While the entire Arab world sits totally unable to do anything but whine and cry about the Israeli action, a few thoughts came to mind. How many countries around the world would hold telethon and raise 100 million dollars for Israelis affected by terrorist attacks? Recently, the Saudis raised this amount to help the Palestinians. I wonder where their generosity has been all these years. If they have all this concern for the Palestinians, why do they do nothing to help them, save supporting their terrorists.

How many nations have stood up in support of the Israelis right to exist? How many nations have stood up against the terrorist attacks that have been going on for over a year? There has not been one. While European governments demand cease fires, withdrawls, and an end to hostilities, all to be taken by the Israelis, NOT ONE European nation has condemned the terrorist attacks. NOT ONE European nation has bothered to offer aid or assistance to Israel. NOT ONE European nation called on Arafat to stop the attacks.

Some European nations are calling for international troops to be placed as "peacekeepers". Last time that happened, Nasser asked the Sec. Gen. of the UN to pull them out of the Sinai, hte UN complied, then Egypt prepared for war. That was in 1967. Do you think a UN, which every year has to take a vote on whether to expel Israel, has passed resolutions equating Zionism with Racism, and a UN that replaced the US with Syria on the Human Rights Panel, would be impartial?

While world opinion is siding with the Palestinians, remember, this is the same world opinion that ignored 6 million Jews being turned into ash.

If Israel faced impending destruction, how many countries today would do or say anything about it. I can count them on one hand, in fact on one finger. The US is the only nation that would do or say anything. The rest of the world would stand by and watch as Israel is destroyed. Israel knows this. Sharon knows this. Thank God they are doing what needs to be done.

By the way, how many nations in the Middle East are democratic? How many nations in the Middle East have a military that is subject to civilian law? How many nations in the Middle East would have its Supreme Court tell it what it can and can't do with the dead? How many nations in the Middle East have a press that is critical of the military? How many nations in the Middle East even know what the term human rights means? There is only one nation, Israel.

Isn't it also odd, that the UN, which has a very radical feminist agenda for so many things, is supporting nations who view women as second class citizens, while in Israel, they are fully equal citizens in all aspects, even the military?

Israel knows it is going at this alone. Israel knows better than anyone the old maxim, "know thine enemy". Secretary Powell, you are a great man, you are a great American, you are a great patriot. Secretary Powell, you are putting your heart and soul into this mission, and you are sincere. Secretary Powell, peace will not come from talks. Peace will only come from the fact that the Arab nations, who want nothing to do with the Palestinians, know that if they threaten Israel, if they even think of threatening Israel, will get their heads handed to them.

Peace only occurs between democratic nations. Europe never experienced peace until the post World War 2 era. No amount of negotiations with Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, or any other dictator would have brought peace. All it brought was more war. Israel will only have peace when it has democratic nations on its borders. In fact until democracy comes to the Arab world, there will only be a truce, not peace.

Have you survived tax day? How 'bout some other great news, especially for California.

It seems that a report today shows that once again, for the fourteenth year in a row, California, my home state, is a donor state. In other words, we send more to Washington DC than we receive back in benefits. This year it was over $29 Billion dollars. In the last fourteen years, it has been well over $200 Billion dollars. Last time I checked, there is no provision in the US Constitution providing Congress the authority to essentially redistribute wealth and resources. Without going into arcane legal details, let's say we examine a few of the things that $29 Billion dollars would buy Californians.

Since there are almost 35 million residents of California, if the federal government just sent everyone a check, a favorite hobby of Democrats by the way, every one, man, woman, child, would receive, almost $830. For me, that is about 1/3 my property
taxes, or a years worth of high seed internet, or a years worth of trash, water, and gas, or around 550 gallons of gas, almost our health care deductible. The list goes on and on. But according to latest figures, my wife and I, both school teachers, are rich. I am sure that $830 dollars goes a long way for more "Democratic Party" incomes. Gas prices got you down? Call up DC.

But let's stop being selfish, and look what else $29 Billion dollars might buy. At roughly $1500 per laptop computer, that would be around 19.4 million laptops, enough to give every school child in California a laptop for school and one for home. Want a computer for your classroom? Just ask DC.

Okay, kids break things. I know. My daughter is the champ. So, lets think how many college scholarships $29 Billion dollars would pay for. At $30,000 per year, we could pay for 96,000 college bound students. So you say college is not affordable? Give DC a call.

So many of our schools are falling apart and terribly overcrowded. How many new schools can you build for $29 Billion? Excluding LA's Belmont fiasco, we'll figure top of the line new schools, at $100 million, that's 290 new high schools. How come your child is going to school in antiquated conditions? Just ask DC.

So I've focused on education too much. I am a public school teacher. But imagine how many doctors, hospitals, xrays, nurses, prescriptions, etc., that $29 Billion dollars buys. When we Californians ask why we don't have these things, when we ask why we drive on beat up roads, why we wait 6 hours in an emergency room, why we have computers that are 6 years old, if any in our schools, why we pay such high state
income taxes, your answer is simple. This year, the California state budget is $80 Billion, with a shortfall, that's political jargon or deficit, of between $8 Billion and $16 Billion. So why do we have a budget deficit, Gov. Davis? Try asking your
Democratic friends in DC.

I can't wait until all my liberal teacher friends complain about needing money for this, and money for that. Of course, they'll just say we don't pay enough in taxes. Gotta love 'em, really. Next time, speaking of teachers and taxes, I'll explain why California is violating the Constitution with its tax policy towards teachers.