I had the distinct honor of attending one of the finest functions California has ever had the privilege of being associated with.
At the Ronald Reagan Library, the Simi Valley Republican Women’s Federated celebrated their fiftieth birthday.
http://www.geocities.com/simivalleyrepublicanwomen/index.html
(The smart men in the room quickly noticed that they did not look a day over 40.)
Ronald Reagan was such a special man that I could be happy at his library being the custodian or waiter. To be an invited guest, much less a speaker, is an almost unfathomable honor.
Before getting to this wonderful event itself, some charges need to be properly debunked.
Sarah Palin was invited to be the keynote speaker. When it was announced that she would not be speaking, accusations were made against her solely because slandering her is a cottage industry.
The truth is that while she was invited, she never formally or informally accepted the invitation. No promises were made, nor were they broken. She never implied that she would be there.
On the flip side, when it was announced that Governor Palin would not be attending, some people reacted angrily, and equally inappropriately, to the fine women of the Simi Valley Republican Women’s Federated.
People demanded refunds, and accused these good Republican women of lying. Nothing could be further from the truth.
When I expressed interest in attending the event, I received three separate emails from three different women associated with the Simi Valley RWF. All three emails explicitly stated that there was no guarantee that Governor Palin was attending, and in the event that she did not attend, donations were non-refundable.
Those who claimed otherwise are most likely the same people that sue their stockbrokers upon discovering to their shock and amazement that risky investments described as risky investments actually do involve risk.
I expect such behavior from liberals. Conservatives should never have acted this way.
The bottom line is that there were no villains. Governor Palin did not attend an event that she nor anybody else promised she would attend in the first place. People hoped she would attend, but I hope for many things. Nancy Pelosi and Barbara Boxer do not have laryngitis. Prayers often go unanswered.
Governor Palin has also not promised to attend my birthday party next year. If she does not show up, I am letting you know now that she never said she would.
What is beyond dispute is that even though the events leading up to the evening were rocky, the Simi Valley Republican Women’s Federated Golden Anniversary Gala was a spectacular success.
Father Joseph Shea of St. Rose of Lima Church provided words of spiritual comfort. While Father Shea is a Catholic, I as a Jew felt moved by his words. His message was simple but important. We all have goodness inside of us, and the world becomes a better place when we spread that goodness.
http://www.simihistory.com/Church.htm
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/jul/09/saint-rose-of-lima-welcomes-new-pastor/
For those that are threatened by Christianity, Father Shea is a believer in its most radical concepts, such as love thy neighbor. Like a true Christian, he even finds goodness in people who attended USC, which is not easy for a man whose devotion to God is almost matched by his devotion to Notre Dame.
Congressman Elton Gallegly offered well deserved praise to the women in the audience that have assisted his congressional career from the very beginning. Their tireless efforts on behalf of him and the rest of the party are unmatched from an enthusiasm standpoint.
http://www.gallegly.com/index.php
http://www.house.gov/gallegly/
I addressed the crowd as well. My purpose was to provide levity, but comic relief ended up turning into a well received stemwinder. This crowd wanted red meat, and the Reagan Library felt like a butcher shop when I was done.
https://tygrrrrexpress.com/2009/04/ideological-bigotry-my-book-is-now-available/
Yet if I provided a sizzling steak, keynote speaker John Ziegler provide an entire scorched cattle ranch. Ronald Reagan would have been proud as a conservative and as a rancher.
Mr. Ziegler, a radio host, is the author of “Media Malpractice.” He offers the compelling evidence that the mainstream media set out to elevate Barack Obama and destroy Sarah Palin.
The reasons for defending Sarah Palin are numerous, and important. I shall eschew further elaboration so that people may enjoy hearing Mr. Ziegler speak in person.
One issue he addressed is that of so-called “conservatives” bashing other conservatives in an attempt to curry favor with liberal elites. This has never worked.
In a similar vein, I pointed out that the reason this fails is because the left does not hate conservatives for anything we actually do. They hate us because we exist and breathe air. This is nothing more than ideological bigotry.
The crowd listened quietly and intently when Mr. Ziegler read a heartfelt letter that Governor Palin wrote just for the occasion.
Several distinguished guests helped fill the room to capacity, including former Congressman Robert Lagomarsino, and director Cyrus Nowrasteh, who made “The Stoning of Soraya M.”
(This is not to be confused with the stoning of Soraya M. Palin, which Mr. Ziegler, I, and decent people everywhere have had enough of.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_J._Lagomarsino
http://www.redcounty.com/a-conversation-with-soraya-m-director-cyrus-nowrasteh?taxonomy=
Between Congressman Gallegly, Father Shea, John Ziegler, and myself, the crowd received passion and eloquence. The ladies of the Simi Valley Republican Women’s Federated put together an event that should be the model for political event planners nationwide.
Yet when all is said and done, the evening belonged to President Ronald Reagan. His optimistic spirit and decency toward people of all stripes permeated the room. This was his library, and attendees wanted to be on their best behavior. Of course the Gipper was with us.
When the Simi Valley sun set during dinner, somewhere directly above us Ronald Reagan was smiling. For 93 years, he was a vital part of history.
Well the history of America on August 8th, 2009, included a Golden Gala of Ronald Reagan’s female foot soldiers. They looked more than nifty at 50, and we will all benefit as they continue to spread Reagan’s message over the next 43 years and beyond.
For America and the Simi Valley Republican Women’s Federated, the best days are yet to come.
eric
“I expect such behavior from liberals. Conservatives should never have acted this way.”
Gee, would that be “ideological bigotry” or is our good host actually learning that certain aspects of human nature transcend poltical beliefs or does this tell us all something about Palin supporters?
I wonder…
“…I pointed out that the reason this fails is because the left does not hate conservatives for anything we actually do.”
LOL! Yeah, we Liberals just love unnecessary wars and ridiculous military spending on the backs of the American worker! We love regressive taxation! We love the stifling of all social progess! We love the police state and the Prison Industrial Complex! We love hypocritical “family values” politicians and messianic pseudo-Christians like the C-Street “Family!” We love the Unitary Executive! We love courts packed with pro-corporate cronies! We love arrogantly aggressive foreign policy! We love scapegoating poor immigrants while ignoring the wealthy interests who bring them here! We love What have we been thinking all this time??? We just hate conservatives for NOTHING!
Get real.
First of all, nobody spends more time “hating” than conservatives. It’s their full time job. It is the very basis of their ideology. It’s the “Feminazis” and “Pelosiraptors,” the “Activict Judges” and “Ideological Bigots,” the “Reverse Racists,” and don’t forget “Liberals” and “Progressives,” labels once revered in America that are now insults. All you guys try to do is stop progress, stop any change in the status quo, cling to your money like it’s your God, like it’s the very essense of your life, liberty and happiness.
Secondly, it’s not conservatives that most Liberals, like myself, “hate.” It’s Conservatism – or more correctly, Modern American Conservatism. It’s the weird and unholy mix of Wall Street Corporatism and Religious Right Fanaticism. That’s what we hate.
Anyway, I used to live in Thousand Oaks and had friends in Simi Valley, where I used to travel regularly. It’s just so apropos that’s where Reagan set himself up. Simi Valley (and neighboring Moorpark) with it’s walled cities, elitist vapid capitalism run amok. Those people don;t live in the real world. they live in that plastic California we all think of when we think of the worst things about that “Golden State.” Little rich girls running around with dangerous drug addicts just to p!$$ off their parents. Puny white boys living in McMansions playing expensive electric guitars their parents bough them trying to be all “dark” and “metal.” Good ol’ Simi Valley. Boy ‘o boy, Charles Manson sure put the fear of God in those plastic figurines! LOL!
Wierd place. I did meet some very nice and interesting people there, though. Friendships and memories I’ll always value. I had one friend who’s father was a true American success story. He was a poor Mexican immgrant who had pinched and scraped and managed to save 25k, when the factory he was working for started going under. he pooled his money with a couple of other guys and they brought the company back and made it one of the most successful in it’s industry. He moved his family from poor, gangland Compton to a McMansion in Moorpark. His son and I were friends and worked together for his father. He threw a party one night when his dad was out. Here we were, a crazy long-haired kid from Jersey, a bunch of hardcore Mexican gang members from Compton, and a dancing, bouncing, silly bunch of rich white kids from Moorpark and Simi Valley. And ya’ know what? We all got along just fine and had a great time.
As Don King always says, “Only in America!”
JMJ
http://logisticsmonster.com/2009/05/03/the-montana-gun-law-you-will-never-hear-about/
Montana Gun Laws is one of the most viewed post on Logistic Monsters Blog. Maybe that is why Bozeman, Montana is on the town hall meeting junket for the President’s Health Care Insurance Reform Bills?
So why Bozeman, Montana town hall meeting for the President to CAMPAIGN “for which” Health Care Reform Bill? Why Grand Jct. Colorado? They are indicative of what demographic of Americans?
My home state is called an empty state so what is the draw for the Obama administration? Is it because Max Baucus is under pressure?
Montana is an ultra strong 2nd Amendment state they are not keen on Sotomayor for the U.S. Supreme Court. Max Baucus has reasons to be weary. Montana is carry in the open state mostly because of hunting. This Health Care Insurance Reform “Bills” is looking like it could go sideways, and it doesn’t look like the Obama administration can course correct.
http://youhavetobethistalltogoonthisride.blogspot.com/2009/08/tgif-circus-life-bozeman-montana-high.html
“Gee, would that be “ideological bigotry” or is our good host actually learning that certain aspects of human nature transcend poltical beliefs or does this tell us all something about Palin supporters?”
Unlike liberals Eric is not saying they dont have a right to exist, just that they dont know the difference between business and their own warped perception of justice.
I lived in Vegas for a while. It was always the liberals who were throwing conniption fits when they lost a bet. ” Thats not fair ! ” :-(
Palin just ripped Obama a new one on the end of life counseling clauses, heh heh, now they’re removing from the bill “after” they said it was dropped from the senate version.
“LOL! Yeah, we Liberals just love unnecessary wars and ridiculous military spending on the backs of the American worker! ”
Yeah, instead of protecting the country you spend more than ever in our history, in record time to accomplish nothing more than destruction of the country.
“Hey Obama, how much would it cost to ruin America, you know, so can have a fresh slate to build your utopic collective socialist state “?
Obama;
” Oh, about 10 trillion of their own money in about ten years on the backs of everyone.
Bla bla bla Its gotten to the point where liberals arguments like the predictable moonbattery diatribe here can be shot down in my sleep.
But you go ahead, I know it gives you that feeling of relevance to spew as if you care
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I miss L.A./Ca.
Nothing ever happens here. The most exciting political issue so far has been an article in our one newspaper on whether or not Abercrombie can transfer fed funds to his state race. Or the locals trying to pull off a seccession.
Micky, I seriously doubt liberals handling gambling losses any better or worse then conservatives. On top of that, plenty of liberals, like myself, and conservatives don’t even gamble at all. To me, and many of them, gambling is like cocaine – a night of rush and stupidity from which you wake up sometime the next afternoon wondering why you wasted all your money on it.
“End of life counceling” was actually PROMOTED by Palin in Alaska. She’s being a lying phony about this “issue.”
We haven’t “protected” our country militarily since WWII, and even then it was much more about protecting our allies and interests abroad. Really, America hasn’t faced a serious threat since the Civil War, when the conservatives in the South tried to break the country apart for the sake of cheap labor and free trade. Sound familiar?
That last quote… I don’t know where you got that from.
JMJ