Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 112, No. 3, Ed. 1 Monday, November 16, 2009 Page: 4 of 10
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T
W
I
Viewpoints
Page 4 ■ Monday, November 16, 2009
Sweetwater Reporter
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EDITORIAL POLICY
The editorial section of the newspaper is a forum for
expression of a variety of viewpoints. All articles except
those labeled “Editorials” reflect the opinions of the writ-
ers and not those of the Sweetwater Reporter.
GUEST COLUMN
Fire Gen. Casey
TNI IDLE AMERICAN
Echoes at sunset
It was a statistic that
my eyes locked on a few
years back. Had my gaze
been a drill bit, a
hole would have
burned through
the headline.
Subsequently,
the stat has grown,
its contemplation
causing misty
eyes. Thoughts
scrambled, there
is a yearning for
“time out” to "sort
out” significance
in a wobbling
world.
On Veterans
Day eve, the
mournful stat saddened
again: On average, i,8oo
US military veterans die
each day. The figure, at
the top of my mind’s
Dr. Don
Newbury
; num-
bers, won't go away.
Most of them, under-
standably, are WWII veter-
ans, from the era of George
Beverly Shea. Maybe you
heard the comment on his
100th birthday. America’s
Linda
Chavez
"What happened at Fort Hood was a tragedy, but l
believe it would be an even greater tragedy if our diver-
sity becomes a casualty here." Those words were spoken
not by some diversity guru but by the Army Chief ol
Staff, Gen. George Casey, on ABC last week in the after-
math of the slaughter of 13 people at the
hands of a fellow officer. Nor were they
isolated comments open to misinterpre
tation. Casey repeated them, in virtually
identical form, in interviews with NBC
and CNN.
Casey's remarks should lead to hi.x
immediate firing. But, of course, that
won't happen because he is merely
echoing the official government line.
From the moment word leaked out that
the suspected shooter at Fort Hood was
Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, gov-
ernment officials began to weave their
Orwellian cocoon. The commander in
chief warned Americans not "to jump
to conclusions," while Casey and others dismissed as
"anecdotal evidence" eyewitness reports that Hasan
shouted "Allahu Akbar" before pumping 100 rounds
of ammunition into his fellow soldiers. The only ones
that jumped to conclusions were the U.S. government;
immediately after the attack, the Obama administration
shot down the notion that this was an act of terrorism.
But not even the mainstream media are buying this
nonsense. Journalists have tracked down Hasan's col-
leagues at Walter Reed Army Hospital, where Hasan
served as a staff psychiatrist until he was transferred to
Fort Hood prior to his intended deployment overseas.
They've talked to local imams with whom he had con-
tact, and have even found investigators willing to reveal,
albeit anonymously, details of botched investigations
of Hasan. And the story line emerging is increasingly
clear: Hasan had become a radical Islamist who reached
out to jihadists in Yemen, and perhaps elsewhere, as
he prepared to launch a terrorist attack on a military
installation.
Hasan initiated contact with Anwar al-Awlaki, an
American-born imam now living in Yemen, who had ties
to three of the 9/11 hijackers. Hasan sent 10-20 e-mails
to Awlaki before the Fort Hood shooting, and Awlaki has
since praised Hasan for the attack.
It also appears that Hasan wrote approvingly ot sui-
cide attacks in blog entries and that he even compared
suicide bombers' actions to those of soldiers who have
saved their comrades' lives by throwing themselves on
live grenades. We know that many of his Walter Reed
colleagues were shocked when he chose a medical semi-
nar to warn "It's getting harder and harder for Muslims
in the service to morally justify being in a military that
seems constantly engaged against fellow Muslims."
The biggest question that remains is not Hasan's
motivation, but the government's. Why is it that coun-
terterrorism investigators and the Army were so eager
to dismiss suspicion of Hasan when his actions clearly
warranted a high-priority, full-fledged investigation?
Were Hasan's colleagues discouraged from reporting his
suspect activities because they feared retaliation from
military' brass in the name of protecting "diversity"?
Surely, Casey's own words are fair warning to anyone in
the military that they should tread lightly in ever ques-
tioning the activities of any Muslim in uniform.
But Casey's outrageous statements are more likely
to encourage prejudice than quell it. The military must
honestly and forthrightly assess the views of Muslim
soldiers to determine whether they are compatible with
military service. If we can't be assured that the military
is doing its job to ensure that extremists do not infiltrate
our armed forces, then every Muslim automatically
comes under suspicion.
Like so much of the "diversity" agenda, holding indi-
viduals to a different standard of behavior based on
their race, ethnicity - and in this case, religion - rein-
forces the idea that they are inherently different from
everyone else. We aren't protecting such individuals;
we’re reinforcing the idea that we don't expect the same
from them as we do others.
Some 3,500 Muslims now serve in the U.S. military.
The overwhelming majority of them are loyal Americans
who see no conflict between their personal religious
duty and service to their country. But there can no place
in our military for those persons of any faith who do.
America has now seen the horrors of what "diversity
iy.
beloved gospel singer said
he’s been "long on the lad-
der.”
Veterans commonly
request to have “Taps”
played at their memorial
services.
This seems
Across America (bugle-
sacrossamerica.org) The
cause is a cockle-warmer.
Most passive
among us will
quickly sound neg-
ative warnings.
They will point
to the difficulty of
hitting every note,
and that there are
no "do-overs.”
Prevailing,
though, can be
encouragers who
believe that volun-
teers will emerge,
benefiting both
those who blow
the horns and
those who hear them.
It is more a matter of the
heart than of the horn.
Like the lives being hon-
ored, horn-blowers must
be committed to giving
their best effort.
If there are sometimes
mangied notes, let them
but remind that we all fall
short.
“Taps" dates hack to the
Civil War.
Though we rarely hear
the words, they are worth
considering. The five
verses are attributed to
anonymity, and here’s the
first one:
Day is done, gone the
sun, from the lakes, from
the hills, from the sky. All
is well, safely rest, God is
nigh.
True then, true now.
A memory of some 40
years remains vivid. A
graveside service for a
military veteran had just
ended. The day was cold
and gray; sleet was pound-
ing the canopy. At the final
“amen,” two young mem-
bers of the armed services
removed the US llag from
the coffin, then proceeded
to fold it.
And re-fold. And re-
fold. It never came out
right, this rumpled mess
that they finally plopped
into the widow’s lap. Their
faces were crimson with
embarrassment.
At first, anger sprang up.
Why were they sent? Why
weren’t they able to fold
it correctly? More “whys”
had to get in line.
As 1 drove away, I
noticed the two failed flag-
folders huddling near the
grave, perhaps wishing
for “do-overs. They were
crying, their tears becom-
ing ice flakes on their way
earthward.
Their contrition framed
an immediate backdrop
for nobler thoughts.
Maybe their hands were
simply too cold, or the
fabric too frozen, or their
nerves too frayed.
My thoughts turned
inward. Did I have knowl-
edge of flag etiquette?
Did I honor it properly
at every opportunity? Did
I have new resolve, as I
know tnese youngsters
did, growing from the
experience?
Then, like now, 1 recall
the little poem oft-repeat-
ed by the late Dr. Guy
D. Newman, a wonderful
preacher/pat riot/p resi-
dent during my college
days.
It reads:
No one escapes when
freedom fails. The best
folks rot in filthy jails.
And those who scream
’appease, appease,’ are
hanged by those they tried
pie
to please.
Dr. Newbury is a
speaker and author in the
Metroplex. Send inqui-
ries/comments to: new-
bury@speakerdoc.com.
Phone: 817-447-3872.
Web site: www.speaker-
doe.com.
ever so
“doable," doesn't it? The
tune’s span is seconds—
not minutes—requiring
just 24 notes. Now, this
shocker: There aren’t
enough bugler volun-
teers to provide live ren-
ditions. For more than
70% of the services last
year at Dallas-Fort Worth
National Cemetery, elee-
tn recordings sufficed.
Thoughts closest to my
soul suggest the need to
extend national calls for
buglers—and potential
buglers. The piercing
imperatives should be
pleas to institutions, orga-
nizations and individuals.
Surely, in a country known
for its volunteerism, this
can come to pass.
In the process, the lives
of American serv icemen
and women will be hon-
ored in the most dignified
manner possible.
There's already a nation-
al organization dedicated
to the project: Bugles
CAPITOL COMMENT
Record federal spending and
debt threaten economic stability
at any cost" can lead to.
Linda ('have/, is the author of "An Unlikely
Conservative: The Transformation of an Ex-Liberal
To find out more about Linda Cluwe/., visit the CIreators
Syndicate web paye at www.creators.com.
Before the end of the
year, the U.S. Senate is
scheduled to vote on
whether or not to raise
the federal government’s
nearly $12.1 tril-
lion debt limit in
order to pay for
this year’s record
deficits. This his-
toric vote should
give lawmakers in
both parties pause
about the state of
America’s finances
and the need to
reign in spending.
U n fo rtunately,
it appears
that President
Obama and his
Congressional
allies are content to stick
with "business as usual,”
even if it means prolonging
our recession and jeopar-
dizing our long-term eco-
nomic stability.
President Obama’s Fiscal
Year 2009 budget deficit
was a record $1.4 trillion,
more than three times the
all-time high set the previ-
ous year. Today, the deficit
is 9.9 percent of America’s
gross domestic product,
the biggest slice of the
economy since World War
11. And according to the
()bama Administration’s
own Budget Director, the
projected deficits from
2010-2019 will exceed $9
trillion.
This is unacceptable!
We need to get America’s
budget deficit under con-
trol for several reasons.
Every dollar that is bor-
rowed today must be paid
back by our children and
grandchildren (with inter-
est) decades from now.
Our current policy of forc-
ing future generations to
pay for our spending is
Kay Bailey
Hutchison
grossly irresponsible.
Second, trie old excuse
that deficit spending rep-
resents “money we owe
to ourselves” no lon-
ger applies to
today’s situa-
tion. In 1988,
American s
owned 88% of
the federal debt.
Today, we own
only 56%. The
rest belongs
to foreign-
ers. And what
nation owns
the most U.S.
debt? China,
with $800 bil-
lion. Every day
we are borrow-
ing money from Beijing to
keep our government run-
ning and sending the bill
to Main Street, making us
dependent on one of the
most autocratic regimes
on Earth. It is the very
definition of recklessness.
We can only speculate
how the Administration's
future foreign policy deci-
sions will be shaped by this
unhealthy relationship.
The federal debt isn’t just
an issue for the future; it
harms our economy today.
For starters, the explosion
in government debt puts
added pressure on the U.S.
dollar. With the federal
debt expected to double
by 2019, global investors
are growing increasingly
worried about America's
ability to pay it back. They
are concerned that the
Obama Administration -
in a bid to pay back the
debt without raising taxes
will cheapen the value
of the dollar by printing
more dollars. Tliis fear
has already led to a series
of unconfirmed reports
that other nations led
by China, Russia, and the
Gulf oil states are eager
to replace the dollar as tin
means of global exchange.
Of course, one might
ask: What is the direct
impact ol a weal er dol-
lar on Texas families and
businesses? While a weak
dollar makes exports
cheaper, it also makes
imports more expensive.
One of America's most
critical imports is energy.
The steep increase in the
price of oil from 2005 to
2008 was partly a result
s par
of “cheap dollar” policies.
equivalent of medical mal-
practice, and it must stop.
Rather than pressure
Congress to raise the debt
ceiling over $12.1 trillion,
the Obama Administration
should redirect unused
stimulus money toward
debt reduction or pro-
grams that will actual-
ly spur job growth. It’s
still not too late for the
President to show leader-
ship, bring our economic
house in order, and keep
the American Dream alive
for future generations.
Looking ahead, a weaker
dollar will almost certainly
result in a new cycle of
higher energy costs and
inflation for many goods
and services. Instead of
a recession, America may
find itself in the grips of
a “stagflation" (recession
plus inflation) - an event
we haven't experienced
since the 1970s.
Instead of working
Kay Hailey Hutchison
is the senior U.S. Senator
from Texas and is the
Rankiny Member of the
Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and
Transportation.
shrink government spend-
ing and debt, the Obama
Administration has passed
a $787 billion stimulus
package and is now work
mg to pass a health care
reform bill that, when fully
implemented, will cost
$2.4 trillion in new spend-
nig. This is the economic
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Rodriguez, Tatiana. Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 112, No. 3, Ed. 1 Monday, November 16, 2009, newspaper, November 16, 2009; Sweetwater, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth559995/m1/4/: accessed July 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Sweetwater/Nolan County City-County Library.