A Simple Thank You

Watching the footage of the Boston Marathon Massacre, I have been struck that while most of the runners and crowd were understandably running away from the site of the carnage, policemen, firemen, and some civilians (many of them medical professionals) were running into it to help the wounded. Thank you for your courage  Thank you for your nobility. It is what makes this country great.

What Slippery Slope?

"Legalize Polygamy!" That's the headline of a piece in Slate magazine. Okay, let's hear why allowing gay marriage on the bases put forth won't lead to this and who knows what else. But we love each other - why can't I marry my __________*?

* sister, mother, dog, Packy the Pachyderm, bass boat,  etc., etc., etc.
www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2013/04/legalize_polygamy_marriage_equality_for_all.html

I'm Shocked! No Really.

World Net Daily reported today that frequent texters tend to be shallow. I'm shocked, shocked!

www.wnd.com/

A Final Diss to Mrs. Thatcher

The Obama Administration is not sending any member of his cabinet or a current politician to former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's funeral. Former Secretaries of State George Schultz and James Baker will be attending, but to send no present cabinet member as a sign of respect is another poke in the eye to the Brits and the memory of the Iron Lady.  They probably couldn't afford Joe Biden's limousine and hotel bills again.

www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/white-house-sending-no-sitting-us-pols-thatcher-funeral_717938.html

Boston

Now Boston. The Northeast seems to be cursed at the moment: Newtown, hurricanes, etc. First and foremost our prayers and sympathy goes out to the families of those killed and to those injured and maimed at the Boston Marathon Massacre. We wish the families of the dead comfort and solace and a full and speedy recovery to the injured. 

It is too early to say who did this. Whoever it was had some knowledge of terrorist tactics. Having two bombs go off in close proximity and time is designed to inflict maximum casualties. Ditto the timing of the explosions when the majority of non-elite runners were due to cross the finish line. The national and world press were covering the story and they like the human interest shots at or near the finish line, so the location was right too. 

The explosive itself, while causing horrific results, appeared to be something less than  military-grade. One report said that the devices contained ball bearings, though, which would be a terrorist hallmark. 

The media has made much of the fact that it was Patriot Day in Massachusetts honoring the Revolutionary War citizens that rebelled against the Brits and several outlets (CNN, MSNBC - surprise, surprise) went from there to connect the explosions to "right wing groups." Maybe. I think it is more interesting, however, that yesterday was also the anniversary of the founding of the modern state of Israel. No group has taken credit for the bombings, so we will see where the investigation leads. If the FBI really does have two disabled bombs to work with they should be able to point the finger with some confidence at who was behind this despicable and cowardly act. 

In the meantime, yesterday's events clearly answered the question of whether the U.S. can let down its guard. The answer is a resounding "No!" Whatever the ultimate source of this attack, we are all cursed with those who would do harm to innocents to make their hateful points. Life will not be getting back to normal anytime soon. 

A Giant of the Faith and an American Hero

Our news seems to be saturated with the Lindasy Lohans and Justin Biebers of the world, meanwhile true heroes pass by without notice. Not this one, though, who is being awarded the Medal of Honor. 

Fr. Emil Kapaun was a Catholic Army chaplain serving with line units during the Korean War. When his unit was overrun by the Chinese, he allowed himself to be captured so that he could continue to serve his men. This gives us some idea of the man:


"Kapaun helped aid those wounded in battle with no regard for his own safety, often leaving the perimeter U.S. forces had established to rescue injured soldiers. Kapaun also stayed behind and let himself be captured by the Chinese in order to care for wounded American soldiers.

He also stopped the execution of Herb Miller, brushing aside a Chinese soldier who was preparing to shoot the wounded sergeant. Kapaun helped Miller to his feet and carried him on his back for much of their journey to a POW camp. Miller and his wife will be at the White House on Thursday.

Kapaun initially was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions at Unsan, the Army’s second-highest military honor. That will be upgraded to the Medal of Honor, the country’s highest military honor.

After Unsan, Kapaun kept rescuing soldiers on the march to prison, persuading able-bodied soldiers to help carry their wounded comrades. In prison, he defied brainwashing attempts by the camp guards, picked lice off the sick, washed the clothes of wounded soldiers and – with Mayo, Dowe and others – stole bags of food while other POWs deliberately started fights to distract guards.

Kapaun, suffering from malnutrition, dysentery and other ailments brought on by the cruel treatment of the guards, died at the camp in May 1951. He was 35.

His fellow prisoners insist he was murdered by Chinese guards who resented how he had openly defied their attempts to brainwash them into collaborating with the enemy. As a result, they sent him to the “Death House,” where he was cut off from food and medical attention."

C.S. Lewis said that we know no mere mortals - the people we pass on the street are either becoming saints or monsters. This was a saint and I hope that I will have the opportunity to meet him someday and personally thank him for his service - to the Cross and to his country. 


www.kansas.com/2013/04/10/2756223/nine-of-kapauns-fellow-pows-to.html?story_link=email_msg

(Tip o' the hat to Ray Ramsay for this story.)

The "Improving" Jobs Picture

Financial columnist Charles Payne breaks down the March jobs numbers and finds that they reveal an economy that is, well - broken down:

"With only 88,000 jobs created last month the mass media immediately leaped on the unemployment rate which declined to 7.6% from 7.7% ignoring the fact 496,000 people dropped out of the labor force. The not in labor force has surged to 89,967,000 from 80,699,000 since February 2009. It's a sobering thought or would be if the media wasn't plying the public with happy faces and superlatives for polices that have been nothing but destructive. The jobs numbers for March were not just ugly they were heartbreaking and underscore trends we can no longer afford to look away from."

finance.townhall.com/columnists/charlespayne/2013/04/09/the-media-and-their-lies-n1561674/page/2

Amen. Do you remember the scene near the end of The Hunt for Red October where a Soviet attack sub has just shot a second spread of torpedoes trying to kill the Red October and the captain has removed the safety arming devices? Their quarry turns directly into them and they realize at the last second that their own torpedoes are going to blast them to kingdom come. A crewman turns to the captain with a look of fear and loathing and says, "You have killed us you ass!" We are just about there.