Rhyme of the Modern Parishioner

by Michael Brown

It happened in the vestibule at ten one Sunday morn;
A haggard-looking church-goer sat plaintive and forlorn.

Then suddenly he rose and found a hungry-looking Christian;
He took his hand, took him aside, and asked him a straight question:

"You've read the Word; you know the Book; the promises are clear.
But have you seen the living God? Have you found Him here?

Have you experienced holy fire, the Spirit in His power,
A mighty wave, a rushing wind, a flame that does devour?

Is there something more you're seeking, so high, so wide, so deep?
Do you find yourself frustrated? Is church putting you to sleep?

Then listen well, you heart is ripe; my tale I will tell.
This story is your story too, and it's your tale as well.

For thirty years I've been in church, it seemed like a good show.
But now I've got to meet with God, do you know where to go?

I'm trapped in mundane worship times, the praises have grown cold;
The preaching's dry and dusty. The teaching is stale like mold.

Each service feels like a rerun, the songs all sound the same;
The prophecies so hollow, not worthy of the name!

Words, more words, they're everywhere, but oh there is a stink!
Words, more words, they're everywhere, but none to make us think!

We lack the heavenly Presence, it's clear we're in a rut;
I'm desperate for revival, it burns within my gut!

I'm love-sick for my Jesus, so hungry for my Lord;
Just longing for my Savior; God knows that I'm so bored!

Is there someone who can help me, who's touched the real thing?
A man who's heard from heaven, with a word from God to bring?

Are there prophets burning with fire, servants who are ablaze?
Anointed and overflowing, appointed for these days?

Do they carry the Spirit's burden, and breathe the Lord God's breath?
Are they set apart and holy, obedient to death?

I hear the words of the Master, 'Come follow Me,' He said.
If some Christians go their own way; I'll go with Him instead!

Oh please, don't do as I have done, and waste so many years.
Don't wait and wait for endless months; move on, outgrow your fears!

Forget the twelve step programs; a seminar won't do.
You need a touch from heaven, to fill you through and through.

There must be change in your life, a work of God that's real.
Don't fool yourself with worn clichés, don't let the devil steal!

Don't miss out on God's Presence or let those hours pass;
Don't stop your soul from hungering, get out of the morass!

Dear friend, you are not crazy; dear saint, you are not mad;
There truly is a problem, it's true, you have been had!

There's more! There's more, Believe it! There is that place in God.
There are holy visitations, new paths that must be trod.

Will you get up like old Pilgrim, and seek that better way?
Will you go forth on that journey no matter what men say?

Will you go out now and meet Him, and leave the crowd behind,
Forsaking dead traditions, if Jesus you will find?

It's not in another meeting, a nicely packaged hour;
Another harmless service, devoid of heaven's power.

It's not in another teaching, three points to fill your head.
The Word is always vibrant; but this stuff is so dead!

We need God to send His Spirit, to fully take control,
To transform every member, to come and make them whole!

Enough with man's religion; enough with earthly plans;
Enough with our new programs; produced by fleshly hands."

Just then in strode the pastor his calling to fulfill;
Just doing his weekly duty, then he became frozen still.

For astir was that parishioner he grasped the preacher's clothes,
And grasped the preacher's soul as well, and in that grasp he froze.

"Oh pastor, enter the prayer room and shut yourself inside.
Be emptied of competition, and crucify your pride!

Pray for holy visitations, caught up alone with Him,
Consumed with heavenly vision, that's where you must begin!

You won't find Him in a textbook, buried on page twenty-two.
He is the living God who acts, He wants to move in you!

It's not only the 'apostles', He'll bless and send and use;
He will saturate your own soul, if you will not refuse.

So arise, get up, and pursue Him, Jesus your true best Friend!
He is worthy of devotion; He's faithful to the end!

Why should you starve on crusty bread, and crawl along the ground?
Your Savior is your source of life, see Him, let joy abound!

Renew your life, refresh your heart, press in, take hold, pray through.
Put first things first, make God your goal; what else have you to do?

Your Bible schooling stole your zeal, church life has drained you dry;
You used to have such childlike faith, now budgets have your eye!

You used to be so passionate, so innocent and free.
Now you've become professional; you'll preach for a good fee!

Oh, set your sights on higher goals and not on dollar bills,
Live in the light of Judgment Day; ambition always kills!

Let Jesus be your daily Guide, put Him where He belongs;
And soon His presence will arrive; His praise will fill your songs!

Simplicity will be your style, devotion your new goal:
Communion will become your aim, God's life will flood your soul!

Oh, take your eyes off numbers, church growth can be a trap!
Go out and make disciples, go out and bridge the gap!

Pour out your life for broken lives, let God your heart break too.
Take up the cross, deny yourself; just live His will to do!

Wake up, be brave, be honest; today - oh hear His voice!
Be ruthless with your schedule; seek GOD. Make that your choice.

You won't find Him in your planner, no committee has the key.
You'll find Him when your soul cries out, 'There must be more for me!'

'There must be more than building funds, and sessions past midnight,
And endless talks with leadership, disputing who is right.

Somehow I know I've been misled; the model doesn't work.
I'm not called as executive, nor should I be a clerk.

I'm called to be a man of God, a man who's Spirit-led,
A healer of the sick and lame someday to raise the dead!'

And with that cry new life will rise, your heart will be revived;
Heaven's light will flood your soul, you will not be denied!"

The parishioner then turned his gaze away from flesh and blood:
He looked to Him who sends the showers, to Him who sends the flood.

"Today, oh Lord, do you hear our voice, and pour Your Spirit out.
Saturate the thirsty ground. End this spiritual drought!

Revive us with Your Presence, renew us from above;
Touch the flock called by Your name; come fill us with Your love!

Do greater works in our day than that which you have done.
Bring the fullness of Your rains, and glorify Your Son!"

That old church-goer spoke no more. Another voice was heard.
Yet not the voice of flesh and blood: It was our Father's word.

And if you listen closely, beyond this little rhyme,
You'll hear Him speaking clearly: "MY CHILDREN, IT IS TIME."

America the Beautiful

Judge Roy Moore

America the Beautiful or so you used to be,
Land of the Pilgrims pride, I'm glad they'll never see.
Babies piled in dumpsters, Abortion of demand,
Oh, sweet land of liberty, your house is on the sand.

Our children wander aimlessly poisoned by cocaine,
Choosing to indulge their lusts, when God has said abstain.
From sea to shining sea our Nation turns away,
From the teaching of God's love and a need to always pray.

So many worldly pastors tell lies about our Rock,
Saying God is going broke so they can fleece the flock.
We've kept God in our temples, how callous we have grown,
When earth is but His footstool and Heaven is His throne.

We've voted in a government that's rotting at the core,
Appointing Godless judges who throw reason out the door,
Too soft to place a killer in a well deserved tomb,
But brave enough to kill a baby before he leaves the womb.

You think that God's not angry that our land's a moral slum?
How much longer will he wait before His judgment comes?
How are we to face our God from whom we cannot hide?
What then is left for us to do, but stem this evil tide?

If we who are His children will humbly turn and pray,
Seek His holy face and mend our evil way,
Then God will hear from Heaven and forgive us of our sins,
He'll heal our sickly land and those who live within.

But America the Beautiful if you don't then you will see,
A sad but Holy God withdraw His hand from thee.

What is Truth?

What is truth?
Depending upon who you ask today, the question "What is Truth" will get you very different answers and, perhaps, lead to even more questions. Here are some current thoughts on truth:

There is no absolute truth.
But wait a minute! This statement is making an absolute claim to truth. It defeats its own claim.

Truth is relative.
Does that include the statement that truth is relative? It would have to, making this statement invalid since no claim to truth can be made by this statement, including the claim that truth is relative.

You have your truth and I have my truth.
And if your truth and my truth are in conflict, what do we have? Can there be conflicting truths? If so, then how do you determine what is valid? If my truth is that there is no God, and your truth is that there is a God, does that really effect whether there is a God or not? Saying that we each have our own truth may make us comfortable but we would have to not care about truth to say this, because no matter what my experience or your experience tells us, the truth exists as it is.

Truth is within you.
Seek truth within yourself and you are back to what your experience tells you or to what you want to be the truth. Your perception may affect you and be true to what you want to believe, but it does not affect what the truth really is. Your experience and belief could be telling you that something false is true.

So what is truth?
If you're tired of wondering or of playing these mind games, consider that maybe truth is not all that complex. Maybe it is something a child can grasp. Maybe truth is a person. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

Will you be like Pilate, who asked "What is truth?" (John 18:38) right after Jesus said to him, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." (John 18:37b)

Or will you be like the Roman officer who saw Jesus die on the cross and said, "Truly this man was the Son of God." (Mark 15:39)

As Jesus said, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" (John 11:25) and "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." (John 10:9).

Tips on Buying a Boat

Are you thinking of buying a new boat, old one or even a yacht? Here are some things to look for and some things to watch out for when you’re buying a boat.

Good Signs

• Boat is in the water and bilge pumps are not wailing at full speed.
• Fire extinguisher hasn’t been used up.
• You don’t have to take a submarine ride to view it.

Bad Signs

• Lifejackets strapped to outside of hull to “help it float.”
• 460-horsepower outboard engine that you have to pull start.
• The stern is held on with duct tape.
• Owner says, “She floats better in salt water.”
• Teak hull has turned black with mold.
• Biggest safety feature is the word “HELP” painted on the bottom of the hull.
• Bullet holes across the cabin.

The Red Green Book
© 1997 by Steve Smith and Rick Green

Beatitudes of Marriage

Blessed are the husband and wife who continue to be affectionate, considerate, and loving after the wedding bells have ceased ringing.

Blessed are the husband and wife who are as polite and courteous to one another as they are to their friends.

Blessed are they who love their mates more than any other person in the world, and who joyfully fulfill their marriage vow of a lifetime of fidelity and mutual helpfulness to one another.

Blessed are they who attain parenthood, for children are a heritage of the Lord.

Blessed are they who remember to thank God for their food before they partake of it, and who set apart some time each day for the reading of the Bible and for prayer.

Blessed are those mates who never speak loudly to one another, and who make their home a place “where seldom is heard a discouraging word.”

Blessed are the husband and wife who faithfully attend the worship service of the church, and who work together in the church for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom.

Blessed are the husband and wife who can work out the problems of adjustment without interference from relatives.

Blessed is the couple which has complete understanding about financial matters, and have worked out a perfect partnership, with all money under the control of both.

Blessed are the husband and wife who humbly dedicate their lives and their homes to Christ, and who practice the teachings of Christ in the home by being unselfish, loyal and loving.

Our American Birthright

Judge Roy Moore
Circuit Judge, July, 1998

One nation under God was their cry and declaration,
Upon the law of Nature's God they built a mighty Nation.
For unlike mankind before them who had walked this earthen sod,
These men would never question the Sovereignty of God.

That all men were "created" was a truth "self-evident,"
To secure the rights God gave us was the role of government."
And if any form of government became destructive of this end,
It was their right, their duty, a new one to begin.

So with a firm reliance on Divine Providence for protection,
They pledged their sacred honor and sought His wise direction.
They lifted an appeal to God for all the world to see,
And declared their independence forever to be free.

I'm glad they're not here with us to see the mess we're in,
How we've given up our righteousness for a life of indulgent sin.
For when abortion isn't murder and sodomy is deemed a right,
Then evil is now called good and darkness is now called light.

While truth and law were founded on the God of all Creation,
Man now, through law, denies the truth and calls it "separation."
No longer does man see a need for God when he's in full control,
For the only truth self-evident is in the latest poll.

But with man as his own master we fail to count the cost,
Our precious freedoms vanish and our liberty is lost.
Children are told they can't pray and they teach them evolution,
When will they learn the fear of God is the only true solution.

Our schools have become the battleground while all across the land,
Christians shrug their shoulders afraid to take a stand.
And from the grave their voices cry the victory has been won.
Just glorify the Father as did His only Son.

When your work on earth is done, and you've traveled where we've trod,
You'll leave the land we left to you, ONE NATION UNDER GOD!

A Visitor from the Past

by Thelen Paulk

I had a dream the other night, I didn't understand.
A figure walking through the mist, with flintlock in his hand.
His clothes were torn and dirt, as he stood there by the bed.
He took off his three-cornered hat, and speaking low, he said;

"We fought a revolution, to secure our liberty.
We wrote the Constitution, as a shield from tyranny,
For future generations, this legacy we gave,
In this, the land of the free and the home of the brave."

"The freedom we secured for you, we hoped you'd always keep,
But tyrants labored endlessly, while your parents were asleep.
Your freedom gone, your courage lost, you're no more than a slave,
In this, the land of the free and the home of the brave."

"You buy permits to travel, and permits to own a gun,
Permits to start a business, or to build a place for one.
On land that you believe you own, you pay a yearly rent,
Although you have no voice in choosing how the money's spent."

Your children must attend a school that doesn't educate.
Your Christian values can't be taught, according to the state.
You read about the current news, in a regulated press.
You pay a tax you do not owe, to please the I.R.S.."

"Your money is no longer made of silver or of gold.
You trade your wealth for paper, so your life can be controlled.
You apy for crimes that make our nation turn from God in shame,
You've taken Satan's number, as you've traded in your name."

"You've given government control to those who do you harm,
So they can padlock churches, and steal the family farm,
And keep your country deep in debt, put men of God in jail,
Harass your fellow countrymen, while corrupted courts prevail."

"Your public servants don't uphold the solemn oath they've sworn.
Your daughters visit doctors so their children won't be born.
Your leaders ship artillery and guns to foreign shores,
And send your sons to slaughter; fighting other people's wars."

"Can you regain the freedom for which we fought and died?
Or don't you have the courage or the faith to stand with pride?
Are there no more value for which you'll fight to save?
Or do you wish your children to live in fear and be a slave?"

"Sons of the republic, arise and take a stand!
Defend the Constitution, the Supreme Law of the Land!
Preserve our great republic and each God-given right,
And pray to God to keep the torch of freedom burning bright!"

As I awoke he vanished, in the mist from which he came.
His words were true; we are not free. We have ourselves to blame.
For even now as tyrants trample each God-given right,
We only watch and tremble, too afraid to stand and fight.

If he stood by your bedside, in a dream while you're asleep,
And wondered what remains of our fights he fought to keep,
What would be your answer, if he called out from the grave?
Is this still the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave?

Ten Little Christians

10 Little Christians standing in line
1 disliked the preacher, then there were 9

9 little Christians stayed up very late
1 overslept Sunday, then there were 8

8 little Christians on their way to Heaven
1 took the low road and then there were 7

7 little Christians chirping like chicks
1 disliked music, then there were 6

6 little Christians seemed very much alive
but one lost his interest then there was 5

5 little Christians pulling for Heaven's Shore
but one stopped to rest, then there were 4

4 little Christians each busy as a bee
1 got his feelings hurt, then there were 3

3 little Christians knew not what to do
1 joined the sporty crowd, then there were 2

2 little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done
differed with each other, then there was 1

1 little Christian can't do much 'tis true
brought his friend to bible study- - then there were 2

2 earnest Christians, each won one more
that doubled the number, then there were 4

4 sincere Christians worked early and late
each won another then there were 8

8 splendid Christians if they doubled as before
in just so many Sundays, we'd have more.

In this little jingle there is a lesson true,
you belong either to the building or the wrecking crew!

Bumper Stickers

A day without sunshine is like, well, night.

On the other hand, you have different fingers.

Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.

When the chips are down, the buffalo is empty.

Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it.

Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

Honk if you love peace and quiet.

It is hard to understand how a cemetery raised its burial cost and blamed it on the cost of living.

Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how it remains so popular? 

Just remember...if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off.

A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

It was recently discovered that research causes cancer in rats.

If you don't like my driving - STAY OFF THE SIDEWALK!

HONK if you've never seen an Uzi fired from a car window.

Did you check if your horn works?

If I'm So Slow, How come I'm Ahead of You?

Cover me, I'm changing lanes.

If you can read this, I can hit my brakes and sue you.

I'm not driving fast, just flying low.

I hear you lost your cat? Check under my tire.

I spent my tax refund on this bumper sticker

Amish bumper sticker: Caution! Do not step in exhaust.

Honk if you hate bumper stickers that say "Honk if ..."

Drive defensively -- buy a tank.

If you lived in your car, you'd be home by now.

Forget world peace. Visualize using your turn signal.

Stop repeat offenders. Don't re-elect them.

I love animals - they're delicious.

If we aren't supposed to eat animals why are they made of meat?

I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather - Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.

A bartender is just a pharmacist with a limited inventory.

Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at math.

As a matter of fact, I do own the road!

If You Can Read This, Please Flip Me Back Over
[Seen Upside Down, On A Jeep]

I Refuse To Have A Battle Of Wits With An Unarmed Person

Illiterate? Write For Help

Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film.

Gravity- It's not just a good idea, it's the LAW!

Corduroy pillows: They're making headlines!

I think that I think, therefore I think that I am.

Support bacteria! It's the only culture some people have.

If God intended man to smoke, He would have set him on fire.

They told me I was gullible... and I believed them.

I used to think I was indecisive, but now I'm not too sure.

If you don't like the news, go out and make some.

Is Your Police Officer A Racist?

Obama: The Police Officer You Meet May Be a Racist
By Gary McCullough

The airwaves are filled with the news; Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano didn't need to read the Arizona immigration law to publicly trash it; she just assumes it is a racist law. Attorney General Eric Holder didn't need to read the law although he is considering a federal lawsuit to stop it; he just assumes it is unconstitutional. President Obama doesn't need to speak with Arizona law enforcement officers; he assumes they will act as racists.   

Network news continues to report the failure to read Arizona's immigration law as "gaffs" by the Administration. We are made to believe that the media "caught" Napolitano and Holder assuming facts rather than actually reading the law.  

This reminds me of when President Obama "slipped-up" in a press conference when he belittled Cambridge police officers; assuming the facts before talking to the officers or their superiors.  

I propose that these public statements are not mistakes. These Bidenistic statements are purposeful and reflect the Obama Administration public relations policy.

Without reading the Arizona law -- they can put whatever political spin they want on the law and besmirch Arizona's law enforcement officers without discussing what the law actually says. This tactic comes directly from the top, directly from the President's example of stating before the nation's press corps how racist law officers can be; whether in Arizona or Cambridge. 

President Obama readily admitted that he had no knowledge of the facts regarding the dispute between his friend and Cambridge police officers. But that didn't stop the President from saying that the officers "acted stupidly."

We must stop assuming the President and his surrogates misspoke. We must stop assuming that an Obama Administration -- which controls its message so well that they release their own in-house taped interview of Supreme Court nominee Kagan -- simply made a mistake.  We must stop assuming they erred when speaking out on this Arizona immigration law without reading it; it is not error, it is their deliberate modus operandi.

It is we, you and I, which are being made asses of when we assume that these statements were mistakes. President Obama says exactly what he wants to say, with the spin he has crafted. Obama's policy: when an opportunity presents itself for political advantage -- use it, and use it quickly, before any additional information could affect the opportunity. Facts are irrelevant, the spin is everything.

The erroneous statements made by President Obama have one goal; to endear himself and the Democrat Party to Hispanics and African Americans.  He wants to hear the cheer of the crowd despite any increased danger his words might bring to law enforcement officers. 

President Obama through the bully-pulpit has sent a message to African Americans and Hispanics: "The law enforcement officer you meet may very well be a racist." So while the President seeks a political advantage, he makes our nation less safe and more divided.  

The harm President Obama has brought upon law enforcement officers is incalculable, but that doesn't make it less real. An individual's expectation of whether a law enforcement officer will be just has a direct impact on the safety of all involved in the encounter. Never before has a President placed such a doubt in the minds of so many. Never before has a President placed the safety of citizens and police officers at risk for political gain.

Arizona Fights Back

All the constitution-hating liberals cried foul after Arizona passed a new immigration law that mirrors what the federal government should already be doing. So it is with much satisfaction that I see the people of Arizona standing up for themselves and pushing back against those who continue to allow illegals to infiltrate our country.

Arizona Fights Back Against Boycott Threats Due to Immigration Law

Arizona is calling Los Angeles' bluff, saying that if the city is serious about boycotting all things-Arizona because of the state's controversial immigration law, they should look elsewhere for the source of 25 percent of their electricity.

Arizona is threatening to leave Los Angeles in the dark if the city doesn't rescind its order to boycott the state over Arizona's tough new immigration law.

Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce sent a letter to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Tuesday explaining his stance on the issue and urging him to "reconsider the wisdom of attempting to harm Arizona's economy. If they're really serious about this, then be true to your conviction," Pierce told ABCNews.com. "I would be happy to help them to renegotiate the power agreements so they no longer receive power from Arizona. When temperatures rise over 100 degrees we're going to love to have the extra power," he said.

bilbliophile5 wrote the following comment:

Wanting ILLEGALS gone is NOT racism no matter how much the liberal open-border advocates may try to make it about that. No other country on the planet allows ILLEGALS to infiltrate their country. Get caught in Mexico without papers and you will spend 2 years in jail, fined, then deported. If you do it twice, the second time you get sentenced to prison! The fact that the President of Mexico condems Arizona for wanting to enforce our immigration LAWS is the height of hipocrisy and makes my blood boil! ILLEGALS GO HOME! Good for you, Arizona! More states need to stand up to this illegal invasion that is helping to wreck our economy and way of life!

Nuff said.

Large Hail

Ignore the people as they blaspheme God and concentrate instead on the pool and watch as it reacts to the hail coming down. In less than a minute there is so much hail that the water appears to be boiling.



Hail is mentioned three times in the Book of Revelation:

"The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up." (Revelation 8:7)

"And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." (Revelation 11:19)

"And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great." (Revelation 16:21)

In case you're wondering, a talent is 71.2093 lbs. Having the seen this video, can you imagine hail stones that big coming down and the amount to destruction it will cause? The Book of Revelation is real and not some fairy tale or allegory. Check yourself and see which side you're on because anybody who opposes God will be receiving a lot of hurt in those days.

Choice or Chance

It is choice, not chance, that determines your future. There are many who believe in the concept of luck but that can't be if God exists and rules the universe because the Bible would be put in doubt and nothing could ever be trusted again. So instead of luck, you ought to think about the blessings that have been bestowed upon you. They didn't happen by chance. God know how many hairs are on your head and not an animal dies without His say so.

"...Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." (Luke 12:4-7)

So the next time somebody tell you that you are "really lucky," you can tell them it's not luck but a blessing from God.

Poor Old Glory

May 09, 2010
William Sullivan
American Thinker

On Cinco de Mayo, students at Live Oak High School in California were asked to leave campus because they wore an American flag in a display of patriotism.

The fact that the American flag cannot be displayed in an American school is upsetting, yes. But not terribly shocking. We've come to expect such stupidity from our inept public school system. Public schools have become notorious for catering to minority groups, finding themselves in the news for doing such incongruous things as mandating a presentation outlining Islamic faith during school hours, while putting the kibosh on after-school Christian prayer sessions.

What's most upsetting about this case, though, is that the Latino student body was actually offended by the wearing of an American flag. Apparently, a student named Annicia Nunez thinks the students should apologize. She said, "We [Latinos] don't deserve to get disrespected like that. We wouldn't do that on the Fourth of July."

Maybe Annicia wouldn't. But there are plenty of Latinos who have done far worse than wearing a Mexican flag on an American holiday. And what's more, their right to do so has been vigorously defended by many.

Take, for example, the roustabouts at Montebello High School in California. On March 27th, 2006 many Hispanic protesters demonstrated in support of immigration reform. They congregated at the school and had the audacity to fly the American flag beneath the Mexican flag, and upside down.

We, as Americans of all colors and creeds, certainly don't deserve to be disrespected in that way. Yet that didn't stop these cretins from doing it. We let them disrespect us because in this country, Americans have the right to freedom of expression. So even though most Americans were outraged and offended by the incident at Montebello, the protesters were still allowed to express themselves. This is a right that the students of Live Oak were denied

The handling of this incident by the faculty of Live Oak High School is not only pathetic, but it highlights a heinous double-standard. It is acceptable to trash, demean, defile, and burn the American flag under any circumstances, but we cannot dare to simply wear the American flag as a show of patriotism, at least not when there's an outside chance someone may be offended. And apparently, some Latinos are offended by it.

It's becoming more and more apparent that many of the Latino community's vocal representation is a throng of hypocrites. On the one hand, they want us to believe that race should not be a focus, and that Latinos just want to be counted as Americans. But this incident, along with countless others, proves that many American Latinos value their own race more than their identity as Americans.

The most tragic truth exposed by this incident at Live Oak High School is that some American Latinos see Old Glory as a symbol of "disrespect," or a symbol of white bigotry.

It is not a symbol of disrespect, Annicia Nunez.

The American flag is the symbol that binds us together in our endeavor to preserve life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Without this flag, we are just a bunch of white people and brown people, Christians and Muslims, rich people and poor people. The flag is there to remind us that things like your race, religion, or financial status do not matter, because if we are Americans, we can unite under this one banner as brethren.

The emblem of stars and stripes represents the struggle and sacrifice necessary to forge a nation where all men are created equal, and yet it is being torn down and desecrated by those who wish to segregate men by their ethnicity. It is being destroyed by those who wish to identify themselves as something other than Americans.

As an American of Mexican ancestry, I am offended that some American Latinos could find the flag of our country offensive. But all at once, I'm outraged and saddened that it seems our beloved flag no longer has a home in our schools and workplaces.

Least of all in California.

Mother's Day

Planned Destruction

This cartoon was in the Chicago Tribune in 1934. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, one of Obama's heroes, was president. Look carefully at the Marxist plan of action in the lower left corner. Any questions?

A Message for Moms by Gloria Gaither

Created or Evolved

Intelligent Design is the belief that the Earth and its creatures were created by a deity. It's a stark alternative to the origin of life belief taught in public schools under the theory of evolution which puts forth the theory that all living organisms descended from a common ancestral gene pool.

Preacher Arrested for Saying Homosexuality is a Sin

A Christian preacher in the UK was arrested for stating that homosexuality  is a sin.

A Christian was arrested and treated like a 'common criminal' after saying that he thought homosexuality was a sin.

Mr Mcalpine was talking to shoppers and handing out leaflets when he was allegedly warned he was committing an offence by PCSO Sam Adams  -  who introduced himself as his force's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender liaison officer.

Mr Mcalpine, who works in the energy industry, was helping a full-time preacher in the centre of his home town of Workington, Cumbria, when the confrontation took place last month.

Yesterday he told how he was speaking to a woman about behaviour that he believed the Bible regarded as sinful, including blasphemy, adultery, drunkenness and homosexuality, while being watched by two PCSOs.

After she walked away, he claimed one  -  Mr Adams  -  approached to warn him they had received complaints and that if he made any racist or homophobic comments he would be arrested.

'I told him homosexuality is a sin, and he told me "I am a homosexual, I find that offensive, and I'm also the liaison officer for the bisexual-lesbian-gay-transsexual community",' he said yesterday. 'I told him it was still a sin.'

He was taken to a police station, had his pockets emptied and his mobile phone taken along with his belt and shoes, and was kept in the cells for seven hours where he sang hymns to keep his spirits up.

'They treated me like a common criminal,' he said.

He was later charged with using abusive or insulting words or behaviour contrary to the Public Order Act 1986 and released on bail, appearing before magistrates in the town last week.

The self-proclaimed born-again Christian, who is single, insists he has a right to express his views. 'It's not just my right I'm fighting for, it's everyone's',' he said.

'We're going down the route of a police state. Some people in the homosexual community may not like me after this. But it would be very intolerant of them to not allow me to have my say.'

So apparently Christian beliefs which are at the foundation of British laws and ethics are not entitled to protection by the courts but a perverted sexual practice is immune from criticism.

The Most Impressive Person in History

When asked which person left the most permanent impression on history, H.G. Wells (1866-1946) replied that judging a person's greatness by historical standards:

"By this test, Jesus stands first. I am a historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history."