Another Day at Planned Parenthood

      Several days ago I was made aware of a video which depicted a Planned Parenthood executive discussing in great detail the trafficking of fetal body parts for profit. Yesterday, a second video was released, showing the same thing. (Warning: these videos contain disturbing content.) To say that I was shocked would be a gross understatement. To say that I was surprised...well, hardly anything Planned Parenthood does surprises me anymore. These videos are just another incident in a long line of abuses by America's primary abortion provider. First there were Live Action's undercover stings that revealed that Planned Parenthood clinics had been aiding and abetting the sex trafficking of minors by allowing their abusers to cover their tracks by obtaining them secret abortions. Then we were horrified to learn that when asked, PP would accept donations specifically to fund the extermination of minority babies. Now this. In two separate cases (in order to ensure people couldn't claim this to be an isolated incident), Planned Parenthood employees openly discussed, in a matter of fact way that leads one to believe that this is not all that uncommon, the harvesting and sale of aborted babies limbs, organs, and tissue. How long before America realizes that this is not the exception, but the rule? How long before we realize that Planned Parenthood is a corrupt, greedy organization that cares little about anything except its own massive profits, all the while claiming a deep, abiding concern for women. If they care so much about women, then why are they so good at lying about all the botched abortion injuries and deaths that occur on their watch? Ironically, while Planned Parenthood claims nearly one billion dollars in net assets, and millions in annual revenue, it is still classified as a not-for-profit organization by the IRS, and receives over $500 million per year in government assistance. They claim that none of that money goes directly towards abortion, but any highschooler with half an understanding of accounting or economics could tell you that that's not how things work. In reality, our hard earned tax dollars are helping Planned Parenthood to end the lives of over 300,000 unborn children every year.
      As to be expected, the media is denouncing these videos as fake, or "cleverly edited." Not so fast. The Center for Medical Progress (the organization responsible for both videos) has subsequently released the full footage of both videos, which you can find here and here. Unbelievably, while Republicans have soundly denounced these actions and called for a thorough investigation, all that Democrats have done is to ask for an investigation of the organization responsible for the videos! It is confounding how far the media, and liberals as a whole, will go to defend and cover up for an organization that is so obviously corrupt. But then again, they have to defend their own agenda.
      Today, as I was holding my new baby brother, it hit me that organizations like Planned Parenthood are killing children not much smaller than him, and then selling their bodies. This new little life has only strengthened my conviction that abortion is the greatest evil this world has ever seen, and is the number one issue we must concentrate our efforts on.
      If you have not seen these videos, I strongly encourage you to watch them. If you are pro-life, they will only serve to strengthen your conviction of the evils of the abortion industry. If you are pro-choice, maybe these videos will open your mind to what is really going on. I can only hope that this latest revelation will make America realize the true nature of the abortion industry. The reality that abortion providers care little about women, and everything about money. Planned Parenthood's motto is "Care. No matter what." Perhaps they should reconsider and change it to "Money. No matter what." Because, honestly, the only ones they care about are themselves and their pocketbooks. Money is the only motivation behind something as disgusting as this. Hopefully this latest incident will not just be forgotten as depravities sometimes are in today's 24 hour news cycle. Hopefully something will finally be accomplished.

A Call to Action from Rick Santorum

     As my family and friends already know, I have had a very eventful last few weeks.  I haven't had the chance to tell everyone about everything that has happened, so I thought I'd put it all down in writing.

Mission Accomplished

     About two years ago I decided I wanted former United States Senator Rick Santorum to come and speak at my school, Benedictine College.  This was shortly after he withdrew from the 2012 Presidential race, after winning 11 states and over 4 million votes.  I have long been an admirer of the Senator.  As a Catholic and as an aspiring politician myself, I have been inspired by his dedication to his faith and to his country.  In particular, I appreciated his unwavering defense of the unborn.  During his four years in the House of Representatives and twelve years in the Senate, Rick Santorum became known as the foremost defender of life in Congress.  Thanks to his tireless efforts Congress passed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act and the Born Alive Infant Protection Act.  He boldly stood up against the likes of Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid, who were and are bent on preserving the so-called "right to choose."  In addition to his principled pro-life stances, Sen. Santorum proved himself as a friend of the American worker.  He styled himself as a "Blue Collar Conservative" and he has lived up to that title.  Pennsylvanians evidently agreed, as they elected him to two terms in the Senate, despite Pennsylvania being a mostly liberal state.  His fellow Republicans could learn a lot from his common-sense economic views and from his ability to reach out to blue-collar Democratic voters.  Anyway, after briefly meeting him at the March for Life in 2013, I thought I'd make an effort to get him to speak at Benedictine, and in particular speak to the Benedictine College Republicans.  I started emailing his staff without much success at first.  However, several months ago I was contacted by a regional director of Patriot Voices (Santorum's organization) who asked me if I'd like to volunteer.  After agreeing to do so I mentioned my desire to bring the Senator to BC.  Within a few days the wheels had been set in motion and soon a visit had been set up.  Needless to say, I was stunned.  After all, how often is it that a Presidential candidate visits a tiny private college, at the request of a student, no less?  I am extremely grateful to everyone at Patriot Voices who were so willing to help; his visit would not have been possible without the hard work and cooperation of his staff (who incidentally had to put up with me bugging them on and off for a year and a half).

The Future Leaders of America

     February 21, 2015 was the day set for Senator Santorum's visit to Benedictine College.  The rest of the Republican club and myself were lucky enough to have the full cooperation of President Minnis and the college administration to help make the event a success.  And a success it was!  Over 200 students and faculty showed up to hear the Senator's impassioned talk on religious liberty in America. Members of the Republican club had the exclusive opportunity to meet and speak with him before his talk, and he even signed a copy of his book for me.  It was almost surreal that he was finally here.

     As the Benedictine's newspaper, The Circuit, noted, Santorum "urged BC students to 'wake up' and fight or religious liberty in America before it is too late." And it really was a wake-up call.  He pleaded with us to not take our freedom for granted, and pointed to the German Christians who remained silent in the face of Nazism in the early 1930s as an example of just what can happen when good people don't stand up for what is right.  He said, "You could say, 'Well, that can't happen here.'  Oh really?  How many thought Jews would be leaving France after the holocaust?  How many thought Jews would have to leave France today because of anti-Semitism?  Disabuse yourself of that! That it can’t happen in America, or it can’t happen in this day and age. People are being crucified [by ISIS]! People are being beheaded! Wake up! It can only happen here if you let it happen here.”  Santorum's talk was a breath of fresh air.  I am constantly frustrated by my generation's lack of interest in politics and the governing of our country, and in particular, the lack of interest among young Catholics and Christians.  If the younger generations have no interest in these things, who is going to be running the country in twenty years?  Not conservatives, that's for sure.  And definitely not Christians.  As the Senator said, the other side is winning because they "want it more." "The other side wins because they don't give up. They fight. They fight every inch--they don't back away. They have the passion, and we’re complacent, because we’re defending turf—they want to take it. Ladies and gentlemen, the Bible says the gates of hell will not prevail against us. That means we’re on offense, not defense."  Well, we have to want it more than they do.  We have to go on the offensive; on the attack.  Our religious liberties are being torn down not by a majority of Americans.  No, most Americans want the freedom to worship as they please.  They are being destroyed by a very vocal and active minority.  A minority that is hell-bent on the complete erosion of religious liberty in America.  It is up to you and me to stop them.  And stop them we can.  But it has to start with each individual.  You can't just think someone else will do the dirty work for you.  No, that someone is you and me.  We have to wake up, and get to work!

Pretty cool, right?

     Later that night, I was privileged to be invited to a private event with the Senator for Patriot Voices' volunteers.  I got to sit in a room with 10 to 15 other people and listen to Rick Santorum talk all about the 2012 election and about what the GOP needs to do to win in 2016.  And this, most definitely, was a surreal experience.  Here I was, sitting in a chair right next to a man I had spent the last 3 years watching on TV and admiring from afar.  Now, he was literally two feet away from me giving us an inside glimpse of his campaign.  I'd like to say it was a dream come true, but I can't say that I'd ever thought something like this would ever happen.
     I have been incredibly blessed in my life, and especially in this last year.  I am beyond thankful to everyone who has contributed in any way to my successes.  My family, friends, and professors have been nothing but supportive and for that I owe them my thanks.  Obviously, the greatest gratitude goes to God.  It has become increasingly clear to me that someone is looking out for me.  God has blessed me far more than I deserve and I can only hope to live up to his expectations.  Ad majorem Dei gloriam.
     God bless you all, and God bless the United States of America.

P.S. Hopefully I will get a chance to write a post about my trip to CPAC soon!!!

Super Bowl XLIX: A Game of Greats

     As you all know, Super Bowl XLIX was a few weeks ago, featuring the perennially dominant New England Patriots and the defending champions, the Seattle Seahawks.  But this wasn't just any ordinary Super Bowl.  This might have been one of the best games in Super Bowl history.  Let's break down this game.

     First off, I'd just like to say that before the playoffs started, I predicted that New England would beat Seattle in the Super Bowl 27-24.  Turns out, I was only one point off.  Not bad.

     Secondly, let's look at the historical significance of this game.  It was relatively unique in the fact that it featured the two #1 seeds of the playoffs.  Since the seeding format was introduced in 1975, there have only been 10 Super Bowls to feature both top seeds. Interestingly enough, two of these times were the last two Super Bowls.  This game was also a matchup of two of the most successful postseason quarterbacks of all time.  Tom Brady has more playoff wins (21) than any other QB in NFL history, as well as more playoff touchdowns (53) and yards (7,345) than anyone else.  Oh, and he is also now tied with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for most Super Bowl wins of all time.  His opponent, Russell Wilson, has only been in the league for 3 years, but has already made a name for himself.  He has won 6 of his 8 playoff appearances, dazzling fans and opponents with his ability to extend and make plays, both on the ground and through the air, his never-say-die attitude, and his upbeat playing style.  He has firmly entrenched himself as the league's best dual-threat QB.  In a way, this game was a contest between the old and the new; the established veteran vs. the up and coming star.

     Another intriguing matchup this year was between the head coaches.  On one side was Bill Belichick, one of the greatest coaches in history.  On the other side was Pete Carroll, one of the NFL's most popular coaches, and one of the smartest football minds out there.  Interestingly enough, Carroll was New England's last head coach.  Again, this was a case of establishment vs. new comer (this is only Carroll's 4th year in the league, albeit in his second NFL stint).

     Last year Seattle's defense, the best in the league, and perhaps the best defense in modern NFL history, took on the Denver Broncos, a historically proficient offense.  While many people expected Seattle to prevail, no one could have imagined that they would put on one of the largest Super Bowl beat-downs in history, winning 43-8, over Peyton Manning.  This year, however, the Seahawks went up against a much more balanced team.  New England put together one of the NFL's best defenses this season, anchored by Darrelle Revis and their secondary.  Combining Revis with Brandon Browner, Dont'a Hightower, Devin McCourty, and rising star Jamie Collins, gave the Patriots one of the most formidable back sevens in the league.  This took some of the pressure off their somewhat suspect run defense.  As we all know, defense wins championships, and this year was no different.  Unlike in 2007 and 2010, this year New England was able to get key stops when it mattered.  And, as it turned out, it was a defensive play that determined the outcome of this game.

The Moment of Truth

     While defense wins championships, offense wins games, as the saying goes.  As amazing as Malcolm Butler's last-second, game-saving, miracle interception was, he never would have had the chance to save that game had Thomas Edward Patrick Brady not engineered the largest 4th quarter comeback in Super Bowl history.  Prior to this year, no team had ever come back from more than an 8 point 4th Qtr. deficit...until the Patriots came back from down 10.  And Brady didn't just come back and beat any old team.  He threw two TD passes in the final 8 minutes of the game against one of the most dominant defenses the NFL has seen since perhaps the 2000 Baltimore Ravens (and maybe even the 1985 Chicago Bears).  He completed more passes in the 4th quarter than Russell Wilson did in the entire game.  In my opinion the 4th quarter of Super Bowl XLIX will go down as the greatest moment in Brady's illustrious career.  Before the game I heard several members of the media say that Brady lacked that signature moment that many of the great QBs before him had.  Well, he got his signature moment, his coup de grâce, two weeks ago, when he went 8-for-8 on the final drive, culminated with the game winning touchdown to Julian Edelman.  Oh, and while he was at it, he thought he might as well just go ahead and set a Super Bowl record for most passes (37) completed.

     So, we know the Patriots played a great game, but how did they do it?  Coaching.  Great, unbelievable coaching, and play-calling.  Without a doubt, Bill Belichick is an absolute football genius, who is able to get the absolute most out of his players each and every year.  Along with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, he drew up the perfect game plan to take down the Seahawks.  Seattle's defense had been almost perfect during the last half of the season.  During the last 7 games of the year, the Legion of Boom had allowed a mind-blowingly low 8 points per game.  So, how was New England going to score enough points to win?  Well, they did it by having Brady blanket the field with what seemed like a billion short, accurate throws.  As they did all season, the Patriots used the short passing game (in particular the screen passes to Shane Vereen) as their version of a running game.  And boy was it deadly.  Brady completed nearly every one of his passes of less than 5 yards.  Oftentimes, his receivers turned these short passes into long gains.  Julian Edelman was a huge difference maker in this area.  Seattle simply couldn't contain his speed and elusiveness going over the middle.  McDaniels and Belichick sent their bigger receivers (LaFell and Gronkowski) deep to occupy Sherman and Earl Thomas, which cleared out the middle of the field.  Edelman, Vereen, and Amendola made the absolute best of the opportunity, and shredded Seattle's defense for a combined 25 catches, 222 yards, and 2 touchdowns.  This was the "dink and dunk" approach that made the Patriots offense so deadly this year.  Opposing defenses were forced to send extra pass rushers because they couldn't get to the QB in the two seconds it took him to get rid of the football. Brady's methodical dissection of opposing secondaries all season (and especially in this game) was a thing of beauty.
     This post wouldn't be complete without a discussion of the Seahawks' final play call.  For the past few weeks, the majority of Americans have been heartily bashing Pete Carroll and Darrell Bevell for calling a pass play instead of handing it to the most physical running back in the league to smash it in from the 1 yard line.  While it did seem pretty stupid not to run the ball, there was a good reason not to.  If you listened to Carroll's explanation, it actually makes a lot of sense.  Seattle had the ball 2nd and goal with one timeout and only 26 seconds left.  That being the case, they had three tries to get in the endzone, but only enough time for two running plays.  Carroll reasoned that they would basically burn one play to stop the clock on a low risk/high reward pass play (on similar plays this season teams passed for 66 TDs and 0 INTs).  He figured, best case scenario, Russell Wilson throws or runs for a TD, like he's been doing for the past three years, or, worst case scenario, he throws an incompletion to stop the clock.  Then they would have two shots at the endzone with the NFL's most bruising back (and remember, they didn't want to leave the Patriots any time to score afterwards).  Unfortunately for Seattle, that's not what happened.  Instead, as Seahawks fans everywhere looked on in open-mouthed horror, an undrafted rookie made an incredible play on the ball and came away with the most important interception in Super Bowl history.  On the Patriots' sideline Brady and Co. were going absolutely nuts.  Just seconds earlier, Brady was sitting on the bench with a look of disbelief on his face after Jermaine Kearse made one of the most improbable catches you'll ever see (David Tyree anyone?).  Then he was jumping up and down and screaming like a little kid.  That was this entire game in a nutshell--massive let downs, followed by unreal celebrations.  Definitely one of the most back-and-forth Super Bowl games I've ever seen.  And man was it great fun to watch.

A true football bromance

     Lastly, there is the topic of legacies.  Namely, Tom Brady's and Bill Belichick's legacies.  Get used to it football fans, whether we like it or not, all we're going to hear about for the next few months is people debating the legacies of Brady and Belichick.  I guess that's what happens when you win four Super Bowls.  The detractors will say that their Championships are tainted, first by spygate, and now by the so called "Deflategate."  That argument might never be settled.  However, what we do know is that the Belichick/Brady team is the winningest coach/QB combo in NFL history.  Their success, both in the regular season and in the postseason, is nearly unparalleled.  With his latest Super Bowl win, Belichick has certainly cemented his legacy as one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history (in all but the integrity category, perhaps).  His ability to take marginally talented teams and turn them into perennial contenders is mind-boggling.  This year Belichick put on a clinic.  Teams never knew what to expect from New England.  One week they were a power running game, using unheard of players like Jonas Gray to pound the rock, and the next week they would air it out, hardly running the ball at all.  A perfect example is their playoff games against the Ravens and the Colts.  The Ravens did a good job of stuffing the run, so the Patriots came out during the second half and didn't call a single running play. Not even one.  The next week in the AFC Championship game Legarrette Blount shredded the Colts defense for 148 yards and 3 TDs.  That was the beauty of the Patriot's offense: it was never the same, and so teams didn't know what to prepare for.
     Brady is done. Brady isn't clutch anymore.  Brady has lost two straight Super Bowls....to Eli Manning!  He can't win the big ones anymore.  This is an example of many peoples' opinions on Tom Brady lately.  There was a feeling that Brady got his rings thanks to his dominant defense and that he was merely a "game manager" during those years.  His detractors pointed to his failures in his two Super Bowls against New York as proof of this.  What they ignored was that those losses came down to the second luckiest catch in Super Bowl history (thanks Jermaine Kearse) and a Wes Welker-dropped pass.  Brady could just as easily have been sitting pretty with 5 rings going into this year's game.  For the past several years I have been saying that Brady is one ring away from challenging Joe Montana as the game's best quarterback.  While it is difficult, maybe even impossible, to compare players from different eras, I think a darn good case can be made for Brady as the G.O.A.T.  Yes, he does play in a much more QB-friendly league than Montana did, but Montana also benefitted from throwing one of the greatest athletes the NFL has ever seen (Jerry Rice) as well as the very underrated John Taylor.  Who has Brady been throwing to his entire career?  Try Deion Branch, David Givens, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, and Troy Brown.  Take away the couple years with Randy Moss and the last few with Gronkowski and Brady has basically been throwing passes to a bunch of nobodies.  Peyton Manning gets a lot of attention due to his incredible knowledge and his gaudy stats, but remember that Manning has almost always been surrounded by an abundance of all-star receivers.  Brady has been a personification of the term "more with less."  And look what he did statistically when he did have a legitimate deep threat: 2007 stats - 4,806 yds, 50 tds, 8 ints.  Not to forget, Brady was the 199th pick of the 2000 draft. I don't think anyone can make a good argument as to why Joe Montana is not the greatest ever, but there is now plenty of good reasons to consider Brady as the G.O.A.T.  Like I said, this is one debate that will probably never be decided.  Unless Brady goes and wins another Super Bowl....

     All in all, Super Bowl XLIX was one of the most exciting games I've ever seen.  Going into the game I predicted just that.  And it truly was a game for the ages.  It's games like these that keep us NFL fans coming back for more, year after year.  It's games like this one that make American Football the world's greatest sport.

9.11.01 Never Forget

   

     Thirteen years ago today, Islamic extremists, under the direction and tutelage of Al Qaeda, perpetrated the most horrendous act of terror in American history, and perhaps in the history of the world. Thirteen years ago today, 2,977 of our fellow Americans lost their lives to an act of brutal and unthinkable violence. Today we remember these victims and their families. We remember in particular all those first responders who lost their lives in the service of others: firefighters, police officers, doctors, nurses, and paramedics, as well as the many heroic civilians who gave the ultimate sacrifice to help their fellow man.
     Today marks one of the blackest days in the history of our great nation. But even in her darkest hour, America did not give up. We did not falter. We did not surrender. Like we did in 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor, we rose again. And like we did with the Empire of Japan, we rose and crushed those who dared to raise their hand against us. We rebuilt our broken country literally from the ground up. On the site of Ground Zero now stands a building of even greater magnificence. A building which is, appropriately, 1776 feet tall. A building that represents the American ideals of freedom and resiliency.

     This morning in one of my classes, my professor showed us CBS footage of that fateful morning. At first I sat there in a sort of stunned shock. That gave way to sadness; I struggled to hold back tears as I watched thousands of innocent Americans die. This soon gave way to a feeling of extreme anger at those who committed this act of terror. The final emotion I felt, however, was that of pride. Pride in how America dealt with this tragedy. Pride in how people all over the country came together, regardless of political opinions, religion, or ethnicities, to support those who had lost so much. I believe that one of America's most unique qualities is our resilience and ability to get back up after we've been knocked down. Time after time we have been dealt terrible blows and setbacks. And time after time we have got right back up, stronger than ever. This is what makes America great. This is why America still exists. As President George W. Bush said, in one of my favorite quotes, "Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve." In these two sentences, Bush sums up what it means to be an American. Being an American does not mean merely living in America. Being American is a way of life, or at least it should be.
     America, let us never forget. Let us always remember our fallen brothers and sisters. Let us always remember that freedom comes at a price. May God bless us, may God bless our troops, and may God bless these United States of America.

NFL 2015 Playoff Predictions

     Last year I fared pretty well with my preseason predictions, correctly predicting the Super Bowl matchup. So why not try again this year, right? I am unbelievably excited for football season. Probably more than I have ever been.  That said, I will try and put my biases aside and make some fair predictions based on the talent I have seen on each of the teams (relatively speaking).

AFC Playoff Seeding

1. New England Patriots
2. Denver Broncos
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. Cincinnati Bengals
5. Baltimore Ravens (wildcard)
6. San Diego Chargers (wildcard)

               Wild Card Round
                    Colts over Chargers

                    Bengals over Ravens

               Divisional Round

                    Patriots over Bengals

                    Broncos over Colts

               AFC Championship

                    Patriots over Broncos

NFC Playoff Seeding

1. New Orleans Saints
2. Seattle Seahawks
3. Green Bay Packers
4. Philadelphia Eagles
5. Chicago Bears (wildcard)
6. San Francisco 49ers(wildcard)

               Wild Card Round

                    Packers over 49ers

                    Bears over Eagles

               Divisional Round

                    Saints over Bears

                    Seahawks over Packers

               NFC Championship

                    Saints over Seahawks

Super Bowl XLIX

     

     Saints 28, Patriots 23

Commentary and Analysis

     I realize I'm probably going to be accused of bias for putting the Patriots in the Superbowl (its a pretty well known fact that I'm slightly obsessed with Tom Brady).  However, if you look at the relatively weak AFC, there's really no other team that stands a chance of unseating the Broncos. The only other teams in the AFC I could see challenging the Broncos and Pats are the Colts and Bengals.  However, I don't think the Colts have the firepower to defeat either New England or Denver, and the Bengals seem to be incapable of winning a playoff game against anyone, let alone two of the best in the league. The reason I have the Patriots beating the Broncos is that 1) it is extremely hard to make it to the Super Bowl two years in a row, and 2) the Broncos are by far the most popular choice, and in today's NFL, the obvious choice rarely is not always the correct choice.  In addition, based on their schedules, it looks like New England should get the #1 seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  Meaning Peyton Manning will have to travel to Foxboro and play the Pats in the frigid New England winter. I think that the AFC championship game could go either way, but I have New England pulling out a close one thanks to the home field advantage.

     The NFC is quite another story.  Obviously the NFC is far superior to the AFC when it comes to the amount of talented teams. In fact, I would not be surprised to see any one of the six NFC playoff teams advance to the Super Bowl. There's even a few teams I left of the list that I would not be surprised to see advancing deep in to the postseason (Carolina, Atlanta, Detroit, Arizona).  However, on paper, the six teams I included appear to be the most talented and the most likely playoff contenders.  The NFC North should be among the most interesting and competitive divisions in the NFL, with the Packers, Bears, and Lions boasting some of the best offenses in the game, and all looking like legitimate playoff teams. The Lions get left out here due to the fact that they have a new (and somewhat unproven) head coach.  The division title will come down to whatever team can stay the healthiest, in my opinion, since they are all so close.  In the South, I don't think anyone will come close to the Saints.  Atlanta is coming off a 4-12 season and Cam Newton and the Panthers just lost their top three receivers. The Buccaneers could make things interesting, but its doubtful they will contend for a division title. As usual, the East will be pretty unpredictable, but I expect the Eagles to win the division relatively easily.  Philly's offense is one to watch out for, especially if Nick Foles can build off his dominant performance last year.  I have the Saints beating the Seahawks in the NFC Championship game because I think their offense will be able to overcome the Hawks' relentless defense.  You have to think Seattle will take a small step backwards on defense this year...it would be almost impossible for them to improve on last year's performance.

     It just seems right to pick the Saints to win the big game this year.  They really have all the tools in place to do it.  They are arguably a better team than they were when they won in 2010.  With Drew Brees at the helm, their offense will be nearly unstoppable, and they made moves to improve what was already a top 5 defense last year.  On the other hand, its hard to believe Bill Belichick and Co. could lose three Super Bowls in a row.  If Brady's receivers (read: Rob Gronkowski) can stay healthy, the Pats offense will be absolutely deadly.  Plus, they will now have one of the best corners in the game shutting down half of the field for them on defense.
     As always, let me know what you think.  And get pumped for a great year of football.

In Defense of Israel

     As the conflict in Gaza and Israel drags on, I find myself increasingly angered by the reaction of the rest of the world. So, here is my rant on the subject. To anyone who is tempted to side against Israel in this whole mess in Gaza: don't buy in to this propaganda you're hearing about how Israel is the aggressor, Israel is committing war crimes, etc, etc. The fact of the matter is, Hamas is a terrorist organization whose sole purpose is the destruction of Israel. Israel, a country that wants nothing more than to be left the heck alone. Israel has been subjected to rocket attacks every single day for years. They are finally responding in the way that any country would be expected to respond...by defending themselves. Hamas has unleashed a massive campaign aimed at changing the world's opinion of Israel, and turning Israel's allies against her. They don't want peace. They want war. Why? Because then they can keep on showing everyone pictures of dead children. Children, mind you, that they placed around their missiles to act as human shields. Do these people protesting against Israel realize that Hamas has their headquarters under a hospital? A hospital. Let that sink in for a moment. Hamas knows there is no possible way they can defeat the most powerful army in the middle east, so they are trying to get Israel's allies to reject them. They are doing this by making Israel look like the bad guy. And the scary thing is, it's working. Thanks to the liberal media, people are actually taking the side of the terrorists. I never thought I would live to see the day that something like this would happen. This is altogether horrifying. This is the worst case of anti-semitism seen since WWII, and rather than standing up and condemning it, the media utterly ignores it, and instead takes the side of those responsible.  I am not saying that I know for a fact that Israel is acting completely morally in its manner of defending itself, but I am saying that maybe we shouldn't be so quick to judge them.  Let's put this in perspective.  If Israel lets up for one second, it will be almost certainly annihilated by the multiple Islamic nations that surround it.  These nations would like nothing more than for the Israeli state to cease to exist. The Arab/Islamic nations that surround Israel are a combined 640 times larger than the tiny state of Israel, and their combined populations are 23 times larger than the population of Israel.  And yet somehow, the Israelis are the bad guys for wanting to hold on to a tiny strip of land they have historical ties to dating back over 4000 years.  Israel has given up miles of its land in order to appease the Palestinians, but Palestine will only be satisfied when Israel ceases to exist.  That is the problem in the Middle East.  One side wants peace, while the other does not.  Here is a link to a video that does a great job of explaining the situation in the Middle East.
     Now, as I said before, I'm not saying Israel is completely blameless here.  Maybe they could do a better job of minimizing civilian casualties.  Who knows.  The point I am trying to make is that we should not be so quick to judge a situation we really know nothing about, and can't hope to understand completely.  In the meantime, we can continue to pray for a peaceful resolution to the fighting, and a quick end to all hostilities.

The Beginning of an Adventure

     My first week in Washington, D.C. has come to an end.  And what a week it has been!  To start things off, I turned 21 the day after I arrived in the city.  That was convenient (if you know what I mean).  After only a week here, my opinion that D.C. is the most wonderful place in the world has been affirmed.  The amount of history here is absolutely mind-blowing.  I don't think I will ever tire of getting off the metro at Union Station, walking towards the Russell Senate office building, and seeing the beautiful Capitol dome staring me down through the trees, from several blocks away.  I still haven't gotten over the feeling of awe that comes over me every time I go inside the Capitol.  Inside that majestic building you get the feeling that the Founding Fathers are still there, watching over America.

The view from the steps of
the Lincoln Memorial

     Last Saturday, I spent about four hours wandering around downtown DC, mostly in the National Mall.  I walked almost five miles.  Although my feet were killing me by the end of the day, it was definitely worthwhile.  My first stop was the Lincoln Memorial, which is perhaps my favorite place on this planet.  Walking up the 145 steps and seeing the imposing figure of one of our greatest presidents is quite awe inspiring.  Before I left the Memorial I must have spent 10 or 15 minutes just sitting on the steps looking out at the reflecting pool, the Washington Monument, and the Capitol building.  By the time I made it all the way down to the Capitol, I was pretty exhausted, and very glad to ride the Metro back to my house.

Chillin with Reagan

     After work on Friday, I went to the First Friday happy hour at Union Pub, which is the monthly gathering of young conservatives in Washington, D.C.  It was lots of fun, and very nice to relax and talk with like-minded people my age.  Not to mention, the drinks/food were superb.  Incidentally, right across the street from Union Pub is the Heritage Foundation.  It was nice to see the place that I have taken so much information from for my many college papers.
     This Sunday I went to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for Mass on Pentecost Sunday.  The Basilica and the mass were exquisitely beautiful.  I particularly enjoyed the enormous pipe organ.  Definitely one of the most beautiful churches in America.
     After only one week here, I am completely in love.  And the excitement is only just beginning.  I am already dreading the day when I have to leave.  I guess I had better enjoy every minute of it while it lasts.  Until next time, goodbye....and keep me in your prayers!!!

P.S.  Below are some more pictures from my first few days here in DC.  Enjoy!!!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                   

My house