RFFM.ORG

Dan Zanoza, Born into Eternity on January 6, 2011

 

In honor of my beloved husband, Danny

By Julie Cleary Zanoza

Daniel T. Zanoza

Born into Life on November 27, 1953 in Chicago, Illinois

Born into Eternity on January 6, 2011

A special Mass will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church on Saturday, February 19, 2011 at 10:00 A.M. to celebrate Dan’s life.  The church is located at 15050 Wolf Road in Orland Park, Illinois.

A service was held in Lincoln, Illinois at Jefferson Street Christian Church (our church) last Saturday, February 5th, 2011.

Danny and I have been together since our first date on February 8, 1974.  We were married at the Four Square Gospel Church in Chicago Ridge on November 20, 1982.  And yes, if you do the math, we went out for over eight years before we got married.  But once we realized we were living in sin, I moved out ‘til we got married.  Dan said his only regret is that we did not get married sooner.  By the way, his best man asked what his duties were and we said one is to decorate the car.  People always would ask us, “when are you two going to get married?”, So I told Jimmy, his best man, you should put “Finally Married” – instead of “Just Married” and that’s what the sign read!  

Feb. 8, 2011 marks the anniversary of our first date 37 years ago.  Quite honestly, I was feeling so sad, I was sobbing...but not for long because two awesome things happened today!  Which I'll get to.

I believe Dan's most important project was coordinating a Nativity Scene in the Illinois State Capitol Rotunda (where our elected officials meet).  Last year was the THIRD consecutive year the Springfield Nativity Scene Committee, Chaired by Dan Zanoza, erected and displayed a Nativity Scene (the only one to stand in a state capitol in the country) honoring the celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Dan said, on more than one occasion, that the Springfield Nativity Scene would stand long after we were all gone to our reward in Heaven. 

Therefore, in honor of Dan Zanoza, my beloved husband and best friend, today on the 37th anniversary of our first date, I called the Secretary of State's office (who issues permits for the SNSC) this morning, shortly after they opened, first to thank Salli Chernis for her call and condolence card, but she was not in, a co-worker (Gabby) told me Salli's brother-in-law had passed away.  But I requested an application for a permit to erect the FOURTH annual Nativity Scene for 2011 and it's in the mail now! 

By the way, Jim Finnegan was the person who urged Dan to get a Nativity Scene in the state capitol when we moved to Lincoln.  Jim is connected with the "God Squad" which is responsible for the life-sized Nativity Scene which goes on display each year in downtown Chicago in the Daley Civic Center Plaza.

Illinois State Senator Chris Lauzen of Aurora, a pro-life warrior and a very humble, Godly man introduced Senate Resolution 34 today in the Illinois State Senate to honor Dan’s life and work!  When we spoke last week, Sen. Lauzen had told me he had planned to introduce the resolution at that time, but the legislators were not in session last week because of the blizzard.  Dan is probably shaking his head in Heaven right now, saying, “Why the big deal?  I only did what the Lord led me to do.  My ministry was to serve the Lord and if I saved just one child’s life from an abortionist, my life was worthwhile.”

I am so happy that these two "things" happened on the date of the 37th anniversary of our first date!  Again, I was feeling extremely sad today...but now I'm not!  Praise God!  He lifted my spirits.  February 8th will never be a sad day for me, but a joyous one! 

Incidentally, Sen. Lauzen is a member of the Springfield Nativity Scene Committee (SNSC).  And thanks to Tom Brejcha of the Chicago-based Thomas More Society (TMS) Pro-Life Law Center the Nativity scene became a reality in 2008.  Tom Brejcha is also the SNSC's legal counsel.

Danny was a pro-life warrior for almost two decades.  He considered his work a ministry, including writing for RFFM.org (as its founder and director) and other organizations, including the Illinois Family Institute, Illinois Leader, City News USA, and CleanTV.com.  His writings have been posted on Canada Free Press, many newspapers, magazines, Ann Coulter's blog, Greta Van Susteren's blog, etc.  A college text book even printed an example of Dan's work, well, technically, to be totally accurate, I should say Dan's writings with the Lord's help...which included Christlike messages.

Danny and I always prayed before writing, he never had training as a journalist, but he didn't need training, Dan had God to help him!  And whenever he received a compliment on one of his articles or columns, he would always say, “Thank you, but all the credit and glory goes to the Lord.” 

Danny was not perfect.  In fact, many times he said, “I’m not perfect, far from it; the only perfect person was JESUS”.  Can I get an AMEN?  AMEN!!!  

Dan also would say “God answers our prayers in one of four ways:  Yes, No, Not Now or Not your way.”  The obvious implication for the latter (Not your way) is the Lord has better solutions than we as humans (made in His likeness) to our “problems”. 

Those of you who knew Danny personally, knew he liked to joke around…when appropriate.    He’d be the first to admit he was not good at telling a joke, but he still liked kidding around.

Many of you know Dan became totally blind in 2006.  Yet this did not slow him down as far as his ministry.  There were times he would write a column--after he became totally blind--on paper, for me to type and edit later…because he had so much to say on issues of religious freedom, gun rights and more.  I couldn't keep up with him!

I have to confess, I am NOT a good housekeeper, far from it, and, obviously, out of necessity, since I could only cook breakfast items or something simple, like a grilled cheese sandwich or hamburger, Dan taught me how to cook.  The reason I mention this is because Dan as a totally blind person (with not even light recognition) would wash and wax the car, vacuum, dust, clean windows, sort laundry and much, much more.

Dan did a lot of the prep work for cooking.  He would take a whole chicken, clean it, cut it into pieces and bread it.  Next, he would put the oil in the frying pan and say, “Okay Jules, now it’s your turn because I can’t tell how high the flame is.  He would use the timer on the talking watch he received from blind services, to time the food and tell me when to flip it, put it in the oven, etc.  Dan could use the microwave on his own (by using raised dots we put on it, the stove and dryer.  Once I came home from doing some grocery shopping and he had made and cooked meat loaf—from scratch--using a recipe one of our neighbors (Patricia) gave us! 

Another time, while I was posting a column and e-mailing it out, my new BFF, Jayne, came over and I didn’t realize Dan was making macaroni and cheese and she said “Dan, be careful.”  When I would tell some women all Dan did as a totally blind person, they would say, "Wow!  My husband can see and he doesn't help me with the housework."

Let me digress for a moment.  Danny and I always prayed for guidance from the Lord in our lives.  

God the Father, always knows what’s best for us.  Danny said the best thing that came from the loss of his eyesight was the fact that he reconciled with his sister, Helen.  Dan also said it’s a good thing his Mother, Sophie, passed away when she did because it would have broke her heart to see her son go blind.

So, let me repeat, things happen in life because the Lord knows what’s best for us…after all, He knew all of us in the womb…indeed, He knew us before any of our parents met and, for that matter, thousands of years before any of us were born. 

While in the hospital, Dan was joking with Jim Hostetter--our best friend from Lincoln and fellow Jeff Street Christian Church member--and he asked Dan if he knew he was terminal and Dan replied, “Yes.”  

My beloved Dan told another good friend, Northern Dan (Gura), aka Also Dan [who has a great sense of humor, albeit not always politically correct--which I believe is a good thing], “the next person I SEE will be Jesus.”  By the way, Northern Dan called my beloved Dan “Southern Dan”…even though we live in Central Illinois and if you don’t get the fact this is a joke, you’re not from the Chicago area. 

By the way, one beautiful summer day Dan and I were sitting on our porch with Jim and Brenda Hostetter and they asked if we had any family in the area.  When we replied “no” Brenda said “consider us your family.”  We both wept with tears of joy!  Well, I could write a book to tell you how much Jim and Brenda have done for us (and so many others in Lincoln) over the years, but I won’t.  In fact, I could write a number of books to relate so many things, but I’m not a writer.  I'm an editor, although you won't be able to tell after reading my words here.  

The greatest compliment Dan ever received as a person was:  “You must be a Christian.”  And he got that compliment because actions speak louder than words. 

As a writer, the greatest compliment Dan ever received: “If Dan Zanoza said it, it must be true!” 

A Chicago Tribune reporter once called Dan “the Matt Drudge of Illinois politics.”  But actually, even though my beloved husband and best friend of 37 years often wrote about political issues, he did not like the political side or aspect of it.

Dan wrote on many topics related to the pro-family agenda, including the rights of the innocent unborn and end of life issues and we posted many articles on end of life issues written by Bill Beckman (Illinois Right to Life Committee) on hospice care, palliative care, living wills and more. 

Of course, I miss Danny very, very much and will always love him.  But I take great comfort in knowing I will join him—some day, according to God's perfect timing. 

Right now, I’m taking things one day at a time.  I’m praying for the Lord’s guidance and, as always, my prayers are “According to God's will”.  Dan said how sad it must be for those who do not believe in God and do not have the hope of eternal life in Heaven that we as believers have.

Danny will be missed by many, but his memory, including his serious and comedic sides will live on forever with his family, my family, our many friends, neighbors, church family and fellow pro-life/pro-family warriors.  And thanks to technology, Dan's writings will be out there in Cyberspace...for who knows how long…except, of course, the Lord.

Thanks to everyone who prayed, sent cards, notes, helped Dan and me in so many ways…before we knew Dan was terminal and after he joined God the Father, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  They are too numerous to mention (and thank) and I would not want to leave even one person out because no matter how you helped us both out, you will never truly know how much it was (and is) deeply appreciated.  We are truly blessed.  I even received cards from people I did not know, but they had read Dan's articles from our website/blog, RFFM.org.  I truly have been overwhelmed and blessed. 

I must thank my sister, Ann and her husband Tommy Greybill, my brothers Jeremiah and Jimmy Cleary, my niece Michelle Greybill, Dan's sister (my sister-in-law) Helen Stacey and her husband Hank, our "Busia" Arlene Sawicki, Pastor Dustin Fulton (another SNSC member) and our Jeff St. Church family, Dr.Tonimarie Vincent and Tom Brejcha (who, among others, including Bobby Shindler [Terry Schiavo's brother] helped me keep Dan out of hospice care).  God bless the Rev.Lainie Dowell (for her counsel) and Dr. Laurie Roth!  Also, thank you to Bill Beckman; and Mary Anne Hackett of Catholic Citizens of Illinois.  God bless the Rev. Bernie Lutchman, Dan’s Bible study buddies (Business Men In Christ of Springfield), Henry and Ida Johnson of Jeff St. Church.  Wow!  This thank you list can be longer than the column.   

Thanks to some great people at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln and St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, including volunteers.  Well, I guess that’s enough, I’m sure you (and anyone who reads this) will forgive me if I don’t mention you.  David Curtin, former head of the Illinois Christian Coalition, who is now in a seminary studying for the priesthood, once told us “edit ‘til it hurts.”  But, in this case, I feel it would hurt more to edit, if you catch my drift…no pun intended, especially after last week’s blizzard.

Did I thank David Smith, of the Illinois Family Institute? If not, thanks, Dave!  And thanks to IFI's Bruce Tincknell.  Also, thanks to Bernie Schoenburg of the Springfield State Journal-Register, and thanks toTony Cameron, Mike Pawlecki...Thanks to Jean Cohoon...you probably don't realize how much you helped me.

To Bob Wood, thank you!  God, as always, put you (and others) in our lives exactly when we needed you...because God is so good.

And an extra special thanks and God bless you to Beth and Rick Rogers, who spent time with Dan in the hospital on Christmas Day because I woke up to 5.5 inches of snow in Lincoln and could not be in Springfield with Dan.  I know God was with Dan at all times, but Dan also had two God-fearing, God-loving friends with him on the day we celebrate Christ's birth.  Beth is a member of the SNSC; Beth played her guitar and sang a song during the “Celebration of Dan Zanoza's Life” service in Lincoln with Bill Lewis, the musical director at Jeff St. Church.  Thanks, Bill! 

Thanks to our Pastor Dustin Fulton (another SNSC member), the ladies who helped prepare the dinner at Jeff St. Christian Church in Lincoln and those who donated food and their precious time.  Thanks to Everett Crowell, also of Jeff St.

I better stop with all the thank you's or I'll be typing 'til Judgement Day, thanking almost everyone Dan and I know...including so many of our neighbors, the Hart's, Barger's, Betty Sims, the Mileham's, etc. who helped us...before and after Dan went to his Heavenly reward.  And thanks to the friends from our old neighborhood in Crestwood, like Bill and Sandy, Chris and Larry...   

I hope I don't offend those I did not mention here who helped both Dan and myself.  In fact, I had this posted and realized I left out some special people.  I almost used the word "important", but God reminded me we are all special in His eyes.

And to all the mighty prayer warriors who prayed for Dan’s healing…thank you!  Danny received the ultimate healing!  Alleluia!

May God bless all of you greatly!

Danny, you are now MY angel!   I will always cherish our love, memories (both good and bad, as all married couples have) and almost 37 years together!  I know we will meet again in Heaven.  Danny, I love you and miss you very, very much!  Your earthly ministry is now over and I will wait to see what ministry the Lord has in mind for me.  Maybe He has many ministries in mind for me.  But I know the Lord will let me know what to do and when. 

From your loving wife, who has inheritied your same sense of humor.  I am so blessed the Lord introduced us.  Thank you, Lord!  And one day, I, too, will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and join you...again, according to God's perfect timing.

Danny, I will always love you!  

Julie

P.S.  To be continued at a later date, God willing!  

By the way, I'm praying, according to God's will, for the "conversion" of central Illinois residents, most, if not all, who are not Chicago White Sox fans!  But, like Dan said, "no one's perfect"!  And like I said to "Northern Dan" Gura, after the last Super Bowl, “I hoped God had the game blocked out in Heaven so Dan couldn’t SEE the Packers beat the Steelers.”  By the way, my Mother-in-law was from Pittsburgh; and Dan and his Mom watched the Chicago Bears every Sunday, unless they were on Monday Night Football!  

Hey, Dan, love of my life...Super Bowl Shuffle!  "...I'm Momma's boy Otis, the ladies all love me for my body and my mind." :)   If you saw that video, you'll understand the smiley face.  It's something Dan and I laughed about not long before he went in the hospital. 

Wow, some editor I am...but how can I edit words out which came from my heart (and the Lord) about my husband, a man I spent almost 37 years with?  And how can I edit out all the thank you's?  

Thank you, Jesus, for blessing me and Dan so much.  But most of all, thank you, Heavenly Father, for what your Son Jesus suffered for us, in order that we may have eternal salvation!  Read John 3:16

Open Letter to Rich Miller of Capitol Fax: Apology to Miller's Interns Included

by Daniel T. Zanoza, Executive Director

The following open letter is in response to Rich Miller's Capitol Fax blog.  Some of the comments from Miller and his minions are in reply to my RFFM.org Commentary titled "Capitol Fax: Rich Miller's Advice To Sen. Bill Brady, Interesting: And Here's My Advice To Both" http://rffm.typepad.com/republicans_for_fair_medi/2010/02/capitol-fax-rich-millers-advice-to-sen-bill-brady-interesting-and-heres-my-advice-to-both.html.  You can read Miller's blog for free on this issue by going to http://thecapitolfaxblog.com/2010/02/16/unsolicited-advice-13 to view his comments about me and some of the thoughts of his bloggers.

Dear Rich,

I can call you Rich, can't I?  At $350 a pop for your super-duper "by subscription only" Capitol Fax special edition, I should be able to call you rich.  But since I don't pay the $350 for the inside scoop you provide regarding Illinois politics, because I wouldn't read it any way, maybe I shouldn't call you Rich.  But I digress.

Sorry if I hurt your "interns" feelings.  Okay, I apologize to the two college students who "scoured" state Sen. Bill Brady's legislative record for things you don't like about the Senator from Bloomington--who is the presumptive winner of the Illinois GOP gubernatorial primary.  Please tell them I'll leave something in their stocking next Christmas, if they're good.

You're right.  The Chicago Tribune's Eric Zorn is almost as bad as me, as you wrote on your blog.  LOL.   And, by the way, one of your minions (aka fans) is correct, I didn't read your column.  I'm totally blind.  My wife Julie read your Southtown Star commentary and the Capitol Fax blog responses to me.  By the way, does my blindness qualify me for an intern or two?  Isn't there something in Obama's stimulus package for this?  Hey, is that how you got your interns?

So, you and Zorn are big buddies?  If Zorn was any further to the left, he'd be on the right, according to quantum mechanics.  But why are you picking on Eric?  At least he admits he's a far left socialist-loving writer for a newspaper nobody reads.  In fact, are they still printing the Chicago Tribune?  Colonel McCormick, where are you?  Look what they've done to your newspaper.

Criticizing my writing?  That wasn't nice either, but I'm more concerned about you not soon forgetting me--supposedly--picking on your interns.  As you wrote on your blog:  "Also, picking on my interns is something I won’t soon forget."   Seriously, what does that mean?  Fairness Doctrine, anyone or just thin skin?  But back to your interns, you really need to tell them to toughen up or get out of the business.  As you wrote, "Just sayin…"

Compared to you, I'm just a little nobody.  What's all the fuss?  Right?

Oh, one more thing.  You could post this as a response on your blog, but some of those left-wingers who write in might get even more upset with me.  They might not soon forget either.  Like your interns, I'm very sensitive.  In fact, I went through a box of Kleenex while Julie was typing this.  Making a blind guy cry?  Am I making you feel bad yet?  How's that liberal guilt thing working for you?

Keep in touch...For English, Press 1.

Yours truly,

Dan Zanoza
RFFM.org

P.S.  Though you said I have "trouble reading.  And writing.  And thinking.  lol" I did think you and your blogger's comments were funny.  But I like the Three Stooges, too.  'Nuff said. 

*************************************

How you can help RFFM.org inform America about political and social issues.
http://rffm.typepad.com/republicans_for_fair_medi/2010/01/rffmorg-needs-your-help.html

Anyone wishing to receive RFFM.org e-mails should contact:  [email protected]  

NOTE: Comments to RFFM.org's blog which include ad hominems or personal attack will automatically be rejected.  No hyperlinks allowed.

ABC 7 Chicago's GOP U.S. Senatorial Debate: Where Mark Kirk Really Was

by Daniel T. Zanoza

 

EDITOR'S NOTE:  The following piece is satire.  Webster's dictionary defines satire as "a literary work in which vices, follies, stupidities, abuses, etc. are held up to ridicule and contempt".  I enjoyed writing the following satirical piece.  It is esoteric in nature and those not familiar with the original Star Trek series from the late 1960's probably won't get it.  Although I am not a Trekkie (geek), I have been a fan of the show since it first aired.  If you're not familiar with the original characters and the actors who played them, most of the following satirical piece will not make sense to you.  Now some will be critical of me for writing humor at the expense of another, but you reap what you sow, and my other comment is we all need to lighten up once in a while.

 

SPECIAL REPORT

 

RFFM.org has learned U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk's first name and middle initial is really James T.  That's right.  The congressman from Illinois' 10th U.S. Congressional District is actually James T. Kirk, the Captain of the starship Enterprise.  Captain Kirk is not really in the Navy Reserves, he's a member of the United Federation of Planets, as well as a member of Congress.

 

There has been much speculation why Kirk has not been participating in any U.S. Senate debates which led to this RFFM.org special investigation.  In reality, Kirk is on a dual mission.  He's not only seeking the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat in Illinois, he's also a Captain of a ship that travels at warped speed.

 

According to reports, Kirk was sighted in Peoria on the night of the ABC 7 Chicago (WLS-TV) debate, but he did not drive there.  A source, who preferred anonymity, told RFFM.org Kirk suddenly appeared in Peoria as a result of being beamed down from his ship that was circling above.  Scientists say this type of transportation is against the law of physics, according to the Heisenberg Principle, but ...  Others who believe in quantum mechanics say this form of transportation is possible, however... 

 

On the night of the debate, RFFM.org has learned, that besides appearing at a speaking engagement in Peoria, Kirk was also on a mission to a moon orbiting (REDACTED--CLASSIFIED).  After further investigation, RFFM.org has determined Kirk's destination was indeed the seventh planet in our solar system.  Check Google or your favorite search engine, if you don't the name of that celestial body.

 

RFFM.org has also learned, Captain Kirk has a secret campaign slogan which reads, "Politics: The Final Frontier".  If elected, Kirk's six year mission will be:  "To boldly go where no man has gone before (or at least in the privacy of his own home), to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and legislation."  This report will bring criticism upon Kirk because his two missions will not give him time to perform either job well.

 

This story will expose Kirk to more criticism because of his all man crew which violates laws discriminating against women.  Kirk's real campaign staffers' names are Campaign Chairman Spock (first name yet to be determined), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy,  Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, Pavel Chekov, Communications Director Uhura, and Hikaru Sulu.  Kirk is reportedly close friends with Mr. Sulu, very close.  What's that you say?  Lt. Uhura is a woman?  After diligent research, RFFM.org has learned Uhura's first name is Frank, who originally hails from San Francisco--not Robbins, Illinois--as previously reported.

 

Earlier this week, RFFM.org tried to file an injunction in federal court, citing discrimination against women regarding Kirk's all male staff.  But the court proceedings were hindered because of Rep. Kirk's support for a bill, titled ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act).  ENDA is proposed legislation, now being considered in Congress, that would prohibit discrimination against employees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity for civilian nonreligious employers with over 15 employees.  Kirk supports ENDA's passage.

 

The starship Enterprise has recently been down-sized and now only carries a crew of less than 15 because of threats to global warming.  RFFM.org argued the legislation should still apply to Kirk's campaign staff and the starship Enterprise even though Kirk's crew has been trimmed down to less than 15 employees.  RFFM.org decided not to pursue this matter because RFFM.org is an all volunteer, virtually broke organization, headed by a former substance abuser.

 

Frank Uhura had a sex-change operation in approximately 1988 or 1989.  But RFFM.org could not confirm the exact date because of privacy laws regarding a person's medical history.  However, if President Obama's health care bill is passed into law, medical information will be made available to all medical facilities via the Internet which will then reveal the exact date of Uhura's surgery and more.

 

RFFM.org recently hired an unemployed, homeless former CIA operative, giving him approximately $15 worth of food stamps.  His job was to encrypt a code which has been discovered in Kirk's television ad--which is now running across Illinois.  If you listen to the commercial closely, Kirk said he served over Kosovo and Iraq.  In reality, Kirk was circling far, far over these two nations in a synchronized orbit while fulfilling his duties as the starship Enterprise Captain.  Spokesmen for the United Federation of Planets and the Pentagon (regarding his phony missions for the U.S. Navy) told RFFM.org, Kirk was never in danger in either mission.

 

Subsequently, RFFM.org is still calling on Kirk, even though Kirk's position as Captain of the starship Enterprise is fictional or in his own mind, to drop out of the Illinois GOP Senate race.

Anyone wishing to receive RFFM.org e-mails should contact: [email protected]

NOTE: Comments to RFFM.org's blog which include ad hominems or personal attack will automatically be rejected.  No hyperlinks allowed.

INDIAN WARS, PART II: Battles over Casinos conjure up visions of old by Dan Gura

"ON THE LIGHTER SIDE"

There is no truth to the rumor that Wisconsin is an ancient Indian word meaning Casino Never Close…but that may soon change.
 
The Menominee Indian Tribe of (northern) Wisconsin has partnered with the Connecticut-based Mohegan Indian Tribe to propose building an $808 million gambling palace at the Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha.  If built, it would be the largest casino between Atlantic City and Las Vegas.

This makes the Potawatomi Nation, owners of a great Milwaukee casino and bingo parlor, very unhappy because they see the other tribes as trying to cut in on their territory.  And the guilt-riddled liberals always told you that the only enemy the noble red man ever had was the money-grubbing white man.

So, a genuine Indian war is brewing just north of the Cheddar Curtain, one that is pitting tribe against tribe for the sacred privilege of lightening your wallet at the black jack table…and the roulette wheel…and the craps table…and at the slot machines...

This war won’t be fought with tomahawks or bows and arrows…it will be fought by slick pettifoggers (in the dark days before the perpetually offended and perennially outraged showed me the errors of my ways, I would no doubt speculate that they would be wearing wing-tip moccasins and pin striped feathers…mea culpa.  I now know they will wear the standard lawyer’s shark skin suit) and enough smoke filled back room deals to make a Chicago politician proud.

Dennis Troha, a Kenosha businessman and wanna-be casino developer became the first casualty of the war when he was indicted for illegally funneling more than $100,000 to the coffers of Governor Jim Doyle and the Democratic Party. 

Troha was quickly replaced by the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, no strangers to political intrigue.  The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported “Mohegan executives have given $25,000 to Doyle and $20,000 to the Wisconsin Democratic Party, all within the past 16 months.”  (September 5, 2006) 

So why all the fuss about another Indian casino?  Well, Forbes magazine reported that last year the National Indian Gaming Association reported “411 operations grossed $18.5 billion (that’s the excess of bets over payouts), accounting for 37% of the U.S. casino industry total.”  A shadowy group, No East Coast Gaming in Wisconsin (noeastcoast.com) states the Mohegan's take in over $1 billion from its Connecticut casino alone. Oh, and “Indian gaming establishments are not subject to taxation.”  Not a bad deal, if you can get it. 

With that kind of money floating around one can only wonder how long it will take Mayor Daley to rediscover his Native American roots.  Then we’ll learn what the Illiniwek word for “Where’s mine” is.    

Who knows, Daley might even convince the tolerant, compassionate liberals to let us bring back our state’s most famous chief back from the land of the great beyond.  

(1) The Tribe’s official website, www.menominee-nsn.gov, states their name is The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, so I don’t want to hear any whining about calling them Native Americans..  

(2) The Tribe’s official website, www.mohegan.nsn.us-government, states “the Mohegan Tribe is a sovereign, federally-recognized Indian Nation.” Ditto.

This column was first posted on RFFM.org in April of 2007.

Anyone wishing to receive RFFM.org e-mails should contact [email protected]

Comments to RFFM.org's blog which include ad hominems or personal attack will automatically be rejected. No hyperlinks allowed.

Florida: Vote Early. Vote Late. Vote Often...and maybe, just maybe, one will count.

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

by Dan Gura

What were the odds that out of fifty states, it would be Florida which again finds itself embroiled in a presidential election controversy.  Has it really been eight years since America was introduced to the infamous hanging chad when Al Gore tried to pull off a coup worthy of Argentinean strongman Juan Peron. 

"As you know Florida is the lynchpin to the presidency. Florida--home of the wet T-shirt contest." Daily Show host Jon Stewart (2000)

CNN.com reported the Democrat's dilemma de jour as follows: "The problem began last year, when Florida and Michigan challenged Democratic Party rules and moved their primaries to earlier in the year.

That gamble, aimed to make their contests more relevant, backfired in a big way.  The Democratic National Committee ruled that both states' delegates would not be seated at the party convention.  All the Democratic candidates agreed not to campaign in Florida and Michigan before the primary.

A mail-in ballot was one option being considered to solve the quandary facing state and national officials trying to figure out what to do with the state's discounted primary election."

So, let's see, the same population which John Dean, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, George Stephanopoulos, and scores of others under the donkey's banner thought were not savvy enough to vote correctly in 2000 are now suddenly capable of re-voting by mail. 

"Last night Vice President Al Gore addressed the nation.  A lot of folks in Palm Beach, Florida missed it because they couldn't find the right channel on their remotes." Jay Leno, Tonight Show (2000)

Honest, the DNC is seriously considering spending $6 million to mail ballots to approximately four million registered Florida Democrats.  What a windfall for voter fraud.  At least in Chicago someone has to show up and pretend to be the dead guy when they steal a vote.  Dishonest Floridians will just have to hang out at the mailbox to flitch a few ballots.  Maybe Fidel Castro can send over a few thousand poll watchers to insure their delivery.

I have no doubt that every Iraqi patriot who risked death to vote, and proudly bore their purple finger, will think we've gone nuts.

And can't you just picture the confusion as OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT envelopes begin arriving in the mail.  "Honey, is that our Economic Stimulus check?"  "Nope, it looks like some kind of a survey."  "Throw it away."

If they actually go ahead with this hair-brained scheme, the election officials are facing a daunting task.  How can they make a paper ballot with exactly one (1) multiple choice question (Clinton or Obama) so simple, so foolproof, so unscrewupabble that every vote will be cast as intended?  I'm sure the last thing they want to do is to call former Secretary of State Katherine Harris back from exile to determine the intent of the clueless.

Then, there is the problem of what language(s) should the ballots be printed in.  Of course Florida's majority language should receive top billing, with an English translation below it.  And, since the ballot will be printed on paper, it will, of course, require a warning label: Warning flammable.  Do not vote near an open flame or other source of ignition.  May cause an upset stomach, if eaten.  May cause a paper cut, if handled by the edges.

"They're still counting absentee ballots in some places.  Know how slow it is to count these?  Well today seven votes just came in for Michael Dukakis." David Letterman (2000)

But a monkey wrench may about to be thrown into the gears.  The Sun-Sentinel ran a story titled, Democrats say mail-in re-vote in Florida looks unlikely.  "Florida's Democratic leaders all but pulled the plug on the idea of a mail-in mulligan election to ensure the state gets a say in the historic battle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton."

"The re-vote plan submitted.to the Democratic National Committee would involve mailing ballots to the state's 4.1 million Democrats.  There would also be 50 regional voting centers where people could vote in person or drop off their mail ballots. The $10 million to $12 million cost would be underwritten by private donations, party officials said."

Whoa!  The cost is double since the earlier estimate.  They must be planning on importing Chicago election judges to count the ballots.

But I have a solution which will solve their problem at a minimal cost.

Announce as broadly as possible, by television, radio, internet, and newspapers that a spy satellite will be hovering over the Sunshine State that very night.  In its belly will be one of those state-of-the-art snooper cameras which can focus on a dime on the sidewalk and tell you whether its heads of tails.  Tell everyone the vote will take place as follows.  Everyone who wants to vote for Hillary Rodham Clinton should turn off all of their lights.  The satellite will then count all of the dark houses.  Next, everyone who wants to vote for Barack Hussein Obama should turn their lights on.  The satellites will then count the illuminated houses.  Since I just saved the DNC eight or nine million dollars, I think the least they can do is pay me a 10% consultant's fee--which I'll donate to John McCain.

Now all we have to do is figure out how to keep Hillary from causing an electrical black-out one minute before the vote counting starts.

"Vote:  The instrument and symbol of a freeman's power to make a fool of himself and a wreck of his country."  Ambrose Bierce

Anyone wishing to receive RFFM.org e-mails should contact:  [email protected] 

NOTE: Comments to RFFM.org's blog which include ad hominems or personal attack will automatically be rejected.  No hyperlinks allowed.

Foot Baths at the University of Michigan for Muslims? What's Next? ACLU Endorses Religious Symbol

"ON THE LIGHTER SIDE" by Dan Gura

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the fourth and final in a series of columns and articles about the issue of race and race relations in America. Gura takes a look at the issue from the lighter side because sometimes things are so ridiculous, you just have to laugh.

The Michigan Journal, the student weekly of the University of Michigan at Dearborn, recently ignited a debate over the school's plans to construct two foot washing stations so Muslim students can wash their feet before praying.  The estimated cost for this religious accommodation is a mere $100,000.

$2,000 has already been paid to the architectural firm of Niagara Murano LLC to design foot baths which are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Honest, even I couldn't make up a whopper that big.

The college campus is awash in the foot bath controversy.  Roving packs of lefties are in a dither chanting "separation of church and state" while imploring the Anti Christ Lawsuit Union to put a stop to this unconstitutional endorsement of a religious symbol.  What's next they worried.  Would teachers be allowed to say "God bless you" when a student sneezes?

But the liberals made the mistake of placing their faith in a false god.  On September 19th, the Detroit News reported that Director Kary Moss of the ACLU of Michigan issued a decree, "the foot baths are not inherently religious facilities--they are not blessed, cannot be desecrated, and are open to everyone for any purpose."  Hmmmm, for any purpose.  I wonder if that would include washing the mud off a piglet's hoofs?  I mean if the ACLU says they can't be desecrated, who am I to argue?

The University bolstered this bizarre proclamation by posting a statement on their web site which claimed the foot baths reflect a "strong commitment to a pluralistic society (and) a reflection of our values of respect, tolerance, and safe accommodation of student needs."

In that case, since the University of Michigan will have a plumber laying pipe, what say they expand their cultural sensitivity to immigrants from India by encouraging the construction of a scale model of the Ganges River.  The Ganga Ma--Mother Ganges--is sacred to Hindus who believe that if the ashes of their dead are deposited in the river, they will be ensured a smooth transition to the next life.  The ashes and partially cremated bodies could cause a plumbing problem, but I'm sure Michigan's School of Engineering would be up to the task.

And when the plumber is finished, he can turn his attention to our Protestant brethren.  Twenty centuries after the Saviour was baptized by John, Christian pilgrims still flock to the River Jordan to be immersed.  It would be most discriminatory to not offer them a miniature recreation of this significant body of water.  Maybe they could even recreate Elijah crossing the Jordan before ascending to heaven on a chariot of fire.

Further, since the Israelites had to cross the River Jordan to enter the Promised Land, this would help to assuaging centuries of discrimination suffered by God's Chosen People by letting them splash across.

But we're just getting started.  There must be a thousand religions with sacred places and practices which are being discriminated against by omission.  Shouldn't witchdoctors be allowed a place to shrink heads?  Couldn't we build a knock off of the Cathedral door from Wittenberg, Germany so Lutherans would have somewhere to nail their theses up?  How about a room with hundreds of doors to keep the Jehovah Witnesses busy?  Why not build sweat lodges for American Indians.  And what about the Druids?

My mind staggers at the enormosity of it all.  Virtually 150% of the University's budget could be devoted to assuaging liberal guilt and appeasing the perennially offended.

In closing, even if they don't act on any of the previous well intentioned suggestions, I strongly encourage paying homage to the Aztec religion by erecting a teocalli, a temple which had sacred pools for ceremonial cleansing!!!  (Remember, we already have the plumber).  The only problem I can see would be finding enough virgins to sacrifice to Huitzilopochtli, the god of war and god of sun.

Dan Gura is a contributing editor to RFFM.org.

Some colorful thoughts while flying over the heartland by Dan Gura

"On the Lighter Side" by Dan Gura *

After thirty-five years and a couple billion miles, my beautiful wife Sandy was retiring as a flight attendant with United Air Lines (UAL) and I joined her on her last trip to Honolulu. (Photo: Sandy Gura wearing a vintage UAL uniform on her final flight for UAL)

Since I had no interest in the in-flight movie, I passed the time by watching the seemingly endless Rocky Mountains and thumbing through a dog-eared copy of Hemispheres.  In the center of the free airline magazine was a map of the United States which showed every route United flew; I held it to the window and tried without success to figure out where we were.  I mean, one majestic snow capped peak pretty much looks like the next from 50,000 feet and I quickly realized that, with the exception of the pilot and navigator, no one on board had the slightest idea which mountainous state we were flying over.

A light went on over my head (not Divine Providence, but the reading light in the overhead compartment--which should be opened carefully because the contents may have shifted during take off) and I noticed every state was clearly identified with its name in bold letters (except for the really tiny little New England states like Rhode Island which were abbreviated).

That was when I was awestruck with a brilliant idea, one which would benefit every geographically challenged passenger soaring through the friendly skies.  The federal government should erect colossal letters spelling out each individual state's names--and not some little letters mind you, but gigantically enormous ones, huge enough to be seen by every airliner flying from sea to shining sea.  From that day forward, passengers would be able to look out the window at the awesome alphabetical tableaux spread out across the amber fields of grain and fruited plains and say with confidence, "Well lookie there Mable, we're over Eye-O-Way."

After we landed, I discussed my idea with the captain and he thought letters a mile long by half a mile wide would do the job just fine.  At that size, my mammoth state identifiers would make the landmark H-O-L-L-Y-W-O-O-D sign, with its puny 45' high by 30' wide letters, look like the runt of the litter.  Of course, each letter will be illuminated so brightly you'll be able to read them whenever the weatherman shows a satellite view of our country on the nightly news.

At first I thought the state's names should be color-coded, according to how they voted in the last presidential election; red lights to delineate God-fearing states where marriage means one man and one woman and life is sacred from conception to natural death, and blue lights warning of the states where the spirit of Sodom and Gomorrah reigns supreme.  (Map: 2004 Presidential election results) 

But, as I gazed across the purple mountains majesty, I realized the media was wrong.  The blue state and red state labels, first used in that context on NBC's "Today" show about a week before the 2000 election, are as artificial as the lines on a map which divide our states.  In fact, from the air it is nigh impossible to tell where one state begins and the next one ends.  Oh sure, you can spot geological features like the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes, but the artificial, man made lines between Utah and Colorado exist only on paper.  And the higher you go, the more our country blends together; from where I sat, there was no question that we truly are one nation under God, indivisible.   

The more I thought about it, the more certain I was that we had been lied to by the media.  Their highly touted state-by-state maps--which colored the New England states, upper Midwest and west coast blue, while the majority of the country was red--did not prove how divided our country is any more than Richard Nixon's landslide win in 1972 (1) and Ronald Reagan's landslide victories in 1980 and 1984 (2) proved that America was united under the GOP banner. 

Princeton University's Robert Vanderbei gave a more accurate perspective with a map that blends the colors representing percentages of voters (by county) for each party.  On his map, individual states are not solid red or solid blue--they are hundreds of shades of purple.  And that purple does a great job of representing the unity of the world's melting pot.  Case in point:  In 2000 Al Gore won New Mexico by just 366 votes.  That made it a blue state on the media's old staple.  Vanderbei's map more correctly shows it to be a cornucopia of magenta colors.

The 2008 presidential election is still over a year away.  Heck, neither party has even picked a standard bearer.  Yet the pundits at the 24/7/365 cable news stations, when not reporting on OJ's latest foibles, are already harping on the red state-blue state divisions.  They call it healing the rift.  I call it trying to create conflict where none exists.

And thanks to the Internet there's more...much, much more.  I Googled "red blue state 2008" and found 2,210,000 hits, including articles with cutesy names like "One state, two state, red state, blue state," "Blue Grass, Red State," and "Don't it Make my Red State Blue."  There are bloggers championing every color of the rainbow--provided the spectrum is limited to two hues: Republican red and Democratic blue--who wax endlessly on how to convert one color to the other.

For those who can't get enough of the red/blue non-sense, www.electoral-vote.com includes a map that rates how each state leaned-strong, weak, barely--in the last election.  Far more informative is their listing of hundreds of 2008 presidential polls (updated daily).  They even tracked two Brown University polls for Rhode Island--that electoral vote gold mine--which put Hillary ahead of Obama (35%-16% up from 35% to 8% on January 27th). 

In closing, the only thing I can promise with a 100% degree of certainty is you will be sick of hearing the phrase "red state-blue state" months before Fred Thompson is inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States of America.

(1) Sandy only evacuated one airplane during her career, a charter for Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern, who went on to lose to Richard Nixon, who received the most electoral votes ever, 520, versus McGovern's 17.  Curiously, that map showed the Republican states in blue.    

(2) In 1980 Reagan received 489 electoral votes while Jimmy Carter received only 49.  In 1984 Reagan shattered Nixon's 1972 record by received 525 electoral votes, while Walter "Fritz" Mondale only carried his home state of Minnesota with a mere 13 electoral votes.

* Dan Gura is a contributing editor to RFFM.org.

If You Don't Read, How Can You Learn?

"ON THE LIGHTER SIDE" by Dan Gura

A recent Associated Press Poll (1) of 1,003 American adults asked, "Have you read any books in the past year?"  An amazing 27% said not a one.

Even more alarming, of the literate 73%, only 64% had read the Bible or other religious text (44% of the respondents were Protestant and 27% Catholic (2) which means well over half of American adults did not turn to Scripture during an entire year.

The fact that one in four American adults claim not to have read a single book made banner headlines across the globe, including mother Russia's own PRAVDA. (3)  The much copied AP story opines, "the survey reveals a nation whose book readers on the whole can hardly be considered ravenous."  Curiously, it doesn't mention how newspaper readership is dropping quicker than Rex Grossman taking a snap from center.  On October 31, 2006 The Washington Post reported newspaper circulation nationwide has been sliding since 1987 and dropped 2.8% from the comparable period the year before; the LA Times led the pack by dropping a whopping 9%.

If you have any doubt how thin the ranks of readers are, I challenge you to take a commuter train downtown; walk through the cars and count how few people pass their time with either a book or newspaper.  Cell phones, laptops, and every sort of music making electronics abound, but nary a dog-eared tome in sight.

I am proud to report that my children are all insatiable readers.  In fact, I call my daughter Corrina--now a college teacher--a book devourer because of how fast she reads.

To what do I attribute their love of the printed word?  Certainly not to twelve years of public schooling--their education was also deficient in history, English and geography.  However, all four have excellent self-esteem and know how to celebrate Kwanzaa.  Unlike the "good old days" when we were assigned lists of books which MUST be read over the summer--lest ye incur the wrath of a nun who was only slightly bigger and stronger than Brian Urlacher--not a one brought home so much as a list of suggested reading.

No, my children are excellent readers for two reasons.  The first is the example my wife and I set by reading to, then with, them.  The Little House on the Prairie series was an early family favorite and now even my Mom is reading Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels.

Second, they were required to not only read books, but to share their newly acquired knowledge as well.  Every night at dinner--including during summer vacation--I asked each in turn, "What did you learn today?"

Some nights, despite spending an entire day in the classroom, four blank faces stared back at me.  It would take subtle prodding--"whoever didn't learn anything today does dishes all by themselves"--to motivate the gray matter.  Then the learning pours out.

"J. Frank Dureyea won America's first automobile race on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1895 when he drove 52 miles from Jackson Park in Chicago to Waukegan in only 10 hours and 23 minutes."

"The legal avoirdupois weight as fixed by the U.S. government for a single bushel of potatoes is sixty pounds, except for North Carolina and West Virginia where it is only fifty-six pounds."

Why?  I don't know.  Maybe I'll learn the reason tomorrow.  All I know is they had to not only make the effort to learn something, but to remember it until dinner time as well.

Even though my children are now adults, it is rare to see them without a book because good habits last a lifetime.

So, what can you do to give your kids a competitive advantage in life?  Simple, you must get involved.  If you hook 'em on reading while they're young, they will be readers all their lives.

Pay a visit to your child's school and examine their curriculum.  If your child does not have a class devoted to reading, demand to know why not.  Hold them accountable--you are paying their salaries, either through taxes or tuition.  That means they work for you.  Do not settle for mediocre.

Learn what programs are available for parents who do not want their children to be left behind. Then take advantage of them.  Two great resources are Reading Is Fundamental, the nation's oldest and largest nonprofit children's literacy organization, whose mission is to "ensure that every child believes in the value of books and the importance of reading," and Readers Are Leaders.  Their name is not just a slogan.  They are a foundation whose goal is getting children interested and excited about reading. (4)

I found an article titled, "Be Excellent, Readers are Leaders" which quoted a survey of American business people that found executives at Fortune 1000 companies read 6.7 books per year while the average respondent read but 7/10 of one book every three years!

It seems pretty obvious:  The more you read, the more you succeed.  If you don't believe me, I will close with two examples of two avid readers who achieved their dreams.

While touring Ronald Reagan's boyhood home in Dixon, Illinois, the docent showed us a small table with four chairs around it.  She explained that during the darkest days of the great depression Nelle Reagan would place a single lighted oil lamp at the center of that table and the family would sit around it and read--often the Bible.  During his presidency, Reagan was known as the Great Communicator.  A coincidence?  I don't think so.

Finally, I'm re-reading Veeck as in Wreck, the autobiography of Bill Veeck, baseball's PT Barnum and twice owner of the Chicago White Sox. (5)  In Bob Verdi's foreword he states, "Call him a voracious reader and you would be correct.  Call him a voracious thinker and you would truly define him."

Veeck had a lifelong love affair with knowledge and he knew the best way to acquire it was through reading.  We can only pray that our children's children make this same discovery, lest we become a nation who only knows that which they Google.

(1) The poll was conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, project #81-5681-13, on August 6-8, 2007, and had a margin of error of +/- 3.1 for all adults.   

(2) 38% of the respondents described themselves as "born-again or Evangelical Christians."

(3) PRAVDA On-line claims to "continue the history of the newspaper that was closed by then-President Boris Yeltsin in August of 1991."

(4) www.rif.org   www.readersareleadersfoundation.org

(5) Bill Veeck is the consummate showman who gave us baseball's first midget--3'7" Eddie Gaedel, the exploding scoreboard at Comiskey Park, the ivy at Wrigley field, and Disco Demolition Night.

Dan Gura is a contributing editor to RFFM.org.