Letter To Senators and Representative

24 November 2010

Senator XXXXXXXXX,
I am grieved beyond belief or imagination that I feel compelled to write a letter like this to one whom I deeply respect and hold in high esteem.

It is obvious to even the most casual observer that there are only three things lacking in the current TSA airport security scheme. Those three things would be a proctologist, a gynecologist and, of course, any meaningful security since Homeland Security has decided to permit some known terrorists to pass TSA inspections unmolested. If security was a big issue with Homeland Security then I think our borders would be sealed and parts of our country would not have been publicly ceded to drug smugglers, human traffickers, foreign gangs and any aspiring terrorist with enough shoe leather to walk right in unchallenged. Ms. Napolitano says train and bus depots are next on her agenda. I assume after that will be gas stations, truck stops and welcome stations at the state borders. And what has Congress done? They have shamelessly cowered before an out of control bureaucracy slavishly grateful for the TSA decision not to subject certain “high government officials” to the egregious indignities forced upon the people who elected them. What piteous cowards you all are.

Has everyone in Congress gone mad? Are there none in that august body who has read the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States and the Federalist Papers? This continued “in-your-face” usurpation of personal freedoms guaranteed in those documents bodes ill for this once free nation. You do know that America has been downgraded from “free” to “mostly free” don’t you? Continued kicking of even the gentlest dog will eventually get your leg bitten. If I am to believe the news, there is a multitude of gentle dogs at that point now and that number grows every time a citizen is needlessly stripped of dignity and publicly groped or digitally photographed nude for the crime of wanting to travel by air. This is not the America I grew up in and certainly not the America envisioned by the founding fathers of this nation. Is this really the best we can do?

If it is Mr. Obama’s intention to ignite a revolution in this country through excessive, and perhaps illegal, regulation, out of control bureaucracies, unaccountable czars and constitutionally questionable executive orders then I see a significant measure of success in his efforts. In polarizing and dividing a nation, his efforts are unparalleled in the entire history of this country. At least there was some reasonable rationale for the Civil War. Mr. Obama’s stated reason for his actions is that America shouldn’t be so big and powerful. Well, Senator, I like America big and powerful and I vehemently resent this individual, who has yet to prove his qualifications to hold office, taking it upon himself to weaken us militarily and economically so we can number ourselves among the failed nations of Europe and elsewhere and not be a threat to any despot or tyrant. What rips the heart out of me is that the very people elected to be a check and balance against such evils were, and many still are, willing accomplices. I hope that changes in January, but, until then, it is just a hope.

I hear the new crop of Republicans railing against these abuses and wringing their hands as to what to do about defunding the Obamacare travesty and other nationally debilitating programs. What a crock! If the new, as well as the old, Republicans were sincere and had any intestinal fortitude at all they would demand the president do three simple things; produce his long-form birth certificate, produce the passport he used to travel to Indonesia when travel there was forbidden American citizens and explain how he came by a social security number from a state he had never, at the date of issue, been in? An inappropriate response to any one of those three simple tasks would open wide an avenue to render the last two years null and void. Simple solutions are very often the best. Doing what is politically safe and expedient is not necessarily synonymous with doing what is morally right as the latter requires character and courage, attributes that seem in short supply.

In closing, Senator, I am 67 years old and I despise, in the strongest possible manner, the fact that, before I pass from this vale of tears, I may be forced to choose to honor my oath to the Constitution or cravenly submit to tyranny as has Congress which is bound by that same oath. Until recently, neither life nor blood has ever been held in greater esteem than honor and freedom by an American. I may be old, but I do not think I can live with the stain of submission to tyranny on my soul. I sincerely hope you can’t either.

Regretfully yours,

William Fortner

TSA Expansion

There are only three things lacking in the current TSA airport security scheme. Those three things would be a proctologist, a gynecologist and, of course, any meaningful security since TSA has decided to permit known terrorists to pass unmolested. Big Sis says train and bus depots are next. I assume after that it will be gas stations, truck stops and welcome stations at the state borders.
---William Fortner 2010---

Circus

The Democrats do not have a caucus; a faction within a legislative body that pursues its interests through the legislative process. They have a circus; a large public entertainment in an indoor arena, featuring exhibitions of pageantry, performing animals, etc., interspersed throughout with the slapstick antics of clowns.
---William Fortner 2010---

It's The Perqs Stupid.

Nancy Pelosi is fighting so desperately to retain her position of Speaker of the House to maintain her access to the Gulfstream aircraft she uses to commute between Washington and San Francisco because the broom she flew into Washington in 1987 is reported to require three fuel stops. ---William Fortner 2010---

A Million A Day

A million a day to keep Obama out of the country is cheap compared to how much he costs us while he is here.
---William Fortner 2010---

Practicing Politics

In my opinion, lawyers have ruined this country. From those practicing law to those practicing politics, neither appears personally interested in justice nor abiding by the law.
---William Fortner 2010---

Spitting

Relinquishing God-given freedoms willingly or apathetically is spitting in the face of God.
---William Fortner 2010--

Percussive Maintenance

When the new congress convenes, the only "reaching across the aisle" by Republicans I want to see is slapping the socialism out of and some sense into the disloyal opposition.
---William Fortner 2010---

Priorities

I have seen a lot of personal change in the last year. I guess I asked for it. I don't know whether my time is short and the Holy Spirit has a lot to do in that short time or whether there is simply just a lot to do. I used to brag that I was the least of the sheep and one day God showed me that I was what I said I was. That really hurt. I decided I didn't want to be the least of the sheep and asked for help. It sure wasn't long in coming and knocking off the many rough edges hurts every now and then. Ten years ago I might have resented it, but now I welcome it. I know my faults are legion and it mystifies me as to why those that concern me the most aren't resolved first. More often than not, some other thing is dealt with that doesn't bother me so much, but it must bother God. My salty language is a major annoyance and an embarrassment to me, but God apparently has other priorities. If He doesn't do something about that soon I may be forced to quit cussing on my own.
---William Fortner 2010---

A Thought For Today

A thought from a dear friend.

OK. I'd like to offer a thought for the day, if original thinking is allowed.... :-)

"Thank you God, for life!"

Being human we tend to see life as a series of trials and tribulations, difficulties and annoyances, with scattered moments of joy interspersed here and there. Life is really an opportunity of several decades duration to make decisions and then reap the results of those decisions, to choose integrity or dishonesty, faith or cynicism, love or hate or anger, jealousy or acceptance, revenge or forgiveness. From these decisions we grow our souls, no less than we have grown gardens and reaped the fruit. Though we some day shed our bodies, our souls, ripened, move on and live in a place that is ready and suitable for them as harvested.

That's my thought but I think it could apply to more than just a day.

Ken 2010

God Is God

A few days ago, I asked why God had a thousand attendants and ten thousand servants as that seemed a bit much even for God. The still, small voice said, "God is God." Roger that! He can have all He wants. :-) Later, I stumbled across Malichai 3:16-18. I guess it takes a lot of help to keep a record of all the prayers and mere thoughts about God. I am not sure ten thousand are enough, particularly in hard times.
---William Fortner 2010---

Sword Scabbard

I think of this earthly body as a sword scabbard. Over time, the scabbard gets beat up, knocked around, scratched, soiled, weathered and damaged by any number of harmful occurrences, but when the hand that owns the sword, which is the spirit, draws it forth, it is unblemished, shiny and sharp ready to do the work of the Master's hand.
---William Fortner 2010---