Dakota Beacon

Having gun-free zones is foolish and, to me, frankly, irritating. Why? Because they’re a prime example of the liberal tendency to subordinate substance to symbolism. Gun-free-zone prohibitions are feel-good laws. They make about as much sense as having the U.N. declare Afghanistan a war-and-Sharia-free zone or the Congo a rape-and-child-soldier-free zone and thinking we’ve accomplished something. And for this reason they aren’t just wrong-headed, but morally wrong. For there is nothing virtuous about harming society with bad policy simply because it makes you feel better about yourself.

From the beginning Christ was in the genealogies. He descended from the first family in the Garden of Eden and was in the covenant line forward until his physical birth in Bethlehem. Regarded as the Messiah, He was the unifying principle of the Old Testament.

. . . largest budget in state history; the outside edges of both parties expressed concern; too much, too soon; ND and SD seem like two peas in a pod; Rainy Day Funds; snagging appropriations for his home state; The “big bath tub”; the “12th man”; The Cities Where Everyone Has a Job; North Dakota Museum of Art; greater regulation of elderly drivers; Germans always resented it; ND’s DUI laws; DAKTOIDS . . . .

The federal government under Obama is hiring 103 new government employees per day, with nothing stopping them.

If I controlled the NC government, I’d tell the judge that we will stop issuing abortion-related license plates altogether. Instead, we’ll offer one with an anti-suicide message. It just so happens that it will also bear the words “Choose Life.”And will have the exact same design as the pro-life plates. You don’t expect us to spend money redesigning a plate given today’s budget crunches and all, do you? And there’ll be no “viewpoint discrimination.” We’ll also offer a pro-suicide plate reading “Choose Death.” Fair is fair.

The pickle we are in today is excruciating. In the first place, the big spenders clearly won’t make any more than token compromises. President Obama came out of the election suddenly asking for tax hikes twice as large as he had requested earlier. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid declared that Social Security was off the table. Since Reid has blown up Congress’ constitutional budget-making process for several years already, we know he isn’t bluffing. They are willing to drive off the fiscal cliff if necessary, because chaos and crisis provide them with the pretext for more government intervention and control, which is their ultimate goal

The Christmas story inspires many listeners with the unchanging truth of the angelic realm. This is the story of God the Creator who entered into the finite realm of time and space to reconcile a wayward and rebellious human race. In this respect, Christianity distinguishes itself from all other major religions. In all other religions, fallible humans strive to justify themselves before their god. Only in Christianity does a benevolent and loving God reach down to a bankrupt people to do what people can never do for themselves--absolve them of their unrighteousness.

In practice, France’s welfare system is a failure, and there is an economic explanation for this. Welfareship does not create wealth; there are no incentives to create wealth. Despite its good intentions, welfareship has created a “poverty trap.”

. . . if you have a pulse, you can get a job; they are whining, but with cunning purpose; more jobs than applicants; best-run state in the nation; ND’s per capita income of $47,000; income” millionaires; my son has a right to flunk out; Defender of the Subtle Magnificence of the Great Plains; miscalculation by union leaders; Gunderson is a Ph.D. in Epidemiology; no one has offered a totally convincing explanation; Almost everyone in Northwood is Norwegian; an environmentally friendly toothbrush made from bamboo; DAKTOIDS . . . .

After all, where is this “black” nation that should have its own national anthem? Aren’t blacks Americans, too?

Well, as Thomas Sowell recently observed, "When you import people, you import cultures." Given that Archbishop Gomez and his brother bishops will not encourage Mexicans to assimilate, it's only fair to ask, what culture are they importing?

We’re set to spend this year $3,500,000,000,000.

Stacked up, that many bills reach to the moon. And that’s where we’re headed fiscally.

You might have read the recent news stories concerning complaints about the SA bells. And, sure enough, the volunteer at my supermarket confirmed that these grinches’ griping was the reason they’d been silenced. So now another element of the Christmas season is no more, at least in my area.

Cutting through the fog of superstition and staying true to the Biblical text keeps the Christmas celebration in perspective. All the traditions, all the customs, all the superstitions and legends began with the advent of the Christ child two thousand years ago. We would do well to re-read the ancient text before immersing ourselves in the hodgepodge and residue of custom and tradition.

. . . hard work and persistence; obituary of Kalcie Eagle (21); "cathedral of the prairie”; Two benefit funds have been established; Average annual wages are around $90,000; Energy wealth is piling up in western banks; six of the top 10 counties in the nation; 100-car oil trains from ND; oil royalties of $20 million a month; “get-it-while-we-can”; The Badlands and Theodore Roosevelt National Park; Red Medicine Wheel Woman; Pine Ridge Indian Reservation; Both women are assertive, risk-taking and self-promoting; a $33 million, two-acre greenhouse; DAKTOIDS . . . .

We might also note that while old white men probably weren’t the first to practice slavery, they were the first to eliminate it. The same can be said of human rights: old white men had lots of company trampling them. They were alone in crafting the modern conception of them.

Instead of selling off the Twinkie and other famous brands to outside interests, let the owners either give them or sell them at a discount to the Bakery Union. Other unions have lined up financing to buy the factories where they worked. Then, the union members could pay themselves whatever they think they deserve—no more of the toxic “management is the enemy” atmosphere.

Moreover, it's irrelevant whether most blacks and Hispanics oppose gay marriage; the only politicians whom they are likely to support are the ones who support socially leftist positions. That is because most minorities vote overwhelmingly for the left as an affirmation of group identity. They define their collective identity by seeing themselves as standing in opposition to a bigoted majority; and they ascribe to those they oppose "rightwing" views.

In fact, here’s a further response Rubio might consider more generally: “Look, let’s be honest: We both know what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to trip me up. I’m not a theologian. I’m not a minister. I don’t want to be one, and the American public doesn’t want me to be one. Let’s stick to issues that concern people. And one more thing: Are you asking these same questions to any Democrats? Are you?”

Hypocrisy? Of course. And yet, in the eyes of the popular culture, the Post is a pillar of the New Morality. Why, firing Petraeus was such an anachronism! That view is hardly surprising: in Daniel Patrick Moynihan's memorable phrase, the Post has long been a leader in the effort to define deviancy down. And that celebration of deviancy has managed to wear the public conscience away to the point of brain death.

Anything in opposition to the Judeo-Christian ethical principles upon which this country was founded and established upon less than 250 years ago has become acceptable. Sharia law is gaining recognition and acceptance regardless of the oppressive, backwards and downright denial of certain fundamental human rights.

We can only pray that House Republicans understand that a national period of immense prosperity is looming due to a national energy boom that is just beginning and is unprecedented... and also realize that America's leadership of the world is threatened only by further socialism such as Obamacare, to be followed (after year 2016) by a national value added tax that would end "opportunity" in America forever.

Libyan terrorism is nothing new. Among their attacks, on April 5, 1986, Libyan terrorists bombed a Berlin discotheque killing 3 of which 2 were American servicemen and injuring 229 of which 79 were also American servicemen. Retribution was swift and decisive. President Ronald Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher working together authorized air strikes for April 15 against Libya targeting airfields and barracks.

His passing didn’t happen without notice, even in our self-indulgent, frenetic, short-time-span culture. I caught the news of his death at a website. It gave me pause. I never met the man, but I have fond memories of his place in Americana and Christmas.

. . . speaking about the New Town murders; All eight of the FBI’s ND agents; FBI remained tightlipped; Dickinson and Minot are tossing around billion dollar numbers; Housing, housing, housing; Erdrich received the National Book Award; Did the Bismarck Tribune miss the boat? Wahat has been ND’s greatest export? Airline boardings up 19 percent; Heidi Heitkamp’s surprise victory; U.S. Senator Kent Conrad; sleeps in a van in Williston; UND hockey attendance . . . .

In contrast to the anger and unhappiness of this protest mentality is the “present” mentality, which was colorfully expressed by G.K. Chesterton when he said, “Goods look a lot better when wrapped as gifts.” We appreciate presents because they’re a bonus; they’re things we don’t deserve. They tend to make us, in a word, happy.

The intent of the First Amendment was to make government neutral among religious sects, not neutral between religion and non-religion. Professor Charles Rice, in his book, The Supreme Court and Public Prayer, writes: "... the public life of the American states was based upon the unapologetic conviction that there is a God who exercises benevolent providence over the affairs of man. This is not to say that all Americans then recognized God, or that there was agreement on all the details of his attributes. But to those who assert that the First Amendment was designed to prevent the government from recognizing God and praying His aid, it can rightly be said that they will have to find evidence for their claim elsewhere than in the history of the period prior to 1787."

Failing to consider how often emotion, or our animal nature, trumps intellect is one of the most common mistakes made when predicting man’s behavior. George W. Bush was guilty of this when making the case for Mideast “nation building” and saying “All people want freedom.” Perhaps. But so does a wild animal in a city zoo; so does a toddler. Yet neither can negotiate civilization without endangering himself and/or others. And this mistake is also apparent in continual Kumbaya calls to ignore the perils of cultural incongruity, such as “All people want the same things.”

The ceasefire announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton notwithstanding, it is unlikely U.S. diplomacy will broker the permanent peace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated Israel can—or will—accept. The Israelis know a deal opening the Gaza crossing points will lead inevitably to a third intifada. Furthermore, Hamas only agrees to ceasefires when it is to their advantage. Israel’s enemies have never modified their stated goal of annihilating the Jewish state and, until they do, there can be no permanent peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Such an implacable enemy must be totally defeated. Ceasefires are irrelevant for Israel’s Gaza trap.

For all intents and purposes, there are no black folks in these regions.