Founders? Really?

Founders?

(by R.P.Edwards)

Citing Founders

Stolen Cred 

Firm assertions

What THEY said!

But be careful children

When you do

For the Founders God

Is watching...you 

In the news: the Democrat controlled House of Representatives rushes to judgement and votes to impeach the people's duly elected president, Donald J. Trump. Oh yes, a coming election in less than a year's time could oust said chief executive but, due to fear of failure in this area; the "peoples" house decided to try another desperate way.

An observation: there was a solemn (their word) session when many Democrats voiced from the House floor their heavy obligation to remove (attempt) the President from his post. Often the Founders (Framers) of the Republic were mentioned. Sometimes scripture was invoked. Words like "honor, integrity, duty" were uttered. And, of course, the sacred Constitution was dusted off and waved like a banner on flag day.

Here's a "truly" solemn reminder: the modern Democrat party is, quite literally, the party of death. In recent years they have pushed their lust for infant blood to the place of the birth canal and beyond. And, when I hear their pious platitudes (albeit sincere, I suppose) I can't help but filter them through the practice they so heartily endorse and that God literally hates. Yes, no matter their station, or education, or lists of accomplishments and accolades associated with these; since they en masse willingly choose that which is damnable; their words mean nothing.

Of course, this admonition does not end in the donkey's stall. No, ALL elements of the right, no matter which niche of the Constitution they cling to; these also need to center to this fundamental place. That is: human life is sacred and must be protected. It is our first unalienable right, and without it, the Republic will, and should, fall.  

There's another impeachment in the wind. It's coming next November and although I will continue to dutifully pray for all those in authority, I truly hope ALL those who have so grossly dishonored our beginnings and refuse to turn...will be expelled.

****

Radicalized, two kinds

Radicalized

(by R.P.Edwards)

The aging minister

Knelt and sighed

And prayed his flock

Would be radicalized

That they'd hear God's Word

And know its worth

That they'd walk His will

While here on earth...

So, just before Christmas--the holiday celebrating Christ's birth--three young American service members attending flight training school in Pensacola, Florida, are dead due to the possible "radicalization" of an also attending Saudi student.

Yes, yes, the investigation continues and "terrorism" isn't the official verdict just yet, but really, here's the question: Why do we even entertain the possibility that a foreign "someone" might suddenly decide to take their faith to the extreme? 

Oh, I know, such talk might be considered "Islamophobic," but honestly it is not my intent to speak disparagingly of those who hold to the teachings of Islam; they are what they are. However, how often have we seen someone (usually male) who, for whatever reason, becomes overly "devout" and then commences to act out what they consider a deadly divine directive?

Here's my point; why take the chance? Why entertain the possibility? Why play the guessing game of "not if, but when"? I suppose our bureaucratic "betters" can give a plethora of reasons.

None of which will give solace to the families of three murdered Americans.

The poem continues...

...That they'd love the enemy

That they'd seek the lost

That they'd be like Jesus

At any cost

That they'd consume the Bible

And be heavenly wise

And at last like Christ

They'd be radicalized 

****

It's ALWAYS personal

It's ALWAYS personal
(by R.P.Edwards)

Personal deaths

Are always worse

When we know their name

And follow the hearse 

But other deaths

Are no less real

Though we know them not

And we have no "feel"...

This humble offering began in early August--the third--when the "news" later in the day became consumed with the horrific happenings in Ohio and Texas: Innocents murdered by crazed rifle-bearers. Horrible stuff.

That morning, however, before the newsworthy carnage, I found myself briefly on the sidewalk outside a notorious abortion clinic in Southern Illinois. In this fortified structure innocent children are routinely ushered to the next life via the most grisly means imaginable, and have been for decades. It is routine and mind-numbing, but there were no journalists, no cameras, no appreciable notice by any except those going in; those who work there; those pleading from the walkway, and of course..."the Supreme Judge of the world."

Not much more to say other than the obvious: when death is personal...we notice. Yes, when a loved one dies or someone we can relate to is murdered (someone's child, someone's friend, someone's spouse or parent) then our "feeler" kicks in and we invest.

But, dear reader, the innocent unborn are just as human, just as "known" to God as those with a face and a history. And, as long as we fail to recognize them; as long we allow, and even encourage their blood to be shed, can we honestly expect "other" murders to decrease? 

The poem continues:

...So before we cry

And with rage lament

Let's remember ALL

Whose life is spent

Not just our measure

That is finite and few

But the measure of God

That includes

Even you

****

Why no gratitude?

Not even a Thank You?

(by R.P.Edwards)

Gratitude in short supply

And with our gifts

We wonder why

For others paid

With pain and blood

To buy our rights

To stem the flood

To make a land

Where ALL can fly

Where stars are reached

By those who try

And yet a many

Upon the stand

They shame the past

They bite the hand

Forgetful children
Or never taught
They mock the treasure
That lives have wrought
And eat the feast
Of freedom's bloom
But in there heart
They have no room
And so we turn
As they despise
And leave their tantrum
Ever "I"!
And close the door
And wonder why
Why gratitude is

In short supply

It seems to be a regular occurrence; an aggrieved athlete for some reason upset with some aspect of the country (the current flavor: President Trump) so they choose to dishonor the blood bought land that gave them the opportunity for stardom and wealth, and kneel during the National Anthem.

Ho hum.

I get it that they're upset, but I don't get the broad-brush dissing that they insist on. Surely there's plenty of cameras and microphones available to make their case, but disrespect is their choice. And...I wonder why?

Well, part of the reason must be education. We simply don't teach respect as something of importance. And the next reason is the heart itself. That, however, is dealt with at an alter where kneeling (at least on the inside) is a must.

****

Throwing stones

Stones

(by R.P.Edwards)

Casting stones

At founders, dead

For slaves they owned

For things they said

While we recline

Upon our bed

And dine on children

Cold and red...

A beautiful baby girl, making all those delightful newborn noises that one hears when allowed the privilege of being nearby. A granddaughter, over nine pounds, and with an enviable head of hair already. Lovely, delicate, precious, adorable, unique, and very much a person, crafted by the finger of God.

You know, I can tolerate a lot of nonsense from the left. Of course Socialism and the Green New Deal are bad ideas, but I could roll with them as the nation would invariably suffer, and decline, and ultimately reap the wretched harvest that results from inferior seed. And, of course, there are other areas of disagreement I'll save for another day (although I've covered them before, no doubt) but one issue comes to the forefront and it cannot be dismissed: abortion.

You see, abortion is murder; plain and simple. And the debased thought that unites the many who now vie for the executive pinnacle that because this "life" is dependent, or inconvenient, it's alright to kill; well, that mindset was birthed in hell and no matter the religious prattle that oozes from the lips of these aspirants their foundation is anchored in the very same gross error that once gave solace to the slave owner. Heaven help us if any of these are put in the captain's chair. And heaven help us again if the church doesn't finally rise up to declare, "Thus saith the Lord!" 

The poem continues:

...And when we die

And meet our fate

And get our due

For sin and hate

Our heirs, if any

Will read our tome

Then wipe a tear

And grab a stone 

****

How Unions saved the Democratic Party

How Loyalty Dies
(by R.P.Edwards)

Loyalty
 Is a matchless place

A sacred bond

With face to face

A binding

Holding

Ever true

An always me

With always you

But even stone

With rain decays

And "Loyalty"

Must go both ways

And as adultery kills

The marriage bond

Some twisted ties

Must not go on

It was the babies dying; that was the final straw, the violent push past the tipping point, the grisly crack that caused the dam to burst and the concrete bond to shatter. Yes, it was this ultimate betrayal that divorced Unions (many) from the party of Jefferson; which led, eventually, to the rebirth of the Democratic party, and perhaps the saving of America. 

It all started long ago. Yes, way back in grandpa's youth there were sure differences between the blue collar and the white. Back then it was Workers rights versus Corporate greed; the little guys defiantly locking arms to defend against the well-moneyed fat cats. The Democrats, the union backers, wore blue. The Republicans, red. Long ago.

Well, in the not so distant past, say a half century, the "Left" began to chisel away at more than just tight-fisted dollar holders. Their (as in "not" necessarily unions) vision was so much broader and far reaching than just paychecks and benefits. It seemed a "new" culture was their desire and, with the constant gushing from tainted Universities along with believers in high places...they got it. 

Oh, to be sure, the deflection was slow at first and, as elections came and went many in the Labor ranks comforted themselves in the voting booth with the thoughts and words: "They're really for me; they'll do what's best," as they loyally, faithfully pulled the blue lever; albeit some holding their nose.

BUT, shortly after the end of the Obama administration the gentle leaning and sliding of the left suddenly became a sprint. From out of nowhere policies that would invariably and obviously kill the economy and make millions destitute (The Green New Deal, Socialism) these were heartily proposed by freshman lawmakers and quickly adopted by the Party elite. And, as egregious as this was, the final offense was when the party of Roosevelt, Truman, and Kennedy pushed abortion, the destruction of innocent human life, to its very limits; even to the point of infanticide.

Well, that did it. This was the bracing slap in the face that demanded a rebuke. And, not surprisingly, it was the local unions involved in heavy industry that were the first to stand up. Before long they were joined by many others and even some public sector unions recognized the dire direction of the nation and that desperate action was needed. 

So, in the year prior to the 2020 election many in Union leadership, loudly, emphatically refused, REFUSED to endorse the Democrat nominee(s) and, although they made it clear that this abstention was for the good of the country and not necessarily a nod to the other party; the results were predictable: There was a landslide for the republican party but...this was just the beginning.

For, you see, post election there was actually very little time spent in wound licking and sour grape eating. Instead, the massive middle of the democratic party demanded an expulsion of the extreme invaders and a return to sanity. And, even when the Far Left's shock troops, Antifa, went to the streets with masks and mallets, these were more than matched by Union hard hats and hammers. AND, as a result, in the next general election the "Blue" party had not only returned to sanity, but they had returned...to office.

And that, dear reader, is how the Unions saved the Democratic party...and the nation.

But, alas, it is only a fanciful dream.

****

The New Inquisition

 The New Inquisition

(by R.P.Edwards)

Doctrine Now!

Your answer, please

And by the way

Down on your knees!

Now look this way!

Into our eyes!

And answer sir

Are these your lies?!

(Apply the lash!)

How now your tongue?

Will you recant

Oh, wayward son?

There, there

Here's mercy

For the old

But next time, sir

DO AS YOU'RE TOLD!

A short time ago former Vice President, Joe Biden, had the nerve to call the current VP, Mike Pence, a "decent guy." Some elements on the left went ballistic. Why? Because Mr Pence is a traditional Christian with traditional "I believe the Bible" views on a variety of subjects. Which of course means his views don't align with the new masters of the Democrat Party and he, therefore, cannot be decent.

Poor Joe; thinking that civility still has a place in politics. Thinking that disagreement doesn't necessarily mean your opponent is "evil" or Hitleresque. Believing that maybe you two could go out for a cold one or a sandwich after the debate. But, it has been made abundantly clear to Mr Biden (and any other potential apostates) that such "tolerance" in the modern DNC is a throwback that simply will not be allowed. 

What a curious time we live in. How quickly the ancient mores and morality have been violently replaced by the new (thank you academia and Supreme Court). Let's see, however, if this "progressive" foundation has the strength and staying power of the old. In the meantime I suspect the castigating of "decent" Joe Biden...is just the beginning.

****

Where Away Thimble Islands

Long Island Sound
(by R.P.Edwards)

Shallow 

And shielded

From the ocean's strong face

Patriots

And pirates

And captains

And mates

Islands

And inlets

And memories
And more
Waters well wandered
With treasures in store

On a very clear day, with the squinting eye or with a low powered spyglass you could just barely see the hint of Long Island, nearly floating on the horizon. I, on the Connecticut side of the "Sound" was on a temporary stay at a much smaller island named "Money," part of a quaint grouping called "The Thimble Islands." 

It's been well over a half century from my first preadolescent treading of the red granite of that isle and, sad to say, my appreciation matched my age. Now, decades and a substantial distance away, I look back with fondness at a special place; a carve-out from the modern clutter that clings and clogs.

Anyway, I hear Branford CT (the municipality in the area) is having an anniversary of sorts. Worth a look, I'd say. And, while you're at it, check out "The Thimble Islands." There's a tour or two available. My youthful experience was on a boat named Volsunga, first III, and now IV. 

The song: recently discovered in a basement box. Affectionately crafted some time ago, I hope it gives you a taste...for a memorable place.

Thimble Islands

Branford

***

The New Cornerstone of the DNC?

The Blue and Gray

(By R.P.Edwards)

Something old

And something new

Something gray

And something blue

Something evil

Something same

A common thread

A different name

"This stone which was rejected by the first builders 

"is become the chief of the corner"

 the real "corner-stone" in our new edifice." 

 (Alexander H. Stephens)

¹¹ Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 

(Ephesians 5:11 NRSVACE)

At first I thought it might be a clever substitute. You know, one of those well written falsehoods attributed to a notable "someone." But no, in a speech given on March 21, 1861, the new Vice President of the Confederate States of America, Alexander H. Stephens (just before the bloodletting that was the Civil War) unabashedly espoused the twisted thinking of the age. Following are some excerpts:

The new constitution has put at rest, forever, all the agitating questions relating to our peculiar institution African slavery as it exists amongst us the proper status of the negro in our form of civilization. This was the immediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution....

The prevailing ideas entertained by him (Jefferson) and most of the leading statesmen at the time of the formation of the old constitution, were that the enslavement of the African was in violation of the laws of nature; that it was wrong in principle, socially, morally, and politically. It was an evil they knew not well how to deal with, but the general opinion of the men of that day was that, somehow or other in the order of Providence, the institution would be evanescent and pass away. This idea, though not incorporated in the constitution, was the prevailing idea at that time...

Those ideas, however, were fundamentally wrong. They rested upon the assumption of the equality of races. This was an error. It was a sandy foundation, and the government built upon it fell when the “storm came and the wind blew.”...

Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner- stone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition....

That's enough. 

It was the recent celebratory codifying of late term abortion in the State of New York that nudged me in the direction of seeking Mr Stephens' ancient reasonings. Why? Because then, as now, there are those who see through a prism (a religious one, at that) that views obvious evil as wholesome and God blessed. Then as now there are those who work their wicked bloody will and then blithely sip on their mint juleps while clucking to their equals of their moral superiority.

And sadly, then as now there are the many who are far removed from the "seeing" who will, nevertheless, be sucked into the maelstrom that must result when God is openly mocked and evil embraced. 

When the Civil War began there may have been many superfluous "side issues" and concerns, BUT, dear reader, by the time it was over SLAVERY was the relentless and all consuming pestle that ground this nation to its very core. I fear, therefore, for the new Democrat Party. More than ever they are choosing a path that God (the real one) must answer. I hope before then an inner uprising will reject the rebranded dogma of the DNC; that unholy doctrine that one human life is of more value than another. And, if there are still any hopeful believers residing on the left, know that your allegiance, first, must be to the Creator. And that, of course, applies to all.

Here's a link to the whole "Corner Stone" speech.  Corner Stone 

****

Of coffee and conscience

Anna Miller's

Just us

(by R.P.Edwards)

Conversations

A cup of Joe

Wasted hours

Then again, NO!

For all too soon

Our busy end

So precious now

An hour

A friend

It was a conversation between father and son (one sided, as usual). The elder (in the passenger seat) expounded as to the wonders of our modern times; as in, the internet, in particular You Tube. "Years ago," expounded the grey bearded Pop, "if you wanted a song published or sung on the radio it took effort and chance. NOW you put it on You Tube and you might be an overnight sensation." 

From there we (we, as in "me") traveled back to the late seventies when I, as a young, lonely sailor stationed on a ship at Pearl Harbor, used to frequent a coffee shop named Anna Miller's. "I'd make an evening out of a dollar," says I. "Fifty cents for there and back bus fare; forty cents for a bottomless cup of Kona coffee, and ten cents for a tip. Many, many hours I'd spend conversing with my fellows."

Then came to mind a little jingle I wrote at the time about the beloved sanctuary (above). Too bashful to share it with the owner it now comes out many decades later. It's a bit rough but contained therein is a hint of the pleasure obtained by spending time with friends in an atmosphere that encouraged such. I hope to go back someday. Sorry for the small tip.

The anniversary of the Roe v Wade decision is in the news (i.e. legalized abortion). I've written much on the subject, so just let me end with a gentle poem from years ago.

Would You Love Me?
(by R.P.Edwards)

Would you love me
Without my name?
Would your caring
Be the same?
Would you love me
Without my face?
Would your heart
Still have a place?
Would you love me
Though I’m new?
No memories stored
No…me…and you?
Would you love me
Without my touch?
Would my dying
Mean as much?
Would you love me
Just ’cause I am?
No link to you
Just in His plan?
Would you love me?
Oh, please, please do
For, with the chance
I’ll love you…too.

****