By Dr. Jim Ferguson

I have to admit that I’ve never cared much for Valentine’s Day. Maybe it was because I was a boy, but the heart shaped candies and little Valentine cards in grammar school never did much for me. People complain about the commercialization of Christmas, but the hoopla for Valentine’s Day is beyond the pale. I suspect the dreariness of February has something to do with this pseudo-holiday, aided in no small measure by Hallmark, florists and chocolatiers.

A friend of mine from a different Christian denomination doesn’t celebrate any holidays, even Christmas. He holds that all days are special, and the Psalmist who penned 118:24 would undoubtedly agree with him. Perhaps what is needed is a balance. I’m not critical of those who want to acknowledge their beloved on a certain day, but I believe it should be done on a regular basis rather than once a year. Recently, Triple H asked on the radio if you can say, “I love you” too much. I don’t believe you can as long as you’re sincere.

The origin of Valentine’s Day is lost in the shrouds of history. Some say it evolved from the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia. Others say it evolved from the Christian priest Valentine who penned a note to his beloved on the way to his execution for defying the Emperor Claudius. In 14th century England, Geoffrey Chaucer (Canterbury Tales) championed the sentiment of courtly or romantic love, which later evolved into the custom of offering flowers, candy or greeting cards known as “valentines.”

How the world has changed. Now, many Muslim countries ban Valentine’s Day affections because they don’t “reflect Islamic culture.” I read recently that there are more Christian martyrs now than at any time in recorded history. Worldwide persecution exists because Jesus’ message threatens religions, cultures and governments. The Governor of Jakarta, Indonesia, is on trial for blasphemy because an edited transcript of a campaign comment (fake news) was said to blaspheme the Quorum. Governor Ahok who is a Christian may lose his reelection bid and his freedom or his life in no small part because he’s Chinese and because he is not a Muslim in this most populous Islamic nation of the world.

I believe we celebrate Valentine’s Day as a distraction from February which is ordinarily so miserable. However, this year is an exception. Despite Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction, daffodils, Lenten roses, fruit trees and crocus are blooming. Weather is cyclical. Someone should inform the pseudo-scientist and politician, Al-Gore of this fact, and of the politically doctored data in the recent NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) report. Recently, I saw sate]llite images of California and the entire state was green except for the snowcapped Sierra Nevada mountains. A comparison shot from a year ago showed the entire state brown from drought which has now ended. Hopefully, the Oroville dam about seventy-five miles from Sacramento will not collapse from rain and snow melt.

I heard nature’s Valentine card this morning from an owl in the nearby woods. I’m not smart enough to tell whether the cadenced hoo-hoo-hoo-hoohoooo of a great horned owl is from a male or a female. But I think I recognize ardor and the winsome call of spring in “his” hooting for a mate.

It’s becoming harder to hear nature’s announcement of spring due to the whining, sniveling and petulant hoots of the media, Holly-weird and the Democrats. Even though liberals comprise only 27% of the American population, they seem to be able to cause an inordinate amount of noise. The media especially have never encountered someone who calls them out and throws their bias and hypocrisy back in their faces. Now they call foul and cite the First Amendment because Trump refuses to bow to their bullying. Apparently, the media believe they are allowed to concoct fake news and destroy people, but can’t take the heat when the tables are turned on them as Trump did in his February 16th press conference. Good for him, and for Jimmy Duncan who had the kahunas to say no to a townhall meeting which would allow liberal progressives operatives a venue to rant about their November 8th loss.

Obama and his policies were defeated in 2010, 2014 and in 2016. The Democrats have now lost more than 1200 elected seats at the Federal, State and local levels. They no longer control Congress or the Presidency, only the Judiciary. Democrats control just five states and are no longer a national party. All they have left is Congressional obstruction, judicial advocacy, fake news from their media operatives and the hooting nutjobs of Hollywood whose persona is fake and an illusion. That’s why it’s tinsel town.

In recent weeks I’ve written about the “fourth branch” of our government and the “fifth column” elements embedded throughout. If you’re unfamiliar with these terms, you should regularly follow my columns. You can catch up at https://www.knoxfocus.com through the archives. Suffice it to say, the news of security breaches in the intelligence community and at the Department of Justice have born out my contentions.

I wish I could talk of peace and comity, even mercy, but the latter is only possible when the vanquished acknowledge their defeat. Yes, we are at war with each other and within our government. Lincoln quoted Jesus who said, “A house divided against itself cannot survive.” The Master was right. The American people and their new champion Trump will either win this war against what some have called Obama’s “shadow government” and the perverse media or we will end up on the ash heaps of history like so many civilizations before.

To quote Thomas Paine, it is no time for “the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot.” The hooting of Ashley Judd types, Democrats and CNN is engineered to make Americans feel isolated and out of touch. I assure you that we are not the ones out of touch! The Spirit of America rally (not a protest march) is being held in Nashville on Saturday March 4th from 11-1pm (central time) in support of our country and President. Similar rallies are being held in all state capitols across the nation on this day. Stand up for America. Join Becky and me in Nashville on March 4th. This is something we can all do to help Make America Great Again.