I feel the need to say something that needs to be said, and I hope people will truly hear me.
There is a lot of hate in America right now, a lot of partisan politics, and a lot of ignorance. Civil discourse has been reduced to who can shout the loudest, constructive criticism has come to the point of who can make up the most lies, and politicians have forgotten who they work for (and that is the people not parties).
Whether or not you voted for Obama, whether or not you agree with him, listen up: HE IS OUR PRESIDENT! That means you treat him and the office he holds with some respect! We are becoming the laughing stock of the world with the amount of ignorance being displayed. Recent examples;
• Birthers (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/19450.html)
• The amount of outrage over the President asking kids to do well in school
(http://news.aol.com/article/obama-school-speech-text/658197)
• Sarah Palin (need I say more?)
There are people, since the initial campaign who have called him everything from: Terrorist, Muslim (nothing wrong with being Muslim by the way), Hitler (yes they did), communist, socialist, Stalin, Chairman Mao, “not an American”, “not a real American”, Kenyan citizen (nothing wrong with being Kenyan either), death panelist, I could go on.
It used to be unheard of to say these things about a country’s president on national TV, with such hate and not have the secret service at your door!
Let’s think for a moment: what is different about this President that he is inspiring such hatred? Let’s call this what this is; and unsubtle form of racism. One cannot use the N word, or Negro (although Ronald Reagan did in a speech to kids http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/07/reagan.1988.speech.pdf p.10), so all these other terms are being used as a substitute. Play around for a moment and substitute the N word every time an Obama hater says communist, socialist, etc. See how it fits?
This is not a rant supporting anyone; this is me just telling it like I see it and saying, STOP THE MADNESS! There is only one side on this issue, and that is the side of the United States of America. If the only thing we can do is make problems not solutions, spread hate not help, and if we cannot support our first democratically elected President since Clinton (Bush did not win, and Obama’s skin color does not matter by the way), then we can never be a United States Of America.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Poison pen authors
It has been a while since I have posted; life happens to all of us. I thought I would post a little tale about poison pen letters past and present.
I have had them sent to my now Wife in the past, and ex or jealous person spreading a lie an innuendo, etc. Just recently, my Wife received one from someone else, the culprits are two people who quit before they could be fired.
A word of caution to those who do this kind of thing, it is so easy to be found. 8 years ago when it happened, I found the person then and they got a visit from the US Postal inspectors (federal agents). Today, with the advent of the internet, it makes it easier; I will find you as well, and I am a vindictive SOB.
Get a life, play with your dog, toys, children, or even yourself; do not play with me.
See you soon.
I have had them sent to my now Wife in the past, and ex or jealous person spreading a lie an innuendo, etc. Just recently, my Wife received one from someone else, the culprits are two people who quit before they could be fired.
A word of caution to those who do this kind of thing, it is so easy to be found. 8 years ago when it happened, I found the person then and they got a visit from the US Postal inspectors (federal agents). Today, with the advent of the internet, it makes it easier; I will find you as well, and I am a vindictive SOB.
Get a life, play with your dog, toys, children, or even yourself; do not play with me.
See you soon.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Conservative or Liberal?
Here are some web definitions of what seems to be the two main political trains of thought:
Definitions of conservative on the Web:
* resistant to change
* having social or political views favoring conservatism
* cautious: avoiding excess; "a conservative estimate"
* a person who is reluctant to accept changes and new ideas
* button-down: unimaginatively conventional; "a colorful character in the buttoned-down, dull-grey world of business"- Newsweek
* a member of a Conservative Party
* bourgeois: conforming to the standards and conventions of the middle class; "a bourgeois mentality"
Definitions of liberal on the Web:
* broad: showing or characterized by broad-mindedness; "a broad political stance"; "generous and broad sympathies"; "a liberal newspaper"; "tolerant ...
* having political or social views favoring reform and progress
* tolerant of change; not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or tradition
* a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties
* big: given or giving freely; "was a big tipper"; "the bounteous goodness of God"; "bountiful compliments"; "a freehanded host"; "a handsome allowance"; "Saturday's child is loving and giving"; "a liberal backer of the arts"; "a munificent gift"; "her fond and openhanded grandfather"
* a person who favors an economic theory of laissez-faire and self-regulating markets
* free: not literal; "a loose interpretation of what she had been told"; "a free translation of the poem"
What happens if you fit into both? Are you conliberal, Libercon, conservalib, etc? The truth is no one fits perfectly into anyone category becasue the definitions are crap. I refuse to believe that the republic party has the only conservative values and that liberals are the only progressives.
Why then to politicians spend so much time, energy, and money, trying to label each other? Sounds like smoke and mirrors to me. Do not let someone dictate what you are; you do not have to choose.
If someone asks you what you are say you are human and that their breath stinks. As a human being, I cannot be painted into a corner unless I let someone.
Say no to labels; they only divide us.
Definitions of conservative on the Web:
* resistant to change
* having social or political views favoring conservatism
* cautious: avoiding excess; "a conservative estimate"
* a person who is reluctant to accept changes and new ideas
* button-down: unimaginatively conventional; "a colorful character in the buttoned-down, dull-grey world of business"- Newsweek
* a member of a Conservative Party
* bourgeois: conforming to the standards and conventions of the middle class; "a bourgeois mentality"
Definitions of liberal on the Web:
* broad: showing or characterized by broad-mindedness; "a broad political stance"; "generous and broad sympathies"; "a liberal newspaper"; "tolerant ...
* having political or social views favoring reform and progress
* tolerant of change; not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or tradition
* a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties
* big: given or giving freely; "was a big tipper"; "the bounteous goodness of God"; "bountiful compliments"; "a freehanded host"; "a handsome allowance"; "Saturday's child is loving and giving"; "a liberal backer of the arts"; "a munificent gift"; "her fond and openhanded grandfather"
* a person who favors an economic theory of laissez-faire and self-regulating markets
* free: not literal; "a loose interpretation of what she had been told"; "a free translation of the poem"
What happens if you fit into both? Are you conliberal, Libercon, conservalib, etc? The truth is no one fits perfectly into anyone category becasue the definitions are crap. I refuse to believe that the republic party has the only conservative values and that liberals are the only progressives.
Why then to politicians spend so much time, energy, and money, trying to label each other? Sounds like smoke and mirrors to me. Do not let someone dictate what you are; you do not have to choose.
If someone asks you what you are say you are human and that their breath stinks. As a human being, I cannot be painted into a corner unless I let someone.
Say no to labels; they only divide us.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Gun control
Let me start by saying I am not trying to take on the NRA. I do need to ask: what is the obsession with guns?! The second amendment really has no relevance now, we have a national military, and we all know the stats about gun deaths.
I have in the past had to carry a gun on the job, I was trained to use and shoot them in another life, I occasionally still like to go to a range and shoot them. Will I miss them if they are gone and do I need them to protect my family? No!
This week, the credit card reform act passed, time will tell how useful it is; however, buried in it was a provision that allows guns to be carried in public parks!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/22/obama-signs-law-curbing-s_n_206944.html
I am listening to the Colbert report make fun of the whole thing, but it is actually very scary. I cannot remember the last time I needed a handgun to go camping, I can just see the shooting accidents in those dark remote areas. Dick (penis) Cheney set the precedent with that one though http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/12/cheney/.
Chris Rock said it best http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdJGcrUk2eE, even though he might not have realized it: "we do not need gun control, we need bullet control. All bullets should cost $5000). Hit these particular nuts where it hurts; their wallets.
I have in the past had to carry a gun on the job, I was trained to use and shoot them in another life, I occasionally still like to go to a range and shoot them. Will I miss them if they are gone and do I need them to protect my family? No!
This week, the credit card reform act passed, time will tell how useful it is; however, buried in it was a provision that allows guns to be carried in public parks!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/22/obama-signs-law-curbing-s_n_206944.html
I am listening to the Colbert report make fun of the whole thing, but it is actually very scary. I cannot remember the last time I needed a handgun to go camping, I can just see the shooting accidents in those dark remote areas. Dick (penis) Cheney set the precedent with that one though http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/12/cheney/.
Chris Rock said it best http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdJGcrUk2eE, even though he might not have realized it: "we do not need gun control, we need bullet control. All bullets should cost $5000). Hit these particular nuts where it hurts; their wallets.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Mundane, inane, and insane political rhetoric.
I am probably stepping into a quagmire here, but what the hell. Pro-life versus pro-choice; kind of an insane topic considering that it is none of anybody's business but the woman. Oh oh! I can already hear the crazies spouting their hate messages, god forbid I have an opinion other than theirs!
I keep hearing about the pro-abortion movement; that is kind of like Dick (as in penis) Cheney's argument about Al Quaeda and Iraq, pure bullshit. Show me one woman who is cheering about getting an abortion, name me one person who says they are actually "pro-abortion". Nobody is pro-abortion, the dumb asses (men and women) who use that term, drag their babies to the rallies to spout stuff they do not understand, and scare children with bloody pictures at family events, are a prime example of DE-evolution.
Do not get me wrong, both sides have some work to do, they both spend too much time, energy, and money (we could use that money elsewhere right now)on arguing, fighting, and hating each other.
At some point everyone needs to sit down and talk, the pissing contest is done, and while each side is busy congratulating themselves on their latest victory people are getting killed in the name of cause they did not ask to join.
There is a separation of church and state for a reason, do you want to go back to the dark ages of the inquisition?
This world is full of too many inane and insane arguments, but the really scary parts of have become mundane. Squash it!
I keep hearing about the pro-abortion movement; that is kind of like Dick (as in penis) Cheney's argument about Al Quaeda and Iraq, pure bullshit. Show me one woman who is cheering about getting an abortion, name me one person who says they are actually "pro-abortion". Nobody is pro-abortion, the dumb asses (men and women) who use that term, drag their babies to the rallies to spout stuff they do not understand, and scare children with bloody pictures at family events, are a prime example of DE-evolution.
Do not get me wrong, both sides have some work to do, they both spend too much time, energy, and money (we could use that money elsewhere right now)on arguing, fighting, and hating each other.
At some point everyone needs to sit down and talk, the pissing contest is done, and while each side is busy congratulating themselves on their latest victory people are getting killed in the name of cause they did not ask to join.
There is a separation of church and state for a reason, do you want to go back to the dark ages of the inquisition?
This world is full of too many inane and insane arguments, but the really scary parts of have become mundane. Squash it!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Old Friends
Recently I have been catching up with people I like and love and it has been great. One can never have too many friends in this world. A friend is someone who is there for you not just in the big ways, but also the little. We all know the good feeling when that old friend out of the blue picks up the phone or drops over for a drink. I do not think we do that sort of thing enough, too much planning for a purpose, not enough spontaneity.
I was reminded recently of the importance of keeping up with friends when I found out that an old friend, someone I have always really liked, was killed in a car crash and she was a passenger no the driver. She was 39 years old.
As you celebrate this Memorial Day weekend, try and celebrate it with friends and not because anyone is going to die, but just because you enjoy their company.
Have a great weekend.
I was reminded recently of the importance of keeping up with friends when I found out that an old friend, someone I have always really liked, was killed in a car crash and she was a passenger no the driver. She was 39 years old.
As you celebrate this Memorial Day weekend, try and celebrate it with friends and not because anyone is going to die, but just because you enjoy their company.
Have a great weekend.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Hallmark Holidays
One definition of holiday is : "any day of exemption from work (distinguished from working day)", and of course there are others. I am going to get a little cynical here and remind people that something created and promoted by Hallmark is not a holiday.
It starts the day after Christmas with valentines day, probably the most contrived con game run on men (and some women), to make them spend unseen amounts of money because someone told the to. I love my wife, she is fine, and I love her everyday equally (that has grown over the years), but I do not need a company whose sole purpose of existence is to make profit (yes, that is what companies do) tell me that I love my wife less if I do not buy their, chocolate, flowers, diamonds, cards, etc.
Kay jewelers, De beers; stop pretending that you really care. I have seen first hand the wars diamonds have created and continue to sustain, and guess what? Diamonds are not rare, just controlled. Let's talk chocolate; I have seen whole farms of cocoa trees rotting where they stand because the country refused to sell at the price that was dictated to them, and tried to make a modest profit instead. Let's not forget the trees we kill making the cards themselves (no I am not getting all environmental on you, just making a point).
The day after valentine's day is over they are advertising the Easter bunny (not sure what that has to do with religion but oh well), not Easter, just the bunny and more candy. Talk about a dentist's nightmare.
After Easter, comes mother's day. Probably one of the saddest days because so many people ignore their mothers the other 364 days of the year. If you do not call your parents daily just to say hello or feel guilty if you do not send a mother's day card, you are already lost. The cliche that "mother's day is everyday" is true, you would not exist without her so honor her daily, not just on one day. honor dad as well, he is part of the equation.
Father's day, big joke, enough said. Oh I forgot the really funny days I call amateur nights, you know what days I mean, St.Patrick's day and Cinqo de Mayo. If I remember correctly one is a religious holiday and people go to church, the other is a minor historical day that had nothing to do with margaritas.
Halloween, do we really need to remind people that it is a pagan tradition (nothing wrong with being a pagan) that had nothing to do with costume parties and yes, more drinking.
I think I am done now, and I hope you get the point. I am not saying do not observe these days, just observe them when you truly feel like it and in a way that is appropriate. On that note, I am going to cook my wife dinner; not because it is mother's day, but because I love cooking for her.
It starts the day after Christmas with valentines day, probably the most contrived con game run on men (and some women), to make them spend unseen amounts of money because someone told the to. I love my wife, she is fine, and I love her everyday equally (that has grown over the years), but I do not need a company whose sole purpose of existence is to make profit (yes, that is what companies do) tell me that I love my wife less if I do not buy their, chocolate, flowers, diamonds, cards, etc.
Kay jewelers, De beers; stop pretending that you really care. I have seen first hand the wars diamonds have created and continue to sustain, and guess what? Diamonds are not rare, just controlled. Let's talk chocolate; I have seen whole farms of cocoa trees rotting where they stand because the country refused to sell at the price that was dictated to them, and tried to make a modest profit instead. Let's not forget the trees we kill making the cards themselves (no I am not getting all environmental on you, just making a point).
The day after valentine's day is over they are advertising the Easter bunny (not sure what that has to do with religion but oh well), not Easter, just the bunny and more candy. Talk about a dentist's nightmare.
After Easter, comes mother's day. Probably one of the saddest days because so many people ignore their mothers the other 364 days of the year. If you do not call your parents daily just to say hello or feel guilty if you do not send a mother's day card, you are already lost. The cliche that "mother's day is everyday" is true, you would not exist without her so honor her daily, not just on one day. honor dad as well, he is part of the equation.
Father's day, big joke, enough said. Oh I forgot the really funny days I call amateur nights, you know what days I mean, St.Patrick's day and Cinqo de Mayo. If I remember correctly one is a religious holiday and people go to church, the other is a minor historical day that had nothing to do with margaritas.
Halloween, do we really need to remind people that it is a pagan tradition (nothing wrong with being a pagan) that had nothing to do with costume parties and yes, more drinking.
I think I am done now, and I hope you get the point. I am not saying do not observe these days, just observe them when you truly feel like it and in a way that is appropriate. On that note, I am going to cook my wife dinner; not because it is mother's day, but because I love cooking for her.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
