Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Governor McDonnell to Host Statewide Transportation Conference “Road to the Future”

English: Governor of Virginia at CPAC in .
English: Governor of Virginia at CPAC in . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Conference will showcase Virginia’s Transportation Agencies and Programs

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that he will host the 2013 Governor’s Transportation Conference, themed “Road to the Future,” on December 4 – 6.  The conference, which will highlight Virginia’s continued move towards improvements and expansion of the Commonwealth’s multi-modal transportation system, will be held at the Richmond Convention Center.  Governor McDonnell will address attendees at the opening session of the conference on Wednesday, December 4 at 1:00 p.m.

Speaking about the conference, Governor McDonnell said, “After 27 years of waiting Virginia finally has a long-term, sustainable transportation funding solution and every corner of the Commonwealth is starting to reap the benefits of safer roads, shorter commutes and increased access to public transportation. Because of bipartisan cooperation the world-class transportation network that Virginians deserve is under construction. This conference will serve as a tremendous opportunity to share innovative ideas and creative solutions that will move Virginia forward.”

Governor McDonnell will be joined by Transportation Secretary Sean T. Connaughton and legislative, transportation industry, and government leaders for this annual forum to discuss Virginia’s transportation projects and programs, as well as upcoming transportation trends and legislative initiatives.

The conference will feature sessions on:
·         Safety, Innovation, Technology and Local Partnership
·         Changing Attitudes Towards Vehicle Ownership: Impact on Transportation Policy
·         Moving Goods and People
·         Discover DMV: A Service Revolution
·         Technology and Transportation, the Future is Now
·         Virginia’s P3’s: Past, Present and Future
·         Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs): Building Transportation Consensus

“All agencies in the Commonwealth are committed to continue to develop Virginia as a transportation leader,” said Secretary of Transportation Sean T. Connaughton. “The conference showcases projects and ideas that move us towards that goal, thereby creating jobs, improving the economy and making transportation options easier and safer for Virginians.”

The full agenda and other conference details can be found athttp://vatranscon.com/.   
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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Governor McDonnell Issues Thanksgiving Day Proclamation

Berkeley Plantation, home of the Harrison fami...
Berkeley Plantation, home of the Harrison family (two Presidents), initial construction of Georgian mansion in 1726. In Charles City County, Virginia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
RICHMOND - In advance of Thursday’s holiday, Governor Bob McDonnell today issued an official proclamation recognizing November 28th as Thanksgiving Day in Virginia.  The Governor’s proclamation is below and can be found online here.


WHEREAS, the first permanent English speaking settlement in the New World was established in Virginia at Jamestown in 1607, as Captain John Smith led a group of settlers across the Atlantic on a voyage that would entail much hardship over the coming years, including disease and starvation; and

WHEREAS, to show their appreciation for the colony's success and to take stock and give thanks for their own gifts and blessings, and in spite of tremendous adversity, the settlers in Virginia found time to celebrate the first Thanksgiving in America at Berkeley Plantation on December 4, 1619; and

WHEREAS, a state historical marker commemorating “The first English Thanksgiving in Virginia” was dedicated on November 1, 2013 and was placed along Route 5 just west of the entrance to Berkeley Plantation in Charles City County; the marker states that on December 4, 1619, the ship Margaret arrived in Virginia carrying “Capt. John Woodlief, a member of the Virginia Company, with 35 men to take charge of Berkeley Hundred,” and Capt. John Woodlief “bore instructions that the day of his ship's arrival ‘be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to almighty God’”; and

WHEREAS, while reflecting upon the actions taken by the colonists at the first Thanksgiving, we also honor the Indian peoples, for without their presence, the survival of the colonists would have been ever more difficult; and

WHEREAS, American leaders and citizens have recognized a day of Thanksgiving since our first president, George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation in 1789, stating “it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly implore His protection and favor”; and

WHEREAS, it is a Virginia tradition for our citizens to come together in unity on Thanksgiving Day and give thanks for the great level of serenity, harmony and abundance with which we, as citizens of a free nation, have been blessed; the rule of law by which we peaceably govern ourselves and by which our civil and religious liberties are guaranteed; and the brave servicemen and women of our armed forces who risk their lives to defend the freedoms and blessings we cherish;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert F. McDonnell, do hereby recognizeNovember 28, 2013 as A DAY OF THANKSGIVING in ourCOMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens; and

FURTHERMORE, I encourage all Virginians to give thanks to our Creator for our plentiful blessings, including the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as well as the unwavering strength of our families and communities.
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Popular Communist Plan Email Propaganda Exposed

Restoring Honor rally Washington, D.C.
Restoring Honor rally Washington, D.C. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Below is what has been circulating in various media and being sent via emails all around the nation right now.  This particular copy came from a PDF file that was downloaded from the Glenn Beck website.  Now we are not going to pretend that this document does not exist.  In fact, we are going to say that it is probably a very good plant.  We are also not going to say that the overall plans were not meant to be put into place.  But what we will say is that we are not of the opinion that this is any kind of communist plan.  In fact, because this site has a global reach and is also read heavily in places like China and Russia on a daily basis, we are asking our readers in those countries if they have similar emails circulating only calling it something like a capitalist plan with minor changes in the overall structure.

  We are beating there are.  The below is not the plans of the communists to overthrow other countries, although some will take credit for the plans.  This is the kind of stuff of anarchist secret societies.  Demoralize the populace, divide and conquer.  Stuff like this is leaked to well placed mouth pieces like Glenn Beck or Alex Jones who then report it as scare stories.  It's well designed misinformation and well placed.  The aspect again as stated is misdirection and finger pointing to what one wishes to say is the enemy.  Is Russia the enemy?  For news purposes Russia is supposed to be the enemy.  However, we have read a number of propaganda pieces coming out of both counties that are saying the same thing about the other country and at the same time.  If your news is limited to just the country you live in, you will never see this.  If you actually surf the Internet throughout the world, you see that there is a global propaganda game being played everywhere against everyone.

  Again, because we are read worldwide, we surf the sites that commonly link to us and get an overall view of what is going on in those countries.  Russian life is hard to distinguish from life in China or America for that matter.  The overall surroundings and countryside may be different and cultures are different, but overall lifestyles are now about the same throughout the world.  Websites that we view in Russia sell the same goods as the US and everywhere else in the world.  Cars are about the same throughout the world.  Clothing and fashions are all blending to a one world model.  Even furniture lacks cultural distinctions these days and is modeled into a global set mix.  So are we willing to buy that the below is a Communist plan?  No way.  Has the overall plan been put into place and have the planners been successful with the overall objective?  You bet.  Take the time to read it.  It's rather eye opening.


1963 Communist Goals:

The following was entered into the Congressional record by Albert
Herlong, Jr. (a Floridian who served in Congress from 1949-69) in 1963.

1) US acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war
2) US willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war
3) Develop the illusion that total disarmament by the US would be a
demonstration of "moral strength"
4) Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation
and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.
5) Extension of long term loans to Russia and Soviet Satellites
6) Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination
7) Grant recognition of Red China, and admission of Red China to the UN.
8) Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's
promise in 1955 to settle the Germany question by free elections under
supervision of the UN
9) Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the US has agreed to
suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress
10) Allow all Soviet Satellites individual representation in the UN
11) Promote the UN as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is
rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one world government with its own
independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be
taken over as easily by the UN as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers
compete with each· other as they are now doing in the Congo)
12) Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party
13) Do away with loyalty oaths
14) Continue giving Russia access to the US Patent Office
15) Capture one or both of the political parties in the US
16) Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American
institutions, by claiming their activities violate civil rights.
17) Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for
Socialism, and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get
control of teachers associations. Put the party line in text books.
18) Gain control of all student newspapers
19) Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or
organizations which are under Communist attack.
20) Infiltrate the press. Get control of book review assignments, editorial
writing, policy-making positions.
21)· Gain control of key positions in radio, TV & motion pictures.
22) Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all form of artistic
expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good
sculpture from parks and buildings", substitute shapeless, awkward, and
meaningless forms.
23) Control art critics and directors of art museums. '1 Our plan is to
promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art".
24) Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and
a violation of free speech and free press.
25) Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography, and
obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio and TV.
26) Present Homosexuality, degeneracy, and promiscuity as "normal, natural,
and heal thy"~
27) Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social"
religion. Discredit the Bible and emphas·ize the need for intellectual
maturity, which does not -need a "religious crutch"
28) Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on
the grounds that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state"
29) Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old
fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between
nations on a worldwide basis.
30) Discredit the American founding fathers. Present them as selfish
aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man".
31) Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of
American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of "the big
picture:" Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took
over.
32) Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part
of the culture - - education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental
health clinics, etc.
33) Eliminate all laws or procedures, which interfere with the operation of
the Communist apparatus.
34) Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.
35) Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI
36) Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.
37) Infiltrate and gain control of big business
38) Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social
agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no
one but psychiatrists can understand or treat.
39) Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a
means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.
40) Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy
divorce.
41) Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of
parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to
suppressive influence of parents.
42) Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate
aspects of the American tradition; that students and special interest groups
should rise up and make a "united force" to solve economic, political, or
social problems.
43) Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready
for self-government.
44) Internationalize the Panama Canal.
45) Repeal the Connally Reservation so the US can not prevent the World
Court from seizing jurisdiction over domestic problems. Give the World Court
jurisdiction over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction over
nations and individuals alike.
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Saturday, November 23, 2013

Inside Look at Sustainable Farming in America

Joel Salatin gives a tour of Polyface Farm. He...
Joel Salatin gives a tour of Polyface Farm. Here he stands inside electric netting surrounding a flock of laying hens and their portable coop, dubbed an Eggmobile. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
If you put good old-fashioned organically-raised, pasture-fed and finished meat in a nutrition analyzer, you’d find it’s one of the most nutritious foods you can eat.
However, many are still in the dark about the vast differences betweenConcentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) and organically-raised, grass-fed meats, in terms of nutrient content and contamination with veterinary drugs, antibiotics, genetically modified organisms, and disease-causing pathogens.
Differences in the animals’ diets and living conditions create vastly different end products. For example, most CAFO cows are fed grains (oftentimes genetically engineered grains, which make matters even worse), when their natural diet consists of plain grass.
If you’re under the age of 40 or so, and have never spent time on a real farm, chances are you have a rather dim concept of just how different today’s food production is from traditional, time-tested farming practices.
These differences have monumental ramifications for our environment, for the health and wellbeing of the animals being raised, and for your own health.
There are basically two very different models of food production today. The first, and most prevalent, is the large-scale agricultural model that takes a very mechanistic view toward life, whereas the other - the local, sustainable farm model - has a biological and holistic view.

American Meat

The featured documentary, American Meat,1 is “a pro-farmer look at chicken, hog and cattle production in America.” The film features full-time organic farmers Joel Salatin, owner of Polyface farms in Virginia; Chuck Wirtz, a life-long hog farmer; and Dr. Fred Kirschenmann, who manages a family farm in North Dakota.
Beginning with a history of our current industrial system, the feedlots and confinement operations are unveiled, not through hidden cameras, but through the eyes of the farmers who live and work there.
From there, the story shifts to Polyface Farms, where the Salatin family has developed an alternative agricultural model based on rotational grazing and local distribution.  Nationwide, a local-food movement of farmers, chefs, and everyday people has taken root.” ~ American Meat2
As a physician, it's obvious to me - and I'm sure most of you viewing this - that the food you eat plays a major role in your health. Sadly, as a society, we've strayed so far from our dietary roots and become so disconnected from our food sources that our health is now in serious jeopardy.
About 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is spent on processed foods,3 and the health of the average American is a testament to the abject failure of such foods to support good health. It's a proven fact that factory farmed and processed foods are far more likely to cause illness than unadulterated, organically-grown foods.
Fortunately, more and more people are now beginning to recognize this, and are making efforts to get back to real food - the kind of food grown by the dedicated farmers featured in this film.

The Invention of CAFOs

Chickens, like most animals and humans, depend on sunlight to produce vitamin D, and as such spend a great deal of time outdoors pecking around for bugs, which is their natural diet.
Alas, once farmers realized they could simply add vitamin D and other vitamins and medications to chicken feed, they also realized they no longer had to let the chickens outdoors. And with that the CAFO chicken farm was born...
Chicken CAFO’s took root in the 1950’s, followed by cattle and hog CAFO’s in the 1970’s and ‘80’s respectively. Today, CAFO’s dominate all livestock and poultry production in the US, and gone are hundreds of thousands of small farms that simply could no longer compete in this new market setup.
The intensive animal farming methods of today were developed to increase food production while pushing down prices. And while successful in that respect, it has given rise to a number of significant problems that probably were not considered at the outset, when increasing capacity to feed the sprawling suburbs were foremost on everyone’s mind.
For example, about 95 percent of the eggs produced in the US now come from gigantic egg factories housing millions of hens under one roof. You can only imagine how difficult – if not impossible – it is to keep millions of birds in one location and still produce a product that's safe to eat.

CAFO’s Promote Food-Borne and Antibacterial-Resistant Disease

Chickens raised in these unsanitary conditions are far more likely to be contaminated with pathogens, and to lay contaminated eggs. In one British study, 23 percent of farms with caged hens tested positive for Salmonella compared to just over 4 percent in organic flocks, and 6.5 percent in free-range flocks.
The problem of contamination is not limited to the eggs these chickens produce, but also to the meat. To combat the potent threat of disease caused by crowded conditions, unnatural diets and inability to roam free, cage-raised chickens have to be given routine doses of antibiotics and other drugs, all of which have serious health implications, including the spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens in humans.
It has even been suggested that a growing number of antibiotic-resistant cases of urinary tract infections in women are linked to the overuse of antibiotics in chickens, and their resultant drug-resistant bacteria strains transferring to humans.4
The lesson here is, the closer you can get to the "backyard barnyard," the better. You'll want to get your chickens and eggs from smaller community farms with free-ranging hens, organically fed and locally marketed. This is the way poultry was done for centuries... before it was corrupted by politics, corporate greed and the blaring ignorance of the food industry.
Fortunately, finding high-quality pastured chickens and organic eggs is relatively easy, as virtually every rural area has small farmers with chickens. If you live in an urban area, visiting the local health food stores and farmers' markets are typically the quickest route to finding high-quality local egg sources.

Why I Only Recommend Eating Organic Grass-Fed Beef

When it comes to red meat, pasture-fed and finished beef is vastly superior to grain-fed beef, and in my view it’s the only beef worth eating. Keep in mind that it’s far more important to choose “grass-fed” than “organic,” as most grass-fed beef are also organic anyway. Not only is grass-fed beef raised in a more sustainable way for the environment, and a more humane way for the animal, but it’s the superior choice for your health.
That said, be aware that there is a load of deception when it comes to grass-fed beef, so be sure to ask your seller if it is grass finished as that is the key to make sure the animals are not fed grains.  Ideally the pasture should be raised on a cocktail cover crop and provide high quality pasture for the cattle.
The natural diet for ruminant animals, such as cattle, is grass. When left to feed on grass-only diets, levels of conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA are three to five times more than those fed grain-based diets. And that's just for starters. A joint effort between the USDA and Clemson University researchers in 2009 determined a total of 10 key areas where grass-fed beef is better than grain-fed for human health.5 In a side-by-side comparison, they determined that grass-fed beef was:
Lower in total fatHigher in total omega-3s
Higher in beta-caroteneA healthier ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (1.65 vs 4.84)
Higher in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)Higher in CLA (cis-9 trans-11), a potential cancer fighter
Higher in the B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavinHigher in vaccenic acid (which can be transformed into CLA)
Higher in the minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassiumLower in the saturated fats linked with heart disease

Avoid Consuming too Much Meat

While I’m a strong advocate of regularly consuming animal protein for its nutritional benefits, it is my observation that most people eat too much animal protein overall.  It would be very unusual for most people reading this to need more than four to six ounces of beef or chicken a day. That is not very much.  Additionally, if a personal or spiritual belief limit or prevent you from eating meat, fish, eggs, or dairy, these food items can easily be substituted. However you’ll still want to limit your protein to about one-half gram per pound of lean body mass unless you are doing strength training or are pregnant, in which case you would benefit from about 25 percent more protein per day.

Yes, You CAN Grow and Raise Your Own Food

Real Meat reveals many of the simple and age-tested techniques used to raise chickens, pigs and other livestock at Polyface Farm, run by Joel Salatin. I’ve previously toured Salatin’s farm and interviewed him about his methods as well. Salatin is a sustainable farming pioneer who has also devised a number of creative processes that allow small farmers to grow food in a more efficient manner.  One of Salatin’s inventions is the “Egg Mobile,” which allows the farmer to easily move chickens from one paddock to another. By dividing the land into sections (paddocks), and rotating cattle and chickens through the paddocks in turn, you can take full advantage of their symbiotic relationships.
Every couple of days, cows are moved into a new paddock where there’s fresh grass. The cows eat the grass and deposit manure, which attracts insects and worms. When the cows are moved into the next paddock, the chickens are wheeled into the first, where there’s now plenty of natural food for the chickens to eat. This system can work quite well for many small farmers. You don’t have to become a full-fledged farmer to raise your own food, however.
Growing sprouts is probably the easiest, least time-consuming and most inexpensive way to get started growing your own nutritious food. Unlike a conventional vegetable garden, you’ll have food ready for harvest in about one week, and sprouts are among the most nutrient-dense foods out there. Depending on the sprout, the nutrient content can increase as much as 30 times the original value within just a few days of sprouting!
When it comes to animals, chickens are well-suited for a wide variety of locales, and raising chickens for fresh eggs can be another great way to “get your feet wet,” provided you have the right setting, and a little more time. Depending on the breed of the chicken, and the amount of daylight it receives, a chicken will typically lay one egg every 36 hours or so. (They will typically stop laying eggs over the winter, unless artificial day light is provided.)  If you are interested in the possibility of raising a few chickens yourself, a good place to begin is by asking yourself the following questions. You can also visit Joel's Polyface Farm Web site for more details on raising chickens.
  1. Can I dedicate some time each day? You can expect to devote about 10 minutes a day, an hour per month, and a few hours twice a year to the care and maintenance of your brood.
  2. Do I have enough space? They will need a minimum of 10 square feet per bird to roam, preferably more. The more foraging they can do, the healthier and happier they'll be and the better their eggs will be.
  3. What are the chicken regulations in my town? You will want to research this before jumping in because some places have zoning restrictions and even noise regulations (which especially applies if you have a rooster).
  4. Are my neighbors on board with the idea? It's a good idea to see if they have any concerns early on. When they learn they might be the recipients of occasional farm-fresh eggs, they might be more agreeable.
  5. Can I afford a flock? There are plenty of benefits to growing your own eggs, but saving money isn't one of them. There are significant upfront costs to getting a coop set up, plus ongoing expenses for supplies.

Support Sustainable Agriculture by Buying “Real” Food

If you want to optimize your health, you simply must return to the basics of healthy food choices. And, as Joel Salatin says in the film, you CAN farm! It’s all a matter of scale. As just mentioned, you can start really small by growing some sprouts to eat with your daily meal. This can progress to a larger organic garden; using pots and planters if you live in an apartment, or by dedicating a part of your back yard to a vegetable garden. If you have the time and space, you could move up to chickens.
Besides growing and raising your own, buying your food from responsible, high-quality, sustainable sources is your best bet, and I strongly encourage you to support the small family farms in your area. This includes not only visiting the farm directly, if you have one nearby, but also taking part in farmer's markets and community-supported agriculture programs. Not only is the food so much tastier and healthier when you get it from sustainable, non-CAFO sources, but there is something about shopping for fresh foods in an open-air, social environment that just feels right. If you want to experience some of these benefits first-hand, here are some great resources to obtain wholesome food that supports not only you but also the environment:
  1. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
  2. Farmers' Markets -- A national listing of farmers' markets.
  3. Local Harvest -- This Web site will help you find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.
  4. Eat Well Guide: Wholesome Food from Healthy Animals -- The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns, and hotels, and online outlets in the United States and Canada.
  5. Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) -- CISA is dedicated to sustaining agriculture and promoting the products of small farms.
  6. FoodRoutes -- The FoodRoutes “Find Good Food” map can help you connect with local farmers to find the freshest, tastiest food possible. On their interactive map, you can find a listing for local farmers, CSAs, and markets near you.
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Anti Federalist Papers No. 29 – Objections To National Control Of The Militia

"A DEMOCRATIC FEDERALIST," appeared in "the Pennsylvania Packet," October 23, 1787; the following portion of #29, & #30 are excerpted from "The Address And Reasons Of Dissent Of The Minority Of The Convention Of The State Of Pennsylvania To Their Constituents," December 12, 1787.


Hume, an aristocratical writer, has candidly confessed that an army is a moral distemper in a government, of which it must at last inevitably perish (2d Burgh, 349); and the Earl of Oxford (Oxford the friend of France and the Pretender, the attainted Oxford), said in the British parliament, in a speech on the mutiny bill, that, "While he had breath he would speak for the liberties of his country, and against courts martial and a standing army in peace, as dangerous to the Constitution. " (Ibid. , page 455. ) Such were the speeches even of the enemies of liberty when Britain had yet a right to be called free. But, says Mr. [James] Wilson, "It is necessary to maintain the appearance of strength even in times of the most profound tranquillity. "

And what is this more than a threadbare hackneyed argument, which has been answered over and over in different ages, and does not deserve even the smallest consideration? Had we a standing army when the British invaded our peaceful shores? Was it a standing army that gained the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, and took the ill-fated Burgoyne? Is not a well regulated militia sufficient for every purpose of internal defense? And which of you, my fellow citizens, is afraid of any invasion from foreign powers that our brave militia would not be able immediately to repel?

Mr. Wilson says, that he does not know of any nation in the world which has not found it necessary to maintain the appearance of strength in a season of the most profound tranquillity. If by this equivocal assertion he has meant to say that there is no nation in the world without a standing army in time of peace, he has been mistaken. I need only adduce the example of Switzerland, which, like us, is a republic, whose thirteen cantons, like our thirteen States, are under a federal government, and which besides is surrounded by the most powerful nations in Europe, all jealous of its liberty and prosperity. And yet that nation has preserved its freedom for many ages, with the sole help of a militia, and has never been known to have a standing army, except when in actual war. Why should we not follow so glorious an example; and are we less able to defend our liberty without an army, than that brave but small nation which, with its militia alone has hitherto defied all Europe?
A DEMOCRATIC FEDERALIST

The framers of this constitution appear to have been . . . sensible that no dependence could be placed on the people for their support; but on the contrary, that the government must be executed by force. They have therefore made a provision for this purpose in a permanent standing army and a militia that may be objected to as strict discipline and government.

A standing army in the hands of a government placed so independent of the people, may be made a fatal instrument to overturn the public liberties; it may be employed to enforce the collection of the most oppressive taxes; and to carry into execution the most arbitrary measures. An ambitious man who may have the army at his devotion, may step up into the throne, and seize upon absolute power.

The absolute unqualified command that Congress have over the militia may be made instrumental to the destruction of all liberty both public and private; whether of a personal, civil or religious nature.

First, the personal liberty of every man, probably from sixteen to sixty years of age, may be destroyed by the power Congress have in organizing and governing of the militia. As militia they may be subjected to fines to any amount, levied in a military manner; they may be subjected to corporal punishments of the most disgraceful and humiliating kind; and to death itself, by the sentence of a court martial. To this our young men will be more immediately subjected, as a select militia, composed of them, will best answer the purposes of government.

Secondly, the rights of conscience may be violated, as there is no exemption of those persons who are conscientiously scrupulous of hearing arms. These compose a respectable proportion of the community in the State [Pennsylvania]. This is the more remarkable, because even when the distresses of the late war and the evident disaffection of many citizens of that description inflamed our passions, and when every person who was obliged to risk his own life must have been exasperated against such as on any account kept back from the common danger, yet even then, when outrage and violence might have been expected, the rights of conscience were held sacred.

At this momentous crisis, the framers of our State Constitution made the most express and decided declaration and stipulations in favor of the rights of conscience; but now, when no necessity exists, those dearest rights of men are left insecure.

Thirdly, the absolute command of Congress over the militia may be destructive of public liberty; for under the guidance of an arbitrary government, they may be made the unwilling instruments of tyranny. The militia of Pennsylvania may be marched to New England or Virginia to quell an insurrection occasioned by the most galling oppression, and aided by the standing army, they will no doubt be successful in subduing their liberty and independency. But in so doing, although the magnanimity of their minds will be extinguished, yet the meaner passions of resentment and revenge will be increased, and these in turn will be the ready and obedient instruments of despotism to enslave the others; and that with an irritated vengeance. Thus may the militia be made the instruments of crushing the last efforts of expiring liberty, of riveting the chains of despotism on their fellow-citizens, and on one another. This power can be exercised not only without violating the Constitution, but in strict conformity with it; it is calculated for this express purpose, and will doubtless be executed accordingly.

As this government will not enjoy the confidence of the people, but be executed by force, it will be a very expensive and burdensome government. The standing army must be numerous, and as a further support, it wilt be the policy of this government to multiply officers in every department; judges, collectors, tax-gatherers, excisemen and the whole host of revenue officers, will swarm over the land, devouring the hard earnings of the industrious like the locusts of old, impoverishing and desolating all before them. . . .
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Why We Celebrate Thanksgiving, USA



Why We Celebrate Thanksgiving - USA from Chuck Thompson

Why we celebrate Thanksgiving here in the USA.  Here is a short story about this American holiday.  Canada has a similar holiday as well.  To read the story in full screen mode, please left click the icon at the far bottom right hand side of the above container.  To exit full screen, please hit the escape key on your keyboard.  We have more stories coming this week.  
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