SCOTUS Nominee Elena Kagan and Gay Rights

Did Ms. Kagan use her position as Dean of Harvard Law to settle a score regarding a personal grievance?

In banning military recruitment on campus did she seek to encroach on a chain of command of which she was not a part?

Did Elena Kagan move outside of recognized corridors of due process in making her unilateral decision?

Will she use the SCOTUS bench to further the agenda of the powerful gay rights lobby?

As for myself, I believe that gay individuals suffer a degree of gender fragmentation to their birth identity. My belief does not bear malice nor lack of compassion.

But does Ms. Kagan harbor malice toward a policy which is in line with the UCMJ in the manner in which the military deals with sexual misconduct? The heterosexual marital boundary has served us well. Fraternization and adultery are certainly punishable under our guiding jurisprudential arm.

Ms. Kagan may be well-qualified and most likely will soon be seated on the Court. But may she honor the integrity of the position and may her rulings be free of bias.

Article Link

Tammy Swofford

Justice Initiatives: Omar Garcia

Omar Garcia is a dear personal friend. He has been involved in humanitarian relief for many years and has recently branched out into more narrowly focused justice initiatives. These charitable initiatives seek out the most vulnerable within regions where the pendulum for stability swings wildly.

Women's health is of utmost importance to me. So take a moment and read one of Mr. Garcia's latest commentaries on human trafficking. You will find similar articles in his online journal.

Journal Link

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

In the Research Mode

"Gestalt" is moving from the initial flat product into what I call the weaving stage. This requires a higher level of intensity and focus. As I delve into an examination of primary source documentation regarding Islam and Christianity it seems good to begin my day with a reminder.

On my playlist today

Smiling,

Tammy

The Mecca Wednesday Flood of 1941

One of the joys of blogging continues to be the occasional gifts sent along by readers. I don't advertise on my site and there will never be a PayPal account for contribution. Blogging is relaxation time for me. Today, seven of ten awaited postcards from an imam traveling to Mecca. The actual postcard reads thus:

Makkah Al-Mukarammah in the History of the Wednesday Flood Year 1941

I can find very little regarding this event in an online search - other than a few photographs. So if any of you can provide a better link, it is appreciated.

And to the reader today sending along links for issues in the Middle East, my gratitude.

Tammy Swofford

General McChrystal Receives a Presidential Slap

"I think it's clear that the article in which he and his team appeared showed a poor — showed poor judgment," the president said Tuesday, surrounded by members of his Cabinet at the close of their meeting.

Pass the Kleenex. Yes, pass me a tissue, please!

In the latest chapter of Commander-in-Chief v. Commander-on-the-Ground I felt compelled to read the article in question which has our President in a stew. The article was excellent. It shows the flanks of a kick-ass military culture which relies on the cunning and intelligence of mature leadership to not only lead in war but also maintain troop loyalty. While a private joke changing "Biden" to "Bite me" may seem offensive, it does not necessarily reflect on General McChrystal's fidelity to duty. I found reason to cheer in reading the article in The Rolling Stones Magazine. The backbone is snapped into place for a very difficult assignment.

There are undoubtedly other issues and possibly personal animosities to be addressed privately between two very powerful men. I hope for conflict resolution.

It does seem that anger and frustration are the paintbrush applied to the portrait of our President now that the pressure is on. He no longer rises to the cheers of adulation from German crowds at Victory Column but bows to the difficult burdens of the presidency. Welcome to leadership, Mr. President. Not as easy as you thought, is it?

Happier times for a political novice

Rolling Stone Magazine article link

*Editorial Note: The continued lack of journalists with prior military experience shows within MSM. Article after article speaks of General McChrystal being "fired". The correct phrase is "relieved of duty". The military does not "fire" people. Our biggest asset is our people! smile

Tammy Swofford

Without Us

You would not be free


Tammy

Anwaar Hussain: The View from His Perch

Readers,

Enter the world of ideas with today's post sent along by Anwaar Hussain. It is good to enjoy the opinion and views of the other - without offense or malice. Limiting personal reading habits to the works of a few favorite incestuous journalists retards the birth of new ideas and in fact, creates defective thinking. So enjoy what Anwaar puts on the page.

Click here for link



Tammy

Faith and Hope Collide

Bare silhouette against the sky

Faith and hope collide

Gnarled branches reach skyward

Fallen acorns, not courting

Faith and hope collide

My life's tapestry

Black and bold red

with two golden threads

Constancy and comfort

In spite of "unanswered prayers"

Laughter explodes from my throat

Merciful God


*Thoughts after reviewing my prayer journal of 1996-1997.


Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Osama bin Ladin: "Latest Message to the American People"

Remember Readers:

This man still seeks to destroy us. Here are the thumbnails from what is offered up as the latest release on an active forum site.

The video (such as it is) can also be accessed from the link.

Continue to pray for the safety of our troops as they provide a shield of defense for our nation against men who seek our collective harm.

Osama bin Ladin


Tammy Swofford

Pakistan and ISI

It was dirty and it was ugly. Al-Qaedah unleashed their hell. We were left with 19,858 recognizable body parts to collect, no need for the massive amount of blood donations by frantic volunteers lining the streets of New York, and a giant wet-vac was practically all which was needed to clean up the residual of human remains.

Remind me again why we are giving Pakistan such an enormous aid package? Perhaps because their own population is slowly dismembered as opposed to en masse, ISI considers it a lark to support the Taliban. Surely more than a few, can cough up the coordinates for the team which orchestrated an attack against us on 9/11. Gosh! Such fun to be "anti-West".

Our aid package needs to be substantially reduced. Until ISI cleans up their sewage system we should be damn sure that we discontinue this ridiculous history of monetary largess.

ISI corruption



Tammy Swofford

Swofford Unleashed: Caroline Glick and Lack of Prudence

Readers,

Some news items - just have to be addressed.

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

IDF commandos confirmed the rule of law with deadly force against activists seeking to breach a long-standing blockade of Gaza. Among the dead, more than one individual with ties to designated terror organizations. Prime Minister Netanyahu resisted international pressure for an enquiry beyond an internal review of procedures.

Families received back their dead and funerals were conducted. Unrest hit the streets of Turkey and Gaza. Opportunistic Iran played the runaway bride with Turkish leadership by offering to provide safe passage for “Flotilla: the Sequel”.

Caroline Glick determined it in the best interest of journalism to produce a parody of the flotilla raid worthy of a high school musical production of “Grease”. Her piece de resistance quickly climbed to over two million views. With actors cawing, “The truth will never find its way to your t.v.” and “Abandon reason”, it seems that the only one who has abandoned reason is Ms. Glick.

She has stature. She has a coveted editorial desk. And now we find she has a level of emotionalism which has degraded her capacity for credible commentary.

The Almighty blessed Solomon because he did not ask for the death of his enemies but rather, a discerning heart to administer justice.

There are times when the death of an enemy is of benefit to the State. But the State should never present the news in joyful manner. If justice was administered, so be it.

Israel has presented the facts regarding the deceased, any prior terror organization affiliations of those on the ship manifest. The delivery of any such news requires a humility which acknowledges that in the end, the affairs of men fall under the final governance of God. The military may function as the swift messenger of death, but they should resist the dance on the grave.

And what should be our posture when a video is released which gleefully mocks with both song and ridiculous garb a military action involving national security which brought conflict and bloodshed on the deck of a ship? Ms. Glick has performed her maddening dance.

Tammy Swofford

Swofford Unleashed: Caroline Glick is an Idiot

Readers,

When I return to the blog, Ms. Glick will be the recipient of the blog's coveted Intellectual Midget award. You will see "Swofford Unleashed" on the page.

Flotilla Parody

Tammy Swofford

GESTALT: The Brief

Gestalt:

Definition: A physical, biological, psychological, or symbolic configuration or pattern of elements so unified as a whole that its properties cannot be derived from a simple summation of its parts.

This is the month. It is time for me to begin writing "Gestalt". It will consist of a series of highly condensed monographs which rely on the Qur'anic Sciences as cryptograph. Hadith will provide document anchorage with Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim in greatest usage. (Muhammad ibn Ismaa'eel and Muslim ibn al-Hajjaaj Al-Qushayree, respectively)

An additional compendium of thought will be secured from translated work from the Abbasid Dynasty, followers of Ibn Taymiyyah, and what are considered some of the more obscure Hadith. As always, personal correspondence with Islamic scholars will find an honored place.

Jihad journalism will provide a flanking aspect of the brief as will more modern writings penned within the 20th century, coming out of Saudi Arabia. My personal library is calling out to me.

Leaving the blog and entering the research cubicle for a few weeks. See you on the other side!

Smiling,

Tammy Swofford

Pakistan: Policy Issues

Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed, Ph.D gave me a heads up regarding the Institute of Public Policy third annual report. It received its initial "legs", when presented in Islamabad yesterday by Mr. Javed Burki. (former vice president of the World Bank and former Finance Minister, government of Pakistan) In the shadows, the quiet academic ventures of men and women seriously engaged in seeking workable solutions for the nation of Pakistan. Those of us who enter the court of ideas will at times have the smoke upon our garments from the fiery passion of diverse views. But the goals remain the same: societal solutions.

Institute of Public Policy

Article by Dr. Ahmed

Tammy Swofford

tammyswofford@yahoo.com

The Flotilla Raid: Put the Blame Where it Belongs

Do any of you remember attending a small carnival as a child to endure your parent ruining your fun? Screaming, "Don't stick your hand in the lion's cage!" you wondered why such a fuss. You just hated being denied baiting the lion.

For days in advance of the flotilla raid, Israel warned the activists to keep their hands out of the lion's cage. The world watched knowing we would certainly view the inevitable conclusion to the political drama. The "roar" was heard after an early morning raid and a few of the Flotillians are dead.

Naturally, after the hand was mauled, the world is "outraged". Why were the vocal cords not activated against a poorly thought-out strategy? Grandstanding against a military lion seems an illogical choice. I am apolitical on the whole Gaza issue. But I am not apolitical regarding stupidity.

Tammy Swofford