There have been some really disturbing health reports coming in from the Gulf region, and yet many public authorities have actually reopened beaches that were closed and are letting people go swimming in the Gulf of Mexico once again. But is this safe? On the American Dream blog we try to report the facts, but on this question we don’t know what all the facts are. Perhaps some of those living along the Gulf coast can let us know exactly what is happening down there. The reality is that there have been a lot of people claiming that they have become seriously ill in recent days. But could these people just be imagining things? Are the health dangers being overblown at this point? Or could the health effects of this oil spill be far worse than authorities are letting on as has happened during so many other disasters in the past? (Read More...)
Does America Deserve What Is Happening In The Gulf Of Mexico?
Before you read this, please be warned that the subject matter of this article is controversial. It is going to upset a lot of people who read it. In fact, it is likely to absolutely infuriate a large number of people. Why? Well, because it asks some really hard questions. You see, most Americans prefer to see this nation as a “good” and “moral” country that God has richly blessed. And there is no denying that God did tremendously bless the United States in the past. But over the past several decades we have been relentlessly pushing God away as a society. We have indulged in an orgy of endless greed, we have made lust and sexual gratification a national pastime and we have killed over 40 million babies since abortion was legalized in 1973. Our families are fractured and our love has grown cold, and yet we continue to borrow mountains of money so that we can go buy things at the store to make ourselves feel better as we pursue “the American Dream”. The truth is that the United States is not a “good” nation anymore. In fact, we have become filled with evil and wickedness. But most Americans seem to think that there will never be any consequences for all of this evil and wickedness. In fact, most Americans seem to expect God to snap to attention whenever we decide that we need to ask Him to do something for us. Of course the rest of the time we are more than happy to totally ignore Him. As the Gulf of Mexico oil spill crisis continues to get worse, many Americans are beginning to wonder where God is in all of this. Well, is it possible that God has taken His hand of protection off of us due to all of our wickedness? Is it possible that America could actually deserve what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico right now? (Read More...)
Environmental Devastation In The Gulf Of Mexico: Dolphins Covered In Oil, Sea Turtles Burned Alive And Massive Underwater Dead Zones
It is hard to put into words the environmental devastation taking place in the Gulf of Mexico right now. Thousands upon thousands of sea creatures have died from the oil already, and the ultimate death toll could be in the millions. In addition, as BP uses “burn boxes” to burn off some of the oil floating on the surface of the Gulf, thousands more sea creatures are literally being burned alive. The tragedy is unspeakable. Not only that, but scientists are now warning that the massive amounts of methane escaping into the Gulf could potentially create massive underwater dead zones in which nothing can live. Meanwhile, massive amounts of oil are coating American coastlines and beaches. And unfortunately, all of this is just going to get even worse as more oil continues to gush violently into the Gulf of Mexico each day. It is like a really bad dream that we just can’t wake up from. (Read More...)
Invasion! Mexican Drug Cartels Are Openly Conducting Military Operations Inside The United States
Many people wonder why so many of us are so hard on illegal immigration. Well, it is not because we are against migrant workers coming into the United States to help agricultural giants pick fruit. Certainly those workers should not be entering the country illegally – so if there is a real need for them a mechanism for bringing them in legally should be worked out. No, the reality is that securing our border is actually a national security issue. Federal agents and local law enforcement officials are now openly announcing that they are outgunned, outmanned and are increasingly being shot at by the Mexican drug cartels that are openly conducting military operations inside the United States. Things have actually gotten so bad that the U.S. government is warning U.S. citizens to permanently stay away from certain areas of Arizona. The truth is that so many of us are so worked up about illegal immigration not because we want to deny the “American Dream” to all of the people south of the border, but rather because we are actually witnessing a military invasion of our soil by some of the most ruthless and powerful drug cartels on earth. It is unconscionable for our politicians to stand by and do nothing to secure the border as foreigners continue to pour in and openly conduct military operations against the American people. (Read More...)
Freedom Of Speech Is Dead!
Is freedom of speech dead in America? Well, if not, it is rapidly dying. The most recent example to illustrate this comes out of Dearborn, Michigan. On June 18th, two Christians decided that they would peacefully pass out copies of the gospel of John on a public sidewalk outside a public Arab festival in Dearborn, and within 3 minutes 8 policemen surrounded them and placed them under arrest. Remember, these Christians were on a public sidewalk and were only very quietly handing out literature. Even their cameraman was arrested for simply filming what was taking place. The cameraman was not even involved in handing out the literature. Yet the police arrested him. At least two people claim that some bystanders cried out “Allahu Akbar!” as the Christians were being led away in handcuffs. Later, the group was told that they would have to go at least five blocks away to hand out their copies of the gospel of John. Freedom of speech has always been a big part of the American Dream, but as this incident and many others like it demonstrate, freedom of speech is rapidly being destroyed in the United States. And the American people are just standing around and letting it happen. The video posted below tells the story of what just happened a few days ago in Dearborn. Nabeel Qureshi, David Wood, Paul Rezkalla and Negeen Mayel attended the 15th annual Dearborn Arab International Festival on June 18th with the intent of peacefully passing out copies of the gospel of John outside the festival on a public sidewalk. The festival covers 14 blocks and was free and open to the public. Qureshi and Mayal are former Muslims who have now become Christians. Wood is a former atheist. All of them are from a group called Acts 17 Apologetics. What happened to them literally minutes after they started passing out copies of the gospel of John will have your jaw on the floor…. But this is far from the only example of free speech being trampled on in America. We have all heard about the “free speech zones” which law enforcement authorities set up wherever major politicians go. Often these “free speech zones” are so small and so enclosed that they resemble little more than jail cells. Apparently Americans still have freedom of speech as long as they do it in a little cage set up by authorities. The implication of these free speech zones is that everyone outside of the cage does not have the right to exercise free speech. How sick is that? Brian and Doris Johnson were recently arrested for attempting to pass out free Bibles at the Twin Cities Pride Festival in Minnesota. The truth is that it is hard to even get police to come out to your house if it has been broken into these days, but if you try to pass out Bibles at a “pride” festival they will come down on you like rabid dogs. Michael Anthony Marcavage, founder of Repent America ministries, was recently arrested for holding signs depicting graphic images of aborted babies and preaching to people waiting in line to enter the Liberty Bell Center in downtown Philadelphia. Apparently speaking out against abortion is not “politically correct” enough to be protected. Authorities have even attempted to ban home Bible studies in some areas of the United States. That is just how bad things are getting out there. Of course we all remember the University of Florida student who cried out “Don’t taze me bro!” after he was tackled to the floor and manhandled by police simply for asking John Kerry the wrong question…. The most disgusting thing about that whole situation was when news “anchors” on some of the major networks actually applauded the tazering of that poor young student. Whether you agree with that student or any of the other examples of free speech above, the truth is that we all need to stand together to protect it. If free speech is taken away from one of us, then it is taken away from all of us. Without free speech it is very easy for a nation to turn into another Nazi Germany. In fact, a large number of nations around the globe are already headed down that path. Someday websites such as this will be shut down because they are “offensive” to someone out there. Already, the FCC is pushing for tighter speech restrictions on the Internet because they say it has become more difficult for the public to separate “the facts” from “bigotry masquerading as news”. Of course the “facts” would be whatever they consider to be “politically correct” and “bigotry” would be anything that disagrees with them. Do you see how that works? The truth is that Americans are going to continue to be pushed into free speech zones, they are going to continue to be arrested for handing out literature on public sidewalks and the government is going to continue to place tighter and tighter controls on the Internet unless we stand up and say something. Do not take freedom of speech for granted. We are rapidly losing it, and once it is gone it will be incredibly difficult to get back. (Read More...)
California Bankrupt?
Is the state of California bankrupt? Well, an increasing number of politicians and economic analysts are answering that question in the affirmative. The truth is that California is a complete and total economic disaster area. The state government of California is projected to have a budget deficit of at least 19 billion dollars this year, and next year the budget gap is projected to grow to 37 billion dollars. To put that in perspective, the entire budget for the government of California is only about $125 billion per year. Already, California’s credit rating is the lowest of all 50 states, and there are persistent rumors that it is about to go lower. If California’s credit rating is slashed, it will be very expensive for them to borrow the money that they desperately need. Once upon a time, the state of California was the poster child for the American Dream, but now it is on the leading edge of America’s rapidly unfolding economic nightmare. (Read More...)
Housing Collapse 2010?
Will we see the start of another housing collapse before the end of 2010? That is what a number of top economists are beginning to fear. The truth is that there are some very troubling signs in the housing numbers. The massive tax credit that the U.S. government was offering to home buyers helped prop up the housing market for quite a while, but now that the tax credit has expired, many real estate professionals are bracing for the worst. The reality is that foreclosures continue to set all-time records, the mortgage industry is a complete mess and another massive wave of adjustable rate mortgages is scheduled to reset in 2011 and 2012. As the U.S. economy continues to falter, and as the nation starts to deal with the economic fallout from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, many are now wondering how in the world Americans are going to be able to afford to purchase millions of these homes which are still massively overpriced. The American Dream is still way too expensive for the vast majority of Americans. So are there signs that housing prices in the U.S. could be on the verge of another major decline? (Read More...)
The Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill Is Making A Lot Of People Really Sick
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is already the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, but what most people don’t know is that it is rapidly turning into a public health disaster of frightening proportions. Reports are scattered and mostly anecdotal at this point (as BP and the U.S. government try to keep a lid on information getting out), but it is becoming increasingly clear that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and/or the chemical dispersants being used are making a lot of people sick. So far most of the reports have been about breathing difficulties, vomiting and various flu-like symptoms. But it is the health effects that will take a long time to show up that are the most concerning. For example, this oil spill has released massive amounts of benzene into the Gulf. Benzene actually enters human cells and damages DNA material. In fact, the Department of Health and Human Services tells us that exposure to benzene has been proven to cause leukemia. So are we about to see a massive wave of cancer sweep the Gulf coast? At this point nobody knows. What is becoming clear is that a whole lot of people are becoming ill. Several days ago, the state of Louisiana announced that 71 cases of oil spill-related illnesses had been reported to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals up to that point. A significant number of those had not even been involved in any of the clean up efforts. But the cases of illness are most prominent among those involved in cleaning up the oil spill. CBS news has reported that more than 75 oil spill disaster workers have already been treated for mysterious symptoms. The most common symptoms being reported by oil spill disaster workers include vomiting, dizziness, headaches and shortness of breath. The wife of one fisherman who is involved in disaster relief efforts in the Gulf recently told CNN what her husband has been telling her about what is really going on out there…. “I received several calls from him saying, ‘This one’s hanging over the boat throwing up. This one says he’s dizzy, and he’s feeling faint. Everybody’s loading up their stuff, tying up their rigs and going back to the docks.'” Down in Texas, they are referring to these illnesses as “TILT” – Toxicant-Induced Loss of Tolerance. The following is an excerpt from a local news report out of San Antonio…. For weeks now, local hospitals have tracked patients with suspicious symptoms coming in from the gulf coast. Doctors are having trouble distinguishing it from the flu. “What makes it challenging is that patients show up with non-specific symptoms. Headaches, fatigue, problems with memory and concentration, upset stomach,” lists Dr. Claudia Miller at UT Health Science Center. So what in the world is causing all this? Nobody knows for certain yet. But if the smell of the oil on some Gulf beaches is already so strong that it burns your nostrils, then what in the world is this oil going to do to our health? Needless to say, this is a story that the mainstream media needs to start following a lot more closely. One of our readers named Debra from Louisiana recently left a comment describing the breathing difficulties and headaches that she is now experiencing…. I live in Gretna, La just a little past the Huey P Long bridge. I have had headaches for several days now. I am also having trouble breathing like i am having a asthma episode. I don’t even have asthma. If it gets any worse i am going to the hospital. All i can say is someone needs to look into this seriously, The air smells like burning crayons (that is the best way to explain it). It has smelled like this for several days now. A reader named Stacy on our sister website recently posted a very alarming comment regarding what is happening in her area down in Florida…. We live in the navarre, florida area and in the past week almost every family we know has had vomiting and diarreha. This could just be anecdotal – maybe we just have a stomach bug circulating, but it is strange. We had a huge storm the week before it happened that blew in from the gulf so who knows. Also, the city of destin, florida has taken it upon themselves to close the destin pass with their own purchased boom and barges. This is an elite destination and they are not waiting around for bp and their hired prison workers to clean the beaches. Apparently, the coast guard was at the meeting and told the locals that they will face criminal prosecution, but they don’t care. They are protecting their million dollar properties. Another commenter from Louisiana named Joe says that everyone in his family is dealing with these kinds of health issues right now…. We live near Hammond, LA which is some 60 miles NORTH of New Orleans, LA. For the past two to three weeks we have been having mild flu like symptoms. I hardly never get sick but cannot get ride of a runny nose and a constant headache that only goes away when I leave this area (heading North). My entire family has the same problems as well as many of our friends in the area. The most frightening thing is that nobody knows exactly what we are dealing with here. Are there any other factors other than all the oil that is causing all of these health issues? Are these illnesses being caused by the extremely high levels of methane that scientists have detected in the Gulf of Mexico? Are the 1 million gallons of dispersal agents such as Corexit 9500 and Corexit 9527 that BP has poured into the Gulf to blame? Are people becoming sick due to all the hydrogen sulfide and benzene being released by the oil spill? Considering the fact that exposure to benzene has been proven to cause leukemia, it is imperative that we get some answers sooner rather than later. And unfortunately, the threat from this oil spill is only going to continue to grow. The truth is that this is not just an “oil leak”. This is an “oil volcano” that is pumping out oil at such high pressure that BP is totally at a loss for how to stop it. In fact, BP’s Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles recently told CNN that BP’s data indicates that BP can’t cap the leaking oil, or it might cause the well casing to blow out. So when will this oil volcano be stopped? Nobody knows. Meanwhile, at least one industry expert is estimating that the oil beneath the surface of the water already covers 40% of the Gulf of Mexico. 40% of the Gulf of Mexico? And it is still getting worse? It is hard to even find the words to describe how horrific this nightmare is becoming. If you live along the Gulf coast and you know of some health issues where you live, please leave a comment below. Hopefully if we all work together we can start to piece the facts together about this very dangerous health crisis…. (Read More...)