Sugar Creek Publishing

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

#181

April 5, 2014

“Coming soon”

In deference to many who opt out of their favorite activities in the midst of a medical situation, I choose to write the next two months’ columns ahead of time. A badly deteriorating shoulder initiates a rather ugly process that will require wearing a cast on my right arm (naturally, I’m right handed!) for a number of weeks. Therefore, I will stray a bit from current events and write on topics that transcend ongoing topics. I hope these editions will appeal to all ages among my readership.

If a very serious situation develops that requires immediate comment, then I will take the time to type one-handed and get a column out in a timely fashion.

Nothing is ever convenient when it comes to physical maladies, but I am lucky in that the doctor can repair the damage to my shoulder. With patience and diligent therapy, I can be back at the old Mac and in front of my sewing machine enjoying both hobbies to the hilt.

Thanks for all the replies to my columns. I receive them in high numbers, so I have not made it a habit to reply to each individually. That said, I do appreciate the support and enthusiasm.

I often quip that I am “out of warranty,” and that certainly holds true for someone approaching the seventh decade of life. In essence, every year is a gift and one that I am not about to waste.

Have a nice week. You’ll be hearing from me. Hmmmm….. I wonder if some of you hear that as a threat or a promise. Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 180 – “The Thumb”

March 18, 2014

In lieu of giving a plethora of facts about Mother Russia, let me offer a few details about its government before 1917. As far back as the 16th century, tsars ruled Russia.

What about this term? What is its genesis? Like so many terms of the modern world, its derivation is from the Latin — specifically, Caesar. Caesar means emperor.

Glimpses into the five tsars that preceded the Bolshevik Revolution will give you more than a general sense of how the Russians have ruled their people.

Ivan the Terrible ruled from 1533-1584. He fought the Tatars and was the first to be named Tsar of all Russia. His legends paint a picture of a figure that was both authoritarian and fierce. Ivan commissioned St. Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square with its brightly colored Russo-Byzantine onion domes. St. Basil’s was built between 1554 and 1560 to honor Russia’s victory over the Tatars at Kazan. It is said that Ivan the Terrible had the architects blinded so that they could never again design a building so beautiful. Quite the colorful character, Ivan was barred from entering the Annunciation Cathedral after married his fourth wife, so he had builders add a special porch so he could get into the church.

Boris Godunov, not a nobleman, earned his reputation through his own ambition and ability to lead. He ruled as regent after Ivan’s death and later named Tsar after Ivan’s son died. He launched serfdom in Russia. This work arrangement virtually shaped Russia for hundreds of years. His architectural mark on the Kremlin’s Ivan the Great Bell Tower. Research affirms that he ordered its height increased and decreed that no other Moscow building was taller.

Peter the Great looked to the west for inspiration. He is known for his reforms and objectives and sought to emulate the” West”. He wanted to modernize Russia. He built St. Petersburg out of a swamp and created ranks for civil servants. He changed the Russian calendar, established the first Russian Navy and expanded the landmass of Russia. His legacy lives in the beautiful city he built and the Peterhof, one of the most beautiful palaces in the world. Impressive and luxurious, it attracts great numbers of visitors every summer.

Catherine the Great holds her position as one of the most famous Russian rulers. Not Russian, Catherine was a Prussian (for lack of more specifics, German). She married into Russian royalty and overthrew her husband to take control of Russia. She ruled from 1762-1796, expanding her empire’s lands. She wanted Russia to be modern and viewed as a major European power. Known for her dalliances, she went through many men in her private life and this reputation has outlived her. Much the opposite of a “sugar daddy”, Catherine compensated the men in her company. Many of these men gained stature and fame solely because of their association with her.

Catherine’s artistic legacy is the bronze statue of Peter the Great on horseback. Many literary buffs recognize the statue from Pushkin’s poem.

Nicholas II was Russia’s last tsar. He headed the Romanov family but was forced from the throne by the Bolsheviks who spearheaded the infamous revolution of 1917. He never wanted the throne and the Russian people did not like him. His wife Alexandra, a German princess, was granddaughter of England’s Queen Victoria. The people did not trust her and thought she was a German spy. She sought help from the mystic Rasputin to help her son, Alexis, who suffered from hemophilia. His close relationship with the tsar’s family was not received well by the people.

The Bolsheviks took Nicholas, Alexandra, and all their children to Ekaterinburg in Siberia. Authors and filmmakers have taken license with the story of Anastasia, who was thought to have survived the carnage. But that is a whole other story!

The Russian monarchy ended when Tsar Nicholas II was murdered. The new leadership banished all Russian farmers to Siberia, took over businesses, closed all churches, and killed any incentive that might have existed. Millions died under Stalin. The glue of the nation that survived was language and culture. Only those elements survived the government.

The Crimean people vote to remain with Russia instead of embracing Ukraine and joining the European Union begs a bit of reflection. Please remember how these people have lived their lives for their entire lives.

Under the tsars, the Communists, and the Russian Mafia in the wake of the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russian people have never known real freedom. Oh, some yearn for it, pray for it, covet, it, but even they have no real control over their own lives. For three generations, they have been pawns. Their only link to the past is Russian, both in essence and in tradition.

Their world has been one where the individual had little or no value and independent thinking and entrepreneurship were virtually unknown. They are, and have been for many centuries, under the thumb their rulers. All that said, there is a bottom line here. It is hard to value something you have never had. The government of the Ukraine recognizes the value of private enterprise and freedom. Pray that Ukraine can keep it.

Pray that Ukraine joins the E.U. If Putin is determined to recreate the former Soviet Union, the successful takeover of Crimea is a bell-weather for what lies around the corner. Pray for Ukraine. Pray for all Eastern Europe. Its freedom may be the world’s last best hope for peace. The threat to reduce the United States to nuclear ashes is not laughable, as the current presidential press secretary believes. Russia has always been centered on military might, conquest and control. It’s a big thumb and one we don’t need exerted on us. Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 179

March 3, 2014

“A Dream”

I become more and more weary today. Nearly every week, another news flash comes down from “on high” in Washington — yet another chip hacked from the trunk of the liberty tree. We still bask in its shade, but for how long? Our financial lives are at risk, our health records are in the hands of the government, our national security is in peril on our borders, our heritage is assailed daily, and our most deeply held beliefs and basic freedoms expressed through our letters and emails ignored.

Patriotism displayed is patriotism criticized. Time after time, one homeowners’ association or housing development after another bans resident display of the American flag. Today, it’s as if America at the highest levels denies its own people. I fear that respect for Old Glory and all for which it stands is in critical condition and at risk of disappearing altogether. America was founded on freedom, and it will fall when freedom falls. For, without freedom, America will find itself no better than any other nation on the planet. Sobering, isn’t it?

Sadly, at the heart of all this is the consistent, entrenched and protracted assault on the Judeo-Christian roots of this nation and — at is core — faith itself. Why? Faith in God anchors our behavior, our morals. Yes, faith anchors the very fiber of our lives.

Where are we in this? Where are we, the believers that see God attacked on all sides? Where are we, as pledged advocators of morals, when we see blaspheming lifestyles defended on “fairness grounds?” Where are our churches with their “bully” pulpit?

There are some churches that rail at the government, but those are ones with independent status and not nationally affiliated. Those with national organizations say little or nothing. I tire of the excuse offered that churches fear losing their tax-exempt status. And that’s a reason not to defend God and his teachings in the public square? So, it’s better to lose tax status than your country and your future? Oh, please, give me air. Just how far would the government get if they went after every church in America anyway? I judge not too far.

Remember, if you will, this pastor. I credit The Holocaust Encyclopedia.

Martin Niemöller (1892-1984) was a prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps.
Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for this quotation:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me–and there was no one left to speak for me.
This man spoke out in the face of the Third Reich. This man’s courage speaks volumes.
Where are our voices when things around us continue to go downhill? One troubling question begs our attention. Just how much influence does the “politically correct” crowd touting its version of behavior really have on broadcast and print advertising today? These activists do have an agenda, folks.
More and more ads feature children bossing parents. One shows a babysitter raising her price because her employer has a nice car… one parent admonishing a child not to tell the other parent… an adult rewarding children “keeping quiet”. Even more disturbing are the images with clear sexual overtones. This genre goes on ad nauseum. Perhaps you have seen this example. A man makes a late-night insurance inquiry to a 24/7 call center and his wife’s first reaction is that he has called another woman. You recognize the theme of these ads. They pit husband against wife and child against parent as if these situations are normal. I pray they are not.

If you are like me, you hit the mute button, but not everyone does.
Such ads reach impressionable, young children and teenagers. Will it take a nationwide boycott of these advertisers’ products to reach the companies lacking the guts to rein in their own advertising departments? Or are the CEOs as warped as their “PR” people? As for me, I wonder how many parents would even bother to complain.

Where ARE we believers in this fight? Do we only discuss this disgusting moral disintegration within our own households… at our kitchen tables… in discussions during evenings alone… with those of like minds? Where ARE we, really?

Do we invite “un-churched” individuals or families to our worship services? We all try to live our faith in our daily lives, but maybe it’s time we did more. A lot of bad messages are out there. We need to counter them. We need to counter them quickly.

I take heart that Universal Studios offers us the new production “Son of God”. You will remember one member of the husband and wife team behind this film, Roma Downey of “Touched by an Angel.” Last week, she and her husband Mark Burnett brought this magnificent film to large format theaters nationwide. Others of similar, Biblical theme are either poised for release or in production. Thinking back on films such as “Ben Hur”, “The Robe”, and “The Ten Commandments” awakens wonderful memories. Those movies had real impact and attracted huge audiences. But those were the days when America set aside Sunday for Church.

Young people would be hard pressed to see a current action film that blends angst of oppression, rivalry among highly skilled athletes and sheer, terrifying drama than that of Charlton Heston in an incredible chariot race. Set against the backdrop of the underlying message highlighting integrity and courage, “Ben Hur” was a film that brought to life the work of Hoosier General Lew Wallace.

Daily, media bombards us with harsh statements about how we are intolerant. Really? Well, not everything merits tolerance. Tolerance should have ended when God was banished from our schools. Tolerance must end today when any other religion sans Judaism and Christianity is openly praised. Tolerance should end when our nation is faced with a consistent, blatant, “in your face” upending of the institution of marriage — the union likened to the relationship between Christ and His Church, the union between one man and one woman. Remember that one?

Have we forgotten what “The Good Book” says? First, reflect on The Ten Commandments. Then, take a moment and ponder these Bible verses.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). “In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church” (Ephesians 5:28-29). “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh” (Ephesians 5:31). Jesus deemed marriage as the union between a man and a woman.

What will it take to see a sea change in Washington, D.C.? If only those in the halls of Congress would experience a spiritual awakening — a true, heart-rending moment that jumps beyond the next election. If only some of these men and women would step before the microphone to defend Christians and Jews… to defend the U. S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights… to defend liberty… to defend America’s role in the world… to defend that “shining city on a hill”….

It’s that old specter of common sense again. Oh, well, we can dream, can’t we? Yes, we can. But, it will take more than a dream. It will take prayer.

This week I close with two lines from a well-known hymn. With all due respect to our Jewish brothers and sisters, it centers on Jesus.

“On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” Our ground is not solid today. Why not?

Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 178

February 15, 2014

“The new WWW”

Not so long ago, a new acronym came forth to impact lives from cradle to grave — some aspects of which were lulling to the spirit and others deadly.
Oh, sometimes, I am a bit too cynical when I say that people got what they voted for — so much the pity that is all too true.

However, there comes a time when complacency must take a back seat and all of us — to a man or woman — must forge ahead at warp speed.

Too often, a people has taken the patient view, hoping that a dangerous government will pass away and a looming election will settle the problems. Ah, if that were only true.

Despite what we would like to see, the specter of leadership fades with each passing day. Every child born today will grow to adulthood with a terrible load of debt. Opposing sides will assign blame but do little to rectify the ballooning national debt, simply voting to raise the ceiling yet again.

Well, it is high time we as voters and taxpayers step forward and raise the roof. Ground roots should be ground glass when it comes to how elected officials view us.

We cannot remain silent while all around us continues to sink into a familiar abyss — public largesse doled out to a huge number of people who look to government for their financial support. We cannot remain silent when the IRS continues to push into our lives and threaten our most basic privacy. Understand, please, that some among our Congress, want IRS powers increased. We cannot remain silent when we see our children and grandchildren increasingly more at risk.

Even polls affirm that we are on the wrong track. You would never know that if you only listen to sound bites from administration staff and spokespeople. However, it takes guts to admit to our situation. Guts, it seems, are lacking, unless it means the guts to excuse very bad decisions and poor policies only to blame any resulting problems on people who disagree.

It is bad enough that domestic life is disjointed and unsettled, but when one takes into account foreign policy that renders the United States as a non-player and an unreliable ally, then the whole scene can be seen for what it is —- perilous. Looking back at history, such a path portends collapse.

And what are we told? We hear all sorts of phrases bandied around — “phony scandals”, “right wing zealots”…. Literally, the list goes on interminably…. Blame, it seems, continues to be the standard tactic. We face a precipice of unimagined proportions. Can we, in good conscience, remain silent?

If a community organizer has pushed us to the edge of financial disaster, then we, as a community of Americans, has a moral obligation to push back. Modesty and humility are lost on this administration. We hear a lot of things, but with all apologies to the Internet community, there is one WWW we have yet to hear. I fear we will never hear it. What is it?

We were wrong…..

Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 177

February 7, 2014

“The Pen and the Sword”

Ah, yes, the familiar phrase (sic) “The pen is mightier than the sword.” This may be in the foreign diplomatic arena, but it fails miserably in the real world.

Let’s take that inimitable sword. Why not use its sharp blade to:

(1) slash government spending

(2) cut the ropes — not strings — binding an evergrowing part of our populace to the federal government agencies supposedly entrusted to consider and aid their welfare

(3) rip apart trivial rivalries that not only undermine political parties but also slant what should be firm positions into poor caricatures of those allegedly elected to represent us and give voice to the average taxpayer

(4) rend as useless the U.S. tax code, replacing it with a flat tax and no loopholes that enables each taxpayer to do his or her taxes on a post card

(5) free the U.S. Postal Service from government control and turn it over to a private concern that must make a profit or cease to exist

(6) cut off benefits for illegals who come to this country or send their children in the care of drug cartels and criminals for the express purpose of accessing the “Dream Act”

(7) surgically remove all nepotism, donor payback and “back scratching” for anyone holding public office or managing a government agency regardless of level — city, county, state, or federal

Well, the sword exists but it rests in its sheath. Meanwhile, our present chief executive touts his “pen” as the weapon to go around the Congress. The Congress and Judiciary exist to balance the Executive. With his party controlling the Senate, many liberal judges occupying benches around the country and a mainstream press that ignores major issues, it is easy to see how this means of “Executive Action” fits his plan.

Meanwhile, the real sword shrinks. Our military readiness pales with what it was in the past. Yes, undoubtedly there are poor purchases done within the Pentagon. However, we rely on that entity and all working within its signature building for our personal safety —- to a person.

Only time and, hopefully, the fall elections will tell the tale. It is not surprising that a person that has never made a payroll or been responsible for a workforce that actually produces something finds that powerful pen more than tempting. And the ink? It’s not just fueled with green (your money), but it is also heavily tinged with red, white and blue (your freedom). Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 176

January 29, 2015

“Because it is hard…”

Again, I harken back to the words of John F. Kennedy as he took his oath of office in 1961. He challenged the nation to undertake efforts (to paraphrase) “not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

We have lapsed into a malaise that is not only inane, but also perilous. Take the example of the grasshopper and the ant. You know the story…. One worked, the other played. It didn’t work out too well for the non-productive one, did it?

Well, we see that on a grand scale when it comes to an assessment of a growing segment of our populace today. To dilute the initiative and drive of the young in this country is tantamount to murder. Yes, murder. When you kill the soul, you eventually kill the body.

The soul of America has been — from the founding and well before — its people’s drive to design, innovate, and manufacture, surpassing all comers in an ever-expanding plethora of activities. In less than seventy years, man went from the fledgling Wright brothers’ airplane to landing on the moon. Sadly, the last seventy years has another side to it — a dangerous one.

Since the 1930s, one after another, government programs wedged their way into more and more American lives until now nearly half of our population receives some sort of monetary support from the federal level. Remember, the government is not a manufacturer. The government, sad as it is to say, is a master marketer. The only product it offers is money that it prints with nothing to back it up. Alas, we went off the Gold Standard decades ago. Printing money only softens the economy in a pitiful effort to stave off inflation — the offshoot of a sick system.

Government, especially at the federal level, hands out its hand — green with money — and lures people into a state of dependency that strips them of pride and accomplishment. In essence, the government is a first class example of how to destroy a civilization from the inside out.

Couple this with the present administration operating sans any business acumen or respect for our own natural resources and you have a recipe for real disaster. We have more energy resources than the Middle East, yet our president and his cohorts refuse to push the Keystone Pipeline project. The result may well be the export of critical oil bound for the USA to China. My, what a nice idea! That should make us feel safer.

The incessant push to reduce emissions and shut down our coal-fired power plants is futile, too. Why? China builds at least one coal-fired plant per week and has no emission restrictions. With the prevailing winds from west to east, guess where their pollution will drift? You got it? First, it goes to Hawaii and then the mainland. Ah yes, yet another gift coming from the tiger we continue to feed — the tiger eager to devour us.

We have a very hard task at hand, and it’s not landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth. It’s wrenching the reins of power away from those bent on diluting the American spirit to nothing and in response electing men and women pledged to defend and enforce the tenets of the U.S. Constitution — all the while paving an economic pathway for all. Lincoln put it thusly: “That some should be rich, shows that others may become rich, and, hence, is just encouragement to industry and enterprise.”

To return to such a stance, new leadership will require basic bricks. I see these as simple measures, yet powerful ones. First of all, education must teach basic skills, including English as the primary language, truly accurate history, the scientific method. This will infuse a sense of wonder in students that culminates in determined workers, whether trade bound or college bound. In short, we need to prepare our youngsters to work, not file for some sort of federal help.

“PR” should anchor it all — no, not public relations, but personal responsibility. Young people need to know that their future hinges on three elements: education, marriage before children, and savings before spending. If a person graduates from high school, gets married before becoming a parent and saves before spending, he or she has a very good chance of achieving a decent life.

The lure of technology is there, but how many of our children truly understand how the technology works? Show children how science is a miracle before their eyes. Encourage them to bring new ideas to the marketplace. Never diminish the trades. We would be hard pressed to get along without carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and other skilled trades.

Quality should trump quantity. It’s an uphill battle, but if we fail to act, we will be the first elder generation to see its grandchildren sliding toward a bleak future spurred by lower expectations and unnecessary dependence on government.

I can’t get some memorable quotes out of my mind. They are from Ronald Wilson Reagan, and are as timely today as when he made them. Here are samples of his wisdom.

“The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

“Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today’s world do not have.”

“All great change in America begins at the dinner table.”

“I’ve noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born.”

“The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would hire them away.”

“Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States.”

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

Who will fill his shoes? Surely, somewhere among us dwells a voice in the darkness that we endure today. We need to find that voice, and soon. It will be hard to find that voice. That is our hard task for every American’s future. Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 174

January 6, 2015

“Because it is hard…”

Again, I harken back to the words of John F. Kennedy as he took his oath of office in 1961. He challenged the nation to undertake efforts (to paraphrase) “not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

We have lapsed into a malaise that is not only inane, but also perilous. Take the example of the grasshopper and the ant. You know the story…. One worked, the other played. It didn’t work out too well for the non-productive one, did it?

Well, we see that on a grand scale when it comes to an assessment of a growing segment of our populace today. To dilute the initiative and drive of the young in this country is tantamount to murder. Yes, murder. When you kill the soul, you eventually kill the body.

The soul of America has been — from the founding and well before — its people’s drive to design, innovate, and manufacture, surpassing all comers in an ever-expanding plethora of activities. In less than seventy years, man went from the fledgling Wright brothers’ airplane to landing on the moon. Sadly, the last seventy years has another side to it — a dangerous one.

Since the 1930s, one after another, government programs wedged their way into more and more American lives until now nearly half of our population receives some sort of monetary support from the federal level. Remember, the government is not a manufacturer. The government, sad as it is to say, is a master marketer. The only product it offers is money that it prints with nothing to back it up. Alas, we went off the Gold Standard decades ago. Printing money only softens the economy in a pitiful effort to stave off inflation — the offshoot of a sick system.

Government, especially at the federal level, hands out its hand — green with money — and lures people into a state of dependency that strips them of pride and accomplishment. In essence, the government is a first class example of how to destroy a civilization from the inside out.

Couple this with the present administration operating sans any business acumen or respect for our own natural resources and you have a recipe for real disaster. We have more energy resources than the Middle East, yet our president and his cohorts refuse to push the Keystone Pipeline project. The result may well be the export of critical oil bound for the USA to China. My, what a nice idea! That should make us feel safer.

The incessant push to reduce emissions and shut down our coal-fired power plants is futile, too. Why? China builds at least one coal-fired plant per week and has no emission restrictions. With the prevailing winds from west to east, guess where their pollution will drift? You got it? First, it goes to Hawaii and then the mainland. Ah yes, yet another gift coming from the tiger we continue to feed — the tiger eager to devour us.

We have a very hard task at hand, and it’s not landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth. It’s wrenching the reins of power away from those bent on diluting the American spirit to nothing and in response electing men and women pledged to defend and enforce the tenets of the U.S. Constitution — all the while paving an economic pathway for all. Lincoln put it thusly: “That some should be rich, shows that others may become rich, and, hence, is just encouragement to industry and enterprise.”

To return to such a stance, new leadership will require basic bricks. I see these as simple measures, yet powerful ones. First of all, education must teach basic skills, including English as the primary language, truly accurate history, the scientific method. This will infuse a sense of wonder in students that culminates in determined workers, whether trade bound or college bound. In short, we need to prepare our youngsters to work, not file for some sort of federal help.

“PR” should anchor it all — no, not public relations, but personal responsibility. Young people need to know that their future hinges on three elements: education, marriage before children, and savings before spending. If a person graduates from high school, gets married before becoming a parent and saves before spending, he or she has a very good chance of achieving a decent life.

The lure of technology is there, but how many of our children truly understand how the technology works? Show children how science is a miracle before their eyes. Encourage them to bring new ideas to the marketplace. Never diminish the trades. We would be hard pressed to get along without carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and other skilled trades.

Quality should trump quantity. It’s an uphill battle, but if we fail to act, we will be the first elder generation to see its grandchildren sliding toward a bleak future spurred by lower expectations and unnecessary dependence on government.

I can’t get some memorable quotes out of my mind. They are from Ronald Wilson Reagan, and are as timely today as when he made them. Here are samples of his wisdom.

“The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

“Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today’s world do not have.”

“All great change in America begins at the dinner table.”

“I’ve noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born.”

“The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would hire them away.”

“Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States.”

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

Who will fill his shoes? Surely, somewhere among us dwells a voice in the darkness that we endure today. We need to find that voice, and soon. It will be hard to find that voice. That is our hard task for every American’s future. Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 175

January 17, 2014

“What price success?”

We all value success, be it among personal matters or in the workplace, but there is a price involved in both.

Looking back a little more than 150 years, we see an America on the brink of both discovery and innovation. Natural resources fueled an explosion of manufacturing and expansion in the business community.

I doubt if that could even occur today. The very idea of blasting through mountains to carve out roads and tunnels would, no doubt, endanger some little creature and environmentalists would stop the process in its tracks. God forbid a new oil field discovered anywhere in the lower 48 — and if you doubt that, ask Alaskans what they think!

Vault through the decades from the 1880s to the 1980s and what do you find? Millions of dollars change hands without a single tangible product in sight. The millionaires and billionaires of the technology age came away with lots of dollars, but they merely found new ways of informing and entertaining their customers.

Where the country once boasted rolling steel mills and huge factories producing what economists deem “durable goods,” now all we see in our huge ports are cranes unloading items made abroad.

Anyone who deals in hardware can tell you about the poor quality nuts and bolts China churns out. In less than heartbeat of history, we have moved from “Made in America” to made everywhere else you can imagine. Never mind they pirate and steal anything they can get their hands on and hack into our computer systems with glee.

Call centers dot the globe and, bless their hearts, many of the technicians on the other end of the phone have a hard time speaking English, let alone understanding it.

Quality and quantity once went hand in hand in this country. We set the standard for the world. Now, we have given over the reins to others and go our merry way with technology at the helm. A fat lot of help technology will be if we really need to make things.

For example, today no factories on American soil produce items critical to the electrical grid. Should we suffer damage from a solar flare or an Electro-Magnetic Pulse attack, we will find ourselves plummeted back to the 19th century in seconds.

Since so few of us can conjure up how to do anything manually, this kind of catastrophe will trigger riots and chaos from coast to coast. People laugh at the “dooms dayers” who store up food and prepare to exist solely on their own talents, but maybe they are the ones to laugh.

Just how capable are you of living without electricity, running water, heat or cooling. And what of food? Ever raised it? Ever had even a small garden? As the old saying goes, “Don’t laugh at the farmer with a mouth full.”

Despite being linked by computers, email, cell phones and all sorts of broadcast media, we are completely unhinged when it comes to knowing the basics of getting along on our own.

It is about time we took a really hard look at just what we don’t manufacture in America. We need to be able to step up to the plate and make critical items here at home. Oh, sure, things made in China or other far-flung places may be cheaper, but quality is poor. So they are cheap, but at what cost? Sadly, that cost may be our very lives.

I have claimed for years that we are feeding the tiger that will devour us, and it is becoming more and more of a reality. When you throw in currency manipulation and the ridiculous trade imbalance. It may be free trade, but it is far from fair.

So now we are at a critical crossroads and we need to rediscover American innovation — once the envy of the entire world. After all, when was the last time you heard of someone “making it big” by actually inventing something? A while, huh?

We need to give our kids more than computers in classrooms. All that high-end stuff is fine, but in case of widespread power outages, it is useless. Without electricity, students can still read a textbook. Light still streams into windows of schools —that is, if the buildings actually have windows. Minds continue to function without the use of laptops and tablets.

We rely much too heavily on machines and forget to value the pure mesh of the human mind and the human hand.

Revitalize “Made in America.” The only way to make a change is at the cash register. I hope people begin to demand goods made here — especially durable goods. A groundswell can work a miracle. In truth, a miracle is precisely what the nation needs. Are you willing to move toward a self-sufficient America? Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

“More than a film…”

# 194

January 10, 2014

For two weeks I have sought to give you another column, yet thoughts failed to merge in a cogent way.

In lieu of my own words, I defer to my county seat’s newspaper and offer the article in today’s edition. So often, we forget that the bulk of our servicemen and women come from small towns. Such is the case of Sergeant First Class Marcus Muralles of Shelbyville, Indiana.

The following story, written by Editor Paul Gable of The Shelbyville News, Shelbyville, Indiana, is not only timely, but also sobering. We are all — each of us — shall remain indebted to Mr. Gable for this excellent piece.

Movie, citizen keep Shelbyville soldier’s spirit alive

Published: Friday, January 10, 2014 8:05 AM US/Eastern Time
Paul Gable, Editor

Odds are very good at some point this weekend, Morristown resident Scott Spahr will get away for a bit, head to a movie theater and watch the new blockbuster “Lone Survivor.”

And, as he does so, he will feel a personal connection with a fallen Shelbyville soldier that, while he never met, he feels like is a part of his family.

The movie, which features Mark Walhberg playing the role of Marcus Luttrell, is based on the June 28, 2005, mission “Operation Red Wings,” in which four members of SEAL Team 10 were tasked with the mission to capture or kill Taliban leader Ahmad Shahd.

The mission failed when three Navy SEALs were ambushed and killed and a reaction force helicopter was shot down killing all on board. Luttrell was the only surviving member of the initial surveillance and reconnaissance team.

One the soldiers on the helicopter was Sergeant First Class Marcus Muralles, of Shelbyville.

Muralles enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1994 and became an elite Ranger. He served a tour of duty before going inactive ready reserve. According to the Army, he returned to active duty in 1998. He also returned to the 75th Ranger Regiment in the medical field, where he remained until 2003, when he became an aerial flight medic assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the Night Stalkers.

Murralles was 33 when the Army MH-47D Chinook helicopter he was aboard with 15 other soldiers and sailors was shot down in Afghanistan. It was reported the loss of the 16 was the deadliest single blow to American forces that ousted the Taliban in 2001.

The Army posthumously awarded Muralles a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, an Air Medal and a Combat Action Badge.

Spahr said he heard about Muralles when he was killed and decided the community had to do something to help honor him.

He immediately became close to Muralles’ mother and stepfather and came up with the idea of planting a tree in his honor.

“It was very important for me to do this. I made a promise to a Vietnam vet some 20 years ago to pay it forward when I was done with my military days, and I have tried to live up to that promise,” Spahr said.

The tree is located in Martin Estates, along with another endeavor Spahr took upon himself to see through.

Spahr approached former Shelbyville Mayor Scott Ferguson about renaming a street in honor of Muralles.

“We were able to get that done. It was my goal to ensure that we didn’t forget, and I wanted the residents who live on that street to think about him every time they write their address down. It’s not a street name, but a hero’s name,” Spahr said.

As a result, SFC Muralles Drive is located in the Martin Estates apartment complex, 2301 Raleigh Blvd.

“I encourage you to go and see the movie to see what these men did to save the life of one,” Spahr said.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE

By Hetty Gray

# 162

“The Plot Thickens…”

September 24, 2013

Once upon a time, movies inspired us to be better people.  Movies extolled the — yes, I say it — “exceptionalism” of America.  Film exported the ideals that represent the inherent goodness of this country.  Oh, for the days when the movie moguls had come as immigrants, learned English, founded businesses, worked long hours, and made it an aim to tell America’s story in ways that anyone could understand.

Granted, many of the films rooted in American literature, but still others came from short stories.  Most poignant were those centered on the personal life stories of truly great Americans, whether in government “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939) or sports “Pride of the Yankees” (1942).

Journalism surfaced in “Citizen Kane” (1941) a movie based on the life of William Randolph Hearst.  In 1962, Hollywood brought us “How The West Was Won” that vividly portrayed the epic struggles of men and women who pressed westward — true survivors.

You can find these films today and watch them with the younger set — that is, if you can pry them away from their handheld devices.  Ah, yes, some are in black and white, but like the works of Ansel Adams, it doesn’t take color to make a strong statement.

Just watching the trailers for upcoming movies makes you long for the days when strong male heroes influenced generations of young men to strive to be strong fathers, good workers, and patriotic citizens.  Church and faith often anchored a plot, and scenes within churches in those early movies were as common as street scenes in films today.

Gratuitous violence rules, much to the chagrin of the older set and the detriment of our children.  I watched a Ph.D. in psychology the other night — a black doctor by the way — who said that all that violence, be it in video games or movies, does rub off on kids.  Some act out harmlessly, but others absorb the action to a degree that erupts in crime.  As those tickets fly through the dispensers at theaters across the nation, one remembers the old saying, “You get what you pay for.”

There is little we older folks can do about this, but we do see the dangers in such empty entertainment.  As each movie fails to be “violent enough”, the sequels or new releases try to out do the earlier versions.

Desensitization is the process.  Crime and moral decay are the results.  Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 173

December 24, 2013

“Wrapping…”

Scenes replicate nationwide and all around the world. Families large and small, old and young, poor and well off delight the trimmings of Christmas.
Paper, ribbons, bells and glitter adorn gifts. Some decorate their own homes with lights. Others enjoy the lights of others in their towns and cities. It is, truly, a joyous time.

Gifts are fine, but it’s the thought that counts, though. We need to remember that we are more fortunate than many. To those who struggle year round, Christmas may be a sad time. We pray for them and donate, as we are able, to ease their circumstances. Christmas is sharing after all.

Aside from the customary gift-wrapping, we need to know that it is not healthy for us to be too wrapped up in our daily lives. That is easier said than done, however. Just taking time to rest our minds and bodies is rare enough. The chore of setting the world aside to reflect is much harder.

Would that we could wrap ourselves in the love of the Lord. His is the Love that never ends… that always forgives… that inspires and consoles….

His ultimate gift of love came into the world many years ago this night and we must never forget that the gift of Christ Jesus is the most important one of all.

To each of you, a Merry Christmas! May the Lord bless you all!