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JANUARY 2019 VOLUME 1 | EDITION 1

»BATHROOM POLICY NEEDS SOME REMODELING SEE PAGE 3

CAPROCK

EVIL PLANNED PARENTHOOD DISGUISED AS GOOD

CONSERVATIVE CONSERVATIVE

CHRISTIAN CHRISTIAN

COMMENTARY COMMENTARY

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He choose for His inheritance.” Ps. 33:12

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THE OLD NAVY, IRON MEN, WOODEN SHIPS AND THOUGHTS OF INTEGRITY

PATR IOT

Patriot Boiling: America is at 211 Degrees

A PERSONAL NOTE FROM THE CAPROCK PATRIOT

BY DON BEBEE BY PAUL MCARTHUR

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WHY MY VOTE MATTERS

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INDEX Commentary 1 Military Salute

2nd Amendmente

More Commentary

The Word

umpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall; And all the King’s horses and all the King’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again. In its origins, America’s Constitutional Republic form of government became the best form of government that has ever been instituted. America’s problem is not from our original form of government. America’s problem is corrupt people corrupting our original form of government. Having rejected reason for rationalizing, truth for relatives, our culture through its seductive secular systems has lost its ability to discern corrupt from incorrupt, good from evil, right from wrong, freedom from slavery.

F With things like public/private partnerships and congress funding their special interest groups, and such… what corrupt government politicians have done and are doing in cooperation with the corrupt private sector i.e., Obama Care, nationalizing

or this first edition of the Caprock Patriot, I felt it important to share a bit about myself and set the tone as to why I launched this platform. In the years that really mattered on the road to adulthood, I grew up in Lubbock. Upon graduation from Christ the King in 1981, I enlisted in the Navy. After my eight years in the Navy, I returned home to attend and graduate from Tech in 1996. Much of my life since has been consumed with a 25-year career in the newspaper business; most recently as a Senior Vice

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JANUARY 2019

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Bathroom Policy Needs Some Remodeling BY TONY PERKINS, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL

Alexis Lightcap may have graduated from Boyertown High, but she’s not done fighting for the students there. Someone has to. And based on the last three years, it’s not going to be school officials. You don’t ever dream you’re going to sue your high school, Alexis says. “But that’s exactly what several of my peers and I had to do.” If the adults aren’t going to do their job protecting kids, then a handful of teenagers in Pennsylvania are determined to do it. Like most students at Boyertown, Alexis had no idea the school’s policy had changed until she walked into the girl’s restroom and saw a teenage boy. “My first thought was to get out,” she remembers. So she did. On the school’s security cameras, you can watch her running out and down the hall. What happens next is a story she tells in this morning’s USA Today. “I tried to get the attention of administrators to explain to them how uncomfortable -- how scared -- I felt sharing the girls’ restroom with a boy,” she says. “They wouldn’t listen. The principal simply wrote down my concerns on a Post-it note and said he’d contact me soon. He never did.” Alexis’s parents, who’d adopted her out of the state’s foster care system, were just as shocked. “Boyertown officials kept it a secret from them, too.” Not a single parent had been told about the change -- which meant that school locker rooms were also open to everyone. One of Alexis’s classmates found that out the hard way when he walked into the boys’ changing area and saw a teenage girl in a sports bra and shorts. The administrator he talked to told him to “tolerate it” -- to “make it as natural as possible.” “Hollywood movies and TV shows try to make that kind of moment seem funny,” Alexis explains. “But in real life, it’s embarrassing and unnerving. Locker rooms and restrooms are supposed to be a refuge for students, and adults, too, for

that matter... Why is it so hard for school officials to understand that young girls care about the privacy of their bodies? It’s natural for us and our parents to worry about who might walk in on us in a vulnerable moment.” Boyertown officials may not care about her privacy, but Alexis and her attorneys at ADF are hoping the Supreme Court will make them. She and other students, listed in the suit as Joel Doe and Jack Jones, are hoping the justices will step in and decide an issue that could have been resolved to everyone’s satisfaction months ago. See, the problem isn’t that schools are trying to accommodate these confused kids. The problem is that their solution is taking everyone’s privacy away in the process. “Schools can,” Alexis writes, “and should be compassionate in supporting students who experience gender dysphoria. So should other students. But a truly fair and genuinely compassionate policy doesn’t have to be kept secret from students and parents. And an effective policy would be one that secures the privacy of every student.” Ironically, that’s the kind of common sense policy that states like North Carolina worked to pass into law. Like most of these debates, it wasn’t a fight the Tar

Heels picked. Leaders were just responding to some activists on the Charlotte city council that had an agenda and the Obama administration who were trying to force this gender free-for-all on Americans against their will. One of the biggest lies the Left trotted out in an effort to kill the efforts to protect women and children from predators was that it would cost the state billions of dollars in business. What a joke that turned out to be! North Carolina didn’t just weather the storm of H.B. 2 -- it thrived in it. For two years in a row, Forbes named the Tar Heel State #2 on Forbes’s top states for doing business. This week, it surpassed even that -- winning the #1 spot for 2018! Two years after the law, more businesses are moving to North Carolina than away from it. “The outlook is also strong. Job growth and gross state product growth are expected to rank among the strongest in the country over the next five years,” Forbes points out. As for all of those people moving out of the state because it dared to protect women and children? “The population is growing twice as fast as the U.S. average...” If liberals were hoping to make a case study out of the fallout, they’ll have a tough time trying! Other states have considered measures like H.B 2 -- and

COMMENTARY

based on these numbers, it might be the best decision they ever make. Submitted by the Family Research Council, from Tony Perkins’ Washington Update written with the aid of FRC senior writers. www.frc.org, toll-free number 1-800-225-4008), 801 G Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001.

Produced by Rockin’ M Media, LLC, dba Caprock Patriot, Lubbock, TX 806-831-7366 • info@caprockpatriot.com www.CaprockPatriot.com Paul McArthur • President & Publisher

The Caprock Patriot publishes once monthly and is available to pick up for free at select stores across Lubbock. Mailed subscriptions are available at www.CaprockPatriot.com for the price of $40 annual within Lubbock County and $60 annually outside of Lubbock County. Legal Stuff: Rockin’ M Media, LLC does not guarantee and is not liable for: the absolute correctness of information presented within the printed pages or website of the Caprock Patriot; unintentional errors, omissions or inclusions. The opinions expressed in user-submitted commentary, articles, cartoons, etc, may or may not represent the opinions of the advertisers or of Rockin’ M Media, LLC. Based on our editorial guidelines, available online), Rockin’ M Media, LLC reserves the right to edit and/or refuse content submissions. Articles are intended for informational purposes. All opinions expressed by authors and quoted sources are their own and may OR may not reflect the opinions of the publisher, staff or advertisers. Advertisers have no advance knowledge of editorial content, except as is publicly available through published editorial calendars and promotions and cannot influence editorial content or advertising policies. Copywrite 2019 with all rights reserved. Reproduction and/or use of any photograph or written material without written permission is prohibited.

COMMENTARY

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JANUARY 2019

EVIL PLANNED PARENTHOOD DISGUISED AS GOOD BY JAMES R. SULLIMAN

r. Joe Pojman, director of the “Texas Alliance for Life,” has informed the Abilene community that an anonymous donor has given Planned Parenthood (PP) a Nine Million Dollar donation to build Two Multi-Million PP Facilities in West Texas It is believed that the most likely cities for them to appear are Abilene, San Angelo, Midland, Odessa, or Lubbock. We must do everything possible to keep them out. In keeping with their history of deception, they typically buy property and work with contractors under false names so no one knows it is them until their doors are about to open. More and more, they try to establish themselves near hospitals or other legitimate health care areas so they can mask their true essence.

Supporters of Planned Parenthood (PP) will tell you that they are a “women’s healthcare organization” that exists to serve women especially those in financial need. They will tell you about all the wonderful services that PP provides and the good that they do for community members. Finally, they will suggest that only those who are against free “choice” are against PP and how on earth could anyone in their right mind oppose a woman’s right to choose whether or not she wants to have children. This, however, is the disguise that PP seeks to wear as it tries to convince others that it is a legitimate health care agency….the truth about PP is much different. While there are many, many reasons to oppose PP, here are five. First: PP was started by Margaret Sanger in 1921 under the name of the “American

Birth Control League” which changed to “Planned Parenthood” in 1942. Sanger, spearheaded what she called ”The Negro Project” and wrote “We don’t want the world to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population.” She did not want “unfit and undesirable” (anyone who was not “white”) to “multiply.” This “plan” has been described as “diabolical, duplicitous, dangerous, disastrous and deadly” for Black America. PP has a long history of racism at its extreme. You will not see a PP facility in a wealthy white neighborhood. Second: They kill babies. PP will balk at such a characterization, but their own words can be used to support this truth. In 1963 (before aborting the life of children in their mother’s womb became “legal”), PP produced a pamphlet titled “Plan Your Children” in which they wrote “An abortion kills the life of a baby after it has begun.” One abortion was legalized, they never have written that again. PP “kills the life” of more babies than any other agency in history. Third: Every single one of their services with one exception, is already available to members of our community for the same or less cost than PP charges. The ONLY additional “service” that Planned Parenthood would bring to Abilene is the killing of babies!

Fourth: PP has been a great supporter of “humanism” and the “Humanist Manifesto II” which reads in part: “We find insufficient evidence for belief in the existence of a supernatural; XXX us either meaningless or irrelevant to the question of survival and fulfillment of the human race. As nontheists, we begin with humans, not God, nature not deity.” Indeed, in the American Humanist Association’s logo, they include the words “Good without a God”! Past recipients of their annual award include Sanger and Faye Wattleton, another PP president who proclaimed the common goals of both organizations. Fifth: “Sex traffickers are aided in their crimes when their underage sex slaves get pregnant and it is easy to abort the pregnancy.” The last thing that criminals engaged in sex trafficking want is for their girls to be “off the streets” and not bringing in money. PP does everything it can to make killing babies profitable for itself, thereby making it easy for others to “end a life.” This should come as no surprise “for even Satan disguised himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Submitted by James R. Sulliman, Ph.D. Individual, marriage, and family therapist in Abilene, TX.

JANUARY 2019

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COMMENTARY

The old Navy, Iron Men, Wooden Ships and Thoughts of Integrity BY DOUGLAS MCARTHUR

t age 18 I boarded my first aircraft carrier, USS Forrestal. My awe at first seeing the big super carrier is another story. In my three years as ships company on the Forrestal, many life lessons became a reality. Just one was learning the meaning of integrity. On any ship watertight integrity is top priority. As an 18-year-old who paid little attention to arts and letters in high school, aboard ship such words as integrity became real and important. Maintaining watertight integrity simply means maintaining every aspect of the ship to prevent sinking. This is where I learned integrity means keeping it together; not just the ship but all things for a complete life. Leading up to assignment on the USS Forrestal the Navy thoroughly trained me in air-to-air guided missile technology. In addition, we were trained on shipboard basics aboard the “USS Never-sail”. Navy vets will know all about the USS Neversail. The reality is, every officer and crew have many duties beyond his primary skill. As you can imagine, a biggie is not sinking the ship. All crew members quickly learn watertight integrity, i.e. keeping it together, is everyone’s job. Of the hundreds of life lessons given to me on the Forrestal, integrity ranks at the top few. I believe this is where I realized, in life, we all have an integrity responsibility to ourselves and others. Just as the lowest crew member can endanger the entire crew and officers, a single family

member can sink the entire family. Now at age 80 and somewhat of an old salt (6 years US Navy and 3 years US Army Reserves), I think I am qualified to apply the integrity lesson to the obvious relativism that has caused the moral degradation we see everywhere. Age old and proven moral and behavioral standards are in many ways rooted in the integrity lesson in addition to other common-sense practices. Just to focus on integrity consider the Prodigal Son parable as a baseline. With the accelerating deterioration of long accepted behavioral norms, a close study of Luke 15:11-32 is useful to any of us. The Prodigal Son parable covers values such as greed, parental example, jealousy, and redemption just to mention a few and too many to cover here. One values that stands out and relates to the integrity discussion is the steadfast

parent. What we see here is in contrast to the relativism that excuses wrong behavior. Unfortunately, we live in a time when loved one’s veer away from proven values to follow an unhealthy path. In the story of the Prodigal Son, the parental figure is described as an upright and successful farmer or rancher. Since we are in Texas lets refer to him as this totally dedicated Rancher. We can surmise he set a sterling example for his sons in every way. One son emulates and honors his father while the other selfishly heads for the party circuit. The story shows he ended up wallowing with pigs. If you pay any attention at all to popular culture, you have experienced or see examples of the heartbreak from young people taking the selfish route to some drug and sex infested place. Since I am only examining the Rancher here, I will not dwell on the other players

in the parable. As heartbroken as the Rancher must have been, and this is the big point, he remained the stable and reliable force for the family over a long time, maybe years. The old Rancher did not drop everything to join the party circuit nor did he lower his moral standards in order to identify with the wayward son. He held his son in his heart and kept on ranching. After all, he was responsible for the family’s stability as well as many others in the family business, otherwise there would be no place left for redemption. In face of a one crewman’s misstep, the Captain, Officers and crew maintain watertight integrity to keep the entire ship afloat. Google the 1967 Forrestal fire to see how many gave there lives to save a ship. It’s the same with the Prodigal Son story. Just ask yourself… should you lower standards and legitimize wrong behavior just to make the wrong doer feel ok and accepted for his or her choices? What is that saying to others in your sphere of influence? As in the Prodigal Son, the offender ran his course and came to his senses. Had the Rancher not stayed the course, there would have been no place to return to for redemption. What about you? How will you maintain your integrity and keep your ship afloat? Submitted by Old Salt, Douglas McArthur, Arlington, TX, USS Forrestal Ship’s Company, USS Saratoga VA-34 Blue Blaster Squadron

Birth Tourism is not Constitutional, End by Executive Order BY DR. HAROLD PEASE

irth tourism, presently running rampant in the United States, is where foreigners intentionally coordinate their delivery dates with tourism ensuring that the birth happens while in this country. They remain the weeks

necessary for the new birth certificate to be used to generate a passport for their newborn. Maternal centers, some sleazy others high end, created to accommodate the wait, run lucrative businesses (perhaps $50,000 per birth) encouraging “clients” from China, Russia, Turkey, Taiwan and Mexico primarily. Their

“tour” ends with their child having citizenship and a passport with only a few weeks invested in this country. They return to their country with the child raised having dual citizenship. Why is this attractive to them? Mart Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, shared four

reasons for its popularity. First, if things go bad in one’s country at least the child, with a passport, can get out. Second, when the child is an adult he can sponsor his folks for immigration. For them “It is a “kind of retirement program,”with benefits. Third, it is a way for the chid to SEE BIRTH TOURISM | PAGE 19

COMMENTARY

A PERSONAL NOTE FROM THE CAPROCK PATRIOT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

President at GateHouse Media (the company that owns the AJ). My wife, Andrea, and I decided that it was time to return home to Lubbock; albeit with our six kids and three (soon to be four) grandkids spread all over the US. Given today’s climate, I simply felt it was the right time (if not high time) for a platform like this. Our Worldview: Stand for Something As a Christian, I have a conservative Biblical worldview. Because of my “conservative Biblical” worldview, politically, I am a conservative… more so, an originalist. Meaning I firmly believe in our founding documents of freedom; the Bible, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and The Constitution. For too long, the liberty voices of Conservatives and Christians have been disrespected by the raging lawlessness of the media and those that do not agree with those same founding documents of freedom. This is manifested in constant attacks on any line of thinking that is counter to their lawless liberal agenda. When it comes to defending our liberty, we can no longer afford to be passive. Personally, I fear for the future of this great nation and for our grandchildren. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is NOT far right wing ideology! It is our God-given liberty destination. It is our destiny as a nation and a legacy that we must defend for our children and grandchildren. The reason I work to produce this paper, with conservative liberty principles, is to help define the legacy that hopefully we will all work to preserve to guide future generations. The book of James tells us that “a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” So, my hope and prayer for this publication is that this work plants seeds of faith and conservative values in everyone that reads the Caprock Patriot.

www.CaprockPatriot.com Our Purpose: Silent No More I started this monthly newspaper to give conservatives a platform to have their voices heard. Conservatives can no longer afford to be the intimidated “silent majority” who, when confronted by the lawlessness rage of the far left, simply shut down and walk away. Our platform is to provide respectful dialogue, encourage, inspire, and give reasoned liberty principles with which to reply when confronted with that liberal/progressive rage. To do nothing would be to relinquish ourselves to the destruction of our values, our families, our communities and the nation caused by their lawlessness. Nothing is not an option. Our Vision: Pride in What is Right We should be PROUD to be conservatives who love their Lord and this great nation! If you’re a conservative, you now have a voice in the Caprock Patriot. We encourage you to use that voice, and this publication, to speak out in favor of these things that are RIGHT, the things that this country was built on and what made this country great in the first place!!! Our Mission: Compassionate Conservative Christian Values My commitment to you is that the content in the Caprock Patriot will be straightforward compassionate conservative Christian commentary. In the Caprock Patriot, we will share conservative Christian viewpoints proudly, respectfully, without fear, and without hesitation. To accomplish this, all articles submitted must or will be edited to comply with our Editorial Guidelines (http://caprockpatriot. com/editorial_guidelines-184.htm). We have no intention of being mean spirited. However, we do understand that some topics may be more sensitive to some than others; we are empathetic to that. Some topics may even be sensitive to me and my own family. Our intention is not to offend! Regardless, some will certainly be offended. It is ok to disagree. Let us not be disagreeable. If something appears in this paper that

offends, then we are happy to publish a respectful opposing viewpoint. Our Strategy: YOUR Voice, Not Mine Please understand when you read this paper, this is not ‘news’ in the traditional sense. There are plenty of news outlets to choose from. We want you to take ownership. This is YOUR newspaper with YOUR voice. You are the ‘reporter’ and your opinions matter. This is a fundamentally different kind of newspaper. Instead of “news”, the Caprock Patriot will consist mostly of user submitted original commentary and opinions from local, regional and national Patriots, just like you and me! We Get by With God: And A Little Help from Our Friends I do want to thank a few folks who have had a major impact on my life and the genesis of this effort. God Will Provide A Path I recently found myself out of work and not sure what to do with my life and career. My wife, Andrea, and I literally put our belongings in storage and drove across the country visiting friends and family. That three week trip was a serious time of reflection into what the future would hold. My very wise wife used plenty of platitudes on me during that drive. The most common one was “God will provide a path”. While platitudes were frustrating at the time, she was right, as usual. I once heard someone say, “Happy is the man who finds a true friend, and far happier is he who finds that true friend in his wife.” Thank you, Andrea. True Friends During our trip, we were blessed to stay with some AMAZING friends (Craig and Twyla) in Lueders, TX. That visit was such a blessing! Their friendship lifted our spirits, their hearts healed ours, and their faith strengthened us. And, without knowing it at the time, they helped set me on this path. New Directions: With an Attitude of Gratitude Craig and Twyla introduced me to

JANUARY 2019

a newspaper from Buffalo Gap, TX, called the Buffalo Gap News. I literally read it cover to cover a dozen times in one day; I still have that same, now ragged and dog eared copy. This was a newspaper of the likes I had never seen before. Proudly Conservative and not shy about it. Reading that paper planted a small seed in my brain that quickly grew to become the Caprock Patriot. Since that seed was planted, I’ve had the pleasure and honor of meeting the man behind the Buffalo Gap News, the Publisher, Larry Don Brookreson. Larry has been a mentor and such a gracious person as I reached out for help and advice leading up to this first edition. I honestly don’t think Larry realizes what an inspiration he has been. Larry… I am grateful. Beyond that small group, I have many family and friends (from Lubbock and beyond) who have been so supportive. Too many to mention. But you know who you are! Love you all! Finally, I am grateful for the generous advertisers you’ll see in the pages of the Caprock Patriot. Their support made this happen. I humbly ask you to visit their business – often – and mention you saw their ad in the Caprock Patriot. Two Requests First, I ask you, the reader, to pray (as I do daily) that this work I am doing follows His will and not my own. While I will also continue to thank God for this path and the awesome responsibility, he has charged me with. Second, like my first read of the Buffalo Gap News, I hope something within inspires you to write an article and share your opinion with the readers of the Caprock Patriot, pass a copy of the paper to a friend, advertise with us, or to simply have confidence to use your faith to do the ‘works’ God has for you in His plan. In God We Trust Submitted by Paul McArthur, President & Publisher of the Caprock Patriot; Proud Navy Veteran, husband, father of six and very proud Grandfather of three (soon to be four).

JANUARY 2019

PATRIOT BOILING: AMERICA IS AT 211 DEGREES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

the banking, mortgage, auto, health industries, to name a few, should not be accepted as “bail outs” but discerned to be “sell outs” of the sovereignty of We the People. Plus, they want open borders, more taxes, environmental regulations, bigger government, more regulations, smaller military and the list goes on. At the same time the same corrupt politicians do not want to protect and secure the sovereignty of We the People by passing immigration reform and building the wall on our southern border with Mexico and wanting to abolish ICE and legalize sanctuary cities. How could someone call themselves a true American patriot while believing and supporting the attitudes and actions of those who practice this treasonous worldview. Since it has been said that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely, then, when the will of We the People is set aside for bi-partisan power and control, the elected officials, regardless of party affiliation, have simply become interchangeable parts in the corruption machinery. Since they have assumed the position of supreme provider, they become the Rule of Law Unto Themselves of the land in congressionally legalizing that which is in the least, unethical and in the greatest, despotic tyranny. The newly elected mid-term regime, after being enthroned on Capitol Hill may ultimately turn out to be the rough shod Trojan Horse of our day. Out of whose insides the change which has been birthed degenerates into deceptive conspiracy with the enemies of America’s freedom in order to abort the National Sovereignty of We the People. They reject our God given unalienable rights, i.e., Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They reject remaining true to the Constitution of We the People in adhering to its principles as defined by our Founding Fathers with our documents of freedom, The Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights and the Constitution. And remember that the

www.CaprockPatriot.com principles of liberty upon which these documents are based originated in and are in agreement with the Bible. Buyers beware of identity theft. We become like that with which we identify, we idolize, we celebrate, we worship. Those progressive leftist liberal politicians and their devoted enraged radical followers with a victim, entitlement mentality look to the governmental higher power to rescue them from their irresponsible behavior. In idolizing, worshiping government as being their supreme provider, they do so at the expense of being enslaved by their idolized supreme being. Those who have been corrupted by power, then enlarge their power over the victim, entitlement, enabler mentality people by taking more control over them in rescuing them with provision in exchange for sovereign liberty. In truth, by whatever a person is overcome, ruled by, to that they are enslaved. As one remains overcome, ruled by truth, they will be “enslaved” by its nature of liberty thereby being free to do its will. As one remains overcome, ruled by deception, they will be “enslaved” by its nature of bondage thereby being bound to do its will. Both will produce fruit after their own kind. The fruit of liberty, freedom or the fruit of lawlessness, control. And the fruit does not fall far from the tree. Boiled “Petriots” Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb. Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow. And everywhere that Mary went, Mary went, Mary went, everywhere that Mary went the lamb was sure to go. Why? Because animals, after being born free to provide for their own needs become “pets” when they exchange their individual freedom for deceptive provision as they follow those who provide for them, they have become codependent “petriots” of those who control, own them. The pot has reached its boiling point and tipping point at the same time. Deceived by the propaganda of progressive corrupt politicians these dysfunctional “petriots” are clueless to the reality that they have completely lost their original

true American Patriot identity. They rage violently instead of reason virtuously and are not even aware of the difference. Liberty and Freedom. Or Lawlessness and Control. In return corrupt politicians, owners, controllers reward themselves in their daily good feeling of rescuing their codependent loyal “petriots, (citizen/subjects) which have enabled them to do so. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, being wolves in sheep’s clothing, are the dysfunctional dynamic duo poster co-dependent politician controllers leading their mean-spirited dysfunctional “petriot” followers. Our secular culture has come to define this dysfunctional codependency “petriot” syndrome as the ideal, the normal, the functional standard of relationships, patriotism. This culturally corrupting dysfunctional codependence has become the norm displacing functional interdependent relationships, true patriotism. This addictive codependency “Petriotism” results in obsessive compulsive self-destructive behavior incrementally exchanging individual freedom for institutionalized provision. “Petriot” followers become indebted to their controlling corrupt leaders for provision. Corrupt leaders’ needs are met in being enabled to control the “petriots” life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Like Pavlov’s dogs, those enabling “petriots” in a culture who take on the victim, entitlement mentality are easy prey for those wolves in sheep’s clothing controllers who know

COMMENTARY

that by providing the enabler “petriot’s” needs the deceptive self-serving corrupt controllers will get the loyal following of the deceived enablers at the expense of the enabler “petriots” sovereign liberty, their God endowed, unalienable rights. We the People, do not be deceived. We reap what we sow. Sowing the seeds of liberty and freedom reaps the harvest of Independent National Sovereignty. Sowing the seeds of lawlessness and control reaps the harvest of Codependent National Servitude. “Because power corrupts, society’s demand for moral authority and character increases as the importance of the position increases.” John Adams In God We Trust Submitted by Don Bebee, Prime Minister of Liberty, donbebee.com, Lubbock, TX

COMMENTARY

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JANUARY 2019

House Dems out to Get Religion BY TONY PERKINS, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL

ne of the most important religious freedom laws in America turned 25 last month. But will it make it to 26? House Democrats are doing everything it can to ensure it doesn’t. A quarter of a century ago, nothing about religious liberty was controversial. In fact, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) was so popular that all but three members of Congress voted yes. When Bill Clinton signed RFRA into law, no one dreamed that two decades later, his same party would be trying to sanctimoniously kill the law. For most Americans, the Democrats’ shift hasn’t exactly been subtle. A party platform that mentioned God seven times in 2004 kicked him out in 2012. A senator who said, “We worship an awesome God” in 2004 declared war on faith as president a few years later. Now, a party that almost unanimously agreed that the government shouldn’t undermine religion in 1993 has 172 cosponsors to scrap RFRA and take a sledgehammer to our First Freedom. And they’ll have control of the House to advance their attack. In an important column for the Washington Examiner, Ernest Istook points out that one of the people behind this push is about to become the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.). Of course, he and the rest of his party want you to believe that Democrats wouldn’t destroy RFRA, they’d just carve out areas where it wouldn’t apply – like marriage, sexual

orientation, gender identity, abortion, health care, and any other area where long standing religious beliefs clashed with the vogue values of the Left’s agenda. “In short,” Istook explains, “an explicit constitutional right would be declared less important than other claims never mentioned in the Constitution and often not even legislated by elected officials.” The repeal of RFRA, he warns, would be a nightmare for men and women of faith – especially Christians, who just want the freedom to live out their beliefs in peace. That’ll be incredibly hard to do, Istook warns, since the Democrats’ bill would wipe out the Supreme Court victories in the Hobby Lobby and Masterpiece Cakeshop cases. The world that Chai Feldblum envisioned will have finally arrived. Asked what should happen when religious liberty clashed with the LGBT agenda, Obama’s EEOC chief said she’d have “a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win.” The modern Democratic Party

agrees. The good news, for now, is that the GOP-controlled Senate would never go along with something as extreme as gutting the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The bad news – at least for the Democratic party – is that neither will their heartland base. Not everyone is on board with the Left’s hard turn on religion. As Yale’s Stephen Carter wrote, “When you mock Christians, you’re not mocking who you think you are.” And if Democrats aren’t careful, they’ll fall right down the God gap they’ve created. “Spend much time in secular progressive circles,” David French writes, “and you’ll quickly encounter the kind of sneering, anti-Christian elitism evident in pieces such as the recent New Yorker creed against Chick-fil-A. But this culture is fundamentally at odds with the lived experience of the Democratic party’s black and Latino base.” In their beliefs, Pew Research Center warned earlier this year, “nonwhite Democrats more closely resemble Republicans than

white Democrats.” That’s significant – not just because it creates tension in the Democratic Party, but, as French points out, “to the extent that faith informs politics, it could crack open the progressive coalition.” Just last week, exit polling showed how misguided the Democrats’ war on religious expression is. Of all the competing social values – life, marriage, privacy, gender identity – religious liberty was far and away the most popular consensus issue. When McLaughlin & Associates asked 1,000 Americans if the government “should leave people free to follow their beliefs,” a whopping 70 percent of the respondents said yes. Only 18 percent agreed with this radical crusade to end religious liberty as we know it. In a lot of ways, it’s the Democrats’ liberal agenda that’s boxed them into a godless corner. They’ve had to become hostile to public faith because it acknowledges a moral standard. And when you embrace policies that are antithetical to the stated values of any orthodox religion – like same-sex marriage or abortion – there’s only one way to reconcile it. You get rid of faith – or, at the very least marginalize it. Make no mistake: The threat to RFRA from Democrats is real. But so is the threat to Democrats if they keep alienating faith and the voters who embrace it. Submitted by the Family Research Council, from Tony Perkins’ Washington Update written with the aid of FRC senior writers. www.frc.org, toll-free number 1-800-225-4008), 801 G Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001.

Treatise on a Return to Basics in Government BY JOSEPH MAVILIA

want you to imagine for a moment what life was like in the late 18th century in what is now America. The constitution being written and a congress convened each year to deal with

government matters but they recessed when it was harvest time at home. Yes, they were basically volunteers who were principally farmers and shop keepers etc. In other words, they were not professional politicians. They were average Americans.

A very different story has evolved into a breeding ground for corruption of political professionals far worse than other organizations because it results in legalized crime under the color of authority. My view of solving the problem to

this ‘culture of corruption’ description borrowed from Michelle Malkin’s book of that name is to ‘DRAFT’ citizens to serve in congress if they are qualified to exercise the duties of the offices. And speaking of a DRAFT I would SEE BASICS IN GOVERNMENT | PAGE 17

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JANUARY 2019

COMMENTARY

Why My Vote Matters BY LYNNLI WISEMAN

oting is a privilege that many Americans take for granted. The importance of voting was instilled in me at a young age. I remember going with my mother into a voting booth and helping her push buttons on a machine, then leaving and getting a sticker that I would wear the rest of the day. At the time it just seemed like something fun we got to do together, but as I grew up I began to understand the significance of the “I Voted” sticker I so proudly wore when I was younger. By voting we determine who leads our country, and these leaders have a significant influence over our lives, whether we realize it or not. They determine our laws, the possibility of our country going to war, and ultimately the rights and freedoms of every citizen. Voting plays an extremely important role in our democracy, but the percent of eligible voters that don’t show up to the polls is absolutely astounding. According to a study by The University of California, Santa Barbara, voter turnout in 2012 was about fifty-five percent. So why is only half of the U.S. population voting? There are countless excuses, and one that is commonly used is, “I don’t like any of the candidates.” Even if you do not personally support any of the candidates that are running, one of them is going to end up winning the election. A solution would be to research all the candidates and their stance on policies

that are important to you. Even if you don’t agree one-hundred percent with the candidate, at least you can support the person you agree with the most. Another common excuse that I have heard is, “It’s only one vote, it’s not going to change anything.” Imagine if everybody thought this way. No one would vote, and absolutely no changes would be made. The thoughts and opinions of the people would be silenced and the structure of our government would collapse. As Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.” Every single vote makes an impact, and a single vote could be the difference between a social project starting or failing, an idea developing, or positive changes being made in our community. Voter apathy is a dangerous path that this country can’t afford to take. There are many countries around the world in which the people are not able to vote or vocalize their thoughts on their government’s actions. One person ultimately decides what is best for the masses. Many Americans do not think about how lucky we are to be able to influence the course our country and communities take. We have a voice in what happens right in our backyard as well as across the United States, while people from other countries are still fighting for their voices to be heard to this day.

Even over the past century, many Americans had to fight for the right to vote. It wasn’t until 1920 that women were allowed to vote, and African Americans couldn’t vote until only 53 years ago. Our ancestors fought so hard for something that many now take for granted. In order for democracy to thrive, everyone should contribute. If you are satisfied with the course our country is taking, then you can’t passively sit back and hope nothing changes. You must take action to ensure your community and country stays on track. On the other hand, if you believe the country is going off course, the best way to effect change is to head to the polls and vote! Voting enables you to live in a community that you’ve impacted and this impact can influence the lives of everyone around you.

The people we vote into office can control the course of history, and how we and the generations after us live our lives. We must take this obligation to ourselves, our community, and our future seriously. I understand the impact that a single vote can have on the country, and mine or yours could be the deciding vote. I’m looking forward to the day that I will be able to proudly wear the “I Voted” sticker and know that it was my vote that mattered. Submitted by Lynnli Wiseman, a freshman at Frenship High School. Lynnli is also the winner of Lubbock VFW Post 2466 2018 Voice of Democracy (VOD) essay contest AND the VFW District 9 swinner who will now move forward to the National VFW VOD contest. Additionally, she was last year’s State of Texas Patriot’s Pen winner and placed 47th nationwide out of 132,000 essays.

We the People Liberty Celebration: a twelve part educational series Declaration of Independence: When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with one another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to separation. LIBERTY BELL INSCRIPTION

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Celebrating the Origin of Liberty: January Edition It All Starts Here: TRUE Liberty Comes from God The hunger for liberty is interwoven into the very fiber of every man, woman and child who has ever lived. Even a child, when it is being born, is striving for liberty. From our very first breath, we are on a lifelong pursuit to live in the liberty God intended us to have. Our founding fathers had a clear understanding that true liberty originated in the heart of God Himself. Believe me Sir: there is not in the British empire a man who more cordially loves a union with Great Britain than I do. But, by the God that made me, I will cease to exist before I yield to a connection on such terms as the British Parliament propose; and in this, I think I speak the sentiments of America. ~ Thomas Jefferson ~ for more information visit www.donbebee.com or email don@donbebee.net • Copyright Liberty Enterprises, LLC

JANUARY 2019

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COMMENTARY

The View From Across the Pond: It’s a Mad World BY PETER REES

ood day and greetings to you all from England! I am happy to contribute some thoughts in this article to support my ‘old’ friend Paul McArthur and this wonderful endeavour with this new publication. I have known him for more than 12 years now and I wish him every success. He and his family are wonderful people. He has asked me to contribute something that might be of interest to a Christian and Conservative readership in the USA. Right away, two topics we are taught to avoid Politics and Religion! Tempting though these are. Along with sex and football. Many people have an opinion and most people think they are experts. Always one for a challenge, I shall try and walk the fine line between opinion and dogma. Like the British Broadcasting

Corporation (BBC) Charter, my mission statement shall also be; To entertain, inform and educate. As I look at the world Geo-Political situation it is all to easy to focus on the dramatic divisions and discord that we see all around us. It is all too easy to take sides and blame this politician or that religious group for these troubles. I am sure that you all have you own personal, preferred targets. There are, no doubt, significant problems in many aspects of our personal, national and cultural lives. The pertinent question is how do we respond to them and how do we achieve a peaceful outcome that is fair and beneficial for all sections of society? Many people today see any personally oriented response as inappropriate in some sense. In my opinion there is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking the best for one’s own family, community or

country. But this should not be done in a selfish or self-centred way. By all means look after one’s own interests, but also consider what you would like to see in the wider context. We could all hunker down and build insular and isolated, inward looking and blinkered communities. Keep out, stay away, you are not welcome here! It’s a superficially appealing approach. However, if you read and understand the underlying principles of Christianity and in fact all of the major world religions, these all teach the absolute truth of peace, harmony, love and respect. The sad thing is that this fundamental truth has often been obscured and distorted by the aggressive actions of many individuals and groups, across all political and religious divides, in some shape or form. Almost always for selfish ends. It always saddens me that most world

faiths actually teach love and peace. But this is often distorted into ‘my God is better and fiercer that your God. Convert or suffer the consequences.’ I remember this verse in the Bible, ‘Jesus wept.’ Many of our political and religious leaders bluster and shout this ‘Me first’ message aggressively, as if it were the word of God. Look at the unhappiness and suffering that has resulted. Before SEE IT’S A MAD WORLD | PAGE 17

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Ryan Everett McArthur, Northern, VA (by way of Lubbock) SALUTED BY BETH MCARTHUR

Service Dates: March 19, 2007 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; February 15, 2017 Branch: US Army Highest Rank Achieved: Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) MOS: 255A Information Service Technician & 25S - Satellite Systems Operator Medals Awarded: Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal; 2-Army Commendation Medals; 2-Army Achievement Medals; 2 Army Good Conduct Medals; National Defense Service Ribbon; Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon 2 Stars; Korean Service Defense Medal; 2-NCO Professional Development Ribbon; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; NATO ISAF Ribbon; Joint Meritorious Unit; German Armed Proficiency Badge; Driver Badge. Salute: Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) Ryan McArthur (US Army, Retired) was born in Jacksonville, Florida and enlisted in the United States Army as a PV1 in 2007 and began his career with Basic Training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He attended the 25S Satellite Communications Systems Operator training at Fort Gordon, Georgia before being assigned

to the Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Element 1, 20th Support Command (CBRNE) at Aberdeen Proving Grounds (APG), Maryland. While stationed at APG, Ryan served in Afghanistan with the 52nd Ordnance Group (EOD) out of Fort Campbell, KY in support of Combined Joint Task Force Paladin from 2010-2011. His time overseas earned him the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal. Before leaving his first duty assignment, Ryan was able to attain the rank of Staff Sergeant. After leaving Aberdeen Proving Grounds, he joined the Earth Terminal

Complex (ETC) with the 596th Signal Company located at Fort Belvoir, VA. During his 2 years, he provided support to the President of the United States, Secretary of Defense, and Pentagon. In 2013, Ryan was selected to become an Army Warrant Officer with only 6 years of service. He

attended Warrant Officer Candidate School in Fort Rucker, Alabama and then moved on to the Warrant Officer Basic Course for Information Service Technicians at Fort Gordon, GA. Ryan was assigned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington to join the 308th Brigade Support Battalion as the Brigade SASMO where he managed the Global Combat Support System Army (GCSS) conversion. After sustaining multiple injuries throughout his 10 years of service, Ryan medically retired at the rank of CW2. Today, Ryan lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and 2 children and works at the Pentagon with the United States Marine Corps Headquarters Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (C4) department as an IT Strategy Manager. The Caprock Patriot is the proud father of this Patriot!

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James William (J.W.) Hamersley, Lubbock, TX January 14, 1931 – March 01, 2017 SALUTED BY TAMMY HAMERSLEY

Service Dates: March 14, 1952 – March 13, 1960 Branch: USMC, 8th Marine Regiment Highest Rank Achieved: Corporal Medals Awarded: National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal Salute: J W Hamersley unfortunately passed away in March of 2017. There is always something to be said after someone is gone that you wished you would have taken the time to say when they were here. He would have been so honored to have seen this bio in the paper. He was a Dad to one son Michael Hamersley and 2 daughters Sandra Halimeh and Denise Hamersley. He was a Papa to three grandkids and 2

great grandkids at his passing but has since then been blessed with 2 more greats. He was married to Dorothy Hamersley who preceded him in death and then married Mary Frances Vivial Hamersley which grew our family to another level, to include four step children and eighteen grandchildren, which we were very thankful for. He helped start and fund the building for the Eagles Lodge in Lubbock, TX, establishing the Fraternal Order of Eagles South Plains Aerie 4271. With the aid of many friends in the construction business, he enlisted them to donate thousands of dollars in materials to help erect the new facility. He also oversaw several fund raisers for the Eagles Lodge that included raising

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He served mankind to his fullest ability by giving his time and love unconditionally. He will truly be missed. Having just celebrated another blessed Christmas season, I was reminded that one of the best memories I have SEE JAMES WILLIAM (J.W.) HAMERSLEY | PAGE 14

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of him is collecting grocery bags and filling them with fruit, and nuts, and candy that would be delivered Christmas morning to several families in Shallowater who needed a little extra help. He loved doing that this! It was through the Shallowater Lions club that those donations were made and

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handed out. That was his way of playing Santa, he loved it. J.W. served in the Marines. We’re sure he had his own stories of which he did not really share with us. He served, just as others who made sacrifices and dedication, so that all of us can live freely. We salute and honor J W and all our active duty service members and Veterans.

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JANUARY 2019

SECOND AMENDMENT

Silencers: Not as Hard to Get as You Might Think!

ew customers come into the shop all the time. As they walk around, checking things out, they usually walk by the NFA counter and see silencers in the display counter. Most take in the inventory displayed but there are always those who will get wide-eyed and ask “Are those things legal?” Yes, Silencers are legal. They are regulated by federal law and on a state by state basis by the National Firearms (NFA) branch of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE). Citizens can legally purchase and possess silencers in 42 states. Purchasing a silencer takes more work than purchasing a firearm, however it is not overly difficult. The steps are pretty straight forward. The hardest part is waiting for the BATFE to process your application. The steps are as follows:

1. Decide what silencer(s) you want Are you looking for a silencer for your hunting rifle? Or long range target rifle? Maybe you need something to Quiet down your AR? Or maybe you are looking for a pistol silencer or a 22 silencer for use with the kids? Whatever you are looking for, there are numerous silencers are the market that can fill your needs. The best thing to do to find a silencer that meets your needs is come by Sharp Shooters and visit with the staff. Most have silencers and can help you figure out which one best meets your needs. 2.Decide how you want to file Once you purchase the silencer, the next step is to file a form 4. There are two ways to file; either as an individual or through a trust. Filing as an individual is the simplest way. You as the purchaser are the only person required to file out the form

4. This requires providing fingerprints, passport photos, and answering a series of questions regarding eligibility. The disadvantage of filing as an individual is that you are the only person who can be in possession of the silencer. You can shoot with family and friends, and they can shoot the silencer , however the silencer must stay with you at all times. The other way to file is to set up a trust and file through the trust. The advantage of a trust is that anyone designated as a trustee on the trust can be possess the silencer. You can have family members or friends who are at least 18 designated as trustees. The disadvantage is that all trustees are required to provide fingerprints, passport photos, and fill out responsible person questionnaires. If you decide to go the Trust route, be aware that Sharp Shooters can create your trust for you for a competitive fee.

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3. Use the Silencer Shop Kiosk to complete the application In the past, form 4s had to be filled out manually, including all responsible person questionnaires, fingerprints had to be taken by local law enforcement personnel, and passport photos had to be provided for attachment to the application. It took quite a bit of work to pull all required documentation together. However, a better way is now available via the Silencer Shop Kiosk. In January of this year, Sharp Shooters acquired a Kiosk and it has greatly simplified the paperwork process. Now, to generate the form 4, the buyer can create an account on Silencer Shop and then log into the kiosk. The kiosk will then walk you through the entire process of creating a form 4. Using the kiosk you will take your fingerprints, enter all identification information, answer SEE SILENCERS | PAGE 16

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al guoarrcdeâ&#x20AC;?/ n o i t a n â&#x20AC;&#x153; â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;A well-regulated militia, police f r e g n o l â&#x20AC;&#x153;no being necessary to ilegemaetnt v i r the security of a p â&#x20AC;&#x153; r goversncretionâ&#x20AC;? no loangpe roblem free State, the right of di the people to keep â&#x20AC;&#x153;except hand arms, â&#x20AC;&#x153;excorepittieps,oo&r, ch ea minsidents of and bear arms, shall selfp-alorma s, ugly arms, re ic housing, ding arms, & publ york city, not be infringed.â&#x20AC;? m il itary-looking armsâ&#x20AC;? new on, DC washingtetc. â&#x20AC;&#x153;after enwat it/inpolg icfeor governmproval â&#x20AC;? ap Before anyone edits the Bill of Rights,

SILENCERS: NOT AS HARD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

all required questions, and take your picture via a smartphone app. If you are filing through a trust, all trustees must do this as well. It all takes about 10 minutes per person. The kiosk will then store all your information so that when you decide to purchase additional silencers, it can automatically create the form 4 with your stored information. Its easy! 4.Pay for your tax stamp The next step is to pay for your tax stamp. This is a $200 fee payed to the BATFE and is required for all form 4 applications. You can pay this fee online via your Silencer Shop account. Select form 4 tax stamp under the SERVICES tab, and purchase online with a credit card. Once the tax stamp is purchased, Silencer Shop will create all the paperwork automatically. 5.Sign all the paperwork online Once the form 4 is created, it will be sent to you via DOCUSIGN to review and sign off on the form 4. If you are filing via a trust, all trustees will receive DOCUSIGN emails. Review all your personal information, and make sure the silencer you are purchasing is correct in the documentation. If all information is correct, sign the document on the computer, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it! Silencer Shop will print out the form 4, mail it to the NFA branch of the BATFE, they will cash the $200 payment from Silencer Shop, and then it is a waiting game. The BATFE places the application in their Queue, and it must wait its turn to be processed. Form 4s take several months to go through processing and there is no information available from the BATFE that will tell you where you are in the QUEUE. Make sure you get plenty of range time, mount your silencer mount on your firearm, and let the process play out. Once the BATFE approves your application, they will mail the approved stamp to Sharp Shooters. We will call as soon as we can to let you know your stamp has arrived and you can come get your silencer. You will come in, fill out a firearm transaction form, and you are free to take your silencer. Finally, any time you use your silencer,

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make sure you keep a copy of the approved form 4 with you at all times. Do not carry the original, keep that in a safe place, but you must be able to produce a copy of the form 4 when asked by Law Enforcement personnel to demonstrate that you can legally possess the silencer. So the next time you are at the range, or hunting with a buddy and he is using a silencer, just remember, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not that hard to get one, and they are becoming more commonplace all the time. Submitted by Sharp Shooters Safe & Gun, Lubbock, TX

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COMMENTARY CONTINUED

Broken tokens and how the Texas election shows much is the same as 50 years ago BY ROBERT PRATT

“…At the state level, the [Texas] Democrats are a mess. They haven’t won a statewide office since 1994, and their candidates for governor and other state offices routinely suffer 20-point wipeouts… It’s a vicious cycle for the Democrats: Candidates worth spit don’t want to run, because they don’t want those humiliating whippings on their CVs, so third-rate candidates get the nod, get walloped, etc. Pratt argues that the Democrats are oriented toward marshaling national resources in the pursuit of national power; sure, they’d love to win the lieutenant governorship in Texas, but that’s not anywhere near the top of the list,” wrote Kevin Williamson in National IT’S A MAD WORLD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

you think I’m picking on your party, politicians or priests, (and I am being totally non-partisan here). Let me point out that the ‘other side’ are often just as bad! My message is sent to all. ‘Let him who is without guilt cast TREATISE ON A RETURN TO BASICS IN GOVERNMENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

preface a congressional draft with returning to a military service draft. Service to one’s country is a very good way to learn discipline, become physically fit, to learn a trade and then YES, to learn about how our government functions. That would afford an opportunity to read and understand the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It would prepare all citizens to serve their country in another meaningful way. In the beginning our founding was rooted in revolution and New beginnings were called for. It doesn’t have to be that way again

Review before the election after hearing my points on how Texas is not as Republican as recent election spreads have lead many to think. The 2018 General Election demonstrates my point. Even Lupe Valdez who is surely one of the worst, most non-viable candidates ever put up for Texas governor by a major party, did not suffer a 20-point wipeout. Abbott beat her by 13.4 percentage points which is a walloping but less of one than the 20.37 victory over Wendy Davis in 2014. If you take out the top and bottom performers of the statewide races on the ballot the margin of GOP victory was an average of 7.6 percent. That number was lowered significantly from recent elections because Dems had a viable

candidate at the top of the ticket but it is still more than double the percentage O’Rourke lost by. The point is that with viable candidates, not the crew of broken tokens who have been winning Democrat primaries, you can see that the Republican majority in Texas is about four to six percent. And just as it was fifty years ago, the urban areas are liberal and the less urban and rural are more conservative. The more things change the more they remain the same. Submitted by Robert Pratt who is the host of Pratt on Texas which can be heard in the Lubbock-area weekdays 5 to 7pm on KFYO 790AM or 95.1FM. www.PrattonTexas.com.

the first stone.’ I wonder if some of you have now assumed you know where this ‘Brit upstart’ coming from and categorised me as an enemy. Please relax. I’m not. The point I am simply making is that we should certainly build from a position of

stability. ‘In strength I will establish this mine house to stand firm for ever’. So, how does this apparently lofty ideal inform our behaviour as ethical individuals? All that I am proposing is strength balanced with mercy, justice with the possibility of forgivenesss and mutual love,

tolerance and respect for all who follow a true path. I look forward to future opportunities for discussion and dialogue. In love and light. Submitted by Peter Rees, DipM FCIM FRSA Chartered Marketer, London, United Kingdom

because we have the benefit of history and can easily recognize the signs of a government gone bad. A course adjustment can be made and indeed MUST be made, because too many have labored for too long and hard to just abandon the greatest experiment thus far in time - America. Here is a course to take in repairing the ills of the past hundred years or more. It’s okay to call it the Texas Two Step: 1.Bring the military draft back. 2.Establish a draft of citizens to serve in Congress. If you consider how well the new Republic worked (warts and all) in the formative years you must see it was the beginning of a glorious system of

Liberty and Freedom. But the way to hell is often paved with well intentions and although the left may mean well they don’t speak for all. Their cause is flawed in the hearts and minds of those who still respect our founding principles and values. They began to do things based on what they want rather than what they SHOULD do. So, let’s revisit our military draft. The draft requires we all have a duty of service to our country and is where the collective agrees to donate their time to the cause. It means denying self to unifying the Nation. The American cause requires a revival, from time to time, to reaffirm our commitment to stay the course and reject the changes

that lulled us to sleep over the past century. Lest we acknowledge that fact that we’ve stumbled, and once again humble ourselves as a culture we’ll continue the “it’s all about me” mentality. So, the first step in revival means realistic equality between all. Men and women working together with the discipline only possible in a military hierarchal system, and one that is most evident in retrospect. Looking back on my memorable Navy days, it was based on a no-nonsense, follow the rules, experience, knowing “a tight ship is a happy ship”. To me that means when the rules are clearly stated and known by all, in unity, all knew what to expect SEE BASICS IN GOVERNMENT | PAGE 20

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JANUARY 2019

MEN ARE JUST HAPPY PEOPLE SUBMITTED BY BUFFALO GAP NEWS

This needs no explanation - and is a fun read, no matter your gender. Men Are Just Happier People! What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky. You don’t have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress - $5,000. Tux rental - $100. People never stare at your chest when you’re talking to them. New shoes don’t cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks. A fiveday vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend. Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Two pairs of shoes are more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have

to shave your face and neck. You can play with toys all your life. One wallet and one pair of shoes - one color for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can ‘do’ your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache... You can do shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes. No wonder men are happier! NICKNAME: If Laura, Kate, and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah. If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Bubba, and Wild man. EATING OUT: When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it’s only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back. When the girls get their bill, outcome the pocket calculators. MONEY: A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs. A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn’t need but it’s on sale. BATHROOMS: A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel· The average number of items in the typical woman’s bathroom is 337. A man would NOT be able to identify more than 20 of these items. ARGUMENTS: A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

FUTURE: A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband. A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife. MARRIAGE: A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn’t. A man marries a woman expecting that she won’t change, but she does. DRESSING UP: A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail. A man might dress up for weddings and funerals. N AT U R A L : M e n w a k e u p a s

good-looking as they went to bed. Women somehow deteriorate during the night. OFFSPRING: Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears, and hopes and dreams. A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: A married man should forget his mistakes. There’s no use in two people remembering the same thing! Submitted by Buffalo Gap News

or preacher, or if I didn’t put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me. I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered profanity. I was drug to the neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow their yard, repair their clothesline

or chop their firewood. Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior to this day. They are stronger than cocaine, crack or heroin. If children today had this kind of drug problem, the world would be a better place!” Submitted by John G, Lubbock, TX

I was Drugged by My Parents! BY JOHN G

was recently asked why we didn’t have a drug problem when we were growing up. This was my reply. “I had a drug problem when I was young. I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for

weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions. I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to my elders. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of my teacher

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BIRTH TOURISM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

get cheaper tuition in American colleges as“foreign students have to pay more than U.S. citizens.” Fourth, it is a way for the child to avoid the draft in his home country, he simply goes to America. All of this for a little tour in the U.S. while having a baby (“The Ingraham Angle,”

www.CaprockPatriot.com October 30, 2018). But this practice is specifically forbidden by the 14th Amendment of the Constitution which reads in part: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” Senator Jacob Merritt Howard, architect of the 14th Amendment, actually

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structured the Amendment, (one of two defining the legal status of freed slaves after the Civil War, the other being the 13th which gave them freedom), to prevent that very interpretation. He said: “This amendment which I have offered is simply declaratory of what I regard as the law of the land already, that every person born within the limits of the United States, and [already] subject to their jurisdiction, is by virtue of natural law and national law a citizen of the United States. This will not, of course, include persons born in the United States who are foreigners, aliens, who belong to the families of ambassadors or foreign minister accredited to the Government of the United States, but will include every other class of persons.” It was Howard who insisted that the qualifying phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” be inserted. Notice also the exclusion of babies born of ambassadors while here. If diplomats of high honor are specifically exempted from birthright citizenship, mere tourists, without any specific distinction, certainly would not have it. They not only have jurisdiction or allegiance elsewhere but are specifically identified as ineligible, and thus cannot have birthright citizenship. On birthright citizenship President Donald Trump is on solid constitutional ground as expressed by the Founders of the 14th Amendment. Because this is a Civil War amendment designed to keep previously rebelling southern states from prohibiting ex-slaves, or their children, from having citizenship and because of the inclusion of the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof,” there exists no other interpretation without serious distortion of the amendment. Senate deliberations on the 14th amendment show no other interpretation. Birthright citizenship cannot be taken from those already citizens or their children. Indians did not get citizenship until 1924 because they were not yet clearly, “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States government. One “cannot owe allegiance to anybody else,” argued,

Senator Lyman Trumbull, co-author of the 13th Amendment outlawing slavery. That would most certainly exclude those proudly carrying their native flags in the recent caravan invasion of our border. So how should Trump proceed in getting America back to the Constitution as written? First he must immediately issue an executive order ending the practice of birth tourism based upon his oath of office to defend and preserve the Constitution and by the specific ambassadors exclusionary clause of the authors of the 14th Amendment itself. He can count on the enemies of the republic to sue to block the execution of the order. Such normally take many months to process. This allows immigration and the wall to remain lead issues in the election. America demands closure on this issue and it will reelect him. A statute solution through Congress in favor of ending the perversion of the Constitution with respect to birthright citizenship for anyone illegally crossing the border is the much preferred solution. Should the courts rule against a Trump executive order on birth tourism he will know the timing is not yet right for the same on the bigger immigration issue. Should they follow the Constitution as intended, he will, with the birth tourism issue in his favor, immediately do the larger issue by executive order as well, more especially if the opposition party, which supports open borders, retains the House, or looks to retain the House in 2020. This also would result in a suit so if in late 2019 a Republican retake of the House is probable, without obstruction from his own party, it might be better to wait for a statute solution through Congress. Submitted by Dr. Harold Pease who is a syndicated columnist and an expert on the United States Constitution. He has dedicated his career to studying the writings of the Founding Fathers and applying that knowledge to current events. He taught history and political science from this perspective for over 30 years at Taft College. Newspapers have permission to publish this column. To read more of his weekly articles, please visit www. LibertyUnderFire.org.

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TREATISE ON A RETURN TO BASICS IN GOVERNMENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

and when they follow the rules they are indeed happy campers. When we dropped the “Draft” in 1973 (as the Vietnam war was winding down) the problems began. Our sense of purpose became foggy and uncertain because we were scattered and had no clear unified understanding of the goals and objectives of our country. It is a law of nature that faint-hearted men are the product of a luxurious society, and the same soil produces neither luxuries nor heroes – Herodotus 484-425 BC. In the military service we learned cooking and cleaning, trades of all sorts and most of all respect for authority. All of this built a positive attitude of “Can Do” largely because of Duty and Honor. The last paragraph of the Declaration of Independence states: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” It doesn’t get any clearer than that. Establish a draft of citizens to serve in Congress. Once we have a citizenry with a solid base of understanding of our country’s exceptionalism in government and economy, we can move on to number two - a draft into government service – for a government of the People, By the People and For the People.

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All would have the opportunity to serve by first passing a test of our understanding of the processes of this democratic republic, where ultimate authority and power is derived from the citizens. The Constitution directly states that the citizens (“We the people”) are the foundation of government. The draft would, of course, be a departure from the current process where Professional Politicians have evolved from a pure representation to an institution guided by “Influence Peddlers” or “Lobbyists” who represent some “Special Interest” and not the interest of ALL. In the beginning the common people served voluntarily but the business of government would recess in August, so members could return home for the Harvest of their crops (Children were also recessed from school to help with the harvest). Other reasons such as the heat of summer and no air conditioning made it nearly impossible to carry on the business of lawmaking. Most importantly the DRAFT would bring governance back to the common man interested in doing the right thing and not for self or individual gain. “Always do the right thing. This will gratify some and astonish the rest” – Samuel Clemens / Mark Twain. I believe this would populate the congress with folks of every persuasion in the same proportion as the general population. I trust the average citizen far more than I trust a professional career politician. Think about it

- the average citizen gets it right far more often than the current and past congresses. Don’t misunderstand me though – these “Average” men and women would have been schooled in government, qualified themselves by being citizens, of Voting age or older and passed a comprehensive test, and willingly agree to serve for a subsistence wage. At the end of service, a hold back amount of money would be paid over 5 years to help get them back into the private sector, continue or start their own business, for example. Make no mistake, we can do this. We only need the will to save this country from the Culture of Corruption we find ourselves. . . in the swamp. Submitted by Joe Mavilia who is a syndicated columnist with more than 35 years in the automotive industry. He is a member of the Motor Press Guild and Automotive Press Association. His reviews have been published in print media including the Los Angeles Times, The Golden Transcript – Colorado, La Feria News – Texas, The Pasadena

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Weekly – California, and others around the country, including www.theweekenddrive.com where he is the West Coast Editor.

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THE WORD

Journeying through the Desert BY M.J. KOLACEK

once had a group of 50 students on a charter bus, traveling from the panhandle of Texas to San Diego, California for a youth conference. It was the dead middle of summer, and we were driving through the large stretch of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. In case you haven’t figured it out, it was HOT. As we drove, we realized that the temperature in the bus was getting warmer and warmer by the minute. Some of us broke out in a sweat, and the heavenly smell of teenage boys started to waft to the front of the bus. Our driver pulled over at a rest stop. It was 120 degrees outside. After some investigation, it was reported to me that the AC system was completely shot. We would have to drive the rest of the way to San Diego without any air. All the adults ensured all the kids had plenty of water, and we pushed on. To say the next couple of hours were miserable would be an understatement. Our bus driver exited off the highway and pulled up to a gas station. He told us that due to the unfortunate circumstances, the bus company would be buying everyone a drink and ice cream. He also told us that he called the establishment beforehand, explained

our predicament, and they agreed to allow everyone to go into their walk-in freezer one group at a time in order to cool off. The kids whooped and hollered. The adults sighed heavily and smiled, and a few literally cried tears of relief. We disembarked to our oasis and enjoyed the cool walk-in freezer. We drank our fill of free gatorade and ice cold water. We ate our ice cream and laughed. Before we knew it, the time had come to get back on the bus to continue on. Kids and adults alike cried out in lamentations. It was a litany of dread and misery. We prayed before continuing on the bus for strength, and I highlighted that we were over three quarters of the way there and the sun would set soon. The rest of the ride was miserable, but we made it to our destination without anyone passing out. Praise God. Sometimes we go through deserts in our life. Sometimes we go through times that are dry, lonely, miserable, scary, and unpredictable. Sometimes we don’t know how we are going to get through. We cry out in lamentations, because it’s hard to be miserable. It’s hard to endure. It’s hard to push forward. There are things that come up in our journey through the deserts of life that might seem to offer relief, but these are only passing things.

They are temporary pleasures. No matter how long you stay in those things, there eventually comes a time to rise up and move forward. We must keep our eyes fixed on our destination. We were created to endure, to persist. If you are journeying through a desert right now, whether it’s grief of losing a loved one, unemployment, loneliness, spiritual dryness, illness, financial insecurity, fear, etc., be encouraged by the fact that the Gospel proclaims that Christ himself, the Word made flesh, spent time in the desert. Sure, you aren’t perfect, but the One who is perfect, who is closer to you than the clothes touching your skin right now, spent time in the desert. He knows. He offers strength through his Spirit. You need only ask. I remember a moment while sitting on that bus, I was sweating and worried, and I looked up and saw 50 sweaty faces staring back at me. I wasn’t alone. Everyone journeys through a desert from time to time. Be comforted that even during the times of desperation and you feel far from the Creator, you are never truly alone and isolated from the created. Reach out and connect. Persist and endure. You were created for it, and the Creator literally understands.

#RefuseFearChooseFaith BY ANN BIRDSONG

ast December, I heard a sermon titled “Refuse Fear, Choose Faith.” It was a great sermon and helped set the tone for the new year. Two days later, on January 1, 2018, I posted on my Instagram page the joy I had looking ahead to 2018 from my perspective at that point. I shared my eldest son’s engagement, excitement about starting seminary, and the new location planned for my business. I quoted Jerimiah 29:11, and then I did it – I hash-tagged #RefuseFearChooseFaith. So here we are, a year later,

at a time of reflection and reminiscing. God must laugh at us when we talk or write about “our plans”. Looking back at the post, it looks as if I wrote my plan, and He stamped the #. I didn’t even make it to the end of January before “my 2018 plan” started to go in a different direction. First, I ended up in the hospital in January which postponed my ability to start seminary the following month. Then my son received his third set of orders to Syria causing us to postpone his wedding to 2019, and finally, I received an unexpected job offer and moved, creating not only a new location for my business, but a sale

and new ownership. Now, looking back, I see how easily satan could have taken me down in fear. Leaving me with nothing to declare as God’s Glory. I was not thinking about the sermon or my hash-tagged post moving through each scenario, I was focused more on a reliance in prayer and desire to choose faith. Today, I can clearly see how God put me in a position now to where people can ask me, “how did you know you were following God’s will”? My answer and my desire for everyone SEE #REFUSEFEARCHOOSEFAITH | PAGE 23

After persisting and making it to our destination, I spent three days witnessing young people kneel in the presence of God and heal. I saw joy and peace rest on once sweaty, red, miserable faces. I saw young people become empowered and connect with their strengths and immeasurable worth. It is my prayer today, and always, that we all may be given the grace to persist when we journey through the deserts of this life, and by persisting and enduring, we reach each destination of fulfillment and joy, which will ultimately lead us to eternal life, through Christ our Lord. Peace be with you. Submitted by M.J. Kolacek, Canyon, TX

THE WORD

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JANUARY 2019

Politics, Culture and the “Divided” States of America BY PASTOR SKI

ords spoken and written are God’s idea. Let us explore two words, politics and culture. These two words have turned us, as a nation, into what seems to be the “divided” States of America. I offer the following words of this essay, filtered through the lens of my life experiences, and the ideas of many wiser than myself. My lifelong experiences began as a boy growing up on a Minnesota dairy farm. I volunteered to defend our American freedoms and the freedoms of the Vietnamese in 1968 through 1969. As a Marine, I served proudly as a soldier representing a nation of citizens willing to sacrificially defeat the bullies of history. My pursuit of money and success in the business world helps me appreciate the light and darkness of capitalism. Being happily married to the same woman for 46 years, the raising of two biological boys and one adopted bi-racial girl (now in their forties and late 30s) validates my daily need for divine power. The eight grandchildren we have been blessed with, by a loving Creator God, provokes daily gratitude and awe. Pastoring a small congregation for 24 years shapes my always deepening understanding of God’s amazing grace. My wife and I have lived in rural Minnesota, the urban setting of San Diego, California, three years in Austin, Texas, 24 years 70 miles north of New York City in the shadow of the 9/11 attack and presently five years in Greensboro, North Carolina. My marriage, the business world, church life, and our “re-firement” years fascinate me. Families, commerce, spiritual communities and nations are ruled by the power of their cultures and subcultures. Politics seek to answer the question, “What is the best way to use power to organize communities for the citizens of a particular community?” The worldview, that I believe, best guides how we ought to govern our families, businesses, and our nation comes from the words of the

Bible. Government exists to serve the citizens it is called to govern. If government doesn’t work the way it is supposed to, it has a ‘worldview problem.’ The timeless reality is this, ‘someone’s worldview will govern.’ We change, as communities have done for generations, the powers that govern our communities through prayer, ballots, or bullets. “Culture is the water in which we swim in. Culture’s greatest influence is in what it presents as being normal”. Both of these quotes are from contemporary author, John Stonestreet. C.S. Lewis said, “The most dangerous ideas in a society are not the ones that are being argued, but the ones assumed.” Our worldviews determine what actions individuals and communities approve and accept. What was taboo in the 1950s is now accepted as normal in 2018. How can the Bible’s book of Romans sound like it is written to the Church of America today? Because the culture of American Christianity no longer blows a clear moral trumpet call. The truth of the Biblical Jesus wobbles in our pulpits and we find our spiritual shepherds speaking God’s Word to ”itching ears” in the pews. God cannot bless our homes, our economy, or our nation because the Body of Christ refuses to repent of its blatant sins. “Nation healing”, historically, comes to any nation after God’s people wake up and ‘fess up! The Bible

warns hearers, in any age, without Godly vision, people / communities perish. Our politics and our culture are now symbolized as “red and blue”. I would suggest red culture desires to be governed by Biblical standards (please note, never sin-lessly), and blue culture desires to be governed by ”whatever is right in humanity’s mind.” A home, a business venture, a nation so divided against itself cannot stand. The consequences of sinful choices will always be emotional, spiritual and political death. “War” is how the Bible describes our journey of life together on earth. Book titles with “War” as their theme fill our bookshelves. Wars are won when one enemy surrenders to the stronger victor. Christians are citizens of this grand

experiment of history called America. But in 2018, we are not called as citizens to make “America Great Again” but rather to make the “Body of Christ Great Again”. As we battle spiritually to be salt and light, in our politics and culture, the nation in which Christians live becomes more blessed. Moral decay is a symptom of spiritual rot. Today, Christians must live with the mindset of an exile or alien in a land where the institutions of home, school, civil government, and churches once clearly defended Judeo-Christian values. The reality of the divided state of our Union calls for Christians to proactively march into spiritual battle for the sake of God’s Kingdom. The light of Jesus cannot be extinguished by any spiritual darkness. The hope of Christ will not be preserved by any house of government, but rather by America’s houses of prayer. Any nation, like America, must be governed internally by God’s biblical laws, otherwise, the bayonets of a dictator will be required to maintain social order. It is my prayer that our children and grandchildren will lock arms across the generations to boldly confront and correct our present culture. With God’s help, together, God’s truth will march on, victoriously! Submitted Courageously by Pastor Ski, Re-fired Pastor (will never retire from serving the Lord), U.S. Marine - Semper Fi, Greensboro, NC (previous Pastor and friend of the Caprock Patriot Publisher)

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#REFUSEFEARCHOOSEFAITH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

in 2019, is to #RefuseFearChooseFaith. It has to be a conscious decision. You have to take all the lies we tell ourselves (I am sick, he is too young, I am not good enough, I am too old etc.) and all the fear (what if I fail, what if he dies, I can’t afford

www.CaprockPatriot.com it, I will be lonely etc.) out of your thoughts and decisions. Then know 1. God will never lead you towards an opportunity that contradicts what He clearly says in His word; 2. It will always be accompanied by confirmation; and most of all; 3. It will require you to depend on only Him. He insists upon being first in our lives. Therefore, this year, if you find yourself

saying, “I can’t do this unless God goes before me,” or, “I can’t do this, but only with God’s help and lending,” I would say, in my personal experience, it’s likely something God is calling you to do. Hebrews 11:6 says, “and without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who

THE WORD

seek Him.” Many times an opportunity from God is one that allows our faith to be stretched and strengthened. God Bless You – in Your Fearless New Year. Submitted by Ann Birdsong, Evangelism and Engagement Director, Munholland United Methodist Church, Metairie, LA; sister-in-law of the Caprock Patriot

PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE WORLD TODAY IS NO ONE SNAPS GREEN BEANS WITH GRANDMA ANYMORE

As we face these uncertain times in our nation, we ask you, Lord, to dwell among us. We are comforted by the knowledge that You alone are our Savior and Lord, and the ultimate Master of life. We trust our nation to Your loving care, Lord. Send Your Spirit to touch the hearts of our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leaders. Give them the wisdom to know what is right, and the courage to do it. Give us Your light and Your truth to guide us in our ways so that we may seek Your will in our lives and impact the world around us for Your Kingdom. In Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Name we pray. Amen.