MORE GUN CONTROL LAWS NOT THE ANSWER

Following a conversation with a good friend, on PA House Bill 760, which if passed would require the registration of all firearms in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, my somewhat warped mind started working overtime and I came up with some outrageous but not far-fetched scenarios. Consider the following: A person is beaten to death with a baseball bat, or a golf club, do we then need legislation to control baseball bats and golf clubs? As ludicrous as that scenario sounds it's not so hard to envision. How about this one--a wife kills her husband with a rolling-pin, do we then pass legislation to control rolling-pins? It is as if society is saying that the baseball bat, golf club and rolling pin can kill someone without a human person on the other end to swing it. Well in case you haven't noticed, the same is being said about the firearms, and that argument is equally unfounded.

Thomas Jefferson once said: "the strongest reason for the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort to protect themselves against the tyranny in government." How soon we forget the wisdom of our Founding Fathers when it is inconvenient or doesn't fit some preconceived agenda.

Needless to say the tremendous tragedy at Virginia Tech will have the liberals in both the United States Congress and State Legislatures clamoring for more restrictions on the availability of firearms. This is not now, nor will it be the answer, nor will it prevent another tragedy from occurring in the future.

Let's be clear--GUNS CANNOT KILL ANYONE UNLESS A PERSON USES THEM FOR VIOLENT PURPOSES!!! Passing more and more restrictions on firearms will not deter the criminal from obtaining his weapon. The only person who will ultimately be harmed through the passage of more gun control laws is the law-abiding citizen/sportsmen.

It is essential that every citizen of Pennsylvania, whether you own a firearm or not contact your State Representative, as soon as possible, and urge him/her to OPPOSE House Bill 760, and to stand up for our Second Amendment Rights to keep and bear arms.

As He Died to Make Men Holy, Let Us Live to Make Men Free!

Source: Family Research Council
Remarks by FRC President Tony Perkins

Last night, as I spoke to an enthusiastic gathering of pro-lifers at a CPC event just outside of Toledo, Ohio about the sanctity of life and the battles that lie ahead, I couldn't help but reflect on the poignancy of the Easter season and what it means to a nation fighting to protect the unborn. This weekend, Christians from all over the world will celebrate the One who came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Despite our political struggles and human agendas, this Sunday we celebrate the ultimate victory for life--purchased by Christ's own blood and guaranteed to all who put their trust in Him. Though we grieve the loss of so many innocent lives, we're reminded that their story does not end in death but resurrection! The Son of God, who took our sufferings upon Himself and bound them to the cross, bids us today--and every day--to choose Life, eternal life, through Him. I pray this Easter that we remember true triumph cannot be found in the things of this world. It is only found in the empty tomb. May God bless you and your family as we celebrate the risen Lord.

REVISITING PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE

I didn't think that I would be revisiting the subject of physician assisted suicide anytime soon, but after doing some internet research on the topic, I find that I'm a little overdue for my re-examination of what I'm calling the "Final Chapter in Human Devolution."

Presently, as I am preparing this posting there are a total of 9 pieces of legislation in 4 States advocating some form of physician assisted suicide. As I ponder the ramifications and implications to our society and culture, I have to ask quite bluntly: HAVE WE LEARNED NOTHING FROM OUR BRUTAL AND BLOODY HISTORY?

In their book for the series "Whatever Happened to the Human Race?" Dr. C. Everett Koop, and the late Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer said: "culture can be judged in many different ways, but eventually every nation in every age must be judged by this test: HOW DID IT TREAT PEOPLE?" Following this "test" to its obvious conclusion, it is therefore necessary to ask--How will the United States be judged with respect to how it treated their people? Given our track record, or should I say our body count over the last 34 years, I think we all know what the judgment of history will be!

Dr. Koop also delivered a somber warning when he said: "Let those who advocate death with dignity beware, least we lose life with dignity."

Koop and Schaeffer also believed, although I think in error, that Biblical Christians would not accept the advent of abortion-on-demand, infanticide and euthanasia without a struggle, because quite honestly there has been no struggle or even a whimper of opposition from the Christian community.

What is the most disturbing is how we can totally ignore the lessons of history. Hitler killed 6 million Jews in the Holocaust, and the world was outraged at this senseless taking of human life, but from January 22, 1973 to the present time 46 million lives have been snuffed out through abortion-on-demand, and society blindly and benignly accepts it as a woman's right to choose, thus opening the door to the other components of inhumanity discussed in "Whatever Happened to the Human Race?"--INFANTICIDE AND EUTHANASIA. The latter being the final domino of the moral and spiritual free-fall of our once great Nation.

Koop and Schaeffer believe that, as a society, we stand on the "edge of a great abyss." That choices are being made and thrust upon our culture, that will for years to come affect the way people are treated. To merely say that people are being treated badly and that things must change, just isn't enough. We must, as a society and a culture speak out in the strongest possible terms against these inhumanities.

While this posting sounds more like a book review, it was necessary, in my view because what Koop and Schaeffer said in 1979 is even more applicable and relevant today as we spiral head-long into the debate of physician assisted suicide, or more accurately "active euthanasia."

We find ourselves living, in what the late Dr. Schaeffer called a time of "arbitrary sociological law," which means that the law reflects the thinking of society at a specific time. With this kind of a radical mindset, almost anything is possible, especially in such a rapidly changing culture. What was unthinkable 30 or 40 years ago, is not only thinkable today, but is totally accepted by all aspects of society.

Euthanasia is not a new concept, it has been around for many years, although cloaked in seemingly harmless terms as "death with dignity" or "mercy killing." However, in our sanitized, politically correct culture, this monstrous evil now carries the term of "physician assisted suicide." How convenient!

As we discuss this "subject," it is necessary to go back to the 1973 decision of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion-on-demand in the United States, because once you can kill an unborn child without the threat of any legal consequences, it then becomes possible to kill the elderly, the handicapped or those deemed socially unacceptable. Does any of this sound familiar? So, I ask again: Have we learned nothing from history?

Physician assisted suicide represents the final assault on the sanctity of human life. Once we start down that path, there will be no turning back!

Molly Henderson runs for reelection

For most of the past year I have been trying to keep quiet on the political front, with getting married soon and other things on my plate. But, the political scene in Pennsylvania and the rest of the country seems to be getting worse, not better. Take the subject of this blog as an example. For those of you who live in Lancaster County, you are aware of the major problems we have been having with our commissioners. Molly Henderson is a part of this problem. If you all remember, she along with the other two county commissioners were all part of the scandal involving the sale of the county nursing home. She claims she only had a small portion in it, but that is not what this blog is about.

Recently, she has decided to run for reelection for commissioner (Feb 4,2007 Sunday News). The first move she made toward this is to appoint Lois Herr as her advisor. Now, if you all remember Lois Herr ran against Joe Pitts in the 2006 elections. One of her major campaigning points was that nothing had to be done with Route 23 that runs from Lancaster to Leola, New Holland, and Blue Ball. With Lois Herr as her advisor, Henderson has also taken up this cry. For those of you who live in this area, myself being one of them know the problems with this major road. You should try driving from Lancaster to New Holland around 3:30 in the afternoon. This road ends up being like a parking lot. There have been many proposals to fix the problem over the years dating back to the ‘70s. The recent past is no exception, but the proposal that these two have agreed on is so left field you have to wonder what they are thinking. They think that if you widen the current road and put in turning lanes that everything will be fine. Wrong! If you do that you will have to take most of the homes in Leola and New Holland with you. There is just not enough room to expand the current road without taking down most of the buildings. The only real solution is to use the already, mostly built, "Goat Path" up to 772, then build the rest. The section that was built in the ‘70s is still owned by the state and not the Amish. The Amish are using this land to graze their live stock and will just need to put them elsewhere. I agree that the existing traffic lights need to be synchronized, but that won’t fix the major problems.

This area is getting to crowded with developments, which brings me to my next point. She has already came out against any improvements to the farm preservation act. First of all, I haven’t seen them preserve anything. Now I know what you are thinking the route 23 project is going to take farmland away. Well, yes but in the whole picture it’s not as much and there won’t be anything built along the new highway. With this done the majority of farmland will be preserved. But, seriously something needs to be done before all of our farmland, that makes this country beautiful, is all used up.
Now on to my last point, Commissioner Henderson says that nothing needs to be done to our aging Prison system. Instead, she favors a rehabilitation system to rehabilitate prisoners and get them ready to reenter our society. The problem is that if you are soft with criminals they’re going to go right back and repeat the same crime. But this time do it more intelligently. This system will be an easy out for prisoners looking for a way out. So, all they are expected to do is play nice for awhile and they can get back on the streets. Whatever happened to "you do the crime, you do the time". This slap on the wrist system has to be changed and Henderson’s rehabilitation system is not the answer. What we need to do is expand the current over crowded prison system, or build a new prison somewhere else. Then we need to get tougher on criminals who break the law and show them that if they continue this way they are going to face tougher penalties. The death penalty is being one of these tougher penalties.
In conclusion, I just don’t think Molly Henderson is the right choice for Commissioner. She just doesn’t seem to be in touch with what really is going on in this county and we will be in worse shape if she is reelected.

THE ARROGANCE OF GOVERNMENT CONTINUES

It won't take 100 pages or even 100 words to express my complete outrage over the decision of the PA Supreme Court to reinstate the unconstitutional pay raise for themselves and other judges and district justices. Apparently the ousting of one of their cohorts and almost removing another wasn't enough to get through to these pompus fools that the voters/citizens of Pennsylvania are not going to tolerate the behind-the-scenes deal making, in order to achieve the ill-gotten gains. Maybe--just maybe we should remove the entire PA Supreme Court. Do you think they'll realize that WE the people are serious about reforming our Government and the way they do business?

Read the Court's full opinion at:
http://www.courts.state.pa.us/OpPosting/index/SupremeOpindex.asp#month

ALWAYS REMEMBER 9/11/2001-BUT NOT WITH MOVIES

I've been away for a very long time, but during that absence, I have been thinking about the production of "Flight 93" and "World Trade Center," which is Hollywood's attempt to memoralize the tragedy of 9-11-2001 and honor the memory of all who lost their lives on that most horrible of days in American history. While the intention is certainly commendable, the methodology is seriously suspect, and I'm more than a little skeptical that the producers of this motion pictures won't take some dramatic license to dress-up some of the more graphic scenes in order to "sell" their product to theaters nationwide.

I have always had a low opinion of any kind of film that portrays events from such a horrific tragedy such as 9-11, because it tends to glorify the senseless violence and carnage not to mention putting the terrorists in a undeserved spotlight.

It would be far better, in my never to be humble opinion, to remember all the brave Americans who gave their lives on that tragic day by securing our borders and taking all steps necessary to make sure that such a thing never again happens in the United States.

IRAQ PULLOUT REJECTED AGAIN!!!

George Orwell once said: "In our time political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible." This simply states this individual's feelings on the repeated attempts by the cut-and-run Democrats in the United States Senate who insist on pulling our troops out of Iraq. Based on the latest vote of 13 Yeas and 86 Nays, my only conclusion is that these folks are just learning impared! Quite frankly, enough has been said here! The numbers speak for themselves. To see the roll call go to: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_109_2.htm.