Tag Archives: Washington DC

02.11.11
by

Walmart fires brave employees who intervene to protect workers and customers from violence


Memo to Big Sis: Your little terrorism prevention videos now playing in Walmart are having their intended effect…teaching us to act helpless and not to defend ourselves in a crisis situation.

If you see something, say something…but just don’t DO anything. And don’t bother asking a Walmart employee to help stop what’s going on. Company policy says “NO!”.

Concealed Carry? Fuggeddaboudit.

Utah County Walmart employee fired after intervening in employee scuffle

James Dallin, an assistant manager with 10 years of experience with Walmart, was fired Jan. 4 after separating a worker from an angry husband on Black Friday in November at the store in Cedar Hills.

Dallin said Thursday he was violently shoved from behind. Then, he said the husband went after his wife — Dallin’s co-worker.

“Flung her, right away, verbally started abusing her,” Dallin said.

The man grabbed the woman hard by the arm and berated her as he escorted her down an aisle. Minutes later, the man still had a firm grip on his co-worker’s arm and was continuing to verbally abuse her when Dallin said he pushed the man into a shelf and told him to leave, then escorted him out of the store.

The man complained, and six weeks later, Dallin was fired for violating Walmart’s policy on “workplace violence.”

“The thing I have a problem with is you have to react,” Dallin said.

Darn straight! Sometimes you just have to clean somebody’s clock. Especially when the honor and safety of a woman is at stake.

So, Walmart’s excuse?

Walmart issued a new statement Thursday on Dallin’s firing, and also on the company’s response to intervening employees.

“After a thorough review of witnesses statements, video surveillance and other information, it was determined that Mr. Dallin’s actions escalated the matter in such a way that it put his own safety and that of others around him at risk,” Walmart spokesman Dan Fogleman said. “What we want to avoid is having a situation escalate that might result in someone getting hurt. Our management team is aware of this and expected to act accordingly.”

Yeah, um, okay.

Lori Poulsen, Justin Richins, Shawn Ray and Gabriel Stewart were fired a week after disarming and detaining Trent Allen Longton, a convicted felon, Jan. 13 at the Walmart in Layton.

A police report shows Longton stashed a netbook computer under his clothes. After being shepherded back to the loss prevention office, the workers say Longton pulled out a gun, rushed them, grabbed Stewart, put a gun to his back and said, “Don’t make me do this.”

Despite disarming the gunman and holding him until police arrived, the workers were fired under the Walmart policy for dealing with shoplifters. They were supposed to “disengage” and “withdraw” when the gun came out, but the workers contended they had nowhere to go.

So employees are just supposed to wait around for a supervisor, or for a supervisor’s supervisor, or the Department of Homeland Security to come around and walk the offender through the employee handbook and remind him of all the rules he’s breaking? Politely ask him to step down and we’ll resolve the matter through hand-holding, deep breathing, and quiet airing of grievances?

Give me a freaking break.

Can you imagine how many people on the ground would have died, and how the history of this entire country might have been different, if the brave people on Flight 93 had “disengaged” and “withdrew”, allowing the terrorists to seize control of the plane and crash it into the White House?

Memo to Walmart employees from HQ: If you value your job, just keep to yourself when someone comes in brandishing a weapon and threatening harm to everyone there. Let shoplifters steal whatever they want. Let your co-workers get their heads bashed in. We don’t care. We just don’t want the situation to “escalate”.

Memo to customers: Shop elsewhere if you value your safety.

Related articles

09.07.10
by

Is Glenn Beck Christian enough? Does it even matter?


Since the 8/28 Restoring Honor Rally in Washington D.C., I have witnessed Christians expressing feelings online ranging from great satisfaction and edification as to what happened at the Lincoln Memorial to outright bigotry against “the Mormons”.

For a moment, I’m going to put myself in evangelical shoes and look at my faith from an evangelical’s perspective.  Mormons claiming to be Christians, in the sola scriptura, post-Nicean creedal sense doesn’t work on several levels.

Stepping back into my Mormon shoes, the view doesn’t differ so much. As Mormons, we believe that there is a need for continuing revelation to correct certain misconceptions and changes that have crept into the doctrine over the last 1,500 or so years.

There are legitimate reasons for both sides to disagree theologically, from their respective perspectives.

Yet, despite these differences, it is astounding to me that anyone on the evangelical side of the equation would strike us from their “friends list” when it comes to the critical moral and social issues of our day. We share so much more in common on that level than we do theologically, and there are enough of us who are dedicated in all the right ways, that counting us out is a detriment to a cause that wishes to effect changes.

So why the divide? And how wide is it, really?

I think Dr. Jim Garlow, Chairman of Renewing American Leadership and Senior Pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, CA, has perfectly framed the reasons for “allowing” Mormons to help evangelicals in efforts that support their positions on moral and social issues.

He says, in part (emphasis added):

As evangelicals and Mormons, we are not theological brothers and sisters.  But we are friends and neighbors.  And on that basis we work together to defend marriage.

…

That became the mantra for our Prop 8 work together.  Mormons make up 2% of the California population, yet contributed at least 40% of the funds to defend marriage. Of the workers that knocked on doors and called homes, I suspect that the LDS church provided the lion’s share of the workers.

…

Notice the phrase – “friends and neighbors.”  That is exactly what they are.  As such, I treat them (and all persons) with honor and dignity.

I think that’s a perfect way to frame the answer to the question of whether it’s against an Evangelical’s Christianity to “work with” Mormons. Evangelicals don’t need to feel like they’re being “unevenly yoked with unbelievers”, that is if they are equally interested in keeping the first and second greatest commandments. Or Christ’s injunction in Matthew 5:47.

Dr. Garlow goes on to say: (emphasis added)

On one of his TV shows about a month ago, he laid out the gospel, using his well known blackboard, in the clearest explanation of the crucifixion and the resurrection that I have ever heard on national TV.  I called James Robison, and asked, “Did you hear that?”  James said, “Richard Land (Southern Baptist) just called me and said he never expected to hear the Gospel so clear on secular television.”  It was quite remarkable.  A few days ago, Glenn laid out America’s problems and then concluded, “We need God!”

I have interviewed persons who have talked specifically with Glenn about his personal salvation – persons extremely well known in Christianity – and they have affirmed (using language evangelicals understand), “Glenn is saved.”  He understands receiving Christ as savior. (Note: I have never discussed with Glenn this topic.)

…

On one occasion three of us were walking near the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia.  The person to my right asked the man to my left – who is with Glenn Beck a great deal – “I heard Glenn Beck is a Mormon.  What is he?”  The man to my left, without missing a beat, without even turning his head to look at the questioner said, “A Christian.” That answer comes from a man who has been with Glenn often.  At the risk of throwing a verbal grenade, there is no ambiguity about Glenn’s faith, such as what we see in the “is he a Muslim / is he a Christian” discussion regarding our President.

It’s not a pre-requisite for entry into the Kingdom of Heaven to have a perfect theological knowledge of Jesus Christ in all His attributes. All that is required is that we be as little children–humble and submissive to God’s will and accepting of Christ.

Dr. Barlow believes this as well (emphasis mine):

Let me ask you a question.  Is your theology “off” at all?  Even one percent?  Only the most arrogant would say, “Oh, my theological understanding is 100% perfect.” No, we all keep growing.  God’s Word does not change.  God’s truth does not change.  But we grow in our understanding of spiritual, biblical truths.

I suspect my theology is off by 1% or 4% or 7%.  And, I have news for you: yours is too.

Here is my question:  if your theology is off slightly, but you still trust exclusively in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for your salvation, and in his resurrection, are you still saved?  Going to heaven?  Yes.

How far off might your theology be – and yet still trust exclusively in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for your salvation, and believe in his resurrection – and still be saved?  Is it 10% or 15% or 20%?  Or what?

My point is this:  all of us are missing part of God’s full truth. He knows all truth.  I don’t.  I am striving to understand all truth, but it is a journey of maturing in the understanding of God’s Word.

Someone might truly trust in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for one’s salvation and believe in Jesus as Lord as demonstrated by the resurrection, yet be lacking in many points of doctrine.

Larry King likes to ask evangelicals on Larry King Live if one must believe in Jesus to go to heaven.  If they say “yes,” then he is likely to mention that he is Jewish, so will he go to hell?  Evangelicals historically squirm at the thought of saying, “yes, you are going to hell.”  What is a better answer, I believe, is, “Everyone who is going to heaven will get there the same way: by the provision of Jesus.”  “But am I,” Larry might persist, in this imaginary conversation, “going to hell?”  We should respond politely, “All who are going to heaven will get there the same way: by the provision of Christ.  It is not mine to judge who will be ‘in’ or ‘out.’  But I do know that all who gain heaven will get there the same way: by the provision of Christ.”

Indeed, where is it written that one must have a perfect knowledge of all the doctrines of and attributes of Christ in order to be saved? In all my readings of the Bible over the past 20 years, I have not found it. And even though the Prophet Joseph Smith taught us that no man can be saved in ignorance, in all my readings of LDS scripture over the years, I have not found the idea of perfect knowledge of Christ as a pre-requisite for salvation/exaltation in LDS theology either. In everything, there is an emphasis of line upon line, precept upon precept.

Again, in John 7, Christ taught (emphasis added):

14 ¶ Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

From where I sit, Glenn Beck is doing God’s will just as much as Dr. Garlow or any “lay member” who is interested in saving souls and restoring honor to our country. They are teaching people to return to the basic morality of Christian teachings.

How can that be wrong?

Dr. Barlow finishes by saying (emphasis mine):

Glenn Beck is being used by God – mightily.  The left loves to slam him and do so viscerally and often with vulgarities. Glenn is not perfect. (For the record, neither are you or I.)  But his expose on America’s sins is stellar.  I am convinced his motives are pure.  His research department is profoundly skilled, checking footnotes down to the last detail.  The left cannot “get” him – at least, not at this point.  They have tried.  Since they have no truth, and history is not on their side, they resort constantly to ad hominem attacks [implication: let’s not follow the Left’s example here].  He has withstood staggering scrutiny, disdain and attacks.

Based on all I know about him, I was proud to stand with him at the Restoring Honor Rally this weekend.  Glenn does not see that this about him, because it is not.  It is about Restoring Honor. That is the issue.  It is much bigger than Glenn Beck and he knows it.  And God knows, we need it.

Amen, Brother Barlow. Amen.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
05.06.10
by

Quotes of the day


Lifted from the PatriotPost, my emphasis added.

“Al Sharpton promised to lead protest marches in Phoenix and Tucson Thursday to support the rights of illegal aliens to work in farm and service jobs in the United States. It’s come to this. Civil rights leaders are marching in support of slave labor.” –comedian Argus Hamilton

“At San Francisco’s City Hall, where bottled water is banned as the drink of climate denialists, Mayor Gavin Newsom is boycotting for real: All official visits to Arizona have been canceled indefinitely. You couldn’t get sanctions like these imposed at the UN Security Council, but then, unlike Arizona, Iran is not a universally reviled pariah. Will a full-scale economic embargo devastate the Copper State? Who knows? It’s not clear to me what San Francisco imports from Arizona. Chaps?” –columnist Mark Steyn

“Those who shower the most praise on our public education system are those least likely to ever expose their own kids to it. I refer to the pinheads who hold public office. In fact, the only time a president or first lady ever wanders into a public school in Washington, D.C., is for an election year photo op, after having made certain that their Secret Service detail is operating at full strength that day. It’s not a school system, it’s a penal colony with report cards.” –columnist Burt Prelutsky

“It’s the job of our federal, national government to secure our borders, not a job of state government.” —Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

Related articles
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
12.15.09
by

Christmas Trees From ‘Round The World


Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths — some 5,000 — are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine. The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He’s done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to Washington D.C. with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state.

Please share this with everyone you know. You hear too much about the bad things people do. Everyone should hear about this.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]