DEFIANT INFIDELS




"One man, living again in his home state, surrounded by territory once rife with Conservatives,
and now hijacked by imported Liberals. This is the product of a self-imposed duty to continue to speak my Traditionalist Values
despite the Left's proliferation, procreation and perpetual regurgitation."
~Defiant_Infidel



"One woman, living in a southern state, invaded by liberal policies, where strong Conservatives
were once revered. Proudly clinging to my guns. Proudly singing to my God."
~Miradena






BFD





OBB





Bailout



social transition






DS2




Gossamer Socialist



GTFO




Despot




Problem obvious




Liberty Caged, 11-4-08





Next Opportunity for Redemption of The Republic...


...6:00 AM Eastern, November 1st, 2016



Click for Western Maine Mountains Forecast

Wednesday, September 26, 2007




Our Submission: "DENIED"


My blood boils with rage to realize we have allowed the devil himself to willingly come to our sacred soil. It exemplifies the plunge we as a society have taken, once again beholden to the apologists amongst us. It forecasts a much bloodier struggle than that which we already faced. There is almost nothing positive to pin hope to.





Nothing, unless you look at the faces of those who went to protest Ahmadinejad's presence. And thankfully, this is possible for all Americans, regardless of location. Please take a few moments of your day to be there, if not in body, in spirit and solidarity via the once again valiant efforts of one of the truest New York City patriots alive. Urban Infidel has once again captured the grit, passion and devotion of some of America's staunchest citizenry. Don't miss one frame of her tremendous slide presentations. If you can close her presentations without being moved, I fail to understand why you came here to read these words.





Thank you, UI. REAL Americans, however few remain, will always be grateful for your time and sacrifice. May God richly bless and protect you.





Friday, September 21, 2007

Wisdom in Times of Evil

Sometimes, our good Lord brings us timely messages of value in the most unique and unusual manner.

As I pondered the circumstances (and tried to calm the outrage of a dear friend on the other end of my phone line) which will allow murderous Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to travel to our soil and actually speak at the shameful Columbia University, I received an e-mail notice of a comment regarding a very old post of mine.

Until now, the post had gone without any comments at all. In fact, it took me quite awhile to figure out which post the man's comment was referencing (a glaring Haloscan shortcoming!). His comment was inspiring and deeply thought provoking. I was moved to determine how the gentleman had found me. In doing so, I found that I had linked to a separate quote of his within my old post... words from another forum that had impacted me as very profound. I re-read them.

Inspired, I actually searched and read a great many of his wisdoms. They were often harsh, even rough edged... but ALL damn good... my favorite! I always wonder why so many folks seem to think all that is good must also be pretty. His words drool with intellect. He speaks rock solid truth. I find his observations reassuring and comforting, especially now.

I know how troubled most of the great Conservative bloggers I have had the privelage of coming to know are presently. It is my fondest hope that you might also find some solace in this man's thoughts and I offer them to you, again, here and now. He signs his posts Kanda' Jalen Eirsie:



Greetings...

We like to think that we live in a much more complicated society than the ancient Greeks did 3000 years ago. But the fact is - really, we don't.

They had a saying back then that went something like this:

'Within the circle of each man's sword, there he is king. So go out and do as you will. The swords of others will set you your limits.'

They knew it then, most of you have forgotten it, or worse, never learned it. Oh sure, they didn't have computers, or the internet, automobiles, etc. or all the sh** that goes along with all that...

But then, very few of you have ever actually made a simple bar of soap. Or a length of rope. Or would even know how. Or would even know how to grow a garden for food if it came right down to it. You would freeze to death because you don't even know how to start a fire without your handy dandy bic lighter...

You never learned how to make soap, or make a rope, because you just go down to the store...

You don't grow a garden even though it would easily save you thousands of dollars a year in food cost and provide you infinitely better food than anything you could ever get in a store - Instead you just go down to the store...

And the same when it comes to education - You just went to the diploma store - You didn't actually learn ANYTHING... All you really got were instructions on how to use your toys...

So what's my point? What's this thing you never learned or that you have forgotten?

Freedom is not free. It's exercised with a price tag. That price is always paid in blood and tears and pain. It isn't paid in dollars... it can't be saved, and it doesn't earn interest.

Every Man, of every Generation has to buy it for himself individually, and keep it secure EVERY DAY of his life..

You are deluded if you think that it's something you can hand down to your children. Or something that can be legislated from a government. Whatever it is that you are handing down to them, it certainly isn't freedom. Whatever it is that you are getting from the capitol, it certainly isn't freedom.

So the question becomes then, is it worth the price? Those who have paid the price say it is. And I can say that I'm not JUST accepting someone elses words for it... I know what the price is for MY freedom.

The real question is: Are you prepared to pay the price for your own freedom?

Free men are. Slaves aren't.

If you aren't then don't come around here, acting like a free man, when you are nothing but a slave. We free men, will spot you frauds instantly...

A slave doesn't know what it is to ACT as a free man. He's never been free. The heaviest chains are the ones you cannot see.

Does the Wolf pity the sheep? Or the cat pity the mouse?

Free men have no pity for slaves. And a willing, groveling slave is the lowest form of slave...

So all I have to say next is this:

Not everyone is a free man. Some of you are born slaves. [shrug] If you are - then BE what you are. That is the only way you will be happy...

But IF you are, then all us free men, would appreciate it if you slaves choose a more slave oriented newsgroup to hang out in... Say something like alt.dumbass.liberal.whiny.twits or something...

It's as simple as this: Once you have been free - Nothing is going to convince you that slavery has any appeal...

So all you red diaper, doper, anti-gun liberal pre-pubescent panty sniffers - Just bug off- There isn't any way that you are changing anyone's mind. The simple fact is that you are slaves trying to convince free men, that slavery is something worthwhile.

And that's just plainly absurd and fraudulent. And is doomed to fail for certain... everytime.


The fine people who read this blog are not normally of the "slave type" he refers to, nor do they ever have any interest in being such. Therefore, I say, keep your heads held high and your America in keen, fine focus. YOU are America!

ILLEGITIMI NON CARBORUNDUM!
Ted Nugent, I Bow to You...

So while you watch our country crumble and sip from the toxic tea of the Leftstream media each evening, do you find yourself pretty much perpetually nauseated? Throw their garbage from your mind.

The cure is to stand up and speak out. Do not be silenced. You are not alone. Take inventory of those patriots who have not been swayed and can still clearly recall what and why America IS! Surround yourself with intellect and definition. Purge your mind of the filth the left continuously purveys. Absorb some good, old fashioned common sense... and then pass it on.



Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Remembering What They Took Away...

No words are sufficient to describe the emptiness.



Any Questions?





Thanks to the G-Man for sourcing this photo in another post's comment!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Day of the Murdering Swine

Six years are today solemnly marked since formal war was declared on this nation by a cult of homocidal sub-human savages.






I am consumed, every single day that God allows my life to continue, by seething anger!






I choke and weep for the lost innocent lives; our hearts forever scarred.









I pray for the families of the dead, for the children of our tomorrow and for the resolve to again restore actual, bony spine within our great nation's many cowards.






Do you clearly remember? Can you ever be so selfish to allow yourself to forget?

Here follows the precise timeline of that day's invasion:

7:58 a.m. - United Airlines Flight 175 departs Boston for Los Angeles,
carrying 56 passengers, two pilots, and seven flight attendants. The
Boeing 767 is hijacked after takeoff and diverted to New York.

7:59 a.m. - American Airlines Flight 11 departs Boston for Los
Angeles, carrying 81 passengers, two pilots, and nine flight
attendants. This Boeing 767 is also hijacked and diverted to New York.

8:01 a.m. - United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 carrying 38
passengers, two pilots, and five flight attendants, leaves Newark, N.J.,
for San Francisco.

8:10 a.m. - American Airlines Flight 77 departs Washington's
Dulles International Airport for Los Angeles, carrying 58 passengers,
two pilots, and four flight attendants. The Boeing 757 is hijacked
after takeoff.

At 8:46 AM, on a spectacularly clear, crisp pre-autumn morning when hijacked United Airlines Flight 11, at over 500 mph under the control of deranged killers, flew above the city buildings and into the North Tower of The World Trade Center...






The following video is a collection of views showing the total disbelief when we witnessed Flight 175 impact the South Tower @ 9:03 AM. It also contains a multitude of raw, live video scenes from a number of news sources. It closes with mind numbing footage of collapse from nearly beneath the building. It is horrible in its' entirety... and we should never forget a second of it.






- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration shuts down all New
York area airports.

9:21 a.m.
- Bridges and tunnels leading into New York City
are closed.

9:25 a.m. - All domestic flights are grounded by U.S. Federal
Aviation Administration.

9:45 a.m. - Hijacked American Airlines Flight #77 was flown into the Pentagon.






10:05 a.m. - The South Tower at the World Trade Center collapses.

See the horror... THIS is why we must fight!

Have you forgotten?






10:05 a.m. - The White House is evacuated.

10:06 a.m. - United Flight 93 disappears from radar.

10:10 a.m. - A large section of one side of The Pentagon collapses.

10:10 a.m. - Despite valiant acts of the truest bravery, when passengers confront hijackers, United Flight 93 crashed in a field near Skanksville, Pa. killing everyone aboard.





10:28 a.m. - ...and then the North Tower at the World Trade Center collapses.






We honor those men, women and children who were innocent yet murdered that day. We remember their families and consider the pain they will always endure. We honor the many members of the New York City Police and Fire Departments who died running into buildings they knew were potential death traps to try to save innocent lives other than their own.






Thank God for our military and the fine men and women who serve the people of this great nation. Bless them and their families for their many sacrifices. We should all make time to greet them in public, give every courtesy and say simply "Thanks". Remember the unity required against our enemies, which becomes the most basic of duties to sustain our Republic.






Beware the crocodile tears of the surrender monkeys, who will eagerly trade recognition, opportunity for stage and the power that it brings today for more slurs tomorrow upon our fine military and the job they continue to do so well , despite them.









Despite them, we must fight this infection upon civilization that is Islamofascism! We can NEVER SURRENDER!







*UPDATE*

I was late to work today because I could not drive by the homes and one business who had flagpoles with American flags displayed at full staff. When I turned around and drove back, I respectfully apologized for my interuption but explained that I felt compelled to ask them why. Two thanked me for "reminding" them (I managed to politely conceal my rage, I think) and immediately went out and lowered Old Glory, one threw me off his property saying I must be "one of those neocon war mongers" (I satisfied his hatred of everything American by eagerly confirming I was just that)and the remainder simply closed their doors in my face, including the business.

There ya' go, America... eight locations in 10.4 miles of driving in the Maine woods... this is what we are crumbling to. I find this nauseating beyond all description.

In harmony with these disconnected idiots, we find imbecile Dennis Kucinich on Syrian television denouncing his own country to our enemy. I pray for Kucinich, but if he heard my words he would not welcome my prayer.

For more astonishment that this is all real and not simply a nightmare from which we can awaken, take the time to view Angel's 9-11 post (she was there in the trenches with the rest of the rescuers that day) and look through the jaw dropping images shot by another champion NYC patriot, Urban Infidel. She attended and preserved in pictures the sickening 'Muslim Day Parade' which took place there on Sunday.

I am utterly, completely disgusted.



*UPDATE #2*

The Lone Voice, a British gentleman, at Newport City blog did a fantastic job assembling a more elaborate tribute than my own. We were even compelled it seems to use several same images, but you should especially view the video tribute he included at the very bottom of his post. If only more Americans had the respect this man has, while not even being a citizen of the USA! With their numerous other deplorable "blame America first" tactics, undoubtedly we can expect no shame from our liberal underminers.

What would it take to shame them, afterall?



*UPDATE #3*

Nanc at 'It's Curtains For You' has posted a story from an anonymous gentleman who was very directly affected by the loss of many friends in the Pentagon attack... it is an absolute MUST READ! If you have the strength to endure it, she also included a link to an incredibly powerful video tribute, too.

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Sunday, September 09, 2007






Becoming Bin Laden's
Paper Tiger...



It was the basis upon which Osama founded his extraordinary concept of being able to challenge and ultimately defeat the civilized world. He maintained that the bustling wealth and strength of the United States of America was inflated and but a fantasy, a plastic image that would melt with the simple application of his demonic gorilla wildfire.

For years he preached and assembled training camps in parts of Africa, Iraq and Afghanistan. He directly pointed to the American Left's thirst for immorality, self indulgence, apathy and dissing of all and anything "violent". He painted broad, euphoric pictures of a successful campaign culminating in a worldwide Caliphate and a planet population comprised of nothing but the Islamic clique. He glorified Jihad and the martyrdom of suicidal attacks on the innocent. These tactics strategically imposed upon the willing, hopelessly following pawns of his dogmatic faction quickly, easily caught fire and spread like a virus throughout the Middle East and then the world.

To the Muslim android masses he villainized all that was Western culture and practice. It was an easy thing to do with the assistance from those in our society quick to provide him with outrageous examples of outward, deviant behavior. One of many high profile examples? Hollywood's selfish, unaccountable, elitist irresponsibles purveyed an endless list of public affronts and misdoings... and they still do. Osama also knew that he could depend upon the lazy, esurient and pampered liberal socialists to stand up and obediently whine and stomp their feet at the mere suggestion that they might have to actually cede any of their creature comforts to retain the liberty and freedom that anonymous grandfathers before them guaranteed with their blood and personal sacrifice. How, Bin Laden stressed, could they lose in a war against the Paper Tiger?

Even if there were, in the beginning, some traces of the resolute spine that once created our sovereign union, he was sure that we would ultimately fall victim to our own freedoms. Freedom of speech guarantees that freedom for idiots, too. Here was but one of many cracks in the rock to be exploited. He was sure that Americans had become so disconnected from the realities of good and evil, friend and foe, securely powerful and powerfully corrupt that their perception was permanently blurred. He anticipated the lust for media domination to supercede the antiquated former journalistic integrity. Americans would surely choose to run and huddle in whimpering fear and trepidation, rather than stand and relentlessly fight as did previous generations of our warriors.

He pointed to historical example; the US never finished in Korea, but "secured" the south and essentially capitulated; as the North Vietnamese prepared to surrender behind closed doors, we ran from Viet Nam and allowed the slaughter that ensued by the NVA and that in Cambodia; we pulled out of Beirut after a cataclysmic suicide bombing killed over 200 of our Marines; we stopped our original march to Baghdad at the Kuwaiti and Saudi borders, allowing madman Saddam to continue his horrific, totalitarian domination and mutilation of his own people. We did absolutely nothing about the bombing of the USS Cole in Aden, Yemen... excepting that we buried our dead.

Contrary to the wishful thinking of those afflicted with the mental derangement innocuously called 'liberalism', doing nothing does do something. It does something very, very bad.

To maniacal enemies such as UBL, who are actively playing chess rather than passive tiddly winks, these signs are sure weakness just seething with opportunity to patiently overpower and subjugate. Now, playing the angles for everything he's worth, he chastises America in his latest video declaration saying we elected the Democrats to get America out of Iraq, yet we remain. How shallow a thinking process must be required to not see through this transparency?

Months ago, another liberal told of his worry that the "surge" in Iraq would not work. I responded that the people of Iraq had been ruled with an 'iron fist' policy for over thirty years and that overwhelming force was the only thing they would respect. Words don't cut the mustard with these people, even when we are there to save their butts! Any forms of weakness, especially words without action to back them up, are translated as cotton threats of fantasy. Now, even Katie Couric has admitted we have made significant progress.

A faux libertarian blogger recently wrote to me in a comment that "violence never gets anything accomplished". Well, is that so? Perhaps the young population of the United States of America might have disagreed with that statement at the signing of the Declaration of independence July 4th, 1776, or at the Treaty of Paris on September 3rd, 1783, or again on September 17th, 1787 when we signed and adopted our Constitution. I got some sobering news for this young know-it-all; lack of violence as a response in the face of imminent violence from an attacker begets death. Put that in your peace pipe of contemplation and have a deep, smoky hit!

Isn't it interesting how some things really stick in your mind? I can vividly recall, just months before that fateful, beautiful morning on September 11th, 2001, a liberal acquaintance loudly mocking me and my insistence that we still had very serious enemies abroad who would attack us here at home someday. She extolled the power of our police and federal government and scoffed at any claimed "need" for the 2nd Amendment and individual ability to protect. I called her the day after the attack on our country, not to jab her with the echo of her own words, but to see how she was holding up, as I knew she would be fragile after the stinging dose of reality we all got that day. She was totally dumbstruck and in bed, unable to watch television any longer or read a newspaper. She simply could not accept what had just a few hours earlier seemed utterly impossible. We have not exchanged a word since. I'm sure it is just her method of coping.

The short story, in my humble opinion, is that the Muslim "religion" is a cult of domination by select, empowered elitists and is otherwise comprised of unquestioning followers who either conform or die. Non-followers get the same choice; conform or die. It is the written, lauded obligation of followers to give any and all other non-followers the exact same choice... and to kill them if they refuse this "invitation". There are those who attempt to say that the cult is the proverbial "religion of peace". They are either ignorant of their own Quran teachings or they are lying.

Liberal policies, publicly decaying spectacles of immorality and refrained inaction to provocation, even some by otherwise staunch Conservatives like the beloved Reagan regarding Lebanon, painted a picture of Jihad convenience. An evil war genius recognized the chance, calculated and patiently planned a long term document of engagement and finally, blatantly attacked us. Now he is using our continued weakness from within to foment and nurture his aggression. UBL is using our own stubborn ignorance to turn the tiger's flesh to parchment.

It is a well known, but unspoken, liberal axiom that facts tend to ruin fuzzy, feel good notions; it is simply much easier to live, ignore and pretend. And in that vein, liberalism is like electricity; it always takes the path of least resistance to ground. In this particular case, typically about six feet beneath ground.

Donning blinders and succumbing to the stresses/losses in war precipitates defeat. Victory lies in the same place it always has... steadfast, unified resolve to win. Absolutely anything less is unacceptable.

Screw Bin Laden, Jihad and their sick Islamic cult.

God Bless America.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

A Boy at the Intersection
of Adulthood

I have known him since he was a young baby in arms. I can vividly recall the news of his birth though I was not living nearby at the time. He has a beautiful sister two years his elder. And he has always been a bright, handsome young gentleman himself.

Neither are my children, but those of my best friend since childhood and his amazing wife. Although they have numerous real aunts and uncles, I was flattered and touched when my permission was sought for them both to refer to me as "Uncle". I have not had the privelage of having children, which made the gesture all the more important to me. This occurred well before they were teens, so it has become very normal and familiar as they grew up.

They were both raised by involved, caring, instructional parents. My advice was asked many, many times over the years of their growth, both by the parents as well as both children at various junctures. I have always been hesitant to share my views in that regard... I have no justifiable "say". But, not being shy, and recognizing the sincerety of those times, I would carefully relate my view of whatever the current "crisis" was. My advice was always given with a quiet, internal caution to myself...

"You have no authority here, nor have you earned any. What you think is only your opinion... nothing more. Remember that!"

My suggestions and whatever insight I thought I might be offering always seemed to be well received and often heeded, frequently to my great surprise.

I'm not sure what merited that! I was a relatively "good kid" growing up, also with very rare, loving parents. But I sure delved down some roads that were very, very bad in my teen years and even well into my twenties. Alcohol abuse and promiscuity were my chief moral violations. However, other than the fact that the underage consumption of booze was clearly illegal, I was not a lawbreaker, having been raised with great disdain for someone who would steal from or harm an innocent for personal gain. I'm not proud of my early life tangents, in fact, I am deservedly ashamed. But I did do those things. (Please note that I do not claim "they happened"! They were conscious, very wrong decisions and choices I made on my own. Period!)

I always felt that it was the clear understanding of the basic differences between right and wrong that pulled me through my numerous bad acts and saved my skin, and I have written about that belief here before. Even when I was behaving badly and/or with great risk, I at least fully knew I was wrong. That pulled me through some very sizable potential jams, mainly because it stopped me before I continued further.

"Accountability" is an often tossed about term these days, but that makes it no less important. I was always, at the very least, honest with myself about what I did and when it was surely wrong. I didn't lie when confronted and I learned to expect and accept my punishment when I was "caught". And the punishments were severe when necessary. When they weren't, it served as sort of an inspiration to go astray again.

I watched his sister graduate high school this Spring. I was so shaken and tearful that a complete stranger suddenly gripped my shoulder to ask if I was OK. When I replied that I was, he asked simply if it was my son or my daughter. He looked perplexed when I quietly responded that it was neither. I followed that with a quick smile that said "Thanks" and silently recomposed myself. It tore at my heart as if she was my own.

It is not the elder sister I am concerned about now, though. She just entered Naval School and is a very serious, applied young lady.

The young boy has grown into a hulking giant of a young man, yet with a still developing boy's mind. At 6' 8" and 315 pounds, he is a star football player and the largest, tallest boy in his school. He is stunningly handsome, poised, usually soft spoken and polite. He is very intelligent and quite articulate.

Sadly, over the last several years I have seen him slip away from the "good" path he was once soundly established on. A few years back it began with some destroyed private property. He then lied about it, steadfastly denying his guilt to his father and the officers that pursued the matter. Only when confronted with a footprint on a broken pane of windshield glass that perfectly matched his own size 15 footwear, did he finally confess. Because he admitted it, even though late and under threat of arrest, he was not incarcerated.

"Dad" specifically asked my thoughts afterwards. I wondered aloud if it might not have been a better lesson for him if he had been arrested. I also mentioned that any fines and cost of damage reimbursement would come out of the boy's personal pocket if he was mine (he does have a part time job). I also told "Dad" that I would be particularly upset about the fact he lied and it seemed he would not have confessed if he thought he was going to get away with the act. "Dad" sort of agreed, but was quick to point out it was his first major transgression. Yeah, I had said, better nip this in the bud! To me, this became instead a lesson that conveyed "it would have been OK if you didn't get caught".

A few months later, we had a 'special event' that my wife got some complimentary tickets to attend. She passed the extra tickets along to the boy and his sister, as I am uninterested in ice hockey. The sister cancelled out as there was a scheduling conflict with another school event she was to attend, so the brother was to bring along his buddy instead. There was an entire area of seats purchased as a company which included my wife and her workmates. My wife had told her cronies of the fine young man she chose to accompany them and they were eagerly anticipating meeting him.

No show. But his ticket had been swiped, suggesting he had been there. He came home very late that night. He was sick the next morning... suggested it might be "food" poisoning. Hmmmm. When confronted, he swore he had been there, in his reserved seats with his buddy, but could not find any of the twenty odd people that he would have been seated directly beside, including his "aunt". The two seats were right beside my wife and remained empty for the evening. Remember his physical size I mentioned above? Hmmmm...

Somehow, the excuses were accepted, but sure as hell not by me or my wife! No punishment and blind acceptance of very weak explanation. I reiterated to "Dad" that he didn't want to let this crap spiral out of control.

I told my wife how worried I was about not just the situation, but what appeared to be comfort on the boy's part with the prevarication. That invites rationalizing other poor behavior!

About a month ago, I was driving home from the hospital in our remote "Big City" at dusk. As I began to cross a pair of end-to-end twin bridges over a local river, I just made out a stumbling, wandering person directly in the middle of the road. It looked like a kid perhaps, and I just did see him in time to avoid running over him. After the initial scare subsided, I was very angry at the stupid stunt. Had I not been late to return home, I would have turned around and gone back to investigate further. You see, between the bridges is an island of sorts, where parties and trouble are common. I know because the situation was the same when I was a kid around there.

The next day, the phone call came. My "nephew" had been there. It was a big party and the police had apparently arrived shortly after I drove by. When they raided the gathering, he and his girlfriend, enebriated, snuck hand in hand under the bridges and across the river, in the dark, where they were apprehended on the shore by a waiting officer. The obvious plan had been to elude getting caught and then later sneak back and drive his father's vehicle away... drunk!!! "Dad" was called to drive the vehicle and his intoxicated son home.

Once again, he would have not only lied but would have risked his life, his passenger and any encountered traffic in an attempt to drive his father's vehicle home after drinking. I would have grounded his butt for at least a month! To my understanding, he got yet another stern conversation and another "warning"... nothing more.

His dad came by to talk to me a few days back. He expressed outrage that his son had walked through a porch full of garbage that the dog had disassembled without lifting a finger to clean any of it up. His eyes seemed to cry out "Where did this come from"? When confronted, the boy was apparently indifferent and unrepentent.

I have seen so many examples of parents not wanting to be "unkind" to their children by avoiding spanking, privelage revocation, grounding or other harsh yet effective forms of punishment. Or they rationalize that they did these things too. Yeah, and they were nothing but lucky to have lived through it! How is that justification? At 6' 8", I'll agree that the window for turning that kid over his knee has long closed firmly. "Dad's" too late for that now. And his options are rapidly narrowing.

None of the "good" in this young man has left... yet. But so much of the "bad" is blossoming and more and more frequently taking over. He is very obviously a weak pawn to peer pressure. And yes, there have been other incidents I didn't list here. Some perhaps were less significant, but ALL were deemed to be and handled that way. He will be 18 years old shortly after the turn of the New Year. He is less and less concerned with his schooling and increasingly more defiantly headstrong. He doesn't want to go to college. He sees football as his apparent destiny. Maybe he's right, but the odds are not supporting. Even if that was the case, life is about a lot more than the needed skills to being able to play football.

During the other day's visit, I could see the escalating sense of worry and helplessness in his dad's eyes. His father mentioned the military but also his concern for his son's well being if sent to war. I understand and share that. I also believe that his father doesn't realize that his son is going to war, whether he joins the military or not. Without some discipline and principle in heavy, painful doses... very soon... his boy is going to be ill equipped to fight.

I'm not sure why I felt compelled to share this with the great folks who kindly read my words here. Perhaps it is a request for your input. I have been very blunt with the boy's parents in the past. I believe that friendship demands honesty, even when it is inconvenient, unwelcome or difficult. Perhaps it is even more important then?

"Crunch time" is quickly approaching... I pray God will hold this basically good kid in his hand.