Katy's Conservative Corner

Last Stand Against Health Care Reform - The Rally

 On Saturday, your blogger, along with hundreds of others from North Carolina, and thousands from across the nation, loaded up on buses, planes, trains, and automobiles, and made our collective ways to our nation's Capitol.  It was the most beautiful day we had seen all year and the weather there was much better than it was in Raleigh, KCC later discovered.

KCC's Live Posts on Twitter

Because your blogger had to carry everything she brought, she could not live blog the event from her laptop.  Thus, she posted updates on her Twitter site.  Go here to read them.  

You do not need to have a Twitter account to read them.  Just scroll back to Saturday's posts to see what KCC wrote and thought.  KCC's twitter account is not quite as "family friendly" as is her blog.  :-)

 North Carolinians Storm the Capitol

For a small fee of $25, North Carolineans could ride one of about ten buses that were organized by the NC Chapter of Americans for Prosperity.  From Raleigh, the trip was relatively quick and our group arrived precisely at noon at the South Lawn of the Capitol.  Already, speakers were rousing the crowd and masses were gathering.  

Buses departed from every part of the Ole' North State and were ready to rally.  People made phone calls on the way, and were advised as to the polite way to get their points across to opposing Members of Congress.

Lamestream Media Says "Don't Come into Washington"

 What should NOT have amazed this blogger, was that  the "lamestream" media was actually telling people NOT to come into the District.  The traffic was too bad, they stated. They did their best to keep our numbers down, but it did not work.

 Indeed there were numerous rallies going on that day.  The Communist Party USA was supposed to be rallying somewhere, and an anti-war group took over Lafayette Square, across from the White House.

Your blogger stood beside a retired New York City police captain for a few minutes.  He was well-versed in crowd counting and estimated the group to be between 65,000 - 70,000.  Meanwhile, the "lamestream" media was calling the crowd at only 1,500 - 2,000.  They were declaring that Americans were happy with the bill and wanted it to pass.  Even MSNBC disagreed and declared that 60% of Americans were unhappy with the bill.  Your blogger is certain that MSNBC vastly low balled the number,  but they were right that most Americans opposed this bill.

Much more on this rally coming soon.  Watch this space for updates!

 EDITOR'S NOTES:   KCC also took videos of some of events of the day. 

More on the Communist Party later.  Let's just say they were not quite who they said they were.  

Your blogger thanks the North Carolina Chapter of the Americans for Prosperity for getting everyone, buses, bus drivers, in under 24 hours!  

Chris Marie Farr, grassroots director of the NC AFP told riders of one of the Raleigh buses, that she had no idea what was actually going on, as she'd been buried in logistics in getting people together for 48 straight hours!

 Kudos to Chris and the entire  NC AFP team!  God bless them in what they do.  They don't get rich and it's a labor of love for them.  Give this group a donation.   Help them out.  Any amount helps!  DONATE TO NC AFP.

ALL PHOTOS  COPYRIGHT 2010 K BENNINGFIELD, KATY'S CONSERVATIVE CORNER

No photograph can be used without written consent of the photographer, K Benningfield.  Email for permission here.

Marco Rubio Kicks Off CPAC (Video)

 State House Speaker Marco Rubio (R-Fla) as he kicks off CPAC 2010. The Roman Catholic son of Cuban exiles, got most people excited and in the mood for some good old-fashioned politicking.  

He said all the right things on all the right issues for hawkish conservatives, such as terrorism and standing by our allies like Israel and still lives in a working class neighborhood.

Speaker Rubio is running against Governor Charlie Crist (R-Fla) in the GOP primary for the United States Senate. Rubio is the conservative in the race, and thus the one who got the special invitation to keynote CPAC.  This speech is one for the ages, and is worth watching again and again.  We'll see him at the next Republican National Convention.

Enjoy the video and leave your respectful comments on the blog: 

Ann Coulter's One Liners AT CPAC (Videos Added-Updated)

 When the time came for conservative columnist and humorist Ann Coulter to take the stage at CPAC, the audience roared in approval.  She told one liners as if she thought of them right on the spot and reminded everyone that she is truly a hard core conservative. 

Overview

 She mentioned, how she "loved bombs", supported national security, the defense of our allies, and she mentioned a few social issues that are important to her. (She reminded this blogger a bit of her own mindset as blogger's high school nickname was " 'Ole Nuke 'Em 'Till They Glow". )

A large group of Ron Paul followers appreciated that she paid tribute to their cause by saying that she appreciated that he was pro-life and that she liked everything except his foreign policy.  

She also got a lot of laughs when she weighed in on your blogger's least favorite former U.S. Senator.  "John Edwards may go down in history as earning the National Enquirer it's first Pulitzer Prize."              
 Coulter told punchline after punchline and your blogger couldn't even begin to take notes of them all.  However, Coulter did close with this:

"Keith Olberman is a girl.  Yes, Keith Olberman is a girl." Yes, out of left field, but it was still funny!

North Carolinian Gets First Question

In the ten-minute question and answer session, Wake County's Jonathan Bandy (below, left in a 1998 file photo) went to the microphone asked the first question.

"I'm from North Carolina and what can we do to get more newspaper coverage of slimeball John Edwards?"

  Coulter shot back, "I can't believe anyone at this conference is still reading newspapers. I'm sure the National Enquirer is available in North Carolina." 

 Probably not the answer the former State Young Republican Chairman was looking for.  Your blogger thinks he probably meant more fair coverage of Edwards.  

KCC believes that the worst culprit in the state in the John Edwards love fest, remains a Triangle-area TV station ( that streams online, for national readers).

WRAL's "Special" Relationship With Edwards?

This blogger dislikes WRAL-TV relationship with the former U.S. Senator.  It has disgustingly followed Edwards around for 16 years and have covered every single move Edwards makes. When it came to Elizabeth's cancer, their marital problems, their children, his mistress, his hair, his former aide's book, or his cars, nothing was too "up close and personal" for channel 5.  

Back when the former Senator was running as John Kerry's veep, people complained to the station about "too much Edwards", but co-anchor Pam Salsby, with her ever-rotating hairdos, took to the airwaves to explain that "this is a local story and people want to know".  

-Another question from the audience was: "Did you ever date a liberal?"  Coulter paused, smiled,  and slyly answered, "He wasn't (liberal) for long".  

Catch the entire speech, along with the funny Q&A session, in the videos below.  You'll laugh your socks off and you'll wonder how someone could be so quick on her feet.  Fellow blogger and top selling author Michelle Malkin, doesn't particularly like Coulter, because Coulter has a tendency to shoot from the hip.  However, Coulter likes to make light of situations and make people laugh.  She's more of a conservative comedian, while Malkin is a serious writer and conservative journalist.  KCC enjoys them both.

Ann Coulter Speech Part I:

Part II of Ann Coulter Speech:

Ann Coulter Q&A Part I (after the speech)

Ann Coulter Q&A Part II

Editor's Notes

KCC picked up the nickname "ole nuke 'em 'till they glow" in 1983, when she was a Junior at New Bern Senior High School.  Her Advanced United States History teacher (and the following year, her Advanced United States Government teacher) Howard Matthews, was a solid conservative, which often sparked debate in class amongst the students.  

Your blogger was the hardest of the hardliners in class, regarding Communism, and the running gag in class was "why don't we just nuke 'em and be done with them"?  Naturally, your blogger knew, even at such a young age that such a thing wouldn't be a practical solution, but received the nickname anyway. 

She believed then, as she does now, that we should NOT negotiate with Communists or terrorists. Those people are irrational and cannot be trusted to keep their word.   

RED China Blocks Twitter on 20th Anniversary of Tinanmen Murders (video)

According to news sites world wide, on Tuesday, blocked Twitter access from within its borders ahead of today's 20th anniversary of the Tinanmen Square massacre.  Twitter is a "microblogging" site  where one gets "followers" (readers) and sends tweets (microblog posts).  It's extremely popular as anyone can send a tweet from a cell phone via a text message, a laptop computer, and via a number of other ways.

The Massacre was horrible.  Your blogger was in summer school that summer, finishing up the last of her college coursework.   Every night, Ted Koppell was on ABC's Nightline talking about the subject and the tension built.  Many of we young conservatives at the time were inspired to fight communism and to work towards freedom and democracy for everyone, and for every nation.  KCC became more dedicated to freedom than ever.  

Then it was over and blood covered the streets of the Chinese capital city.  The freedom-seeking university students were dead and we could do nothing about it.  

According to Janet Watson (photo courtesy, left), writing for the Ottawa Citizen,  and a student backpacking through Southeast Asia at the time,

"On May 13, thousands of pro-democracy students had occupied Tiananmen Square beginning a hunger strike to press for political reform. At the same time, international media had descended upon Beijing in anticipation of a state visit by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the first summit in 30 years between the two countries.

At the conclusion of Gorbachev’s visit, the government declared martial law, but it was half-hearted. Protesters blocked the army from entering Beijing and it retreated.

As we made our way north toward Beijing by train, boat and bus, we watched the growing democratic movement flourish, in villages and cities. With universities and colleges closed, students and workers, protesting corruption and inflation, marched through the streets chanting democratic slogans and carrying red and white banners to display their solidarity with the Beijing protesters.

Businessmen, shopkeepers and even the elderly cheered them on. I spoke with a retired professor in Chengdu, Sichuan, who said there had never been so much spirit in China. He said he wished he could be a student again.

We watched students climb aboard trains and buses headed for Beijing to join their comrades. Everywhere we went it seemed people were swept up in the students’ fervour for democracy.

We arrived in Beijing on May 30. Every day, after visiting tourist sites, we stopped at Tiananmen Square to speak with the protesters in their scattered village of tents.

The atmosphere was festive as the protesting students barbecued, sang along to rock music piped from loud speakers and huddled around guitars, strumming quietly in the hot afternoon sun.

As foreigners, we enjoyed celebrity status. The students often approached us, wondering what the world was hearing about their demonstration. They showed off their Goddess of Democracy statue, asked us to sign T-shirts and wanted to practice speaking English. A few said they were anxious to get back to their studies.

But on June 2, Deng Xiaoping and other Communist party leaders, humiliated by the international attention, ordered a military crackdown to end the crisis. On the afternoon of June 3, returning from an outing to the Great Wall, we dropped in at Tiananmen Square which was surrounded by army vehicles and tanks.

If you haven't heard much, if anything about this in the "lamestream media", don't be surprised.  They want you to pretend that Communism is dead.  It's not and your blogger can tell you this FIRST HAND.  

Read an interesting history of the events leading up to the massacre, here.  Also, watch the video, produced by the BBC on June 4th, 1989.   If you are too young to remember this event, please educate yourself on this.  Do not think for one moment that China is not our enemy.  

Even President Reagan disappointed me when he dealt with Communist China.  He continued to allow trade with this nation and assisted our efforts to trade with them, allowing this enemy to grow into the huge economic and military threat it is to us today. 

In the opinion of this blogger, the opening of trade with China, not Watergate, is the terrible legacy of the Richard M. Nixon presidency.

The White List: NC Donors Supporting Prop 8 In California

We have all heard of the Hollywood "Blacklist" of the 1950s when people were denied employment because of suspected associations with the American Communist Party.  Liberals have especially spoken about the blacklist in disgust.

Fast forward sixty years.  On November 4th, a referendum known as Proposition 8 was on the ballot for California voters.  People all across the nation participated, despite it being a California-only measure.

It passed, despite the many leftists fighting it and some North Carolina citizens gave money to the cause in support of it.  This year, instead of a blacklist,  your blogger, along with others, proposes a white list, a group of donors with whom we SHOULD do business, thanks to their support of California's Prop 8. 

Thanks to the California Secretary of State's office, KCC discovered who donated in support of Proposition 8.   Though some are private citizens or retired, there is a movement nationally to get people in every state to support those who have businesses,  who donated supporting the measure protecting traditional marriage.

Out of 153 total donors from the Old North State, 13 brave citizens stood up and said, "we want to preserve traditional marriage."

Here we list, alphabetically, by first name, those who gave in Support of Prop 8.  Typepad isn't great at doing tables, but here goes:

Carolyn Schramm            $200        Charlotte                    N/A
Donald Luther                  $100        Hampstead                 N/A
Hal Abbott                       $250        Garner                       Access International
Holden Higgenbotham       $250        Chapel Hill                 UNC-CH
James Helvey                   $500        Winston-Salem          CMT Asset MGT
Jason Yedowitz, Sr           $50          Indian Trail                Self-employed
Judy H. Sherrill                 $1,000      Hickory                    N/A
Kenneth Purcell                $100        Mooresville                Hendrick Motorsports
Lai Chow Kok                   $100        Winston-Salem          Winston-Salem Cardiology
Patrick Donleycott            $100         Mebane                    N/A
Richard Rust                    $100         Chapel Hill                N/A
anon.                               $100         Raleigh                     requested removal
Stephen Scribner              $100         Pinehurst                  International Life Science

If you can, do business with their employers, and if you know them, show them some love this Christmas season.  Heck, show everyone some love!  But thank these folks for standing up for our traditional marriages.  It sadly seems that tradition is going out of fashion.

Hat Tip: Los Angeles Times, Mclouthier

Editor's Note:Your blogger is not opposed to gay people and supports legalized civil unions, but she staunchly opposes traditional church weddings where people of the same sex get married.

Commenting is a privilege, not a right.  Comments flaming the host or anyone, or calling silly names will be removed!

Calling people ugly or rude names simply because they do not share a certain viewpoint is unnecessary. 

Comments promoting the exchange of ideas are encouraged. 

Communist Executioner Statue in New York - Paid for by Taxpayer $

Only in New York: Communist executioner Che Guevara, a man who killed many who dared to stand up against him, now has a statue in New York City.  This is not a joke, folks. 

This man even planned terrorist attacks against the city that now honors him.  Read more at the American Thinker website.

According to the blog, Right Wing News,

"Appropriately, the statue was financed with funds expropriated by force from taxpayers, courtesy of the Public Art Fund, the City of New York, the NEA, and the New York Council for the Arts."

The sad part about all this is that teens and twenty-somethings don't know what Che actually did.  They just know he was a "revolutionary" and they think that's cool, so they wear his photo on their T-Shirts. 

Your blogger partly blames the public school system and their socialist teaching for failing to get the message across that this was a horrible man, in the same vein as Stalin, and Hitler.  Also, people want to forget that Communism is still a threat, with Putin making moves in Russia, and with the numerous governments behind the "bamboo curtain" in Asia.  Also, Communism is once again on our back door in South America.

Even a 50-something U. S. Marine didn't remember who he was.  We cannot forget the lessons of the past. 

Vietnamese Commies Question, Beat, and Jail American AP Reporter (Video)

Recently, your blogger was speaking with a friend who stated "Vietnam isn't communist anymore." 

Read the story below and see for yourself.  It tells of an American reporter, the AP bureau chief in Hanoi, photographing a Christian demonstration against the Communists.  He was lead away by police, had his camera taken away, and beaten, requiring stitches.  The story appears in the section below.

Personal Disclosure:  Your blogger married into a south Vietnamese-American family, many of whom were forced to escape (at great peril)  after our once great nation, abandoned South Vietnam's efforts at staving off Communist invasion.  Your blogger has in-laws still stuck behind the bamboo curtain, who are not allowed to leave that nation, as their government fears they will not return.

(The photo above is of another demonstration, stateside, with the demonstrators carrying the flag of the Republic of South Vietnam, which was defeated in 1975 after our government abandoned them. )   

Katy is scheduled to make her first visit to the former Saigon in the Spring.  She is told the government welcomes American tourists, if not reporters!

Your blogger grew up fearing Communism, mostly in its Marxist form, and was terrified of the evil empire, the Soviet Union.  She urges all readers to continue to take note of the harsh developments in Russia and in China.

The video in the story below was taken by a very brave Vietnamese citizen who was able to upload it to You Tube, which is monitored by their country's censors.  It shows the reporter being led off before being questioned, jailed, and beaten by Hanoi police. 

Click below to read the story:

Helms Dies on July 4th at age 86

Former Senator Jesse A. Helms died this morning in Raleigh.  He was 86 years old.  The News and Observer has an excellent write-up here.

God bless America.  Thank you for giving us Jesse Helms.  He stood up for this country when it wasn't fashionable and when no one else would. 

This blogger first heard of Helms from her father, a conservative Democrat who spoke lovingly of Ronald Reagan and Jesse Helms over the dinner table.

Though your blogger became a Republican in 1976 at the tender age of nine, it wasn't until 1984 that she became active in the North Carolina Republican Party.  That year, Helms and Democrat Governor Jim Hunt ran the most expensive race ever for the United States Senate, which Helms won.

Always a staunch anti-communist, Helms was like a ray of light for this blogger.  She still feels that most people are not aware of the threat that nations like Red China, North Korea, Vietnam, and others pose.  Helms opposed any aid to the Soviet Union and this blogger agreed, feeling that nation would have fallen much sooner, had we not aided that communist government. 

Insiders say, of his whole life, Helms regretted the racial practices he used in campaign tactics, most of all.  He had many detractors and was seen as anti-gay by many, though he employed many minorities and gays on his staff. 

He assumed the nickname "Senator No", since he often was a lonely "no" vote in the Senate. He was sharp and knew the Senate rules like no other, often becoming a pain in the side to liberals, such as the currently ailing Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Taxachusetts). 

We appreciate you, Senator Helms, and Godspeed to you.  It is appropriate that you pass on the birthday of our great nation.

May God bless your family, our state and the United States of America.   Helms joins fellow patriots John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe by passing away on this great holiday.

For a video summary of Helms' life, check out the WRAL TV website.

Congresswoman Virginia Foxx released the following statement today on the death of former five-term Senator Jesse Helms.  Senator Helms passed away this morning at age 86.

"Senator Helms was the truest of patriots," Rep Foxx said.  "His passion for conservative principles and the vigor with which he pursued them was second to none.

"I consider Senator Helms to be a mentor and dear friend.  He dedicated his life to ensuring that the America he knew and loved would remain a strong beacon of freedom in a tumultuous world.  Senator Helms leaves behind a strong legacy of fighting for the freedoms that make America great, even in the face of the strongest of foes.   

"Today my thoughts and prayers go out to those Senator Helms left behind.  I pray that God's comfort might be with all of his loved ones during this difficult time."

Obama Opens Offices Across NC, HQs in Raleigh

Today, Dome, the News and Observer's top political blog, reported that Barack Hussein Obama has opened campaign offices in a number of cities in North Carolina, with the headquarters in Raleigh.

Knowing that Obama won't wear an American flag pin, pledge the Flag, or even show common decency by placing his hand over his heart when the flag is displayed.  Thus, KCC wonders if Obama staffers will have an American flag in his offices or the one of the Cuban/Che Guevara specialty.

If Senator Obama and his wife Michelle are ashamed of this nation, they should go where they feel more welcome.  Your blogger suggests they might be happier in Iran.  Michelle would have to give up all of the freedoms she enjoys here, such as being able to work outside the home, wear fashionable clothes, and say what she thinks or feels, no matter how silly.

KCC is ashamed of Senator Obama's actions and statements regarding our fine nation, and feels the Republicans would have a grand old time with him during the Fall elections.  Just having Obama as the Democrat nominee, will draw so many conservatives to the polls, that John McCain's coattails might be much longer than earlier anticipated.

Editor's Note: Your blogger has been upset with the Republican National Committee and their process of allowing non-affiliated/independent voters to participate in Republican primaries.  She thinks these Independents selected our party nominee, rather than did actual registered Republicans.  KCC hopes this will be corrected before the 2012 election cycle.

Additionally, for those of you who want to condemn KCC for using Obama's middle name, we do so here because it IS his name.  Thus, it cannot be "racist" as some on the left have charged. 

Case in point:  In the 1992 primaries, former President George Bush (41) was running against Pete DuPont of Delaware.  DuPont's first name was actually Pierre, and Bush consistently called him that to point out what was a difference between them.

Public TV to Air Helms Documentary - January 15th

Tuesday, January 15, at 9 PM, UNC-TV premieres Senator No: Jesse Helms, a 90-minute biographical documentary from independent filmmaker John Wilson. The film chronicles Helms' life from his humble childhood in Monroe, to his two decades as an outspoken print and television editorialist, to his five contentious terms in the U.S. Senate and the fierce political battles that landed him there.

Your blogger hopes that Wilson and Public TV treat the ailing Helms with the respect he earned the hard way.  It would be a shame to see his often controversial name dragged through the mud, possibly upsetting the Helms' family in the process.   Helms, is an American Icon and deserves reverential treatment even by those with whom he did not agree.

From the 1950 Willis Smith/Frank Porter-Graham Senate primary to until his retirement, Helms always let folks know where he stood, no matter how "unpopular".  That is a freshness missing in politics today, where most candidates and political parties seem to test their ideas in the wind before going forth. 

Helms knew right from wrong, and stood up for his beliefs.  Though your blogger didn't agree with every single stance he held, she admires him for being forthright. 

This writer even lost "friends" after she placed Helms stickers on her cars during each election cycle in which he was involved.  People would cut her off in traffic, complete with the middle-finger salute.  Her homosexual friends stopped speaking to her, etc. Actually Helms employed several homosexuals on his staff over the years, based on your bloggers personal interactions with his staffers.  He was a fair and open man.

Your blogger will be watching with anticipation to see how Helms is depicted.  She hopes to learn more about North Carolina's interesting political history in the process.  Often ridiculed for his strong stands against communism, Helms taught your blogger that living in America was an experience in which to be thankful. 

Helms was instrumental in helping Ronald Reagan stay in the 1976 GOP Presidential primary, working to secure a win in North Carolina.  Reagan later went on to become the greatest President in history, being elected in 1980, when this blogger was 14 years old.

Update: Bible Ban in Olympic Village Lifted

At a political event in New Bern this evening, your blogger spoke with Mrs. Walter Leake, wife of a well-known pastor and a conservative activist in her own right. 

She reported that after the Bible-banning story broke this week, the Red Chinese government relented and each athlete could bring one bible into the Olympic Village in Peking.  (Your blogger prefers the older English pronunciation of the Communist capital of China as retribution for the oppression and lack of freedom their government imposes on their citizens and those living there.)

Mrs. Leake told Katy's Conservative Corner that the oppressive Peking regime feared the word of God and Christ being spread through their county in a non-approved format.

However, AP reports tonight that “the U.S. Olympic Committee received confirmation from Olympic officials Wednesday that there will be no restrictions on Bibles being brought into the Olympic village in Beijing (sic) next year.”  (Hat Tip: Pajamas Media.)

Despite the fact that this story was not picked up by the mainstream media, the Peking government's reversal proves the power of the independent media (and its readers). 

Report: China Won't Allow Bibles in Olympic Village

According to a number of reports, including several posted on Pajamas Media, a noted blog repository, the Red Chinese government* will not allow Olympic athletes to bring their bibles with them into the Olympic Village during the games next year, citing security reasons.

Your blogger is already on record as opposing any US involvement in those games, due to the huge number of human rights abuses that occur there, among other issues.

According to Pajamas Media,

"The news came out quietly a few days ago in an Italian sports newspaper, then picked up by the Catholic News Service. Organizers of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing announced a list of “prohibited objects” in the Olympic village where athletes will stay, citing security reasons. Among them - the Bible.

"If true, it breaches earlier promises from the Chinese government to 'offer religious services' on the level of any previous Games. Virtually ignored by the mainstream media for several days, several bloggers took notice..."

For More Information:

Bibles Banned at Beijing Olympics: Will Media Notice?

Religious Censorship:  The Bible among objects prohibited at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

The American Pundit (Blog); Bibles Banned at Beijing Olympics

American Buddhist.Net: Bibles Banned at Olympics in Beijing

 

5/30/07: Boycott the Communist Olympics --- Say NO to China '08

Orig. Posted: May 30, 2007

It's about that time again, when the Summer Olympics roll around (2008) and we are all transformed instantly into fans of sports we other wise would never watch. Check swimming and track and field. I'm one of the biggest fans of the Olympics, all time.

However, next year, the Olympics will be held in a Communist country for the first time since they were held in the former Soviet Union in 1980. Those of you 35 and older will remember how President James Earl Carter boycotted then due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

I encourage everyone NOT to tune in next year and watch the public spectacle put on by host nation, China. The Chinese will lead everyone to believe that all is well in their nation and that political dissidents aren't jailed, killed, or even exist. Yup, they're just one big happy Chinese family. Joy, joy, happy, happy.

Yet, we must face facts. People there could not write or even speak the paragraphs in this blog I'm writing today. Despite it's ever expanding, would-be free market economy, the Chinese would be jailed (or worse) if they ever spoke ill against their government. Spies exist in families to make certain that this does not happen. Wearing clothing with the American flag is discouraged, and so is freedom of speech, thought, and action.

We Americans are often lulled into that nice sense that Communism no longer exists and that the words I write are just McCarthyism. My husbands' company does lots of business in China and must watch what he says about Communist policies at his own office, here in the USA.

On the surface, China appears so open to the West, that my conservative friends think that Communism no longer even exists. Don't believe the hype. People in rural areas are extremely impoverished and have to get a permit just to have a baby. If they have a baby without the permit, the young children are taken away from their parents and often killed.

How does all this relate to the Olympics coming up on '08? We must show the Communist government that it is wrong to oppress people. We won't go along with their schemes, while they work to steal our military secrets

I could go on and on about the horrors of China. But, we must learn the lessons of history. If we do not, we'll be forced to repeat them. Educate yourself on what's really happening there!