THE TURNING POINT

THE TURNING POINT
Received this from a commenter today: "We're at a turning point. The Bush people know it. Today in Salt Lake City, Utah, the reddest most right wing state in the nation, thousands gatherered to boo and heckle and defy the President, who was there to call us traitors. Marines spoke up and out. Mormons spoke up and out. The Mayor of Salt Lake even LED the demonstrations. We're at a turning point. The president and his henchmen are calling us all traitors. And we're not gonna take it anymore."


KEITH OLBERMANN ON MSNBC
Aug. 30, 2006 | 8:34 p.m. ET

Feeling morally, intellectually confused?

The man who sees absolutes, where all other men see nuances and shades of meaning, is either a prophet, or a quack.

Donald H. Rumsfeld is not a prophet.

Mr. Rumsfeld’s remarkable speech to the American Legion yesterday demands the deep analysis—and the sober contemplation—of every American.

For it did not merely serve to impugn the morality or intelligence -- indeed, the loyalty -- of the majority of Americans who oppose the transient occupants of the highest offices in the land. Worse, still, it credits those same transient occupants -- our employees -- with a total omniscience; a total omniscience which neither common sense, nor this administration’s track record at home or abroad, suggests they deserve.

Dissent and disagreement with government is the life’s blood of human freedom; and not merely because it is the first roadblock against the kind of tyranny the men Mr. Rumsfeld likes to think of as “his” troops still fight, this very evening, in Iraq.

It is also essential. Because just every once in awhile it is right and the power to which it speaks, is wrong.

In a small irony, however, Mr. Rumsfeld’s speechwriter was adroit in invoking the memory of the appeasement of the Nazis. For in their time, there was another government faced with true peril—with a growing evil—powerful and remorseless.

That government, like Mr. Rumsfeld’s, had a monopoly on all the facts. It, too, had the “secret information.” It alone had the true picture of the threat. It too dismissed and insulted its critics in terms like Mr. Rumsfeld’s -- questioning their intellect and their morality.

That government was England’s, in the 1930’s.

It knew Hitler posed no true threat to Europe, let alone England.

It knew Germany was not re-arming, in violation of all treaties and accords.

It knew that the hard evidence it received, which contradicted its own policies, its own conclusions — its own omniscience -- needed to be dismissed.

The English government of Neville Chamberlain already knew the truth.

Most relevant of all — it “knew” that its staunchest critics needed to be marginalized and isolated. In fact, it portrayed the foremost of them as a blood-thirsty war-monger who was, if not truly senile, at best morally or intellectually confused.

That critic’s name was Winston Churchill.

Sadly, we have no Winston Churchills evident among us this evening. We have only Donald Rumsfelds, demonizing disagreement, the way Neville Chamberlain demonized Winston Churchill.

History — and 163 million pounds of Luftwaffe bombs over England — have taught us that all Mr. Chamberlain had was his certainty — and his own confusion. A confusion that suggested that the office can not only make the man, but that the office can also make the facts.

Thus, did Mr. Rumsfeld make an apt historical analogy.

Excepting the fact, that he has the battery plugged in backwards.

His government, absolute -- and exclusive -- in its knowledge, is not the modern version of the one which stood up to the Nazis.

It is the modern version of the government of Neville Chamberlain.

But back to today’s Omniscient ones.

That, about which Mr. Rumsfeld is confused is simply this: This is a Democracy. Still. Sometimes just barely.

And, as such, all voices count -- not just his.

Had he or his president perhaps proven any of their prior claims of omniscience — about Osama Bin Laden’s plans five years ago, about Saddam Hussein’s weapons four years ago, about Hurricane Katrina’s impact one year ago — we all might be able to swallow hard, and accept their “omniscience” as a bearable, even useful recipe, of fact, plus ego.

But, to date, this government has proved little besides its own arrogance, and its own hubris.

Mr. Rumsfeld is also personally confused, morally or intellectually, about his own standing in this matter. From Iraq to Katrina, to the entire “Fog of Fear” which continues to envelop this nation, he, Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney, and their cronies have — inadvertently or intentionally — profited and benefited, both personally, and politically.

And yet he can stand up, in public, and question the morality and the intellect of those of us who dare ask just for the receipt for the Emporer’s New Clothes?

In what country was Mr. Rumsfeld raised? As a child, of whose heroism did he read? On what side of the battle for freedom did he dream one day to fight? With what country has he confused the United States of America?

The confusion we -- as its citizens— must now address, is stark and forbidding.

But variations of it have faced our forefathers, when men like Nixon and McCarthy and Curtis LeMay have darkened our skies and obscured our flag. Note -- with hope in your heart — that those earlier Americans always found their way to the light, and we can, too.

The confusion is about whether this Secretary of Defense, and this administration, are in fact now accomplishing what they claim the terrorists seek: The destruction of our freedoms, the very ones for which the same veterans Mr. Rumsfeld addressed yesterday in Salt Lake City, so valiantly fought.

And about Mr. Rumsfeld’s other main assertion, that this country faces a “new type of fascism.”

As he was correct to remind us how a government that knew everything could get everything wrong, so too was he right when he said that -- though probably not in the way he thought he meant it.

This country faces a new type of fascism - indeed.

Although I presumptuously use his sign-off each night, in feeble tribute, I have utterly no claim to the words of the exemplary journalist Edward R. Murrow.

But never in the trial of a thousand years of writing could I come close to matching how he phrased a warning to an earlier generation of us, at a time when other politicians thought they (and they alone) knew everything, and branded those who disagreed: “confused” or “immoral.”

Thus, forgive me, for reading Murrow, in full:

“We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty,” he said, in 1954. “We must remember always that accusation is not proof, and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law.

“We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men, not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate, and to defend causes that were for the moment unpopular.”

And so good night, and good luck.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12131617/

From Garth Bishop, re the Keith Oberman speech on MSNBC: "wonderful, very Churchillian in nature, the stuff dreams are is made of.

About 7:15 this morning on MSNBC I caught the video of the gigantic anti-Bush anti-war rally in Salt Lake City yesterday headed by another wonderful person----SLC Major Rocky Anderson. He should be nominated for U.S. president by the Dems. Good words, well spoken, has always been against the war, and has the perfect TV image, so vital in today's political world.

Did you know that Keith is the only newscaster that writes his own copy? Might be a few local people who do it, but Keith is the only nat'l one that I know of."

During Clinton's impeachment trial, De Lay managed to scare conservatives into voting against their consciences! John Dean says, "If truthfulness about extramarital affairs had been a requisite for everyone in Congress to hold their seats before they voted to oust Clinton, neither the House nor the Senate could have formed a quorum." And these were conservative Christians! Whatever happened to "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone!"We all have built into us the capacities for kindness and creativity and beauty. It's a matter of perspective. As Einstein said, "The single most important decision any of us will ever make is whether or not to believe that the universe is friendly." It's our choice.

Received a letter from U.S. Army Officer, 1LT Marcus Byrne stationed in Iraq. Please read his letter below. And please send him and his troops a care package. We must hold these guys in our prayers and send them lots of chocolate! They are fighting for THEIR lives...God Bless them.

You can send CARE PACKAGES to this soldier, and he says: "Anything me or my guys dont need I try to take out to the Outposts where they cant get to the PX that often."

1LT Marcus Byrne
HHC 501st FSB
Camp TQ, Unit 92868
FPO, AE 09381



"As the Native Americans reminded us: "No tree has branches so foolish as to fight among themselves."
You can reach my Home page at: LYDIA CORNELL

And for SPIRITUAL SOLUTIONS to the world crises, along with some amazing prayer miracles in the next few weeks, please check out RADICAL PRAYER at my other blog THE PEACEMAKERS* LIGHT OF TRUTH



And we uncover the truth about Ann Coulter like no one has ever done before at: COULTER KAMPF where you can also find breaking news about hate-speak, extremism, propaganda and smear tactics.

LETTER FROM FIRST LIEUTENANT MARCUS BYRNE, STATIONED IN IRAQ:

Lydia,

I enjoyed your outreach to recovering Republicans. I think I was a republican until...well, until I started reading and became an active newshunter and not a passive gatherer allowing it to come to me.... At the beginning I was a huge supporter of this war and the people running it. I assumed they knew things that they couldnt tell the American people, but when we got here and there were no WMDs, no links to Al Qaeda ..... I changed. By that time I had already made the committment to serve so I did and I am, but that doesnt mean I have to agree with everything they do and say, especially when they put me and my wife in harms way not to defend America, but to defend exclusive contracting and oil rights for corporate cronies. I am working with Marines now also. Brave souls... They had to call Army down here to Ramadi to help them get it under control.

Thanks for your support
Marcus Byrne
His blog is: AIRBYRNE

I urge my readers to send CARE packages to the troops. See address at top of blog.

ONE WORLD, ONE RACE

"Every moment is a choice between LOVE AND FEAR."



"As the Native Americans reminded us: "No tree has branches so foolish as to fight among themselves."
You can reach my Home page at: LYDIA CORNELL

And for SPIRITUAL SOLUTIONS to the world crises, along with some amazing prayer miracles in the next few weeks, please check out RADICAL PRAYER at my other blog THE PEACEMAKERS* LIGHT OF TRUTH



And we uncover the truth about Ann Coulter like no one has ever done before at: COULTER KAMPF where you can also find breaking news about hate-speak, extremism, propaganda and smear tactics.

BREAKING STORY!! NEW EVIDENCE OF THE TACTICS OF PROPAGANDA FROM RIGHT-WING COULTER SMEAR MACHINE. ANN COULTER: POLITICS OF PERSONAL DESTRUCTION or "HOW COULTER'S PROPAGANDIST TRIED TO DESTROY A GOOD CHRISTIAN" HUMAN EVENTS COVER-UP OF COULTER'S PLAIGIARISM The online "news" journal HUMAN EVENTS recently published a "hit-piece" written by Lisa De Pasquale (Coulter's publicist) assassinating the character of a lifelong conservative Christian in order to quell rising interest in Ann Coulter’s current plagiarism problems. At COULTERKAMPF you will find links to a 5-part series of essays by CoulterWatch on their mind-bending adventures trying to expose the truth about HUMAN EVENTS, one of the "news" journals that supports and enables Ann Coulter's crimes.

"No longer will we be defensive with the Ann Coulters and the smear and fear crowd, we will take the fight to them, on our terms, and win the fight, our way." - Brent Budowsky

BUSH'S LAST WILL AND TESTICLE
Opinion by Lydia Cornell
First published in March 2006 in the Macon Daily

MACON,GA.- Maybe we're all on Punked or Candid Camera and this is just a great big reality show called "The Government". Like The Truman Show, the producers are just seeing how far they can go until we figure out it's a big joke! Wouldn't it be wonderful to find out Bush is just an actor-clown they hired to make us go crazy? And the Blue team is going crazier than the Red team because we think it's real, but they're all in on the secret. I just wish Donald Trump would hurry up and say "Bush, you're fired!"

Would that it were all a bad dream. (As Coulter would say in her New England upper-crust way. Wonder if my issues are showing.)

Mr. Bush, I'll never forget when you first said you would go to the ends of the earth to find Osama, then you turned around and acted like we were all crazy for asking if you'd caught him yet. You said, "Osama? I don't spend that much time (thinkin') about him. Now explain to me why you justify illegal spying on Americans, yet you were willing to sell our ports to the very people you're afraid we're talking to on the phone! Maybe you're finally getting the concept of "loving your enemies" and you're just ready for a group hug. But I must say your timing is strange. They say we're only as sick as our secrets.

And my jaw dropped open the day you said something like, "Heck other countries get to own parts of America, why not the United Arab Emirates, who've been our allies on the war on terror? Just because they harbored some 911 terrorists and cooked their books for them, and don't keep any paperwork and go on hunting trips with Osama and support the Taliban - is no reason for bigotry. We don't want them to think we don't it's because they're Muslim. " But Mr. Bush, wasn't it only a short time ago that you said something like: "Any nation that does business with terrorists, or harbors terrorists, is a terrorist...” I guess you only meant that about your fellow Americans: Democrats or liberals - since Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage constantly bash liberals as being traitors! Why are we traitors? Because we value life so much we are horrified by this illegal war? Because we are pro-LIFE in the best sense of the word: we want our troops home alive? And this offends you?

Our president broke the law by not going to the FISA court to "legally" wiretap us; our vice-president broke the law (shooting humans while drunk and waiting until the liquor wore off before filing a police report.) Our enemies hate us for our freedoms. Our troops are fighting for our freedoms; is this so we can be wiretapped so we can have no freedoms? Or are they fighting for our president to be able to break the law and sell our ports to a nation that funds terrorists? Does the UAE get to be wiretapped too? Or just American moms and dads who might be wearing 'Peace' signs on their t-shirts. And by the way, does FOX News fall under Freedom of the Press?

I have to admit I'm a little more carefree these days, a little less paranoid that my phones are tapped or I might be taken away in the dead of night for e-mailing jokes about our leader - now that the whole world realizes that Bush is of questionable mental stability. In researching my book about Stalin, what horrified me the most were the pedestrian things that are now seeping into America: a woman, sitting in her communal kitchen in Stalinist Russia, said something about the Mediterranean Sea being as beautiful as Russia's Black Sea. A roommate overheard her, and reported this comment as being "unpatriotic." That night, a white "bread truck" came by and took the woman away; she was never heard from again. I also read about a young mother accidentally putting her coffee cup down on a newspaper photo of Stalin's face. Someone watching in the cafe, reported this as "defaming our great leader." A white "bread truck" took her away to a prison camp in Siberia. She left 3 young children behind. After I heard about James Moore, the author of "Bush's Brain" suddenly being on the "No -Fly list", banned from flying outside of America, and unable to get through the red tape to understand why, that's when I began to wonder what kind of country we are living in. I have a theory about when this all started, but that will take more space than I have here.

UH-OH, spoke too soon. Interesting side-note: I do not wear a tin-foil hat, but the other night at about 8 p.m., a white “bread truck” was parked outside our house. It didn't mean anything to me, until my youngest son came running to the back of the house breathlessly whispering, “There's a big man in our front yard looking through our mail-box! He came in our gate... he's wearing a knit cap, like a burglar!” I ran to the front door and peeked out. I saw a dark figure move through the lawn. I waited until I thought it was safe, and then opened the front door. Suddenly across the street, I saw this white van. A man wearing a knit cap was sitting in the driver's side, lights on, reading something. I immediately felt this person was reading addresses off my mail, maybe to see if I lived there. My son and I sneaked out the back door, and headed over to the van, but the van took off. Who knows? Maybe I'm just being paranoid. Again. But in light of the fact that Ann Coulter STILL has my home number on her website, it's not too far fetched to have a wingnut stalking me. After hearing Ruth Bader Ginzburg talk about the right-wing death threats she and Sandra Day O'Connor received, I have one question: WHY ARE RIGHT-WINGERS THE ONLY ONES WHO WANT PEOPLE KILLED FOR THEIR THOUGHTS? You never hear about Left-wingers threatening people's lives whose ideologies they disagree with.

A few days ago, someone lit our giant trash barrel on fire, which is in the alley behind our house, bordering our back wall . The plastic lid on the barrel melted, and my kids desperately tried to reach the hose over to put out the fire. Luckily the fire department came and filled the barrel with water. It appeared to be arson. My son subsequently found an opened lighter on the edge of our lawn. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but in light of the hackers on my blog, the death threats I got from Ann Coulter fans, and the slanderous National Enquirer article, it feels very real. But I refuse to live in fear.

After 911, we had the whole world on the brink of love. Everyone's heart was open. Most Muslims were shedding tears for us. At that moment, our leader had a choice: Love or Fear.

Worfeus, a historian and commenter on my blog, said: "Vladimir Putin actually CALLED Bush on the phone that morning and not only offered condolences, but offered to do whatever he could to help. He even assured him that even though Protocol required he raise the Russian Defense Condition in proportion to ours, he understood WHY we were raising ours and assured Mr. Bush that Russia would stand down. It was an EPIC moment in history, that one single phone call. Mr. Bush called it "nice of him".

"And I think if the Taliban were part of the planning body of 911, then we should have invaded Afghanistan after 9/11, it seemed like the right thing to do. But the idea that they were hiding Bin Laden doesn't wash with me," Worfeus says. "If getting Bin Laden was the goal, WHY on earth did we BROADCAST for 2 months Exactly WHEN and WHERE we were coming, and WHAT we'd do when we got there? That's like calling up criminals and telling them you're coming over to arrest them later in the week. What idiot would possibly think they'd still be there when they got there?"

I went through agony when I lost my younger brother; I cannot fathom my mother's grief and heartache, having lost her only son. Her eyes well up with tears every time she hears my husband's name, Paul, which was my brother's name. It is too much to bear when I think of parents losing sons & daughters needlessly in Iraq. This is a war that was "sold" to us and shoved down our throats by a certifiable lunatic. George Bush has caused nothing but chaos, poverty, death, bankruptcy, bad global relations, division, hatred and sadness in the world. "By their fruits you shall know them."

The mere fact that Bush sat in a Katrina briefing, probably playing his Nintendo Gameboy under the table, as they showed detailed evidence of a catastrophic hurricane and levee breach on its way to the Gulf, and Bush had the nerve to later say: "I never knew the storms were gonna be that bad! I never knew the levees were gonna be breached till I saw it on TV four days later!"

Tell me we're not inside a Simpson's episode!? Little Dubya probably got out of a lot of spankings as a kid with his cute little "aw shucks" grin. Right now our president is probably asking Rove when he gets to go to the playroom and have his ice cream cone.

Bush based his "evidence" for going to war in Iraq on LIES that Cheney and Scooter Libby had to cover up. He took money from corrupt lobbyists, grinned and lied about it, and he's still not helping the people of New Orleans! Guess why? Apparently certain "companies" don't want the people to come back; that's why the trailers are sitting empty, undelivered. These companies are waiting like vultures to clear the land for profitable building developments. A side benefit is that all these scattered homeless souls cannot register to vote, nor can they obtain absentee ballots. The longer the delay in rebuilding New Orleans, the better for the Corruption party.

Also, Bush's own mother said he shouldn't soil his mind with visions of poverty and ugliness. Weren't these the same parents who went to play golf the day their baby daughter died, Dubya's baby sister, who died crib death? So Bush can't deal with death or grieving. Well he should have had some therapy before going to the White House. In fact, someone better be writing legislation to ensure that the next leader of the Free World has a brain scan to rule out mental disorders.

I say this: WE ALL SHOULD MARCH right up to Mr. Bush's front door (which is our front door, since we paid for it) and hold him accountable for causing, directly or indirectly, more deaths & destruction than anyone else has in this new century. If his goal is to spread democracy, he sure is killing a lot of people to do it.

Mr. Bush, my children have lost their innocence because of you. They have to watch me cry every night during fervent prayers for our dying troops and countless children lost in this war. I have to explain to my kids what good morals are: the opposite of yours. I would rather my sons have an appetite for love, not war. People who have morals do not do what our president does. You have destroyed the very definition of moral values. And just for the record, your party's irresponsible Ann Coulter-led witch-hunt/persecution/media blitz exposing the consensual affair of Clinton and Lewinsky, two adults, was in itself immoral and damaging to kids. In painstaking detail you paraded these blow-by-blowjob horrors for the press, not caring what effect it had on childhood innocence. And yes, we were all rightly appalled by the president's behavior. But where was the right-wing morality brigade in keeping this porn out of the mainstream for our children's sake? I still hear Republican mothers talk about how shameful Clinton was, yet they never see how the media salivated and profited at the sex appeal of it all. These same mothers never castigate you, Mr. Bush, for moral corruption on a life-threatening scale.

You, Mr. Bush, appear to be against everything pure and beautiful about America: peace, goodwill, harmony, tolerance, trust, truth, forgiveness, LIFE, diplomacy, caring for the poor, caring for your own KATRINA victims - AREN'T THESE GOOD VALUES? Oops, I shouldn't have said "LIFE"; I know how much you care about frozen fetal cells. While you and your Christian Coalition scour the cartoon channel for sexual immorality, seeing gays in square pants, how do I explain to my kids this pervasive news coverage of children being blown to bits because WE played the bully; we invaded a country that was pretty much under the world's watchful control? How do I explain your "Christian" morality of killing, invading and turning a blind eye to torture and corruption? Yesterday a little 3-year-old Iraqi girl died after the 3rd bomb hit her tiny apartment; the only piece her brother's found was her hand clutching her teddy bear.

Mr. Bush, why did you have to invade a foreign land? Was there really imminent danger to America from Saddam, even though the whole world was hovering over him, watching him? Weren't there more brainy, imaginative ways of gaining allies in the underground - attracting people to our light, who would gladly usurp Saddam from within? Even if it had taken a few more years of clever spy-work, wouldn't it have been creatively challenging and fun - to work out diplomatic solutions to grotesque problems? Christ waited over 2,000 years for someone to finally put his teachings to use. And when biggest challenge comes along, our "Christian" leader disses Christ! You don't even give his method a half-hearted try. Wouldn't it have been worth saving lives and winning hearts to the cause of true Democracy and true Christianity? And after all the Mission Impossible spy movies you've seen, couldn't you figure out a more clever way than carpet-bombing? Did you do it to show off your heavy metal machinery, your SHOCK and AWE capabilities so the "enemy" (or anybody who doesn't agree with you) would be scared off? Mr. Bush, you have single-handedly robbed the world of its hope and innocence. To say nothing of the mockery you have made of true Christianity: the most peaceful force that ever came to man. You have rearranged the fragile building blocks of this planet with your Neanderthal eye-for-an-eye fraudulent, militant "Christianity". Maybe you don't realize the word Christ is in the word Christianity because the vowel sounds are different. But eye-for-an-eye is the OLD TESTAMENT! Christ came with the new law: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU. RESIST NOT EVIL. This means, “Do not fight or resist evil; do not fight anyone or anything, it doesn't work. Most evolved people know this. Schools teach that you deal with bullies on the playground by not engaging them in battle, by walking away, not hitting them back.

There's a saying: If you're in the jungle and a jaguar is chasing you, get out of his way because he's going to eat you. It's nothing personal; it's just the nature of the beast. So go back to your house and stay out of his way. Muslim fundamentalists would not be killing us if we would get our footprints off their oil, mind our own business, and pray for them. They do not seem to know the God of love, but since love is all there is, evil has no real power, no matter how much you physicalize it by focusing on it. In other words, what you focus on GROWS! It also wouldn't hurt to protect our borders and make our country as invincible as Israel is. My girlfriend says she feels safer in Israel than here.

You are a barbarian Mr. Bush, hiding behind idiocy. And I know that's very judgmental of me to say that, but Christ called the Pharisees a "brood of vipers." And “evil triumphs when good people do nothing,” as Edmund Burke said (and we keep hearing over and over and over.)

Fortunately I believe in a power greater than ourselves and I know we're going to be all right. God did not give us a spirit of fear.

Einstein did say "goodness, truth and beauty are laws in the universe" as is harmony. Play the piano and you'll hear it. Kiss your child and you'll feel it. Go outside and breathe in the sunshine while playing with an amazingly beautiful striped animal or a butterfly. Bring coffee to someone who thinks you hate them.

Why do people keep arguing about God when God is simply love? Who can argue with human kindness? Asking to prove God is like asking to prove you love your kids. Love is actually the energy of our focused attention on Good, which I define as God. You can be attractive even if you're not "good looking" because if you radiate love, you attract people. This energy is molecular. Einstein's Unified Field therefore is love, which is God. Science proves God; the two are not mutually exclusive.

Lydia Cornell
www.lydiacornell.com

*************************************************
August 25, 2006
I just heard the most wonderful thing on Al Franken's Air America show this morning. He was interviewing an expert on Sunni-Shia relations and discovered that Iran once spoke of Arnold Swarzenegger going there to broker a peace deal on nuclear disarmament with the Iranians. Apparently this idea came up in 2003 because Iran is full of young people who idolize Hollywood film stars (especially Swarzenegger) and even the leaders would be thrilled to have the Terminator come and speak to them.

WHY NOT? We are one world, connected by media and the internet, and we all are members of one race: human. We all want peace and prosperity. There are so many ways to speak to each other as long as we have common goals.

Only extremists seem to differ -- but they are in the minority. We must build on the positives - our common goals of peace, health and PROSPERITY. Everyone wants a world without war; we all want our children to grow up in a fresh beautiful world without hatred instilled in them.

Please President Bush, wake up and start communicating. Be a man of peace and ideas, not a "war president." War should always be the very last resort. Instead, you made it the first and only option. Do you really want your legacy to be "the leader who was so arrogant, so stubborn, so prideful and so stupid -- he started World War III?"

What Bush has done to our nation is treasonous: he has broken apart American families, created an atmosphere of fear and suspicion, shattered the American treasury and destroyed our esteem in the world. I love America and I know we can bring our nation back to sanity.

++++++++++++++++++++++++
When I went on the USO tour of Beirut to visit the Marines, terrorism was in its infancy. This was right before the first major "truck bomb suicide attack" against U.S. Peacekeeping Forces.We visited aircraft carriers USS INCHON, USS SUMTER AND USS SHREVEPORT. US Magazine published my "Beirut Diary" when I returned, and I did Good Morning America.

Please check out one of the best radio shows in America DOUG BASHAM PROGRESSIVE TALK Ambassador Joe Wilson, ex-CIA agent Larry Johnson, me and Jack Carter at Doug Basham's Progressive Talk fundraiser in Vegas. (June 2006.)

END THE ENDLESS WAR

You can reach my Home page at: LYDIA CORNELL

And for SPIRITUAL SOLUTIONS to the world crises, along with some amazing prayer miracles in the next few weeks, please check out RADICAL PRAYER at my other blog THE PEACEMAKERS* LIGHT OF TRUTH

And we uncover the truth about Ann Coulter like no one has ever done before at: COULTER KAMPF where you can also find breaking news about hate-speak, extremism, propaganda and smear tactics.

ANN COULTER: POLITICS OF PERSONAL DESTRUCTION or "HOW COULTER'S PROPAGANDIST TRIED TO DESTROY A GOOD CHRISTIAN" HUMAN EVENTS COVER-UP OF COULTER'S PLAIGIARISM "No longer will we be defensive with the Ann Coulters and the smear and fear crowd, we will take the fight to them, on our terms, and win the fight, our way." - Brent Budowsky

I realize Ann Coulter is distracting us from real news, but she is to blame for the hate-speak and annihilation prevalent today and must be called on it. Obviously her defenders on this blog are here to spread even more "politics of personal destruction." My Christian conservative friend went through hell with Coulter's propaganda team, and with Coulter herself. Her slander, lies and criminally threatening behavior has to be stopped. I too suffered death threats and a man coming right up to my front door as a result of Ann Coulter. (Read more by clicking articles in the sidebar.) Here on this website and in the press I have suffered from very similar "swiftboating" tactics. I have just found out that the people who committed slander in the tabloid got PAID to do so. I pray for Ed and send him love and forgiveness. He is a gifted artist and a man I once thought was very spiritual. But he has sold his soul. He knows that what he is doing is wrong; he KNOWS THE TRUTH.

I have the profound sense that we can touch God everyday when we are loving to others, especially those who offend us and disturb us, and especially those less fortunate.

BREAKING STORY! NEW EVIDENCE OF THE TACTICS OF PROPAGANDA FROM RIGHT-WING COULTER SMEAR MACHINE. The online "news" journal HUMAN EVENTS recently published a "hit-piece" written by Lisa De Pasquale (Coulter's publicist) assassinating the character of a lifelong conservative Christian in order to quell rising interest in Ann Coulter’s current plagiarism problems. At COULTERKAMPF you will find links to a 5-part series of essays by CoulterWatch on their mind-bending adventures trying to expose the truth about HUMAN EVENTS, one of the "news" journals that supports and enables Ann Coulter's crimes.

Note: the ads for Ann Coulter at the top of this page are not affiliated with this website. Coulter is morally handicapped and HAS CRACKS IN HER FOUNDATION. These ads are put there by the opposition.

AND FINALLY the Republican propagandists are seeing the light about the Bush dictatorship and his illegal, un-Christian, IRAQ WAR! John McCain, Joe Scarborough and Chris Matthews all spoke out against Bush's war and asked the tough questions for once. Why is it taking so long for Americans to see how Bush is harming them? How can we allow this one man to ruin our country? More Americans have died because of Bush than in 911.

"... Every Democratic progressive, liberal, moderate and centrist can quote Jack Nicholson from A Few Good Men and make it "crystal clear" that never again in America should we tolerate politicians who never served in the military who question the patriotism of war heroes in either party, who disrespect the advice of commanders, who send our troops to war without proper planning and equipment, and who shortchange programs for vets and troops…

Contemplate this photo of Sedona: it does wonders to bring down stress levels.


Our primary purpose is to transcend self-centeredness and extend love and acceptance to our fellow man. It's to learn that we are all ONE.

Redux: Christ told us to take care of the poor. I am opening this forum to hear from Recovering Republicans. I used to be a Republican, then I got sober on September 11, 1994. It's as if I woke up. I started putting myself in others' shoes, and gaining compassion. Yes, COMPASSION, a word that Ann Coulter actually thinks is a dirty word! I did a turnaround on the death penalty, and stopped judging and fearing others. I also started being less self-centered. I started giving things away. If we all just took care of our own side of the street and started nurturing those less fortunate instead of judging them, we could build an amazing world. We're all the same color and the same tribe.

Stuart Smalley is right; "It's easier to wear slippers than to carpet the whole world.

"The Tsunami and the Tapestry" ... (an essay I wrote in a prior post)

Somehow in this day and age, we’ve seen too much, done too much, been too naked. There’s too much hard-core violence and porn in the airwaves. We can’t really take it back and become innocent again. But we really need a return to innocence. It would be nice to be a virgin again. There is nothing in the physical world left to want, do or imagine. I don’t want one more luxury gadget to make life easier except a bio-diesel car. I don’t think anything impresses anyone anymore except seeing, actually seeing God: that great mystical force of Love inside us all. Imagine if love were a tangible force you could physically touch.

I was thinking about the tragedies of Katrina, the tsunami, and the endless war -- and how many bodies have rotted and evaporated — how quickly human life is snuffed out. It proves to me what I’ve always known: that man is not made of matter, that rotting flesh has no essence in and of itself — no matter how real the illusion seems. We cannot store up treasures on earth. Man is spiritual; we are linked to the Divine Mind, and to each other by the fabric of Love.

Imagine if the human pageant were just a tapestry, and the Creator sees the complete picture on the finished side — but we only see dangling threads that keep disappearing as they are woven in and out. Certain threads vanish because they are part of a grand stitch that completes a beautiful landscape — a picture on the other side. We can’t see the whole picture. We don't know the reason for death and suffering; we don't know what's on the other side, but I'm sure there are many mansions and colors — and this weave creates a majestic tapestry.

This is a universe of thought. Thought is energy and it is swift (too bad those lying 'Boat Veterans' forever ruined the word 'swift' for me. Wait, that just proves I am a victim of my thoughts.) Where you put your thoughts, that is where your heart goes: what you focus on GROWS. So whatever good, pure and lovely things you can think about, think on these things and you will bring these into your life according to your thoughts. Do not give fear any room. Your thoughts create our reality, and as Shakespeare said, "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." (Still, it's hard not to be horrified by the people who deliberately hurt others, and who deliberately lie to the American people in order to go to war. The lies they told, the Machiavellian way they operate is a crime, a travesty. And Democrat is not a dirty word: it's a great word. It means FREEDOM LOVING!

I lived in Holland and visited Anne Frank's hiding place; it is so eerie to think humans can do this to other humans -- disparage an entire group of people and actually get the masses to believe that one race of fellow humans were vermin. We have to be careful not to do this with any group - including extremist fundamentalists of any religion. The tendency in this divisive culture is to lash out at each other, and I have been guilty as well when I speak of the religious-right. But this new breed of militant "Christian" has completely missed the point of Christ's teachings and turned many people off to Christianity in the process. And I believe they are partly behind our foreign policy and this rush to war. Zionism is also a form of idolatry: breaking the first commandment of Moses: "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me." Obsession with land or property to the point you would kill for it, or end friendships is very wrong. It defeats the whole purpose of life: Love your neighbor as yourself."

I am deeply humbled by our men and women in the military, and in awe at their courage and sacrifice. These amazing people are true super-heroes -- along with fire fighters and police. God Bless those who died for our freedom. Found this photo of Johnny Grant, Kelly Patterson and myself with the troops in Beirut, Lebanon for USO tour.

God Bless the brave Marines of the 24th MAU, who died from a suicide truck bomb launched by Hezbollah shortly after we left Beirut. Years later I received fan mail from the 13-year-old son of one of these Marines. He asked me if I had ever met his father, and would I describe him to him. The boy was dying of cancer.

I went to Beirut for the USO on Christmas Eve 1982 -- visiting the Marines of the 24th MAU the "Beirut Bolts and Bombers", along with soldiers and sailors of the International Peacekeeping Force. I keep meaning to post parts of my Beirut Diary, which was published by US magazine, in the coming weeks. Audrey Meadows, who played my grandmother on Too Close For Comfort, was the one who encouraged me to go to a war zone on Christmas Eve, 1982. I will always be grateful to her for pushing me to go on this "trip of a lifetime." I was scared to death flying into Lebanon; have some hilarious stories about paranoia and mine fields in a blacked-out city.

There were so many wonderful Marines I met before the attack. I wonder if Col. Black Jack is still alive? Does anyone know Black Jack? He gave me a plaque with a gold Black Jack card engraved on it.

Went to underground artillery units where one light bulb illumined dark cave-like dungeon; we sang Christmas carols with the boys, then stayed up all night with Capt. Dale Dye, a flask and Johnny Grant in the Beirut Carlton. We were on the 14th floor. The first 13 floors were bombed out or was this my imagination? At dawn, they took us by chopper to the aircraft carriers USS Inchon and USS Shreveport. I lost my high-heel overboard. Kissed a lot of guys (on the cheek) and signed autographs. Later we went to a certain building for the changing of the guard. A short time after I left, the first suicide bomber drove a truck into the Marine barracks and blew up 251 of our best and brightest Marines while they slept. Years later I got a fan letter from the son of one of these heroes who died. He had never known his father, but knew I had met him before he died.

Just found this eye-opening post by JHBUCK at ThorninUrASSumptions

"There is no justification for the loss of 26 hundred of America's highest hopes for the future. Don't feed me this crap about possible adverse effects if we leave Iraq now. I can pull the same time machine out and predict that if we bring everyone home right now, someone whose life gets saved by the withdrawal will cure diabetes. Someone who gets saved by the withdrawal will adopt children who otherwise will be homeless. People can be heroic by living to their fullest potential. Yes, our soldiers are heroes. But so are loving parents. And so are generous friends. And so are honest business people. Why is it vogue right now to be a hero because you are dead? Because an insane "war room" (at the Pentagon) decided to sacrifice lives with no foreseeable end? Isn't this the time for Denzel or Tommy Lee Jones to come out of the background and relieve Mr. Bush of duty? Why is war policy even allowed to be controlled by such a measurable minority? What happened to the idea of politicians representing us in their mountaintop offices? Condi is a parrot. She is having the most brazen affair through sharing power with the man. She is smarter than him, but she says his words. What's wrong with this picture? It's disgusting, that's what!" - jhbuck

WAR IS NOT PEACE * DIPLOMACY IS NOT APPEASEMENT

Deborah Van Valkenburgh (who played my sister Jackie on Too Close for Comfort) in this poster from "The Warriors."

JOHN DEAN, author of "Conservatives Without Conscience" on BASHAM RADIO TODAY August 17!! Check for times at:

DougBasham.com

Just found this eye-opening post by JHBUCK at ThorninUrASSumptions

"There is no justification for the loss of 26 hundred of America's highest hopes for the future. Don't feed me this crap about possible adverse effects if we leave Iraq now. I can pull the same time machine out and predict that if we bring everyone home right now, someone whose life gets saved by the withdrawal will cure diabetes. Someone who gets saved by the withdrawal will adopt children who otherwise will be homeless. People can be heroic by living to their fullest potential. Yes, our soldiers are heroes. But so are loving parents. And so are generous friends. And so are honest business people. Why is it vogue right now to be a hero because you are dead? Because an insane "war room" (at the Pentagon) decided to sacrifice lives with no foreseeable end? Isn't this the time for Denzel or Tommy Lee Jones to come out of the background and relieve Mr. Bush of duty? Why is war policy even allowed to be controlled by such a measurable minority? What happened to the idea of politicians representing us in their mountaintop offices? Condi is a parrot. She is having the most brazen affair through sharing power with the man. She is smarter than him, but she says his words. What's wrong with this picture? It's disgusting, that's what!

It's CRIMINAL that's what!! (these are Lydia's words)

Also, please read a brilliant post below (at bottom) by Jude Nagurney Camwell. But first, these enlightening words from one of the world's great spiritual leaders:

"We should remember that the world is wide; that there are a thousand million different human wills, opinions, ambitions, tastes, and loves; that each person has a different history, constitution, culture, character, from all the rest...
Then, we should go forth into life with the smallest expectations, but with the largest patience; with a keen relish for and appreciation for everything beautiful, great and good — but with a temper so genial that the friction of the world shall not wear upon our sensibilities...with a charity broad enough to cover the whole world's evil, and sweet enough to neutralize what is bitter in it, — determined not to be offended when no wrong is meant, nor even when it is, unless the offense be against God (Love, Truth, Life.) Nothing short of our own errors should offend us. He who can wilfully attempt to injure another, is an object of pity rather than of resentment." - Mary Baker Eddy

And of course, we heal our enemies, and take the fight out of them by returning love for hate: by actually NOT fighting them on their terms (with equal violence) but by withdrawing from the fight, seeing them as tragically misguided children of God who desperately need a new view of themselves. Once we remove ourselves from the hotbed, they are left with no one to fight. We disarm them with love. (This doesn't mean we have to personally like these guys, but we must view them differently in order for a change to take place. You can't fight someone who doesn't fight back.

******************************************************
Posted by Jude Nagurney Camwell in reply to Tall Texan's posting of the article calling European countries cowards and appeasers:

"Diplomacy is not appeasement, but Bush's favorite neocons don't want anyone to examine the vast difference.

George never looked Saddam in the eye - not once - before going in and making this mess in Iraq. The opportunity was there, but George wouldn't do it. Why? Because he is a fundamentalist in every sense of the word.

A fundamentalist is "never wrong." Religious and political fundamentalism is characterized by rigidity, domination, and exclusion. Fundamentalists are convinced that they are right and anyone who contradicts them is evil. The fundamentalist feels that they have a unique relationship with God - and that they actually speak for God. When there are serious differences between the U.S. and other nations, we cannot brand those who differ as pariahs or inferiors worthy of despise - yet fundamentalism in foreign policy tends to do just that. It leaves no room for discussing of ideas or for compromise.

George has an opportunity to talk directly with Syria and Iran reagrding South Lebanon. He will not do it. He is following the pattern of assured war by doing so. He is following the pattern of assured war by sitting back (immoral in his failure to speak out) while children die at the hands of a brutal aggressor. When children perish in such a manner, there is no moral person in this world who sees it as "self-defense."

From a non-fundamentalist point of view, when Jesus told us to 'love our enemies,' I really don't think he meant "go and kill them."

Great strength in leadership is found in those who will not rule out any possibility in the pursuit of political goals. Unfortunately, George only wants to use firepower to achieve his goals, neglecting the rule of law and human rights that have been set down in stone for us to see since the days of Hammurabi. George missed some very important lessons in leadership while he partied down and guzzled brew and f**ked up every business he ever had his grubby hands in. Our nation suffers for his weakness." - Jude Nagurney Camwell



LOVE & PEACE! xo, Lydia 2006

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BRADBLOG banner:
"The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything." - Joseph Stalin

Here is the commercial-free unedited version of the radio show I did in June for Doug Basham's Progressive Talk in Vegas. Doug is one of my favorite people and a fantastic, brilliant host!

DOUG BASHAM PROGRESSIVE TALK

WE WILL WIN WAR ON TERROR by GETTING OUT OF IRAQ

WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE GONE TO WAR IN IRAQ. THIS WILL BE THE BIGGEST BLUNDER OF OUR LIVES.

REMEMBER: BUSH WANTED TO SELL OUR PORTS TO THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. Bush rules only by fear which is False Evidence Appearing Real. FEAR. He uses terrorist tactics on us, making us think he thwarted these terror attacks! Thanks to Britain and Pakistan who shared information that helped thwart the London terrorist plot. Bush only found out about this on Sunday, so the Republican spin machine has no right to say Democrats are soft on "terror" or getting out of Iraq will make us less safe. IT IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE!

STRENGTH LIES IN INTELLIGENCE. Democrats are stronger on terror because we know the value of human life. We will win the war on terror by gathering our forces and fortifying our homeland. By first bringing our troops home and strengthening our own borders, ports, airports and train stations and using our resources wisely. We can't afford to lose a single human life. We've lost over 2,600 troops, and another 16,000 missing arms and legs, and we've spent over 300 billion dollars on a war that has DEFINITELY CREATED MORE HATRED AND TERRORISM throughout the whole world against us.

Democrats will go out and communicate with our enemies: we will bridge the gap and open diplomatic channels. Syria, who was helping us right after 911 will be helping us again. Everyone wants to be on the side of the Peacemaker who brings a higher vision to conflict. In the time that George Bush and the Three Stooges have been in power, they have created more enemies than ever before in America's history. This is the most shameful time in our country. We must get these primitive self-serving oil barons and Neanderthals out of power before they destroy the world.
__________________________________
To NYTimes Editors
Re: the "liquid plane bomb threat." Two items from the massive press reporting do not ring true: 1) that the plotters go-ahead message "begin the attack now" would be sent without code words. No one is that dumb. And 2) How did the airlines know in advance to have thousands of clear plastic carry on baggies ready to distribute?
Plus there's the obvious political angle "Why just now?" which took away the democratic party's moment in the national spotlight with Ned Lamont's victory.

Garth Bishop, Los Angeles
_________________________________
BY ARIANNA HUFFINGTON:
At a time when the real enemies in the war on terror have reared their murderous heads (exploding shampoo? no need to sex that up), to hear Dick Cheney and company using illogical, over-the-top, fear-mongering rhetoric conflating Ned Lamont's victory with the war on terror is as deeply offensive as it is jaw-droppingly outrageous.

You want to know what really emboldens our enemies? It's not Ned Lamont beating Joe Lieberman; it's the idea of an impotent United States so over-extended and bogged down in Iraq that it has been pushed to the diplomatic sidelines.

What Lamont's victory should really do is embolden Democrats to aggressively counterattack the Republicans' scare tactics nonsense. (It would help if the MSM reacted to the GOP drivel by treating it with the contempt it deserves instead of dutifully reporting it as if it contained even an ounce of logic or sanity.)

John Kerry effectively counterattacked the Republican's scare tactics nonsense today -- and every Democratic leader should do the same every day, without fail, until the message finally breaks through the static. The thwarted London attacks, said Kerry, "expose the misleading myth that we are fighting them over there so we don't have to fight them here. In fact, the war in Iraq has become a dangerous distraction... Nearly five years after the attacks of 9/11, we are not as safe as we can and must be... The 9/11 Commission's recommendations to secure our most vulnerable infrastructure remain virtually ignored. And homeland security funding has been cut for cities like Boston and New York."

One of the main reasons this has happened is that Congressional Democrats have failed to hold the Bush administration accountable for taking its eye off the national security ball in order to pursue its imperial adventure in Iraq. It's worth noting that the ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee is none other than Joe Lieberman, whose belief in bipartisan comity has kept him from holding the White House's feet to the fire. No wonder Karl Rove wanted to help him out, and Dick Cheney feels so concerned by his defeat.
Read more at HuffPo
_____________________________________

THE FREEDOM REPORT * NO MORE BUSHMEN! NO MORE WAR!

As the Native Americans reminded us: "No tree has branches so foolish as to fight among themselves."

You can reach my Home page at: LYDIA CORNELL

And to discuss SPIRITUAL SOLUTIONS to the world crises, along with some amazing prayer miracles in the next few weeks, please check out RADICAL PRAYER at my other blog THE PEACEMAKERS * LIGHT OF TRUTH

When I went on the USO tour of Beirut to visit the Marines, terrorism was in its infancy. This was right before the first major "truck bomb suicide attack" against U.S. Peacekeeping Forces. US Magazine published my "Beirut Diary" when I returned, and I did Good Morning America. We visited aircraft carriers USS INCHON, USS SUMTER AND USS SHREVEPORT.

Ambassador Joe Wilson, ex-CIA agent Larry Johnson, me and Jack Carter at Doug Basham's Progressive Talk fundraiser in Vegas. (June 2006.)

Hi Everyone. You can now leave comments here; we are experimenting with new websites, so please forgive the confusion. I am still on a spiritual retreat. This blog is back up and I will check in periodically.

GEORGE W. BUSH OUT-TRICKS RICHARD NIXON!

The BRAD BLOG congratulates George W. Bush for outlasting former President Richard M. Nixon in office!

It has been no easy feat to out-slick Tricky Dick, but with the help of a compliant rubber-stamp congress and a castrated roll-over media, Bush has managed to get away with a contempt for his country in a way that Nixon could only have dreamt of. As the legendary and mysterious Freeway Blogger has previously pointed out, we're all wearing the blue dress now...
BRADBLOG.com



Gibson Converts to Judaism: Changes Name to Mel Gibstein

Reuters - In his boldest bid yet to apologize to the Jewish community, actor Mel Gibson today announced that he had converted to Judaism.

The news took many Jews aback, since conversion to Judaism is a demanding process that can take months or even years of study, and Mr. Gibson accomplished the feat in a record time of forty-five minutes.

But a spokesman for the "Lethal Weapon" star explained how Mr. Gibson pulled off his lightning-fast conversion: "This is Hollywood -- a lot of things can be done by special effects."

Moments after his conversion to Judaism, Mr. Gibson paid a visit to the registrar's office in Los Angeles County and had his name legally changed to "Mel Gibstein" in a show of commitment to his new chosen faith.

Then it was off to Malibu, where the 50-year old actor was bar mitzvahed on the beach in a small, private ceremony.

"Today, I am a man," Mr. Gibstein said before a gathering of friends and well-wishers from the local watering hole Moonshadows. "A Jew man!"

Mr. Gibstein, whose Lexus LS sedan now sports a license plate reading "LCHAIM," said that he was "thoroughly enjoying being a Jew" and vowed to only shop wholesale from now on.

The actor added he would begin production of a new film, "Mad Matzoh Beyond Thundershalom," as soon as he kicks his drinking problem.

"I am really committed to reheeb," he said. "I mean rehab." (story sent by my friend Michael Levy)

Open thread. Please comment on the Mideast Crisis and on LIEBERMAN LOSING THE PRIMARY!
Lieberman losing is a good sign for peace lovers everywhere. We are not going to let them get away with endless war.

Every great statesman and spiritual leader knows that you can't fight fire with fire. Fighting our enemies embodies them with power, attention and new life. Withdraw forces, trust that the Iraqi people will find their way much faster than they will if we stay in Iraq attracting suicide attacks! Why are (bush-cheney-rove) such control freaks? Why are they playing God? They don't trust the Iraqi people to manage their own country? There is a higher power and everyone has access to it. It is not helping anyone to keep our troops in Iraq. In fact, OUR VERY PRESENCE IS CAUSING HELL TO BREAK LOOSE!

We need to understand our enemy. We need face-to-face dialogue with the "Other." Bush and Condi have to let down their macho pride and sweet talk Syria. We should be charming our enemies, getting to know them and doing everything in our power to prevent more children from being killed.

The more I obsess over a problem, the more I bring it into my life (because I’m thinking about it all day long.) The very thing I don't want is attached to me like a ball and a chain simply because I can't let it go. The less I diet, the more weight I lose. The less I nag my husband, the more agreeable he is. We give our enemies life, we empower them, validate and give them "body" by fighting them! That's why Christ said, "Resist NOT evil." Whatever you strike out at, only hits you back harder. When I expect the best in people and see the good in them, the good is all I see. (They rise to the occasion.)

Here is the commercial-free unedited version of the radio show I did in June for Doug Basham's Progressive Talk in Vegas. Doug is one of my favorite people and a fantastic, brilliant host!

DOUG BASHAM PROGRESSIVE TALK

See more pix:

DougBasham.com

LOVE & PEACE! xo, Lydia



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HOW TRUE. I love what BRADBLOG has up on his front banner: "The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people
who count the votes decide everything." - Joseph Stalin

PEACE and HOPE: PROGRESSIVE GIFTS

OKAY WE'RE BACK UP! We are expanding! Please forgive the transition and growing pains.

You can reach my Home page at: LYDIA CORNELL

And to discuss SPIRITUAL SOLUTIONS to the world crises, along with some amazing prayer miracles in the next few weeks, please check out RADICAL PRAYER at my other blog THE PEACEMAKERS * LIGHT OF TRUTH

When I went on the USO tour of Beirut to visit the Marines, terrorism was in its infancy. This was right before the first major "truck bomb suicide attack" against U.S. Peacekeeping Forces. US Magazine published my "Beirut Diary" when I returned, and I did Good Morning America. We visited aircraft carriers USS INCHON, USS SUMTER AND USS SHREVEPORT.

This melts my heart: Just received this from John Conley the brave veteran who recently (2006) gave me his Purple Heart for speaking out in support of our troops in Iraq. Certain people are trying to smear me, but there is nothing more wonderful than having the truth on your side. Truth has substance and is real.

"God showed me that facing my fear head on was the only way to conquer it and that knowledge made me stronger in other areas. No one can hurt you, Lyd. If you're getting 'swift-boated', wear it as a badge of honor.  I know in my heart of hearts that no one possesses more fear than an Ann Coulter or Rush Limbaugh. That's part of their sociopathic natures. Have you noticed how trembly Coulter is when she begins attacking those who don't agree with her? Scared people spend their lives trying to appear strong and confident and that usually translates into physical or verbal violence.  You, on the other hand, are obviously a strong woman and I'm personally glad you're carrying the fight. You are very formidable, my dear. Of course, you need to know that I'll always be ready to stand with you, for what it's worth, in my capacity as a war veteran.....and I mean that literally. The fight is important enough and you mean enough to me for me to hop on a plane if I'm ever needed."

PLEASE READ THE DEVIL'S GAME BY THE BRILLIANT ROBERT DREYFUSS!

“’The enemy of enemy is my friend’ is usually considered unsophisticated, tribal thinking. But Robert Dreyfuss shows how, during the Cold War, precisely this principle led the United States to support anti-Communist Islamist movements throughout the Muslim world—nurturing the whirlwind we are reaping today. His book is judicious, fascinating, and deeply grounded in a little-know history that stretches many decades back from the CIA’s support for anti-Soviet forces in Afghanistan. He is wise enough to know that all the strength of fundamentalist Islam can’t be blamed on American bungling, but the amount that can is appalling.”
—Adam Hochschild, author of Bury the Chains and King Leopold’s Ghost

Found this photo of Johnny Grant, Kelly Patterson and myself with the troops in Beirut, Lebanon for USO tour. God Bless the brave Marines of the 24th MAU, who died from a suicide truck bomb launched by Hezbollah shortly after we left Beirut. Years later I received fan mail from the 13-year-old son of one of these Marines. He asked me if I had ever met his father, and would I describe him to him. The boy was dying of cancer.

I will post parts of my US Magazine's Beirut Diary (if I can find it) in the coming weeks. Audrey Meadows, who played my grandmother on Too Close For Comfort, was the one who encouraged me to go to a war zone on Christmas Eve, 1982. I will always be grateful to her for pushing me to go to a war zone. But at the time, I thought she was a nut! She said it on this "trip of a lifetime." I was scared to death flying into Lebanon — and have some hilarious stories about paranoia and mine fields in a blacked-out city.
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Human Events’ Coulter Cover-up Continues: Editor Outs Ann Coulter, by Dan Borchers

We are expanding! Please forgive the transition and growing pains. This page no longer takes comments, BUT click this link which transports you to my new improved blog: PROGRESSIVE FREEDOM BLOG

For spiritual solutions to world crises (or any other fears) please check out my new PEACEMAKERS blog.

You can reach my Home page at: LYDIA CORNELL

EXCLUSIVE! ANN COULTER'S PROPAGANDA MACHINE AT WORK! In their desperation to salvage the reputation of Ann Coulter, their five-time best-selling author, HUMAN EVENTS defamed a fellow conservative. They jettisoned truth and integrity for profit. And they have done a disservice to Conservatism and to themselves. In Part III, we will plumb the depths of their duplicity and discover the identity of the real culprits.

Human Events’ Coulter Cover-up Continues: Editor Outs Their “Porn Queen”
By Daniel Borchers

On July 10, 2006, Human Events published an online defamatory essay in order to discredit critics of Ann Coulter. Following a lengthy series of emails proving that it was false in sum and substance, that slanderous essay was removed – but not retracted. Indeed, no hint of apology has ever been given. My correspondence with Human Events Online Editor Robert Bluey is especially enlightening.

In Part I of this series, I refuted several bogus claims, including:
• They claimed that my amply-documented essay exposing Ann Coulter’s plagiarism in her first book, High Crimes and Misdemeanors, was “ridiculous,” when, in fact, it was accurate in every detail.

In Part II of this series, I refute additional phony claims made by Lisa De Pasquale and “verified” by Robert Bluey:
• Their claimed that I distributed “pornographic photos.” – FALSE
• Their claimed that I doctored photos of Coulter. – FALSE

READ THE REST OF THE STORY AND ALL THE DETAILS AT PROGRESSIVE FREEDOM BLOG


[Daniel Borchers is the Editor of BrotherWatch and the President of Citizens for Principled Conservatism. He can be reached at PrincipledConservative@yahoo.com.]