Justice Scalia Boycotts Obama Speech

Justice Scalia boycotted the President Obama's State of the Union address last night.  Full story here.

THE POPE IS RESIGNING!!!!

Congressman Lincoln

In 1846 Abraham Lincoln was a prominent attorney in the eighth judicial circuit of Illinois and a former member of the Illinois legislature.  He was also the Whig parties’ candidate for Congress from the 7th Congressional District.  In his service in the Thirtieth Congress, from 1847 to 1849, Lincoln first came to national prominence as a politician.

Chris Derose is an attorney and former political strategist who now teaches at the University of Phoenix School of Law.  His new book, Congressman Lincoln: The Making of America’s Greatest President, is old fashioned narrative political history and biography.

After the disintegration of the old Federalist Party, the Democrats swept everything before them with the election of Andrew Jackson.  The Whig Party began as a coalition between former Federalists, disgruntled Democrats and any one else who opposed Jackson and his policies.  As you may recall, Andrew Jackson opposed the National Bank and advocated, like Jefferson, a nation of small farmers.  The Whigs wanted a sound national economy and a national monetary policy and Federal oversight of major internal improvements like canals and post roads.

In 1846, the Whigs won a slim majority in the House of Representatives.  The Democratic President, James K. Polk, was a former Governor of Tennessee and a slave owner.  After Texas revolted from Mexico, Polk provocatively annexed the Republic of Texas as U.S. territory and marched troops to the Rio Grande.  When fire was exchanged between Mexican and U.S. troops, the Mexican War began.  President Polk made no secret that he intended to prosecute the war to secure new territory from Mexico.

The Mexican War was the Vietnam Conflict of its day.  Congressman Abraham Lincoln angered his political enemies and alienated many of his friends when he took the floor of the House and denounced President Polk’s war.  The slavery issue loomed large over the Thirtieth Congress.  Abolitionist Northern Whigs opposed the extension of slavery into the territories and the abolition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia.  Southern Whigs and Democrats generally supported the expansion of slavery.  The slavery issue would ultimately tear the Whig Party apart, with Southern Whigs leaving the party and Northern Whigs who supported abolition forming a new party, the Republicans.

Congressman Lincoln has interesting details about Lincoln’s personal life, his sometimes dis-functional marriage to Mary Todd, his famous wit and his personal habits and appearance.  The book also has a great deal of information about many men who were major national political figures in the 1840s who have now slipped into obscurity.  There is also a lot of information about Lincoln's law practice, including the fact that while he was serving in Congress, he became the first future President to argue a case before the United States Supreme Court.

Gridlock and crisis have not just now hit Washington.  As a matter of fact, it may have been worse in Lincoln’s day as DeRose details how fist fights, sometimes involving canes and knives, broke out between members of Congress on the floor.  Apparently, in the early 19th century Congress maintained a saloon in the basement of the capitol so that members could enjoy a libation between sessions!

All around, if you are interested in the political history of this country, Congressman Lincoln is a great read.

The Russian Orthodox Church in South Carolina

Very Interesting.

Would Thomas Merton Use An I-Pad?

An interesting review of a new book.  The review is written by a great Catholic contemplative Intellectual, my friend Carl McColman.

The Coming Jihad

According to Professor William Kilpatrick this soon could be what the Miss America Pageant looks like.

In Christianity, Islam and Atheism: The Struggle for the Soul of the West,  recently published by Ignatius Press, former Boston College professor Kilpatrick says that we have been engaged in a culture war with Islam for decades and that we are losing.

According to Kilpatrick, there is no such thing as radical Islam.  The teachings of Islam demand that Muslims rule the world and that non-Muslims either submit to Muslim rule or be killed.  Kilpatrick says that politically correct multiculturalism plays into the hands of Islamic jihadists who are bent on turning Islam into the majority religion in the world.  Once Muslims are entrenched in politics and culture, then sharia law will become the law of the land.  Professor Kilpatrick says that Western Europe is imminently facing this fate.

This is an interesting and important book.  Highly recommended.

Religious Tension Between Jews at the Western Wall

Apparently, there is some tension at the Western Wall in Jerusalem between Ultra Orthodox Rabbis who do not want women wearing prayer shawls and other religious items usually worn by Jewish men, and women who are members of Reformed Congregations.  Read the entire article from Haaretz here.

The Annunciation of the Lord

O Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sake didst vouchsafe to descend from thy throne of glory to this world of pain and sorrow; who wast conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, and was made Man; Make, we beseech thee, our hearts a fit habitation for thyself.  Beautify and fill them with all spiritual graces, and possess them wholly by thy power.  Give us grace to prepare for thy coming with deep humility, to receive thee with burning love, and to hold thee fast with a firm faith; that we may never leave thee nor forsake thee.  Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.

The Poor State of Free Speech

We Americans must never take our right to Free Speech guaranteed by the First Amendment for granted.  How long will it be before we wind up like Europe and Canada with "hate speech" trials.  

The Book of Job

I'm reading Rabbi Kushner's book now.  Hopefully, I will have a post about it in a week or two.

Iranian Diplomat: If We Don't Like You Then You Are a Zionist

According to this Israeli blog, the Iranian Ambassador to Russia has said that anyone who Iran doesn't like must be a Zionist.

LSU Photoshots Student Picture to Remove Crosses

Incredible.  We live in a society in which a college feels compelled to photoshop a photograph of some kids to remove crosses painted on their chest.  So I take it that no public expression of Christian faith is now allowed - That seems to be the message.  Full story here.

The Process of Canonization

It takes a lot to get "raised to the altars."  Interesting post about the canonization process underway for Bishop Fulton J. Sheen.

Throwing Father Groeschel Under the Bus

My favorite priest, Father Benedict Groeschel, has been thrown under the bus by a few ill chosen comments. Like a Stalinist publication, EWTN has now removed any reference to anything Father Groeschel ever did for them.  Read more here.

The Obama Administration: Waging War Against the Catholic Church While Appeasing Islam

Great post with links to the Politico from The American Catholic.

BBC Assumes Christians Are Lunatics

Full story here.

We Are Catholic!

Pagan Territory

A very good sermon about how our modern Western World is becoming a land without grace.  Read it here.

The Modern World

Powerful Video