Dakota Beacon

Doug lived a life of service in which people were paramount. He took care of his own. He fondly recounted a remark made by the Apollo project manager at the project's completion. "There are two products as a result of this mission--the spacecraft and the people. The spacecraft goes into the museum to gather dust; the people are what count."   

As I gaze at the moon on a clear night the memories return. Doug was a brilliant astrophysicist whose inquiring mind raced with the speed of light generating a million questions and seeking the answers. I believe all his questions are answered now. We have Doug, among many others, to thank for the Apollo moon landing and world-class discoveries from Hubble. In my mind's eye I imagine him, with a puckish grin, urging us on to return to space exploration.

God bless you, Doug -- and thanks for everything. You are not forgotten.

Few of us will ever have the opportunity to rescue an individual from a burning building or from drowning, but we can save (or at least significantly enhance) the lives of poor children and adults by paying for wells that supply clean, safe, reliable water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and cleaning. Working through numerous organizations including charity (Living Water International, individuals, families, Sunday school classes, congregations, and community organizations) can fund the digging of wells to transform the lives of the poor. Charity: water, for example, helps children in the developed world use their birthday parties as a means to raise money to dig wells rather than receive presents. Working together, we can make a difference and help fulfill the biblical mandate to care for the least of these.

The function of wisdom is to discriminate between good and evil. Cicero

One that confounds good and evil is an enemy to good. Edmund Burke

NEW N.D. OIL AND GAS RECORDS; N.D. ECONOMY - "SLOW AND STEADY"; REGS FOR RV PARKS; NOT QUITE THE STATE'S TALLEST; NOT A GIRLY GIRL; GF HERALD SHOCKS; CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY!; UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AS A MULTIPLIER; IF ONLY HE HAD SAVED HIS CAVALRY UNIFORM; MINNESOTA INDIAN LEADER WINONA LADUKE; DAKTOIDS

When we see the importance of this office in Minnesota in shaping public policy in the crucial years ahead, when issues of free speech, taxation and spending and immigration and resettlement will be at the fore, it is obvious that we must settle on one person to go against Ellison for that vital job.  

Often a presidential candidate turns out to be more liberal than they let on before they are elected. In President Trump’s case it may have been the other way around. He may have been more conservative than he let on. In fact, it may well be that Trump intentionally portrayed himself as more of a pragmatist (which he is) than either a conservative or liberal.

One and a half years into his first term Trump has demonstrated himself to be fairly conservative. At least the achievements he has racked up pretty much align with a conservative agenda.

Even so, Never Trumpers still have their collective noses out of joint. Their irrationality persists in spite of Trump’s accomplishments including tax cuts, appointment of good judges and justices, the promotion of deregulation, restraint on military adventurism, and a strong stance against illegal immigration to name a few of the campaign promises he has kept. These are all things conservatives have worked for over decades. Now that they are finally being fulfilled, Never Trumpers are unhappy because a despised outsider is achieving them.

Lawmakers from the House Judiciary and House Oversight committees publicly questioned Peter Strzok last week about FBI investigations into Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Was there bias in the 50,000 texts and emails Strzok sent to his extramarital affair and FBI attorney Lisa Page? In this article, Dr. James Thrasher discusses Strzok’s testimony and argues that, “A person cannot isolate and then prevent his political and personal views from being thoroughly integrated in his overall life philosophy.”

FEWER CHURCHES ON THE PRAIRIE; WHILL IT WORK?; A DEAD BABY IN A SLOUGH; DAPLE PROTESTOR SENTENCED; OIL MONEY STIRS INTERES; RECREATIONAL VEHICLES; MARIJUANA; SURPRISING ATTACK ON HOEVEN; REFUGEE TRAVEL BAN; NDFU IS ALARMED; OBAMA IS ON THE SIDELINES; SUPREME COURT NOMINEE; BERNIE HELPS KEITH; DAKTOIDS

The left-leaning Snopes has done its best to pooh-pooh stories critical of Soros in long winded, convoluted, apologetic rants. The rants are unconvincing. A word to the wise comes from the former editor of National Review, John O’Sullivan. He postulated his First Law that goes like this. If an organization or group is not explicitly and actively conservative and right-wing, it will be subsumed by liberalism over time and become left-wing.

At 87, Soros does not have many years left on earth to work mischief. Although he certainly has arranged for the legal disposition of his wealth, nevertheless his amount of money is certain to trigger wars of greed in both his Open Society Foundations and in his fractured “family.” That should be fun to watch.

SALES INCREASED, BUT; CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC; NORTH DAKOTA IS A RIGHT-TO-WORK STATE; ED SCHULTZ; DOES TALK RADIO MOVE THE NEEDLE?'; IT'S NOT PEANUTS; LOKKMA, NO HANDS!; LITTLE ND TOWNS KEEP SHRINKING; OH, OH!; WATCH THE WEATER; DID YOU SEE AN OLD CHRYSLER?; WINONA LADUKE; DAKTOIDS

“‘Don’t blame the messenger because the message is unpleasant.”  Ken Starr

There will be those who will argue that Americans just don't understand British law.  There will be those who argue that Robinson was not "convicted" but required to serve out a standing sentence because he violated a form of "rpobation".  But the case for which he was on probation (or "license" in British) was also not legitimate.  There will always be those who will argue about technicalities and yet we know there is right and wrong.  This isn't a cloudy issue.  This is about persecution of an individual singled out because he has been the most vocal and forthright critic of the rot in British government and the legal system - a system which has allowed continued abuse for more than a generation of young working class girls.  We must hear about this because it threatens us as well.  We are rapidly developing a two-tiered social system and this is the beginning of a two-tiered legal system. We are already seeing parallel systems of law with acceptance of Shari'a.  Minnesota must be especially wary of this. It remains - there is a good and there is an evil, regardless of technicalities.   We need to cut through the fog and take a position for what is right and just.

Historical events do not reside in a vacuum and ideas really do have consequences. We cannot separate the ideas of the Founding Fathers from the thinking of Reformation Europe. Our Founding Fathers were sustained by their faith and understood two kinds of government. External government pertains to civil government (civil control). External governments, be they monarchy, dictatorship or even democracy, impose control on the people. On the other hand, internal government pertains to self-government (self-control). It flows from within each person outward toward the family and then into the community. This idea stressed individual responsibility and self-discipline. Our founders’ idea of limited government and maximum freedom rested solidly on the assumption of internal self-government.

Today the paradigm has shifted. Given our contemporary culture, a legitimate nagging question persists. Can we match the character and commitment of our forefathers and act decisively to preserve the legacy of liberty they passed to us?

The pro-life movement celebrates this Independence Day 2018 with a big victory at the U.S. Supreme Court. Last week, the court struck down a 2015 California law that forces pro-life crisis pregnancy centers to advertise abortions. In this article that first appeared at Crisis Magazine, Dr. Paul Kengor reviews the ruling and outlines how this is a “major court victory on behalf of liberty.”

“Poking fun at other people's beliefs, while it may seem frivolous and offensive, is a non-negotiable right. It is a principle that underpins free speech, the basis for progress.”  Maajid Nawaz

MANY RED CAPS AND RED MEAT: HEITKAMP IS SQUEEZED; THE SUPREME COURT: WEED ACROSS THE BORDER; THE DAKOTA ACDESS PIPELINE; IF YOU HAVE A PILOT SHORTAGE; HEY! THEY FOUND THE MACHINE GUN; SURPRISE!; SLIGHTLY DEFENSIVE MAYOR; WHY DOES THIS SCAM GO ON?; THE BISMARCK TRIBUNE; CRIME IS FLAT; HOW TO STOP DRUG RUNNERS?; DAKTOIDS

A landmark Supreme Court ruling earlier this week could deal a blow to public sector unions. In this article, constitutional scholar Dr. John Sparks examines the decision and outlines the possible ramifications.

Civility may be all but dead as leftist hypocrisy and vileness expands and thrives.

Recently a young lady wore a Chinese-inspired dress to a prom and posted a photo on Facebook.  She was roundly and bitterly criticized, critics alleging “cultural appropriation”. Think about the ramifications of joining non-Hispanic friends for tacos, or taking your occidental date for Peking Duck.  

GRAND FORKS HAS MUSCLE; ND GROWS YOUNGER; CONTRACT RENEWAL FOR KENNEDY?; WIND FARMS JUMP THOUGH LOTS OF HOOPS; TRIBAL COLLEGES; UNREPENTENT DEOCRAT CANDIDATE; LITTLE DID THE OWNERS KNOW; BROOKS BOLLINGER; DRUNKEN DRIVING ELECTED OFFICIALS; POLICE MUST BE LIKE SOLOMON; DAKTOIDS

For the past week, many media pundits have been discussing illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border and a federal policy that separates children from adults. In this article, Dr. Gary S. Smith argues that the bigger issue is whether American citizens will take action to “end the larger tragedy of the millions of American children whose intellectual, physical, and emotional development is stunted, whose education is of poor quality and ends too early, and whose potential is not fully realized.”

Drawing conclusions based on models and measurements of dubious reliability is premature at best. Evidence of manmade global warming is not as compelling in the scientific community as media accounts lead us to believe. This opens the door for agenda-driven government policy formulation.

The assertion that man can permanently and irrevocably change the worldwide climate for the worse is a significant departure from rationality. Belief that global warming is caused by man is more a statement of faith than scientific fact. Additionally, the first and only theory of any recent observation seldom survives forever. This is particularly true of the uncertain nature of global warming theory.

This begs the question: Why the pell-mell stampede to invoke state and federal legislation when a hypothesis hasn’t been tested or a rational premise firmly established?

This grotesque campaign against border enforcement is for the sole purpose of influencing a crucial amnesty vote in Congress.

Question “La Raza” or “Black Lives Matter” - which actually are racist by definition - and you will be the “racist”.

On May 18, 2018 Grove City College Chair of the Board of Trustees, David R. Rathburn ’79, gave the following address to the trustees, administrators, faculty, trustee scholar winners and retirees at Grove City College. In his talk, Rathburn outlines what he believes should be the foundations of our lives, and the attributes that allow us to serve in whatever role we are called to serve. He says, “My prayer for us and this institution continues to be that we hear God’s call in our lives; that we focus on Him first and then allow the foundations in our lives to guide us to be the people that God wants us to be.”

GF HERALD SNAKE IN THE GRASS; WHAT'S NEXT WITH FORUM COMMUNICATIONS?; UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF WIND POWER; MINOT IN ECONOMIST SPOTLIGHT; OIL FIELD WORKFORCE MANCAMPING; MAN BASHING AT NDSU; DON'T MESS WITH MOOSE; HEIDI GOES LEFT THEN VEERS RIGHT AS ELECTION APPROACHES; WHAT NODAK ACCENT?; GOING SOFT ON BLACK DRUG DEALERS IN MINNEAPOLIS; PIPELINE TRIALS; DAKTOIDS

Consider those who would lead the charge allowing the cheapening and besmirching of that hallowed and consecrated symbol of our nationhood. They see no reason to protect from desecration our national colors, the very ensign that proclaims our identity as a people. To some in our post-modern age nothing is sacred.

Some of our congressmen and senators have taken the road less traveled. In a muddled way, they equate vile deeds to free speech. Implicitly, such deeds warrant no consequence. They refuse to protect Old Glory -- the tangible symbol of our intangible values we collectively share. On June 14, as Old Glory floats on high, I wonder how those senators and congressman celebrate Flag Day. I wonder if, had they been in office on June 14, 1777, would they have supported the Congressional resolution adopting the national flag?

And, if so -- why?

Fifty years ago today, Robert F. Kennedy died at the age of 42. In this article that first appeared at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Dr. Paul Kengor looks back at the events leading to Bobby Kennedy’s assassination and asks “Who knows what might have been?” if R.F.K. had not been killed.

WILL ND GET A SECOND CHANCE AT A BOOM?; BELT TIGHTENING IN MINOT; MINOT MAYORAL CANDIDATE; AVOIDING THE MARIJUANA TAX MAN; WENTZ MORE; FAST DAVID; LIFE IS STRANGER THAN FICTION; VIOLIN MUSIC FROM THE PRISON; LEAD BY EXAMPLE; GF IS FRIENDLIER; MINNESOTA BITES THE BULLET; DAKTOIDS

Across America, high school classes of 1968 had a somber pall cast over the occasion of graduation. For many, just days before obtaining their diploma, the joy of the accomplishment was overshadowed by the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. In this article, Dr. Mark Hendrickson—a high school graduate in 1968—reflects upon the tumultuous events 50 years ago and how they shaped America. Hendrickson writes, “Indeed, 1968 was the year when many baby-boomers—and in particular all the high school classes of ’68 across the country—lost our innocence.”