Let the West Bank Be an Arab Nation

If I had my way with the West Bank, I would not do the thing I would want to do.

I would like the West Bank to be part of Israel. After all, it includes Bethlehem, and I'm told it also is the historical birthplace of the Jewish people.

But, alas, 75 percent of the people in the West Bank are Muslims. I say, let a people be part of what nation they want to be part of. If they were given a chance to vote, they would vote for sovereignty, perhaps with Gaza, rather than choosing to be part of Israel.

Let them, then. Self-determination, we call it, and we believe in it, don't we?

But, I also say immigration there should not be restricted. The right of a person to move and locate where they want is a human right, to me. Let the Jews move there, even after a Palestinian state there is free from Israeli presence.

And, should the point ever be reached that the West Bank is populated more by Jews than by Arabs, take another vote and let it become part of Israel.

America is not Most Barbaric Society in History, but . . .

The 55 million abortions since Roe v. Wade probably represents the largest loss of lives any society in history has ever inflicted on its own. More, it is perhaps the largest loss of lives any society has caused, period, whether upon its own people or upon another. 

I do not think it follows that America is the most barbaric society in history, but can see how someone might justify the claim. 

Let's Not Overlook One of Greatest of Our Freedoms

We all believe in freedom. But just what are the freedoms we believe in? Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom to bear arms, the right to a fair trial, protection from searches and seizures, the right to vote, the right to own property? Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

You're missing one, if you only came up with all those. The Bill of Rights actually doesn't mention the one I'm thinking of, yet it is one of the greatest of all our rights, one of the most vital of all freedoms.

I just think it interesting that we might enumerate all the freedoms we can think of, and yet skip over this one.

The right to better our lot in life.

We speak of America as being the land of opportunity. Well, it wouldn't be if we didn't have the freedom to better ourselves and our position in life. This is a freedom of degree. Most nations allow their people some degree of being able to make their lives better. The countries that provide this freedom the most are the ones that make it most likely for you to go from being a pauper to being a millionaire. 

I've always thought of that as being America. Hope it is so.

This is a freedom that comes not so much by decree, as by having mechanisms in place so people can succeed. Being able to become educated, is part of it. Having the time and resources to invent, is part of it. Being able to pick a job instead of being assigned to one, is part of it. Being able to participate in competitive sports, being able to express our talents in arts, and crafts and music, is part of it.

Indeed, the country that provides you the best shot at becoming a rock star or a sports star or a screen star, is the country providing this freedom the most. I like to think that is America.

If America is the land of opportunity, if chasing our dreams is so wonderful, and if the pursuit of happiness means more than just the right to have a smile on our face, then the freedom to better our lot in life is one of the most precious freedoms of all. It is a freedom central to being an American, yet we might not think of it if asked to enumerate our freedoms.

We can Accept it, or Change it; Which Will it be?

   "Thomas McDahley, he's a lobbyist with the National Pharmaceutical Institute. He would like to see you Tuesday."

   Rep. Huey V. Dibble jumped at the news. This was not an election year, but he could not help but thinking of how the NPI could be a campaign contributor in 2014.

   Now, me, I've never sat in a congressperson's office, as requests for meetings come in, to know if some get accepted or rejected just based on whether they are potential campaign contributors. But, it sure seems there could be a natural tendency for that.

   It seems the congressperson might have more incentive to sponsor legislation if it occurs to him or her that a potential contributor might be involved

   You already knew this. No great revelation at all. But sometimes we have to have a picture drawn for us before we stop to reflect on what is going on. This is America we live in, considered as noble a nation as ever there was. Somehow, it sure seems if there is a way keep such influence out of our government, we should. Are these improprieties? Of course they are. Do we say that is the way it is, and leave it at that, or do we find a solution and correct the problem? For it is a problem.
   Truth be told, this is something we can see is wrong, yet there is not movement, no groundswell, nothing much being done to change it. As a nation, we are accepting it, and not changing it.

   

Utah Redistricting Should be Done Without Waiting

  Brandon Mills, it is, who makes a point in a letter to the editor in the Salt Lake Tribune: Now is the time to change our way of redistricting in Utah. Change the system now. If having the legislators draw their own lines isn't as fair as having an independent commission draw the lines, then switch to an independent commission -- now.
   And, Sterling Bascom, writing in the online comments to the letter, suggests we should not wait until 2020 to change the boundaries, themselves.
   I must agree. If the lines were drawn to the benefit of the politicians, and not to benefit the voters, they were drawn wrongly. If they were drawn to the detriment of any party, or candidate, then they were drawn with malice, and not impartially.
   If injustice has been done, what do we do, wait nine years? That's nine long years. Do we wait nine long years for justice? No, if the process is flawed, correct it now. Now is the time to change the way we redistrict, so when the 2020 census is conducted, we already have in place a new system for reapportioning, one that is fair. 
   And, if we want to be fair, why wait until then do the actual redistricting? There are four elections between now and then. Why not reapportion now and have fair districting in place for each of them? If the redistricting was unfair, why suffer for four elections when it should be corrected now?
   Yes, it will take a state constitutional amendment, but if that is what it takes to right a wrong, let's do it. Let's not put off for nine years righting a wrong. If something is wrong, and you can change it before more damage is done, you should.

Demand a Little Charity for Cuba

   If people are dying in Cuba, starving, why would we not step in and try to save them? Let's allow our charities to go there, contribute, and save a few lives. Lift the embargo just that much.
   If we worry that the government will take the aid items before they reach the people, then let us administer the relief ourselves, not through their government. And, if we think Cuba won't allow the aid, then let us demand that they do, not by threatening to chase a few rockets at them if they don't let us in, but just with a plea for humanity, just by saying, "Cuba, your people are suffering, and we can help. In the name of humanity, you let us in. You must."

Of All Miracle-Performers, None has Equaled Savior

   There will be told stories of miracles being performed, by Elisha, and Matthew Cowley, and Joseph Smith, and Moses . . . and many others.

   But not too often is told a story of an evil spirit being removed, save that it was the Savior, Himself, who did it. There must be such stories, but, sitting here now to write this, I cannot recall any.

  Only those of the Savior.

  Beyond those performed by the Savior, though there may be some, none come to my memory, not from the Old Testament, not from the New and not from the modern-day church.

  This one is wonderful: 

   "And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit: and he cried out,

   "Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know who there art, the Holy One of God.

   "And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

   "And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

   "And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him."

   Perhaps we find in this story a key to explaining why there are so few stories of unclean spirits being removed. "What new doctrine is this?" they asked. If they were asking such a question, it surely shows it was, indeed, not common that evil spirits were removed. These people Christ ministered to were studied. They had scriptures. Apparently, there was no mention in their scriptures of evil spirits being removed, for to them, this was a new doctrine.

   You are also familiar with the scripture where the disciples tried to remove a spirit, but were unable to, and Christ was asked why they were not able to, and said that that kind came out but by prayer and fasting.

   It is not a common thing for evil spirits to be removed. And, yet, our Savior did it routinely, regularly and often. Of all miracle-performers the world has known, none has equaled the Savior, Himself.