Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas My Friend

Cpl. Omar A. Sanchez, a rifleman with Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, patrols the outskirts of the Balaclava Bazaar in Garmsir, Afghanistan, Nov. 19, following a security shura at the Garmsir district governor's office. Leaders from the Afghan national security force, along with Lt. Col. John E. McDonough, commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, met with Gov. Abdullah Jan to discuss security issues and concerns throughout Garmsir.

North Star Liberty dedicates this poem to all active duty, Reserve, and National Guard soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guard who stand upon a wall and say, "Nothing's going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch." God bless you all this Christmas season, and always.

by Marine Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt (1986)

Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney, with presents to give
and to see just who in this home did live.

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
a sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen.
This was the home of a U.S. Marine.

I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more,
so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.

He seemed so gentle, his face so serene,
Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine.
Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.

Soon around the Nation, the children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
because of Marines like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice
I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more.
My life is my God, my country, my Corps."

With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I watched him for hours, so silent and still.
I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill.
So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
and covered this Marine from his toes to his head.
Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold,
with an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold.
And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
and for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside.

I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure,
said "Carry on, Santa, it's Christmas Day, all secure."
One look at my watch and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight.

Monday, December 21, 2009

The Blind Side: an affirmation of faith (and football)

The Blind Side © 2009 Alcon Film Fund, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The Blind Side is the shocking portrayal of a contemporary Southern, white, conservative, Republican, Christian, SEC football-lovin', traditional family, the Tuohys, who befriend Michael, a homeless African American high schooler and enable his remarkable journey from poverty to fame.

It is shocking because it portrays this family as wealthy, educated, gracious, compassionate, moral, generous, loyal, sincere, courageous, and kind, instead of in the usual negative stereotypes portrayed by Hollywood and the mainstream media (e.g., their portrayal of Sarah Palin). As movie reviewer for the liberal StarTribune, Colin Covert, remarked, "The Tuohys are the sort of family that would fight a tax hike for idealistic social programs, but see their Christian duty to do right by Michael. Films don't show us compassionate conservatives like this very often, and I was happy to meet them."

The film is all the more powerful because it is based on the true story of Michael Oher, who played for Ole Miss and was recently signed by the NFL Baltimore Ravens. This makes the film a legitimate entrypoint into dinner-table and classroom discussions about race and faith.

While avoiding syrupy sentimentalism, the film is an entertainment, not a documentary. It tells Oher's remarkable story from the point of view of Leigh Ann Touhy, whom Covert calls "a steel magnolia whose conservative certitude and indomitable willpower make Sarah Palin look lily-livered. The highway department has bulldozers that are not as pushy." As such, it's a vehicle for star Sandra Bullock, who is rapidly accumulating rave reviews and award nominations for a career-best (and according to Leigh Ann Touhy's real-life husband and friends, spot-on) performance.

The Blind Side is a wonderful choice for holiday movie-going, and a celebration of real-life conservative values and Christian faith.

Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros. present a film by John Lee Hancock, The Blind Side, starring Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, and Quinton Aaron as Michael Tuohy. Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references. Official web site: http://www.theblindsidemovie.com/

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

John Kerry: Palin, Tea Party are threats



"If you think this movement is more circus sideshow than actual threat, you'd be mistaken. Republican candidates are falling all over each other to get [Sarah] Palin's endorsement, and the tea party movement is responding. Money is pouring in.

"Either we match the passion and activism of these new forces in the Republican Party, or they'll be choosing who's sitting in the Senate, steering our country's course...And the loss of even one or two would flip crucial votes in their favor and doom President Obama's agenda [author's emphasis]...The best chance we've had in generations to make positive change will have ended." —Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), in a recent Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fundraising letter

Because she is not currently holding or running for elected office (while having not ruled out the possibility), Gov. Palin is free to speak her mind and help conservatives get elected across the country. From now and into 2010 is the perfect time to leverage Palin's rising popularity and influence. Help "doom President Obama's agenda." Donate to SarahPAC.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Sarah Palin comes "home" to Minnesota


Going Rogue by the numbers (source: Mall of America):

2500: Number of copies of Going Rogue signed by Sarah Palin at her Barnes & Noble Mall of America appearance on December 7. The previous mall record for books signed was held by Twilight author Stephanie Meyer (850 books).

1700: Approximate number of persons who came to Mall of America to see Sarah Palin

4: Number of hours that Palin signed books on December 7

2: Number of international press covering the event (Der Spiegel and Al Jazeera)

1: Palin event ranking for the number of media organizations covering a Mall of America event in the mall's seventeen-year history

1: Current rank of Going Rogue on the New York Times Best Sellers list for hardcover nonfiction

0: Number of tomatoes thrown at Sarah Palin that actually hit her

It was Fred Barnes from the Weekly Standard who first introduced me to former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin back in July 2007, in his column "The Most Popular Governor:"
The wipeout in the 2006 election left Republicans in such a state of dejection that they've overlooked the one shining victory in which a Republican star was born. The triumph came in Alaska where Sarah Palin, a politician of eye-popping integrity, was elected governor. She is now the most popular governor in America, with an approval rating in the 90s, and probably the most popular public official in any state.

Her rise is a great (and rare) story of how adherence to principle--especially to transparency and accountability in government--can produce political success.

I became an immediate fan of Palin, read occasional articles about her, and enjoyed passing through her Mat-Su Valley hometown of Wasilla on vacation in July 2008. Imagine my thrill after attending a local Republican fundraiser, the night Barack Obama accepted the Democrat nomination for President — as we heard through the grapevine that network news helicopters, broadcast satellite trucks, and other media had encircled the home of Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty — that John McCain had chosen Governor Palin as his running mate.

The rest is history, including Palin's dazzling acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in Saint Paul in September of 2008 (in Palin's book, a photo of the convention floor at Saint Paul's Xcel Energy Center is misidentified as being in Minneapolis), and the disappointing defeat of the McCain-Palin ticket in November.

It is fitting that Governor Palin returns to the Twin Cities, to a place called Mall of America. A shopping mall is, after all, a shrine to free enterprise and consumerism, a reflection of the highest standard of living in the history of the world. MOA is really big, like Alaska. And "An American Story" is what Palin is all about.

The gov we love alluded to her Minnesota connections in these Twitter posts sent from her Blackberry on December 7:

In Minnesota,event @ Mall of America,look frwrd 2 seeing Alaska friends' relatives here (a lot of MN transplants in AK!);lot in common w MN

Privileged 2 now meet w MN folks w families n Alaska;1 realizes how intimate r nation is as we travel&hear of connections all Americans have

Palin's book and national tour are laying a strong and wide foundation of trust, loyalty, and affection for the governor and her family, amongst the hoi polloi in the small towns of America she claimed as her own in that acceptance speech last year:

A writer observed: "We grow good people in our small towns, with honesty, sincerity, and dignity." I know just the kind of people that writer had in mind when he praised Harry Truman.

I grew up with those people.

They are the ones who do some of the hardest work in America, who grow our food, run our factories and fight our wars.

They love their country, in good times and bad, and they're always proud of America.

Monday, December 07, 2009

Sarah Palin at Mall of America



Sarah Palin arrived at the Mall of America in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington on a cold, brilliantly sunny (once the sun rose) December 7. According to Tweets from Mall of America spokesperson Erica Dao, Going Rogue readers began lining up outside the East Entrance to MOA by 4:30 a.m., for the distribution of the autograph-entitling wrist bands at 5:00 a.m. By 1:14 p.m., Dao reported about 1400 at the event.

The event enjoyed considerable local media coverage, from television reporters Pat Kessler, Tom Hauser, Eric Eskola, John Croman, to a dapperly-dressed James Lileks and Star Trib gossip columnist C.J., complete with camcorder.

Palin, with son Trig and "her guy," husband Todd, suddenly appeared out of nowhere about twenty minutes before noon, causing the crowd to cheer and those of us in the media to scramble for a spot on the too-small photography platform for a few seconds of precious "b-roll" and still photos.

Gov. Palin seemed energized by each individual person who shook her hand. She signed each book with gusto and a smile. Many passersby not in the autograph line stopped to gawk and take a few cell phone photos.