Thursday, April 16, 2009

Tax Day Tea Party

Yesterday, was tax deadline day, it also was Tax Day Tea Party day. Fortunately, a tea party was held here in Sioux Falls.

While the people were setting up the tables and props, there was a pretty good east wind blowing across the lake, it took some extra effort to get the banners, and signs taped down to the tables. More about the wind, later.

My aunt mentioned to me that she had only heard an advertisement for the tea party, once on the television, and that was the morning of the party. I explained to her that the majority of the advertisement was through the internet, the AM talk radio station, and word of mouth. She couldn’t understand why there had not been more announcements on the television. I explained to her that the television stations have a vested interest in encouraging ever expanding gummint; they want no part in any subversive activities that would encourage reducing gummint.

A man made up as Abe Lincoln was there, and you could have your picture taken with him to commemorate the day. There was also a place where you could have your picture taken with “Daisy”. There was a lot of speculation as to who “Daisy” might be, and just prior to the festivities kicking off, “Daisy” was carried in. She was about a forty pound pig. Yes, you got that right…No, I can’t say I saw them put lipstick on “Daisy”.

Thanks was given to the Water Show enterprise, here in Sioux Falls, for the loan of their water-worthy replica of a “man-o-war” to symbolize the British ships bringing in the load of tea, and other commodities.



I had mentioned the stiff east wind that was blowing across the lake, and blowing everything around; at the start of the festivities, there were so many people gathered around, that a lot of the banners, were no longer moving with the wind, because the people were blocking the wind.

A drum corps, and a chorus, were in attendance from the local high school, which, I might add, is also the high school that provides Marine Corps Junior ROTC. They were great!





The MC announced that we were not having any politicians in attendance, primarily because the event was “grass-roots” and not beholden to any political party. There were guest speakers made up to represent historical figures instrumental in our country’s founding and growing. Their words were well taken, and encouraging.

I asked someone about the commie pinkos that were supposed to be there as a counter demonstration, and was informed that there was one van and a motorcycle in the driveway of the parking lot, but that was all. I left the event early to get to work, and did not see any protesters at all.

The count of the people in attendance was somewhere upward of 3500. When I left, there were vehicles lined up in the road trying to find parking places so they could be a part of the event.











Well, it was a good event, and I came away encouraged that there are more people here, than I thought, who are concerned about where the gummint is taking us. You see, South Dakota is an integral part of “flyover country”, we are the hicks that embrace our religion and guns. But I have had a concern that we are a bipolar community. We are considered to be a conservative state, yet, we have a tendency to vote very liberal. I have talked with citizens here, and been informed that it is a good thing to have both a conservative and a liberal in the senate, cuz, it keeps a balance. I am sorry, but I don’t see any balance there, to me it is a cancelled vote, because we only have two senators, and when they vote against each other, we might as well not have a vote.

I have also been told that it is important for us to have the right person in con-gress to make sure we get federal money to do things. Well, hellooooo!!! How often we forget where those federal funds come from. Here we are having a tax day tea party, to make our desires known that we want less taxes, yet, part of our population still wants to get those federal funds. {Shake my head in wonder}.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Oscar

So, the Department of Homeland Security is frightened about “right-wingers”! How do they define a right winger? Anyone who is against taxes? Anyone who is against the change being defined by the current administration? Anyone who is against the tide of illegal aliens flowing into the country? Anyone who purchases guns and ammo? Anyone who is a veteran and possesses combat skills? Anyone who does not agree to unlimited abortion paid for by taxpayer money? Anyone who believes the Bible and believes in God?

If you answered “yes” to the above statements, then you are aware of where the gummint is currently moving.

To my military mind, I am a little disconcerted when I see our gummint establishing a department of “Homeland” security. You see, I am old enough to remember the cold war, and all that was happening behind the “Iron Curtain”. For the Russian, the ultimate patriotism was protection of the “Motherland” or the “Homeland”. Back in the days when we controlled our borders, we didn’t have much use for “Homeland Security”, cuz we was already taken care of business.

We have fought a number of wars to maintain our “Homeland Security”; as long as we were the dominant military force, and we took very little prisoners, we didn’t have any problem with keeping our “Homeland” secure. However, over time, many mamby pamby ultra liberal intellectuals, have decided it is better if we are not the dominant military force in the world, and have given away, or sold, our military and security secrets to the rest of the world, so they might feel a bit more smug that we are not so dominant.

The end result of sharing our might with the rest of the world, is that there are despots who desire to rule the entire world, and will do just about anything to reach that goal. Now, we have our members of the gummint doing all they can to assist the despots, ergo, we are now unsecure on our borders. Feels good don’t it?

We should recognize, that back when our country was being established, there were a number of influential people here who were not interested in separating from an oppressive monarchy, and argued against our becoming a sovereign nation. That mindset is still alive and well, today, and is endangering our continued livelihood.

What was that old saying? You never miss the one you love, until the one you love is gone. May God have mercy on our unrepentant souls.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Sunday Reflection: Higher Ground

I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

{Chorus}
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on heaven’s table land,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Tho’ some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

{Chorus}

I want to live above the world,
Tho’ Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

{Chorus}

I want to scale the utmost height,
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till Heav’n I’ve found,
“Lord, lead me on to higher ground.”

{Chorus}

Johnson Oatman, Jr.
Copyright, 1925, Renewal, Homer A. Rodeheaver, owner