Learning about our sick government at 4 a.m.
The early bird gets the worm, which is less distasteful than what you’ll get if you listen to the radio in the wee hours of the morning. You’ll get inane and obnoxious propaganda masquerading as public service announcements from various ministries of our national government.
The announcements are all so awful that it’s difficult to pick the worst one. But after much thought, my top pick is from the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse, which, to quote from its website (www.fatherhood.gov), is a “service of the Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) Office of Family Assistance (OFA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.”
No, the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC) is not an on-line market where responsible fathers can be bought and sold. To quote again from its website, it is a government agency that:
… collects and shares information that promotes and supports the Responsible Fatherhood field, and specifically supports ACF-funded Promoting Responsible Fatherhood grantees. The NRFC also serves as a central source for the public to learn more about the importance of Responsible Fatherhood and fatherhood issues.
The NRFC promotes and supports Responsible Fatherhood in an effort to advance the fatherhood movement, and support fathers and families. The long-term goals of the NRFC are to have its efforts help support the emergence of more well-functioning, economically independent families and stronger communities in line with the long term-goals of OFA – family self sufficiency and economic independence.
In addition to producing gobbledygook like the above, NRFC produces radio announcements that tell fathers that it doesn’t take much time or effort to be a good father. This is from the same government that has made full-time fatherhood unnecessary through welfare programs that encourage women to “marry” Uncle Sam instead of the father of their children. It’s difficult to find a social problem that hasn’t been caused or seriously exacerbated by such unholy marriages, including poverty, crime, dropouts, and learning and behavioral problems in school. Yet NRFC, like other propaganda ministries, is silent about the government being the root of the problem.
Worse, NRFC further institutionalizes the problem of absentee fathers by awarding grants to organizations that also ignore the root cause. This creates another special interest that is dependent on the problem continuing and that will resist serious attempts to fix the root cause and thus stop the grant money.
Naturally, the PCBD media (politically-correct, brain-dead media) have neither the courage nor intelligence to expose this insanity and greed. One of their members, black columnist Clarence Page of Tribune Media Services, came close but couldn’t bring himself to go against the prevailing propaganda of the government and the PCBD media.
In a recent column, Page wrote about the disintegration of the black family, citing the horrendous statistic of 72 percent of blacks being born out of wedlock. He even acknowledged that Daniel Patrick Moynihan was prescient 45 years ago when he published his controversial Department of Labor report on the coming disintegration. Shamefully, though, Page said nothing about Moynihan making a connection between welfare and out-of-wedlock births. In fact, the word “welfare” can’t be found in Page’s column. Instead, Page endorsed feel-good, Band-Aid programs like the ones promulgated by the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse. Then he praised President Obama for doing the same.
As I said at the beginning, worms are less distasteful than this propaganda.
Mencken’s Ghost | E-mail
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Four views from my back porch
Arizona seems to be in the news lately. Most story lines seem focused on the debate over SB1070. It appears to be a black and white issue; either you are in favor or you are opposed. Period.
Outrage, anger, fear, violence and threats are being raised and reported by all media outlets. Under the color of official right government bodies and religious denominations of every ilk are lining up to be included in a long but distinguished queue of self-righteous dissenters standing against this law. Simply put: their tacit tactics are to extort change.
Boycotts, sententious speeches, machinations by pedantic self-promoting politicians, religious leaders spewing enmity with asperity and well managed marketing media outlets continue the fray by the continual barrage of news stories related to SB1070.
SB1070 has become the pivot point for politicians looking for favor among their constituents, not for profit organizations looking for financial support, the self-righteous looking for legitimacy and the media hoping for a larger audience.
The bottom line is those in the cross-hairs of this law are looking for something for nothing.
That something came at a very high cost – sympathizers are cheapening the price thousands have paid for – freedom.
Free is a made-up word designed by executives on Madison Avenue to sell you something else for a higher price. Freedom, on the other hand, is real, it is visceral, it is coveted, it is sought by all who don't possess it and it has been defended by those who understand its meaning and value. It is not a product, it is not a service, it is not a right and it is not the panacea for your ills. It is a way of life.
Welcome all those who seek it ... but don't you ever believe it is Free and those who live under it ... don't you ever sell it to the highest bidder.
G. Compton | Scottsdale
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Runaway pets
Four months ago, my friend’s Labrador decided to take a walk by himself, never to be seen again.
As I checked online whether he was found, I stumbled upon twenty five thousand labs that were lost and found in the Phoenix area, though no trace of Cash.
During our daily walks across Anthem, my shepherd and I often spot a runaway pet roaming the streets and washes by himself. This morning was no exception. At 9 a.m., two dogs were sniffing bushes without an owner in sight. They wore no collar, and one of them acted vicious towards me and Scout, which made me incapable of capturing either of them.
After vainly following them around for a while, I turned and decided to give animal control a call. By the time I traced the dogs back, I had encountered a lonely poodle and a rabbit that had fallen prey to a wandering dog. Luckily, the two rebels walked straight home this time, where they loudly defended their territory until a sleepy kid opened the door and let them in.
Case closed.
I wondered why runaway pets such as these should decide to leave their packs in search for something better, and whether their pack leaders are aware of the dangers their pets could encounter while exploring the hood. Today was going to be a hot day, even at Daisy Mountain temperatures were supposed to climb up to a 110°F. Sunburn, heatstroke and burnt pads were only a couple of hours away for the two rebels and the poodle of this morning.
Besides the physical dangers they faced and the rabbit that was needlessly killed, other unfortunate situations could have escalated. If the dogs were not micro chipped and animal control had picked them up, chances would have been slim for the family to ever have been reunited. If the dogs would have been lucky, a new guardian could have taken them under his/her wing. However, this too would be an unlikely probability, since both dogs were old and one of them was not the nicest guy to be around. Euthanasia would likely have followed, along with guilty feeling owners up in Anthem.
Another danger that is often discarded, is that of animal dealers. Animal dealers are part of a complex network that supplies an endless stream of animals to research facilities and laboratories in which they are force-fed poisons, exposed to radiation, addicted to chemicals, or subjected to other painful procedures. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is responsible for licensing animal dealers and enforcing the federal Animal Welfare Act, which sets minimum standards of housing and care.
Class A dealers maintain their own breeding colonies, while Class B dealers can obtain so-called ‘random source’ dogs and cats from sources as animal shelters and pounds. Unfortunately, Class B dealers like to avoid the fees they pay at shelters by screening suburban areas where runaway pets are easily spotted and caught.
A first step owners can take to ensure the safety of their pets, is understand why Buster likes to get out. In these hot Arizona months, it is preferable to keep your pets inside, and not leave them outside for longer than two hours.
If no shade is available, avoid having them outside at all, except when nature calls. Your pet should have fresh, cool water available at all times. This combined with a healthy diet that meets your pet’s needs, will diminish your pet’s urge to search for better elsewhere.
Keep in mind that dogs are social animals that get lonely if they are left alone too long.
They might venture out in search of you or another pack. If your dog is happy with you and your home, he/she is likely to wait by your door in case he/she does escape.
Make no illusions about those gates that separate your yard from the big world. Many dogs open them with a surprising ease by jumping up on them until the lock is forced.
Not only dogs experience dangers outside your home, cats too can fall prey to heatstroke and animal dealers. Only they have an extra enemy: predators.
Once outside the busy Phoenix area, coyotes and hawks hunt for food, not caring whether their meal is a wild rabbit or someone’s kitty. One cannot blame them, but you can keep kitty safe from being eaten alive by keeping her inside.
Let us all take care of ourselves and our packs, whether human, canine, feline or others. Only once we are aware of the dangers that lure outside, can we provide the necessary precautions to keep our loved ones safe.
Thank you for reading, and do enjoy the presence of your cuddly cuteness now and in the future.
Ineke Vander Aa | Anthem
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Illegal Crimmigrants
In the past week we have, once again, been relentlessly pummeled by the Arizona Republic as it ceaselessly shills for the open/no border crowd. They excelled themselves this week with the harrowing tale of a family of illegals forced to flee the tyranny of an as yet unenforced law. Terrified, they left under cover of darkness to avoid the steely gaze of Jack-boot clad law enforcement officers as they made the epic cross country trip. In one particularly gripping episode, they told of the time that a state Trooper drew level with their, no doubt, overloaded truck and then, just as it seemed he would turn on his flashing lights, he didn't – and drove on. Such is the level of persecution experienced by these criminals as they traversed our great nation. That, and a water pump failure-gripping stuff!
The letters page is a never-ending carousel of correspondence wherein one writer posits that a fence will never be 100% successful. Another opines that employer sanctions are the only way to stop the flood of illegals. Still another will argue against SB1070, not only because it is racist, but because it will never be completely effective. Herein lies the flaw in their logic. If a solution is not 100% infallible, then it is better to leave it untried. Using that logic, doctors cannot cure all diseases so they might as well quit trying. Police cannot possibly apprehend all robbers/rapists or rapscallions so we might as well disband the police. Palpable nonsense, unless you are a liberal.
Although I do not subscribe to the theory that mass-repatriation is impossible, I am a pragmatic person. Here is my solution. Secure the border with a fence, cameras and as many armed troops as needed. Relentlessly pursue employers who employ criminal aliens.
That alone will cause many to leave Arizona. Next, those illegals that remain have 60 days to register their presence. If, after that time, they are apprehended for any reason having failed to register, they will be summarily deported, never to return again. Those that comply will eventually be granted legal status, with a quasi-green card, but will never be rewarded with citizenship which would mean that they had profited from their illegal entry. No "anchor babies" and therfore no chain migration. Period.
Will they be upset at the inability to gain citizenship? Truthfully, I doubt it. Most express pride in being Mexican, are not ashamed to wave their own flag and, pray tell, how does a sign in the rear window of a pick-up proclaiming "Sonora" in foot-high letters equate to "living in the shadows?" However, some people will be very upset that they won't become citizens. To whit, Democrats who are desperate for their vote and union leaders who are both desperate for the potential union dues, and the powerful voting bloc they would represent. I can live with their sorrow.
Also, let as many other states copy our SB1070 as possible. That way illegals will get a very clear message of where they are welcome. Those states who want them, get them. Those who don't, do not. Everyone is happy.
If not America may change forever "E Pluribus Unum," out of many, Juan.
Gary Kiernan | Cave Creek
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Racists in the illegal immigration debate
The racists in the illegal immigration debate are those from south of the border who believe that their nationality deserves to be treated differently from other nationalities. They believe that they are so special that they do not have to undergo background or medical checks as other nationalities do. They believe that they have some God-given right to ignore the legal line. They thumb their noses at our laws and those in the legal line. Especially troubling is that they have taken jobs and living accommodations that legally and morally should have gone to refugees that are fleeing their homelands to save their lives. Those racists who come here illegally just to make more money and those who benefit from their illegal presence completely ignore the fifteen million refugees. The hypocrisy is that they accuse Americans of being racists while it is they who are the real racists.
Jack C. McVickers | Scottsdale
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Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Graham (Spineless/SC) ... You just can't say too little about this buddy of John McCain. However, he did inspire me to make a very important political and financial decision.
This wimpy go-for-nothing RINO provided me with the reason to cease sending money to the RNC and to send my donations DIRECTLY to CONSERVATIVE candidates nationwide that represent my values.
His recent lack of leadership and ever-present white flag of surrender early in the Elana Kagan confirmation more than justified my decision. (Is it any wonder McCain lost in '08 with this guy providing advice?)
Besides being a candidate for a spine transplant, old Lindsey should spend as much time as possible with Coulter, Bachmann, Ingraham, Palin, Malkin and Brewer so that he might recover the feeling of what it's like to have gonads.
He may even re-develop some testosterone flow and attempt to become a "stand-up guy"... But who could say for sure?
Tom Carbone | Phoenix
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Caring and kind people
I am immensely grateful to live in this community with so many caring and kind people. I lost my 14-year-old dog at Morning Star and Spur Cross this morning. After calling her and looking for her for two hours with no luck, I put up several posters along Morning Star Road and started knocking on doors, worried about her being lost and stressed in 110 degree weather. I was in awe of the numerous complete strangers who dropped whatever they were doing to come look for my dog. Happily, a very nice woman who lives on Highland Road found her and tracked me down so I could come get her. My good old dog is worn out, but doing fine and very happy to be home. Thanks to all of you out there who took the time to call me and help out in the search. The world really is filled with good people and I feel lucky that I got to meet so many of them today.
Jamie Funk | E-mail
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World Cup blues horn
In the words of Nelson Mandela
(That well-known South African fella),
"It's not bees that you hear,
Or cars in high gear,
But that Zulu horn, vuvuzela."
J-P. A. Maldonado | Phoenix
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