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Last week I was invited to a private online pre-view of the new PBS documentary, Follow the Leader. The film is now available on iTunes – via this link if you can use it: http://bit.ly/11RfZxW – and beginning July 9th on these other platforms: Amazon, Xbox, Playstation, Vudu, Google Play

FOLLOW THE LEADER has a rare U.S. TV Premiere as the only new film to air and the finale of the first season of the PBS/WGBH’s World Channel series, America ReFramed throughout this 4^th of July holiday week, and a re-broadcast on Sept. 11) in the top regional markets including:

New York City (WNET), Santa Ana, CA (KOCE), Philadelphia (WHYY), Dallas (KERA), San Francisco (KQED), Boston (WGBH), Durham, NH (NEWH), Atlanta (GEOR), Phoenix (KAET), Tampa, FL (WEDU), and many more.

You can also view Follow the Leader on Saturday July 6, 2013 here.

According to it’s promotion on the web, Follow the Leader is:

 A political coming-of-age documentary about three boys who want to be President. Over three life-changing years, each rethinks his beliefs and discovers who he truly wants to be as an adult

The over-arching question the film documentary asks is: What shapes our political beliefs?

After viewing Follow the Leader, a well-presented story of three highly motivated, top of their class, 2007 high school graduates, who in the beginning were all politically conservative WASPS (White Anglo Saxon Protestants), I came away with a few questions.

But before I get to my questions, I want to say that the film was very engaging and the young men, D.J., Nick, and Ben, were all very sympathetic. Here’s a little summary:

D.J. saw himself as a geek leader and he began to move toward the Democratic Party early on in the film. After he went off to college, he began “thinking on his own,” and realized that “the rest of the world doesn’t want to follow the United States.” He had a quick change of heart following his realization that there were “no weapons of mass destruction,” yet he voted for McCain and Palin. He thought Palin was hot. He campaigned for Duvall Patrick. He was befriended by Gov. Mike Dukakis. D.J. also worked on the Niki Tsongas campaign. He eventually decided that the goal of becoming president was not what he really wanted. He moved to a Bible college, got engaged to a girl named Hillary, and together they are building a youth ministry.

Nick was a strong conservative leader with some rather old fashioned chauvinistic thinking concerning women early on in the film. He thought that women were too emotional to be leaders. Once he went off to college at the American University in D.C., he really felt like a political outsider. As he began having “intellectual” conversations he began hearing the “echo of conservative arguments sounding ridiculous.” The fact is that he probably succumbed to some pretty strong peer and scholastic pressure. Although still a conservative, Nick decided to vote for Obama because he had such a “cool” story and “even though I disagree with all of his policies he can unite the country.” But Nick grew frustrated with Obama after just a few months. He now considers himself a “radical centrist.” He took a break from college and by the end of the film was working for Americans Elect, an internet based movement attempting to build an “all-partisan” third party.

Ben always thought he had something to prove and saw himself as a fighter at the beginning of the film. He stated that he “can’t settle for anything in life that is not absolutely perfect.” He was into paint ball and believed that “terrorism has shaped what my generation is…” and he believed that the vision of America’s invincibility was shattered on 9/11. Ben talked about facing the brutal reality that (WASP) male leaders are a dying breed and there will be a paradigm shift in 20 years. Ben was very down after Barack Obama’s election to President, and felt he had a challenge to bring the Republican party back.  Ben helped several Republicans win election since Obama’s election including Virginia’s Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II. By the end of the film, Ben was working as a part-time researcher for the U.S. Army and is engaged to a girl named Ann.

So there you have it. One becomes a Democrat and a Christian attempting to build a ministry, one becomes a radical centrist trying to build a third party, and one remains a Republican with a modest job as a part-time researcher for the US Army.

What’s my take away from these boys’ experiences? Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill especially when it comes to politics! What shaped their political beliefs? They are still very young and will continue to change, or evolve, as we all do. There are so many factors involved, including personality and life experiences, that it’s practically impossible to determine what shapes or changes one’s political ideology.

At the end of the film, Nastasha Del Toro hosted an interview with the filmmaker, Johnathan Goodman Levitt and with one of the boys, Nick Trolano.

I’m not sure why all three boys were not involved in the interview, but perhaps Nick was chosen because he sees himself as a radical centrist reformer who wants to “break down political institutions and policies.”

Nick says that we are ‘all in this together,” and we “can’t take for granted America’s role in the world.” He is now in journalism or political story-telling and he sees himself as evolved with a “nuanced view of politics.” He also thinks that there are too many old people in Congress since the average age is 60.

According to the filmmaker, Johnathan Goodman Levitt, “Follow the Leader,” is a non-partisan documentary. But is it really all that non-partisan? Or perhaps “partisan” isn’t even the right word? Perhaps there’s a larger world-view, or ideology, behind this entire series? I don’t know but I must ask.

The film is part of a series of 26 independent films called America ReFramed, which present “the stories of a transforming American culture and its broad diversity.” America ReFramed can be viewed online on World (worldchannel.org.)

Are we to assume that this particular documentary, presented by a liberal progressive organizations has no liberal bias?

Well we don’t know the political bias of the filmmaker,Johnathan Goodman Levitt. He wanted to keep it that way and he did a fairly good job of keeping the film politically neutral.

According to the filmmaker’s representative:

First and foremost, Follow the Leader received no funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), or any other American entity for that matter. The series, America ReFramed, which is carried by PBS/World Channel, is programmed by WGBH and by American Documentary, Inc. (a private company that also programs the P.O.V. Documentary series for PBS stations). CPB does provide partial funding to the PBS World channel and the PBS system generally, but the film itself didn't receive any such funds at all. In fact, Follow the Leader was funded solely by the filmmaker's company Changeworx and by European broadcasters, which were interested in a more non-judgmental film about American politics than most of the documentaries that come from American filmmakers. The licensing agreement from the public television system is also non-exclusive, and the filmmaker is currently pursuing additional broadcast options including Fox, Glenn Beck's The Blaze TV, and others. This is a rare film without any U.S. funding or partisan bent that attracts interest across the political spectrum.

Importantly, The Aspen Institute did not present Follow the Leader or this (or any) episode of America ReFramed, and has no connection to Follow the Leader. There is simply another show on PBS World Channel the features their proceedings, but that is a completely unconnected series to our film and America ReFramed as well.

We still have some questions. Why were three conservative WASP boys chosen for this film? 

Should we assume that other races or ethnic groups don’t have political biases or can change?

Or should we assume that the maker of this film is only interested in learning what makes young conservatives change?

There’s only one thing we can really assume. It was something I learned in a very liberal seminary some years ago. When you boil everything down, all things are political!

Follow the Leader, America ReFramed, TV, Television,  PBS/WGBH, World Channel, film, documentary,  political, beliefs, Johnathan Goodman Levitt,  independent, films, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, (CPB), The Aspen Institute, Open Society Foundations, George Soros.

                             I love the idea of how a pair of shoes can change the whole story of an outfit.
                                        Today's outfit post is exactly about that! I'm always out and about new challenges:)



                                                                                      Top: c/o Joe Fresh/ Here
                                                                                      Skirt: Old Navy (old)/ option Here, Here and Here 
                                                                                      Bag: Valentina
                                                                                      Shoes: c/o I'alave/ Here 
                                                                                      Sunglasses: Chloe/ Here
                                                                                      Necklace: From Portlan Art Museum/ option Here and Here  

A premature blast at a Laredo Fireworks display injured a technician and the display became inoperative. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, thick fog and fireworks smoke on Wednesday's Big Bang caused poor visibility that people left early from the event. Also, the Statue of Liberty opened on Thursday for tours.

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny

Stirring words spoken by a man who happened to be the President of the United States of America who although elected twice to the highest office in the land by the American People would not even receive the nomination of his party were he running in 2016. A shame, but the stark truth. Those who really know and understand his record realize this truth.

A big h/t to the Left Coast Rebel blog.



Happy Independence Day!!!

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny


Today is Independence Day in the United States of America. A day in which ALL Americans should take pride, as well as being thankful for the liberties we enjoy as a people.

 Governed by the rule of law, free from the religious tyranny of the dark ages as well as present day extreme Islam, and fundamentalist Christianity... We have our founding fathers and the Constitution they gave us to thank for this incredible, and increasingly rare reality.

A recent and timely GALLUP POLL sheds light on American citizens perspective and  Pride in the USA.

As the United States celebrates Independence Day, most of its adult residents continue to say they are proud to be an American, including 57% who are extremely proud and 28% who are very proud. This high level of pride in being an American has varied only moderately over the past 12 years since the question was first asked, but has been lower since 2005 than it was in the years prior.

The latest results are from a June 1-4 Gallup survey. An additional 10% say they are moderately proud to be an American, leaving 3% who say they are "only a little proud" and 1% who say they are "not at all proud."

There are few differences by age on this pride dimension, while those in the South are slightly more likely than those in the East and West to say they are proud. Conservatives and Republicans are also slightly more likely to say they are proud than are liberals and Democrats.

Americans Believe Signers of the Declaration Would Be Disappointed

Despite their widespread national pride, Americans evince a much more negative response when asked if the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be pleased or disappointed by the way the United States has turned out. Seventy-one percent of Americans say the signers would be disappointed, while 27% say they would be pleased.

Americans have become significantly less positive in response to this question, down from a high of 54% who said the signers would be pleased in 2001.

Older Americans, those living in the Midwest, conservatives, and Republicans are relatively less likely to say the signers would be pleased than their counterparts. Conservatives and Republicans also were less likely to say the signers would have been pleased in 2001 -- when George W. Bush was president -- but the partisan and ideological differences are larger today. This indicates that Republicans' and conservatives' growing disenchantment with a Democratic president could be one of the underlying factors in the decline in the percentage of Americans who say the signers would be pleased.

{Read More}

It seems Americans of all political affiliations and ideologies are PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN, with the very small minority of course that likely wouldn't be proud to be anything, except maybe an as*h**e. However, on this day set aside to celebrate our unique American experience, and the freedom of thought and liberty that has continued to this day,  let us postpone discussion of  that issue for another day. In the moment  ALL AMERICANS  should CELEBRATE our unique American identity as well as the spirit of freedom and liberty that has defined us for generations. Irrespective of political party. Let us stand against all (in the memory of our founding fathers) all who would shackle us. Whomever they may be.

Via: Memeorandum

Hat tip to Right Truth

An interesting take on the subject of freedom. Make sure you read all the way to the end…very short!

BOSTON

National guard units seeking to confiscate a cache of recently banned assault weapons were ambushed on April 19th by elements of a para-military extremist faction. Military and law enforcement sources estimate that 72 were killed and more than 200 injured before government forces were compelled to withdraw.

Speaking after the clash, Massachusetts Governor Thomas Gage declared that the extremist faction, which was made up of local citizens, has links to the radical right-wing tax protest movement. Gage blamed the extremists for recent incidents of vandalism directed against internal revenue offices. The governor, who described the group's organizers as "criminals," issued an executive order authorizing the summary arrest of any individual who has interfered with the government's efforts to secure law and order. The military raid on the extremist arsenal followed wide-spread refusal by the local citizenry to turn over recently outlawed assault weapons.

Gage issued a ban on military-style assault weapons and ammunition earlier in the week. This decision followed a meeting in early this month between government and military leaders at which the governor authorized the forcible confiscation of illegal arms.

One government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, pointed out that "none of these people would have been killed had the extremists obeyed the law and turned over their weapons voluntarily." Government troops initially succeeded in confiscating a large supply of outlawed weapons and ammunition. However, troops attempting to seize arms and ammunition in Lexington met with resistance from heavily-armed extremists who had been tipped off regarding the government's plans. During a tense standoff in Lexington 's town park, National Guard Colonel Francis Smith, commander of the government operation, ordered the armed group to surrender and return to their homes. The impasse was broken by a single shot, which was reportedly fired by one of the right-wing extremists. Eight civilians were killed in the ensuing exchange.

Ironically, the local citizenry blamed government forces rather than the extremists for the civilian deaths. Before order could be restored, armed citizens from surrounding areas had descended upon the guard units. Colonel Smith, finding his forces overmatched by the armed mob, ordered a retreat.

Governor Gage has called upon citizens to support the state/national joint task force in its effort to restore law and order. The governor also demanded the surrender of those responsible for planning and leading the attack against the government troops. Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and John Hancock, who have been identified as "ringleaders" of the extremist faction, remain at large.

And this, people, is how the American Revolution began.

April 20, 1775

.........

The Revolution Must Continue
A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet
**************

As I write it is the morning of July 4th, 2013.  I don't feel particularly celebratory this Independence Day.

As I see it, everything we should be celebrating on Independence Day-- we are in serious danger of losing.   In fact, the more I think about it, the more I become convinced that rather than grilling hamburgers and hotdogs we ought to be grilling our nation's leaders.  Instead of staying in our backyards comfortably around the pool and/or picnic tables,  we ought to be in the streets demanding that our freedoms and liberty be restored!

I am convinced that America is under a greater threat today from her current crop of leaders than she ever was under the reign of King George!

Look.  SOMETHING is going to happen in America -- and soon.  Either we will collapse as a country -- OR -- we will regain control of our government and restore the America our Forefathers gave us at such great and terrible cost. 

The storm clouds of a great internal conflict are gathering on the horizon.

Much like it was in the 1700's, America is, today, split between two factions.  In Revolutionary War days there were the Patriots and there were the Tories.  The Tories wanted to remain a part of Great Britain.  They lost.  They left America -- by the ship loads -- after the British defeat at Yorktown. Whole families left everything, and got the heck out of Dodge, making their way to England or some other British Territory.  They were not particularly missed.

Today we are spilt between freedom loving Americas and "Statist" (or Socialist) Americans. 

Americans are just now beginning to realize that Socialists and freedom lovers cannot coexist.  Like "matter" and "anti-matter" endeavoring to occupy the same space will result in an inevitable explosion. 

What happens next, the direction in which the dominoes fall, all depends upon the side gathering the most support. 

A free America is slipping away ... quickly.

I think one of the most difficult obstacles those of us old freedom loving Americans have to confront is the near total ignorance of younger Americans about what they have already lost -- and -- have yet to lose.  It is a hurdle that must be removed, surmounted, or circumvented ... somehow. 

See, younger Americans have never experienced, nor enjoyed, the freedom we older Americans have.  They have never had it, therefore, they do not miss it -- nor feel the yearning for it that we do.  

Like the proverb of the frog in the pot of water slowly brought to the boiling point, they did not jump out of the pot. And now it is too late.  

Younger Americans were indoctrinated in our government school system to support "Statist" themes and the "Statist" agenda and to be wary of us old dogs who complain that the constitution is being trampled upon.  They were sold a bill of goods and they bought it -- lock, stock, and barrel.

Now the constitution is irrelevant.  It doesn't actually matter.  We are in post-constitution days. All the rights we had under that document and the Bill of Rights, WE (the people) no longer have.  Now the government controls those rights and privileges and they dole them out, at their pleasure, to whom they choose. 

When you step back and look objectively at America today, you can see that we are actually in worse shape than we were under King George. 

Anyone with just a thimble full of common sense understands that this is an untenable situation and must be -- NAY -- WILL be resolved.

The odds have not been this "against us" in 237 years.   It is said by learned historians that in the 1700's about one-third of Americans wanted freedom from Great Britain, while about one-third of colonists wanted to remain a part of Great Britain, and the final third didn't give a damn, one way or the other.  My estimation today is that modern America is near evenly split with about half of us really caring -- one way or the other.

Like our forefathers if we manage to take America back to her constitutional liberties, we are going to be compelled to drag about half of America back, kicking and screaming, all the cussed way.

That being said, we must understand that THAT is no way to insure a stable country.

And so, the revolution MUST continue.  Eternal vigilance is , indeed, ONE of the costs of freedom. Another is the willingness to fight a continuing fight.  It is a life or death struggle for the existence of a country.

We Americans who love freedom are going to have to forget all the globalist, citizen of the world, nations without borders, malarkey!  (By the way, there is no such thing as a nation without borders!)

We must concentrate on cleaning up our own mess before we begin meddling in the affairs of other states. (Read Egypt, Syria, et al)

So.  If I raise a glass today, it will be to toast the America that WAS ... not the mess we have allowed ourselves to become.  In fact, may I be so bold as to suggest that before we raise our glasses -- we raise our faces -- toward heaven -- in reverent petition to Providence to once again smile on our feeble efforts to rekindle our nation's faith, to regain our freedom, to reassert the authority of the constitution, to strengthen our resolve to restore the "shining city on a hill" as a beacon to all mankind, anywhere on the globe,  lighting the way for man's unquenchable thirst for freedom to be satisfied.

It is time to gird up our loins and in the words of the prophet Joel:  "Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong."  Joel 3: 10. 

President Woodrow Wilson once said:  "The American Revolution was a beginning, not a consummation."  Wrong about so much, on THIS, Wilson was correct.

© J. D. Longstreet

Edward J. Snowden

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny



I am sure many millions have contemplated what the United States of America might look like should Sarah Palin ever be elected president. I know I have. The following is an article that contemplates such a scenario. Although it is a fictional scenario it could conceivably happen. Contemplating beyond just a possible Palin presidency... Any religious right wing politician might very well change the United States of America along the lines discussed in the the article. Trashing the Constitution in the process.

Perhaps the best course for United States Citizens is to study the issues of the day, work to gain a better understanding of the Constitution and the rights it protects and guarantees, and improve knowledge of the workings of our government. Doing so would certainly result in making more informed voting decisions.

By PATRICK GAVIN - The McCain/Palin ticket lost in 2008, right? Fiction can change that.

”Christian Nation” is a new novel from lawyer Fred Rich that wonders what would happen if the Republican ticket won in 2008. But Rich goes even further than that, plotting a would-be Palin presidency after McCain passes away in the novel.

And although it’s fiction, Rich is dead serious about what a Palin presidency would mean for the country. As the title suggest, Rich is concerned about how religious extremists on the right could upend society.

“If somebody like Sarah Palin, who holds so firmly to this conviction that America is and should be a Christian nation, what would happen if she actually had the power to implement it?” Rich says his book “paints a picture of what that path would look like.”

“How could the federal courts, which are the only defense against all the nonsense you see out of the state legislatures, how could the federal court system be neutralized? What legislative strategies could the Christian right pursue were they in control of the Congress? It shows that it’s not impossible or unthinkable for them to actually be able to implement that agenda.”

What would happen, according to Rich and the book is a government that claims to speak for God and policies based solely on the Bible, which would overwhelming hurt gay Americans.

Rich says he used to be Roman Catholic, but now he’s an atheist. And he used to be a Republican, but now he’s an independent. And he says his book shouldn’t offend all Christians, just the extreme ones.

“This book is not intended to be a shrill, bombastic addition to this conversation. It’s intended to be a much more thoughtful piece of work. … 30 to 40 percent of fellow citizens self-identify as born again evangelical. It’s going to take a long time, if ever, for those demographics to change. And those aren’t bad people — I’m not hitting those people over the head. What I’m doing is shining a spotlight on the fact that some leading opinion makers — and the ones that can drive the politics in this country — are extremists. (Emphasis added)” {Read More}

Indeed extreme views seem to get the lions share of the headlines and permeate the press, blogs, and airways. This is truly unfortunate, and both the right as well as the left has their share of "extremists."

Via: Memeorandum

“Southern Knights.” 150 Years of Memories
A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet
*****************

150 years ago today, around 3 PM, some 12,000 Confederate soldiers, "stepped off" on a death march into a hailstorm of lead and canister shot poured into their ranks from well dug-in Union positions and artillery batteries on the outskirts of a little Pennsylvania town called Gettysburg.

Those doomed Confederate troops would walk nearly three-quarters of a mile -- over open ground -- with no cover of any kind, while the union forces poured lead into their ranks toppling bodies like a scythe in a wheat field.

The Confederates were slaughtered. It was the turning point of The War Between the States.

Gen. James Longstreet was unhappy with Gen. Robert E. Lee's command to attack the Union positions.  When it came time for him to issue the order for George Pickett to take his men across that great killing field, he simply could not bring himself to say the words.  He merely nodded with bowed head.  Pickett ordered his men into the sluice of death, in line abreast, extending nearly a mile in breadth. 

In less than an hour it was over.  That field was littered with Confederate dead. Over half of Pickett's Division lay dead upon the field... over three thousand men.  All 15 regimental commanders, including two Brigadier General's and six Colonel's were dead.  Their skill, their experience, gone forever.

When George Pickett finally made his way to Lee, Lee ordered him to prepare his Division for a possible Union counter attack. Pickett replied to Lee:  "Sir.  I HAVE no Division!" 

Pickett never forgave Lee.

Union forces did not counter attack -- their commanders not wishing to face the still formidable Confederate forces nor the Confederate artillery dug-in on Seminary Ridge.
The next morning, the morning of July 4th, 1863, dawned dark and foreboding with skies that soon opened with torrents of rain. Lee seized the opportunity and retreated.

It still hurts.

Some few years ago, I stood in the cemetery of a small, rural, southeastern North Carolina church and helped to dedicate six granite Confederate Veteran Grave Markers for six “Heroes of the South” who were veterans of the Confederate Army.

As the exceedingly bright September afternoon sunlight shone down upon those gathered for this solemn ceremony, three flags snapped in the strong fall breeze as it danced it’s way across the cemetery embracing each stone in turn, and forcing our flags to flutter and, at times, stand straight out with their halyard as taunt as a bow string.

At the top of the flagstaff was the Stars and Stripes, the flag of our country, the United States of America. Just below “Old Glory” was the state flag of our state, the state of North Carolina, and directly below that was the Confederate Battle Flag, the flag of no country, and no state, just a battle field ensign, but… it was the flag under which the men we honored had marched and fought and died.

As I spoke to those assembled on that sacred ground, I let my eyes drift casually over the onlookers. I saw one child, a little sandy-headed boy, about 4 maybe 5 years of age. He was the only youngster there.

I thought, that young man needs to hear this, he needs to have his parents tell him what all this color and honor means. He needs to be told… before it is too late.

Our children have been taught a “revisionist history” about this unique part of the United States. Generation after generation of American children had been led away for their roots until southern children, especially, no longer know who, and what, they are.

Although the history of the United States, and the people of the US, is colorful the history of the Southern portion of our country is even more colorful. Settled primarily by Scot-Irish peoples, with French Huguenots along our southeastern coasts, the people of the early South always felt the difference between them and their northern brothers and sisters.

The South was agrarian… a land of farmers. The North was industrialized... a land of factories and immigrant workers from, mainly, northern Europe.

Farming is inexplicably tied to the weather, to the seasons, and weather and the seasons move at their own pace, a pace which is, for the most part, much slower than the pace of impatient man. Factories, for the most part, were not dependent upon the weather as the workers were most often inside out of the elements so their manner of work and life was at a much more rapid pace than that of the South.

Our dress was different from that of the north. Hot and humid, the south demanded lighter weight clothing, and lighter colors, than that of our nothern counterparts.

Our speech mannerisms became a birthmark of the Southron. We spoke slowly… almost poetically. Our northern neighbors spoke in a more rapid-fire cadence.

The early South was much more prosperous than the North. At the outbreak of the American Civil War the gross national product of the South was three times that of the North. For all intents and purposes, the South was supporting the North.

The North demanded more and more southern money to run the government and laid tariffs and taxes against the South and the South’s trade with Europe until the Southern people said: “enough”. The government of the US would not give an inch on the tariffs, and taxes, and the South parted company with the US and formed it’s own country, the Confederate States of America.

The Confederacy had a Congress, a President, an Army, and a Navy, and a land area, and population, much larger than that of the 13 original colonies. Plus, the South had… the money. Without the South’s money the US government was broke.

And so, the US invaded the Confederate States of America. (Always follow the money, dear reader.)

One of the hallmarks of the Scot-Irish people is their willingness to fight and… the intensity with which they fight. The ancient Romans got a bellyful of the Scot-Irish warriors when they tried to tame them.

I don’t mention slavery, here, as a cause of the American Civil War … because it wasn’t. It WAS dragged into the war later… but, at the outset of the war, slavery, in the South, was not THE issue. In fact, Lincoln had said publicly he was not against slavery.

Here are the words of a proposed 13th amendment to the US Constitution… House Resolution 80 (Joint Resolution of Congress, Adopted March 2, 1861)
Full Text of H.J.R. No. 80, the "Ghost Amendment":

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following article be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which, when ratified by three-fourths of said Legislatures, shall be valid, to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution, namely:
ART. 13. No amendment shall be made to the Constitution which will authorize or give to Congress the power to abolish or interfere, within any State, with the domestic institutions thereof, including that of persons held to labor or service by the laws of said State.
--12 United States Statutes at Large, 36th Congress, 2nd Session, 1861, p. 251.

The resolution above is often referred to as the “Ghost Amendment”, the proposed original 13th Amendment.

The argument still rages today as to whether it passed… or not. At least two states ratified it… Ohio and Maryland!

The opening shots of the Civil war occurred in 1861. The Emancipation proclamation did not take effect until January 1st of 1863. The real 13th amendment, abolishing slavery, passed the Senate easily in April 1864, but was defeated 95 to 66 the first time it went before the House of Representatives in June. It took the House six more months before it reconsidered the amendment and adopted it 119 to 56 on January 31, 1865. The war ended at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia, in April of 1865.

The four years of turmoil left scars upon the South, which have never healed. North Carolina, as an example, lost 40,000 of its men to the war. The US was involved in the Vietnam War for nearly ten years. The US lost 58,000 men as a result of that nearly decade long war. Compare that to the 40,000 men NC lost… in just four years. The South’s population was nearly stripped of it’s young men... for a generation.

The southern men who survived came home to a land devastated. All the advancements made in the 80 years since their grandfathers had fought the British for Independence was, for all intents and purposes… gone. Many found it impossible to start over so they packed up they families, and whatever meager belongings that had left, and went west.

Those who stayed turned to the hard work of rebuilding a society, which had been utterly destroyed, and began rebuilding. The South has continued to rebuild ever since.

But the scars are still evident, if not in our buildings and our landscapes, then certainly on our psyches. As the only part of the US to be invaded, and conquered, and occupied, we have a greater sense of liberty and freedom than, perhaps, any other part of this great country.

But we don’t talk about it. We aren’t allowed. We cannot remember our heroes who gave their lives in defense of their homes, their families, and their country… the Confederate States of America. The scars are still tender. Poke around them and you will be surprised at the vehemence with which you will be challenged by a Southron.

We fly our Confederate Battle Flag, not as a put down, or as an implied expression of a deep-seated desire to secede, but in remembrance of the sacrifices the South made.

Our Southern children are forbidden to celebrate their heritage. It is a heritage of heroes. Yet, too many feel threatened by the truth to allow a southern student, in public school, to wear even a belt buckle with the battle flag under which his ancestor fought and most likely died.

One thing the detractors of the South have overlooked. Their attitude does little to meld this nation into one. If anything they continue to drive a wedge between the people of the South and the people of the North. Suppression of the celebration of one’s heritage creates a smoldering anger, which will burn until it bursts into flames. When that finally happens, more than just feelings will be hurt.

All this was pouring through my mind as I spoke to those assembled for the dedication of those stones.

Ours is a great country. Somehow we have managed to get along since 1865 with a modicum of courtesy toward each other. But we must realize that we are yet two nations within one country. There is no way to ever remove the wall of separation between the North and the South unless, and until, we allow the truth to be told to our children and future generations of Americans. Continuing to cover-up the truth of our heritage, the good and the bad, is unhealthy and it needlessly feeds into the bitterness over wrongs done half of this nation 150 years ago.

There is no reason for half of this great country to feel threatened by the other half. Our Southern ancestors meant the US no harm when they parted ways in the 1860’s. What they did was perfectly legal and was their way of righting an injustice. The South had no interest, whatsoever, in overthrowing the government of the US. And yet, the US invaded and overthrew the government of the Confederate States.

The scars are deep here in the South. I carry a partial list of my blood kin who were killed in battles with US troops, or died later, as a result of wounds received in those battles. Southern families consider those men heroes of the highest order. And we bristle when their good name is besmirched by some ignorant, politically correct, individual, from a Congressman, to a Senator, to a public school administrator.

The Confederate History of THIS family WILL be passed on to the children and grandchildren, and great grandchildren, so that we may keep their memory alive for the generations yet unborn.

A walk through a cemetery of a southern church can be a journey back in time. Looking at the dates, and the military ranks, carved in the headstones of our southern heroes can sweep one back to the days of Southern Knights in their gray and butternut uniforms. It also takes us back to the second half of that war when those same Southern Knights walked mile after mile on bloodied feet, in tattered uniforms, on empty stomachs, and still managed to claim victory, time and time again, against the army of a fledgling superpower.

You think we’re not proud of them, of their legacy, and our heritage? Then you have no understanding of the South, at all.

© J. D. Longstreet

Thought I'd take a quick break from my birthday/4th of July vacation week to share some fun news. My bedroom is featured in CNN's Open House series (along with my friends Emily and Bethany).


Now that is a great way to celebrate a birthday!

Check it out and see a lot of great spaces.

Happy holiday weekend y'all!!

From the Desk Of:
Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny

Received this in the inbox at Rational Nation USA this afternoon. It certainly seems to apply to some executives and almost ALL politicians methinks.


A bit crude but entertaining . . . ENJOY!!!

*Mathematics:* This comes from 2 math teachers with a combined total of 70 yrs experience. It has an indisputable mathematical logic. It also made me laugh out loud. This is a strictly mathematical viewpoint. It goes like this:

What makes 100%?

What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%.

How about achieving 103%?

What makes up 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:

If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Then:

H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15
+18+11 = 98%

And…

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14 +15+23+12
+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But…

*A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21
+4+5 = 100%*

And…

B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+ 12+12+
19+8+9+20 =103%

And, look how far ass kissing will take you.

A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G
1+19+19+11+9+ 19+19+9+14+7 = 118%

So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty, that while “Hard-work” and
“Knowledge” will get you close, and “Attitude” will get you there.
It's the “Bullshit” and “Ass Kissing” that will put you over the top.

Now you know why some people are where they are!

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Liberty -vs- Tyranny


Kirsten Powers is a woman of the left. Yet there has always been something about her that I knew set her apart from the pack. It's called COMMON SENSE Kirsten recently reaffirmed my belief in her ability to reason clearly.

THE DAILY BEAST - It’s amazing what is considered heroism these days.

A Texas legislator and her pink sneakers have been lionized for an eleventh-hour filibuster against a bill that would have made it illegal for mothers to abort babies past 20 weeks of pregnancy, except in the case of severe fetal abnormalities or to protect the life or health of the mother.

But the fight is not over. The bill will be reintroduced, and supporters of the ban are optimistic it will pass. For now, Wendy Davis has achieved the dubious victory of maintaining a very dark status quo. Texas women will still be able to abort a healthy baby up to the 26th week of pregnancy for any reason, as the current law allows.

According to the Parents Connect website, if you are in the 25th week of your pregnancy, “Get ready for pat-a-cake! Baby’s hands are now fully developed and he spends most of his awake time groping around in the darkness of your uterus. Brain and nerve endings are developed enough now so that your baby can feel the sensation of touch.” Let’s be clear: Davis has been called a hero for trying to block a bill that would make aborting this baby illegal.

In addition to the limit on late-term abortions, the Texas legislature sought to pass regulations on abortion clinics similar to what was passed in Pennsylvania in 2011 after the Gosnell horror. The New York Times warned that the Texas bill “could lead to the closing of most of Texas’s 42 abortion clinics.” That sounds familiar. In 2011, the Pennsylvania ACLU claimed a post-Gosnell bill “would effectively close most and maybe all of the independent abortion clinics in Pennsylvania.” Last month, a Pennsylvania news site reported that “several” abortion clinics have closed, which isn’t quite the Armageddon the abortion-rights movement predicted.

So no, I don’t stand with Wendy. Nor do most women, as it turns out. According to a June National Journal poll, 50 percent of women support, and 43 percent oppose, a ban on abortion after 20 weeks, except in cases of rape and incest.

One can assume I am also not the only woman in America who is really tiring of the Wendys of the world claiming to represent “women’s rights” in their quest to mainstream a medical procedure—elective late-term abortion—that most of the civilized world finds barbaric and abhorrent. {Read More}

Kirsten Powers is a liberal democrat on the right side of the abortion debate. She, like the majority of American women understand the issues clearly. With women like Kirsten speaking out is there any doubt but what reason and common sense will ultimately prevail?

Kirsten, you go girl...