On the Friday night edition of NBC Nightly News, they reported that there is chatter that Al Qaeda is discussing setting wild fires in the west as a form of terrorist attack. They discussed making “ember bombs” and even using lit cigarettes and magnifying glasses. We have all seen the terrible toll wildfires take in our dry years. Strategically speaking, it is an effective tactic that is incredibly simple to execute.

So now the question is, are we going to close off our natural wonders in this country?
How about banning magnifying glasses?
Surely we won’t ban cigarettes; we can’t even do that to save peoples’ lives.

I think this is a great time to sit back and reevaluate where we’ve come from and where we are. On the 10 year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, I wrote an article (My Open Letter to the Detesters of America) in which I did a great deal of reflecting on our actions in response to those attacks and on the damage we have done to ourselves as a result. We’ve done a great deal of harm to our country, our liberties and our citizens. We’ve done far more harm than the terrorists ever could.

What have we achieved?
Do we even know?
We certainly aren’t happy with what we have.
Do we really feel any safer?

I’ve been analyzing details and numbers. I’ve looked at our current and past leaders in all three branches of our government. The prevailing truth is that the country is more or less going in a single direction and the only thing that varies, from election to election, is the speed at which it is going. If you look at the actions of the last four Presidents you will see a great deal of similarity, and let me be clear, I said actions and not policy. I question if their actions don’t actually describe their policy more than what they are declaring it to be.

I’ve been looking at this data for a couple of years now. I’ve continued to see a picture form. The picture is very large and it takes a great deal of information to paint it in one’s mind. This whole idea originates from a comment that I was told by someone, who at one time worked in intelligence. This person told me, a little before President Obama was inaugurated, that I “shouldn’t expect things to change too much, especially with international issues. The President might change but the people controlling the information and making the recommendations are still going to be the same.”

I didn’t realize how right this person was.

There is an issue that is greatly neglected in America. It only receives mention in the press once something tragic has happened, and even then it fades from discussion quickly.

According to estimates by the World Health Organization, the total number of years lost to illness, disability, or premature death within the United States and Canada are caused more by Neuropsychiatric Disorders than any other group.

More than likely, every one of you either has a Mental Health Condition or knows someone who does.

I keep seeing and hearing people argue about those Marines who desecrated the dead bodies of Taliban fighters and whether they are subject to the judgment and standards of those who do not or have not served. People argue as if their service some how excuses them from responsibility for committing an atrocity. I think there is a clear need for us all to step back from this issue and look at it objectively.

Certainly, we are proud of our men and women in uniform.

Certainly, we know that war is a terrible and ugly thing that brings out both the best and the worst in people.

Certainly, war distorts one's world view when that is what they are surrounded with for a long period of time.

Certainly, these few do not represent the U.S. Armed Services as a whole.

However, if we are going to bestow upon these men and women the honors of being leaders, of being some of the best that our nation has to offer, of carrying out the will of this nation in the missions of defense and humanity then we must also hold them to those standards.

Those of us who have volunteered to wear the uniforms of our nation have done far more than just sign a contract. We have stood and swore oaths to our God and to our Country.

I have been spending time lately watching what is taking place around the world and have been thoroughly reflecting on it. I cannot help but wonder why so many seem to be oblivious to the realities that seem so clear to me. I know each person has their own set of experiences and education, so I thought that I should try to look at it from a point of view relying only on the most basic of education. So this is what comes to mind from my earliest education, Kindergarten through Fifth Grade.

I see these multinational corporations and wealthy individuals that are equally multinational.
I see that these multinational wealthy have nothing that holds them accountable to any governing body, because they can easily transition from the jurisdiction of that governing body to another.
I see these same corporations and individuals practice a level of selfishness that would equate to a young child stealing all the toys from their playmates and then ditching their playmates to move on to another group to steal all their toys.
I see that they invest in region after region and set themselves on a perpetual growth.
I see them destroy region after region as they take all they can until the region is depleted and then they move on.

To those who hate America, I would like to appeal to you to no longer kill people in your quest to see America fall. It is ultimately against everyone’s religion or secular ethics. Furthermore, it is not necessary. You see America is destroying itself, and I’ll explain to you how.

It is now ten years since the attacks of September 11, 2001. On that day, 19 extremists wielding nothing more than box cutters were able to take over four planes and crash them in to the World Trade Center and Pentagon. The fourth plane crashed in a field after the passengers rose up against the extremists on-board. Nearly 3,000 people were killed on that day and there have been many others who have died or are dying from health problems arising from that day. This was a terrible and heinous act, and one that does not need to be matched.

On that day the fabric of what makes America was torn, but not destroyed. On that day we needed to make choices, all of us, as a nation. Those choices would decide whether we mended that tear. Since that day America has acted against its own wellbeing with fear and vengeance directed at you, those who hate America. With all the tragedy that was caused on September 11, 2001, America has done far more harm to itself. Many of the tragedies committed by America on itself are, perhaps, subtle and not easily measured. Many more of the tragedies are easily measured. Worst of all are the actions of a few that were done in the name of us all, despite our descent. So we must be adorned with the same filth as those who committed those wrongs, so I say “we,” which is technically inaccurate but accurate in the eyes of the world.

Well, it's a headline that should be showing up in the press, for several reasons. Most recently because of a revelation that has come out of the Norway tragedy. The headline reads: "Norway gunman touted lax US gun laws." (To read the story go to this link.)

Arguably, Norway has equally as much right to go to war with the US as we did with Afghanistan. We criticized them for harboring terrorists. We are arming the terrorist that attacked Norway. As a matter of fact, that is what we used as a justification for invading Iraq.

We are all ranting and cursing and hollering about our political leaders right now. Really, what is wrong with them? They can’t seem to get anything done! What a disgrace! How do these idiots keep getting reelected! Why can’t they be like the rest of us!

Well, an interesting reality is that comparing the demographics of the Congress to the demographics of the people will show that the Congress is not really much of a representation of the people at all. The proportions of race, gender, net worth and even religion are completely inconsistent with the people, as a whole. However, I would say that they actually represent us almost perfectly. You may be scratching your head and wondering how I am making that assertion. Well, I’ll explain that.

Folks, this is not a typical post. This is not a political discussion. This, plain and simple, is a plea to all of you to help. Please, if there is anything at all you can spare, give to the disaster victims. I recommend the Red Cross and/or the Salvation Army.

We have seen records made and broken this year. The South and the Midwest have been devastated by floods and tornadoes. The severe weather/tornado season is still very much in the early parts. We could still see many more floods and tornadoes.

I am a Catholic. I was raised Catholic and I’ve strayed at times but always returned home, so to speak. By association I am assumed to be or assumed to believe certain things, as a Catholic. The Catholic Church makes statements and provides guidelines, and inadvertently speaks for all Catholics. Going broader, as a Christian I have even more folks speaking for me. I get associated with extreme factions that do crazy things. That is not me. I do not find those people to be correct in their preachings.

Often we have individuals claiming to know something because the bible told them so. We have seen this with cults and even this last Saturday we saw the faction that was predicting the end of days. Many times these self-proclaimed prophets miss very important teachings in the Bible as they preach their fallacy. For instance, those folks that were saying the Bible guaranteed that May 21st was the day of the rapture. They neglected several instances of the Bible saying that we cannot predict or know when the end is going to come.

"But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." Mark 13:32