Monthly Archives: December 2015

Rebuilding the American Team

Dear Readers,

Upon entering the blogging world in 2012, I almost talked myself out of continuing after the first few posts.  Whether for good or ill, here it is almost 2016 and I’m the one shocked that I’m still enjoying writing this blog.  Now, with that said in the new year, it’s time for some changes.

Instead of endless political and foreign policy commentary (402 posts in 2015), I’m going to attempt to move my blog in another direction.  Anyone can be an armchair critic about all that is wrong in American politics and culture, but let’s face the truth, it’s not the politicians’ fault for the state of our culture, our communities or the problems in our own lives.  Despite the hype about the 2016 election, neither political party can fix America.  Only committed citizens can do that.

Assuredly, failed social programs do deserve criticism, but let’s enter the new year facing the truth.  Rebuilding the American team starts at the individual level, in fact, it starts with each of us.  So, with this wide open internet why can’t we start working to share ideas, resources, and most of all inspirations geared toward that mission:  rebuilding the American team.

Sure, there will still be politics and some of my trademark snarky commentary, but I’m inviting all of you to email me ideas, links, posts, with important lessons in American history, stories of heroes, stories of grassroots programs that work, educational information, life stories, whatever you feel like sharing and I will happily post it!  You can just post it as a comment too and I’ll convert it to a blog post. Use your real name or a pseudonym, whatever you feel comfortable with, but I would like to turn my blog into more of a chat around my kitchen table type atmosphere rather than me droning on and on and on.

My email address is libertybellediaries@yahoo.com

Wishing y’all a very Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Libertybelle

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Filed under American Character, Blog Notes, Culture Wars, General Interest

This and that

The following is a short list of interesting links to read:

Britain designates the Muslim Brotherhood as an ideological organizing force for terrorists – http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/dec/28/muslim-brotherhood-report-by-britain-contradicts-u/

John Schindler details the Bosnian terrorism connection – http://20committee.com/2015/12/22/operation-cut-bosnia-versus-the-islamic-state/

Retired General Mike Flynn discusses President Obama’s ideological fallacies – hint, it’s not about guns or Islamophobia – http://dailycaller.com/2015/12/26/obamas-former-intelligence-director-presidents-strategy-not-working/

JK posted this opinion piece from the NY Times in a comment, but it’s a must read: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/21/opinion/saudi-arabia-an-isis-that-has-made-it.html?_r=1

Now a short personal story on how computer inept yours truly really is.  For Christmas, I gave my four granddaughters Kindle Fire tablets.  As a loyal amazon customer, how could I pass up Kindle Fires for $49.99?  So, because I am an avid book collector (hoarder), there are hundreds of books on my kindle already, but in all fairness, many are free books from their classics listing or old history, that very few people want to read.

So, due to already having given my older two granddaughters plain kindle e-readers last year and linking those to my account, I had put a lot of books in my library for kids – to include many free classics that I deemed appropriate for their ages.  After a discussion with my daughter, we decided to link these Kindle Fires to my account and my library, but amazon has this “Family Library” you can set up, which my daughter did for me, but then she told me I would have to sort out which books I wanted to put in their libraries and that’s when the problems started.

I kept trying to remove my books from their libraries to no avail and then I decided that perhaps instead of “remove”, I should be hitting the “delete” books from the Family Library.  Of course, in my usual bumbling fashion, I deleted 616 of my books, believing that by removing them from the “Family Library” it was like removing books from my Kindle device – which archives them.

Nope, it deleted them permanently, so  I called amazon’s customer service.  The poor women talked me through deleting this “Family Library” but then we came to my books.  I asked her how to get my books back and at first she said I’d have to repurchase them and I said I’ve spent a lot of money on books for years.  Then she had to do some checking and she told me I had deleted 616 books and she asked me which ones I wanted back.  I responded, “All of them.”

This lady stayed polite and courteous, even though, as my son told me, “You know she hates you and everyone there is talking about how stupid you are, right?”  Justifiably so, but she did restore all of my books to my account and it took her quite a while, because she said there was no way to do them all at once and she’d have to do them one at a time.  She asked me if it was okay if she called me back when she was done.  And an hour later she called me back and told me all my books were restored and was very gracious and she sent a signed email message:

We’d appreciate your feedback. Please use the links below to tell us about your experience today.

I’ve restored your access to “616 books,” which you previously purchased from the Kindle Store. It is now available to download from your Archived Items or Cloud tab on your device.  You can also download your content through the Manage Your Content and Devices page.

I am very grateful for that kind and warm approach you gave during the call. I’m glad I was able to help you out today.

I hope I was able to assist you today. Please use the links below to provide us your valuable feedback

I love Amazon.com and that lady deserves a raise!

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Filed under Culture Wars, General Interest, Politics, Terrorism, Uncategorized

Enter Jim Webb?

Former Virginia Senator, Jim Webb took to Twitter and facebook to attack Hillary Clinton’s foreign policy record on Saturday, according to a Bloomberg report, “Webb Attacks Clinton With Eye on Independent Run.”

Rumors about a third party run have been swirling since Webb dropped out of the Democratic race, so this appears to be a step to test the waters.  This bizarre 2016 continues to elude easy predictions, so in light of the likely Dem and GOP candidates, Webb can only be a much better choice for many Americans.  The press and punditry labeled him grumpy after the first Democratic debate, but I guess I was watching a different debate. Webb’s answers on foreign policy showed a wide breadth of knowledge on the issues, a no-nonsense and non-partisan analysis and he far outshone the other candidates.  Plus he has the distinction of having served and bled for this country as a war hero in Vietnam.

Perhaps here is the candidate who can help rebuild our national character and out of the other contenders, in both parties, he’s the one I could support without a great deal of heartburn……..so far.  Unlike some people who go “all in” for a particular candidate, I don’t trust politicians in general, so my vote has to be earned over the entire course of the campaign.

I’ll give you the example of Ted Cruz, who articulates many of the conservative views that appeal to me.  During that last debate he launched into a heated immigration scuffle with Marco Rubio.  The dreaded “A” word, which sends conservatives into apoplectic seizures, was bandied about.  Well, Cruz lied about a previous position he took, which later video proved.  Instead of saying he changed position, his minions insist he never did support amnesty and that his previous position wasn’t really his position, but a position he took to put a poison pill in a bill.  All that speaks to conniving and underhanded political  machinations and therein,  I was back to my original hesitation over him – every move he makes is too contrived and calculated, which here again being a careful planner is a good thing, but being willing to twist facts to promote yourself (not a cause, but your own political aspirations) goes too far in my book.  Hence, he lied and while it’s not the huge mountain of lies Hillary Clinton spews, while trying to claw her way to back into the White House, it’s still an outright lie.  This speaks to character.  I still admire many things about Ted Cruz, but my willingness to back him has softened a great deal.

I’m curious how y’all decide on who to support???

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Filed under Culture Wars, Foreign Policy, General Interest, Politics

Muslim Immigration is Exactly What ISIS Wants | Frontpage Mag

Immigration is what ISIS needs to defeat America.

Source: Muslim Immigration is Exactly What ISIS Wants | Frontpage Mag

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Filed under Culture Wars, Foreign Policy, General Interest, Islam, Military, Politics, Terrorism, Uncategorized

Merry Christmas!!!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

I particularly love Steve McCann’s story, “Saved By Christmas”, and this year he’s updated it a bit.  His wonderful, inspiring true  story of a war refugee, experiencing the spirit if Christmas for the first time, will touch your heart:

“During the Christmas season, a kindly man dressed in a black suit came to see the boy.  He was the pastor of the local Catholic parish.  The priest took him to the rectory for lunch, and then next door to a place he had never been — a church.  The small and intimate space was decorated for Christmas.  It was the most astounding sight the boy had ever seen.  The lights, the colors, the atmosphere spoke to him of something he had never experienced: peace and tranquility.  But what caught his attention was a group of statues and a spotlight shining on a baby in a manger.

The frail boy, the inner spirit that had seen him through so much now depleted, stood before the statues.  He gazed at the serene face of the woman dressed in a blue robe looking lovingly at a baby in a makeshift crib. Was this the image of a mother? A mother he had never known?  Staring into the eyes of the infant in the manger, he felt a presence, as if an unseen hand was touching the very core of his being.  As a tear rolled down his cheek, the boy whispered: “Hilf mir” (help me).”

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Filed under Food for Thought, General Interest

Ted Cruz Hits WaPo with Cartoon of His Own | Truth Revolt

The Washington Post kept it classy with an editorial cartoon that mocked Ted Cruz’s children, portraying them as political monkeys for their father. But standing with the tradition that children are off limits when it comes to political pot shots, Cruz hit back with a cartoon of his own with a more appropriate subject matter:

Source: Ted Cruz Hits WaPo with Cartoon of His Own | Truth Revolt

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Filed under Culture Wars, General Interest, Humor, Politics, The Media

Bully or victim, that is the question…

Oh yes, the Queen of cutthroat politics played the female victim card again.  Sniff, deep sigh, oh my, she tugged at the heartstrings with her fake crocodile tears and choked up words on treating each other with kindness.  My advice to Hillary is practice what you preach, sister!   Hint to gullible Americans:  This woman will not only LIE, she’ll  kick, shove, trample on The Constitution, and cry a river of  tears, if she thinks it will get her back into the White House!  Perhaps, there’s a limit to how far she will go, like maybe she won’t order a hit on someone who gets in her way, but this homemaker/amateur blogger wouldn’t place a bet on that one….

My, my it all depends on what is, is.

Is she a victim of some vast, right-wing conspiracy or she is a paranoid loon who abused her husband’s power as President, to investigate and attack a private American citizen?

Is she the bully or the victim?

Is she batshit crazy or am I?

Is my story impossible or is it the TRUTH?

Well, just keep your dictionaries handy, as the redefinition of America continues….  Definitely, we must stand up to bullies, I  agree 100% Hillary!

 

 

 

 

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Filed under Culture Wars, General Interest, Messages of mhere, Politics

Inciting terror…

During the Democrats’ Saturday night debate, scheduled at a time to depress viewers, Hillary Clinton launched another of her baseless charges against Donald Trump:

“Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took a hard stance against rhetoric from GOP frontrunner Donald Trump, painting him as a potent and powerful tool for ISIS.

“He is becoming ISIS’s best recruiter. They are going to people showing videos of Donald Trump insulting Islam and Muslims in order to recruit more radical jihadists,” Clinton said during Saturday’s Democratic debate, hosted by ABC News.”https://wordpress.com/post/libertybellediaries.com/6675

Let’s once and for all expose this kowtowing to terrorists for what it is – cowardice!  How this woman, who pushed for our disastrous war in Libya, which has spawned a jihadist nightmare in Libya  and who blamed the deaths of 4 Americans in Benghazi on some obscure video and “spontaneous” riot, rather than an organized group of jihadists, can now stand there with a straight face and declare Donald Trump’s speech dangerous defies logic.

What she and the Left constantly do is try to silence those who speak freely and express views that counter their PC pieties.  This particular fear-mongering tactic about “hate speech” toward Muslims fueling jihadism should be debunked once and for all.  What fuels jihadism is an Islamist religious ideology, not free speech in America.   Islamic radicals, Islamists, terrorists or whatever word you choose to describe these murderous barbarians act due to belief in a religious ideology, promoted by many Muslim religious leaders in mosques (religious meeting places).  Certainly, Islamic scholars and political figures aid and abet this rabid religious ideology, dressing it up as a political ideology too, but let’s be clear, when we say things like “Islam is a political ideology masquerading as a religion”, I suspect we have the historical antecedents in the wrong order – it was a religious ideology, which fueled a political system based on strict observance of those religious tenets.

In the West we have secular political systems with some roots in Christian religious beliefs, but our political systems are secular and pluralistic.   In America, we had a group of men sit down and study governments through history, debate the merits and pitfalls, write and rewrite a body of laws, representatives from the colonies met and debated our Constitution, and then compromised on contentious parts.  And finally they voted to adopt The Constitution, which has provisions to amend it.  Ours is a secular, man-made and  constructed political system, designed by free men, which has legitimacy only by the consent of the governed – we the people have the last say in the matter, because we are FREE.

Donald Trump’s rhetoric isn’t an ISIS recruiting tool!  Weak, bumbling American leadership, of which Hillary Clinton, played a starring role, has been the biggest ISIS recruiting tool!!!  President Obama pulled out of Iraq, leaving a gaping power vacuum, which allowed for ISIS to seize territory and set-up shop.  The glorious Arab Spring democracy project, full-throatedly supported by Madame Secretary, aided in the destabilization of the entire region and not content with fomenting chaos in Egypt and Libya, she went on to push for regime change in Syria too.  In Libya the Obama administration armed so-called “freedom-fighters”, which my suspicion, based on copious reporting,  is many were jihadists.  In Syria, the disastrous policy continued with this debate over arming “moderate Syrians”, which let’s be clear the rebels who rose up against Assad are Sunni Islamists of varying degrees of radicalization, but make no mistake about it, they are Islamists and none of them is much interested in setting up a Jeffersonian democracy if Assad is ousted.  There is no viable pro-democracy movement in Syria – the Islamists have the weapons (much of it provided courtesy of the USA) and control the rebel groups.

The reason ISIS is growing is because of weak, pathetic western indecisiveness, lethal political correctness and clueless, failed leadership, let me repeat, of which Madame Secretary played a starring role.  And then there’s the endless aiding, abetting and funding of Islamist extremists by Sunni state enablers, which in the case of ISIS, Turkey can be relied on to undercut, not only our efforts to roll back ISIS, but also to bomb the hell out of the Kurds at every turn, you know, those Kurds, whom Hillary and every other politician wants to be our boots on the ground to fight ISIS.  Yes, we’ve got Turkey, with Obama’s good friend, Erdogan, watching our back….

Trying to quell free speech out of fear of offending Muslims and setting them on the path to jihadism should be challenged as left-wing propaganda that aids Islamists.  Bowing down, because if we stand up and speak out we might make some Muslims mad and incite them to run off to join ISIS is ludicrous.  And beyond that it’s WEAKNESS and that is the biggest recruitment tool of all for thugs and terrorists.  It disgusted me when General Petraeus got personally invested in trying to infringe upon the free speech of that loony pastor, who was going to burn the Koran,  several years ago.  He should have been using that opportunity to champion free speech and our separation of church and state, but nope, he raised the PC false flag and with his band of PC fear-mongers marched forward.  Unless we can defend our values, we are doomed!  We must not bow down to the tyranny of Islamic terror, but even more than that we must not bow down to PC dogma, imposed on us by lying, conniving politicians and “experts from academia”, where we’re fed endless fear-mongering that erodes our very freedom – to move freely, to think freely and most importantly to forge ahead and speak freely in the public square.  Freedom is the strongest defense against tyranny of any kind!

Katerine Timpf at National Review wrote a piece on Hillary’s campaign trying to shut down a  video produced by a comedy club last month.  Timpf writes:

“Given that Hillary has had decades of political experience in this country, one would think that she’d know about the whole First Amendment thing by now. The freedom to make fun of and openly criticize our political leaders isn’t just a luxury, it’s an important part of our political system. It’s a crucial check on the power of our politicians that helps prevent them from getting to do whatever the hell they want.”

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/427354/hillary-clinton-laugh-factory-comedians-threats?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=referral

The incident Timpf referenced was reported by Judicial Watch last month:

“The five short performances that Clinton wants eliminated include some profanity and portions could be considered crass, but some of the lines are funny and that’s what the Laugh Factory is all about. The video features the individual acts of five comedians, four men and a woman. The skits make fun of Clinton’s wardrobe, her age, sexual orientation, the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the former First Lady’s relationship with her famous husband. The Laugh Factory has appropriately titled it “Hillary vs. The First Amendment.”

Masada told Judicial Watch that, as soon as the video got posted on the Laugh Factory website, he received a phone call from a “prominent” person inside Clinton’s campaign. “He said the video was disgusting and asked who put me up to this,” Masada said. The Clinton staffer, who Masada did not want to identify, also demanded to know the names and phone numbers of the comedians that appear in the video. Masada refused and hung up. He insists that the comedy stage is a sanctuary for freedom of speech no matter who is offended. “Just last night we had (Emmy-award winner) Dana Carvey doing Donald Trump and it was hilarious,” Masada said.”

And if anyone should know what happens when you mock that woman, I sure do.  My Messages of mhere story tabbed at the top of the page chronicles what happened to me, a nobody homemaker, who dared make fun of the smartest woman in the world and her husband BJ  (ok, I mocked her and their spin mercilessly), during the Lewinsky scandal in 1998, writing on the Excite message boards.  Don’t laugh at her or else!  Although written in my usual snarky style, the names have been changed to protect the innocent – ME, but rest assured the events happened.  Assuredly, I, an unarmed, cookie-baking homemaker, felt terrorized in my own home, but be that as it may, I’ll leave it to you to decide who is the deranged one in this saga and the meaning of “domestic terrorism”…

 

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Filed under Culture Wars, Foreign Policy, General Interest, Islam, Messages of mhere, Military, Politics, Terrorism, The Constitution, Uncategorized

The complete guide to understanding America

In today’s Washington Post a new American citizen, Carlos Lozada, offers sage advice for every American, in a piece that offers a fresh perspective on our unique political experiment, quoting a very old source – “The book every new American citizen — and every old one, too — should read: To mark my first year of U.S. citizenship, I read Alexis de Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America.” Turns out, it explains everything”Lozada explains:

“My first full year as a citizen of the United States was also the year Donald Trump made nativism a viable political project. It was the year college activists battled racism with their own peculiar intolerance. It was the year Rachel Dolezal was redefined, Atticus Finch rewritten, Caitlyn Jenner revealed. It was the year police shootings became viral, mass shootings became daily and same-sex marriage became law. It was a year America did little else, it seemed, than fight over values, identity, premises.

It’s exhausting, being American. Seriously, do you folks do this every year?

I’m not a recent arrival. I graduated from college here, got married here, built a family here. But only with citizenship did I grasp the distance I’d always kept. I left my native Peru behind 27 years ago, but whenever this country seemed too painful or complicated, I’d shake my head sagely. Estos gringos locos. Except now everything about the place — its virtues and excesses, its history and future — is all mine, too. For the first time, I feel the glorious burden of being American.

To carry it, I’ve realized I need help. Sure, I passed the citizenship test, even practicing the list of 100 questions with my kids. (They’ll ace elementary school civics now.) But for the advanced coursework, my instinct was to turn to a book. What could I read that would guide me through the chaos that is democracy in America?

Fortunately, there’s this little book called “Democracy in America” — written 175 years ago by, of all people, some know-it-all foreigner.”

Democracy in America is also available free online at http://www.gutenberg.org:

Vol 1 here

Vol 2 – here

 

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Filed under American Character, American History, Culture Wars, General Interest

Donald Trump: At Home in Postmodern America

Donald Trump is not a conservative—he’s a reality TV star thoroughly in tune with the passions and dynamics of mass publicity and social media. No matter how much he denounces them, he’s still a product of victim-based identity politics.

Source: Donald Trump: At Home in Postmodern America

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Filed under Culture Wars, General Interest, Politics