I hope Secretary McDonald follows the wise counsel of conservative leaders like Gen. Boykin.
And I also hope he listens to the words of people like Ann Mills-Griffiths, the chairman of the board for the National League of POW/MIA Families.
Her brother, Commander James B. Mills, disappeared somewhere over North Vietnam on Sept. 21, 1966. The 26-year-old naval aviator remains classified as missing in action.
“The Bible kept many of our POWs alive and sustained their families through decades of uncertainty,” she told me. “The Bible has always been a part of the tradition. Until now – no one has ever suggested the Bible should be removed from the table.”
Mikey Weinstein and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation should be ashamed – declaring war on such a revered military tradition.
The Missing Man table is not about you, Mr. Weinstein. It’s about brave patriots like Commander James B. Mills and their families.
Never forget that.
has waged a campaign to have Bibles removed from “Missing Man” displays located on federal property. They claim the inclusion of the Bible is a violation of federal law.
Click here to join Todd’s American Dispatch: a must-read for Conservatives!
So far at least three VA medical clinics and one Air Force base have complied with the MRFF’s demands to cleanse the displays of the Good Book.
I have been reporting on this religious cleansing for the past two years – and now a group of conservative organizations is preparing to fight back against the MRFF.
Fox News has exclusively obtained a letter sent to Robert McDonald, secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs – urging him to reinstate the Bible to the Missing Man displays.
“The removal of the Bible not only violates the integrity of these displays, but insults those returned POWs who gained daily strength from their faith in the prisons of our enemies,” they wrote. “When a governmental agency such as the VA removes any part of the display, it is a grave insult to the nation’s veterans who often gather together to honor those who have not returned, while also interfering with the message being expressed.”
The letter was signed by representatives from Family Research Council, American Family Association, First Liberty Institute, Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, Center for Military Readiness, Freedom Alliance, Liberty Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom, Freedom X, Judicial Watch, LION Associates, Military-Veterans Advocacy, Stand Up America US and the International Conference of Evangelical Chaplain Endorsers.
Secretary McDonald did not return my telephone calls or emails.
“There is definitely an all-out assault on the Christian faith within our military today,” said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William Boykin, executive vice president of the Family Research Council and one of the signers.
Boykin accused the VA of having a “knee-jerk” reaction to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
“It’s a sad situation that a guy would actually try to destroy the traditions of our military and the basic values of our country,” he told me.
The Missing Man Table was established during the Vietnam era. It was a solemn reminder of those who were Prisoners of War or Missing in Action.
The tables are typically displayed on military bases and VA clinics – and they are steeped in tradition. There are empty chairs for each of the five services, a red rose, an inverted glass, a yellow ribbon, salt sprinkled on a plate, a lemon slice, a candle – and a Bible.
“The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain us and those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God,” reads the official ceremony script.
But the Military Religious Freedom Foundation believes the Bible’s presence on the Missing Man table represents a violation of the law.
Mikey Weinstein, the founder and president of the MRFF, demanded VA clinics in Youngstown, Ohio and Akron, Ohio remove the Bibles from the displays.
In a disgusting act of cowardice, VA officials in Youngstown and Akron obeyed Weinstein’s demands and removed the Bibles. The MRFF also reports that a VA clinic in Houston got rid of the Bible, too.
The Youngstown clinic replaced the Bible with a “generic book” – a prop - “One whose symbolism can be individualized by each of our veterans as they pay their respects,” a VA official told Vindy.com.
In a separate incident, the Bible was also removed from a display at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
“This is not persecution or victimization of Christianity,” Weinstein told the Air Force Times. “This is simply an example where the Air Force should have a policy that makes it absolutely clear that nobody’s religious affiliation is on (exclusive) display.”
A base spokesperson confirmed to the newspaper that the Bible had been stripped from the display.
“Mutual respect is an essential part of the Air Force culture and we must ensure we create an environment in which people can realize their highest potential, regardless of one’s personal religious or other beliefs,” spokesperson Marie Vanover told the Times.
And by mutual respect – they mean anything remotely related to the Christian faith must be cleansed from the United States military.
I hope Secretary McDonald follows the wise counsel of conservative leaders like Gen. Boykin.
And I also hope he listens to the words of people like Ann Mills-Griffiths, the chairman of the board for the National League of POW/MIA Families.
Her brother, Commander James B. Mills, disappeared somewhere over North Vietnam on Sept. 21, 1966. The 26-year-old naval aviator remains classified as missing in action.
“The Bible kept many of our POWs alive and sustained their families through decades of uncertainty,” she told me. “The Bible has always been a part of the tradition. Until now – no one has ever suggested the Bible should be removed from the table.”
Mikey Weinstein and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation should be ashamed – declaring war on such a revered military tradition.
The Missing Man table is not about you, Mr. Weinstein. It’s about brave patriots like Commander James B. Mills and their families.
Never forget that.
Over the past several months the M
It really takes a special kind of low-life to desecrate a military display honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action.
Over the past several months the Military Religious Freedom Foundation has waged a campaign to have Bibles removed from “Missing Man” displays located on federal property. They claim the inclusion of the Bible is a violation of federal law.
Click here to join Todd’s American Dispatch: a must-read for Conservatives!
So far at least three VA medical clinics and one Air Force base have complied with the MRFF’s demands to cleanse the displays of the Good Book.
I have been reporting on this religious cleansing for the past two years – and now a group of conservative organizations is preparing to fight back against the MRFF.
Fox News has exclusively obtained a letter sent to Robert McDonald, secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs – urging him to reinstate the Bible to the Missing Man displays.
“The removal of the Bible not only violates the integrity of these displays, but insults those returned POWs who gained daily strength from their faith in the prisons of our enemies,” they wrote. “When a governmental agency such as the VA removes any part of the display, it is a grave insult to the nation’s veterans who often gather together to honor those who have not returned, while also interfering with the message being expressed.”
The letter was signed by representatives from Family Research Council, American Family Association, First Liberty Institute, Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, Center for Military Readiness, Freedom Alliance, Liberty Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom, Freedom X, Judicial Watch, LION Associates, Military-Veterans Advocacy, Stand Up America US and the International Conference of Evangelical Chaplain Endorsers.
Secretary McDonald did not return my telephone calls or emails.
“There is definitely an all-out assault on the Christian faith within our military today,” said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William Boykin, executive vice president of the Family Research Council and one of the signers.
Boykin accused the VA of having a “knee-jerk” reaction to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
“It’s a sad situation that a guy would actually try to destroy the traditions of our military and the basic values of our country,” he told me.
The Missing Man Table was established during the Vietnam era. It was a solemn reminder of those who were Prisoners of War or Missing in Action.
The tables are typically displayed on military bases and VA clinics – and they are steeped in tradition. There are empty chairs for each of the five services, a red rose, an inverted glass, a yellow ribbon, salt sprinkled on a plate, a lemon slice, a candle – and a Bible.
“The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain us and those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God,” reads the official ceremony script.
But the Military Religious Freedom Foundation believes the Bible’s presence on the Missing Man table represents a violation of the law.
Mikey Weinstein, the founder and president of the MRFF, demanded VA clinics in Youngstown, Ohio and Akron, Ohio remove the Bibles from the displays.
In a disgusting act of cowardice, VA officials in Youngstown and Akron obeyed Weinstein’s demands and removed the Bibles. The MRFF also reports that a VA clinic in Houston got rid of the Bible, too.
The Youngstown clinic replaced the Bible with a “generic book” – a prop - “One whose symbolism can be individualized by each of our veterans as they pay their respects,” a VA official told Vindy.com.
In a separate incident, the Bible was also removed from a display at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
“This is not persecution or victimization of Christianity,” Weinstein told the Air Force Times. “This is simply an example where the Air Force should have a policy that makes it absolutely clear that nobody’s religious affiliation is on (exclusive) display.”
A base spokesperson confirmed to the newspaper that the Bible had been stripped from the display.
“Mutual respect is an essential part of the Air Force culture and we must ensure we create an environment in which people can realize their highest potential, regardless of one’s personal religious or other beliefs,” spokesperson Marie Vanover told the Times.
And by mutual respect – they mean anything remotely related to the Christian faith must be cleansed from the United States military.
I hope Secretary McDonald follows the wise counsel of conservative leaders like Gen. Boykin.
And I also hope he listens to the words of people like Ann Mills-Griffiths, the chairman of the board for the National League of POW/MIA Families.
Her brother, Commander James B. Mills, disappeared somewhere over North Vietnam on Sept. 21, 1966. The 26-year-old naval aviator remains classified as missing in action.
“The Bible kept many of our POWs alive and sustained their families through decades of uncertainty,” she told me. “The Bible has always been a part of the tradition. Until now – no one has ever suggested the Bible should be removed from the table.”
Mikey Weinstein and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation should be ashamed – declaring war on such a revered military tradition.
The Missing Man table is not about you, Mr. Weinstein. It’s about brave patriots like Commander James B. Mills and their families.
Never forget that.
has waged a campaign to have Bibles removed from “Missing Man” displays located on federal property. They claim the inclusion of the Bible is a violation of federal law.
Click here to join Todd’s American Dispatch: a must-read for Conservatives!
So far at least three VA medical clinics and one Air Force base have complied with the MRFF’s demands to cleanse the displays of the Good Book.
I have been reporting on this religious cleansing for the past two years – and now a group of conservative organizations is preparing to fight back against the MRFF.
Fox News has exclusively obtained a letter sent to Robert McDonald, secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs – urging him to reinstate the Bible to the Missing Man displays.
“The removal of the Bible not only violates the integrity of these displays, but insults those returned POWs who gained daily strength from their faith in the prisons of our enemies,” they wrote. “When a governmental agency such as the VA removes any part of the display, it is a grave insult to the nation’s veterans who often gather together to honor those who have not returned, while also interfering with the message being expressed.”
The letter was signed by representatives from Family Research Council, American Family Association, First Liberty Institute, Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, Center for Military Readiness, Freedom Alliance, Liberty Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom, Freedom X, Judicial Watch, LION Associates, Military-Veterans Advocacy, Stand Up America US and the International Conference of Evangelical Chaplain Endorsers.
Secretary McDonald did not return my telephone calls or emails.
“There is definitely an all-out assault on the Christian faith within our military today,” said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William Boykin, executive vice president of the Family Research Council and one of the signers.
Boykin accused the VA of having a “knee-jerk” reaction to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
“It’s a sad situation that a guy would actually try to destroy the traditions of our military and the basic values of our country,” he told me.
The Missing Man Table was established during the Vietnam era. It was a solemn reminder of those who were Prisoners of War or Missing in Action.
The tables are typically displayed on military bases and VA clinics – and they are steeped in tradition. There are empty chairs for each of the five services, a red rose, an inverted glass, a yellow ribbon, salt sprinkled on a plate, a lemon slice, a candle – and a Bible.
“The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain us and those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God,” reads the official ceremony script.
But the Military Religious Freedom Foundation believes the Bible’s presence on the Missing Man table represents a violation of the law.
Mikey Weinstein, the founder and president of the MRFF, demanded VA clinics in Youngstown, Ohio and Akron, Ohio remove the Bibles from the displays.
In a disgusting act of cowardice, VA officials in Youngstown and Akron obeyed Weinstein’s demands and removed the Bibles. The MRFF also reports that a VA clinic in Houston got rid of the Bible, too.
The Youngstown clinic replaced the Bible with a “generic book” – a prop - “One whose symbolism can be individualized by each of our veterans as they pay their respects,” a VA official told Vindy.com.
In a separate incident, the Bible was also removed from a display at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
“This is not persecution or victimization of Christianity,” Weinstein told the Air Force Times. “This is simply an example where the Air Force should have a policy that makes it absolutely clear that nobody’s religious affiliation is on (exclusive) display.”
A base spokesperson confirmed to the newspaper that the Bible had been stripped from the display.
“Mutual respect is an essential part of the Air Force culture and we must ensure we create an environment in which people can realize their highest potential, regardless of one’s personal religious or other beliefs,” spokesperson Marie Vanover told the Times.
And by mutual respect – they mean anything remotely related to the Christian faith must be cleansed from the United States military.
I hope Secretary McDonald follows the wise counsel of conservative leaders like Gen. Boykin.
And I also hope he listens to the words of people like Ann Mills-Griffiths, the chairman of the board for the National League of POW/MIA Families.
Her brother, Commander James B. Mills, disappeared somewhere over North Vietnam on Sept. 21, 1966. The 26-year-old naval aviator remains classified as missing in action.
“The Bible kept many of our POWs alive and sustained their families through decades of uncertainty,” she told me. “The Bible has always been a part of the tradition. Until now – no one has ever suggested the Bible should be removed from the table.”
Mikey Weinstein and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation should be ashamed – declaring war on such a revered military tradition.
The Missing Man table is not about you, Mr. Weinstein. It’s about brave patriots like Commander James B. Mills and their families.
Never forget that.
RNC head defends nomination process as Cruz claims Trump backers threatening delegates
 |
The head of the Republican National Committee defended the party's
presidential nominating process late Tuesday in a social media post
directed at party front-runner Donald Trump.
Trump has repeatedly complained about the delegate-selection system after this past weekend's Colorado state convention, at which Texas Sen. Ted Cruz gained all 34 delegates to this summer's Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
"Our Republican system is absolutely rigged. It's a phony deal," Trump told a rally in a packed airport hangar in Rome, N.Y., Tuesday evening. The real estate mogul told the crowd the delegate-selection system was set up by "crooked politicians" to make sure a candidate like him could never win.
"These are dirty tricksters," he said, placing the blame on the Republican National Committee. "They should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this kind of crap to happen," he added, saying that both Republicans and Democrats have set up "phony rules and regulations" that makes it "impossible for a guy that wins to win."
He went further a few hours later during a CNN town hall in New York City, suggesting the RNC was actively working to defeat him.
"The RNC doesn't like this happening. They don't like
that I'm putting up my own money because it means they don't have any
control over me," Trump said, arguing that the deck is "stacked against
me by the establishment."
Meanwhile, Cruz tore into Trump in a radio interview Tuesday, accusing his rival of being a bully, inciting violence and using dirty tricks to intimidate voters and delegates.
Cruz unloaded on Trump over reports that his supporters were publishing the home addresses of delegates in Colorado and threatening to make public the hotel room numbers of delegates at the convention this summer.
"That is the tactic of union thugs," Cruz told host Glenn Beck. "That is violence. It is oppressive. The idea that Donald is threatening delegates, we're seeing that pattern over and over again."
Cruz even compared Trump to the lead character from "The Godfather."
"Donald needs to understand he's not Michael Corleone," Cruz said. "Donald needs to stop threatening the voters. He needs to stop threatening the delegates. He is not a mobster."
Cruz also discounted the seriousness of the Trump candidacy, saying: "There was a real chance this was a lark, this was 'let's get some publicity, let's have some fun.' And I think he was surprised as anybody."
Cruz also joked that Trump is doing so poorly in securing delegates that he would have to fire himself from his reality show, "The Apprentice", and even got in a jab at New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the race.
"Chris Christie right now is trapped in his own private hell," Cruz said. "When Chris was standing behind Donald holding his jacket, the look in his eyes. You could see the screaming."
Meanwhile, Trump released a new radio ad, that referenced Cruz's shot at "New York values" during a GOP debate, telling voters in next week's primaries that "other candidates do not like us."
Cruz conceded that Trump will do well in upcoming primaries, including in Trump's home state of New York next Tuesday.
"He ought to win his home state convincingly," Cruz said, setting expectations high for Trump. "If Donald isn't substantially above 50 percent in New York, it will be a big loss for him."
Cruz said he will fare better when the race shifts back west to Indiana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Montana, before finishing in California on June 7.
"If and when the people of California vote against Donald Trump, he's going to scream that they're stealing the election," Cruz said. "Apparently when anyone votes against him it's an act of theft."
Trump urged his supporters to turn out next Tuesday, not only to support his bid but to send a message to their party.
"You've got to show the Republican Party that they can't get away with this stuff any longer," he said.
Trump has repeatedly complained about the delegate-selection system after this past weekend's Colorado state convention, at which Texas Sen. Ted Cruz gained all 34 delegates to this summer's Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
"Our Republican system is absolutely rigged. It's a phony deal," Trump told a rally in a packed airport hangar in Rome, N.Y., Tuesday evening. The real estate mogul told the crowd the delegate-selection system was set up by "crooked politicians" to make sure a candidate like him could never win.
"These are dirty tricksters," he said, placing the blame on the Republican National Committee. "They should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this kind of crap to happen," he added, saying that both Republicans and Democrats have set up "phony rules and regulations" that makes it "impossible for a guy that wins to win."
He went further a few hours later during a CNN town hall in New York City, suggesting the RNC was actively working to defeat him.
The latest headlines on the 2016 elections from the biggest name in politics. See Latest Coverage →
Meanwhile, Cruz tore into Trump in a radio interview Tuesday, accusing his rival of being a bully, inciting violence and using dirty tricks to intimidate voters and delegates.
Cruz unloaded on Trump over reports that his supporters were publishing the home addresses of delegates in Colorado and threatening to make public the hotel room numbers of delegates at the convention this summer.
"That is the tactic of union thugs," Cruz told host Glenn Beck. "That is violence. It is oppressive. The idea that Donald is threatening delegates, we're seeing that pattern over and over again."
Cruz even compared Trump to the lead character from "The Godfather."
"Donald needs to understand he's not Michael Corleone," Cruz said. "Donald needs to stop threatening the voters. He needs to stop threatening the delegates. He is not a mobster."
Cruz also discounted the seriousness of the Trump candidacy, saying: "There was a real chance this was a lark, this was 'let's get some publicity, let's have some fun.' And I think he was surprised as anybody."
Cruz also joked that Trump is doing so poorly in securing delegates that he would have to fire himself from his reality show, "The Apprentice", and even got in a jab at New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the race.
"Chris Christie right now is trapped in his own private hell," Cruz said. "When Chris was standing behind Donald holding his jacket, the look in his eyes. You could see the screaming."
Meanwhile, Trump released a new radio ad, that referenced Cruz's shot at "New York values" during a GOP debate, telling voters in next week's primaries that "other candidates do not like us."
Cruz conceded that Trump will do well in upcoming primaries, including in Trump's home state of New York next Tuesday.
"He ought to win his home state convincingly," Cruz said, setting expectations high for Trump. "If Donald isn't substantially above 50 percent in New York, it will be a big loss for him."
Cruz said he will fare better when the race shifts back west to Indiana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Montana, before finishing in California on June 7.
"If and when the people of California vote against Donald Trump, he's going to scream that they're stealing the election," Cruz said. "Apparently when anyone votes against him it's an act of theft."
Trump urged his supporters to turn out next Tuesday, not only to support his bid but to send a message to their party.
"You've got to show the Republican Party that they can't get away with this stuff any longer," he said.
Obama to decide on declassifying 9/11 documents within 60 days
 | |
| Did members of Saudi royal family fund terrorism against US? |
President Obama will decide whether to declassify 28 pages of sealed
documents — which some suspect show a Saudi connection to the 9/11
attacks — within 60 days, according to a former senator who co-chaired
the 2002 joint congressional inquiry into the attacks.
Former Florida Sen. Bob Graham told Fox News late Tuesday that the White House had informed him that a decision whether declassify the documents would be made in one to two months.
Graham, who has pressed for the documents to be made public, told Fox he was "pleased that after two years this matter is about to come to a decision by the president."
Both the George W. Bush and Obama administrations have refused to unseal the documents, claiming it would jeopardize national security. Critics say the reluctance is a calculated move to hide Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.
Obama had come under renewed pressure to release the documents ahead of a planned presidential trip to Saudi Arabia for a summit of Gulf leaders next week.
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told CBS’ “60 Minutes” she believes the documents, which she has seen, should be made available to the family members of 9/11 victims.
“I don’t know how the Saudi government will react to it, but I think it’s just information,” Gillibrand said Sunday.
Gillibrand is among a growing, bipartisan group of lawmakers advocating for the release of the documents.
"If the president is going to meet with the Saudi Arabian leadership and the royal family, they think it would be appropriate that this document be released before the president makes that trip, so that they can talk about whatever issues are in that document," Gillibrand said.
Asked about the renewed information requests on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said he doesn’t know whether Obama has read the 28 pages but they are the subject of an intelligence community “classification review.”
Earnest said Obama has “confidence” in their ability to “consider those documents for release.” Asked about any potential Saudi ties to 9/11, Earnest cited the 9/11 Commission's findings that there was no evidence the Saudi government or senior Saudi officials funded Al Qaeda.
But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she, too, wants the pages declassified.
"As the former Ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and top the House Democrat on the Joint Congressional investigation looking into the 9/11 attacks, I agree with former Senator Bob Graham that these documents should be declassified and made public, and that the Bush Administration's refusal to do so was a mistake," Pelosi said in a written statement. "I have always advocated for providing as much transparency as possible to the American people consistent with protecting our national security."
Last year, convicted Al Qaeda member Zacarias Moussaoui implicated high-level Saudi royals in the 9/11 attacks. fueling the ongoing congressional effort to declassify the official report.
Some Saudi connections to the attacks are already well-known, including that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi Arabian citizens -- and that mastermind Usama bin Laden was the son of a wealthy Saudi Arabian contractor with close ties to the Saudi royal family.
“There are a lot of rocks out there that have been purposefully tamped down, that if were they turned over, would give us a more expansive view of the Saudi role,” Graham told "60 Minutes."
"The Saudis know what they did. We know what they did," Graham said.
Fox News earlier reported on the Saudi connection to the 9/11 hijackers and the mysterious 28 pages in a 2011 documentary called “Secrets of 9/11.”
Graham has said in the past the 28 classified pages lay out a network of people he believes helped the hijackers obtain housing in the U.S. and enroll in flight school.
“You believe that support came from Saudi Arabia?” CBS reporter Steve Croft asked.
"Substantially," Graham responded.
"And when we say, 'the Saudis,' you mean the government, the -- rich people in the country? Charities?" Kroft pressed.
"All of the above," Graham confirmed.
Nineteen militants associated with Al Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out attacks in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania on 9/11. Two of the planes were flown into the World Trade Center in New York City. Another plane hit the Pentagon while a fourth crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
The United States went after the masterminds behind the attack and, in May 2011, killed the terror group’s leader Usama bin Laden.
Former Florida Sen. Bob Graham told Fox News late Tuesday that the White House had informed him that a decision whether declassify the documents would be made in one to two months.
Graham, who has pressed for the documents to be made public, told Fox he was "pleased that after two years this matter is about to come to a decision by the president."
Both the George W. Bush and Obama administrations have refused to unseal the documents, claiming it would jeopardize national security. Critics say the reluctance is a calculated move to hide Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.
Obama had come under renewed pressure to release the documents ahead of a planned presidential trip to Saudi Arabia for a summit of Gulf leaders next week.
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told CBS’ “60 Minutes” she believes the documents, which she has seen, should be made available to the family members of 9/11 victims.
“I don’t know how the Saudi government will react to it, but I think it’s just information,” Gillibrand said Sunday.
Gillibrand is among a growing, bipartisan group of lawmakers advocating for the release of the documents.
"If the president is going to meet with the Saudi Arabian leadership and the royal family, they think it would be appropriate that this document be released before the president makes that trip, so that they can talk about whatever issues are in that document," Gillibrand said.
Asked about the renewed information requests on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said he doesn’t know whether Obama has read the 28 pages but they are the subject of an intelligence community “classification review.”
Earnest said Obama has “confidence” in their ability to “consider those documents for release.” Asked about any potential Saudi ties to 9/11, Earnest cited the 9/11 Commission's findings that there was no evidence the Saudi government or senior Saudi officials funded Al Qaeda.
But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she, too, wants the pages declassified.
"As the former Ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and top the House Democrat on the Joint Congressional investigation looking into the 9/11 attacks, I agree with former Senator Bob Graham that these documents should be declassified and made public, and that the Bush Administration's refusal to do so was a mistake," Pelosi said in a written statement. "I have always advocated for providing as much transparency as possible to the American people consistent with protecting our national security."
Last year, convicted Al Qaeda member Zacarias Moussaoui implicated high-level Saudi royals in the 9/11 attacks. fueling the ongoing congressional effort to declassify the official report.
Some Saudi connections to the attacks are already well-known, including that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi Arabian citizens -- and that mastermind Usama bin Laden was the son of a wealthy Saudi Arabian contractor with close ties to the Saudi royal family.
“There are a lot of rocks out there that have been purposefully tamped down, that if were they turned over, would give us a more expansive view of the Saudi role,” Graham told "60 Minutes."
"The Saudis know what they did. We know what they did," Graham said.
Fox News earlier reported on the Saudi connection to the 9/11 hijackers and the mysterious 28 pages in a 2011 documentary called “Secrets of 9/11.”
Graham has said in the past the 28 classified pages lay out a network of people he believes helped the hijackers obtain housing in the U.S. and enroll in flight school.
“You believe that support came from Saudi Arabia?” CBS reporter Steve Croft asked.
"Substantially," Graham responded.
"And when we say, 'the Saudis,' you mean the government, the -- rich people in the country? Charities?" Kroft pressed.
"All of the above," Graham confirmed.
Nineteen militants associated with Al Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out attacks in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania on 9/11. Two of the planes were flown into the World Trade Center in New York City. Another plane hit the Pentagon while a fourth crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
The United States went after the masterminds behind the attack and, in May 2011, killed the terror group’s leader Usama bin Laden.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
Tit for Tat ? ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — A statue of abolitionist Frederick Douglass was ripped from its base in Rochester on the an...
-
NEW YORK (AP) — As New York City faced one of its darkest days with the death toll from the coronavirus surging past 4,000 — more th...
