Archive of All Articles: 2001 to Present

This archive includes everything I deemed worth saving over the years. In some of my oldest articles the date may be no more than my best guess, but the rest are properly dated. Note that links to older articles will take you to my old website, which I maintain simply because it'd be an enormous hassle to copy all the oldies to the blog. -- Alan

Home  |  Contact Me

Go to: 2006  |  2005  |  2004  |  2003  |  2002  |  2001

Articles from 2006...

Another Blow to National Security
By Alan Burkhart

Score another victory for Radical Islam and their partners at the ACLU. And chalk up another loss for American citizens. We’ve been rendered blind and deaf in a time when we desperately need to be vigilant. The recent plot uncovered by British MI5 agents to blow up commercial airliners is proof of the need for operations like the NSA Foreign Surveillance Program. And yet the left continues to tie the hands of those who are trying to lead the fight against international terrorism.
Read it...

What's in a Name?
August 15, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

According to an article by Jim Kouri, a half-dozen Indians have filed a petition with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to force the NFL's Washington Redskins to change their name. Some may feel that this is another example of political correctness run amok. Still others may feel it's completely justified. The American Indians who have filed the petition evidently feel they are being disparaged.
Read it

American Torture Chambers
August 13, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

According to an article posted at the Fox News website on July twenty-fourth, the City of Chicago has enacted a ban on serving Foie Gras in restaurants. I absolutely do not subscribe to the views of those who claim we should stop eating meat altogether. In the case of Foie Gras however, I am inclined to agree. It's one thing to kill and butcher an animal for food. A dead animal doesn't feel any pain. It's something else entirely when we torture an animal for days or weeks before killing it.
Read it...

Quiet, Please
August 5, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

I heard the rumble as they exited the freeway. Around the bend they came, driving way too fast and making more racket than a dozen semis. "They" were three bikers on their Harleys, complete with straight pipes, black leather, and shaggy beards flopping in the breeze. They couldn't be content to just idle their engines as they came under the canopy over the gas islands. They continued revving their un-muffled engines until they'd all found vacant pumps. No purpose was served by their incessant winding of their engines. It was noise for the sake of the noise itself, and under the relatively close confines of the canopy, the sheer loudness left everyone's ears ringing.
Read it...

Anger Mismanagement
July 29, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

We live in an angry world. Israel is angry with Hezbollah for attacking into Israeli territory. Hezbollah is angry with Israel for having the nerve to do something about it. America is angry with Al Qaida for killing 3000 people on American soil. Al Qaida is angry because American women don’t wear burqas.
Read it...

When Diplomacy Turns Deadly
July 20, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Recent events in Israel and Lebanon should be the final nail in the coffin for Middle Eastern diplomacy. Is there anyone left in the world besides Kofi Annan who believes in the possibility of peace through treaties and diplomacy where Radical Islam is involved?
Read it...

Taxpayers Pay for Government Ineptitude
July 5, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

New Jersey is at a stalemate in regards to a new budget, and its government officially closed all nonessential operations on the morning of July 5th. The budget debate centers around a dispute between Governor Corzine and lawmakers over what to do with revenues from Corzine’s proposed one percent sales tax hike. Corzine wants to use it to handle his budget shortfall. Some lawmakers favor using it to offset proposed reductions in New Jersey’s property tax rates, which are the highest in the nation.
Read it...

Psychopaths and Nuclear Missiles
June 28, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Suppose you’re a military superpower. Also suppose that your relationship with another superpower is less than cordial, but vital to your economic survival. Now, suppose that a tiny, starving nation with which you share a border is considering the test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking that aforementioned other superpower.
Read it...

Kallie’s Story: A Microcosm of a Troubled Society
June 20, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Regardless of which side of the ideological fence one happens to occupy, no one can honestly deny that we live in a troubled society. There is no better example than what happened to a mentally retarded girl in Colorado Springs, CO.
Read it...

The Death of Three Nations
June 15, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Based on the facts as I see them, the American people are about to get arguably the rudest awakening in the last one hundred years. The middle class will vanish, our social programs will fall into insolvency, and a select few people will make a hell of a lot of money at the expense of the rest of us.
Read it...

Extremism or Stupidity?
June 3, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

As a Christian, I am disturbed by the growing trend of believers who are “going over the wall.” Why are so many believers embracing extremism and intolerance? To a small degree, I can understand it. Christianity has more than its share of enemies and it’s necessary to fight back. But those enemies’ actions are largely based in intolerance. By becoming intolerant ourselves, we come to resemble those who oppose us. This creates not only a problem for Christianity itself, but for the entire nation – both politically and culturally.
Read it...

Living Above the Law
May 29, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

That Representative William Jefferson (D-La) has engaged in felonious behavior is true beyond a doubt. But that behavior did not end with Mr. Jefferson. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi seem more concerned with stretching and contorting the Constitution than enforcing the law. And, President Bush is once again making nice when he should instead be letting the FBI do its job.
Read it...

Bracing for the Storm
A few thoughts on the coming hurricane season
May 23, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast last year, I was in Maryland. I sat in front of the television and became physically ill while watching the gigantic storm rage inland like a great beast from the ancient past. Katrina’s effects were felt all the way to the Great Lakes, and nearly two thousand people died during the storm and its aftermath.
Read it...

Relax! It’s Only a Movie
May 16, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Bless me Father, for I have sinned. I have read a Dan Brown novel. Worse, I enjoyed it. I feel soiled, and I fear I may do it again. Am I doomed to dwell in Purgatory?
Read it...

Censure Carter? Bad Idea!
May 8, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Over the past couple of months, a petition demanding a congressional censure of former President Jimmy Carter has been gaining momentum via the Internet. Please indulge me for a moment while I explain what a horrifically bad idea this is.
Read it...

So Many Crises, So Little Time
April 27, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

It’s so much fun being a writer these days. Everywhere I look I see potential subject material. Perhaps the hardest part is just making up my mind what to write about.
One thing I’ve noticed lately is that Americans tend to miss the obvious. Not just the rank file like you and me, but the elites also seem to have developed a tendency to stumble into trees even though they’re fully aware of being in the forest. So, please bear with me while I point out a few obvious facts.
Read it...

Freedom Of Harassment
April 20, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Imagine for a moment that you have a family member who has died in the War on Terror. Now imagine a gaggle of protestors showing up at the funeral and chanting “God Hates Fags” and “God Hates Cripple Soldiers.” This is the specialty of the good folks from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, KS. - a group of people convinced that every single misfortune befalling an American is due to our nation’s tolerance of homosexuals.
Read it...

Illegal Immigration: Politics As Usual
April 16, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

There are numerous facets to the illegal immigration debate – amnesty, security, jobs & wages, and human rights, to name a few. The problem is that the primary issue has been lost in the shuffle. It’s been neglected for so long that it now appears to be at best only a secondary consideration, and this speaks volumes about the state of our nation.
Read it...

A Break in the Action
April 10, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Dammit! Enough already!
I’m feeling the need for some good news. If I’m feeling it, then it’s a good bet that a lot of you feel it, too. Want some?
Read it...

How Dare We Fight Back?
April 4, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Have you ever noticed how the Left sees the pursuit of its agenda as being a protected constitutional right, while at the same time proclaiming that conservatives are hate-mongers and homophobes for doing the same thing? How does that work?
Read it...

There is Only One Solution for Illegal Immigration
March 28, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Ah… if only I had been Dictator of California a few days ago. Just imagine. Half a million illegal immigrants in one place. Had things been left to me, there’d have been INS, police and National Guard blocking every street and store front once the so-called protestors assembled.
I’d have used tear gas and rubber bullets, and maybe even the trusty old water cannon to subdue the masses. I’d have had military transport planes standing by to receive the human cargo from the prison buses delivering the illegals to the nearest airport.
Read it...

Red Ink, Red Tape and Republicans
March 20, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Does this sound like someone you know?
“So there I was – my checking account overdrawn, my credit cards maxed out, and all my monthly bills were coming due. I didn’t have any money to pay them because I’d already blown it elsewhere. No problem! I just went out and borrowed some money and paid everything for the month. It was so easy, I think I may do it again next month. Why not? I can always get more money…”
If you said, “Sounds like the government,” give yourself an A-plus.
Read it...

Sex Education With Hands-On Training
March 10, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

In recent years we have seen a literal epidemic of illicit sexual activity between minor students and their school teachers. The evidence tends to make me believe that in terms of sheer numbers, this may be an even bigger problem than child molestation by clergy. Why are student-teacher affairs on the rise, and what can we do to curtail the problem?
Read it...

Delusions, Desperation and Democrats Part II
March 7, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Author’s Note: I hadn’t planned to write a “sequel” to my piece from a few days ago. However, the utterly poisonous responses from liberals all over the country make me think that another one might be appropriate.
There are two main reasons why liberal Democrats have lost so many elections in recent years. One has been around a long time, and the other is comparatively new.
Read it...

Delusions, Desperation and Democrats
March 4, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Over the last several weeks I have watched in awe as a dominant force in American and world politics has attempted to destroy itself. The Democrat Party, once a juggernaut of seemingly endless power, wealth and influence has become a laughing stock. Liberals around the world must be scratching their heads and wondering what could have happened to the Party of the Almighty Jackass. What has happened is that through their own actions they have exposed themselves better than any conservative commentator could have hoped to do.
Read it...

The Politics of Petroleum
February 25, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Has anyone noticed that most of the nations from which we get our oil are markedly anti-American?
Read it...

The Liberal Guide to Total Personal Safety
February 16, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

After the recent media furor over Dick Cheney’s hunting accident, I have given much thought on just how we might avoid such needless incidents of injury and death in the future. It would appear that in this case, we should follow the liberals’ logic (now there’s and oxymoron) to solve the problem.
Read it...

Wing Nuts, Perverts and Fred The Baptist
February 7, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

... Then came the soft knock at my driver’s side door. I had an idea what it would be. Hookers work truck stops all over the country. My normal response is to just ignore them. In this case the knocking continued until I finally gave up and opened the curtain. Standing there looking up expectantly at me was a boy of about 11 years.
Read it...

Ninth Circuit Says: Go Ahead and Kill the Children
February 3, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

...If children can be slaughtered like livestock all the way into the third trimester, how far are we from the point in which a child can be euthanized shortly after birth? Child euthanasia is already legal in The Netherlands under extreme circumstances. In a partial birth abortion, the child is outside of the womb with the exception of its head. The child lies mere inches from live birth, but instead suffers a death worthy of a Medieval torture chamber.
Read it...

Money, Marijuana, and Mexico
January 26, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Much has been written over the last few years about our problems with Mexico. Illegal drugs, illegal immigrants, tax fraud, job loss and the unpaid medical bills of illegals have placed a huge burden on American taxpayers.
Along with American jobs flowing southward into Mexico, more American jobs are lost as illegal Mexican immigrants flow northward to be hired by unscrupulous employers on our own soil. In spite of this one-two punch, our dynamic economy has thus far prevented a catastrophic unemployment rate. But good economies come and go, and sooner or later we’ll see a downturn. What then? If these crooks are hiring cheap illegal labor while the economy is good, what are the chances of them hiring you or me when the economy begins to slow?
Read it...

Killing Those Who Richly Deserve It
A Response to Cliff Kincaid’s “Potheads and Mental Illness”
January 24, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

Cliff Kincaid’s fine article regarding the links between marijuana use and mental disorders (Potheads and Mental Illness) makes a number of valid points. If I may, I’d like to take it a step or two further by drawing on my own experiences. Yes friends, I’m a former pot smoker.
Read it...

Fumbling the Political Football
January 20, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

As I sat in front of the television last week watching the NFL Divisional Playoffs, I was struck with the notion that the Republican Party and the Pittsburgh Steelers might be using the same playbook. Never mind that former Steeler Lynn Swann has aspirations of being the GOP governor of Pennsylvania.
Read it...

Will The Real Great Satan Please Stand Up?
January 13th, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

I’m getting a little tired of the mindless anti-Americanism that seems to exist all around the globe. The Europeans blame us for global warming and inciting Islamic terrorists. Liberals in Canada blame us for gun violence, global warming and inciting Islamic terrorists. And, liberals right here at home blame us for global warming and… did you guess, “inciting Islamic terrorists?” Wait a minute! Do you see a pattern here?
Read it...

How Deadly are Our Coal Mines?
January 8, 2006 By Alan Burkhart

We’ve all watched and read the news of the awful tragedy at the Sago coal mine in West Virginia. Twelve of thirteen miners trapped for 42 hours after an explosion died, and the sole survivor was left in a coma. Everyone knows that working in a mine has more than its share of dangers, but just how dangerous is it?
Read it...

---

Articles from 2005...

Now They're Getting Silly
December 31, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

They must be joking, right? The Mainstream Media is all excited over web cookies? Before I get started on this latest non-event, let’s make sure that everyone is up to speed.
Cookies, as you probably know, are tiny text files that a web server can place on your computer for various reasons. Ninety percent of those reasons are perfectly benign. My web host uses a harmless cookie to track how many computers visit my site, and which pages they visit. The cookie doesn’t gather any information that constitutes a violation of privacy. If it did, I’d find another host.
Read it...

The World According To The Left
December 21, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

Is it just me, or does the Democrat Party live in an alternate universe? Let me see if I understand all this correctly...
First, terrorism does not represent a significant threat to America even though since the 1990's we've seen thousands of Americans killed by terrorists. The Patriot Act is evil because it might violate someone's civil liberties if it was abused. And, American soldiers in Iraq are terrorizing young children by breaking down their doors and dragging their daddies away in the middle of the night.
Read it...

Why Islam Will Never Conquer The USA
December 16, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

In the year 2010… Breaking News: With the destruction of the last American Mosque yesterday, American Muslims have agreed to surrender and accept deportation back to France. The decision has prompted dancing in the streets of New York and San Francisco by elements of several Gay and Feminist militia groups, including the Bikini Brigade, Lesbian Legionaries and the violent cult, PMS-13.
Read it...

Understanding Eminent Domain
December 8, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

The property rights debate continues to rage across the nation as local governments take advantage of the disastrous “Kelo” ruling by the Supreme Court. Through it all, Americans keep wondering, “How is this possible in the land of the free?”
Read it...

Holy Cows?
December 3, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

With so many different issues facing American society these days it’s easy to let a few of them slip through the cracks – until one of them hits close to home. Those good folks in New London, CT probably never thought about eminent domain abuse until they found out their homes were being stolen by the city government. Few parents in Texas were aware of the fact of their children’s school records being public domain information, until concerns of pedophiles brought the issue to the forefront.
And me? I’d have never given a moment’s thought to the Open Range laws in some western states if not for making a friend who is under attack for defending his home and family against a greedy rancher. Now that friend is facing felony charges and could end up in prison.
Read it...

Envy Not the Governator
November 26, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger faces a lose – lose situation with the clemency plea from Crips co-founder Stanley “Tookie” Williams. Williams was convicted and sent to San Quentin Prison on four counts of murder in 1979. Since then, Williams has supposedly turned his life around, writing nine children’s books and speaking out against gang violence. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize each year since 2001 although never considered a serious contender. Through it all, Williams has maintained his innocence.
Read it...

More Nanny-State Nonsense
November 19, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

The Anti-Smoking Nazis are at it again. This time, Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. and 31 other State Attorneys General have sent a written request to Paramount Pictures asking that an anti-smoking public service announcement (PSA) be included in all DVD movies that depict smoking. Yeah, like there isn’t already enough junk to deal with on a DVD or VHS before I finally get to see the movie.
Read it...

A Different Type of Deficit
November 14, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

For years uncounted, the United States has engaged in the noble practice of exporting American-style freedom. We first cleaned up our own back yard by ending slavery. We were successful in World Wars I and II. We could only reach a tie in the Korean War however, and we failed in Viet Nam. Now we are trying to export our brand of freedom to a Middle East that still exists in the Seventh Century and we continue, to a lesser degree, to export our best product to Communist China.
Read it...

'tis the Season
November 11, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

Ah… it’s that time of year again. The time of year when I stay far away from the crowded malls, avoid the entire street where sits the Wal-Mart Supercenter, and thank God Above for giving me the wisdom to have NEVER in my life possessed a credit card.
Read it...

Grasping the Last Straw
November 5, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

The Democrat Party is a house of cards and is quite likely to be blown down sometime quite soon. This fact is obvious when one examines the party’s frankly erratic behavior over the last couple of years. Even old-guard Democrats like Zell Miller and Jimmy Carter have spoken out against the lunacy of the present-day Democrats. Take a quick look at recent Democrat depravities…
Read it...

Farrakhan is a Thug, Too
October 17, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

Louis Farrakhan is at it again. With the “Millions More Movement” he has catapulted himself back into the media spotlight in a manner that must make Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton green with envy. One thing that doesn’t get a lot of mention, although most Americans are certainly aware of it, is the fact that Farrakhan isn’t just another “Liberal Black Leader Wannabe.” Farrakhan is the leader of the American Islamic movement, The Nation of Islam.
Read it...

How Progressive are the Progressives?
October 12, 2005 Alan Burkhart

One of the Left’s most important strategies is the way they label and therefore define their opposition. Think back to the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. The Left consistently labeled George W. Bush as being stupid, incompetent, and as one Democrat candidate put it, “a miserable failure.” They did this while also portraying John Kerry as smart, articulate, and better-educated than President Bush. Never mind the fact that Bush had better grades in college than Kerry. Since when have the facts mattered to these people?
Read it...

A Comparison of Character
October 6, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

With so much attention focused on New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, a significant fact has been largely overlooked. As a proud citizen of the Magnolia State I believe it’s high time to make a comparison of just how folks from Mississippi dealt with the storm’s aftermath compared to those in and around New Orleans.
Read it...

Is Oil Shale The Answer?
September 30, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

With fuel prices skyrocketing many people are thinking that extracting petroleum from a soft rock known as oil shale may provide an answer to America’s energy woes by providing an additional source of crude. Although no one is saying that oil shale could replace traditional exploration, I have serious doubts about its viability. I’m not ruling it out, mind you, but if history is to be our guide we likely have little to gain and much to lose by sinking money into the expensive process of extracting oil from stone.
Read it...

Guns, Road Rage, and Eighteen-Wheelers
Sept 20, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

On Thursday, September 15th I came fairly close to being a corpse. First, let me say two things… one is that this little tale is absolutely true, and also that because criminal proceedings are currently in progress, it is necessary that I omit specific places and names. Suffice it to say that it happened very near to where I live in Mississippi.
Read it...

Bad Decision, Dangerous Precedent
September 14, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

Gun owners and gun owner rights groups across America are rightfully outraged at the recent decision by New Orleans law enforcement officials to confiscate the firearms of law-abiding citizens. According to city officials, while the crisis spawned by Katrina exists, no one but law enforcement will have guns in New Orleans. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there a little something in the United States Constitution that specifically prohibits this sort of thing?
Read it...

Here Come the Kooks!
September 12, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

The conspiracy kooks are coming out of the woodwork in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. According to information "obtained" by radio show host Hal Turner, divers have uncovered evidence that explosives were used to break the 17th Street Canal levee in New Orleans. Also, according to an article by kook extraordinaire Ernesto Cienfuegos, this was accomplished by federal agents or military personnel who ended up in a firefight with New Orleans police.
Read it...

Katrina - Taking Hypocrisy to a New Level
September 10, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

Almost immediately after Hurricane Katrina passed through New Orleans, Democrats began criticizing the Bush Administration for supposedly poor handling of the situation. The so-called Mainstream Media constantly aired scenes of death and destruction while depicting heroic rescue efforts as being "inadequate" or "too little too late." As with the War on Terror, the Left is again attempting to portray President Bush as being both incompetent and uncaring. On the surface it might appear that this is simply another facet of the ongoing Democrat smear campaign against President Bush. There is, however, another reason and the double hypocrisy involved here is sickening when one takes into account the human suffering involved.
Read it...

Kids and Guns
September 6, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

I have just finished reading an overview of a report, "PAX/Real Solutions to Gun Violence," claiming that the vast majority of parents don't have a clue about gun safety. According to the report, 72 percent of parents with loaded guns in the home believed that their children didn't know the location of the "family gun" while 80 percent of the children actually knew exactly where the gun was hidden.
The report even urges parents to ask other parents if they have guns in their homes before letting their children go visit their friends to play. If my parents had barred me from playing at friends' homes in which guns were present, I'd have been stuck at home throughout my youth.
Read it...

The Lost City of New Orleans
Startling Archaeological Discovery Revealed by FHPA
September 5, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

(Gulf States Wetlands Region, Oct 5, 3004) The Federal Historical Preservation Agency (FHPA) has revealed the reason, and the results, of a closely guarded secret project in southern Louisiana. Earlier today in an exclusive interview with Renaldo Primavera, FHPA Southeastern District Secretary Aloysius "Bubba" Thibodaux announced that a buried city, believed to be the legendary Lost City of New Orleans, has been almost completely excavated from beneath millions of tons of mud, silt, and rock.
Read it...

Seeking Profit From Disaster
September 2, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

One thing becomes patently obvious from the events of recent days. Liberals see disasters like Hurricane Katrina as an opportunity. Those of us caught in the disaster are seen as pieces on the political game board to be manipulated by angry, resentful liberals as they seek a means to return their party to power.
Read it...

Abortion: Politics vs. Common Sense
2005 By Alan Burkhart

Abortion is the ultimate political hot potato. When is it justified, and when is it murder?
Read it...

The Morning After Pill - Legality vs. Morality
August 20, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

The city council of Austin, TX has ruled that as of September, 1, 2005 all Walgreens pharmacies within that city must fill prescriptions for "morning after" emergency contraception pills for women who receive aid from Austin's Medical Assistance Program. This measure is the result of the refusal by many pharmacists on moral grounds to fill prescriptions for birth control and for the "morning after" pill, which is designed to prevent (or abort) pregnancy caused by recent sexual activity. Walgreens is that city's pharmaceutical contractor. There are several sides to this story…
Read it...

Ranting, Raving, and Arithmetic
August 1, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

President Bush's nomination of John Roberts to the US Supreme Court has abortion rights advocates in an uproar. Everywhere you look, liberals are screaming for hearings on the order of the Spanish Inquisition to lay bare every single aspect of Roberts' views on the subject of "Reproductive Rights."
Read it...

Mohammed was a Thug
July 25, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

...The Islamic deity, Allah, is a false god. While the term "Allah" does indeed carry the same meaning as "God," Mohammed's Allah is nothing more than a construct of a vile false prophet who sought to create an empire upon the rotting corpses of his enemies. Let's review some history...
Read it...

The Race to Pillage the Village
July 18, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

It seems that the various city and county governments around the country have shot themselves in the foot. After Kelo vs. New London, there was a gleeful rush to condemn coveted private property so it could be taken for redevelopment. As a result, citizens all over the nation are contacting their state representatives. It now appears that the use of eminent domain for private development may eventually be curtailed or even prohibited in many states.
Read it...

The American Underclass
July 10, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

Throughout history America has always had an underclass; those people who work for little or no money and who perform the most undesirable jobs. During America's early years, vicious African tribesmen sold lesser tribes to slave merchants. Those merchants jammed their defenseless "cargo" into the holds of their ships and hauled them to Europe and America with little regard for their safety or well-being. Those who died in the squalid conditions below decks were unceremoniously dumped overboard.
Read it...

A Property Rights Paradox
June 26, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

In "Kelo vs. City of New London", the US Supreme Court has ruled in a 5-4 decision that local governments can seize private property for the express purpose of building private sector projects.
Read it...

Paging Doctor Frankenstein...
June 24, 2005 by Alan Burkhart

At the recent European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology conference in Copenhagen, scientists from Britain's University of Sheffield announced that human eggs and sperm can be created from embryonic stem cells. The implications are obvious.
Read it...

CODEX: The Wrong Choice for America's Health
June 21, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

Once again the elitists here and abroad are preparing to take away more of our freedoms. This time it's an unholy alliance between our federal government and the petty tyrants in the World Health Organization. Never mind the fact that some European nations already have this problem. That's their problem. I'm tired of worrying about what happens to the Euro-weenies. What upsets me is that our government is poised to allow international law to override US domestic law.
Read it...

Disaster by Design: Government Healthcare
June 17, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

Liberals in this country want to force a social(ist) healthcare plan upon us. Here's why you DO NOT want this to happen.
Read it...

Freezing Babies for Fun and Profit
June 6, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

Mankind has an aggravating habit of complicating simple issues. Perhaps the most obvious example in present times is the raging debate over embryonic stem cell research. Let's put this in its proper perspective… Do you think it's okay to create a human child, freeze the little guy for up to 5 years, then thaw the poor kid out and kill him? This is the process of storing human embryos and harvesting embryonic stem cells.
Read it...

Click It or Ticket
June 4, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

Oh boy! I made it through another National "Click it or Ticket" week without getting a ticket (I don't click it). First, let me say that I recognize the fact that seatbelts can save your life in an accident. However, who is government to require intelligent adults to wear them? Excuse me, but if I as a competent, licensed, and insured adult wish to drive without being tied to the driver's seat shouldn't that be my choice to make?
Read it...

The Undeclared War
May 30, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

I believe it's high time Americans came to grips with the fact that a war is being fought on our soil. I'm not talking about the War on Terror although there are certainly links to the W.O.T. within the war to which I refer. The nation of Mexico is waging an undeclared war against the United States. Based upon what I see, I believe America has at best a few years left to her before she collapses. Lest you think this is the raving of a paranoid right-winger, let's look at the facts...
Read it...

How Much Is Too Much?
May 22, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

There is presently much debate and paranoia about the National Identification Card (RealID) presently cruising along to becoming law. Principal concerns include the increased possibility of identity theft and a general compromising of our rights to privacy. What amazes me about it is that so many people are behaving as though this were something new. America has had a national ID system in effect since 1992. It just hasn't been required for all Americans.
Read it...

Regarding the Origin of the Universe
May 17, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

Am I the only one who marvels at the futility of Man as he tries to explain the origin of the universe? The time and effort expended upon this pursuit could be far better spent upon issues that actually lack an answer. Trying to find a new explanation for the cosmos via science is like trying to reinvent the wheel.
Read it...

Good Intentions, Bad Results
May 8, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

One of the hottest topics in the news, talk radio, and coffee shops around the USA right now is the ongoing tug of war between the Religious Right and the Secular Left. Religious conservatives (including me) maintain that the Left is determined to remove or at least marginalize religion in America. The Left contends that the Religious Right is trying to create a new Taliban right here in the United States. How did we reach a point where God has been dragged into the political arena?
Read it...

God, Government, and Guarantees
April 16, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

One of the defining principles of modern liberalism is the belief that We The People are entitled to have certain guarantees from government. These guarantees generally revolve around the receipt of a monthly check. According to the Left, we should be guaranteed healthcare, a paid retirement, and a safety net in the event that we lose a job, become addicted to heroin, or grow too fat to work.
Read it...

So... You Want to be a Trucker?
April 9, 2005 By Alan Burkhart

I get so many e-mails from people who are considering taking a shot at being a trucker. I generally get asked the same questions by all of them, and so I've written this article in the hopes that those of you who wish to enter into the industry will find it helpful and informative. I've also taken pains to make it a bit entertaining so that it's not a dry read.
Read it...

---

Articles from 2004...

Someone Special
2004 By Alan Burkhart

Every once in a while, you meet someone who truly has an impact upon you. Today I met such a person. It was shaping up to be the Mother Of All Bad Days. Bad directions, bad traffic, a city with which I'm unfamiliar (rare for me). Not to mention a tight schedule. It could have ended up being one of those forgettable days that you just put behind you and try to pretend never happened. That changed with a phone call...
Read it...

Thanks Mom
August 12, 2004 By Alan Burkhart

It's so easy to just take for granted the good lives most of us live in America. When's the last time you thanked those who worked their fingers to the bone to give you that good life?
Read it...

Waitresses of the World, I Salute You
July 9, 2004 By Alan Burkhart

Part of a waitress's job is dealing with the occasional nutjob that wanders in looking for trouble. The two girls in this article rose far above the call of duty.
Read it...

America Isn't Gone, But She's Going
2004 By Alan Burkhart

A timely reminder that our worst enemy isn't a group of foreign terrorists, but rather those right here on American soil who would expose us to attack for their own political gain.
Read it...

Cocaine, Welfare, and Asparagus
2004 By Alan Burkhart

A look at how the so-called War On Drugs has wrecked two of America's oldest industries, and failed miserably to slow the flow of cocaine into the U.S.
Read it...

Exporting Employment
2004 By Alan Burkhart

I’ve been digging deeper and deeper into the data surrounding the issue of Job Outsourcing (as in overseas) versus Job Insourcing (overseas jobs coming to the U.S.). It would appear that we are indeed benefiting from the outsourcing of jobs in that American companies are able to grow other parts of their workforce by sending some jobs (mostly manufacturing) to other countries. There are however, notable limitations to those benefits and I do not believe those benefits will last. Here are the pros and cons...
Read it...

Choosing a President
2004 By Alan Burkhart

A close look at why John Kerry is definitely NOT the man we need in the White House. His record speaks for itself, which is why Kerry's camp is working hard to hide it behind anti-Bush rhetoric and outright lies.
Read it...

A Monster Story
2004 By Alan Burkhart

Eleven year-old Carlie Brucia is dead... the victim of a monster who chose to divorce himself from humanity and become a mindless creature of animal instinct and craven need. Stranger abductions have become so common that we now have a national alert system for the sole purpose of recovering kidnapped children... hopefully alive. Unfortunately, miracles like the story of Elizabeth Smart don't happen often. Carlie's tragic story is the rule rather than the exception. There have been recorded cases of child abduction and murder throughout history. But, in our supposedly enlightened era of today, why are there so many?
Read it...

---

Articles from 2003...

A Government Out of Control
October 20, 2003 By Alan Burkhart

The political fence is down, and politicians are trampling it in search of votes and campaign dollars. The knives in the backs of constituents are little more than a prelude to the carnage to come.
Read it...

Weapons of Mass Hypocrisy
October 17, 2003 By Alan Burkhart

So... President Bush went out on his own in Iraq? There are NO weapons of mass destruction? What liars the liberals are! Read this article to see what they were saying when Americans were solidly behind the war effort. Democrats don't have character... they have pollsters.
Read it...

The War on Freedom
Last Updated 06/10/2005 By Alan Burkhart

Are you aware of the fact that the so-called War On Drugs kills more people and wrecks more lives than the drugs themselves? Did you know that an average of 1000 people die each year from bad reactions to ASPIRIN? And, did you know that NO ONE has ever died as a direct result of using marijuana? Visit this page for some eye-opening information. You'll find my own short article and links to tons of good stuff by dozens of authors.
Read it...

---

Articles from 2002...

A Modern Fairy Tale
2002 By Alan Burkhart

An old classic, presented as it might occur in today's weird political climate.
Read it...

The Fallacy of Gun Control
2002 By Alan Burkhart

Contrary to what most left-leaning politicians would have us believe, gun control is a horrifically bad idea. Read why.
Read it...

---

Articles from 2001...

Beggars and Salesmen
July 2001 By Alan Burkhart

Is it just me, or is it getting harder and harder to go anywhere or do anything without someone trying to hustle you for money? I for one am getting sick of all the people trying to dig around in my back pocket! This is still, by the way, the most popular article at alanburkhart.com. I still get comments about it from time to time. Enjoy!
Read it...

The Cruelty of Animal-Related Sports
2001 By Alan Burkhart

Why is it that Man takes pleasure in terrifying animals? How would YOU like to get roped, thrown, and hog-tied in front of 20,000 screaming rednecks? Yee-haw!
Read it...

New Paranoia for Liberals
2001 By Alan Burkhart

It must be tough to be a liberal nowadays. Fewer and fewer people believe their gloom and doom stories about how the world will end if we don't save the spotted owl, plant a gazillion trees, and recycle our toilet paper. In the interest of being fair, here's some new junk science for the lefties to use to frighten those who vote Democrat and think Elvis is still alive and living in South America.
read it...

Why We Kill Each Other on the Road
2001 By Alan Burkhart

Why? Because a lot of you can't drive! Sorry friends, but it's true. You'd be amazed how many times in a single day I have to lock up the brakes to keep from trampling an automobile. This is one of those articles that ruffles the feathers of the reader. Even so, you should read it. It just might save your life.
Read it...

Beggars and Salesmen

By Alan Burkhart

Okay, It's July 5th, 2001, and I have HAD it!!! I'm in a Chicago-area truck stop; marooned until tomorrow morning. When my dispatcher told me that I couldn't reload until the next day, I accepted the news with good grace and found myself a place to (I thought) rest and relax. I believe in making the best out of any bad situation.

So, I walk into the truck stop (it's one of the big fancy "Travel Centers"), make my way through the tangle of mindless tourists and grab myself a couple of cold, fresh Lipton bottled teas and head back out to the truck. As I'm nearing the exit, here's this dude with a tiny fold-up card table stacked with some unidentifiable green substance in little plastic bottles. A humidifier is also on the table emitting a steady cloud of steam."Excuse me sir," he says, "let me have your glasses for a moment."

Let me say here and now that my glasses were not dirty. I don't like dirty glasses, windshields or windows. I glanced at the pile of stuff on his table and took a guess: "No, thanks," I said, "my glasses are clean.""But sir!" he began, and then launched into a sales pitch about his ANTI-FOG product for glasses and all but demanded that I give him my $120.00 specs so he could clean and "treat" them for me. I'd be so amazed, he promised, that I'd surely wish to purchase a lifetime supply of this green gobbley-goop so I could smear it on my glasses. I was utterly amazed at the temerity of this guy. What, I'm gonna let some total stranger put his hands on something that I put on my face? I finally just walked away and left him talking. He raised his voice and shouted at me across the store, still making his pitch. I jammed my tired body into high gear and got out of the store before I lost my temper.

I walked out to the truck and dropped off my drinks, then headed across the street to another truck stop that happened to have a Hardees onsite. I have a real weakness for the "Monster Burger". As I approached, I noticed a middle-aged fellow in a wheelchair sitting directly in front of the entrance. Another man was standing there beside him, politely declining whatever it was the guy was selling, giving away, or begging for. I stepped around them (QUICKLY) and went inside.

At Hardees, I walked up to the counter and a young lady bustled out to take my order. My exact words were: "I'd like a Monster Burger to go please; not the combo, just the sandwich." She asked me if there would be anything else, and I replied (politely and with a smile, I might add) that I only wanted the sandwich.

"But sir!" she began, and started a sales pitch about the two for a dollar apple pies or whatever it was they were pushing that day. I interrupted and reminded her that I wanted only the sandwich. Looking like a spanked puppy, she retreated to fill my order.

As I approached the exit, I noticed that the guy in the wheelchair was still partially blocking the doorway. I pulled my cap down tight, got a good grip on my Hardees bag, and charged out the door, straight across the gasoline islands towards the street. The guy was yammering at me the moment I exited the building.

"Hey buddy!"I kept going."Excuse me! Hey there!"I kept going."Hey! You in the black hat!"It's a CAP, not a hat. I kept going."Well I guess yo' ass is deaf and blind ain't it!"I almost turned around, but decided not to satisfy him by rising to the bait.

I crossed the street, returned to my truck, and locked the door behind me. I've now eaten my burger and I'm slowly sipping the remnants of a bottle of tea and enjoying a cigarette. And, I'm thinking that by now you're probably wondering what the point of my rambling may be?

To the point: Is it just me, or is importunity becoming an accepted practice in this country? I encounter people like this almost every day! What's wrong with walking into a business, doing business, and walking out without having no less than three people hassling me for various reasons? Can't I just go get what I want and do it in peace?

At most every truck stop I visit, I encounter people who have one thing in mind: MY WALLET. They're selling pre-paid phone cards, t-shirts, used computers, metal polish, sex, drugs, cheap gold plated watches and jewelry, and just about anything else you can think of.

There are representatives of every religious faith passing out pamphlets to save my soul, grass roots wannabe's trying to sign me onto their cause (and get a donation of course) and recruiters from half a dozen trucking companies who all claim to have the best deal going (I like my present job just fine, thank you).And then there are the BEGGARS. Each one has his or her own story:
The car's outta gas and Aunt Mable is in the hospital and I just GOTTA get there to see her!
I'm a trucker myself, and I need to get some money to get to a job interview (by the way, most trucking companies pay travel expenses for new hires).
I'm outta work and I got seven kids! Can you spare some change?
I got robbed and I need money to get home!

I'm not insensitive to needy people, but I'm not stupid either. You don't see nearly as many of these people in Wal-Mart parking lots or shopping malls. They gravitate to truck stops because people seem to have this notion that truckers are: (A) Made out of money, and (B) Dumb as a sack of rocks. By the way, I'm NOT made out of money. I drive a 1993 model Rice Burner, I live in a trailer house, and I'm up to my freckled ass in debt. Hmm… Chances are you didn't really want to know about the freckles on my ass. Oh well, too late now.

The vast majority of these people are frauds. How low does one have to sink to go out and impersonate a homeless person? Gimme a break! A lot of Americans are running low on pride. My advice: Don't give in to these people. Don't feel guilty. If they truly need help, they'll go to a shelter and get it. It's easy to fall prey to the notion that this person might really be in need of help. I know that feeling. It bothers me to see good people fall on hard times. But you must remember that thieves and hustlers will use this honorable trait to milk you for hard cash.
Back a few years ago, I was sitting in the little truck stop in my hometown when this guy came in carrying a stack of what appeared to be business cards. Without saying a word, he walked to each table and passed out cards to each and every person. The card stated that he was a deaf mute, had no means of being self-supporting, and was humbly requesting donations. After distributing the cards, he returned to the first table and stood there, staring expectantly at the good-natured old trucker who had been eating his supper. The guy smiled, albeit uncomfortably, and fished out a bill for the guy. At that, EVERYONE started pulling out their wallets and handing money to him. As he walked out, he was smiling. We all felt so good about ourselves. It really does make you feel nice inside to help someone, right? Then he hopped into a Corvette (I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP) with a beautiful young woman and burned rubber leaving the parking lot.

Upon seeing this, the waitress called the police, who caught the guy a few miles down the road. The truth came out a few days later: He and his little woman did this on a regular basis! They were hustling people for money to finance a summer road trip! They were both gainfully employed, but didn't want to dip into their savings to pay for their vacation. The county put them up in the "Cross Bar Hotel" for about three months. Hey, free room and board!

My ex and I (before she was my ex) were sound asleep in the truck one night when these two guys started knocking on the door. They were trying to get to work, you see, and one of their vehicles broke down. The other guy came along, saw his car, and stopped to pick him up. Hey, this could happen, right? Read on...They explained to me that they didn't have much time (hence I didn't have much time to think about their story) because they could not afford to be late for work. Would I please LOAN this perfect stranger twenty dollars so he could get the part for his car and go fix it on the side of the road so he wouldn't be late for work? I politely said that I did not have twenty dollars (a lie), but I wished them all the best luck (a bigger lie) and see ya later. They promptly went to the next truck in the line and woke the man up. To his credit, he declined as well. I was too tired to sit up and watch, and returned to bed.

How did I know he was lying to me? Well, if he really was in a hurry to get to work, then he didn't really have time to go fix his car, did he? And, couldn't his buddy loan him twenty dollars? It was also very late at night in a small southern town. There were no auto parts stores open right then. You won't get someone to come down and open up for free. These dudes probably did this little trick once or twice a week, preying on the tired, the sleepy, and the gullible to get their beer money.

Please do be careful of those who pander to your sympathy. There are, I know, people who really do need our help. But, remember that there are legitimate organizations out there to help these people. I donate clothing and canned goods to the Salvation Army once or twice a year. I stop and assist motorists on the roadside when I can safely do so. I share with my neighbors and family. But I ain't gonna loan you twenty dollars at two in the morning. I was born at night, but it wasn't LAST NIGHT.