First I want to end an email rumor that has been swirling around the Internet about Barack Obama. The email is usually titled “From our friend who is serving in Afghanistan” or “Obama Ignores Troops” and it says this:
Hello everyone,
As you know I am not a very political person. I just wanted to pass along that Senator Obama came to Bagram Afghanistan for about an hour on his visit to ‘The War Zone’. I wanted to share with you what happened.
He got off the plane and got into a bullet proof vehicle, got to the area to meet with the Major General (2 Star) who is the commander here at Bagram.
As the Soldiers where lined up to shake his hand he blew them off and didn’t say a word as he went into the conference room to meet the General. As he finished, the vehicles took him to the ClamShell (pretty much a big top tent that military personnel can play basketball or work out in with weights) so he could take his publicity pictures playing basketball. He again shunned the opportunity to talk to Soldiers to thank them for their service.
So really he was just here to make a showing for the American’s back home that he is their candidate for President. I think that if you are going to make an effort to come all the way over here you would thank those that are providing the freedom that they are providing for you.
I swear we got more thanks from the NBA Basketball Players or the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders than from one of the Senators, who wants to be the President of the United States. I just don’t understand how anyone would want him to be our Commander-and-Chief. It was almost that he was scared to be around those that provide the freedom for him and our great country.
If this is blunt and to the point I am sorry but I wanted you all to know what kind of caliber of person he really is. What you see in the news is all fake.
In service,
CPT Jeffrey S. Porter
Battle Captain
TF Wasatch
American Soldier
Something about that didn’t smell right so I got on my Army Knowledge Online account and email CPT Jeffrey Porter directly to get the straight scoop. Here’s what I wrote:
CPT Porter,
My name is MSG (Ret) David E. Jeffers and I have a blog titled “Salt and Light” and I have been asked to verify the email below. Are you THE CPT Jeffrey S. Porter, Battle Captain of TF Wasatch, American Soldier (married and father of 6 children)?
I would appreciate any insight and I’m sure you’ve already been inundated by this and if I have added to it please forgive me.
V/R
David Jeffers
Navarre, FL
CPT Porter wrote me back shortly and here is his reply:
MSG (Ret.) Jeffers,
I would ask you to read the attachment. I am sorry for the problems. Thanks for your understanding,
In service,
JEFFREY S. PORTER
Here is his letter:
I am writing this to ask that you delete my email and not forward it, after checking my sources information that was put out in my email was wrong. This email was meant only for my family. There has been a fire-storm of email and blogs on the internet. Please respect my wishes and delete the email and if there are any blogs you have my email portrayed on I would ask if you would take it down too. Thanks for your understanding,
CPT Jeffrey S. Porter
So it seems that the good captain got sucked into the story like the rest of us. It is incumbent upon Christians and conservatives to ensure we verify all that we send out. I ask you, what is the difference between gossiping/rumor mongering and sending out unverified emails? The reason we do so is that we want to believe the worse of our adversaries and political opponents. We must stop that if we are to be the “Salt and Light” Jesus calls us to be.
Now there is plenty of good stuff to read about Barack Obama and I found two such columns today. My dear friend and great American (in the real sense) Frank Salvato of the New Media Journal has written an excellent editorial titled “Hey, Barack, Hillary Only Suspended Her Campaign.” Like Frank, I won’t believe Hillary is gone until the actual nomination is locked up by Obama.
The second great article is found on Townhall.com and is by Larry Kudlow titled “Drill, Drill, Drill Is Working” and the Lefties are killing Obama’s chances of drawing swing voters to his side. This gasoline crisis has got voters up and arms and it is now a huge campaign issue and Obama is on the wrong side of the issue.
Those who are wringing their hands about Obama need to realize that the campaign is just beginning for real and voters are just now paying attention. It won’t come into full swing until after both parties’ nominating conventions and the Olympics. Then the real fun begins…stay tuned!
Hi Dave. I don’t know how reliable it is, but I usually check snopes if I am questioning an e mail. The few times I have forwarded somthing that I didn’t check is usually the one I get bit in the behind with 😉 I try andverify stuff now too. We are no better than the gossip mongers out thereon the left if we pass stuff along without checking and I don’t want to be a hypocrite that way!! God Bless! Carolyn
Good job for verifying that, Dave! 🙂 Also, I agree with you that Hillary’s not through. I keep remembering how the media, against its wishes but in line with the wishes of those who own the media, made Rev. Wright a household name and kept Hillary afloat. Obama had nearly united the Democrats and converted a frightening number of Republicans, until Rev. Wright became a household name. And Anderson Cooper was bemoaning “having to” dwell on it. What we got instead was increased interest in John McCain. It struck me today how far the standards have declined in 8 years. Conservatives voted for George W. Bush because of the character qualities he seemed to have, but now most Americans have succumbed to the media’s bombardment that McCain and Obama are the only two choices. And it seems to make no difference anymore that both of them make constant “gaffes” (the media’s milder word for “lies”), or that both look horrible to the majority of Americans. I don’t believe we’re “trapped” into having either as President, because God is bigger than an oppressive news media!