Free Speech, Snyder vs Phelps

Snyder vs. Phelps is a case where the Westboro Baptist Church protested during and near the funeral of Matthew Snyder, who was killed while on military duty in Iraq. The case involved the freedom of speech issue.

Albert Snyder sued the Westboro Baptist Church. Snyder won and then the verdict was later vacated by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

I think the WBC and anyone else has a right to protest at a military funeral. They are protesting a government policy of war, a policy of invading, occupying, and declaring martial law on other countries, countries that have not, nor have any capacity of attacking and invading the United States.

If we had more protests at military funerals it would go a long way towards diminishing the glory of war and the martyrdom that so many young men yearn for.

The State and the Military Nation love to honor those who died in unnecessary and unjust wars by playing Taps at the deceased soldier’s funeral. Then the precise procedure of folding the flag and giving it to a family member is emotional. It helps the State in its recruitment of young men who want to do the right thing. Protests at these funerals will make young men, and their families, families who are also war enablers, think about war.

Families of young men who are willing to become warriors show much pride and approval when their sons join the military and are willing to go into another country and kill innocent people their sons do not even know. These families are war enablers as much as their sons who are willing to give up their own constitutional rights to submit to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

In the last week of August 2010 there were another 19 United States soldiers killed in Afghanistan. How many more will die in an unjust war?

“Every man is a creature of the age in which he lives, and few are able to raise themselves above the ideas of the time.” -Voltaire, philosopher (1694-1778)

Charles Tolleson

Navy Captain Quimette Urged

On a discussion group was posted an old speech by Navy Captain Dan Quimette.

Navy Captain Dan Ouimette gave a speech to the Pensacola Civitan club in February 2003. In his speech Quimette said the war against terrorism started in 1979 when Iranian students attacked and seized the American Embassy in Tehran, where no Americans were killed. Quimette goes on to list a series of terrorists attacks on America over the following years and encourages the wrath of the United States on the Muslim world.

Captain Quimette, like all war lovers fail, fails to address the reasons for the attacks, starting with the U.S. support of the unpopular Iranian leader Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi and asylum for him after the Iranian revolution which led to the seizure of the American Embassy. After the Shah died the hostages were released.

I wish Captain Quimette and others who want to kill, kill, kill, would tell me why the terrorists do not attack Mexico, or Costa Rica, or Brazil, all Christian countries. The reason is that these countries have not aided and abetted Israel in her 70 year religious war of oppressing Palestinians and seizing their lands. Nor do these and other countries have Christian military personnel stationed in Muslim countries and supporting the rich monarchs and corrupt officials.

Currently the doomsayers think there is a "Clash of Civilizations" and the Muslims want to impose Shira Law and Islam on the rest of the world. (Have you studied Shira law as compared to the thousands of U.S. laws that make us all criminals, each day?) Well, some Muslims do wish that, but not all Muslims do. Some Christians wish to change the Muslims to Christianity, but not all Christians do. Some Christians have always wanted to convert the world to Christianity, but there are fewer now who wish that, and there are fewer Christians and more non believers. The same is happening in the Muslim world. Islam is waning, just like Christianity is waning. Politics is the passion of the Muslim world. Politics caused by American invasions of Muslim countries. Christians seem to think the politics in the Muslim world that wants the U.S. to get out of the Middle East is only radical Islam. It is politics.

By Margaret Talev, McClatchy Newspapers Aug 19, 2010,
WASHINGTON — Pastors who've prayed with President Barack Obama defended his Christian faith Thursday as the White House downplayed new polling that showed a steep climb since he took office in the percentage of Americans who think he's Muslim or at least don't believe that he's Christian.

"He is a Christian by choice, a devout Christian," said Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston .

Let us hope President Obama is not a "devout" Christian. If he is, the war against Islam will be a long and bloody war.

Though I have been trained as a soldier, and participated in many battles, there never was a time when, in my opinion, some way could not be found to prevent the drawing of the sword. I look forward to an epoch when a court, recognized by all nations, will settle international differences. -Ulysses S. Grant, military commander, 18th US President (1822-1885)

Charles Tolleson

Airline Passengers Are Prisoners

In August 2010 a flight attendant for JetBlue, Steven Slater had a "meltdown" as his flight arrived at the gate. A passenger started to retrieve her bag from the overhead bin and Slater said to sit down. The passenger yelled at Slater. Slater yelled at her over the PA, then grabbed a beer, activated the emergency escape slide, slid down the slide and ran to his car and drove away. He was later arrested and charged with a felony.

Other passengers said Slater was acting strange during the whole flight from Pittsburgh to New York.

Slater is now being hailed as a hero for his meltdown and crazy actions. His fellow union members are actually defending his bizarre behavior. The passengers do not have a union to defend them against the prison guards.

My hero is the passenger who told Slater to ***k off!

The passenger is my hero because airline passengers are treated like prisoners. This is one reason I don't fly on airlines anymore. From the time passengers arrive at the airport until they leave they are under the rules and regulations of the government airport, the Transportation Security Administration, a government agency. The passengers are under the big umbrella government agency, The Department of Homeland Security. Nice name, "Homeland". The name homeland was likely designed to get submission from the serfs.

And when the passengers are on the plane they are always reminded that they must comply with all of the rules imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration on the airline and the passengers.

The FAA has more rules than I suspect a prison has. The FAA requires that all passenger "must" be seated before takeoff and that "all" luggage "must" be stowed. Electronic devices "must" be off. Seat backs "must" be in the upright position. Why this rule I don't know. Has there ever been an injury because someone had their seat back reclined two inches during the millions of takeoffs and landings. No! Yet the flight attendant prison guards will walk through the cabin and if your seat back is one inch from the full upright position the FA will say, "Get your seat back up".

All of these rules and regulations we sheep are told is for our own safety. Most people feel good knowing the Shepherd is watching out for the safety of the flock.

In the early days of Southwest Airlines they would make takeoffs before passengers were seated and carry on baggage was stored. Southwest did this because they would turn an aircraft around in 10 minutes because they had to sell one of their four airplanes and fly the same schedule with three. The FAA decided to make a rule that all passengers had to be seated and luggage stored, though Southwest had no injuries from this procedure. If they did have an injury it should have been settled in a civil court, not by the government nannies. Of course, so many Americans act like children who want only freedom and no responsibility it is no wonder the government employees will act like nannies, for a large fee.

All of the government rules and regulations led to the success of 9/11 because the government prevented passengers from carrying guns. The government also encouraged compliance from the passengers and crew during a high jacking.

“The American people, taken one with another, constitute the most timorous, sniveling, poltroonish, ignominious mob of serfs and goose-steppers ever gathered under one flag in Christendom since the end of the middle ages.” H.L. Mencken

Charles Tolleson, August 12, 2010

Letter to Congresswoman Speier

August 11, 2010

Dear Congresswoman Speier,

Please stop giving pay raises to the military and civilian government employees while the private sector employees’wages are declining. The military is a well paid mercenary army. If the wars were necessary, most wars are not, you would have plenty of volunteers that would fight for free.

The government employees are the new aristocracy. Your recent 26 billion dollar funding for 300,000 state government employees equals to $86,000 per employee! I’m tired of being your servant.

Since a government employee will read this, if anyone does, I doubt you will read it because the government employee wants the pay raises to continue. And, since you “represent” over 700 thousand people, I doubt if my writing is anything more than a placebo for me.

I also notice on your website that you have an issue list. One of the issues is “Women". Why do you not have an issue for Men"? Is this what happens when I have 3 female democrats; you, Senators Feinstein and Boxer, "representing" me, an old white male?

Charles Tolleson

Tax Increase for the Rich

Former Budget Director David Stockman is calling for eliminating the current tax cuts imposed under the Bush Administration.

Mr. Stockman said by keeping the tax cuts for the top 2% who earn more than $250,000 will save the rich 100 billion dollars in taxes.

According to the Tax Policy Center joint returns with more than $250,000 adjusted gross income and single returns with more than $125,000 adjusted gross income together are estimated to make up 3.1 percent of households next year. That group is projected to earn 27 percent of all personal income and pay 47.9 percent of all personal federal income taxes in 2009.

Mr. Stockman thinks the government needs this money in this fiscal crisis.
Mr. Stockman is correct. The government does need this money, and a whole lot more! If the government taxed us all at 100% the government would still have a fiscal crisis because the government always spends more than it takes in.

When the government mob started income taxes it was supposed to tax only the rich. Now it has trickled down to tax the ordinary worker. The same thing will happen if Mr. Stockman gets to increase the taxes on the rich. Soon it will trickle down to the not so rich.

If the government mob takes in 100 billion dollars from the rich people the government mob will keep some for their own pockets and dole out the rest to buy votes. It is better to let the rich keep their money and spend it on their staffs and purchases. This will increase sales taxes and employment. This will also increase the velocity of money better than if the government mob confiscates the money and spends it on wars and other non productive enterprises. Spending private money on competitive products will increase the living standard of society, as it always has.

However, we have created a nation of dependents that are willing for congress to “tax the rich”. This act of one group, the non producers, plundering another group, the producers, is how Frederic Bastiat described democracy.

“The art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to get the most feathers with the least hissing.” ~Jean Baptist Colbert

Charles Tolleson