Democracy took a hard blow this day in Peking as the People’s Army of China opened fire on crowds of demonstrators.

What began as a student demonstration on behalf of democracy a month and a half earlier, had become a demonstration of hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life defying the government ban on the students’ action. Armored tanks of the People’s Army literally rolled over demonstrators as the world watched in horror as the tragedy unfolded on live TV. The government issued statements claiming that only a few had died. Other estimates of the deaths in Tiananmen Square ranged from hundreds to several thousand. There is no contradiction of the fact that thousands of demonstrators were later jailed.

One of the main reasons for conceal carry is that at my age I am in no shape to fight off a young man much less several young men. If you think several unarmed men are unable to seriously injure or kill a single victim you are sadly mistaken. Add even the most primitive weapon, like a rock or a baseball  bat, and you have a serious threat. I don’t carry a gun to impress or frighten folks … nor do I carry to intimidate others – I just like the thought that I am safe and that I have the ability and training to assist loved-ones who may be threatened. This photo probably make the point – thanks to http://olegvolk.livejournal.com for the photo … (caution – this site may offend!).

My karate is weak, yet I am safe!

The gun has been called the great equalizer, meaning that a small person with a gun is equal to a large person, but it is a great equalizer in another way, too. It insures that the people are the equal of their government whenever that government forgets that it is servant and not master of the governed. When the British forgot that they got a revolution. And, as a result, we Americans got a Constitution; a Constitution that, as those who wrote it were determined, would keep men free. If we give up part of that Constitution we give up part of our freedom and increase the chance that we will lose it all. I am not ready to take that risk. I believe that the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms must not be infringed if liberty in America is to survive.

– Ronald Reagan, September, 1975, Guns and Ammo magazine

You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, which are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat; you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd.

Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.

Is this what is happening to America? The government keeps pushing us toward socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, etc., while we continually lose our freedoms — just a little at a time.

One should always remember: There is no such thing as a free lunch! Also, a politician will never provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself.

“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have”

Thomas Jefferson

I got this story from Delta Media

On several past occasions, I’ve expressed serious concerns about the wisdom of using one’s emotions as a primary factor in making major life decisions, especially the matter of determining whether a member of the opposite sex would be a suitable marriage partner. Thus far, I think I’ve invested more verbiage in expressing my thoughts regarding what’s unwise. Now, I’d like to share some thoughts I’ve had about how to properly go about evaluating a person for suitability. Since I’m a guy, I’ll use my male prerogative and refer to the person under consideration with feminine pronouns. If you’re a gal, I encourage you to reverse the gender of all pronouns as you see fit.

1. If you are single and you do not feel that God has called you to remain unmarried (in case of doubt, assume that He hasn’t), make it your business to be looking for a spouse. Don’t make it your top priority–laying up treasure in Heaven ought to be tops–but make it one of your highest temporal priorities.
2. Suitability tests fall into two categories: (1) spiritual tests and (2) temporal tests. Place a substantially larger weight on spiritual tests compared with temporal tests. Spiritual tests ask, “According to Scripture, is this person a suitable spouse?” whereas temporal tests ask, “Is there a reasonable likelihood that I’ll be able to conduct myself towards her in a God-honoring manner?”
3. Consider everyone you meet who has any reasonable chance of being suitable. She must be a believer, and it would be best if she’s substantially like-minded doctrinally, but if she appears to be willing to be taught and led wherever the Scriptures lead, you may be able to consider her further.
4. Keep your eyes and ears open at all times and places, but pay the most attention when you’re in a venue where you’re most likely to meet a candidate. Your church or other places where reasonably like-minded Christians gather are the very best places to look. Personally, I wouldn’t bother checking out a gal at Borders or Barnes and Noble unless I spy her in the Religion section intently poring through a tome by someone like Spurgeon, Sproul or MacArthur.
5. When you encounter somebody and have an opportunity to converse with her, make a mental note of your emotional reaction, but don’t put too much trust in your emotions. Since we continue to struggle with remaining sin, our emotions can and do often mislead and deceive us. For my part, I’ve learned not to trust my emotions very much. They may tell me that a bad person is attractive or a good person is unattractive.
6. Continue to pursue an acquaintance as long as you have a reasonable hope that she might prove to be suitable for you. Give her the benefit of the doubt whenever possible.
7. If you discover something about her that fails one of the aforementioned spiritual tests, you ought to drop the acquaintance as soon as possible. Be kind and gracious, but GET OUT!!!
8. If you run into a temporal issue that concerns you such as a habit or behavior that really annoys you, make a note of it, but prayerfully consider the issue before you decide to break off the acquaintance. Perhaps God will grant you grace to bear with her regarding this issue. Keep Christian liberty in mind: where God has not bound the believer’s conscience in Scripture, the Christian is free.
9. If you come to the decision that she would not be a suitable wife for you but yet you find that you enjoy her company and friendship, you may continue on as casual friends, but you are not free to continue as close “platonic” friends who spend a considerable amount of time together. Although you should by all means maintain a cordial relationship with her, you must not hinder her or yourself from the task of seeking out a suitable spouse.
10. Take your time. Don’t allow fear to rush you into a hasty decision to drop the acquaintance or marry the person.

Heritage Foundation has produced a new video on our need for a Missile Defense System … very interesting!

Heritage Foundation link