AMERICA’S WAR ON TERROR – Day 267
The news as reported in The Washington Times:
[Note – All links go to The Washington Times’ website.]
1. Fears about racial profiling are hindering the FBI’s ability to fight terrorism.
[UNFREEPINBELIEVABLE! We are either in a war for our Nation’s survival or we are not. This crap has got to end!]
Profiling worries called hindrance
2. Washington, DC, Mayor Williams stated that fixing the DMV overbilling problem is a higher priority than tracking down and reimbursing nearly $18 million in erroneous fines.
[At least these positions are consistent. Both strive to advance the District’s ability to hang on to money – whether obtained legally or not.]
Williams presses 'forward' DMV fix
3. The Washington Times has been bringing us news and views for 20 years.
[At least one paper in Washington, DC, reports news.]
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS: The Washington Times
4. A Palestinian court ordered the release of a man that was made prisoner in the deal freeing Yassir Arafat; the ruling was then overruled by the Palestinian cabinet hours later.
[Yep, democracy is sure taking hold in that place.]
Palestinian Cabinet rejects order to free militant
5. Six of the men being held in a Palestinian jail as a result of the US-brokered deal with Israel weeks ago are being confined by the following: a few guards and a hedge.
[Maximum security – Palestinian sytle.]
Security at a minimum for six men jailed under U.S.-brokered accord
6. The National Security Agency has started an ad campaign aimed at keeping soldiers quiet about military secrets.
[And the war is now how old? Nine months? Guess the policy came to full gestation; it should have been issued on DAY 1!]
7. Preliminary tests of sludge being dumped into the Potomac by the Army Corps of Engineers shows high levels of arsenic, lead, mercury, chromium, copper, zinc, nickel and selenium.
[Oh, wonderful. So EPA rules apply to everyone except the Government? Is that what this says?]
Tests show 8 metals in river dumping
8. Due in part to the ailing condition of domestic air carriers, the Administration is considering allowing a greater share of foreign ownership in American airlines.
[How will this play to National Security in the event troops have to be moved a la Desert Shield?]
U.S. eyes greater foreign stakes to help airlines
We shall not rest until we have cut a swath 60-miles wide through the entire left - taking all that is before us with us as we go. We shall leave nothing to the enemy that may be of value to him. We shall show him that he may count on nothing and will be able to keep nothing, not his spirit, not his soul, not that upon which he shall feed. We shall not cease until the moment we have rent through their entire land and have arrived at the sea, with our glorious victory upon us.
Home Page of the December 19th Society
NOTICE: Minor updates have been made to the website. More will be added soon.
Now you have the info, go support the United States of America!!!
A Dave Barry gem: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We've just been advised that instead of Boston, we will be landing in Iran. We regret any incon..."
Lots of fussing about the environmental report, all of whiich is silly. There is no policy change, and the statistics on the NOAA site indicate warming is occurring, although we do not know why. I have been spending a lot of time trying to read a variety of scientific sites to try and see which places have correct data and which have skewed data for an agenda. I am sorry to say that this is very difficult, because BOTH sides of this controversy are picking and choosing data to suit their agendas.
Frankly, I am not even sure about the NOAA site, because they use tree-ring data as a factor, and other sources discount the use of tree rings. Yikes!
Anyway, I am determined to make an intelligent decision about this controversy rather than being stampeded one way or the other.
There is a great danger in taking a scientific position based on politics...if you are proven to be wrong scientifically, then your politics goes down the tube as well.
Yesterday, before we left for summercamp, I explained to the boys that I would be there with them for the funeral Mass, but that I would pick them up after the viewing. I explained to them that there would be a "casket" in the church, and the easiest way I could explain to them what is was was that it was a bed that Ryan's body would sleep in forever, but that his soul was in Heaven with Jesus. Michael asked, "Will we be able to see him in it?" I said, "No, the casket will be closed before you get there. So Mark said, "Mommy. If I can't see him, then how can I say goodbye to him?" I said, "You can say goodbye at the Mass." He said, "But I won't be able to see him, Mommy. He won't know." So, I went into an explanation of "what" they would see in the casket, just Ryan's face and hands and that I didn't want them to be frightened, because he wouldn't look the same as he did before. But Mark was insistent that he HAD to see him or else it wouldn't matter what he said after the Mass. So I thought, "Well, I'll just take them and see what happens." So I said, "Okay, then we'll go. But if you feel uncomfortable at all, you just let Mommy know and we will leave." I was very worried what kind of impact it would have on them, and I certainly didn't want them to have any nightmares. How wrong I was.
We arrived at the church around 1:30 or so, and Ryan's Mom and Dad were standing at the side of the church. Mark ran up to Ryan's mom and said, "I love you, Ryan's mom. I am sorry that Ryan is dead. I tried my hardest to bring him back, but I don't have magic powers and it didn't work. But I know that Jesus loves him and he is also with my big brother Scott. I know you are sad. I am too. Ryan was my buddy." Ryan's mom bent down and took Mark's hand and said, "You know...Ryan talked a lot about a "Marky"....and you must be him. Do you know that Ryan loved you too?" Then she gave both the boys a big hug and I gave her a hug. Then we went inside the church.
Ryan was a batboy for the Lakeland Tigers, which I guess is Triple A team for the Detroit Tigers. They were all sitting on the right hand side of the church, in the front. Michael, Mark and I walked up to the casket and kneeled down in front of it. I really didn't know what to say...I was at a loss for words. I looked around to see if Fr. was anywhere in sight, and I as I turned to the right, I saw all these baseball players in tears..just looking at my kids. Then, out of nowhere came Fr. John. I looked at him as if to say, "Please..help me out here...." and so he came over and kneeled down with us and wrapped us all in his arms, and I was holding on to his coat jacket with a death grip...and he said, "Boys and Mommy, let's say a special prayer to Jesus for Ryan." So he said this prayer and I started to cry but I stopped myself so I wouldn't scare the boys. Then Mark turned to Fr. John and said,
"Fr. John? Can I touch him?" And Fr. said, "Of course you can, Mark." So Mark stood up and put his head on Ryan's chest.
Then he said, "Ryan. I loved you so much. I wish you weren't in Heaven. But I know that God must have wanted you very much badly, because else you would still be here. I just want to let you know that I will miss you, and that I love you and that my Mommy loves you and so does Michael. Everyone here loves you. I hope you are happy in Heaven with Jesus and if you see my big brother Scott, can you say hi? So, now it's time for me to say goodbye. Goodbye, Ryan. I will miss you with all of my heart. And I love you. Love, Mark."
Fr. was crying and so was I. You have to understand that it was very quiet in the church at this point and the people in the front rows (his family and the baseball players) could all hear what Mark said. I turned around to give Michael and Mark a hug, and these grown men were just sobbing. Mark walked over to them and said, "Don't be worried if you cry. It's okay to cry. It means our hearts are working. And I love you guys too because I know you loved Ryan." And then we walked away.
The Mass lasted almost 1-1/2 hours, and there were alot of tears and emotional goodbyes by friends, loved ones and others. During the recessional, when they walked the casket up the aisle, Fr. John stopped by our pew and bent down and gave Mark a kiss and a hug. Then, all the baseball players on the team that were on our side of the aisle gave him High 5's. When we walked outside, they were standing there. One of them came up and picked Mark up and took Michael by the hand and said,
"Do you know that you two are two of the bravest people that I have ever seen? When you are old enough, you can be our batboys. That's what Ryan would have wanted."
I cannot express to you how proud I was of them....how much love and strength they showed...and no fear at all....just a unshakeable faith that when you go to Heaven to be with Jesus, everything will be okay. They have no doubts in their mind that this is the way God is...even though people cried and were sad, they knew that God knew that was okay. Mark kept looking for all of his other "Big Buddies" and he found every single one of them, and he hugged them all and told them that everything was going to be okay.
And on a lighter note, he said to Holly, "You've got my phone number, right? I'll take you to the movies this summer."
Sorry for taking up so much bandwidth...but I just had to share this with you. Children are truly miracles of God. I think they were stronger than I was...and maybe, just maybe, they taught us all an important lesson. They know a lot more than they are given credit for. Love you all...Deej