Whatever history's verdict on the Bush administration might be, it is likely to be very different from what we hear from the talking heads on television or read from the know-it-alls on editorial pages.
 
President Bush's number-one achievement was also the number-one function of government -- to protect its citizens. Nobody on September 11, 2001, believed that there would never be another such attack for more than seven years.

Unfortunately, people who are protected from dangers often conclude that there are no dangers. This is most painfully visible among those Americans who are hysterical over the government's intercepting international phone calls, in order to disrupt international terrorist networks.

Many, especially among the intelligentsia, are also obsessed with whether we are being nice enough to the cut-throats locked up at Guantanamo, some of whom have already been turned loose to resume a life of terrorism. The rights of the Geneva Convention do not apply to people who neither obey the Geneva Convention nor are covered by the Geneva Convention. Read On

BOY SCOUT'S UPSWING People who notice the tiny, gold lapel pin that Bob Mazzuca wears usually recognize it as the Boy Scouts emblem. But afterward, he said, too many ask whether the organization still is around. "That speaks volumes about our marketing effort," said Mazzuca, a former Pittsburgh Scout leader who heads Irving, Texas-based Boy Scouts of America.

The Scouts are kicking off a public awareness and membership-building campaign to last through their 100th anniversary in 2010.

The Boy Scouts stepped away more than a decade ago from large-scale promotions after controversy flared over their ban on gay, atheist and agnostic leaders or members. "At the time, the position was to take the high ground and not say anything. That time has passed," Mazzuca said Thursday during a visit to Pittsburgh for events -- including tonight's 40th anniversary celebration for the Flag Plaza center, Uptown.

"It's time to take our destiny and our definition back into our own hands," he said. "We have such a positive story to tell." Mazzuca has lived in 15 cities during his scouting career and headed the Greater Pittsburgh Council from 1995 to 2005. He has been the national council's chief executive since last September. The Boy Scouts' moves to modernize the organization's image will range from high-profile events to simply funneling more resources to the 304 regional councils for membership drives. Read On

The Lifetime Channel is airing a controversial new movie this weekend in which conservative Christian parents shoulder the blame after their gay-identified son commits suicide. "Prayers for Bobby," based on a true story from the 1970s, stars Sigourney Weaver. Family advocates are concerned the film tells only half of the story, leaving out the redemptive power of Jesus Christ. Louisiana mom Terri Brown can identify with the parents in the movie. For 17 years, she has prayed that her son would find freedom from the homosexual identity. “I can understand a mother’s despair," she said, "especially a Christian mother’s despair. Because we know what the Bible says about homosexuality. “My heart goes out to people that struggle with homosexuality. They did not ask for that struggle. What do we do with our sin nature? We take it to the Lord and let Him renew our minds and hearts.” Jeff Johnston, gender analyst at Focus on the Family, said the movie's message runs contrary to God’s. “Parents can love their kids and still hold to what the Bible says about homosexuality and human sexuality," he said. Johnston said the movie does send a strong message about the importance of fathers. “Boys need dads who are loving and strong," he said, "but who reach out to them when they are struggling with sexuality or sexual issues.” No matter where the movie lands, Johnston said, people can and do change their sexual orientation — he's living proof. FOTF reporting.

APOLOGY IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH -- More than a year after denying it, the newly elected mayor of Portland has admitted having a sexual relationship with a male teenager in 2005. Sam Adams, who is openly gay, acknowledged the relationship in a statement Monday, after the Willamette Week newspaper broke the story on its Web site. In Washington, D.C., for the inauguration, Adams will cut his trip short to issue a public apology Tuesday afternoon in Portland, said Wade Nkrumah, his spokesman. Adams, 45, said he and the teen were together in the summer of 2005, shortly after the teenager turned 18 in June, and when Adams was a city commissioner. The revelations come nearly a year and a half after Adams and the teen said rumors of a sexual relationship between them were false. "I lied at the time because I was afraid that people would believe untrue rumors being circulated by an undeclared mayoral opponent that I had broken a law involving sexual relations with a minor. But this is not a good excuse," Adams said in his statement. Despite the rumors, Adams coasted to victory in his race, making Portland the largest U.S. city to ever elect an openly gay mayor. He was sworn in Jan. 1. In his statement Monday, Adams apologized to the teen for making him lie about the relationship. He also apologized to colleagues and voters. The young man, now 21, did not immediately return a request for comment. AP reporting.

PLANE HAD PRIOR ENGINE PROBLEMS National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said the board's examination of the Airbus 320's maintenance records show "there was an entry in the aircraft's maintenance log that indicates a compressor stall occurred on Jan. 13." The compressor, or fan, draws air into the engine. He said the flight had a different pilot that day, and the board planned to interview that pilot to learn more about the incident. NTSB investigators so far have not uncovered "any anomalies or malfunctions with Flight 1549 from the time it left the gate at LaGuardia Airport on Jan. 15 to the point the pilot reported a birdstrike and loss of engine power," Knudson said. Pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger was able to glide to plane to an emergency river landing and there were no fatalities. CNN reported Monday that passengers on the Flight 1549 that left LaGuardia Airport on Jan. 13 reported hearing loud bangs followed by an announcement from the pilot that the aircraft was either returning to LaGuardia or going to try to land — there were differing accounts of the pilot's statements. However, passengers said that a short time later the situation appeared to return to normal and the flight continued on to Charlotte, N.C., CNN said. It's not unusual for a flight to continue on to its destination after a compressor stall if the engine returns to normal functioning. The probe into the crash-landing of the US Airways jetliner will take a year, and the lessons learned from the spectacular accident will last much longer, Robert Benzon, a senior NTSB investigator, said. FoxNews reporting.

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