Written by Dr. Edward T. Holliday Photos courtesy of O.P. Ditch, USAF Veteran On August 28, I was in Washington D.C. participating along with thousands of Americans summoned by Glenn Beck of Fox News Channel to the Restoring Honor Rally held at the Lincoln Memorial.  My personal estimation is that there were likely 900,000 to 1,000,000 patriotic people present, especially when you count the hundreds who came but left because of the large crowd.                  Restoring Honor Rally at the Lincoln Memorial Thousands gather to honor the U.S. Military It was indeed an honor and a privilege to be on stage when Dr. Alveda King spoke as she honored her uncle on the 47th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s world-changing “I Have a Dream” speech. Alveda had asked me to travel to Washington, D.C. and stand with her as she spoke. Because I was a part of Alveda’s group I was allowed access to the “green room” where the participants (except Governor Sarah Palin who was at a different location) waited in an air-conditioned tent. I was disappointed that Sarah was not in our tent, but my eyes were fixated on the monitors as she addressed the crowd, not as a politician, but as the mother of a soldier. Sarah’s speech had the multitudes gathered at the Reflection Pool cheering and clapping with thunderous applause, and there was also excited applause coming from those of us waiting inside the tent. She was exceptionally marvelous as she brought honor to our men and women in uniform.  Gov. Sarah Palin takes the stage I was not nervous about being in front of more than half a million people or thinking about the millions watching by television and internet. I was not even nervous when Alveda told me backstage, “Now Ed, when we are singing out there today, I want you to 'release your spirit'."  I guess she knew I was Southern Baptist and might be a little stiff.  Admittedly, I have been known to clap off-beat on occasion. Dr. Ed Holliday (third from right) stands with Dr. Alveda King and guests As Alveda and I with her other friends and singers descended the steps to join her on stage, the thought hit me: I am going to be the only white person with ten black Americans on stage before the nation. I was thinking that the entire audience was going to be saying inside their heads: Does this white man have any rhythm? With those thoughts running through my mind as we assembled on stage, I did get nervous. Then when I noticed that Alveda’s two special singers were not behind the podium as I thought that they would be, but directly beside me I thought: Oh, no, when I am clapping my hands I cannot be offbeat.  As the music started I noticed in my right eye’s peripheral vision Pastor Hoye’s (I stood beside his wife) outstretched hands keeping a steady and firm beat. It was then that I noticed a steady and perfect beat from my left eye’s peripheral vision by an audience member on the front row. That person was Sarah Palin. Sarah has rhythm and soul. I watched her inconspicuously lift her hand (not her arm) in praise. She inspired me to lift my arm and hand in praise and even give my arm a little back-and-forth wave. Suddenly the crowd began waving their arms back and forth in the air causing a ripple effect throughout the masses. Gov. Sarah Palin, proud mom of U.S Army combat vet, Track Palin Following the lead of "Sister Sarah" and "Brother Walter", I think I did pretty good keeping time with the music. So thank you Sarah Palin for helping me fulfill Alveda's request to “release my spirit” during worship. At the end of the event the 240 Black Robe Brigade and others came up for the final song. Tears rolled down as I thought of Dr. King’s dream of one day when, “Black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics,” would stand together and sing. I followed my leader (Dr. Robert Smith, an African American pastor from Little Rock, Arkansas) up on to the stage to our final position. I turned to discover that I was on the second row right smack in the middle and just behind Glenn Beck. As the bagpipes were playing “Amazing Grace”, Alveda King and Sarah Palin were brought into place right in front of me. I could not have planned this moment better myself in a million years.  God surely had His hand of blessing on me this day.   Gov. Sarah Palin, Dr. Alveda King and friends bowing their heads in reverence to God During Vietnam Veteran Dave Roever’s ending prayer as he called for a welcoming home of all Vietnam Veterans, applause broke out in the crowd. I opened my eyes as I was looking down and the first thing I saw was Sarah Palin’s French-manicured toe nails which perfectly complimented her high heeled shoes. She is as beautiful in person as she is on television. After Dave's prayer I was thinking that if ZZ Top were to write a song called Sharp Dressed Woman, the star of that song would be Sarah Palin. I did get to meet Sarah immediately after the rally for a brief moment. She was as gracious as she was beautiful, and I believe the reason she glows with steadfast confidence is because she has a heart of gold and a desire to serve God Almighty. As Glenn Beck was dismissing the crowd asking them to share the day’s message of honor and restoration, everyone on stage seemed to move toward Sarah.  I witnessed first-hand her grace as she signed autographs and smiled for photos. I even took a few pictures for people as they stood beside her. She never faltered in being polite, gracious, and always she was beautiful, in control, and looked very (dare I say it?) presidential.  Okay. I said it.  Maybe I am getting carried away here, but she does have “that certain something” lacking from other leaders. Gov. Sarah Palin warmly greets guests Sarah even listened with interest as my friend, Mississippi Republican Congressional candidate, Bill Marcy, invited her to Mississippi and requested her help with his commonsense conservative election campaign. Sarah kindly and graciously gave him her contact information. But God popped my pride of finally meeting Sarah because when I put my arm around her shoulder for a photo, I told the person taking the picture the wrong button to push on my video camera. I wanted to kick myself when I got back to the hotel and discovered I did not have the picture of me with Sarah, but after a day like this, how could I be disappointed? I decided to celebrate the victories and not concentrate on the bungled photo op with Sarah. Now people will just have to take my word for it. But I do have the memory. Gov. Sarah Palin speaking the truth with boldness Thank you Sarah for the hope, love, and charity you have brought to America. Thank you for inspiring so many men and women and children across our great nation. God bless you and your family.  Indeed America, God has shed his grace on thee. ____________________________________________________________________ The People for Palin graciously thanks Dr. Ed Holliday, author of Walk With Me, A Patriot's Guide from the Boston Tea Party to Sharing Today's TEA Party Revolution,  for sharing his thoughts on meeting Gov. Sarah Palin at the Restoring Honor Rally as a guest of Dr. Alveda King.  Dr. Holliday extends a personal invitation for you to join him each Monday for Doc Holliday's Tea Party. Doc Holliday’s Tea Party with Dr. Ed Holliday Dr. Holliday is the author of Walk with Me: A Patriot’s Guide from the Boston Tea Party to Sharing Today’s Tea Party Revolution and The 21st Century Great Awakening. He is a leader in “Mission Mississippi”, a statewide Christian organization that seeks unity across racial and denominational lines. He has worked with the Coalition of African American Pastors (CAAP) and has supported key conservative values on the local, state, and national levels. He actively works for racial reconciliation and pursues community excellence. Dr. Holliday is in many professional and Christian organizations and enjoys speaking, writing and working to promote conservative values. He is very active in his community where he is the volunteer director of dental services for the Good Samaritan Free Clinic and is co-chair of the local chapter of Mission Mississippi. He attends Harrisburg Baptist Church in Tupelo and serves in several ministries and on several boards that contribute to make his community a better place for all people. Dr. Holliday graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1983 and its School of Dentistry in 1987. He currently practices general dentistry in Tupelo, Mississippi. His wife, Leslie, and he have four children, ages 12, 9, 7, and 5. Although he has not been able to document direct kinship to the original dentist called Doc Holliday, this Doc Holliday does like shooting from the hip—with words. Special thanks to O.P. Ditch of Vets4Sarah for sharing his personal photos of the Restoring Honor Rally to highlight this article.  Our country will forever be grateful to you, O.P., as well as to all the brave men and women in uniform whose selfless service to our country keep it possible for us to assemble in peace.  God bless you, Sir.

      It takes more than horsepower to win the world's longest toughest snowmachine race over an unforgiving Alaska landscape, just ask four-time Iron Dog Champion Todd Palin. Drivers also need skill, knowledge, and the determination to stay in the race.  Iron Dog contendors also race with perseverance. Perseverance means “the ability to bear difficulties calmly and without complaint.” Perseverance keeps going and moving forward no matter what opponents say or do.  I once heard someone describe perseverance as "stick-to-it-ness".        Todd Palin is a world class snowmachine racer Four-time Iron Dog Champion Todd Palin   Team #22 Davis/Palin ready to hit the Iron Dog Trail, the longest toughest snowmachine race in the world Like her world class snowmachine racing husband Todd, 2008 GOP Vice Presidential nominee Governor Sarah Palin personifies perseverance. No matter how the mainstream media elite, the liberal political pundits, the late night talk show hosts, or even the nosy neighbor peering through a wooden fence may slander her, Governor Palin consistently perseveres. She forges ahead endorsing commonsense conservative candidates, speaking the truth with boldness at fundraisers and rallies, and shares personally from her heart at pro-life events without giving a fleeting thought to inevitable media backlashes and hit-pieces. In contrast to the Iron Dog Champion's perseverance and Governor Palin's "stick-to-it-ness", how then shall we describe the liberal agenda of this generation? It is like children calling to their playmates: "We wanted to play wedding, but you didn't want to be happy; so we wanted to play funeral, and you didn't want to be sad. So, in other words, what DO you want!?  What would make you happy!?"  The answer is, sadly, NOTHING! You might as well not even try, and thus Governor Palin does not TRY to accommodate the liberal agenda.  No doubt she provokes furious responses from those who oppose, but at the end of the day, I am certain that their spitting, their foaming at the mouth, their wide-eyed carryings-on leave them confused as to why they are going so insane over the self-proclaimed hockey mom from Wasilla. Here's how I'd like to apply it to commonsense conservative freedom-loving Christian Americans. Jesus said in John 15:18-27 that the disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his Lord. If they were so offended with the Master, do you really think Governor Palin, a woman of devout Christian faith, can get by without getting anybody riled up? Well, she CAN'T.  In fact, she does everything exactly right, and she does it well, and humbly, and patiently, and with a good motive... and the liberal elite get so upset that they blame her for every ill on the planet. According to them, she must have had a hand in planning the September Attacks in 2001 and the Wall Street plunge last fall. She is the one causing the ice caps to shrink! She caused the deadlock in Congress, she engineered the Bird flu virus in her basement, and in their minds, there never WILL be peace and security as long as Governor Palin is on the loose. (Yes, it really is as Mahalia Jackson sings in Sweet Little Jesus Boy:  That's just the way things are down here below).  Silly, isn't it?     Gov. Palin with FL AG candidate Pam Bondi Endorsing Miller for AK US Senate Campaigning with Nikki Haley for SC Governor So what do we do? We vote for Palin-endorsed commonsense conservative candidates on November 2nd. We smile with both good humor and a heart of trustfulness, and pray, "Dear Lord, You know—much better than we do—how things are 'round here. Continue to give Governor Palin the bold strength to expose the socialist agenda seeking to take over our country. Protect her from the scornful enemies who plot to stone her dead! Keep her alive and her voice loud, Lord, and send her as many faithful supporters as can be gathered together across the nation. And one more thing dear Jesus: HEAL THEM ALL!"  

  "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power..." (I Corinthians 2:4) Not one to just talk-the-talk but instead to walk-the-walk, Governor Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, demonstrated their belief in God's abundant life by giving birth to a precious baby boy with special needs. Trig Paxson Van Palin made his world debut on April 18, 2008 at the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer, Alaska. Gov. Palin and her son Trig soaking up some sun in Arizona on November 5, 2008 "The moment he was born... my heart overflowed with joy... I felt a love I had a never felt before and a compassion I didn't even know was there... Trig is a miracle", Gov. Palin often says of her fifth child. Speaking to more than 9,000 at the Women of Joy Conference in Oklahoma City on April 15, 2011, Governor Palin made it known in no uncertain terms that when it comes to Trig, "There are our standards of perfection, and then there is God's standard of perfection." Women of Joy worshipping the Lord in Oklahoma City where Gov. Palin made the keynote speech Governor Palin continued demonstrating God's goodness to those present with her encourarging faith-building words of wisdom. The following are excerpts from her message of exhortation: "Your passions and interests were given to you for the service of others and our Creator.” “In Matthew [Chapter] 5, Jesus taught something… ‘Bless those who are hurt and mourn’, and He said they would be comforted… they’d be blessed… when people insult… and make things up about you, or say false things because of His Name.” “Jesus’ blessings are directly tied to getting out of self and risking our hearts in service to others for His sake. That is what our purpose is, and He didn’t promise it would be easy.” Gov. Palin demonstrating God's power and grace to Oklahoma's Women of Joy “Our road… I know the Palin’s road, hasn’t been easy… if you were to ask people like my parents or your parents if their most important growing years were their easiest years, they would tell you ‘no’, because with trial and struggle comes significance and the power to live with purpose.” “My prayer for all of you through this conference, starting tonight, is that this year you’ll really hone in on seeking opportunities to focus on taking the steps forward into what God’s prepared for you…  to grow more tender to Jesus [and] to really listen to his voice… forgo any role of victim to pursue the role of visionary.” “You’ve got to learn to deal with unnecessary criticism because the critics will always be there.” Dance, Sarah, Dance! “The bottom line, gals, is to be a ‘woman of joy’, you might as well dance.”   

There isn't anyone who doesn't want to live a life of freedom... a life of freedom that is full of joy, peace, and fulfillment. Sarah Palin understands that freedom doesn't happen automatically. She knows that freedom is the result of making the right choices- choices that are in agreement with God's Word. Deuteronomy 30:19 says, "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses, therefore, choose life, that you and your household may live." Just think what America would be like today if the Pilgrims had not made a choice for life and freedom. Their decision to seek freedom caused the birth of a nation... a nation founded on God's authority, and we are still reaping the harvest of their pioneering faith today. Vice President Henry Wilson- 18th U.S. Vice President under President Grant said: "Remember ever; and always, that your country was founded... by the Puritans who made the deck of the Mayflower an altar of the living God, and whose first act on touching the soil of the new world was to offer on bended knees thanksgiving to Almighty God." Sarah Palin has this same pioneering spirit and revelation knowledge of freedom. She chooses freedom and life which is the seed that will reap a harvest of life, liberty, and freedom. I have always believed that the temperment and atmosphere of our nation is a reflection of our leaders. This is why we need Sarah Palin and other leaders who share her values on the national stage. Our vote is a seed we plant into a candidate's life, and we will reap the harvest of that vote. God bless Governor Sarah Palin as she fights the good fight of faith with her pioneering spirit. Her words are plowing the field where she will plant the harvest that will continue to reap freedom for America.

  Who dat? Who dat? Dat be Governor Sarah Palin in the Big Easy where she wowed the crowd at the 2010 Southern Republican Leadership Conference this weekend. The 2008 Republican Vice Presidential nominee lived up to her billing as the main draw as she electrified thousands of supporters with her clarion call for common-sense conservatism and smaller government. “There is no shame in being the party of no if the other side is proposing an idea that violates our values, violates our principals, violates our Constitution.” Governor Palin’s passionate delivery addressed several policy issues and challenged the current administration’s position on the nuclear arms reduction treaty questioning why an enemy like Iran was being “coddled” while a friend like Israel was being “alienated”. She also made the connection between energy and security calling for domestic, reliable and environmentally sound energy to secure freedom for America, and she reminded the audience that, “The party of Lincoln, the party of Reagan is back and we have our eyes wide open going into 2010.” Another hot-button topic Governor Palin discussed was President Obama’s proposal for off-shore drilling that is nothing more than a decoy to attract votes for a larger cap-and-trade energy bill. “I hope the Senate Republicans tell him, ‘You can drill all you want off the shores of Virginia, but you won’t find bi-partisanship down there.’” Characteristic of her personal charm and wit, she held up her left palm on which was written, “Geaux Saints”, declaring that there is nothing wrong with saying to those who oppose, “We win, you lose”, to an eruption of thunderous applause and another standing ovation as Governor Palin praised New Orleans as an inspiring city. She mentioned her last visit to the Crescent City to attend an oil and gas conference, thanking those who had “rebuilt”, “restored” and “revitalized” in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and my thoughts drifted to a passage in her best- selling book, Going Rogue: An American Life, where Governor Palin talked about being in New Orleans when she discovered a new change… a new beginning… a new life on the horizon for the Palin family. It was while attending this conference in late summer 2007 where she learned the Creator was perfectly forming her fifth child, Trig Paxson Van Palin. I noted to myself the significant correlation of that exciting news of new life for the Palins and the exciting anticipation on this visit of a new hope… a new change… a new birth for America with the upcoming 2010 elections this November. As a delegate to the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans, I witnessed Governor Palin’s rousing speech to an audience jazzed with elevated excitement ready to “kick the bums out” in 2010. We must keep the momentum going by taking that same energy and excitement to our neighbors, our friends, our families and to our nation not letting it fade with the conference spotlight because in Governor Palin’s own words, “There’s nothing… that a good old fashioned election can’t fix.” Reload, baby, reload.

  Bill Ponath meets Gov. Sarah Palin in AZ                Respect Is Valuable But Must Be Earned written by Bill Ponath I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Governor Sarah Palin on November 23 at Barnes & Noble in Phoenix. I gave her a signed copy of my book and she allowed me the honor of posing for a photo with her; a copy of which is now posted on my Facebook page. I sincerely express my thanks for her allowing me that privilege and for her accepting my gift. I hope that she reads it, appreciates it's content, and uses it as a minor authority for her service to our nation. This alerts us to what many members of the media may claim to be an "issue" concerning Ms. Palin's possible candidacy for President of the United States in 2012. Her recent slip of the tongue by using the word "North" instead of "South" in reference to Korea has caused political pundits to question her qualifications to serve as leader of the United States of America; despite the fact that she immediately corrected herself after doing so. It is actually pretty funny that her attackers are grabbing this slight error and running with it; which is another way of their saying that they are hunting for some kind of an angle on her every day but they simply can't find anything. Her recent neighbor left his temporary abode frustrated that it was a waste of time scouting her to look for something to write about and he came up with nothing. Who knows? Maybe her saying "North" instead of "South" was part of her "strategery" to lead the liberal media down a wild goose chase. That sounds pretty smart to me! At this time there is a long list of potential candidates for the Presidency in 2012. I have great respect for Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee and Tim Pawlenty. I assume there will be a few other hats in the ring as time passes; but I have made an absolutely final decision that my vote is going to Sarah Palin. The reason for this is quite clear: she has proven that she can do a phenomenal job by her work as Alaska governor. She has absolutely no baggage based on comparatively less experience because she has proven that her primary goal is serving her country rather than herself. She is the person that will grasp any challenge and work until it has been completely overcome. I truly believe that she will never shrug her shoulders and give up. If you want the job done right; she is the one we need to hire. Yes; lack of experience will always be the angle used by her opponents. But ask yourself a question: If you need open-heart surgery are you going to hire the doctor with forty years of experience who doesn't really care if you live or die; or are you going to hire the one with five years of experience that has already done miracle surgery on a patient named "Alaska" and who wants desperately for you to live. I will take the second doctor and I trust that most of America will agree with me in November, 2012. The People for Palin graciously thanks Bill Ponath, author of "Verdict For America" The Common Sense Judge, for sharing his thoughts on meeting Governor Palin and her possible 2012 presidential candidacy.  Bill Ponath, J.D., B.A., the Common Sense Judge, is a skilled attorney with more than 26 years of experience and has served for seven terms as a judge pro tem in Maricopa County Justice Courts in Arizona since 2001. His analytical skills are well-known; he gained the highest scores in the nation on two uniform mathematics examinations, and has issued rulings directly impacting the criminal court system. For more information, including how to order "Verdict for America", please visit www.VerdictForAmerica.com. Also please follow Bill Ponath on Twitter at  http://twitter.com/CommonSenseJudg and join his Facebook Fan page at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=128321940521474.