Wednesday, February 11, 2009

A recent Rutgers University study asserts that Megan’s Law, which warns parents when sex offenders move nearby, has not been effective in preventing children from being molested by sex offenders. However, this should not be viewed as a failed law.

Though New Jersey gave birth to Megan’s Law, our Legislature has neglected to nurture it. In 2005, 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford of Florida was abducted from her home by repeat child sex offender John Couey, who raped her, placed her in a garbage bag and buried her alive in a shallow grave. Authorities discovered in her hands a stuffed purple dolphin, which she clutched while she de parted this Earth alone and frightened.

More than 40 states across the nation responded with legislation that would prevent weak sen tences from being given to repeat child sex offenders, as in the case of Couey, who served a mere two years for molesting a child in a previous case.

Since 2005, the Lunsford Act has been introduced in the New Jersey Legislature every session, but has yet to become law. I suggest the Legislature stop debating trivial issues, such how sad it is New Jersey does not have a state song, and show some gumption and pass this law. The Jessica Lunsford Act languishes in the Judiciary Committee, despite the fact that more than half of the Assembly members signed on as co- sponsors. It appears that many state lawmakers know how to sign their names, but little more.

KYLE COLLINS

Tags: Jessica Lunsford,New Jersey,sex offenders
Categories: Announcements
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On this last Thursday of November from California to New Jersey Americans celebrate a holiday unique to our nation, but often historically misrepresented. School children are taught its origins are from plentiful feast between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans or a variation of such. However, immensely helpful Squanto may have been in helping the pilgrims this does not properly explain the history of Thanksgiving.

President Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of Thanksgiving in 1863. This was during America’s most divisive moments of our history. This was a time when brothers shed the blood of brothers and sons the blood of fathers in the Civil War. The South and North battled each other, dividing even families. Lincoln, as had George Washington before him, occasionally declared days of Thanksgiving, but the words in Lincoln’s speech nationalizing it as an American holiday to be celebrated by generations to come, are vital in understanding the religious history of America. In the mist of this fighting which divided a nation Lincoln called for a day of unity. As was common in early America, religion was not anathema (how times have changed). Much to the contrary, it was the guiding light. That is evident in these exerpts from Lincoln’s less famous than it should be Thanksgiving Proclamation:

“Today is a day of prayer and fasting, to be observed by the people of the United States with religious solemnities, and the offering of feverent supplications to the almighty God for the safety and welfare of these states, his blessings on their arms, and a speedy restoration of peace”.

“It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

I remain baffled by secularist and atheist trying to wedge religion out of history. Religion has helped bring Americans together in times of great pain. It was the backbone of the antislavery movement.  It is what has given this great land the character to sustain and to overcome.

For some this Thanksgiving may include a smaller turkey than in years previous. A possible precursor to fewer gifts under the Christmas tree for some come December as unemployment rises and consumer confidence declines. But let us not forget the true gifts God has blessed us with. Let us not forget our blessed gift to sit down with our friends and family as we take a break from our other activities to be with those we love. Most importantly, let us never forget the sacrifices so many of Americans have made from the Revolutionary war to our current War on Terror, so we can dine securely in a free land.  We have much to be thankful for, not just food and football, and we must never forget that.

Tags: Lincoln,Pilgrims,Religion,Thanksgiving
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The Obama Camp has made a great many attempts to frame their greenhorn candidate in the mold of Abraham Lincoln. For example Obama announced his candidacy outside the old Illinois state capital building, while sounding rhetoric evoking of Abraham Lincoln. Moreover, the media is seldom yielding in comparing Obama and Lincoln, touting that Lincoln served roughly the same amount of time in the state senate and had not real executive experience before becoming president. Their ultimate goal is to have you believe that Obama “mirrors” Republican Abraham Lincoln, while Lincoln successfully steered our nation through a volatile civil war and whose legacy aided us through reconciliation. So Obama will do just fine with 3AM phone calls from hotspots like the Middle East and the remerging Soviet Union . Right? I am not so sure.

Now for arguments sake, let us stick with what the Obama camp quips, that it is judgment that most matters with the presidency. Therefore let us compare the judgment of Lincoln and Obama on the greatest moral issue of their time: slavery and abortion respectably, after all, the democrats already compare the two men . During an 1858 debates at Galesburg, Illinois Lincoln had this to say regarding slavery “Now I confess myself as belonging to that class in the country who contemplate slavery as a moral, social and political evil…”Now, during Pasture Warren’s faith Forum recently Obama muttered this about Abortion, “Well, you know, I think that whether you’re looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade.”

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Tags: abortion,experience,judgment,Obama,slavery Lincoln
Categories: Rants & Opinions
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Senator John McCain has stirred some new trouble with Senator Barack Obama, regarding lifting the 1981 Congressional ban on Off Shore drilling. McCain wisely opined that opening up new reserves to oil, even though it would likely take a few years before it can be pumped into your car,  will have a “psychological impact that I think is beneficial”. Obama’s swift response to an economic truth was to disavow McCain’s stance as “Washington- Speak for it Polls well” claiming expanding our reserves will have no real impact.

However just a vague understanding in economics could makes McCain wise and Obama ignorant. The Associated Press reports that there is an estimated 18 Billion Barrels of oil in which could be extracted. While the annual production of that source will still be pitons compared to United States Annual 6 billion barrel a year thirst (which is predicted to double by 2025) it is certainly much more than the 700M in the strategic reserves Democrats are demanding to be released to the public.

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Tags: Exploration,Obama,Oil
Categories: Rants & Opinions
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Every political junkie knows that in order to win an election you need to appeal to the independents. Indeed over 30% of Americans call themselves independents. We often associate these independents who refuse to tie themselves to a party as political moderates. With high confidence, it can be assumed that Barack Obama will take the Democratic nomination and John McCain will be the Republican nominee.Now, Obama tends to beat McCain in head to head polls according to realclearpolitcs.com. Obama’s ability to garner more independents than John McCain has played a large part of this early lead.  Obama makes the claim that America needs to be united and that he is the men to do just that. But is this uber liberal really the one to unite Americans?

Let us glean in on Obama’s past before we blindly follow his claim. Obama has been rated as one of the most liberal senators in the United States by both The National Review and CQ Politics. In fact, as a Illinois state Senator Obama received a 100% Liberal voter ranking. Any claim of non-partisanship by Sen. Obama is a farce with these statistics in hand. Obama mealy wishes for conservatives to abandon their beliefs and subscribe to his. It seems quite clear he has no interest in talking to Republicans, but is fine with talking to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Raul Castro.

John McCain however, is well known as a maverick and has made many friends with democrats. It should be noted that McCain has Joseph Lieberman , although himself an independent a democrat at heart, campaigning for him. Few liberals are afraid Obama is not liberal enough, but conservatives who fear McCain is not conservative enough are plentiful. Obama only faced democratic resistance because of a fear he was not electable, a claim which has now been deftly refuted if latest polls are accurate. Conservative on the other hand, have been furious over McCain’s stance on the environment, campaign finance reform, water boarding, immigration and other issues that are more inline with liberal ideology. Would it not seem to be, that John McCain would be the best candidate for uniting America?

Categories: Rants & Opinions
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