Siege of the South

“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” is about the Danville train, the main supply line into Richmond during the War Between the States. During the Siege of Petersburg Stoneman’s Yankees “tore up the track again.” The siege lasted from June 1864 until April 1865, when both Petersburg and Richmond fell. The Confederates were starving: “We were hungry; Just barely alive.” The South lost but forever afterwards, Southerners vowed to rise again. Perhaps that is what is a-happening now at this point in our history with the rise of Tea Parties, emphasis on honoring the Constitution and people’s concerns with loss of liberties and the demise of capitalism.

Advertisement

Ninety Years of World Peace

There is something about history that repeats itself over and over. There is something about humankind that never learns the lesson of history.

The image, John T. McCutcheon: Sons of Peace, 1934, is subject to copyright by americanartmuseum. It is posted here with permission via the Flickr API by barneykin.

 

 

Detroit to Taxpayers – Cough Up!

America – Send $25 Billion So the UAW Can Fix Our Flat Tire

For these last decades the automobile workers’ union demanded the highest wages, the best health care benefits, and the most rewarding pensions in the country for their members. However, there was little concern about the quality nor the kind of automobiles the union’s workers were building. Now that the Goose that was laying the Golden Eggs has been become emaciated, guess who is being called upon to feed the beastie? The American taxpayer! The Big Three, the UAW Union, and the Michigan Delegation to Washington and all their lobbyists blame you, the American taxpayer for this revolting development.

You greedy and unpatriotic Americans refused to purchase our automobiles. You went out and bought cars from Southern States and Foreign Countries that were manufacturing vehicles without Union help. It is 100% your fault Taxpayer, that our great Detroit is facing bankruptcy. It is fair and just that you bail us out so that we can continue with our health care that is better than yours, our pensions that are more generous than yours and our phenomenal wages.

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wrote: The blame for this travesty not only belongs to the auto executives, but must be shared equally with the entire Michigan delegation in the House and Senate, virtually all of whom, year after year, voted however the Detroit automakers and unions instructed them to vote. That shielded General Motors, Ford and Chrysler from environmental concerns, mileage concerns and the full impact of global competition that could have forced Detroit to adapt long ago.

Our supposedly capitalist President Bush has already sent $25 billion of the taxpayer’s money to Detroit. Apparently the Michigan lawmakers were insulted by that paltry amount, as Senator Debbie Stabenow said “It seemed like a lot when we first started pushing this. Suddenly, it seems so small.” Now Detroit’s UAW needs another $25 billion but the Democrats cannot get their hands on the loot without Republican votes. Those mean and greedy Republicans are not buying into Obama’s “Spread The Wealth” program. Besides, they know as soon as they vote YES, they will be totally 100% blamed for all that goes wrong, as usual. However, come January, that will change as the incoming Congress and Administration will be all Democats all the time – forever and ever. The “Washington Big Three” will be 100% in charge and can garner 100% of the credit for everything they do.

Still, you have to wonder – why are Michigan Democrat solons screaming that there will be no industry left in America to build tanks and war machinery? Hello Democrats? Aren’t you the anti-war political party? Didn’t we just vote to end wars forever? No more wars need no more tanks!

Support the Troops – Vote McCain

A Veteran of the Iraq War has a personal message for Barack Obama: “Freedom is NOT Free.”

The Cavalry has arrived for McCain. There is “The Terminator” – Governor of California. There are Joe the  Plumber and Tito the Builder. And there is the Iraq War veteran.  Fly your flags this weekend until Election Day for John McCain. Flag wavers overwhelmingly support McCain. Those who refuse to display the flag are overwhelmingly for Obama. So are those who display the Red Star of Socialism.

Vote Obama – No More War!

Gut the Military! Quick – Quick, Before We Fight Again!

“As President” you’re going to end the war? Well, isn’t that what all of you Democrat members of Congress promised two years ago when you were elected to a majority? Where’s the end of the war you promised then?

Ann Coulter Was Right!

Dumped, Dropped, Canned

With her book at #2 on Amazon, it probably does not much matter to Ann Coulter that she is now being fired by national publications for her latest screeds. Harridan to Liberals, heroine to Right-wingers, she is not Kerfuffles’ choice for a representative of Conservatism, although conservative she is indeed. Like her or love her, she is entertaining when she displays the distinctive public persona she has so meticulously crafted. Whisking away her long blond hair from her always sleeveless shoulders, she drives Liberals wild, especially those of the female variety. Since the publication of her latest screed, “Godless”, she has taken to wearing a Christian cross to appropriately accentuate her plunging neckline, or is it vice-versa?

However, even Kerfuffles has defended Ann Coulter when “Ann Coulter Was Right!” (from my former blog, “Blatherings”, of Monday, February 07, 2005).

Canadian Broadcasting Company’s Bob McKeown was hosting a TV broadcast “The Fifth Estate,” on January 26th, which devoted one hour to show Canadians how the American media have been high jacked by conservative bullies. Strident conservative pundit and personality, Ann Coulter, was interviewed during which the following exchange occurred:

Coulter: “Canada used to be one of our most loyal friends and vice-versa. I mean Canada sent troops to Vietnam – was Vietnam less containable and more of a threat than Saddam Hussein?”

McKeown interrupts: “Canada didn’t send troops to Vietnam.”

Coulter: “I don’t think that’s right.”

Since that interview, Coulter has been unmercilessly attacked for saying that Canada sent troops to Vietnam. She has been called an epithet-throwing fictionalist, liar, loudmouth ignoramus, outrageous nationalist and described as empty-headed and shameful, and this in just one editorial, by Doug Ireland at Driland! By doing a short Google search, I discovered that Ann Coulter was correct. There is nothing like the truth to send the liberals into the out of control spin zone.

In 1973, the International Commission of Control and Supervision Vietnam (ICCS) was responsible for securing the armistice that lasted two years from 1973 to 1975, known as Operation Gallant. Canada, a member of the commission, contributed 240 Canadian Forces whose role was to monitor the cease-fire in South Vietnam, according to the Paris Peace Conference, and to arrange the release and exchange of more than 32,000 prisoners of war. In addition, ten to forty thousand Canadians, voluntarily served in Vietnam or during the Vietnam era with the American military, of whom 111 Canadians, were lost. One Canadian soldier, Toronto born Peter C. Lemon, won the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The Canadian government believed that because of its membership in ICCS, that Canada had to remain impartial during the Vietnam Conflict. While Canada as a nation was not involved in the fighting, Canadians themselves formed the largest foreign contingent in the U.S. military during the Vietnam era. Although exact numbers are not obtainable, some estimate that between 30,000 and 40,000 served and that 12,000 Canadians actually were in American uniforms in the war zone.

Because it is almost a state secret, most Canadians do not even know that their own Canadian Armed Forces won a Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts in Vietnam.

When the Canadian Vietnam veterans returned to their homeland, they were even more unwelcome than here in the United States, where at least returning veterans had access to government resources. Today, there is a memorial, “The North Wall”, at Assumption Park, Windsor, Ontario, overlooking the Detroit River. It honors the 103 Canadians who lost their lives in Vietnam and the seven who went missing in action. It is a fine tribute to those Canadians who served and sacrificed all for their belief in freedom.

Canada’s Good $en$e

Canadian Vets