The Faith of Champion TCU Football Quarterback Dalton

In the pattern of Tim Tebow, a local article documents the faith of Andy Dalton, the long-running quarterback of the TCU Horned Frogs.  After an already championship season (including a handy defeat of Air Force), Dalton’s finale was leading TCU to win the Rose Bowl on New Years Day — but, Dalton’s “legacy” is more than football.

But Dalton will not only leave a massive football legacy behind at TCU, he’ll leave a spiritual mark as well.  Read more

Michael Weinstein: Passion, Violence, and Political Discourse

The attempted assassination of US Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) generated an interesting “distancing” exercise on several fronts, with regard to allusions of weaponry and political vitriol.  There are indications the “targeting” symbology from the political action committee of Sarah Palin has been removed.  Keith Olbermann “apologized” for any implications of calls for violence in his own prior speech while saying “violence…has no place in our Democracy” (Thomas Jefferson might take issue).

In a fascinating display of naiveté, an internet blogger even attempted to play the “distancing” role for Michael Weinstein.  Said Christine Woodman:  Read more

DADT: Gates Plans for Repeal, Wilson Plans to Reinstate

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has said he hopes policy changes necessary for DADT repeal will be accomplished “within a matter of a very few weeks” so “the real challenge” can begin:

“My hope is that it can be done within a matter of a very few weeks so that we can then move on to what is the real challenge, which is providing training to 2.2 million people,” Gates said…

Commanders will provide all troops with some sort of education Read more

China’s Newest Fighter, Stealth J-20

There’s been much ado lately regarding the normally secretive Chinese allowing photos and videos of their new “stealth plane” to make its way onto the internet.

Interestingly, it comes as the current administration has cancelled the F-22 future acquisitions, is planning to shrink the Defense Department’s budget, and may potentially cancel some portions of the F-35.  The Stars and Stripes repeats speculation the administration has been “caught flat-footed.”

Mount Soledad Cross “UnConstitutional”

The long-running ACLU lawsuit against the Mount Soledad cross in San Diego reached another milestone at the 9th Circuit, with a three-judge panel ruling the cross is unConstitutional.

A war memorial cross in a San Diego public park is unconstitutional because it conveys a message of government endorsement of religion…The court said modifications could be made to make it constitutional, but it didn’t specify what those changes would be.

The 9th Circuit panel did not direct that the cross be torn down.  Instead, Read more

Fired Navy Captain Defended by Gay Sailors

In an interesting twist, US Navy CAPT Owen Honors, recently fired from his position as skipper of the USS Enterprise, is being defended in the press by former Sailors who served under his command — and are homosexual.

“He wasn’t insulting” gay sailors, added Mr. Solis [a gay former Sailor], “They were just harmless jokes.”

Capt. Honors “absolutely did not” create a hostile or homophobic atmosphere on board, added Eric M. Prenger, a gay sailor Read more

“Navy Culture” to Blame for Skipper’s Firing

A few articles across the internet have posited that CAPT Owen Honors, recently fired skipper of the USS Enterprise, was simply a product of the “military culture.”

As a retired Navy officer, my perspective is that Honors was acting as the custom of the time allowed. If the Navy wants to change its culture, it needs to get the word out on what is to be changed and only discipline future violations.

That’s an interesting perspective from several angles.  It seems reasonable that if you permit Sailors (or anyone else) to conduct themselves after a certain fashion, then that conduct becomes “acceptable,” or it is at least perceived to be so.  In truth, “allowing” or failing to discipline or prosecute conduct does not inherently make it right, thought it can understandably create a culture of confusion.

In addition, as the writer said above, if the Navy Read more

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