Exceptional Oratory

America has enjoyed its share of exceptional orators. From Jonathan Edwards, the fiery mid-18th century, New England pulpiteer, to Martin Luther King, Jr. the civil rights leader of the 1960's, Americans have been inspired and moved to action by those most gifted in the delivery of words and ideas.

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, though only 278 words, far surpassed the two hour oratory of Edward Everett, the most renowned speechmaker of the Civil War era. William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925), a three-time candidate for President of the United States who never won, often mesmerized his listeners with his stirring elocutions.

As we have moved into the electronic age, speechmaking has morphed into over-produced political ads, and short sound bites. Rarely do we gather as a community for the sole purpose of hearing a public address.

This past Thursday, I attended a kick-off event for the campaign of Jackson Miller, delegate for Virginia's 50th district. Although I support Jackson, I did not go primarily to hear him. Rather, the draw for me, and I suspect many others, was film producer and director, Ron Maxwell, of Gettysburg and Gods and Generals fame.

I cannot recall, in my fifty-five years, ever hearing a message so eloquent, so inspiring, so moving. And in saying this, I intend no disrespect to the many pastors and preachers I have heard through the years. Most of them have been quite gifted.

This night, electricity filled the air. The Fire Department hall overflowed with Jackson's supporters. Earlier that day, Americans had triumphed, compelling the U.S. Senate to cast aside their ill-conceived and grossly expensive "Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill." A good and hopeful feeling filled the room as we waited for Mr. Maxwell to take the podium.

Mr. Maxwell is a strong and vocal advocate for securing our nation's borders, and enforcing the current laws regarding illegal aliens in our midst. And we attendees anticipated that he would address this theme.

He did not disappoint.

Beginning with a prosaic portrait of the concept of "home," Mr. Maxwell explained the importance of "place" in our lives. He talked about roots, generations, and the very natural and normal human connection to specific pieces of real estate.

He spoke of two types of people: one dimensional, and three dimensional.

One dimensional people, he explained, think of life only in the present tense. All that matters to these folks is getting the most out of life today. This generally means acquiring things and power with little regard for the past, or for the future. To one dimensional people, "home" or "place" mean very little. Those in this group are primarily consumers, building their stash of money and things.

Three dimensional people on the other hand, think of life as past, present, and future. These folks have a regard for history, tradition, and the ongoing story of life in a particular place. They also consider the future, and how things they do today will impact the generations that follow. People in this group are less consumed with the material, and more concerned with character, integrity, sacrifice, and leaving the world a better place than it was when they arrived.

One of the many factors contributing to America's historic exceptionalism, is our commitment to both the past and the future. Sadly, in our day, there is less of this kind of feeling or understanding than ever before in our land. We have, in many respects, deteriorated into a "live for the moment" kind of culture. Though certainly not completely consumed by this inferior approach to living, the malady is widespread.

Mr. Maxwell then went on to elaborate to us how and why we have come to this point in our nation's history. He laid out how America has slowly been taken over by globalist corporations, and the greedy politicians in their pockets. For these globalist business people, all that really matters is the bottom line. If producing a product with foreign workers proves cheaper than production with American workers, then outsourcing is done. If Bangladesh workers can do it cheaper than Guatemalan workers, then the work goes to Bangladesh.

I guess it is to be expected that corporations think of profit first. That is after all, their primary reason for existing. (For another perspective on this, see my blog posting on business.) But our elected leaders on the other hand, have been put into their positions to look out for the constituents who voted them in. Sadly, our leaders in Washington have become little more than lap dogs for their corporate and special interest benefactors. Globalist business people, and greedy/power hungry politicians are one dimensional people.

The recent uproar, outrage really, over the Senate immigration bill, awakened many Americans to the reality that those who represent them care little for them. As the drama surrounding this bill unfolded, we came to understand more clearly the utter disconnect between the everyday American, and their representatives in Washington. It angered us.

Mr. Maxwell also explained how the millions who have crossed the border illegally are often doing so because their own countries do not even want them. He tied this element of the story back to his original thoughts of "home" and "place," explaining how many illegals in our country really don't even want to be here. America is not their home.

It became evident, that although an outspoken advocate of a secure border and enforcing the laws regarding illegals, Mr. Maxwell clearly harbored no ill-will toward the new, interloping inhabitants of our communities. He pinned the blame squarely upon our own selfish, one dimensional politicians and business leaders, and their counterparts south of the border.

Throughout the presentation, the crowd responded with applause and even cheering. Mr. Maxwell's address was interrupted numerous times.

Scottish theologian, George Campbell (1719-1796), once penned these thoughts regarding public discourse: "The four ends of discourse are to enlighten the understanding, please the imagination, move the passion, and influence the will." Mr. Maxwell certainly succeeded on all four points.

He concluded his speech by laying out three essential steps that must be taken to restore order out of the chaos we have invited upon ourselves:

1. Secure the border.
2. Enforce the existing laws, especially by punishing the greedy American businesses that knowingly use the illegal's cheap labor. He even recommended jail time for those who are the most egregious violators.
3. Love the illegal foreigners among us, and lovingly help them to find their way back home.

Of his last point, I must say I was quite surprised. His exhortation to love seemed oddly out of place for a political event. So unexpected was it, that I imagine he planned it just that way. For those of us engaged in the struggle to preserve and restore our historic, Christian, American culture, it is indeed important to regularly be reminded that the illegals among us, whether we like it or not, are, for now anyway, our neighbors. And although they have broken the law, and although some are not as well behaved as we would like, and although many take advantage of our national largesse, and although they are not entitled to the same rights and privileges as we American citizens, we do owe them basic respect on a person-to-person basis. We are all fellow members of the human family after all.

I have failed in many ways to capture the feeling and power of that night. Unfortunately, the message was not recorded. However, a text version of the speech can be found here.

The Nation of Aztlan

If you think the battle against illegal aliens is ill-advised or misdirected, think again.

Preserving Freedom

I had a brief visit this evening from a very passionate and pleasant young lady named Nina (sp?), who works for an organization known as PIRG (Public Interest Research Group). Nina's commitment to her cause really impressed me. Those of you who know me know that I can sometimes be pretty curt with people who promote things that I'm not particularly enthused about. But God, in His mercy, gave me a tender heart I think, and we had what I thought was a very pleasant conversation.

PIRG's stated mission is "to deliver persistent, result-oriented public interest activism that protects our environment, encourages a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic government."

Nina's primary focus in our discussion was the environment. PIRG promotes alternative, renewable energy sources such as windmills, solar power, and fuel made from carbon absorbing crops such as corn. Like Nina, I believe that our nation needs to become less dependent on fossil fuels, particularly oil from foreign nations. We are held hostage by nations like Saudi Arabia.

But how do we get there?

My primary concern with interest groups such as this (at least my perception) is their tendency to look to our federal government to solve problems. I explained to Nina that government comes in a fixed or finite quantity, and that the more we as individuals fail to do things for ourselves, the more power we surrender to someone else.

Our massive bureaucracy in Washington testifies to the failure of many to manage life effectively. Civil rights, for example, had to be mandated by law (the Civil Rights Act of 1964). Why couldn't everyone just treat all people, regardless of color, with respect in the first place? If we had, our federal government would not be so oppressive today.

I don't want Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, or even President Bush to tell me what kind of car to drive. And as much as I detest smoking, I am even more upset at the growing trend toward outlawing smoking in restaurants and other public places. I would rather be occasionally assaulted by the gross and uninvited invasion of cigarette smoke, than surrender one more ounce of my freedom to some bureaucrat.

Nina's smile went south when I told her that I thought Al Gore was a clown. Daggone it, I forgot to say "circus clown," because that is really what he is.

But yes, the environment is very important, and we need to do all we can to take care of it and find better and cleaner ways to supply our energy needs. I just think that, given time, the marketplace can correct many of these ills, and do so much more effectively and efficiently than the federal government.

In fairness, some of the other parts of PIRG's mission sound good to me: "we stand up to powerful special interests on issues to ... protect open space, stop identity theft, fight political corruption, provide safe and affordable prescription drugs, and strengthen voting rights."

Great goals!

But let's be careful to preserve our freedoms first. I am reminded of C.S. Lewis' thoughts on tyranny:

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."

The Real Numbers on Immigration

If left unchecked, the current path of immigrant population growth in this country, will lead us to destruction. We cannot save the whole world!

Fake Job Ads Defraud Americans

A lawyer instructs business leaders how to run classified employment ads that will not get results so that businesses can bring in immigrants at a lower wage.

I Was Wrong

George W. Bush took the oath of office on January 20th 2001. Six months later, in June of '01, his first major achievement, the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, reduced our taxes and set in motion his program for economic growth. Most everyone cheered.

Then, on August 9th, 2001, he faced his first real challenge. He announced his signing of an executive order lifting the ban on federal funding for the 71 "existing lines" of stem cells. But research on "new stem cell lines," he decided, would not be funded by federal dollars. Our president had made what I saw as a "Solomon-like" decision. I thought he acted very prudently, and very wisely.

Barely a month later came the horror of 9/11. During those early months following the attacks and murders of American citizens by Islamic terrorists, our president stood firm, and spoke well. In that season, I held him in very high regard.

When he stood on that pile of rubble in New York City, held a megaphone to his mouth and told the world, "I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon," pride swelled within me.

Later that day, speaking at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., he offered these thoughts:

"This nation is peaceful, but fierce when stirred to anger. This conflict was begun on the timing and terms of others; it will end in a way and at an hour of our choosing."

He presented himself in a way that was stirring and statesmanlike. I began to wonder if George W. Bush might be an American Churchill, raised up to lead in a time of great crisis.

A few months later, addressing a joint session of Congress for his first State of the Union address, our president employed the phrase, "axis of evil" to describe Iran, Iraq, and North Korea. I found it bold and provocative. And I liked it.

One thing did trouble me, however. Our president kept saying that "Islam is a religion of peace."

We had already entered Afghanistan, wiped out the Taliban, and had our sights set on Iraq. Sadaam had ruthlessly murdered hundreds of thousands of Kurds. And our best intelligence showed that he was hiding weapons of mass destruction (WMD). For years, Sadaam had thumbed his nose at the world. And we feared that his WMDs would get into the hands of Islamic terrorists like those who took down the Twin Towers, and put a huge hole in the side of the Pentagon. After months of trying to persuade the United Nations to act (they finally passed a toothless resolution), our legislators authorized war against Iraq with Congressional Joint Resolution 114.

We invaded Iraq and quickly put an end to Sadaam's bloody regime.

Except for his nagging "Islam is a religion of peace" mantra, I tracked with Mr. Bush 100% until May 2nd, 2003. That day, our president flew onto the naval carrier USS Lincoln in a Navy S-3B Viking. Welcomed by a crowd of cheering sailors, he announced that major combat operations in Iraq had ended. "Mission Accomplished" read the banner overhead. For the first time since events of 9/11, I questioned his judgment. I thought the overt display of bravado just a little bit over the top—just a little. But I stuck with him, writing off his excessive show, and excusing the moment as one slight misjudgment among many good ones.

The war in Iraq continued, and "major combat operations" went on. We tracked down and killed Uday and Qusay, Sadaam's two ruthless sons on July 22nd, 2003. Then, on December 14th, 2003, the announcement came that Sadaam himself had been captured.

In the months that followed, Iraq set up a new, democratically-elected government. Who can forget those smiling, purple fingered Iraqis, braving the threat of suicide bombers to cast their votes? It was, indeed, a genuine moment of joy and pride for most of America, myself included. We had succeeded in a very lofty achievement, delivering 25 million people from a ruthless, bloody dictator, and helping them to establish their own, self-governing nation.

If only it had been that simple.

Fighting continued, and escalated. Here at home, protests against the war escalated as well.

As the 2004 elections loomed, we gathered with friends to earnestly pray for our president's reelection. Hundreds of thousands of other Christians did too. His opponent, John Kerry, constantly reminded us of his military service in Vietnam, and concluded his nomination speech at the Democratic convention with a silly salute and the ridiculous words, "I'm John Kerry, reporting for duty." Clearly, Kerry was a fake, and a very dangerous man.

Left-wing filmmaker and all around kook, Michael Moore, sat next to former President Jimmy Carter at the 2004 Democratic Convention. Huh?

Bush defeated Kerry in a stunning way. After early exit polls showed Kerry as the inevitable winner, Bush ultimately won, defeating Kerry by three million votes. No longer could the phrase "selected, not elected" be employed to describe our president.

In early October of 2005, Bush nominated his good friend Harriet Miers as a replacement for the retiring Supreme Court justice, Sandra Day O'Connor. His base reacted strongly. By the end of the month, under pressure, the president withdrew her name and selected Samuel Alito who was subsequently approved in January, 2006.

What was he thinking?

On the heels of the Miers fiasco came the Dubai Ports debacle. President Bush recommended Dubai Ports World, a United Arab Emirates (UAE) based company, to take over the management of six of America's ports. Great protest arose. How could we expect an Islamic country with a mixed record on terrorism, to ensure the safety of goods coming into our country? Again,under pressure, our president withdrew his recommendation.

Then came Katrina, the hurricane that left almost an entire American city underwater. State and local officials (Democrats all) displayed absolute ineptitude in their response. But sadly, Homeland Security's handling of their role in the aftermath was likewise less than stellar. Gross mismanagement of resources and public outrage resulted in the resignation of Michael Brown, FEMA's chief.

Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Security, began to trouble me. For some reason, I just did not like him.

2006 became a pivotal year for George W. Bush. As the November elections approached, anti-war protests heightened. Cindy Sheehan, the anti-war poster girl, appeared almost nightly on television newscasts. Bush's poll numbers dropped as the war in Iraq seemed to be going nowhere, lacking a serious plan.

In November of '06, Democrats swept both the House and the Senate, promising an end to the Republican "culture of corruption." Within one day of the Democratic victory, Bush fired Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense.

Why then? Why not BEFORE the election?

Long a defender of Rumsfeld, I began to seriously question his leadership at the Pentagon. Now, with the help of hindsight, it is evident to me that he clearly failed in some aspects of his leadership. Is it true, as Tony Blair has said, that Bush and Rumsfeld had no post-war plan for Iraq?

Government spending went through the roof for the first six years under Bush's tenure. According to some sources, spending increased at the greatest rate since WWII. He is definitely not a fiscal conservative! And about that, I am very, very displeased.

But by far, the biggest disappointment—no ... make that the absolute outrage—is his insistence on this so-called "Immigration Reform Bill."

What a load of CRAP!

Being the president is sometimes a thankless job. I love a man that stands up for his convictions and does what he believes is right. But as time has worn on, Bush appears to be more stubborn than truly, deeply convicted.

Second guessing is always easy, and the Democrats are experts at it. Their outright vitriol toward our president perhaps blinded many of us supporters to some real concerns. We might have seen them sooner had not there been such uproar and hate-filled demagoguery from the left.

Bush has had more than his share of detractors. The press and his Democrat opponents excoriate him almost daily. He is more hated than Richard Nixon ever was. And that certainly has to weigh on a soul. Still, as rough as he has had it at times, and considering how much I respected him at the beginning of his presidency, I am now done with George W. Bush.

For a year or two I proudly carried his banner. Then I prayed and voted him in for a second term, both because of his stance against terror, and because the only other choice was clearly unacceptable. But I carry his banner no more. He has mismanaged both the war and his administration.

Though I have no problem whatsoever with Alberto Gonzales firing some of his attorneys, Gonzales has been an absolute embarrassment in the way he has handled the aftermath. And Michael Chertoff is a whiney, excuse-making joke.

In a lunatic moment of foreign diplomacy, Bush and Condoleeza Rice convinced Israel to vacate the Gaza Strip. Now a civil war rages there. And soon, unless something drastic happens, another terrorist nation will be in Israel's back yard.

Just recently, we decided to abandon decades of the policy of not negotiating with terrorists, and have begun talking with Iran. Bush is behaving more like Jimmy Carter every day.

Our president has utterly failed to use the power of his "bully pulpit" to lead the people, to impart vision, to make us understand his mind. Lately, when he has attempted to use his "pulpit," he says the wrong things:

• He called the Minutemen, those watching our Southern border because he isn't ... he called them "vigilantes."
• He said dumb things like illegals are doing the jobs Americans won't do. Yeah, not for $6.50 an hour.
• And recently, he outright insulted the American people, insinuating that we are too stupid to understand what is best for us regarding the handling of illegal aliens in our midst.
• Just this past Thursday, at the Hispanic Prayer Breakfast, he told Hispanics to visit the Senate and tell them they wanted this bill. I saw a brief clip of it on television, and he was speaking to them in Spanish!
• And, he has been twisting the arms of Republican Senators and arrogantly claiming that he will see us at the "signing" of the still pending "Immigration Reform Bill."

I've had enough. Here are four statements I will never believe:

• Sure I'll respect you in the morning.
• The check is in the mail.
• Islam is a religion of peace.
• We really will enforce border security this time.

HT Gary K. Best

I am disgusted.

I was wrong.

I am sorry.

Senator Lott Said What?

This evening, I fired off an email to Senator Lott:


Senator Lott,

As a conservative Republican, I always thought highly of you ...

Until today.

Your idiotic remarks regarding "talk radio" reveal a side of you that I never expected to see. They expose an elitist, arrogant aspect of your character that apparently comes to possess people who get elected to public office.

People all over the country are outraged today, Mr. Lott. First Michael Chertoff, spouting his whiney, excuse-making comment about "bowing to reality." Then President Bush, talking down to us, outright saying that "we the people" (have you read the Constitution lately?) don't know what is best for the country. And now you, adding fuel to the fire with your outrageous remarks.

You and your cronies in the Senate need to step back and think carefully about what you are about to do. If this bill comes to law, the Republican Party is done. The GOP will be history, sir. And the country, the sovereign nation of the United States of America, won't be far behind.

Ted Kennedy's immigration policies have always failed, time and again. By linking yourself with this man, you are hitching yourself to failure. His plans failed in '86, '94 (245(i)), '97 (245(i) extended), '98 (amnesty for 125,000 Haitians), and 2000 (Late Amnesty and Life Act Amnesty). The flow of illegals continued. Why should we expect success, now?

Are you, Senator, aware of any of this? Or are you just choosing to ignore it?

Please come to your senses before it is too late!

Respectfully,

Mark W. Weaver

Letter to Senator Warner

This morning, as I am preparing to leave for work, I fired off an email to Senator Warner:

Senator Warner,

The Rasmussen poll shows that only 20% of Americans want this so-called immigration bill. And we WILL NOT be bought off by the empty promise of building a wall or a fence as a part of the package.

The border needs to be secured. The hemmoraging needs to be stopped. But how can we trust your promise to do this when after last year's legislation to build 370 miles of fencing, the fence has yet to materialize?

We don't trust Congress. We don't trust our President.

If this bill passes with your support, you will forever be labeled as an AMNESTY Senator, as one who led America over the precipice and into the black hole of the Third World.

I have received your many response letters on this topic, and they continue to reveal your tin ear. The Republican Party is on the brink of being out of power for a long, long, time.

Disappointed,

Mark W. Weaver

Why I Jumped Into the Fray

Not long ago, my wife and I spent a quiet Sunday afternoon in the Virginia Piedmont. Set against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the area’s rolling hills, green pastures, cornfields, livestock, and winding streams supplied a flood of beauty.

Virginia, I am proud to call you home!

And it isn’t just Virginia. We have also driven up the base of Washington’s Mount Rainier, visited the Olympic Rain Forest, and traveled down the Pacific Coast Highway. We have gazed out over Arizona’s vast Grand Canyon, and hiked the trails of Utah’s stunning Zion National Park. Our senses have been overwhelmed by the fields and farms of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. And the streets and structures of Manhattan, and Washington, D.C., captivated us in yet another, wonderful way.

What a marvelous gift, this America!

But our nation’s physical splendor pales when set against the magnificence of the ideals which make our nation the envy of the world. President Ronald Reagan, in his farewell address to the nation in January of 1989, related this story.

“It was back in the early '80s, at the height of the boat people. [A] sailor was hard at work on the carrier Midway, which was patrolling the South China Sea. … The crew spied on the horizon a leaky little boat. And crammed inside were refugees from Indochina hoping to get to America. The Midway sent a small launch to bring them to the ship and safety. As the refugees made their way through the choppy seas, one spied the sailor on deck and stood up and called out to him. He yelled, ‘Hello, American sailor. Hello, freedom man.’”

Freedom man. That is how many throughout the world view us Americans. And it is the primary reason so many illegally flood across our Southern border.

The brilliance of our Founders beams brighter with the years. Out of their vision flowed a centuries-long plan for generations of Americans to flourish and prosper. Their ideas: liberty through self-government; checks and balances through separation of powers and federalism; protection from anarchy through a Constitutional Republic.

America requires more than good ideas to thrive. We once were a nation of virtue, where everyday people governed themselves and their families from the inside out. We knew right from wrong. We looked out for one another. We left our doors unlocked.

An old adage, oft attributed to Frenchman Alexis deToqueville, claims,

“America is great because America is good; and if America ever ceases to be good, she will no longer be great.”

The failure to secure our borders reveals a different America. It demonstrates the willingness of those in Washington to sell our birthright for short-term gain. Our visionary Founding Fathers dwarf these selfish midgets we call leaders. And we … we angry, frustrated Americans are little more than a late coming mob, rushing to put out a fire that has already consumed a considerable part of the building.

I jumped into the fray to persuade our leaders to secure the border and enforce laws already on the books, and to inspire my fellow Americans to take their place along the wall to defend us against the siege of all—leaders, business people, and illegals—who want to steal our country, this wonderful place we call America.

More Empty Rhetoric from President Bush

As President Bush exited the Capitol Building today, he stopped and made some comments to the press. Among his comments were these:

"It's going to take a lot of hard work, a lot of effort. We've got to convince the American people this bill is the best way to enforce our border. I believe that without the bill, it's going to be harder to enforce the border. The status quo is not acceptable."

"without the bill, it's going to be harder to enforce the border." ???

Mr. President, bills (and laws) do not enforce borders. People enforce them. You are fooling very few with your empty rhetoric. If you wanted to enforce the laws and shut down illegal crossings of the border, you would have already done so. But it is quite clear by now that you, Mr. Chertoff, and those under your charge, have no interest whatsoever in enforcing the law.

Wait a minute ... I thought that was the primary role of the Chief Executive. Let's see ... Congress makes the laws, the courts decide cases using the laws, and the president ... the president is charged with ENFORCING THE LAW!

We already have good laws on our books that give YOU the power to do what needs to be done. This is not Congress' responsibility, Mr. President. It is YOURS!

Another Letter to the Editor

I sent this letter to the Manassas Journal Messenger this morning.

"We shall never surrender ..."

Winston Churchill, speaking before the British House of Commons on June 4, 1940, delivered his bold, and history-altering statement as Britain stood on the brink of war with Germany. Churchill's words did more than inspire his countrymen. They changed the course of world history, galvanizing a nation to stand against staggering odds and turn back the onslaught of Nazi tyranny.

Though far more subtle and nuanced, we Americans stand today at a similar precipice. And like Britain, we too have our version of Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister who bargained with the devil, Hitler, and lost. Our conceder is Chief of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff who claims that legalizing twelve million illegals is simply "bowing to reality."

Yes, our borders are wide open, and every day thousands clamber to get in. The reality is stark. The consequences, dire. The future, clouded.

But the more immediate reality is that we Americans have invited this calamity upon ourselves. We have surrendered our citizenship for consumerism, preferring the immediate gratification of a materialistic lifestyle over the loftier ideals of freedom, self-government, and self-determination.

We have elected leaders who do not lead, but rather lurk through the halls of power looking for advantage and opportunity to advance their own personal agendas. They grasp for greater power over our lives. They reach for more control. And the illegal aliens in our midst are mere pawns in the bigger game of control and domination.

Now is not the time to roll over and die. Now is not the time for "bowing to reality." Now is the time to replace all in leadership who do not have America's best at heart. It is time for everyday Americans to retake our country.

But before this can happen, we must first believe that the battle is not yet lost. We must clear the cobwebs from our muddled brains and remember that we are the nation who cast off the bondage of England's King George. We are the people whose civilian soldiers defeated his professional army, and then sat down and hammered out our own, self-governing nation. We have a rich history. And we will be inspired if we take the time to remember.

Don't give up the fight.

"We shall never surrender ..."

Letter to My Senators: Cloture Vote

Today, I emailed both of my Senators (Webb and Warner):

Senator ...

First, thank you for voting "Nay" on cloture last evening. Our nation's problems with illegals are far too important to rush through, without input from everyday Americans like me.

Second, as the Senate looks towards revisiting this matter again, please approach the problem in the following way and in the order listed below. Each should be separate, stand-alone, legislation or actions.

1. Build a wall or a fence or some kind of physical barrier along the entire length of our southern border.
2. Beef up our Border Patrol with people, equipment, and training.
3. Establish English as the official language of the United States.
4. Create stiff fines and penalties for large corporations who knowingly hire illegal aliens.
5. Discontinue Federal funding to cities and communities that have declared themselves "Sanctuary Cities" or who fail to enforce the law in this area (like my own community of Prince William County, VA).
6. Write and pass legislation that will help local hospitals deal more effectively with the rash of illegals using the hospital as their doctor's office.
7. Actively promote the 287g program with local police and sherriff departments.
8. Take action to remove Secretary Michael Chertoff from his post at Homeland Security. He has been derelict in his duty on this important matter, and has made pitiful, weak-minded excuses for not enforcing the law.
9. And I write this with fear and trepidation ... Our president has also been derelict in his responsibility to protect our borders. His dereliction of duty should be investigated at minimum, and he should possibly be impeached if evidence is found that he instructed those in his charge not to enforce the law (which is what we elected him to do).

I have voted Republican in every election since 1970. I am thoroughly disgusted with the administration's handling of the illegal alien problem.

Respectfully,

Mark W. Weaver

Letters to the Editor

Below are letters I sent to local newspapers:

Sent to: The Washington Times, Wednesday June 6th, 2007

Traversing the parking lot at a local shopping center, I crossed paths with two, young Hispanic women exiting a grocery store. Giggling as they made their way to their car, they conversed in their native language. One pushed a stroller. I smiled inwardly and my heart swelled with gratitude at the privilege of being an American, the land where people from across the world come to find fresh hope and begin new lives.

Yet I could not help but wonder how these two ladies came to be living in our part of the world. Had they knocked at our nation’s front door and been invited in? Or had they snuck in through the back door, under cover of darkness?

Did they supply authentic documentation when applying for their driver’s licenses? Or were they pretending to be someone else? Did the social security number they provided to their employers belong to them? Or did they steal it?

Were these two young ladies and their families among those who clog our local hospital emergency room, using it as their doctor’s office, and then refusing to pay when presented with a bill? Do their children contribute to the flood of non-English speaking youngsters attending our local schools, requiring us to add additional staff? Did these young ladies, and the men in their lives, pay taxes?

Compassion on the downtrodden? Yes. Turning a blind eye when millions refuse to play by the rules? No.
.....

Sent to: The Manassas Journal Messenger, Tuesday June 5th, 2007

I recently sent the following letter:
To GOP Chairman, Republican Party, U.S.A.:

Mr. Chairman, I am 55 years old. I have voted Republican in every election since 1970. I have been loyal, always voting the party line. I am writing to tell you that after this week's pablum from Republican leaders, I will no longer be a Republican, but an Independent.

I am utterly disgusted with President Bush, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and John Kyl. Their stupid immigration plan, if passed, will not only destroy the Republican Party, it will ultimately destroy the country. I am used to being insulted by Democrats. I expect it from them.

But I do not expect my President and other Republican leaders to talk down to me. This past week they did. This battle over immigration has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with race, color, or creed. It has everything to do with National Sovereignty and the rule of law.

I am NOT a bigot, and I resent being called one!

If the administration won't enforce the laws we have now (are you listening Mr. Gonzales and Mr. Chertoff?), how can we trust you to enforce these new laws? This proposed immigration bill rewards lawbreakers, and thus renders our Constitution weak. Mr. Martinez, Mr. Duncan, and others in your leadership team had better get a clue and listen to your constituents. We put you into office. We can take you out. And don't think we won't try.

A government totally controlled by the Democrat Party would be nightmarish, for sure. It would wipe out some serious gains over the last twenty-five years. But at least I know what the Dems stand for. I can no longer trust the GOP.

I never thought I would say this, but if it means forever abandoning the Republican Party and working with a third party organization that better represents me, then you have forced my hand. And I am certain I am not alone.

I want to work with Americans who put their country, and the rule of law above their own personal gain.

You are no longer those people.

Shame on you all.

A Very Disappointed,
Mark W. Weaver

Taking Ownership

"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

So begins one of the most incredible documents ever written, our United States Constitution. Yet often overlooked in this magnificent instrument, are its first three words ... "We the people."

This is OUR country! It does not belong to the politicians in Washington, the think tanks, the mass media, the corporations, the lobbyists. This country belongs to us.

As Americans, we face three, very pressing threats.

1) The most immediate threat, the one with the most horrific potential, is the threat from Islamic terrorists. But many in our nation, including sadly a number of our top leaders, have foolishly buried their heads in the sand, and are conducting themselves as if Islamic terrorists were but an illusion, something George Bush dreamed up.

2) Secondly, we face the very serious threat of open borders and the mass influx of illegal aliens. Why Mr. Bush, Attorney General Gonzales, and Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff refuse to enforce the law, is a great mystery to many. By failing to protect our borders, punish companies who knowingly hire illegals, and arrest and deport those who are here illegally, our leaders are inviting disaster upon our nation. They are not only turning a blind eye to lawbreakers, they are essentially endorsing unlawful behavior. A nation that refuses to control its borders, and fails to enforce its own laws, cannot expect to survive.

3) Finally, the third threat, though not as immediate or as deadly, is the ongoing plague of political correctness. Under this new regime of thought and speech surveillance, certain words, certain views, and certain ideas are now forbidden. If not set straight soon, the long-term implications are grim. There is a reason why our founders put freedom of worship, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press in the very First Amendment to our Constitution. Preserving these freedoms is vital to the survival of our country.

I have been amazed, and even somewhat flustered recently, as I have spoken to friends and family about the need to get involved in helping to pull our nation back from the brink of disaster. It is, after all, OUR country.

"What can we do?" they reply, "it's too late."

I have told my kids this: "I fear that by the time you reach my age, America will look more like a Third World country than the prosperous, capitalist nation it is today. And if we don't do something soon, and on a massive scale, our future may be lost for a long, long time."

"Just what is a Third World country?" they ask.

"A Third World country is a nation where the wealth is held by only a few, where the masses live from hand to mouth, and struggle to survive each day. A Third World country is where the power rests in the hands of a dictatorship, an oligarchy, an aristocracy, a very weak democratic form of government, or some other form or system where the vast majority of people are left out of the decision-making process. A Third World country is a place where there are but two classes of people—the super rich, and the super poor."

The fruit of plenty that we 21st century Americans have enjoyed, comes primarily from seeds sown by our forebears. They understood the principles of freedom, productivity, hard work, and self-sacrifice.

But sadly, we have morphed from a nation of citizens into a nation of consumers. We now live to enjoy our things in the quiet of our private, undisturbed space. We live off the fat of the land, but we do not prepare well for our future.

In simpler terms, "Give me my stuff and leave me alone."

Oh sure, we have our 401Ks, our retirment packages, our social security benefits, and our equity-laden homes which we hope will carry us through retirement. What we seem to have lost though is an understanding of the principles that have enabled us to enjoy such blessing. We go merrily on our way, day-to-day, with minimal thought of how decisions made in Washington today will impact us for generations to come.

America's great success can be attributed largely to the incredible, historic freedoms we have enjoyed. Here, anyone with drive, determination, motivation, and hard work can become almost anything they want to be. Historically, our nation's laws have been geared toward enabling the individual to prosper, to rise from poverty to wealth, from a life of drudgery to a life of relative comfort.

But we are now on a path of relinquishment. We have intellectually and emotionally surrendered ourselves, whether consciously or unconsciously, to the notion that the big decisions and big problems are better handled by someone else.

Just recently, speaking of the current administration, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made these public remarks:

"It's also important to understand these policies are consistent with the administration's theory about how we should manage our economy: leave it all up to the individual. That's why they want to privatize Social Security and let individuals bear the risks. .... They call it the ownership society. But it's really the "on your own" society." entire speech here

Ms. Clinton, you are WRONG! Your socialist thinking reduces down to something we have all said at one time or another ...

"They need to do something about that!"

But who is they? Poor grammar aside, "they" are someone we think is supposed to solve our problems for us, that group of people elected or appointed to fix things, to take care of us.

Well guess what? "They" have really messed things up!

It is our fault, really. Most of us have set idly by and watched things slowly slip from our fingertips. America worked so well for so long that we have just come to believe that it will be that way forever.

Well it won't. We have not tended well the garden of our Republic. Many weeds have sprung up these last seventy-five years, and choked out the healthy ideas which carried us forward for so many generations.

The idea seeds being planted today are grossly inferior to the ones sown by our predecessors.

But it isn't too late. The first step is to recognize that this country belongs to ALL of us. We American citizens are not second-class, second-tier, or relegated to the back of the bus. It is still within our power to set the course for our nation's future.

For the last several years, I have been regularly writing and calling my Congressman and my Senators, challenging them to vote and make decisions which will restore and retain the freedoms our Constitution was crafted to protect. I even communicate with the White House from time to time.

And I have a stack of their response letters. Most of the letters I receive from officials are "cookie-cutter," mediocre, pablum-like responses. It's sad. But I keep writing anyway.

<<< Here's a picture of me pretending like I'm doing something important. Click on it.

From my vantage point it seems like many of my fellow citizens have rolled over and are playing dead!

Wake up. Join the fight. Don't surrender. Do it today!

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Senator Lindsay Graham

Today, I fired off an email to Senator Lindsay Graham:

Senator Graham,

As a lifelong Republican, I am appalled at your arrogant remarks about my supposed bigotry. I am nothing of the sort, having been involved in a ministry of racial reconciliation during the 1990's and early into this new century.

You and your Republican Senate cohorts, along with President Bush, have just about done in the Republican Party. I am leaving and looking for a political organization to support who understands that Border Security is first and foremost, and that people who break the law to get in are criminals, regardless of race, creed or color.

Your foolish involvement with this piece of crap legislation will doom you and your party.

Disappointed,

Mark W. Weaver