“Pappy” Boyington’s definition of flying as “Hours of dull monotony, sprinkled with moments of stark terror” remains unsurpassed. Virtually no pilot puts in any time without collecting white knuckle “hangar stories” and I’m no exception. The path of our “leadership” and those vying for office reminds me of one incident in particular.

Taking off from Kernville airport one beautiful afternoon in a small Alon I owned, a real kiddy car to fly and a lot of fun, I pointed the nose of the bird toward Walker Pass. I was flying VFR with ceiling and visibility unlimited in the extraordinarily clean, clear desert air. Hanging a right at the junction, I would follow the 14 into Fox Field at Lancaster, a short but generally delightful and uneventful flight.

Making my turn south, I settled back to enjoy the scenery encompassing nearly the whole of the Mojave Desert and the feeling of three-dimensional freedom of movement that accompanies piloting an aircraft, big or small. Flying at 3,500 feet, which put me about 1,200 AGL in this location, some thirty miles from Fox I noted a small dark smudge at my altitude off in the distance. It was a cloudless day, and in any event a “dirty” cloud didn’t make any sense. But as I continued on, it became obvious that the small, dirty cloud was coming my way and fast!

It happened almost too quickly to register, but that dark smudge in the air was coming from the eight engines of a B-52 headed directly at me on a collision course! I barely had time to pull back sharply on the yoke, and watched in fascinated amazement and wonder as that huge bomber like some aerial Moby Dick glided beneath me! It was both spectacular and eerie at the same time to watch the behemoth pass under me so nearby. I could have landed my tiny bird on the wings of the thing!

No doubt the huge bomber’s crew was practicing low-level flight, but our closure rate had to be somewhere around 400 knots. I don’t believe the crew of that enormous bird ever saw me since the pilot never deviated from his course.

“Keep your head on a swivel” and “See and be seen” are both part of the “Bible” of flying. Had we collided, as though swatting a fly the results because of the closure speed might well have been disastrous for the huge bird and crew; not to mention yours truly.

As in driving, I had the “right of way,” I was at the proper altitude and the bomber pilot was not. This is of small comfort, whether driving or flying, when you are “dead right.” The homily is admittedly obvious, but our government seems intent on a collision course with the realities of world events, one of the most dangerous being the threat of Islam. But those in charge are too intent on the “mission” to keep their heads on a swivel. A collision with my little Alon could have brought down that B-52, but the threat of Islam is equally deadly to America and Western Civilization. It may only take a small bomb with horrific capability, an act of nuclear terrorism in America to set off a chain of events too horrible to contemplate!

It is excruciatingly obvious the refusal on the part of government to secure our borders is inviting a cataclysmic disaster for America. In this case a collision is unavoidable due to our “leadership” staying on a course inviting this disaster for America. Another destructive course for America is the fact when perverts are elected to office, sit as judges, are hired into the ranks of Child Protective Services and the schools, in any manner allowed access to children this cannot but invite predators to prey on children thereby proving we have a leadership set on the destruction of families and children.

Concerning all those striving to become rich and powerful leading to the wars of men resulting in the deaths of so many millions and arriving nowhere in the end Emerson wrote “The appearance strikes the eye everywhere of an aimless society, of aimless nations. Were the ends of nature so great and cogent, as to exact this immense sacrifice of men?” No one can think of the battles in which so many have died, battles like Normandy, the madness of a Hitler or Tojo without asking themselves the disquieting questions of why so many are sacrificed to the ends of so few in power? Where in nature do we find ends “so great and cogent” as to make sense of this continuing slaughter by the nations of the world?

While the story of Babylon in the last book of the Bible, that “great city” upon which the merchants of the world depend, is uncannily descriptive of America it remains whether we will ever have the kind of leadership that is not dedicated to the destruction of America, but rather will put the interests of our nation before anything else, before power and riches. Unless and until this happens America cannot offer hope to other nations but is on a collision course with the rest of the world.

It is too typical of Caesar Bush and Company’s wars. Nearly a half-million taxpayer funded weapons were handed to our Muslim enemies as a “gift.” But, of course, they were intended for “friendly” Muslims in Iraq who in turn probably handed them over to those killing our troops. The fact these weapons cannot be accounted for is “troubling” to politicians. But this is business as usual for our government, and we are supposed to believe politicians are interested in securing our borders and preventing nuclear terrorism in America?

Jack Cafferty reading from an email he received: “In Canada the mentally incompetent are not allowed to vote. In America they get elected.”

This criticism of America seems too well founded; and I have long noted the whole world must believe America is led of lunatics with nothing better in the offing. Dr. Frankenstein, for example, might as well have constructed our Federal Triune Dictatorship seeing the monster of many parts it has become.

Despite the dismal offerings of “choices” among the lunatics I just hope every eligible voter goes to the polls not only in honor of all the blood shed so that we have this most cherished of American duties as citizens, but as a show of strength in numbers.

It was a real treat this morning awakening to AMC playing The Wolf Man, Dracula, The Mummy, and Frankenstein one after the other. While I have enjoyed some of the remakes of these old classics nothing can ever take their place. Nor can anything take the place of seeing them for the first time as a child before Hollywood began to devote itself to blood and gore in “living color.” Just as plastic cheated children of those old balsa and tissue model airplanes, modeling clay, water paints, Tinker-toys and Lincoln Logs and before electronics became “toys” just so did Hollywood begin to cheat children of their imagination.

But despite Hollywood, despite all the enormous efforts on the part of philosophers, theologians, and scientists dedicated to understanding them, life and death remain the two great mysteries they have ever been from the beginning of human history. A “something” animates the clay and we call that “life,” then it departs and we call that “death.” No system of belief whether metaphysical or scientific has moved us one iota closer to understanding these two great mysteries, though there be no lack of pretenders to such knowledge throughout history and continuing without let.

The words eternal and eternity, infinite and infinity, immortality and hereafter are part of our vocabulary. And while these remain labels in lieu of understanding we have a sense or intuition they are real, that they exist in fact though we do not understand them.

Regrettably coming to the conclusion late in life, I will not credit words in books or the words of “prophets” concerning life and death, the issues of philosophy or religion all the while confusing beliefs for certain knowledge of facts. What I “know in my bones” without evidence I do not ask others to accept as facts. I require the same courtesy in return. The whole world might have some hope of surviving were this the case with nations.

David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union: “The principal sin of the neoconservatives is overbearing arrogance. It is not so much that they have been wrong. It is that nobody has ever convinced them that they have ever been wrong.” And this is the problem with those who expect others to accept them as authorities on subjects of life and death, to accept their beliefs all the while offering no evidence but rather endless anecdotes of such beliefs. This is nothing more than the sin of arrogance.

Are the pyramids and the Sphinx, all the hammered stone and such throughout the ages monuments to ignorance and superstitions or do they have real relevance to understanding? We still do not know. As to ignorance and superstitions no truly civilized person can countenance the barbaric and brutish religion of Islam though a billion people pay homage to it. The world is certainly not bettered by these billion people continuing to attempt to appease a bloodthirsty deity through horrific acts of barbarism. But civilized people are demanded to “understand” this barbaric bloodthirsty religion, even bow to it.

The barbarism of our Federal Triune Dictatorship is in little better case, refusing to secure our borders and our ballots, continuing to foment slave labor to benefit the few wealthy at the expense of We the People. The barbarism of Mexico transported to America will certainly not encourage any advancement of civilization here in our own nation. But our own leadership is dedicated to this growing barbarism in America for the sake of slave labor. Yet the barbarians in office and those attempting to gain elected office ask for our votes while offering nothing but a perpetuation of such barbarians continuing to use elected office as a license to steal.

While most polls show all the bums should be tossed out, Walt Kelly has the fox Seminole Sam asking the question “Why doesn't anybody think of that before they throw the rascals in?” To answer the question it is an evil system that promotes scoundrels to positions of power and authority, that promotes a system of government where the truth damns and consequently none dare speak the truth if they wish to win an election. The song and dance act purporting to be “news” on TV blathers about all the negative ads by politicians. I agree with Henry Thoreau that gossip if taken in homeopathic doses can be therapeutic, but the fact remains when the choices are nothing but bums and the resulting gossip begins to overwhelm it may take another War for Independence to change things for the better. And the way things are going I wouldn’t bet against it.

“Now I lay me down to sleep.” Many of us were taught the prayer as children and in turn taught it to our children. One couple bought a Sampler with the prayer embroidered, and wanting to surprise their little boy hung it on the wall above his bed. That night as he knelt to say the prayer he caught sight of it hanging on the wall. “Well God,” the little boy said, “there it is” and he hopped into bed.

It is a story I used to use as a sermon illustration of how prayer too often degenerates into formulaic liturgical nonsense, whether the reading of prayers, the counting of beads or things like prayer wheels and burning prayer papers. And while we read in the Bible we are to “pray without ceasing” and the stories about “men of prayer” that would spend hours in this holy exercise are legion there remains the fact the wicked continue to prosper and tyrants and despots continue to wage their wars and the monsters preying on women and children are not thwarted from their depredations nor their victims saved by any amount of prayers or their screaming out to God to deliver them.

I have written much and preached many a sermon on the topic of prayer. Among the points I have covered is if there is evidence of God it is that prayer is as normal as breathing to human beings, especially the crying out to God in extremis. But as a man of science as well as theology and philosophy I struggle with many unanswered questions, not the least of which is answers to the human condition. Part of the struggle is separating what I know from what I believe. And while I continue to believe I commune with God all through the day and as the Psalmist with my head on my pillow each night, while I often draw comfort from this it remains I don’t know but what I am speaking to myself rather than God. And, gentle reader, neither do you.

Prayer is certainly foremost among the consolations of religion; but what of the Imprecatory prayers in the Psalms? There is a virtual litany of asking God to wreak destruction even against children. Then there is the Jewish and Muslim prayer “Thank you God that I was not born a woman!” The prayers of Muslims are replete with asking Allah to “destroy the infidels.” And a billion Muslims believe Allah is a deity dedicated to the destruction of all infidels, that this deity is pleased by bowing to it five times a day.

Death is something each one of us will experience, and it will be the most intensely personal experience any of us will ever have since we all die alone. For many prayer will ease the transition, if it is a transition, both for the dying and those they leave behind. But even in life we live our lives alone since none can see through another’s eyes. And who among us would wish to have the secrets of our minds revealed to others? Those things actually done in secret apart from “unholy” thoughts are often bad enough to invite the demons that tear at the fabric of sleep. “The prayers of a righteous man availeth much.” But do you know a “righteous” man; do you consider yourself to be a “righteous” person capable of moving God to act by your prayers?

Yet many believe, though they will not say so, God is incapable of acting without their prayers. Why? It is as Emerson pointed out believers seemed content to hand the world over to the Devil by default expecting their reward in heaven without confronting and overcoming the evil pervading the world. Any theology or prayers dedicated to this proposition would appear at the least faulty thinking if not in fact blaming God for not doing what is the responsibility of people to do.

From personal experience I am acutely familiar with the “Spirit making intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered.” The very psychosis of grief often drives people into this experience leaving them incapable of even uttering a word to God in prayer.

But when all is said and done people will believe what they want to believe. It is the failure, even the refusal on the part of some to separate what they believe from what they know insisting others bow to their beliefs with which I find fault. For my part, when it comes to matters of belief I confess I simply do not know but believe. I wish others would be equally honest in matters of their own beliefs.

While I welcome the sentiment of good people who say “I will pray for you,” there is this to consider. Is their own standing with God such as to warrant their asking his attention to me, attention I am unworthy of asking for myself? I know the Bible thoroughly cover to cover. I know all the Scriptures having to do with prayer. But the Bible is after all a book of the thoughts of men, and while much of it reflects my own thoughts about God and prayer it remains people, including me, will believe what they want to believe.

What people say and write about things like prayer and angels is anecdotal and like claims of UFO’s without hard evidence of such claims notwithstanding the many claims of “miracles” and “answers to prayer.” My own belief is there was war in the heavens brought to earth, that humankind suffers this continuing warfare, that there are children of God and children of the Devil. But I don’t believe God needs anyone to tell him his business, and whatever this battle is between good and evil with good people suffering the consequences of this ongoing struggle it remains good people will either confront this evil without blaming God or evil and the spawn of Satan will continue in the ascendancy as they have ever done throughout human history.

Prayer changes things. Where and how? It doesn’t save women and children from the monsters in human guise preying on them, it doesn’t prevent tyrants and despots from rising to power, and it doesn’t give us good people of virtue as leaders in America or anywhere else in the world. The wicked continue to prosper as they have ever done and “Honesty is the best policy” seems a hollow mockery of reality.

Much as our own Federal Triune Dictatorship the UN certainly reflects the worst traits of humankind rather than the best. No matter where you look in the UN you will find perversion and corruption. And our own leaders seem to be far more dedicated to perversion and corruption than any ideals of what America used to stand for.

Perhaps there is a “divine plan” for humankind, but if so it seems to me inspired of the Devil rather than some benevolent deity. Throughout the years I served in churches, studied the Bible and preached and taught from it there were the nagging doubts, the faithful will call it a lack of faith, that many things considered orthodox just didn’t make any sense.

The best Jesus offered was to say good people should stay on the straight and narrow path leading to life, that only a few would find that path and be saved, making salvation seem a pretty “iffy” proposition. One of the few things of which I have any real certainty is the slaughter of others in the name of any deity is morally repugnant and has no place in any culture thinking itself “civilized.” And if belief in some deity is the basis of morality this should be measured by the results, not the proclamations of “prophets.”

I am deeply grateful for the blessings of a civilized Christianity and all it has meant to Western Civilization in general and America specifically. What I am opposed to is those of any religion trying to convince others they know anything about God as fact rather than admitting to what is only belief.

But as we enter this election cycle and look at what is being offered We the People as “choices” it cannot help but remind me of a poster I used to keep on one of my classroom walls: “In the event of nuclear attack the prohibition against prayer will be suspended.” And who of us can be blamed for crying out “God help us!” because no one else can. However, prayer and calling out to God has not prevented the murders of millions of innocents, the depredations ongoing against women and children, and this causes me to believe God is too often an easy convenience to excuse otherwise good people from confronting evil with the required determination to overcome evil.

Who doubts women and children cry out to God for help as they are raped, tortured, and murdered by monsters in human guise. But God seems oblivious to their cries for help, oblivious to their pain and suffering. No, there may be a divine plan in all of this but if so it must consist of good people doing their part in overcoming the monsters, in overcoming evil rather than blaming God for the evils of the world then hoping for a better world promising pie in the sky by and by.

When asked who the first two Apostles were Tom Sawyer replied, “Adam and Eve?” We may laugh at Tom’s desperate answer, but it reminds me of many a similar “answer” to Bible questions. My great-grandmother was fond of showing off my Bible knowledge as a child to others. She would ask, “What was Noah’s Ark made of?” And I would dutifully reply, “Gopher wood.”

Now my grandparents, my great-grandmother and I had no idea that the Hebrew word translated Gopher wood was an uncertain translation. In the NIV it is given as Cypress. But we knew our King James Bible was God’s Word and would defend Gopher wood to the death. I don’t think anyone in Little Oklahoma knew there were any other versions or translations of the Bible, certainly no one knew Shakespeare used the Geneva Bible, but The Old Time Religion was good for Paul and Silas and it was good enough for all of us.

But while ignorance and superstitions were abundant, we did have one advantage over many educated people: We believed what God said. We didn’t understand a lot of it but we believed it. If God said He destroyed the world by a flood, we didn’t doubt it. If He said the sun stood still for Joshua that was that. Jesus was virgin born and cast out demons and no one better say otherwise.

As I often reach back in my memory to that simple time of my childhood among simple and honest folks, the women in flour sack dresses and us boys in our bib overalls and barefoot, I long for the plainness and openness of our dirt-poor community in old, Southeast Bakersfield; a time before drugs and a collapse of morality destroyed so much of what America used to be.

However, by the end of WWII there was a quick change of culture in our nation. The boys came back from overseas where so many had gained a “cosmopolitan” outlook, and that together with the nation having become the preeminent world power, an industrial giant, the Atomic Bomb, women working at men’s jobs, the abandoning of the simple, agricultural way of life, so many, many changes. Gone forever, the way of life we knew as children.

I have lived long enough to look back far enough. I grieve for the loss of so much for our children. It seems a tragedy that young people know more about the local Mall than an animal trail along some shimmering, singing, mountain stream or a clear, night sky, bejeweled by countless stars, that their ears are accustomed to the noise of what is called “music” as opposed to the hoot of an owl.

Fay Canyon is a particularly beautiful area. As I walked along one of the streams my eye caught a glimpse of obsidian; it was an arrowhead. This area has a lot of game and I’m sure an Indian had shot at something, possibly a rabbit or squirrel or even a deer, and this was the remains of his attempt at dinner. As a boy living on the mining claim I found quite a few Indian artifacts including several arrowheads. One was a real work of art crafted from rose quartz rather than the usual obsidian.

A couple of hours later when I was returning to my car I came across a place where it was obvious some folks had been cutting trees for firewood. I spied some shell casings, .45 auto. Being a handloader from many years back, I have a habit of picking up brass. Someone must have emptied a clip from the number of casings I found. As I was gathering the brass, I found a 1985 penny. I’m gray and my eyes are growing dimmer but I still see obsidian, shell casings, and money on the ground.

I sat on a granite boulder beneath a big, old Digger pine beside the stream, and with a cup of coffee and a cigarette doing duty examined my artifacts. It must be my Cherokee blood that responds so to such an environment. I could well imagine the Indian and what he had to contend with in living off the land. My thoughts ran to what it must have been like here before the intrusion of the White-Eyes. Then I looked at the .45 casings and the penny. The Indian could never have imagined the culture that would produce such marvels. What a difference between that arrowhead and the .45, and his wampum and the penny with the technology that produced such things.

And I thought about my eventually coming to question the teachings of the great scholars of the Bible. But I also thought about what that Indian understood in his own culture and environment. His knowledge was certainly extremely limited compared with what European nations possessed. But he functioned well enough in the world he knew. And, as in the allegory of the cave, thought he knew a great deal.

But the Indian’s knowledge and expertise were to prove no match for the superior learning and technology of more advanced cultures. I used to be quite an archer and enjoyed the roving ranges, and being quite adept I would enter various archery contests and won quite a few. However, a bow and arrow is no match for a .45 auto. But imagine if you will, the tremendous difference between the time and the world that existed for both the Indian that shot his arrow and the person that stood in the same place firing that .45. Who do you suppose God holds more accountable for knowing what is best on the basis of power and knowledge.

While I long for the simpler way I once knew as a child, while I know that much of what I was blessed with as a child was denied my own children, I, like the Indian, will learn and adapt or perish. The Indian may well have had a profound belief in The Great Spirit, but it did not save him or his way of life when opposed by a greater power with greater knowledge. That he was ignorant of things like systematic theology, having his own equivalent in his own system of superstitions and beliefs, was to prove no match for the great learning and ways of his conquerors.

Thinking on these things I was impressed once more by the seeming accident of birth that made me the beneficiary of being a citizen of the United States, and that I was born in a time of such vast advances in the sciences. And so it is that so many things twist and turn through our lives that bring us to moments of decision that can so thoroughly change things for good or evil. So it is that I began to question so many of the things that I had simply accepted as Articles of Faith that had no sound basis in fact or reason.

I can envy the Indian for his freedom from technology, for his escaping having to pay a mortgage and fight traffic. But as with Henry Thoreau I cannot envy his ignorance and superstitions. I loved my grandparents dearly, but I cannot envy their own ignorance and superstitions. I do believe, however, that, as with the Indian, had they known better they would have done better. They did the best they could on the basis of what they had, and they were honest in those things; and this is the primary lesson each generation is responsible for passing on.

If honesty were the hallmark of politics how different things might be. As it is, the arrow was overcome by the .45, and that overcome by nuclear weapons. While I thoroughly enjoyed archery, when hunting for the family pot I would take a gun. Just what are all the nations hunting for with nuclear weapons? Whatever it is, it is something that despite all the scientific achievements of humankind makes us still a little afraid of the dark.

There were several reasons for my writing a critique of To Kill A Mockingbird on behalf of children five years ago, and why I was invited to do a book signing of it April 6, 2001 at Russo’s to coincide with TKM being the featured book for the whole city to read. The folks at Russo’s and I have enjoyed a personal relationship of years standing, and they have always welcomed my books.

Among the reasons for my writing the critique was the increasing madness pervading the leadership of America, a madness that is leading America to becoming a pariah among the nations of the world due in large part to a system of government that seems to hate families and children.

Copies of the critique went to Mayor Hall, the Californian, the Beale Library, and nearly two hundred copies were sent to various organizations secular and religious, columnists, and politicians. Over this past five years requests for the critique continue to come, though requests are now delayed until a new edition becomes available. While only 24,000 words in length the critique covers a good many questions arising from the novel; and some of my comments have resonated with many people.

From the critique I point out my favorite non-fiction book is Thoreau's Walden. My favorite novel is To Kill a Mockingbird. It, together with Walden (and Emerson’s essays), occupies a space on the table next to my bed. And perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to give both books to college graduates along with their diplomas.

    One reason for my keeping Harper Lee's wonderful and masterful novel so close at hand is the fact that I was a contemporary of the era Miss Lee describes; and I was born into, and raised in, the identical culture with the identical kinds of people straight out of the Dust Bowl and Grapes of Wrath with the identical ignorance and prejudices all around me (and diet and idiomatic dialect), described in the novel, which is not to discount the very best of civilized manners and behavior portrayed by Harper Lee characteristic of the South.

    And thanks to my maternal great-grandmother and grandparents, I am most familiar with the best of the values, sense of justice and fairness, good manners, and civilized behavior so characteristic of the best of Southern people like Atticus Finch. And I am ever grateful loving people so representative of him raised me. But I am also well acquainted with what cruel poverty and ignorance can do to any people of whatever culture or race.

Riots and rhetoric, films like To Kill a Mockingbird, A Woman Called Moses, Mississippi Burning, Ghosts of Mississippi, A Time to Kill, The Tuskegee Airmen, Miss Evers' Boys, and Amistad, have not changed things for the better; and the world lacking wisdom, with evil seeming to be ever in the ascendancy how can they? Nor can Hollywood have it both ways; pretending to fight discrimination on the one hand and hypocritically supporting violence and perversion on the other.

In respect to the kind of madness and bullying that seems all-pervading and prevents good people from seizing the initiative in acquiring wisdom, Harper Lee has Calpurnia telling the children, “You're not going to change any of them by talkin' right; they've got to want to learn themselves. And when they don't want to learn there's nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language.”

    And sure enough most do not want to learn but do all they can to silence people like me who as with Harper Lee don’t “talk their language;” they not only have no interest in talkin' right, they want to bully others into talking their language no matter how ignorant or self-serving, to be polite to their idols, myths and superstitions no matter how harmful to wisdom. The worst of these insist on everyone either talkin' their language or they will mount a jihad in order to destroy anyone who does not! In spite of how very, even selfishly, ignorant their own language may be, they not only do not know better, like the ignorant Ewells of the novel, they have no interest in doing any better.

The Pulitzer was given Harper Lee for all the “right” reasons. At least all the right reasons adults were capable of knowing. But the Pulitzer is not awarded for some of the major things Harper Lee points out; things like the fact Jews can be just as ignorantly prejudiced against Negroes as any southern Caucasian, that some Negroes are no more interested in doing any better than the ignorant white trash Ewell’s.

Thinking back to that era where I was a contemporary of the kinds of people and place Harper Lee wrote about it wasn’t surprising I would relate to the novel when it first appeared; that I would immediately go see the film when it was released; that I would require reading the novel by my pupils in literature classes, generating many an essay about it.

The one interview Harper Lee gave was to Roy Newquist and originally appeared in his book of interviews, Counterpoint, published in 1964 by Rand McNally.

To the question by Newquist about those seeking reward from their writing Harper Lee replied, “Well, I've got news for them. (You must think I regard writing as something like the medieval priesthood—and sometimes I wish our government could see its way clear to support our writers on bread and water and shut them up in a monastery somewhere.) People who write for reward by way of recognition or monetary gain don't know what they're doing. They're in the category of those who write; they are not writers.  Writing is simply something you must do. It's rather like virtue in that it is its own reward. Writing is selfish and contradictory in its terms. First of all, you're writing for an audience of one, you must please the one person you're writing for. I don't believe this business of 'No, I don't write for myself, I write for the public.'  That's nonsense. Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself. He writes not to communicate with other people, but to communicate more assuredly with himself. It's a self-exploratory operation that is endless. An exorcism of not necessarily his demon, but of his divine discontent.”

In this way Harper Lee summed what every real writer knows “in their bones.” But when asked about her further aspirations as a writer Harper Lee replied “As you know, the South is still made up of thousands of tiny towns. There is a very definite social pattern in these towns that fascinates me. I think it is a rich social pattern. I would simply like to put down all I know about this because I believe that there is something universal in this little world, something decent to be said for it, and something to lament in its passing. In other words all I want to be is the Jane Austen of south Alabama.”

But the film great as it is betrayed Harper Lee, which may be one reason she stopped writing. The film made Atticus a card carrying member of the ACLU; it condemned all those in the South that did not subscribe to the ACLU party line. America was changing rapidly in the wrong direction due in large part to the ACLU bastardization of the main points of Harper Lee’s novel, one many acclaim as the “Novel of the Century!”

Columnist Jay Sekulow asks the relevant question “Who elected the ACLU?” He goes on to cover some of the issues where this infamous organization has thwarted the will of We the People extorting our taxes to support it while at the same time cutting the throats of Americans and America. I recommend people read the column and go online to “What’s wrong with the ACLU” for a grasp of the depth of this organization’s betrayal of America, a betrayal that continues unabated because the ACLU is so well funded not only by money extorted from taxpayers but funded by so many of the enemies of America.

We will never know what Harper Lee may have gone on to contribute as the “Jane Austen of south Alabama.” But I do know what the infamous ACLU has done in stifling voices like hers raised in defense of the South she loves and the America of We the People.

It has always been a wish of mine that my great-grandmother and grandparents had written an account of their experiences. But life was hard, and unlike Steinbeck they were too busy earning a living in the face of harsh realities to write. The father of renowned author Henry James would criticize by saying if you were really living life you had no time to write. But Henry’s father wasn’t referring to chopping cotton or picking fruits and vegetables.

However, I wanted my children to know the stories told me by my great-grandmother and grandparents together with those about the unique childhood I lived among the Dust Bowl folks and my life on the mining claim in the Sequoia National Forest. The resulting book was titled The Lord and the Weedpatcher. It was a “work in progress” from the beginning. Eventually I would include pictures of that bygone era, and many stories would continue to be added as I would recall them.

Since several of my books including TLW are either out of print or in the process of revision to bring them up to date it has been a daunting task consuming much of my time attempting to get a handle on things. Then just today I received a note from my publisher work had been slowed because of their need of a massive computer update of their own. What with nearly 300,000 new titles a year now being published one wonders how any publisher keeps up with things.

Steinbeck isn’t the only one who wrote of the Dust Bowl migration. Many have written of the Okies and Arkies that came west to settle in various parts of Kern County, and many of these having lived it with a far better perception of this migration than the “silver spoon” Steinbeck. My grandparents could have told the famous writer a thing or two about the misperceptions in his book, and several of the people who actually lived in the Weedpatch Camp have done so.

As to the stories I like to write they are the ones that largely appeal to children and young people. Such stories were my stock in trade as a teacher as well. There was seldom a lesson I was teaching that could not be accompanied by a story, which helped not only to make the lesson clear but memorable.

Nor am I through with the life experiences that continue to be the stuff of such stories. Take the following for example:

Life in the country has many rewards in exchange for the advantages of city living. A few of these rewards are the first blossoms appearing on the nightshade plants here on my property, and the annual event of momma and poppa quail bringing their newly hatched babies to the water I supply them. Here in the Sequoia National Forest we have the California Quail- distinguished by their beautiful colors, the cute topknots and marvelous, varied sounds they make. Being precocial, the babies are hatched covered with down and can very nearly fly from the time coming out of their eggshells.

Having no need of hunting for the family pot any longer, I simply enjoy watching the quail and squirrels hereabouts. There are few things that gladden my heart more than to simply watch and listen to the various critters the forest supplies. Granted, I would enjoy it far more were it not for Nature red in tooth and claw that shows no mercy for baby quail, bunnies, and ducks for example.

Notwithstanding, I have always hated zoos. Wild animals should not be caged. A pen pal recently wrote me about her desire for a raccoon when she was a young girl. Her doting father supplied her one, and in no time at all she discovered how quickly a raccoon could rearrange the furniture in a house. My being raised to a wild forest environment I suffered no such illusions about having a raccoon for a pet; nor a bobcat either. Much as the big pussycat was fascinating to watch in the wild, it never crossed my mind it would accommodate itself to a bowl of milk and “Here kitty, kitty, kitty” in our cabin.

Not altogether abandoning the desire for “exotics” I did have my share of experiences with things like the skunk that went off in our cabin, the porcupine I lassoed and observed for a short time close up, a baby great horned owl and other critters, but people that want a lion or tiger for a “pet” have to have rocks in their head.

But when it comes to catching critters none can best my daughter Karen catching the Colorado Cottontail barehanded when she was a little girl; but I came close with a baby California Quail.

I saw the quail enter the yard, momma and poppa with their brood of chicks, when out of nowhere comes the resident cat scattering the quail. As I ran outside intending to intervene I caught sight of the cat chasing what looked like one of the tiny mice I see occasionally. Not so, it was one of the baby quail. The chase was on around the pressure tank for my well. When I reached the spot I saw the baby hunkered down under the large water line going into the tank.

No one is going to catch a baby quail by chasing it. But under certain circumstances some critters will allow a very slow approach. The little thing didn’t stir as I very slowly lowered my hand over it; when close enough I made a quick grab capturing it. This presented a problem. While the tiny chick quickly settled down within the warmth and darkness of my hand gently closed around it; what does anyone do with a baby quail in hand, particularly with a cat in residence believing it has a vested interest in said baby quail? How best to return the tiny chick to its family with the cat about?

I waited for the cat to visit her food dish; something I could count on. Knowing where the momma and poppa quail had come from, once the cat was in the house I shut the door and carried the baby quail to its point of origin. Once the tiny chick was released it took off at warp speed, seeming to know exactly where it needed to go.

Some will think this is much ado about nothing. Just look at the great number of quail throughout the Valley; what is one baby quail more or less? Henry Thoreau remarked on his “wild chickens,” the partridges of Walden. He commented on the innocence to be seen in the eyes of these partridges that seemed to reflect all that was best to be found in Nature. If you can understand this, you can understand how the eyes of a single, baby quail can melt the heart, stirring a response of what is the best in humankind as well.

America suffers under a Federal Triune Dictatorship dedicated to the very worst of human traits like greed and avarice, not representative government serving We the People. Aiding this treasonous betrayal of America the judiciary, universities, and all our schools and institutions of government are now defined by the ACLU rather than the 85% of Americans calling themselves “Christian;” which is the reason Mark Steyn is correct in his book “America Alone.” But I had anticipated Steyn by writing on my website together with a personal letter to Bush following 9/11 that America would find itself alone not only because of the reasons Steyn gives, but because of the refusal of our leadership to immediately respond with cruise missiles on Kabul and Baghdad that very evening of the Attack on America!

But Caesar Bush and Company had another agenda than protecting America and answering the Attack on America appropriately with those missiles. And time was needed to safely spirit away Caesar’s Saudi “friends” while plotting “Get Saddam whatever it takes!” among other things. However, the success of Caesar’s duplicity needs continued affirmation his plans could not have succeeded without a complicit Congress and Supreme Court.

Now the gauntlet has been cast before Islam because of 9/11 no matter what construction is placed on it, no matter the lies and deceptions of a Federal Triune Dictatorship, and it needs continued affirmation the haters and plotters, the followers of the barbaric, woman hating bloodthirsty religion of the sword Allah and his pervert “prophet” imbibe hatred of all non-Muslims, the “infidels” with their mother’s milk. As a consequence all Muslims are the enemies of civilization! And it needs equally continuing affirmation that Mexico is an enemy of America ever as much as Iran or North Korea, but even more dangerous than either of these to our national and economic security because of the treasonous traitors in government refusing to secure our borders for the sake of slave labor, votes, power and wealth! This despite the fact they are inviting not only the destruction of America but their own as well!

As to Islam specifically here in America virtually every Mosque is a safe haven for terrorists plotting against us all the while the traitors in our own government refuse to secure our borders and will not make any attempt to account for and identify millions of illegal aliens in our midst, any one of which may be plotting against America. Don’t even attempt to call this “overdrawn” when these illegal aliens are unknown, unidentified and have no legal right to be in America making them all criminals while our own police are told not to check the citizenship even of criminals! But from Muslim taxi drivers and shop owners a little Sharia here and a little Sharia there aided by a complicit ACLU and the fact Muslims like Mexicans do not assimilate but colonize and pretty soon the whole camel or Pedro is in the tent.

Certainly it would help if preachers throughout America were to follow Doug Giles advice: “A minister has the responsibility of massive influence woven into his job. Instead of using it to fleece his sheep, to molest altar boys, or simply to dole out clichés like a drugged up Kathie Lee, why not re-align with the scripture and focus on fixing this mucked up culture?”

I do not doubt the claims those like Rove call the followers of those like Falwell and Robertson “goofy.” Anyone watching the high jinks performed by too many TV evangelists and their followers knows many of these certainly qualify as goofy. And while I don’t find fault with those who enjoy their religion the fact remains as I wrote some time ago the real heart and soul of America is to be found in the thousands of rural churches throughout our nation that have no TV broadcasts, whose ministers perform their duty just as Giles suggests. Further, those that rise to positions of prominence in the churches “wearing soft clothing” and “living in king’s palaces” do so in contradiction to the plain words of Jesus that God’s true prophets are not among such. While in the words of Paul those who preach the Gospel have a right to live of the Gospel, he didn’t have a palace, Rolex, and Rolls Royce in mind. And I’m sure neither Jesus nor Paul would have approved of those calling themselves “ministers of the Gospel” collecting diamonds or having air-conditioned dog houses.

But despite the efforts of even the best among clergy the Devil (by whatever definition) owns the MSM, so Rosie gets the play proclaiming evangelical Christians “a worse threat to America than Muslim radicals!” One supposes Rosie knows nothing about 9/11, Al Jazeera, etc. But in her case since she is fat and ugly I would recommend her wearing a burqa if she is so enamored of Islam as opposed to Christianity. And there are a lot of other haters of America and Christianity out there who would do well to do the same, among which most of those in our Federal Triune Dictatorship would qualify. Like Rosie, a burqa wouldn’t hide their sins but at least they would all look the same, a definite improvement since they all think the same.

William Boyd made his first Hopalong Cassidy film in 1935. He went on to enjoy a very successful career even into TV. Hopalong was right there with the Lone Ranger and some others as one of my childhood cowboy heroes, but his white hair and black attire with silver appointments really made him a striking presence setting him apart.

Anytime a new Hopalong film was released I could hardly wait to go see it. But one of his early films left me feeling cheated and betrayed; not by Hopalong but by the film’s producers engaging in what we used to call “trick photography.” There was Hoppy mounted on Topper facing the bad guys. I waited eagerly to see Hoppy beat the bad guys to the draw when the film seemed to give a slight lurch and his gun instantly appeared in Hoppy’s hand without his ever reaching for it. This was such a clumsy thing on the part of the film’s producers that even as a child I resented it. This was something Hoppy would never do, this trick photography that demeaned him while cheating boys like me! So, I discounted it as the fault of the film’s producers not Hopalong. They were to blame for trying to bamboozle those like me who believed in Hopalong. But no matter all the films made thereafter, that one scene of obvious trickery in which I was cheated, even betrayed stayed indelibly imprinted on my mind.

Sometimes it only takes one slip for a person or organization to lose the moral force of their position, especially when it comes to religion. While those like Jimmy Swaggart come readily to mind, this same loss of moral force accrues equally to the Roman Church in its refusal to deal with perversion among its priests along with the two predominate political parties refusing to clean their houses as well; and sometimes the good people in organizations suffer the consequences of a lapse of morality on the part of others. Then the good people struggle with the decision of whether to leave the organization, to forsake their “heroes” or stay in the hope of making things better, even as Henry Thoreau and other worthies of the past struggled with the same problem.

Of the greatest magnitude is when people and organizations in America lose their moral positions and in doing so give the propaganda advantage to our enemies, especially Muslims. While Western Civilization has enjoyed great progress in many ways far beyond other nations in history, we are losing our position as being arbiters of morality. And America is fast gaining the reputation of being the worst example of a loss of moral standards thereby giving our enemies the advantage in propaganda, especially since political correctness will not allow the proper demonizing of our enemies. This together with the lack of moral standards in the leadership of America makes our future dangerous in the extreme.

America used to be a “missionary” nation dedicated to taking civilization to extreme corners of the world. But some years ago it became an issue of whether America was beginning to be in need of missionaries sent to us? Perhaps this is part of the reason some artists have targeted my birthplace of Weedpatch for special consideration.

Quite naturally any reference to Weedpatch gets my attention, and the following is especially noteworthy:

The British have arrived, but does Weedpatch care? By Mark Barna Californian staff writer. October 19, 2006. Three artists have crossed the Atlantic to bring public art to Weedpatch, a mostly Hispanic community near Lamont typically concerned more with making ends meet than meeting British artists. The Arts Council of Kern is hosting Jo Dacombe, left, Heather Connelly, center, and Jayne Murray, a three-person group from England collectively known as CoLab, as part of a public art project centered around the town of Weedpatch. Monday's banquet underlined the extremes unfolding in this dusty community -- white artists with English accents trying to convey their inchoate vision to Mexican immigrants who speak not a word of the Anglican tongue. British artists Jo Dacombe, Heather Connelly and Jayne Murray, together known as CoLab, will be in Weedpatch for nearly four weeks, getting to know the residents and learning about their aspirations and needs. Public art will be the result, though nobody knows the form it will take… Is public art really what is needed in this impoverished place? And what would be its benefits? That's what Gregorio Velasco, 46, a farmworker supporting a wife and five children, asked at the banquet. Through an interpreter, Lloyd told Velasco, "We feel that the arts are an expression of who we are as human beings." The project may help Weedpatch residents feel greater pride. Artist Murray put in, "It may be a catalyst for something else." Velasco was one of about five local Hispanics attending the banquet. Afterward, the immigrant from Qaxaca, Mexico, said he was satisfied with the responses. He then spoke of the poor housing, the pesticide contamination, the poverty, the lack of medical treatment and the high rents of his community. "With this project," Velasco said, "people will know more about the terrible conditions we live in here."

Several questions arise from this attempt to bring art to Weedpatch. Like much of Kern County this is a Mexican colony filled with illegal aliens that have no intention of becoming Real Americans, will never assimilate and like Muslims that will never swear allegiance to America Mexicans will always swear allegiance to Mexico not America.

As to giving Mexicans a “voice” will they name the real perpetrators of their miserable conditions, the wealthy exploiting them for slave labor with the aid of politicians that betray America by refusing to secure our borders? Not hardly. So what will the “pride” consist of resulting from this art experiment by the “missionaries” from England? Why not go to Mexico where they would find far more productive ground for their efforts. Oh, that’s right. They wouldn’t be safe in Mexico. And that is a moral distinction between America and Mexico, but one that We the People, not politicians, make for America.

If life were fair Ted Kennedy would have been the one drowned at Chappaquiddick. But life is inherently unfair rewarding the worst while punishing the best. Which is the reason politicians are the worst of people. Only the worst of people lie and connive to gain power and authority over others in order to enrich themselves at the expense of others. It is an evil of government that the worst of people ascend to positions of power and authority over We the People and the noblest experiment in democracy, America, is facing extinction because the worst people elevated to power and authority will always make decisions based on their very worst traits such as greed and avarice.

Rolling Stone Magazine calls this Congress “the worst ever; corrupt, shameful, and incompetent.” But over thirty years ago one political commentator wrote the only way to fix Congress at the time was to get rid of 435 corrupt, shameful, and incompetent people and start over. Three years ago I wrote history would record the Bush Administration and this Congress as the dirtiest and most corrupt ever! But Democrats have nothing better to offer.

Right now it is obvious the wars of Caesar Bush and Company are an absolute disaster. But when questioned on this Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace defended Donald Rumsfeld yesterday, saying that “the good lord” tells the Secretary of Defense “what is best for our country.”

Like most of you I have never found it comforting for any to resort to “the good lord” has told anyone what is best for our country. While I loathe Lincoln the politician he was correct in stating he didn’t know whether the Lord was on the side of North or South, but his pragmatism like that of Napoleon was counting on the Lord to “bless” the side with the most cannon. And the most cannon fodder.

However, because of nuclear weapons the need for cannon fodder may be diminished apart from the potential for killing millions that will have no idea anymore than those children in Hiroshima and Nagasaki why they are being killed. The decisions leading to their death had been made by their leaders and the innocent suffered the result of those decisions. But whether Japan, Germany, or America the rule of the worst ascending to positions of power and authority seems to hold true, and the best people, the innocent suffer the consequences.

Because of this rule of the worst people being rewarded for the worst traits to be found in human beings America is now a nation without a national identity, without a national heritage or culture, without a national language by law or secure borders. But no nation can possibly survive lacking any of these inescapable imperatives defining all nations. Nor can any nation survive being defined by economics without corresponding accountability.

Some questioned my categorical condemnation of Social Services, but my opening this matter and making it known to the governor and others I am quite certain had something to do with this: “Beverly Beasley Johnson is leaving her post as director of the Kern County Department of Human Services for a similar position in San Mateo County.”

Unhappily the Devil continues to reward his own like Kennedy and perverts. And how does the Devil continue to take care of his own? Hospitals get rid of undesirable doctors by giving them glowing letters of commendation with the understanding they will leave and go elsewhere. Schools and Social Services get rid of undesirables in the same fashion. And so it goes. And it will continue to go badly until the best people kill the worst people, those like the monsters preying on women and children, the monsters of Islam continuing to worship a bloodthirsty Allah dedicated to a religion of the sword for example.

Some find fault with the metaphysical construction but nowhere do I find a more plausible explanation for the worst people gaining power and authority over others than the Biblical description of the world being the domain of Satan and his giving such power and authority to those on his payroll, a boast by Satan that Jesus did not dispute in the Temptation. I don’t worry about going to hell; whether by the machinations of men or Satan the prevailing resulting lunacy has made our planet a living hell because the best people do not overcome evil by being good people trying to overcome evil by being nice. Evil has no “rules of engagement.”

Following 9/11 it was obvious Caesar Bush and Company together with a complicit Congress were lying to We the People and had another agenda rather than the one avowed. Now, because of thoroughgoing corruption and incompetence throughout the leadership of America our troops and countless civilians are dying.

An old hymn has it “Where could I go but to the Lord.” But We the People are going to have to depend on something more than expecting the Lord to bless America if we are to survive as a nation; we are going to have to bend every effort to replace the present politics of corruption, perversion and incompetence with leaders who recognize the fact we cannot survive as a nation without a heritage, culture, national language and secure borders, we cannot survive without accountability and without those who will put the interests of America before any others, the interests of Real Americans not those like illegal aliens and “minorities” like Muslims for example. Let me hear those asking for our vote give a voice to We the People on these issues rather than the continued lies and duplicity designed to continue selling out and betraying America by the worst pandering for votes! Who will put America first!

When it comes to the struggle between Good and Evil my Cherokee ancestors had their own philosophers the equal of Confucius, Socrates, and Jesus. Take the story of Two Wolves: One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two ”wolves” inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.” The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: ”Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

My good friend Byron, an Episcopal Priest, and I were discussing the many things not only threatening his own church but churches and Christians throughout America and the world. Then the conversation turned to the nuclear lunacy threatening the world, how our own leaders faced with the potential nuclear terrorism that could be unleashed on America because of their refusal to secure our porous borders seem dedicated only to perversion, greed, and avarice, displaying the kind of lunacy that has disgraced and discredited America and plunged the whole world into a nuclear arms race.

We laughed sardonically about the fellow crossing the border on an elephant accompanied by a Mariachi band. But then, with somber expression Byron said to me, “I can’t believe we are actually discussing the end of America.” Here we were, two rational and very well educated men old enough to remember the attack on Pearl Harbor, old enough to remember how America had literally saved the civilized world from the Axis Powers at such a monumental price in American lives, old enough to remember an America of which we had just cause to be proud, but now looking at a leadership that had evolved over the years to nothing but a bunch of scoundrels falling all over themselves in their haste to sell out and betray America on every hand, leaders that had chosen to feed the evil wolf described by that Cherokee philosopher.

But the very lunacy of our leadership refusing to secure our borders is summed neatly by this note I just received from a friend and I’m passing it on: Let’s say I break into your house. A lady wrote the best letter in the Editorials in ages!!  It explains things better than all the baloney you hear on TV. Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country protesting the fact that Congress is finally addressing the issue of illegal immigration.  Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely. Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests. Let’s say I break into your house. Let’s say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave. But I say, “I’ve made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors; I’ve done all the things you don’t like to do. I’m hard-working and honest (except for when I broke into your house). According to the protesters, not only must you let me stay, you must add me to your family’s insurance plan, educate my kids, and provide other benefits to me and to my family. My husband will do your yard work because he too is hard-working and honest, (except for that breaking in part). If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my right to be there. It’s only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I’m just trying to better myself. I’m hard-working and honest, um, except for well, you know. And what a deal it is for me!! I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of selfishness, prejudice and being an anti-housebreaker. Oh yeah, and I want you to learn my language so you can communicate with me. Why can’t people see how ridiculous this is?!  Only in America...  if you agree, pass it on (in English). Share this if you see the value of it as a good simile. If not blow it off along with your future Social Security funds.

We the People easily see the lunacy of feeding this evil “wolf” and the result will inevitably be the ease with which that elephant can be replaced with a terrorist nuclear bomb because of the evil wolves in our Federal Triune Dictatorship, none of whom even bother any longer disguising and clothing themselves as sheep.

Scientists at Cornell University have launched what one commentator has called a “bombshell” into studies directed at the causes for the dramatic increase of autism. The suspected culprit: TV!

Not a few of my generation were concerned when TV became a fixture in every home the infernal device was endowed with certain evil characteristics; one being the growing parental propensity to use the contraption as a babysitter, parking their children from infancy in front of the tube rather than encouraging children in outdoor activities. But since most my age were living in caves by the reckoning of the growing tech generation our concerns were largely discounted.

Besides, who is going to listen to a cave dweller like this: I recall the night I spied a very large black cricket in the house. However, old age being what it is I was too slow attempting to catch the critter and put it outside; for those trying to catch crickets you know they hop pretty good.

Now while I enjoy the chirping of crickets, what worried me was getting up during the night, and in the dark inadvertently stepping on the musical bug; I would feel bad about that, notwithstanding the usual human responses to stepping on various critters with your bare feet in the dark. But the fates intervened and the cricket finally cooperated. As I was at my desk writing, there he appeared on the floor nearby. Cautiously, I opened the door and successfully herded the cricket out into the night.

Perhaps saving a cricket doesn’t measure up to some folks’ standards of warm and fuzzy, but at my age it seems there is a growing soft spot in my heart for such things. Perhaps facing our own mortality, something that is definitely a part of reaching the twilight years motivates some of us toward becoming compassionate toward crickets.

Maria Shriver was terrific on Larry King doing the interview about her book “What’s Happening to Grandpa?”  The subject of Alzheimer’s is one of profound interest to me; and Maria Shriver’s genuine love and concern for her father came shining through. We could sure use more of this kind of thing on TV rather than interviews of perverts and serial killers. This growing fascination on the part of those like King and others with perverts and murderers is really sick. The worrisome thing to me is whether those like King really believe Americans care more about interviews with perverts and murderers than good people who make a genuine contribution to the welfare of America?

Naturally the comments by Maria reminded me of my own situation as an elderly father and grandfather. I wanted my children and grandchildren to remember me as the kind of man that would trouble himself to save a cricket. While I am not of the mind of Albert Schweitzer’s “Erfurcht von leben,” or any Hindu superstitions, there is a certain sanctity, if you will, about life that becomes a victim to the wars of men, something easily lost sight of when in the words of Stalin: “The murder of one is a crime; the murder of millions a statistic.”

Instead of the sick interviews of perverts and serial killers I would like to see on TV more baby bunnies, duckies, chicks, and kittens, birdies, squirrels and chipmunks. One local news channel was featuring animals for adoption and a kitten perched on her shoulder became tangled in the lovely newscaster’s lovely blonde hair. Fortunately, the young lady was smiling and laughing as she struggled with the kitten with one hand while holding her microphone in the other and it was a thoroughly entrancing scene.

It was apparent the young woman genuinely liked the kitten, and her attention was given to the kitten rather than the camera. She was having fun with the kitten, and as a result the effect was one of those warm and fuzzy moments where the newscaster’s real humanity came through rather than the plastic representations of human beings so characteristic of the genre.

Watching a segment where a momma duck’s ducklings are rescued from a street drain, and gently placed on the sidewalk where she is anxiously waiting, then to see momma duck with her rescued duckling's right behind waddling off is precious. Rescuing animals seems to bring out the best in people, and the best in us rises to the occasion as spectators; and the majority of us reflect this better quality of humankind, that quality that makes it “a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

One day I saved both a caterpillar and a ladybug, as I did that cricket. The ladybug was a bit of a challenge; as with the caterpillar, rescuing it from inside the house with its cooperation by it simply crawling upon my finger (why a ladybug in the house? Is there something to that pejorative beetle brain?). I took it out near a large pan I have set into the ground and like the bird bath keep filled with water for critters, intending to place it in the grass nearby.

But when I shook it from my finger, it landed in the water. Retrieving the struggling little bug I managed to place it in the grass, thereby saving the colorful little beetle twice; admittedly one instance of its distress being occasioned through my fault, not the little bug’s.

I recall the time I rescued a baby blackbird, which the more cynical would point out would only eat the caterpillar, ladybug, and cricket. Anyway, holding that kind of cynicism in abeyance, I chanced to glance out my window here where I write only to see an adult blackbird having a fit. Looking closer, I spied a baby bird on the ground. It had obviously fallen from its nest in the large oak near the birdbath. It was struggling vainly to fly, frantically flapping its small immature, not fully feathered wings, the adult bird trying to assist and offer encouragement.

Beating the resident cat to the punch I managed to capture the little thing in my hand, despite it hopping right smartly though it couldn’t fly and I’m not exactly as spry as I used to be. Hauling out my ladder, I climbed up, baby bird in hand, and was able to restore it to its nest. Now who would deny this would be a grand event in anyone’s day? There is a great need for warm and fuzzy moments in otherwise “lives of quiet desperation,” including my own. Alas, notwithstanding Nature red in tooth and claw rescuing critters is part of my duties living in the country; and though worthy as it is, sadly not my only calling in life.

To come back to the point of that Cornell study, too many children are now deprived of any real affinity with nature, too many do not have the opportunities I did as a child to form a relationship with nature. And the result of a TV generation may very well be what scientists at the university are discovering about the cause and effect of TV, something far more insidious than its contribution to obesity:

Science: The state of the universe. TV Really Might Cause Autism. A Slate exclusive: Findings from a new Cornell study; by Gregg Easterbrook. October 16, 2006. Today, Cornell University researchers are reporting what appears to be a statistically significant relationship between autism rates and television watching by children under the age of 3. The researchers studied autism incidence in California, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington State. They found that as cable television became common in California and Pennsylvania beginning around 1980, childhood autism rose more in the counties that had cable than in the counties that did not. They further found that in all the Western states, the more time toddlers spent in front of the television, the more likely they were to exhibit symptoms of autism disorders. .. The Cornell study represents a potential bombshell in the autism debate. "We are not saying we have found the cause of autism, we're saying we have found a critical piece of evidence," Cornell researcher Michael Waldman told me… If television viewing by toddlers is a factor in autism, the parents of afflicted children should not reproach themselves, as there was no warning of this risk. Now there is: The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends against any TV for children under the age of 2. Waldman thinks that until more is known about what triggers autism, families with children under the age of 3 should get them away from the television and keep them away. Researchers might also turn new attention to study of the Amish. Autism is rare in Amish society, and the standing assumption has been that this is because most Amish refuse to vaccinate children. The Amish also do not watch television.

Long before 9/11 created the problems our police are now facing I was on my way to a meeting out at Edwards Air Force Base. It was late afternoon and I was traveling in one of the more remote and desolate areas of the base- no traffic in sight on the road. It was about an hour before sunset and the desert was beautiful and serene. I was driving my old Chevy pickup, coffee cup and cigarette doing their usual duty when suddenly seemingly out of nowhere a base patrol car came roaring up behind me, lights flashing and siren wailing. Having learned no less than three times from the California Highway Patrol that obeying the speed limit is no guarantee of not getting a ticket because of abuse under color of authority, I resignedly pulled off to the side of the road.

The minion of the law stayed in his unit for some time jawjacking into his mic. He finally got out, and hand ostentatiously on his gun slowly came up to the rear of the driver’s side of my truck. I had the window down and the officer, staying well behind the door, unusual I thought, asked for my license and registration. He seemed to be exceptionally cautious about advancing any further to me than absolutely necessary, and I had to awkwardly bend backward out of the window to hand them to him which he took from me with his left hand the right staying on his gun.

In a most unusual maneuver he walked backwards toward his car never taking his eyes from me all the while keeping his hand on his gun, and a CHP unit pulled up parking behind the base officer’s car. That officer got out and joined the base cop. Then another base unit pulled up. There were now three units and all the cops were conversing, watching me carefully all the while. It dawned on me that I must fit the description of some dangerous criminal.

Realizing that it might take some time for them to sort things out, I lit another cigarette and reached for my coffee cup. Empty. Oh, well, I had my thermos but it had rolled under the seat of the truck.

Another CHP unit arrived, and on its heels another base car both of them parking in front of me. I was surrounded. It occurred to me that in spite of my innocence if I were to make a sudden lunge for the thermos under my seat I might make the headlines. There were a dozen itchy-fingered cops watching my every move. I had to chuckle at my predicament and decided, in a more lucid moment, that if I wanted my thermos I had better not make any sudden moves in its acquisition. No one, not even a bomb disposal officer, has ever moved more deliberately and cautiously in the retrieval of an object as I did retrieving that thermos.

Did it occur to me to go without coffee? No. Did I think it worth getting air-conditioned by.357s, 9mms, and double 00 buck just to have my thermos? No. Then why, for Heaven’s sake? It was the “principle” of the thing. Damn it! I was innocent! And they had no right to deprive me of my coffee just because they thought I might be an escaped ax murderer or had assassinated the pope!

Oh, well, I got my thermos successfully no shots fired, but in full view of an eager constabulary made a display of very slowly and carefully putting my cup on the dash and very slowly and carefully pouring my coffee; but I did notice a few anticipatory, even hungry looks cast at me.

The conference seemed to be coming to an end, and one of the officers moseyed over. Returning my license and registration, he said that I had been stopped because a stolen vehicle matching mine had been reported seen in this general area.

What a let down! Couldn’t it have at least been someone who had held up a gas station? Were twelve cops so bored they had to congregate to catch a simple car thief? Or, maybe, they just weren’t telling me the straight scoop? In any event, I arrived late to my meeting where I was able to regale colleagues with my close call in becoming that headline and making “Film at Eleven!”

No, this is not a put down of cops; well, except the CHP. And don’t bother telling me about all the tickets I should have gotten but didn’t. It only takes abuse of authority by one bad CHP officer to sour you on the organization; and I have suffered this abuse three times! I know what it is by experience to stand in a courtroom and have a cop outright lie about his reason for giving you a ticket! One I confronted afterward on the courthouse steps was at least honest enough to tell me he had given me the ticket “Because I can.” And he went his way smiling.

Still, “A policeman’s lot is not a happy one.” And so much more today long after Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance.” It was many years ago a friend with the LAPD confided to me being a cop was a “garbage job.” And these many years since his opinion could only have worsened. But it wouldn’t be fair to compare the problems Andy Taylor faced in Mayberry with what police face in Los Angeles or any of America’s large cities.

Having written on this topic many times over the years I have witnessed conditions worsen to the point where our police are emasculated by political correctness run amok, where the threats of lawsuits even by illegal aliens make the job of being a policeman one that no one would want, a job that friend of mine called a “garbage job.”

Aunt Maudie told Jem his father Atticus was one of those men that seemed to be called to take on the dirty jobs of society, jobs no one wants but some few good men and women step up and do them despite the wrath of those even in their own communities. Too often the job of the policeman falls into this category.

To repeat something I have said many times, the wonder to me is there are so many good cops. The job attracts those that want to carry a gun and thump heads with the authority of a badge; and weeding out the undesirables becomes an increasingly daunting task, one with which I am very familiar and you would find on my resume. While conversing with one psychologist that was part of the review team for police candidates he shared with me the difficulties finding people suitable for the job. At that, once a person has served as a cop for any length of time this fellow said to me, “You begin to think most people are nothing but scum because that is what you are dealing with every day. It distorts your view of all people and in time it become an Us vs. Them mentality, and results in cops only having other cops as friends, among other things.”

But to “Serve and Protect” has to be understood in the context of what the Chief of Police in one SoCal city once told me: “We are not here to help people, but to slam the door on them.” He made the statement while we were talking about police candidates who had the mindset the job was one more properly being that of a Boy Scout than what being a policeman was really all about.

Folks, among the many dangers America is facing is that of a police force we desperately need to “Serve and Protect.” But in too many cases litigation and the courts are emasculating our police from doing the job we desperately need them to do, and corruption throughout government is only acerbating an already dangerous situation in America.

The Border Patrol is threatened for doing the job it is supposed to do. Violent crime is accelerating in our cities but none dare point to the invasion from Mexico and the gang problems, increasing crime and violence resulting from this invasion. It is blatantly clear our Federal Triune Dictatorship will continue to refuse securing our borders for the sake of slave labor thereby inviting terrorist nuclear attack. In the face of all the reasons for not becoming a cop, who would want the job? These many years after my friend’s dour pronouncement it has become more of a “garbage job” than ever. But We the People are not stupid; we know we need “Dirty Harry” in the face of the dangers threatening America.

As with molestation that knows no bounds of economic, religious, or any other position in society, the culture of corruption in politics seems to have no limits whether Republican or Democrat and it certainly filters through our schools and social services as well. But in these two cases it is usually masked by what is aptly named the “Cloak of confidentiality.”

This cloak of confidentiality hides the sins of many government bureaucracies like the schools and social services and thwarts many well intended attempts to discover abuses in these various agencies and organizations. The Bakersfield Californian has made many such attempts and has gone to court many times trying to get information that could be helpful in exposing evil doers and things like bureaucratic abuses of power.

My work in the ghetto and barrio schools where I would come to know personnel from social services and probation officers better than many parents taught me much about how the cloak of confidentiality obscures and thwarts many attempts to help children. And in few other areas of government bureaucracies are things so hidden from public view as in the schools and social services where even the most dedicated and honest workers quickly realize they are unwilling participants in obfuscation.

Take the work of the “Resource Specialist” for example. While working under contract in this capacity for the Stanislaus County Department of Education I was responsible for the special education programs in seven rural school districts. My IEP’s had to include the entire panoply of school services from the school psychologist, speech therapist, every teacher involved with each child, continual interaction with every special needs child under my jurisdiction. But the general public would be appalled at the abuses, the thoroughgoing ineptitude and incompetence in this system of the school hierarchy veiled behind the cloak of confidentiality.

Dianne Hardisty has done a good job exposing the bureaucratic nightmare of trying to do business with the state controller’s office, and correctly sums the problem by writing “While it might be easy to make the state controller the 'bad guy' in this controversy, the real blame rests with the Legislature and the governor.” But I believe Dianne would agree one of the most frustrating problems is created by people who are not good citizens, people who don’t trouble themselves to study issues and candidates for political office, and at worst don’t even bother to vote!

While employed as a CPS investigator I was standing outside the courthouse when a man walked up to me and in tears asked “What gives you people the power to come into my home and take my children away from me?” I asked him in turn, “Can you name your representative in the state legislature or Congress?” He could not. I went on tell this man the power of CPS comes directly from his elected political leadership, not the agency.

But from the White House on down We the People are confronted by politicians that are only transparent in degrees of stupidity. Take this comment by Mayor Marion Barry of Washington, DC for example: “Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country.” And how about this beauty by Al Gore: “It isn’t pollution that’s harming the environment. It’s the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.” And when it comes to an uncaring bureaucracy how about this: “Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances.” --Department of Social Services, Greenville , South Carolina.

It isn’t a lack of genuine and caring people in our institutions designed to care for and protect children; but even the best qualified are discouraged by the incompetents having the power in our schools, social services, and other government agencies. However even my writing extensively over the past decades about such abuses of power won’t solve the problem of how the best people don’t make it to positions of power and influence. The books about this continue to multiply, TV talk shows and pundits without number keep hacking at the branches of evil while the root continues to spread and in the end even Henry Thoreau was forced to the metaphysical attempting to make sense of this.

My book Birds With Broken Wings is not one that men like. In fact, most men hate it because while it does not flatter women, it exposes some of the worst characteristics of men in relation to women. However, one of the points unflattering to either men or women is the fact the welfare of children is seldom the main consideration in divorce. And molestation often rears its ugly head in such cases, children often being used as pawns. But the truth is ugly enough.

While making my closing remarks to a large group of people at one of Bakersfield’s nicer clubs on the topic of the prevalence of molestation our hostess, a lovely young woman, raised her hand and asked if she could please say something. I gave her permission to do so and to everyone’s consternation she said, “Please believe everything this man has told you. I was molested by my stepfather when I was six years old. But I have never told anyone about this until now.”

To all outward appearances this attractive young woman had no problems. She was quite poised and self possessed, had been doing her job well and seemed quite normal in every respect. But she had a story to tell, however it wasn’t until she had listened to my remarks she found the courage to speak out in an attempt to exorcise the demon that haunted her all her life.

On another occasion a beautiful young woman who had been repeatedly raped by a stepfather over a seven year period of time gave me her handwritten story in the hope I could get Montel or Oprah to read it. Among the horrors she had suffered was the memory of her little brother often trying to hide her from this monster that was raping her. But her own mother was aiding this monster in the raping of her own little girl. After a divorce, the monster went on to rape other little girls but was finally arrested and is now serving twenty years in prison in Oregon. This young woman was called to testify against him, but her testimony had to include her own mother abetting this monster. This horror story goes on at some length including the District Attorney having to go to extraordinary lengths to protect this young woman because of death threats by this monster and its friends, but for the purposes of this brief article I will tell you about another young woman.

I'll call her Sue. She was molested, frequently, by her father. He would also put dresses on her little brother and molest him. When she was in the third grade, she said something to a relative that resulted in the principal of her school calling her into his office. Thinking she had done something wrong, she was fearful not knowing what to expect. What did she find when she got there? The principal, two policemen, a social service worker and the school nurse. If she had been frightened before, she was now terrified! It didn't take much coercion on the part of all these authority figures to get Sue to recant her story. She had made it all up. After all, as these authorities pointed out quite dramatically, Sue didn't really want her father to go to jail, to leave the family with no support, to shame the family, etc.

As she grew older, Sue’s life took the usual turn of the options of the molested little girl; nymphomania, lesbianism, prostitution, drugs, and alcohol. There were the usual failed marriages and children born to an unstable home because of an unstable mother. It was later she discovered her father had been molested himself. This was his “justification” for molesting her and her little brother.

There were others involved in Sue’s life, an uncle and a grandfather. Incest was commonplace in this so-called family. Sue's mother kept quiet about it. Sue eventually wound up on disability. By the time she contacted me, she was a basket case. The final straw was when she was abused by a postal clerk. Her food stamps were not in her post office box. When she inquired of the clerk about them, she was told in front of several other patrons: “Why don't you get a job?”  Humiliated, a son still with her, no money, unable to work, unable to pay rent or even buy shoes for the child, Sue finally decided she had a story she had to tell.

But no one was interested in her story. After several failed attempts with local media and politicians and in the process having heard about me and my work on behalf of abused children, that I was a writer with media and political connections and might be willing to write her story for her she contacted me. Her disability and a failed operation left her unable to write. After listening to Sue for over two hours, I had to tell her the brutal truth: No newspaper, no TV station, no publisher, no politician would be interested in her story. Sue was crushed.

“Why not?” she asked.

I then told her what you readers don't want to hear; her story was too commonplace to be of interest to the media and people in general don't want to hear about this for several reasons. There's nothing you can do to help, you don't want to believe this is a commonplace story, you're sick, yourself, of people ripping off the welfare system and paying taxes for deadbeats like Sue, etc.

Sue was incredulous! A commonplace story? How could that be? I began the litany of statistics, the women like herself who have told me, personally, the same, identical story; the fact that over one-half of girls throughout America are molested in some way, the reasons children don't talk or can't talk about being molested.

Sue now knows what's she is up against. An uncaring and disbelieving society that refuses to confront molestation for the dreadful, destructive monster it is; and a monster out of all proportion to what people generally believe. We simply do not want to believe that any civilized society could have such a problem of such dreadful and dreadfully destructive proportions!

But Sue wanted me to write her story. And, in a very brief account, I'll do so. Why so brief? Because I have far too many identical stories and hers is not exceptional. She didn't have her arms cut off in a rape, her father wasn't head of a billion dollar empire, and she hadn't been a child beauty queen. In other words, her story didn't have a hook, a gimmick to attract public attention. The fact that it was a common story, a common tragedy, left it exactly that: Common. The fact that such a common story repeated millions of times in millions of lives is, itself, a comment on a society that refuses to believe, refuses to act on behalf of its little victims of monsters in the guise of men, a society that in failing to take action is dooming itself to deserved destruction seems to escape our elected leadership; as well as that of the electorate.

Anecdotal? Hardly. Would that it were. Sue's story is being repeated thousands of times daily across America. But we will treat such stories as anecdotal because the truth of its frequency is something no civilized society wants to confront.

Through molestation, Sue was taught she had no value as a human being, as a person. All she ever was as a female was a thing to be used by men… the brutal betrayal of trust and innocence whether by molestation or adultery, both kin of Judas, the betrayal impacts the betrayed for life. Sue sees her father's face in the relationships she has had with every man. And how many other lives, such as those of her own children, have been impacted by her own tragedy?

But Sue, for what it's worth, here is your story; though so briefly told few will understand the magnitude of your personal tragedy. It's too bad the leadership pays more attention to the airbags in cars than the plight of the multiplied thousands of children who would gain inestimably more in safety by attention to your story. And the stories of so many others in this book as well.

As an aside, after reading the book and having come to know me well a young woman said to me, “But Sam, aren’t you a bird with a broken wing as well?” I congratulated her for an astute estimate of my condition, one that comes with the territory of knowing the truth and writing about it.

As a pilot I am not going to second guess the tragedy in New York. But of all government agencies the NTSB is one of the very few in which I have any confidence. I wish I could say the same of politicians and our schools.

Who of any sensibility is going to credit those like Kennedy, the Clintons, or those who support creatures like Foley having anything substantive to say on the basis of real morality? It is all the same with those crediting Cardinal Mahoney having anything sincere to say about morality and “concern” for children. All self-professed “liberals” like Ted Kennedy and those of his ilk should serve as teachers in Watts to validate their boasts about “caring.”

Most people were aware of the Watts riot of 1965 at a safe distance through TV and other media. But it was up close and personal for me when I became a tenured teacher at David Starr Jordan High School on the corner of 103^rd and Alameda there at “ground zero.” What those at the time living in comfortable and safe neighborhoods throughout America could not possibly understand was the utter hopelessness of those living in Watts that their condition would ever change for the better, and what the extremes of poverty, crime and violence over literally decades can do to any people.

But conditions were dangerous enough in Watts to get the attention of the FBI, a couple of agents coming to the school attempting to get my cooperation should I hear anything that might be of interest to the agency. It was really ludicrous, the agents, both Caucasians dressed in such a manner complete with hats and three-piece suits they might have been wearing FBI stenciled on their backs, coming to have a “private” conversation with a Caucasian teacher in an all Negro school in an all Negro community. Fortunately for me my reputation with the kids and the community was such we all got a laugh about it rather than me becoming a resulting fatality of FBI stupidity.

However, in retrospect most of us felt much safer in an America where TV was continuing to portray an age of innocent opulence, an America that had not yet suffered the wholesale betrayal of our nation by politicians dedicated to slave labor from Mexico and selling out America to the highest bidder. In that America Watts was an aberration, not the norm.

While the problem of violence in the schools across America is getting some much needed attention I was writing about this in the late 60s warning the violence in Watts would not always be contained to the ghettos and barrios, but like drugs would be exported to “lily-white” suburban areas because the issues were not first addressed in places like Watts. When the Mafioso in The Godfather pronounced dealing in drugs was inevitable but should be confined to Negro communities because “they’re just a bunch of animals anyway” he was only giving voice to the attitude of many politicians, the only difference being that politicians think of the “animals” in terms of votes rather than drugs.

When one of my pupils tried to leave his gun at the front office so he could pick it up after school he could not understand why he was refused this accommodation. He needed the gun to safely come to school and safely get back to his house after school. Wasn’t it enough he was even willing to attend school under the circumstances? Try to explain this young fellow’s thinking to those that have never lived in such an environment; try to explain to those never living in areas like Watts where such a request becomes “reasonable” on the part of a child. As with many of the things I write about from experience I don’t even attempt to do so knowing how futile such efforts are.

But the people in Watts were ignored by politicians. It was sufficient the welfare checks kept going out to “keep those people in their place” while the politicians lived their cushy insulated lives of privilege at taxpayer expense. How often I would wish the politicians would come to Watts and see for themselves the abject hopelessness of the children attending Jordan, of conditions in the homes I would visit where there were no books only the daily fight for a grim existence with no hope a future promising anything any better.

However, the very system of the L. A. City Schools at the time was no better since it was a political system designed like government to ignore the problems while throwing money at them. And now that the whole of Los Angeles is reduced to that of a third world nation it would be vain to hope anything will get any better for the schools and the children suffering the indifference of politicians including those in charge of the schools that see elected office only as a license to steal.

 When I was first hired at Jordan I was told to ignore drugs on campus because they were not a problem; rape, murder, and other forms of violence were the problem. And sure enough, my very first week on the job a girl stabbed another from one of my classes to death over a boy.  But rape and murder in Watts did not merit notice by the L. A. Times and my job as a teacher was to simply keep the kids “polishing belt buckles” and pad the attendance role to keep the ADA money coming in.

I have had many years of experience being forced by the circumstances of earning a living and supporting a family to accommodate the lesser of evils because politicians have only offered greater evils as a choice. And now because of the all too typical greed and avarice of politicians and their corporate bosses Mexico is invading America and colonizing making conditions in schools across America even more hostile to American children. I experienced this as well while teaching in East San Jose where because of the predominantly Mexican population of largely illegal aliens the police were called to the campus 90 times the first ten weeks of school. But the Mexican principal of the school told the media Yerba Buena High School “Did not have a problem” and the San Jose Mercury News didn’t see any problems either.

Over the years things have only worsened in the schools across America, only worsened for families and children trying to hold on to any semblance of education. I used to tell parents back in the 60s “Things are not as bad as you think; they are far worse!” I used to point out concerning education a system for failure could not have been better designed had it been done purposely.”

Now, as I look back over the years I spent working with children in the worst circumstances imaginable I fervently wish I could hold on to hope of some things changing for the better in our schools. But it seems this will remain a wish, and one continually thwarted by politicians living in their insulated worlds of privilege far apart from conditions in Watts and East San Jose. And, from the conditions elsewhere in the world that now threaten the very survival of America as a nation.

Irregardless all the propaganda swirling about it is the duty and responsibility of every American eligible to do so to vote no matter the choices! Too many have given their very lives for America for any citizen of good conscience to fail in this most important responsibility of every American eligible to cast their vote! But it is equally important that Americans raise their voices by all means possible against the evils plaguing our political system. Like Henry Thoreau I do not advocate for no government, but for better government now! And short of taking up arms, again, the votes of We the People is the way civilized people advocate for better government now!

But the evils of the present government that refuses to either secure our borders or our ballots does not invite any confidence in such a government; but quite the contrary. If either Republicans or Democrats want to invite the confidence of We the People they must do something about both our borders and our ballots. Otherwise, it remains only the lesser of evils being offered come November.

Every American has just cause to find the present leadership repugnant. Take the evil of perversion for example. When my good friend and Episcopal Priest came by the other day to share the problems facing his church because of the inroads of perverts our conversation turned to the wisdom of the adage “He that sups with the Devil must have a long spoon.” A proverb is equally explicit: “Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?”

The Roman Church is notorious for welcoming perverts into its ranks while encouraging and shielding them Cardinal Mahoney being a glaringly infamous example among many others, and together with the Episcopal Church reflects the problems in Congress as per the pervert Foley that is of that body’s own making as well. You simply do not invite the Devil to dinner to begin with; such a thing is foolish on the face of it.

But the inherent evils of a system that elevates perverts to positions of power and authority cannot be successfully confronted in politically correct terminology. Things must be called by their correct names; a pervert is a pervert just as an illegal alien is an illegal alien, and there is no such thing as a hyphenated American, only an American. It is only to the advantage of evil to obfuscate and as with Hitler make people believe black is white and vice versa, which, of course, is propaganda not truth. And the truth does not invite obfuscation.

When it comes to confronting evil my dear old friend J. Vernon McGee pastor of Church of the Open Door and teacher of Through the Bible radio would say he would not suffer a moment’s hesitation shooting a mad dog threatening his children. Nor, I am certain, a mad dog threatening any child. Nor do I or any person of good conscience suffer any such hesitation about doing so. And it must eventually come to the best people killing the worst people, treating those seeking the destruction of America and Western Civilization as mad dogs.

For the witch doctors that would “cure” the mad dogs, that would cure the monsters preying on women and children rather than shoot them I have nothing but contempt. But these same “healers” would be among the first ones shot if America should become the victim of the mad dogs threatening our nation. Hope and pray diplomacy will work, that cooler heads among nations will eventually prevail. But only the truth wears well in the end, and the truth of it is that you don’t cure mad dogs; you kill them!

Why wasn’t that monster killed before it raped and murdered those innocent little girls in Pennsylvania? Well, had the monster been known before it committed such an atrocity… and so it goes.

You won’t hear the advocates of such a thing admit it but the immense fallacy of so-called “gun control” has been that by disarming law abiding citizens you will keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Nor will you hear those advocating for diplomacy concerning North Korea and Iran admit they are pressing for giving criminals guns but that is the logical conclusion.

Once you have troubled yourself to think about why nations like North Korea and Iran want nuclear weapons you enter a very dark nether world that civilized nations cannot possibly comprehend on the basis of reason. Both of these rogue nations have leaders demanding worship as gods claiming to speak as gods, both preach a message of annihilation of their enemies, and while Americans have been extorted by taxation without representation to feed our enemies while they plot to destroy our nation we are now expected to trust these same leaders that refuse to secure our own borders and ballots to find a way out of the nuclear crises growing daily; which is why I described the nuclear scenario posited by Michio Kaku together with quite a few other scientists “chillingly pragmatic.”

Diplomacy will not work with bullies, tyrants and despots. There is no “cure” for those preying on women and children, there is no “cure” for the monsters like that in Pennsylvania. You kill the monsters before they kill the innocent otherwise you are subscribing to the lunacy of keeping a “pet rattlesnake,” an apt description of child molesters especially.

 Most of us have our demons with which we struggle. As young as I was at the time one of mine came immediately following those bombs being dropped on Japan. This demon comes often at night with a vision of thousands of innocent children whose last conscious moment on earth was that of a brilliant flash instantly snuffing out their lives. And these were the lucky ones.

The “larger picture” was the potentially two million Americans and Japanese saved because of dropping those bombs. But this larger picture does nothing to drive away the demon that has haunted me ever since those bombs were dropped. The entire library of books written on the subject of WWII, the many things leading up to it and the outcome continues to grow. However, once the leadership of Germany and Japan decided war was the only answer for them the die was cast and many millions of innocent people paid the price for the decisions made by these leaders.

Threats, bullying, extortion and blackmail are the stock in trade of all tyrants like that of North Korea. The prevailing madness of the leaders in Muslim nations like Iran is no different. The bloodthirsty Allah of Islam is no different than the “god” of North Korea demanding worship.

But does it always have to come to this: Dennis Prager, “The best are killed in every generation. If you are debating whether to be optimistic or pessimistic about humanity's future, here is a point to consider: In every generation, especially in the last century, vast numbers of good people -- often the best people -- have been murdered by the worst people.”

The difference now is the nuclear factor. There is no practical or diplomatic way to keep nations like Iran and North Korea “contained” and eventually making it possible for nuclear terrorism right here in America. It is only a question of who will shoot first, whether those who believe in “pet rattlesnakes” will prevail or those who know there is no such thing. Knowing this only keeps demons like the one arising from Hiroshima and Nagasaki thriving. But there is no exorcising of such demons unless the world becomes safe for all children. And that will not happen by supporting the monsters preying on the innocent.

It is tragic in the extreme monsters like that in Pennsylvania are not killed before they torture and kill the innocent. However, this is the choice now being given the civilized world which is faced with the monsters in Iran and North Korea. But the civilized mind recoils at the very thought of having to shoot first, and like any civilized person I hope in the face of seeming hopelessness there may yet be a diplomatic solution to the growing nuclear crisis, that the fears of those like Michio Kaku are not realized.  But this is the potential fate of the world unless Prager’s observation is reversed and the best people kill the worst people.

We hope and pray China and Russia will act and contain North Korea before Japan, Taiwan and others go nuclear. We can hope and pray India and Pakistan do not fire their missiles; that Israel does not have to fire on Iran, there is a lot to hope and pray about. But if it comes down to who will shoot first we better hope and pray it is the best people killing the worst people. And to anticipate those who believe in pet rattlesnakes I won’t dignify such a thing by qualifying who I believe to be the best people. I have already made my position in this respect abundantly clear in my support of Western Civilization.

Perhaps China will buy North Korea? But would North Korea accept American debt to China for the purchase?

There is no “End Game” in sight for a world led of lunatics other than that posited by Nobel Physicist Michio Kaku in his book “Visions” where he theorizes if other civilizations like ours have existed elsewhere in the universe they may have reached our stage of nuclear development and destroyed themselves. I have written extensively on this theme myself, and find Kaku’s observation chillingly pragmatic.

In any event “solutions” will find their own course despite the efforts of the Albert Schweitzer’s and Mother Teresa’s of the world. Michio Kaku knowing well how leaders refuse to listen to their critics took a page from Henry Thoreau concerning government: “Why does it always crucify Christ, and excommunicate Copernicus and Luther, and pronounce Washington and Franklin rebels?” However, that is the reality despite the self-destructive course of governments. To refuse to countenance this reality is to be ignorant to the point of maliciousness.

To listen to those who would “lecture” about the need for diplomacy in a world where nations with nuclear bombs are led of lunatics is itself lunacy. You do not reason with tyrants and despots; you kill them before they can kill you. Neither Hitler nor Tojo would have hesitated turning America into glass. Nor will any tyrant or despot like that in Iran or North Korea of the same mindset.

In the vernacular “Let’s get real!” No one trusts America because of an utterly failed leadership that is in such disarray it cannot even secure our borders or ballots, a leadership that has plunged America into fathomless debt with no end in sight. There is Israel to face Iran, and China and Russia looking to their interests. There are the many nations like Mexico and Venezuela demanding blackmail of America with no end in sight to this extortion. The UN is so corrupt throughout there is no hope to be found there.

Here is my personal nightmare. The nations comprising the Security Council will gather and the question will be “Who can we trust?” The answer will be to try to forge alliances of nations that do not trust each other and then it will be a matter of who shoots first. And none of this will matter if that terrorist nuclear bomb goes off in America, none of this will matter if by design or accident missiles start flying anywhere in the world.

One of the things I have enjoyed not owning going on nearly twenty years is a lawnmower. No lawn, so no mower; only the natural flora of trees and bushes together with an abundant number of granite boulders gratis floods making a “rock garden” that would be the envy of any wanting such a thing, and providing safe harbor for abundant lizards. Though when the occasional rattlesnake appears I effect its speedy transmigration with a hoe I keep handy. I have no truck with rattlesnakes; not now, not ever. I have this same attitude toward ground squirrels and jays. Guns used to be my tools for the task and I have even shot the occasional threatening dog, but the area has become too inhabited now for guns to be used though I keep a pellet rifle handy to “discourage” the ground squirrels and jays.

But at the approach of every fire season here in the Kern River Valley out come the weed whackers to keep my place from becoming a fire hazard. And with nearly an acre to maintain, each year it requires a lot of weed cutting to keep the weeds at bay.

Any of you ever tried to keep a beautiful lawn weed-free? I’ve suffered buying new homes and putting in lawns with the constant labor and aggravation to maintain them. It requires constant effort even in Beverly Hills to sustain a beautiful well manicured lawn free of weeds. But then, the folks in Beverly Hills can afford it especially for the wages paid illegal aliens and aren’t worried about their properties producing corn, wheat, oats, or rice. The wealthy are not worried about making the soil say “beans” instead of “weeds.”

Weeds have a tenacity that reflects the curse pronounced upon the Adam in Genesis, that the earth itself would be cursed bringing forth weeds requiring Adam and all following him to earn and eat their bread by constant toil waging war against the weeds that threatened all the good fruits of the soil necessary to sustain life.

It doesn’t take much effort on my part to generate controversy; comes with the territory of not pulling any punches speaking my mind when addressing the hard, often dark issues confronting America, things like the monsters in human guise preying on women and children, things like the invading hoards of barbarians from Mexico, my advocating the legalization of marijuana and prostitution, abolition of the death penalty because of the capriciousness with which it is handled state-to-state, politicians that are nothing but predators and so on. Why, one would almost think I never read “How to Win Friends and Influence People?”

But to really rile people and be cast in the role of Bill O’Reilly instead of Wolf Blitzer all I have to do is question the efforts to help children in foreign nations while so many children in America are suffering and cast any doubt on programs dedicated to feeding the starving children of the world asking one question: Why?

 Who with any heart for the suffering of children is not moved to the very core of their being by such scenes of human suffering and degradation? But the question remains a legitimate one: Why feed our enemies? What do “humanitarian efforts” really accomplish when America cannot win the propaganda war against our enemies, cannot win by feeding and giving comfort to our enemies? For example, Muslim children receiving aid from America are still taught to hate America and Americans along with the milk and rice we give them. The warlords, tyrants and despots wherever will with the aid of the UN steal from America and take credit for what is stolen. Accountability? As with Big Business, bureaucracies of every description, politicians and judges in America, as with our schools, social services and so much more there is none!

The wisdom of “Charity begins at home” is born out by Americans being actually extorted by predator politicians and their bosses to provide aid and comfort to the enemies of our nation, including those actively attempting to destroy America! And just what is the motivation on the part of those charities by various religious institutions dedicated to feeding the starving of the world when the end product is invariably increasing crops of weeds, and these “weeds” growing up to choke out and destroy Western Civilization? But the lesson of corruption being rife in those nations aided by America is never learned no matter how many times such corruption is revealed. Why not? Look to the “leadership” of America and follow the money for the answer.

What is Mexico producing but human weeds that are encroaching on America, threatening the more noble fruits of American soil? Most certainly nations like China and Russia only applaud the millions from Mexico and elsewhere invading America knowing full well these will never assimilate and become Americans. It is in the interest of our enemies to hasten things like this invasion and colonization of America from Mexico and other barbarian nations where the wealthy rulers and tyrants are dedicated only to their own interests of multiplying their own wealth through slavery. And this is an apt description of own Federal Triune Dictatorship!

Just who decided on “sanctuary cities” in America? Who profits from these and the emasculating of our police agencies from even protecting America from illegal aliens all of which are criminals by definition? Where does the fear of being labeled “racist” for sticking up for America and wanting to secure our borders originate? Who profits from these smear tactics?

Of a certainty the “war on terrorism” cannot possibly be won unless it is fought to win, and this means killing the enemy. But feeding the enemy at the same time making a pretense of a war while sacrificing American lives in the process is an abomination! And We the People had better start making our voices heard against this abomination and against all those from Caesar Bush on down, Republican and Democrat, encouraging this abomination!

From the very beginning I warned because of Caesar Bush and Company starting a war they had no plan for finishing would result in America standing alone. But no “prophet” is ever welcomed in their own home or in their own country. And no, I am not going to go back and re-read “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” but I will continue to have my weeds whacked, chop off the heads of rattlesnakes and shoot mad dogs, ground squirrels, and jays.

Watching a hawk swoop down on the covey of quail in my backyard and scatter it this morning was certainly a reminder Nature is not sensitive to the lives of lesser creatures farther down on the food chain, does not distinguish between prey and predator. It would be vain attempting to tell a hawk to leave the quail alone since it is a predator by instinct.

There is an embarrassing abundance of analogies between politicians and the hawk that swooped down on the quail, between politicians and Nature red in tooth and claw. In the nature of things the strong prey on the weak, but the hawk did not choose to be a hawk, and quail do not choose to be quail. However; easily casting aside any altruistic “Mr. Smith’s” and the hypocritical claims of “public service” politicians choose to be politicians, and as such choose to be predators.

If I had not known before mixing it up in the bars for years before writing my book Birds With Broken Wings I certainly learned the truth of the maxims “Nice guys finish last,” and “Nice guys never get the last dance” during that period of my life. If men are born to hunt them, women are born to be hunted. But it is this too often predisposition women appear to have that invites the attention of those not considered to be the nice guys and the hunter moves in on them. And this is true no matter whether in a church or a bar.

But unlike politicians that choose to be predators, men and women are wired by a multitude of genetic factors predisposing them to fulfill their gender specific roles. And the hawk and the quail are fulfilling their genetic roles as well; the result being life is predominantly unfair throughout; notwithstanding giving full employment to our modern day witch doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists, lawyers, politicians, judges, TV and radio talk show hosts, columnists, etc. ad nauseum.

It would be an enormous error to subscribe anything of personality to “Nature” though much poetic license is taken in doing so. And I have no fault to find with poets and those, including myself, who find so much of beauty throughout nature and choose to write about such beauty. But the fact remains nature as such has no consciousness of person, that life throughout is at the mercy of uncaring elements invariably favoring the strong over the weak, the cunning over the less intelligent, a point well made by Machiavelli and not a few others.

Contrary to reason, it is not that pile of noble books, the worthiest thoughts of humankind by philosophers and those books comprising the library of the Great Conversation and the Harvard Classics by which heaven is to be scaled at last. On the contrary scaling heaven seems to have fallen to the builders of a new Tower of Babel using the Koran, The Prince, Karl Marx, Mein Kampf, and a witch’s brew of such “building stones” for the purpose.

So while recently listening to a retired general answering the question of how the war against terrorism is to be won reply “You kill the enemy” I applauded his succinct sagacity. This is how the Allies won WWII. But the nations of Western Civilization have not won a war since that time. And why not? Because the general summed neatly the process by which all wars are won.

When a man moves on a woman he finds attractive, there are certain rules of social behavior in a civilized society that must be followed. But in barbarian societies, including many of them right here in America, there is only the strong preying upon the weak. Every case of monsters in human guise preying on women and children evidences the fact there are indeed monsters to be found in all nations no matter the degree of civilized sophistication and the multitude of laws ostensibly designed to protect women and children from the monsters preying on them. Still, like our immigration laws and other such no law is any better than its enforcement.

As to WWIII, if this is the case no amount of civilized behavior or laws will take the place of killing the enemy. And just so with the monsters preying on women and children. The only way I can save the quail is by killing the hawk. To save all the quail I need to kill all the hawks and “balance of nature” be damned!

Cold blooded as such pragmatism is it remains the way to protect women and children from monsters, it remains the way wars are won. The world facing the threat of nuclear terrorism it only remains to be seen which nations will prove the more pragmatic. In this it must be remembered politicians are predators. A point to keep in mind as we watch and listen to this present crop of hawks posturing and pandering for votes all the while only seeing We the People as quail. And these predators seeing We the People as only quail are not going to solve the problems of the manifold threats facing America. And since this is reality what does this say of those at the highest point of the food chain, the billionaires at the top feeding on the quail worldwide owning these lesser predator politicians!

Like many of you I listen to the “cooler heads” talk of China and Russia not wanting to destroy America since it is not in their economic interest to do so; of attempts to accommodate Big Oil, Iran and North Korea for the “greater good” geopolitically. But then I think of the hawk and the quail, I think of the monsters preying on women and children only to be allowed free to continue their depredations, I think of the millions of barbarians invading America from Mexico for the sake of slave labor benefiting those at the top of the “food chain” and that puts things in proper pragmatic perspective. You win wars by killing the enemy. But our present crop of “chicken hawks” are only adept at killing quail, not those above them at the top of the food chain.

“First we’ll save the party... then we’ll give the country some attention.”

No, as blatantly obvious as it is Republicans are not saying this but Walt Kelly’s Congressman Frog during an episode in “Pogo” said this when the candidate he was supporting turned out to have skeletons in the closet. But Walt wouldn’t take credit for prescience, he knew politics was a dirty business every bit as much as did those like Emerson and Clemens. But the words of Congressman Frog are certainly timely in light of what is happening right now among Republicans.

Hastert “accepts responsibility” but he won’t step down. Sounds like every politician. There is the “responsibility” of 9/11, of Iraq, of Katrina, all of which leaves Hastert comfortable in “accepting responsibility” for refusing to act to protect young people from the known sexual predator Foley. Like all politicians Hastert feels quite comfortable in “accepting responsibility” as long as it doesn’t cost him anything: Business as usual in politics. He says the buck stops with him. But like any politician the buck goes into his pocket while the focus remains: “First we’ll save the party... then we’ll give the country some attention.”

The real threat to America is the fact there is nothing better than Hastert and Foley among Democrats that have a history of approving perversion in their own ranks. All have the same mindset as expressed so succinctly by Congressman Frog. Save the party; then worry about the country.

People used to get upset with me when I would point out the obvious: No nation that fails to cherish its young has any future as a nation. Nor does it deserve one!

America has evolved into a society that acts like it actually hates children. Pornography and perversion abounds in the guise of “free speech” and politicians pander to perverts and illegal aliens for votes; there are no standards of morality to be found in America any longer and barbarians hold entire cities hostage to gangs. It no longer seems to mean anything to even be an “American” when our borders are wide open to the invasion by millions of barbarians from Mexico for the sake of slave labor benefiting those in Congress that behave as barbarians as well.

We are no longer a nation of laws when neither our children nor our nation are served by the laws that give more protection to the monsters in human guise preying on children than their victims, when illegal aliens are given more rights and privileges than legitimate American citizens and our borders remain open to terrorists.

The many years I have worked to call attention to the plight of children suffering from the cowardly bullies, the monsters in human guise preying upon them have been to no avail; conditions for children in America have only worsened with the years.

But a Federal Triune Dictatorship that is more concerned with “saving the party” while ignoring the worsening conditions for children in America, while ignoring the plight of millions of legitimate American citizens suffering declining wages due in large part to the invasion of barbarians from Mexico and elsewhere cannot be expected to save America.

Schools are failing throughout America because politicians are more concerned with “saving the party” than saving our children. Hypocrites multiply expressing “concern” for the children in foreign nations while the children of America are suffering. America cannot survive by becoming a cesspool of corruption and perversion, by losing its identity as a nation. And if children are not a priority in America, and I mean “The Children of America!” not Mexico or Africa! our nation has no future. Nor does it deserve one!

Corruption and perversion seems endemic of our Federal Triune Dictatorship bringing to mind Hector St. John Crevecoeur's comments concerning the inevitability of evil, and as one scandal after another threatens to incapacitate and paralyze the functions of government it reminds me of an early experiment in politics by the Israelites.

The tribes of Israel demanded a king and despite the warnings of the prophet Samuel that they were rejecting God’s rule in exchange for that of men, that human rulers were invariably given to all the evils of government the people were insistent in their demand for a king.

We will never know how things might have turned out had the Israelites continued under the rule of judges and prophets, and given the frequent abuses by the priests of Israel as a theocracy the people wanting a king was understandable, but we do know things did not go well for them under the various kings and in the end Israel ceased to exist as a nation.

Our Founding Fathers were men of great vision and insight, and the noblest experiment in democracy the world had ever seen enjoyed great success for quite a long time. But now America is threatened from within and without, our enemies multiplying on a near daily basis.

But as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes said “of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” And we are drowning in a sea of books none of which have solved the problems those Israelites faced, the same problems of the lust for power, the problems of greed and avarice, of perversion that continue to haunt all attempts at good government.

Henry Thoreau recognized the need of some government evil as it was, but even he was balked by the recognition of such a need. What Henry could not countenance was the very system of evil that attracts only the worst of humankind wanting authority over others. As much to the point as On the Duty of Civil Disobedience Henry did not have the intellect of his friend and mentor Emerson who had remarked none would choose to be a politician had they the traits of virtue leading to the choice of some noble profession.  Recognizing the fact that none of virtue seek power and authority over others Emerson summed the evil of government and the evils of society insisting on “kings” succinctly reflecting the plight of those early Israelites and all governments thereafter:

See what allowance vice finds in the respectable and well-conditioned class. If a pickpocket intrude into the society of gentlemen, they exert what moral force they have, and he finds himself uncomfortable, and glad to get away. But if an adventurer go through all the forms, procure himself to be elected to a post of trust, as of senator, or president, - though by the same arts as we detest in the house-thief, - the same gentlemen who agree to discountenance the private rogue, will be forward to show civilities and marks of respect to the public one: and no amount of evidence of his crimes will prevent them giving him ovations, complimentary dinners, opening their own houses to him, and priding themselves on his acquaintance. We were not deceived by the professions of the private adventurer, - the louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons; but we appeal to the sanctified preamble of the messages and proclamations of the public sinner, as the proof of his sincerity. It must be that they who pay this homage have said to themselves, On the whole, we don’t know about this that you call honesty; a bird in the hand is better.

It is an evil system that promotes the worst to positions of power and authority, an evil endemic to humankind that fawns over those who rise to power on the basis of doing evil. Our Founding Fathers made the noblest attempt to thwart this human weakness known to history, but their good work has been usurped by scoundrels unworthy to even mention the name of Washington.

While our Federal Triune Dictatorship is so corrupt and perverted as to be an abomination in the sight of God and the whole world and while the airwaves, columns and books proliferate without end as per the Preacher’s indictment of such, evil circumstances seem to be spiraling so out of control We the People are left not only angry, but fearful of not having a leadership capable of handling affairs in the face of mounting threats to America. And our greatest fear, all too well founded, is the lack of any of genuine virtue to come to our rescue. And lacking any of virtue to lead America, this leaves only the horrors of circumstances like that of nuclear terrorism to make the decisions for us.

The Bible has it “Fools make a mock at sin,” but there is the further admonition “Be sure your sins will find you out.” A leadership that is willing to accommodate perversion of every description just to gain and hold power is only inviting calamity for America.

Henry Thoreau was on to something when he wrote “Children, who play life, discern its true law and relations more clearly than men…”

Children are marvelously inventive when it comes to devising games for themselves. It is not without reason I decry the “plastic age” in which so many so-called “toys” leave so little to a child’s imagination and creativity. Modeling clay and water colors, Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs, Erector sets, the old tissue and balsa model airplane kits, these are the proper domain of childhood. If you see a child who would rather play with the box than the toy, you know where the child’s interests and priorities are; and parents should take the hint and act accordingly.

You may recall from your own childhood it takes imagination, inventiveness and creativity for children to devise tea parties for stuffed toys and invisible friends. And no, this isn’t the sole domain of little girls; my brother Ronnie and I were adepts at such things including tea parties and playing with our stuffed toys, who often proved better listeners than adults as with the resident pet cat or dog also. Though my brother and I were distinctly boys enjoying our cap guns and relating to Red Ryder and Hopalong Cassidy, it was our stuffed friends that often proved more understanding of children than adults.

It remains my contention as per Henry’s observation that it is vitally important to retain the best part of the man, the child within, in order to properly deal with the issues of life without being childish. If we carefully observe adults “at play” one cannot escape the perception of the cynicism “He who has the most toys when he dies, wins.” What could possibly be more “childish” as a pejorative?

Among the many self-appointed duties like keeping bird bath and feeders filled here at my place is the placing of a wasp trap for the ubiquitous yellowjackets that plague the valley. I’m very pragmatic when it comes to Nature red in tooth and claw. PETA notwithstanding I don’t find anything cute or adorable about anything like a shark or bear higher on the food chain than me; and for my part the only good wasp is a dead wasp, and I don’t hold with any “balance of nature” that includes wasps, black widows or recluse spiders. I see ‘em, I kill ‘em. Always have, always will.

While living at Minter Field right after WWII, we children soon discovered to our discomfiture the base harbored a very large number of wasps. These nasty creatures had built nests in virtually every one of the empty barracks, but now that people had moved back on to the base due to the housing shortage for returning veterans with families the wasps were a downright plague and a force to be reckoned with! So, I devised a game to deal with the situation; and one in which the more adventurous of the other children were quick to join me.

I had made what could only be called a “glorified flyswatter” of cardboard nailed to a short length of lath for a handle. I artistically embellished the cardboard with a crayon-drawn picture of a large wasp. Then dressing in long pants and long sleeved shirt, I was prepared like a knight set on slaying dragons to do battle with the nasty, stinging adversary. The other children joining me followed suit, each one exercising their own particular artistry emblazoning their battle implement.

Going to war against the resident wasps was an act of heroism. Every one of us children recognized the challenge the wasps represented, but also the opportunity to test our courage. After all, we were raised during an era of world war, of living with daily news of the selfless acts of heroism on the part of so many that gave their lives for America, for freedom and democracy, and though we were children the need to test our own courage was an imperative. What adults saw as children at play was a deadly earnestness to our “play” killing wasps.

As with Sam Clemens, Bill Cosby seems never to have forgotten that the proper occupation of children is to play. And like Clemens and Cosby, I haven’t forgotten this proper occupation of children; and neither had Harper Lee in To Kill A Mockingbird.

At one point in her literary masterpiece Harper Lee has Scout, Jem, and Dill devising a game about Boo Radley. And while being disapproved by Atticus, Boo Radley watching through the broken shutters of his dark tomb of a house enjoyed watching the game. This neighborhood “bogeyman” was child enough to relate to the children, and understood their proper occupation. But he would later prove man enough to save the lives of Scout and Jem. It was the best of a “mad man,” the child within that made Mr. Arthur Radley the guardian angel of the children.

To forecast the future of a nation, watch children at play; and pay particular attention to their “toys.” I do confess, the games children play today, their “toys” are not those of my generation. And I cannot but wish they were; I cannot but wish for more modeling clay and water colors, more Erector sets rather than the plastic and electronics especially those filled with so much violence that seem to cheat children of their proper occupation.

It can hardly be surprising to anyone a Congressman like Foley was able to rise to a position of prominence and that such an execrable creature would be the fox guarding the henhouse under the pretense of “caring” about children. Such creatures like Foley are found everywhere in a society that condones and eventually encourages perversion. America has come to epitomize the cautionary words of Alexander Pope:

Vice is a monster of such frightful mien

As to be hated needs but to be seen;

Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,

We first endure, then pity, then embrace.

Such has been the success of perversion permeating American society largely through the efforts of the ACLU that seldom passes up an opportunity to demonize and haul into court all those who attempt to advance anything of standards of civilized moral behavior, speech, and dress, any standards of such things even in the classrooms of America. We live with the results of this “success” by the ACLU and its allied universities, judiciary, politicians, Hollywood, and the media, a success that has led to increasing barbarism throughout America and children are paying the price for this.

But even in today’s debauched America a child believes in the healing power of a mother’s kiss. What does the child understand of the advances in modern medicine? But the child does understand someone caring about them and loving them, and responds accordingly.

My Cherokee ancestors, as with all Native Americans, did their best to cope with the many things they did not understand. The medicine men, shamans of the various tribes followed in the traditions of most ancient peoples ascribing to various spirits the characteristics that helped them cope with the supernatural, as did most ancient peoples throughout history and throughout the world.

Today, Tom Cruise aside, it does often seem in too many cases sorcery is still practiced by witch doctors plying their trade under the titles of “psychologists” and “psychiatrists.” These are the quacks that preach the monsters in human guise preying on women and children should not be permanently removed from any society calling itself “civilized.” The entire field of education, in which I spent so many years of my life fares no better using an obfuscating language pejoratively labeled educationese by which like politicians there is little of direct, explicable answers to direct questions.

What our modern day shamans have done is apply labels in lieu of understanding, abusing the veneer of civilization to mask the fact these are too often in little better case than my Cherokee ancestors in their attempts to explain and exorcise the various demons plaguing humankind. And I would venture so far as to say my Indian ancestors had far more confidence in their shamans than do people today in psychologists and psychiatrists. And small wonder, given the apparent lunacy on the part of these modern day witch doctors that in far too many cases seem to be divorced from reality.

Used to be the town drunk was simply that; the town drunk. Like the character in Mayberry he was easy to understand, not a person to be analyzed by witch doctors that would “explain” his behavior and offer him a plethora of services including tea and sympathy at taxpayer expense. So with those that attacked children. These were not people that required “understanding,” they were not people the witch doctors would practice their various forms of “exorcism” upon attempting to cast out the unclean spirits.

But that was a simpler time in America, a time when the protection of children superseded the “casting out of demons” as practiced by our contemporary witch doctors, and being drunk or under the influence of whatever drugs wasn’t an acceptable reason before the courts to excuse murdering people while driving or committing murder, rape and mayhem and racial profiling didn’t get you off the hook for monstrous acts.

Of no surprise to me the monsters in human guise that kidnapped, raped, and held as a sex slave little Elizabeth Smart are found by a judge and a system replete with modern day witch doctors to be “incompetent” to stand trial. Incompetent? What in precise language, exactly, is that? No rational person could possibly make any sense of attempts to answer this question by this judge and his witch doctors.

But why should anyone be surprised by any travesty of justice when Martha Stewart was required to wear a tracking device while thousands of monsters that kidnap and torture women and children are loose throughout America to continue their depredations against these victims, where the monsters are given more rights than their victims? I can think of no greater indictment against our nation than this callous disregard for women and children, a system of “justice” that cares more for monsters and gives them more rights in the courts than children and civilized law abiding human beings!

It does seem utter madness, quite insane on the face of it, that these thousands of monsters are free to roam like ravening wolves throughout America to prey upon the innocent while someone like Martha Stewart is forced to wear a tracking device. There is simply no rational explanation for such a thing in a society presuming to be “civilized.”

Ok, so civilized people are left without any rational explanation for such actions on the part of politicians, judges and others that continue to loose these thousands of monsters against women and children while demanding a tracking device for Martha Stewart. Therefore, what are we to do in attempting to make sense of such seeming lunacy?

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had it when all plausible explanations have been exhausted you turn to the seemingly implausible. We are without plausible explanations of why humankind seems bent on so many lunacies leading to its own destruction. So it is that I turn to the seemingly implausible.

The books have proliferated, largely by modern day witch doctors, attempting to explain why the most unworthy human beings imaginable attain power and riches. The Bible to my mind offers a much more plausible explanation in II Corinthians 4:4 by way of a malignant and evil “god of this world” that rewards his servants by “putting them on the Devil’s payroll.”

The evil of loosing thousands of monsters among civilized society to prey on women and children needs to be exposed. But in expressing his own frustration at the lunacy of it all the Preacher in Ecclesiastes writes “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” An excellent paraphrase, and one of which the Hebrew will admit, is “Lunacy of lunacies, all is lunacy.” That is unless one accepts the seeming implausible explanation of a “god of this world” as the inventor and promoter of such lunacy.

Can Congress, for example, be the result of Intelligent Design? Perhaps as with Genesis “In the beginning,” but many would have difficulty perceiving Congress as such now.

There is a lot to said, in my opinion, to be past chasing women and working on my next broken heart, and I’m content to let the books I have written with this theme speak for me now. In the words of Maurice Chevalier in Gigi, “I’m so glad I’m not young any more,” though the film makes clear he had not lost his appreciation for youth and beauty.

But now long past the desperation of youth, my mind increasingly turns to matters of subtle thought often the purview of advanced years. “A subtle thought that is in error may yet give rise to fruitful inquiry that can establish truths of great value.” Isaac Asimov.

Heeding Asimov’s astute observation, one with which most would concur and has proven itself many times over, I recently wrote a syndicated columnist friend interested in the subject suggesting that if one were to look for evidence of ID perhaps Congress would provide such. This body could hardly be the result of merely mechanical and mindless chance; there is obvious evidence of intelligence at work in the evolution of such an entity. However, no one is going to ascribe the evolution of Congress to a benevolent Creator by whatever definition. On the other hand, given the diabolical creation of the dinosaurs, of Nature red in tooth and claw together with the Biblical description of Satan, if one were to concede him having the power of Intelligent Design…

The debate over whether the universe is a product of an organizing intelligence or that of chance and mechanical laws is really heating up. I for one am grateful for the debate; it is decades overdue and has outgrown the stigma attaching to the disastrous Scopes’ trial. However, the civilized mind cannot but wish the debate would be confined to civilized good manners and sound scholarship rather than the too often ugly prejudices on both sides.

As to ID being offered in the schools, I believe the quote by Asimov would settle the question and appeal to those interested in genuine education, an education that encourages speculation and the higher thought processes. After all, while making its own contributions to civilization it isn’t science that has given us the greatest of art and literature, and while philosophy deals in speculation there is a very good reason it retains its title “The King of Disciplines.”

Whatever theory one subscribes involving how the universe and life came to be, we can’t escape the realities which now include terrorism and attempting to be prepared for uncertain eventualities. Of course humankind may be a “space virus” as some contend; both Franklin and Clemens together with not a few others of eminence concluded our species only deserving of becoming extinct.

Irregardless our origin, gods or no gods, we live with the ugly realities of a world seemingly gone insane and the lunatics among world leaders abound. Still, it remains the battle against evil no matter ones thoughts on the metaphysical must be confronted in the face of grim realities, not wishful thinking that somehow God is going to do what is the responsibility of people, especially on behalf of children.