David Pruitt.com

My brother Terry e-mailed this to me this morning. It’s kind of sad that our world has turned to this, but I found it to be true.

Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.

1957 – Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack’s shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007 – School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1957 – Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2007 – Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario: Jeffrey won’t be still in class, disrupts other students.

1957 – Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 – Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor’s car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1957 – Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 – Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy’s sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy’s mom has affair with psychologist.

Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1957 – Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2007 – Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for d rugs and weapons.

Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.

1957 – Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2007 – Pedro’s cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro’s English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane pain t bottle, blows up a red ant bed.

1957 – Ants die.
2007 – BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny’s Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1957 – In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007 – Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

Being healthy.

Earlier this year, my company announced that, for the third year in a row, we were changing health insurance companies because of rising costs. During our benefits fair, we were informed that we were, compared to similar companies, overall an unhealthy company and that is why we have to pay more. To find out why we were so unhealthy, the company offered a free health assessment to all employees. This would be done over 2 weeks with the first beginning last Tuesday. A lot of people in my division did their assessment last week, and were sharing the results. I forgot last week, so I will be doing my assessment tomorrow.

I tell you all of this to say that while I was out sick from work on Friday, they made an announcement at our company luncheon. They stated that a few things I love most — free donuts on Friday and subsidized sodas (we pay only 25 cents for soda) — would no longer be offered. Apparently after just half the company did their assessments, it is so bad that they had to cut out the donuts and sodas. Instead, the company will continue to offer bagels, fruit and yogurt. The money they use to subsidize the price of the soda will be used to buy juices — I can only assume these will be high in sugar, but the perception is that juices are more healthy than soda.

I have to admit, this was a little shocking to me. I really look forward to my 2 sausage rolls and twist every Friday. I also look forward to our daily 3:00 p.m. ‘Coke run’ which consists of a large group of us walking down to the vending machine for a Coke. I usually get Coke Zero unless they are out of stock. I was also surprised to hear, though, that they will be keeping coffee, sugar and cream. Coffee isn’t very healthy is it?

The reason I am even typing all of this is not because I am upset. I just have a different outlook on life. Let me explain. Over the past 5 years, I have watched my father die of a brain aneurysm, my mother eaten up by cancer and now my Grandmother thrown in a nursing home only to wait to die. My father was 67. He’d had a stroke a few years earlier. His quality of life diminished significantly over those few years, but he died pretty much instantly.

I was with my mother at the doctors office a few days before Christmas when she was diagnosed with cancer. We cried together, and we both knew it was going to be a rough rode, and it was. I was put through some of the most difficult things I have ever had to experience as I watched my mother be eaten alive by cancer. My sister and I took care of her in her final days, giving her medication, changing her diapers and just sitting with her letting her know how much we loved and appreciated her.

Recently, my Aunt put my Grandmother in a nursing home. My Grandmother will be 93 on Christmas Day. She has some dementia, onset of Alzheimer’s, but is in overall good health. She was put in a nursing home where she will wait to die. She is with people she doesn’t know, sharing a room with a stranger, and eating horrible smelling food. I went to visit her a few weeks ago, and I was heartbroken. I am not sure why my retired, stay-at-home Aunt put her in that home instead of taking care of her own mother, but that is for another conversation. The point I am making is that this nursing home is where my Grandmother will die.

With all of this, can you explain to me why I should eat healthy? Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with hard work and exercise. I have been exercising regularly for a few years now and I feel wonderful. But I still pretty much eat what I want, which is why I am only loosing a pound or two every 3 or 4 weeks. My main point here is that I don’t want to live forever. I want to have a good quality of life, and I don’t want to be to burden my children leaving them to care for me. I was crushed when I lost my parents, and I still struggle with it. At times, I was upset that my Dad didn’t work harder to stay healthy so he could live longer. But when I saw the quality of life of all those people at the nursing home I have changed my mind. I don’t want to die of a heart attack when I’m 40, but I think there is a happy medium.

Anyway, I just wanted to get that off my chest. I am hungry. What’s for lunch? Oh, yeah, Freebird Monday! Woohoo!

The second amendment was added so we could protect ourselves from our own government– not from a foreign invasion.

A little Gun History Lesson

In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.

China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and  exterminated.

Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million ‘educated’ people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.

It has now been a short time since gun owners in Australia were forced by new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by their own government, a program costing Australia taxpayers  more than $500 million dollars.. The first year results are now in:

Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 percent
Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent
Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent)!

In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent. Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not, and criminals still possess their guns! It will never happen here? I bet the Aussies said that too!

While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months, since criminals now are guaranteed that their prey is unarmed.

There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of the ELDERLY. Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was expended in successfully ridding Australian society of guns.

The Australian experience and the other historical facts above prove it.

You won’t see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information.

Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.

Take note my fellow Americans, before it’s too late!

The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind him of this history lesson..

With Guns………..We Are ‘Citizens’. Without Them……..We Are ‘Subjects’.

During W.W.II the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!

Note: Admiral Yamamoto who crafted the attack on Pearl Harbor had attended Harvard U 1919-1921 & was Naval Attache to the U. S. 1925-28. Most of our Navy was destroyed at Pearl Harbor and our Army had been deprived of funding & was ill prepared to defend the country.

It was reported that when asked why Japan did not follow up the Pearl Harbor attack with an invasion of the U. S. Mainland, his reply was that he had lived in the U. S. & knew that almost all households had guns.

If you value your freedom, Please spread this anti-gun control message to all your friends!

If you can tell me with a straight face that politicians here and now are any different than there and then

I might believe you that it could never happen here. Can you?

I understand that in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, which includes Pittsburgh, 20% or better of the population has a concealed weapon’s permit. That city of brotherly love, Philadephia, has one of the toughest gun laws in the country. Guess which one has the lower crime rate. If you guessed Pittsburgh, go to the head of the class.

You are correct.

My advice is that before January 20, 2009, you go to a gun show. Pay CASH for guns and ammo. DO NOT register your guns.

That way when our guns are confiscated yours will be safe.

I can only hope we find God again before it is too late!!

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish.  And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees..  I don’t feel threatened.  I don’t feel discriminated against. That’s what they are:  Christmas trees.

It doesn’t bother me a bit when people say, ‘Merry Christmas’ to me.  I don’t think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto.  In fact, I kind of like it  It shows that we are all brothers and sisters

celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn’t bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in  Malibu  .  If people want a creche, it’s just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don’t like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don’t think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians.  I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.  I have no idea where the concept came from that  America  is an explicitly atheist country.  I can’t find it in the Constitution and I don’t like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren’t allowed to worship God as we understand Him?  I guess that’s a sign that I’m getting old, too.  But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the  America  we knew went to..

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different:  This is not intended to be a joke;  it’s not funny, it’s intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham’s daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her ‘How could God let something like this happen?’ (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response.  She said, ‘I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives.  And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out.  How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?’

In light of recent events… terrorists attack, school shootings, etc.  I think it started when Madeleine Murray O’Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn’t want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.  Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school.  The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself.  And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn’t spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock’s son committed suicide).  We said an expert should know what he’s talking about.  And we said OK.

Now we’re asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn’t bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out.  I think it has a great deal to do with ‘WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.’

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world’s going to hell  Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.  Funny how you can send ‘jokes’ through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.  Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you’re not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.  Pass it on if you think it has merit.  If not then just discard it… no one will know you did.  But, if you discard this thought process, don’t sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards,  Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein