Finding Dad's MIlitary Records

My father passed away in 1999.  Now, all these years later, we are getting my mom ready to go into an assisted living place.  It's a beautiful residence and she seems happy to be going. I think the food is better than what my sister has been cooking for her. 

The manager told us that if my father served in the military during a time of war that she would be elegible for a sizeable discount on costs there. The problem was that she couldn't remember when he served.  Her memory has been deteriorating and she has been diagnosed with early stage demensia. So the task fell upon me to find out exactly when he served. 

My dad was a Coast Guard Captain.  After much online research and many phone calls, I discovered the National Personnel Records Center, which tracks military personnel records and keeps the national archives and records for the military.  I learned that my father served during the Korean war.

Whether searching for genealogy purposes or more practical reasons, it helps to know where to find missing military service records.

Restoring Honor in America

Many Americans are afraid. We see ourselves losing the country we love. The vision of the Founders and the Constitution are under attack by the Progressive movement. We also feel huge frustration because many of us feel helpless and feel there is nothing we can do about it. But we are not powerless. Tea Partiers and 9-12er's are a huge force – if we come together and learn who we are.

Glenn Beck is sponsoring the Restoring Honor Rally on August 28, 2010 at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. This rally isn't about political parties. It's about our freedom. It's about remembering who we are – Americans. This rally will also honor those who put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms.

Donations to help offset the cost of the rally can be made at http://www.specialops.org/. The Special Operations Warrior Foundation is accepting these donations as a form of accountability. SOWF is a non-profit organization that assists surviving children of special operations military members who are killed in operational or training missions, and provides immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations personnel and their families. Any money collected over and above the cost of the Restoring Honor rally will be donated to SOWF.

You can follow updated information on the rally on their FaceBook page or on Twitter @RestoringHonor.

Let's send a message to Washington that we value the Consitution and that we surround them.

You can also follow me on twitter @victorialwatson.

Saving America by Learning

I'm going broke trying to buy all the books I need to educate myself on American history so I can be prepared to do my part to help save our Republic.

While I'd love it if the next Ronald Reagan magically appeared, I don't see any sign that we can expect that to happen any time soon. I also don't feel filled with hope when I look at all the goofballs in Washington. Let me be clear that I use the term, 'goofballs' in the most non-partisan fashion. Both parties are goofballs. Let me further clarify that I use the term, 'goofballs' in lieu of a stronger term that my grandmother always said that nice girls shouldn't use.

This being the case, it's up to us. WE THE PEOPLE need to step up, as our Founders did. We have an advantage that they didn't, though. We have the benefit of learning from their work. We must learn from those brilliant men that God inspired to found a land where all people enjoy the freedom He created us to enjoy. There is where we will find what we need to win the battle against progressivism raging today.

My main source of book recommendations has been that veracious reader and history lover, Glenn Beck. I don't know how he reads so much, because I have trouble keeping up with him. I've been partially funding my book habit by selling off books collecting dust on my shelves that I know I won't read again. A website called Cash4Books.net buys used books. They also pay to ship the books they purchase to them. Full Disclosure: I do get a referral fee for anyone that signs up with them via a link from this site.

Here are some of the titles I've been reading and that are on my list:

The 5000 Year Leap

Common Sense

Arguing with Idiots

The Patriot's History to the United States

America's Prophet

The Survivor's Club

The Age of the Unthinkable

The Real George Washington

The Real Thomas Jefferson


Culture Warrior

Full Disclosure: I do get a referral fee for anyone buying books from these links.

Sarah Palin Rocks the House

The Sarah Palin tea party speech was one of the top Google searches on February 6th, 2010 at the Tea Party Convention. Even the media was forced to take notice as the country’s eyes were focused on the hockey mom from Wasilla, Alaska tell America to keep fighting against over-sized, out of control government.

Despite attempts by the media to degrade tea party goers as nutcases with violent tendencies, the message of the movement resonates with the average American who just wants to live their lives in freedom, as the Founding Fathers intended.

The video of Palin’s speech can be found on the Los Angeles Times web site.

Online Math Tutors - I Could Have Used This!

I struggled with math as a kid. Being dyslexic made math harder. I needed math help almost as much as a senator trying to figuring out the cost of the healthcare bill. Kids today have it so easy. In fact, not only is online math tutoring available, anyone can get free online math tutoring. Seriously – free online math help. My parents paid big bucks to get a math tutor for me. Tutoring appointments always had to be at her convenience at her location. Now kids can get online math help at any time in their own home. For instance, a company called TutorVista has an online math tutor available on their site, just waiting to help twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. They have a free trial, which is handy if you just want to test drive them. If the system works for you they offer unlimited tutoring for about $100 a month. They would have lost money on me, because I’d keep their tutor online ten hours a day with questions.

Gifts for Women Who Travel

Gifts for Women Who Travel
A person seeking a gift for a special woman in their life who travels frequently has many gift options available to them. Gifts are available for travelers in all price ranges and insure budgets of any size will find the perfect present.
Read More

Name Calling? Is That the Best We Can Do?

A friend recently forwarded an email to me they got from the Democratic National Committee, written by James Carville. I was very struck by the language Mr. Carville used in this fund raising letter for the DNC.

Has it really come to this kind of childish name calling? Apparently, it has.

Mr. Carville writes, "After a summer of out-of-control town halls, I thought the outrageous behavior of the the birthers, deathers and other crazies leading the Republican Party couldn't get any worse." (NOTE: By the way, the typo WAS in the original email).

Derogatory terms so litter this email that it smacks of kindergarten name calling.

Mr. Carville continues, 'Then, Joe 'You Lie' Wilson tried to shout down the President of the United States in front of Congress and the dam burst.

Instead of condemning Wilson, Republicans hailed him as a hero, and he's raised more than $2 million from right-wing activists since his shameful outburst."

Let me be clear that I entirely disagree with what Rep. Wilson did. But there is a certain irony that Mr. Carville condemns him so quickly while committing a similar sin repeatedly in this one email.

As he starts to close his email, Mr. Carville says, "Republicans know they're out of ideas, so now they not only encourage shouting, smears, and distortions -- they actually reward it.

I almost feel sorry for Republicans as they watch the lunatic fringe gobble up what's left of their party.

But when you join hands with people who don't believe President Obama is an American citizen...or think he's the anti-Christ ... or compare him to Hitler and his policies to Nazi Germany, don't be surprised when they drag you and your party down the rabbit hole into a reality-free zone."

Again, the name calling continues. Is this the sort of thing the American people should expect from those who are supposedly our leaders? We have a right to expect more. We wouldn't let our children carry on this way. It is shameful.

I'm long past the point of associating with either the democrats or the republicans. I have no use for either party. This is just one example of many that can be found on either side of the aisle that tells me that Americans need to start expecting more from our leaders.

President Obama's Socialist Reading

This photo was taken of then candidate Obama. Look closely at the book he's reading. Check this book out on Amazon.com and you'll be shocked. Here's a taste of the description given:

"Zakaria describes with equal prescience a world in which the United States will no longer dominate the global economy, orchestrate geopolitics, or overwhelm cultures. He sees the "rise of the rest"—the growth of countries like China, India, Brazil, Russia, and many others—as the great story of our time, and one that will reshape the world."

Why bother reading about, say, The Constitution when he can be learing how to trash it and move us away from freedom and into a one-world system?

Color of Change Connections to ACORN

Color of Change is touting its boycott against Fox News host Glenn Beck supposedly in retaliation for saying that President Obama has a problem with white people. Having had some success in bullying some sponsors from advertising on Beck’s program, the last thing that Van Jones’ Color of Change wants now is to be linked to the embattled and disgraced ACORN.

Color of Change co-founder, James Rucker, also a former MoveOn.org community organizer, co-founded the ‘Secretary of State Project’. This group was instrumental in helping get Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie elected in 2006. Ritchie is a former community organizer with strong links to ACORN, having accepted campaign contributions from the group.

Interestingly, while performing a Yahoo search for “’secretary of state project’ and acorn” I found that an article that appears to have been defending Acorn against attacks of voter registration fraud have been removed from their site. Perhaps the group is already trying to distance themselves from Acorn.

In his Huffington Post column, Rucker defends the Beck boycott as strictly a matter of principle for having accused the President of being a racist and insists that it has nothing to do with Beck’s investigation of Van Jones. However, at the end of the third paragraph Rucker says, “There was another, more personal motivation too.” The use of word “too” is perhaps a slip of the tongue, but indicates that the battle does, in fact, include a wish to avenge Van Jones.

IBDeditorial reported during the Minnisota senate race debacle between Al Frankin and Norm Coleman, “It was Ritchie who orchestrated the recount that gave Democratic challenger Franken a lead some six weeks after Coleman appeared to win by 725 votes on Election Day. Ritchie has extensive ties to the Acorn organization now under federal investigation for vote fraud and was endorsed by the community activist group in 2006.”

Wade Rathke, co-founder of ACORN and SEIU, mobilized the troops for the Beck Color of Change boycott in his “Chief Organizer” blog.

Additionally, on SEIU’s Facebook page participation in the Color of Change Beck boycott is also proclaimed to followers.

Clearly Color of Change, Secretary of State Project, Acorn and SEIU are simply different arms on the same octopus. They share a single spirit and goal and happily use their different masks to hide their connection.

Companies supporting the Color of Change boycott might wish to consider that as Acorn continues to make headlines of corruption, and as the strong connections between the groups continue to surface, supporting Color of Change will eventually be seen as akin to supporting Acorn.

Free Speech – Really?

I got an email from a friend who attended a town hall meeting on healthcare last night. The location of the meeting that had been posted was changed at the last minute. As he was pulling out a person flagged him down and said, "Hey, I know you from the Tea Parties! Here's how you get to the meeting tonight." It turns out he deliberately gave him the wrong directions. Somehow he managed to get to the meeting. He thought it was odd that all the SEIU and ACORN people knew about the last minute change of venue.

He held up his anti-health care reform sign – seemingly the lone conservative voice in the crowd. He was surrounded by a swarm of progressives, who proceeded to curse at him and act intimidating. He told them he'd be happy to discuss the issue with them, but that's not what they had in mind. Thankfully, some other conservatives showed up later on to back him up. They must have been delayed by the 'last minute change in venue'.

As he was leaving, a police officer walked my friend out. He told him that the police had been watching him and that they had his back and that they liked his message. He was thankful, but thought how sad it is that in America he needed police protection at a town hall meeting.

Our Government is Sunshine & Lollipops, right?

Shakespeare wrote in King Lear, "Many a truth is said in jest". This is a wonderful example!

Be sure to visit http://www.timhawkins.net

Being Mislead By Progressives

I had the following email forwarded to me last night from a friend who suggested we pray for this girl. I agree with my friend because this poor woman has been mislead by the vile lies of progressivism. This note of hers also provides important information for conservatives. Knowing how progressives think and operate is going to be vital in our battle to save our liberty.

"Dear friends,

As you may know, right-wing talk show hosts have been bringing race-based fear mongering into the mainstream, but FOX's Glenn Beck just took it to another level. On Tuesday, Beck said:
This president has exposed himself as a guy over and over and over again who has a deep-seated hatred for white people... this guy is, I believe, a racist.
It's part of a larger argument Beck has been making: that President Obama wants to serve the needs of Black communities at White people's expense.. This kind of talk stirs up fear, hate, and it can lead to violence.

I've joined ColorOfChange.org's effort to stop Glenn Beck. ColorOfChange is already putting calls into Beck's advertisers, asking them if they want to be associated with this kind of racist hate and fear-mongering. When the advertisers see that tens of thousands of us are behind that question, I believe they'll move their advertising dollars elsewhere, and his show and platform will be history.

Will you take a stand and be counted, and invite your friends and family to do the same? It takes just a moment:
http://www.colorofchange.org/beck/?id=2274-1051927
Glenn Beck is appealing to the worst in America. Of course, some Americans refuse to accept the fact that our president is Black or the idea that he could truly serve all Americans. But the only way these views fade away is if they're not reinforced by mainstream society. Instead, folks like Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs, and Rush Limbaugh are exploiting racism and race-based fear to bump their ratings, stirring up racial discord in the process.
The dangers of these tactics are real. We saw the same dynamic during the presidential race: By the end, the McCain/Palin campaign was unable to control the violent energy whipped up by their race-baiting. It resulted in an unprecedented number of threats on Obama's life, a rise in the number of hate groups, and an increase in the number of threats and crimes against immigrants and Black people.

FOX has a horrible track record on pushing racist propaganda, but Glenn Beck appears to be taking the network to an even lower standard. He's trying to divide and distract America when we should be coming together and talking about issues that really matter--like health care and the economy.

The good news is that we have the power to stop this. All major media is funded by advertising. And advertisers care more than anything what consumers think. If we want to change what's happening and put an end to folks like Glenn Beck having a platform, we can do it.
It's up to us, and it can start now. Please join me:
http://www.colorofchange.org/beck/?id=2274-1051927
Thanks."

The Latest Reply of Advertisers Boycotting Glenn Beck

This is the latest reply I have gotten from my email to companies participating the left's advertising boycott of The Glenn Beck show on Fox News. ConAgra Foods manufactures the Healthy Choice line and many other popular food brands. This link will take you to their web site so that you can see for yourself which products they own, which should make it easier to know which items to avoid purchasing in the future.

Little red flags go up in my head when I hear terms like 'committed to diversity'. It isn't so much about racism or harmony among people as it is about political agenda. I believe it is important to take a firm stand of our own against groups like Van Jones Color of Change hiding behind false claims to try and control the free speech rights of others.

"Thank you for sharing your perspective with us regarding our decision not to advertise during the Glenn Beck show. Like many other advertisers, we work through a media buyer to purchase time on broadcast stations during periods when our targeted demographic is likely to be watching. Our advertisements are never intended to support or endorse a particular program, and we do not determine our media purchases based on interest groups or political agendas.

Regarding this decision, we want to be clear that ConAgra Foods is firmly committed to diversity. That commitment is not related in any way to a political or special interest group agenda--our commitment to diversity is core to our company's values. In addition, our advertising objectives--including reaching our targeted demographic--can be accomplished without the use of purchased air time during the Glenn Beck show.

Thank you so much for taking the time to contact us and for your interest in our fine products.

Sincerely,

Consumer Affairs

Ref: 052596321A"

Remember to visit:

http://www.defendglenn.com/

Has the Glenn Beck Boycott Backfired on the Left?

Newsmax.com has reported that the co-founder of Color of Change is civil rights attorney Van Jones. Jones is President Obama's 'Green Jobs Czar'. Color of Change claims the boycott was implemented because of Beck's comments on the Fox News morning show Fox and Friends that President Obama has a 'problem with white people'. The fact that Beck has been actively reporting on Jones' past writings, proclaiming himself to be an avowed communist and Black Nationalist, have many people doubting the true motives of the boycott.

Why does it appear that Color of Change they may have shot themselves in the foot implementing the boycott against Beck? While they were successful in getting several advertisers to stop their campaigns on his show, they have not stopped them from advertising on the Fox News Channel. They simply shifted their campaigns to other programs. Additionally, with the popularity of Beck's program continuing to grow, in fact handily beating other shows in his time slot on competitor cable news channels combined, other advertisers were quick to fill the spaces left by those participating in the boycott.

The Color of Change campaign failed to cause the financial damage it intended to Beck or The Fox News Channel, but an additional unintended consequence is occurring that may very well have Color of Change regretting their action. Thousands upon thousands of Beck supporters are rising up in support of their conservative icon.

Websites such as www.defendglenn.com are mobilizing people to speak out against the boycott by posting the contact information of Beck advertisers on their site, encouraging viewers to call, fax or email those who have stopped advertising on Beck's program and voice their disappointment and inform them that they have lost a customer. Likewise, they are asking Beck fans to contact advertisers who have stayed with the show and thank them for not caving to political pressure from the left.

The popularity of both Glenn Beck and The Fox News Channel continue to grow and devastate competitors in the ratings. One might ask if this is in spite of attacks from the left or because of it.

Clorox Participates in Glenn Beck Boycott- Loses Customers as a Result

Continuing my series of responses from advertisers participating in the Glenn Beck show boycott, here is the reply from Clorox, a brand I will no longer be using.

"Dear Consumer,

This is in response to your recent communication regarding Clorox Company advertising. Thank you for contacting us, we very much appreciate hearing from consumers as The Clorox Company remains committed to quality broadcasting. We pride ourselves in being a responsible advertiser and have established long-standing and strict standards for the selection of television programming. Per our standards, we do not advertise in programs that display exploitive sex or violence; treat ethnic, religious or political groups in a disparaging manner; present facts inaccurately or distort them to blatantly partisan advantage; and treat individuals or groups in a demeaning manner.

Clorox holds true to our advertising standards and we hold true to our nation’s heritage of free expression of political opinions. However, consistent with our standards, we do not want to be associated with inflammatory speech used by either liberal or conservative talk show hosts.
After a comprehensive review of political talks shows across the spectrum, at this time we have made a decision not to advertise on political talk shows.

Today’s television programming environment is extremely challenging for responsible advertisers. However, The Clorox Company will continue to exercise special care in all program and station selection. We do not want to support programming that is in conflict with our programming standards.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact us.

Sincerely,

Clorox Consumer Services"

Is Progressive Insurance a Company for Progressives?

I want to share the response I got to my email to Progressive Insurance about the company's participation in the boycott of advertisers started by Van Jones and his Color of Change organization against the Glenn Beck show on Fox News:

"Thank you for reaching out to us.

We place advertising on a variety of programming with the goal of reaching a broad range of insurance consumers who might be interested in our products. Because there is so much programming from which to choose and a limited amount of advertising dollars, we choose programs we believe will give us the best opportunity to reach our target audiences in a cost-effective way.

For competitive business reasons, we don't publicly disclose all of the considerations that drive our specific advertising decisions. I can tell you that The Glenn Beck Program has not been a program which we have targeted for advertising, and that any advertising that has appeared on the show was a result of an error. We are not trying to make a statement about this particular show; it simply is not one on which we have chosen to advertise.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your views.

Sincerely,
Jamie F.
Progressive Internet Representative"

What is Organizing for America Up To?

This email was sent to members of President Obama's Organizing for America. I thought it was important to share so conservatives know what they are doing:

 

"President Obama is holding a live strategy meeting on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time for all Organizing for America supporters. I hope you can join us, online or by phone.

The President will update us on the fight to pass real health insurance reform -- what's happening in D.C. and what's happening around the country. He'll lay out our strategy and message going forward and answer questions from supporters like you. And we'll unveil the next actions we'll organize together.

This is a critical time in this President's administration, and in the history of our country. I hope you can join us.

Here are the details:

What: Organizing for America National Health Care Forum

When: Thursday, August 20th, 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time

RSVP and submit a question for the President.

The President wrote to us a few weeks ago to ask us to go the extra mile this month in the fight for health insurance reform. And so far, you've stepped up in a big way: Last week, an astounding 60,000 Organizing for America volunteers stopped by representatives' and senators' local offices. You told your health care stories to staffers and members of Congress -- of losing insurance after getting laid off, of being denied coverage upon finding out about a serious illness. And you thanked those supporting real health insurance reform for all the work they've done so far.

But these local office visits were only part of the story. The D.C. media has been trumpeting coverage of town halls disrupted by angry opposition to reform. But the reality on the ground is very different. Organizing for America supporters are showing up in huge numbers at these meetings all across the country -- outnumbering opponents of reform, often by overwhelming margins.

You've organized 11,906 local events in all 50 states -- from press conferences to community discussions -- since we launched our big campaign for reform in June. And you've made hundreds of thousands of calls to Congress.

Your work so far has been incredible. But the special interests and partisan attack groups who oppose reform will not let up, and they will tell whatever lies they can to spread fear. There's a lot more work for all of us to do. This Thursday's meeting is our chance to huddle as a team, get the latest information and talk about how we're going to achieve this victory. You don't want to miss it.

Click here to RSVP and submit a question for President Obama:

http://my.barackobama.com/forum


Hope you can make it,

David Plouffe

Boycott GEICO for Boycotting Beck

This is the response I got from GEICO Insurance to an email I sent them regarding their participation in the Color of Change boycott against Glenn Beck:

 

"This week we took action to move our marketing messages from the Glenn Beck show and you are wondering why.

 

Well, you deserve an answer.

 

If the inflammatory nature of the comments on a program overshadows our message and causes GEICO to be drawn into a national debate, we are likely to reconsider where we place our marketing messages, which is what we did.

 

GEICO delivers very important messages through its major marketing campaigns: we're saving customers' dollars … we're easy to do business with … we're looking out for our policyholders. That's what we hope the public hears and sees and focuses on.

 

As a company, we do not take positions on controversial issues.

 

As an advertiser, while a national debate on issues can be healthy and appropriate, we don't see ourselves in the role of taking part in those debates.

 

Our business is auto insurance. We want to bring people value and we attempt to reach large audiences with that message.

 

It is of little benefit to us if a controversy on the program gets so much attention that our message is drowned out."

 

My reply would be that while they claim part of the reason for their decision is to avoid taking a position on controversial issues, by caving to this attack on free speech from the left that is exactly what they did. I would never consider GEICO Insurance for my insurance needs again.

 

Freekin’ Conservative Nut Case

Hey, check me out! Obama says I'm nuts. That's right - I'm a freekin' conservative nut case! Seriously! Let's look at their evidence:

• I love being part of an out of control mob that, dare I say, speaks out and disagrees with government representatives. Did that just send a cold shiver down your spine or WHAT?
  
• I listen to Glenn Beck – Holy crap! How is it that I'm allowed to walk down the public streets?
  
• I (wait for it) read books about (take a deep breath now) THE CONSTITUTION! Oh, the humanity!
  
• I DON'T want a government bailout, but want to stand on my own two feet. What a Freekin' freak I really am!
  
• I believe in 'one nation under God' (so do the progressives, except their god is Obama).
  

That's right, folks. Those of us who believe these things and are willing to stand up and fight for the America the Founding Father's established are nuts. However, the people who believe that it's ok to withhold medical care from seniors, babies aren't fully human until the age of two years old, and that you can sit and have a reasonable conversation with Iranian President Ahmadinejad and North Korean leader Kim Jon Ill – they are the sane and reasonable ones.

Come on America, wake up! Who else out there is tired of being bullied by these people? They attack and insult us. They verbally, emotionally and financially attack brave conservatives like Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly for simply telling the truth. Like it or not, admit it or not, we ARE in another American Revolution. We can win this battle without violence if we all stand up, shoulder to shoulder, and show them just how freekin' crazy we really are.

Attacks on Beck are Attacks on Us All

HumanEvents.com is reporting that source of pressure to advertisers of The Glenn Beck Show on Fox News Channel to remove advertising is a radical group called, "Color of Change". The group claims its offense at comments by Beck on the Fox morning show, "Fox and Friends" that President Obama is a racist has prompted their actions. Beck made the comment during the controversy surrounding Professor Gates and President Obama's comments that the police officer arresting him acted 'stupidly'. The group is threatening to start a boycott against advertisers who continue to support Beck's show.

Interestingly, "Color of Change" was founded by Obama Administration Green Jobs Czar Van Jones. Beck has recently been speaking out against Jones, a self-avowed Communist and Black Nationalist. Is this a coincidence? Personally, I don't think so. It looks like an attack on free speech. Speak out against the Obama machine and get ready to be attacked.

Obama Calls for Greater Gov’t Web Tracking

Today The Washington Post reports that President Obama wants to scale back a ban on tracking web surfers' use of government Internet sites. Basically, the government is looking for yet another way to intrude into our homes and private lives.

The White House argues that government using 'cookies' and other methods to keep track of our Internet wanderings is no different than an online store's use of these technologies. Really? Let's do a little comparison. Does Amazon.com ask patrons to 'snitch' on people that may be 'fishy'? No, but the government does. Has Amazon ever tried to make users' computers part of their own borg-like computer network simply for using their service? No, but the government has. Do you see a pattern here?

I believe this latest in a troubling serious of personal invasions of citizens lives and attempted control methods will only continue to awaken Americans to the danger we are in and result in our voices becoming even louder and stronger. Liberty lovers across our land must continue to attend tea parties and town hall meetings to peacefully but boldly proclaim that we will not stand for this ever-growing government to remain out of control.

Bob Hope Gives a Great Summary

That great American, Bob Hope hits one out of the ballpark with this classic clip. To really make it perfectly applicable for today's world, he'd have to expand it a bit. It's still a real laugh, though.

God Hears the Prayers of His People

My pastors have been preaching a sermon series on the book of Esther, which has been a favorite of mine since I was a teenager and first made the decision to become a Christ-follower. Perhaps, like many teenage girls, I enjoyed romanticizing the relationship between Esther and King Xerxes.

My two pastors are serious Bible scholars, not too common a find here in 'the Bible belt', of Connecticut. They learned that in Jewish temples every time the name of Haman, the evil council to the king who plotted to have all the Jews in the kingdom killed, is read, all the congregants boo together aloud. This tradition was quickly adopted at our church, much to the children's amusement.

It occurred to me today that we have plenty of 'Hamans' in America today - people who for their own reasons feel justified in denying liberty to others. Many Americans are afraid for our country. I don't blame them. I've struggled with fear, too. I think I've learned a lot from Queen Esther on how to handle it.

The king didn't know that Esther was a Jew. He just knew she was hot. Beyond that, Esther also won favor with the king. Once the evil plot to destroy her people became known to her, her cousin pointed out that she was in a unique position to possibly save her people. Approaching the king without first being summoned could mean death. Although at first fear made her resist taking action, she took control of it with some specific steps:

• She prayed and fasted and recruited as many others as she could to do the same.
  
• She listened and God clearly gave her a plan
  
• She took action and followed that plan
  

Seeking God, listening for His voice and doing what He says. I believe this can save our nation, just as it did for Esther's people.

Latest Different World Podcast Online

That's right, friends. I'm your "Diva for Democracy" and you listen to my broadcast right now and hear me in my signature crazy fashion on my podcast I'll be sharing:

• "Czar Wars" – we learn about border czar Alan Bersin
  
  • Related links: NSI
  • Pacific Council
  • Center for American Progress
    
• Government Websites, checking out www.barakobama.com
  
• Want to be a Community Organizer? SEIU is hiring!
  
• Listen to an audio clip where Barney Frank admits that the healthcare bill is a tool to get single payer government run healthcare.
  
• Progressive Watch – Keeping an eye on what the enemies of liberty are up to.
  
• Enjoy ads from our 'sponsors', which should make you smile.
  

If we don't laugh we'll just always cry every time we read a newspaper or see the news. But we don't have to take it anymore! Let's laugh AT them and mobilize together to stop the insanity!

Comment? Questions? Email me at VictoriaWatson AT hotmail.com, or tweet me @VictoriaLWatson.

Prayer for Glenn & Our Country

You may remember that back in June we had a day to pray and fast for conservative commentator Glenn Beck. Glenn is at the forefront of the battle for our liberty so we feel that it's time to participate in another day of prayer, August 1^st, 2009. This time we want to extend the prayer cover to his family, staff and our country.

There is a change coming, America. It's up to us to determine what that change will be. Will we become a socialist nation or return to the principles of the Founding Fathers? Glenn Beck is playing a huge role in the awakening of America to fight for our liberty and he is paying the price. Let's seek the Highest Power for His guidance and wisdom for leaders like Glenn and for ourselves as we fight this battle.