MP writes: “I am shocked to have learned that most of the stretch exercises that I have done [over the years for the warm-up and cool down portion of my workout] are actually yoga! The problem is that these exercises are not listed as yoga. . . .”
Monthly Archives: June 2010
US Coast Guard Halts Clean Up Crew in Gulf
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
In yet another example of government ineptitude in the Gulf crisis, the U.S. Coast Guard halted the activities of 16 of ships that were vacuuming thousands of gallons of crude oil out of Gulf because they were unable to confirm if the boats had enough life vests and fire extinquishers.
Will Proposition 8 be Overturned?
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
After closing arguments in a landmark lawsuit challenging Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that led to a constitutional amendment banning same-sex “marriage” in California, pro-family leaders expect the judge to rule against traditional marriage in the case.
Highly Partisan DISCLOSE Act Close to Vote
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
A highly partisan bill intended to counter a Supreme Court decision allowing corporate donations to political campaigns could be voted on as early as today. If passed, the bill would impose onerous reporting requirements on grass roots groups, including their Internet communication, just in time for the fall election, while giving unions a free pass.
Supreme Court Pick Displays Alarming Affinity toward America’s Enemies
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
With confirmation hearings scheduled to begin in 10 days, new revelations about Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan show that she has a long history of supporting radical Islam, from protecting the Saudis from a major 9-11 lawsuit to accepting large donations from the Middle East while fighting to have the U.S. military banned from Harvard.
Letter from an Anonymous Friend
We received the following letter from a friend in response to this week’s program called the “Socialist Worldview and You” with Samuel Gregg. She gave us persmission to post it anonymously. The letter is very eye opening because it comes from the perspective of someone who fled a communist country to live in a “free” country. She see’s “the shadows” of communism growing in our country and hopes that if she shares her story, perhaps it will inspire us to do what we can to strengthen our faith in God and to pray even more fervantly against it.
“I recently read your note about communism and I thought I should share this with you…
I’ll try to make it brief, which is almost impossible, but I think I have to share a little bit of what I lived, so we can all pray harder that this doesn’t come to America, land that I love so much (Having being born and lived in a communist country myself when I was a child). May Our Good Lord spare us from the horror of communism, although I already recognize its shadows in here. (I wouldn’t want myself or my family to go through it a 2nd time)…
The most important thing that I advice is that we need to learn to be strong in our faith. My father was denied superior education because he said he believed in God; some of his friends were not that strong.
When I was a little girl in grammar school, I and some others were ridiculed in front of the class for going to Church on Sundays, and even questioned like thieves or criminals and threatened by the school principal. My brother and I never participated in Communist school activities (which they had on Sundays, on purpose, and were mandatory), my parents didn’t take us, they didn’t fear communists at all and always made clear to my teachers that we were NOT to attend because we would go to Church on Sundays. It takes a lot of courage to do that.
Now, they are trying to get a bit more open towards religious expression in Churches only because people are beginning to rebel after more than 50 years of repression and government has a tactic: let the steam of the valve come out a little to avoid explosion. (to avoid massive rebellion).
I just hope that if those times come to me again, I can be as strong as my parents taught me, to put Christ first, no matter what the consequences.
My mother witnessed, at the beginning of the revolution, how they shot to death someone for shouting: “Long live Christ the King”. We don’t know yet, what it means to live in religious persecution, you either are with them or against them with consequences that can cause you prison and death.
Those people who rely solely on Catholic schools to impart religious education on their children and do nothing at home, will not survive in their faith in a communist society; their children will simply be swept away by the culture because there are no religious or Catholic or any denomination schools in communism. All is Public education and homeschool is not allowed, only under certain conditions of illnesses.
About food, intake per month, per family is controlled by the government; you can only purchase what you are allowed in a given month through a control card.
Now, they are letting the common people buy some things at stores that are only designated for tourism, but they can only buy them if relatives send them money from foreign countries, the average Cuban salary of a professional (EX: doctor) is not even enough to eat. That’s how the people in that Communist Island has survived for so long and are not dead of famine on the streets.
I don’t think that they’ll try to make it that obvious in here or any other part of the world. They’ll try to make people want it. This is what they call socialism of the 20th century. They’re trying to blend everybody together to the point of making it almost punishable to practice your own faith, just to avoid hurting others. They’re trying to make it “common sense” to be atheist. It’s the same concept, but with different ways of approaching it, but the bottom line is the same: Communist philosophy is Atheism; they teach children in school that God doesn’t exist. They taught it to me, but thanks to God for the parents He gave me…
The “green” movement is nothing else but the same control by the government, same thing with a different road to approach it. You cannot buy this or that because it “hurts” the environment; instead of having the government control you and get rebellion as a result, they’ll make you beg them to control you (making people want it), see it? Same thing, but with different approach.
What I told you about my experiences is just very little, not even a 10% of all the evil that communism brings. So, I just shared this, to please ask you to request your friends, relatives, everyone you know to bend our knees even harder and pray for this, our beloved America and for us, so the Lord makes us strong to unite together against it. I’m sure you figured out that the country I’m talking about is: Cuba.
Johnnette, I share this with you through private email, because even though I have lived in this free country for more than half my life, and I am proud to be an American Citizen and this is now my land, that I defend and pray for, but I still have engraved in my soul and in my mind the memory of repression and the fear of expressing these type of things. I know there are many communists in this country that will have no problem acting with retaliation. I also have many relatives in Cuba and others that live here and go often to visit them, and I wouldn’t want them to be punished.
You can share it if you want in any way you desire, but please, don’t mention my name. Thanks and God bless you.”
We know that Our Lady has given us her weapon of chioce, the Holy Rosary. Let’s use it!
Box of Human Heads Found on Southwest Airliner
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Investigators are trying to determine if a box of human heads found on a Southwest Airline flight last week could be part of a black market for human body parts.
GAO: $1 Billion in Taxpayer Funds Have Gone to Abortion Industry since 2002
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Outrage is growing over a new report released by the non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) that reveals more than $1 billion dollars of taxpayer money going to organizations that promote or provide abortions since 2002.
USCCB Holds Dissident Groups Responsible for Passage of Obamacare
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
The President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) criticized the actions of Sr. Carol Keehan of the Catholic Health Association (CHA) and other “so-called Catholic groups” for causing “confusion” and a “wound to Catholic unity” by publicly supporting ObamaCare in spite of the bishop’s open opposition to the bill.
Gulf Residents Say Bush Handled Katrina Better Than Obama is Handling Oil Spill
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
A new poll has found that residents of Louisiana believe President George W. Bush did a better job handling Katrina than President Barack Obama has done with the oil spill.