Been a While

A few folks -- a tiny remnant of the irregular readers of this blog -- have asked me why I haven't posted very much recently. Actually, they're very kind, because I really haven't posted a thing since June. The reason? I've simply been busy. 

I spent a lot of time preparing for a course on Biblical Typology that I'm now in the middle of conducting. The preparation demanded more time and effort than I had expected. And in the midst of it all, Diane and I went north for a couple of weeks to visit our children, grandchildren, and some old friends. I've also been wrapped up in some of the administrative details related to a pilgrimage to Italy that Fr. Glen and I will lead in January. So, you see, I have plenty of good excuses.

But I'm also disheartened by our nation's political landscape, and how things seem to be moving. And for weeks I've been left without words, wondering whether I should address the issues publicly. I guess I will. Please understand, though, these are my personal views, and I do not presume to speak (or write) for the Church. 

I look at today's Democrat party and wonder how it moved so far to the political left and so quickly. I've always believed that Marxism (and, folks, socialism and communism are both founded on solid Marxist principles) is attractive to two kinds of people. 

First, there are the "useful idiots" as Lenin purportedly called them. They listen to the false promises of an ideology that will never deliver, and they actually believe what they hear...at least for a time: 

"We'll pay off your student loans; we'll make the downpayment on your home; we'll guarantee wonderful healthcare that will cost you nothing; we'll bring true democracy and equity and diversity and inclusion and anything else you cry for..."  

The second, much smaller, group are the Marxist elites, those that feed the masses with all those promises. Ironically, few of the elites actually believe in Marxist ideology, because they're not hoping for equality or democracy or the people's happiness. No, they seek only one thing: power. And, conveniently for them, the consolidation of power into the hands of a few happens to be a guaranteed byproduct of Marxism's full implementation.

Marxists also despise religion...well, not all religion because they offer the masses their own version of religious faith. Perhaps more accurately, they despise the faith and values of Jews and Christians, and will join forces with anyone else who mirrors their hatred. After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend...for a while.

To the Marxist, religion is a serious competitor because it shifts the allegiance of the individual from the state to God and His Church. They can't have that, and so they attack the Church, at first through the media and laws and regulations. But once they have power, the attacks become viciously physical. Just look at Marxism's history in the USSR, China, Cuba, etc.

Remember when Joe Biden told the TV host, Charlamagne Tha God, “I tell you if you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black.”

Of course, it was just another of Joe's racist statements in which he assumes all blacks, really all minorities, must think alike, that they must hold identical political and moral beliefs.

So, let me one-up him, and tell the faithful: "If you vote for today's Democrats, you ain't Catholic." 

In this instance, though, I appeal to the deposit of faith, the Church's foundational beliefs, beliefs that are rejected by this political party. Not only do they support abortion and infanticide, but they also attack Church teaching on virtually every moral issue. And did you happen to hear how the Democrat vice presidential candidate, Governor Walz, called his opponent, Senator Vance, "Weird"? Why? Because Vance is an intelligent, religious, family-loving, pro-life, Catholic. Yep, all those traits really bother today's new Democrats.  

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm no big fan of the Republican party either. But at least their platform and values seem more closely to mirror my own. Yes, some of them wander off into the bullrushes and support that which helps them personally, forgetting the needs and freedoms of those they represent. But most appear to toe the line that runs between life and freedom.

I suppose the problem with politics is that it's plagued by politicians; that is, men and women who think of politics as a career instead of an opportunity to spend some time helping others live better and more rewarding lives. Term limits have always seemed like a good idea to me: ten years in the House; two terms in the Senate. After that, go back and do some real work in the world, growing our economy rather than draining it. 

And maybe Christians who fill political offices should also be thinking about how they can help others on their journey to salvation. After all, the First Amendment of our Constitution is very specific:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

So, if, like me, you are a believing, practicing Christian, feel free to exercise your religious beliefs whenever and wherever the need arises. Of course, the Constitution protects you only from government interference; you may have to deal with others who are not so open to expressions of religious beliefs. In those instances, I find actions are often more effective than words. Practice your faith and show the world what you believe. Let them see how a Christian lives.

God's peace...and don't forget to vote.

Thank God for WHAT?

Let me begin simply by repeating the chant of a large collection of pro-abortion screamers who were trying to disrupt worshippers at a Catholic church: 

"Thank God for abortion!" 

Yes, indeed, that's what they shouted at anyone and everyone within earshot. Of course, for someone who actually believes in God, such a chant is pure blasphemy, since it attributes an intrinsic evil to God. I have, however, become convinced that pro-abortion fanatics, and this also includes most of today's Democrat Party politicians, really don't believe in God. Oh, they talk about God as their biggest supporter, they attend church services and take advantage of the photo-ops, and they always refer to themselves as "devout." But it's all just talk, just smoke and mirrors...you know, "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain." 

The pro-abortion pols who claim to be Catholic apparently have no problem discarding Church magisterial teaching when it seems politically expedient to do so. We are left to conclude that they have raised their personal beliefs above the Word of God and the Church's deposit of faith. In other words, they have replaced the Living God with themselves, a bunch of little god wannabes. This is the great temptation to which those who crave power always fall prey: to become a god. 

Our Vice President, too, joined in the cacophony and in a recent speech repeatedly screamed, "How dare they!" She was all upset that any Supreme Court Justice, or any legislator, would try to prevent a woman from doing whatever she wanted to her body. Kamala Harris conveniently failed to mention that there's another body involved, and that the woman's decision to abort brings about this innocent person's violent death. Her near frenzied support of abortion is difficult to understand since she is a black woman and abortion providers have specifically targeted minority women. In truth the population of black Americans would be double its current numbers if abortion had not been legalized by the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision. Any black American who supports abortion is grossly ignorant, a pure Leftist ideologue, or just suicidal...or, more accurately, self-genocidal. 

As I mentioned in a previous post, I believe the Left has made a crucial error by reacting as they have to the illegal leak of the court's draft majority opinion. All they have done is released the crazies who will show the rest of the country what complete weirdos the abortion-loving fanatics really are. I realize I will be criticized for labeling them, but I've always believed that telling the truth is a charitable act and should not be avoided when to do so would lead others to sin. Just check out these photos of current protests.

Yep, these folks will certainly convince all those average Americans to join the next pro-abortion protest in their quiet neighborhoods...yeah, right.

Lest we get distracted by all the weirdness in the streets, let's keep one thing in mind: abortion is the work of Satan and those who support abortion are joining in his evil work. Of course, ultimately, they will fail. They just don't know it. Pray for them.

And to alter that ugly chant slightly, let me quote the Catholic poet, Joyce Kilmer:

"Thank God for God."

The Adult in the Room

Have you been watching the confirmation hearings conducted by the Senate’s Judiciary Committee? If you haven’t you should watch them today. You will see something truly remarkable. You will see how a wise, caring, patient adult handles a collection of spoiled, ignorant, petulant children. One woman, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, perhaps the most qualified nominee for the Supreme Court in my lifetime, responds to the foolishness of her interrogators with grace and wisdom and truth. I suppose we should expect this from a woman who, along with her husband, is raising seven children. And what a joy it was to see her children seated behind her in that senate hearing room, supporting their mother with their presence, and doing so with far more poise than that displayed by many of the senators.

I suspect the Democrat members of the committee hope their constituents are not watching the hearings, because compared to the nominee, they looked very silly indeed. Each of the Democrats began with a long, highly politicized statement which was read from papers prepared by staffers. Each then asked one inappropriate or irrelevant question after another, which also had to be read from notes because the Senator didn’t seem to know what kind of questions he or she should ask someone nominated to be a Justice on the Supreme Court. 

The most telling moment of yesterday’s hearing occurred when Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) asked Judge Barrett to hold up the notepad on the table in front of her. She held up a small pad of paper, completely blank, embossed at the top of each page with the words, “United States Senate” — a fitting souvenir of her visit to that august body. Yes, unlike the senatorial inquisitors who were supported by stacks of papers written by others, she had no need of notes because she knows of what she speaks. The appropriately blank U.S. Senate pad perhaps tells us too much about the Senate itself. 

 

Judge Barrett is also a faithful, loving Christian, who no doubt accepts the Word and promise of Jesus Christ:

"When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say” [Lk 12:11-12].

Interestingly, the Democrat Senators who obviously despise Judge Barrett, asked almost nothing about her qualifications, preferring instead to paint her as a political operative, as a conservative who will simply do the bidding of President Trump. Their questions -- when they actually got around to asking a question -- were focused on political issues, and rarely dealt with the role of a Supreme Court Justice.

Because she is such a remarkable and accomplished woman, and because she is a woman of faith, the Democrats have been forced to avoid the kind of public, personal attacks usually inflicted on nominees. For that they must rely on their media surrogates. One thing we know for certain, the Democrat Party has become the party of anti-Catholicism. No longer discretely covert, they now openly ridicule any Catholic who actually believes in the teachings of the Church. Of course, the same applies to any Christian who accepts the teachings of Jesus Christ and lives them.

God bless Judge Barrett.

Just a Few Thoughts

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits [Mt 7:15-16].

Portland “Protesters” 

In Portland a man who apparently supported the president was murdered by an unknown assailant. Afterwards, the crowd of so-called protesters, made up largely of Black Lives Matter and Antifa Marxists radicals, were told by one of their leaders with a megaphone that, "I just got word, the person who died was a Patriot Prayer person...He was a f***ing Nazi. Our community held its own and took out the trash. I'm not going to shed any tears over a Nazi." The crown of Biden voters cheered. Really, do you think they’ll vote for the president?

These words, of course, were spoken by a woman who has no idea what the Nazis -- the National Socialist German Workers Party -- believed. Indeed, it's unlikely she even knows what she, as a Marxist, is supposed to believe. Her comments were echoed the following day in a video by one of the leaders of Black Lives Matter who told his followers: "I'm at a point where I'm ready to put the police in the f***ing grave! I'm at the point where I want to burn the White House down! I want to take it to the senators! I want to take it to the Congress!"

If you've been one of those passive supporters of BLM and Antifa, assuming they're simply peaceful protesters, I trust you've been disabused of that notion. There's a sad irony here. The rioters are ignorant, rootless young people, and as Russell Kirk wrote years ago, "The rootless are always violent, and the lonely and bored find riot a welcome diversion." 

Eventually, though, and this always happens in this country, the sanest of a nation's citizenry will refuse to accept the continued violence and destruction, and demand a response. Such a response, designed to stop senseless violence, will likely involve an acceptable level of directed, defensive violence. Violence always begets violence.

Far Left Democrats and Jews.

I'd call them anti-Semites, but I doubt if that label would bother too many of them, just as some seem to take pride in being called anti-Israel. It's really been an amazing transformation, watching the Democrat Party move so quickly from supporter of Israel and friend of the Jews to the party of the anti-Israel far left. Like the Islamists of al-Qaeda and Isis, many members of the far left wing of the party simply hate Jews. Sadly, these views seem to be moving to the party's so-called mainstream.

It's really quite disturbing, even for someone like me who has no ties to Israel. It's disturbing because it should be obvious whom we should support in the Middle East. The Muslim nations surrounding Israel are either authoritarian theocracies or just corrupt dictatorships; and most despise the United States. With only a few exceptions, they also teach their children anti-Jewish hatred, revenge, and extreme violence.

Do you support these nations, or do you support Israel, the only true representative democracy in the Middle East? Surrounded by its enemies, Israel must defend itself constantly from an insane degree of aggression. It's the kind of aggression that celebrates when Islamist terrorists murder a young Israeli family, stabbing them to death as they sleep. It's the kind of aggression that sends unguided rockets to strike random targets in Israeli cities and towns. Yes, Israel responds. Israel always responds. The nation must respond because its survival demands it and its sane citizens demand it. Just last week, Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon fired on Israeli troops on the border. This prompted Israel to send attack helicopters and other aircraft to strike Hezbollah targets. This was the first raid of its kind by Israel since the 2006 Second Lebanon War. Violence begets violence.

Black Lives Matter and Slavery.

Black Lives Matter protesters claim to be concerned about racial injustice and the legacy of slavery in the United States. But have you ever heard them protest the slavery that still exists in Africa today? Of course not. BLM, you see, really has little interest in the lives of black people, whether Americans or Africans. As a Marxist movement, it is concerned only with rewriting the history of the United States, undermining the nuclear family and religious values, and destroying our form of representative government. Injustice against blacks, which certainly exists but is far from "systemic," simply provides a handy excuse to take to the streets so they can continue their destructive work.

Slavery does exist today, and in some nations on a rather large scale. In the West African nation of Mauritania, for example, it is estimated that 20% of the population is enslaved; that is, they are "owned" by others who can do with them as they please. In fact, ownership of slaves in that country often passes from father to son. Given the Qur'an's rather explicit support for slavery, it's no wonder there's no Islamic abolitionist movement. And the left, Including Black Lives Matter, does not dare to criticize Islam. Christianity and Judaism are far safer targets.

Kamala Harris and Religion.

Senator Harris has made a career of attacking the religious values of her political opponents and others she hopes to  destroy in the public square. Her attacks on Catholics have been especially virulent. Two years ago she tried to block the nomination of a federal judge, Brian Buescher, because he was a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal and charitable organization. Such an attack, of course, violates the Constitution's prohibition of religious tests:

"...no religious test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." [Article VI, Clause 3]

The senator also smeared current Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh, a Catholic, during his confirmation hearings.

Interestingly, though, when Joe Biden was accused of sexual assault last year, Senator Harris said this of Biden's accusers: "I believe them and I respect them being able to tell their story and having the courage to do it." And now, although she never retracted those comments, she's Joe's running mate. Do you get the feeling she might be a complete opportunist, lacking any moral or philosophical foundation?

Harris has repeatedly attacked pro-life advocates and led the fight to keep abortion legal right up to the time of birth. As the Attorney General of California, she tried to inflict pregnancy centers with regulations really designed to close their doors. Taken to court, she lost her case thanks to the U. S. Supreme Court. She also co-sponsored the so-called "Equality Act" that would not allow Catholic hospitals to be Catholic by destroying rights of conscience and free speech, and even the freedom to follow one’s religious values. Her support for Planned Parenthood, gay marriage, and transgendered rights, plus her denial of school choice, especially for the poor, has put the Catholic Church in her cross-hairs. 

Nancy Pelosi on Children.

Every so often -- and these days it's far too often -- I read something that makes me want to scream nasty words. Fortunately, Diane's presence softens me and (usually) forces me to think twice before letting the neighbors know how I feel. The words of Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), inexplicably the current Speaker of the U.S. House of Representative, are the most recent cause of my loss of verbal control. Here's what she said:

"My whole purpose in politics, the three most important issues facing the Congress: our children, our children, our children...that's the hill I fight on."

Yes, hearing these words from Nancy Pelosi is truly scream-inducing. She cares so much for "the children" that during her 33 years in Congress she has overseen the slaughter of tens of millions of unborn children. I'm sorry, Nancy, but the hill you fight on is indeed a huge hill, one made up of the dismembered bodies of more than 60 million American children. The hypocrisy of this woman, who constantly claims to be a "devout Catholic," is beyond comprehension.

How wonderful that this week Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the president of the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life, demanded that Catholic politicians "must stop promoting anti-life laws." He went on to say that "it is a great error" for Catholic legislators "to promote legislation favoring abortion or euthanasia." Encouraging the Catholic faithful to correct their errant political leaders, he said, "The Church has a great responsibility to help its members, first of all, to convert to the Gospel of life, to the beauty of life. It is important that we avoid the dirty work of death and carry out the beautiful work of life."

One can only pray and hope that our Catholic politicians, including Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi, will listen and convert.

Going Poilitical Again...

Since the 2016 presidential campaign, my opinion of our president has undergone more than a little change. I was no Trump supporter, but neither was I a "never-Trumper." Before and immediately after his election I was leery of the man and his intentions. It was hard to believe he really meant what he said, especially when some of what he said, and how he said it, seemed so outrageous at the time. For example, his campaign comments about John McCain's status as a POW during the Vietnam conflict were particularly offensive to me, a veteran of that war and, like McCain, a naval aviator. I was never a fan of John McCain, the man or the politician, and believe the Republicans couldn't have chosen a worse candidate to compete with Barack Obama. But McCain's military service was honorable and not worthy of ridicule by someone who never served in the military. This, plus other Trumpian campaign statements, caused me concern. And yet, despite my misgivings about the man, I predicted Donald Trump's election fairly early (see my post of July 18, 2016), and did so for a number of reasons:

First, I agreed with candidate Trump that the American people had become increasingly fed up with career politicians, especially Washington politicians, who promise everything and anything during their campaigns. Once established in Congress, however, many, perhaps most, vote against the good and the will of their constituents, and do so without embarrassment. I thought that Donald Trump's clearly stated mission -- Drain the Swamp -- appealed to enough voters to make his election probable.

Bill and Hilary

And second, although Hillary Clinton was perhaps the best candidate the Democrat party could have nominated, she was still a horrible candidate. She seemed to exhibit an attitude of entitlement, as if she and only she deserved to be president. This is the kind of elitist attitude despised by many Americans. It's an attitude we'd expect from socialist elites who believe they are so much smarter than the rest of us that they should have the power to plan every aspect of our lives. Despite her husband's Rhodes Scholarship and his two terms as president, I'm pretty sure she's convinced she's the smarter of the two. She might well be right. I also believe a large number of Americans had come to view her as unethical in the extreme and hoped she and her husband would vanish from the public square. Some voters probably feared a Clinton presidency more than they hoped for a Trump presidency. And others simply didn't believe her or like her. I never really thought Hilary Clinton could be elected president. I could not believe our nation had fallen that low.

Donald Trump won the election, and like most of the nation, I sat back and wondered how this most unusual president would carry out the responsibilities of the office. Since then, however, I have come to appreciate his rather unorthodox approach to things political. Don't get me wrong, though; I am still astonished, and often perplexed, by some of his comments (and his tweets). And yet his use of Twitter and other unorthodox means to communicate directly to the American people and the world, thus bypassing a hostile and increasingly irrelevant media, is a stroke of true genius. Although I don't always agree with the man. I suspect we're probably on the same page more often than not. And most surprisingly I usually know exactly where Donald Trump stands on any given issue. If he changes his stance, he doesn't dance around the issue, but lets us know. He is actually willing to admit a change in belief or policy, and to tell us why. This is more than refreshing; it's unheard of in modern American politics. We have become so accustomed to politicians and their constant lawyerly spin (apologies to my few honest lawyer friends) that we have come to accept their behavior as "normal."

The career politician's approach to his responsibilities eludes me. I've known quite a few over the years, and if I were to name one trait that most of them shared it would be their unfamiliarity with the truth. Instead of accepting the Gospel maxim, "The truth will set you free" [Jn 8:32], they seem to believe that the truth will lose elections. A few weeks ago, a friend asked me to name the members of Congress whom I most respect, and I decided it would be best to ignore the question. Whenever I've spoken well of a politician he or she soon says or does something that causes me to regret my words of praise.

President Trump Rally

I'm pretty sure President Trump honestly believes he is speaking the truth. And he delivers it in plain, non-political, unrehearsed language. It's the kind of talk most Americans hear around the dinner table or when they share their views at work or with their friends. Like me, you might not always agree with him, but unless you're a denizen of the far left, consumed by hate, you probably find him refreshing.

As I look back on the past few years, I am truly amazed that Donald Trump, who is so despised by the mainstream media and his political enemies on both sides of the congressional aisle, has accomplished so much. But even more amazing, to me at least, is that I am in agreement with so many of these accomplishments.

Perhaps most encouraging is his pro-life record, one surpassing that of all his predecessors. I never expected this of him, largely because other Republican presidents talked pro-life during their campaigns but did little while in office. I just assumed Donald Trump would be no different. How inspiring to encounter a president who took action and courageously took the heat that predictably followed.

Pro-Life Support for Trump

I also agree with President Trump's decision to move our embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel is our only real ally in the Middle East, the only nation in the region with a truly representative form of government. Israel isn't perfect, but then neither are we. And every nation, including Israel, should strive to do what is best to further its citizen's interests and defend itself from aggressors. The rest of the region is a sewer, a collection of despotic regimes that truly despise both Israel and the United States. Worse, far too many of them support, bankroll, or harbor the Islamist terrorists that have plagued the world for so long.

Like Trump, I too am not a big fan of the nation-building goals of our protracted wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, although I'll admit my views have undergone some change in recent years. But I've always believed that any effort to develop democratic systems in Muslim-majority nations is doomed to failure. Islam is far more than a religion; it is a societal totality that strives to permeate and control every aspect of a people's life. Its governing rule of law -- shariah -- is simply incompatible with democratic, representative forms of government. Any attempt to democratize a fervently Muslim nation will eventually fail. Such attempts will also be overwhelmed by the growing number of Muslims willing to use force (I.e., terror) to achieve their Islamist ends. 

Pope Benedict XVI (2006)

Most informed people now realize Pope Benedict was absolutely correct when he addressed violence and Islam during his Regensburg lecture in 2006. It was the ideological intolerance of both Islamists and Western academics that drove the criticism and violence that followed the pope's well-reasoned remarks.

President Trump has shown he understands the need to destroy the Islamist terrorist organizations whenever and wherever they arise and thrive. This may well be his most difficult international challenge because this aim runs counter to the appeasement efforts of so many of our European allies, and of too many in our own government, including both the state and defense departments. Yes, indeed, it's easy to hide in that murky swamp water.

President Obama made a total mess of the Middle East. Examining his policy in the region, one would think his every decision was driven by what would be best for the Shiites of both Syria and Iran. His do-nothing approach to the atrocities the Syrian government inflicted on its people only strengthened Russian presence in the region and increased Iranian influence. Repairing the long-term damage caused by President Obama's agreement with the Iranians is a case in point. I find myself in full agreement with President Trump's decision to dump the agreement, a non-treaty even the current Congress would never have supported. Russia and China are certainly long-term threats, but Iran, the world's foremost exporter of terror, must be dealt with today.

I also support the president's tax cut, a piece of legislation to which only a socialist would object. Whenever we have slashed taxes, especially taxes on businesses, the economy has boomed. It happened when John Kennedy cut taxes, just as it happened when Ronald Reagan did the same. And yet not a single House or Senate Democrat voted for this tax cut. Democrats have certainly changed since Kennedy's time. Indeed, their rejection of the legislation tells us much about the current core beliefs of the Democrat party, a party that has moved increasingly to the far and irrational left.

What the Democrat Party Once Believed

President Kennedy, when promoting his plan to cut taxes, said, "It is a paradoxical truth that tax rates are too high today and tax revenues are too low -- and the soundest way to raise revenues in the long run is to cut taxes now." He was right and his tax cuts led to a period of remarkable economic growth. Like Kennedy and Reagan, Trump also ignored the deficit hawks of his own party, believing that the tax cut will, in the long run, lead to a significant increase in revenues. Ironically, many Democrats, and more than a few Republicans, who have never uttered a word against increased deficits were suddenly all aflutter, expressing fears about the legislation's potential impact on the deficit. Go figure.

When it comes to immigration I find myself wondering why we don't focus on the root cause of illegal immigration. Most immigrants flock to our borders because they want to leave the failing economies and corrupt governments of their native lands. How often have individual bishops, much less the USCCB, challenged the corrupt governments of Latin America and elsewhere? They seem far more interested in attacking our nation for trying to control immigration and protect our borders. And how often do our politicians do anything to encourage our corrupt neighbors to change their ways? If these nations actually developed free economies and truly representative governments perhaps they, too, would become lands of opportunity. As for those screaming for "no borders," I think we can safely ignore them for the ideologues (or "useful idiots") they truly are. The only aim of those pulling their strings is to destroy this nation. Every nation has the obligation and the right to control its borders -- how much control is something its citizens must decide. This is a question that Congress has danced around for some time, but time is running out. I suspect the President and the voters will force the issue sooner rather than later.

As for North Korea, President Trump's efforts to overcome the horrendous mistakes of previous administrations should be interesting to watch. For the first time since 1953 this vicious, totalitarian regime seems to realize they are dealing with someone who won't allow them to break agreements. I expect these negotiations will take some time, quite likely several years, before they bear real fruit. We'll see what happens.

Then there's China, the world's most populous, communist, totalitarian state. It is a nation ruled by those who murder and enslave, a pack of liars and thieves who will do anything, absolutely anything, to maintain their power. Like Mafia dons, they dress up in their shiny suits and smile at the cameras while they plan the destruction of all that is good. They cleverly instituted some elements of a free economy because they realized their socialist policies had failed and they needed to bankroll their ever expanding base of power. But make no mistake, every Chinese firm is under the thumb of the ruling Communist Party leadership. 

The Communist Dons

Unlike his predecessors Trump seems to recognize the truth about China and his negotiations with the communist leadership will surely break the mold. When he hammered the Chinese with tariffs and other barriers, the talking heads and Wall Street hand-wringers screamed and assured us the president would drive us into economic ruin. Many said the same thing when Trump was elected in November 2016, but our economy instead experienced continued record-setting growth. 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly in the long term, despite the efforts of the Senate Democrats to block confirmation votes on the president's judicial and executive appointments, most of these appointments, particularly those of federal judges, have been wonderful. Once again a president is appointing men and women who actually read and understand the Constitution and reject ideological activism. If President Trump serves another four years the federal judiciary will likely experience historic change.

Our president, like all men, is far from perfect, but he's certainly far better than the collection of wannabes the Democrat Party offers us. Every single one of them supports the great atrocity of our age, the deliberate, pre-meditated murder of the most innocent among us. I fear God's judgment, not for me, for I'm too near the end of my life. No, I fear for my children and grandchildren, and for all who may well face a faith-testing decision to choose between a culture of life and a culture of death. 

Here's something I trust all the faithful can agree on: Pray for our nation and our president.

Interesting Stuff That Caught My Eye

Every so often, and it's usually in waiting rooms -- at the doctor, or dentist, or auto repair shop or, like today, when I took Dear Diane to get her hair cut -- I browse around the web on my iPad and uncover interesting stuff that I otherwise would not have known. 

(By the way, before I go on, please add Diane to your prayers. While walking Maddie, the wonderdog, the other evening, Diane fell and broke her arm. She's experiencing a lot of pain and will probably face a long recovery. But with me as the primary caregiver, she'll be well taken care of. I've already learned how to roll her hair on curlers, and have manufactured and rigged a washable sling she can wear in the shower. I'm using the washer and dryer daily, making meals fit to be consumed by undemanding humans, and scanning the ads for deals at the supermarket. Old dogs can learn...)

Anyway, here are just a few of the interesting items I came across during recent waiting room visits:

Dawn Eden Goldstein

Rock historian and critic, Dawn Eden Goldstein, who converted to Evangelical Christianity and later made her way to Catholicism in 2006, thanks partly to her discovery of the works of the great G. K. Chesterton, has written a memoir, Sunday Will Never be the Same: A Rock and Roll Journalist Opens Her Ears to God. It's a book I must read and one I thought some of my tight little band of blog followers might enjoy as well. Here's a link to a story about Ms. Goldstein and her latest book: From Rock Concerts to Catholic Cathedrals.

Theodore Dalrymple, who can always be counted on to address interesting, and sometimes offbeat, topics, penned a column on rights, in this instance, the right to tattoo oneself. To be brutally honest, and here I think I agree with Dalrymple, tattoos are nothing less than "self-mutilation." But if folks want to disguise parts of their bodies using tattoos, I'll say nothing. Just don't expect me to appreciate the artistry. When I was a kid, tattoos were rare and pretty much restricted to sailors, marines, and macho guys like longshoreman. Their application was usually accompanied by a substantial intake of amber liquids. But things have changed. 

Oorah!

A few years ago, while Diane and I were on a Caribbean cruise, I found a comfy seat by the ship's pool and sat back in the sunshine to read one of the books I had taken with me. But the book was boring, so I began to watch the people. I was shocked by how many people -- young, old, male, female -- sported tattoos, and some in the most amazing places. Indeed, whenever I see an otherwise pretty girl who has defaced her body with one or more tattoos, I ask myself, "Why?" Why did she do that to the beautiful body God gave her? Did she think that she (or the tattoo artist) could improve on God's gift? Heavens, girl, if you want to show the world what's important to you this week, get a charm bracelet. Anyway, you can read Dalrymple's column here: Right to Bare Arms.

Beto Making a Point

Our expansive collection of Democrat candidates for president all seem to think little of religious freedom. Beto O'Rourke, he of the now defunct presidential campaign, not long before he began to scour the fast-food want ads, told the world that as president he would deny tax-exempt status to any churches that opposed so-called same-sex marriage. Although a few of the other candidates said they wouldn't go that far, they believed religious organizations that provide public services should not be free to exercise their religious beliefs. You see, this collection of leftists consider the rights specified in the first amendment of the Constitution to be subservient to rights that can be found nowhere in our nation's founding document. Read this article by Lauretta Brown in the National Catholic Register: 2020 Democratic Front-Runners Downplay Religious Freedom.

Holy Eucharist and Joe

Unless you pay no attention to the national news, you must have heard about Joe Biden being refused the Holy Eucharist by Fr. Robert Morey, the pastor of a South Carolina church. The reasons for denying the Eucharist to Mr. Biden all relate to his public acceptance of evils that are and always have been condemned by the Church, specifically, abortion and same-sex "marriage." Three cheers for Fr. Morey. The secular media, of course, was apoplectic about this insult to the former vice president, but it's about time a pastor demonstrate the wisdom and courage to remind Catholic politicians that Church teaching can't be set aside for votes. In the same way, it would be refreshing to see priests and bishops place God's law above their fear of media backlash. Let's hope Fr. Morey inspires others to be as courageous. You can read an informative article by Kristan Hawkins in the National Catholic Register: On Joe Biden and Walking the Christian Walk. I read another article on the same subject in the Catholic Herald: Ignoring Church 

Law on Communion is Sheer Cruelty.

That's enough for now...time for dinner. God's peace.