Editor's Note: One of my readers wrote in recently and said that she loves a variety of conservative talk show hosts. I asked her what she finds nourishing about them, and this was her reply.
The answer to your question is a long one. You may not want to talk to me once I answer it, although I hope that won't be the case, because I certainly don't claim to know everything. I'm not a "know-it-all"-type person and don't feel that I am right and everyone else is wrong. I have an open mind and have a great interest in learning. That is why I take such an interest in reading what you have to say. I stay open to many different opinions and -- unless they affect me directly (like those of our President do) or they pull at my heart strings somehow, I try not to respond with judgment (but I also don't claim to be perfect either).
Let me start off by saying that some years ago, I was a registered Republican. I voted for George W. Bush at his first election and then was on his campaign committee here at the local Republican building in Johnstown, at the second (which was no big deal -- it just required making phone calls and soliciting votes -- except when you ran across anti Bush people; THEN it became a big deal, more like a pain in the neck! But staying patient always worked and seemed to calm them down. Politics and the war always struck a nerve with people!)
Then, Bush came to the Johnstown War Memorial. I let my daughter take a day off from school and she and I went to see him. Since I was on the election committee, I got tickets right away and was fortunate enough to get right up front and had the chance to shake his hand and speak with him for just a few moments. I have pictures of the whole event. I consider that day to be one of the most memorable events of my life. Hopefully my daughter (who is now 19) does also.
Do I agree with all of Bush's decisions? ABSOLUTELY NOT. He lost my support toward the end of his second term. But, when he FIRST took office, I think he was the right man at the right time for the job. He was tough on terrorism, he wasn't out to make "friends" with terroristic nations who hate us, he knew that diplomacy wasn't enough to get the job done with these terrorists, and terrorist-funding nations. I think toward the end he just lost wisdom and made a lot of foolish, arrogant decisions as far as our economy, as far as the war, etc.
Now, how does Hannity, Beck nourish me? I would have to answer that by saying they keep me abreast of all the details about the things that are going on behind the scenes in Congress and with President Obama and the Health Care Reform Issue and Fort Hood, and all the speeches Pres. Obama gives around the globe and the meetings he has with heads of other nations, etc. They tell me things that other newscasters are almost afraid to report on. It's like these other stations are under some sort of censorship or something. NBC, CBS, ABC NEVER report on anything too anti-Obama. Fox news is the only station (and these guys) are the only ones who give you the fair and balanced truth. It's NOT that they are anti-Obama. They are just stating the facts. Obama actually went on an attack campaign, actually assigning a woman to the job of going up against Beck, Hannity and O'Reilly to dispute everything they had been saying about the Obama administration. I have NEVER seen a President do that before.
I am not anti-Obama myself. I just do not trust him or his administration. He has over 20 (hand-picked) Csars in his cabinet. One of which was an admitted communist. He was only recently let go because of all the pressure because of his background etc. A lot of his Csars have very shady backgrounds.
Obama is using diplomacy with terrorist nations who hate us and the freedom we stand for. He goes to these nations and makes speeches and tries to make "friends" and actually apologizes for the United States to these barbaric animals who kill thousands of people in acts of terrorism and have no remorse! I've heard clips of these speeches on Hannity AND Beck.
Our president is going to have Guantanamo Bay closed by what, January? For a while he was talking about bringing certain officials (our own officials who were following orders) up on charges for "waterboarding" those terrorist detainees. Well, it came out later that the waterboarding actually prevented a terrorist attack somewhere later. I forget where; probably shouldn't have brought that up since I can't remember the rest of the details on it, but when I do, I'll tell you if you're still communicating with me (which I hope you are).
Then there is the health care issue. Most of the making of the health care reform proposal was done behind closed doors. Certain Republican Senators wanted to go public with it. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid were against it. They didn't want the American people seeing it. According to Beck, the American people are going to be paying for abortions whether we want to or not. Has anyone read the proposal yet in its entirety? Obama has said that if you like your own insurance you can keep it. Do you really trust that? Are you aware of what Beck refers to as the "Death Panel" in it? (Having to do with the senior citizens?) Do you know what the health reform bill is going to mean for Medicare?
Then, there was Obama's United Nation's speech, which I watched. Do you know he is the first U.S. president in history to turn his back on Israel? He basically told Israel to share their land with the Palestinians. Palestine has been pushing and pushing for more and more land. They would like to push Israel right off the map until it is no longer a state. Now the fight is over the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Obama, in his U.N. speech, called for Israel to divide its land (including the holy city of Jerusalem) with the Palestinians for a peace plan. First of all, that is NOT their land to take. They already have stolen land that they had no right to. There are Biblical references to this, which I won't get into since I am no longer a religious person. But I do still know my Bible very well, and I DO know that from a scriptural standpoint the Palestinians are not entitled to land given to Abraham by God, and there are specific boundaries to that land not to be divided. Now, who is Obama to step in and make demands on a state which is governed by Netanyahu? Am I a religious person? No. But I do have a heart for people who are being treated unjustly. I'll say it again. Am I religious? NO I'M NOT, but the Israelites ARE. And they should be allowed to believe in the boundaries of the state that God appointed to them without some terrorist people trying to come in and steal it from them. I think if our president can't support Israel in their quest to keep what is rightfully theirs, then he should stay out of it completely, not send Clinton and Schwarzenegger to further voice the U.S lack of support for Israel and support for a Palestinian state amid the talk of Iran.
President Obama refuses to even SAY the word terrorism. I have NEVER heard him use the word. According to Beck he doesn't allow anyone on his staff to use the word. I believe he is soft on it.
In his speech to the mourners of the Fort Hood victims, 95% of his speech was focused on the victims, 5% on Malik Hasan. Obama is acting as if the events at Fort Hood are an act of violence, instead of an act of terror brought on by a Muslim terrorist who was emailing Jihad and interested in Al-Qaeda. Maybe because he would have to acknowledge that it was the first act of terrorism since 9/11 under his presidency.
You asked me a question and I gave you a VERY lengthy answer. Probably one that will make you not want to get to know me any further. I hope that's not the case. I know just from reading your articles that you have opposite political views. Please don't get the wrong impression of me. I'm not a "know everything"-type of person. I acknowledge that I could -- and very well MAY BE -- dead wrong on a lot of these issues. THAT'S WHY I like to try to keep learning. I'm an open-minded person. I'm not judgmental. I don't hate Muslims. And I hope I didn't come off "sounding" a certain way. It's so hard when you don't actually KNOW someone.
A few years back, I worked with a wonderful Muslim doctor (of Oncology) by the name of Dr. Rashid Awan and HE was GREAT! (He was a peaceful Muslim). I only hate those who kill other people. I had a cousin, who I was close to, that was murdered and that is a pain that never goes away. So I have an idea of what it feels like to have someone you love taken away from you so needlessly and in a violent way. The person or persons who did it should not be able to spend their life (lives) in a nice, little cell being able to watch TV, eat for free, and lift weights every day. That's just my opinion. I just don't think we should be a nation known for being soft on terrorism. I think Bush had the right idea as far as THAT goes.
