I have always loved the Mojave Desert. I experience peace and solitude when traveling in the Mojave. I know what your thinking. What in the name of Mike is so important to visit or see in the Mojave Desert. I could easily spend a day talking about my feelings for the Mojave. Lets just say for now that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Actually there is, I mean there was a Cross sitting high on a Mojave hill for all to see but evidently there are some people that have no interest in seeing this Cross and after taking their complaints to our Courts, the Cross was ordered to be covered for the present. This complaint has nothing to do with beauty but meaning and symbolism. I have only seen pictures of the Cross and now it is too late. The Courts have ordered the Cross to be covered with plywood in order to protect those citizens who may be offended by the values they themselves attribute to the Cross. So I am confronted with the idea I have not seen the Cross personally and because of the absence of tolerance and the prejudices of others I may never see this gift that was erected to honor those Americans who answered the call of their Country with their very lives. I also have not seen Disneyland. I understand from some this is un-American. Like most vacation destinations that people want to see I thought I had time since by most people's standards I am still a young man although my wife may have different thoughts about this last statement. 

 

     I would not have made a good vampire because I love looking at Crosses. I am no different from most Americans who consider themselves believers or disciples of Jesus. The Cross reminds me of my Lord's gift and simply put it was his life for mine. The Cross reminds me of sacrafice, love, devotion, hope and mercy. When I see a Cross standing over a grave or in an area where there are graves and these graves are for our Military, I think of these men and women's sacrafice. I think of hope, freedom, goodness, honor and commitment not necessarily devotion to a Christian faith or God. The Crosses we see and focus on are to recognize and bring honor to those who are resting in peace. These Crosses are not locked into or left with only one meaning and that meaning to bring worship or praise to a Christian God. I imagine the Crosses were put over the graves to give honor to the men and women who served their Country. Maybe just maybe the Mojave Cross was raised to honor the dead and again with all respect not to draw attention to or provide honor to a Christian God. 

 

     Yes the Cross is used as a religious symbol but it can mean or stand for other ideas. The cross only has the value that one is willing to give it. There is a more important issue at hand and I would think most Christians would agree. When Christians look at the Cross we make no excuse and we are not interested in watering down its meaning. Christians are not interested or at least we should not be interested in slipping one by. A very old friend once said to me ''what you win a person with is what you win them to.'' My friend was talking about truth, honesty and the realty of our convictions. For Christians the Cross means God's love and salvation through Christ who died for our sins. As for the people who actually condemn Jesus the Cross was nothing more than a murder weapon. Christians give the Cross meaning and value but what about these people who want the Desert Cross taken down because after being there for 70 years it was discovered to be on Government I mean Tax payer property. These people want the cross removed. They say it is offensive because the symbol represents a religion. The Cross is honoring the dead not the living and no one is using the Cross as a tool to save souls or proselytize. This Cross is offensive to some and a comfort to others. Just what is this terrible offensive being suffered by the people who are complaining. Is it the fact that the greatest commandment in the Bible is ''love your neighbor as yourself and to love God,'' and that these statements were made by the man who died on the Cross. Yes the very man who spread love by telling the world we are supposed to love our enemy and turn the other cheek and respect our parents, help the poor, stop stealing, well you get the idea. If you are not a believer or even if you hate religion and everything about religion then why bother. This Desert Cross was erected to honor our soliders who have fought and fallen in battle to protect the freedoms of our citizens.

 

     It is beyond my thinking how anyone who is intelligent can come to the conclusion that this Cross was erected with the idea of doing harm. The obvious meaning was to honor and draw attention to the fallen not to provide praise or worship to the Christian Deity. There is nothing wrong with the Desert Cross. The citizens who built the Cross obviously felt it represented good and something Holy in nature. The people who erected the Cross were offering their best and in offering their best were attempting to honor those who have served our Country in war. Are there bad people out there that have done bad things in the name of their religions and faith? Yes there are people who have done terrible things in the name of their God. The people who built the Cross were only trying to do good. Those who are attacking this Cross and demanding its removal have gone far beyond political correctness. These people who are claiming to be offended are purposely confusing good with bad, a common practice of the Devil.

 

     A good friend of mine sent an anonymous quote that I think says it all. ''If a conservative is a nonbeliever, he doesn't go to Church. A liberal nonbeliever wants any mention of God or religion silenced.'' In maintaining the Desert Cross no one is asking anyone or suggesting to anyone to ''repent and get saved.'' When understood correctly Christianity is a faith that teaches love and acceptance. Are there distortions and abuses? Is that a trick queston? When a man or woman turn their mind, heart and soul to God a very private journey

begins or happens between God and that person. Why are a few people so angry? The Cross has no magic to manipulate, influence or control others. The Cross is either meaningful or meaningless depending on one's private view. An old Greek philosopher once said "it is not things that make us crazy but how we look at things." Our citizens who truly understand the Christian faith tradition that concerns itself with the Cross and its meaning through the New Testatment understands the Cross represents or stands for a model for love that will motivate and inspire humanity to love each other. Here is the proof. ''This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.''

I John 4: 9-11                                        

 

 

     Healthcare is important but at what cost to all of us. Nobody rides for free. When I listen, watch and read what is happening with this Healthcare debate I like most parents am worried about my 6 year old little boy. When the scoring of the Healthcare Bill was reported there was celebration including dancing in the streets. The President said he would not sign a Bill that would add one dime to the deficit. As our President made this declaration he kept his head bent slightly up looking from side to side not really giving eye contact. His voice clear and stern, hands firmly gripping the podium. His message convincing, sure, strong and believable. Is the President believable?

     So the Planets line up causing Congress to pass the Bill giving Healthcare to every man woman and child in the United States while reducing the deficit. The Cubs win the World Series. Professional wrestling is discovered to be fake and at this very minute my boy is eating dinner without being told 6000 times to sit up straight and keep his hands to himself. The President has made a bold statement. Its a shame that the term voodoo was taken in an old debate over economics between Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr. Voodoo math would certainly go a long way in describing the math system used by Congress to make the deficit numbers neutral in the Healthcare Bill. I wish this type of math would work for Cap and Trade, bankrupt Medicare, bankrupt Social Security, the craziness of 500 million in interest owed daily and especially my checkbook at the end of the month. The truth is that just because one walks into a garage does not make one an automobile. Wanting something even something that is noble and good that will serve the people of our Country is not enough if the math fails to be accurate.   

     We have a war along our Southern Border with thousands of human beings murderd annually and there are cutbacks planned for our Border Patrol Agents. We have citizens under attack but there is no will to send our military to help. Even if we had the will we do not have the soldiers. Our soldiers are in Germany watching for Iranian missiles. Our soldiers are in South Korea watchng the South Korean Border. They are in Iraq and Afghanistan. You guessed it watching their Border. We are Country building in Iraq what ever that means. We are preparing for full scale war in Afghanistan and after a second victory our politicians will be more than happy to rebuild their Country. North Korea is hanging on by a hair. Their people are starving while their supreme leader sits in a drunken stupor staring at his watch to determine if it is time to wake the White House and yes we will be happy to rebuild their Country. We will eventually have to fight Iran and then rebuild their Country. Social Sercurity and Medicare will be bankrupt soon. Of course I am missing so much but hopefully I am addng some color to the picture. Our Government is promising a college education for whoever asks. California wants to give illegals free tuition. I only mention California because we are always the first in our Country when it comes to innovation. Unemployment is creeping toward ten per cent but there is another significant group of people no longer looking for work. Ten percent makes no sense as an accurate number but we are using voodoo math so no one worry we are ok.

     I am listening but something is wrong. I realize I am stating the obvious but I am compelled to say our Government spending is out of control. As a Nation we have taken our domestic and foreign pathology and we have developed a problem-solving strategy that is what my wife refers to as ''retail therapy'' that is happiness through spending.  In some cases this temporary insanity has become acceptable. I have experienced profound moments of saddness when watching T.V when I should have been praying. The other night the Evening News covered a story in Detroit where thousands of people young and very old stood in line believing they were going to receive a personal stimulus check for 3000 dollars. So many of those people just seemed lost. It was if I was watching a story about a third world Country. Lets say we are no longer in Kansas and the Healthcare Bill will not add one dime to the deficit but what about the 500 million we are paying out every day just for the privilege to be in paralyzing debt..

 

     Given my line of work and experience, famlies who manage their financial affairs modeling their efforts after our Federal Government tend to slowly disintegrate and suffer until the family unit is destroyed by divorce and worse if that can be imagined. In addition it should be noted that the Governments financial planning and decision process is only going to contribute to the disintegration of not only these at risk families but the Government is going to place even more hardship on those families like mine that play by the rules. If this Healthcare Bill passes in its present form the Government is going to reduce the tax deductions for Healthcare expenses and tax Healthcare equipment such as wheelchairs, crutches and oxygen tanks. Of course there has been debate to reduce and in some cases eliminate charitable tax deductions. There are plans within the present Bill to reduce the level of income that is taxable in order to generate more revenue.

 

     President Obama says as a result of the Healthcare Bill there will not be one dime added to our National debt. It maybe true but it is not the Nation's debt, this debt is yours and mine. President Obama says Cap and Trade will increase our monthly energy bills. This Bill will cut Medicare causing additional financial hardships on Americans who are in need. Social Security cost of living increases have been canceled hurting those American citizens having the most need. Our Government claims this Healthcare Bill will not cover illegal immigrants yet there is no verification and without verification those who are illegal will have access to the program. Our Government is not planning for growth including legal and illegal immigration. This was a mistake that California made in the late 70s with proposition 13. Our leaders are not planning for the possibilities of other wars or natural disasters like Katrina. It is obvious that we need reform and it is more than obvious that we need something done regarding the entitlement programs, the wars that are being waged, homeland security and our border problems, education, unemployment and our national debt. I am no expert when it comes to the economy but I do understand simple business practices and math. I do not believe that our country has the financial resources to maintain the status quo let alone take on 1/6 of our economy. Thomas Paine said ''If there must be trouble, let it come in my day, that my child may have peace.''