Note from the author: The title is about as politically correct as this article is going to get.

I got into a debate with a pretty good friend about abortion the other day. She’s typically a pro-life gal, but she has adopted (no pun intended) the GOP’s ‘get out of a debate alive’ exception to the rule—that abortion is murder, unless it’s the fetus of a rape victim, then it’s just removal of lifeless tissue.

For some reason, she was completely dumbfounded that I don’t have exceptions to my pro-life stance. My argument is that I don’t need them.

As a former student at a medical college, I’ve taken the Hippocratic Oath in order to participate in clinicals. (Full disclosure: I quit that job in order to save America from idiotic ideas, much like this one.) Because of this, I know there is a “first do no harm” clause. So no, I don’t think doctors should have to let a mother die in order for their baby to live. I think that is up to the mother and her doctor—at least until Obamacare kicks in.

The mother is a patient of a particular doctor. It is that doctor’s job to be an advocate for their patient. I have the same opinion in the case of a young child who is a victim; if delivering a baby is going to do irreparable physical harm to that child, no I don’t think they should be forced to have it. They should be well aware of what that means, but it is that doctor’s job to ‘first do no harm.’ Not saving the life of a patient is first doing harm, and that’s against the oath.

Where I always get into trouble with my “politically correct” friends is in cases of rape. Yes, I am aware that the woman lost her choice in this situation. Most women know someone who has been a victim of sexual assault, (I’m one who personally knows a sexual assault victim),  so I’m not devoid of feelings here. However I don’t believe killing the baby is going to make the rape victim feel any better.

Let me cut to the chase here… if we can’t kill the rapist, why can we kill the baby? The baby is innocent. The rapist is a soulless loser who is going to get out of jail in 5 years, and in many cases will repeat the act. If I’m violently attacked, raped, and end up pregnant, killing my unborn child isn’t going to make me feel any less raped and isn’t going to bring me to peace. If my rapist was getting the death penalty… I’d at least feel safer.

I’m not saying rapists should get the death penalty. Granted… I’m not, not saying it either… What I am saying is, that being pro-life, except in the instance of rape, is one of the most illogical “exceptions” to a rule I’ve ever heard.

It’s like saying “This guy has been convicted to serve a sentence of ten years in jail for murdering your brother, but we’re going put his innocent daughter in the electric chair. Feel better?” Obviously that’s not going to make anyone feel better. In fact, I’d feel guilty for the innocent victim getting the death penalty.

I think an innocent baby is about the only positive, pure thing that can come from such a terrible situation. Is it ideal? Of course not. But whether that baby goes to a different home or stays with it’s mother, it is as innocent as the victim.

Critical thinking skills America…let’s use them.

 

 

My original post can be found at Misfit Politics 

Follow me on twitter @saracjohnsonga

 

 

 

 

Catalyst Conference is fast approaching in Atlanta. After informing the leaders of this event who Cornel West is, his message and his history, I thought I would check the Catalyst Conference website to see if they decided to update his bio with a more accurate description.

Surprise, surprise, …they didn’t.

According to the site,

In short, Cornel West has a passion to communicate to a vast variety of publics in order to keep alive the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. – a legacy of telling the truth and bearing witness to love and justice.

If you know the history of MLK, and what Cornel West is using his legacy for, you will most likely disagree with Catalyst’s description. Unfortunately, the average attendee of Catalyst doesn’t know anything about West. In a recent op-ed, published in the NYT, West states,

King’s response to our crisis can be put in one word: revolution. A revolution in our priorities, a re-evaluation of our values, a reinvigoration of our public life and a fundamental transformation of our way of thinking and living that promotes a transfer of power from oligarchs and plutocrats to everyday people and ordinary citizens.

In concrete terms, this means support for progressive politicians like Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont and Mark Ridley-Thomas, a Los Angeles County supervisor; extensive community and media organizing; civil disobedience; and life and death confrontations with the powers that be. Like King, we need to put on our cemetery clothes and be coffin-ready for the next great democratic battle.

Read this op-ed in the NYT, written by West, on the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and decide for yourself. Let me know if you find the Catalyst Conference description to be accurate. Better yet, let them know: info@catalystconference.com or 888.334.6569.

Cornel West has the same freedom of speech that I do, and if the organizers of Catalyst find him to be a leader of good character fit for influencing the young Christian leaders in Atlanta, they have that right. However, they also have the responsibility to do their homework on the speakers they put in front of an audience of 13,000+ young Christian leaders.

The organizers of Catalyst describe the event on their website with the following,

Catalyst is a powerful gathering of young leaders, a movement of influencers and world changers who love Jesus, see things differently, and feel a burden for our generation. We seek to learn, worship and create together with a momentous energy passionately pursuing God.

If you live in plan to attend or participate in the conference, or you are associated with Catalyst, have you done your homework? Does it matter that a organization trying to lead the youth to become stronger leaders, while developing a stronger relationship with their God, would choose Dr. Cornel West as a “main” speaker? I think it does. What do you think?

Many adults in Atlanta, members of churches of the pastors participating in Catalyst, and friends of mine, who I have made aware of this situation, have raised concerns and have been contacted by Catalyst organizers and other speakers for the event.

One Catalyst organizer, to a friend of mine, raised the argument, “As Christians, shouldn’t we be open to all opinions?”

If you’re dealing with an honest broker, maybe. Actually, no, not all opinions. I’m not open to the opinion that Jesus Christ was a victim, like West’s version of Black Liberation Theology teaches. I know the Truth, and that is a lie pushed for political reasons. Nor am I open to the views of Israel and the Jewish people preached by West’s friend, Jeremiah Wright. Do they have the right to their opinion? Yes. Do I have to be open to it, and invite it in my life? No. As Christians, we aren’t to invite evil into our home to prove it to be evil. We are to call evil what it is, expose it, and stand with our feet firmly planted on the other side.

Does Cornel West’s NYT op-ed display any integrity? For a man who knows as much about Dr. King as he claims to, he rarely talks about his life as a pastor. His agenda is published in a formerly popular newspaper. Cornel West is using the dream of Dr. King to push for progressive policies. Are the leaders of Catalyst not concerned about Dr. West’s views on 9/11 or his relationship with the infamous anti-semantic former pastor of our president, Jeremiah Wright?

Not silencing the freedom of speech of another, does not mean putting a Marxist on stage in front on 13,000 young adults at a Christian conference, and handing him a microphone. Christians have compromised values and principals, in the name of ‘political correctness,’ to the point where we can be fined or sued for praying in public. Enough with the compromising, it’s time to decide where you stand.

From Obama’s speech tonight on the “destroy American Jobs Act”

“How many jobs would it have cost us if past Congresses decided not to support the basic research that led to the Internet and the computer chip? What kind of country would this be if this chamber had voted down Social Security or Medicare just because it violated some rigid idea about what government could or could not do? How many Americans would have suffered as a result?”

“Some rigid idea,” better known as the balance of powers & limited government, set forth by our founders in the United States Constitution …which I’m pretty sure President Obama swore to uphold.

Here is the full transcript of Obama’s speech from earlier tonight.

generation912

 

Cornel West has given us another example of why his invitation to be a main speaker at this years Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, a Christian youth leadership conference, should raise questions. In a recent New York Times op-ed, “Dr. King Weeps From His Grave,”Dr. Cornel West depicts one of the most self-serving and dishonest pictures of the Reverend, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the media today, and that’s saying something.

West believes Dr. King’s legacy is being dishonored, which isarguably a true statement, but it certainly is not for the reason described in this op-ed. Cornel West believes that our leaders should be articulating “radical democratic vision and fighting for homeowners, workers and poor people in the form of mortgage relief, jobs and investment in education, infrastructure and housing,” to truly honor the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

West should know from the days when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought fervently for civil rights and equal justice that a pure democracy and government handouts are not the answer to the housing crisis and poverty. The government choosing sides, picking winners and losers, and ignoring injustices was a big problem during the days of the civil rights struggle. A “radical democratic vision” would put all the power in the hands of the federal government, preventing local communities, who know the problems of their area better than a giant overbearing government, to find solutions that work best for them.

For example, West speaks of investment in education, and then says the best way to address this problem is by electing progressives. Well, we currently have a progressive democrat in the White House that removed school vouchers in Washington D.C.’s inner city schools. These vouchers allow students in bad, inner city schools to attend better schools. These voucher programs and charter schools are often protested and blocked by progressives and democrats, and one big reason for this is that they care more about unions and special interests than cleaning up the cities they represent. The union bosses help fund their elections, so that’s whom they take care of.

All one has to do is look at the leadership of the poorest and most crime ridden cities across the country to see the pattern of progressive politicians running these cities, union involvement, and a lack of improvement throughout their term(s) in office. Dr. King was not a progressive, he was a Republican, and Republicans supported him. Reconstruction collapsed because of multidimensional racialism related to the spread of democratic idealism (progressivism). What began as region wide passage of ‘Jim Crow’ segregation lawsthat focused on issues of equal access to public activities and facilities spread throughout the south, mandating the segregation of whites and blacks in the public sphere. There were plenty of good guys and more than enough bad guys during the era of segregation and Jim Crow, but the idea that “support of progressive politicians like Senator Bernard Sanders” is the answer to the poverty in America is a destructive deception to tell anyone living in poverty.

Dr. King knew the answer to our problems is love, compassions for your fellow man, and faith. The government can’t love you, and it certainly does not have faith in the American citizens. They have been proving that to us on a regular basis with every new regulation they implement. Despite all of our problems in Washington, D.C., America still provides more private charity to those in need than every other country combined. The majority of Americans want the inner cities cleaned up, education to improve, and poverty to decrease. We can accomplish this through faith in God, charity and compassion for our fellow man better and far more efficiently than the government can through taxes and redistribution of wealth. Habitat for Humanity does not control those that they build a home for. They will not tell you what type of appliances to use, how to keep your lawn, what to keep the thermostat on, and they will not confiscate it back from you. When the government provides a service or entitlement, they can control every aspect of it, or simply take it away from you.

A radical democracy is nothing more than mob rule, giving the minority no voice. A Democratic Republic, like the one we have in the United States, is unique in that every group can be represented. We have representatives from all types of communities across the country. Each state “red” or “blue” is represented in Washington D.C. Each holds the power to implement the best policies for their states that are not allocated to the federal government. The solutions to poverty are going to be found at the local level, if the federal government will get out of the way. Those living in poverty need to believe what I heard Dr. West say to a classroom of school kids while on his “Poverty Tour.” They need to know each one of them is just as special as the other, that anyone, black or white, rich or poor, are capable of achieving success. Whether that means living in a big house in the suburbs, being a talk show host, a school teacher, a movie star, a doctor, or even the president of the United States. They also need to know they can do it on their own. That they don’t need Big Brother to hold their hand. All the things I thought had been proven through individuals like Oprah, Denzel Washington, Beyonce, Barack Obama, and yes, Cornel West.

What they need is opportunity—opportunity to succeed and to fail. That was Dr. King’s dream–equal opportunity and equal justice, regardless of our skin color. However, opportunity is destroyed by socialist policies pushed by progressive politicians who punish success, and that is what we are seeing today. The door is being slammed shut on the people at the bottom.

Dr. King’s message was one of equal opportunity and equal justice under the law, but more importantly, it was a message of faith, hope and love. In Dr. King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, his message is loud and clear, a message of faith and love that would likely be labeled ‘Religious Zealotry’ by today’s mainstream media:

“Was not Jesus an extremist for love: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Was not Amos an extremist for justice: “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream.” Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” Was not Martin Luther an extremist: “Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God.” And John Bunyan: “I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience.” And Abraham Lincoln: “This nation cannot survive half slave and half free.” And Thomas Jefferson: “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal . . .” So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary’s hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime–the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.”

Cornel West is a firm believer in Black Liberation Theology, friend of Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan, and supporter of Barack Obama’s former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Black Liberation Theology, described as “Christianized Marxism,” paints Jesus Christ as a victim of “the oppressor” to apply the gospel to political issues, over personal sin and redemption. The Gospel is used to push a message that black Americans are being rescued from political and social injustice. Black Liberation Theologians undermine the true message of Jesus Christ freeing man from the oppression of sin to love God and our neighbors.

In disgusting fashion, Cornel West uses Dr. King to promote his “Poverty Tour” and gain support for progressive leaders, such as Socialist, Bernie Sanders. He claims Dr. King’s response would be one of “revolution.” That revolution, according to West, means  “support for progressive politicians,” and “extensive community and media organizing; civil disobedience;and life and death confrontations with the powers that be.”

In the current climate of political unrest, union riots inside state capital buildings, flash mobs that turn violent, and the near death of Rep. Gabby Giffords from a shooting at a town hall, none of which revolved around race, one has to wonder why he is saying this. These words would not have fit into Dr. King’s message of nonviolence. Cornel West’s plan of action sounds more like a path to the dream of the Weather Underground or the Democratic Socialists than of Martin Luther King Jr.

According to Cornel West,

“The absence of a King-worthy narrative to reinvigorate poor and working people has enabled right-wing populists to seize the moment with credible claims about government corruption and ridiculous claims about tax cuts’ stimulating growth. This right-wing threat is a catastrophic response to King’s four catastrophes; its agenda would lead to hellish conditions for most Americans.”

The idea that progressives will solve the problems of the poor, especially in the minority community is simply a lie. Progressives have been enslaving the poor to the government for decades. It is progressive democrats that stand against school voucher programs that give students an opportunity to attend better schools in safer areas. Since the Democrats took control of congress in 2006, the number of people in poverty has skyrocketed from 36 million to over 43.6 million, and continues to do so under Barack Obama. It was under a progressive president, Woodrow Wilson, that the army was segregated. It was progressive Margaret Sanger who founded government funded Planned Parenthood with the goal of exterminating the black population.

West believes we need a “fundamental transformation of our way of thinking and living that promotes a transfer of power from oligarchs and plutocrats to everyday people and ordinary citizens.” This again brings one to questions why he would push for progressive politicians like Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist. Bernie Sanders receives big donations from the unions such as the AFL-CIO, who takes money from union members to fund Democrats running for office, making him one of the politicians “beholden to big money.”A problem Cornel discusses early in his op-ed. Democratic socialism often leads to government control of business, healthcare, and regulations of our day to day operations. Democratic socialism is a big government power grab, and fast track to communism, not an empowerment of the everyday person.

Cornel West says, “Like King, we need to put on our cemetery clothes and be coffin-ready for the next great democratic battle.” It is unlikely that West’s young students at Princeton, or those attending Catalyst Atlanta—where he was invited to speak on leadership—will hear the truth about the Civil Rights Movement in America, or those who really care about the poor, injustices, and freedom in our country.

For the record, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Republican. Yes, a Republican. In fact, almost all black Americans wereRepublicans. How can that be? From its founding in 1854, as the anti-slavery party until today, the Republican Party has championed freedom and civil rights for blacks. It was the Democrats who fought to keep blacks in slavery and passed the discriminatory Black Codes and Jim Crow laws. The Democrats started the Ku Klux Klan to lynch and terrorize blacks. The Democrats fought to prevent the passage of every civil rights law beginning with the civil rights laws of the 1860s, and continuing with the civil rights laws of the 1950s and 1960s.

Today, Dr. King’s message of love and mission of equal justice are being corrupted by the very same party who fought against them in the 1960′s, while continuing to ignore his faith and work as a man of God.

 

On August 24, 2011, Glenn Beck will host an event at the Davidson Center in Jerusalem. Taking place just steps
from the Western Wall and the Temple Mount, this program calls for unity among all faiths, and will honor Israelis who have displayed courage in their struggle for survival and peace. It will also issue a challenge to all citizens of the world to stand with and declare their support for Israel. Joining Glenn will be religious leaders, esteemed speakers and entertainers including the Rabbi of the Western Wall, Shumuel Rabinovitch, Academy Award winning actor Jon Voight, internationally renowned singer Dudu Fisher, and the Jerusalem Great Synagogue Choir.

Future Voices of America and the College Republicans would like to invite you to the Atlanta Restoring Courage Viewing Party, scheduled for August 24, 2011. The live simulcast begins at 9am with a one hour pre show at the Ferst Center on the Ga Tech campus. Doors will open at 8am, the event will end at 12pm. We invite you, your congregation, synagog, local organization, and all others who would like to help us show support for this event and Israel.

The Ferst Center holds close to 1,200 people. Seating is 100% free of charge, and will be first come, first serve, however, you can reserve seats by contacting me at RestoringCourageGA@gmail.com.

Restoring Courage is a non-political, non-partisan and non-denominational event bringing together of leaders
and people from all over the world to Israel. The event will have carefully selected speakers that include, religious, political and business leaders who will address what courage is and why we need it today more than ever, and why courage is needed all over the world to stand with Israel. Individuals who have demonstrated courage will be honored.

Supporters include Pastor John Hagee, congressmen from both sides of the isle, Governor of TX Rick Perry, Ted Nugent, almost all GOP presidential candidates, including Atlanta favorite, Herman Cain, and many more.

This is an opportunity for everyone—from all over the world and all walks of life to demonstrate to the world that Israel does not stand alone. We will be filming our viewing party for Glenn Beck’s new network, GBTV, which has shown interest in covering our Restoring Courage event, so let’s bring out a big crowd to show the Israeli people and citizens from all across the globe that Atlanta stands with Israel.

Donations are welcome to help cover the cost of the venue. If you are interested in direct donations send me an email. You can also contribute to the event by purchasing a T-shirt through www.76garments.com, who will be donating the net profits of their blue Star of David tshirts to the event.

Don’t hesitate to contact me with any further questions you may have. If you would like me to get in touch with your church, synagog or organization, please contact me. We look forward to seeing everyone on August 24th!

Catalyst, a conference started in 1999 by Andy Stanley, the leader of North Point Community Church, along with Reggie Joiner, John Maxwell, Lanny Donoho, and other young leaders, was created to focus on the “next generation of church leaders.” Their goal was to build a conference that would appeal to the younger generation, and encourage them to become leaders in their church and communities.

In October of 2000, one thousand five hundred church leaders came together for the first Catalyst Conference. Since that time Catalyst has grown tremendously. Over 100,000 leaders have attended this annual conference. This coming October over 13,000 young, up and coming, leaders are expected to attend the Catalyst Conferences that now take place in Orange County, CA and Dallas, TX.

According to the conference website,

Catalyst is a powerful gathering of young leaders, a movement of influencers and world changers who love Jesus, see things differently, and feel a burden for our generation. We seek to learn, worship, and create together with a momentous energy passionately pursuing God. We are Catalysts… Kingdom ambassadors, change agents, influencers, and cultural architects seeking to change our churches, communities, and cultures for God.

Catalyst is not viewed as “just a conference,” but as a convergence of the next generation of leaders, or a movement.

Catalyst is more than just an event. It is a movement founded in the hearts of young leaders who see things differently and feel a burden for the fate of an entire generation. Catalyst attracts the leaders and change agents who are making a major difference; the influencers and cultural architects who have the power and influence to change our communities and culture, and lead with a new set of lenses.

The mission and vision has always been about leadership, and specifically addressing and supporting the unique needs of Next Generation Leaders- their vision, desire for authenticity, community and revolutionary spirit. Leaders from all over the world count themselves as part of the Catalyst community. Catalyst is personal- it is your story. This movement of leaders is more than what. It’s who. It’s you.

In a struggling economy where young adults are graduating into a limited job market, young leaders are going to be important. We need innovative, motivated individuals who won’t wait for someone to give them an opportunity, but will create their own opportunities. Bringing like-minded, hard working young leaders together to exchange ideas, discuss the challenges ahead of them and gain encouragement from spiritual leaders and leaders in their community is an excellent way to facilitate these young leaders in their quest to make a difference.

This year Catalyst includes keynote speakers such as:

Andy Stanley – Lead Pastor of North Point Community Church

Joel Houston – Songwriter & Worship Leader, Hillsong UNITED, and Co lead Pastor, Hillsong, NYC

Dave Ramsey – Best Selling Author, National Radio, and TV Host

Jim Collins - Good to Great and How the Mighty Fall

Jim Daly - President, Focus on the Family and Author, Finding Home

Anthony Bradley – Associate Professor of Theology and Ethics, The Kings College

This is just a select few of the speakers who will be featured at Catalyst this year. Two other well-known names that will be featured are Josh Dubois and Dr. Cornel West.

If you know these names a red flag should be waving in your head. For those who are not aware of these names here is some background information.

Dr. Cornel West, a professor at Princeton University, Best-selling author, Race Matters, cultural commentator and activist, is about as far left as they come. If you are engaged in the political atmosphere, Cornel West is a name that should jump out at you. He is a frequent panelist on HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher, a frequent CNN contributor, a frequent guest on Travis Smiley’s PBS TV show, among many other public roles.

In Dr. West’s book, Prophesy Deliverance, West conveys his belief that by working together, Marxists and black theologians can spearhead much needed social change for those who are victims of oppression. In a country where anyone, no matter what race, religion, or ethnicity they come from, can become wildly successful through hard work and determination, Dr. West decides to side with Louis Farrakhan on what being successful means in America.

Louis Farrakhan is not someone most leaders in our country would want to publicly associate themselves with. Why? Watch here to hear one of many examples of why 9/11 truther, Louis Farrakhan is a red flag connection to Cornel West.

Is this a good example of church leadership for our youth?

An infamous friend of Dr. West’s who ascribes to the same theology is Barack Obama’s former long time minister, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. View here.

Is this a good example of church leadership for our youth?

For Dr. West’s racist thoughts on 9/11 watch here. Cornel seems to have forgotten about the Black Panther Party, as he equates “white folk” of today to slave owners over 100 years ago and 9/11 terrorists

Is this a good example of church leadership for our youth?

Is the United States special? Not according to Dr. West. Watch here.

Is this a good example of church leadership for our youth?

Dr. West’s opinion of the police – Watch here

Is this a good example of church leadership for our youth?

David Horowitz published an insightful piece on Dr. Cornel West in May of 2010 for National Review, “Hurricane West: Cornel West and American Radicalism”

Dr. Cornel West also has public relationships with radicals such as Francis Fox Piven, who has called forviolent revolutions, and is well known for the “Cloward-Piven” strategy.  The “Cloward-Piven” strategy called for overloading the U.S. public welfare system to cause a crisis and collapse the system. That collapse would cause the “end of poverty” through a new system of guaranteed income, jobs, etc. In other words, collapsing the capitalist system into a system of communism.

There is a wide selection of leaders across our country, and this is one of their selections for a keynote speaker? A man who paints minorities as victims? Dr. Cornel West has certainly worked his way to the top, and instead of empowering and encouraging others to follow in his footsteps he paints those of similar backgrounds as victims. In a conference that is supposed to be about Godly leadership, it is important to point out that in John 15: 18-20, Jesus points out that the world will persecute his followers, but that we are to stay strong in our faith. Jesus did not paint the persecuted as victims, but instead taught them to rise above their persecution.

So I ask again, is Dr. Cornel West one of the best example for my generation to seek insight from on the subject of leadership in our communities and churches?

Josh Dubois is a Special Assistant to President Obama and Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. It is his job to direct the Obama Administration’s engagement in faith-based and other nonprofit organizations.

Putting aside that there is supposed to be a separation between church and state according to our First Amendment, for an organization to be nonprofit aren’t they supposed to be a private, nonpolitical entity by law?

I want to be clear about the fact that I have no issue with Mr. Dubois personally and that this has nothing to do with my personal politics. My problem is that by inserting a member of the current presidential administration as elections approach is inserting politics where it does not belong – the church. Mr. Dubois, a leader in the Christian community, is supporting the most pro-abortion president in this nation’s history who as a Senator, not only was a detractor to a bill that would ban partial birth abortions, was the only Senator to speak on the floor against it. As a man who, in his own words, wants to fight injustices, the President should want to stand strong in opposition to the injustice occurring against the most innocent among us.

In an article printed in the Boston Globe, Dubois was not shy to talk about his goal of pushing for Obama through infiltrating the church with politics.

This is not a freedom of speech debate or a right vs. left debate. If this is who the leaders of the Catalyst Conference believe is best fit to give a keynote speech on leadership, empowerment and faith to the young leaders of Atlanta, put him on the stage. I feel responsible to let my peers know more about the man on whom they will be spending their money this fall. I for one will not be attending.

 

All we do is talk about how sick we are of the government, of politicians, of Washington politics, etc. So why are we so wrapped up in it? They never have solutions that don’t involve what we are doing. We are the ones who produce the goods, grow the food, create the ideas, provide medical care—we move the country, not them.

The youth of America are ready to see new politicians

In my opinion, big government entitlements can be blamed on the failure of man in many circumstances.  As a nation, we have stopped turning to one another, and started looking to Uncle Sam when we need a hand.  Entitlement programs have made us assume it is no longer our responsibility to help our neighbors when disaster strikes.  I firmly believe that private charity has the ability to put the nanny-state out of business.  Whether though actions or donations, everyone has the capability to help those in need in some way, shape, or form. If we fail to be a charitable people, the growing size of government, through hand-outs and entitlement programs, will not only destroy the private sector, but it will lead to the constricting of our individual liberties.

Truth be told, it already has.  Look at the power the federal government obtained through the health care legislation. The government is now using that legislation to create more food regulations.  Public schools are even trying to ban students from being able to bring their lunch from home, and that’s just one example.

High taxes and regulations, placed on us by the government, limits the amount we can give to private charities to help those in need, as well as put some of our income aside to prepare for hard times we ourselves may face.  Private charity has the ability to evaluate at those in need as individuals, not as a collective, giving us the power to provide a hand-up, as opposed to a “one size fits all” government hand-out.

Historically, America has been, and still is, the most charitable nation on Earth. If you look at the statistics of countries and their contributions to private charities, there is a correlation between charitable giving and freedom, as well as charitable giving and faith.  The nations that view their government as “God” are reliant on the government to survive.  The nations that understand the purpose of government, look to God and one another to survive, not big government.

Helping those in need privately limits the government’s influence in our lives, as well as in the lives of those we are helping, allowing us to keep a firm grip on our freedom.  It is no mystery why countries around the world look to America when disaster strikes.  We have the freedom to do what we want with our money, and are known for our willingness to use that freedom for good.

…Funny how many of the nations seem to forget that when they aren’t in need.

Private charity is better able to assess the needs of each individual they are helping, which cuts out a lot of waste, and provides the help to get them in a scenario to improve their own circumstances.  If we don’t reverse the trend of growing entitlement programs, the ability of the less fortunate to better their situation with their own sweat and hard-work will disappear, and the national debt will destroy our economy. Government handouts do not help lead the less fortunate out of their poverty; they trap them it, by providing them what they need to be comfortable in poverty.

Government entitlements are paid for by the working men and women in the country through taxes and regulations, limiting the private sector’s ability to grow the economy.  These heavy tax burdens on job creators and producers limit their ability to hire, keeping the unemployed jobless, worsening our growing entitlement problem.  The only way to start reducing the number of people on the government dole is teaching them the skills they need to be self-sufficient. Taxing small businesses like crazy for each employee they hire does not create an environment of job creation that would pull people off the streets and into jobs. …This isn’t rocket science.

Obviously, there are those who can’t take care of themselves in real need of help. Wouldn’t these programs be much more beneficial to those individuals if we removed all the waste, and helped the majority of those in need ourselves?  Unemployment is an example of a program that started with good intentions, but was corrupted into a two year government hand-out.  Our country currently has a large number of unemployed Americans, and every time we increase the amount of time their unemployment benefits last, not only are we taking money out of the economy, limiting job creation, we are encouraging lethargy in our society and dependence on the government. Everyone with a job pays into unemployment insurance, and I have no problem with that, if it is what they chooseto do—a choice we currently do not get to make ourselves, but 99 weeks on the government dole is too long and defeats the purpose of the program.

Handouts have created the illusion that we are entitled to never feeling the pain associated with job loss or hard economic times, basically, that life is always going to be fair. News flash, life isn’t fair, it isn’t going to be, and never has been fair. Going through rough patches in life motivates us to succeed, push ourselves, and they make us stronger.  Life is a lot like exercise, the harder you workout, the more time you spend in the gym, and the better your diet is, the more results you will see. No pain, no gain.

**BREAKING NEWS**
Glenn Beck Fired From Fox News: It looks like the left finally won. Due to rapidly falling ratings and hundreds of abandoned advertisers, Fox News has parted ways with Mr. Beck and his company.

Actually, Fox News and Mr. Beck signed a new contract, where Beck will be working on other projects, producing documentaries, specials, and who knows what else, but he decided to step away from the daily program to pursue other projects with his company, Mercury Radio Arts. …But, don’t pay attention to that.

Confused? You should be. Hardly anything I wrote in italics above has been reported by the mainstream media. Why? Because it came from the actual sources discussed, and those sources happen to be kicking their competition’s tail up and down the street in ratings and popularity. Anyone who listens to or watches Glenn Beck and/or Fox News knows the stories that have been reported by the media this week have been absolute fallacies. Under most circumstances I don’t feel the need to defend Fox News or Glenn Beck, because it is downright embarrassing how bad they make their competition look in the ratings, and they don’t need my help, but I can’t take the deceitful stories anymore. Almost every article I have read from a “news” organization on this issue has little if any truth in it whatsoever.

Confused? You should be. Hardly anything I wrote in italics above has been reported by the mainstream media. Why? Because it came from the actual sources discussed, and those sources happen to be kicking their competition’s tail up and down the street in ratings and popularity. Anyone who listens to or watches Glenn Beck and/or Fox News knows the stories that have been reported by the media this week have been absolute fallacies. Under most circumstances I don’t feel the need to defend Fox News or Glenn Beck, because it is downright embarrassing how bad they make their competition look in the ratings, and they don’t need my help, but I can’t take the deceitful stories anymore. Almost every article I have read from a “news” organization on this issue has little if any truth in it whatsoever.

On a selfish note, I’m also sick of my friends saying, “Look’s like Beck’s show was canceled,” with a smirk on their face. They may not fact check, but they know I do, so keep reading guys. Furthermore, no matter what shows remain or are taken off the air, I will continue to bug you with news you should be paying attention to. It’s what I do. You’re welcome.

On a selfish note, I’m also sick of my friends saying, “Look’s like Beck’s show was canceled,” with a smirk on their face. They may not fact check, but they know I do, so keep reading guys. Furthermore, no matter what shows remain or are taken off the air, I will continue to bug you with news you should be paying attention to. It’s what I do. You’re welcome.

To those in my generation who still believe the mainstream media is a credible source for news, this is for you:

Love him or hate him, there is one thing Glenn Beck is not—a ratings failure. In fact, The Glenn Beck Program was the highest rated show in the history of cable at 5pm. Within the first few months of his Fox News program, the New York Times wrote an article about Glenn Beck’s quick rise to success in his 5pm timeslot. The article noted,

Barely two months into his job at Fox, his program is a phenomenon: it typically draws about 2.3 million viewers.

Oddly, in March, it was being reported by the very same New York Times that Beck’s ratings were in a rapid decline. However, in the weeks following the piece that was released, The Glenn Beck Program’s ratings averaged 2.1 to 2.2. Hardly the 1 million viewers David Carr reported had been lost in his NYT article. In fact, the day Mr. Beck announced on his Fox News show that he would be leaving his daily 5pm broadcast his ratings were 2.23.

For those who don’t know how to measure ratings, 2.23 would be 2, 230,000 viewers, and that is in the 2+ category, which is everyone watching the show 2 years of age and older. Another widely used category to measure ratings is using a 25-54 age bracket, where Mr. Beck also dominates his competition.

Most shows gauge success by measuring their ratings against the other shows airing in the same time on competing networks, or to compare the current show’s ratings to the ratings of the show which previously aired in that timeslot. The Fox News show that aired before Beck tookover the 5pm hour had ratings 130% lower than The Glenn Beck Program. That means the audience doubled, plus another 30%. To those that credit his success simply to Fox News, his former show on CNN HLN saw a ratings increase on 170% by the time it was all said and done. Despite these facts, critics of Fox News and Glenn Beck continue to measure his ratings in nonsensical ways. They compare the ratings of his highest rated show, a documentary on communism, to the ratings of shows when he was away on vacation. They will then take that decrease in the number of viewers, compare it to MSNBC’s steady audience of 10 viewers, and try to make it seem like Beck’s show is failing. The critics also forget to point out that Beck’s “low ratings” are often double or triple those on the competing networks.

To really put in perspective how Beck dominates his competitors, critics, and those reporting his show was “canceled,” let’s compare him to his competition. I chose three random days within the last two years: April 7, 2011, May 12, 2010, and December 2, 2009

April 7,2011

Net	5PM	P2+ (000s)	25-54 (000s)	35-64 (000s)
FNC	Glenn Beck	2,062	450	1,001
CNN	Situation Room	753	181	349
MSNBC	Hardball w/ Chris Matthews	797	219	329
CNBC	Fast Money	176	36	104
HLN	Showbiz Tonight	138	68	78

Beck not only beats all of his 5pm competition, but if you add all of his competition together, he beats them 2.062 to 1.864 …ouch. He also beats every other non-Fox News program, including those airing in the primetime slots of 8pm and 9pm, where there is a 40% larger possible viewing audience.

May 12,2010

Net	5pm	P2+ (000s)	25-54 (000s)	35-64 (000s)
FNC	Glenn Beck	2,098	469	951
CNN	Situation Room	610	168	200
MSNBC	Hardball w/Chris Matthews	478	79	199
CNBC	Fast Money	282	48	134
HLN	Showbiz Tonight	224	109	125

Again, not only does he beat every competing show in his time slow and during primetime, if you add up the competition he wins 2.098 to 1.594. That’s over 500,000 viewers between him and his combined competition.

December 2, 2009

Net	5pm	P2+ (000s)	25-54 (000s)	35-64 (000s)
FNC	Glenn Beck	2,693	755	1,345
CNN	Situation Room	648	124	223
MSNBC	Hardball w/Chris Matthews	490	91	203
CNBC	Fast Money	331	48	165
HLN	Showbiz Tonight	384	57	144

Another dominating performance of Beck beating his combined competition by 839,000 viewers. After watching Chris Matthews gloat and take credit for getting Beck off the air, I feel incline to point out that on this particular date Glenn Beck had over 4x the amount of viewers Matthews had.

One final point, there have been reports from the New York Times, Salon, Huff Po, The NY Daily News, Media Matters, etc, that 300+ advertisers abandoned Beck’s radio and TV programs after a comment he made about the President two years ago on Fox & Friends. This fleeing of advertisers is said to have put so much pressure on Fox News they had to drop Beck’s program. If anyone can find a radio or TV show with 300 completely separate sponsors let me know, because I’m pretty sure it doesn’t exist. An hour long TV show with 300 sponsors would allow about 12 seconds per ad spot, and zero seconds for the actual program. Common sense folks, common sense.