American Heroes

U.S. Virgin Islands — We arrived at a tiny outpost on St. Thomas on Oct. 26. As we stepped ashore, the gentleman beside me said, "28 years ago at this very minute, I was lining up my 'thirsty' A-7 to…

I hope you got a chance to watch this story I did recently on the Alaskan Oil Pipeline being threatened with closure. If the EPA continues with its pattern of crushing regulation and draconian permitting practices, we may well see the end of the Alaskan Oil pipeline in the next few years. This would spell disaster for our country’s bid to become independent of foreign oil.

And while nobody in congress or the white house can seem to decide if we should allow drilling in the arctic, our “competitors,” that is, Russia and China, are putting together plans to do just that.  So while the United States dithers and argues about sustainability and green energy, we may soon watch while Russia pumps oil from the arctic that we could have pumped ourselves, then sells it back to us. 

On a more cheerful note, the planned community Russia is building in the arctic is the stuff of science fiction movies.  I would love to visit once they get the dome in place. 

The good news about Moammar Gadhafi’s demise arrived via my cellphone early Thursday morning. A friend from the Reagan administration, remembering the Libyan dictator’s attempt to kill my family, called to let me know…

WASHINGTON — Official Washington — meaning the Obama administration, fellow travelers in Congress and their allies in the so-called mainstream media — here's a quick peek at some recent events, the lead…

WASHINGTON — Ten years ago this week, America went to war in Afghanistan. At 1 p.m. Eastern time on Oct. 7, 2001, President George W. Bush told the world, "On my orders, the United States military has begun…

Mexican President Felipe Calderon took the stage at the UN last week to ask for more help in combatting the violence that has painted his country as a war zone for the last several years.

Even though the violence is actually less widespread than most Americans realize – 85% of the drug violence in Mexico happens in only five cities – four of them along the US-Mexico border.  But that doesn’t make much difference when cartels are dumping dozens of headless bodies in the streets in broad daylight. 

Nevertheless, Calderon went on to claim that the drug problem is mostly America’s fault.  We need to do more to reduce the demand for illegal drugs.  That’s true, though I’m afraid the solution he proffered – legalization – would not help.  There isn’t much likelihood that cartels would suddenly become law-abiding and begin to pay taxes on something they’ve never paid on before.  I could be wrong on that, however, one thing I know for sure – the only thing that will make a lasting difference in the demand for drugs is to change the heart of our nation from a self-indulgent culture back to one of selfless service.

Of course, Calderon couldn’t suggest that.  Instead he fell back to beating his tried and true dead horse – quoting the absolutely false statistic that 85% of firearms found in Mexico are purchased in America.  Do some study about the source of this number, which is often quoted by politicians on both sides of the border – and you’ll see how it is really an attempt to blame our second ammendment for the violence in Mexico. 

In Mexico, while there is a constitutional right to bear arms, that right has been legislated away to the point that owning a firearm legally is all but impossible for the law-abiding citizen.  Criminals can aquire them easily, of course, because they are criminals.  All the laws on the books don’t stop them.

Here in America, your average citizen is still able to defend  himself legally.  I believe this is the biggest reason we don’t yet see the kind of violence they have in Mexico.  An armed citizenry is much harder to victimize.

In mexico, citizens will just have to continue to hope – and wait for their government to get their act together.