No, I’m not speaking of LeBron James or Kobe Bryant or Larry Bird or Dr. J or Wilt or Magic or MJ.  Last week, the greatest basketball player to ever play the game died at age 83.  Adoringly referred to as the clown prince of the hardwoods, Meadowlark Lemon entertained crowds around the world for 24 years as a member of the Harlem Globetrotters.  No one, and I mean no one, could match his pure basketball skills.   No one entertained people, white and black, more than Meadowlark Lemon.  And finally, in 24 years of a grueling, year-round schedule, he never lost a game of basketball.   Add the best smile a human being  could be blessed with, and Meadowlark Lemon was clearly the best basketball player in history.                                WHAT THE HECK !

I’ve had it.   I’m so tired of a vocal minority of malcontents and atheists and do-gooders infringing on my right to practice  and exercise  my faith.  This past week’s removal  of Merry Christmas banners and  manger scenes from  VA hospitals near San Antonio , Texas and Salem, Virginia have just put me over the edge.  I can only practice what is taught in Matthew 5:39 so many times (turn the other cheek) until my cheeks just rage with redness.

The first amendment to our Constitution prohibits the federal government from making a law “respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”.  The intent of the founders clearly was to prevent the establishment of a national religion such as was  the case in 18th century England, and to allow the free practice of religion in America unimpeded by government fiat.  It did not intend to protect folks’ feelings from the expression of faith by citizens, nor to encourage a cultural beatdown of a particular faith that a vocal minority deems misguided (Christianity). It is only a matter of time before some homeowners’ group or out-of-state atheist hovel complains about the manger scene in my front yard.  I’ll proudly spend a few nights in jail over that !  Supposedly 74% of Americans identify with some Christian or Jewish faith or denomination.   It is about time that a higher percentage of them start to behave like it, and fight back.   Sorry for the cheery holiday message.   MERRY CHRISTMAS AND  WHAT THE HECK !

According to the Emperor-in-residence at the White House, the climate change agreement pored over for two weeks and passed by a diverse swath of world leaders signifies, “a turning point for the world”.   His lieutenant in lunacy, John Kerry , renowned for his silver-tongued negotiating prowess (see Iran, nuclear bomb, kaboom)  suggested that  “it’s going to create millions of jobs”.  Really ?        Some posts require no elaboration or editorializing on my part.                            WHAT THE HECK !

                                 ………..many of today’s college students evidently.  On campuses from Missouri to California to New Haven, Connecticut (Yale), students are loudly calling for “safe zones” and speech codes where words and ideas deemed offensive to anyone are barred.  We don’t want little Sally or Timmy to be offended now, do we ?   I wonder if their eventual employers will be as willing to provide such safe zones.  A husband/wife professorial team from Yale recently resigned from teaching at the school, saying , “We have great respect and affection for our students, but we worry that the current climate at Yale is not, in our view, conducive to the civil dialogue and open inquiry required to solve our urgent societal problems. ”  No kidding !

I yearn for the good old days of student-led demonstrations against an unpopular and terribly costly (in lives) war in Southeast Asia.  Sifting through the clouds of marijuana smoke, at least onlookers knew that the students had every right to express their opinions.  So, let’s summarize – a particularly vocal group of college students today is actually arguing against free speech so that their feelings  are not hurt.   Gee, I wish I was a twentysomething competing against this gang today  for jobs !                            WHAT THE HECK !