America, where is your character, your pluck, your grit? If that question seems overly harsh and needlessly aggressive, then you are staring directly at the problem. This nation sits at the precipice of a fundamental, irreversible transformation that will make all too visible a new country that is incontrovertibly “one nation under a spineless, politically correct, brow-beaten, emasculated bunch of sheep.” Is that too harsh? If you believe my words are too offensive, that I should tone it down, possibly give contemplation to all opposing views from every potential angle, if not every position within the cosmos, then, you’re actually staring at the real problem.

At a time when the country is faced with an administration that wishes to transform this country into a completely socialistic nation, Americans appear to be dangerously low on grit. Some would counter the statements I have posited, as to the lack of American character in an obvious time of need, with the examples of the growing number of Americans that are participating in town halls, and the growing TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Parties. I applaud and participate in these events with great spirit and enthusiasm; however, they will not be the final weapon to defeat the forces that truly wish to destroy this nation.

I am not idealistic, nor need I be to understand the predicament this country is in and the chasm that divides where we have been as a nation, from where we are now. It is true that there have always been those within this great nation that carry within their heart desires that run counter to the betterment of the nation. We know them as the socialist, the communist, the anarchist, and all others that share similar desires that run counter to the best laid plans of our country and its founding fathers.

The presence (if not the appearance today) of these jackals within the echelons of power and influence is not a product of a sudden massive influx of anti-American cohorts, but of the effect of a slow, yet progressive, erosion of our true national character. The growing masses that make up the groups of opposition fighting for the survival of the nation today in the TEA Parties, among others,  could double - if not triple - in time, and may ultimately be victorious against the current threat of the Barack Obama socialist machine. While you and I work and pray for this to come to reality, the matter of American character will still lie before us, as does our ultimate destiny.

In this struggle for the short term survival of the nation, as well as our place within history, I must admit a more than ample amount of animosity at the predicament we find ourselves in as a nation, including the timidity by many to provoke our enemies to anger - even while we are battling with these same foes for the future of all we hold dear. Has the quest for individual character, moral value and spiritual salvation been permanently replaced with the need to acquiesce to moral relativism, atheism, and the will of the group collective? I pray that this is not so, while knowing full well that if we as a nation were in proper form, there would be little concern about the few who would be offended by a nation that quests for the divine while denying the alternative, socialist bonds.  

I submit to you that as surely as an administration as unbelievably atrocious as that of Barack Obama could never have come to fruition in a country that carried the same national grit of the past, that we are equally destined to repeat the same calamitous scenario in the future - if we do not find this country’s true American character - and firmly hold on to it.

Paul A. Ibbetson is a former Chief of Police of Cherryvale, Kansas, and member of the Montgomery County Drug Task Force. Paul received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Criminal Justice at Wichita State University, and is currently completing his PhD. in sociology at Kansas State University. Paul is the author of the books Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society and Feeding Lions: Sharing The Conservative Philosophy In A Politically Hostile World. Paul is also the radio host of the Kansas Broadcasting Association’s 2008 and 2009 Entertainment Program of the Year, Conscience of Kansas airing on KSDB Manhattan 91.9 f.m. www.ibbetsonusa.com. For interviews or questions, please contact ibbetson91.9@gmail.com

Sometimes being right is personally rewarding, sometimes it’s of financial benefit, and sometimes, unfortunately, it’s just downright painful. I recently wrote an article, “What’s Still The Matter With Thomas Frank?” about the upcoming (at the time) documentary by filmmakers Laura Cohen and Joe Winston, inspired by Thomas Frank’s 2004 bestselling book, “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” The article I wrote caused a minor brouhaha with the filmmakers, who posted a commentary rebuttal and a photo of yours truly on the official film website. Other than framing me, the way liberals often do conservatives, as boiling over with anger and throwing Nazi labels where they have not been applied, it seemed like a typical day at the office of politics. I was somewhat amazed, and quite pleased, to see the comment section on their website fill with a majority of comments in my favor. People seemed to easily get the points I was trying to make.

What did come from the postings on the filmmaker’s website, in combination with comments from many of my radio listeners, was the need for me to watch the movie myself and write a review. At first, I thought this was beyond my purview, but after reading film critic Roger Ebert’s admittedly biased, bosomed embrace of the movie, I re-qualified myself with lightning speed. Watching the film in general was not a problem, as I would only be taking the advice I gave to readers in my original article. However, to watch the film post-haste was slightly more difficult, as the film was only being aired in leftist strongholds, such as the Democratic fundraiser in Wichita, Kansas (where I would have to shell out cash at the door), or the liberal “Alliance for Peace and Justice Organization,” in Manhattan, Kansas. To avoid having to fund the Democratic Party, Manhattan was the choice.

The accommodations in Manhattan were nice. After the crowd had been properly prepped with an oration of the glowing review by Roger Ebert, the lights dropped and an eerie morose melody started the movie as viewers began their journey into the filmmakers view of the great state of Kansas, and its people.

As a life-long Kansan, my experience was two-fold. First, the imagery of the movie has some very stunning footage of hay fields and country homes that was very beautiful to view. It is hard to deny the physical beauty of this state, and I admit to being biased with that opinion. Unfortunately, the film at its heart is not about the landscape but the people that inhabit that landscape, and more accurately, certain types of people. This is the heart of the review, or what the cattlemen might call the “meat” of the matter. Those weak of heart or lacking a firm grip on reality should just get up now, and with the same effort one would use to avoid a true Kansas cattle stampede, run while the running’s good.

I am afraid to report that when I compared Thomas Frank’s book, which I believe was a cheap hatchet job on the majority of the people of Kansas, and the 2009 Cohen/Winston documentary of the same name, I found that the apple does not fall very far from the tree. A few fundamental themes ran through the film. The first theme is that when Christians and their values are mixed with politics it is the recipe for political doom. The liberal crowd on viewing night seemed quite joyful as the pro-lifer, Phill Kline, is defeated by Paul Morrison for Kansas Attorney General (I wonder how voting for Morrison worked out for those voters). The next theme that is painstakingly drawn out (in the Wild West World story) is that when religion and politics are mixed, it causes great financial hardship and calamity.

Apart from the perils of Christianity, the film was a liberal smorgasbord of tasty treats, such as the plight of the illegal alien, the stupidity of [President] Bush, the senselessness of the war in Iraq, and if you make some room on your plate, they will just kept coming and coming. This may seem strange, but I thought the most compelling person for heartfelt sympathy was none other than Thomas Frank. Shocking? I truly began to feel pity for Frank as he all but pleads with the keepers of the dusty Kansas archives to explain to him where all the good socialists have gone. Pity turns to sadness for Frank’s desire for an alternate reality, such as when he is filmed stumbling through the all but forgotten socialist cemetery for “radicals” and stating in a forlorn manner, “This is my Kansas.” For me, that is the saddest moment of the film for many reasons, none of which is my desire to live in a socialist state.

The main star of the documentary is without a doubt the disgruntled former Republican, Donn Teske. Teske, a (Frank-friendly) resource from the 2004 book, pops up throughout the film in such beautiful Kansas activities, such as riding the tractor and grilling hamburgers. He is truly a lovable character, and even when we get to the end of the film and he is shown to be quite the left leaner, we almost love him too much to care.

The reward from viewing this film is that I can now share my knowledge of the levels of usage of direct and indirect propaganda that were present. Compared with a typical Michael Moore documentary, What’s the Matter with Kansas? is more than a little dry. Moore uses direct propaganda through a very fast paced production with constant narration. In other words, Moore directly lies to viewers nonstop throughout his movies, and with copious amounts of flare. This makes for faster viewing, but a more insulting film to those in the know. As I usually consider two showers a necessity to cleanse myself after watching a Moore film, one will suffice after viewing What’s the Matter with Kansas?

Contrary to the style of Moore, Cohen and Winston use indirect propaganda in that they do not act in the film or give a running narrative to the film; however, they show you a filtered view of reality that fits the message they want viewers to receive. They avoid focusing viewers on the Republican’s landslide victories throughout time, but instead focus upon their defeats. They could show you Christians that have had positive outcomes putting their views and beliefs into political work, but instead the movie is fixated on the sad outcome of the church that found itself at Wild West World. Can we call this a typical story of Kansas? I think not.

In the end, while less grandiose and repugnant than some films that have found their way to the public, what we have here is another propaganda film attacking conservative Christian values. Yes, in the end, sometimes being right is downright painful. 

Paul A. Ibbetson is a former Chief of Police of Cherryvale, Kansas, and member of the Montgomery County Drug Task Force. Paul received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Criminal Justice at Wichita State University, and is currently completing his PhD. in sociology at Kansas State University. Paul is the author of the books Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society and Feeding Lions: Sharing The Conservative Philosophy In A Politically Hostile World. Paul is also the radio host of the Kansas Broadcasting Association’s 2008 and 2009 Entertainment Program of the Year, Conscience of Kansas airing on KSDB Manhattan 91.9 f.m. www.ibbetsonusa.com. For interviews or questions, please contact ibbetson91.9@gmail.com

In the midst of the fight over whether or not the United States should, or should not, turn our medical system into a socialistic bread line, or whether the administration should heed the request for additional troops in Afghanistan, Barack Obama feels compelled to add to his strategic plate, the gay question. One could say that Obama’s recent move to change the military’s standing “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for homosexuals serving in the armed forces has been sparked by the recent unrest of strong Obama political backers, such as the powerful gay advocacy group Human Rights Campaign (HRC), an organization that wishes to force total public support for the gay agenda by targeting, among others, America’s youth. However, this would probably be a case of missing the forest for all the trees. There is something bigger going on here.

Amid the chaos and turmoil that has accompanied the reign of the Obama Administration, there has been tendencies to lose focus on the important factors that have (and continue to) run the administration’s game plan for pushing their initiatives forward. I believe this unique Obama Blitzkrieg strategy is worthy of observation and analysis - and by understanding it, we may also understand why it will ultimately lead to Obama’s defeat.

The shocking first step for all those who followed Barack Obama for the “hope/change” ride is that there has never been a President in U.S. history that has owed so much to so few. Apart from the Blitzkrieg Obama strategy for success, but as important, is the growing number of converts leaving the camp of the Obama “yes we cans” who have come to the conclusion that Obama is now fully catering in policy and procedure to the radical left. What gets lost among the myriad of affronts to the survival of American tradition and economic viability is the strategy by which the Obama administration will try to win the battle for the radical left. The lens of observation will now be focused in this direction.

Contrary to most administrations, President Barack Obama has shown little interest in seeing a strategic policy shift come to fruition before implementing a new campaign for the re-shaping of the country. Instead, Obama has implemented the “all-out” strike of the Blitzkrieg. In World War II, the military forces under Adolf Hitler used the all out (air, land, sea, etc), converging strike tactic of the Blitzkrieg, to overwhelm the enemy and force a quick but bloody surrender of countries they wished to conquer. President Obama now uses this tactic against the American people and, as with the Nazis, Obama is likely to enjoy the fruits - but inevitably suffer the consequences - of such a tactic.

First the fruits: the Blitzkrieg moves with great swiftness and, in the case of the damaging policies of this administration, when opposing forces are mustered, the administration has created another equally important battle front that divides opposing groups on where to put resources and efforts. Meanwhile, the Obama Blitzkrieg machine moves like a panzer in high gear on to the next battlefront. In the short term, the swift and frightening movement of the Blitzkrieg adds an air of un-believability. As with those who watched the movements of the Nazi war machine so many years ago, even the political sages of our time, who foresaw the true intent of Barack Obama from every possible angle, must admit in their heart of hearts some true moments of shock at the rapid and multiple fronts of attack on the heart of our country by the Obama war machine that have taken place in such as short span of time.

While this has been devastating to watch, it offers a substantial ray of hope. The Blitzkrieg is an all out effort and missteps in judgment and strategy open the door for huge defeats. There is also very limited opportunity for stealth within this strategy. In fact, it will become more and more difficult for Obama to sneak around the calamity he has created. Yes, I believe that this option is gone for the president as he has firmly laid out his own smoke trail of carnage for all to see.

President Obama’s intentions for this country are now so overt that they are even shaking many of the befuddled “hope-changers” back to a painful state of consciousness and to a growing mainstream of opposition, or what I like to call an “Allied Force.” While the future of this country and the fate of Barack Obama as a political figure are not yet written, the president is certainly using a strategic plan of attack that has ultimately failed in the past.  

 Paul A. Ibbetson is a former Chief of Police of Cherryvale, Kansas, and member of the Montgomery County Drug Task Force. Paul received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Criminal Justice at Wichita State University, and is currently completing his PhD. in sociology at Kansas State University. Paul is the author of the books Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society and Feeding Lions: Sharing The Conservative Philosophy In A Politically Hostile World. Paul is also the radio host of the Kansas Broadcasting Association’s 2008 and 2009 Entertainment Program of the Year, Conscience of Kansas airing on KSDB Manhattan 91.9 f.m. www.ibbetsonusa.com. For interviews or questions, please contact ibbetson91.9@gmail.com

Do you still have a sense of humor? Can you still break into a good solid laugh when the opportunity arises? Conservatives and the Republican Party, the party by which conservative values are most often found, are at risk of losing one of the most compelling weapons in their arsenal, a decent sense of humor. Now don’t think for a moment that I am opposed to the righteous indignation, repulsion, and even anger, that has been reflected by the American people to the socialistic onslaught of policies that the Obama administration has attempted (and continues to attempt) to heap on this country and its people. I also reject the notion that victory for conservative values can be won by moderating our convictions and core values for the promise of “peace and tranquility” that would supposedly come from compromising the soul of this country. When it comes to this battle (which is being fought today) for the Christian foundations of this country, for the continuance of the capitalistic free market, and for the protection and security of this great nation against those who would wish us all dead, there is room for nothing short of absolutely victory.

However, if your eyes have been opened to the battle being waged for the future of this country, a good laugh has probably been the furthest thing from your mind - and this sentiment I understand. With that said, I firmly believe that those of us caught up in the turmoil of today may be withholding one of the most powerful tools for the ultimate victory of conservative values and the survival of the nation. So, for humor’s sake, please humor me as I recount a story from the plains that will have applicability to not only politics but to all places where a good laugh should ensue.

I remember my first year of law enforcement, in the first summer I worked, and my first experience with public nudity - from behind the badge. Yes, when you are a policeman you remember a lot of your “firsts,” as they often have a strong impact on you both positive and negative. Among the many “firsts” I would experience, this was a major life lesson. I was still in training and was riding with a seasoned officer. I remember we were sitting at a stop light and I was writing on a clipboard, part of the never ending paperwork that comes with the job, when I looked up for a moment to see a naked man run by the front of the patrol car. It was just about dusk, but the evening rays of sunshine were more than abundant to illuminate a not so athletic man in his forties - sporting nothing more than a set of glasses running southbound down one of the busiest streets in the city. I noted that he was traveling in the proper lane of traffic. Funny, how the mind works isn’t it?

Now, even in the heartland (which is steadily becoming more and more liberal), a naked man running down the street still rates as the highlight of the day for many and causes a rather healthy amount of pandemonium. As the supervisor pulled the patrol car into traffic behind the rotund runner (red and blue light flashing), for what would turn out to be a quite lengthy slow speed pursuit, my mind was racing through the Kansas statutes, the department policies, and all the things that make up the serious business of law enforcement - or so I thought. It was time for a lesson in the field that we can take right into the world of politics.

 The lesson came not from words but from the sound of nearly uncontrolled laughter from the veteran officer at the wheel of the patrol car. When his laughing began to subside, the supervisor said between deep breaths for air “never miss a moment for a good laugh.” With those white bouncing buttocks still in my peripheral vision, I listened as the supervisor explained that longevity in law enforcement was hinged upon the ability to find humor in places where humor is often lacking. Although we must prepare for potential dangerous things that may transpire at the conclusion of events such as these, what we have at this moment in time is “a naked man running down the street.” So, among the flashing lights, the public screams of shock, and the not so quick flashes of human anatomy, a chorus of healthy laughter from a patrol car in the heartland of Kansas was added to the scene.

To my fellow conservatives, today we fight for a country that is under siege by a socialistic administration that wishes to rip the foundations of this country apart. The defense of this country will not be a short battle, nor will it be a battle without many painful casualties. To this reality I would say that we must arm ourselves with all the weapons at our disposal, laughter being a powerful tool in that arsenal. We need to laugh, not only at the foolishness of our adversaries, but even have a good laugh at ourselves from time to time. Yes, conservatives, we have to win the day, but to win, we may have to do it while among other things, laughing.

Paul A. Ibbetson is a former Chief of Police of Cherryvale, Kansas, and member of the Montgomery County Drug Task Force. Paul received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Criminal Justice at Wichita State University, and is currently completing his PhD. in sociology at Kansas State University. Paul is also the radio host of the Kansas Broadcasting Association’s 2008 and 2009 Entertainment Program of the Year, Conscience of Kansas airing on KSDB Manhattan 91.9 f.m. www.ibbetsonusa.com. For interviews or questions, please contact ibbetson91.9@gmail.com

“It’s a mad house, a mad house!” These were the words shouted from the lips of Charlton Heston in the 1968 movie release, Planet of the Apes. Heston, who played the character of astronaut George Taylor, found himself in a future Earth where apes ruled the land and humans, and their past culture, were considered evil taboo. Ah, science fiction, such a wondrous escape from reality, right? What happens when fiction and reality begin to overlap? What happens when they become one and the same?

Before I begin to share why I believe this country is going to the apes (self-deserved destruction), which I am sure will make the fur fly among many who would falsely infer my assessment is focused somehow on race, instead of policy, and accuse me of crossing into the forbidden zone, let’s look at the overall message that the Planet of the Apes movies tried to convey. As with all movies, there are many messages, both subtle - and not so subtle, that make their way from the screen to the viewer. Some messages strike a person right off and some, like a time released capsule, take a while to reach a point of full effect. Despite some hippie-residue of the cultural time in which the movies were made, I think some fundamentally important messages rang out from the grotesque gorilla governed ground in which the character Taylor would fight to survive. The most important enduring message is that if we abuse what we have (our power, authority, tradition, and yes our country - if not world) we will not only find ourselves running in chaos amongst the freaks, but that we will also deserve to be caught up in the nets of our own demise.

That’s really the deep seated message of relevance to understand, the comparisons of the upside-down ape world of the big screen and today are unfortunately too easy to provide. Take but a moment to look around you and it won’t take long to see the deadly preparation for chaos that is unfolding from every corner of this country. The United States has elected a president in Barack Obama, who when not busy fomenting racial conflict among the people who voted him into the most powerful position in the world, works with every ounce of his strength to destabilize the traditional pillars of this country. This same president invites the apocalypse worthy of the Ape World by emasculating the United States through ill conceived military weakness in foreign assemblies, such as the United Nations. I can only shake my head in frustration as this show of weakness is swiftly spat upon by villains, such as Iran’s dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on the floor of the U.N. Assembly. In fact, just as the cult of the doomsday bomb worshippers knelt in reverence to an intercontinental missile (termed the Divine Bomb) in Beneath The Planet of the Apes, today, zealots such as Ahmadinejad reach out in wild-eyed salivation to grasp and wield nuclear cleansing fire against the none-believer.

It’s almost impossible to focus on impending destruction from afar with the domestic clamor of criminal activities from ACORN, politicians committing personal scandals as if it’s a race, and the bird-like sing-song chants of personal allegiance by public school children to Barack Obama as lord and savior. As if that were not the limit, TEA Party goers are completely de-humanized by the government when they say to an overbearing socialistic administration, “Take your stinking paws off me!” Who among the non-lobotomized left in this country is not shouting aloud (or within), “It’s a mad house!” I ask you now?

The humans in the Planet of the Apes movies that Taylor and company discovered had lost their ability to speak and subsequently it was a precursor to additional hardship and abuse for everyone. This is not so different from the here and now, as, at times, the American people do the same (remain silent at their own peril) by way of their busy lives and self induced apathy. The Planet of the Apes was a world of repetitious pain and anguish and a subliminal note, at the least, of a destiny of doom for humanity. However, after painting an extremely bleak picture, watchers are given a ray of hope in that viewers are told this is only one potential future among many. I would say that this is true for America and the world in general today. We Americans, and the world, are truly watching a return to the planet of the apes (chaos and destruction), but as bleak as this reality is, we are still the architects of our future and with that there is hope, and the possibility of redemption.

Paul A. Ibbetson is a former Chief of Police of Cherryvale, Kansas, and member of the Montgomery County Drug Task Force. Paul received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Criminal Justice at Wichita State University, and is currently completing his PhD. in sociology at Kansas State University. Paul is the author of the books Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society and Feeding Lions: Sharing The Conservative Philosophy In A Politically Hostile World. Paul is also the radio host of the Kansas Broadcasting Association’s 2008 and 2009 Entertainment Program of the Year, Conscience of Kansas airing on KSDB Manhattan 91.9 f.m. www.ibbetsonusa.com. For interviews or questions, please contact ibbetson91.9@gmail.com