Sacred

 Set apart. Holy.

Is the United States Constitution sacred? 

In a civil sense, the United States Constitution is indeed sacred. Not because the words are inherently divine, unalterable, and worshipful. Though crafted brilliantly, it was not without fault.

What makes this document sacred is not its articles and subsequent amendments, but the place of these magnificent words in the minds and hearts of its citizens.

In the midst of the struggle for independence and in the year that the Colonies would declare their freedom from the Crown, that great wordsmith Thomas Paine expressed what so many felt when he wrote in Common Sense:

“[that] the world may know, that so far as we approve of monarchy, that in America the law is king. For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king; and there ought to be no other.”

When the Constitution would be created eleven years later, the framers would include an oath not as it had been with the mother country — “ I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty …” — but instead an oath to our “King”.

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

This formal acknowledgement that the rule of law was supreme only holds power to the extent that hearts and minds believe, accept, and demand it.

When Scalia was before the Senate seeking confirmation to the highest court he said this, echoing the father of the Constitution, Madison (who said the Constitution was just a parchment barrier):

“Because the amendments [Bill of Rights], by themselves, do not do anything. The Russian constitution probably has better, or at least as good guarantees of personal freedom as our document does. "

What is the real difference? why was the Soviet Constitution empty, and the United States Constitution full?







Americans actually believe and demand they be applied to all from the weakest citizen to the strongest. Though we pursue it imperfectly, it is the rule of law (as ultimately expressed in the Constitution), that we do in fact pursue.






So when we have a President who disobeys our law, as Nixon did in the 1970s, "We the people " demand that even the supreme executive must bow the knee to our true king.






Through so many centuries, kings were held as sacred, holy and ruling by the “grace of God” or by His authority. The true revolution of America 230 years ago was that no, the King was not sacred.

The rule of law as ultimately expressed in our Constitution was sacred.

Seven Sons

All night I've wrestled Jacob's angels
And prayed with Matthew, Luke and John

Struggling to find the words when I face the 

task that comes at the 

 Blood red dawn.

I've buried men before their time
Of alcohol and blackened lung
But how to bury seven of these
Appalachian miners' sons?





They stormed the beaches wave on wave,
they have sailed home to these rocky graves,
to family plots that bear their names.

Tomorrow I'll walk up seven hillsides 

Tremble before my flock on seven hillsides

Seven sorrows, seven sons, seven mothers and every one

Will turn to me for the word of God.

What does this mean?

There I'll stand, good book in hand,

A shepherd to these precious lambs.

What will I say?

What can I say?

The time has come to keep the faith

For others shattered by their loss.

Remind them of the loving God

Whose son, like theirs, paid the cost

To save a sad and wicked world

Through sacrifice, our love is heard.

And I pray that they believe those words.

Tomorrow I'll walk up seven hillsides

Tremble before my flock on seven hillsides

Seven sorrows, seven sons, seven mothers and every one

Will turn to me for the word of God

What does this mean?

Dear God, what does this mean?

Based on lyrics by an unknown sorrow filled author in memory of the 38 West Virginia soldiers who died on D-Day.

Winston Lodge Alexander, McDowell County

James O Boggess, Kanawha County

David E. Casto, Nicholas County

Donald G. Colangelo, Mingo County

Darius W. Crites, Upshur County

Joe DiCiuccio, Raleigh County

Jasper N. Elswick, Roane County

Curtis C. Feathers, Preston County

Jesse M. Hawkins, no home county identified

Elsworth M. Heck, Cabell County

Martin V. Hughes, Kanawha County

Edward L. Jones, Wood County

Alva Jackson Night, Braxton County

Eston C. Kuhn, Barbour County

James D. Lake, Braxton County

Bernard H. Lipscomb, Doddridge County

John Manfredi, Barbour County

Charles H. Manning, Hancock County

Conrad Cecil Mason, Ohio County

John Hobert Mathews, Pocahontas County

Charles G. McCalvin, Logan County

Jamie Edgar McComb, Pocahontas County

John Burk McCue, Monongalia County

Vernon C. McDaniel, Berkeley County

Norman G. Miller, Harrison County

William L. Mollohan, Jr., Kanawha County

Louis F. Nesci, Mineral County

Shirley J. Phillips, Randolph County

John Henry Shreves, Harrison County

William H. Smith, Raleigh County

Floyd Spiker, Preston County

Max L. Stemple, Preston County

Robert Charles Stonebraker, Harrison County

Raymond L. Winebrener, Mason County

Benjamin F. Winn, McDowell County

Benjamin H. Wirtz, Mercer County

Robert L. Wolverton, Randolph County

Still Standing

The recent upheaval concerning the professional football player refusing to stand for the national anthem (Colin Kaepernick) got me thinking about patriotism and America. 

Symbols often have deep meaning for many people across all walks of life.The American flag and national anthem hold such a position for millions of Americans, myself included. To not stand is to itself symbolically say, "NO". 

Not just "no" to particular policies, but really "no" to the country itself. 

The colors in the flag are themselves symbolic. The red is representative of the "hardiness and valor" in the country or - for many - the blood that has been shed to create and preserve the country.

I continue to have significant issues with and concerns about the future of America, but I have always stood in respect for the blood that has been shed so that even people like Mr. Kaepernick are free to disrespect the country. Blood shed like this from people who -interestingly - did it directly or indirectly to free people of color from slavery:

“The men rose up and dashed eastward through the open fields and along the railroad cut. Color-Sergeant John Hinchcliff, whom a fellow soldier described as “a Swede, six feet two, fair haired, blue eyed,” offered a conspicuous target as he attempted to escape with the flag. He was struck by several bullets and killed instantly. Sergeant William Wybourn, known as “a brave Irish lad,” rushed back and pulled the blood-soaked standard from underneath Hinchcliff’s lifeless body.

Lieutenant Pierce narrated the remarkable conclusion of the incident: “I climbed up the rocky face of the cut, on the south side, and made my way with many of our men across the meadow between the railroad cut and the Chambersburg Pike, crossed the pike into a small peach orchard, and I overtook the colors in the hands of Sergeant William A. Wybourn. Just as I joined him he received a shot, and fell on the colors as if dead. I tried to remove the colors, but he held to them with true Irish grit. I commanded him to let go, and to my surprise he answered, ‘Hold on, I will be up in a minute,’ rolled over and staggered to his feet and carried them all through the fight, and was commissioned for his courage.”

Battle of Gettysburg

Patriotism, though, is something that has to be voluntary, something that has to be freely expressed and not forced. To force patriotism would be for America to cease to be America. Back in 1989, there was a case that reached the Supreme Court, Texas v Johnson. It was about a state law forbidding the burning of the American flag. The Court ruled this law unconstitutional and said these good words.

"The way to preserve the flag's special role is not to punish those who feel differently about these matters. It is to persuade them that they are wrong.

 The remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence.

 And, precisely because it is our flag that is involved, one's response to the flag-burner may exploit the uniquely persuasive power of the flag itself. We can imagine no more appropriate response to burning a flag than waving one's own, no better way to counter a flag burner's message than by saluting the flag that burns, no surer means of preserving the dignity even of the flag that burned than by -- as one witness here did -- according its remains a respectful burial.

 We do not consecrate the flag by punishing its desecration, for in doing so we dilute the freedom that this cherished emblem represents."

I will stand and be counted among those who still respect the country, even with all its imperfections.

I will also stand in defense of Mr. Kaepernick’s right to disrespect the flag and the country it represents and in so doing prove to him that we -and he -

are still free.

Raised Too Right

Summer 2016

"Well, it's down to two candidates now. Hillary or Trump. Not a big fan of Trump, but I hate Hillary."

As I sat comfortably on the couch listening to my dad, I started to think. My father and I have never shied away from respectful disagreements. I continued the conversation.


"I could never vote for her either, but I don't know about Trump, Dad," I said. "He openly advocates for bribery, lies, and treats people despicably. He is a scoundrel and is just plain corrupt."



Dad settled into his favorite chair and sighed. "Sometimes you just have to choose the lesser of two evils. Trump is bad, but he is better than Hillary."

As he continued talking about the evils of Hillary Clinton, I started to stare out the window. My mind wandered back to my childhood...

Summer 1974

On the floor of our postage sized little house, I was playing with my matchbox cars and building a racetrack for my favorite Porsche to race on.  Dad stood up to adjust the rabbit ears on the TV.

"It's official. President Nixon has resigned. The Watergate scandal has finally caught up with the President. After his Vice-President resigned last year due to bribery and extortion charges, the extent of the corruption is now complete in the White House..."

"What a mess," my dad said. " How can we have leaders so crooked? How does this happen?"

Summer 1984

Sitting at the dinner table, Mom passes the bowl of fresh green beans over to me as Dad talks about my brother's 'friends'.  The horrific accident from the prior year has left him debilitated but still resilient. His largest struggle might be the 'friends' who have been making fun of him lately. My dad has zero tolerance for such people.

"You can tell a lot about a person by how he treats people who are handicapped. We don't need those kind of people in our life and anywhere for that matter.

They are the true scum of the earth."

Fall 1984

As my parents are unloading my luggage and getting me settled into my dorm room at a conservative university, I can tell Dad is wanting to sit down and talk. I stop moving and sit.

"I know this school is strict. They are that way for a reason, though. We have talked about the evils of the modern world, what with moral relativism so big. 'It all depends on the situation,' they say. 'Sometimes you have to do the wrong thing if the situation calls for it.' Don't believe it. Don't sacrifice your conscience for such nonsense. I am just a simple man, but I know the truth. These people will help you understand these things even better."

Spring 1987

"Do right! Even if the stars fall, do right!"

The words of the university's founder ring out loudly through the auditorium.

The speaker is playing an old recording of his famous sayings. He continues with another old recording.

"It is never right to do wrong, even to get a chance to do right!" 

Fall 1998

"I can't believe it." my dad growled as we sat around the living room over Thanksgiving watching the Detroit Lions play again.

 "I cannot believe how the country just ignores this whole Lewinsky affair. The man cheats on his wife--in the White House no less-- lies about it, and the country lets him off the hook. Doesn't anybody care any more? What has happened to the morals of this country?! If a man cheats on his wife and lies, what do you think he will do with the country?"

"Christians care," I said.

 "Yeah, but that's it." he quickly countered. "If we stop caring, there will be nothing left to stop the devil."

Summer 2016

"Aren't you listening?" my dad snaps me back to the present.

"I'm sorry," I muttered. "I just don't think I can vote for Trump."

"What? You have to."

"I respect your judgment more than anything, but I just can't."

Grimacing with disappointment, he said,

"Did I somehow raise you wrong?"

I dropped my head thinking,

No, Dad. You raised me too right...

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 22:6

The Court of Public Opinion

Just how damaging will be the recent email scandal on Hillary Clinton?

Sadly, not likely to be very damaging.

The degradation of the bedrock principle of the rule of law first caught my ire in this situation, but upon reflection something deeper troubles me more.


What troubles me more than the court of law is the court of public opinion. 

FBI Director Comey was presented with a situation in which he could go forward and recommend prosecution (he had strong evidence) but he did not have a bullet proof case. When dealing with high public officials bringing a charge itself would be fatal. By the time the case would run its course, even if not convicted, the candidate would have been destroyed.

So what to do? 

He could have given the Department of Justice the information and they no doubt would have issued a statement making Clinton look like a falsely accused martyr.


No, instead, he quietly and with no advance notice issued the public statement himself. He listed in damning detail the failures of Clinton while noting he did not have the air tight case needed to recommend prosecution.


When Congress erupted in anger and demanded explanations, he promptly appeared the next day and directly answered pointed questions with pointed answers showing to the entire American public the liar and low character person Hillary Clinton is. The firebrand US Representative from South Carolina, Trey Gowdy, provided the pointed questions:

Gowdy: Secretary Clinton said she never sent or received any classified information over her private e-mail, was that true?

Comey: Our investigation found that there was classified information sent.

Gowdy: Secretary Clinton said there was nothing marked classified on her e-mails sent or received. Was that true?

Comey: That's not true. There were a small number of portion markings on I think three of the documents.

Gowdy: Secretary Clinton said "I did not e-mail any classified information to anyone on my e-mail there was no classified material." That is true?

Comey: There was classified information emailed.

Gowdy: Secretary Clinton used one device, was that true?

Comey: She used multiple devices during the four years of her term as Secretary of State.

Gowdy: Secretary Clinton said all work related emails were returned to the State Department. Was that true?

Comey: No. We found work related email, thousands, that were not returned.

Knowing he could not proceed in a court of law he proceeded to the Court of public opinion.


Better to note publicly the failures of the official (as he did) and the public surely will in turn seek out an official with higher personal character.

The problem is that many Americans simply do not care.

Democrats are so committed to the implementation of their desired policies, so committed to the defeat of Donald Trump that they will elect with open eyes a candidate with low personal character.


But before any Republicans can puff out their moral chests and pound it with pharisee-like arrogance, consider:



Which candidate with low personal character are you so committed to that you likewise simply do not care?

Where stands the soul of America?

“Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their [government]. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the [government]…. If the next centennial does not find us a great nation … it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.”

James Garfield

The Sound of Silence

Whether it is the deep growl of my old 302,

the rolling roar of a dark summer sky,

or the wind whipping through my hair as I ride down a long hill,

I enjoy so much of this life.

When the pleasures and thrills roll to a quiet stop in the still of the night, I find myself at peace and yet somehow uneasy with the sound of silence.

Slow at first, gradually increasing in intensity, the empty void becomes deafening. As I unconsciously rise, I find myself gazing into the immense starry sky.

So scanty my pleasures, so small my life, so short my existence.

Why am I reaching to the sky?

"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” 

C.S. Lewis

The Flip Side of the Coin

Back in 1993, the Trump Plaza hotel and casino were looking to expand. 

Just a little.

Just a small limousine parking lot. 




In the process of buying several nearby properties, they encountered a problem. Three nearby owners, including an elderly widow named Ms. Coking, refused to sell. 

No matter how much he offered, she was not interested. Ms. Coking had lived there for decades and the property held sentimental value to her.

 No deal.

Donald Trump, it has been said, does not take no for an answer. If someone or something is in his way, if the widow would not sell, he would force her. He turned to a government agency and was interestingly able to persuade them to use eminent domain to take it.

Eminent domain allows for governments to take private property and use it for necessary public use. Roads, hospitals, bridges, etc. Private property was considered sacred by the Founders, so they mandated (Fifth Amendment) it must only be taken for public use. One might be hard pressed to explain how a limousine parking lot for a casino could be considered public use but the Constitution is not something of great concern to Donald Trump.

While his efforts against the old widow would ultimately be stymied by the Courts, he had demonstrated a willingness to use any means to achieve his goals.

How could he persuade a government official to use eminent domain to get him a limousine parking lot?  Years later when running for President, he would be accused of "buying" or bribing government officials. Remarkably, he would brazenly admit to it. With pride.

Many of his supporters have considered the open bribery he has employed as irrelevant since after all he was doing the bribing and was not the one being bribed. Two sides of the same coin as it were, but unlike the politicians, he only operated on the one side of the bribery coin.

He was self-funded. Invulnerable!

He would, in fact, make this a staple of his stump speech.

For example, in January in South Carolina while campaigning he said this:

"What’s happened is all of this money is being given to them [government officials] by special interests, by all of these people, including lobbyists, and these lobbyists make our leaders do — our leaders, can you believe our leaders? This is what — but they make the leaders of our country do things that they don’t even want to do because they’ve given them tens and tens and tens of millions of dollars."

The day after effectively winning the nomination for the Republican party on May 3, he suddenly discovered he would need more money in the general election than even he had. As a result, he announced he would begin to solicit funds for his general election campaign.

No longer self-funded.

He would instead begin the process of asking for money on a large scale. He would have to begin opening his extensive Rolodex and start making those phone calls asking for large contributions.

Quietly, with downplayed fanfare, the bribery coin had been flipped over. 

Not to fear --- we all know Donald Trump is a man of high character. 

We all know he could never be bought.

"The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

US Constitution Article II section 4