Borders, Ladies, GOP and Success

I first want to express my deep regret and sorrow for the calamity that has befallen our fellow Americans in the south. I will pray daily for their relief and restoration. I fully expect this rescue to be preceded by a mass evacuation of New Orleans and other devastated areas. The people need to be removed before the resources for clean up and rebuilding can get in there. This will become an American refugee issue. Maybe they can be resettled in nearby military bases. They have the space and resources to provide for the mass of citizens as well as being able to control law and order. I fully expect a period of lawlessness in the next few days as resources dwindle and tempers get short. They will need our prayers, as well as our contributions to The Salvation Army, Red Cross and other charities. I urge you to send what ever you can.

Now on to other things:





Keep Threat From Crossing Our Borders
JOSEPH H. BROWN
Published: Aug 28, 2005


Last week I took Tribune TV critic Walt Belcher's advice and watched ``Inside 9/11,'' a documentary on the National Geographic Channel. It used declassified documents and scores of interviews to piece together how terrorists caught U.S. intelligence and security agencies off guard in the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001.
I rode the same emotional roller coaster I did almost four years ago - with stunned disbelief, anger and grief - even though I knew the ending. And, as in 2001, I couldn't go to sleep that night.

An interview conducted for National Geographic News with Michael Scheuer, a former senior analyst of the Central Intelligence Agency, did little to lift my spirits. He said terrorists would not have much more difficulty attacking the United States today than they did before 9/11.

``The reason it's going to occur is because we've done nothing about our borders,'' said Scheuer, who was the head of the CIA's Osama bin Laden unit.


Profiling Already

Most of the talk I hear about ``protecting our borders'' centers on the effects illegal immigrants are having on the job market, wages, public education and social services. Those are legitimate concerns, but national security should be the biggest one.

Unfortunately, concerns about racial and ethnic profiling may prove to be as big a culprit in the next attack as intelligence failures were in the last one.

``We've given the police an impossible task, because the politicians of both parties are too cowardly to enforce the laws already on the books as far as immigration and finding out who's in the country illegally,'' says Scheuer.

According to New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, however, that may be changing. In April he wrote why he believes no more attacks have occurred on U.S. soil. One of the biggest reasons: ``New U.S. visa policies have made it much harder for bad guys to get into America.

``If your name is Muhammad and you are a 21-year-old single Arab man and you have not visited Disney World yet, well, you may want to consider Euro Disney, because your chances of getting a tourist visa are very low,'' Friedman wrote. ``This is one of the sad byproducts of 9/11 - but it has undoubtedly made it more difficult for the few bad apples to get in as well.''


A Privilege, Not A Right

Actually, I don't consider it a ``sad byproduct,'' but a pragmatic policy. During World War II, people from Germany, Japan and Italy weren't allowed to emigrate to the United States. Entire nations were profiled, but it was a tactical wartime measure to protect Americans.

Because we are a nation of immigrants, some Americans have come to believe that immigration is right, not a privilege. The opposite is true. And while there may be many young Muslims only ``yearning to breathe free'' in this country, it took only 19 with no such intent to kill thousands in the name of Allah.

I feel more comfortable that if some immigrants with hostile intent should manage to slip in, they won't be able move around as freely as the 9/11 hijackers or acquire driver's licenses and credit cards with great ease.

Our troops are fighting terrorists ``over there'' so we won't have to fight them over here, says President Bush. I believe the safest policy is to make sure they never get here in the first place. Joseph H. Brown is a Tribune editorial writer.










Tough love will pay off
Rebecca Hagelin (archive)


July 29, 2005 Print Recommend to a friend


Tears and more tears.

Kristin, my 13-year-old daughter is, in a word, lovely.

Mind you, I'm not bragging -- I had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she is a gorgeous young thing. We all know that the children God gives us are at his discretion. And they are all -- every one of them, in their own unique ways -- precious, lovely and of great worth.

Kristin is also lovely on the inside -- and thoughtful, even pensive at times. She has a moral compass and knows how to use it, often courageously standing up to the crowd when she instinctively knows something feels wrong. Which is why it is particularly painful to see her in distress.

Despite her keen sense of morality, Kristin is still a teenager, subject to the pressures of our modern toxic culture. On this particular day, we are shopping for swimwear and shorts for our summer vacation. But the last two hours have almost made me want to bag the whole trip.

If you don't have young girls, then you probably can't understand the dilemma. It's quite simple, really. The problem is that there are virtually no swimsuits, tops or shorts designed for tweens and teens that don't resemble something a streetwalker would wear. As a capitalist, I find it very strange that an entire segment of the American population is so underserved -- very strange indeed. Most of the moms and dads I know are thoroughly frustrated with the poor selection of clothing, but in the end, shrug their shoulders, cast aside their best judgment, and purchase the teeny weenie bikini for their innocent young daughters anyway.

But not me. We try on item after item, hoping against hope that maybe the next pair of shorts actually comes up somewhere close to the waist, or the next bathing suit isn't really as tiny and baring as it looks on the hanger. But time after time, I have to shake my head and say, "no."Which is why tears are starting to well up in Kristin's beautiful green eyes.

For a moment, I think of ignoring the reddening eyes as we continue our mission to find something decent. But I think better of it, sigh, and simply, softly say, "Sweetheart" as I step forward and hug her close. This act of understanding is enough to send the pooled waters spilling down her cheeks. We remain in our silent embrace for several minutes and then I step back and wipe away her tears. She sweetly smiles as I say, " We'll keep on looking -- no matter how long it takes -- until we find something you like, and that also reflects the honor and respect for your body that you deserve."

Later, with only two items that pass muster -- as I'm putting the hangers on the dozens of items that didn't work -- Kristin comes to me. She puts her arms around my neck and says, "I'm sorry I was being so difficult." Again, she sheds a few tears, and I marvel at the incredible gift, privilege and responsibility of being a mother.

"Kristin," I say, "You weren't difficult at all. I'm sorry you live in a world where so many adults have failed in their responsibility to treat children like the treasures you are. Thanks for allowing me to be the mom, Kristin. The mom who loves you more than anyone in the world could possibly love you. The mom who wants what is best for you." She steps back, looks directly in my eyes, and says, "I love you, mommy."

We leave the store a bit more determined to fight for our values, a bit more disgusted that there has to be a battle at all, and a lot closer to each other. All in all, it's been a day I will long remember and even come to cherish as a reminder that fighting the culture is sometimes frustrating and exhausting, but always, always worth the effort.


Rebecca Hagelin is a vice president of The Heritage Foundation, a Townhall.com member group.


©2005 Rebecca Hagelin



Fashioning a response to immodest clothing
Rebecca Hagelin (archive)


August 23, 2005


It's not uncommon for parents who fight the culture on a daily basis to assume they're alone -- that no one else shares their concerns.

But the responses I received when I wrote a column last month about my near-futile efforts to find modest clothing for my 13-year-old daughter, Kristin, proves otherwise. Many parents are fighting the same fight --and quite a few were kind enough to write me encouraging notes. The details of our frustrating shopping trip, which yielded only two acceptable items out of the dozens that Kristin tried on, evidently touched a cord.

So with back-to-school season underway, let me share a few responses:

"Your column really hit the mark. I am the proud father of a beautiful, blue-eyed 12-year-old tween. We also have body-honoring standards of dress in our family. One of our most stressful times is clothes shopping. " Clothes made specifically to "adultize" our little ones do not pass muster in our house."

"I thought we were the only ones having a problem with current fashion. Please tell Kristin to keep on being strong for morality among her peers. You both are needed as a witness in this world of near nudity."

"I have just had a very similar experience (in the UK!) with my lovely 13-year-old daughter, who is also desperately battling the conflicting messages she's getting from magazines, TV and her own peers. She knows what's right, but she's desperate to be seen as "cool." We read the article together, and it really helped her to know there are other girls like her out there -- and also other mums like me!"

"My wife and I have two beautiful teenage daughters. Every time she takes them bathing-suit shopping, she comes home exasperated. The girls try their new suits on for me, I complain that they're too immodest, they complain that these were the most modest ones they found."

I could go on, but you get the idea. I have a folder filed with similar responses. They come from everywhere -- from fathers, mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers. So let me assure the parents reading this: You aren't alone! Thousands of families are going through the same thing. So don't give up.

And don't despair -- there are modest alternatives. Some readers recommended Lands' End and L.L. Bean, both of which feature one-piece suits and "tankinis." In my book, Home Invasion, I list two others: Modest Apparel USA ("an alternative to the promiscuous fashions that are prevalent in clothing stores today") and Modest By Design ("clothing your father would approve of"). There are many others. As one reader said, "If you Google "modest swimsuits," you'll find literally thousands of options."

Still, even with an array of options, it can be tough to take a stand in favor of modest clothing. But it can be done. Just ask some of the friends Kristin has brought to our house.

Occasionally, a girl visits wearing something inappropriate -- a midriff-baring shirt, a short skirt, a low neckline.

I smile and say, "God made you a person of value. You're somebody special who deserves to be respected. So when you're in my home, I want you to dress in a way that reflects the treasure you are. So let's go upstairs. You can pick out anything you like to cover up while you're here." There may be a gasp -- often, nobody's ever told them that their body is a treasure to be respected. But then they get it. And you know what? A bond is created, and they appreciate what I'm doing.

Women and girls who decide to dress modestly often have another surprise in store -- men and boys treat them differently. In the book "Dressing with Dignity," former model Colleen Hammond explains why:

"I believe it is because, subconsciously, men can read women's body language. If they see a woman who dresses with dignity and carries herself with grace and femininity, they pick up on that. They take it as a sign to approach her with the respect, reverence and honor a woman ought to have."

Exactly. And if a girl dresses like a streetwalker, they pick up the opposite message. Is that the signal we want our daughters to send?

I'll close with something Muhammad Ali's daughter says her father told her:

"Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the ground, covered and protected. Where do you find pearls? Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell. " Your body is sacred. You're far more precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered, too."

So hang in there. You'll be glad you did.


Rebecca Hagelin is a vice president of The Heritage Foundation, a Townhall.com member group.






Is it time for conservatives to dump the GOP?
Mark Tapscott
August 28, 2005

Thanks to the incredible expansion of federal entitlements, regulations and pork spending sanctioned by the GOP leadership in Congress since 2001, there is virtually no chance that Big Government is going to be shrunk even a little any time soon.

And since there is no sign the folks running Congress are willing to change course, why shouldn't conservatives dump the GOP?

Now, all you party loyalists who started gasping while reading that last sentence can take a deep breath. I'm not saying we should just up and bolt right now. What I am saying is this: The rebirth of limited government will remain a conservative pipedream as long as the people in charge of the GOP refuse to sober up.

Put another way, it's time for an intervention. That's when the family and closest friends and professional associates of an addict confront the abuser with an ultimatum " get sober and get help now " or else. The presence of the spouse with suitcases packed and the boss with pink slip in-hand helps the abuser realize the consequences of not getting help will be immediate and unpleasant. More than a few lives and careers have been saved over the years by such interventions.

But sometimes interventions work and sometimes they don't. There is no guarantee that the GOP leaders will get the message, either. Quite frankly, I am not optimistic because I've seen the Stan Evans Law in operation for too long. Evans is the retired conservative activist/journalist who years ago said: "When one of our people gets elected, sooner or later he [or she] stops being one of our people."

Being elected to Congress or appointed to a high position in the Executive Branch to serve in a presidential administration can be a heady experience. Especially for Members of Congress, the perks of office can be overwhelmingly beguiling, so after a term or two the first and last thoughts of too many of our representatives begin to be focused on getting re-elected. Playing along with the powers-that-be in D.C. is often seen as the easiest path to re-election.

How beguiled have too many of "our people" become? Think back to January 1995 when the Republicans assumed control of the House and Senate for the first time in 40 years. "First the Berlin Wall, now Congress," we shouted in unbelieving glee. There seemed nothing to stop the conservative agenda of cutting taxes, reducing spending, eliminating wasteful bureaucracy and pointless red tape, limiting the power of incumbency, making Congress more accountable and breaking up the Iron Triangles of special interests, bureaucrats and entrenched Democrats on Capitol Hill.

Yet here we are a decade later and what do we have to show for it? Taxes have been cut, welfare was reformed, a limited missile defense was approved and , and , and. Let's face, friends, it's a short list. Sure, there have been legislative victories but little of enduring substance from our domestic agenda has been enacted.

Among other things that have been enacted instead is Medicare "reform," the biggest expansion of the Welfare State since LBJ declared war on poverty. The sacred right of free speech is now subject to the whims of Congress through campaign finance "reform." Federal control of education has never been greater, thanks to a No Child Left Behind "reform" that was mostly written by Teddy Kennedy. Pork barrel spending is at an all-time high. And as the government grows and the politicians crow, the entitlements crisis approaches ever closer, guaranteed to cause economic, political and social upheaval that will make the Great Depression look like a cakewalk.

Incredibly, after a decade of GOP control, the federal government is bigger, more powerful, costs more and is less accountable than it was when the Democrats were thrown out by voters in 1994 after four decades of mostly uncontested rule.

How would an intervention work on the political scene? I don't have that answer. Some people suggest withholding campaign contributions. Others predict conservatives will stay at home in droves in the 2006 elections, possibly handing the Democrats a bunch of new seats in Congress and revived hopes of taking back the White House in 2008.

Perhaps such a turn of events would be the needed jolt, but it seems just as likely, given recent history, that only the names and party affiliations of those doing damage in Congress would change.

Got any suggestions?


Mark Tapscott, a veteran newspaper journalist, is Director of the Center for Media and Public Policy at The Heritage Foundation, a Townhall.com member group.






August 15, 2005


Ignoring the Positive
Robin Mullins Boyd

Since the war in Iraq began, there has been a breakdown of critical thinking in this country. Forget what the official reports say. The interpretation of the report by the media or Internet sources is what is important. There are people in this country that believe Al-Jazeerah and the terrorists before they will believe any statement issued by the government. Cindy Sheehan and her comrades get front page billing while spouting half-truths and flat out lies about the situation in Iraq.

Day after day we are subjected to nothing but "bad" news from Iraq. A suicide bombing here, a convoy attacked there, an IED exploding over there. If one only listened and watched the evening news, you would believe that the terrorist attacks were the only thing going on in Iraq. According to the media, there is no good news out of Iraq.

Rep. Maxine Waters believes that if the good news from Iraq was broadcast it would diminish the deaths of soldiers from suicide bombings, etc. What a pile of manure! By constantly beating the drum of bad things happening, the Liberals can continue to base all of their arguments on the "quagmire" in Iraq. Good things in Iraq mean that President Bush and our country are on the right track. That is the last thing the Liberals want the American public to hear.

I check out the Department of Defense website frequently for official reports on the situation in Iraq. Most of this information is never picked up by the media. So as a dedicated member of the Pajamahadeen, I feel it is my duty to bring this information out in the open. For those that like sources to back up information, all of the facts listed below can be found in the Iraq Weekly Status Report and Iraq Reconstruction reports on the War on Terror pages of the Department of Defense website.

-As of June 22, 2005, construction was underway on 145 new primary healthcare facilities. Over 110 primary health facilities have been rehabilitated. Equipment has been procured for over 600 health centers.

-More than 3 million children under the age of five have received their vaccinations since reconstruction began. The Ministry of Health completed the second round of the national polio campaign. All children under five years of age received the oral polio vaccine.

-A total of 3218 schools have been rehabilitated as of August 10, 2005. An additional 775 are undergoing rehabilitation. Renovations include structural repairs, plumbing and electrical upgrades. The renovations also include new playgrounds, blackboards, heaters, lockers, desks and other school furnishings.

-The University of Oklahoma refurbished university libraries in Iraq including the Internet Computer Center at the University of Babil which officially opened in May.

-The total trained and equipped Iraqi Security Forces is approximately 178,200 as of August 10 – approximately 98,500 are police and interior forces while approximately 79,700 are military forces

-There are 28 countries and NATO supporting Iraqi stability operations as of August 4. Jordan is assisting in Iraqi police training at the International Police Training Center in Amman, Jordan.

-In February 2005, a contract was signed to build six new Iraqi Navy ships. The ships will be built in Iraq by Iraqis. The Iraqi Air Force received two UH-1H Huey helicopters in Feb 2005. The refurbished helicopters were a gift from Jordan. Fourteen more, for a total of 16, are due to arrive in Iraq by February 2006.

-The Coalition has rebuilt 11 power plants and erected 1400 power towers. The demand for electricity has skyrocketed due to the use of televisions, air conditioners and other appliances by Iraqi citizens.

-As of August 3, there were over 2.9 million active cellular subscribers in Iraq. Landline subscriptions increased to 997,675. During Saddam's reign there were approximately 833,000 landline subscribers and no cellular service.

-In May 2005, two Kirkuk rail station reconstruction projects were completed. The Iraq Republic Railroad supervised all of the renovations.

-On June 4, 2005, the Basrah Airport began civilian flights. Regular flights between Hawler International Airport in Irbil and Baghdad began running three times a week.

-Women occupy 31% of the seats in the 275 member Transitional National Assembly of Iraq.

-Women lead the ministries of Displacement and Migration, Telecommunications, Municipalities and Public Works, Environment, Science and Technology and Women’s Affairs.

-On April 10, 2005 a construction company owned by an Iraqi woman won the contract bid for renovation of an existing police station. This was the first contract awarded to an Iraqi businesswoman.


-A total of 90 water treatment projects were under construction as of June 22, 2005. Sixty-two projects were completed. The first of 27 new compact water treatment units opened in Sadr City on July 19.

-At the end of June 2005, Iraqi Marines took over security at the oil platforms. The weekly average crude oil production for August 1-7 was 2.22 million barrels a day.

-On August 9, the United States transferred the International Press Center to the Iraqi Government Communications Directorate.

-Almost a quarter of a million Iraqis of various ethnic and religious groups took part in meetings, including radio and television debates, to help draft Iraq’s new constitution

-The Iraqi National Soccer League resumed play on June 12, 2005. More than 10,000 fans watched Basra defeat Dahouk. Not only did the teams sport new uniforms but the Dahouk team did not get tortured after their loss.

While Saddam Hussein was in power, children in lower economic regions attended school in mud and reed huts. Iraq was not known for its sanitation systems. Most communities relied on slit trenches which left sewage pooling in the street. Many Iraqis lived without fresh water. When it rained, sewage ran through the streets. For those of us that have lived our lives in comfortable homes with running water and toilets, it is difficult to imagine living in a situation like that. Thanks to our soldiers and the sacrifices they have made, the Iraqis are enjoying some of the benefits that we take for granted. Is there anything nobler than that?