President Obama delivered his State of the Union, and now it is your turn to deliver your reaction.
What did you like? What did you not like?
Do you have a breakdown over something that was said?
speech
Religious Leaders Issue Declaration Over Federal Abortion Funding
In an effort to declare opposition over federally funded abortions, a coalition of Christian leaders have united and released their declaration.
Fox News – Bishops Press Obama to Strike Senate Provision Allowing Federal Abortion Funding
More than 150 Christian leaders, most of them conservative evangelicals and traditionalist Roman Catholics, issued a joint declaration Friday reaffirming their opposition to abortion and gay marriage and pledging to protect religious freedoms. The 4,700-word document, called “The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience” was unveiled on Capitol Hill during a press conference Friday.
Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience
We, as Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical Christians, have gathered, beginning in New York on September 28, 2009, to make the following declaration, which we sign as individuals, not on behalf of our organizations, but speaking to and from our communities. We act together in obedience to the one true God, the triune God of holiness and love, who has laid total claim on our lives and by that claim calls us with believers in all ages and all nations to seek and defend the good of all who bear his image. We set forth this declaration in light of the truth that is grounded in Holy Scripture, in natural human reason (which is itself, in our view, the gift of a beneficent God), and in the very nature of the human person. We call upon all people of goodwill, believers and non-believers alike, to consider carefully and reflect critically on the issues we here address as we, with St. Paul, commend this appeal to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
While the whole scope of Christian moral concern, including a special concern for the poor and vulnerable, claims our attention, we are especially troubled that in our nation today the lives of the unborn, the disabled, and the elderly are severely threatened; that the institution of marriage, already buffeted by promiscuity, infidelity and divorce, is in jeopardy of being redefined to accommodate fashionable ideologies; that freedom of religion and the rights of conscience are gravely jeopardized by those who would use the instruments of coercion to compel persons of faith to compromise their deepest convictions.
Because the sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as a union of husband and wife, and the freedom of conscience and religion are foundational principles of justice and the common good, we are compelled by our Christian faith to speak and act in their defense. In this declaration we affirm: 1) the profound, inherent, and equal dignity of every human being as a creature fashioned in the very image of God, possessing inherent rights of equal dignity and life; 2) marriage as a conjugal union of man and woman, ordained by God from the creation, and historically understood by believers and non-believers alike, to be the most basic institution in society and; 3) religious liberty, which is grounded in the character of God, the example of Christ, and the inherent freedom and dignity of human beings created in the divine image.
While this is not the declaration in its entirety, it is a ver compelling read. It is highly suggested that it is read. If you value the meaning of life, you should read this. If you value that sanctity of marriage, you should read this.
First Amendment Under Attack
Benjamin Franklin said it best when he said, ” Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”
Never before has free speech been tested as it is being tested today. Free speech against the media is something that is challenged all the time, with special attention when an opposing view is in question. One view that is under heavy attack is that of Fox News. The White House is waging a war against Fox, namely because of its opposition and the opinion shows showcased in its evening lineup.
One front of this war on free speech is being led by the Diversity Czar, Mark Lloyd. As the Diversity Czar, he holds enough power to make the fight a lot harder than it should be.
Wayne LaPierre, Executive Vice President of the National Rifle Association (NRA), wrote in his column Standing Guard at American Rifleman Magazine:
One of the radical ideological appointees embedded in the Obama political machine is a man with a dream for the First Amendment. His name is Mark Lloyd, and as Obama’s “Diversity Czar” at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), he plans to wield immense power over the way Americans can communicate.
In his vision, a day would come when talk radio would be replaced with government-approved “progressive” local radio and by a smothering National People’s Radio.
In the Orwellian name of “diversity,” censorship will reign.
In his powerful FCC post, Lloyd is shaping the critical components of the Obama administration’s backdoor censorship of electronic and digital communications. He is doing it through the “regulatory” process—outside any specific congressional authority. FCC has the power to determine who gets broadcast licenses and who is barred. Political misuse of that power is the key.
But keep in mind that with this administration, criticism is always treated as nothing more than a “distraction” from the relentless agenda.
Lloyd declared, “… that conservative talk radio dominates the airwaves of our country to the detriment of informed public discourse and the First Amendment.”
Got that? The free market of ideas—where individual Americans choose with their radio dials—exists “to the detriment of the First Amendment.”
With Lloyd empowered as “Diversity Czar” at the FCC—and Soros ultimately pulling the strings—this effort in the coming months to turn radical anti-First Amendment theory into public policy will move at a rapid pace. It will be merely one part of a flood of “Change” aimed at silencing any political opposition at any cost.
So, in theory, you will not be able to choose what you want to listen to. You will be forced to listen to a myriad of radio voices. Long gone would be the days where you turn the dial to one station to listen to like-minded talkshow hosts, instead you would have to search and search to find five minutes you may or may not agree with.
One strange bit of irony in this is that the arguement for free speech is being voiced by a leading member of the NRA. Some say that the 2nd Amendment was written to protect the 1st Amendment.
European Missile Defense System Shelved by Obama
President Barack Obama, along with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, announced today that the longtime debated missile defense system would not be continued. The missile defense system would have been built in Poland and the Czech Republic.
The decision brought immediate criticism from Republicans. Ohio Representative John Boehner, the House minority leader said, “Scrapping the U.S. missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic does little more then empower Russia and Iran at the expense of our allies in Europe. It shows a willful determination to continue ignoring the threat posed by some of the most dangerous regimes in the world, while taking one of the most important defenses against Iran off the table.”
Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyle commented saying:
“Not only does this decision leave America vulnerable to the growing Iranian long-range missile threat, it also turns back the clock to the days of the Cold War, when Eastern Europe was considered the domain of Russia.
“This will be a bitter disappointment, indeed, even a warning to the people of Eastern Europe. The message the administration sends today is clear: the United States will not stand behind its friends and views ‘re-setting’ relations with Russia more important.”
The Obama administration states that Russia was not the reason for scrapping the missile defense system, but that it was new intelligence about Iran and its short and middle range missiles with a lack of intercontinental ballistic capabilities.
In a secret report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it states that Iran has “sufficient information” and ability to make and deliver a nuclear weapon along with the development of a long range missile system.
The Russian government views the decision by Obama as “a victory for common sense.” Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of Russia’s Parliament, also went on to state “It another positive signal that we have received from Washington that makes the general climate very positive.”
Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev said, “We appreciate the responsible attitude of the President of the United States to implement our agreements. I am ready to continue the dialogue.”
While this missile defense system has been shelved by the Obama administration, it does not mean the area will be left without. The Department of Defense has developed a four-phased plan that would shield the area.
- Phase One (in the 2011 timeframe) – Deploy current and proven missile defense systems available in the next two years, including the sea-based Aegis Weapon System, the SM-3 interceptor (Block IA), and sensors such as the forward-based Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance system (AN/TPY-2), to address regional ballistic missile threats to Europe and our deployed personnel and their families;
- Phase Two (in the 2015 timeframe) – After appropriate testing, deploy a more capable version of the SM-3 interceptor (Block IB) in both sea- and land-based configurations, and more advanced sensors, to expand the defended area against short- and medium-range missile threats;
- Phase Three (in the 2018 timeframe) – After development and testing are complete, deploy the more advanced SM-3 Block IIA variant currently under development, to counter short-, medium-, and intermediate-range missile threats; and
- Phase Four (in the 2020 timeframe) – After development and testing are complete, deploy the SM-3 Block IIB to help better cope with medium- and intermediate-range missiles and the potential future ICBM threat to the United States.
Obama went on to say, “Our new missile defense architecture in Europe will provide stronger, smarter and swifter defenses of American forces and America’s allies. It is more comprehensive than the previous program. Because our approach will be phased and adaptive, we will retain the flexibility to adjust and enhance our defenses as the threat and technology continue to evolve.”