I apologize for the lack of articles as of late. Work has taken up much of my free time over the past few weeks. Hopefully that will pass soon. In the mean time, I had a few thoughts on three similar topics that I wanted to share with you.

What does the term “hallowed ground” truly mean? Essentially, it is an area that is deemed to be sacred and set apart. Churches, for example, are said to be built on hallowed ground. The same is true for cemeteries and areas that have seen a great loss of life. So it was interesting that I’ve heard the term hallowed ground mentioned in three separate news stories over the past week.

During the debate over the proposed mosque near the World Trade Center site, President Obama stated that “Ground Zero is, indeed, hallowed ground.” But just how far does that hallowed ground stretch? Is it just the area around the footprints of the fallen buildings? The distance where debris fell into the surrounding blocks? Or is it arbitrary depending on what is being developed around it?

In a similar story, Mindy Crawford from the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote, “It is altogether fitting and proper that gambling be kept away from Gettysburg’s hallowed ground.” But where does the hallowed ground end? Just in the area where the main fighting took place? Within the National Park boundary? How about the greater area outside of the Park?

The last story I heard was a renewed debate over the Westboro Baptist Church and their protests at funerals for fallen soldiers. Chief US District Judge Fernando Gaitan struck down a Missouri law that barred inflammatory protests outside the funerals, stating that it violated the First Amendment by placing restrictions of free speech. In the law was a requirement to bar protests within 300 feet of the funeral.

So how should we define hallowed ground, and who should make the determination of where it begins and ends? These three examples about are difficult to resolve because it is emotion-based and subjective. Is it disrespectful to build a Mosque two blocks away from the World Trade Center? Or a casino a half-mile away from the Gettysburg National Park? How about protests outside the gates of a cemetery?

For me, the I think the last is the easiest to answer. I doubt a loving God would want his followers to protest the funerals of troops who died during war. There should be some limit on “where” such protests can be held. Such limitations have held up in court, since it is a common practice within Washington, DC to bar protests from certain areas around the Capitol building and White House.

The question over the casino would be the next easiest answer. The National Park engulfs a large area of the battle field as well as the neighboring cemeteries. Building a casino a half-mile away should not be an issue, especially since archaeologists will be brought in before any major ground-breaking and construction begins. Additionally, the casino could result in increased awareness of major Civil War battle site, and the revenue from the casino could increase the educational resources for visitors to the Park.

The hardest question is that for the Mosque. While it is true that it was Islamic terrorists that attacked the World Trade Center on September 11th, it wasn’t an act by Muslims as a whole (if so, then we would have to worry about 7 Million Muslims in the United States). So building a Mosque near the WTC site just for that narrow reason alone should not be an issue.

The issue comes to the politics behind building the Mosque. Reports show that there is a low population of Muslims in Lower Manhattan, so there isn’t a “demand” for the center in that area. Is the Mosque being built as a poke in the eye to Americans, or is it being built as a bridge to a better understanding of Islam? If it is for any reason other than a slight towards the United States, then I don’t see why it can’t be relocated. After all, if you are going to invest that much money, you would want it to be easily accessible for your congregation. However, if it is for the other reason, which it sounds like it is, then I’m sure the developer will find many more obstacles for development, making it financially prohibitive in the long run.

In short, I think you should take away from all of this one simple note. No matter what you do in life, stop and think about how others might view your actions and how it will impact their lives. In this faster pace life of ours, we tend to act first and think second. If we just slow that process down a little, we can take others into consideration, and make wiser decisions that not only benefit ourselves but also those around us. That, I think, would be a great way to remember all of those who went before us to give us this great nation we have today.

NOTE:  I will try to get the Political Blog Weekly published tomorrow.  If not, I will incorporate it into next weekends edition.

I was reading some of the articles through SeededBuzz this weekend and I came across one from the Northwood Clinic.  In their article, they asked:

So here’s my BIG thought for the day. If you had a month to do anything you like, how would you spend it. On the beach, with your family, reading book after book, learning a language. The list is endless and I would like to read about how you would spend the perfect month away from the normal daily routines.

My “perfect month.” That is so open ended, it is difficult to answer. I could spend a month watching movies and playing games, or visiting old friends that live out of state, or even start up a new pet project.  Our friends over at This, That, and The Other has stated that traveling to Colorado and Pennsylvania would be on their list if they had a free month.  Then the thought came to mind – how about something for our country?

One of the things I might do is donate a week on the Gulf Coast. With the 5th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina just around the corner, I could easily spend a week volunteering my time in the communities that are still recovering from the historic storm. Be it building new homes, restoring the natural environment, or helping with charity drives, donating my time to them would be very self-gratifying as well as beneficial to those in need.

For my second week, I think I would give back to our troops. During the day, I could volunteer my time visiting the troops who are recovering from their injuries after returning from the Middle East. This will be very emotionally trying, so in the evenings I would greet our troops who are flying home as a positive emotional balance.

Next, I think a week spending time with the local schools and libraries would be great to influence the next generation. Reading storybooks and helping with their math studies would be activities I could easily assist with, and it would be a positive boost for both the kids and myself.

Lastly, a week visiting our nations historical landmarks would be a nice way to wrap up the month. I could take many pictures of the sites and write up articles about them to share my experiences. How knows, maybe we would discover something new about out pasts.

This would be a very rewarding month; something I could look back on with a sense of pride. Of course, I could do a lot of this right now. Unfortunately, my “excuse” of work and other life activities gets in the way. So maybe it’s not a “free month” that I should be looking for, but rather a change of mindset and priorities. With that, I could actually spend more than a month giving back to the country that has given me so much.

So what would you do for your country if you could spend a month away of life’s responsibilities?

It has been a while since I’ve posted an article on those individuals and organizations who are trying to make a difference in our country and in the world. I have two new items I want to bring to your attention, just in case you are able to help.

The first one is the Wounded EOD Warrior Foundation. EOD stands for Explosive Ordinance Disposal. If you are familiar with movies such as “Hurt Locker,” the military personnel that go in to defuse bombs are a part of the EOD. This is a very dangerous duty; not only because the bomb could explode, but also because the technicians are exposed to attack by the enemy while trying to render a bomb safe.

One way you can help those wounded in the line of duty (as well as their families) is by supporting the participants in the 2-day bike ride occurring in October. From October 8th through the 10th, riders will be pedaling 200 miles from Santa Monica to San Diego, California. The money these participants raise will go to providing financial support to the families of wounded warriors. If you are interested, please go to this donation page.

The other “Helping Hand” is brought to you by Roxy Photography. Partnering with the non-profit organization “Africa Reads,” they hope to increase the literacy rate of the African nation of Rwanda. Rwanda recently came out of a violent period in their history, leading to the brutal leadership to be toppled and a new government installed. With this change in government came a change in the national language. The new national language is English, meaning that literacy education is in high demand.

To meet this challenge, Roxy Photography is donating 10% of their profits to “Africa Reads.” So, if you happen to find yourself in Arkansas and needing a wedding photographer, considering Roxy Photography. Not only will you have images of your special day, but you will also be making a positive impact on millions overseas. If you are not getting married, please check out “Africa Reads” to see how you can help them with their cause.

While Tony Hayward (the CEO of BP) heads off to enjoy a yacht race in England and President Obama is off enjoying yet another golf outing, the oil continues to flow out of the damaged well at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.  Fortunately for those along the Gulf Coast, powerful minds are hard at work.  Instead of pondering how to set a jib or which club to tee of with on the 17th hole, they are wondering if different chemicals, centrifuges, or new technology will help resolve the oil spill. 

One idea being floated is using nanotechnology to tackle the problem.  The University of Central Florida Research Foundation recently developed a process to use carbon filaments to break down surface oil and absorb it.  This absorption process is similar to a nano-tube sponge developed by Chinese scientists.  Not to be outdone, the University Pittsburgh has developed a liquid-resistant chemical nano-coating that, when applied to a cotton filter, will trap oil while allowing water to pass right through. 

In addition to nanotechnology, there is a new breed of oil skimmers making their way towards the Gulf.  One skimmer leaves the oil boom behind, relying on the motion of the machine to suck in the polluted water.  The screening process by this machine is similar to the machine developed with the support of Kevin Costner, where it uses a large centrifuge to separate the water and the oil.  Both machines make oil spill recovery possible and are more effective in open water where your classic boom is useless.

Not to be forgotten are the oil-dispersing agents that break up the surface tension of the slick as well as bacteria that “eats” the oil.  With this disaster being attacked from multiple angles, it is possible that the long-term damage to the Gulf can be minimized.  Unfortunately, it is taking longer than desired to have these options implemented, especially when you consider the size of the Gulf and the size of the spill.  So while BP and the Federal Government continue to debate who is in charge of the clean up, it is likely that things will continue to get worse until third-party companies and organizations decide to take the oil spill clean up into their own hand.