Killed in House - " compassionate conservatism "

Providence Journal columnist Froma Harrop pointed out in

    her last column that the Republican controlled Congress defied the clear

    mandate for restraint on the impeachment issue - the message of the boss, THE

    PEOPLE - in the November election.

            The House Republicans also ignored the winds of change in the

    party : Texas governor Bush's talk about a new COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATISM.

    They killed that idea when they voted to impeach the president of the

    United States , Bill Clinton - still very popular and more so after that

    viciously partisan and vengeful vote.

           We will not hear anymore about " compassionate conservatism " in

    the next presidential campaign. Now it sounds to much like " communism

    with a human face " written on the Berlin Wall. An iron curtain separates

    the Republican soul from ordinary humanity.

           The impeachment vote can be seen as the Last Hurrah of the failed

    " Gingrich  Revolution ".

Free calls for homeless

 I read in this morning's Providence Journal ( Dec. 21, page B1 )

    that the Travelers Aid Society and Cellular One will offer free telephone

    service - anywhere in the continental United States, Canada, or Caribbean

    islands today ,from 1 to 5 p.m.

           I have a suggestion for giving the homeless a permanent ADDRESS

    if not yet a home.  And it would be a rather prestigious address for

    these unlucky down and outs. My idea is inspired by the movie " You've

    Got Mail ".  

              The Travelers Aid Society might consider acquiring a number

    of personal computers  available to homeless for the all important

    purpose of communicating with numerous people anywhere in the world

    who might know them or be able to help them .

         It is a simple matter to register an E-Mail name and address on

    Excite for example or the Ocean State Free Net ( application may take

    a week or two for OSFN )  .

           Even if the homeless is illiterate ,all he will need for E-Mail

    purposes is a kindly helper .

          When the homeless person comes in from the cold one winter

    morning and sees " You've Got Mail " on a computer screen, he might

    begin to feel like a PERSON again ! Even if the E-Mail is not from

    Meg Ryan or Tom Hanks ! He or she will know that  SOMEBODY in the

    not so heartless world actually cares about their desperation.

             But then even the IRS might care too !

Lasalette 's commercial religion

 " All those lights ! " is a rather childish reason for visiting

    the LaSalette shrine in nearby Attleboro. But around Christmas time

    those hundreds of gaudy lit trees attract crowds. The faithful ? The

    true believers in The Apparition of Mary ?

          Walking around the displays , sipping hot apple cider on a cold clear

    night, the visible stars above seemed to radiate more " spiritually "

      I thought . Does any still devout Catholic share my revulsion of this

    phony religious circus - the Lasalette shrine ?

            The " vibes " I get from the faithful here are about as spiritual

    as the " vibes " I get at the Warwick Mall.

        Is LaSalette a miniature version of Lourdes ? Jesus on sale here !

    Mary - A Coming Attraction ! Bring your plastic blue glow-in -the - dark -

    rosary beads to hail Her !

           For a reasonable fee here alcoholic Catholics and divorced Catholics

    and about to crack up Catholics can get spiritual counseling .

           But not much help for religious junkies !

        Quite honestly Lasalette makes me long for the old time religion of

    the Dark Age . Now that was the real thing !

Pugnacious pacifists !

 Rhode Island's perennial pacifists - many of them - have

    rather pugnacious personalities. Yesterday this CLUB reacted to

    President Clinton 's decision -backed by the United Nations- to

    bomb Iraq: " Hey Clinton, what do you say ? How many kids did

    you kill today ? "

           Is this the same LEFT that does not want him impeached ?

    Nothing like Left-over Patriotism ?

          The 20th century has taught us this lesson : We cannot

    live at peace with dictators. Sooner or later we fight them or

    we SUBMIT to them. We have only this bloody choice .

           Saddam Hussein is responsible for the misery of his own

    people. When he is finally out of the picture, we must do everything

    to help them .

           I do get a kick out of pacifists who in fact hate kids

    and have avoided ever having any themselves shouting : " How

    many kids did you kill today ? "

           Next month he or she may show up at an URGENT meeting

    on the Population Explosion !

         These pacifists always look like they will punch YOU in

    the face when you disagree with them .

            PEACE !