BLUE DOGS GROWL BUT BETRAY THEIR FOLLOWING - Just A Minute Radio for Friday July 31, 2009

            Hello again… it’s FRIDAY Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

 

            Been a tough week out here on the electronic ranch – but we have hopes better days are coming.

 

            Reading of Admiral Stockdale’s imprisonment in Vietnam in the book “Good to Great”, I came across what the authors called the “Stockdale Paradox” which they labeled the attitude he held that got him through that imprisonment. When he was captured by the Viet Namese he was wounded, beaten and generally abused for eight years. The same kind of treatment Senator McCain got. And what got him through mentally he said, was absolute belief that he would survive and see his wife and family again – coupled with a total realization of the brutal facts he was up against. He even beat himself with a stool and cut himself with a razor so he could not be presented on TV as being well-treated in the prison camp.

 

            That’s kind of like holding contradictory conclusions – but the Admiral’s point to his interviewer was that the “Optimists” as he called them; those prisoners who said they’d be out by Christmas or Easter or whatever … would then lose heart when their self-imposed but unrealistic  deadline came and went. Then they would sort of shrivel up and die. He, on the other hand, maintained his absolute belief and determination he *would* survive and see his family again and kept the goal before him and would not let it go.

 

            I think that’s what we as Christians have to hold on to in these perilous times. I’ve also been reading of the persecutions Christians are going through in the unregistered ‘house’ churches in China. Information now is there are about a million Bible believing Christians in Mainland China… while there are only about 73 million members of the Communist Party. Those people – believers – in China are having to hold tight to their real faith in spite of continuing persecution, having their Bibles and Christian literature confiscated, being wrongly imprisoned and subjected to mistreatment and even torture. What keeps them going is their absolute faith they will be ultimately delivered. My heart goes out to them – and they deserve our prayers – just as our servicemen and women who have been captured and mistreated in pursuit of their duty.

 

            Now in America – I hear the faint echoes of our early Patriots and Founding Fathers, urging us on to preserve and protect the freedoms which have so bountifully blessed our nation. We are undoubtedly under attack and there are forces who want to destroy our land of liberty – especially our Christian liberty. Let us take example from people like Stockdale and McCain who have suffered and survived – and urge us on to protect our own land of the free and home of the brave.

 

            Have a great weekend.

 

            Cordially, IN HIM

 

            Jack

 

http://www.jebcovoice.net/audio/jama07-31-09.mp3

 

http://www.jebcovoice.net/scripts/jamt07-31-09.doc

 

If the links don’t work please try copying to your browser.

 

 

“JUST A MINUTE”

BLUE DOGS GROWL BUT BETRAY FOLLOWING

            Just A Minute – Down in El Dorado, Arkansas TEA Party leaders said they feel “betrayed” by Democrat Mike Ross’s cave-in during Thursday afternoon’s confusion on the Health Care vote. It’s causing frustration and unhappiness that promises to become widespread.

          Ross’s web site said on Wednesday,  he and three other Democrat ‘Blue Dog’s’ had reached an agreement with Chairman Henry Waxman of the Energy and Commerce Committee that would ensure no vote would be held until September – but things fell apart late in the day Thursday casting a cloud over the prospective hold up and increased uncertainty. Other Democrats supporting Ross were Baron Hill of Indiana, Zach Space of Ohio and Bart Gordon of Tennessee – but late last night two of those were reported to have defected.

          The Blue Dogs – are basically moderates – whose threat to the Democrats is often called more bark than bite.´ El Dorado TEA Party Chairman, John Wilson, said: “The people of Arkansas and the nation are not happy with this legislation …[we’ve] dropped leaflets made phone calls and written letters [supporting] Congressman Ross… Now, we feel betrayed.”

          So do we!  <> I’m Jack Buttram

(END)

 

 

Jebco Editorial Service

www.justaminuteradio.blogspot.com

e-mail n4zhk@arrl.net