SUPPORT THE TROOPS WEEKEND IN DC September 23-25

I'll be there on Friday and Saturday.

Here's the website you need to know: http://www.supportthetroopsweekend.org

Still Remembering

Today is the fourth anniversary of the horrific attacks on U.S. soil that happened four years ago. It changed everything. Yet, four years later some people are "remembering" the victims, but forgetting about the culprits and the radical Islamic ideology that led them to their acts.

Today, I'm remembering the victims - they'll be in my prayers. And, I'm not forgetting about the radical Islamic ideologues - they'll be in my prayers too.

"George Bush doesn't care about black people"

On a Red Cross telethon to raise money, some entertainers got together to raise money for the relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina. Hip-hip "artist" Kanye West couldn't help himself though.

He said "George Bush doesn't care about black people." No joke. Check out the look on actor Mike Myers' face! Myers was standing right next to Kanye West as he uttered these words. Then, it appears the producers must have cut away quickly from Myers and West and gone right to Chris Tucker. Tucker's face is just as baffling. Keep playing this video over and over... it's hilarious and yet, sad.

Before that, West also said that the soldiers that could be helping us are instead "fighting another war" (here's where Iraq comes into play)... and then continues one step furhter in a bizarre twist that even Mike Myers doesn't seem quite to get, West continued, "they've given them permission to go down and shoot us". I guess he's referring to "us" as black people. So apparently those soliders that are in Iraq that can't come to Louisiana are also given permission to come down to Louisiana and shoot black people. Yea, I don't get it either.

Here's the clip: http://media.putfile.com/Kanye79

Finding the Remnants in Carlisle, PA

I am here... in Carlisle, PA to meet with the "Credendum Reading Group," an ISI Group at Dickinson College. I just met with them this evening at the John Newton International Center for Christian Studies.

3 students and one advisor came... and they were really great people. Here it is, the John Newton Center, a little "remnant" left over from the days gone by, when a "Christian education" was a vital part of every college and university in this country. Dickinson College started out in the middle of the eighteenth century, with a Christian founding. Today, it's gone secular, but the John Newton Center and the students involved in the ISI reading group are keeping together a small remnant of the past.

Perhaps when other Dickinson students have gone mad in this nihilistic, post-modern world, they will find themselves at the John Newton Center, or at perhaps some other remnant on campus (unknown to me) and they will rediscover purpose in their lives and in their community.

Carlisle, PA by the way is a great little town... truly American in every sense of the word. I'm staying at a bed & breakfast here called the "Carlisle House". It's located just 4 blocks from the college, right in historic downtown Carlisle. This place is great! The room is awesome, the service is great, and the hostess was very welcoming and friendly. This is what customer service is all about - or I was thinking, what it used to be about. I think this little bed and breakfast is also a "remnant" of things of the past. But, hey, it's still around and probably thriving.

I've realized just today that all these things "conservatives" complain about that are no longer around, really are. You just have to find them... the remnants are here, and we can make use of them, discover them, and experience them. We just have to find the remnants and then once we do, we have to help them thrive.

Photos from the Shenandoah

This was the sunset view from our balcony... quite nice isn't it? 

This is a side view from our balcony, where you can see the other lodges overlooking the valley/mountains. 

Here I am 4,000 feet up in the Shenandoah Mountains, with the valley below me. 

At the top of the Stony Man Mountain Trail, a 4,000 foot (plus a few) peak. After taking in the view, we held an hour-long discussion here in the sky. 

Redeeming the Time in the Shenandoah

This past Labor Day weekend... I labored away with my ISI job. But, you can hardly call this "work." Can I reiterate how much I love my job.

I spent the weekend in the Shenandoah Mountains with two of my ISI colleagues, Brian and Maggie, and about 11 students representing 7 different colleges/universities and one other ISI Alumnus representing another conservative organization in DC (Brendan at FreedomWorks).

A few weeks earlier, I had distributed to each participant, a complimentary copy of Russell Kirk's collection of essays, "Redeeming The Time." The book contains essays, each based on a series of lectures Kirk gave at the Heritage Foundation in the 1980s and early 1990s. The essays contain prescriptions on how we can renew the culture and redeem the time.

Beginning with a cook-out on Friday night, we held 4 discussions, each based on one essay in the book. The students we invited were spectacular, coming from nearby Patrick Henry College, Christendom College, Shenandoah University, the University of Maryland, the University of Virginia, and one visiting student from Oregon State University as well as a nursing student from the University of Pennsylvania. All of them are involved in an ISI Group on their campus. Each brought with them great ideas, a sound faith in Christ and an adequate ability to use reason to bring the intellectual discussions up to par, as we discussed the greatest strengths - and weaknesses - of Western Civilization, and how we can each do our part to renew the culture and redeem the time.

In a period of decadence, Kirk's ideas helped us all to discuss how we can overcome the malaise in our culture and use our faith in Christ to redeem Western Civilization and further the American Mission of ordered liberty.

The Shenandoah Mountains were a prime location to help us to do this - as we were able to escape the realities of the world for a few days and enjoy the tranquility of nature (we saw a bunch of deer, even a bear, and lot of other unique creatures). It was also neat to see the vast valley below the Skyland Lodge at which we stayed and we climbed up to the 4,000-foot peak during a nature hike and held a discussion from the top of the "stony mountain trail". We were able to experience nature, discuss grand ideas, and at night, gather round the campfire and look up to the stars, as we gazed upon the heavens. The students' discusssions helped inspire me that we are in fact taking a venture beyond our post-modern world to help redeem the time. Through faith in Christ, all things can be redeemed.

Russell Kirk put his faith in both Providence and in the rising generation... through my experience with this job at ISI and the many people I work with, both staff and students alike, I now understand just what Kirk saw and why his faith in Providence and in the rising generation is not hard to fathom.

I made the ISI Event Calendar! I'm an event!

Check out the ISI Lecture Calendar. I'm on there... speaking on my usual topic, "Bringing Conservative Principles to Your Campus."

Right now, I'm scheduled to give talks to conservative groups on the following campuses:
- Dickinson College (Sept 9)
- Villanova University (Sept 21)
- Palm Beach Atlantic (Oct 27)

More dates and schools to come...