Set in a Michigan factory, the title story takes readers inside a workplace dominated by a ruthless bully and his cronies. While explaining the actions taking place around him, it becomes clear that the narrator yearns to escape the blue-collar life handed down to him from his father. “Perfect Game” unfolds during a minor league baseball game with Chi-Chi Gomez on the mound, a fearless pitcher who never fails to brush a few batters back from the plate–a space he considers his personal property. Along with other stories, the book also features original poems including “Uncle Nardo’s Store,” “My Father’s Foot,” and “The Malediction of Miss Holstein.”
In defense of President Obama's execution of Bin Laden
by Garasamo Maccagnone
This may be the only issue I'll ever defend President Obama on. As a strict fiscal Conservative, as one would expect, I've denounced everything about the big spending ways of this President, who I consider to be farther to the left than Woodrow Wilson. On more than one occasion, I've argued that since he's taken office, President Obama is one swing away from hitting for the cycle. He's tripled the debt, doubled unemployment, and single-handedly pushed our military into another war. With his next trip to the plate, let's all pray he doesn't smack a “grand slam” against the economy. The country can't handle it. We are all holding on to our seats.
However, in the matter of the recent raid and execution of Osama Bin Laden, I do applaud our President on a job well done. As recent reports indicate from information pulled from the compound, there were definitive plans to strike United States targets and citizens in the future. As the Commander in Chief, there wasn't anyway President Obama could allow that to happen.
Intelligence uncovered from Bin Laden's compound tells us this: Bin Laden was not a terrorist in retirement. He wasn't on some fixed income, playing golf on plush Pakistani golf courses, or sucking down a vodka and lemonade while pushing the rock at a shuffle board contest. In reality, this guy was simply in hiding – micromanaging every aspect of the terrorist network down to picking the actual black dye needed to make his aging beard appear more virile.
Most bothersome to me were the dripping pacifist sermons given by numerous writers, objecting to Americans celebrating the death of a man. In the wake of the new plots against Americans being publicized, had these misguided writers just waited a week or so before subjecting us to their pathetic opinions, we would have all been better off for it.
First of all, there's a tendency for the press to encapsulate the views of all Americans by stating them for us in a headline. Since at least half of America was sleeping when the President made the announcement, I don't know how our press corp can speak for all of us. For those who did celebrate, from what I could see, most seemed to be young people who couldn't have been more than ten years old when 911 occurred. The celebration was spontaneous; seemingly happening more on account of the American triumph of mastering such a dangerous raid, or perhaps, the relief of knowing the world's most evil man was eliminated from the human race.
I didn't see any effigy's burning. There were no ticker-taped parades. In fact, it all lasted about four to five hours, and by celebration standards - compared to a team winning a basketball crown for their city – it was as tame as can be. It was over before half of America woke up.
By being restrained in his rhetoric, and by being respectful of properly preparing Bin Laden's body for burial at sea, President Obama set the right tone for all Americans. In fact, we as a nation celebrated less in our destruction of one evil man than did all the Middle East nations that danced in their revelry after three thousand innocent Americans perished in the brutal and cruel 911 attacks.
In past cultures, men that were considered rebels, like William Wallace, were hung and quartered. Peasant leader Jakob Rohrbach was burned alive while the great apostle, St. John, was dropped into boiling oil. The Roman Senators and upper crust of Roman society paid handsomely for the heads of great leaders or rival Generals. For generation after generation, families in antiquity stored the heads as keepsakes.
In our typical restrained manner, America disposed or our biggest enemy in a dignified ceremony. After preparing his body in the tradition of his religious custom, we prayed, tipped the plank, and sent Bin Laden to the depths of his afterlife. I challenge anyone to name a country that has ever done the same after capturing their most feared enemy.
While I'm at it, I want to remind those same writer or detractors spitting out the gobbly- gook about the illegality of the expedition, that it's not the first time America conducted a manhunt. If you recall, Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth was hunted down and killed on the spot in a raid on the barn he hid in. History has yet to prove Booth's death was not justified.
Also, in knowing how many innocent people have died at their hands, would the world not been better off if the plots aimed at killing Hitler, or Castro, had been successful? Are we to value one evil man's life to the ten million that perished by his order?
Of course not. And of course, as an American and Christian, I abhor all this violence. I want to live in peace. Like most Americans, I'm not interested in occupying other countries, or maliciously plotting against foreign leaders, or stretching our influence simply to stoke the passions of certain citizens who believe American Imperialism is our right.
What I know is that good always triumphs over evil, and though this case is behind us, I speak to all others in the future considering committing such atrocities to American citizens. No amount of time or money will save you. Regardless if it takes a decade or two, we have the resources and the willpower to hunt you down. One way or another, either by the deafening blows of the gavel, or through the burn of American firepower penetrating your flesh – American justice will be served. You can count on that.
Good job Mr. President.
Visit Gary online at http://garasamomaccagnone.com/
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