Most Watched Election Video on YouTube

Hank Williams Jr weighs in

Was there ever any doubt?

And according to Drudge gun sales are up in FL in fear of an Obama presidency.

I think given this and the stunning, truly stunning polling data (if we believed them we would think that Obama's lead as shrunk from 15 pts to 2 in just a day or 2) we can say that the sleeping giant is waking up. And he's not a morning person.

Abortion and the "Negro Project": Margaret Sanger the Founder of Planned Parenthood

The Real Danger in Dissing Sarah Palin

Those conservatives who have sought to distinguish themselves by dissing Sarah Palin have proved themselves empty vessels and eager tools for the media and cultural notables who have expressed their disdain for Palin as Vice Presidential nominee.

When I saw this effigy hanging in West Hollywood, CA I naturally thought about the fact that this is "protected free speech" and even more significant to the cultural elites "art". Now if this same effigy featured Barack Obama the artistes who were only looking for "a voice" would be guilty and no doubt charged and convicted of a hate crime.

Yet, I was not sorry to see this display. I was glad to see some honesty, some bareknuckled, riveting honesty. Because it is not the double standard that struck me most acutely. That observation has become so commonplace that it hardly bears noting. What struck me was the depth of hatred we have seen expressed for Sarah Palin. And I don't believe that hatred is directed towards her as a person. (not yet anyway). That hatred is directed towards what she represents and to her opponents she represents a pro-life outlook, even a radically pro-life outlook.

Sarah Bernhardt said that if Sarah Palin came to New York City she would be gang raped. An effigy is hung and no moves are made to remove it. A joke about incest is made on SNL, about the Palin family and really anyone Alaskan. A tee shirt is circulating that I won't dignify by describing. I trust everyone knows to what I am referring.

Just as Joe-the-plumber has been held up to scrutiny (with the use of government computers no less) and criticism and every attempt has been made to tarnish and discredit him, he is also hated for what he represents- a citizen who dares to question a liberal, African-American, "Messiah" who is running for president. Toe the line comrades or see how you will be treated by those in power.

The criticisms of Palin are revealing in that she is assigned opposite attributes- she is naive and inexperienced or she is cold, calculating and self serving. She is uninterested in the world around her and lacking ambition to become anything more than Governor of Alaska, but she has manipulated an incredible ascent to national politics. She is a mommy-housewife-hockey mom or she is a feminist who is neglecting her family. She brings her children with her while she travels the state or she is pursuing political glory while abandoning her family.

This shows so distinctly that it is not Palin who is being discredited and that the criticisms of her are not substantive. It is the essence of what she represents in her political views that is so hateful. So when you hear the Left criticizing Palin for being stupid and inexperienced, naive and sheltered, ignorant and provincial, and best of all vulgar, what they are really saying is that someone who is a solidly pro-life is stupid, inexperienced, naive, sheltered, ignorant,provincial and vulgar.

We're participating in our own demise people.

I attended a political rally in Salem, NH a few weeks ago at which Sarah Palin appeared and spoke. We waited in line for 2 hours along with 10,000 other people who had come to hear the vice presidential nominee speak. Now to those from NY or LA who think 10,000 is not a large number- recognize that in New Hampshire for a rally that was planned with 48 hour advance notice, 10,000 is a lot of people.

In the audience I saw a good cross section of America. I also saw two babies with Down's syndrome. I admit that made me cry. There was a recognition by the parents of these children that they have been given legitimacy. That there is someone on the national stage who believes their babies have the right to live. Even among conservatives there are far too many who would not give a baby with Down's syndrome, life.

The next day, Joe Biden appeared in NH. I don't know how long the advance time was for the organizers, or how convenient the venue was for people to attend. But either it was such short notice, or so inconvenient or else no one cared enough except for 700 supporters of Joe Biden that showed.

People like Peggy Noonan, Kathleen Parker, Christopher Buckley and lesser knowns are saying that John McCain's defeat will be the responsibility of Sarah Palin. But can anyone really make that claim in seriousness? Aren't they just hedging their bets?

If McCain loses, and I am not yet convinced that he will- if we believed the polls we would have been ruled by John Kerry and Queen Theresa for the past 8 years, but if McCain loses, it will be the result of the difficult economy. Given the economic climate I think it is nothing short of miraculous that McCain is as close as he is.

Charles Krauthammer said that he would rather lose an election than his bearings.

So, go ahead and give people like Katie Couric legitimacy. Suspend your distrust of the media in this one self-serving situation. Reorient yourself to the detractors of the conservative movement and then when you wake up on November 5th ask yourself what exactly it is that you have gained? It won't have been your bearings. And your short lived popularity may seem surprisingly hollow.

In the Candidate's Own Words

Anything that makes me Laugh Out Loud

automatically gets put on my blog. Remember when George Bush's dislike of broccoli ignited such controversy? Another vegetable has become a rallying point: Arugula. I had heard arugula referred to as a reason not to support Sarah Palin (she only eats meat she has killed herself and has probably never seen a salad in her life according to some detractors). But I didn't know about Barack Obama citing the price of Arugula at Whole Foods as the foundation of his economic policy. Well done.

This is from a new blog that I was not aware of. We populists do not get out much unless it's to stand barefooted on our own front porch with a baby on our hip.

Thanks to Catholic Redneck for a good laugh.

Senior pics!

Veronica's pictures came in the mail and I'm so happy at how well they came out!

Thanks to Jane McDonagh a wonderful photographer!

Colin Powell's endorsement proves one thing

That this election has always been about abortion. For the left even more so than for the right- who seem to have become distracted by arguments about Sarah Palin's lack of intellectual credentials. Strangely I can think of no university professor that I would vote for as president. (Populist fool that I am!)

Colin Powell has said that specifically, he would have a problem with 2 or more Republican appointments to the Supreme Court. This is code for 2 or 3 judges who would overturn Roe versus Wade. No one enforces the litmus test as much as the liberals.

I never considered Colin Powell a Republican anyway. His announcement was spitefully timed and he will not "campaign" read engage or defend his endorsement.

It troubles me to see the Left fighting more vigorously to expand the right to kill. And the Right acting so passively, looking for reasons to vote (God help us) Third Party.

I got an email from a woman in Western Massachusetts last week. Her eleven year old son had been in a terrible car accident and the doctors have declared him "brain dead". She was fighting to get him moved to a rehabilitation hospital where he could be cared for and treated. But naturally the doctors at the hospital want his organs. (I wonder what Plato would think of that?) In court the judge said to the hospital's attorney, "This is about money isn't it?" The mother won a reprieve and the hospital cannot remove her son's life support so they decided to removed his nutrition.

Life isn't intellectual repartee, clever bantering, the proposing of obscure historical defenses and deriding the practical in favor of the ethereal.

G.K. Chesterton said, "You can only find truth with logic if you have already found truth without it."

Using logic or intelligence to come to the wrong conclusion is not a parlor game. There is a reality, a responsibility and all too real consequences.

Foolish Things

1 Corinthians 1:27

But the foolish things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the wise; and the weak things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the strong.

According to Peggy Noonan, Sarah Palin isn't smart enough, intellectual enough, experienced enough or good enough to have been chosen by John McCain as his running mate.

I think Ms. Noonan would be disappointed to find that I don't care a bit. The Republican base doesn't care a bit. And in the end the voters won't care a bit.

And have you notced that even with all the mounting criticisms against Sarah Palin, I have yet to hear a better candidate proposed.

If running for office were a matter of who had the highest marks in school, the most graduate degrees, and who read the must erudite works then maybe Ms. Noonan might have a point.

I've never seen a problem solved by an intellectual. They pose them, yes. But solve them? Never.

It is somewhat surprising for me to see Christians oppose the candidacy of Sarah Palin on the grounds that Peggy Noonan uses. Surely having read the Bible, understanding the Gospel and having read the lives of the Saints we have some understanding that God chooses the weak to do His Will. The mighty, the proud, the rich usually have better things to do and they certainly know better than God what must be done.

From the simple shepherd boy who became King David to the illiterate fishermen who transformed the world to the reclusive St Catherine of Siena who commanded the Pope, God's standards are in marked contrast to ours. We can wonder at them but dare we question them?

"They had many children, who grew up knowing the priceless beauty of such a life."

Given the economic crisis, the hotly contest presidential election, the prosecution of 2 wars at once that must now be won, and the uncertainty of the world in general I have responded the way those who lived during the Great Depression did- retreating into a fantasy world. The fantasy world of the Great Depression was comprised of musicals acted by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers but I have retreated to the fantasy world of children's literature.

Two new favorite books.

We checked out "Iron John" by Mariana Mayer and Winslow Pels. This is a beautiful book rich with Christian symbolism. The boy Hans, who is the hero exhibits self effacing humility, earnestness, honor and goodness. Of course he wins the Princess, Terre (her name denotes the Earth and she is the symbol of humanity while Hans is the salvific Christ figure. There are also parallels to David and Goliath which will be obvious. My favorite part of the book though, is when the Princess and the Prince, turned Gardener/Warrior/Knight marry. The description of family life sums up the goal of the Catholic family.

"Hans and Terre lived out their lives in the lush green woodland. There they built a handsome shelter from which every view of the wildwood was a picture beyond compare. As the years passed, they had many children, who grew up knowing the priceless beauty of such a life. And those fortunate enough to know the place where this good family dwelt could say with conviction that it was indeed a paradise on earth."

I couldn't help but notice how the good, the truly good things in life are valued by the family. They live in "a shelter", they have "many children" and they have achieved "paradise". They do not live in a castle, though they might have. They do not have 2 children, though they could have.

The second book we liked was "The Biggest Soap".



This is also a beautiful story of family life- sacrifice, unselfishness and service. The life described is simple and the days involve laundry, make believe, construction, storytelling and foundationally family.

Phil Lawler, author of The Faithful Departed Book Signing at Immaculate Heart of Mary Bazaar Oct 11 from 12-1 pm

Saturday, October 11 from 12-1pm

Phil Lawler, author of The Faithful Departed will be on hand to sign copies of his book. This book has been ranked as high as #2000 on the Amazon list and will be available for $20. (normally $25.95).

Location:

Immaculate Heart of Mary School
282 Still River Rd
Still River, MA 01469

Phil Lawler is the editor Emeritus of Catholic World Report and the editor of Catholic Culture, formerly Catholic World News.

There is a blog dedicated to promoting the book and explaining why you may not have heard about it; the book has been banned in many bookstores and at least one book signing canceled at The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

Phil has come under fire by Fr. Neuhaus and others for his "sympathetic" (read accurate) portray of Fr. Feeney and contrasting of Fr. Feeney's case with that of Fr. Drinan. This book makes an excellent gift for any serious Catholic who wants to understand what happened in Boston and why we should never give up hope.

Country Cottage

My sister kindly took a picture of our little country cottage. I'm especially excited about the whiskey barrel my parents found in Pennsylvania. In the Spring there are lilacs in bloom around the edges of the cottage.




This is a side view and shows an antique push lawnmower and the grape arbor my son Nathaniel built for me. We are growing concord grapes over the arbor, or starting to.


Wilderness Cottage.

The cottage now lies empty,
and overgrown with weeds,
A large walled garden at the rear,
long past has gone to seed.

Many tiles have fallen off,
broken gutters and hanging gate,
Doors and many windows,
with cracked and peeling paint.

The family that once owned it,
now long disappeared from view,
Reflects bygone nostalgia
through the walls that that it once knew.

And as the sun begins to set,
with the last embers of the day,
The little cottage lives in hopes
that some one just might stay.

by Nicholas Windle

The Human Experience

This looks like a movie everyone should see.

Obama : Let the Little Children Come Unto him

The setting looks like a public school library.

But I think this next video is even more enlightenting.



This message from Kenyan cannot be embedded- that option has been disabled. It's short but I think there is an important message here. Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08iomNFrzU4

And something more contemporary.



It's just wonderful to see how Obama has inspired the youth isn't it?

Lake Michigan, Chicago

My daughter is a freshman at Loyola University and sent me these pictures of the lake. She can't wait to get an apartment next year and bring her Saint Bernard out to swim in the lake. There is a beach with a dog park where the dogs can go swimming!

The VP Debate

1. Gwen can't-wait-to-publish-my-probama-book Ifill doesn't even know that the House rejected the bailout.

Oh wait, was it racist to say that?

2. Palin asked Biden if she could call him Joe????? But that's still Governor Palin to you buddy.

3. Biden is going to focus on the Middle Class- first lie of the night.

4. Sarah's looking strong in the economy response and Biden is looking afraid. Don't blame him.

5. Biden has a lot of friends on the Republican side, you're not Joe Lieberman, I knew Joe Lieberman and Joe Lieberman was a friend of mine.

6. Sarah is hepped up! She seems strong, forceful and Biden looks like he's overdue for a nap.

7. Biden looks horrible. The bags under his eyes. I think he was up all night studying. He seems tired, old, too reserved. He's used to the bully pulpit of the long time Senator.

8. I think Biden has gone under the knife. The skin around his eyes looks a little tight and upward bearing.

9. Biden is talking about his plan to "Double Foreign Assistance". He may have to slow it down given the economy. I think this is his terrorist-bribe plan. If we give you a few million and arms will you stop killing Americans. History has shown how effective that is, in places like Afghanistan.

10. That sound system is bad. Boom. Boom. Boom.

11. She just called Achmadinajad unstable and not sane. hehehehehehehe.

12. The invocation of Kissinger and why we are hated around the world- democracy, tolerance and women's rights is a home run, by Sarah Palin.

13. Biden's response, "Did not. Did not." Telling.

14. Biden is becoming shrill.

15. The what-if-you-become-prez-thru-assasination question came up. It just seems so tacky to even ask the question.

Oh, wait was it racist for me to say that?

16. In the answer why is Biden running against Bush? Bush is not running.

17. She's happy and smiling and he's grim and forbidding, even in Home Depot apparently (?)and so very disapproving. I feel like a teenager that has stayed out too late and has to come home to Daddy Biden.

18. "Doggone it!" on education. They told her to be herself and she just was.

19. The Vice President joke- America is falling in love with Sarah Palin.

20. Taking on my own party- good strong message. For both of them.

She's so ready

... I can just feel it.

Picture from Drudge.