Jury duty filled my days this week. I received the privilege of serving as foreman of a jury considering murder and other charges. "Privilege" is the correct word because the entire experience reminded me of three key lessons: 1) Jury trials are a wonderful blessing. One man stricken from our jury pool had immigrated here from Russia. His experience with trials involved days when your fate rested solely in the hands of one Soviet judge. Give me 12 peers to decide my fate any day. 2) Americans are remarkable people. Our very diverse group of 12 Atlantans deliberated intensely and thoroughly for days. No one took lightly their responsibility to decide a young man's fate. Strong opinions and wise insight were shared with grace, and the goal of finding facts remained at the center of our attention. It was a thing of beauty to watch. Only in America. No one wanted to be there, but we all knew we held a sacred trust in our hands. 3) Innocent until proven guilty is a treasure. I left the courthouse for the final time giving thanks that I have the good fortune to live in a land where innocence is presumed. Call me weird, but my jury experience proved to be the most patriotic event of my year. God bless you and God bless America.

Tucson tragedy. It is on all of our minds. As President Obama speaks today to the nation, my prayer is that he will be more pastor than professor. Offer comfort and hope rather than analysis and prescriptions. I hope he reminds us of some of the heroes of Tucson. One unhinged man and his evil act also brought about remarkable acts of courage, goodness and kindness from dozens of other people. Like Dorwan Stoddard. Dorwan and his wife, Mavy, knew each other growing up in Tucson, but both moved away, got married, and had kids. When they both were widowed, they each moved back to Tucson to begin again. They got re-acquainted, then married 15 years ago. Dorwan and Mavy gave generously to other people. They supported people in need through their church, Mountain Avenue Church of Christ. Together, they delivered meals and assistance as well as visits and flowers to those who were sick. 76 year old Dorwan was a retired construction worker who fixed leaks, repaired buildings and homes, and served others with his hands. On Saturday, they attended Congresswoman Giffords' meeting. They were near the gunman and Dorwan positioned himself between the bullets and his wife as they fell to the ground to seek safety. Mavy was wounded in the legs and will be fine. Dorwan was mortally wounded as he shielded his wife from the gunfire. He died protecting her. He lived long enough for the two of them to say a final goodbye before he crossed the river into the next life. His final act - a simple gesture of courage and grace, laying down his life for his bride and lifelong friend. One assassin can take life. But he cannot take away love and the human dignity it creates. Rest well, Dorwan Stoddard. You inspired us all.

Before Christmas, I shared on the show my reasons that America truly is exceptional. After all, exceptional means "unique," an exception from the norm. At least 13 ways comprise the reasons for America's unique capabilities and role in the world. 1) The people who came (and still come) here are risk-takers by nature. They tend to be creators rather than spectators. Our people are truly different. And exceptional. 2) Those risk-takers find here the opportunity to move upwards on the economic and social ladder. 3) Because we have no class system where you are born into a segment of society and unable to deviate from that. 4) As a result of 1, 2, and 3 innovation springs from America. Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, and the list goes on and on. American ingenuity is exceptional. 5) Thus, America is remarkable at wealth creation. 6) Which allows us to lift up the poor. Our capitalistic innovation and wealth creation is unparalleled both domestically and in its economic effects globally. 7) Because our ability to create wealth is matched with our conviction that all men are created equal. That each human life matters and has dignity. 8) Thereby making the issues and problems of other nations important to us. It is no coincidence that Americans respond so generously to issues like the earthquake in Haiti and the tsunami in Thailand. Other nations do not see those problems as their own. We do. 9) And we are the most generous people on earth. Individuals and groups in America give at a level unmatched globally where most folks merely look to the government to help others. Private charitable giving and compassion are exceptional hallmarks of America. 10) Thus, we also tend to become the defenders of the weak and the trampled upon around the world. History is filled with peoples whom we liberate or protect. Ours is a large heart. 11) And we take risks, innovate, create wealth, give generously, and defend others because we are free to do so. Our freedom empowers people. Government dependence disempowers them. 12) So you take all these folks over all these centuries and put them into a big pot, and the melting creates something truly exceptional. The American. No hyphens, and no exceptions. Somehow our melting pot works although no one can quite describe how and it is clear that the growing desire to create special protected groups and classes threatens our ability to truly be one people. 13) Finally, take a step back and admire the breadth of 1-12 above. The mere combination of all these "exceptions" creates a synergy far greater than any one of them alone. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. America is exceptional. And I am proud to be here.

The conversation last week regarding whether the military should receive a pay raise in the current economic conditions set off quite a flurry of emails. Here are three of my favorites: Allen, I agree with you, and think my fellow soldiers would agree too. I dont think we should get a raise at all. The country is hurting and our job is basically to defend the country. Allen, You didn't get any good arguments, so I wanted to try to tell you HOW WRONG you are - read what I'm about to say and see if you REALLY have good answers. 1. First or all, NO, you DON'T appreciate the military. You are one of the mindless morons that has always had freedom HANDED to you! You have NO clue what it is like to serve in a war zone. Or 2 or 3 tours away from your family in Viet Nam, Korea, Iraq or other places. And if we don't maintain a suitable active duty force, YOU would be endangering all of our futures! Unfortunately you are too IGNORANT to understand the depth it requires to maintain an adequate defense force in a highly technical world of missile technology, nuclear submarines, high-speed aircraft, nuclear weapons, etc. Do you think that you can go on the street and hire guys to provide the highly specialized people you need IF you let it fall apart by saving your extra 1 or 2 %? You are so short sighted - you talk like we are discussing burger flippers at McDonalds. (Or a talk show host - all that takes is a big mouth!) I'd bet that YOU have NEVER been able to stand up to the challenges of military life. 2. Besides, go do your homework - the AMOUNT of the raise is not the issue. What is the AMOUNT of the paycheck? Is it adequate enough to maintain a quality defense force? THAT is what you should have been asking. But again, you are such a mental midget, you don't see the logic of that. 2. Also, inflatiuon is running at least 4% to 5% - everywhere. The government is concealing that reality in order to go stingy on entitlements! Go to Wal Mart - you'll soon agree with my estimate. 3. You cannot dismantle the military and expect to have it available if a dangerous antagonist like Iran threatens to blow a city away. What are you going to then? Was that extra 2% seem to high then? You are not worth wasting anymore time on - just wanted you to know that you ought to grow up, and realize that if it were up to you, you'd have been all been speaking Japanese or German as you started to school. Allen, I was listening to your broadcast tonight about the 1.4% pay raise for active duty military. Don't get me wrong, I am very thankful for the job they are doing. However, my thing is, if they are so mad about getting such a "small" pay raise while everyone else seems to be getting nothing, why not change careers? The military is a job you CHOOSE. There is no forced draft so it is the individual's choice to enter the military. They have many other housing and insurance benefits that others don't receive yet they complaint about only getting a 1.4% pay raise. Give me a break. I work in the health care field and if I don't like my pay (or lack there of) I'll change jobs or go to another facility. The military personnel IS out the risking their lives everyday on the battle field, however it is their CHOICE to enter the military. If I were infected with a cold, could I blame the facility I work for or the patients that I work with? No, that is a risk I assumed when I accepted the position and I knew there could be a chance. Just as the military knows there's a risk of deployment. I'm sure its in the job description. But as I stated before, I am proud of the job our military does and it is not one that I would want to assume but then again, I'm sure I perform a job that many others could not handle either. Thank you, Donna

Nothing fills up in the email inbox and my Facebook page like the subject of torture and whether it is ever right. Bush's new book has reopened the conversation, particularly in regards to waterboarding. I made my thoughts clear on the show last week. Here are two strong responses, one agreeing and one...well, not so much. Allen, I'm an Air Force retiree and I only qualify myself as such because I want you to understand that I'm familiar with the Law of Armed Conflict and the Geneva Conventions. Now, I agree with you on so many levels that torture shouldn't be used against those held as POW's, but I do offer one thought I'd like you to consider in your search for reason: Under the LOAC, when an enemy fires on an opposing force from a protected site like a hospital or mosque, that facility loses it's protection. The key is that this war has become so politicized that our troops have even been forced to get permission to return fire from many echelons of so-called "leadership" above them. While I understand the rule, and dislike our recent implementation of it, our failure to return fire on mosques and hospitals show outstanding restraint above and beyond any nation in the history of war. This is such an unusual war unlike any we've ever seen as a modern nation. This war is fought under an umbrella of radical Islam and not of one nation. There isn't a uniform that is worn (which is another violation of the LOAC), and our enemy doesn't play by any rules. While I agree with your case that water-boarding shouldn't have been used on these three individuals, I have three thoughts: 1) Is it that we only know about these three and the rest didn't survive? 2) In the overall scope of war, where tens of thousands have died, are you more upset with President Bush than the fact that it was done? 3) Please make sure that during your thoughts, you clearly separate the large majority of troops who are the most professional soldiers on the planet, and not the few who fail to live up to the outstanding morals you believe in (I share them with you, but not everyone does my friend). - Josh And a montage of comments from "Daniel" on Facebook Allen, waterboarding is torture? Give me a break... If you ask me and the majority of Americans, they would find this to be ridiculous to say the least! Personally, I dont think we go far enough... Whats your suggestion? Shoot spit balls or fling boogers? Thank God you will never be in charge of national security... Allen you always ask yourself and audience what are mission is in Afghanistan... You always say we need to leave because we dont know what a victory there is. I cant help but agree, you're right... But you're only right, because our president is basically just like you. He will not let our soldiers fight a war because of ridiculous policies like the one you and he share about waterboarding. The fact is, you are wrong and Obama is wrong! We will never win with policies like this... these kinds of failed policies are why we continue to lose lives in this never ending war. Thats right, I said WAR! When will we get a president that knows how to fight one? Allen you should be ashamed of yourself for this point of view, but I know you say it as an attempt to draw cheap ratings... Thats sad

Veterans' Day 2010. And I just finished reading the story of Marine Cpl. Todd Nicely, one of only three soldiers to survive as a quadruple amputee after an attack. He recently received his medal for valor. Amazing man. Yesterday, I learned that my long-time friend, Edward, had passed away. I knew Edward since he attended the first church I ever pastored. At the time, Edward still tended his dairy farm alongside his wife and family. He was a large, strong, vigorous man. Hands as large as encyclopedias. And a quiet, warm, winsome spirit. Not many words. Just lots of grace. I learned yesterday that Edward was one of the countless American soldiers who landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944. In the years I knew him, he never mentioned that. It just was not his style. I knew he had served in WWII but the particulars were not something that he shared - at least with me. Now he is gone. Like so many others of the group we call The Greatest Generation. I give thanks for Edward and his love for America, his love for God, his love for his family, and his strong work ethic where he labored without complaint. Even in the days when he was caring for his Alzheimer's-ridden wife who preceded him in death. Rest well, Edward. And thank you to each man and woman who has served this country well.

Kathleen Parker expressed today what I have been struggling to articulate. Good for her. A great read!

What do you do with Naser Abdo? A 20 year old young man who enlisted in the U.S. Army just over a year ago. His unit, the 101st Airborne division's 1st Brigade Combat Team, has already deployed to Afghanistan. PFC Abdo has not. His deployment has been deferred. Why? Because Abdo now says that he is a “conscientious objector.” He says that he is exercising his freedom as an American to choose to understand his Islamic faith in a way different than he did a year ago when he originally voluntarily chose to sign up to join th Army and to serve in a military already engaged in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Abdo is claiming to be a conscientious objector. Really? When Muhammad Ali sought such a status as a member of the Nation of Islam in the late 1960's (a case ultimately resolved by the Supreme Court in 1971 on a technicality due to the government's failure to execute the details of its own policy), the Department of Justice contended that three tests must be met in order for a person to receive status as a conscientious objector. First, the candidate must be opposed to all war, i.e., war in any form. Mere opposition to a single war (e.g., Vietnam, Afghanistan, War of 1812) is not sufficient. A conscientious objector morally objects to the very concept of war. Think the Quakers, the Amish, or the Mennonites, whose moral compasses intrinsically reject war and violence in all forms at all times. Pfc. Abdo would have us believe that he is opposed to all war when his statement reads, "I realized through further reflection that God did not give legitimacy to the war in Afghanistan, Iraq or any war the U.S. Army would conceivably participate in." That is an odd way of saying, “I completely morally reject the concept of war.” In fact, it sounds more like a fellow who is having enlister's remorse when faced with the real prospect of engaging terrorists who prefer hacksaws and YouTube when dealing with American soldiers who happen to be Muslim Second, a conscientious objector's reasoning must be based on religious training and belief. Again, Quakers were instrumental in the formation of America, but they steadfastly refused to serve in the Revolutionary War due to their moral objection rooted in Quaker thought and theology. Abdo would have us believe that Islam is a longstanding example of pacifist teaching. Really? Perhaps Mohammed, Islam's founder, missed that particular revelation while exercising his military leadership in raiding caravans, massacring villages, and organizing armies for war. It would also be helpful if Abdo might pass on his newly received Islamic pacifist revelation to the jihadists who have led 103 terror attacks in 14 countries since Ramadan began less than three weeks ago. The 472 persons who died in those global Islamic-motivated attacks will be glad to know that PFC Abdo has discovered a new level of Islam. Pacifist strain in Islam? We all should be so lucky. Finally, a candidate for conscientious objection status must demonstrate that he/she is sincere. In spite of the absurdity of the above claims to pacifism, let's give PFC Abdo the benefit of the doubt on sincerity. In the end, the government will have to decide what to do with Pfc. Abdo. Send him to Afghanistan to fulfill his oath and service and you risk another Hasan Akbar, who rolled three grenades into the tents of his own fellow 101st Airborne members in Kuwait in 2003. Allow Abdo to serve the remainder of his military time stateside, and you potentially sow seeds of dissension in the ranks. Release Pfc. Abdo as a humanitarian gesture and invite others to enlist voluntarily and then use extreme Corporal Klinger-esque tactics to remove themselves. Or court martial Abdo and forward his mail to Ft. Leavenworth. None of these options accomplishes much in executing and advancing the mission of the U.S. Army. Nevertheless, valuable Army time and resources will be wasted considering the absurd claims of a young man who appears not to have known himself very well when he enlisted and then discovered either a strong dose of cowardice or a conversion to a religion that heretofore has not existed.

Surely there must be at least five optimists left in America, but so help me, I can only find Rich Karlgaard of Forbes and myself. In spite of all the bad news around us, and the pessimism that accompanies it, there has never been a better time to be an American or to survey our future as a people. Pessimism is the order of the day. And, I suppose, for good reason. With an economy in tatters, an Afghan war in doubt, and an ever-flowing oil spill in the Gulf, there are many reasons for concern. Our own Treasury secretary, Tim Geithner, said this week that America can no longer be counted on to serve as the world's economic engine. So much for positive leadership and inspiration. With a growing internal cancer of homegrown Islamic terrorists and a government without an immigration policy, our security and stability is less than sure. With a president (and Congress) whose obsessions are none of the issues above, but rather ensuring that gays can serve openly in the military and that health care is run by the government, a reasonable person can easily fall into the temptation of pessimism. Understandably, President Obama's approval ratings have reached a new low (41%) after just eighteen months in office. However, I am optimistic for two key reasons, so I tried diligently on a recent edition of my nightly talk radio show to find another American with a sense of hope and optimism for our future. Sadly, I came up empty. Not a single caller, emailer, or Facebooker acknowledged being optimistic about the future of America. And my listeners are not alone. A new poll from Wall Street Journal/NBC reveals Americans in remarkable numbers seeing our nation on the wrong track, and a Pew/Smithsonian poll shows similar pessimism about our nation's future. The latter poll revealed significantly fewer Americans optimistic about the coming decades as we move toward 2050 than were so in 1999. In fact, about 25% fewer Americans expressed hope for a better personal life or a better America in 2010 than did so in just 1999. So why my optimism for America's future? First, capitalism and freedom are too strong to kill. Human nature is not made for fetters, and the American spirit has been built on that very principle. We have tasted freedom, and it has been embedded into our national DNA. While we may tolerate a few restrictions and restraints here and there, we will not throw the baby out with the bath water. Americans are a resilient people, and a strong people. Add in the power of talk radio, global and twenty-four hour satellite and cable television, as well as the Internet, and you get a powerful mechanism to advance freedom and thought. While we should be concerned about the capabilities of the government, we should never forget where the greatness of the American experiment lies: in the people and our innovativeness. We figure out ways around encumbrances and impediments, we bend but do not break, and we persist. We see possibilities and make them realities. Many observers fret about the growing economic prowess of China and India. While they may grow, neither will soon replace us as the economic (not to mention moral) leader of the world. China's oppressive birth policies are creating an impending national demographic slowdown as the younger generation does not have the numbers to support a robust, growing economy or to meet the demands of a growing aging population. India is poised to be a greater economic power than China, but its widespread acute poverty in a population of over one billion will prove a considerable drag coefficient on its global significance. Rich Karlgaard has rightly noted that the global argument for America's remaining strong is a powerful one. America is 4% of the world's population, 24% of its GDP, and a full 40% of its net worth. America can try to go to the left economically, but it will not travel too far because the rest of the world will not go with it. The American people will not let it. The bond markets will not let it. America's major industries and companies will not allow it. Do not overestimate the power and capacities of our economically-miseducated politicians to derail the entire American economic locomotive. Yes, we are in a trough right now, but we have encountered those throughout history. The key is not to overreact but to trust the fundamentals underlying our nation and be patient. Second, we have reason for optimism due to the large numbers of people coming to America or desiring to do so. Flip the illegal immigration issue on its head for a moment. Why do so many people sign up for lotteries, swim across rivers, endanger their own lives, or offer to leave everything and everyone behind in their home country? They know something that we native-borns often forget or ignore. America is special. Opportunity and ingenuity live here. We would not need to have a debate around immigration if we did not have a great country. Immigrants see clearly that we are a people of possibility not constraint. Immigrants are 30% more likely to launch new businesses than non-immigrants. Immigrants often are willing to take risks; after all, they did not come here without risk. They are looking for the possibility of reward. Their energy infuses and re-infuses our country with a vitality that no other country can match. Are millions lining up to get INTO China? I think not. So, while our present economic travails are certainly not fun, neither are they the end of the world. Among the many quotes attributed to the recently deceased coach, John Wooden, rests this gem: “All of life is peaks and valleys. Don’t let the peaks get too high and the valleys too low.” We would do well to apply that lesson right now and not let the challenges overwhelm our nation's natural optimism.. America may be puttering at present, but we will be back soon. Our DNA and our people simply will not allow it to be otherwise.

This week Anita and I have had the privilege to attend our first military honors funeral at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. The experience overwhelmed my senses. The smell of the freshly cut grass in the morning. The visual of a flag-draped casket in a cemetery lined as far as the eye can see with soldiers who have preserved freedom for America. And the sound of "Taps" emerging from a bugle. Haunting. Honorable. And moving. With Anita and her family, we gave thanks for the life and service of Uncle Len, a fine gentleman. Len served America well through his service in World War II and through his business and family in the years that followed. Then good night, peaceful night, Til the light of the dawn shineth bright, God is near, do not fear - Friend, good night.