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Some Liberal web sites went nuts about what I wrote. Now see what is happening in the UK:

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From the UK's Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1031611/Sharia-law-SHOULD-used-Britain-says
-UKs-judge.html)

Sharia law SHOULD be used in Britain, says UK's top judge

By Steve Doughty

The most senior judge in England yesterday gave his blessing to the use of sharia law to resolve disputes among Muslims.

Lord Chief Justice Lord Phillips said that Islamic legal principles could be employed to deal with family and marital arguments and to regulate finance.

He declared: 'Those entering into a contractual agreement can agree that the agreement shall be governed by a law other than English law.'

In his speech at an East London mosque, Lord Phillips signalled approval of sharia principles as long as punishments - and divorce rulings - complied with the law of the land.

But his remarks, which back the informal sharia courts operated by numerous mosques, provoked a barrage of criticism.

Lawyers warned that family and marital disputes settled by sharia could disadvantage women or the vulnerable.

Tories said that legal equality must be respected and that rulings incompatible with English law should never be enforceable.

Lord Phillips spoke five months after Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams suggested Islamic law could govern marital law, financial transactions and arbitration in disputes.

The Lord Chief Justice said yesterday of the Archbishop's views: 'It was not very radical to advocate embracing sharia law in the context of family disputes'.

He added there is 'widespread misunderstanding as to the nature of sharia law'.

Lord Phillips said: 'Those who are in dispute are free to subject it to mediation or to agree that it shall be resolved by a chosen arbitrator. There is no reason why principles of sharia law or any other religious code should not be the basis for mediation or other forms of dispute resolution.'

Lord Phillips said that any sanctions must be 'drawn from the laws of England and Wales'. Severe physical punishment - he mentioned stoning, flogging or amputating hands - is 'out of the question' in Britain, he added.

Lord Phillips' speech brought protests from lawyers who fear women could be disadvantaged in supposedly voluntary sharia deals.

Barrister and human rights specialist John Cooper said: 'There should be one law by which everyone is held to account.

'Well-crafted laws in this country, drawn up to protect both parties including the weak and vulnerable party in matrimonial break-ups, could be compromised.'

Resolution, the organisation of family law solicitors, said people should govern their lives in accordance with religious principles 'provided that those beliefs and traditions do not contradict the fundamental principle of equality on which Britain's laws are based.'

Spokesman Teresa Richardson said religious law 'must be used to find solutions which are consistent with the basic principles of family law in this country and people must always have redress to the civil courts where they so choose.'

Robert Whelan, of the Civitas think tank, said: 'Everybody is governed by English law and it is not possible to sign away your legal rights. That is why guarantees on consumer products always have to tell customers their statutory rights are not affected.

'There is not much doubt that in traditional Islamic communities women do not enjoy the freedoms that they have had for 100 years or more in Britain.

'It is very easy to put pressure on young women in a male-dominated household. The English law stands to protect people from intimidation in such circumstances.'

Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve said: 'Mediation verdicts which are incompatible with our own legal principles should never be enforceable. One of the key aspects of our free society is equality. This should be understood and respected by all.'

The Ministry of Justice said: 'English law takes precedence over any other legal system. The Government has no intention of changing this position. Alongside this, it is possible to resolve civil law dispute by other systems.' "
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Seriously, if the UK goes this way, they deserve for their culture and country to die. Maybe that is why about 200,000 European Britons emigrate every year - to get out while they can. This Century is going to be as awful as the last one for terrible wars - unless the Europeans come back to Christ - and soon. Even then, there may be terrible conflicts with the Muslims.]]> General http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=604 Thu, 3 Jul 2008 20:25:22 -0500 http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=603
Consider what needs to be done in Hampton Roads/Tidewater. The Regional Government that special interests pushed since 1997 gives the legislative powers to make up rules and tax, the executive powers to administer projects, and judicial powers to adjudicate disputes to an appointed body. That kind of taxation without representation is why the Virginia Supreme Court ruled HB 3202. And, such a scheme for Regional Government isn’t even needed.

The tasks being hustled in last year’s HB 3202 and this year’s HB 6055 are major building projects – that actually INCREASE congestion. Except, of course, the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (HRBT) was added to HB 6055, but not as the priority. Major construction projects don’t require a new level of government. Virginia has built roads, railroads, canals, ports, airports, bridges, tunnels, and subways for 400 years without an extra level of government .

In the last decade additional lanes were added to the marvelous Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT). A Commission, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Commission (CBBTC), managed the successful construction. The CBBTC manages the profitable operation and maintenance of the CBBT.
Why can’t the CBBTC or a new Commission build all of the proposed crossings of the James and Elizabeth Rivers? Likewise, commission-like transportation corridors can be established for the inland major works .

Commissions provide an executive function only. They build the projects. They can’t tax. Their funding is established by the General Assembly – including their ability to sell bonds. They have accountability and oversight. They can’t adjudicate their own disputes without any review.

The appointees to a commission may make poor or wrong choices. All people are fallible. That is why we have checks and balances in government – except in the bad Republican bills for Regional Government. Commissions can’t be as corrupt, or take as much money from taxpayers, as an unelected, unaccountable, unseparated powers Regional Government.

So, why do some Republicans keep pushing a new layer of government with new, higher taxes for transportation problems?

Why do some Republicans keep pushing a new layer of government with new, higher local taxes for infrastructure projects that profit special interests?

How does $120 million in the first year - with other people’s money to spend as politicians please – sound as an answer?
]]> General http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=603 Thu, 3 Jul 2008 14:42:35 -0500 http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=602
It’s wrong to covet the money of common people to make legislators' special interest contributors rich.

It’s wrong to steal hard-earned money that has nothing to do with transportation and spend it on transportation scheme that doesn’t even work.

It’s wrong to lie to Republican supporters every time legislators solemnly mouth the Virginia Republican Creed’s lines about limited government and lower taxes.

It’s wrong to discriminate among taxpayers and punish some people – based on where they live.

It’s pathetic, although not immoral, to lack the leadership to prioritize projects and just pay for what we can afford without raising taxes. Taxes matter. They eat capital and kill jobs.

The average family of four in Virginia works for about $51k ($83k in NoVa). That means less than $200.00 a month in real discretionary money. If that family with two working parents fills two cars with gas just twice a month, then – this year – they have lost half their discretionary income. (12 gal. x extra $2@ gal x 4 times = $96 @ month). Higher energy costs will continue to ripple through the economy and drive up all costs for heating, cooling, food – everything else.

So, where does our family find the extra $20 in the month when they have to register a car? What do they have to give up – or increase debt?

Republicans will be remembered for many Novembers to come as the greedy politicians who squeezed the folks who live in NoVa and HR/Tidewater. HB 6055 carries the Republican label when it piles on the average family just getting by – and seniors, the poor, young people starting out, and single parents.

Shame on tax and spend Establishment Republicans.

Hooah for straight and stalwart Republican Conservatives who serve their constituents.

Republicans should know better – by understanding economics. Republicans should know better – by following their own creed.

Virginia’s voters will see which Republicans simply ooze sincerity when call themselves Conservatives – and which Republicans understand their moral obligation to The People.

Lower taxes and limited government are moral, not political, positions for Republicans because they exercise free will to refrain from stealing, coveting, lying and enhance individual freedom and opportunity.
]]> General http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=602 Wed, 2 Jul 2008 10:01:03 -0500 http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=601
I'd never seen West Point before I went there. The day before my parents and one sister drove me up from Arlington. I walked the mile from the Hotel Thayer to area of the barracks and the Plain and back before dark. The next morning I left as soon as I could to start the day early. First of many mistakes.

It was very hot that day. My classmates and I look miserable in our ID photos. It was a very, very long day. The first of many in the old Beast Barracks. I didn't see my parents until CHRISTmas when I took my first plane ride to go home.

I wrote a very long piece about that summer and the Plebe System - as it was then - when VMI took in girls ten years ago. (Can't find it). What happened then, as sanctioned discipline, would be a national scandal today. The usual 2% or so of any college class who have break downs or try to kill themselves happened at the United States Military Academy. They all happened for each class during their first year - usually during the Summer. On purpose. The measure of a good Beast then was how many guys were run out. Nowadays it is how many new cadets stay.

I was 166 pounds at 6 feet tall on day one. On Labor Day I was down to 130 pounds - and I didn't have a tough Beast. Whatever we went through was acceptable as good training. Young men our age were dying at the rate of about 300 a week in Vietnam that year. The discipline was intended to make us better leaders of such young men in combat. The upperclassmen who screamed variations of that theme at us went to Vietnam. During my class's four years enough of them came back to be memorialized as little brass plates on a big wooden board that the Academy had to start a new one. The war was called off during my winter Ranger class in January 1973.

So, my class spent 20 years building a Cold War Army from an armed mob - and for another 10-15 years deploying that Army in the hot spots and three major conflicts for the new global order. And, of course classmates started Life After Army, each to his own, after 5 years of service - until now just a few are still serving today as General Officers.

We're the 'Bottom of the Barrel' class. There were 1244 slots for our class on July 1, 1968. Only 1244 young men were found fully qualified. No one was turned away. We are the only class in history to have this distinction. We graduated 822 out 1244 on June 7th, 1972.

There was something about stepping of the side of the earth on 1 July 1968 - and living in the isolation and total institution that was West Point then during such turbulent times. Something about choosing to do it. Staying with it as your High School friends turned on, dropped out, protested or served in Vietnam and came home shunned. The act of will, going against the tide of so many, choosing to stay with it - could be called hardcore. The underclasses directly below us may have other names for us. Whatever it was, it was certainly binding.

The last reunion - our 35th in 2007 - was exceptionally warm. And I laughed the whole weekend. The stories that amuse, amaze, repel and attract others tie us together. But, let me be frank.

I hated being there. One of the happiest days of my life was to graduate. I stayed for a couple of reasons. As an Army brat, I knew it would be better to serve as an officer than as a private - and I wanted to lead. And, I didn't want to leave my classmates. For those reasons it was worth it. But, it doesn't gloss over how much it really sucked.

Years later, I realized how much I grew up there. In at 17 and out at 21. Separated from all - everyone I know and everything normal - but my classmates, except for a couple of weeks in the Summer and CHRISTmas. So, these guys are my band of brothers.

I've lived life for 40 years. Lost loved ones. Had tragedy at home. Known crushing failure and real fear. Always,always worked hard. Faced the giants of challenges from my perspective in life. Been pushed to physical and mental exhaustion. Had painful injuries. But, nothing was like the cauldron of that Summer and long year to follow.

Late the first night, we went to the sweet air-conditioning of Thayer Hall and were allowed to 'fall out' and sit normally without 'bracing'. The First Captain talked to us about the Honor Code. The cadet chaplain, a civilian, the late James Ford (later chaplain of the U.S. Senate), spoke. His preaching was about "This, too, shall pass." I can hear his voice. He spoke to us personally. He encouraged us from the Bible. This too shall pass.

I learned to live "This too shall pass." It's a comfort when the times are tough. It's a reminder to laugh and love daily - in a moment if that is what is available. It's a caution against fear.

40 years later I count is as my gain to be counted as one with my classmates in the body that is the Class of 1972, United States Military Academy. Proud and True, '72.

Hooah.]]> General http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=601 Tue, 1 Jul 2008 23:03:47 -0500 http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=600
And, exceptionally boring to all, except those who can relate and, thus, gain from a few words illuminating the path of one lifetime.

Today, June 30th is the 40th anniversary of the day before the day I stepped off the edge of the earth. It was the last day of my upbringing, call it childhood, before I walked into the old gym at West Point.

My life is 17 plus years from birth to West Point, becoming a man at West Point, serving as a soldier, living Life After Army, and, someday, life in Heaven doing whatever is my joyful work there.

I could have divided life into before Christ and after, or before marriage and after, or before children and after, but all of those demarcations - as much as they are more important than I am - aren't the pieces of my life that gave them their context, color, depth, and motion for me.

I remember the heat of my high school graduation (Yorktown 68, Arlington, Virginia). I remember so many things from that last month before my world changed totally and forever for me.

40 years is mind boggling old, irrelevant, antiquated and obsolete - meaningless - to so many younger folks. To me it is indeed odd - the size of the number - but it is 40 years fresh, vibrant, alive, awake - meaningful - to me. And, I'd guess my peers and seniors.

I'll share more as I have time and inclination of 40 Years After.]]> General http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=600 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:18:53 -0500 http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=599
It's the common sense alternative to the political suicide of HB 6055.]]> General http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=599 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:05:32 -0500 http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=598
HB 6055 provides a shell fund and the“Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for new transportation construction projects in the Counties of Isle of Wight, James City, and York and the Cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg, as required by law; and then as determined by the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Planning Organization.” (Note: Some counties along the route of the 460 corridor are MISSING).

Let’s pretend that taxation without representation is no problem, so an HRTA or MPO Regional Government is the solution for transportation. Just pretend. Since almost all the same politicians and bureaucrats are appointed to the HR MPO, HRPDC and HRTA, it’s safe to assume that the planning for the big day to rule has been working since their first failed ballot initiative in 1998.

In the first year of operation (this year), the HRTA was supposed to get about $120 million in new and higher local taxes. Let’s see the Master Plan in a detailed schedule of what was to be done from Day One. Put it up on the web. Show The People the coordinating document – called a ‘horse blanket’ for Army projects. Put it up on the web.

Oh, the HRTA/MPO doesn’t have those details? Okay. How about the plan for just the first year? That would mean now – if they hadn’t been ruled un-Constitutional. Put that plan up on the web.

Let’s see the systems engineering ‘waterfall’ project schedule. Where is the complex work breakdown schedule?

What jobs are created? How much do they pay? What are the job specifications? What is the process to get hired? When is each job to be filled? Surely all of this is planned for the first year. Let’s see it up on the web.

Same for contracts. What contracts, for how much, to do what, when, with what consultants for the first year? Put it up on the web.

None of this above is a state secret. It’s a good show and tell for the good governance stewardship of public money. It’s establishing the public trust that the Regional Government isn’t the scam for power and money for local pols that it smells like.

I’ve worked on government contracts for almost 20 years. Whether the project is in the $10s of thousands or billions of dollars, contractors do a show and tell to account for every hour of labor and penny spent.

Why do we expect less from a Regional Government spending even more money? (2002 estimate was $18b, but it is more like $30-35b with the HRBT and inflation).

Why is okay for the politicians on the Regional Government to just make it all up as they go along? The challenge of building transportation projects is engineering and management – not representation or politicking.

The HRTA/MPO should show The People how much executive, management and engineering skill they possess – now. They’ve been planning since 1997. Aren’t they ready yet? Put it up on the web.

Show us how many trucks a day will go from the Port of Virginia to I-64 in the middle of Hampton. Please.

Show us how the MPO doesn't cover the full 460 corridor to connect with I-95.

Show us the estimate, again, on how many MORE miles of congestion we have with all your projects.

Show us your plan for the HRBT (the biggest congestion problem) – since you never had one before – and where it is in the priority to build.

Some Republicans in the General Assembly are betting the future of their Party on your readiness for good governance. Show and tell now. Put it all up on the web.
]]> General http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=598 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:25:41 -0500 http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=597
Coleman served for 3 years in the Navy during the Korean War. He was a baptized member of his church for 67 years. He worked at NASA for 35 years. He served his neighbors in the American Legion, Ruritan, and other civic organizations for more multiple decades.

He was married for 58 years and had three children and five grand children.

I've had the privilege of being his Sunday School teacher for almost 4 years.

Coleman's family filled almost a fourth of the sanctuary. There's been a lot of Moore's here for the past 400 years.

Coleman faced a number of physical trials before he died. He had asbestosis - probably from his time in the shipyard. He had heart ailments. Yet, he faced them with quiet courage.

Coleman looked like a gentle giant in his 70s. His voice was more gravy than gravel, but always the deep intonations of an old Tidewater accent. His eyes were unfailingly kind. He could get riled up about injustice or wrong, but would laugh quickly to set aside anger before it appeared really. He was a good man.

His empty chair is big in our little class room.

I teach the Senior Men. Go ahead and call us the Old Men's class. My students are in the 70s and 80s. When I was asked to teach them, I said sure, and questioned the Lord in prayer on what was this all about. What was I to learn here, because I didn't reckon I would be teaching them too much they didn't already know.

I have an idea now.

I see them go through dark days of real pain and suffering. I see them lose spouses and have grown children suffer life tragedies. I see them fret over grand-children.

The closest they come to complaining is to just say what hurts or has gone wrong matter-of-factly and be done. Period. Then they kid one another about being older. They like telling jokes.

They've worked hard all of their lives. They trust in the truth of the Bible. They believe in their Lord and Savior - the risen, living, Jesus Christ.

At the annual promotion Sunday for kids to go up a grade higher, we kid about there is only one way to get a promotion from our class. Feet first. Anybody feel like getting promoted today?

The first thing they said to me on my first day of teaching was, "We've out lived all of our other teachers."

I said, "Ok, so y'all will outlive me too. That's fine. Until then, I'm here to teach the Word."

Looks like one of my students left a little too soon. We'll see you soon enough, Brother Coleman. ]]> General http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=597 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:59:46 -0500 http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=596
Any member of the General Assembly could address the top priorities with a single bill.

The bill could set priorities as follows:
1. Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel
2. Port of Virginia/460 Corridor
3. Mid-town Tunnel

Provide funding through:
1. Fair share of transportation revenue from Hampton Roads - $50 to 100million a year.
2. User tax on containers/trucks coming through the Port.
3. Private-Public partnership to fund and lease facilities.
4. Tolls
5. Bonds

Tell VDOT to do it.

It doesn't require new taxes - other than the tolls. It can be done now. It could have been done any time in the past decade.

It doesn't require a Regional Government with taxing authority and new revenues.

When more revenue is available, consider other projects.]]> General http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=596 Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:33:03 -0500 http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=595
HB 6055 puts billions of dollars in the hands of the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) The con the Republican bill HB 6055 is running skips putting the money in the Un-Constitutional Hampton Roads Transit Authority but shoves it at the MPO. The MPO, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, and the Hampton Roads Transit Authority are the same people. They meet at the same time. The Republican shell game moves the new, higher taxes to the State Treasury in Richmond (as our Constitution requires) which dumps the money in a new holding account (professional thieves would use an off-shore bank), which sends the money to the MPO.

The MPO then manages the regional transportation projects for Hampton Roads/Tidewater. Unfortunately, the HR MPO has been cited as one of the worst functioning (meaning operating contrary to public law) MPOs in the Nation. The MPO is made up of appointed politicians representing the cities and counties and 4 big project advocacy representatives. HB 6055 adds more politicians.

These appointed officials will spend more than $30b. There is no oversight. No checks and balances. No separation of powers among the same body raising tolls, taking tolls, and spending tolls. That is taxation without representation – again.

The decision on what to build was made back in 1997. The construction of every project actually INCREASES congestion after completion. HB 6055 adds improvements to the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (HRBT), which would reduce congestion. But the HRBT isn’t on the MPO list nor Is it established in funding priority in HB 6055. It’s a fig leaf.

So, why do Republicans insist on creating the Regional Government in HB 6055 (the MPO now, not the HRTA) ?

It’s all about the money. $30 to 35 billion is too much to pass up.

The appointed officials on the Regional Government aren’t engineers. They aren’t executives who have managed billion dollar programs for profit-earning corporations. They bring absolutely no expertise – except how to spend other people's money on pet projects – to improve transportation.

So, the logic of HB 6055 is to give $35 billion dollars to politicians to hand out in contracts. The Un-Constitutional HRTA has already spent $200k. The first $50k went to Kaufmann and Canoles for legal services. Republican State Senator Ken Stolle is a partner with Kaufmann and Canoles. You can smell the rot even if you can’t see it yet.

Since the politicians of the MPO have no clue how to manage major engineering projects they will have to hire help. This is where you can see the pus oozing.

These politicians will have hundreds of millions of dollars from year one to hire staff, rent offices or build them, hire transportation, more legal services, pay for meals, run executive off-sites, conduct ad campaigns to re-educate the public, put in the latest IT equipment, provide security, hire lobbyists, conduct environmental studies, and, above all, pay six figure salaries to retired and failed politician friends as ‘consultants’.

Eventually, huge contracts for the actual engineering will be awarded without accountability oversight or checks and balances or adjudication for disputes.

The people who will make millions to billions in government contracts can afford to give tens of thousands of dollars to the politicians, or their friends or family or some other middle man. But, the corruption will be done the genteel Virginia way. No bags of money will change hands. Just the right folks will get the contracts. And there will be a lot of consultants – just the right folks again.

English-speaking People have built roads, ports, canals, bridges, ferries, railroads, airports, tunnels and subways in Virginia without Regional Governments for 400 years.

The People voted against Regional Governments with taxing authority in 1998.

The People rejected Regional Government, the projects and the taxes like HB 6055 in 2002 over 2:1. Polls indicate The People in Tidewater are against it about 3:1 today.

The Virginia Supreme Court ruled the Regional Government (HB 3202) Un-Constitutional in 2008.

There is no Constitutional, legal, technical, engineering, financial, moral, ethical or principled reason to have a Regional Government involved in building these big projects for HR/Tidewater. None.

Yet, Republicans are going to try it again. This pursuit of political power to control money and power is not a unique Republican condition. It is the way of the world. But, our Virginia Constitution is designed as a bulwark against such tyranny and thievery. Our Constitution distributes powers, authority and accountability appropriately - with no Regional Governments. However, it takes a vigilant public – and a press to do their duty to report news instead of shilling – to hold Virginia's politicians accountable.

It can be done. Ask my former Senator Marty Williams. It’s really a hard, painful, distasteful, disruptive fight within the Party.

The fact that this fight has to be fought within the Republican Party of Virginia exposes the source of the rot. Only a few Republican politicians can be counted on to represent The People in Hampton Roads/Tidewater – and vote ‘No’ reflexively to HB 6055. No to Regional Government because The People know it is a corrupt scam.

Few Republicans will vote Conservatively on their own. This is without mentioning the illogic and burden of new and higher local taxes, regressive taxes and taxes unrelated to transportation vs. the Republican Creed of Virginia. Or, the absence of project priorities to fund as you go.

Now, the elected Republicans will listen for voices to vote for HB 6055 and Regional Government between now and 9 July. Will they hear the special interests who will contribute thousands to politicians and gain millions in government spending or The People of Virginia? It depends on who speaks up.
]]> General http://americancivilization.net/index.php?itemid=595 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:52:08 -0500