Allen R. Hunt's Blog, page 34

A Courageous, Intelligent Muslim Woman

Mentioned this column on the show this week. Written by a brave and reasonable young woman, Asra Nomani. Her column stares squarely into the eyes of political correctness and finds that mindset sadly wanting. Nomani is a Muslim female who gets the issue.



She understands that our airport security and national struggle against terror is largely a Muslim problem. Problems can be analyzed if we will just examine and use the data rather than denying it. She recognizes that you solve the problem more easily by dealing with the persons most likely to create terror, younger Muslim males, usually from several key countries. Profile and analyze the most likely candidates, and feel free to leave 87 year old grandmothers in wheelchairs alone.



Read her column. It is excellent and   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

Where Nobody Knows Your Name

I went to Mass today and thought about Thanksgiving. That's right - my mind wandered to something else. :) But stay with me...please.



As I thought about Thanksgiving, two mental images leapt in my head.



First, my wife, who did a magnificent job hosting my side of our family. Anita really "showed out" as we like to say, with a remarkable repast, replete with cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato souffle, and a bounty of fine foods.



Second, it was fun to watch as members of the family stepped in to fill gaps here and there, cleaning dishes, or preparing drinks, or making a quick run to the store for some missing supply. All to contribute to make the total experience the best possible. Those folks never get thanked. Kind of like St. Andrew, whom we remembered at Mass today (see, I did pay some attention). Andrew is mentioned at the very beginning of the story of Jesus, alongside his more well known brother,   >>>>>   

Thanksgiving ABC's 2010

Each year, I set aside an afternoon to slow down and consider 26 specific people, things, or experiences for which I am most grateful. These are my ABC's of Thanksgiving.



In fact, all my family does this so that we do not miss Thanksgiving in the rush to Wal-Mart to begin shopping for Christmas. We share some of our ABC's around the dinner table to grow forward in gratitude. I invite you to try it. It works!



Here is this year's list



A - Auburn-haired girls. They will be glad to be at the top of the list.



B - Beyonce. Her music has made my workouts more peppy this year.



C - Curly headed wives. Very nice to wake up next to in the morning.



D - Daily Mass. The Eucharist every day. Who could ask for anything better?



E - Excellent work of the team at the Murphy Harpst Children's Center. They excel in helping the most broken children heal from sexual abuse and trauma.



F -   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

Thanksgiving in a Recession

Thanksgiving does not ask you for much. No gifts to buy. No decorations to hang. No parties to attend. No egg nog to mix. Just gratitude.



Even then, Thanksgiving still may be a good test for you this year. Thanksgiving in a prolonged recession? Thanksgiving when so many friends are unemployed? Thanksgiving in a year when anger seems to be the emotion at hand?



Yes, Thanksgiving. Gratitude. An attitude of your spirit that says, " I will always receive as a gift whatever life gives or provides." An attitude of your heart that says, "Life is enjoyed most when complaining is found least."



It is just a week away. Make ready now - write down three things or persons today that you are grateful for. Then repeat again tomorrow and each day until Thanksgiving arrives. Be amazed at how blessed your life is once you take time to mention each day three unique things that fill your heart with gratitude. I will begin my list   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

Mail Bag

Nothing fills up in the email inbox and my Facebook page like the subject of torture and whether it is ever right. Bush's new book has reopened the conversation, particularly in regards to waterboarding.



I made my thoughts clear on the show last week.



Here are two strong responses, one agreeing and one...well, not so much.



Allen,

I'm an Air Force retiree and I only qualify myself as such because I want you to understand that I'm familiar with the Law of Armed Conflict and the Geneva Conventions.



Now, I agree with you on so many levels that torture shouldn't be used against those held as POW's, but I do offer one thought I'd like you to consider in your search for reason:



Under the LOAC, when an enemy fires on an opposing force from a protected site like a hospital or mosque, that facility loses it's protection. The key is that this war has become so politicized that our troops have even been forced to get   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

Important Week

Will be in Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill this week for the North Carolina Children's Hospital Radio-thon. Partnering with our friends at WPTF.



I will be broadcasting live from there on Wednesday and Thursday night. You can help improve the life of a child by sharing in the online auction. Good stuff - Hank Williams, Jr. signed guitar, Chris Paul autographed shoes, and memorabilia from the Black Crowes.   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

A Salute to Edward S

Veterans' Day 2010.



And I just finished reading the story of Marine Cpl. Todd Nicely, one of only three soldiers to survive as a quadruple amputee after an attack. He recently received his medal for valor. Amazing man.



Yesterday, I learned that my long-time friend, Edward, had passed away. I knew Edward since he attended the first church I ever pastored. At the time, Edward still tended his dairy farm alongside his wife and family. He was a large, strong, vigorous man. Hands as large as encyclopedias. And a quiet, warm, winsome spirit. Not many words. Just lots of grace.



I learned yesterday that Edward was one of the countless American soldiers who landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944. In the years I knew him, he never mentioned that. It just was not his style. I knew he had served in WWII   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

Bush and torture

In his new book, President Bush says he does not regret waterboarding and that doing so prevented a terror attack in London. British authorities say that is not the case.



Most experts agree that waterboarding is torture. Torture is wrong. That is why it is illegal. Always. We are better than   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

2 Reasons to Watch TV

With our show being broadcast live on weeknights for the past year, my television consumption has diminished considerably. In fact, my entire daily clock has been re-engineered, and I am just now finding a rhythm with less TV, and more prayer and exercise. those are good, but I still need to figure out where in my newly re-designed day I can make time to write productively. That gap still bothers me.



Anyway, in spite of reduced TV viewing, my wife and I still make time for two shows each week. She TIVO's them, and then we watch together after I get home from my show shortly after midnight.



1) The Middle - this sitcom about a Midwestern family with three kids is easily the best written show of the past decade. Better than Friends. Better than Scrubs. Better than anything you can conceive of. Clean humor, great casting, and riotous insight into the life of a normal American family. Sue, the middle child, is the highlight.   >>>>>   Read Entire Post

The Bitter Pill

On Monday night's show, I mentioned this piece by Timothy Reichert in First Things regarding the pill. It seems particularly relevant given Sen. Barbara Mikulski's push for ObamaCare to subsidize heavily or even give away the birth control pill as "preventive health care." As if pregnancy were a disease or an illness.



Contrary to popular opinion (with the media's ignorance of social data), the birth control pill actually harms women and children and places a greater economic burden on them. More single moms, fewer marriages, lower expectations of men, more illegitimate children, more adultery, more divorces, and more abortions. Thus, more women and children living in poverty. All brought to you by the pill and its miraculous promise of sexual liberty without consequences.



Reichert does a great job of bringing the data to bear to demonstrate the Mikulski's good (or not so good) intentions accomplish the exact opposite of what   >>>>>   Read Entire Post