The Problem with Democrats

      I watched the second Democrat Debate last night-well, some of it-and continue to be amazed that the candidates still can't call our enemy what it is: radical Islam. Mrs. Clinton did refer to the terrorists as Jihadists, which is about as close as anyone got to labeling them at all, but let's face it: if we can't identify them, how can we even fight them, much less defeat them? France, a N.A.T.O. ally, has just  been savagely attacked by these radical religious extremists, and still the Democrats insist that this is someone else's fight. 
      These monsters have demonstrated again and again that they want to rid to  world of "Infidels", and are willing to die to accomplish that.  If we are going to defeat them, we have to be willing to do the same. Meanwhile, Mr. Obama has been cutting back on the size and abilities of our military forces at the very time that we need to be stronger, not weaker.  Ironically, here in Connecticut, our illustrious chapter of the AFL-CIO has asked their national organization to organize a boycott of and divestment in Israel, a sovereign nation and our only true ally in the Middle East, which has to defend itself regularly from Palestinian terrorists who also want to wipe Israel off the map . Unbelievable.   I think I am going to boycott the AFL-CIO.  Mr. Hollande said it right: France is at war. May God bless them in their fight.

The joy of Family

A son of a cousin of mine got married recently - in Spain. When my cousin first told me about it, I was pretty sure I would not be able to go.  In the first place, it's hugely expensive, and going to Spain for a weekend didn't seem like a good way to spend my hard-earned money, even for a dearly loved cousin.  In the second place, I hate flying, and the thought of spending seven or eight hours in a plane with several hundred other people left me cold, to say the least. In the third place, we really couldn't afford for both my husband and me to go, and I didn't feel up to traveling in a foreign country by myself, especially when I didn't know the language. But two things happened that made me rethink my situation.  First, John didn't want to go anyway, having been to Spain years ago and not being in the least interested in going there again, and second, my daughter Jenny said she would love to go with me, and agreed to make all the arrangements as long as we could stay for an extra day or two so she could see Madrid.  As it happened, it was the best decision I could have made:  the wedding was fantastic, we had a great time both at the wedding and in Madrid, and Jenny and I were able to begin healing a chasm that has arisen between us due to her decision to divorce her husband of two years. My cousin also said that he was very grateful to have us share the celebration with his family, and thanked us often during the weekend for attending. In the end, it was the joy of being with the family at such a happy event that made the trip worthwhile.