Peyton Goble's Articles
Bevin's Stand Against Abortion
​
​
Those stripes that rolls in the sky
May just be a worn and tattered cloth,
But 42 million have fought and died,
Protecting her at all cost.
That fabric may have holes and tears,
But those colors proudly shine true,
No land or nation is unaware,
Of our great red, white, and blue.
The rag on that flagpole,
Doesn't wave vainly for decor,
But rather depicts the soldier's shadows,
That were lost throughout war.
So a warning for those who do not rise,
For our proud American flag,
In honor of the 42 million that died,
Aim...and unload your .40 glock mag.
- Peyton Goble
The Patriot's Poem
Recently, Governor Matt Bevin (of Kentucky) passed a law requiring women that are seeking abortion to undergo a mandatory ultrasound in order to show the mother the life that is growing inside of their bodies. This recent action, by Governor Bevin, is now officially known as House Bill 2, and has held immense controversy among the commonwealth and also the entire country. Matt Bevin is a devout conservative, and this recent action further proves his true loyalty to the moral values that the Republican Party exhibits. Though it seems quite harsh, to show a woman a photo of the human she is deciding to kill, it is certainly justified to show someone the face of an innocent human they are deciding to murder.
The argument against House Bill 2 is quite ridiculous, in fact. Pro-choice advocates tried arguing that the bill is extinguishing the 1st amendment right of the American people, by saying, “This is a First Amendment case and this is about a physician’s First Amendment right not to be compelled to speak by the state.” (stated by Alex Molinas, attorney for ACLU). This false accusation claiming that Governor Bevin violated the constitution, is very simple-minded due to the fact that the 1st amendment (freedom of speech) requires one to speak to practice their 1st amendment right. Medical professionals are allowed to practice their 1st amendment right, throughout the ultrasound process, as freely as they like; they are only mandated to show an ultrasound image to prospective abortion patients...which requires no speaking. Steve Pitt, the attorney representing Governor Bevin, attested to this fact when he stated, “This law does not prohibit physicians from making any statement to the patients that they wish to make.” (stated after Bevin’s office was accused of violating the 1st amendment).
The source of these allegations (the ACLU) allied with the Women’s Surgical Center in Louisville, and sued in attempt to prevent the passing of this law. The Women’s Surgical Center has great reason to be in an uproar on this matter, due to the fact that they are the only outpatient abortion clinic in Kentucky, and prosper well in profits due to their labor of over 3,000 abortions per year that they perform. The WSC is responsible for over 111,000 abortions, since 1980. The passing of House Bill 2 struck fear into the superiors of the clinic because this bill will reduce abortion procedures, which in return, will reduce the profits they make off of murdering thousands of babies each year.
Pro-choice advocates try to argue that this bill violates their “rights”, but these accusations are illegitimate and have been proven false in a court of law. The irony and hypocrisy behind pro-choice advocates fighting for their “rights” is visibly present. They claim to fight for the right to choose, but where in this decision making process does the fetal child have the “right” to choose the route of not being slaughtered to death in their mother’s womb? These advocates claim that everyone deserves a choice, but where is the child’s input. The people that condemn the existence of death row for violent criminals; are the same people that are unaware of the moral trespassing in killing a child who has done no wrong.
The fact of the matter, from the moral standard of a semi-decent human-being, is that abortion is a selfish, violent, and disgusting practice that must be halted immediately. There is no “but what if” circumstances in this debate. It is simply killing a child no matter what the circumstances may be. Stating that abortion is not murder, is like claiming, destroying a cocoon is not killing a butterfly or caterpillar.
House Bill 2 does not trespass any constitutional rights, and is completely legal and justified. Also, abortion is an immoral practice that should be widely recognized as murder. Finally, we need to come together as a country and find a solution that strays away from abortion for mothers who do not want to raise their children. Our country is politically divided, and we must all have mutual respect for each other’s lives and unborn lives eager to pave our country’s future.
Gun Control Kills
Banning or restricting guns in America would have the opposite effect of its intended purpose of reducing gun-related violence because it would solely prevent law-abiding citizens from obtaining a resource for protection also, gun-violence increased in eight states that passed the ban proposal, and criminals will still access guns illegally.
One of the consequences that will occur if a ban on the purchase or possession of firearms is passed will be, American citizens will not be able to legally obtain a gun for means of protection. According to, “Just Factual Statistics” 60% of registered American gun-owners purchased their firearm(s) for the purpose of personal protection. This adds up to 1.5 billion gun owners that own a personal-defense firearm. The same source determined that 39%-49% of American households own firearms, in the United States. not including single gun owners, that adds up to approximately 3.5 billion households in the possession of a registered weapon. Judging from this statistical data, the question arises of why so many Americans feel they need to own a firearm. This has been subject to various gun-related debates, but the answer is simple. The majority of American gun-owners purchase their firearm with the intent of personal protection against violent criminals seeking to induce harm on our society. Owning a gun is a way for the American people to use the freedoms that have been blessed to them to protect themselves and their families. So in a country founded on freedom and democracy, how can one question the right toward self-defense? If Americans do not have right to defend themselves against violent criminals, then what does freedom really mean? The freedoms that we have were not only written in ink, but also forged with the blood of those who sacrificed everything in the name of liberty and freedom. To extinguish that sacrifice would be a refusal of the undeserving gift we have inherited as Americans. American citizens must maintain the innate right to defend themselves, and in doing so, practice their second amendment privileges without restriction.
Contrary to common belief, banning guns would actually increase gun-violence and murder-rates in the states that enact the law. Illinois and Texas can attest to the fact that banning the possession or ownership of a gun will cause more gun-violence and a higher murder rate. In 1986, the year before Illinois allowed their citizens to possess firearms, the murder ratio (via firearm) was 1 murder victim for every 12,500 people. After the right to own a firearm was reenacted it was decreased by 70%.
Finally, a gun ban would not prevent criminals from accessing firearms because 84% of convicted criminals that committed a gun-related violation did not purchase the firearm legally from a licensed seller.
The general concept of preventing the sale/possession of guns sounds good, but will simply increase violence in America. The consequences this country will face, if this law is enacted by many states, will highly outweigh the small chance of it succeeding. The downside of a gun ban, such as: law-abiding citizens becoming vulnerable with no way to protect themselves against violence, the gun-related murder-rate would skyrocket, and 2nd amendment abusers will still acquire illegal firearms for their malice intentions.
9/11: America's Worst Tragedy
September 11, 2001, 8:45 a.m. what seemed to be a normal Tuesday in New York City changed the lives of all Americans forever. People stand in disbelief while they watch a jet fly into the north tower of the World Trade Center. The initial thought of most people was that this crash was an accident…until the unthinkable happens. 18 minutes after the first plane crashed a second one crashes into the 60th floor of the south tower. The collision ignites an explosion sending thousands of pounds of debris to the streets of the city. Parents, sons, daughters, grandparents, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives and friends were killed that day. These people did not deserve such a horrifying death. Family members watched the news helplessly with only the hope of their loved ones making it out alive. 3,000 people died from the attack including, 343 firefighters and paramedics and 23 New York City police officers who were trying to help the innocent people that became victims of these attacks.
While people had their focus on the World Trade Center attacks, another act of terrorism was brewing, but a few patriotic heroes refused to let the terrorists succeed. Passengers on United Flight 93 were informed of the attacks on the World Trade Center via cell phone, yet they still boarded the plane hoping to arrive safely to their destination. 40 minutes after boarding the plane in Newark International Airport the plane was hijacked. The people knew that they would not make it to their destination safely. Many of the people called loved ones saying their final goodbyes. Thomas Burnett Jr, told his wife over the phone that “I know we’re all going to die. There’s three of us who are going to do something about it. I love you, honey.” Another passenger–Todd Beamer–was heard saying “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll” over an open line. Sandy Bradshaw, a flight attendant, called her husband and explained that she had slipped into a galley and was filling pitchers with boiling water. Her last words to him were “Everyone’s running to first class. I’ve got to go. Bye.” These were the last words heard from these brave people, and their actions altered the hijackers plans. The passengers fought the four hijackers by attacking the cockpit with a fire extinguisher. The plane then flipped over and sped toward the ground at 500 miles per hour, crashing in a field in western Pennsylvania at 10:10 a.m. All 45 people aboard were killed. Its intended target is not known, but theories include the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland or one of several nuclear power plants along the eastern seaboard.
At 7 p.m., President George W. Bush, returned to the White House after being hidden during the attacks. At 9 p.m., he delivered a television address from the Oval Office, saying, “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.” In a reference to the eventual U.S. military response he declared, “We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.” Basically George W. Bush declared that if you were a terrorist or supported terrorism then America is coming after you. The families of those who died that day have the full support of the American people and their loved ones will always be remembered and considered heroes.
Life of a Serviceman
As we go about our daily lives: going to school, work, hanging out with friends, spending time with family and doing everything that we have the freedom to do, brave men and women are protecting the freedoms that we often take for granted. How often do we consider the rights that we have as American people? How often do we think of why we can live freely and make our own choices without an oppressive government? We live in the greatest country in the world and the reason that we can safely go about our daily activities is because of the men and women that are protecting our country.
“War is hell,” said ‘American Sniper’ Chris Kyle, “Hollywood fantasizes about it and makes it look good…war sucks.” Unfortunately war is still glorified in Hollywood and combat-based video games. Not only do these brave men and women risk, and sometimes lose, their lives; they also sacrifice time with their families to protect us from oppressors. People go through war everyday for each and every American citizen. They don’t do it for the money because they get paid unfairly low wages to put their lives on the line. They do it so that they have the pride to say they defended our country’s liberties.
Brian Adams, an experienced soldier, has been active duty in the Army for almost 16 years. He has experienced horrible events that no person should ever witness. Brian has been through war. He has been conditioned to witnessing death, evil and oppression. Brian describes war as, “hours of boredom separated by moments of terror.”
Soldier’s lives can change in the blink of an eye. A soldier can go from playing a game of cards to having bullets sprayed at them like rain. Our servicemen have seen unspeakable horrors. They have seen things that are incomprehensible and unimaginable. Brian said that the worst experiences he has had in war is, “witnessing the death and injury of friends. Children are often collateral damage in war zones as well. Seeing innocent children hurt is hard to manage emotionally.” Brian goes on to state that the hardest part of being in the Army is not being able to be with his family, and being forced to move whenever he is told.
The truth of the matter is that servicemen and women sacrifice what they are giving us…freedom. They are owned by the government, and they willingly put themselves in harm’s way to make sure we can experience our freedom. They have put the American people before their families because they love this country. Remember what these great men and women have done and are doing to maintain the rights that we have as American people.
-Peyton B. Goble
The 3 Coolest Presidents
Being the President of the United States is the hardest job in the world. They have the responsibility of making decisions that not only effect our country, but the entire world. Because of this it is hard to look at presidents as cool people. Whenever the topic of a particular president arises the initial thought is their pros and cons in politics, but not many think of their life outside of their presidency. Believe it or not some the coolest people in U.S history are former presidents.
#3 Andrew Jackson: Andrew Jackson was certainly not a president with a high moral standard, but, when he wasn't eliminating our native people, he was a good party host. Andrew Jackson was a big fan of three things: parties, cheese and duels. Andrew Jackson would throw parties open to the public inside of the White House. The parties he threw were told to be unforgettable. With all these people at a party food was a necessity, and it was provided, 1,400 pounds to be exact. That number is not the weight of all the food provided, just the cheese. Andrew Jackson is so cool that he had a 1,400 pound wheel of cheese just sitting in the White House. If you are not convinced yet, consider this. If anyone had a problem with Andrew Jackson, which many certainly did, he would challenge them to a duel. Obviously he was undefeated in this particular sport, but died at the age of 74 of tuberculosis due to a gunshot wound.
#2 John F. Kennedy: JFK’s unfortunate fate does not stop him from being number 2 on the coolest presidents list. JFK was in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He worked as a gunboat pilot in the Navy. President Kennedy’s ship was unexpectedly rammed by a Japanese destroyer which wounded his back and and destroyed the ship. JFK and one of his fellow soldiers were floating by their life jackets while both wounded. JFK easily could have saved himself and survived, but that was not the spirit of an American. JFK swam over to his wounded sailor and dragged him by his life jacket with his teeth to a nearby island. JFK also swam and saved two other sailors and boarded them on left over fragments from the sinking ship. They survived on coconuts and rainwater until native islanders found them. He and his crew awaited for help and were saved six days later. JFK received a Purple Heart and The Navy and Marine Corps medal for courage for his heroic actions.
#1 Teddy Roosevelt: Teddy Roosevelt is hands down the coolest president we have ever had in office. There are so many cool things about Teddy Roosevelt it would be impossible to write them in one article. Teddy Roosevelt should be the definition of cool, yes, I am saying the the Webster Dictionary should change their definition of cool to, “Teddy Roosevelt.” Let’s just start off with some of Teddy’s credentials. Teddy’s credentials included: cattle rancher, deputy sheriff, historian, naturalist, explorer, author of 35 books, police commissioner, assistant Secretary of the Navy, war hero and lawyer. He managed to do all of this, including being president, at age 42. Teddy was also a Rough Rider. He resigned from the Department of Navy in 1898 and founded the U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. He is one of the men that led the charge up San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War. Teddy also established 5 National Parks which ended up being 42 million acres of protected land. Instead of golfing on his free time, like every other president, Teddy enjoyed reading one book per day and going on African safaris. All of this qualifies him to be the coolest president ever but icing was added on the cake when he was shot before a speech and refused medical attention in which he gave a 90 minute speech without hesitation. Yes, he got shot, but continued to give a 90 minute speech. Teddy Roosevelt is obviously the coolest president in our history.
-Peyton B. Goble
What Are You Pledging?
“I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.”
-United States of America: Pledge of Allegiance (Established in 1892)
The approach I took when searching for the meaning behind the pledge was to dissect each word for its true definition and connect their meanings together. Here is what I found…
“Pledge”: A solemn promise or agreement. The person pledging is promising to abide by what is being recited.
“Allegiance”: Loyalty and dedication.
“One Nation”: Symbolizes a unified nation, or one that is not divided.
“Under God”: “Under” means to be “covered by”, so in relation to the pledge, “One nation under God” would represent the religious values we hold toward our creator and the morals it represents.
“With”: Accompanying, including, or along with.
“Indivisible”: Impenetrable, unbreakable, or joined.
“Liberty”: Freedom and independence.
“Justice”: Fairness, honesty, and integrity.
“All”: Represents all, law-abiding, American citizens.
Individually breaking down and analyzing each word of the pledge allowed me to connect the pieces together and see the big picture of our nation’s pledge. When I connected these words and their meanings together, this is what I found…
“I PLEDGE
(person reciting starts off by stating that the following statements made are solemn promises, and any declarations made will be upheld)
ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
(Claiming allegiance to our nation’s flag is declaring loyalty to the values that our country cherishes, and promising to support the United States through prosperous times and difficult times.)
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS (pledging allegiance is not only promising to remain loyal to the people, but also to remain loyal to the leaders of our country, and abide by the laws they set in place.)
, ONE NATION
(declaring pride in unification and patriotism.)
, UNDER GOD
(despite diverse religious beliefs, the one reciting is showing respect and honor to the country’s overarching belief in one God)
, INDIVISIBLE
(this statement is promising that no matter what may occur, this pledge will not be broken and they will always stay loyal to the United States of America)
, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE
(the reason for upholding this pledge is gratitude for the freedom we are blessed to have and the honesty and integrity of government systems.)
FOR ALL.”
(these blessings of liberty and justice are coated around all United States citizens that abide by the laws set in place. It is significant because there is no discrimination excluding a citizen from these blessings without proper legal cause.)
The reason I dove in depth with the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance is because I believe that those repeating these words will reflect the tone of their leader. I am not one who takes these words lightly, or someone who recites the pledge without meaningless intention, without consideration, or without sincerity. When I am given the opportunity to recite the pledge, I fulfill my duty with: respect, sincerity, consideration, clarity, and with patriotism and pride to be an American. The flag, and pledge, deserves respect because it was selflessly paid for by the blood of military servicemen and/or veterans that sacrificed their lives and/or freedoms to uphold their declaration of the Pledge of Allegiance.
- Peyton B. Goble