From Miami Heat To The Heat Of Battle

It isn't often we hear about a professional athlete who's off-court behavior is worthy of emulating, so when we do, it should be celebrated as widely as possible. The official website of the NBA published this story about former Miami Heat forward Tim James today. Here is an athlete you can use as a positive role model for your kids:

Tim James apologized for being late. A rough day at work, said the Miami Heat's 1999 first-round draft pick. Vehicles broke down, problems flared up, and he simply fell behind.

"It happens," James said. "Even here."

Even here -- on the front line of the Iraq war.

A former NBA player who often wondered about his true calling, Tim James is now a U.S. Army soldier, a transformation that even many of the people closest to him never saw coming.

"I got my degree, lived the life I was able, have my freedom and became a professional athlete," James said last week from Iraq. "I'm the example of the American dream."

[snip]

"I think of myself as a patriot," James said. "I wanted to give back to a country that gave so much to me."

[snip]

He never questioned if he was making the right decision.

"I have no doubts," James said. "I have no regrets. Not one bit."

Tim James was a good basketball player. He is a man of exceptional character and a genuine patriot. Thank you for your service, Spc. James. May God bless you and bring you home safe.

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/08/30/james.army.ap/index.html

Same Shiite, Different Year

38 people are reported dead and dozens more were injured in the latest homicide bombing to rock Baghdad. The only thing slightly unusual about this story is the bomber's gender - female. From Fox News' coverage (links added ~ed):

A female homicide bomber blew herself up on Sunday among a crowd of pilgrims worshipping at a revered Shiite shrine in northern Baghdad, killing at least 38 people and wounding about 72, the Iraqi army and police said.

[snip]

The attack came as Shiites prepared to mark Ashura on Jan. 7. Falling on the 10th of Muharram under the Islamic lunar calendar, it is one of the most important holy days for Shiite Muslims and marks the death of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson Imam Hussein.

[snip]

Although the homicide attack bore all the hallmarks of the Sunni terror group Al Qaeda in Iraq, which has killed hundreds of people in bombings against Ashura pilgrims in recent years, other Islamic extremist groups have used the day to stage bloody attacks.

Among the bloodiest attacks during Ashura were a series of mortar attacks and bombings in Baghdad and Karbala that killed nearly 200 pilgrims and wounded more than 500 others in 2004.

And the beat goes on. Sometimes I feel like Bill Murray in 'Groundhog Day', ya' know? Makes me wanna sing the blues....

Jonny Lang & Double Trouble, 'Groundhog Day'

Iraqi Christians: Flee or Die

My dear friend BabbaZee has an excellent and heartbreaking post about the fate of Christians in Iraq - one of the oldest communities of Christians on planet Earth. PLEASE watch the videos and read the links. Yes, it is a bit long...but we just can't turn a blind eye to this! Our brothers and sisters are suffering and dying while we worry about whether we can get a loan to buy a new car. Seriously.

Unlike their Muslim neighbors, Iraqi Christians have no armed militias for protection. They are completely at the mercy of the government and the gangs of Islamic terrorists....

Iraq: We will slit your infidel throats!

This all hits especially close to home for those of us in Michigan - we have a substantial Chaldean/Arabic Christian community here, and their families are torn apart, waiting for permission to come to America. Senator Carl Levin, a VERY liberal Democrat who also happens to be Jewish, is trying to help the remaining Christian Iraqis. We owe them nothing less.

Please pray for the safety of those left in Iraq and other hostile parts of the world.

For more information, please see these references:

Chaldeans in Michigan

The Chaldean Community Website

Dreams of Freedom Bring Iraqis Here

National Organization of Iraqi Christians

Congressman Thaddeus McCotter Urges Protection for Iraqi Christians (a PDF file)

Humor From Iraq

Despite the sacrifices and hardships of war, our brave soldiers manage to keep a sense of humor, as witnessed by these photos from Iraq. God bless our troops!




Hat tip: Barracuda Babes