"...under a condition that his name not be used..."

A photocopy of a Washington Post article from the early 1980's:

click on picture for larger image.

Question 1: Senator Obama, in an interview with CNN, you cited Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and David Souter as examples of the kinds of justices you would appoint to the high court. In two cases today, your ideal justices split, with Breyer being in the majority and Souter/Ginsburg being in the dissent.

In the first case, two of your ideal justices would have set free a man who to offered to exchange photographs of adult men sexually molesting his 4-year-old daughter for other pictures of child pornography. [Opinion.] In the second case, your ideal justices would have given a career criminal who was illegally using a firearm a much lighter sentence than what the majority determined the law required. Given that both Justices Roberts and Alito, whom you voted against, were in the majority with Justice Breyer, can you tell American whether you would persist in nominating judges like Souter and Ginsburg?

Oh, and in a third case today, Justice Stephen Breyer dissented from a Supreme Court opinion which overturned the 9th Circuit which had set aside the conviction of a terrorist who conspired to detonate explosives at Los Angeles International Airport during the millennium holiday travel period.

During the Alito confirmation hearings you opposed him because you believed he was "contrary to core American values." In other words, he was wrong to punish a child abuser, a convict possessing illegal weapons and a terrorist?

Senator Obama, what values are you talking about?

Voter ID. The Supreme Court today rejected a facial challenge* to an Indiana law requiring voters to show a photo ID before voting.

The Court split 3-3-3, with 2 groups of 3 rejecting the facial challenge: Justice Stevens announced the judgment of the Court and delivered an opinion in which Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Kennedy joined. Justice Scalia filed an opinion concurring in the judgment in which Justices Thomas and Alito joined. Justice Souter filed a dissenting opinion in which Justice Ginsburg joined. Justice Breyer also filed a dissenting opinion.

Why did Stevens not join up with the liberal trio -- in many instances he is on their side or may even be to the "left" of some of these justices.

John Paul Stevens came to the attention of the public at large as his days as an attorney -- a Republican attorney -- fighting political corruption in Chicago. While he has strong sympathies for the liberal causes, he also knows how these causes can be undermined by political corruption. He is willing to give good government types the tools they need to fight corruption. At the same time, he is willing to give those who see that a corrupt power can misuse this type of statute the tools they need to challenge the application of the law.

As an aside, this shows very good judgment by the Chief to assign the writing of the opinion to Stevens.

In all, a good decision.


* A facial challenge means that the statute is unconstitutional on its face. This is opposed to what will certainly come next: an "as applied" challenge - meaning the statute, as applied, is unconstitutional.

Happy Golden Anniversary!

To my Mom and Dad on their 50th Anniversary:

Major Arthur D. Nicholson, Jr. was killed by Soviet forces 23 years ago today. Actually, he was murdered -- he was shot and allowed to bleed to death while his companion, a fellow soldier, was prevented at gunpoint from providing any assistance.

The following article is from the National Review on the 20th anniversary of this cold-blooded murder:

The Last Cold War Casualty
The heroic story of Major Nicholson.
John J. Miller, National Review

Twenty years ago today, Army Major Arthur D. “Nick” Nicholson drove into East Germany to survey Soviet military activity. It was a bright Sunday morning, and he was about to become the last American to die in the Cold War.

Relatively few people have heard of Nicholson, even though his killing dominated newspaper headlines around the world for several tense days two decades ago. A handful of people won’t ever forget him: A small band of former comrades gathers at his Arlington National Cemetery each spring. They’re meeting again this Saturday. Today, at the site of his death near Ludwigslust, the Allied Museum will join Nicholson’s widow Karyn and his former commander, Major General Roland Lajoie, in dedicating a memorial stone.

I wrote about Nicholson’s story in National Review last year. Since then, the Pentagon has made available a large batch of documents on the U.S. Military Liaison Mission, which is the organization Nicholson was serving when he died. Many of these papers describe in detail what happened on his final day. It would be an exaggeration to say they contain shocking new revelations, but they do deepen our understanding of what happened on March 24, 1985.

That morning, which was a Sunday, Nicholson headed into East Germany with his driver, Army Staff Sergeant Jessie Schatz. As members of the USMLM, Nicholson and Schatz were basically licensed spies. Their organization was a holdover from the Second World War, when the Allies assigned representatives to work with each other in Germany’s various zones of occupation as Hitler’s minions disarmed. These special liaison units did not disband with the onset of the Cold War. Instead, they were given something of a carte blanche to roam around the countryside and observe military activity. The Americans, British, and French had soldiers assigned to East Germany, and the Soviets had teams tasked to West Germany.

This awkward arrangement remained in place because both sides found it a useful way of collecting information on the opposition’s troop movements and military hardware. Yet there were enormous tensions, and these always carried the potential of deadly violence.

Sometime in the afternoon, Nicholson and Schatz followed a convoy of Soviet tanks returning from target practice. It was a typical USMLM activity. Nicholson was probably counting the tanks and studying their exteriors. A little while later, the Americans broke off and approached a tank shed. They thought they were alone. The USMLM’s 1985 unit history describes the scene and what happened next:

This facility served the Independent Tank Regiment of 2 Guards Tank Army. Known to be frequently guarded under normal conditions, it had a varied history of occasionally violent reaction. Thus, the tour [i.e., Nicholson and Schatz] entered the area with considerable caution, stopping in the forest to watch and listen at intervals as they did so. SSG Schatz, who had just visited the area a few days prior pointed out an area which had been recently occupied, but the Soviets had departed it. The tour then approached the sheds, photographed signboards displayed nearby, and positioned the vehicle to permit the tour NCO [Schatz] to pull security while the tour officer [Nicholson] checked for armor.

Unbeknownst to the tour, and despite its best efforts at observation, a sentry remained undetected, concealed in the adjacent woods. According to information obtained later, he had been walking near his post on the far side of the sheds as the tour approached. Hearing the vehicle, the Soviet soldier made his way through the flank of the range to a position about 50 meters behind the tour; SSG Schatz noticed him just before he opened fire. The Soviets claim that the sentry issued a challenge in two languages (Russian and German), fired a warning shot into the air, then shot to disable. This is simply not true. SSG Schatz, a native German, heard no challenge in any language. The sentry’s first shot whizzed narrowly over the heads of the tour; it was not a warning, but a miss. And one of the two remaining rounds struck MAJ Nicholson, by this time running back to the tour vehicle, near his center of mass: the upper abdomen. SSG Schatz shouted a warning as the first shot resounded — too late to help. He then slammed the hatch shut, started the car, and threw it into reverse to reach MAJ Nicholson. Hit by one of the shots, Nicholson groaned, fell, called to Schatz, and promptly lost consciousness. The tour NCO sprang from the vehicle to administer first aid, but the sentry refused to permit him to do so. Using sign language, SSG Schatz communicated his intent to the Soviet and took a step toward the fallen officer. The sentry, who had held Schatz at gunpoint the entire time, then shouldered his AK-47, took aim at Schatz’s head, and motioned him back to the vehicle. Seeing the futility of further action and the hopelessness of the situation, SSG Schatz complied. He secured and covered the tour equipment, check to be sure the doors were locked, and waited. Shock set in quickly. ...

Over the next three hours many Soviet officers and soldiers arrived to secure the area, collect data, and investigate the situation; considerable confusion reigned. Yet no one, including the obvious medical personnel, rendered even rudimentary first aid. Finally at 1605A (one hour, 5 minutes after the shooting) an unidentified individual in a blue jogging suit took MAJ Nicholson’s pulse, which had ceased. The protracted failure to provide or even permit any medical attention at all ensured that the wound proved fatal.

An international furor ensued, as the Americans and Soviets traded accusations. The United States demanded an apology and compensation for Nicholson’s wife; the USSR claimed, outrageously, that Schatz had refused to leave his car to help his companion. After a while, the controversy subsided and the Cold War plodded on for a few more years.

One thing is not in dispute: Arthur Nicholson fell a hero, the last American casualty of the Cold War. “Nick did not want to die, and we did not want to lose him,” said his widow. “But I know that he would lay down his life again for America.”

More here.

Never Forget:



more - I discovered today 3/27/08, that I merely saved this as a draft, instead of posting it as final. Apologies.

Iranian Checks and Drafts.

Here's a memo from a bank I worked at in the 1970's:

Click on image to see large version.

President Jimmy Carter declared a national emergency on November 14, 1979, but the freeze on bank accounts and assets other than that of the actual "government" of Iran took awhile to work out. In the mean time, banks sought to proceed carefully.

Meditations on the Last Supper. For Holy Week, this year I would like to meditate on the Last Supper in the Gospels. This website on the chronology looks like a good springboard.

Saturday Night Alive.

This vibrant ministry was active in Fairfax Virginia from the mid- to late-70's (I think 1977 or 78) until sometime in the 1980's. It had a big role in my spiritual development - wonderful worship and great teaching. Because of H. Lawrence "Renny" Scott, I ended up at Church of the Apostles and became an Episcopalian.

Click to see larger picture

If you look in the picture of the Praise Band, the person on the back row, second from the right? That's Rick Lord who is currently the Rector at Holy Comforter in Vienna; his blog is here.

Benny Phillips is now down in Orlando with his wife Sheree (who was also in the Praise Band). Renny is the Headmaster at Christian Heritage School in Dalton Georgia.

Garden Hotel Menu, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.



This was probably from about 1964. (click on the picture to see a larger version)

Note that the menu was typed and then the Chinese was handwritten in -- in ink.

Swim Meet Entry Card - 1975.

Here it is, nice and efficient. Each swimmer picked one of these up at the Clerk of Course when checking in for your event. You handed it to the timer before the event and swam.

DC101 (1976). I'm going through some of the really old stuff I have squirreled away in my basement and have found some interesting things from the 1970s. I'll post some scans here over the next few days/weeks/months.

First up, an easy one. Here's a bumper sticker for the FM Radio Station, DC101. It broadcast the cutting edge rock stuff. I guess back in the mid-1970's this classic rock format was cutting edge:


The VW Bug I drove back then was exactly the same color of orange:



That's my girlfriend Debbie in the beetle.

Here's the link to today's 101.

Galactic Cowboys.

In looking up stuff on Larry Norman, I came across this video by another favorite band, The Galactic Cowboys; it's called "If I Were A Killer:"

(Warning -- this is very hard rock)

Lyrics:

This is just a hypothetical story
Of someone, let's just say it's me
I'd gain acceptance for my murderous ways
By stalking a defenseless prey

If I were a killer, I'd smile just like the boy next door
If I were a killer, I'd say I do it for the poor
If I were a killer, You'd bring me victims more and more
If I were a killer!

Supreme Court would agree to hear my case
And find me innocent of crime
Holding public rallies to incite sympathy
Creative actuality

If I were a killer, I'd hide behind a doctor's door
If I were a killer, I'd scrape you off my office floor

Other songs of a similar vein(no pun intended):

• Kill Floor
• I'm Not Amused
  

I always like this from the band's FAQ:

6. Are you a christian band?

NO!

7. Are you Christians?

YES!

Here's a great fan page.

I'm Blue.

I'm feeling melancholy. I learned this morning that an attorney I worked with years ago just died. Apparently she had four young kids. She died of a virus. She didn't feel well a week ago and went to the doctor and they hospitalized her, but couldn't do anything for her.

Gone -- just like that.

Update.

Here is her obituary:

Kelly Martin Calahan, Age 45, of Manassas, Virginia passed away on March 8, 2008. A life-long Virginian, Kelly was born in Atkins and graduated from both Virginia Tech and the George Mason School of Law. Kelly is survived by her husband, Louis Calahan; one daughter Carleigh, age 7; two sons, Quinn, age 9 and Luke, age 4; her parents, + and Robert Martin of Atkins, Virginia; her sister and brother-in-law, Karen and Mike Haga of Coppell, Texas and one brother and sister in-law, Dennis and Jenny Martin, St. Petersburg, Florida and a host of friends. Kelly was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church, in Manassas, Virginia and had a passionate commitment to helping the less fortunate throughout her life. Kelly became a committed wife and mother after marrying Lou, the love of her lifetime in 1998. Kelly was actively involved in all aspects of her children's educational and recreational activities. Professionally, Kelly spent her career as an attorney in a variety of government positions and was serving as Associate Counsel at the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C. at the time of her death. Kelly was an avid home decorator. Her other interests included reading, shopping and cooking. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11 at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 5460 Hoadly Road, Manassas, Va. Arrangements are being handled by Miller Funeral Home of Woodbridge In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Kelly's favorite charity, the St. Jude Children's Hospital Memorial Program, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105.

More.

The memorial service today was very beautiful. As I expected, the Church was packed and there was no place to park. Kelly touched many lives -- indeed she was a person full of life. Her brother and sister both spoke eloquently of her and you could see in them and in J. Kelly Martin Callahan that this was (and is) a sterling family.

Laetare Sunday.

This is Laetare Sunday, one of the two Sundays of the Liturgical year in which rose-colored vestments are authorized. The other is Gaudete Sunday in Advent (hence the rose-colored candle in the Advent wreath).

These traditions hearken back to pre-literate times when instruction was given through stained glass windows, vestments and the like of the liturgical year. Both Advent and Lent are times of fasting, with Lent focusing on Jesus fasting in the wilderness. During these times of fasting the vestments and altar cloths are purple (or blue) to reflect the sober times. The "pink" vestments remind us that even in these times of fasting, God gives us grace. Even as He sent angels to His Son during His time in the wilderness, Laetare Sunday reminds us that in tough times He is always there with grace and mercy.

I love these traditions and I believe they speak to a need in all of us for something more than the written word, the spoken word. We see it in the pink and yellow ribbons being worn by so many, the message bracelets and so on.

This is a Sunday to remember there is Joy in the journey. Laetare is latin for rejoice (the opening words of the introit were "laetare Jerusalem" or "rejoice Jerusalem). So this is a day to celebrate and rejoice!

The KKK or...

Planned Parenthood? "...this is the first time I've had a donor call and make this kind of request, so I'm excited, and want to make sure I don't leave anything out."

What was it the caller wanted?

"the less black kids out there the better." (via Kathy Shaidle)

You can hear it here. (you should listen to it quickly -- the abortion zealots will shut it down quickly.) The conversation begins at about the 2 minute mark.

LN: My Story.

It was October 1978 -- I was devouring the Bible and meeting with a diverse group of young believers. My girlfriend was away at James Madison University and I was going to school at George Mason.

I was really into music -- Neil Young, Bob Dylan, the Who, Springsteen, the Rolling Stones. Dylan was just about to break into his "Gospel Phase" and I had never heard of "Christian Music."

I mean, I really dug the Bible and Jesus and even Moses and all the books of the Old Testament. But Christian Music. Forget it. It was musty sounding hymns.

(Yeah, when I was younger we had folk mass -- the songs of Ray Repp -- but I hadn't connected that with "Christian Music.")

My girlfriend's brother, Ken (a fellow believer) and I drove down to JMU to visit her and some friends. While there, she brought me to see this gnarlly old 5th or 6th year student, Robbie Pitts. (at that time he seemed old -- I was 19.) Anyway, we were all hanging around and my girlfriend begged him to play "that guy." He asked me if I'd ever heard of Larry Norman. Larry Norman, I thought -- it sounds like an accountant. That's not the name of a rocker...

And then he put on a record - "So Long Ago...the Garden" and b.l.e.w..m.e..a.w.a.y....

I remember it was "Garden" because of the painting on the back of the snake skin boots and the apple. (to this day I've wanted snake skin boots) I asked Robbie where he found this album -- it was great. Then he put on "In another Land." Awesome...

It was Neil Young, the Rolling Stones and Leon Russell all rolled into one. And singing a true song about God and life and Christ. I had to get me a copy.

The next week, I looked up "Bible bookstore" in the yellow pages and found "Words of Wisdom" in Annandale. They had about 100 to 150 albums and none of them looked promising. But there in the bin was one album with that guy with the blond hair on the cover (the picture on the left) wearing something that looked like Capt. America, so I snatched it up.

This one was much rougher -- it was Street Level -- intentionally produced to sound like a demo or bootleg album. And that gave it even more cache. But LN albums were hard to find and so we swapped cassettes until we could find one here or there. And in time, from reading the liner notes of the albums, I learned about G.K. Chesterton, Dorothy Sayers, C.S. Lewis, Flannery O'Connor, Malcolm Muggeridge, Francis Schaeffer and others.

In short, Larry Norman helped keep me sane in a world of tvpreachers and intellectual-hating pentecostals and Bible-hating mainliners and the Religious Right and the Religious Left.

* * *

He had a great background in roots music. There was a great used record store in Georgetown a long time ago and the owner said Larry would come in and clean out all kinds of great blues records that no one was listening to anymore.

He was incredibly paranoid and delusional -- even a devoted fan such as I could recognize that. I later heard that he was bi-polar, that he had suffered a brain injury. Even so, there was something about this that gave me the courage to stand up in church and say, the bishop has no clothes.

He was a goofball -- funny and witty. Very self-deprecating. But on the other hand, he was an incredible self-promoter. You always knew he was "the Father of Jesus Rock."

He was creative and inspired and had a great knack for finding and promoting talent. Look at the "stable" of Solid Rock musicians: Randy Stonehill, Mark Heard, Steve Camp, the group Daniel Amos. Then Malcolm and Allwyn, Sheila Walsh, the Barrett Band. There were others I'm sure I'm leaving out (Lyrix?)

And the few times I saw him in concert, he was incredible. Not necessarily the performances, although these were good. What really set him apart is that he would spend hours after a show meeting with people and talking to them about Christ and their problems and praying for them. Hours -- until the early hours of the morning. If you could wait to see him, he would stop and take time with you.

* * *

In time, Larry Norman even led me back to the Hymns.

But knowing Robbie, I'm sure these were the first lines of Larry Norman I heard:

last night i had that same old dream
it rocked me in my sleep
and left me the impression
that the sandman plays for keeps...

Be Careful What You Sign by Larry Norman.

Here's a video I put together tonight to one of my favorite LN songs, "Be Careful What You Sign" from the "So Long Ago the Garden" album; 1973.

Note - video had a mistake and was slightly revised.

Why Don't You Look Into Jesus by Larry Norman.

First, this is probably all I'll be writing about for awhile -- Larry Norman had a profound impact on my life. This song sort of epitomizes what he was about. He wrote this back in the 60's when you couldn't say some of this stuff on the radio. Much less in a song about Jesus.

Sipping whiskey from a paper cup,
You drown your sorrows till you can't get up,
Take a look at what you've done to yourself,
Why don't you put the bottle back on she shelf,

Yellow fingers from your cigarettes,
Your hands are shaking while your body sweats,
Why don't you look into Jesus, He's got the answer.

Gonorrhea on Valentines Day,
And you're still looking for the perfect lay,
You think rock and roll will set you free,
You'll be deaf before your thirty three,

Shooting junk till your half insane,
Broken needle in your purple vein,
Why don't you look into Jesus, he's got the answer.

You work all night, sleep all day,
You take your money, throw it all away,
You say you're going to be a superstar,
But you've never hung around enough to find out who you really are.

Think back to when you were a child,
Your soul was free, your heart ran wild,
Each day was different, and life was a thrill,
You knew tomorrow would be better still,

Things have changed you're much older now,
If you're unhappy and you don't know how,
Why don't you look into Jesus, He's got the answer

The Outlaw by Larry Norman.

Probably the best song he ever did.

More - I modified this -- the oringinal video I posted was a little hard to hear, but may be found here.

The Tune by Larry Norman.