By Nathan Barton

The speed at which liberties of free speech and freedom of religion are disappearing in the Fifty States is rather surprising. World Net Daily reports on a situation in Kentucky in which a Baptist preacher was “fired” from his volunteer work assisting troubled youth in the Department of Juvenile Justice because he refused to sign a pledge that he would not tell anyone that homosexuality was sinful. Yes, he was volunteering in a government-run program, but this still seems to be very much an overreach on the part of the government in prohibiting this.

In Washington State, the infamous Nazgul of the 9th Circuit have struck again, according to Freedom Force website, telling the owner and two employees of a pharmacy that they must ignore their beliefs and support and facilitate the killing of unborn children by stocking and dispensing a prescription: the morning-after pill. To do otherwise would interfere with the patient’s “right” to dispose of the unborn child. Funny, why doesn’t it work that way with medical marijuana in Washington? Or for that matter, with businesses that refuse to carry firearms or ammunition? Are THEY not interfering with the rights of would-be customers, who want to buy their ammunition or guns at their local hardware store (or even convenience store) instead of having to go to a store miles away? Why should not a pharmacy be REQUIRED to obtain a license to dispense cannabis?

People holding “traditional” religious views, have long been targets of liberals, Tranzis, and “scientists” for refusing to believe in evolution and other religious theories. Maybe now we know why! Evolutionists seem to claim that government and politicians have been around far longer than we’d have ever imagined: Live Science reports that a fossil, supposedly 120 million years old, of a four-legged snake, has been found in Brazil, joining reports of two-legged snake fossils found in other places. Supposedly these are extinct, but they constantly seem to re-evolve back into existence and again become a threat to those around them. Perhaps, today, we can help make sure that they are again made extinct. We have to, at the least, defend ourselves against these carnivores (the four-legged snake fossil reportedly had the fossilized remains of its last meal (bones and such) in its belly).

We may have more help in that effort than we think: Business Insider reports that almost 11 million guns were manufactured in the US (not counting military weapons) in 2013, and up from 2012, the previous record year. Consistently, the squatter at 1600 PA has been “year’s best gun salesman” and so we have more weapons available than ever before, although demand exceeds supply so cost continues to climb. But hopefully most of those 11 million firearms are up to the task of dealing with two-legged and four-legged snakes as well as those without any legs.

Speaking of the world’s best gun salesman, apparently, the squatter wants to dictate to the rest of the world (outside, of course, the Ummah). He doesn’t want the UK to leave the European Union. Speaking to the BBC, the 1600 PA squatter said “having the UK in the EU gives us much greater confidence about the strength of the transatlantic union, and is part of the cornerstone of the institutions built after World War Two that has made the world safer and more prosperous.” He went on to say “we want to make sure that the United Kingdom continues to have that influence.” Senior Conservative and former Cabinet minister Owen Paterson shot back, saying [that the guy] was “trotting out the standard [US] State Department consensus.” How many votes will he garner for the anti-EU cause in this upcoming British election?

He and that collection of Nazgul called the Supreme Court certainly have not gained much support for favorite Tranzi causes like “same-sex marriage” as a Washington Post/ABC News poll has discovered, reported by Political Outcast. David French’s report at the National Review of how a majority of Americans think that what is happening to the country since the Supreme Court invented same sex “marriage” has moved us in the wrong moral direction. It is notable that even the Washington Post is admitting to this fact: “ Liberals have won a series of victories on social issues. Most Americans aren’t thrilled about it.” Sixty three percent of people say they are uncomfortable with the country’s overall direction on social issues these days; four in 10 feel “strongly” uncomfortable about the nation’s changes. So much for a “republic,” but then, Franklin (that old statist that he was) warned us about this, 228 years ago: “If you can keep it…” We didn’t. Of course this isn’t a democracy, either. Seems more and more like a plain old vanilla tyranny, doesn’t it?

Which is one reason I and many others constantly point out that so-called christians have consistently failed to understand God’s will regarding self-defense, arms, and coming to the defense of others: the constant drumbeat of pacifism and abject surrender to trumped-up, so-called authorities: human rulers is NOT consistent with following God. This is a point made fairly well in an article in Political Outcast, talking about “God and Guns.”

Mama’s Note: The “country” is not an entity and has no “morals.” The country, society, is made up of individuals and each of them has sovereign authority to determine their own morals and principles. Those who choose aggression must reap the results as others defend themselves.  Tyranny by a “majority” is just as bad, just as terrible as any dictatorship, any other tyranny. Theocracy is no more consistent with liberty than any form of communism or  monarchy.

Oil prices continue to waver back and forth, but generally lower. Fuel prices have increased somewhat, both because of demand (seasonal travel) and frankly, because of inflation: that fiat currency mistakenly called a dollar continues to shrink in value, no matter what the Fed and the FedGov want us to believe. This week, Zero Hedge reports that the national count of active drilling rigs picked up quite a bit, in part bringing down the price of oil in anticipation of more supplies while demand remains relatively low if somewhat increased.

What is perhaps of greatest concern for the economy as a whole in the Fifty States is that Diesel continues to sell at or well below the price of regular unleaded gasoline. Near Denver I’ve seen it selling for as little as forty cents LESS than regular. Which means that truck traffic – over the road shipments of goods – continues to be depressed as it has been all year. Not a good sign, no matter how the FedGov tap dances around it.

Mama’s Note: I’m confused. I would think that a lower diesel fuel price would be very good news indeed, for consumers and truckers anyway. The cost of shipping has been a growing part of the increase in the price of everything for a good many years.  Lower prices for fuel should mean lower costs to shippers and, eventually, lower prices for the things they haul. What am I missing here?