A Conversation About Unions With My Brother

Posted by Southpark Diva

I recently sent my friends and family a link to a really excellent article concerning public unions from the Ludwig von Mises Institute. I prefaced the link with these words: "As a teacher, I am so grateful that I am not forced to join a union, nor do I work in a school that has tenure-track positions. I have to WORK to keep my job and produce RESULTS! And I contribute to my own retirement!"

To understand this blogpost, you really need to read the article. If you wouldn't mind taking a moment reading it? Thank you! Going on!

My brother, someone who is very liberal, had this to say in reply:

"Are you serious? Unions are all about collective bargaining and worker's rights. We all work to keep our jobs... oh, and this article is crap... did you take critical thinking and writing? Who says that the MAIN reason States are going bankrupt is government run monopolies and government unions - oh and why doesn't the article mention more about the monopolies? What about natural disasters? What about deficit spending on state run projects? What about corrupt budget practices. Stripping the unions power away from them will not make a government fiscally responsible. Break down why a specific state is going bankrupt and work to change that, don't take away people's rights. Look, I'm in the middle of working on reforming the way the USAF spends money and it's very painful, but we are doing it. (just wrote a multi-million $ federally funded contract that will put many people to work and defend our country from jerks that want to sell us out to wikileaks). The efficiency movement is under way... why mess with my public school teachers? I can't afford private school for my kids."

After some careful consideration, I replied:

"Yes, unions are all about collective bargaining and workers rights. And they make it far too easy for someone to NOT work efficiently and well and still remained employed! And it's often the taxpayer and the students who suffer in the cases of teachers. Why should a teacher be forced to join a union and give up a nice chunk of their paycheck for a union that does not truly represent them? Why should our children suffer when it is nearly impossible to get rid of a bad/immoral/etc teacher who has achieved tenured status? This happens a lot in public schools - elementary, secondary and university. I firmly believe that teachers should be given a choice as to whether they unionize, but far too many states do not give them the option. So they are forced to pay for a union that is more concerned with staying in power/business than with the welfare of the students and the teachers. And union leaders have freely admitted that if they do not force teachers to join, then many will choose not to join. Can't have that!

A big problem in our nation is the unionization of government jobs (i.e. teachers), because the government does not need to worry about the bottom line. They can continue to pull money from the taxpayer without producing results. We pour billions into our education, and yet it clearly does not make a difference. We continue to employ teachers who do not deserve to be employed, who do not produce results. Why is this? Because unions have made it very hard to get rid of someone. When a teacher is still collecting their pension after sexually harassing his students, something is clearly wrong. Or when that same teacher is still teaching! And yes, this happens far too often...

Unions can be held responsible for certain auto companies going out of business. They run contrary to the basic principle of "Return on Investment", and businesses suffer for it. In 2003 to 2008, those states with the greatest unionization had the least private sector job growth. Businesses suffer when unions hold the power, because they no longer base labor costs on the free-market system of supply and demand. This certainly happened with GM. The company should have been allowed to declare bankruptcy and get restructured. Instead, our government, who is very tight with the unions (Richard Trumpka, the president of AFL-CIO spends more time with the president than many of his cabinet members - he was just quoted as saying he is at the White House every day!) jumped in to save a company that should have been allowed to fail. And taxpayers once again foot the bill for a company that was not run efficiently.

And yes, there are other causes, but why do so many states run a huge deficit? Because they are being crushed by the large payroll of government workers (who make 45% more than the person in the private sector for the same job!) and of course those tasty pensions that the government (both state and federal) cannot afford. Why do we continue to hold the taxpayer and future generations of taxpayers hostages for wages and pensions that we can't afford? If we can't afford it, we need to cut it. Period. I'm sure you, as the head of your household, understand that. Do not pay for things you can't afford. And don't get started on the difference between micro and macro economics. I don't live in a Keynsian world where the key to reducing debt is to spend, spend, spend!

Unions have a strangle hold on our politicians and on the taxpayer. I'm not talking about the typical union worker, but the union bosses, who have an entirely different agenda. It's no longer about protecting the worker. It's about keeping themselves in power. Yes, unions once functioned to break the strangle hold of monopolies on the American worker. But now unions themselves are relying on the monopoly of the government to stay alive and in power. Remember that public union employees are protected, whether or not they produce results or have any real talent at their job. Status and pay are set in collective bargaining agreements, rather then on your actual performance, so why bother working hard? And it's pretty darn hard to get rid of someone who is not performing, so we just keep paying for inefficiency. And paying, and paying. Yes, there are workers who still take pride in their work, and there are teachers (many teachers!) who love their students and just want to teach and help educate young minds. But they are working in a system that does not reward excellence, but protects mediocrity. And often protects outright criminals! My own voice teacher has told me how many college professors work hard to shine, shine, shine....until they get tenure. And then they just sit back and do the bare minimum to stay employed.

And what about those private schools. If unions didn't have a strangle hold on our public education, school choice would be a reality all over the country and you could put my niece and nephew in private schools without paying any extra. Yes indeed. In fact, that was just killed in DC in 2010. God forbid a parent has the right to decide where to send his/her children to school! Instead, it was killed by politicians (yes, Democrats) who are in the pockets of teachers unions. Teacher's unions do NOT like school choice, since it means that parents just may choose a school where teachers aren't unionized. And these schools are often higher performing schools, since teachers must actually prove every year that they are doing a good job!

Of course, 38% of Congress chooses to send their kids to private schools, so they don't have to deal with the results of decisions they themselves have made on the behalf of teacher's unions.

And your arguments on other problems in the government? Well, you just stated a great argument for Tea Party ideas. Smaller government. In private business, corruption eventually is punished. Bad business practices are eventually punished. The system of the free market cannot sustain bad business decisions. Criminals get convicted and go to jail. If we are running a deficit on state-run projects, then shouldn't we step back and think maybe we can't afford these projects?

If unions lost some of their stranglehold on our politicians, perhaps our politicians might actually do something that is in the interest of the taxpayer, rather than in the interest of the union. Just a thought. Much of what is wrong with our government cannot be cured by decreased union power, but much of it can. Just take a look at Chris Christie, who is taking the union thugs in NJ head on and not backing down. He has frozen spending on many projects that the state just can't afford, and is working to release the strangle hold unions have on the state. And he was voted in, in a resoundingly blue state - the people finally realized that things just weren't working any more. Period.

Natural disasters? Like Katrina? Where the government and the people of the US pour millions into a reconstruction effort? Blizzards, where cities and states receive aid? And people pull together to help each other out? This is why we're going bankrupt? I think that perhaps it is more complex than that. Yes, natural disasters will always have an effect on business and on money in a state, but the free-market system, if it is allowed to run freely, will help reset things. Some businesses will increase as they provide goods and services to combat the troubles. Other businesses, such as the evil Wal-Mart, will step in to provide aid in many different forms. The great people of the USA will step in and donate time, money, physical labor, homes and prayers to those affected. All too often it is politicians who stand in the way of these moves. Let's not forget LA governor Blanco turning back the Red Cross...

Yes, our economic woes are a complex issue. But a very big part of it is certainly the unions. When a person no longer has to deliver results in order to stay employed - when they are collecting a large amount of money in pay and benefits when they are not performing, or have been fired - when the government is forced to pay for more for union labor than in the private sector, something is indeed wrong. Again, in the private sector, businesses (usually) will be allowed to fail if a union asks for more than the actual business can afford, but in the public sector, we just keep paying for bad business."

I haven't blogged in quite a while (since I got back from 8/28), but I thought it was time to share these thoughts. I am a teacher at a rapidly growing community college. Today in a faculty meeting, we discussed the possibility of hiring new faculty in the coming year, despite state budget cuts. One faculty member stood up and asked our interim dean to make sure that the new faculty coming in really understood our culture of Servant Leadership. Because that is how we do things at our school. We are there first and foremost for the student, and it shows. We work together to figure out the best way to serve our student body, rather than just hunkering down and doing the bare minimum to keeping our jobs. And no, we are NOT union, and yes, we DO have to contribute to our own retirement. Our pay is not great, but not horrible either. Many of us work overloads to make extra money (my husband and I are trying hard to pay off the bulk of our debt). In the end, we just want our students to succeed. I cannot consider myself a success if I am not working hard to ensure the success of my students.

In Loving Memory of Tipsy

September 9, 1996 - January 29, 2011

Like Abby, you were my dog all your life. As with your sister, it was time to let you go. I'll always remember my amazement when I saw you scale the 6-foot private fence so you could go play with the neighbor dog. I hated seeing you barely able to climb the stairs. I miss you already, but now you and your sister are together again.

At the Blanton

I went to the Blanton Museum of Art on the University of Texas campus this afternoon. It was the last day of the exhibit Turner to Monet: Masterpieces from the Walters Art Museum. When I was finished seeing the special exhibit, I wandered upstairs to see the other pieces of art on display. I walked into one room, turning the corner to see the first piece on the wall.


And there was Frodo Baggins....



Seems I'm not the only one who think so ;-)

Peter Paul Rubens' "Head of a Young Man" is part of the permanent collection at the Blanton.

Merry Christmas

For 90-year-old WA woman, helping soldiers is simply part of life

I love this story from the Bellingham Herald:

Margaret Hardy seems to have a quip for everything. After all, the 90-year-old just had to point out that her daughter-in-law had been waiting years to bury her.

Under crocheted hats, that is.

Hardy has donated thousands of hats over the years to soldiers abroad and to local charities.

She received an award for her work from the local Republican Women's group which was presented to her by Staff Sgt. Candido Villalobos of the Washington National Guard's 81st Brigade:

Villalobos, a former Marine, told Hardy that her donation to troops in places like Afghanistan and Iraq meant a lot, especially in cold winter months when they can wear them under their helmets.

"A lot of boys don't have anybody that sends them anything," he told her as she sat in a leather chair in the room where she spends much of her days crocheting, watching Fox News and sipping on a can of root beer.

Read the whole thing.

Update 2/9/2011: I happen to know the author of the article I linked above. This evening, he posted on facebook that he received an email from a member of Margaret's extended family. She passed away yesterday. Condolences to her family and friends, and congratulations to her on a life well-lived.

APO Address Giveaway to Brighten a Soldier's Holiday

Dad's Roadhouse up in Illinois is having a little giveaway contest. To show appreciation to our troops, they will send a gift package to a service member. All you have to do to sign up (or sign someone up) is to this post and put the rank, last name and a contact email. PLEASE DO NOT PUT IN THE FULL ADDRESS INFORMATION ON A PUBLIC FORUM LIKE THAT! The drawing will be 6pm Central on Sunday, December 19. As of right now, the odds are pretty good right now, but McQ has also posted it over at Blackfive, so we can expect that to change...

A big THANK YOU to Dad's Roadhouse for supporting the troops!

I Honor Back

Today is the last day of the Project Valour-IT fundraiser. Please contribute what you can. This is truly an amazing project that has done so much good for so many who have made incredible sacrifices for the rest of us.

Don't forget, though, that no matter the time of year, Soldiers' Angels can always use your help.

Happy 235th Birthday, Marine Corps!

In addition to this being the Marine Corps' birthday, it is also what would have been Marine Corporal Jason Dunham's 29th birthday. Corporal Dunham's actions - covering a grenade thrown by an insurgent with his body and his helmet - earned him the Medal of Honor, and a new Arleigh Burke Class, Aegis Guided Missile Destroyer, named in his honor, is being formally commissioned this Saturday, November 13th. When I was student teaching, one of my third graders drew a memorial for Corporal Dunham, which I was able to share with everyone here.

Happy Birthday, Marines! Gifts can be given here.

It's not over

While we may have reach our initial goal of $15,000, and even surpassed the $30,000 mark so far, to say nothing of what has been raised by the other teams so far, the competition is not over. Collectively, we have exceeded the original goal of $60,000 for the current campaign. However, this friendly competition continues through Veterans' Day. Every single dime raised here goes solely to fund the important work of Project Valour-IT. The more we raise, the more Marines - and soldiers, sailors, airmen and seaman - we can help. Please do what you can.

In Loving Memory of Abby

September 9, 1996 - November 7, 2010

You were my dog your entire life. I saw you be born. I always loved how your one ear never really stood up all the way. But it was time to let you go. I miss you already. I love you.

Valour-IT Auction begin to finish up tomorrow!

Act fast to win one of these great items in the Valour-IT auctions - these items close tomorrow (end time noted is Pacific time). Proceeds go to Valour-IT, bid now - don't miss out!

RESTREPO mini poster signed by the filmmakers 05:45:33

"Restrepo plunges viewers into the experiences of soldiers on the front lines of the Afghan War" - a feature-length documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, "Restrepo," named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. This is an entirely experiential film: the cameras never leave the valley; there are no interviews with generals or diplomats. The only goal is to make viewers feel as if they have just been through a 90-minute deployment. This is war, full stop. The conclusions are up to you.

"RESTREPO mini poster signed by filmmakers Tim Hetherington (recipient of four World Press Photo awards, including the World Press Photo to the Year (2008), and an Alfred I. duPont Broadcast award for his work in Afghanistan for ABC's 'Nightline') and Sebastian Junger (bestselling author of "The Perfect Storm" and "War.")

Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran Medallion 07:08:49

This coin from Eagle Crest commemorates the Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and features intricate, multi-colored designs on both sides and the words, "Democracy, Bravery, Honor, Sacrifice & Freedom"

U.S. Army Combat Infantryman Medallion 07:14:14

This coin from Eagle Crest commemorates the U.S. Army Combat Infantryman. Its green and gold face displays four Infantryman on foot. The blue and gold flip has 5 stars and a long rifle.

Personalizable US Coast Guard cross-stitch 07:42:34

Counted cross-stitch of the U.S. Coast Guard emblem suitable for personalization with name/rank and additional information (years of service, unit, etc.)(see example photo). Finished piece is designed for a 3.5" x 5" opening (mat or frame). Can be mounted with a custom-cut mat (NOT part of auction item) for dual openings in an 6x10 frame (see example photo). Auction winner will need to provide contact information in order to arrange personalization before item can be shipped.

Leadership in Action signed by author ADM Greg Slavonic 08:16:59

This auction is a copy of ADM Slavonic's upcoming book Leadership In Action. It will be released to the general public on Amazon.com in MID-NOVEMBER. This is an ADVANCED copy. ADM Slavonic will sign and ship. SPECIAL TO VALOUR-IT! Greg Slavonic has brought together several contributors for this book that would rightly be on a "Who's Who" list of our nation's most highly honored and decorated military leaders; two-, three- and four-star Generals, Admirals, Captains and Colonels, war heroes and two Medal of Honor recipients--they know what it takes to lead and to succeed. In the pages of this book, you will find something that is critical to success in life--a philosophy of leadership that you can take for your own. By reading each chapter, giving thought to what you've read and applying what you've learned in action; a discerning reader will gain a thorough understanding of what real leaders are made of--and in the learning can become one too.

Day by Day comic strip book. Signed and Numbered. 09:18:49

The first DayByDay Cartoon book collecting all of the www.daybydaycartoon.com strips from 2002-2003. This miniature coffee table book measures 7"x7", features a high gloss softcover, is 132 pages with 363 toons and is signed and numbered by creator Chris Muir.

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes (2010, Hardcover) 12:38:18

A visceral, gripping, epic novel of the Vietnam War written by a highly decorated war veteran, MATTERHORN throbs with compelling authenticity on each of its many hundred pages. Though its topics are embedded in our cultural consciousness--napalm, Agent Orange, tortured soldier's souls, the chaos of guerrilla warfare, the impossible ethics of violence, the beauty and horrors of the jungle, loyalty, insanity, friendship, and death--MATTERHORN renders the Vietnam experience anew, boring relentlessly down on the specific kinetic reality of the time and place. Karl Marlantes writes with an intense immediacy reminiscent of Mailer's THE NAKED AND THE DEAD or James Jones's THE THIN RED LINE. MATTERHORN deserves to take its place on the short list of great works about America's engagement in Vietnam and the powerful reality of armed combat.

'This We'll Defend' Army Medallion 13:08:45

This coin from the Northwest Territorial Mint commemorates the U.S. Army. It has an Army themed front side with the words, "This We'll Defend." The flip side has the Department of the Army seal.

Demotivator Contest

Cassandra over at Villainous Company is holding a Demotivator contest over at her place as part of the current Project Valour-IT fundraising effort. As of this moment, Team Marine has raised $18,500, less than $1000 ahead of early leader Team Army. We still have six days left. Help keep Team Marine in the lead!

“It was only natural I became a Marine, and thank God I did”

Veterans’ Reflections: Following in Her Father’s Footsteps

Marie Peckham is a small woman. While it wouldn’t be technically inaccurate to assume she wears military-themed pins and jewelry because her husband served in the military -- he did -- it would be an underestimation of Peckham’s strength.

Even though she stands only somewhere between four and five feet tall, she was a Marine Corps staff sergeant, following in her father and brothers’ footsteps.

“It was only natural I became a Marine, and thank God I did,” she said

Marie served during World War II, enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1943. She learned something while in the Corps:

“My service taught me camaraderie, it taught me to not be prejudiced, and it taught me to appreciate all of the blessings of this country,” she said.

That appreciation, she said, is something that isn’t as prevalent today because a gap between civilians and servicemembers needs to be remedied.

“I’m a bit prejudiced,” Peckham said of the nation’s current conflicts when asked if she has any advice for today’s servicemembers. “We want all of it to be over as soon as possible, but while it’s going on, do your part.”

Civilians don’t need to feel pressured to serve in uniform, she said, but they need to do everything they can to support those who do don the uniform. Members of the all-volunteer force are putting themselves at great risk, she added, and the least people can do at home is to create an environment of support and caring.

“Read more about veterans issues – read about their problems, what they need, and what they deserve,” she said. “And always, always support them – always.

You can support them by supporting programs like Project Valour-IT. Please donate what you can, or take a look at the items up for auction - remember all proceeds go to Soldiers' Angels' Project Valour-IT. Those who have served - and sacrificed - deserve our support.

Project Valour-IT auctions

One part of the Valour-IT fundraiser is the various items donated for auction, with all proceeds going to Project Valour-IT. This year, the guys at YouServed are hosting and managing the auction items on eBay.

I want to call special attention to three items. They are ones I donated to last year's fundraiser, with the winner donating them back to Soldiers' Angels. Yes, I know, there isn't a Marine piece - that one was customized for someone last year, along with the Army one, but the proceeds from these three items are to go to Team Marine. So, without further ado:

To bid on this U.S. Navy cross-stitch piece you can have personalized with name, rank and additional information, click here.

To bid on this U.S. Air Force cross-stitch piece you can have personalized with name, rank and additional information, click here.

To bid on this U.S. Coast Guard cross-stitch piece you can have personalized with name, rank and additional information, click here.

Here's what these can be turned into, with appropriate framing (after I finish customizing to the winner's specification):

That's my Grandpa, who was a naval aviator in the Pacific during World War II.

Take a moment...

...to think about why you had the freedom to go to the polls today and cast your vote. The men and women of our Armed Forces help to keep us free so we can make our own decisions about whether or not to perform our civic duty, and choose for whom we will cast our vote. Regardless of your political leanings, you should appreciate those who protect our ability to participate in our Republic. Some of those who stand between us and those who would take our freedoms away literally shed their blood doing their duty. The least we can do is help them in return in their time of need. Please donate whatever you can, even if it is only a dollar or two. Click the donate link on the sidebar to support Soldiers' Angels Project Valour-IT.

What your donation helps buy:

$800 for a laptop
$400 for an iPad
$200 for a Wii system used for physical rehabilitation
$200 for a personal GPS to give a measure of independence to those dealing with the effects of TBI & PTSD

To date, Soldiers' Angels Project Valour-IT had distributed nearly 6000 laptops. But, Soldiers' Angels cannot continue this invaluable program without your help. Every little bit helps.

For Us All

Help us help the ones who have shed their blood for us all. Please donate to Team Marine for Project Valour-IT.

2010 Project Valour-IT Fundraising Competition

It's that time of year again. Today began the annual Project Valour-IT fundraiser with a friendly little inter-service rivalry to make it fun. This year, the ladies heading up Team Marine beat Team Army (this time lead by Matt from Blackfive) again in inviting me to be on their team. So, even though Dad was in the Army and Grandpa was in the Navy, I'm working for the Marines again.

Over the past year, I got only a little taste of what it is like to lose your independence. I had an "episode" just before Christmas that resulted in being told I wasn't allowed to drive for six months, to see if whatever it was that happened to me while I was sitting at my desk at the office happened again. Wouldn't do to be behind the wheel and be unconscious... It sucked to have to have my parents drive me to work and pick me up and to have to arrange ahead of time for getting to and from any extracurriculars I wanted to do. But, I still had the use of my arms, legs and eyes.

There are those of our service members who have lost that, too often times permanently. Project Valour-IT seeks to return some of that independence back to troops. Originally, this project solely provided laptops with voice-activated software to Wounded Warriors.

Since then, it has been expanded to help meet the needs of other Wounded Warriors with other technology. One of the side effects of TBI and PTSD is short-term memory loss; handheld GPS units for those coping with TBI and PTSD gives them back a measure of independence. Wii Video Game Systems are used as part of physical therapy in hospitals, improving recovery times and likely giving the troops an outlet for their competitive drive they didn't lose when they were injured.

In order for Soldiers' Angels to continue providing this technology for our Wounded Heroes, we need YOUR help. I know times are tough - I think most everyone is feeling the pinch - but please consider donating to Project Valour-IT. The goal this time around is $60,000. The fundraising drive runs through Veterans' Day, November 11, 2011. Just click on the widget on the sidebar on the right. No amount is too small.

In addition to the "normal" donation option, this time, you have the option to donate unwanted & unused balances on gift card, to transfer stock, to make a wire transfer, or, you can check out the items up for auction, all proceeds going to Project Valour-IT (check the auction items regularly, new items will became available every day, through Thursday, November 4th, with each auction running 7 days).

Other Team Marine blog posts about Project Valour-IT:

Why I Support Valour IT

It's Time For The Project Valour-IT Blog Competition

I remember

9/11/01 was the last morning I just listened to the radio in the morning while getting ready to go to work. That morning, I was going into work late because I had to take my car in to get payment for repairs arranged after I had been re-ended in my new car. I always just had the radio on as part of my alarm clock, and it would turn off an hour after my alarm. The radio had turned off before I left for the insurance office.

When I arrived at the insurance office, the agent I was dealing with (the agent for the guy who rear-ended me) asked if I had been watching or listening to the news. I told him no, and he informed me that a jet had hit the World Trade Center. At first, I thought small jet, not commercial airliner. While he was looking at the damage on my car, the Pentagon had been hit. I immediately thought Bin Laden. I went home before going into the office. I called in to see if they knew yet - yes, they did. I had turned the TV on when I got home, and I watched as the first tower collapsed. I knew that about 50,000 people worked in the towers, and I anticipated a death toll far more horrifying than it was, although nearly 3000 dead is horrifying enough.

At the time, I was part of a small church group at my parish in Fayetteville, and we had our regular weekly meeting that night. Instead of what we originally had scheduled, we went into the church and prayed the Rosary.

Since that day, I am even more of a news-junkie than I was before. I kept the TV on all the time when I was home, even overnight, watching nothing but news for days on end. I kept hoping for survivors. To this day, I often sleep with the TV on FoxNews channel.

Sadly, the deaths resulting from that attack didn't all occur on that day, or as a result of physical injuries received that day. Another friend of mine has a boyfriend who had a brother who had recently moved to Virginia and worked at the Pentagon. Stephen was a helicopter pilot. He had been part off Dust-Off during the Vietnam War. I'm not sure what Dust-Off was - I'd have to do a bit of research. Anyway, Stephen was at the Pentagon that day. Apparently, he was often in the part of the building that was hit and he lost people he knew. I'm not sure, but I think he was involved in either rescuing or dealing with the people who were pulled from the building that first day. Stephen later commited suicide. My friend and I surmised that what Stephen saw that day brought back the traumatic memories of the Vietnam War, and did not seek help in dealing with what he was going through. Stephen in buried at Arlington National Cemetry. My friend accompanied her boyfriend to the funeral. Stephen's wife moved away from there - I think she had been home when Stephen killed himself there. I happened to have a business trip to DC in May 2003, after Stephen's funeral over the winter. I was able to find Stephen's grave and photograph the headstone, since it was not in place yet at the time of the funeral. I'm sure Stephen's wife was still visiting - there were small stones placed on the top of the headstone. I don't remember the significance of that gesture.

We will never know the true toll of people whose lives will end as a direct result of the attacks. I'm sure Stephen's was not the only suicide of a survivor or a family member of those killed, and there are also those who are now getting sick and dying from illnesses connected to working at Ground Zero....

This was originally posted in May 2006 on a blog that is no longer active on the internet.

Restoring Honor - 8/28 in DC

When I explained to my sister that I was going to the 8/28 “Restoring Honor” rally hosted by Glenn Beck in Washington DC, it was difficult to explain that I didn’t actually know what was going to happen. I had spent a great deal of money on plane tickets and a hotel (within walking distance of the Lincoln Memorial), and yet I could only guess at what would happen. This is the same leap of faith made by hundreds of thousands of Americans from all over the country.

Glenn Beck opens his daily radio show with the words “this is the third most listened to show in the country.” This sentence embodies the phenomenon of Glenn Beck. Recently voted the “Number One Most Hated Conservative” in the country, Glenn Beck is a controversial figure, even among conservatives. Yet his fans are un-swayed by his detractors and negative press.

A recovered alcoholic and drug addict, Beck completely changed his life in the past ten years. He readily admits that he was a “dirtbag” before he became sober. On his radio show he often discusses one of his biggest regrets is the loss of his word - of his integrity: “I lost trust once in my life. When I was drinking… I lost my word because nobody could trust me because I was living a lie. I was an alcoholic…The one thing I promised myself is if you give me a second chance, Lord, I won't do that again. I promise you, I will not lie. I won't cheat, I won't steal, I won't do it. He's given me a second chance. I'm not going to violate that.”

A devout Mormon, Beck is unabashedly unafraid to openly discuss God on his radio and television programs. Going against a research study conducted by his own company (which advised him against it for ratings purposes) he has spent a good portion of 2010 urging Americans to get “down on [their] knees and pray.” He has also dedicated a good portion of this year to re-educating Americans on the actions, principles and religious beliefs of the founders of our country. “Founder’s Fridays” on his television show have concentrated on many important figures surrounding the American Revolution, including two specials on African-American founders who have been all but erased from our history books. Online, he has begun “Beck University”, with lectures given by different academics that underscore his main theme: “Faith, hope and charity.” These three ideas were also the main focus of the Restoring Honor rally. Not politics, but something beyond politics – something deeper, that people from all walks of life and political persuasions could relate to.

The rally had been planned almost a year in advance and was originally intended to be a political event. However, immediately after announcing it, Beck felt that he was going in the wrong direction. Through the following months, his listeners began to get an idea of what they could expect, as he continually discussed the ideas of faith, hope and charity. There were still no details other than Beck’s request that political signs should be left home – that this would be a day to talk about honor, integrity, character and faith.

Naturally there was a lot of controversy about the rally, especially since 8/28 was the forty-seventh anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech in the same location. Originally, Glenn wanted to hold the rally on 9/12 (after the 9/12 Project, which he founded), but that is a Sunday this year, and he did not want to ask people to take part in this event on the Sabbath. The only other day that worked for all involved was 8/28. It wasn’t until after the event was announced, that the NY Times discussed the importance of that particular date. At first nervous, Glenn decided that there are no coincidences, and that this was indeed the right date for this gathering: “Whites don't own Abraham Lincoln. Blacks don't own Martin Luther King. Those are American icons, American ideas. And we should just talk about character and that's what this event is about. It's about honoring character.”

As the weeks and months led up to the rally, Glenn continually discussed the importance of character and of faith in our country. He maintained that our country’s ills cannot be solved by politics, but by a return to the values that our country was founded on. He reminded us that we are endowed with certain unalienable rights by our Creator; that our rights are God-given and not granted by any man or woman. His passion was and is undeniable, and his listeners responded by taking the Forty Days and Forty Nights Pledge: “I will pray on my knees every night for the next 40 nights...starting TONIGHT. Pray for guidance, inspiration, peace...pray for the leaders of our country. Pray for their safety, and that they will receive wisdom. I will re-establish my relationship with God.” He made it clear that listeners needed to follow their religious beliefs, whether they be Christian, Jewish, Muslim or another faith. He urged listeners to figure out what they actually believe and to pray, pray, pray.

One thing we did know going into this event was that we would be honoring our military, the last group in the US that Americans still trust in great numbers. We knew we would hear Sarah Palin, another controversial figure, speaking to us as a mother of soldier. We knew we would hear Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, speak about her uncle’s dream of equal rights for everyone, about God and our great country. And we knew we would hear Glenn talk about the importance of Faith, Hope and Charity.

One of many t-shirts on display.

Arriving at 5:30 in the wee hours of the morning, my husband and I arrived to an already massive crowd. Thanks to the kindness of a group of people, we were able to squeeze in fairly closely to the stage. We spent time visiting with the people around us, talking about politics and about God. One woman near us had attended the event “America’s Divine Destiny” the night before at the Kennedy Center, which brought religious leaders from many different faiths together to deliver an inspiring evening of prayer, music and worship. She was exhausted, but ecstatic to be a part of the rally.

As I looked around me at the masses of humanity, I saw that people had trusted Glenn. He told us to leave our signs home, and we did. He said “bring your families” and we did. My husband and I were surrounded by people of all ages, races and faiths. A common theme was patriotic and religious t-shirts, but not a sign in sight. As we waited for the rally to begin, I made the rounds of the mall. With a new friend, I pushed through the happy, polite crowd and saw the same thing wherever I looked – people smiling and excited to be standing together in such a sacred place.

At 10AM the patient crowd was finally rewarded, and the rally began. Although we did not know entirely what to expect, we were not disappointed. We stood together and honored our military. Glenn emotionally spoke of how his listeners had contributed over 5 million dollars to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. The bulk of the contributions were less than $100 each – most coming in at $10 increments. Charity indeed.

As the rally progressed, three outstanding veterans were commended for their great honor and integrity in action. Non-military outstanding citizens were also honored with awards for “Faith”, “Hope” and “Charity”. Following these awards, Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., stepped forward to thunderous applause to deliver a speech echoing her uncle’s. And finally, in the last hour, Glenn delivered his speech. While it is impossible to give due justice to Glenn’s words in a short column, but a short survey can share some of his basic thoughts.

He spoke of the power of the individual and of the need for each person to stand for what we believe in: “I testify to you here and now. One man can change the world. And I share with you an equal testimony. That man or woman is you. You make the difference. Do not stand and look to someone else. Look to yourself. Pick up your stick and stand (in reference to an earlier comment about Moses).” He went on to encourage people to look inward with honesty and work to better themselves: “We must be better than what we’ve allowed ourselves to become. We must get the poison of hatred out of us. No matter what anyone may say or do…we must look to God and look to love. We must defend those that we disagree with, but are honest and have integrity.” He reminded us of the words of the Gandhi, who told us to “become the change you want to see.”

Throughout his speech, he reminded the audience to hold true to the ideals of faith, hope and charity. For faith he advised people to figure out what they believe in and then believe! “Pray on your knees with the door open for your children to see. Not only pray with them, but let them see their father or their mother humbled by God in prayer. That which they gaze upon, they will become.”

On his show he has long held that you cannot hope without knowing the truth. He exhorted his audience to tell the truth – to be truthful in every aspect of your life. Get rid of the lies; the big ones and the small ones. “Tell the truth in your own life and then expect it from others.”
And finally; charity. The old adage says charity begins at home, and in the months leading up to the rally, Glenn had asked his listeners to give extra time and attention to their families. During and after the rally he also urged people to give ten percent to their churches, synagogues, temples and mosques. Give ten percent to worthy charities. Give ten percent and feel the great blessing of giving. He has often said that it is his honor and privilege to tithe ten percent, and he encouraged the crowd to do the same.

And so we stood for over an hour and listened and wept and cheered. And those who trusted Glenn Beck were not disappointed. And we were not surprised at anything we heard. Glenn did not say anything that we had not heard from him many times before. What was really important was the fact that we came and stood together to hear him and his guests speak these things. We affirmed our belief in a country that was founded on divine providence. We affirmed our belief and devotion in our loving heavenly Father. As two hundred and forty leaders of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths (representative of many more throughout the United States) came together to reform the “Black Robed Regiment”, we agreed that denomination doesn’t matter. We agreed that we must set aside our individual theological differences and stand together, using God as our shield.

As we finish up the first week following this amazing event, we are seeing its effects on our great nation in our media. Crowd numbers are being debated (one news commentator likened it to “typical foot traffic” for the area), with numbers from 87,000 being a lowball guess, and upwards of 500,000 probably being closer. Judge for yourself!!

This is an aerial photo showing the crowd that stretched 8/10ths of a mile from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument.

Crowd closeup taken from someone sitting at the Washington Monument – almost a mile away from the stage.

The message is also being exhaustively discussed. People on the left just aren't sure what to make of it, and since everyone left their signs at home, they can't latch onto one nut-job with a hateful sign. In fact, the only signs I saw were after the rally, with a few dissenters who apparently showed up late. The crowd looked at them and just walked by!

Labor leaders, liberal religious leaders and the NAACP will be holding a “counter-rally” on 10/2/10. Advertisements for the event assure people that they are “fueled by hope and note hate.” For the hundreds of thousands of attended, and for those who watched it live on C-SPAN and Facebook, it doesn’t really matter. We know what we heard and experienced. It was Faith, Hope and Charity. We stood there and looked around us at the vast crowd and we knew, without a doubt, that these people all agreed with the inscription on the very top of the Washington Monument. Laos Deo. Praise be to God.

It was an honor to be there. South Park Diva.

Showing my patriotism as only a diva can...

Glenn Beck Honors the military on 8/28 - and does NOT dishonor the Purple Heart

As we move ever closer to the Restoring Honor Rally on 8/28, which is being hosted by Glenn Beck, a lot of liberal groups are moving to discredit him in any way possible. The New Black Panther Party has threatened to be there, possibly in the hopes that people will be too scared to attend. Other more insidious attacks include the continuing “Glenn Beck hates Jesus” arguments (see this article for a great rebuttal) and of course, the “Glenn Beck is dishonoring recipients of the Purple Heart" attack.

Of course, anyone who listens to Glenn on a semi-regular basis knows that Glenn has nothing but respect for our troops. In fact, the Restoring Honor rally is commited to honoring our troops! But Glenn's detractors never seem to care about honor or honesty, as they work to smear Glenn and keep people away from the Lincoln Memorial on 8/28.

Any fan of Glenn knows that he is not dishonoring Purple Heart recipients, but rather reaching back into history in order to honor the non-military, non-wounded person. He is going back to the "Badge of Military Merit" established by George Washington (check out the history of the Purple Heart), which honored soldiers who displayed great honor and merit, regardless of whether or not they were wounded. After Washington created it, it fell out of use until it was revived as the Purple Heart and given only to those wounded in battle. He's not trying to replace the Purple Heart, but rather add another award (that is actually truer to Washington's original vision) to honor the non-military folk who act with great honor.

Recently at the American Revival, I had a chance to email in a question to Glenn after he began discussing the Badge of Merit. What follows is first a transcript of the discussion of the Badge of Merit by David Barton, who is the author of numerous books on the founding fathers and an expert on George Washington. Glenn was then read my question and answered it pretty fully. I’ve edited out the pauses and some of the repetitions, when it appeared he was gathering his thoughts and not repeating for emphasis.

David Barton – {answering a question on the Badge of Merit, which Glenn is wearing as an insignia on his shirt, presumably so that people can see it}.

“This is actually what George Washington gave. This is the Badge of Merit. There are three of them still known to exist today. Washington was different from so many others in that he didn’t {only?} want the generals to get recognition; he wanted the common people who did remarkable things to get recognition. And he would look out among the troops, and he saw things that were courage – and by the way, if you read his diaries from Valley Forge it’ll make you cry to see what he saw among his troops.

As he saw that, he wanted to honor those guys nobody had honored in that era by the British troops. If you’re a commoner, you’re a peon. You’re down low. Washington wanted to exalt the common man and exalt particularly virtues of honor and courage and faith and integrity, and when he saw it, the Commander in Chief gave you that badge right there. It was on a little bracelet you got to wear on your arm. There’s three of them still known to exist today.

They’ve taken that {he gestures to the badge} and turned it into the Purple Heart, because it was a purple heart. Now {i.e. today} it means you’ve been wounded in battle. But Washington’s original Badge of Merit was the purple heart to honor and recognize great traits he saw among common average ordinary soldiers.”

Glenn: “We are assembling people on 8/28 in Washington DC that have earned this – that have truly earned this. And we are bring this back for the common people. On 8/28 three people are going to receive it. “

My question (which was emailed in earlier in the event, and coincided very nicely with this discussion): A lot of people are moving against 8-28 by saying that you are dishonoring the recipients of The Purple Heart. I know that you are simply trying to restore the original intent of the Badge of Military Merit, but where do you see the place of the Purple Heart going forward?

Glenn’s answer:

“Where the purple heart already is. I’m saying that we need to honor merit inside, not just for the troops. We know if you look at all the things that are happening, if you look at the things that we trust, and the things that we hold up in high esteem now, the troops are number one. In fact they’re the only things that we look at now and say ‘Those are honorable people.’

You’re gonna meet…I’m gonna showcase some people – Marcus Lutrell will be there – and I’m gonna showcase some other people. I met a guy this week – we had him on the radio – his hands were blown off. His hands had been blown off. This guy…he still wants to serve. They’re remarkable, remarkable people. Well we can’t only have the people in our military being the only honorable remarkable people. You need to do that. I need to do that. We all need to do that, and all I’m saying with this {he gestures to the Badge of Merit insignia on his shirt} for all the rest of us ‘You know what? Are you willing to lose your hands? Are you willing to lose your house for it? Are you willing to lose sleep? Are you willing to have people just bash you in the head, over and over and over again?’

You know it is an insult, to say at this point in our history that we can compare ourselves to those who stood with Martin Luther King. We haven’t had a dog sicced on us. We haven’t had fire-hoses opened on us. We haven’t had a baton to the head yet. We may. But if that happens the only way we will stand is if we understand honor and merit.”

This morning I happened to listen to that radio interview with the Marine who lost his hands (podcast - I'm days behind on my Glenn listening!):

GLENN: "There was never a time, never a time that you thought, 'I don't have hands. What am I going to do?' I mean, was there a time where you were quite honestly pissed off or, why me?"

SGT. WRIGHT: "No, I don't think so. I don't think I let myself get complacent or — you know, we don't really have an attitude, we don't foster the attitude of 'I can't' or 'I quit.' And when you have an obstacle in front of you, you just keep putting one foot in front of the other and focus on what you can."

GLENN: "America, let me tell you something. This is exactly, exactly why we're doing 8/28. Here's a guy with incredible honor. Here's a guy who has sacrificed more than I will ever sacrifice. Here is a guy who has an American attitude of, "What? We just do it." This is why our country is struggling right now. Because there's not enough of us that are just like, 'Do the damn job,' and it's an honor to do the job. I am deeply humbled by not only you but all of the brothers that you serve with. It is remarkable what you guys accomplish, and we can never thank you enough, although I do believe you have far too many medals. It's a showoff kind of thing."

And yes, Glenn was joking about the medals – read the whole thing!

Now, my own father, who is a Vietnam vet, doesn't necessarily see the need to do the Badge of Merit in the military, since there are other ways of recognizing honor in our troops who are not wounded. But it seems pretty clear that Glenn is trying to find a way to honor those who are not necessarily soldiers.

I'm going to 8/28 in DC with my husband, so I'll just have to see!