I know you must be asking yourself what does the Absent Minded Professor have to do conservatism, Keith? However, if you watch towards the end, Professor Brainard is in court and and on the stand. He delivers a very good speech on fear. The Professor says basically he doesn’t understand how we had become a nation of people consumed with all kinds of fear.  I find this interesting since it was released in 1961.

Today we live in a dangerous and troubled world.  We hear of terror attacks, wars, and natural disasters almost every time we turn on our TV or computer.  We have leaders telling us the economy will recover while at the same time using America’s financial difficulties  as an opportunity to take over  auto makers and banks.

What are the dangers of becoming a nation of people consumed by fear?  One need only to look to the rise of the fascist movement and Adolph Hitler to power in post World War I Germany.  When people are afraid they look for someone to ease their fear even if at times they have to give up some of their freedom from government intrusion.

This is where a lot of people are in America today. They will gladly give up some of their freedom in exchange for a promise of security.  It is in this way that a nation is brought low and may even fail.

The Old Testament contains the story of Moses sending spies into the promised land to scout out the people and the lay of the land. Of the twelve spies that were sent out, ten came back with an attitude of fear.  Only two come back with a positive report.  As a result, the people of Israel become filled with fear and end up wondering in the wilderness for forty years. This is a prime example of what happens when a people or nation become consumed with fear.

America is on the verge of this same type of destructive fear.  I know there are plenty of reasons to become consumed with fear.  However, if we are to survive as a nation, we must overcome our fears and protect our freedom no matter what the cost may be.

Deut. 20:3-4 says:

“Today you are about to engage in battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, alarmed, or terrified because of them. For the Lord your God is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”

In these time of turmoil and uncertainties in America, I find great comfort in this passage.  We must not let fear, alarm, or terror consume us as individuals or as a people.  Instead we need to rest in the thought that our Lord is along side us ready to fight for us and to bring us victory over our enemies.

Once we put aside fear and stop being fainthearted we can become effective in the fight to restore our freedoms. This is the only way we will stop this nation from being destroyed by fear.  We must each of us discover a new boldness in facing our challenges. It is a time to stop letting our fears hold us back from speaking out and taking a stand. I don’t know what you will choose to do, but as for me I am going to continue to engage in the battle for our nation without fear.

That said, it was great to see the parade alive and in full swing this year! The grand scale of it all, the balloons, the bands, the floats, everything about the magic and tradition of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has such a meaning to America. It harkens back to a different era.

So why is this brought up in a political column? The Macy’s Parade is a symbol, a physical manifestation of positive attitudes about America and Capitalism and a statement that we have things worth celebrating. It’s expensive.  It has no functional value – it’s not some widget that does. It is celebration for the sake of celebration.

When we look at the founding fathers, they were well-rounded men who valued humanity in that grand philosophical/religious sense.  They believed in beauty for the sake of beauty and celebrated life even in the harshest of times, times a good deal harsher than our current economic downfall.

The Founders believed in the intangible and that belief drove America to expand and advance.  Without celebration, without art, without beauty, the human spirit withers and dies, awash in a florescent haze.

That’s where liberalism takes us.

In most stories it is the “Conservative Businessmen” that catches the stereotype as being a functional, practical, cold, calculating, cultural black hole. But take a closer look at political correctness. Take a look at the “culture of compassion” that routinely ignores aesthetic in the mission to “help people.”  When a work of art is purchased by a nation, a company, or an individual, how many times have liberals said “Think of how much good that money could have done for humanitarian causes; instead it was wasted on art.”

This from the group of people so vehemently pushing government funding for arts and culture.

Hypocrisy aside, it is events like the Macy’s day parade that expand quality of life and allow people to enjoy SOMETHING. Events, celebrations, art, these things not only give life color and flavor; they give life meaning.

Without celebration, without beauty, without fun, the human spirit collapses.

In this down-economy-holiday, we are continually tempted to look to the negative. Many things won’t be as large or extravagant as in the past.  But the slow economic times will not last forever.  This is America and America Conservatism held the promise of “Hope” long before it was hijacked in the 2008 campaign.
This Christmas, take heart in the beauty that is the holiday season and see hope in every sight and symbol.  When times are hard it is our hope and vision for a brighter future that allows us to endure.  Revel in the beauty as a symbol of hope and enjoy the knowledge that America will endure as long as it keeps its sights set on tomorrow.  Enjoy the Season in all its glory.  That is what the Founders would expect!

I was going to do a big post on Google Wave for everyone, but since it is Thanksgiving, I was lazy and did not get around to it.   So, since it is Thanksgiving, I thought I would do a post from and email that I got from Chad.  (Normally this would be on my Friday Post, but since it is Thanksgiving, I thought it would be appropriate)

Our family prayers always include the protection of our troops and our country’s leaders, the hand of God over our country, and the children everywhere who never have a joyous feast, and go to bed hungry almost every night.

This year, I cannot utter a prayer for Barack Obama’s policies to be successful – because to do so, is to abandon all founding principles of this great Nation. Do I ask that the heart of this administration be changed? Do I ask for the miracle of a successful impeachment? I will be asking for both.

Most presidential speeches from years past, at this time of the year, are about the tradition of Thanksgiving, but two of our U.S. presidents issued proclamations that speak to the jeopardy we are in today:

In 2001, just two months after 9-11-01, President George W. Bush talked about defending the enduring principles of freedom that form the foundation of the Republic, and reminded us that “despite great adversity” we “always have reason to hope and trust and in God.”

On Thanksgiving Day in 1961, President John F. Kennedy spoke of “the productivity of our farms, the output of our factories, the skill of our artisans, and the ingenuity of our investors,…and “those millions who live without the blessings of liberty and freedom.”

Today, our farms, factories and investors are torn asunder. With government regulations, mandates, unions, and the maneuvering of a greedy political body in Washington, D. C., America’s industry in almost all sectors is struggling to survive, and even a rout in the 2010 elections are not likely to tamp-down the political corruption.

In 1963, JFK suggested that we offer thanks for “the ideals of honor and faith we inherit from our forefathers – for the decency of purpose, steadfastness of resolve and strength of will….” We have incredible resolve and strength of will on the Democrat side of the aisle.

We see, in the resolve to push a health care program, no temptation to tell the truth about these Bills, or to listen to voters. We see politicians being bought-off with hundreds of million of taxpayers dollars – your money and mine, to one state, and probably more to come, for a vote of ‘yea’ on this obscene bill. Where is the decency of purpose in Congress today?

In the time of JFK, we did take for granted, the ideals of honor and faith. Today, Congress has no honor. Today, there is no decency of purpose in the hallowed halls of Capitol Hill, with the exception of a few who began beating back Socialism and Marxism far too late. In the Time of Obama, we face a dire future with a president wanting to control everything, take everything and worst of all, get inside the minds of our children.  We have our work cut out for us and much is at stake. I leave you with the words of President Bush: we must “defend the enduring principles of freedom,” and “we always have reason to hope and trust in God,” and to lighten the mood on this day…a very funny video (borrowed from Cao’s Blog). Thanksgiving blessings to you and yours.

‘Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances, with any portion of the foreign world.

George Washington, Farewell Address, September 19, 1796

Click here to view the embedded video.