A Tribute to Al Magnus
1926-2002
Funeral Services, Monday, August 26, 2002
General Ben Partin for two decades led the United States Air Force into precision guided munitions, known by many as smart bombs. He began in the laboratory and worked his way all the way into the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Ben said, "Today we honor the life of a truly great American, Alexander Magnus. Great men are few and far between. I live near the homes of two other great Americans, George Washington and George Mason. In fact I live on what George Washington called his River view Farm. All three of these men had much in common. They were all men of great courage, great accomplishment, great wisdom, great humility, great compassion and a great love for their country.
George Washington has rightfully been called the father of this country, George Mason gave us the Bill of Rights and Al Magnus provided funding and focus of critical investigative effort that exposed great evil in high places that has been undoing the great works of both Washington and Mason.
Because of Al Magnus there are now millions of people across the country who no longer accept the lies and cover-up of state sponsored terrorism. This was true even before 9-11. Al Magnus was fighting terrorism cover-up long before 9-11.
Because of All Magnus, there is today a foundation crusading for integrity in the media. This is at a time when Billions of dollars in foundation money and foundations themselves have been hijacked to support a new world order socialist police state.
Al Magnus, you were the man "for such a time as these times." I shall never forget the unbounded compassion shown by you for the dead at Oklahoma City, particularly the children, when you and I were visiting the cite of the Murrah Building." --In loving memory, Ben Partin
Joseph L. Bast, President of the prestigious Heartland Institute of Chicago said, "There doesn't seem to be many men like Al Magnus around anymore. Successful businessmen with strong opinions on the big issues of the day, willing to put their own time and money into making those opinions heard, and not afraid if their views are politically incorrect. Heck, the less politically correct the ideas, the more Al grew fond of them!
Do you think we'll ever hear Bill Gates comment on gay rights, or any of Chicago's invisible CEOs talk about what really happened at Waco, or even question the pseudo-science of global warming? No, not likely. But Al didn't hesitate.
Al was a supporter of The Heartland Institute since 1986, just two years after it was founded. He contributed ideas as well as money to our work on housing, the environment, and school reform. Before his health problems caught up to him he was a regular attendee at our receptions and luncheons. He was always irreverent, always witty, and (I can now admit) pretty much always right.
There aren't many men like Al Magnus around anymore, and now Al isn't with us either. But he made his mark by being principled and outspoken, setting an example for those of us who would rather avoid controversy than speak unpopular truths.
Men die, but the examples they set live on in our collective memory. Al did us that favor. We should return it by striving to live up to his example."
Pat Briley, of the Oklahoma Bombing Investigation Committee, said, "Alex Magnus had a moral conscience.
He sought to learn the truth behind, expose and correct the moral decline in America.
Alex was a doer, not just a talker, who did something constructive about his concerns. He expended his own time, energy and resources where his heart was.
Alex wanted a better America for her children and for her people
He was especially concerned for correcting the moral decline in government-administered programs that led to the conditions that produced the Columbine student killings.
He was devoted to learning about and having the public told the truth about government immorality that led to the OKC bombing and the subsequent government cover up of its failures.
Alex was given much and he gave back much to the country that he loved. He was a good steward of his resources to do good for people.
Evil in America did not go unopposed; Alex opposed it.
His efforts were a preservative that helped hold back further declines in morality in government and in schools in America.
It was this same love of the truth and pursuit of the truth for others sake that also led Alex Magnus to find and believe on Jesus Christ and God.
I am very glad to report that Alex has been given the desire of his heart. Alex now knows the truth about Columbine and the OKC bombing from his savior, Jesus Christ.
The seeds he sowed by his helping investigators have sprouted, grown and are now bearing fruit. For today the investigators are telling his beloved countrymen the truth that Alex now knows from God.
America is a better place because of Alex Magnus.
Thank you God for Alex Magnus." --Pat Briley 8/23/2002
Sherman Skolnick, a wheel chair bound polio victim of 72 years, knew Al for 10 years, sent written condolences: "I would have like to have been at the wake for Al Magnus but because of my disability it was too difficult for me to travel there. In a person's lifetime one might run into only one such person as Al Magnus. He was a person of rare down to earth great compassion and wisdom. He believed in important causes. We will truly miss him. When will we ever know another person like Al Magnus?
Dr. Ron Graeser said, "I'm a physician who has worked as a Forensic Pathologist for 20 years.
At Alex's request and with his funding I investigated part of the Branch Davidian-Waco abomination. I met with Alex in Dallas 5 years after the massacre to examine and perform an autopsy on the refrigerated but badly decomposed remains of James Riddle who witnesses say was gunned down as he walked peacefully out of the compound. On examining his badly decomposed remains I found that critical bones and parts of bones had been stolen from the remains. These bones could have establish bullet trajectories and the later mutilation of the body as tanks drove over it. No one except the federal government had the motives nor the expertise to steal these bones.
By the way, the bodies of the civilian victims were badly decomposed because the government allowed the power of the refrigerated trailer where the bodies were stored to go off for three days in southern Texas's hot weather. This action destroyed all the soft tissue or fleshy evidence in that massacre, and no one except the federal government had anything to gain from this destruction of evidence. All but Riddle's body were buried in a mass grave.
So through Alex's efforts the only body available was examined and documented by an independent agent. Sometime in the future, justice and honest government may return to this nation, and it will be in part because of efforts of Alex Magnus.
Paul Jacobs of Term Limits said: "Al Magnus was
a great guy and it's mind-boggling to
think of how many good things would not have happened had he not
been there."
Todd Beezley, former editor of WebToday, said, "Al Magnus was a man of great vision, supreme intellect and commitment to the past and future greatness of America. He grieved over the present shortcoming of this land and the challenges our children face. He wanted his children to enjoy a land where people were free to speak their mind and worship their God. A warrior has fallen but the battle he espoused is far from over. Looking down from heaven he encourages us to keep the faith and fight the good fight for freedom. By the Grace of God I and so many others whose lives have been touched by this great good man will do our best to continue in his footsteps and restore liberty to our land. Farewell Al Magnus. I will see you again in a far happier country. For where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
Dr. Stanley Monteith, of Santa Cruz, California: "Al was a man who loved America with intensity I wish more people had. He did everything he possibly could to educate people how important freedom was. He is always an inspiration to me and to people who knew him. He is going to be sorely missed."
What Nation Will This Be?
by Patrick B. Briley
If you turn your back on My precepts and commandments
If you thrive on perjury and taking of bribes
If you do not protect your own men, women and children and cause them to become widows, widowers and orphans
If you murder children in their mother's womb
If you steal wages and pensions and stocks from your workers
If you murder the reputations of My righteous men
If you extol unnatural affection between men and between women
If you divide Jerusalem and My Holy places for a price of betrayal among those who worship the God of Forces
If you do not honor Me in your public places and with your children
I will cause your leaders to become fools having knowledge but no wisdom
I will cause you to dwell carelessly without defense
I will cause your weakest enemies to prevail against you
I will raise up a base leader who will take away your freedoms
I will raise up an even more evil nation to conquer you
Your nation will be no more...
The Founding Fathers of America believed that God would judge a wayward nation on earth even though its inhabitants would be judged in the after life. For this reason, the Founding Fathers were inspired and led to write the Constitution in a way designed to make it more difficult for America to become wayward and be removed from earth by God.
Unfortunately, the Constitution in itself has not yet protected America from a decline in morality among its leaders and from its judges who do not uphold but undermine the Constitution.
The themes in this editorial are taken from my reading of verses in the Bible about what God will do about a nation that dies Spiritually and turns away from God.
America is at risk. We should all pray for America and our leaders and work hard to keep America as a Godly nation so that the fate of America will not become that of a nation described in my editorial.
"Those who labor to build our nation America (this house) without God, labor in vain." Our Founding Fathers knew these words well. We should take these words as seriously now as the Founding Fathers took them at the Constitutional convention to preserve our nation.
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