The Greatest Christmas Story you never heard......

The following article appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News on December 22, 2005, there is nothing I can add to it, other than a sincere thank you. It was written by Ronnie Polaneczky:

AND NOW, in time for the holidays, I bring you the best Christmas story you never heard.

It started last Christmas, when Bennett and Vivian Levin were overwhelmed by sadness while listening to radio reports of injured American troops.

"We have to let them know we care," Vivian told Bennett.

So they organized a trip to bring s! oldiers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital to the annual Army-Navy football game in Philly, on Dec. 3.

The cool part is, they created their own train line to do it.

Yes, there are people in this country who actually own real trains. Bennett Levin - native Philly guy, self-made millionaire and irascible former L&I commish - is one of them.

He has three luxury rail cars. Think mahogany paneling, plush seating and white-linen dining areas. He also has two locomotives, which he stores at his Juniata Park train yard.

One car, the elegant Pennsylvania, carried John F. Kennedy to the Army-Navy game in 1961 and '62. Later, it carried his brother Bobby's body to D.C. for burial.

"That's a lot of history for one car," says Bennett.

He and Vivian wanted to revive a tradition that endured from 1936 to 1975, during which trains carried Army-Navy spectators from around the country directly to the stadium where the annual game is played.

The Levins could think of no better passengers to reinstate the ceremonial ride than the wounded men and women recovering at Walter Reed in D.C. and Bethesda, in Maryland.

"We wanted to give them a first-class experience," says Bennett. "Gourmet meals on board, private transportation from the train to the stadium, perfect seats - real hero treatment."

Through the Army War College Foundation, of which he is a trustee, Bennett met with Walter Reed's commanding general, who loved the idea.

But Bennett had some ground rules first, all designed to keep the focus on the troops alone:

No press on the trip, lest the soldiers' day of pampering devolve into a media circus.

No politicians either, because, says Bennett, "I didn't want some idiot making this trip into a campaign photo op."

And no Pentagon suits on-board, otherwise the soldiers would be too busy saluting superiors to relax.

The general agreed to the conditions, and Bennett realized he had a problem on his hands.

"I had to actually make this thing happen," he laughs.

Over the next months, he recruited owners of 15 other sumptuous rail cars from around the country - these people tend to know each other - into lending their vehicles for the day. The name of their temporary train? ! The Liberty Limited.

Amtrak volunteered to transport the cars to D.C. - where they'd be coupled together for the round-trip ride to Philly - then back to their owners later.

Conrail offered to service the Liberty while it was in Philly. And SEPTA drivers would bus the disabled soldiers 200 yards from the train to Lincoln Financial Field, for the game.

A benefactor from the War College ponied up 100 seats to the game - on the 50-yard line - and lunch in a hospitality suite.

And corporate donors filled, for free and without asking for publicity, goodie bags for attendees:

From Woolrich, stadium blankets. From Wal-Mart, digital cameras. From Nikon, field glasses. From GEAR, down jackets.

There was booty not just for the soldiers, but for their guests, too, since each was allowed to bring a friend or family member.

The Marines, though, declined the offer. "They voted not to take guests with them, so they could take more Marines," says Levin, choking up at the memory.

Bennett's an emotional guy, so he was worried about how he'd react to meeting the 88 troops and guests at D.C.'s Union Station, where the trip originated. Some GIs were missing limbs. Others were wheelchair-bound or accompanied by medical personnel for the day.

"They made it easy to be with them," he says. "They we! re all smiles on the ride to Philly. Not an ounce of self-pity from any of them. They're so full of life and determination."

At the stadium, the troops reveled in the game, recalls Bennett. Not even Army's lopsided loss to Navy could deflate the group's rollicking mood.

Afterward, it was back to the train and yet another gourmet meal - heroes get hungry, says Levin - before returning to Walter Reed and Bethesda.

"The day was spectacular," says Levin. "It was all about these kids. It was awesome to be part of it."

The most poignant moment for the Levins was when 11 Marines hugged them goodb! ye, then sang them the Marine Hymn on the platform at Union Station.

"One of the guys was blind, but he said, 'I can't see you, but man, you must be f---ing beautiful!' " says Bennett. "I got a lump so big in my throat, I couldn't even answer him."

It's been three weeks, but the Levins and their guests are still feeling the day's love.

"My Christmas came early," says Levin, who is Jewish and who loves the Christmas season. "I can't describe the feeling in the air."

Maybe it was hope.

As one guest wrote in a thank-you note to Bennett and Vivian, "The fond memories generated last Saturday will sustain us all - whatever the future may bring."

God bless the Levins.

And bless the troops, every one.

Islam - Military Enemy or religion of Peace??

Is the war really against "terrorism" or are we truly fighting the "Nation of Islam"? Is Islam another Nazism or Communism, where the conflict is between unreconcilible ideas and principals? Finally, the question is being asked in the Pentagon according to an article in Frontpage Magazine.

In an article titled The Pentagon Breaks the Islam Taboo, Paul Sperry reveals the Pentagon is asking if Islam is an ideological engine of war: "The government asks the forbidden question: How closely related is Islamic terrorism to mainstream Islam itself?"

Finally, we quit taking the Moonbats ($1 to Michelle) word for it that Islam is a religion of peace (despite the beatings and murder of women who are victims of rape, the massacre of Christian girls and missionaries, and the public stoning of people who just irritated the wrong Iman) and seriously consider the question, what motivates these people? Is Islam absolutely hostile to free men and women, and people who wish to worship God in the manner they see fit? Are they compelled by their cult to destroy all who won't submit?

The article revealed:

'So far the conclusions of intelligence analysts assigned to the project, who include both private contractors and career military officials, contradict the commonly held notion that Islam is a peaceful religion hijacked or distorted by terrorists. They've found that the terrorists for the most part are following a war-fighting doctrine articulated through Muhammad in the Quran, elaborated on in the hadiths, codified in Islamic or sharia law, and reinforced by recent interpretations or fatwahs.

'Islam is an ideological engine of war (Jihad)," concludes the sensitive Pentagon briefing paper. And "no one is looking for its off switch.' Why? One major reason, the briefing states, is government-wide 'indecision [over] whether Islam is radical or being radicalized.' "

The report also notes according to the Quran, jihad is not something a Muslim can opt out of. It is required of a believer, even the weak and infirm must give "asylum and aid" (Surah 8:74) to those who seek to destroy the nonbelievers of Mohammed's writings. Conservatives have been pointing to this for several years, even pointing to Mohammed's own track record of murdering approximately 64 "heathens" including women and children, who didn't acknowledge him as a prophet and conform to his demands.

In further analyzing the threat here in the States, the Pentagon briefing details the U.S. has not suffered from scattered terrorist attacks, versus the elaborately planned and devastaing attack against the WTC, because it has a relatively small Muslim population. The report indicates that could change as the Muslim population grows and gains more confidence and power.

Sperry also writes:

The internal document explains that Islam divides offensive jihad into a "three-phase attack strategy" for gaining control of lands for Allah. The first phase is the "Meccan," or weakened, period, whereby a small Muslim minority asserts itself through largely peaceful and political measures involving Islamic NGOs -- such as the Islamic Society of North America, which investigators say has its roots in the militant Muslim Brotherhood, and Muslim pressure groups, such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations, whose leaders are on record expressing their desire to Islamize America.

In the second "preparation" phase, a "reasonably influential" Muslim minority starts to turn more militant. The briefing uses Britain and the Netherlands as examples.

And in the final jihad period, or "Medina Stage," a large minority uses its strength of numbers and power to rise up against the majority, as Muslim youth recently demonstrated in terrorizing France, the Pentagon paper notes.

It also notes that unlike Judaism and Christianity, Islam advocates expansion by force. The final command of jihad, as revealed to Muhammad in the Quran, is to conquer the world in the name of Islam. The defense briefing adds that Islam is also unique in classifying unbelievers as "standing enemies against whom it is legitimate to wage war."

It's an excellent read, and I highly recommend it, except for the libs. Maybe they can have someone read it to them since it does contain some big words. Also, since it's based on Islam's own words, examples of it's founders, quotes it's strategy and is written/assembled by people whose careers and possibly lives depend on an accurate portrayal, they won't believe it anyway.

Besides, according to the French-wannabe surrender monkey deanocrats, we've already lost. Wonder if the Iraqi's will even bother to show up for their third non-election this year since it's meaningless...

Damnit - Tookie is to die.

Now who will be left to write all the children's books???????


URGENT UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: Have no fear, all is well!!! We've just now been informed by our anonomous sources that Tookie has passed off this awesome responsiblity to Charles Manson and Scott Peterson. Whew! There for a minute I was worried stiff .....

It's official, Bill Clinton is an idiot....

Here's a guy, who doesn't know what the meaning of "is" is, but who is arrogant enough to presume to lecture the President and the rest of the nation on the latest research and findings concerning Global Warming. Last week he ushered forth with a definitive pronouncement of Global Warming and that no doubt remained as to it's existence or causality.

Global warming - is that why we had such a mild summer/cold winter here in the south and why NYC had one of the heaviest and earliest snow storms last week? And now, I see Bush has also screwed up the magnetic pole (which is shifting.) Can't wait for Hillary to get in office so she can fix it.

But she needs to do something with her hubby since he has apparently has given up cigars and gone with a higher class of women, crack-ho's.

Saddam and Dean, Dean and Saddam...

Two great visionaries and emissaries for the ideals and principles of the modern Democratic Party.

First you've got Saddam at his trial angrily declaring he's not afraid to die. And like most of the previous blustery rhetoric of the Dim party, we have every confidence that it's true and sincerely spoken. After all, that's why he was cowering in a spider hole for months when he was dragged out by the scruff of his neck... he was just looking for a few good Marines down there so he could kick their arse in Bush's unwinnable war... Which brings up the second great leader of the dims....

Howard Dean, he of the psychotic scream which even today, resonates in the hollow recesses of the liberal as their rallying cry (the French have already trademarked the term "surrender"). Deano has now declared the Iraq war to be "unwinnable."

NEWS FLASH -- the war is over - we actually, contrary to CNN reports, steamrolled Saddam's forces in a few weeks! What's left now is prolly about 10,000 Al Qaida/ Baathists/ Islamofascists versus about 26 million Iraqis. Not that actual experience counts for much, but if I remember, after Germany was defeated in WWII, there were still pockets of resistance, but the war was over. How long did it take for the last Japanese soldier to surrender - 1974? Was the war not over by then? Same in Iraq - we've won, we just got to finish the job to insure it sticks. We stayed in Germany and Japan for about 9 or 10 years, we'll be done in Iraq in half that time due to an outstanding job by our military.

There will always be those in this country that support the enemies of this nation, in some manner or form. The amazing thing is that such a portion of the American populace do not find it alarming that the leadership echoes the same refrains as Hussein and Bin laden, that they share the same practical goals such as emasculation of this President, the military and the war on terror.

Those who celebrate our enemies are cheered while they jeer those who fight for our freedom.

And that's not a problem??

Fahrenheit 911, opps - 1861

What if Michael Moore and Moveon.org were around in the 1850's and 60's? Do you ever wonder? Well, wonder no more. We have the answer:

Lincoln Lied, People Died.

This is so true, it hurts. Can't wait for Part II.