Pushing for a Nation of Liars by Ryan Rhodes
April 23, 2009 4 Comments
I hope I have your attention because now it’s time to ask yourself a serious question about the direction of America and how we got here. Once again on a national stage we have seen something very dangerous from the left as they push people to tell them what they want to hear instead of the truth. This however isn’t simply a fault of the liberals, as I got to thinking across the board we are pushing people into telling lies. When Perez Hilton asked the question to Miss California he had no intention or desire to hear what she had to say, rather he made it perfectly clear it was her job to lie to him in a pageant that should emulate among other things character. Whether she would have won is a whole different debate and missing the point.
It did make me realize how often we are told by those judging us and teaching us…hey lie to me otherwise you will be punished. This doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences if someone misbehaves and they may lie to get out of it. I’m talking about how in classrooms and universities across the country we are teaching people to lie if they want get a grade or keep their teaching job. When we have an education system teaching people to lie for their degrees or to get tenure then how can we possibly expect honest politicians, judges, or businessmen?
Don’t believe me here is a direct quote from an old teacher “to get an A in this class you must develop your philosophies to be in line with the way I want them to be.” When I ran for office there were teachers and grad students who said you have my vote but I have to be quiet since I might not graduate or I might not get tenure. A case in point rather than having an honest debate of the issue of intelligent design those at Iowa State chose to get rid of a teacher. If you have seen the movie Expelled you might know exactly what I’m talking about. Our education system among other areas are telling you that if you don’t lie about what you believe then we won’t debate the issue we will just fail you.
So I ask you once again why are you surprised when a politician lies to you? After all we have made it abundantly clear it doesn’t matter what they do it matters what they tell you they will do. I challenge everyone the next time you disagree with someone challenge yourself and to reason. Keeping an open mind isn’t about saying anything goes it’s about realizing sometimes we don’t know everything but do you want to remain ignorant, will you buy in to the lie to me cop out, or will you rise above and own what you believe because you can back it up. We got here because in our schools and our churches we were afraid to inquire or challenge things that didn’t sit quite right with us.
America bring back debate let’s have a discussion and god forbid an argument, then we will no longer head toward becoming a nation of waffling wimps. If you disagree go challenge your teacher, pastor, politician, or friend…you might even learn something or maybe they will.
It is your 1st Amendment right to speak your mind, be the Patriot our founders wanted you to be. The truth may always be easier to remember but sometimes it’s harder to say.
Ryan Rhodes
One of the most important tasks delegated to the Iowa Senate is the task of vetting the Governor’s appointees to the various state agencies. They must carefully weigh the information available to them to determine whether that individual is fit to lead the designated state agency. In this deliberation many state senator declined to confirm the appointment of several of Governor Culver’s appointees this week.
Because of the nature of politics a large majority of the blog posts on the Iowa Defense Alliance tend to be highly critical of politicians and policies. Rare is the post that provides a positive light on our government or our politicians. Because of this we have decided to highlight some of the unsung heroes of the conservative movement. This may or may not be a weekly occurrence, but if any of our readers knows of an individual that has been instrumental in advancing the common sense of conservative values please drop us an email at 
Guest Commentary: What Happened to Reasoning in America?
April 21, 2009 by Al Bregar 8 Comments
Now I understand that there is a difference of opinion when it comes to the definition of marriage. But have we become so ignorant and intolerant that thoughtful debate and reasoned argument is no longer possible? How far from the founding have we drifted? Now I don’t think we should run around yelling at each other all day but please I beg of you let reason and debate bring us forward. We have an education system that is stifling debate and dumbing down our culture. I find it very interesting that an education system that is preaching ever changing morality and teaching children there is no such thing as black and white right and wrong is the first to chastise those with alternate opinions. They tell you to question social constructs and question what your parents tell you but god forbid you question them. An atheist will call a Christian intolerant yet try to eradicate and chastise anything relating to God as ignorant and simple minded. So we have created a society that shuns any form of conflict or debate. Because our education has primarily created two types of survival mechanisms.
We have one that creates robots who spout exactly they hear from their teachers and some mainstream news pushing to alienate anyone with a differing opinion because they are so afraid someone might disagree therefore throwing all reason to the curb and conforming.
Then we have those who just have to get through the college years and don’t fully buy into the indoctrination going on in a few of the classrooms however remain quiet due to the punishment which comes from a differing opinion. For a student it may be a lower grade, for others it could be the loss of a job, or as in the case that brought this about being blackballed as Miss America. Now I understand that this subject matter can be very sensitive and for others very inflammatory. We have one side saying gay is the new black and that this discrimination cannot be tolerated. Well for one I would argue that an African American can no sooner wake up a different color than a cat can wake up a dog. (Now I know what you’re thinking and leave Michael Jackson out of this)
However ask yourself this can a man chose not to marry a woman or vice versa? Can those with homosexual tendencies choose to have relations with those of the same sex or opposite sex? So regardless of how you believe there is no way to argue that marriage is an inalienable between those of the same sex or those of opposite gender it is a conscious choice made marry. Therefore it must enter into a debate that something beyond the realm of the inevitable is dictating said behavior and choice. Which is where I believe it stems into the realm of morality one of our constitutions indispensable supports.
What I mean is that under this argument you cannot wake up and not participate in being black…however you can wake up and choose to participate in a physical action whether it is a heterosexual act or a homosexual act. This is a conscious act and therefore requires us to invoke conscious thought and go down the road of reasoned debate to properly defend any stance we take on the issue. Now to wrap this up I’m not here to defend the manner in which Miss California deemed to answer the question or the discrimination in which the judges decide to engage. I however am here to ask those of you reading this to stop simply listening to what someone else told you to believe and start reasoning for yourself. The judges blindly attacked and Miss California didn’t seem to have fully reasoned out her answer. I do give her credit for standing on a belief she seems to hold dear but she should also know why and relish sharing where that belief came from beyond just a feeling. I hope someone challenges you argues with you and makes you defend what you believe because otherwise it is just empty words. But when they challenge you don’t let them get away with made up facts or illogical reasoning go back read research and work out that which you believe and put faith in, with fear and trembling.
My call in this realm is to Conservatives challenge the thought process of those who disagree and be ready for them to challenge you, don’t be afraid of modern liberalism. When you are put the test it is a time for conservatism to shine after all we are right and in the arena of ideas we will prove it. Stop being on the defensive about everything and start taking the offensive, break down the mental barriers of the statist and start inserting the ideals of liberty and freedom. We cannot stand for this intolerance to spread among Americans, it will not be easy because someone may decide they don’t like you but our founders were willing to die for that freedom they put everything on the line. Please the least we can say is we will have a debate, we will inform the public, and we will not be afraid. Why you ask because we are Americans and when our principles are under fire and hope looks lost we will break the spirit of those who wish to break the American spirit, when they ask us if we have struck our colors or answer is and always will be “I have not yet begun to fight!”
Ryan Rhodes
Filed under Guest Commentary, Politics Tagged with debate, Education System, Indoctrination, marriage