Beauty or Ashes, America, the Choice is Clear

Special Report: Beauty or Ashes, the Choice is Clear

Beauty or Ashes, the Choice is Clear
By Bob Kirchman

I went to sleep and got the first solid night’s sleep I had gotten in months. I have had quite a bit of anxiety over the state of our beloved country lately. Watching mobs of terrorists and miscreants burn down our cities and incite mayhem and violence, it is easy to lose heart. But as I watched the Republican Convention this week, I saw the America that I love on full display. Outside of the big cities and the mainstream media, America is still alive.

A whole host of real Americans spoke, addressing real problems with hope and determination. President Trump delivered a strong message. He was indeed the champion of the America I know! I wasn’t always convinced. In 2016 I supported Dr. Ben Carson in the primaries but looking at those who would destroy her, it is abundantly clear that a strong champion – one who could not be deterred, was necessary. The convention concluded with a magnificent display of fireworks over the Washington Monument and the voice of Christopher Macchio singing “America the Beautiful.” I cried.

I remember how I would get all choked up as another Christopher, Christoper Plummer, would sing Edelweiss in The Sound of Music – A LOVE SONG for his beloved Austria as the Anschluss brought the occupation by the National Socialists. The convention ended with a note of beauty carried in song.

But as the guests left the grounds of the White House, the barbarians were waiting at the gate. In the following account, Senator Rand Paul’s wife describes her family’s harrowing experience. Something that is so unacceptable in the America that I know!

So, barbarians, terrorists, miscreants, you have made my choice all the more clear. This election really is about the future of our beloved country. I was already ready to crawl over broken glass to vote for President Trump this November. You have only steeled my resolve to work all the more for his reelection.

Update from Rand Paul's Wife About Last Night's Attack

Thursday night felt like being in a terrifying dystopian novel. The mob swarmed me and my husband, Sen. Rand Paul, in a tight circle, screaming expletives, threats, and shouting, "Say her name." We rushed up to two police officers, and I believe that is the only thing that kept us from being knocked to the ground. Even pressed against the officers, we were greatly outnumbered.

As the mob grew and became more threatening, we literally could not move, and neither could the two officers for several minutes. The rioters were inches from us, screaming in our faces.

That was the worst part. At first, I attempted to meet the eyes of one of the protesters and tried to explain that Rand authored the Justice for Breonna Taylor Act, but it seemed to just infuriate them more, as they called me a "bitch" and "racist wh---" alongside an endless torrent of "f--- yous."

Mobs are terrifying. They looked at us with no humanity — just a vicious and righteous zeal. After that, I just kept my eyes down and prayed. All I could think of was the driver who was pulled from his car, viciously kicked in the head and left lying in his own blood in Portland, Oregon, last week.

Now the Associated Press is reporting that Rand used the word “attack” to describe our ordeal “without evidence.” This is disgusting and utter proof of their bias.

When you are surrounded by throngs of people screaming in your face and preventing you from getting away, that is an attack.

After several harrowing minutes, additional officers arrived with bikes and surrounded us to create a moving barricade to escort us to safety. The video showing us walking is after the additional police had arrived. Before that, we were pinned in the center of a swirling maelstrom of hatred and threats. Those in the media and in government who have downplayed the last three months of burning, shootings, murder, looting, and destruction have fomented this horrific violence.

Since his election in 2010, Rand has made criminal justice reform a priority and has sponsored dozens of bills to address civil asset forfeiture, overcriminalization of nonviolent drug offenses, and the racial disparities in sentencing caused by the 1994 crime bill. I serve on the board of a bipartisan criminal justice reform group and worked hard to lobby for passage of the First Step Act. I have appeared with Alice Marie Johnson and Matthew Charles at events and on various TV programs to advocate for more reforms.

The mob screaming in our faces seemed ignorant of the fact that Rand had authored the Justice for Breonna Taylor Act, calling for a ban on no-knock raids. Either that or they just didn’t care because their hatred of President Trump makes them feel righteous and justified as they terrorize people and burn cities.

Several of our friends were also attacked trying to make it to their hotels last night, including one who had his glasses slapped off his face, another who was pepper-sprayed by a rioter, and a woman who was punched in the back.

In the last three years, my husband was shot at by the Bernie Sanders supporter who nearly killed Rep. Steve Scalise, had six ribs broken and his lung damaged by a vocal internet hater of President Trump, and endured numerous death threats against him and our family. An MSNBC reporter literally said on air, laughing, that Rand’s assault was her favorite news story of the week. She was hardly criticized or made to apologize, let alone fired.

People such as Bette Midler and Nancy Pelosi’s daughter regularly tweet out encouragement of the man who nearly killed Rand, which is amplified by thousands of their followers.

My message to all of them is this: You have become exactly what you say you hate — violent, close-minded, authoritarian, and utterly lacking in empathy.

The 2020 Republican Convention, Future Vision

Special Report!

A Message of Hope

Listen to the 2020 Republican Convention without interruption and you will receive a message of inspiration and hope.

IMAGO DEI Mural Concept, #EachLifeMatters

Volume XIX, Issue IVa: #EachLifeMatters


IMAGO DEI Mural Concept.

Understanding IMAGO DEI
Change the conversation with #EachLifeMatters

I am a black man who is troubled by #BlackLivesMatter. A human being is a microcosm of humanity, yet as Father Zossima remarks in The Brothers Karamazov, “It is easy to love mankind, but much more difficult to love a single human being.” In the wake of the upsetting and seemingly racially-motivated string of incidents that has occurred across the United States, the widespread chant of #BlackLivesMatter has transformed into a movement. In contrast, the countercry of #AllLivesMatter has incurred the wrath of progressive voices for ostensibly invalidating the unique struggle of the contemporary African-American experience. While #AllLivesMatter insensitively suggests the colorblindness of such acts of violence clearly perpetrated against black bodies, #BlackLivesMatter co-opts such tragedies in order to renew the language of black victimization in America. What each side has lost is both a clear understanding of the nuance of contemporary racism in America, as well as any vision for the future.

Martin Luther King famously dreamt that his “four little children” would “one day live in a nation where they [would] not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” While we are indeed far from a post-racial society, its creation used to be an ideal rather than a taboo. Insisting that racism does not exist is flippant; however, the banner of black victimhood waved by more progressive voices does little more than perpetuate an anachronistic understanding of the contemporary American situation and delegitimize the laudable goal of a colorblind society of individuals. #BlackLivesMatter draws attention to a relevant problem, but it is offensive because it further divides without even seeking reunification. I offer the cry of “each life matters,” one that is both respectful of diversity and individuality while acknowledging our in-separateness from one another. The Buddha said, “In separateness lies the world’s great misery, in compassion lies the world’s true strength.” “Each life matters” is a compassionate call for justice that acknowledges we are not separate from one another, but we are indeed unique. Our political realities may temporarily be inequitable, but our existential reality is identical.

Andres Wilson
Northampton [1.]

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” – 2 PETER 3:9










Details of the painting.

Artist’s Statement

I have attempted to create a work based on the thoughts of Andres Wilson that brings a Kingdom of God perspective to the current discussion. In Genesis 1:26-27 it is stated that we are each created in the image of our Creator, thus every single life is a reflection of the Divine Nature. Each life is precious.

APOLLONIUS, Chapter One

Volume XIX, Issue IVe: Special Book Section

Apollonius
By Bob Kirchman
Copyright © 2020, The Kirchman Studio, all rights reserved

Introduction: A Bit More Reckless Engineering

The establishment of the Alaska Republic in the mid-Twenty-first Century opened up a time of new growth and prosperity for mankind. Tundra farms, biospheres and determination tamed the world's Northernmost frontiers and created homes for millions. Rupert Zimmerman had been one of the initial visionaries but his daughter Elizabeth, his son-in-law Martin and his granddaughter would go even further. The Summer sun never set on the gleaming tower taking shape on Cape Lisbon and crews were working round the clock to complete the gigantic linear accelerator launch complex... a bridge, as it were, to other worlds. On drawing screenpads in Wales, the schematics for the Great Northern, a space ship of epic proportions were being developed. Since the days of Jules Verne, people dreamed of traveling into space and exploring her riches. The American space program set men on the moon in 1969 but there was no economic reason to go further. Great Northern would be built slowly, and the completed ship would be able to make the nine month long journey to the orbit of Mars. There the technology developed to tame the Earth's North; greenhouses and biospheres, would be tested as a means of beginning to terraform the red planet. There were always those thinkers who felt that mankind needed to extend their presence to other worlds to assure survival. Though Zimmerman felt the survival of mankind was in the hands of Someone much higher, he welcomed the investment of such people in the space program.

Indeed; Rupert saw it more as the same need he had first identified in his seven month old granddaughter... the need to go further. The need to move forward! He noticed that the girl was fussy as an infant, but as she learned to push herself up, to roll, and eventually scoot along the floor, she became quite content in her quest for adventure! Humankind seemed created with an almost insatiable need to reach out and that was reason enough for Rupert Zimmerman.

Apollonius
By Bob Kirchman
Copyright © 2020, The Kirchman Studio, all rights reserved

Chapter 1: The Challenge of Moon and Mars

The first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, was reported to have said: “I went up into space, but I didn’t encounter God.” That story was often repeated by the Atheistic Soviet Regime that sent him there and by the Western powers as they refuted the claims of the Soviet regime. His friend, General Valentin Petrov, a professor at the Russian Air Force Academy had a different story. He said of his personal friend the Cosmonaut: “He always confessed God whenever he was provoked, no matter where he was.” Gagarin was a baptized member of the Orthodox Church. Petrov remembered Gagarin saying something quite different in fact: “An astronaut cannot be suspended in space and not have God in his mind and his heart.” It was actually Nikita Khrushchev who had mockingly said: “Why don’t you step on the brakes in front of God?” In the Cold War days the U.S. President, John F. Kennedy, deftly created the civilian space agency, NASA. The struggle to control the high ground of space became recast as a race to the moon and it captured the imaginations of millions. When Gagarin orbited the Earth, the Atheist Empire was dominating. The Russians were depending on immense boosters to go beyond low Earth orbit and when they created the larger multi-engined rocket they needed they couldn’t make it work dependably. Jim Lovell commanded Apollo 8 on a mission to orbit the moon on Christmas Eve in 1968. He read from the Biblical story of Creation. “And God saw that it was good!” The Russians had been lapped.

Apollo 11 landed on the moon and Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men to set foot on another body in space!, fulfilling Jules Verne’s vision in “From the Earth to the Moon.” They actually celebrated the Lord’s Supper there in the lunar lander before they set foot on the lunar surface! It was an amazing time to be alive. Technological advances created as part of the space program enriched and saved lives as space technology found its way into other areas such as medicine. But the moon itself held no great riches. Men had come, but after Apollo 17 they never returned. Futurists often wrote about colonizing the moon or Mars as a way to ensure mankind survived. NASA, having inspired millions and having brought together incredible talents in the sciences, became another federal bureaucracy and even gave up the capacity to launch men into space. They had to buy rides to the International Space Station from their old competitors, the Russians! After the new world of the North opened up in the wake of the Bering Strait Bridge, mankind again looked to the stars. As money and goods flowed through the new world that had been opened up, there Billionaire George Apollonius was alarmed. His plans for one-world government had been thwarted by the free men and women of the North Country and in his alarm he began to lobby for the nations of the world to terraform Mars, that is make it fit for human habitation. He would have his one-world government… even if it meant building a new world!

But he lacked much of the funding necessary to do it and the engineering ability as well. NASA was but a shell of its former glory and the great advances were being made by Alaska Republic and Israel’s joint space launch complex at Cape Lisbon. Here Apollonius would seek an unholy alliance that would build a ship to take him to Mars. The Zimmerman Organization, for its part, was responding to a concern raised by the leadership of the Alaska Autonimous Republic. They wanted a platform for an enhanced version of Israel’s Iron Dome to protect themselves from rogue nations lobbing nuclear warheads. Space Station/Assembly Center 005 was the platform from which incoming missiles could be detected and destroyed. Its components were initially ferried into orbit by U.S. and Russian Boosters, but of late, the supplying of the station was being accomplished by shuttles launched from Cape Lisbon’s newly completed linear accelerator. Apollonius and Zimmerman had an odd connection, through which began their odd partnership… both were members of London’s Reform Club. Both men traveled quite a bit and were drawn to the club by its association with Jules Verne’s fictional Phileas Fogg, who enters into his famous wager there over a game of whist! Both had been recommended for membership by associates who were in the club and both enjoyed the congenial atmosphere and the fine cuisine.

How goes your work at Cape Lisbon?” Apollonius asked Rupert Zimmerman at dinner one night.

We’ve just begun linear induction launches of small shuttles to our space station.” the old man replied. “Research teams will then ascend to Space Station/Assembly Center 005. We plan to send an unmanned probe to Mars straightway. It will be far more sophisticated than Curiosity.”

Men?, will you then send human explorers?”

No, cost is way out of line with the benefits.”

I needn’t remind you, Mr. Zimmerman, that your precious free world will one day conspire to blow itself up! Where will mankind go when that happens?”

Oh, Mr. Apollonius, I don’t presume so as to think that man can thwart the designs of a loving God toward His Creation!”

Come now!, you are a world leader, even as you avoid title and publicity. You know damn well that God is just a fable for the weak. All that you see is all that there is. What would it take to convince you to team up with me to build a manned mission to Mars?”

I would have to see some benefit that made it worth the risk of human life.”

The survival of mankind is not worth the risk!” Exclaimed Apollonius.

But would you acknowledge, dear Apollonius, that there is more to this universe than you or I can see?” Here Zimmerman secretly wished his friend Jonathan Greene present, but the old man was here quite without his mentor in things unseen. It was Greene who had helped open Zimmerman’s eyes to the Truth he now sought to defend. But Greene was on the other side of the Globe, so to speak. He was in the biosphere town on Big Diomede in the Bering Strait. He was making animal pancakes for his daughter’s breakfast as it was the morning of a school day.

If they are unseen, they can be detected in other ways.” Apollonius responded.

Very well then, if you are an honest inquirer, I challenge you! And I invite you to come to Cape Lisbon and see for Yourself!”

The sun had set in London, but it was rising on Big Diomede on a brand new day. To Zimmerman’s surprise, George Apollonius accepted the offer to travel halfway around the world. “…on one condition. If I can convince you that the journey is worth the risk, you will help me organize a manned mission to Mars!”
(to be continued)


This composite image of Earth and its moon, as seen from Mars, combines the best Earth image with the best moon image from four sets of images acquired on Nov. 20, 2016, by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. NASA Photo


The Linear Induction Launch System at Cape Lisbon. [1.]

Terraforming Mars
National Geographic


For some time there has been a fascination with the idea of colonizing Mars.

In 1952, Wernher von Braun wrote a book called "Project Mars" [1.] which imagined that human colonists on Mars would be led by a person called "Elon." Starting with A Princess of Mars [2.] in 1917, Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote eleven novels that portrayed an arid world he called Barsoom made habitable by an “atmosphere factory” (these books were the basis for the recent Disney movie John Carter). The stories in Ray Bradbury’s 1950 collection The Martian Chronicles [3.] were set on a desert planet crisscrossed with canals built by an alien civilization to distribute water from the polar caps. Arthur C. Clarke’s 1952 novel The Sands of Mars [4.] also presents a transformation of the Red Planet to support human life. Kim Stanley Robinson’s Red Mars/Green Mars/Blue Mars trilogy was published in the period of 1992-1996. [5.]


Chasma Boreale, a long, flat-floored valley, cuts deep into Mars' north polar icecap. Its walls rise about 4,600 feet, or 1,400 meters, above the floor. Where the edge of the ice cap has retreated, sheets of sand are emerging that accumulated during earlier ice-free climatic cycles. Winds blowing off the ice have pushed loose sand into dunes and driven them down-canyon in a westward direction. NASA Image


The Orb of Mars. NASA Photo


This is a screen shot from a high-definition simulated movie of Mojave Crater on Mars, based on images taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. A 3-D surface model was created using stereo pairs from the HiRISE camera. Mojave Crater has a diameter of 60 kilometers (37 miles). NASA Image

The Path Before Us, What's at Stake This Year

Volume XIX, Issue IV: The Path Before Us, What's at Stake

The Path Before Us, What's at Stake
[click to read]

In a few months, Americans will not only choose a President, they will choose the course for this nation’s future. To say that this election is important would be a huge understatement. In this issue I lay out a few of the things that are at stake. Yet many people will not vote. They will say things like “my vote doesn’t matter,” but it does! They may even spiritualize their lack of participation saying “God will raise up the leaders.” Let me tell you though – He HAS! In a Representative Republic they are US!

Since in a republic such as ours, the government actually begins with the SELECTION of who is to represent us, we have been vested with a position in authority. WE choose the representatives and the President. We are responsible for that choice. It is a sacred duty and a sacred trust.

NOT to vote is to vote – to throw away our responsibility as empowered citizens. God HAS raised up leaders – it is WE who must lead in this crucial hour. If we do not, it shall be on our hands what becomes of our nation.

Dr. James Dobson writes a letter about what’s at stake in the coming moths as America’s Presidential election approaches. Please hear this great man’s plea and VOTE! The stakes have never been higher!

Dear Friends,

As I write this newsletter, voters across this nation are only a few short months away from the next general election. What an ominous time this is for our 244-year-old republic. Its future hangs in the balance. The choices we make on November 3rd will send this nation down one of two dramatically different paths. The wrong decision will be catastrophic. I agree with former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, who said recently that the next election will be “the most important since 1860.” He also warned that if we appease or ignore the violence and anarchy occurring in the streets, it might be the end of civilization as we have known it. Those are sobering words coming from a man who has stood at the pinnacle of national power.

Mr. Gingrich referred to the significance of 1860 because that was the year Abraham Lincoln was elected president. I'm sure the Speaker would agree that the following election of 1864 was also critical to the future of the nation. Lincoln and his opponent, Maj. Gen. George McClellan, were in a hotly contested campaign for the White House that could have gone either way. The "war between the states," as it was called, had been raging for three ghastly years, and the entire nation was staggered by reports from the bloody battlefield.

Lincoln was running for a second term, and he campaigned on the promise of finishing the war and preserving the Union. These were momentous times for the young nation. During the first week of January 1863, the President signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves.

Democrats and their presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. McClellan, initially campaigned on a “peace platform,” pledging to end the war and send soldiers home. As the election approached, he talked more about negotiating to let the South establish a separate government whose cornerstone would be slavery. If McClellan had been elected, there would have been no foreseeable end to the inherent evil of buying and selling human beings and treating them like cattle. Thus, the Civil War was a struggle for the soul of America.

The summer before the election, the war was going badly for the Union. Lincoln, in fact, was convinced he was going to lose the election. He wrote the following memorandum on August 23, 1864, asking his Cabinet to accept the grim prospects for his re-election. These are his words:

This morning, as for some days past, it seems exceedingly probable that this Administration will not be re-elected. Then it will be my duty to so cooperate with the President-elect as to save the Union between the election and the inauguration; as he will have secured his election on such grounds that I cannot possibly save it afterwards.4 No wonder Lincoln dealt at times with depression. Clearly, the Union was a hair's breadth away from losing the war. But then, the tide began to turn. One historian wrote, "The political landscape shifted dramatically when Gen. William T. Sherman took Atlanta in early September. This major military shift, coupled with the severe internal strife within the Democratic Party, solidified Lincoln's chance at victory.” As you know, Abraham Lincoln and the Republicans won the election of 1864 in a landslide. McClellan was defeated by more than 500,000 popular votes and 191 electoral votes. An estimated 78 percent of Union soldiers cast their ballots in favor of Lincoln. McClellan took just three states: Kentucky, Delaware, and his home state of New Jersey. Less than two months after Lincoln's inauguration, he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. He is said to have been the “last casualty” of the Civil War. Why have I recounted our Civil War history and the election of 1864 at this time in our history? It is for two reasons. The first is to consider some striking similarities between then and now. Our nation is divided like no time since the Civil War. Lawlessness and anarchy stalk the cities as angry mobs riot, burn, loot, rob, and kill innocent bystanders. Cultural monuments are being destroyed. Scores of people have been shot. Our courageous police officers are being brutally attacked by the same people they have vowed to protect. A man and his son stopped to ask for directions, and he was gunned down on the spot. A one-year-old baby was shot in the stomach while he sat in his stroller. The child died at the hospital.

What began as a justified and lawful protest in response to George Floyd's senseless murder by a rogue police officer has morphed into violence for the sake of violence. Hatred flows in the streets, including vitriol directed at the President of the United States or anyone who dares to support him or his policies. Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and religious liberty are being trampled. There is also widespread belief that violence and anarchy are being organized and funded by powerful forces that are maneuvering America toward a socialist dictatorship. There is always a kingmaker behind such lawlessness. Most disturbing is open talk of another civil war. It is troubling to even utter those words. The last time Americans faced off against each other, 600,000 soldiers died. May God forbid it from happening again.

During the revolution of the 1960s, I recall a ubiquitous bumper sticker that read, "What if they gave a war and nobody came?" It was a catchy phrase that made sense to those who opposed the Vietnam War. But my reaction to it then and now is "What if they gave a war and only one side came?" That question keeps me awake at night. There are multiple millions of passive Americans out there today, many of them Christians, who are clueless about what is happening to their homeland. They are losing something precious and irreplaceable. Do they not understand that their children and those who are yet to be born will live in tyranny if we fail them on our watch? Countless young men and women have laid down their lives on battlefields around the world to protect liberty and our way of life. Now, what they purchased for us with their blood is slipping away. Disengaged people won't lift a finger to preserve this great land. They won't take even a few minutes to go to their polling places to vote. There are also thousands of pastors who won't allow voting registration tables in the lobbies of their churches. Don't they know or care that America is on the ropes? Hordes of angry anarchists are salivating over the next election, hoping to push America over a cliff. If they succeed, as Newt Gingrich said, Western civilization will never recover. Is there anyone left who believes some things are worth dying for? Aren't there patriots out there such as Patrick Henry who said in defiance of British tyranny, “Give me liberty or give me death!”? That was the spirit during his day. The Declaration of Independence closed with these words endorsed by the signers, "We pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." They knew they would be hanged if they lost the war. Why did they do it? Because they loved their country enough to die for it.

How I pray for the emergence of silent, intimidated Americans who will come out of their hiding places to let their voices be heard on Election Day 2020. There must be tens of thousands of ministers in our midst who, like the Black Robed Regiment of the Revolutionary War, will strip off their clerical garb and fight valiantly for religious liberty. If these men and women of faith and conviction don't come to the rescue of their country, it is doomed.

During the Civil War, untold soldiers gave their lives to preserve the integrity of the United States of America and to end the tragedy of slavery. Here is the question of the hour: Are you and our brothers and sisters willing to carry the bloodstained banner around which our predecessors rallied? We will know the answer on November 3rd.

That brings us to the second reason I have addressed the Civil War and the election of 1864. It is to remind us that voting matters. Each presidential campaign has been important, but some have had jaw-dropping and nation-shaping consequences. I believe we are at such a pivotal moment now. You can be certain that America will be forever changed by the political party that gets its supporters to the polls. They will win the day—and the future.

Unfortunately, the majority of Christians have a record of not showing up on Election Day. It is unbelievably sad. As many as 75 percent of them sit on their hands, apparently assuming that their votes don't matter. They are wrong. Voting ALWAYS matters. George W. Bush won the presidency in 2000 by 537 votes in a nation of 130 million registered voters. Many down-ballot contests have been won or lost by a single vote.

I plead with you to register and vote in this presidential election. I won't try to tell you who to vote for because you can figure it out for yourselves. But I will suggest how you might evaluate the situation we face. I'll close with seven critical issues that have stunning significance for the nation. Please think hard about them, and then go to the polls.

1. The Next Generation

There is a fierce battle being waged now in the nation's classrooms for the hearts and souls of our children and grandchildren. Those of us who are passionately committed to the Judeo-Christian system of beliefs are losing our kids right before our eyes. They are being force-fed a radical curriculum that is godless, anti-American, and sexually perverse. Make no mistake, the left and secular culture are manipulating the minds of your sons and daughters every day of the year. I urge you to be extremely careful about those whom you set in power over your children. Protect them with your very lives.

2. The Sanctity of Human Life

All life is sacred and is a gift from Almighty God. But as you know, America has the blood of innocents on its hands. Since 1973, more than 60 million babies have been murdered through abortion and countless lives have ended by euthanasia. This is the most tragic holocaust in the history of the world! Some states have even passed laws allowing wounded and suffering infants to lie alone on porcelain trays after somehow surviving unsuccessful abortions. They will die without the comfort of their mothers' breasts. If that doesn't touch your heart, you are without compassion. I hope you will not cast a single vote for any politician who supports such wickedness.

3. Marriage and Family

The family is God's original building block for society. Marriage continues to serve as the foundation for every dimension of human life. Everything of value rests on it, including procreation and the care and training of children. If that ground floor is weakened or undermined, the entire superstructure of civil society will come crashing down. But listen carefully: powerful and highly funded forces, including LGBTQ and other leftist entities, are determined to destroy the family as an institution. It is already on its knees, and its future is grim. Before you vote, find out what position the candidates have taken on this issue. Then vote accordingly.

4. Religious Liberty

The first item listed in the Bill of Rights addresses the issue of religious liberty. All the other enumerated rights flow from that fundamental freedom. That is why it is alarming to recognize that this right to worship and honor God as we choose is under vicious attack today. The courts have done the greatest damage, but now an entire sub-culture is trying to bring down the Christian faith. Whether it has invaded your private world or not, it is at your front door. It was this primary concern that led to the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War in 1776. We can't compromise one jot or tittle within that fundamental right. Fight for it with every ounce of your strength and determination. Don't let the government close the doors of your church or tell you when you can sing praises to the Lord Almighty. They have a devious agenda, and it is dangerous. Be ready to go to the mat in defense of what you believe. And let this passion influence how you cast your ballot in November. Here I stand. Will you join me?

5. Capitalism v. Socialism

It is difficult to believe that for the first time in American history, our nation appears to be thinking about trading our democratic way of life for the tyranny of socialism. I can hardly catch my breath. Could we really consider abandoning the beloved system of government that was designed to be of the people, by the people, and for the people? Is it true that up to 40 percent of millennials and others are prepared to surrender their liberties in exchange for the absolute authority of the state? Democracy and capitalism have made ours the most powerful and successful nation in the history of the world. Are we really considering scuttling the system that has served us for 244 years in exchange for what some people call “free stuff?” I pray not! But that option awaits you in the polling booth.

6. The Judicial System

Given recent rulings, we know that judicial overreach has almost ruined this great nation. Justices and judges are constitutionally charged to interpret the law, not make law. But again, and again, they have overstepped their authority and brought us atrocities such as abortion on demand, same-sex marriage, and the so-called “separation of church and state,” which doesn't appear in the Constitution. Most recently, the Supreme Court handed down one of its most egregious rulings since Roe v. Wade. It is the case of Bostock v. Clayton County. This decision was not based on constitutional law but on the whims of six justices. It created a new legal definition of sex out of thin air. Lawyers tell us that this ruling will affect every dimension of culture and haunt the nation as long as it endures. Please don't vote for politicians who will expand, rather than limit, the power of the judiciary.

7. The Nation of Israel

Scripture tells that those who bless Israel will be blessed (Genesis 12:3). Our prayer is that the next Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. will continue to promote and cultivate a vibrant bond of friendship with the nation of Israel, which is our only ally in the Middle East. Anti-Semitism and all forms of racial discrimination are inherently evil, and we condemn them categorically. We are a nation that is dedicated to “freedom and justice for all” (The U.S. Pledge of Allegiance). I could list dozens of other issues that should be considered as we vote on November 3rd. I will end with this final statement from Abraham Lincoln. He said:

I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have.”

Let us come boldly before the throne of grace and ask God for His mercy on America.

Sincerely,
Dr. James C. Dobson PhD (click to read more)

Listen to the Message Here [click to listen]

The “Black Robed Regiment”
[click to read]

The Black Robed Regiment was the name that the British placed on the courageous and patriotic American clergy during the Founding Era (a backhanded reference to the black robes they wore). Significantly, the British blamed the Black Robed Regiment for American Independence, and rightfully so, for modern historians have documented that:

There is not a right asserted in the Declaration of Independence which had not been discussed by the New England clergy before 1763.

It is strange to today’s generation to think that the rights listed in the Declaration of Independence were nothing more than a listing of sermon topics that had been preached from the pulpit in the two decades leading up to the American Revolution, but such was the case.

But it was not just the British who saw the American pulpit as largely responsible for American independence and government, our own leaders agreed. For example, John Adams rejoiced that “the pulpits have thundered” and specifically identified several ministers as being among the “characters the most conspicuous, the most ardent, and influential” in the “awakening and a revival of American principles and feelings” that led to American independence. (read more)


John Peter Muhlenberg was a Lutheran minister who served in the Revolutionary War. There is a legend that says he stood before his congregation and opened his ministerial robes to reveal the uniform of a Continental soldier as he resigned his pulpit to go to war. He fought in the battles of Charleston in 1776 and served all the way through the battle of Yorktown in 1781, rising to the rank of Major-General. He later served in Congress.

The Mayor Who Made a Difference

An Article for the June 1996 Deep Cove Crier
by Reverend Ed Hird, Rector,
St. Simon’s Anglican Church, Used with his permission.

So often, Toronto functions as the city that other Canadians feel the most ambivalent about. The proverbial expression "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" readily comes to my mind as I think of Toronto. And yet ironically, the nickname "Toronto The Good" points to a side of Toronto that has largely been forgotten in the Canadian amnesia about our own heritage and roots. I was talking recently to Phyllis Beck, the Deep Cove Crier Seniors Columnist, about Toronto roots, only to discover that her daughter-in-law, Barbara Hall, is the current Mayor of Toronto. I commented to Phyllis about the recent discovery that my Great-great-grandfather, Thomas Allen, was a senior Alderman in Toronto during a period of 19 years. When I was in Toronto a few months back, getting a first-hand glimpse of the "Toronto Blessing", I kept driving back and forth past Allen Road. My ignorance about this road named after my Torontonian ancestor reminded me afresh of our Canadian forgetfulness about some of our own heroes.


William H. Howland

One such hero was Mayor William Howland of Toronto, a public servant who was so dedicated to helping the disadvantaged that he gave away most of his wealth. Son of the Honorable W.P. Howland, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, William was possessed with a bubbly enthusiasm and phenomenal capacity for hard work. By the age he was 25, William was president, vice-president, or a director of more than a dozen companies in the fields of insurance and finance, electrical services, and paint manufacturing. When he became president of the Queen City Fire Insurance Company in 1871, he was the youngest insurance company president in Canada. As well, Howland was President of three influential organizations: the Toronto Board of Trade, the Dominion Board of Trade, and the Manufacturer’s Association of Ontario. Out of his love for his country, he served as Chairman of the Canada First movement, personally financing its weekly newspaper "The Nation".

At age 32, Howland was led to Christ by his priest, Dr. W.S. Rainsford of St. James Anglican Cathedral. His life-changing experience gave him a new passion for helping the poor. He became involved helping with the Hillcrest Convalescent Hospital, the YMCA, the Haven Home for Unwed Mothers, the Prisoner’s Aid Association, the Central Prison Mission School, and the Toronto General Hospital. Night after night, Howland visited the slums, going from house-to-house, and reaching out to the poor, the sick, and the alcoholic. He also purchased 50 acres to start an Industrial School in order to steer youth away from the life of crime. Other initiatives were his building an alternative school for drop-outs, and a Home for the Aged and Homeless Poor. When he began to teach an interdenominational bible study for 100 young men, his new priest J.P. Lewis objected to Howland’s involvement with non-Anglicans. Out of this rejection, he began the interdenominational Toronto Mission Union, which operated seniors’ homes, convalescent homes, and Toronto’s first-ever home nursing service.

Because of his great compassion for the poor, he was elected as Mayor of Toronto in 1885, with a strong mandate to clean up the city. Howland signaled his arrival in the mayor’s office by installing a twelve-foot banner on the wall, reading, "Except the Lord Build the City, the Watchman Wakes but in Vain". Despite fierce opposition, Howland was so successful, that Toronto became nicknamed "Toronto the Good". As champion of the poor, Howland and his Alliance friend, Rev. John Salmon, would tramp the lanes and alleys, feeding the poor, praying over the sick, and comforting the sad. With a population of just 104,000, Toronto had over 800 licensed and unlicensed saloons. Over half of all criminal offenses recorded in 1885 were related to drunkenness.

Howland is described in Desmond Morton’s book "Mayor Howland: the Citizen’s Candidate" as the first reform mayor in Toronto’s history. Due to bureaucratic corruption, municipal garbage collection was all but non-existent. Even City Hall’s own garbage was rarely picked up. Rotting garbage fouled the alleyways, yards, and streets, giving Toronto a reputation for flies, stench, and disease. With no general sewage system, Toronto lived on the verge of a typhoid epidemic. Children swam in the same Toronto harbour area into which raw sewage was flowing from the ditches. Toronto’s fresh water supply was sucked through leaking and rotting wooden pipes, half buried in the sewage and sludge of the Toronto harbour.

Howland believed that we didn’t usually need more laws; we just needed to enforce the ones that already existed. He shocked the city bureaucrats by enforcing the already existing bylaw which forbid the depositing of garbage within the city limits. After he threatened to send the city commissioner to jail for breaking this bylaw, garbage miraculously began to be collected! Howland also worked hard in the construction of a trunk sewer system, to redirect the sewage away from the Toronto Harbour. He had such a dramatic impact in reducing the crime rate that other mayors began visiting Toronto, hoping to imitate Howland’s miracle.

During his re-election campaign in 1887, all the taxi cabs were paid off by Howland’s opponent so that they would refuse to take Howland’s supporters to the polling stations. Women however (2,000 widows and single women with property) had just been given the vote. So they held up their long Victorian dresses, and trucked through the snow to give Howland the moral reformer a second term. When Howland was re-elected by a landslide, over 3,000 of his supporters at the YMCA hall spontaneously burst into singing "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow.".

After he unexpectedly stepped down as Mayor after two terms, Howland became the founding President of the Christian Alliance (which later took the name C&MA: Christian and Missionary Alliance). The unique interdenominational nature of the early C&MA allowed Howland to be its president, while still remaining an Anglican. When he died unexpectedly at age 49, his funeral involved Anglican, Alliance, and Presbyterian clergy. With more than a thousand mourners on foot from all social classes, it was the largest funeral procession that had ever been held in Toronto. A poem published in the Toronto Globe said of Howland: "And not Toronto mourns alone; All Canada his fame had heard; His name is dear, a household word, And far and wide, his worth was known". May William H. Howland continue to be a living symbol of the difference that just one Canadian can make.

Reverend Ed Hird, Rector,
St. Simon’s Anglican Church


Toronto in the late Nineteenth Century.


Factory stacks in Waynesboro, Virginia. Photo by Bob Kirchman.

Something to Think About
[click to read]

Hate Didn’t Elect Donald Trump; People Did
By Victoria Sanders

Over the summer, my little sister had a soccer tournament at Bloomsburg University, located in central Pennsylvania. The drive there was about three hours and many of the towns we drove through shocked me. The conditions of these towns were terrible. Houses were falling apart. Bars and restaurants were boarded up. Scrap metal was thrown across front lawns. White, plastic lawn chairs were out on the drooping front porches. There were no malls. No outlets. Most of these small towns did not have a Walmart, only a dollar store and a few run down thrift stores. In almost every town, there was an abandoned factory.

My father, who was driving the car, turned to me and pointed out a Trump sign stuck in a front yard, surrounded by weeds and dead grass. “This is Trump country, Tori,” He said. “These people are desperate, trapped for life in these small towns with no escape. These people are the ones voting for Trump.”

My father understood Trump’s key to success, even though it would leave the media and half of America baffled and terrified on November 9th.

My father understood Trump’s key to success, even though it would leave the media and half of America baffled and terrified on November 9th. Trump’s presidency has sparked nationwide outrage, disbelief and fear.

And, while I commend the passion many of my fellow millennials feels towards minorities and the fervency they oppose the rhetoric they find dangerous, I do find many of their fears unfounded. I don’t find their fears unfounded because I negate the potency of racism. Or the potency of oppression. Or the potency of hate.

I find these fears unfounded because these people groups have an army fighting for them. This army is full of celebrities, politicians, billionaires, students, journalists and passionate activists. Trust me, minorities will be fine with an army like this defending them.

And, I would argue, that these minorities aren’t the only ones who need our help. The results of Tuesday night did not expose a red shout of racism but a red shout for help.

Journalists are now reporting that Trump won because rural America voted for him in droves. I see a lot of journalists reporting about the what, the who, and the how of this election, but not many are tackling the why. I do not at all feel qualified enough to discuss the why of this, but I don’t see anybody bringing up the astounding poverty found in rural America and that the desperation found in these areas is what prompted the rise of Donald Trump. Perhaps this will inspire more intelligent people than I to look into this more deeply.

It’s easy to point to these small, impoverished towns and name racism, the second amendment or plain stupidity as the only reasons why these people would ever vote for a man like Donald Trump. I find this to be highly intellectually dishonest, though. To write this off as simple racism is to ignore the very real and very heartbreaking struggles small town America faces.

The majority of rhetoric going around says that if you’re white, you have an inherent advantage in life. I would argue that, at least for the members of these small impoverished communities, their whiteness only harms them as it keeps their immense struggles out of the public eye.

Rural Americans suffer from a poverty rate that is 3 points higher than the poverty rate found in urban America. In Southern regions, like Appalachia, the poverty rate jumps to 8 points higher than those found in cities. One fifth of the children living in poverty live rural areas. The children in this “forgotten fifth” are more likely to live in extreme poverty and live in poverty longer than their urban counterparts. 57% of these children are white.

Education, particularly college, is less attainable to those living in rural areas. 64% of young people in rural areas attend college, compared to the 70% of students who attend universities in metro areas. 47% of these small town students who end up attending college only go for a two-year degree, while only 38% of urban students attain only a two-year degree. And, when these students do fight the odds and attend a university, they don’t come back to their place of origin due to the lack of jobs.

Rural Americans also suffer from a lower life expectancy. Those living in Appalachia regions, in particular, have a life expectancy that is declining at a rate that is worse than anywhere else in the USA. Those living in rural America are more likely to suffer from depression. Alcohol and substance abuse is prevalent in rural America and 25.9% of those entering rehab for addictions are between the ages of 12-17. The chronic pain that comes from vocations such as mining has caused the heroin epidemic sweeping small towns. (read more)


Corridor H, U. S. 48 through the mountains of West Virginia, promises to bring commerce and jobs to the region. Photo by Bob Kirchman.


A billboard between the towns of Thomas and Davis in West Virginia asks: "Got Faith?" Photo by Bob Kirchman.

Designing the Unbuilt World of Tomorrow
In Our Next Issue, September 2, 2020

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.” – Jeremiah 29:4-7

In the next issue we will take a break from current events to look at how our studio has attempted to live out this scripture during these unusual times. Look for it September 2nd.

Virginia Senate: Daniel Gade, Into the Lion's Den!

Volume XIX, Issue IIIb: Into the Lion's Den with Daniel Gade

Into the Lion’s Den
Daniel Gade Challenges Mark Warner

Dr. Daniel Gade is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, professor, and public policy leader. In over 25 years of military service, he was awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts. Daniel graduated from West Point in 1997 and served in multiple locations in the United States, Korea and Iraq. In 2004, his unit deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Daniel led his unit of 150 soldiers on many combat missions, was wounded by enemy fire twice, and was decorated for valor. His second combat wounding caused his right leg to be amputated at the hip, and he spent the next year in the hospital, enduring over 40 surgeries. A year to the day after his injuries, he started his Master of Public Administration, and later went on to earn a PhD in public administration and policy. He taught political science, economics, and leadership courses at the United States Military Academy (West Point) from 2011 until his retirement from the Army in 2017, and is now a professor at American University in Washington, DC. While on active duty, Daniel served in President George W. Bush’s administration, working on veteran issues and military healthcare, and served on the National Council on Disability and the VA Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation. Daniel served 15 months in President Trump’s Labor Department, helping formulate veteran employment policy.

For fun, Daniel does hard things: he mountain bikes and road bikes and enjoys CrossFit. In 2010, he competed in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships, where he won the paratriathlon category. A week later, he completed Ironman Arizona, pedaling the 112 miles with only one leg. He’s Challenged incumbent Virginia U.S. Senator Mark Warner to five debates.

Meet Dr. Daniel Gade
In Staunton, 
Thursday, August 18th,
3:30pm - 5:00pm
Mrs. Rowe's Family Restaurant
74 Rowe Rd,Staunton, VA 24401
RSVP: (540) 294-5900

The Abolition of Man

Volume XIX, Issue IIIa: The Abolition of Man

Hillsdale College is offering an online course on the works of C. S. Lewis [click to read].The first lecture is by the President of the College, Dr. Larry Ahrnn, who takes us rather rapidly into the basic premise of The Abolition of Man, a short (three chapters) work by Lewis. He cites the authors of a book on English grammar, who observe two men observing a waterfall. One calls it 'pretty,' the other says that it is 'sublime.'

The authors make a statement that one who says that the waterfall is beautiful is not making a statement on the intrinsic value of the waterfall itself, but rather to the feelings about the waterfall that reside inside him. This is key, because Lewis goes on to say that the authors are not making an observation about grammar now, but are putting forth a certain philosophy.

Lewis' larger point is that the authors are really making a pretty sweeping statement: they are claiming that there are 'facts', and there are 'mere feelings'. By 'facts', they mean, anything that doesn't contain a value judgement. So, anytime someone has an opinion about something, that person isn't actually talking about anything that is 'true' or 'real', he is just saying fluff, just speaking meaningless words. Lewis disagrees and says that things in the real world have certain intrinsic qualities about themselves, and that everyone knows and recognizes this. Two people argue whether a painting is beautiful, because both of those people are trying to grasp the true nature of the thing. In fact, people wouldn't argue about anything unless they had some external, objective reference to which they were both referring, both trying to ascertain." -- Sam Selikoff [1.]

Lewis observes a fundamental problem that we who believe in truths have in today's world. As Selkoff points out: "Things either have an objective nature or they do not; and if they do not there is no way to argue the point." Lewis, who calls the true nature of all things the Tao, observes that all societies and peoples will agree to SOME notion of objective reality, even as the textbook writers seek to deny it. Lewis points out that the writers actually are picking and choosing parts of the Tao arbitrarily, based on their own feelings.

Taking a point from Horace, Lewis suggests that man, stepping outside the guidance of the Tao, now has no 'grammar' of moral guidance to hand to future generations. Predicting that such rudderless philosophy will lead to "the Abolition of Man," Lewis predicts, rather frighteningly, modern education and popular culture's descent into discussions of self-proclaimed identity and 'tolerance/tribalism' over timeless truths. In fact, the selective reasoning is quick to dismiss any truth that is 'inconvenient' (such as a moral absolute), and replacing it with more 'timely' issues such as 'climate change.'

In light of Lewis' observations, one can easily see how someone might argue that there is no judgement to be placed on refugees before they are admitted to this country. Horace's noble point about protecting one's own countrymen is relegated to the ash heap and the one invoking Horace's ideals is indeed seen as 'uncompassionate!' (remember: you get to pick and choose now). Such is the landscape before us as we attempt to lead our fellows toward that Celestial City. We cannot expect them to follow the signs they have been told are meaningless. Those they see as the 'keepers of the Tao' have already selected for them.

That is the challenge before us, as people of Faith who are artists and writers. The challenge to once again lead our fellows to the sublime waterfall! "To Narnia and the North!," I say.


A sublime waterfall.

The Politics of Professional Destruction

Volume XIX, Issue III: Resistance to Creative Vision

Politics of Professional Destruction

Years ago I worked as a drafter in a design office and my primary task besides creating renderings was to draw site plans for new buildings. It inevitably was an exercise called “cramming the site” and “counting parking spaces.” Codes required a specific number of spaces for each type of business or residential complex as well as deceleration lanes and other road features. Add the required runoff retention ponds and the proposed building inevitably stood in a landscape of asphalt and curb and gutter. I would often wonder to myself : “there has to be a better way.” Eventually I discovered the writings of Charles Marohn, an engineer who advocated a more pedestrian and community friendly approach to traffic design. He envisioned walkable town centers – friendly to pedestrians and sensitive to their town’s fabric and culture.

He created a lively discussion. You might not always agree with him, but his mission was – and still is – a noble one. Unfortunately he has, like many who challenge the prevailing narrative, acquired enemies who want to silence him. This problem is not reserved to engineering and infrastructure policy. Medical professionals who challenge the ‘standard narrative’ are also targeted for professional discrediting. Witness the purge on social media of all things Hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19. In spite of well-documented results those doctors have been slammed by a couple of ‘studies’ that attempt to ‘prove’ hydroxychloroquine ineffective. The problem is that when those studies are shown to have flaws (such as the drug being administered very late in severe cases) the narrative is still preserved.

When Edward Jenner discovered that cowpox exposure would render a person immune to smallpox, the medical community lauded him, right? WRONG! He was soundly dismissed at first. Critics even published cartoons of people growing cow heads as a result of being ‘vaccinated.’ Did you know that the word ‘vaccinate’ has at its root the Latin word for ‘COW?’ Well, innovation and problem solving require people to think outside the box – and open discussion. We can’t limit the creative ideas from being debated. Why is it we assume the only answer to COVID-19 is a ‘VACCINE?’ – an idea promoted by Bill Gates, a guy who can’t even keep a virus out of his own operating system! His vaccination programs in developing nations have actually lead to the deaths of vaccinated children. Unfortunately the human experience involves unknown risks and the overcoming of those we can. In this pursuit, no one is served well by limiting discussion.

Charles Marohn’s Story
[click to read]

I'm pushing for safe streets. Some engineers want me to go away. For the second time, a fellow professional engineer has filed a complaint against me with the state licensing board. For the second time, my license to practice engineering is now under formal review. For the second time, I am threatened with losing my professional licensure and, with it, the credentials that give me the opportunity to pursue a career in engineering. (read more)

Building on the Past
Revitalizing the Core of Small Towns

We are now seeing the value of small spaces that house commerce and the folly of centralizing everything. In the past, we were indeed a nation of villages. ‘Economies of Scale’ changed all that. But now, as whole business areas are deserted in our present crisis we see the value of relatively remote centers like our grandparents knew. Fortunately much of that infrastructure still is in place and could be revitalized with some help in zoning policies and tax deferral for small businesses that want to come in to these places.

Initially there could be a renewed filling of the existing buildings followed by a process of infill on these existing town centers to provide medical and professional offices, loft residences and a vibrant culture to support a variety of local businesses. Will it work? It did in our little town of Crozet. The center of the town was indeed walk-able. Residents of the local retirement home patronized the local lunch counter. Indeed, I learned a lot listening to an older gentleman who was a regular there. He had been a radioman on a B-24 Liberator in the Pacific Theatre and had a lot of good stories to tell. Somewhere between there and our community meetings we came up with the idea for the Crozet Trestle Mural. Small towns can incubate big ideas.

At the time I lived there, a short walk (or run) would take you to open country. There was a rocky field near Mint Springs Park that always tugged at my heart. Finally I realized that it was very much like the Bavarian countryside where my ancestors came from. Preserving such treasures and making the most of them would make sense on so many levels.


Draft Avenue, Stuart's Draft, Virginia as it is today.


Draft Avenue Re-imagined.


Draft Avenue Re-imagined.

Effective Quarantines and Strong Towns
[click to read]

By Spencer Gardner in Strong Towns

The images in this article are related and I’m going to explain how, but first I want to start with a personal anecdote. My siblings and I have always loved playing with dominoes to create intricate chains that snake around the house. After setting up the course, we would watch as the first domino toppled into the second, creating a chain reaction that was mesmerizing. One thing we learned quickly through our domino creations was the importance of introducing regular breaks in the chain. The purpose of these was to isolate the effect of an accidental fallen domino or an ill-placed footstep. Without breaks, a single stray piece could completely destroy our creation prematurely. Only after each section was complete would we bridge the gaps to unify the whole. This same thinking is present in many systems. Firefighters use firebreaks to slow the spread of wildfires. Builders use firewalls to prevent or slow the spread of a building fire. You are likely familiar with this principle in your own life in some form. (read more)

Fostering Infill
[click to read]

By Spencer Gardner in Strong Towns

Infill development—building on unused or underutilized land within the existing urban footprint—meets many of the goals a strong town should have. Because these developments make use of existing infrastructure, they represent added wealth without the future liabilities of infrastructure replacement. There are many other benefits too: added vibrancy, more housing options at more affordable prices, and a lower environmental impact. (read more)

Infill in Rural Areas

Many rural areas are dotted with older towns that, while they are grandfathered in, cannot be improved by existing codes. They languish in a sort of limbo as a few businesses do occupy them ‘by right.’ Unfortunately there are many more vacancies as there is not the culture or traffic to support much more than is already there. To that end, infill policies, which have proven effective in urban neighborhoods, should be pursued in rural main streets as well.


Finley Memorial Presbyterian Church. Photo by Bob Kirchman.

A Vision for Stuarts Draft 2039

Today the Village of Stuarts Draft is a place born of agriculture with a close-knit community, strong industry supported by hard-working families, ample natural resources, and numerous recreational possibilities.

Stuarts Draft’s future should be marked by a theme of cohesive planning and living, connected by a walkable mixed-use path to its residential, recreational, and urban areas. Stuarts Draft will continue to be visibly surrounded by pastoral and rural views as it remains framed by agricultural industry. Its good wage-producing employment centers continue to be sheltered from the main thoroughfares, with accessible, clean business centers providing a level of continuity in appearance and location. Its old downtown is distinguished by its quaint appearance, maintaining the flavor of its historic roots, and remaining mixed-use in nature.

Architectural endeavors continue to add to the quaint and historic feeling of the community in all areas of building, but allow for modern convenience. Safe pedestrian and bicycle facilities are a priority in this nature-driven community where new development is concerned and when connecting existing areas of recreation, business, and living.


Guy K. Stump Elementary School on Draft Avenue. Photo by Bob Kirchman.

Quality public centers include excellent schools, a library, and facilities that double as community centers, emergency services, and which have enhanced “green” features. Attractive recreation facilities which appeal to a wide range of users have and will continue to be added to the network that ties the community together.” – Stuarts Draft Small Area Plan|2019-2039, Timmons Group [1.]



House on Draft Avenue. Photo by Bob Kirchman.

The Amish and Social Security, CENSORSHIP

Volume XIX, Issue III:The Amish and Social Security, CENSORSHIP
Amish barn raising. File Photo

The Amish and Social Security

In 1935, congress passed The Social Security Act. Included in this legislation was "Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance," provided for those in industry and commerce, and extended to include farm operators in 1955. The  Amish Country News writes:

While the Amish have no objection "paying unto Caesar what is Caesar’s," they do have problems with commercial insurance. In a sense, insurance was seen as not trusting in G-d. Insurance plans were a worldly operation. Plus, the Amish view of separation of church and state normally meant not accepting money from government programs, especially something viewed as welfare. No one could deny that this program was one of paying money to the government and then receiving a benefit in return.

Perhaps most importantly, the care of the elderly is seen as the responsibility of the family and community, not the government. Whether it be additions built onto the main house where grandparents "retire," benefit sales to pay large medical bills, or the community effort of a barn-raising, the Amish truly try to "take care of their own."

The Social Security Tax  was administered by the Internal Revenue Service, beginning in earnest during the 1950's Though Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance was clearly in the description, it was collected as a tax. The issue came to a head when the IRS seized the horses of one Valentine Byler for non-payment of the tax. Public sentiment was stirred as Byler depended on these horses for his livelihood as a farmer.

He received letters of support such as this one from Texas: "May I congratulate you on having the intestinal fortitude to stand up for your beliefs. While I am aware that your action stemmed from a love of your religion rather than from defiance, I hope that your example may serve to point out to some of us just how far our benevolent Government will go to reach its goal of making dependents of us all. There seems to be no place for a person who asks merely to be left alone, and to provide for himself and his family."

In 1961, Amish bishops sent the following petition to the IRS: 

We, as representatives of the Old Order Amish Mennonite Church, do herein express our deep appreciation, and with grateful hearts do we recount the favors and consideration accorded our forefathers in the past...

We believe in a supreme being and also the constitution of the USA, and we feel the Social Security Act and Old Age Survivors Insurance [OASI] is abridging and infringing to our religious freedom. We believe in giving alms in the church according to Christ’s teaching.

It has been our Christian concern from birth of our church group to supply those of our group who have a need, financial or otherwise... Our faith has always been sufficient to meet the needs as they come about, and we feel the present OASI is an infringement on our responsibilities; as a church we feel grieved that this OASI has come upon us...

We Bishops, representatives of the Old Order Churches of the USA are appealing to you to prayerfully consider and reconsider this favor. In G-d we trust."

Ironically, relief was finally forthcoming to the Amish in a provision that was tacked on to the 1965 legislation that established Medicare. Wayne Fisher writes: "Tucked into the 138 page bill was a clause exempting the Old Order Amish, and any other religious sect who conscientiously objected to insurance, from paying Social Security payments, providing that sect had been in existence since December 31, 1950. After Senate approval in July, the signing of the bill by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 13, 1965, made it official and canceled tax accounts of some 15,000 Amish people amounting to nearly $250,000." [2.]

John Jay on Right of Conscience

Consciences of men are not the objects of human legislation…How beautiful appears our expansive constitution in disclaiming all jurisdiction over the souls of men, and securing (by a never-to-be-repealed section) the voluntary, unchecked, moral suasion of every individual.”

— John Jay, the original Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court on the right of conscience in the Constitution


Volume XIX, Issue IIIa: The CENSORSHIP Issue (expanded)!

“Independent Fact Checkers?”
[click to read]

Facebook fact-checker Lead Stories is a biased outfit bristling with ex-CNN staffers that presents itself as neutral, despite most of its employees having donated to the Democratic Party, a conservative outlet has revealed. The National Pulse (TNP), whose story about supposed financial links between Black Lives Matter, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, and fundraiser ActBlue was flagged as “partly false” by Lead Stories on Facebook, did some digging on Wednesday to find out who was behind the smear, after their efforts to contest the label were apparently stonewalled. (read more)