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Sansom Should Resign

Ray Sansom (R-Destin) the embattered speaker of the House is being called upon by this conservative to resign. The facts show that Sansom earmarked over 25 million dollars to Northwest Florida State (formerly Okaloosa-Walton Community College) then took a part-time job there to the tune of $110,000/year on the very same day he was sworn in as House speaker. While earmarking is nothing new for any politician who wants to get re-elected, Sansom should have had enough sense to not take a high paying part-time position at the college. He should have also had enough sense not to have 6 million of the abovementioned 25 million diverted to the Destin Airport to build a hanger for developer and major donor, Jay Odom.
 
Perception is reality and this perception reeks of the type of under the table deals, cronyism, and political abuse of power that this many in this country- Republican, Democrat, Liberal and Conservative alike, have come to despise.
 
 
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Bill Ayers Still Does Not Think Bombing Is Insane...And We Want Him To Speak At FSU?

On December 5, 2008 William Ayers wrote an op-ed in the New York Times entitled The Real William Ayers.

In it he writes,

"The Weather Underground crossed lines of legality, of propriety and perhaps
even of common sense. Our effectiveness can be — and still is being — debated.
We did carry out symbolic acts of extreme vandalism directed at monuments to war
and racism, and the attacks on property, never on people, were meant to respect
human life and convey outrage and determination to end the Vietnam war. Peaceful
protests had failed to stop the war. So we issued a screaming response. But it
was not terrorism; we were not engaged in a campaign to kill and injure people
indiscriminately, spreading fear and suffering for political ends."


Really. Extreme vandalism? That's what you call it?

On Wednesday, December 10 just five days after his op-ed, William Ayers came out of his shell even further this time to speak with Chris Matthews on MSNBC's Hardball. Matthews actually challenged Ayers on his claim of "extreme vandalism." (The dialogue begins about four minutes in on the video which is located at www.conservativeponderment.com.)

MATTHEWS: Because you know back, I have a little history on this. I, I was taken by your comment about it being, you know, "empty offices." You know the bomb that went off in the U.S. Capitol in early, well actually late winter of 1971, went off in a bathroom in the Capitol Building, the old part of the Capitol it was, goes all the way back to the beginnings of our republic. And there were police officers in that area. In fact one I knew at the time, had just been in that bathroom in only a second or, actually about a minute later had checked in there, checked in the door there. So we knew he had been in that bathroom within a minute or so of the bomb going off. What do you make of that? It isn't just vandalism. There is people involved when you try to blow up a Capitol Building.

AYERS: Well it's horrific. Absolutely terrible, if someone were to be hurt. But let's again, remember the context. We had, we had created conditions where the majority of the people who were opposed to the war in Vietnam, every month that the war went on 2000 Vietnamese were killed, murdered.

MATTHEWS: Yeah.

AYERS: Innocent people. And, and what could we do to stop that, that terrible destruction? And I'm not claiming that what we did was terrific. But then again those who demonstrated, which I did, we didn't, we weren't that effective either. Those who went into the Democratic Party and tried to create a peace wing, they weren't that effective either. So the dilemma remains. Who did the right thing? I'm not so sure and I don't, again I don't want to defend what we did but nor do I think it was completely insane.

So which is it Mr. Ayers? Being that no one was murdered you have the luxury to claim your intent was only "extreme vandalism" and the attack was not directed at people.

A police officer was in the bathroom only a minute before the bomb exploded. If it really was not directed at people, why not a far off corner of the Capitol or another part of the building that was not being utilized?

You placed a bomb in a bathroom and claim it was not directed at people.

You are a liar.

And the ironic thing is, you still in your own sick mind attempt to justify your actions.....

"Well it's horrific. Absolutely terrible, if someone were to be hurt. But let's
again, remember the context...."

I am sorry sir, there is no appropriate context for bombing federal buildings.

And Florida State University is still rolling the red carpet out for this "reformer". Even worse, they are in their own minds justifying it as well.

“He is the leading voice on education reform” says a spokesman for the Institute for Liberal Studies, the student organization sponsoring the Ayers visit.

"We’re using controversy to help bring about good" admits the director of the Institute.

If you disagree with Florida State University using public funds to pay a terrorist (who still justifies his actions) to come on campus and speak about education reform, please make your voice known. Let T.K. Wetherell, his administrative staff, and the rest of the FSU Administration know how you feel.

In addition, you can also do the following:

1) If you have not done so already, please sign the
petition.
2) Exercise your free speech by withholding future monetary support from FSU. Feel free to talk about it as well- in the petition, at church, with coworkers.
3) Email this post to five of your friends and encourage them to follow these steps too.
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The Reason For The Season

Merry Christmas and greetings to you all. I just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Hopefully all of your Christmas shopping is done by now and I pray that you can take a minute to truly reflect on the reason for the season.

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

Luke 1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.”
38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

The Birth of Jesus

Luke 2:1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.
22 Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” 24 So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” 25 At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. 30 I have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared for all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”


While the birth of Jesus is what we celebrate at Christmas, his birth means nothing without his death, burial and resurrection.


Jesus’ Trial before Pilate

Luke 23:1 Then the entire council took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. 2 They began to state their case: “This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king.”
3 So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said it.”
4 Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, “I find nothing wrong with this man!”
5 Then they became insistent. “But he is causing riots by his teaching wherever he goes—all over Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem!”
6 “Oh, is he a Galilean?” Pilate asked. 7 When they said that he was, Pilate sent him to Herod Antipas, because Galilee was under Herod’s jurisdiction, and Herod happened to be in Jerusalem at the time.
8 Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle. 9 He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer. 10 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the teachers of religious law stood there shouting their accusations. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. 12 (Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies before, became friends that day.)
13 Then Pilate called together the leading priests and other religious leaders, along with the people, 14 and he announced his verdict. “You brought this man to me, accusing him of leading a revolt. I have examined him thoroughly on this point in your presence and find him innocent. 15 Herod came to the same conclusion and sent him back to us. Nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty. 16 So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”
18 Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, “Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.) 20 Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22 For the third time he demanded, “Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”
23 But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded. 25 As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished.
26 As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. 28 But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’ 30 People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’ 31 For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left.
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.
35 The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. 37 They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 A sign was fastened to the cross above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”
40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Death of Jesus

44 By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. 46 Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!”And with those words he breathed his last.
47 When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.” 48 And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow. 49 But Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching.
50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. 54 This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin.
55 As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law.

The Resurrection

Luke 24:1 But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3 So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.
5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”
8 Then they remembered that he had said this. 9 So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 11 But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 12 However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

Christ Took Our Punishment

Romans 3:21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

I realize I may catch a lot of criticism from this post. (For the first time it's non-political. Go figure). That's ok. I'll go head to head over anything you have to say. Email me:
abe@conservativeponderment.com . I will not respond to public comments on the blog but at the same time will not censor them. My hope is that you will take the time however to reflect with an open heart and open mind what it is we are truly celebrating on this day. There is ample proof outside the Bible to substantiate it, if only you'll check.

May God bless you, keep you, and protect you. Let Him make things new again for you this Christmas.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
 
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Sign the Ayers FSU Petition

It seems that Conservative Ponderment has stirred some controversy around the good state of Florida in it's attempt to keep known terrorist William Ayers out of Tallahassee. With the blog and petition being referenced on WCTV, the Palm Beach Post, and WFLA FM, the Ponderment is going strong and not backing down in the attempt to keep Mr. Ayers off of the Florida State campus. I and many others believe it is inappropriate for Mr. Ayers to be compensated with public monies from the State of Florida. One would be naive to think that the administration at FSU is not worried about the potential fallout from this speech as some donors have already pledged to never donate to Florida State University again should this speech occur.

To clarify, this is not an issue of free speech. Mr. Ayers can speak wherever he likes. We are not calling for the suppression of his speech. We are calling for public funds not to finance the speech of a terrorist (regardless of the subject matter involved) whose bombs exploded at the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, and the New York City Police Headquarters.

The past intentions of the Institute for Liberal Studies are noble as they formerly have shined a light on issues such as poverty and inequality, issues which need to be discussed. However, their intent and judgment here is at best questionable. Republican or Democrat, Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative, what does it say about the state of our country when the supposed leader in education reform (as the Institute would have you believe) was bombing buildings just decades ago and brags about the fact that he got off on a technicality? Is there not another leader in the field of education, one without a mugshot or terrorist record, that the Institute could have invited instead?

The University of Nebraska succeeded in "disinviting" Mr. Ayers from speaking. Can Florida State succeed as well?

That depends on you joining this grassroots movement, getting the word out, and taking action yourself.

1) If you have not done so already, please sign the petition.
2) Exercise your free speech by withholding future monetary support from FSU. Feel free to talk about it as well- in the petition, at work, or even in an email to T.K. Wetherell. (I am a graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences. They will not see another cent from me should this speech go through). As far as the money goes, send it to your church or a local relief agency instead.
3) Email this post to five of your friends and encourage them to follow these steps too.
4) Keep talking about it. Don't roll over. Stand up for what you believe. Don't let the issue die.
 
Read more about this and other topics at www.conservativeponderment.com.
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William Ayers to Speak at Florida State University on Florida's dime

Sad but true, only the formal contract has not been finalized.

William Ayers, a terrorist bomber who received national attention during the recent presidential campaign for his ties to President-Elect Barack Obama has accepted an invitation to come to Florida State University and speak on education reform. Mr. Ayers, who has no remorse for bombing the Pentagon, New York City police headquarters, and the United States Capitol building only a few decades ago, is being compensated $5000.00 for this speaking engagement with public funds collected from the student activity fees of over 40,000 students at Florida State University.

According to a former member of the Student Government Association at Florida State University, the Student Government Association collects approximately $9.80 per credit hour from each student for Activities and Services fees each semester. The Institute for Liberal Studies, a student organization on campus who is the main supporter of the Ayers event, is 100% funded by the Student Government Association.

As 64% of the students enrolled at Florida State University receive Bright Futures Scholarships funded by the residents of Florida with Lottery earnings, and the Bright Futures money pays for tuition and student activity fees for each Bright Futures student, Mr. Ayers is being indirectly compensated with public funds by the residents of Florida.

Again, Mr. Ayers is unapologetic in his role for the bombings noted above. The residents of the great state of Florida are about to knowingly financially support an unremorseful terrorist. What in the hell is this world coming to?

Mr. Ayers is scheduled to speak at the FSU Oglesby Ballroom at 7:30pm on January 12, 2009.

If you are a resident of the state of Florida, please sign the petition to keep Mr. Ayers away from FSU. Email this post to others and encourage them to do the same.

You can also express your displeasure by contacting the following:

Institute for Liberal Studies
Phone: (850) 645-8426.
Email: ILS@admin.fsu.edu

President T.K. Wetherell
Phone: (850) 644-1085
Email: president@mailer.fsu.edu

Since the event is supported with state of Florida funds, feel free to contact Governor Charlie Crist or your local state representative as well.

Read more about this and other topics at http://www.conservativeponderment.com.
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