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Saturday, April 19, 2008

Boss Hogg Ain't Dancing Yet


Boss Hogg Ain't Dancing over Joe Albero yet.
Cletus tried the old frame em up game but it ain't gonna stick.
Politics on the Eastern Shore are about as crooked and corrupt as they get.
Corruption is out in the open and the Boss Hoggers just don't care.
Waylon & Willie and the boyz are ready for the benefit...
Boss Hogg Ain't Dancing yet and his Mare is a baying at the full moon...
Enjoy this Spring weather and tell old Boss Hogg what you really think.
Don't hold nothing back, cause we won't...




Can Catholics Support McCain?

As a conservative and a Catholic, I am troubled by what I am reading in many different publications about our Republican candidate John McCain. McCain

When he ran for President several years ago, he insulted the Christian Conservative by stating the following..."I recognize and celebrate that our country is founded upon Judeo- Christian values, and I have pledged my life to defend America and all her values, the values that have made us the noblest experiment in history. But political intolerance by any political party is neither a Judeo-Christian nor an American value. The political tactics of division and slander are not our values, they are corrupting influences on religion and politics, and those who practice them in the name of religion or in the name of the Republican Party or in the name of America shame our faith, our party and our country."

I can totally support this statement but...

Last year, when John McCain’s presidential campaign was floundering, it was noted that he was making in-roads with right-wing figures like Armageddon advocate John Hagee, who harbors a not-so-secret desire for the US to start a war with Iran in order to bring about the subsequent return of Jesus Christ.

At the time, there didn’t seem much to worry about because McCain’s campaign appeared dead-in-the-water and though, over the coming months, McCain continued to court Hagee, the pastor appeared content to stick to his rabid theologizing and warnings to the United States.

Hagee cited McCain’s pro-life and pro-Israel stances in his endorsement Wednesday. But the announcement drew instant backlash from the Democratic National Committee, the Catholic League and Catholics United.

Catholic League President Bill Donohue called on McCain to reject Hagee’s support, citing statements in Hagee’s book Jerusalem Countdown that linked Adolf Hitler to the Catholic Church.

“There are plenty of staunch evangelical leaders who are pro-Israel, but are not anti-Catholic. John Hagee is not one of them,” Donohue said in the statement. “He has waged an unrelenting war against the Catholic Church.”

Democrats quoted Hagee as saying the Catholic Church conspired with Nazis against the Jews and that Hurricane Katrina was God’s retribution for homosexual sin, and they recited his demeaning comments about women and flip remarks about slavery.

“Hagee’s hate speech has no place in public discourse, and McCain’s embrace of this figure raises serious questions about John McCain’s character and his willingness to do anything to win,” said Tom McMahon, executive director of the Democratic National Committee.

Donohue made a direct challenge to McCain, saying: “Senator Obama has repudiated the endorsement of Louis Farrakhan, another bigot. McCain should follow suit and retract his embrace of Hagee.”

So much of what I have been reading about certain high profile Evangelical leaders is that they want to lead their churches to be the Church that Christ's Second Coming will recognize as 'the Church without spot or wrinkle' in their lifetimes.

The Bible clearly states that Christ will not return until Solemons Temple is rebuilt. I am only assuming that rebuilt means to rebuild it on it's original foundation. That poses a modern day problem...because sitting on top of it's foundation a huge Muslim Mosque.

So that sounds to me like that Mosque has gotta come down if the Temple is to go back up. Them's fightin words.

However, the support of Isreal by our government to treat the Palestinians so inhumanely, and our Church leaders to get behind these attrocities is unconsienable. These men are teaching an entire generation that we mus assist in the rebuilding of the Temple by supporting Isreal in all that they do.

During one of the three times that I have read Bible cover to cover, I determined very early on that God is incredibly awesome, and He can do whatever He wants (because He's God). And who are we to determine when He is to come back, much less contribute to the war of wars that is spoken about in Revelation. Christ will come back when He wants to...for our religious leaders to push the 'End' upon us is not something I believe God really needs help with.

Courting these men and garnering their support is dangerous, and spiritually manipulative and to call the Catholic Church 'The Whore of Babylon" is just too much. Only ignorance of the Catholic Faith would cause a person to say such things. I know, because I was raised a Southern Baptist Evangelical, and five years ago converted to Catholisism.

Evangelicals and most Protestant denominations are taught that Catholics worship idols, and don't approach the throne of God's grace except through Mary. This is simply not true.

Catholics have statuary representing the Holy Family because it is a visual of how important these people were. If you have any faith at all you must consider that when God decided that He was sending His Son to earth to be a living sacrafice for us, that He didn't pick just anyone to bear His Child. He knew the character of this young woman Mary, and He chose her, He even chose her Mother to raise her to become the woman that she was.

In the early church many many were illiterate and visual aides were essential to tell a story. In the Catholic Church Christ is hanging on the cross, in a Protestant Church He is not. Catholics certainly acknowledge and praise the miracle of His ressurection, but as a cradle Protestant the suffering of Christ and His heineously horrible treatment was not so real in my mind, and full ramifications of what He did for me and everyone else was not felt nor completely appreciated until I found myself on my knees in the sanctuary of the Catholic Church and saw Him hanging there. Then and only then, did I really get what He had done.

I will address the praying to Mary, and then I will close. The Bible says that "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord". Ok, I am fairly sure that Mary being the mother of Christ had a pretty good chance of making it into the pearly gates. This is where all Protestant confusion lies with this...if I have a problem, that I can't solve I often seek the advise and prayers of a friend. I know the personalities of my different friends and I know their areas of expertise. If I ask them for prayer on my behalf today and they died tomorow does that nulify my request? I don't believe so...if they are the faithfull Christian friend that I have known then why would my inabilty to see them anymore end our friendship. If they are present with the Lord, then don't you think our love continues and they be even more inclined to petition the Lord on my behalf? Mary is the iconic mother figure. She raised her son in a loving home she made sure that he applied himself to work and to study, and when he was condemned by the Jews and was beaten and strapped with a cross on His back and walked to through the streets of Jerusalem she was there every step of the way, weeping in agony for her son, as only a mother could do. She stayed at the cross through the hours until His death and washed His body after He was gone. She partook in the burial and was as equally surprised and rejoiced as all of the other diciples upon His ressurection. As a child we can relate to her, because she was there for Him. As mother we can relate to her because we couldn't bear the pain, and we would do the same thing. As a husband and father we can relate to her because we know and see the pain, and know that she would have traded herself for His life, and we marvel at the bond of the mother and child.

We know who she is, she is the mother we would all want to be, and the mother that we hope we will never have to be. She is easy to ask a prayer from because she knows her Son like no other, and she can petition on our behalf because of that.

Catholics know their prayers are answered by God, of that there is no question. Asking for some extra prayers from a friend is something that is done all of the time.

Quote Of The Day

"THE ONLY THING NEEDED FOR EVIL TO TRIUMPH IS FOR GOOD MEN TO DO NOTHING"

EDMUND BURKE

Tire Amnesty Day

One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday morning is to go to the landfill. Lol. But things have to get done. When I got there this morning I noticed a LONG line of traffic leading up to the gate across from the scales. I understood completely when I saw the sign "Tire Amnesty Day".

It appears that each person can bring up to ten tires at no cost. They're being loaded into large containers to be shipped off for recycling. The girl at the scales said she understands that they are going to be chipped up and used in making roads. It's good to see things being recycled. Anyway, it's my understanding this is going on until 4:00 p.m. so if you have any old tires laying around.....

Later Today

Don't think for a minute I'm not going after the Zoo article in the Daily Times yesterday, because I am!

The USDA came into the Zoo, (Jim Rapp no longer there) and tore them a new one! I tip my hat to the Daily Time for doing that article and exposing many of the things reported.

The most interesting part I find is that the Salisbury City Council has NOT been made aware of the Inspection, they have NOT seen the Report and quite frankly, with Gary Comegys on the Zoo Commission and NEVER actually making a meeting, he has proven his service to that Commission is absolutely USELESS!

Look, everyone knows Gary and I do not see eye to eye but let me say this. I tip my hat to Comegys as well. Public service sucks and brings very little rewards, unless you're in it like a former Council President was.

That being said, you're in over your head Gary and the purpose for your being on the Zoo Commission is to report back to the Council and keep everyone up to speed. You have truly failed in that department and the Zoo is critical at this stage.

There is a new Zoo Director and Lord knows he's got his hands full right now. However, he's not stupid. The man did a walk through at the Zoo just like every other candidate did and he saw how bad things were.

Now it's a matter of getting obviously lady people fired and a new supportive group in there willing to do what it takes to convince this community the Zoo is worthy of investing into. Start at the top. Comegy's needs to be replaced with someone like Terry Cohen. She loves animals and she's got a good stern head on her shoulders. Then you need to get rid of Alessi. The man should be man enough to step down and let some new blood in there but he's a self centered you know what and he'll run with this till the day he dies, if they'll allow.

The Staff has obviously slacked off since Rapp left, proving Gary Muir didn't do his job either. If you want your Zoo back to the way it used to be, you need to get rid of the Staff and hire professionals to do it right. Of course this is all my own personal opinion but to those who want to criticize me, how's it working for you now? Enough said, I'll be back on this issue later.

WANTED



Do you know who these people are? If so, please contact me directly at, alberobutzo@wmconnect.com . I believe they're connected with the Delmar Fire Department, if that helps anyone.

No Daily Times This Morning

I don't know about all of you but when I went all the way to my mailbox this morning, there was no Daily Times. Am I asking too much to have my paper delivered by 6:30 AM?

When I called in to the paper they asked for my telephone number, address and E-MAIL? What the hell is that, my E-MAIL? I replied, you're kidding me, right? No Sir, do you have an e-mail account? I replied, that's none of your business!

Be careful Ladies & Gentlemen because Gannett will sell that e-mail address so fast it isn't funny! Do NOT give away your e-mail address. If you happen to have your paper, do let me know what's in the news today, OK?