Posted by
peripheral on Monday, July 19, 2010 7:14:08 AM
From My Perspective - - -
In The Washington Times for July 16th, 2010 is the following statement:
“I have obtained this document sent by the Office of the Director of
National Intelligence. It appears the Washington Post is about to push
the bounds of intelligence reporting. The intelligence agency seems
concerned.” A Letter in this regard is also published, and if
authentic, substantiates the report:
“Early next week, the Washington Post is expected to publish articles
and an interactive website that will likely contain a compendium of
government agencies and contractors allegedly conducting Top Secret
work. The website is expected to enable users to see the relationships
between the federal government and its contractors, describe the type
of work the contractors perform, and may identify many government and
contractor facility locations…
“Foreign intelligence services, terrorist organizations, and criminal
elements will have potential interest in this kind of information. It
is important that companies review their overall counterintelligence
posture to ensure that it is appropriate. Specifically, we recommend
that companies affected by this publication and website assess and take
steps to mitigate risk to their workforce, facility and mission, to the
extent consistent with your contractual relationship with ODNI. These
steps should include re-enforcement of security and counterintelligence
protections and steps to enhance workforce awareness. CI and security
events related to the publication of these articles and website should
be reported through normal company channels to the MSC/Security office.
For the time being, thresholds should be lowered to aggressively report
anomalous behavior….”
Meanwhile, Catholic Online reports: “The change in language was barely
noticeable to the average citizen but political observers are raising
red flags at the use of a new term freedom of worship by President Obama and Secretary Clinton as a replacement for the term freedom of religion.
This shift happened between the President's speech in Cairo where he
showcased America's freedom of religion and his appearance in November
at a memorial for the victims of Fort Hood, where he specifically used
the term freedom of worship. From that point on, it has become the term
of choice for the President and Secretary Clinton…
"In her article for First Things magazine, Ashley Samelson,
International Programs Director for the Becket Fund for Religious
Liberty, stated: To anyone who closely follows prominent discussion of
religious freedom in the diplomatic and political arena, this
linguistic shift is troubling - The reason is simple. Any person of
faith knows that religious exercise is about a lot more than freedom of
worship. It's about the right to dress according to one's religious
dictates, to preach openly, to evangelize, to engage in the public
square. Everyone knows that religious Jews keep kosher, religious
Quakers don't go to war, and religious Muslim women wear
headscarves-yet freedom of worship would protect none of these acts of
faith…"
The Psalmist prayed in Psalm 43
– “Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
rescue me from deceitful and wicked men…Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy? Send forth your light and your truth…Why are
you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in
God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
In Psalm 143,
the Psalmist once again prays – “O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my
cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my
relief…The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me
dwell in darkness like those long dead…I remember the days of long
ago…Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails…Rescue me from my
enemies, O LORD, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For
your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness,
bring me out of trouble. In your unfailing love, silence my enemies…”
As a nation, we seem to be losing our foundational values, basic
freedoms and moral compass. Silence and apathy are two of the great
enemies within. Ignoring reality, embracing a vague hope, remaining
silent and being inactive in a just cause is an inexcusable posture.
You can make a difference! Stand up and be counted! Consider these
things with me!