Green Cool-Aid

Soft-drink companies spend millions in R&D and market research to find the perfect color, taste and image for their beverages. When I was a child, you could choose Coke or Pepsi and maybe "Tab" diet soda if you wanted cola. There was "Tang" (the astronauts drink it!) for the orange-color set and, for every class party and scouting troop, the ubiquitous "Kool-Aid." (OK, remember "Fizzie" tablets?). 

Today, we are overwhelmed with choices in every drink category. Even Coke has multiple formulas for every palate and nutritional fad.

In 1979, however, a tragic identification with propaganda and a soft-drink entered our vocabulary. The horrific mass suicide of the Jonestown followers of Jim Jones involved drinking poisoned Kool-Aid. Every since that moment, pundits have used the soft-drink as a euphemism for blind followers swayed by empty promises and deceived by a dynamic leader. "Drinking the kool-aid" has become a metaphor for blindly following the manipulations of of deceitful leaders.

We are watching a large part of the American electorate drink political poison as Senator Obama wows the crowds on the campaign trail. While Obama has recently distanced himself from some of the unsavory comments of his friends and mentors (former Weathermen Underground terrorists and Afrocentric racist religious leaders), he remains the darling of the Left and the hope of America's enemies abroad.

Let's assume that Obama is sincere in his profession of Christianity, his denunciation of Rev. Wright's anti-patriotic and racist rhetoric and that his patriotism that is so deep he does not need to wear a flag on his lapel. Let's also assume that his wife's incendiary comments about America were overly-enthusiastic campaigning. The "green kool-aid" is still being dispensed. Consider the following facts about Obama:

Fact: He has never been poor and has lived a life of relative privilege. Any racism has been minimal and his rise to prominence rivals any white candidate. Yes, he experienced a broken home - just like nearly half of American children. 

Fact: he has almost no real world experience in business or even in law. "Community Activism" is hardly reality when it comes to understanding the needs of most Americans.

Fact: He cannot bring himself to give unequivocal support for Israel or place an necessary preconditions on negotiations with nations and organizations dedicated to the destruction of Israel, and, in the long run, the USA as well.

Fact: He knows nothing about economics, limited government or the real dynamics of delivering goods and services. 

Fact: He is no better or worse that other politicians who have unsavory friends and supporters. What makes Obama distinct is his refusal to engage in any real discussion of his associations or issues that he cannot control.

Fact: Obama has no immigration or NAFTA policies. He is proclaiming the current situation broken while winking at leaders on our northern and southern borders.

Fact: Obama is a brilliant orator in the tradition of JFK and RFK. Contrary to recent comments by Geraldine Ferraro, I think Obama would be successful regardless of his color - the populace is eager for something fresh.

If Obama actually believes all of his rhetoric, he is naively being manipulated by a variety of global forces: EU leaders, global capitalists, leftists who want to see the America humbled and even dismembered and Arabs who believe he is still secretly a Muslim. Obama's comments one year ago that his middle name helps him understand Muslims cannot be squared with the current campaign kool-aid that any mention of Hussein is inflammatory. 

Senator, change your name and change your tune and we might believe you.

"Please Destroy Our Freedom"

The Archbishop of Canterbury advocates grafting facets of Islamic Shari'a Law onto the vine of English Law.

Former President Clinton counsels that the USA needs to "slow down our economy to save the planet."

Arab leaders and the Mad Mullahs of Iran are breathing murderous threats against Israel, in spite of Israel's continual concessions of land for peace.

Democratic Presidential candidates proclaim that they can solve all the intractable domestic  and international issues through revivalistic sloganeering and appeals to "change."

A well-respected professor is denied tenure for suggesting that the Universe may be intelligently designed instead of randomly arranged. 

Conservatives are urged to "forget" the Reagan era, change their heart-felt convictions and gleefully back an "inevitable" nominee.

The latest federal budget over more than $3 trillion dollars still manages to have a 12% deficit. Anyone advocating spending restraint is "starving the children."

"Family" is being redefined, one state at a time - even though no civilization in history has ever defined marriage and family in other than traditional terms.

Democrats and Republicans look the other way on immigration, NAFTA superhighways and economic competition from Europe and Asia.

Personal character - especially marital and sexual fidelity - is labelled "irrelevant" if a leader has "competence" and "vision."

Freedom is now defined as almost unrestrained personal behavior - any objections are seen as "judgmental."

What has happened?

When did morality, truth, virtue and practical work stop being important?

Why is the federal government the answer to local problems?

When did infidelity and immorality become "just private behavior"?

When did we forget that government money is our money?

What we are watching is national self-destruction, one foolish accommodation at a time. 

The erosion of truth and virtue is no longer gradual and imperceptible. It is now a torrent of fatalistic nihilism that will open the door to global totalitarianism unless thoughtful and virtue-loving people intervene.

How do we start? Three steps begin the long journey home to personal and national sanity and stability:

First, each of us must take personal responsibility for our lives and hear the call of conscience to add good to the world every day.

Second, we must affirm that their is real good and real evil in the world. A man recently confronted my condemnation of terrorism with the notion, "Well, we have to understand why some people are terrorists." It sounds so good until we realize that the terrorist leaders threatening our nation and Israel are not just members of the impoverished "Arab Street" but well-educated, well-financed radicals with a thirst for blood and a callous willingness to send the naive to their deaths. This is evil, pure and simple.

Third, we must reaffirm the principles of our Founders - limited government and maximum personal virtue; common moral norms and freedom of religion and the importance of local and state governments to be prudent and wise.

Our reckless moral and political behavior is saying to the extremists - religious zealots and secular elites alike - "Please destroy our freedom - all we ask is that your do it in HD and that we each can play video games while a civilization collapses."

It is time to fight - not with IED's, but integrity. We fight with reason and urgency, not fear and threats. 

A better future is ours to create - one wise decision at a time.