Saturday, December 14, 2013

Happiness and Laughter Are Natural Immune Boosters




By Dr. Mercola
There are many studies supporting the belief that people with an upbeat and positive perspective tend to be healthier and enjoy longer lives. For example, in one study,1 the tendency to always expect the worst was linked to a 25 percent higher risk of dying before the age of 65.
Perhaps one of the most well-known forerunners of “the science of happiness” was Norman Cousins, who in 1964 was diagnosed with a life-threatening autoimmune disease. After being given a one in 500 chance of recovery, Cousins created his own laughter therapy program, which he claims was the key to his ultimate recovery.
Cousins went on to establish the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology2 in Los Angeles, California, and his book, Anatomy of an Illness, was made into a TV movie in 1984 that you can see in the video above. It's an old grainy movie. However, you can watch it if you are in a tough spot and feel you would benefit from some happy support.
Still, conventional medicine is reluctant to admit that your emotional state might have any major impact on your overall health and longevity. Perhaps this is understandable, as “happiness” is not something that can be bottled and sold at your local pharmacy.
The featured article in Scientific American3 discusses some of the latest advancements in the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), conducted by researchers at the Cousins Center and elsewhere.
Fortunately, despite being ridiculed and rejected by mainstream science, there are still a brave few who are willing to stick their necks out to investigate how and why emotions, such as happiness, affect your physical health. As stated by Stephen Smale, an immunologist at the University of California:
“If you talk to any high-quality neurobiologist or immunologist about PNI, it will invariably generate a little snicker. But this doesn't mean the topic should be ignored forever. Someday we need to confront it and try to understand how the immune system and nervous system interact.”

Your Brain Is Wired to Your Immune System

According to the featured article, studies done in the 1980s and early 1990s revealed that your immune system and brain are actually wired together:
“[P]ortions of the nervous system connect with immune-related organs such as the thymus and bone marrow, and immune cells have receptors for neurotransmitters, suggesting that there is crosstalk.”
In some ways, this discovery can be likened to the revelation that your gut has far broader impact on your health than previously imagined—including your psychological health, as your gut and brain are actually made from the same tissue. In a very real sense, you have TWO brains; one inside your skull, and one in your intestines.
When you get down to it, why wouldn’t your emotions and mental state affect your health? It’s already well-known that stress can take a tremendous toll on your health, for example. Yet conventional scientists frown on the idea that emotions such as “happiness” or “joy” would make any difference. As reported in the featured article:
“[I]t has proved difficult to explain how this happens at the molecular level — how subjective moods connect with the vastly complex physiology of the nervous and immune systems. The field that searches for these explanations, known as psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), is often criticized as lacking rigour.
[Cousins Center professor, Steve] Cole's stated aim is to fix that, and his tool of choice is genome-wide transcriptional analysis: looking at broad patterns of gene expression in cells. ‘My job is to be a hard-core tracker,’ he says. ‘How do these mental states get out into the rest of the body?’”

Stress Takes a Toll on Your Immune System

Cole and his colleagues have published a number of studies investigating the genetic effects of various mental states. Not surprisingly, they’ve discovered that different emotional states tend to alter gene expression in different ways.

For example, they found that chronic loneliness tends to result in certain types of genes being either up- or downregulated.4 Genes involved in the regulation of inflammatory response were upregulated, while genes involved with antiviral control were downregulated. The end result? Decreased immune function. According to the featured article:
“In sociable people, the reverse was true. It was a small study, but one of the first to link a psychological risk factor with a broad underlying change in gene expression.”
Through the years, studies have also been able to show the effects of stress on various biological functions. Such effects include:
  • Reduced activity of virus-fighting immune cells
  • Increased levels of antibodies for common viruses such as Epstein-Barr, suggesting that stress can reactivate otherwise latent viruses in your body
Related research presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society in Miami, Florida, found that ruminating on a stressful incident can increase your levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation in your body.5 It was the first study to directly measure this effect.
To do so, they asked 34 healthy young women to give a speech about her candidacy for a job in front of two stone-faced interviewers wearing white lab coats. Afterward, half the group was asked to contemplate their performance while the other half were asked to think about neutral things like going to the grocery store. Blood samples were drawn from each participant, showing that the C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in those who kept ruminating on their speech. According to Medical News Today:6
“For these participants, the levels of the inflammatory marker continued to rise for at least one hour after the speech. During the same time period, the marker returned to starting levels in the subjects who had been asked to focus on other thoughts.
The C-reactive protein is primarily produced by the liver as part of the immune system's initial inflammatory response. It rises in response to traumas, injuries or infections in the body, [lead author, Peggy] Zoccola explained. C-reative protein is widely used as a clinical marker to determine if a patient has an infection, but also if he or she may be at risk for disease later in life. ‘More and more, chronic inflammation is being associated with various disorders and conditions,’ Zoccola said. ‘The immune system plays an important role in various cardiovascular disorders such as heart disease, as well as cancer, dementia and autoimmune diseases.’"

What Happens in Your Body When You’re Happy?

In one of Professor Cole’s happiness studies, participants answered questions about the frequency of certain emotional states, covering two different categories or types of happiness known to psychologists as:
  1. Hedonic well-being (characterized by happiness gleaned from pleasurable experiences, such as sex)
  2. Eudaimonic well-being (originating with Aristotle, this form of happiness comes from activities that bring you a greater sense of purpose, life meaning, or self-actualization )
Interestingly, while both are positive emotional states associated with happiness, the gene expressions they produced were not identical. Those whose sense of happiness was rooted in the eudaimonic camp were found to have favorable gene-expression profiles, while hedonic well-being produced gene profiles similar to those seen in people experiencing stress due to adversity. According to the featured article:7
“One interpretation is that eudaimonic well-being benefits immune function directly. But Cole prefers to explain it in terms of response to stress. If someone is driven purely by hollow consumption, he argues, all of their happiness depends on their personal circumstances. If they run into adversity, they may become very stressed.
But if they care about things beyond themselves — community, politics, art — then everyday stresses will perhaps be of less concern. Eudaimonia, in other words, may help to buffer our sense of threat or uncertainty, potentially improving our health. ‘It's fine to invest in yourself,’ says Cole, ‘as long as you invest in lots of other things as well.’”
Stress-relieving strategies have also been shown to have direct, beneficial health effects. Meditation, for example, has been shown to promote antiviral gene activity and reduce inflammatory gene expression. Laughter yoga is also becoming increasingly popular around the world.

What Comes First—Health or Happiness?

For many, happiness can be a poorly defined, elusive goal. One way to think about happiness is to define it as “whatever gets you excited.” Once you’ve identified that activity, whatever it is, you can start focusing your mind around that so you can integrate more of it into your day to day life. If you feel stuck and don’t know where or how to start, I suggest reviewing my previous article “13 Tips for Living Happy, Wild, and Free.”
I also believe that factors such as diet and exercise can play a significant role. It’s tough to feel exuberant when you’re not feeling well physically. As mentioned earlier, the state of your gut can have profound implications for your mental well-being, and is an oft-overlooked aspect of depression and other psychological problems. The following lifestyle strategies can help you create a firm foundation of good health, which will support your psychological and emotional being as well.
  1. Eat a healthy diet focused on fresh, whole foods (ideally organic and/or locally grown). Eat a large portion of your food raw. You want to pay careful attention to keeping your insulin levels down, which means avoiding sugars and grains of all kinds, and replacing the lost carbs with healthful fats. Also be mindful of your protein sources, making sure they’re of high quality (ideally organically-raised and pasture-fed). A high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb diet is likely to improve the health of most people. My optimized Nutritional Plan can guide you, whether you’re at a beginner’s or advanced level.
  2. Consume healthy fat. The science is loud and clear on this point: omega-3 fats are essential for optimal health. Other healthy fats include coconut oil, avocados, olives, olive oil, butter, and macadamia nuts. All these fats are low in protein and carbs and will not impair your insulin or leptin.
  3. Make clean, pure water your primary beverage, and steer clear of all sweetened and/or flavored beverages, including those that contain artificial sweeteners.
  4. Manage your stress.
  5. Exercise regularly. Ideally, you want a comprehensive fitness regimen that includes stretchinghigh intensity interval trainingcore strengthening exercises, and strength training.
  6. Get plenty of appropriate sun exposure to optimize your vitamin D levels naturally. UV exposure also has additional health benefits beyond vitamin D production.
  7. Get grounded. Grounding or Earthing is defined as placing one's bare feet on the ground whether it be dirt, grass, sand, or concrete (especially when humid or wet). When you ground to the electron-enriched earth, an improved balance of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system occurs. Studies have shown that grounding improves blood viscosity, heart rate variability, inflammation, cortisol dynamics, sleep, autonomic nervous system (ANS) balance, and reduces effects of stress. Earthing also decreases the effect of potentially disruptive electromagnetic fields.
  8. Limit your exposure to toxins of all kinds. The number of toxic chemicals and their sources is so large, addressing them all could easily require an entire library, but I believe you can help you keep your toxic load as low as possible by becoming an informed and vigilant consumer. This includes tossing out your toxic household cleaners, soaps, personal hygiene products, air fresheners, bug sprays, lawn pesticides, and insecticides, just to name a few, and replacing them with non-toxic alternatives.
  9. Get plenty of quality sleep. Scientists have discovered that your circadian rhythms regulate the energy levels in your cells. In addition, the proteins involved with your circadian rhythm and metabolism are intrinsically linked and dependent upon each other. Therefore, when your circadian rhythm is disrupted, it can have a profound influence on your health. For example, research has also linked disrupted sleep cycles to serious health problems like depression, coronary heart diseases, and even cancer. If you have any kind of sleep problem, whether you’re having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, my article “33 Secrets to a Good Night's Sleep” is packed with great tips to help you finally get some good rest.
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The Child's Story, Charles Dickens Christmas Story

christmas tree
christmas tree (Photo credit: fsse8info)
Once upon a time, a good many years ago, there was a traveller, and he set out upon a journey. It was a magic journey, and was to seem very long when he began it, and very short when he got half way through.
He travelled along a rather dark path for some little time, without meeting anything, until at last he came to a beautiful child. So he said to the child, "What do you do here?" And the child said, "I am always at play. Come and play with me!"
So, he played with that child, the whole day long, and they were very merry. The sky was so blue, the sun was so bright, the water was so sparkling, the leaves were so green, the flowers were so lovely, and they heard such singing-birds and saw so many butteries, that everything was beautiful. This was in fine weather. When it rained, they loved to watch the falling drops, and to smell the fresh scents. When it blew, it was delightful to listen to the wind, and fancy what it said, as it came rushing from its home— where was that, they wondered!—whistling and howling, driving the clouds before it, bending the trees, rumbling in the chimneys, shaking the house, and making the sea roar in fury. But, when it snowed, that was best of all; for, they liked nothing so well as to look up at the white flakes falling fast and thick, like down from the breasts of millions of white birds; and to see how smooth and deep the drift was; and to listen to the hush upon the paths and roads.
They had plenty of the finest toys in the world, and the most astonishing picture-books: all about scimitars and slippers and turbans, and dwarfs and giants and genii and fairies, and blue- beards and bean-stalks and riches and caverns and forests and Valentines and Orsons: and all new and all true.
But, one day, of a sudden, the traveller lost the child. He called to him over and over again, but got no answer. So, he went upon his road, and went on for a little while without meeting anything, until at last he came to a handsome boy. So, he said to the boy, "What do you do here?" And the boy said, "I am always learning. Come and learn with me."
So he learned with that boy about Jupiter and Juno, and the Greeks and the Romans, and I don't know what, and learned more than I could tell—or he either, for he soon forgot a great deal of it. But, they were not always learning; they had the merriest games that ever were played. They rowed upon the river in summer, and skated on the ice in winter; they were active afoot, and active on horseback; at cricket, and all games at ball; at prisoner's base, hare and hounds, follow my leader, and more sports than I can think of; nobody could beat them. They had holidays too, and Twelfth cakes, and parties where they danced till midnight, and real Theatres where they saw palaces of real gold and silver rise out of the real earth, and saw all the wonders of the world at once. As to friends, they had such dear friends and so many of them, that I want the time to reckon them up. They were all young, like the handsome boy, and were never to be strange to one another all their lives through.
Still, one day, in the midst of all these pleasures, the traveller lost the boy as he had lost the child, and, after calling to him in vain, went on upon his journey. So he went on for a little while without seeing anything, until at last he came to a young man. So, he said to the young man, "What do you do here?" And the young man said, "I am always in love. Come and love with me."
So, he went away with that young man, and presently they came to one of the prettiest girls that ever was seen—just like Fanny in the corner there—and she had eyes like Fanny, and hair like Fanny, and dimples like Fanny's, and she laughed and coloured just as Fanny does while I am talking about her. So, the young man fell in love directly—just as Somebody I won't mention, the first time he came here, did with Fanny. Well! he was teased sometimes—just as Somebody used to be by Fanny; and they quarrelled sometimes—just as Somebody and Fanny used to quarrel; and they made it up, and sat in the dark, and wrote letters every day, and never were happy asunder, and were always looking out for one another and pretending not to, and were engaged at Christmas-time, and sat close to one another by the fire, and were going to be married very soon—all exactly like Somebody I won't mention, and Fanny!
But, the traveller lost them one day, as he had lost the rest of his friends, and, after calling to them to come back, which they never did, went on upon his journey. So, he went on for a little while without seeing anything, until at last he came to a middle-aged gentleman. So, he said to the gentleman, "What are you doing here?" And his answer was, "I am always busy. Come and be busy with me!"
So, he began to be very busy with that gentleman, and they went on through the wood together. The whole journey was through a wood, only it had been open and green at first, like a wood in spring; and now began to be thick and dark, like a wood in summer; some of the little trees that had come out earliest, were even turning brown. The gentleman was not alone, but had a lady of about the same age with him, who was his Wife; and they had children, who were with them too. So, they all went on together through the wood, cutting down the trees, and making a path through the branches and the fallen leaves, and carrying burdens, and working hard.
Sometimes, they came to a long green avenue that opened into deeper woods. Then they would hear a very little, distant voice crying, "Father, father, I am another child! Stop for me!" And presently they would see a very little figure, growing larger as it came along, running to join them. When it came up, they all crowded round it, and kissed and welcomed it; and then they all went on together.
Sometimes, they came to several avenues at once, and then they all stood still, and one of the children said, "Father, I am going to sea," and another said, "Father, I am going to India," and another, "Father, I am going to seek my fortune where I can," and another, "Father, I am going to Heaven!" So, with many tears at parting, they went, solitary, down those avenues, each child upon its way; and the child who went to Heaven, rose into the golden air and vanished.
Whenever these partings happened, the traveller looked at the gentleman, and saw him glance up at the sky above the trees, where the day was beginning to decline, and the sunset to come on. He saw, too, that his hair was turning grey. But, they never could rest long, for they had their journey to perform, and it was necessary for them to be always busy.
At last, there had been so many partings that there were no children left, and only the traveller, the gentleman, and the lady, went upon their way in company. And now the wood was yellow; and now brown; and the leaves, even of the forest trees, began to fall.
So, they came to an avenue that was darker than the rest, and were pressing forward on their journey without looking down it when the lady stopped.
"My husband," said the lady. "I am called."
They listened, and they heard a voice a long way down the avenue, say, "Mother, mother!"
It was the voice of the first child who had said, "I am going to Heaven!" and the father said, "I pray not yet. The sunset is very near. I pray not yet!"
But, the voice cried, "Mother, mother!" without minding him, though his hair was now quite white, and tears were on his face.
Then, the mother, who was already drawn into the shade of the dark avenue and moving away with her arms still round his neck, kissed him, and said, "My dearest, I am summoned, and I go!" And she was gone. And the traveller and he were left alone together.
And they went on and on together, until they came to very near the end of the wood: so near, that they could see the sunset shining red before them through the trees.
Yet, once more, while he broke his way among the branches, the traveller lost his friend. He called and called, but there was no reply, and when he passed out of the wood, and saw the peaceful sun going down upon a wide purple prospect, he came to an old man sitting on a fallen tree. So, he said to the old man, "What do you do here?" And the old man said with a calm smile, "I am always remembering. Come and remember with me!"
So the traveller sat down by the side of that old man, face to face with the serene sunset; and all his friends came softly back and stood around him. The beautiful child, the handsome boy, the young man in love, the father, mother, and children: every one of them was there, and he had lost nothing. So, he loved them all, and was kind and forbearing with them all, and was always pleased to watch them all, and they all honoured and loved him. And I think the traveller must be yourself, dear Grandfather, because this what you do to us, and what we do to you.
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Federalist Papers No. 33. The Same Subject Continued (Concerning the General Power of Taxation)

From The Independent Journal. Wednesday, January 2, 1788.

HAMILTON
To the People of the State of New York:
THE residue of the argument against the provisions of the Constitution in respect to taxation is ingrafted upon the following clause. The last clause of the eighth section of the first article of the plan under consideration authorizes the national legislature "to make all laws which shall be NECESSARY and PROPER for carrying into execution THE POWERS by that Constitution vested in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof"; and the second clause of the sixth article declares, "that the Constitution and the laws of the United States made IN PURSUANCE THEREOF, and the treaties made by their authority shall be the SUPREME LAW of the land, any thing in the constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding."
These two clauses have been the source of much virulent invective and petulant declamation against the proposed Constitution. They have been held up to the people in all the exaggerated colors of misrepresentation as the pernicious engines by which their local governments were to be destroyed and their liberties exterminated; as the hideous monster whose devouring jaws would spare neither sex nor age, nor high nor low, nor sacred nor profane; and yet, strange as it may appear, after all this clamor, to those who may not have happened to contemplate them in the same light, it may be affirmed with perfect confidence that the constitutional operation of the intended government would be precisely the same, if these clauses were entirely obliterated, as if they were repeated in every article. They are only declaratory of a truth which would have resulted by necessary and unavoidable implication from the very act of constituting a federal government, and vesting it with certain specified powers. This is so clear a proposition, that moderation itself can scarcely listen to the railings which have been so copiously vented against this part of the plan, without emotions that disturb its equanimity.
What is a power, but the ability or faculty of doing a thing? What is the ability to do a thing, but the power of employing the MEANS necessary to its execution? What is a LEGISLATIVE power, but a power of making LAWS? What are the MEANS to execute a LEGISLATIVE power but LAWS? What is the power of laying and collecting taxes, but a LEGISLATIVE POWER, or a power of MAKING LAWS, to lay and collect taxes? What are the proper means of executing such a power, but NECESSARY and PROPER laws?
This simple train of inquiry furnishes us at once with a test by which to judge of the true nature of the clause complained of. It conducts us to this palpable truth, that a power to lay and collect taxes must be a power to pass all laws NECESSARY and PROPER for the execution of that power; and what does the unfortunate and calumniated provision in question do more than declare the same truth, to wit, that the national legislature, to whom the power of laying and collecting taxes had been previously given, might, in the execution of that power, pass all laws NECESSARY and PROPER to carry it into effect? I have applied these observations thus particularly to the power of taxation, because it is the immediate subject under consideration, and because it is the most important of the authorities proposed to be conferred upon the Union. But the same process will lead to the same result, in relation to all other powers declared in the Constitution. And it is EXPRESSLY to execute these powers that the sweeping clause, as it has been affectedly called, authorizes the national legislature to pass all NECESSARY and PROPER laws. If there is any thing exceptionable, it must be sought for in the specific powers upon which this general declaration is predicated. The declaration itself, though it may be chargeable with tautology or redundancy, is at least perfectly harmless.
But SUSPICION may ask, Why then was it introduced? The answer is, that it could only have been done for greater caution, and to guard against all cavilling refinements in those who might hereafter feel a disposition to curtail and evade the legitimate authorities of the Union. The Convention probably foresaw, what it has been a principal aim of these papers to inculcate, that the danger which most threatens our political welfare is that the State governments will finally sap the foundations of the Union; and might therefore think it necessary, in so cardinal a point, to leave nothing to construction. Whatever may have been the inducement to it, the wisdom of the precaution is evident from the cry which has been raised against it; as that very cry betrays a disposition to question the great and essential truth which it is manifestly the object of that provision to declare.
But it may be again asked, Who is to judge of the NECESSITY and PROPRIETY of the laws to be passed for executing the powers of the Union? I answer, first, that this question arises as well and as fully upon the simple grant of those powers as upon the declaratory clause; and I answer, in the second place, that the national government, like every other, must judge, in the first instance, of the proper exercise of its powers, and its constituents in the last. If the federal government should overpass the just bounds of its authority and make a tyrannical use of its powers, the people, whose creature it is, must appeal to the standard they have formed, and take such measures to redress the injury done to the Constitution as the exigency may suggest and prudence justify. The propriety of a law, in a constitutional light, must always be determined by the nature of the powers upon which it is founded. Suppose, by some forced constructions of its authority (which, indeed, cannot easily be imagined), the Federal legislature should attempt to vary the law of descent in any State, would it not be evident that, in making such an attempt, it had exceeded its jurisdiction, and infringed upon that of the State? Suppose, again, that upon the pretense of an interference with its revenues, it should undertake to abrogate a landtax imposed by the authority of a State; would it not be equally evident that this was an invasion of that concurrent jurisdiction in respect to this species of tax, which its Constitution plainly supposes to exist in the State governments? If there ever should be a doubt on this head, the credit of it will be entirely due to those reasoners who, in the imprudent zeal of their animosity to the plan of the convention, have labored to envelop it in a cloud calculated to obscure the plainest and simplest truths.
But it is said that the laws of the Union are to be the SUPREME LAW of the land. But what inference can be drawn from this, or what would they amount to, if they were not to be supreme? It is evident they would amount to nothing. A LAW, by the very meaning of the term, includes supremacy. It is a rule which those to whom it is prescribed are bound to observe. This results from every political association. If individuals enter into a state of society, the laws of that society must be the supreme regulator of their conduct. If a number of political societies enter into a larger political society, the laws which the latter may enact, pursuant to the powers intrusted to it by its constitution, must necessarily be supreme over those societies, and the individuals of whom they are composed. It would otherwise be a mere treaty, dependent on the good faith of the parties, and not a government, which is only another word for POLITICAL POWER AND SUPREMACY. But it will not follow from this doctrine that acts of the large society which are NOT PURSUANT to its constitutional powers, but which are invasions of the residuary authorities of the smaller societies, will become the supreme law of the land. These will be merely acts of usurpation, and will deserve to be treated as such. Hence we perceive that the clause which declares the supremacy of the laws of the Union, like the one we have just before considered, only declares a truth, which flows immediately and necessarily from the institution of a federal government. It will not, I presume, have escaped observation, that it EXPRESSLY confines this supremacy to laws made PURSUANT TO THE CONSTITUTION; which I mention merely as an instance of caution in the convention; since that limitation would have been to be understood, though it had not been expressed.
Though a law, therefore, laying a tax for the use of the United States would be supreme in its nature, and could not legally be opposed or controlled, yet a law for abrogating or preventing the collection of a tax laid by the authority of the State, (unless upon imports and exports), would not be the supreme law of the land, but a usurpation of power not granted by the Constitution. As far as an improper accumulation of taxes on the same object might tend to render the collection difficult or precarious, this would be a mutual inconvenience, not arising from a superiority or defect of power on either side, but from an injudicious exercise of power by one or the other, in a manner equally disadvantageous to both. It is to be hoped and presumed, however, that mutual interest would dictate a concert in this respect which would avoid any material inconvenience. The inference from the whole is, that the individual States would, under the proposed Constitution, retain an independent and uncontrollable authority to raise revenue to any extent of which they may stand in need, by every kind of taxation, except duties on imports and exports. It will be shown in the next paper that this CONCURRENT JURISDICTION in the article of taxation was the only admissible substitute for an entire subordination, in respect to this branch of power, of the State authority to that of the Union.

PUBLIUS

Learn more about American History.  Visit Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg, Virginia Living History Museums.
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What Happens When You Remove Religion From Society?

Portrait of Thomas Jefferson by Rembrandt Peal...
Portrait of Thomas Jefferson by Rembrandt Peale in 1800. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
We have been watching the pulse of what is coming in the very near future.  That pulse, depending on how one looks at it, does not look good for the majority of the citizenry of this country.  It has now become the hot topics at universities and certain areas of the media.  What we are talking about is further attacks on religion under the guise of separation of church and state.  The separation of church and state are an illusion at best and have never existed in this country at any time.  Here are a few items to take into consideration on the topic.  If there were really a separation of church and state, then religious holidays could never have been declared and George Washington had declared numerous federal religious holidays to include Thanksgiving.  Recently even present governor of Virginia Bob McDonnell acknowledged Thanksgiving as a state religious holiday.

  That is only one tiny area.  What about the federal government as well as the IRS recognizing the church granting tax exemptions for them?  That is official federal recognition of the church by the state.  Arlington cemetery is loaded with crosses marking the graves of dead soldiers as well as the star of David for jewish soldiers.  That is the federal and state recognition of religion.  There is no separation of church and state.  The real story behind the entire argument is a multiphase one that most people have only ever heard one side of, but never the entire story.  So we are going to educate everyone today.

  The case before the Supreme Court many decades ago that removed pray from schools comes from the judges referring to a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to a Baptist Church Minister where Mr Jefferson declined to officially recognize the Baptist church over other churches in an official capacity while Mr Jefferson was President of these United States.  Referred to as the Danbury Letter, Thomas Jefferson stated a separation between church and state, (but would have made that same distinction with any union, corporation, organization or company as well).   You can read the letter from the Baptists here.  http://candst.tripod.com/tnppage/baptist.htm  When you read it, you see that they were asking for special privilages that would have been to the detrement of all other sects of religion had Jefferson acted as they wished.  It was very deceptive in the way they were seeking those privileges, but that is what we are able to see in that letter.

 That is the story that most of us know.  It is only half the story though.  We have never been told about the rest of the story and the part that the courts ignored and would not consider when they made their landmark decision which was not correct based on the rest of the information you are about to learn.

  It was not that Thomas Jefferson was trying to create and or enforce any form of separation of church and state as we have been taught, it was that the new constitution barred the recognition of any class of people.  The Constitution set limits upon what governments could do, and, by implication, denied the force of government to groups who might use it for unlimited ends.  In other words, the United States Constitution did not give legal recognition to groups of any sort, religious or otherwise.  At law, there were no classes, orders, or groupings of men possessing privileges, duties, immunities, or exemptions.  (Now go back and read the Danbury Baptist letter again and you will see that they were seeking state recognition for the purpose of influencing state laws).

  In an opinion rendered before the New York courts in 1836 by a judge on actions of a tailor's union, the following is what the judge had to say;

   "The law leaves every individual master of his own individual acts.  But it will not suffer him to encroach upon the rights of others.  He may work or not, as suits his pleasure, but he shall not enter into a confederacy with a view of controlling others, and take measures to carry it into effect.  The reason for the distinction is manifest.  So long as individual members of the community do not resort to any acts of violence, their hostility can be guarded against.  But who can withstand an extensive combination to injure him in his calling?  When such cases, therefore, occur, the law extends its protecting shield".

  This is the part of history you are never told and most people are unaware of and at great detriment to society.  It is because of this lack of knowledge of this second aspect, that our American Freedoms have been stripped away and easily so.  To state again and make it very clear.  Under the United States Constitution,  all groups, unions, companies, corporations and the like, had a wall of separation between them and the state.  Jefferson's arguments were correct but have since been taken out of context.  That wall of separation was considered a well established fact in that period of time, whether it was any religious group, company, union, organization or corporation.  This caused groups to be devised down to individuals that were and are more easily dealt with and controlled.

  Thomas Jefferson was not arguing a case for the separation of church and state as we have all been led to believe, but instead it was the act of law that the United States Constitution did not recognize any form of groups.  Today, that simply is not the case.  If you think otherwise, please explain to us the Teachers Union.  A very clear violation of Constitutional law if any.  To argue the separation of church and state, then every and all other groups must also surrender their status of recognition and especially the lawyers.  That is not an attack on lawyers on the one hand, it is very clear however that lawyers have made very long and successful strides into serious violations of Constitutional law and taken over the system.

  Now for those willing to surrender to the small fringe groups that are more than willing to mislead you, take into consideration the following.  The backbone of civilization for centuries has always been religion.  If you are to remove religion from society as it's backbone, you must replace it with something else.  We have seen the deterioration of religion as the backbone of society for over a century now and it is being replaced by the police state.  You can argue all you want about the issues behind the police state, but to surrender one form of control is to give permission to another form of control.

  Society, whether anyone likes it or not or accepts the precepts or not, must have a form of control.  Religion has always been that backbone.  Not always just and it has been abused to no end in many areas throughout history.  The Constitution looked to make sure that no one sect of religion was able to control the nation state as it had done in other countries where either the Church of England was the official religion that everyone had to attend or give support to by law and attend service at least twice a month or be jailed.  In other countries it was the Catholic Church that controlled entire continents.  The United States Constitution, by law, made the individual the master of their own choosing in regards to religion and prevented any sect of religion from ever being able to control any area of government but also did this with companies, corporations, organizations and unions as well.

  With control of the masses needed and the removal and decay of religious precepts in our everyday society, the police state has had to take over where the church is no longer allowed and has been barred from making a difference in our society.  But what morals does the police state hold especially when it to is barred from religious precepts?

  Government is not an evil entity in and of itself,  It is the people who seek to take advantage of government for themselves and other special friends that causes evils.  Government has been forced to accept the responsibilities of control of the masses by whatever means needed.  The police state is the only logical way to do so since religion has been removed from it's rightful place and continues to be attacked at every level.

  But let's also look at the other side of the coin.  What would happen if all the churches got together and formed a new union?  It would become the most powerful union in the world bar none.  There are more churches in the United States than any other form of business.  Think about it.  How many gas stations are in your area or any form of stores or even fast food restaurants?  Compare that to the number of churches in your area.  It is a very rare area in the United States where there are not more churches in any given area than any other form of business.  (We are not calling a church a business here).  For all of them to come together and form one Union, the power they would yield is beyond imagination.

  To argue further, the First Amendment clearly states that; "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."  Removal of prayer from schools or anywhere else for that matter is a clear First Amendment violation.  Congress is barred from making laws here and the courts are barred from making any decisions over this area.  Let's look at this again.  Congress can not bar the free exercise of religion.  PROHIBITED from making ANY LAW that hinders the free exercise of religion.  FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION!!!!!  Removal of prayer from schools or any area of government is a violation of Constitutional law.  The Bill of Rights is a part of the United States Constitution, not a separate document.   School boards are actually violating our rights every time they tell you that your child can not pray in school.

  If you think we are done here, we are not.  Let's now look at the entire First amendment.  "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."  We would put both the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press in the same category of danger here.  Freedom of religion is also part and parcel to the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press.  If the press is prohibited from covering any aspect of religion, it's own freedom has just been expired as well as the full freedom of speech.  When you tell people they do not have the right to say a prayer on government property to include schools, you have just removed the freedom of speech from that person and all people of these United States.  They are all one and the same.

  Every person has the right in these United States to claim, proclaim and or practice or not, any form of religion, so long as it is not violent or infringing on others, or to have no religious beliefs whatsoever.  One person nor any small to mid size group does not have the right to infringe on the rights and freedoms of the entire nation however.  Make no mistake, the fight is coming over the separation of church and state and they are not going to tell you about the real history of the United States Constitution and part of it is because they may not be aware of it themselves, or they do not ever want you to know the real history and truths of this nation's past.  Choose well what side you are on and what future you foresee for the youth of this nation.  For they will have to live with what we choose coming soon.  Are we to surrender them to the police state and the removal of their freedoms?
 
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Governor Bob McDonnell Proposes $11 Million for Richmond Slavery and Freedom Heritage Site

English: The state seal of Virginia. Српски / ...
English: The state seal of Virginia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Tourism Industry Supports 210,000 Jobs in Commonwealth; 2012 Was Record Tourism Year in State with $21.2 Billion Generated
Virginia Tourism Funding Provides 5:1 Return on Investment

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell has directed $11 million in his forthcoming biennial budget to the City of Richmond for the development, creation, and enhancement of the Slavery and Freedom Heritage Site in Richmond.  The proposed funding continues the governor’s commitment to strengthening Virginia’s tourism industry, which is a major revenue and job-driver in the Commonwealth. Over the past three years of the McDonnell administration, tourism funding, which has a proven 5:1 return on investment, has increased by over $5 million per year. In 2012, visitors to Virginia generated $21.2 billion in revenue from tourism in 2012, a four percent increase over 2011 and a new record high for the Commonwealth. The tourism industry in Virginia supported 210,000 jobs in 2012, an increase of one percent in employment, and provided more than $1.36 billion in state and local taxes. During the McDonnell administration, tourism revenues have continued to increase each year, with a total revenue increase of 12.3 percent since 2010.

Speaking about his budget proposal, Governor McDonnell remarked, “The institution of slavery on American soil was an abomination and affront to the dignity of every man and woman, all of whom are created in the image and likeness of God. Creating this heritage site in our capital city, where the horrific slave trade flourished, will serve as a critical historical reminder that we must be ever vigilant for the cause of justice and freedom. My recent tours of the Slave Trail and heritage site moved me to act now as we solemnly commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Civil War.”

The governor continued, “Tourism means jobs in Virginia. Over the past four years we have invested in Virginia’s tourism industry, and that investment has paid off at a rate of 5:1. Last year tourism generated $21.2 billion in revenue in our state, and employed 210,000 people. This should come as no surprise. Virginia has a compelling and moving story to tell. Our Commonwealth is where America began, was ripped apart, came back together, and was begun anew. The story of America was written right here in Virginia. Now, we have the duty and the opportunity to tell that story to the world. In the process, we both enlighten visitors from across the globe while creating thousands of good-paying jobs for our fellow Virginians right here at home. That’s what the creation of the Richmond Slavery and Freedom Heritage Site will do. It will bring thousands of visitors to our state’s capital, continue to tell the story of Virginia and America, as imperfect and tough as it is, and spur economic development and job creation. This is a targeted, smart investment of state dollars. It is good for education and history; it is good for our economy; it is even better for our country. I look forward to witnessing the construction and opening of this important historical landmark in the years ahead, and I want to thank Mayor Dwight Jones, Delegate Delores McQuinn, Governor Doug Wilder and others who all provided valuable input on the need for this important project.”

“This investment is so important because we’ve never fully or properly told the story of what happened in Richmond,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones of Richmond. “The trade in enslaved human beings formed the economic backbone of this Commonwealth for centuries. As Richmonders and as Americans, we need to tell the full story of our country’s experience from enslavement to emancipation. Governor McDonnell’s budget proposal will help make it possible to tell this story in a bold way, and it will bring more people to Richmond to learn about the experiences of the men, women, and children who built this Commonwealth while living in bondage.”

Delegate Delores L. McQuinn (D-Richmond) noted, “I am elated that Gov. McDonnell is including 11 million dollars in his biennial budget to help advance the development of the Slave Trail to make Richmond an international destination. The monies will be used to educate citizens about the atrocities of slavery in America and the triumph of those enslaved persons after emancipation. For over a decade The Richmond Slave Trail Commission has worked tirelessly to tell this story of tragedy to triumph. Governor McDonnell’s visionary leadership will create an inheritance for generations to come as they learn about the African-American experiences, contributions and legacy to the United States and world history.”

Specifically, the governor’s budget amendments disburse the $11 million as follows:

·         $5 million for the planning, design and construction of the Pavilion at Lumpkin's Jail
·         $1 million for improvements to the Richmond Slave Trail
·         $5 million for the planning, design and construction of a slavery museum

The City of Richmond is required to provide local matching funds totaling at least $5,000,000 for the same purposes prior to receiving state funds.  In addition to the local matching funds, the City of Richmond shall provide and dedicate appropriate contiguous real estate prior to the receipt of any state funding for the purposes listed above. 
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