The indefatigable Steven Ertelt reports another outrage from the infanticide fanatics at Planned Parenthood. Apparently Planned Parenthood is advocating that families use the Thanksgiving holiday (and the upcoming Christmas break) as a day to push their ideas on abortion onto friends and family.

What could be more heartwarming? Friends and family, good food, and a little convivial conversation about killing babies? I mean, what is more fun to talk about around the Thanksgiving table than killing babies? Besides, remember how the Pilgrims were so concerned with killing babies? Yeah, so the discussion is a natural Thanksgiving Day topic, ya know?

As Ertelt says, the page on Planned Parenthood’s website is, “sure to upset millions of pro-life advocates who are busy spending the day thanking God for the gifts and blessings they’ve been given, especially the gift of human life…”

PP wants to help you for the holidays, you see? They offered a nice list of “eight easy steps” for pushing infanticide on family and friends for the holiday.

For instance, one of the helpful hints PP offered to drum up a great holiday discussion is to urge people to kill babies with disabilities.

How uplifting!

Tiny Tim beware, Planned Parenthood is gunning for ya!

PP’s webpage is also odd in another way. Whereas most people’s first assumption for a family-oriented holiday is that it should be a joyous time (especially if you are writing about it for public consumption), Planned Parenthood apparently sees Thanksgiving as a terrible, “stressful” time.

The PP site starts oddly with this: “Going home or getting together with relatives for the holidays is always a stressful time…”

Really? It’s not a wonderful time for family and friends? It’s just a “stressful time”?

I guess it should be no surprise that people that love infanticide are down on family even during the holidays, eh? What hateful, ignorant people are these? On Thanksgiving, only Planned Parenthood could be thankful for death.

(Grist) As if turkey pot pie and turkey a la king aren’t enticing enough on their own, here’s another reason to eat leftovers this holiday season: About 1 million tons of CO2, 95 billion gallons of water, and $275 million will be thrown away this Thanksgiving in the form of leftover turkey.

Remember the days when people would say “there are people starving in Africa”? Now we have to be told to eat our leftovers because of Globull Warming. And the only thing within that matters to the Warmists is the CO2. None of them should have cooked the Thanksgiving meal if they really practiced what they preached. But, we all know it is about YOU being forced to change your life.

Friends, I challenge you to feast thoughtfully this year and not to succumb to this wasteful holiday trend.

You first. Get all your Warmist buddies to walk the talk. Then, people might listen.

And now that we are past Thanksgiving and into the Christmas season (at least in my mind. I ignore all Christmas displays that are up prior to Thanksgiving, and refuse to put up my Christmas tree till December), we can expect all sorts of unhinged Warmists stories about Christmas. Happens every year.

By the way, if you think I was being a bit over the top with the headline, the Grist story headline is “Eat leftovers, save the world.”

(The Spec) The yurts are barely dismantled and the tents only just rolled up, but there is already a new movement on the horizon — Occupy Christmas.

Canadian magazine Adbusters — which prompted the Occupy Wall Street camp and subsequent set-ups around North America, including Toronto’s St. James Park — has put out a call for another round of capitalism-disturbing.

This time, the target is the gift-giving season.

“Christmas has been hijacked for us,” said Kalle Lasn, editor-in-chief at Adbusters, a non-profit, Vancouver-based alternative magazine. “It’s become this ugly, soulless, consumer-fest.”

On one hand, Lasn has a point. One he has been pushing for 20 years, with his “buy nothing” campaign, but, a point none-the-less. Consumerism has become too big for the Christmas season. But, that is the intent of the way in which these lefties are pushing their movement, to get people to say “hey, they do have a point.” Meanwhile, their solutions tend to be more government regulation and involvement.

Interestingly, it is those on the left who have attempted to take the point of the season out of it, namely, the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. But, rather than saying “hey, we’re not going to participate (because we will be really mad if we don’t get the gifts we want)”, the Leftists want to ruin it for everyone else

The ideas for Occupy Christmas, which Lasn likens to “shenanigans,” include:

•a Santa sit-in, whereby protesters sit outside a store and encourage people to cut up their credit cards;

•a Jesus walk, where people put on a mask in the Holy Son’s likeness and walk through malls, to create an eerie sentiment;

•a “whirly mart,” in which would-be shoppers fill their carts with products but abandon them at the cash register.

“This movement is somewhat about angering people,” Lasn said.

Excellent! What a perfect way to get people on your side! Anger and annoy them.

It all starts with their Buy Nothing Day, which is today, Black Friday. I guess I’m an Occupier, because I’m not planning on getting near any retail store today. I never do. Of course, that’s my choice. I do not want to get up. Nor do I want to deal with the crowds. Anyhow

Adbusters created an #OCCUPYXMAS hashtag to mark the movement for those to follow and share online. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 1,600 people had tweeted the page and some 20,000 had liked it on Facebook.

Is anyone else thinking that this is not going to end well? We’ve seen the insanity that has gone on with the OWS movement. What’ll happen when these nuts start coming in to retail stores and malls?

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach.

11/09/11 8:51PM
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Yes, you can thank the Obama administration for this one

(Heritage) President Obama’s Agriculture Department today announced that it will impose a new 15-cent charge on all fresh Christmas trees—the Christmas Tree Tax—to support a new Federal program to improve the image and marketing of Christmas trees.

OK, it’s not much, and it only applies to those who sell more than 500 Christmas trees…..are we still allowed to say that? Isn’t it now “Holiday Tree”?……., but, why would they do this?

In the Federal Register of November 8, 2011, Acting Administrator of Agricultural Marketing David R. Shipman announced that the Secretary of Agriculture will appoint a Christmas Tree Promotion Board. The purpose of the Board is to run a “program of promotion, research, evaluation, and information designed to strengthen the Christmas tree industry’s position in the marketplace; maintain and expend existing markets for Christmas trees; and to carry out programs, plans, and projects designed to provide maximum benefits to the Christmas tree industry” (7 CFR 1214.46(n)). And the program of “information” is to include efforts to “enhance the image of Christmas trees and the Christmas tree industry in the United States” (7 CFR 1214.10).

Here is government at its best: putting a tax, albeit a tiny one, on something that everyone, including the aliens who plan on destroying humanity over globull warming, knows about. There is absolutely no need for Big Government to help with marketing, research, evaluation, and information that strengthens the Christmas tree industry. Said program will probably cost more than any taxes taken in, just in administration.

If you needed yet another example of why government employees should never be allowed to join unions, this is it. In Racine, Wisconsin the local fireman’s union got into an imbroglio over a July 4th parade float honoring the fallen first responders of the Sept. 11 attacks, a parade entry that the union supported previously. This time, though, union bosses decided not to support the 9/11 memorial float because one of the firemen on the float opted out of the fireman’s union this year.

That’s right, the fireman’s union decided that their union agenda was more important than supporting a memorial to their brethren that died on Sept. 11, 2001. Their union agenda was even more important than patriotism and an Independence Day parade.

Imagine that. These union thugs despoiled the memory of the Sept. 11 fallen and used them in order to make points for their union ideals and political policies.

What could be more disgusting?

The man in the middle is Matt Gorniak, a Milwaukee-area fire lieutenant, who was the driving force behind the 2011 float idea. Naturally, he assumed that his fireman brothers would love to join him to honor those police and firemen that died at the hands of our enemies on Sept. 11. Boy was he wrong. The union took a stand against his float because Gorniak happened to have left the union this year.

Gorniak took advantage of a little used clause in Wisconsin state law that allowed him to opt out of the fireman’s union because he sided against the union’s political agenda. He wasn’t the only one, either. Several firemen joined him in his protest.

But because of Gorniak’s action the union bosses decided to prevent other firemen from joining him on his parade float honoring the 911 fallen.

Gorniak even told the union that he’d step back and allow the union to decide whom to allow on the float but the union turned its back on him anyway. “I was shocked at the response,” Gorniak told reporters.

Gorniak has vowed to carry on with the parade float and has offered an open invitation to any fireman that wants to join him.

Another firefighter that opted out of the union told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he felt a backlash would occur once word got out about what the union was doing.

Mike Gabby told the paper, “I’ve got to think most of the guys would agree with me: This has nothing to do with politics.”

Ah, but when it comes to union thugs there is no memorial, no patriotism, no coming together unless the union agenda is satisfied first, foremost, and above everything else.

Like I said, when a union finds its own petty hatreds getting in the way of patriotism, civic duty, and a memorial to the fallen, then that union has lost its legitimacy. But this is just the thing. It is always thus, if you will. Unions don’t care about God, Country, and Community. They care only about unions. And this why it is detrimental to the public safety to allow people whose job it is to save lives to join unions.

You see, as far as union bosses are concerned, union rules, union needs, union desires, toeing the union line all come before public safety and what is best for the people.

Simply put, government employees should never, ever be allowed to have a union. Government unions are antithetical to good government and actually dangerous to public safety. This little tale is just one more example of that.

The story of America’s struggle for independence tells tale of heroic men and women united in their noble quest for freedom — but one of the most enduring figures at the center of that revolution was not a person at all. Years before the Founding Fathers gathered in stately halls and meetinghouses to shape what would become the Declaration of Independence, the seeds of liberty had been planted and nurtured in a far more humble setting — beneath the branches of an elm tree. (snip)

By the mid-18th century, many prominent colonists in Boston had grown weary of living under British rule, made worse by the passage of a Stamp Act which effectively taxed and censored written correspondences. In 1765, a secretive group of American patriots known as the Sons of Liberty organized a very public demonstration to protest the law, and they chose that elm tree as their meeting spot — earning it the name “Liberty Tree”.

I would most definitely recommend reading the whole thing. A very good take on the history of the American Revolution (of course, if Sarah Palin or Michele Bachmann discussed it in this way, they would be excoriated)

But (you knew one was coming, right?), then we get

In light of history and the ideals laid out in the Declaration of Independence, trees in particular just may be a more fitting monument to tennets of democracy than the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, or any such site — for they are as stoic and timeless as our inalienable rights. It’s a wonder then that shooting fireworks, not planting trees, became Independence Day tradition. After all, bombs bursting in air may have won us our liberty once, but freedom can still be found in the shade of an elm.

Of course, fireworks are bad for Gaia and the climate change hoax, making the world hot dry wet cold snowy killing everything.

Still, it is an interesting thought, and there is nothing wrong with planting a tree. Which is why we have more trees in the USA today than we did in 1765.

Happy 4th Of July, Everyone!

As fossil fuel pollution heats the planet, one of the casualties is the traditional celebration of the founding of the United States. The record droughts, floods, and storms fueled by global warming are causing widespread bans on fireworks and the cancellation of numerous municipal firework displays, even a celebration for our soldiers in Oklahoma:

There will be no fireworks this year exploding over Fort Sill in Lawton. The U.S. Army base’s Independence Day celebration and concert will go on as planned Saturday, but its fireworks have been canceled. A fire that started on a base firing range last week burned across 5,500 acres before it was contained. Thirteen homes were destroyed and 1,500 people had to be evacuated.

Firework shows from Texas to Massachusetts have been canceled because of the deadly climate conditions:

They follow that with a short list of places where weather, er, sorry, extreme weather caused by a guy dressed as George Washington driving to a TEA Party rally in a non-hybrid vehicle.

Elsewhere:

• Green July 4th: How To Make Your Holiday More Eco-Friendly
• Wacky West weather means snow on the 4th of July
• OP ED: How Rhode Islanders can Declare Independence from High Gas Prices

O.: I want to yammer on about corporate jets

Staff: OK, that’s good, because Americans are really concerned about them. You should probably mention Independence Day

O.: You mean that right wingnut holiday? Is that this weekend? What’s it about?

S.: It’s Monday, Mr. President. Same day as your daughter’s birthday. And means a lot to the flag lovers

O.: Really? Oh, well, stick it on the ‘prompter

And we get

Right now, there are a lot of folks who are still struggling with the effects of the recession. They’re wondering how they’d deal with an unexpected expense if their car breaks down. They’re worried about layoffs. They’re not sure if they can help their kids pay for college. And for many families, these challenges were around long before the recession hit in 2007.

Like, always, but, obviously, this is an attempt to offset the Right side point about Democrats taking over Congress in 2007, and blaming Bush and the GOP.

I ran for President because I believed in an America where ordinary folks could get ahead; where if you worked hard, you could have a better life. That’s been my focus since I came into office, and that has to be our focus now. It’s one of the reasons why we’re working to reduce our nation’s deficit. Government has to start living within its means, just like families do. We have to cut the spending we can’t afford so we can put the economy on sounder footing, and give our businesses the confidence they need to grow and create jobs.

All About O. Yet, perhaps he has learned something, and that is government has to “start living within its means.”

The good news is, Democrats and Republicans agree on the need to solve the problem. And over the last few weeks, the Vice President and I have gotten both parties to identify more than $1 trillion in spending cuts. That’s trillion with a ‘t.’ But after a decade in which Washington ran up the country’s credit card, we’ve got to find more savings to get out of the red. That means looking at every program and tax break in the budget – every single one – to find places to cut waste and save money. It means we’ll have to make tough decisions and scale back worthy programs. And nothing can be off limits, including spending in the tax code, particularly the loopholes that benefit very few individuals and corporations.

Face palm. “Spending in the tax code.” That means tax hikes. But, I sort of agree: let’s look at every tax break. How about looking at some of those tax free funds that benefit millionaires? We should look at those, too.

Now, it would be nice if we could keep every tax break, but we can’t afford them. Because if we choose to keep those tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, or for hedge fund managers and corporate jet owners, or for oil and gas companies pulling in huge profits without our help – then we’ll have to make even deeper cuts somewhere else. We’ve got to say to a student, ‘You don’t get a college scholarship.’ We have to say to a medical researcher, ‘You can’t do that cancer research.’ We might have to tell seniors, ‘You have to pay more for Medicare.’

Yes, he is going to yammer about this for quite some time, apparently. Much like his slurpee and driving into a ditch points, he seems to love the corporate jet thing. Good thing Obama doesn’t receive all sorts of tax free perks, like a private chef, a country vacations estate, use of jumbo jets, a rent free McMansion, and a $50,000 entertainment budget. Taxpayer funded and tax free, trips around the world. People in the private sector have to pay tax on the value of private jet trips. I’m not saying Obama should pay a tax on them, he won the job of POTUS, even if he doesn’t act like one, but, it is rather hypocritical of him to complain when he jumps on AF1 to make a quick jaunt to a fundraiser.

On Monday, we celebrate Independence Day, the day we declared a new nation, based on revolutionary idea: that people ought to determine their own destiny; that freedom and self-governance weren’t gifts handed to us by kings or emperors, but the rights of every human being. We’ve learned in the years since that democracy isn’t always pretty. We have arguments. We disagree. But time and again we’ve proven that we could come together to solve problems. We remember that while we may not see eye-to-eye on everything, we share a love for this country and a faith in its future. That’s the spirit we need to harness now. That’s how we’ll meet this challenge and reach a brighter day. Thanks for listening, and have a wonderful fourth of July.

So good of him to finally mention Independence Day….wait, what was that thing about people determining their own destiny? Freedom and self-governance? How does that jibe with ObamaCare and the individual mandate? And corporate jets? Raising taxes? Hey, wasn’t part of the Declaration of Independence about taxes?

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent

Humph.

We also have the requisite photo of Obama looking snooty, which comes from the video.

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach.

This year Christian pastors were invited to the White House for an Easter prayer breakfast. Obama spoke of his quest to make religion inclusive — a broader effort to welcome people of all faiths to the White House. Franklin Graham is not listed as an invitee, and I still cannot dismiss the fact that Barack Obama’s U.S. Army dis-invited Graham from speaking at the Pentagon’s Prayer Day. I won’t make any comment about those “pastors” attending other than the National Council of Churches was represented – Far-Left and Dangerous, in my opinion.

Here are a few of Barack Obama’s comments not made to the public, but to the breakfast attendees:

…The president said he is continually learning that everyone, including himself, is imperfect and “falls short of how we ought to live.”

“But as Christians, we believe the redemption can be delivered – by faith in Jesus Christ,” he said. “And the possibility that redemption can make straight the crookedness of a character, make whole the incompleteness of a soul. Redemption makes life, however fleeting here on Earth, resound with eternal hope.”

In his 2010 Easter address, he included Muslims, Hindus, Jews and the faithless. The Resurrection means nothing to those mentioned, and none of them believe that Jesus died for all mankind, let alone for them. While some unbelievers are respectful of our belief that Jesus is the Savior of all mankind, the very thought is not only rejected but is contemptible to many. The meaning of Easter is alien to every other religion except Judaism, which does believe in a Messiah and the tenant of a Messiah, just not the same Messiah.

In August 2010, Obama did not represent Christian beliefs at his White House Ramadan dinner.  There was no talk about the weaknesses of the human soul as there is when Christianity is the subject, but a focus on the Muslim soul and it’s unique closeness to their god. Last year he spoke of Muslim good deeds with the poor, but not that Muslim countries are run by dictators and tyrants with the people receiving little opportunity to thrive, and often just enough sustenance to keep them alive.

He spoke of Islamic justice, but not of beheadings, chopped extremities, stonings, hangings, or the extreme and routine cruelty to women and children of both sexes. And most astonishingly, he spoke of the racial equality found within Islam — the same Islam that sees no man or woman equal unless he or she is Muslim and has embraced the faith, and even then the tribe belonged to may be less than adequate to those who hold your judgement in their hands. Certainly, any Muslim woman of any tribe has no equality with Muslim men.

Last year at Ramadan, Obama included himself in the word “we,” when he talked about the world “we” want to build, and the changes “we” want to make. To an outsider, those plans to “build” and “change” are not clear, but no doubt the listening audience understood. You and I understand his vision of hope and change and redistributive wealth, and know neither is a vision of the Founders. It is naive to think a Muslim dominated nation is not the change and hope prayed for in mosques all over the world. While some Western Muslim worshippers may not want any part of such a prayer, it is probably most imams and clerics do.

In September 2010 at the end of Ramadan he spoke of Islam’s religious tolerance and it’s importance in American life. He asked for donations for the floods in Pakistan. He called the day “blessed.” Ever-present on the minds of Christians should be the realization that through the religious tolerance of Muslims, the Middle East will soon be devoid of Christianity.

In November 2010 Obama issued a statement on Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha. Again he spoke of the Muslim charity around the world. I remember how little charity came out of the oil rich Muslim countries for Haiti or the 2004 Tsunami in Indonesia, and currently the devastation in Japan. What was committed happened only after the world took notice.

I am content with Barack Obama ignoring Christianity, and spending his time lauding Earth Day. His time in office is short and we need no more convoluted, mixed messages of the similarities of Christian and Islamic tolerance which inevitably serve only as a crutch for left-leaning, progressive Christians. That American Christians are not afforded the same respectful recognition of our Holy days from the White House, as are Islam’s, should no longer be shocking.  One day this will be a rude and hard lesson learned, but always be more than a distant memory, because we will never forget Barack Obama, who he is and what he so wrong, so many times.

by Maggie @ Maggie’s Notebook

When Rachel Pierce’s soldier father told her he would send something for Easter, she thought he meant a chocolate egg or a cuddly bunny.

She got the bunny.

But what the pretty 16-year-old wasn’t expecting was that her father, Robert a helicopter gunner who was supposed to be in Afghanistan until February, would hand deliver it.

Happy Easter to all

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. John 3:16-17