Rural Viewpoints

 

“So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforters; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforters” (Ecclesiastes 4:1). Do me a favor and read this passage again. Are you surprised to find this in the Bible? Sounds like today, doesn’t it? it is about the oppressed and the oppressor. Human nature hasn’t changed much. The world has always had its oppressors. And where there are oppressors there will be the oppressed. What are the oppressed doing in the above verse? They are shedding tears. Why? They had no comforters, but on the side of the oppressors there was power. Still the same.

The Tennesseean carried on its front page Friday this headline; “Tenn. approves Bible curriculum.” The state says it has developed a Bible curriculum that it hopes will avoid legal pitfalls. Beginning next fall, Tennessee high schools that want to offer “Bible for an elective social study credit will have a state approved guideline to do so. As expected, Hedy Weinberg, director of ACLU in Tennessee responded in somewhat of a suspicious and negative manner.

Some high schools in Tennessee already offer Bible as an elective and have their own curriculum. The problem I see with this new state curriculum comes from Kent Richards, Old Testament professor at Emory University, who assisted in developing Tennessee’s Bible guidelines, and who says that the teachers must not take the position “That the Bible is the only road to take.” Is Mr. Richards taking the position that the Islamic Koran is as good as the Bible? The Bible is the guide-the only guide for Christianity. The Koran rejects the Bible and Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Any teacher of the Bible is just one several guides to Christianity would be taking a false position. It doesn’t make sense to teach students the Bible, then turn around and tell them that there are many other reads to Christianity.

The Progressives, a mixture of liberal Democrats, fat cat Republicans, socialists, and atheists, have stripped our country of much of her heritage, and is seeking to destroy our Constitution. But their diabolical plans may be coming to an end. The new revolution is underway and these anti-American yellow bellies are running for cover. Even several people in Washington, D.C. have misgivings about the future. May her nose grow longer for having stamped her approval upon fleecing the senior citizens of their rightful social security and Medicare.

Way to go Massachusetts! You weren’t voting for the Republicans. You were voting against Obama’s destructive policies. You have lit the torch and it will be passed on to others. This is just the tip of the iceberg. If all of us will follow the example of Massachusetts, then we can take back our country.

Never has there been a time in which more Americans are alarmed about the future of our country.

TEA Sells Out Tennessee Teachers

The headlines in a recent issue of the Tennessean read: “Teachers, Governor Make Deal.” No, No, No, the TEA and the Governor made a deal to tie state test scores to the tenure law. It was all done in the name of “Race To the Top,” that is, hoping to get some free money from the money tree in Washington.

I think most of us would agree that we are more knowledgeable today than at any period in history, but this is not by any means an indication that we are wiser. If we took a poll, we would discover that there is a current belief that somehow the great knowledge of our times creates for us a world that does not need the wisdom of God. Humanism has led us to believe that we have the answers in our own wisdom.

I have always believed and I continue to believe that the best place to live is in a small town. But it is always sad when a rural community, possessed of integrity and wisdom, gives away to apathy, dishonestly, and plain redneck foolishness. Upon graduation from college, I believed that the best place for me to move to was my native home of Red Boiling Springs, and I’ve not been sorry, but unwise and greedy people have made many of us wishing we could return to the good ole days when morality and common sense ruled and fleecing the town of its tax dollars was a no no.

Being an animal lover, I resent any homo sapien, whether a city councilman in Red Boiling Springs, or in Elm City, W.S.A., who unleashes a verbal attack against the highly intelligent chimpanzee. I submit that the chimpanzee may indeed be superior to some elected officials in their behavior.

Patriots are people who passionately love their country and are willing to support it, yea defend it with their lives.

Psalmist David wrote, “I remember the days of old…”(Psalm 143:5) The context of the presiding verse indicates that David, instead of worrying over the present with its troubles and burdens, looked backward with it’s truths.

When the liberal Governor of Kentucky issued his edict forbidding the calling of the traditional Christmas tree by its name, but instead referring to it as a holiday tree, Kentuckians cried out in protest. The cries grew louder and more numerous in opposition to the Governor’s doofus policy, forcing him to recant. He got his Christmas present early-egg on his face.

There is no greater place to live in America than in a small town. But the ravages of time and the fickleness of humanity have worked changes in small towns which have left many of them struggling for survival. In fact, some towns are in the intensive unit, just waiting for the final deathblow. Others are already dead, having died from multiple causes.

Who would ever have thought that the Washington politicians would single out the largest and consistent voting block in this country to rob them of their meager retirement, but plans for this legal thievery is in the making and unless those of us who are senior citizens rise up and voice our opposition, then the planned takeover of what rightly belongs to the senior population will become a reality.

Neither tongue nor pen can express the sadness in my heart for the victims and families that died at Fort Hood at the hands of a radical Muslim. Try as hard as they may, the liberal media cannot divorce radical Islam from Hasan, and the influence it wielded upon him as he called upon the name of Allah and then killed thirteen innocent soldiers in cold blood. No, he was not stressed out, he was psyched out by Allah, which drove him to murder American soldiers, who were going to war against his Muslim brethren. He was as much a terrorist as he pulled the triggers of the two pistols he used to slaughter those good Americans as the Muslims who high-jacked planes on 9/11 and flew them into the World Trade Centers and into the Pentagon killing over three thousand Americans.

She was only 7-years-old, a beautiful little girl walking home from school, when she was abducted, raped and killed by a wicked maniac, who then threw her precious little body on a landfill. Somer Thompson was laid to rest on Tuesday, in Orange Park, Florida. The cold-blooded murderer has not been apprehended, but the authorities will get him, and I hope he gets what he deserves-death.

America’s total national debt is more than the total national debt incurred during the first 200 years of the Republic. We owe more than $4,700 for every man, woman and child in the United States. September normally records a surplus, but recent treasury figures shows that the government spent $46.6 billion more than it took in and that increased the shortfall ending September 30th to $1.42 trillion.

The problem of bullying in schools is nothing new. It is as ancient as the concept of education. For various reasons, none of them good, boys and girls have bullied each other. Obese students, ugly students, students with handicaps, students of a different race, and even students who excel, are often the favorite target of the bully.

The following headlines should capture the attention of every senior citizens:
1.    Medicare Recipients to Receive No Cost of Living Increases for Two Years;
2.    Social Security Checks May Be Less Next Year One to an Increase In Medicare Insurance;
3.    500 Billion Dollars To Be Taken Out of Medicare Fund and Given to The New Government Insurance for The Uninsured;
4.    Political Counselors will Discuss The Options with Senior Citizens Who May Be Ill;

President Obama plans to give all federal employees a two percent cost of living increase. This may amount to as much as a thousand dollars per year for some of the employees. But things aren’t too rosy for senior citizens. One of the Presidents czars (and I refuse to capitalize the “c”) has repeatedly stated that those receiving social security will not get a cost of living increase in their social security check for two years. Furthermore, social security checks may even be less, for it seems that there is going to be an increase in health insurance premium for those who are on Medicare. No matter how you view it, senior citizens are getting “skunked.” Obama said he would make some changes, and he is keeping his word.

The above caption appeared in an impressive ad presented by Harley-Davidson Motor Cycles in which the following question was asked: “ Has the touch of liberty gotten a little dimmer?” it took up and entire page, and if it wasn’t too old to ride a motor cycle, I think I might be motivated to purchase one. The ad was that good. Some of the statements in the ad has caused me to think more about our liberties. I especially reflected on the statement0: “Freedom Ain’t Quiet.”

My wife to a yard sale recently, in which items from a deceased friend’s estate were being offered for sale, she purchased a little book of poems for fifty cents, brought it to me and said, “This is how much I love you.” Truth of the matter is, it’s a great little book, for it contains some of the most inspiring poems that I’ve ever read. One poem gave me an idea for today’s article: “How To Get Your Dinner.”