By Becky Banaszak
("For the Love of Truth" Blog)
Almost two minutes have passed since I wrote the headline. It’s not because I’m a terribly slow writer (although I am) but I just realized I’m guilty of apathy.
Two children per minute.
I’m counting the number of children that have been trafficked for sexual exploitation since I sat down. It’s been about five minutes. That’s ten kids. A few more minutes and I’ll be out of fingers and toes to count on.
In the time it takes to watch an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy,” 120 kids will have been forced into the most dehumanizing form of slavery. Annually, that’s about 1.2 million children.
I wonder which little lives will be stolen this minute. What do they look like? Where are they from? Who will help them?
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 13 is the average age of victims when they’re first forced into prostitution.
When I think about human beings as sexual slaves, I picture a timid, petite, 13-year-old girl with messy braids. The young girl has one yellow bow in her hair. The other one has been ripped out. She’s being forced to perform sexual acts with a 45-year-old pedophile. He’s almost three times her size. A size that crushes her miniature frame.
Silent tears fall from her brown eyes as her innocence is robbed for the fifth time today and her mind tries to make sense of what’s happening to her. But she smiles because they tell her to. Smiling slaves are good for business. And business is looking good — real good.
According to The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), human trafficking generates $10 to $12 billion dollars a year for organized crime. Did you catch the “b” before “illion”? That’s at least $9 billion more than the $50 million our government spends to combat this crisis.
It’s been 24 minutes. We’re up to 48 kids.
If I continued to count kids more than the calories I consumed or the cell phone minutes I used, I wonder how affected I would be. I wonder if I could ever be more aware of what’s happening to those children than of my waistline or my phone bill or myself.
It shouldn’t be that hard. Everywhere I look, I see faces of children around the world who are suffering needlessly. They’re in my mailbox, on my television screen and in between the lines of most news stories.
They’re beaten, broken, tired, hungry, thirsty, lonely and crying out for someone, anyone, to just do something.
Distracted, I turn away unaffected and apathetic.
Distracted because I live in America, a place where it is easy to escape reality. I have a computer and a MySpace account — the ability to flee. I have a television that dictates reality in shows like, “The Real World.” I have a job and a cell phone. My social life is very demanding. I’m just too busy.
67 more children.
Unaffected because my life tends to revolve around things that have to do with me. If it doesn’t directly impact my personal well-being, it doesn’t exist in my world. I live in a bubble. And it has a steeple.
Apathetic because my heart doesn’t break at the thought of even one child being enslaved. I’d like to say it does, but I’ve felt the pain of a broken heart. I don’t want to feel brokenness because I’m afraid of what I might feel if I felt what those kids feel. I like not hurting.
80 and counting.
100.
I can’t get the words of Holocaust Historian Yehuda Bauer out of my head.
“Thou shall not be a victim. Thou shall not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shall not be a bystander.”
I’m no longer an innocent bystander. I’m a guilty one.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
TREASURES OF THE HEART
By Kathy Banaszak
http://www.kathybanaszak.blogpost.com/
E-mail: kathybanaszak@wi.r.com
The vision is crisp and vivid. I see the sweet familiar reflection in those misty morning creek waters: Nicholas’ crinkled up little face, those intense blue eyes searching for what lies below, the furrowed brow, that messy blonde mop . The image of his five year old face has indelibly etched itself into the fabric of my young mother’s heart. A treasure all my own.
My five year old son has just invited me into the inner sanctum of his little boy world. We carefully approach the prized hideout. We’ve trekked all the way from our backyard through the farm fields that back up to our subdivision. The farmer has not yet harvested his fields and the ripe corn is way more than knee-high. The cornstalks tower above him as if he were a mere grasshopper, yet this little adventurer has never walked so tall.
As we approach the edge of the field and stand in the clearing, we can see the woods directly ahead. The early morning autumn sky is a radiant crystal blue and the hint of early frost is still in the air. The smell of toasted leaves from the subdivision behind fills our nostrils. The deep purple wildflowers and bunches of goldenrod line the muddied path before us.
“Look Mom, there it is, we’re here! This is it! This is the ‘Secret Creek’!”
We take our time this early October morning. Rebecca and Daniel will be over at Bethany Preschool’s morning session for another two hours. And so for now, it’s just the two of us.
We explore the rock bed, and Nicholas squeals with delight as he chases after the school of teeny minnows that race furiously in every direction with each step we take. He looks for a keepsake to mark his time here today. The leaves are turning with each new autumn day, and a few bright red maples are strewn on the path before us. No, not those…Lots of broken branches and twigs underfoot. Not those either….
“Wait! Look over there Mom!” Feathers stuck to the side of the rock. Perfect. They must be a dead bird’s feathers, he thinks. Maybe a fox got the bird, he wonders aloud. (I think not, but who would ever spoil such a moment?) Dad gets home from his trip tonight. Nicholas brims with excitement, “Dad will love this!” Treasures for a father’s heart.
In the distance I hear the faint buzz, almost like a drill, coming from somewhere beyond the other side of the woods. I tell myself it must be that road crew we saw yesterday afternoon over on Princeton Road, on our way home from preschool. (That old stretch of country road definitely needs the work!)
The buzz is not going away however and has grown increasingly annoying; it’s disturbing our delightful rendezvous. Abruptly the image recedes and is replaced by a starker one. I find myself in a darkened room. The bright red numbers slap me in the face like a bucket of cold water: “5:45 AM”.
I hit the snooze button, letting the precious images wash over me one last time. I remember again that the little boy adventurer is all grown up and moved out into the real world. I remind myself that he’s also probably still asleep in his bed way on the other end of the country. I whisper my gratitude to my God for the man he has become, for the blessing of his life, for letting me be his Mom. And I thank Him that the young man’s heart remains alive to adventure. Give him your adventures to pursue, Lord.
As I close my eyes again, I see Dan’s face and Becky’s.. I look over and see Rog still on his side. Sammy lets out a weary groan, snuggling in even closer. At the foot of the bed, Buster answers with his own sleepy moan.
As I waken this morning, I talk to Him as I do most every other morning. Please watch over Nick and Dan and Becky today, Father. Let them each feel your love and sense your presence all through their day. Please give them your strength and wisdom for the challenges that will come their way. And thank you so much for your promise to go ahead of them and prepare their way. Be their light on that path. Be their rear guard, protect them from all evil. Please keep them (all of us Father) close to your heart, in tune with your own. Help us all to be sensitive to the nudges of your Spirit as we move through this day. And thank you that you always know the beginning from the end, that You are our Beginning and our End.
A sliver of the new day’s sun slowly starts to peek up on the purplish pink horizon, ready to make its brilliant debut. I am reminded again how great is His lovingkindess, how sweet and tender his mercies - new every morning.
My heart overflows with love toward our children even as I release (for today) the memories of those sweet childhood years now past. In these waking moments of this early morning hour, I recall the sheer delight I feel (Rog too) when Dan or Becky or Nick calls out of the blue in the middle of the day, for no reason at all. They simply want to catch up about our lives or laugh about their latest foibles. Sometimes it’s a struggle to share, a burden to unload, a sorrow to release. Other times it’s just to bask in a moment of sweet success. Treasures for a mother and father’s heart.
For the most part, our kids have all now outgrown those college days when many (if not most) of their phone calls would be about needing money for this or that, help in an emergency, etc. Yet I am struck with just how often still I am like that college kid as I come to God with my urgent and needy pleas for His help with my latest emergency. Of course, He listens always. But I know now that He desires so much more for us than me just giving Him my “To Do” list.
I will never forget what my brother Terry shared at Dad’s funeral a few years back. He was remembering how Dad would simply say nothing at all during those final weeks when Terry would come to spend time with Dad over on the Alzheimer’s wing. Daddy would sometimes just look intently at Terry without speaking a word. One day Terry finally asked him, “Why are looking at me Dad?” Dad just smiled back and answered, “I just like to look at your face.” A reply at once profound and shatteringly sweet.
I will never forget that simple truth; a revelation of the Father heart of God. How much more does my Abba Father desire just to see my face turned toward Him? How much more is his love and desire towards me? How much more does He delight in simply my presence?
Mary of Bethany understood this in a way Martha did not. Jesus made it clear that Mary had chosen the better part. She chose simply to delight herself in Jesus, to bask in his presence. How could she not? He was, after all, her treasure. Listen closely: “Where your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.” (Jesus, Matthew 23)
“I like looking at your face”. Be always my sweetest delight, dear Jesus, the truest treasure of my heart.
http://www.kathybanaszak.blogpost.com/
E-mail: kathybanaszak@wi.r.com
The vision is crisp and vivid. I see the sweet familiar reflection in those misty morning creek waters: Nicholas’ crinkled up little face, those intense blue eyes searching for what lies below, the furrowed brow, that messy blonde mop . The image of his five year old face has indelibly etched itself into the fabric of my young mother’s heart. A treasure all my own.
My five year old son has just invited me into the inner sanctum of his little boy world. We carefully approach the prized hideout. We’ve trekked all the way from our backyard through the farm fields that back up to our subdivision. The farmer has not yet harvested his fields and the ripe corn is way more than knee-high. The cornstalks tower above him as if he were a mere grasshopper, yet this little adventurer has never walked so tall.
As we approach the edge of the field and stand in the clearing, we can see the woods directly ahead. The early morning autumn sky is a radiant crystal blue and the hint of early frost is still in the air. The smell of toasted leaves from the subdivision behind fills our nostrils. The deep purple wildflowers and bunches of goldenrod line the muddied path before us.
“Look Mom, there it is, we’re here! This is it! This is the ‘Secret Creek’!”
We take our time this early October morning. Rebecca and Daniel will be over at Bethany Preschool’s morning session for another two hours. And so for now, it’s just the two of us.
We explore the rock bed, and Nicholas squeals with delight as he chases after the school of teeny minnows that race furiously in every direction with each step we take. He looks for a keepsake to mark his time here today. The leaves are turning with each new autumn day, and a few bright red maples are strewn on the path before us. No, not those…Lots of broken branches and twigs underfoot. Not those either….
“Wait! Look over there Mom!” Feathers stuck to the side of the rock. Perfect. They must be a dead bird’s feathers, he thinks. Maybe a fox got the bird, he wonders aloud. (I think not, but who would ever spoil such a moment?) Dad gets home from his trip tonight. Nicholas brims with excitement, “Dad will love this!” Treasures for a father’s heart.
In the distance I hear the faint buzz, almost like a drill, coming from somewhere beyond the other side of the woods. I tell myself it must be that road crew we saw yesterday afternoon over on Princeton Road, on our way home from preschool. (That old stretch of country road definitely needs the work!)
The buzz is not going away however and has grown increasingly annoying; it’s disturbing our delightful rendezvous. Abruptly the image recedes and is replaced by a starker one. I find myself in a darkened room. The bright red numbers slap me in the face like a bucket of cold water: “5:45 AM”.
I hit the snooze button, letting the precious images wash over me one last time. I remember again that the little boy adventurer is all grown up and moved out into the real world. I remind myself that he’s also probably still asleep in his bed way on the other end of the country. I whisper my gratitude to my God for the man he has become, for the blessing of his life, for letting me be his Mom. And I thank Him that the young man’s heart remains alive to adventure. Give him your adventures to pursue, Lord.
As I close my eyes again, I see Dan’s face and Becky’s.. I look over and see Rog still on his side. Sammy lets out a weary groan, snuggling in even closer. At the foot of the bed, Buster answers with his own sleepy moan.
As I waken this morning, I talk to Him as I do most every other morning. Please watch over Nick and Dan and Becky today, Father. Let them each feel your love and sense your presence all through their day. Please give them your strength and wisdom for the challenges that will come their way. And thank you so much for your promise to go ahead of them and prepare their way. Be their light on that path. Be their rear guard, protect them from all evil. Please keep them (all of us Father) close to your heart, in tune with your own. Help us all to be sensitive to the nudges of your Spirit as we move through this day. And thank you that you always know the beginning from the end, that You are our Beginning and our End.
A sliver of the new day’s sun slowly starts to peek up on the purplish pink horizon, ready to make its brilliant debut. I am reminded again how great is His lovingkindess, how sweet and tender his mercies - new every morning.
My heart overflows with love toward our children even as I release (for today) the memories of those sweet childhood years now past. In these waking moments of this early morning hour, I recall the sheer delight I feel (Rog too) when Dan or Becky or Nick calls out of the blue in the middle of the day, for no reason at all. They simply want to catch up about our lives or laugh about their latest foibles. Sometimes it’s a struggle to share, a burden to unload, a sorrow to release. Other times it’s just to bask in a moment of sweet success. Treasures for a mother and father’s heart.
For the most part, our kids have all now outgrown those college days when many (if not most) of their phone calls would be about needing money for this or that, help in an emergency, etc. Yet I am struck with just how often still I am like that college kid as I come to God with my urgent and needy pleas for His help with my latest emergency. Of course, He listens always. But I know now that He desires so much more for us than me just giving Him my “To Do” list.
I will never forget what my brother Terry shared at Dad’s funeral a few years back. He was remembering how Dad would simply say nothing at all during those final weeks when Terry would come to spend time with Dad over on the Alzheimer’s wing. Daddy would sometimes just look intently at Terry without speaking a word. One day Terry finally asked him, “Why are looking at me Dad?” Dad just smiled back and answered, “I just like to look at your face.” A reply at once profound and shatteringly sweet.
I will never forget that simple truth; a revelation of the Father heart of God. How much more does my Abba Father desire just to see my face turned toward Him? How much more is his love and desire towards me? How much more does He delight in simply my presence?
Mary of Bethany understood this in a way Martha did not. Jesus made it clear that Mary had chosen the better part. She chose simply to delight herself in Jesus, to bask in his presence. How could she not? He was, after all, her treasure. Listen closely: “Where your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.” (Jesus, Matthew 23)
“I like looking at your face”. Be always my sweetest delight, dear Jesus, the truest treasure of my heart.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
A LITTLE BIRTHDAY DITTY FOR MY BIG SISTER MARYLIBBY
(On the Occasion of Her Birthday, 2008)
By Kathleen Cahill Banaszak (“Boney”)
I ponder the treasured photograph before me:
She had to be five, I would have been three.
Sporting straw bonnets with fresh bouquet trim,
Refined little ladies so proper and prim.
Her coat was blue navy, mine springtime white.
We posed for the camera with sheer delight.
She with waves so lustrous and dark,
I with that fringe of “barely there” hair!
The sparkle in our eyes says it all.
A magic moment of childhood etched forever in my soul.
The fourth of five young Cahill’s was she,
(The final three still yet to be)
Never mind all that birth order stuff,
She’s always had what it takes to hang tough!
With her long black pony tail flying every which way,
She was a force all her own (and not easy to sway)
But able to make all of us buckle down and obey!
(Okay, well most of us, that is…)
Into adulthood, marriage and motherhood we grew.
Through trials and tribulations we each have passed.
Despite what has come, no matter what lay ahead,
The memories of a birthright shared can never be undone.
So here’s to you, Libby dearest!
My sister you’ll ever remain.
Once and for all, now and forever,
Until we meet again!
I wish you this birthday, your happiest yet!
May the Lord richly bless you in the year still ahead.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARYLIBBY!!
“Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers and sisters to dwell together in unity! Like precious fragrant anointing oil poured down over Aaron’s head…as refreshing as the dew of Hermon flowing down the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord commanded the blessing – life forever.” Psalm 133: 1, 3
By Kathleen Cahill Banaszak (“Boney”)
I ponder the treasured photograph before me:
She had to be five, I would have been three.
Sporting straw bonnets with fresh bouquet trim,
Refined little ladies so proper and prim.
Her coat was blue navy, mine springtime white.
We posed for the camera with sheer delight.
She with waves so lustrous and dark,
I with that fringe of “barely there” hair!
The sparkle in our eyes says it all.
A magic moment of childhood etched forever in my soul.
The fourth of five young Cahill’s was she,
(The final three still yet to be)
Never mind all that birth order stuff,
She’s always had what it takes to hang tough!
With her long black pony tail flying every which way,
She was a force all her own (and not easy to sway)
But able to make all of us buckle down and obey!
(Okay, well most of us, that is…)
Into adulthood, marriage and motherhood we grew.
Through trials and tribulations we each have passed.
Despite what has come, no matter what lay ahead,
The memories of a birthright shared can never be undone.
So here’s to you, Libby dearest!
My sister you’ll ever remain.
Once and for all, now and forever,
Until we meet again!
I wish you this birthday, your happiest yet!
May the Lord richly bless you in the year still ahead.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARYLIBBY!!
“Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers and sisters to dwell together in unity! Like precious fragrant anointing oil poured down over Aaron’s head…as refreshing as the dew of Hermon flowing down the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord commanded the blessing – life forever.” Psalm 133: 1, 3
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
GET OUT THE VOTE?! (HAVE YOU EVEN LOOKED OUTSIDE TODAY?)
By Kathleen Cahill Banaszak
www.kathybanaszak.blogspot.com
E-mail: kathybanaszak@wi.rr.com
I’m listening to all those news anchors and pollsters postulate about the latest Rasmussen poll. Now they’re breaking down those averages in today’s Real Clear Politics campaign poll. And it begins to dawn on me, that it has just begun snowing and blowing outside my living room window. Again.
The snow is slowly (or maybe not so slowly) piling up on top of that brand new sheet of ice from yesterday’s freezing rains. In a cool, almost trendy sort of way, this latest arctic glaze on top of all the sleek carved, streamlined mountains of piled high snow brings a certain frozen tundra appeal to the neighborhood landscape. Outer Siberia comes to mind. (I really am trying to find the silver lining in all this you know.)
As I gaze out the window…yes, I am here again today gazing out my window, feeling not just snowed in, but trapped. Yes definitely trapped. “Cabin Fever” has finally bitten me.
Today is Monday, and Tuesday is a coming fast! That would be Wisconsin’s Presidential Primary Tuesday! Everyone’s abuzz with which candidate is going where and when. Well maybe you didn’t notice, but…Hillary had to cancel her flight from Milwaukee to Wausau just yesterday. And both Hillary and Obama had to cancel three campaign events, all because of the ice and snow.
Okay, with less than 24 hours until the polls open, I am just now looking at this notice officially informing me that our polling place just moved. Yikes! (Well at least the mailman made it this weekend…that whole “come rain, come snow, ice or sleet” thing really is true after all.)
The only good thing going here was my polling place. It’s been at our neighborhood elementary school just around the corner, all of three blocks from our front door. Maybe a two minute walk, three tops.
Now, I will have to actually drive my car and risk my life as I literally skate on over to the Elks’ Club lodge on Springdale Road. That would be more like a twenty minute walk in good weather. So okay, it’s not the end of the world. But have you actually even walked on a sidewalk around here lately? (I actually had to drive in this stuff every day up until just three weeks ago when I voluntarily ended my employment way over on the North Shore. I am wondering today how did I ever do it?)
My husband fell on his touché three times just this morning on his early morning trek around the neighborhood with our two pooches. And I promptly fell flat on my behind as I walked out on the patio to try and get the knot out of the dog’s frozen leash just a little bit ago.
Of course I do not include my husband in the cast of characters who are feeling trapped and beset by “cabin fever”. The snow, the ice, the sleet – nothing is an obstacle to him. Wait, I take that back. It is an obstacle, but all the more daring the effort it takes to overcome.
My husband will drive on anything at anytime to anywhere – never mind Snow Advisories, Snow Emergencies, Winter Storm Watches or the Blizzard of the Century. It’s him against Nature.
I still remember living through Chicago’s infamous ‘Winter of ‘79’. I also still vividly recall feeling like a bona fide criminal as we drove in the only car on the interstate (all travel was officially banned at that point). But there we were on our way to downtown Chicago to see Yul Brinner in the Broadway musical classic, “The King and I.” (It was a Sunday afternoon, and just a few other folks actually showed up, and yes, the show actually did go on!)
But I digress.
The current campaign fever matters not a whit if come tomorrow, I can’t make it out my driveway or down my own front sidewalk. It’s time for a plan.
As for me, I’ll be sticking with my man come tomorrow morning. (That would be my husband folks, not Obama, McCain, et al.) He loves a weather challenge, so I’ll be buckling up with him as we skate on over to the Elks Lodge and slap on my little “I Voted Today” sticker. As a Wisconsin voter this winter of 2008, I’ll wear it as a badge of honor. I’ve earned it.
www.kathybanaszak.blogspot.com
E-mail: kathybanaszak@wi.rr.com
I’m listening to all those news anchors and pollsters postulate about the latest Rasmussen poll. Now they’re breaking down those averages in today’s Real Clear Politics campaign poll. And it begins to dawn on me, that it has just begun snowing and blowing outside my living room window. Again.
The snow is slowly (or maybe not so slowly) piling up on top of that brand new sheet of ice from yesterday’s freezing rains. In a cool, almost trendy sort of way, this latest arctic glaze on top of all the sleek carved, streamlined mountains of piled high snow brings a certain frozen tundra appeal to the neighborhood landscape. Outer Siberia comes to mind. (I really am trying to find the silver lining in all this you know.)
As I gaze out the window…yes, I am here again today gazing out my window, feeling not just snowed in, but trapped. Yes definitely trapped. “Cabin Fever” has finally bitten me.
Today is Monday, and Tuesday is a coming fast! That would be Wisconsin’s Presidential Primary Tuesday! Everyone’s abuzz with which candidate is going where and when. Well maybe you didn’t notice, but…Hillary had to cancel her flight from Milwaukee to Wausau just yesterday. And both Hillary and Obama had to cancel three campaign events, all because of the ice and snow.
Okay, with less than 24 hours until the polls open, I am just now looking at this notice officially informing me that our polling place just moved. Yikes! (Well at least the mailman made it this weekend…that whole “come rain, come snow, ice or sleet” thing really is true after all.)
The only good thing going here was my polling place. It’s been at our neighborhood elementary school just around the corner, all of three blocks from our front door. Maybe a two minute walk, three tops.
Now, I will have to actually drive my car and risk my life as I literally skate on over to the Elks’ Club lodge on Springdale Road. That would be more like a twenty minute walk in good weather. So okay, it’s not the end of the world. But have you actually even walked on a sidewalk around here lately? (I actually had to drive in this stuff every day up until just three weeks ago when I voluntarily ended my employment way over on the North Shore. I am wondering today how did I ever do it?)
My husband fell on his touché three times just this morning on his early morning trek around the neighborhood with our two pooches. And I promptly fell flat on my behind as I walked out on the patio to try and get the knot out of the dog’s frozen leash just a little bit ago.
Of course I do not include my husband in the cast of characters who are feeling trapped and beset by “cabin fever”. The snow, the ice, the sleet – nothing is an obstacle to him. Wait, I take that back. It is an obstacle, but all the more daring the effort it takes to overcome.
My husband will drive on anything at anytime to anywhere – never mind Snow Advisories, Snow Emergencies, Winter Storm Watches or the Blizzard of the Century. It’s him against Nature.
I still remember living through Chicago’s infamous ‘Winter of ‘79’. I also still vividly recall feeling like a bona fide criminal as we drove in the only car on the interstate (all travel was officially banned at that point). But there we were on our way to downtown Chicago to see Yul Brinner in the Broadway musical classic, “The King and I.” (It was a Sunday afternoon, and just a few other folks actually showed up, and yes, the show actually did go on!)
But I digress.
The current campaign fever matters not a whit if come tomorrow, I can’t make it out my driveway or down my own front sidewalk. It’s time for a plan.
As for me, I’ll be sticking with my man come tomorrow morning. (That would be my husband folks, not Obama, McCain, et al.) He loves a weather challenge, so I’ll be buckling up with him as we skate on over to the Elks Lodge and slap on my little “I Voted Today” sticker. As a Wisconsin voter this winter of 2008, I’ll wear it as a badge of honor. I’ve earned it.
ROMNEY WITHDRAWS: IT'S NOT ABOUT ME (And Why I Will Stand with John McCain)
By Kathleen Cahill Banaszak
E-mail: kathybanaszak@wi.rr.com
www.kathybanaszak.blogspot.com
(Originally posted 2/4/08 and later revised for edits)
In a stunning turn of events yesterday, GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney withdrew his bid for the presidency. His announcement came during an address to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) convention in Washington DC. Romney clearly shocked the CPAC crowd.
Radio talk show host Laura Ingraham had just given Romney a glowing introduction - some might say the introduction of his life - dubbing him “The Conservative’s Conservative”. Romney went on to give the defining speech of his yearlong presidential campaign, outlining his vision for the future of conservatism as he has not done before. Standing ovations, folks were using words like “riveting”..
A Romney love-fest unfolded before our very eyes! But sadly, it was too little too late.
In fact, Romney’s stellar performance at CPAC yesterday makes one wonder if the GOP presidential landscape might not look very different today if he had given this same speech a month earlier rather than on his way out the door just yesterday.
It also made you wonder if the conservative talk show chorus - led by Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity, to name just a few - had not in fact missed a window of opportunity these past few weeks to finally unite behind “their man”. Could their united front not have conceivably stalled John McCain’s growing momentum of endorsements prior to “Super Tuesday”? I think maybe so.
Forget Ann Coulter, folks. She now falls squarely into the “Suicide Bomber” category of political pundits. (I don’t know who came up with this one yesterday, but it describes it to a tee.)
Coulter’s ludicrous pledge to vote for Hillary Clinton if McCain becomes the GOP nominee not only demonstrates her willingness to bite off her nose to spite her face, but for our girl Ann, this seems to be just another sandbox fight.
What’s striking is that Coulter again makes this all about her. Could there be a sharper contrast to Romney’s theme yesterday afternoon that “This is not about me”?
Since when are John McCain’s slights toward conservative talk show hosts (both real and imagined) supposed to be reason to “sit this one out”? Is this not presidential politics folks?
Please.
And Mike Huckabee is going nowhere fast, despite his assertion that he’s not out of it yet.
So what about Dr. James Dobson? Yes, his following is huge (I’ve been a daily listener for over 25 years myself, have been a huge admirer for the most part, and have financially supported his work from time to time.) Without question, Dr. Dobson has demonstrated tremendous clout on certain issues that both evangelicals and conservatives care deeply about. Likewise, he has the real potential to be a political “Kingmaker” under the right set of circumstances.
On this one, however, I think not.
I for one have never brought into the premise that the evangelical crowd (count me in) is a monolithic entity that will necessarily follow Dr. Dobson like a robot into the voting booth. (No, Mike Huckabee will not be getting my vote, but that’s a whole other column.)
Generally I admire what Dobson is all about, but on this one – sitting out the election if McCain is the GOP nominee - I respectfully disagree. It’s wrong-headed. And it’s not about being an Evangelical.
Like many other evangelicals I know, I voted for George W. Bush. Twice. I was also part of the now famous 72-Hour GOTV effort in Ohio for both campaigns, a Poll Observer in 2004 and part of the much maligned GOP Ohio Vote Recount that same year.
I was also born and bred on conservatism: fiscal, social and national security, the whole “three stool” package, thank you very much. (I have no claim, however, as a “Country Club” conservative then or now.)
Yes, I did and do adamantly oppose McCain Feingold which not only trampled our First Amendment free speech rights, but also just made campaign financing an even bigger mess.
And yes, I did and do remain adamantly opposed to the McCain Kennedy bill that was so forcefully slapped down. (Yes, it was definitely amnesty, McCain’s protests to the contrary notwithstanding.)
And you bet I was horrified (and angry) that McCain (and my own Ohio Senator at the time) joined the notorious “Gang of 14”. There should definitely have been a Rules change on filibustering any judicial nominee by any President. Every president’s judicial nominee should get an “up-or-down” vote on the floor of the US Senate. It’s how the system is supposed to work under our Constitution. Period.
Finally, I really do “get it” that McCain’s revised position and pledge to build the wall on the border does not give him a pass on his other position. (That is, lots of people who came in illegally in the first place are put on an immediate path to citizenship, and further rewarded with a wide array of social services and educational benefits to boot).
At this juncture, it is pretty obvious that McCain knows that the wall has got to go up. Building the wall is the only right place to start. If you don’t stop the hemorrhaging you’ll never get around to doing any reconstructive surgical repair at all.
It goes without saying that any decision to “sit out” the upcoming presidential election on the GOP side amounts to a “de facto” vote for either Clinton or Obama (or both if that’s the Democratic ticket in the end). Never mind, Ann Coulter and Dr. Dobson.
Bottom line folks, it comes down to this: What is the alternative?
I could not agree more with Mitt Romney that this next presidential election represents a pivotal crossroads. He said it best just yesterday, so take a cue from him. He notes that the “greatest challenge facing America – and facing the entire civilized world: the threat of violent, radical Jihad”.
Romney reminded us yesterday of the consequences of “sitting it out”. Barack and Hillary have both already made it clear that they will retreat and declare defeat. The consequences “will make Afghanistan under the Taliban look like child’s play.”
While Romney was clear yesterday that he and Senator McCain have real disagreements, the common ground they share is much more compelling: doing whatever it takes to be successful in Iraq, finding and executing Osama Bin Laden, and eliminating Al Qaeda and terror.” Granted that’s a big order, but at least it’s on the menu.
In the end, Romney clearly gets the bigger picture in a way that Ann Coulter simply doesn’t: “Today we are a nation at war…And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.”
I am old enough to remember watching Ronald Reagan deliver the keynote address to the 1976 Republican National convention right after Gerald Ford had secured his party’s nomination. After Reagan finished, virtually everyone in the convention hall wished that the guy leaving the stage was the one at the top of their ticket. But Ronald Reagan’s time was still to come.
Yesterday saw the emergence of Mitt Romney as not just another presidential dropout, but rather as a rising Statesman- not just for Conservatism, but for America.
But for now, I will most definitely stand with John McCain, our very real differences notwithstanding. (And I will not pinch my nose as some pundits have suggested.)
Without question, John McCain remains a man of integrity, principle and true courage. As for me, character still matters, especially in my president. John McCain still stands head and shoulders above anyone else in the field as a tried and true patriot.
Not to mention family values.
John McCain’s brood of seven includes a daughter adopted out of a Bangladesh orphanage where Cindy McCain had volunteered on a medical mission that she also helped organize. This was a child that Cindy McCain simply could not leave behind and so took her back home – without even her husband’s knowledge as she left for the States. When John McCain met his wife at the airport upon her return, he accepted with open arms the little orphan from Bangladesh who would become part of the McCain family, Bridget McCain.
Is this living testimony not pro-life enough for John McCain’s evangelical dissenters?
And on the paramount issue of our time, both Mitt Romney and John McCain are in complete agreement: the next President of the United States must not retreat in the face of evil extremism.
As for Romney - like Reagan before him - his time is still to come.
E-mail: kathybanaszak@wi.rr.com
www.kathybanaszak.blogspot.com
(Originally posted 2/4/08 and later revised for edits)
In a stunning turn of events yesterday, GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney withdrew his bid for the presidency. His announcement came during an address to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) convention in Washington DC. Romney clearly shocked the CPAC crowd.
Radio talk show host Laura Ingraham had just given Romney a glowing introduction - some might say the introduction of his life - dubbing him “The Conservative’s Conservative”. Romney went on to give the defining speech of his yearlong presidential campaign, outlining his vision for the future of conservatism as he has not done before. Standing ovations, folks were using words like “riveting”..
A Romney love-fest unfolded before our very eyes! But sadly, it was too little too late.
In fact, Romney’s stellar performance at CPAC yesterday makes one wonder if the GOP presidential landscape might not look very different today if he had given this same speech a month earlier rather than on his way out the door just yesterday.
It also made you wonder if the conservative talk show chorus - led by Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity, to name just a few - had not in fact missed a window of opportunity these past few weeks to finally unite behind “their man”. Could their united front not have conceivably stalled John McCain’s growing momentum of endorsements prior to “Super Tuesday”? I think maybe so.
Forget Ann Coulter, folks. She now falls squarely into the “Suicide Bomber” category of political pundits. (I don’t know who came up with this one yesterday, but it describes it to a tee.)
Coulter’s ludicrous pledge to vote for Hillary Clinton if McCain becomes the GOP nominee not only demonstrates her willingness to bite off her nose to spite her face, but for our girl Ann, this seems to be just another sandbox fight.
What’s striking is that Coulter again makes this all about her. Could there be a sharper contrast to Romney’s theme yesterday afternoon that “This is not about me”?
Since when are John McCain’s slights toward conservative talk show hosts (both real and imagined) supposed to be reason to “sit this one out”? Is this not presidential politics folks?
Please.
And Mike Huckabee is going nowhere fast, despite his assertion that he’s not out of it yet.
So what about Dr. James Dobson? Yes, his following is huge (I’ve been a daily listener for over 25 years myself, have been a huge admirer for the most part, and have financially supported his work from time to time.) Without question, Dr. Dobson has demonstrated tremendous clout on certain issues that both evangelicals and conservatives care deeply about. Likewise, he has the real potential to be a political “Kingmaker” under the right set of circumstances.
On this one, however, I think not.
I for one have never brought into the premise that the evangelical crowd (count me in) is a monolithic entity that will necessarily follow Dr. Dobson like a robot into the voting booth. (No, Mike Huckabee will not be getting my vote, but that’s a whole other column.)
Generally I admire what Dobson is all about, but on this one – sitting out the election if McCain is the GOP nominee - I respectfully disagree. It’s wrong-headed. And it’s not about being an Evangelical.
Like many other evangelicals I know, I voted for George W. Bush. Twice. I was also part of the now famous 72-Hour GOTV effort in Ohio for both campaigns, a Poll Observer in 2004 and part of the much maligned GOP Ohio Vote Recount that same year.
I was also born and bred on conservatism: fiscal, social and national security, the whole “three stool” package, thank you very much. (I have no claim, however, as a “Country Club” conservative then or now.)
Yes, I did and do adamantly oppose McCain Feingold which not only trampled our First Amendment free speech rights, but also just made campaign financing an even bigger mess.
And yes, I did and do remain adamantly opposed to the McCain Kennedy bill that was so forcefully slapped down. (Yes, it was definitely amnesty, McCain’s protests to the contrary notwithstanding.)
And you bet I was horrified (and angry) that McCain (and my own Ohio Senator at the time) joined the notorious “Gang of 14”. There should definitely have been a Rules change on filibustering any judicial nominee by any President. Every president’s judicial nominee should get an “up-or-down” vote on the floor of the US Senate. It’s how the system is supposed to work under our Constitution. Period.
Finally, I really do “get it” that McCain’s revised position and pledge to build the wall on the border does not give him a pass on his other position. (That is, lots of people who came in illegally in the first place are put on an immediate path to citizenship, and further rewarded with a wide array of social services and educational benefits to boot).
At this juncture, it is pretty obvious that McCain knows that the wall has got to go up. Building the wall is the only right place to start. If you don’t stop the hemorrhaging you’ll never get around to doing any reconstructive surgical repair at all.
It goes without saying that any decision to “sit out” the upcoming presidential election on the GOP side amounts to a “de facto” vote for either Clinton or Obama (or both if that’s the Democratic ticket in the end). Never mind, Ann Coulter and Dr. Dobson.
Bottom line folks, it comes down to this: What is the alternative?
I could not agree more with Mitt Romney that this next presidential election represents a pivotal crossroads. He said it best just yesterday, so take a cue from him. He notes that the “greatest challenge facing America – and facing the entire civilized world: the threat of violent, radical Jihad”.
Romney reminded us yesterday of the consequences of “sitting it out”. Barack and Hillary have both already made it clear that they will retreat and declare defeat. The consequences “will make Afghanistan under the Taliban look like child’s play.”
While Romney was clear yesterday that he and Senator McCain have real disagreements, the common ground they share is much more compelling: doing whatever it takes to be successful in Iraq, finding and executing Osama Bin Laden, and eliminating Al Qaeda and terror.” Granted that’s a big order, but at least it’s on the menu.
In the end, Romney clearly gets the bigger picture in a way that Ann Coulter simply doesn’t: “Today we are a nation at war…And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.”
I am old enough to remember watching Ronald Reagan deliver the keynote address to the 1976 Republican National convention right after Gerald Ford had secured his party’s nomination. After Reagan finished, virtually everyone in the convention hall wished that the guy leaving the stage was the one at the top of their ticket. But Ronald Reagan’s time was still to come.
Yesterday saw the emergence of Mitt Romney as not just another presidential dropout, but rather as a rising Statesman- not just for Conservatism, but for America.
But for now, I will most definitely stand with John McCain, our very real differences notwithstanding. (And I will not pinch my nose as some pundits have suggested.)
Without question, John McCain remains a man of integrity, principle and true courage. As for me, character still matters, especially in my president. John McCain still stands head and shoulders above anyone else in the field as a tried and true patriot.
Not to mention family values.
John McCain’s brood of seven includes a daughter adopted out of a Bangladesh orphanage where Cindy McCain had volunteered on a medical mission that she also helped organize. This was a child that Cindy McCain simply could not leave behind and so took her back home – without even her husband’s knowledge as she left for the States. When John McCain met his wife at the airport upon her return, he accepted with open arms the little orphan from Bangladesh who would become part of the McCain family, Bridget McCain.
Is this living testimony not pro-life enough for John McCain’s evangelical dissenters?
And on the paramount issue of our time, both Mitt Romney and John McCain are in complete agreement: the next President of the United States must not retreat in the face of evil extremism.
As for Romney - like Reagan before him - his time is still to come.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
AN ODE TO NANA BANASZAK
(On the Occasion of Nana's 88th Birthday)
By Kathleen Cahill Banaszak, Daughter-in-Law
Happy Birthday to you Nana Banaszak,
You’re eighty-eight today!
What a milestone! We cheer you tonight
With a “Hip-Hip-Hooray!”
Although this past year
Has been filled with trial,
You’re back at last
with your usual good cheer
and that dazzling smile!
As you look out on the faces of your family tonight,
We are mindful of “Pops” looking down from above.
We can almost see the twinkle in his eye as
He watches his sassy, radiant bride -
Gertrude, still his one true love!
God Bless you for being the Mother
You have been to us all!
We are reminded of the hundreds of ways
Over all these years
That you showered your love on us,
both big and small.
An old philosopher once wrote:
“Children are the anchors that hold a mother to life.”
And Abe Lincoln himself would rightly note:
“No man is poor who has had a godly mother.”
Mark Twain was right on the money
(I think Rog would agree), when he wrote:
“My mother had a great deal of trouble with me,
But I think she thoroughly enjoyed it!”
I’m not even sure who said it,
But wiser words were never spoken:
“In matters of style, swim with the current.
In matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
So Thank you Nana – and Pops, you too
For being that “rock” to us all!
And so here’s to our Nana – a young 88!
May God Bless you richly in the days that still await!
Love Always,
YOUR FAMILY
By Kathleen Cahill Banaszak, Daughter-in-Law
Happy Birthday to you Nana Banaszak,
You’re eighty-eight today!
What a milestone! We cheer you tonight
With a “Hip-Hip-Hooray!”
Although this past year
Has been filled with trial,
You’re back at last
with your usual good cheer
and that dazzling smile!
As you look out on the faces of your family tonight,
We are mindful of “Pops” looking down from above.
We can almost see the twinkle in his eye as
He watches his sassy, radiant bride -
Gertrude, still his one true love!
God Bless you for being the Mother
You have been to us all!
We are reminded of the hundreds of ways
Over all these years
That you showered your love on us,
both big and small.
An old philosopher once wrote:
“Children are the anchors that hold a mother to life.”
And Abe Lincoln himself would rightly note:
“No man is poor who has had a godly mother.”
Mark Twain was right on the money
(I think Rog would agree), when he wrote:
“My mother had a great deal of trouble with me,
But I think she thoroughly enjoyed it!”
I’m not even sure who said it,
But wiser words were never spoken:
“In matters of style, swim with the current.
In matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
So Thank you Nana – and Pops, you too
For being that “rock” to us all!
And so here’s to our Nana – a young 88!
May God Bless you richly in the days that still await!
Love Always,
YOUR FAMILY
Thursday, February 14, 2008
OH-BAH-MAH! OH-BAH-MAH! YES WE CAN! YES WE CAN!
By Kathleen Cahill Banaszak
www.kathybanaszak.blogspot.com
E-mail: kathybanaszak@wi.rr.com
The Rock Star of presidential politics came to town today.
Democratic presidential front-runner Senator Barack Obama turned up the heat on a frigid February afternoon in Wisconsin as he fired up the capacity crowd at the Waukesha Expo Center.
Following yet another sweep in Tuesday’s “Potomac Primaries”, Obama also made stops in Madison, Janesville and Racine on his two-day tour of the Badger State in anticipation of Wisconsin’s open primary on February 19.
The crowd was, by and large, the party faithful. Some might say the “faithful few” since Waukesha County is clearly regarded as the most conservative part of Wisconsin, garnering huge majorities for President George W. Bush in both 2000 and 2004. Governor Jim Doyle and Waukesha Mayor Larry Nelson were both here today and both clearly on board with Obama.
Obama acknowledged his new front-runner status without mentioning any names (that would be Hillary, of course) drawing huge applause, “John McCain is taking swipes at me. It’s clear he knows who his opponent is going to be.”
Obama hit on all his campaign themes in the stump speech, including a good thirty minutes of solid Q&A from the audience. He fielded questions along the spectrum: a Cancer survivor (affordable health insurance coverage for all Americans); a high school student (the genocide in Darfur); a frustrated retiree (Social Security); and would-be minority homeowner (the sub prime mortgage lending crisis).
There were some specifics of note on the healthcare front. A President Obama would provide two options for healthcare coverage: 1) “the same healthcare plan that I have as a United States Senator” (the government plan); or 2) keep your current private insurance with eligibility for government subsidy.
Under Obama, both the cost of the government healthcare plan, as well as subsidies to private insurance plans would be on a “sliding scale” as a percentage of annual household income. Obama was clear there would be no exclusions for any pre-existing conditions on his government healthcare plan, nor on any private plan that would receive government subsidies.
Obama attempted to make a clear distinction between his own position and Senator Hillary Clinton on the issue of healthcare, international trade and ethics (especially ethics). According to Obama, Clinton is for one universal healthcare package while Obama's plan gives people a choice, while still making it affordable at all income levels.
On international trade, Obama wants NAFTA repealed while he describes Senator Clinton as its biggest cheerleader, (though he inferred a Clinton flip-flop of sorts along the way).
Obama stoked the crowd when he emphasized the need to change how Washington does business. He targeted the FDA, the conglomerate of big oil, big banking, the drug companies, insurance companies and their lobbyists, along with a host of political action committees.
Obama sees all of the above as players in what he describes as a perennial “government within the government” that maintains the “real” power regardless of which party is officially at the helm. (The “Matrix” comes to mind. Will that be a red pill or blue pill Neo?)
He also included as part of the larger problem, his own legislative cohorts on both sides of the aisle (including Hillary) who are recipients of huge amounts of PAC money and who are inferred as being in bed with the lobbyists. Again, Obama made it clear that those who are beholden will never be able to deliver on the promise of “real change”.
Obama also cited Clinton’s failed attempt at healthcare reform back in ’93 attributing it as a failure to be transparent, “working in secret, behind closed doors.” (He did give her credit for trying though, thank you very much.)
Obama pledged openness, transparency and widespread ethics reform in an Obama administration, noting that his own campaign had not taken a dime from any PAC’s or lobbyists to date, thereby holding himself out as the only candidate in the field who can bring about “real change”.
Obama clearly has little use for those who would nullify his efforts to inspire Americans to a bigger and different vision of America. He wears his “Hope-Mongerer” label as a badge of honor. To those who suggest that the Senator from Illinois is little more than pretty rhetoric, he answers with the charge of “cynic” noting that cynicism is “not a good sort of wisdom.”
Obama’s “No-PAC-Money” pledge also underscored the bona fide grass-roots strength of his well-organized (and soaring) campaign. Recruiting volunteers from the crowd for a successful GOTV effort for next week’s election was also part of today’s agenda.
Obama hit the ball out of the park when he noted that George W. Bush would not be on the ballot come November. He reminded the crowd, however, that both the Bush tax cuts and the War in Iraq would be key in terms of how Americans cast their vote for their next president.
The senator from Illinois was very careful to honor the military and public service of his Republican counterpart, Senator John McCain, describing him as a true American hero.
Obama was also intentional about honoring the troops that have served and are still serving, “They have done everything they’ve been asked to do”. He vowed that his administration would make concrete changes in terms of how returning veterans and their families get what they need when they need it and “without begging”.
On the national security front, the senator from Illinois decried the “fear-mongering” of the Bush administration (and those on the campaign trail who continue to support the administration’s position). He pledged to use the power of American diplomacy vowing that he “will talk to those who like us and those who don’t”. He also made it clear that if an enemy strikes America, a President Obama would not hesitate to strike back.
Obama harkened back to the ringing rhetoric of John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address: “Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.” Stressing the need to negotiate with your enemies from a position of strength, Obama cited his belief that only in knowing your enemy can you effectively deal with that enemy, much less ever hope to defeat them.
In the end, Obama left this crowd just he’s left every other crowd in recent weeks: “Fired up and ready to go!”
www.kathybanaszak.blogspot.com
E-mail: kathybanaszak@wi.rr.com
The Rock Star of presidential politics came to town today.
Democratic presidential front-runner Senator Barack Obama turned up the heat on a frigid February afternoon in Wisconsin as he fired up the capacity crowd at the Waukesha Expo Center.
Following yet another sweep in Tuesday’s “Potomac Primaries”, Obama also made stops in Madison, Janesville and Racine on his two-day tour of the Badger State in anticipation of Wisconsin’s open primary on February 19.
The crowd was, by and large, the party faithful. Some might say the “faithful few” since Waukesha County is clearly regarded as the most conservative part of Wisconsin, garnering huge majorities for President George W. Bush in both 2000 and 2004. Governor Jim Doyle and Waukesha Mayor Larry Nelson were both here today and both clearly on board with Obama.
Obama acknowledged his new front-runner status without mentioning any names (that would be Hillary, of course) drawing huge applause, “John McCain is taking swipes at me. It’s clear he knows who his opponent is going to be.”
Obama hit on all his campaign themes in the stump speech, including a good thirty minutes of solid Q&A from the audience. He fielded questions along the spectrum: a Cancer survivor (affordable health insurance coverage for all Americans); a high school student (the genocide in Darfur); a frustrated retiree (Social Security); and would-be minority homeowner (the sub prime mortgage lending crisis).
There were some specifics of note on the healthcare front. A President Obama would provide two options for healthcare coverage: 1) “the same healthcare plan that I have as a United States Senator” (the government plan); or 2) keep your current private insurance with eligibility for government subsidy.
Under Obama, both the cost of the government healthcare plan, as well as subsidies to private insurance plans would be on a “sliding scale” as a percentage of annual household income. Obama was clear there would be no exclusions for any pre-existing conditions on his government healthcare plan, nor on any private plan that would receive government subsidies.
Obama attempted to make a clear distinction between his own position and Senator Hillary Clinton on the issue of healthcare, international trade and ethics (especially ethics). According to Obama, Clinton is for one universal healthcare package while Obama's plan gives people a choice, while still making it affordable at all income levels.
On international trade, Obama wants NAFTA repealed while he describes Senator Clinton as its biggest cheerleader, (though he inferred a Clinton flip-flop of sorts along the way).
Obama stoked the crowd when he emphasized the need to change how Washington does business. He targeted the FDA, the conglomerate of big oil, big banking, the drug companies, insurance companies and their lobbyists, along with a host of political action committees.
Obama sees all of the above as players in what he describes as a perennial “government within the government” that maintains the “real” power regardless of which party is officially at the helm. (The “Matrix” comes to mind. Will that be a red pill or blue pill Neo?)
He also included as part of the larger problem, his own legislative cohorts on both sides of the aisle (including Hillary) who are recipients of huge amounts of PAC money and who are inferred as being in bed with the lobbyists. Again, Obama made it clear that those who are beholden will never be able to deliver on the promise of “real change”.
Obama also cited Clinton’s failed attempt at healthcare reform back in ’93 attributing it as a failure to be transparent, “working in secret, behind closed doors.” (He did give her credit for trying though, thank you very much.)
Obama pledged openness, transparency and widespread ethics reform in an Obama administration, noting that his own campaign had not taken a dime from any PAC’s or lobbyists to date, thereby holding himself out as the only candidate in the field who can bring about “real change”.
Obama clearly has little use for those who would nullify his efforts to inspire Americans to a bigger and different vision of America. He wears his “Hope-Mongerer” label as a badge of honor. To those who suggest that the Senator from Illinois is little more than pretty rhetoric, he answers with the charge of “cynic” noting that cynicism is “not a good sort of wisdom.”
Obama’s “No-PAC-Money” pledge also underscored the bona fide grass-roots strength of his well-organized (and soaring) campaign. Recruiting volunteers from the crowd for a successful GOTV effort for next week’s election was also part of today’s agenda.
Obama hit the ball out of the park when he noted that George W. Bush would not be on the ballot come November. He reminded the crowd, however, that both the Bush tax cuts and the War in Iraq would be key in terms of how Americans cast their vote for their next president.
The senator from Illinois was very careful to honor the military and public service of his Republican counterpart, Senator John McCain, describing him as a true American hero.
Obama was also intentional about honoring the troops that have served and are still serving, “They have done everything they’ve been asked to do”. He vowed that his administration would make concrete changes in terms of how returning veterans and their families get what they need when they need it and “without begging”.
On the national security front, the senator from Illinois decried the “fear-mongering” of the Bush administration (and those on the campaign trail who continue to support the administration’s position). He pledged to use the power of American diplomacy vowing that he “will talk to those who like us and those who don’t”. He also made it clear that if an enemy strikes America, a President Obama would not hesitate to strike back.
Obama harkened back to the ringing rhetoric of John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address: “Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.” Stressing the need to negotiate with your enemies from a position of strength, Obama cited his belief that only in knowing your enemy can you effectively deal with that enemy, much less ever hope to defeat them.
In the end, Obama left this crowd just he’s left every other crowd in recent weeks: “Fired up and ready to go!”
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Thoughts for the Day
"Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it. Because it does!" 1 Cor. 14:1, The Message
"Arrange whatever pieces come your way." Woolf
"Arrange whatever pieces come your way." Woolf
Monday, February 11, 2008
NOW I KNOW MY ABC'S: Dedicated to the Little People of the JCC Hourly Childcare
By Kathleen Cahill Banaszak, a/k/a “Miss Kathy”
E-mail: kathybanaszak@wi.rr.com
“A B C D E F G…H I J K L M N O P…Q R S…T U V…W X …Y and Z. Now I know my ABC's. Next time won’t you sing with me?” (They all know this one.) The choir of tiny voices slowly catches the melody.
And we’re on to the next tune, “The Wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round, all through the town…”
“Yikes! Ethan just dumped his cottage cheese out!” (Again). “Uh-oh, Spaghettios…” What a squishy, hunky little guy! Those sky blue eyes crinkling up into that coy little smile…who can resist it? (“Cookie” to his Mom, the nickname fits like a glove.) He walks by and kisses your hand. The sweatshirt says it all: “Future Heartbreaker”.
“Hurry! Brody is going for it!” Cheerios, raisins, blueberry yogurt and soggy tangerine pieces adorn that handsome argyle sweater. (Again.) A burly little guy with gorgeous blonde locks and cornflower blue eyes, his boundless energy is matched only by pure sparkle! (No wonder Mom gets here so early!)
“Quick, grab Noah!” He’s on top of the table. (Again). Oh no, do you smell that? (Again!) “Dora, Dora, Dora…DORA!” (He really does know other words, “Doggie, “Ball”.) A midget dynamo, you can tell he’s got a Daddy who plays a lot of goofy guy games. (Mom pleads on the way out the door, “No naps, I need a break at home!”)
Tears, giggles, and whines echo out into the hallway. (What must they think? I hope Susan isn’t walking around out there!) The familiar toddler gibberish morphs into its own magical rhythm. A strangely comforting rhythm at that.
Squabbles over those glitzy Cinderella slippers. Bickering over the only two doll strollers in the room. (Can someone please get us a couple more of these?) Over in the corner a fight breaks out over who gets the brand-new shiny dump-truck. (Time-Out guys!)
Paulita peaks her head in the doorway. A “big girl” with a silly side, she still loves her baby-dolls. Sporting her shiny signature black braids and dressed in pale pastels, "Lilo" is the picture of exotic beauty. Off she goes to Gan Ami: “See you later alligator…After while crocodile…Okey-Dokey Smokey Pinokey. See ya’ Toots!” J
Ami jumps off the slide as she waits for Jen to take her down the hall to school. A “Spider Man” girl at heart, Ami is a natural athlete as well as a natural beauty, with a spunky, adventurous side that will definitely take her places! (Hang on to your hat Jen!)
On the other side of the room, Isaak waits patiently for his bottle to arrive. As usual, he’s all smiles. (Thank you God!)
Little Baby Johnny studies the pattern of the carpet beneath him. As mellow yellow as ever. (Thank you again God!)
Little Samuel. It literally seems like just yesterday that Samuel sat in his little seat for the better part of his stay with that precious look of awe and wonder on his sweet little face. (Totally mesmerized by the hustle and bustle, and “coolness” of those big kids!) Today Samuel is off in every direction, busy making his own mark on the world. There he is over in the corner with all those big kids, studying the intricacies of a miniature race car.
“Hey everyone, Nathaniel’s here!” He barrels his way over to Miss Kathy. What a Snuggle-Bunny! Huge brown eyes, that famously naughty smile, the faint almost-healed scab smack-dab in the middle of his forehead. Nathaniel is using lots of words today! Then in a flash, he’s on the move again…what a boy!
And Miss Abigail is right behind! Oh, the challenges of parenting: shaping the will without breaking the spirit…And what a spirit! A truly free spirit, a strong will and a mind all her own. (All the makings of a natural born leader.) She will definitely be a leader, not a follower. (But for now, brace yourself Mom!)
“Look, Brynn’s here!” She runs to get her hugs. First, Miss Maria. Then Miss Kathy, then Miss Shaneika, and finally Miss Jen. Those big beautiful brown eyes, rose petal pink cheeks and sandy little fringe peak out of the brown and pink ski cap. A sight for sore eyes. She wants to get started painting. But first, let’s check on Baby Brother Warren. We all knew Brynn would be a fabulous “Big Sister”. What a girl!
And Warren, our own precious little “Cabbage Patch” doll come to life in the Hourly! What a cutie pie. Finally out of his hip-brace, he’ll be raring to go in no time!
“Hey Quentin! Hey Sophie!” Tentative at first, Quentin is reassured by his big sister’s confidence. A pale blonde wavy-haired beauty, Sophie is effervescent and oh so grownup. (She goes to “real school” you know.)
Quentin interrupts himself from chowing down on his leather snack to run back (again) to the craft table with Miss Jen. Miss Jen is cracking out her famous homemade play dough, and gluing cotton balls everywhere! Quentin’s world is good.
“Hey guys, it’s Izzy!” (“Princess Izzy” if you please.) Dark hair, dark eyes, she has an aura of poise and grace all her own. She totes around her ballerina gear. Today is her very own “Princess Class”. The Ballerina Girl and Artist-in-Residence. Izzy is a classic.
“Look who’s here, Dara and Liam!” Dara runs straight to “Ria” (his obvious favorite), while Liam heads straight for the Lego Table (a future engineer we think).
They are a study in contrasts: Liam with that thick shock of dark black hair, dark eyes, and intense curiosity; and Dara with those beach boy blonde locks, dreamy pale blue eyes, and whimsical smile.
Dara paints some Hanukah candles, and adds a little extra dash of purple paint to his face for good measure. (That purple moustache is just the right touch!) Hurry up and catch him with that jar of purple paint somebody! Time to scrub down at the sink before Mom gets back.
“Hey look, it’s Nina’!” “Nina-Panina” is a one-of-a-kind girl for sure. A beauty all her own beneath that tiny impish exterior, her hazelnut little mane flies every which way. Nina can definitely hold her own with anyone in the room, and has recently developed a penchant for the pink high heels. Yes, she’s definitely a toddler-version of the gal from “The Closer” (what’s her name again?) Watch out world!
Charlotte arrives looking anxiously for Miss Kathy. But in the end, Miss Shaneika will do just fine! Charlotte is definitely finding her groove. Along with her blanket and bears, she snuggles into the corner pillows, picks out her favorite books and waits patiently for some “special time”. She makes a visit to the art table to color yet another “Elmo” picture - a special surprise for Mommy.
Annie and Mabel finally arrive. Two petite perfectly matched sisters, with neat pony-tails holding back their newly sprouted blonde cork-screw curls. So grown-up, so independent, they head directly to the baby dolls to pack them up in strollers. With purses and diaper bags in tow, they are off. They wave Daddy goodbye. (Get going already!) What a pair!
“Shayna’s here everybody!” Looking too cute again today in her flashy rainbow-colored skirt and sweater combo, she is the picture of confidence in her sparkly ruby red shoes. Her shiny black hair swings and glistens in the morning sunlight. (You gotta know that Mom loves dressing this girl!) Before you know it, Shayna has started her “strength-training”: balancing on a ball, hanging from every which way, this girl is totally strong! I’ll go on the record right now: we’ll be seeing her at the 2020 Olympics. You Go Girl!!
Ezra is next in the door. (Shayna’s best buddy.) Full of mischief and good cheer, Ezra reminds me of TV’s “Dennis the Menace”. And what a smarty-pants he is! I can totally see him all grown up as a best-selling author with a flare for witty satire, making people laugh and think at the same time.
And then there’s Audrey. Quiet and earnest, Audrey has a mysterious, almost ethereal essence about her. I have also never seen a child who looks exactly (and I do mean exactly) like Mom. And for sure, there is no better eater in the room. (Except for maybe Ethan, Justin and Noah…okay, I admit that is a pretty big “except”!)
Adlai, the Senior Boy of the Hourly marches in at last. He needs no help, and can do everything on his own. (Thank you again God!) He just needs to make sure that none of those little kids steal any of his food. (Good luck with that!) Off he goes to build bridges, malls and airports. Definitely a “tool guy”.
“Stella! Hey Girl!” The tallest and most grown-up girl of the Hourly arrives. (Mom is on the run!) Stella needs no long goodbyes, and runs straightaway to the arts and crafts table. She can be trusted to keep all the “messy stuff” away from the littler ones, and gets right to work on her newest creations. Stella is Jen’s right-hand lady for all those cool Hourly art projects. She carefully lines up her artwork work, each one a new treasure for Mom.
“Jake’s here everyone!” Our latest arrival strolls in with Mom. In what literally seems like the twinkling of an eye, Jake has grown from that adorable little toddler into this handsome little preschooler with the floppy chestnut brown mop and dark smiling eyes.
Jake is into monkeys of all sorts, including “Curious George”. (That would explain all that silly “monkey-business” Mom!) Jake (like every other kid in the Hourly) knows just how to push his Mom’s buttons on cue. But while with us, he’s the perfect little gent. Jake turns on the charm for Miss Maria, who simply cannot resist his special magic!
Over at the crafts table sits Jonah, Patricia’s son, quietly at work on his latest work of art. Almost, seven, he is a gem of a young man. We all watch with wonder as he creates from scratch his own masterpieces. He never tires of drawing, and he never runs out of things to draw. I want to keep one of his pictures for that day down the road when I know I will say, “I knew Jonah when…”
It’s 9:30 on a Friday morning, the Gang’s all here, and the JCC Hourly “Breakfast Club” is just hitting its stride. Fifteen more minutes until we break out the Challah Bread and head off to “Shabbat Sing”.
Finally, a Sabbath Rest on the horizon.
Whew!
E-mail: kathybanaszak@wi.rr.com
“A B C D E F G…H I J K L M N O P…Q R S…T U V…W X …Y and Z. Now I know my ABC's. Next time won’t you sing with me?” (They all know this one.) The choir of tiny voices slowly catches the melody.
And we’re on to the next tune, “The Wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round, all through the town…”
“Yikes! Ethan just dumped his cottage cheese out!” (Again). “Uh-oh, Spaghettios…” What a squishy, hunky little guy! Those sky blue eyes crinkling up into that coy little smile…who can resist it? (“Cookie” to his Mom, the nickname fits like a glove.) He walks by and kisses your hand. The sweatshirt says it all: “Future Heartbreaker”.
“Hurry! Brody is going for it!” Cheerios, raisins, blueberry yogurt and soggy tangerine pieces adorn that handsome argyle sweater. (Again.) A burly little guy with gorgeous blonde locks and cornflower blue eyes, his boundless energy is matched only by pure sparkle! (No wonder Mom gets here so early!)
“Quick, grab Noah!” He’s on top of the table. (Again). Oh no, do you smell that? (Again!) “Dora, Dora, Dora…DORA!” (He really does know other words, “Doggie, “Ball”.) A midget dynamo, you can tell he’s got a Daddy who plays a lot of goofy guy games. (Mom pleads on the way out the door, “No naps, I need a break at home!”)
Tears, giggles, and whines echo out into the hallway. (What must they think? I hope Susan isn’t walking around out there!) The familiar toddler gibberish morphs into its own magical rhythm. A strangely comforting rhythm at that.
Squabbles over those glitzy Cinderella slippers. Bickering over the only two doll strollers in the room. (Can someone please get us a couple more of these?) Over in the corner a fight breaks out over who gets the brand-new shiny dump-truck. (Time-Out guys!)
Paulita peaks her head in the doorway. A “big girl” with a silly side, she still loves her baby-dolls. Sporting her shiny signature black braids and dressed in pale pastels, "Lilo" is the picture of exotic beauty. Off she goes to Gan Ami: “See you later alligator…After while crocodile…Okey-Dokey Smokey Pinokey. See ya’ Toots!” J
Ami jumps off the slide as she waits for Jen to take her down the hall to school. A “Spider Man” girl at heart, Ami is a natural athlete as well as a natural beauty, with a spunky, adventurous side that will definitely take her places! (Hang on to your hat Jen!)
On the other side of the room, Isaak waits patiently for his bottle to arrive. As usual, he’s all smiles. (Thank you God!)
Little Baby Johnny studies the pattern of the carpet beneath him. As mellow yellow as ever. (Thank you again God!)
Little Samuel. It literally seems like just yesterday that Samuel sat in his little seat for the better part of his stay with that precious look of awe and wonder on his sweet little face. (Totally mesmerized by the hustle and bustle, and “coolness” of those big kids!) Today Samuel is off in every direction, busy making his own mark on the world. There he is over in the corner with all those big kids, studying the intricacies of a miniature race car.
“Hey everyone, Nathaniel’s here!” He barrels his way over to Miss Kathy. What a Snuggle-Bunny! Huge brown eyes, that famously naughty smile, the faint almost-healed scab smack-dab in the middle of his forehead. Nathaniel is using lots of words today! Then in a flash, he’s on the move again…what a boy!
And Miss Abigail is right behind! Oh, the challenges of parenting: shaping the will without breaking the spirit…And what a spirit! A truly free spirit, a strong will and a mind all her own. (All the makings of a natural born leader.) She will definitely be a leader, not a follower. (But for now, brace yourself Mom!)
“Look, Brynn’s here!” She runs to get her hugs. First, Miss Maria. Then Miss Kathy, then Miss Shaneika, and finally Miss Jen. Those big beautiful brown eyes, rose petal pink cheeks and sandy little fringe peak out of the brown and pink ski cap. A sight for sore eyes. She wants to get started painting. But first, let’s check on Baby Brother Warren. We all knew Brynn would be a fabulous “Big Sister”. What a girl!
And Warren, our own precious little “Cabbage Patch” doll come to life in the Hourly! What a cutie pie. Finally out of his hip-brace, he’ll be raring to go in no time!
“Hey Quentin! Hey Sophie!” Tentative at first, Quentin is reassured by his big sister’s confidence. A pale blonde wavy-haired beauty, Sophie is effervescent and oh so grownup. (She goes to “real school” you know.)
Quentin interrupts himself from chowing down on his leather snack to run back (again) to the craft table with Miss Jen. Miss Jen is cracking out her famous homemade play dough, and gluing cotton balls everywhere! Quentin’s world is good.
“Hey guys, it’s Izzy!” (“Princess Izzy” if you please.) Dark hair, dark eyes, she has an aura of poise and grace all her own. She totes around her ballerina gear. Today is her very own “Princess Class”. The Ballerina Girl and Artist-in-Residence. Izzy is a classic.
“Look who’s here, Dara and Liam!” Dara runs straight to “Ria” (his obvious favorite), while Liam heads straight for the Lego Table (a future engineer we think).
They are a study in contrasts: Liam with that thick shock of dark black hair, dark eyes, and intense curiosity; and Dara with those beach boy blonde locks, dreamy pale blue eyes, and whimsical smile.
Dara paints some Hanukah candles, and adds a little extra dash of purple paint to his face for good measure. (That purple moustache is just the right touch!) Hurry up and catch him with that jar of purple paint somebody! Time to scrub down at the sink before Mom gets back.
“Hey look, it’s Nina’!” “Nina-Panina” is a one-of-a-kind girl for sure. A beauty all her own beneath that tiny impish exterior, her hazelnut little mane flies every which way. Nina can definitely hold her own with anyone in the room, and has recently developed a penchant for the pink high heels. Yes, she’s definitely a toddler-version of the gal from “The Closer” (what’s her name again?) Watch out world!
Charlotte arrives looking anxiously for Miss Kathy. But in the end, Miss Shaneika will do just fine! Charlotte is definitely finding her groove. Along with her blanket and bears, she snuggles into the corner pillows, picks out her favorite books and waits patiently for some “special time”. She makes a visit to the art table to color yet another “Elmo” picture - a special surprise for Mommy.
Annie and Mabel finally arrive. Two petite perfectly matched sisters, with neat pony-tails holding back their newly sprouted blonde cork-screw curls. So grown-up, so independent, they head directly to the baby dolls to pack them up in strollers. With purses and diaper bags in tow, they are off. They wave Daddy goodbye. (Get going already!) What a pair!
“Shayna’s here everybody!” Looking too cute again today in her flashy rainbow-colored skirt and sweater combo, she is the picture of confidence in her sparkly ruby red shoes. Her shiny black hair swings and glistens in the morning sunlight. (You gotta know that Mom loves dressing this girl!) Before you know it, Shayna has started her “strength-training”: balancing on a ball, hanging from every which way, this girl is totally strong! I’ll go on the record right now: we’ll be seeing her at the 2020 Olympics. You Go Girl!!
Ezra is next in the door. (Shayna’s best buddy.) Full of mischief and good cheer, Ezra reminds me of TV’s “Dennis the Menace”. And what a smarty-pants he is! I can totally see him all grown up as a best-selling author with a flare for witty satire, making people laugh and think at the same time.
And then there’s Audrey. Quiet and earnest, Audrey has a mysterious, almost ethereal essence about her. I have also never seen a child who looks exactly (and I do mean exactly) like Mom. And for sure, there is no better eater in the room. (Except for maybe Ethan, Justin and Noah…okay, I admit that is a pretty big “except”!)
Adlai, the Senior Boy of the Hourly marches in at last. He needs no help, and can do everything on his own. (Thank you again God!) He just needs to make sure that none of those little kids steal any of his food. (Good luck with that!) Off he goes to build bridges, malls and airports. Definitely a “tool guy”.
“Stella! Hey Girl!” The tallest and most grown-up girl of the Hourly arrives. (Mom is on the run!) Stella needs no long goodbyes, and runs straightaway to the arts and crafts table. She can be trusted to keep all the “messy stuff” away from the littler ones, and gets right to work on her newest creations. Stella is Jen’s right-hand lady for all those cool Hourly art projects. She carefully lines up her artwork work, each one a new treasure for Mom.
“Jake’s here everyone!” Our latest arrival strolls in with Mom. In what literally seems like the twinkling of an eye, Jake has grown from that adorable little toddler into this handsome little preschooler with the floppy chestnut brown mop and dark smiling eyes.
Jake is into monkeys of all sorts, including “Curious George”. (That would explain all that silly “monkey-business” Mom!) Jake (like every other kid in the Hourly) knows just how to push his Mom’s buttons on cue. But while with us, he’s the perfect little gent. Jake turns on the charm for Miss Maria, who simply cannot resist his special magic!
Over at the crafts table sits Jonah, Patricia’s son, quietly at work on his latest work of art. Almost, seven, he is a gem of a young man. We all watch with wonder as he creates from scratch his own masterpieces. He never tires of drawing, and he never runs out of things to draw. I want to keep one of his pictures for that day down the road when I know I will say, “I knew Jonah when…”
It’s 9:30 on a Friday morning, the Gang’s all here, and the JCC Hourly “Breakfast Club” is just hitting its stride. Fifteen more minutes until we break out the Challah Bread and head off to “Shabbat Sing”.
Finally, a Sabbath Rest on the horizon.
Whew!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
ON CHILDREN (AND MOTHERS): THOUGHTS WORTH REMEMBERING
Compiled by Kathy Banaszak
"Even when freshly washed and relieved of all obvious confections, children tend to be sticky."
Fran Lebowitz
"A mother is neither cocky, nor proud, because she knows the school principal may call at any minute to report that her child had just driven a motorcycle through the gymnasium."
Mary Jo Blakely
"One hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had, nor what my clothes looked like. But the world may be better, the universe a little brighter, because I was important to a child." Unknown
"The real menace in dealing with a five-year old is that in no time at all you begin to sound like a five-year old." Jean Kerr
"A little child is an uncommonly interesting object - an immortal soul confined in such fairy form." Unknown
"The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom." Henry Ward Beecher
"The greatest battle that ever was fought, shall I tell you where and when? On the maps of the world you will not find it: it was fought by the mothers of men." Joaquin Miller
"My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it." Mark Twain
"A kiss from my mother made me a painter." Benjamin West
"A mother has to always think twice: once for herself and once for her child." Loren
"Now, as always, the most automated appliance in a household is a mother." Beverly Jones
"Children are unpredictable. You never know which inconsistency they're going to catch you in next." Henry Ward Beecher
"I value this delicious home feeling as one of the choicest gifts a parent can bestow."
Washington Irving
"One truly affectionate soul in a family will exert a sweetening and harmonizing influence upon all its members." Henry Van Dyke
"Our children are living messages we send to a time and place we will never see." Unknown
"Even when freshly washed and relieved of all obvious confections, children tend to be sticky."
Fran Lebowitz
"A mother is neither cocky, nor proud, because she knows the school principal may call at any minute to report that her child had just driven a motorcycle through the gymnasium."
Mary Jo Blakely
"One hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had, nor what my clothes looked like. But the world may be better, the universe a little brighter, because I was important to a child." Unknown
"The real menace in dealing with a five-year old is that in no time at all you begin to sound like a five-year old." Jean Kerr
"A little child is an uncommonly interesting object - an immortal soul confined in such fairy form." Unknown
"The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom." Henry Ward Beecher
"The greatest battle that ever was fought, shall I tell you where and when? On the maps of the world you will not find it: it was fought by the mothers of men." Joaquin Miller
"My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it." Mark Twain
"A kiss from my mother made me a painter." Benjamin West
"A mother has to always think twice: once for herself and once for her child." Loren
"Now, as always, the most automated appliance in a household is a mother." Beverly Jones
"Children are unpredictable. You never know which inconsistency they're going to catch you in next." Henry Ward Beecher
"I value this delicious home feeling as one of the choicest gifts a parent can bestow."
Washington Irving
"One truly affectionate soul in a family will exert a sweetening and harmonizing influence upon all its members." Henry Van Dyke
"Our children are living messages we send to a time and place we will never see." Unknown
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