My confident, hopeful fellow Republicans, I have heard and read countless accounts of witnesses to war.  Most of these stories had come from Civil War veterans of many ranks.  In comparing all my readings from memoirs and published letters from that war with those that I have also read from the world wars and Vietnam, I've learnt that the Civil War was by far the most insanely horrible, terrible, and tragic.  Ironically, all this terror and blood was not produced by a Hun or a jap but rather the volunteer forces that answered Lincoln's call to destroy and wipe out the independence of the Southern states. 
More often than not, especially in the war's first couple of years, the gray lines faced north and the blue, south.  Ranks of tens of thousands of Southern men were all that separated the Federal armies and the complete sacking, burning, and conquering of the South beyond the rear of the Southern defenses.  Often, Confederate soldiers from Tennessee, Virginia, or Georgia would find themselves charging the enemy across their own lawns, careful not to shoot the cows. 
In fact, at the battle of Gettysburg, there was a Confederate private by the name of John Wesley Culp from that village.  Those that know something of the battlefield know that Union Commander, Maj General Meade's northern right flank constructed its defenses on the hill, known locally as Culps Hill.  Pvt. John's family owned it.  He was killed less than a mile from his home. 

The battlefield deaths would have made even the opponents of the Geneva Convention squirm.  The technology of small arms and artillery had advanced further in the twenty years leading up to the Civil War than what was advanced for three hundred years prior.  Spiral rifling became mandatory for all military rifles.  Musket balls were modified to the revelations of a Frenchman named Mini, a cone shape rather than a round ball with three groves around its length to catch the spirals in the rifles.  This increased the accuracy of the rifle from twenty-thirty yards to five hundred to one thousand, depending on the terrain. 
The tightly packed ranks and battle lines that had been crucial for soldiers with inaccurate weapons (putting enough smooth bores into one place increased the likelihood of somebody hitting something) surprisingly did not receive the same advancements as the weapons of war.  These shoulder to shoulder battle lines hardly ever stood up to a defensive position armed with the latest. 
Even loading had become more efficient.  The Mississippi rifles was the first of their kind to include a simple mechanism to ignite the powder.  Where before it was the clumsy, messy, and some times dangerous flint stone and powder pan, useless in the land, by the late 1840s, the percussion cap nipple had replaced the pan and the flint was replaced by the rugged and simple percussion caps.
Whether it was the Federals at Cold Harbor or the Confederates at Franklin, regardless of the size of these forces, they would fail miserably while advancing on a well dug in position. 
Artillery had advanced in the same ways of the rifles of that period...spiraled bores, shells molded the same shape as the mini ball, and cannon were converted to fire by the simple tug of a rope.  Some Confederate batteries even included the ahead of its time, Whitsworth breech loading artillery pieces that could send shells up to two miles.  Quite a feat for a light artillery piece! 
These guns got bigger and more dead.  Field pieces also included a mobile arsenal that not only included solid shot but also canister (a can filled with dozens of golf ball sized projectiles.  It was a big shot gun. 
Men were torn to pieces by the artillery.  The small arms fire could be just as grooving.  For when the exceptionally slow musket ball entered a soldier's flesh, it would pan out to almost twice its size, loose its momentum and become like a pin ball in the body often going in one way and tearing out the other leaving broken bones and organs. 
The field hospitals were more deadly than these weapons for the doctors of the time had no clue about germs.  The same cutting blades and other instruments used on some patients were used on others, washed only for a moment in a blood tainted water pot.  Infection killed so many.  And the conditions of thousands of men from different parts of the North and South pressed into great groups caused outbreaks of all the deadly diseases of the time, most common pneumonia, pox, or diarrhea...all killers. 
The POW camps killed plenty more.  Despite all the attention given to Andersonville, more Confederate soldiers died in Northern prisons than in Southern ones.  This is especially strange considering the North had a lot more resources to care for its prisoners.  Instead, thousands of Southerns died at Elmira, Camp Douglass (my own great great uncle died there) and Point Lookout. 
Lastly, during that war hundreds of thousands of unarmed and helpless civilians were either killed, raped, starved, or made homeless in the South by Northern assaults on Jackson, Columbia, New Orleans, Richmond, Charleston, Atlanta, Savannah, Petersburg, and Vicksburg. 

Yet, even when I hear some of McCain's stories on being a POW in the Vietnam war or even some of those from the citizens of Vicksburg that had to dig caves to replace their homes when the Federals shelled their community for months, I can't help but feel that our nation's most decorated war heroes have not seen a more sadder side of hell on this earth.  I won't argue that seeing your comrades and mess mates die in a burst of red or slowly on a cot is a despair that I would not wish to know.  Killing others, even the enemy, would be high up there in despair. 

Yet soldiers as well as the citizens in Vicksburg stuck together, banded together to either save lives or help their cause.
But I challenge McCain or any other to visit Sand Hill in Augusta to happen upon something probably worse.  How so?

As terrible as it is, in war there is the sense of honor, duty, and sacrifice regardless of the cost of war's want of blood.  Yet, in this community in Augusta from the lawn of Saint Augustine’s castle church that also serves as the intersection of Washington and Northern Avenue to Monroe Street, on Sand Hill there are things that are worse. 

Here we have people that are not dying from battlefield wounds but self inflicted ones.  Here the American dream seems as distant as Washington DC.  While men and women serve to protect our freedom, the citizens of these parts choose not to honor any of these values our soldiers fight for.  They exist only to consume.  Friends only exist to aid in battles against neighbors provoked by rumors or differences.  Parents have children to receive government benefits, and most of the many, many, people here on disability income neither deserve it or need it any more than the most productive worker. 
These people are lazy, spoiled, vindictive, and crazy.  They are defeated, plagued, and live only outdated trends that haven taken years to finally reach Maine. When Maine cut back on its mental health funds the state hospital was forced to release dozens of critically messed up patients.  They now mostly live on Sand Hill, screaming, thrashing, and ticking like time bombs.   Sand Hill's population of a thousand or more has a higher concentration of sex offenders than in any other community I've lived in.  In fact, many of them live across the street from or live in the same apartment building as children. 

Joe the plumber is does not represent this place or its voters.  If asked to live on Sand Hill for one year, on Stewart Lane or Washington Avenue or Jefferson Street, I am confident that both McCain and Obama would have either something new to their conscience and campaign promises or either continue not to consider the people's plight, as they have all along any how. 

War exists but in these wars there are victories and causes.  There are battles upon Sand Hill.  Yet these never include either valiant causes or any kinds of victories. 

Ah, another git-em-2-reed-mi-blog-blog-title.  This time, though, I predict that most of this following post will roll with the recent debate that was limited to candidates of only two parties.  (Debates including candidates from other parties or with budgets less than hundreds of millions might be found on your local PBS channel).

In all fairness, I did enjoy myself quite honestly.  For a moment, I could actually understand why so many Americans gather around their tellies to view such a performance.  The thing was choreographed famously.  There was the grand-dad veteran.  Was he the one that helped hoist up that flag in that Clint Eastwood production?  Wrong war? Hum.  Well, I'm sure McCain hoisted a flag up somewhere in Vietnam (or Iraq).
Or how about the half-African American version of Leonardo Decaprio?  Hum. Mr. smooth talking passenger with a lucky ticket was able to sweet talk the rich girl from jumping off the rear end of the boat.  Though his charm never failed, "We have to stay on the ship for as long as possible, Rose,"  it was a worthless commodity when the same rear end of that ship was sticking out of and sinking in the black water. 
For those of you that were so fwiggin kind to read all through that but still did not get the whole metaphore-satire-analagy image of the debate, I'll break down a more simple example without sacrificing the Titanic staple.  WATCHING THE DEBATE WAS LIKE STANDING ON THE STARBOARD SIDE OF TITANIC ON THE EVENING OF APRIL 14, 1912 WATCHING THE PRETTY STAR AND SHIP LIGHTS GLITTERING UPON THE BLUE GLASSY JAWS OF THE ICE BERG.

But, seriously my fellow walrus's and clams, I did enjoy myself.  In fact, I previously had a wonderful list of things that I was preparing to blog about yet the debate stole my attention right along with yours.  It was more fun than the Palin vs. (who's that guy?) debate last week.  But, regardless of your political feelings, I think we might agree that the recent presidential debate will knock last week's VP debate off the number one spot on Fox News' play list.  But ye log cabin and mansion in the sky Republicans need not fret.  I know some cool cats out there that will vote for your man based simply on the likelihood that because of McCain's age, it would not be a very unusual thing for Madam Vice President Pailin to outlive the old soldier while in office.  Yus'uh, I bet you know at least one fellow American that loves Palin that much.  You go girl!

Every member of the audience at that debate that not only had the once in a life time chance to appear on national television but also enjoyed the six and a half seconds of bonus fame by asking the candidates a question was able to perfectly estimate the amount of inches the microphone should be from their lips.  I personally do not feel convinced that we owe this to either God's mercy or miracles.  Personally, I am cursed.  If I had attended the debate in Nashville
(my great great grandfather, Private James K Polk Tims of the 37th Mississippi Regiment was captured during the November 1864 battle of Nashville when his comrades in Hood's Confederate Army of Tennessee was routed by Maj. General Thomas' yankee divisions).
I would have most likely unintentionally held the mic too close to my dry lips, causing my voice to be a quick wild shrill countered by a nervous and meek correction.  On the positive side that scenario of me becoming instant youtube fodder, it could have provided a second or more (depending on who you are) distraction from our sinking unsinkable economy.

Bin Laden was brought up several times during this debate.  Both candidates made it very clear that they differed in opinions regarding which countries deserved the most aggressive "boot in your a." 
As for Bin Laden, they both agreed that his goose should be plucked and cooked. Yet, again, both held different opinions regarding all expense paid vacations for men and women volunteering in our armed forces.  Obama's travel plans include taking a beltway around Iraq and following the interstate with the least tolls.  Who can afford the scenic route with gas prices being what they are?  His vacation package includes camping, hiking, and armored tours from Pakistan Land to Afghanistan World.  Obama seemed assured that this getaway will lasso Bin Laden before the premier of High School Musical 4.

McCain, however, is promising our men in uniform a different sort of travel plan.  A spring break in North Korea.  A Memorial Day weekend in Iran and an endless summer in Iraq.  It sort of reminds me of the film that made Mr. Chevy Chase famous, Vacation.  In all McCain's fantastic visions of taking the Griswalds by every roadside attraction, actually capturing Bin Laden appears as appealing to him as visiting Uncle Eddy.
It seems, to me, and MOST Americans that Obama's plan is the lesser of the two evils.  Oh! Every election, the lesser of the two evils, always, always! Congressman Ron Paul, we thank you for voting against the 700 billion dollar bail out bill last week but surely a ton agree that your presence was missed in the capital city of Tennessee.  In a time of crises do we despair more for yesterday's lost opportunity or for grim visions of tomorrow?  Though the opportunity we had to put Ron Paul onto the ballot is all but lost can we nevertheless counter the grim portrayal of tomorrow?

McCain did not do good in the debate this week because he was truly and brutally honest about his intentions regarding health care, the economy, and war.
One of his statements that personally eckled me has probably never been seriously considered.  America was neither born by our ancestors or preserved by the sacrifices of every generation since to be a 'force of good' in the world.  Being a free, prosperous, and strong nation was what our forefathers intended to be the actual force of good.  We were an inspiring example.  Was it not enough?  Our successful struggle for independence inspired the common man in France to rise and revolt against King Louis.  Did their liberation appeal for an American Operation French Freedom?  NO!  The American experiment also lit a fire under the bud of England, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, and ironically the war for Southern independence.

The American Revolution proved that not only does anybody have the right to revolt against tyranny, but that the revolt could be pulled off, even by a thin group of colonies against the greatest empire of their time.

It is my complete and confident feeling that those states, tribes, and people that have lacked revolutions on an equal scale simply did not want to.  Why must we convince ourselves that everybody from the south pole to the north pole and the east pole to the west pole share in their heart the same causes as George Washington or Jefferson Davis?  We ourselves declared our independence.  Nobody came over here and forced us to declare it.  So why must we force upon Iraq to declare their independence from a regime that they have declared for thousands of years?
Both history and recent history have proved that we do better for the world tending to our own principals, values, and strength than by sacrificing all them to tending (invading) others.

However, though I believe that Obama appeared more qualified in this second interview for the seat of power in a country in crises, I do not trust my vote to him either.  I am completely disgusted by Americas' choices for the nominees of the Republican and Democrat parties.  My laughing at the end of the debate would have been less cynical and more light if this country was not presently surrounded by a plume of doom.

This was one of the things that I was on the verge of blogging about before I was distracted by the swishing of the swords of the late debate.
I am a unique and strange Christian by today's terms.  I by no means claim any knowledge of His plan.  What makes me most unique is my suffering.  Most Christians suffer from battles with sexual orientation, alcoholism, smoking, or some cancer or another.  Granted, my battles are not unlike some of theirs'.  I have diabetes type 1.  I war and loose to any variety of sins that the serpent let loose in Eden.  Yet, I've noticed on so many Sunday nights, almost every church, the same, people claiming victory.  The hoot, holler, smile, fellowship, and bear witness.  The elders, as if by instinct or inherent right, pray upon others.  While they tell them that we are all equal in sin, all fall short of Christ, and are all equal in the eyes of the Lord where does the unequal balance of one man on his knees, humbled and praying for salvation from this world and the other man (in the same church) that you never see on his knees, never see praying for His mercy but rather standing with oil on his finger tips bringing healing and comfort to the other.  The human contradiction that I find is that between the humbled and bowed sinner and the youth group leader elder offering collector the roles are never shared, exchanged, or traded during any one service.  The subliminal message seems to me that one has attained a higher level, a higher power while the other has not been blessed with the same yet or ever.
I have issues with that.  I do believe that the Christian religion is the guiding force of the universe and our world.  The destiny of everything that He created will be decided by Him.  God made everything good and all life with the exception of those of us with free will naturally accepts Him and his plan.  Dogs live as God commanded dogs to live.  Monkeys live as God commanded monkeys to live.  The worlds orbit as He commanded them to do.  I can't imagine the mayhem that would exist if all God's creation was born with free will!  For the things and life that God created without free will, living his plan to get to Heaven is pretty simple.
Yet, ever since the creation of Adam and Eve, free will has only gotten our species into more and more trouble.  The choices that human kind has made out of the gift of free will has very nearly destroyed our planet and slaughter of countless species since we began is only one of our marks.  Today, so much sin has been evolved into our lifestyles, societies, cities, neighborhoods, and minds from generation to generation that using this free will to choose Him is not so easy.  Rather than relying totally on God and reading the instructions and lessons he scribed for us in the Bible, we have become so dependent upon our own decisions, thoughts, and ideas.
We arrogantly go from day to day trying to make our own paths, each one of us using our free will to attempt choices and decisions that will make our path the best ever.  We trust so much in each of our unique handling of free will that we'll someday obtain immortality.  But is it any wonder that we've all been only going in circles and circles throughout our entire history?  Is it any wonder that along with free will human kind has constantly repeated mistakes upon mistakes upon mistakes including some that cause whole empires to fall or millions to die or countless more to suffer?  When will we turn our free will to choose God?

I was watching CBN last night and the 700 club with Pastor Pat what's his face.  His newscasts appeared no different than the staged ones that other Christian stations create the press home a point that signs are leading to the end.  You know the kind.  The erie fact, however, was that this newscast was real and the events that were reported was no different that what has been reported by every single news agency out there.
The battles along the banks of Israel, Russian and Georgia, and the Middle East and the growing frustrations of dozens of other nations all seem to be construction a stage of kinds of wars too vast and too violent to be contained by any side.  The 700 billion dollar bail out designed and worded to give a break to the crooks that began this brink of depression and the tools to repeat the mistakes that initiated this mess, of course, did nothing to save the constant broken records of falling stocks, failing dollars, and dying confidence.  I find it hilarious that just days after Obama's and McCain's senate passed that bill things have become much worse and quicker than ever imagined before hand.  Our little ole local economic issue has now engulfed the European empire as well.  We are more than ten trillion dollars in the hole and it is estimated that billions of dollars reserved for health care, social security, and other retirement savings our being zapped in the wind on a weekly schedule.  It is near to the point where all we have is what we have now.  The scariest part of that fact is that we are not only loosing what we have for tomorrow but what we have today.  Glen Beck calls it the perfect storm.

We are all the point in our history when the Bible offers the only successful bail out scenario.  And YET, pastors and people are still praying that God fix these things, changes these things, or reverses this black dawn.  Most do not realize that this is all according to plan.  The only thing avoiding the signs and the truth that this history was already written to set the stage for Christ's return is us.  Pastor Pat what's his face prayed for all good things to happen soon, hinting nothing at the obvious connection of what he had just reported and what was written in the Bible.  And as if that connection was some threat peeping around the bend, pastor Pat what's his face switched off to a heart warming and chicken soup story of a member of a rock band called Korn (he pronounced it Khorn and I loosed a giddy giggle for him having no clue at what the band's name symbolized) became a born a gain Christian.
We are living in a specific passages of the Bible, the most important parts since the books of John, Mark, Luke, and Matt all Pastor Pat what's his face can do is report the signs yet not read them and then pass on to a story about some guy from Khhhhorn?
Oh Lord!

I was watching a show on the history channel about bread.  One part of the program showed a Kosher bakery making Hebrew bread.  They were so strict in their standards that they had actual Rabbis come into inspect the ingredients.  The History Channel seemed to give honor and respect to these Hebrew traditions and made the process of creating traditional food holy to the Hebrews appear interesting and educational.
Yet, would the History channel or any other network channel provide just as much respect and tolerance towards Christian practices and traditions without calling them fanatical or "things of faith"?

More on that soon!  I have run out of words and I am off to bed.  I am sure that some sleep will inspire me to continue here later.