Live Breathe and Die

Archive for July, 2006

On several occasions, I have written about the mind numbing propaganda campaign that is part and parcel of American education. We have seen several examples recently in high schools throughout the country. Liberal teachers preaching their left-wing mantra as if it is part of the curriculum, and unfortunately, it has become the curriculum. 

The indoctrination does not end with k-12 though, as we have seen by way of the extremist teachings and rantings of college and university instructors.  Two recent stories have made the news, and the latest points out the growing crisis at all levels of learning. 

Kevin Barrett, a part time faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus announced publicly his belief that the Bush administration was behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  His contention was that the President orchestrated the devastating events to justify war in the Middle East.  Despite the fact that there is not one scintilla of evidence that any of the instructor’s allegations are true, he will be allowed to spew his venom onto the minds of impressionable college students with a green light from the university. 

Those in academia make up one of the largest contingents of far left-wing thought in our country.  They go about their campaign of extremist views and teachings unimpeded and unimpinged by the acquiescing administrations at most colleges and universities nationwide. 

While a right-wing viewpoint would be labeled racist, homophobic, extremist, intolerant or unacceptable by the same administrations, an extreme left-wing view is given the blessing and support by the same like-minded hypocrites.  Freedom of speech is their justification and shield. 

Do tax-supported public universities really have the right to operate as propaganda camps for extremist teachings?  Did we not shut down several non-profit organizations, after 9/11, which operated as fronts for terrorist organizations? Is there a difference? 

Libertarians believe that we are free to do or say anything we want in this country.  That includes the unimpeded use of controlled substances, despite their tendency to cause you to lose rational thought, and regardless of the danger it imposes to society when you are in a delusional state. (read society as: innocent people). Liberals believe we are free to say or do anything we want, as long as it does not offend them.  

These viewpoints cumulatively agree that anything goes, as long as the intended victim is conservative, republican or Christian.  The viewpoint further espouses the notion that bigotry and hate speech should be squashed, unless they are directed towards the aforementioned groups. 

Then there’s Ward Churchill, the left-over ’60’s radical hippie, teaching at the University of Colorado who has reached cult status with the left.  If someone can exceed at being counter-culture and popular culture at the same time, this guy is it.  Churchill argues that it isn’t the American-hating terrorists who are responsible for the 9/11 devastation, but the U.S. itself, and even the victims of that horrific day!  He thinks it needs to happen again. 

What has become of this leftist extremist who is filling college student’s heads with anti-American, pro-terrorist rantings……………in late June there was a decision to dismiss him from his job as a full professor at UC-Boulder.  Today, he remains part of the faculty, as a full tenured professor, masters degree and all.  This is higher education today folks; how left can you go, the more the better.  Reminds me of teenagers in long black trench coats on a hot, sunny day. 

Is matriculation just indoctrination in the year 2006?  Looks a lot like that’s the case.  Churchill will retire a full professor, as will his cohort, Kevin Barrett.  Take my word for it………both universities will put on a song and dance, but in the end, extremism rues the day.  If they have to change institutions, they will still go on teaching the same delusional hypothesis’ as if they are fact.  Sounds a lot like the main stream media.

Today, my wife and I learned that one of our friends suddenly died this morning.  He was in his early forties, and leaves behind a wife and three young kids.  He was a genuinely nice guy, and when I saw him last, looked in the peak of health.  We did not hear how he died.

I have another friend, one I’ve known since we were young kids.  His Mom and my Mom were best friends, all the way back to junior high school.  He is also a truly good person and great Dad.  He has a form of aggressive cancer.  His doctors give him about two weeks at this point.  He has five kids and a wife who loves him dearly.  They have had the kind of marriage that most married people could only hope for……….both, best friends since day one.  The kids are all really good, nice kids.

The last time I saw my friend who has cancer was in April of 2003. On Friday, April 11th of that year, my wife and I were on a plane, on our way to my Mom’s surprise 70th birthday party.  I had not seen my Mom for eight months at that point and I could not wait to see her face the following day when 62 of her friends and family surprised her. The party was going to be at my friend’s Mom’s house.  Both of our Mom’s had a friendship that had endured for 56 years.

When the plane touched down in my home state and taxied to the gate, a flight attendant made an announcement over the PA system that I  should see an airline employee after exiting the plane.  I looked at my wife and said that I knew this was not good. 

The message I was handed said that I should immediately contact my sister at her cell number.  Upon doing so, my sister told me in a very serious, strained voice to go directly to a hospital that was about 45 miles from the airport, and not to stop for anything else.  When I arrived at the intensive care unit at the hospital, my step-father embraced me, crying uncontrollably.  My sister was in shock.  My Mom had had a massive brain hemorrhage that morning and was in a coma and not expected to live beyond that day or the next.

Three days earlier, I had a great phone conversation with my Mom.  That day was her birthday, and she had a wonderful day.  She had seen some of her long time friends, spent time with my step-father and my brother and sister, and could not have been happier. Before hanging up the phone, I told her I loved her.  I would never talk with her again.

As I sit here and write, I feel the discomfort of a miserable skin ailment called nummular dermatitis.  It causes an incredible itch and covers about a quarter of the entire surface of my body.  It is spreading by the hour, and gets worse every day.  Going to work, in a high stress environment, and pretending not to be suffering is a chore. 

The mental roller-coaster of three years ago was horrendous.  The building joy of seeing your Mom surprised and happy, and the shock and despair of finding her with hours to live.  She died on April 13th, a Sunday. As a Christian, I had the comfort of knowing that she was saved.  For a Christian, this gives hope in the face of despair.  The night before, as we sat at my Mom’s bedside, my friend and his family were there in the room to give us comfort and support.

Three years later, the very family who gave me and my family support, is grieving, an anticipatory grieving in the last days of their Dad and husbands life. He is barely 50.

Like me, my friend who died this morning was a Christian also.  That was how I met him, in a church that our wives both had a connection too.  I had kept in touch with him.  We worked for the same company, until he left and went back to the state where his parents lived, looking for work there.  It happened to be my home state also.  He could not find work.

My wife just entered the room and informed me that she learned how our friend died this morning.  He put a gun to his head and took his own life.

My miserable skin condition means so little compared with the pain his family is suffering tonight. The intense itching still pales in comparison to the sadness felt by my other friend’s family as they spend their last hours with him.

Life is fragile; enjoy your life.