Saturday, October 2, 2010

Gimme a break

On a billboard, here in town, I viewed a message that reads: “UNITY What makes this country great.”

I wanna puke! Since when is unity the reason this country is great? This country is great because of freedom. Freedom to be and do what I feel is best for me. Freedom to work for a day’s wages, freedom to keep, and use, those wages as I desire. Freedom to give what I want to, and freedom to stand up for what is right.

It was freedom that was on the minds, and hearts, of the founding fathers. Freedom from gummint intrusion, freedom from having a day’s wages taken away to support a gummint. Freedom to believe as I choose. Freedom to live where I wish.

It was freedom that gave us our continental states without any requirement to show identification to travel from one state to another. Freedom to move wherever I wish.

To my military mind, it is unity that is dividing this country. Too much emphasis is being placed on all of us being the same...liking the same thing...having the same things. Isn’t that what “outcome based education” touts? Everyone being the same? If God wanted us to be the same, I believe He would have created robots, instead of people. Truth is, He created us with “free will”, and a heart and soul that cries for freedom.

So, each and every day, we are being bombarded by freaks that don’t like people having freedom. Gummint has been granted too much liberty to confine the citizens of this country.

Then again, the Bible clearly defines for us what happens when we place our trust in man, and not in God. May God have mercy on us.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

WTFO?




Once upon a time, in this country, there was no “concealed carry permit”. Reason? Every body carried, and the funny thing was, most of the armed robberies were out on the open plains, where it was easy to out number those with protection in mind. Think about it; eight men on horseback surround a stage coach with maybe four or five armed men in, or on it. You might get one of them, but they are gonna get all of you.
Words, really do mean a lot. Just think of the difference between the statements, “Gun Free Zone” and “Clear Fire Zone”. Yep! We gotsa problem of communication right now. Is it any wonder there is so much effort to legalize criminals? And crime? Here in South Dakota, a new law was passed identifying three levels of sexual crime criminals: So, some sex crimes are less offensive than others? You ever wonder why there is such a strong push to legalize crime??? More Democrat voters, sure, I’ll buy that. But what about the idea that so many of the people wanting these changes are criminals theirselves, and want to try and minimize the effect on their life.
We now have a “Commander in Chief” who campaigned on “Hope”. When this country was founded, the leaders leaned on “hope”. A hope centered in the Creator, Who bestowed upon us lowly critters the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. You can bet your sweet bippy that ain’t the hope B. Hussein has in mind.
So often we hear the question, “Why do you carry?”; I think the correct question should be “Why don’t you carry?” To my military mind, the person who won’t carry, and wants to think the world is populated with caring individuals who are not interested in harming anyone, has no concept of evil. What is that old saying, “The smartest thing the devil ever did, was to convince people he didn’t exist”? Anyone seeing that statue of the three monkeys??? Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil?
We will never be able to take back our country, and enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness until we are able to remove all the laws, that subjugate the citizenry, and embolden the criminals.
That President was entirely wrong when he made the statement, “We have nothing to fear except fear itself”. We need to fear evil, and not just fear it, but be prepared to engage it in mortal combat, to keep the freedom our forefather’s fought so hard to bequeath to us.
When you are willing to give up your freedom for security, rather than providing for your own security to preserve your freedom, you are a sad specimen of humanity.
Go ahead, prove me wrong!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Progressive aka regressive

I see on Facebook, an advertisement for “Balance Our Budget Now”. Haven’t we gone beyond that expression yet?

The current administration has deftly increased our budget deficit into trillions of dollars; trillions! Yeah, it would be nice to balance the budget. When we exercise the platitude of “Balance Our Budget Now!” we are actually playing into the Marxist/Leninist/liberal playbook. Balance the budget is actually political speak that means nothing more than, increase taxes, and reduce individual wealth. In truth, we have been raising taxes, and inventing new taxes; and yet, the deficit continues to run us deeper and deeper into national debt.

I truly wonder how many of us are really adamant about balancing the budget! How much are we really willing to give up? At what point, will we cry foul, in watching more money being taken from our income in the name of social improvement?

In Oakland, CA the police department is all but shut down, no funding. In another town, the three public libraries are being shut down, and planning on a huge book sale. In my own city, of Sioux Falls, SD, we are seeing reductions in street maintenance (pot holes, widening, snow removal, etc. Yet, we have a scenic “Sculpture Walk”, which I am sure was instituted, and maintained with public funds; we are debating an events center, which for sure will include public funds, and most likely additional taxes.

Nobody wants to talk about it, but we have a sinister system sucking money like a vacuum gone crazy. Sosh Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment compensation, welfare: every gummint instituted program for social purposes is another example of refusing to balance the budget. In fact, every gummint instituted social program is just another way of saying redistribution of wealth. Anyone with any sense of understanding, should go and read the Communist Manifesto. See how it calls for gummint programs to redistribute wealth. Then listen to this administration talk about how the wealthy are taking money away from the poor. There was a time in this country, when gummint didn’t have its hands in so many pies, and pockets of those willing to work to better themselves and their living environment.

We can balance the budget, but are willing to give up allowing gummint to dictate our lives and make us pay for things we don’t need, but are nice to have to make us look “progressive”?

We the people have been blessed by God Almighty with the right to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness, yet, our liberty, our life and our happiness is currently in great danger. Wake up America!

Friday, July 30, 2010

A nuther Hollyweirdo stands up to beat the drum

So, “good-ole boy” Andy Griffith is showing his colors...

Well, I guess if we consider his playing a sheriff on tv, he was pretty much anti-gun, and made an effort to end any trouble by talking rather than collaring. I had never thought about it much in that vein, until I heard that he has come out pretty strongly in support of B. Hussein’s health care program.

And what about lawyer? He did play a lawyer on tv; and apparently a very good one, he never lost a case. But, did you ever notice? He wore the same suit every day...he once said he had a closet full of the suits becuz he liked em. Well, I guess that is alright, when I was in the military I had a locker full of the same uniforms. And it seems to me, nothing was ever as important as having a hot dog.

Ok, yah, sure, ubetcha!! He is a Hollywood personality...why would I have ever entertained the idea that he was a baseball, mom’s apple pie kind of conservative? I spose if I had taken the time to think about it, I would recall that Ronald Reagan didn’t fit into the Hollywood mold, and for some time he was persona non gratis in that realm.

Ummmmm, I spose it goes without saying that he is wealthy...His Mayberry RFD reruns have got to be bringing him in good royalties; and it seems like the reruns of Matlock have been picked up by more than one cable station. Yup, seems like he is more out of the mainstream of American people.

Now that I think about it, he prolly is a good salesman for AARP and B Hussein’s health care.

There is something in this world that is unforgiving, and is mean as a steer with a head at each end of his body...that something is reality. And when reality smacks ya, you know you have been brought up short. When all is said and done, reality is going to surprise a lot of people in this country; however, by then it is too late to change.

Signs of the times



My rudimentary understanding of Spanish leads me to believe that burrito is a little donkey. With that in mind, perhaps it is better for the USA to expell the illegals, and lose all the burritos...my military mind tells me there are enough jack asses in this country as it is. And too many of them are not little.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Let it be, let it beeeee

Well, looks like the “nanny state” “do-gooders” are back at it again.

The poll listed on the Argus Leader’s online edition asks the question: “Should Sioux Falls residents be allowed to park their recreational vehicles in front of their house?” As of 7:15 am, the response was “Yes, 40.4% and No, 59.6%”.

To my military mind, this entails a discussion on freedom, and property rights.

Of course, it stands to reason that freedom inherently entails the right to own property, and to do with said property as the owner deems appropriate. Unlike the song that says “freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose; nothing ain’t worth nothing, honey, if it ain’t free”. Until the gummint comes in...yah, sure, ubetcha!!! Eminent Domain is the power (some say the inherent right) of gummint to seize/appropriate a citizen’s “private” property for public use. When “we the people” no longer have the “right” to own private property and dispose of it as we see proper, we have lost freedom. It may be a right, or power, invested in gummint to “seize/appropriate” citizen’s private property for public use, but that does not make it morally right. That brings up another thought...freedom is a moral absolute. That is why the framers of this great country put together the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence specifically identifying freedom as a God given right, not a man given right. Good people know there is evil in this world, and evil men and women do not like people having individual rights, liberty, and freedom. They demonstrate this by dreaming up ways to take freedom and rights and liberty away from others. The human soul was meant to be free, to create, to nurture, and yet, there are souls that despise all things good.

Methinks, that if there is a right of way in the street that is supported by gummint, then gummint has the power to determine how that street and the right of way are used. There is no need for discussion about whether or not a citizen can park an RV in front of his home. By all rights, there should not be any discussion on whether or not someone maintains their yard in a pristine condition. But that is exactly where we find the nanny state do-gooders or nattering nabobs. They demand that everybody do what they want. You see, they want the freedom to live as they wish, but they don’t want anyone else to have that freedom.

These are the parasites, the leeches, the blood-suckers that are changing this country from the land of the free, and the home of the brave; into the land of the slaves, and the home of the chikken-shits.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

We have met the enemy, n he is us!

What has happened to our patriotic side? Our love of this great nation, that has brought prosperity to so many?

Recently, I was discussing the differences between the World Wars and Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

During the big war, gasoline was rationed, food was rationed, men, and boys, lined up at recruiting stations willing to leave home and family to go “over there” and fight. Those of us left at home did all we could to support them, we bought war bonds, we donated time and money to the USO, we did what we could to support the war effort. Sure, there were probably anti-war people around back then, but they were not as well pronounced as they are today. Stop and think about it...once we went to war, the automobile factories retooled, and started putting together tanks, and armored vehicles to send “over there”. I wasn’t around during the war, but I well remember the late 40s, when automobiles came in the basic color of white, black or green: the period of retooling to put together automobiles, rather than military vehicles.

So, again, the question being asked is “why the difference?”

An important factor, that I believe gets overlooked has to do with our collective mindset. Back during the time of WWI, many of the people living in this country, were relatively recently arrived here. They carried the memory of life in Europe, under oppressive gummints that wanted to run everybody’s life. Think of the immigrant, who was poor in Europe, and was not able to get ahead because of onerous taxation; he/she travels to the “new world” where they are able to start a business, and earn more than a living. They are able to keep the money they work for and earn, whether working for someone else or for themselves. To these people, the threat of a screaming dictator from Europe declaring war against the rest of the world, was a reminder of what they had to give up, to go back to that way of life. In their mind, they would rather lose their life, and protect their family and new way of life, than allow some radical to destroy what they had found in the “new world”.

Add the time of about one generation, and we find our country again involved in a world war, “over there”. To the older people, they still remember life in Europe, their children may remember also, but they have seen the devastation wrought by the malefactors involved in WWI; and once again, our young men are hot to trot to get to the recruiting station, sign up, and take the battle “over there”. We are still a young country, less than two hundred years old...and the people love the freedom and liberty they have found here, and are not willing to give it up for anything. Once again, the men are willing to give up their life, to protect their family, and the life they have found.

Well, WWII, ended in 1945, Vietnam came into full swing in 1965. We had come a long way from the life of both world wars. We now had businesses whose sole purpose was fabricating war materials and vehicles. The auto makers no longer needed to retool, though GM did eventually put together the Hummer division to provide new replacement vehicles for the old Jeep and power wagon. The older generation that had the collective understanding of life in Europe were pretty much dead; their children who fought in WWI, and their grandchildren in WWII had decided to make a better life for themselves while they could. They remembered the elite of Europe, the learned class, and they committed themselves to ensuring their children had the best of education. Methinks there may have even been a consideration that if all people were highly educated there would no longer be any elites.

Suffice it to say, here we are in 2010, two centuries removed from the first immigrants landing on our soil, and our collective mindset is no longer relative to life in Europe, but is accepted that we have always lived in this country, and no one has ever set foot in here to cause us harm. We have the greatest military history has ever known, but I don’t want to send my son or daughter into harm’s way, let someone else do it. In earlier days, while I was on active duty, there was a little ditty that would not stand up today’s PC culture. “My _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, my _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, you fight for me, I fight for you; you die for me, tough shit for you”. And that pretty much tells me a lot about the difference. We have become a society that is fixated on me, myself and I. We teach our children, “never volunteer”, “be the best you can be”, “stay out of fights”, “mind your own business”. We have encouraged a society of lovers and not fighters.

Sadly, we have also become a society that no longer embraces freedom and liberty, and what it will bring; but have sold our soul to the devil, to get a little bit of what isn’t ours. We no longer worry about any invading army setting foot into our country, though, every day, more and more of the enemy fighters are gaining entrance, and even citizenship. We have become complacent to let gummint, at all levels, tax us to death, as long as we know we will have nice sculptures to reduce the blight of buildings in downtown areas. As long as we know that that same gummint is putting out money to take care of the down and outers. So, often, I answer these polls that ask, “What price will gasoline have to get to to change your driving patterns?” A more burning question that needs to be asked is: “At what point will taxes cause you to change your behavior?” When will we reach the point where we stand up and say, “enough is enough!”?

In our complacency, we are like the frogs in a bucket of cold water sitting on a stove with the burner on high. We are enjoying life, while we are being robbed of our life. Our country was founded on the principle of freedom and liberty, under God. Today we have left out God, and traded our freedom and liberty for a passel of laws, “to protect me and mine”. Go ask Alice?

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Methinks, it stinks

We are witnessing an unprecedented grab of power by the union backed democrat government. When will it all end?

Recently, it was discovered that corporations were holding billions of dollars in cash, and not investing. HHHHMMMMMMM! Do that make anyone stop and think? Well it did me!

As new regulations go into effect, and more taxes are levied, in this country, the people with the money, are less and less interested in losing what they have. I find it truly interesting, that the unions are so hell bent for leather on taking control of all work in this country.

What do unions do? They argue for more and more money from the businesses they get involved with. Seems to my military mind, that when unions have taken over all jobs in this country, there ain't gonna be no money for work to be done, bcuz those with the gold make the rules, and when they aren't able to have their money working for them, they pull their money out.

What then happens to this country, when there is no money for the workers to earn?

Think about it...we are already witnessing the exodus of wealthy people out of the really strong liberal/union run states. We have even seen the moving of businesses from the continental United States to places that for the time being provide a shelter for the businesses and their stock holders money. An old fairy tale, talks about the golden goose that lays the golden eggs, but when you kill the goose, yep, u guessed it, there ain't no more golden eggs.

When are we, "we the people" going to wake up, and see the power slide we are on that is destroying this country? As my momma used to say, you never truly miss something until it is gone.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Passing comments

Another July 4th has passed, I am told that I have seen 64 of them; tho I really don’t remember that many.

A trivia question that seems to trip people up asks, if Great Britain has a fourth of July. Of course, since the fourth of July is so impressed upon our psyche, and our memory as an historic day for our country, we ignorantly answer “no”: and we get the question wrong.

The fourth of July just happens to be the day “we the people” celebrate the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain and her despotic king. Of course Great Britain would not be celebrating too, they lost some good support.

How ironic, “we the people” declared our independence from Great Britain, and a king who taxed us oppressively; and some two hundred n thirty years later, we are driving “hell bent for leather” back into dependence on a gummint that has no consideration for “we the people”.

I am told, that ostriches, when confronted with something they can’t comprehend, quickly shove their heads into the dirt, to hide...I am afraid that too many of our “countrymen” have shoved their heads into their rectums, to hide from things they don’t understand.

How, in the name of everything sacred, could our national outcry go from “GIVE ME LIBERTY, OR GIVE ME DEATH”, to “Give me social security, and take away my wealth?” SHEEESH!!

C’mon, Scotty, beam me up, there ain’t no intellugent life on this planet.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Random thinking

So, this morning, there are two subjects on my mind that I want to explore.

First, Senator Robert Byrd, has assumed room temperature. I am one of those critters, the Democrats have identified as a terrorist. I believe in, and trust God, as the Creator, and Sustainer of ALL life. I dedicated 29 years of my life to supporting and protecting this country and what she stands for. I believe in, and trust, the Constitution of the United States. I firmly believe this great nation was founded in faith upon God’s direction. And Senator Byrd assuming room temp, has given me pause to think...sadly, this nation has become barely a shadow of her greatness. This has primarily been attributable to those “safe” seats in con-gress. Methinks, there is a serendipity in hard core con-gress critters that cannot be removed through the voter process, are being removed by Mother Nature (?), by God (?). I am also wondering whether or not the loss of Ted Kennedy and now, Robert Byrd, are a direct product of the current administration’s plan of “hope and change”. It is definitely bringing hope to many, and assuredly bringing change in the con-gress.

Second, President B. Hussein, over the weekend, indicated he had plans to reduce the national debt by 2013. How sweet, that date is a year after his first term ends. Methinks this is a trial balloon popped up to see how it looks for the 2012 national election. In other words, he cannot reduce the national debt, unless he is reelected. We have seen an enormous explosion of the national debt, just since this administration was ushered in. I think I can help him in reducing the debt. First, do away with Secret Service protection of himself and his family, and the con-gress critters, and all previous presidents. Next, he can do away with con-gress’ non-participatory retirement fund, and ensure that presidents will not receive any money once they leave office. Then, he can insure that the monetary stipend con-gress critters receive be reduced to reflect the average earnings of Americans {defined as those who live in flyover country}.

The President is supposed to be a leader...my training in the Marine Corps taught me that a leader always leads from the front. Is that really too much to ask from the President of the United States? That reminds me of another pet peeve, or burr under my saddle, and that is referring to con-gress critters as “lawmakers”. Inherent in that moniker, is the idea they must be making laws in order to be doing their jobs. How appropriate is it, that so many of these “lawmakers” have so recently been “lawbreakers”. I love it! You know, one of the traditions we have brought forward from our days in the United Kingdom, is the reference to con-gress critters as “the Honorable”; to my military mind, there is no honor in many of the things that have arisen from our elected officials in Washington. First among their crimes is the armed robbery of the citizenry of this great country.

There is a way that seems right to a man.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Words

Say them over again to me, wonderful words of life
words of love and beauty,
words of life and duty, beautiful words,
wonderful words, wonderful words of life.
It is true...words do have meaning.
It is also true, that words can have multiple meanings, tho the most common use of a word, is generally what the connotation carries.
Politicians are good to remind us that there are "nuances". Yeah, turning words to mean what you want them to mean to fit the moment.
I think a case in point is the Democrats desire to no longer be called the Democrat party, but the Democratic party. In the past couple of decades, they have proven that there is nothing "democratic" about them. Hasn't someone said that a lie told enough times, and over a length of time, begins to take on the mantle of truth? What does this mean practically? Well, if we conservatives follow along and refer to them as the democratic party, we are in essence saying that they are better than us, and their ideas are "progressively" better than ours. In doing so, we proudly sound the death knell of any political ideology other than theirs.
Another way to dupe the common person, is to talk about tax cuts for the "working" people. It is no secret that the Democrat party is part and parcel bought out by the unions. To us, "working" people are the ones that get up every day and go to work, to try and better their lot, and move up in the world. The people who are honest, pay their taxes, mind their own business, help out their neighbors when they can; to the Democrats, "working" people are the union people. Think I am blowing smoke? Look at the "minimum wage" issue. Democrats tell us this is so the "working" people can take care of their families...and how does the minimum wage affect the "working" people? Well, primarily it helps unions to set their wage scale. Entry level wage is set at a percentage above "minimum wage", this gives the incentive for people to sign up with the unions, rather than working in a non union position.
I have often heard it asked, if you are invited to play poker, you understand there are certain rules that are inherent. But, if the dealer says those rules are non existent, we are playing with the rules that I determine are important at the time, your wining hand, could be a loser, just because the dealer doesn't want you to win. For instance, it is quite understood that being dealt a face card and an ace is automatically blackjack, or twenty-one. Now, the dealer could easily say, that is no longer true, that face card and ace only come up to eleven points, do you want to stand or take a hit? Again, the dealer could say, face cards are no longer ten points a piece, but are relative to their place in the deck. A jack would be eleven points, queen would be twelve and king would be thirteen.
I guess, what I am trying to say, here, is that there must be absolutes. Yes, in the color spectrum there is black and white, and in between different shades. That goes for the world of color. In the world of words, and ideas, there must be an anchor point where understanding stands premier...
I guess another pricking point in my skin is the idea that the Democrat party is identified with the color blue, while the Republican party is identified with red. I am reminded of the brouhaha over teachers using red pens/pencils to grade students papers; or how people are affected by seeing red fire trucks, or red lights on the roofs of emergency vehicles. Have we not been told that red is identified with fear? I am probably a lot older, but I well remember the old saying I'd rather be dead than red. And now, the Republican party is branded with the color red, bringing with it all the baggage it can carry. I guess I would like to see the Republican, well, maybe the conservative Republican candidates, start using the colors "red, white and blue" rather than accepting the standard that we are red. Methinks, those of us, here, in flyover country would gravitate toward the red, white and blue colors for a candidate rather than plain blue or red; let's start using some of the "nuance" of color, to identify us.
Many will probably say, it is too late to try and make ourselves over...truth be told, we ain't making ourselves over, we are establishing who we really are, irrelevant of what the lame/main/drive by media wants us to be. Let's stop talking about welfare, and minimum wage, let's get off Roe v wade, let's get on with what is rock bottom true with the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. We were founded as a land of liberty and freedom...freedom to do, and to be the best we can be. Heh, heh, "vegetarian, is an old Indian word meaning non-hunter". The carrot that was hit by a truck along the road, and after three hours in OR was determined it would live but would be a vegetable the rest of its life.
Isn't it time, we stood up for what is right, what is right in this country, what is right for this country? We don't need to make ourselves over, we need only to stand up for who we are, and what we stand for.
America!, America!, God shed His grace on thee.
Say them over again to me, wonderful words of life.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Day late, n a dollar short...

Just found a link to a Tammy Bruce interview with Sarah Palin.

Many thanks to SondraK and her blog, Knowledge is Power.

Irregardless of what you may think of Tammy Bruce, it would behoove all of us to listen to this interview.

Definitely lifted my spirits, and blessed me.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Rave on, it's a funny feeling

Are you going to tour SculptureWalk?

Number of votes: 277

Yes: 32.1%
No: 67.9%

If this is the consensus of Sioux Falls residents, what then, is the impetus for wasting tax money on establishing, maintaining, and advertising a "Sculpture Walk"?

So, again, we hear how the city, county, state is hurting for funding...yet, the "lawmakers" find it important to waste money on "aesthetic" things that make them feel better; make them feel like they are cosmopolitan because we have a sculpture walk where "tourists" can ooh, and ahh, over stuff that crowds sidewalks.

I continue to be amazed that our ancestors left europe, on a hazardous journey to live a life that was different than what they had there. And today, some bunch a generations later, we have disgruntled citizens who think european life is better than what we have...those aren't earthquakes we feel when the ground moves, they are our ancestors turning over in their graves.

I have a great idea: Let's encourage all the disgruntled "useful idiots" to abandon their U.S. citizenship, and move to europe where they are free to be as metrosexual as they wish; then we can look at the illegal aliens that are flooding our cities, and find out which ones are willing to forsake their citizenship in their country of birth, and make them citizens.

This country became great, because we are, were, different than the rest of the world. This country was established on the premise, and promise, of freedom, and liberty. Today, she stands on the precipice of sliding into the oblivion of history like so many other "metropolitan" european countries.

So, why does that have to happen? Why are we so hell bent on slipping into the morass of inconsequentialness? Why are we, as a people, so content to lay around and allow individuals to drag us down into the pit of worthlessness just because they don't think it is fair for one country to be better, or greater than any other country.

Sadly, I am old...my better days are well behind me. I gladly put myself into harm's way, 29 years of active duty, because I believe in this country and what she is, and stands, for. Now, I am watching those cowards, who hid in universities revelling in the security provided by me and those others who were willing to stand in the gap, drag this country down because they think we are better than being the greatest country history has ever revealed. A pox on every one of them.

If you don't like our way of living, leave! You know, I think about the "illegal aliens" flocking to get into this country to work and better their lives and lifestyles, and I look at the worthless citizens that lay around all day, waiting for the government to give them something else they want.

I cannot begin to tell you how much it irrigates me to listen to the radio piece where the woman brags about helping her people get back their "unearned tax credits". They aren't theirs to begin with. If it is "unearned" then it has been taken away from those who have "earned".

So, now you know, why I ain't gonna tour SculptureWalk...

Bottom line: Sculpture walk is not worth my time, nor my money; and by me touring it, I would be affirming that I am happy to be a part of the wastefulness. Clean up the sidewalks, let the "artists" earn their living they way everyone else does, rather than depend on the government to pay them with someone else's hard earned money.

Ahh, having a one-sided conversation with an empty wall...Oh well, how much longer will I have the privilege of being able to say what I want?

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Yah, Sure, Ubetcha!

Things are starting to come to a head now. Yep, it has been a long time coming.

Recently, we have been treated to incidents involving "naturalized" citizens of the US. The really egregious examples appear to be from middle eastern countries. Some might say these are sleeper cells that have been groomed over many years.

My military mind continuously causes me to look at what regulations there are covering situations, and see what, or where, we went awry.

I am sure there are many who were born and raised in this country, who are not aware of what it takes to become a naturalized citizen. So, I have decided to list the Oath of citizenship, so, we might all have a little background on who these "naturalized citizens" are that are working to destroy our country.

Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America

"I hereby declare, on oath,

that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject of citizen;

that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;

that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law;


that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law;

that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."


Pretty interesting commentary, no?

My mind keeps telling me, that after taking this oath, a person becomes an American citizen, who has burned all their bridges and sunk all their boats. They have chosen to leave the past behind, and work for a new life. Yeah, right!

So, if this be the case...how come we have people calling themselves "African-Americans", "Polish-Americans", Mexican-Americans", etc.? How come we are so wound up over "Cinco de mayo"?

You see, how we have incrementally moved from being Americans, to being quasi Americans?

So, on the news, I heard the individual who left the car in Times Square loaded with fertilizer is a Pakistani-American, who is naturalized. What a crock of Bovine Scatology. He is either Pakistani or he is American. If he is naturalized in this country he has sworn an oath of allegiance, and has renounced his allegiance to a former sovereignty.

To my military mind, he has clearly shown a disregard for being a subject of the United States of America, and a desire to stand with his renounced sovereignty. He has negated his "naturalized" citizenship, and should either be treated as a hostile terrorist in this country illegally, or he should at least be deported back to his country of origin.

If we were truly serious about this country being the greatest country history has ever known; we would not be calling him, and his ilk, "Pakistani-American", we would strip him of his citizenship and summarily execute him for being a terrorist within our sovereign territory. Historically, the death penalty, carried out, has always been a great deterrent to criminal activity.

According to this current administration, I am a domestic terrorist, I believe in God, I own guns, I am a veteran of our Armed Forces, I believe in individual responsibility, I believe in smaller government. So, this rant is not raising any flags, it is simply verifying that I am who I am.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Un~freaking~believable



As Yakov Smirnoff might say, "Gee, is this a great country, or what?"

The last coupla days, I have heard a commercial on the radio by a woman named Vivian Moreno. She was bragging how she has helped hundreds of her neighbors receive thousands of dollars in "earned income credit". She really believes she is doing good in helping others realize the American dream through redistribution of wealth. C'mon, give me a break...my annual income is less than $50,000, yet, I continue to pay more and more taxes.

Think about it: my tax sheltered annuity is taxed at about 27%...ain't that a kick in the pants! And, sosh security is taxed at about 17%. Who woulda ever thunk we would be paying taxes on money that was a tax in the first place.

Ok, I get it...only specific individuals in this life are eligible to have any amount of money...if you ain't one of the elite, then screw you, charly! There are a bunch of young people in this country that really believe they will be able to amass wealth, and live better than their parents did. Well, maybe if they don't work, and make babies, they can have it all.

Earned income credit...don't make no money, you still can soak the earners, cuz you can get more money refunded than you have made all year. Give me a break!

Yeah, we seem to rapidly be coming to a crossroad...either this country is gonna wake up, and stop the pilfering, and placating, or we are gonna continue to slip into a country of slaves, where the elite tell us where to go, what to do, when to do it, and that we can't cuz we ain't got enuff money.

SHEESH!!@@@!!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Rave on, it's a crazy feeling

So the current meme is that 47% of the population will pay no income tax for 2009. What do I have to do to get in that line?

If I give up my military retirement, forgo sosh security benefits, and dump my "tax sheltered annuity"; sue my apartment complex for charging too much rent, change my affilitation to D, and sign up for welfare, or simply sign up as a homeless Vietnam veteran, post photos on FB of me laying around in a cardboard box with a bottle of Wild Irish Rose, stand in front of a downtown restaurant and flash all the women who come out. Yeah, maybe then, I would not have to pay any income tax. You know, I could even get free viagra, and condoms.

Just think, I wouldn't have to worry about anything because there are so many "soshal" programs available between federal, state, county and city, {mustn't forget church affiliated} that I would not have to break a sweat, and when April 15 comes around each year, I could hold up a sign saying something like: "Thank you, for letting me live like a king, without having to break a sweat, or pay income tax."

Think about it. Once or twice a year, the local Salvation Army place holds a "Veteran's Stand Down", I can go there, and get fed, get a haircut, and beard trim, get new sox and underwear, and even pick up some cold weather gear, and it don't cost me a penny.

Add to that, B Hussein's great health care initiative, I won't even have to battle the VA for veteran's health care, cuz the Prez is gonna pay for me to get all the health care I need; plus free Viagra.

Well, that seems like an easy thing to do, but I gotta admit, I don't understand how anyone can live like that. I guess I am an old fuddy-duddy, but I believe that every person should take care of their own self; take responsibility for their own life.

There was a time in this country when there was no tax, or only a minimum tax on income. For those people who do not know the history of the United States of America, our country was founded on the theory that taxation was wrong, and we fought a bloody war to rid ourselves of onerous taxation. And so, for many years, there was very little income tax. Those few whose family was able to benefit from small taxation and build up a sizable estate, are now the ones who don't want any of the rest of us to be able to benefit. Here is an idea that will make income tax fair across the board: Make the current, or projected tax rate retroactive...yah, sure, you bet, let's go back and tax all the income made by the Kennedy's, the Ford's, the Metro Goldwyn Meyer's, the Heinz's, and every one else whose largesse was a result of no, or little taxation in the early years of this country.

For those who truly believe the maxim, "from everyone according to his ability, to everyone according to their need" I would say, "Lead from the front...before you demand that I give up what I have earned, let me see you give up what you have earned". Any intelligent individual, not totally wrapped up in their own personal life, will understand that ain't gonna happen. Taxation, welfare, sosh security programs are all a form of control. The human spirit was created by God for freedom and liberty. Any ideology, or philosophy that goes counter is evil, and will only enslave the spirit and the person.

God created us with a free will; a will to do what He expected or to do what we wanted...ne'er the twain shall meet. Each day we are heading either more toward God, or more away from God. Depending on people will only end up in slavery. True freedom comes from knowing that all is right in my life, between God and me. You can take my freedom, you can kill my body, but my spirit will remain free, as long as I keep my allegiance where it belongs.

Don't pay no income tax? Pshaw!! Naked I came into this world, and naked I will leave it. Blessed be the name of the LORD.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Random Rant x2

Random Rant x2

I was reminded this morning of another species of the "assholus americanus".

This is the individual that drives 10 miles an hour slower than the speed limit, and when they get to an intersection where the light is about to turn red, they speed up to slip through the early red light, and leave the vehicles behind them to sit at the stop light.

For those who enjoy doing this, I would only caution that your enjoyment does generate a little road rage impulse on those behind you, who perhaps one day will follow you through the early red light, and commence to educate you on common courtesy.

Reality, and karma, suck. Both of them have a preponderancy of coming down upon someone when they least expect it. Messing around in traffic, can cause unwanted consequences.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Much Ado About Sarah

In her post "Much Ado About Sarah", Cassandra follows up on questions posed by another blogger.

The first question just begs to be looked at, and commented on.

"1. Do you think the reason [Sarah Palin] is so despised by some is that she threatens "The Elite's" control on politics?"

Whew!!! To an extent, that is an understatement.

In the past few decades, we have been treated to an understanding of how the "political class" sees the average American. "Joe six-pack", "rifle rack on the back of the pickup cab", "trailer trash". Yeah, ad infinitum.

Reading history, we find that in the middle of our war with England, there were members of the communities, here in this country, who were caught up in not fighting for independence but remaining under the rule of the king of England. AAACCCKKKKK!!!

In the Bible, we read of the people of Israel clamoring for an earthly king to rule over them. Even in that day, there were individuals who felt it was their life script to rule over others, and demand obeisance from them. Though Eli was considered to be one of the better prophets, his sons, who were to inherit his position, were not of the same cloth. It is my opinion that some people truly believe that a ruler will rule with justice and honor.

Ah, think about it...In this country we have a law that demands "truth in advertising", only it exempts political speech. So, politicians can say anything they like, and don't have to prove it: or be held accountable. Taking this a little bit farther, we find the "drive-by" media exploiting this to the max, when they make up stories to belittle, or build up candidates. Hence, the axiom, the way you can tell if a poli-tic-ian is lying, is when his/her lips are moving. How sad.

Sarah Palin speaks to the members of flyover country. She speaks the language of the founding fathers who wanted no part of aristocracy. She is real; does not need a teleprompter to tell her what to say. She speaks from the hip, and from the heart. She disdains the political class, and does what she can to undermine the old crony system of government. She doesn't need an echo chamber to stimulate audiences. She speaks what we know, and understand. she resonates with the people of flyover country who are fed up with the political class, and people doing what they want rather than what we want.

Basically, I believe the "Elite's" control on politics is being eroded by their every day existence.

In a perfect world, everyone would love God, and would respect God's creation. We can respect God's creation without taking money from each other to take care of our pet projects.

Sarah Palin believes in individual responsibility rather than government "chosen" to take care of us. I agree.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Random rant

I have identified a certain species of homo-sapiens that I call "assholus americanus".

They come in a plethora of mutations; but the one I guess I want to focus on today is the one that always speeds up just enough to get around you, on the interstate, and then when they get in front of you, they slow down: slower than you were going originally.

It is obvious to the casual observer that their mother apparently didn't have any children that lived: or maybe she happened to drop them on their head, and they ain't been right since. At any rate, there must not have been qualified lifeguards in their gene pool.

I normally, do not succumb to road rage, and do stupid stuff, cuz then I would be putting myself into that species. But I must admit, I have secretly wished there was a way to install a 105 recoiless rifle under the hood of my vehicle, to ensure these individuals do not have the opportunity to breed, or cause a serious accident.
Often I have entertained the thought that if there is ever a stupid test for getting a driver's license, there are gonna be a lot of unhappy people walking around. Yeah, Forrest Gump was right when he said, "stupid is as stupid does".

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Randomly cogitating with no monetary reward

Years ago, when someone around me would do, or say, something genuinely stupid, I might respond with "Did your mother have any children that lived?", or "My mama didn't raise no idiots!"

So, windmills moved from Kaliphornia to Minneesoda, don't work; temp is too cold? Wonder why we don't see huge windmill farms around the Chicago area; is not Chicago the "windy city"?

Here's a thought: If the windmills in Minnesota are not working because it is just too cold; then why not move them to DC? There is definitely a lot of hot air blowing around there.

Watched the YouTube video clips of Sarah Palin at the Nashville tea party. How interesting, to hear her say, "We need a Commander in Chief, not a professor of law standing in the podium", or words to that effect. Seriously, we are too rapidly becoming a country of laws, rather than a country of freedom and liberty. There is no other place on the face of this planet, where a foreign terrorist is afforded the rights of citizens. How have we come to this place in the annals of history?

You know, I have a theory. Throughout history, there have been many attempts to completely destroy the Israeli blood line. It looked like it may well have happened during WWII. The difference was, Christians came to the aid of the Jewish people. I truly believe that evil has been trying to destroy good for as long as human history has been going. WWII taught a great lesson, for those who carry evil in their hearts. To accomplish the complete destruction of the Jews, Israel, Christians must first be destroyed, and there will be no one to provide aid. Yes, you heard that right. And today, right here in the good ole USA we see an underhanded assault on Christianity and everything that is good.

We are in the second presidential administration that has gone public with statements indicating Christians, and benevolent people are evil, or intent on evil. It is truly beyond my comprehension of how people living in freedom and liberty with the opportunity to own personal property, and to be the best they are willing to be, are willing to let someone else have control over their lives.

We are definitely living in perilous times. We should be sounding a clarion call of a clear and present danger. Instead, we waddle along like a bunch of sheep being herded into the slaughter house. Make no mistake, there is evil in this world, and it is hell bent on destroying anything that is good.

Incrementalism is the method being used. Take away a liberty, or freedom, based on someone's personal injury, and soon, no one has liberty, or freedom. It has never worked, in all of human history, and what makes anyone think it will work now?

Give me liberty, or give me death.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Stoppin in to see what condition my condition was in

How is that "hope and change" working?

I don't think for one minute there is any humor in the fact that B Hussein has "promised" there will be "NO" tax increases for anyone making less than $250,000 a year. In the past few days, he has even had the audacity to claim that not only have taxes not been raised, but a tax cut has been given.

Ok, this is my blog, and I have the authority to rave on if I want to.

First, this administration manipulated the economy to reflect no economic increase, therefore, Sosh Security, and military received no cost of living (COLA) increases. That may not mean much on the surface, but stick with me, and I will bring it all together shortly.

No COLA increases for the military also includes retired military. Which means, I have not received any increase in my retired pay, but my withholding tax has increased $9.30 per month. I guess I should get down on my knees and thank the almighty B Hussein for my glorious tax reduction. I can guarantee that his cutoff point for tax increases is at least five times my annual income.

OK, let's take a look at how my tax return for 2009 is shaping up. Based on simply my retired pay, and wages earned driving skool bus part time, I was on the way to receive $491 dollars back from the IRS. I wasn't too happy about that, cuz I would rather have had that money, than to see it being used by the gummint with no interest on the loan.

Next I entered the amount of Sosh Security benefits. You have to know that each payment is reduced by 10% for income tax purposes. Doesn't that just bless your soul? OK, so, I add in the Sosh Security info, and "VIOLA!!" I learn that that $491 IRS owes me, has been reduced to $49. Ain't that cool?

OK, ok, so, then I add in my "Tax Sheltered Annuity" payments received. Uhmmm, these payments are reduced by 20% for income tax purposes. Lo, and Behold!. That $491 return that was reduced to $49 is now reflecting me owing IRS $334. Now, how about them apples? Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend in gummint?

And to put gravy on the entire enchilada, my total earnings still do not add up to $50,000 for the year.

Yeah, "hope and change" my rosy red rear...Rush was right when he transposed the saying to "hoax and chains".

Whether we know it or not, there is a clear and present danger.

So, I'm thinkin...maybe I should have listened to Karen, back in 1963 when she begged me to stay in Thornton, and get married and settle down. I could have joined a union, and by now, I would be retired with all the benefits that come with that union. And I would never have had to put my life on the line for this country; I would not have had to go to Vietnam and become an agent orange covered Vietnam vet, with less than 5% disability. Boy, how could I have been so stupid? No wonder I am tired, and retired. Come to think of it; what if those 50,000 names on the wall had not chosen to serve their country, and instead stayed home and joined a union. Why, look how much better off they would be.

Oh, B Hussein has shown me the error of my ways. I now see that I was being foolish, and selfish, by joining the military. Hallelujah, I was blind but now I see!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

The Womanliness Project

This morning's blogroll reading led me to Villainous Company where I found Cassandra asking for input into her post "The Womanliness Project". Below is my response to her request.

Anything I might say is a direct product of as much of my 64 years as I can remember, through three marriages and divorces, death of an infant child, 29 years of active duty in the US Naval Service, five years of pastoring a rural church, nine months of serving as a volunteer missionary in Ecuador, and death of my father at an early age. I would preface all remarks with the thought that my experience does not qualify me as an expert on any subject; even tho I may have the subjective and objective knowledge and understanding.

To begin, I believe God created humans for the purpose of being in fellowship: with each other, and with Him. I have studied psychology, in its many manifestations, and have seriously looked at Maslow's Hierarchy of needs. He coined the term "self-actualization" and placed it at the top to indicate a person becoming the very best they could be. Inherent in attaining self-actualization is the ability/availability of having met all the needs we understand humans have.

Being in fellowship with each other presents its own pantheon of road blocks and pot holes along the road of life. I have often thought how good it would be if God would just drop down a note saying where I am supposed to be, how I am supposed to live, and what I am supposed to do. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, that doesn't happen. I do believe, however, that God has provided us with an "owner's manual" in the form of what we call the Bible, or Scripture. And sometimes, I just don't want to look into the manual to learn what I am supposed to do.

Probably, the most copacetic life I have lived was in the Marine Corps, and I am not surprised that the Corps' philosophy was "God, Country, and Corps"; with the motto "Semper Fidelis". Multitudinous manuscripts could be penned regarding the Latin term "Semper Fidelis", Always Faithful! In this post-modern world we are living in, faithfulness is considered to be archaic, old-hat, part of an old paternalistic oppression. There was a time when the shaking of hands was considered to be good faith; today, we need a team of lawyers to decipher and translate small print, to make sure it is understood who is responsible.

Oh!, there is that inescapable word: "RESPONSIBLE". So much energy has been spent on making us understand that we do not have to be responsible for anything. We are told "guns kill people", "SUVs kill people", "its the environment that caused someone to do something", "my wife/husband doesn't understand me", "the Devil made me do it".
Something that has been nagging at the back of my mind is the idea that someone owes me something. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Roman Christians, entreated them to "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." It was Jesus who is quoted as saying, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."You know, I served 29 years in the naval service, basically laying my life down for: my friends, my family, my neighbors, but, also, every person who has ever breathed the air in the USA. Though I didn't know it at the time, my love was God, Country, and Corps. Had I been more oriented toward loving only myself I would have never put myself in the position of standing up to protect this country and the people who call it home. How do I qualify, or quantify, the fact that there are fifty thousand names on the Wall, and mine isn't there? I can't! Uhmm, while counseling, I learned that "I can't" is a cop-out; whenever I use it in a conversation, I need to replace it with, "I won't". In this case, both terms are effective. "I can't" explain why my name isn't on the Wall; and "I won't" even attempt to understand why.

Oooooppsssss! Kinda got off on a tangent.

When we accept the premise that God created us, and made us just the way we are, to be complementary to each other, in fellowship, we find the lines demarcating the separateness between us being blurred; and even eradicated. Something a friend of mine once told me, has had quite an impression on my outlook. A term we use for God, is Yahweh, or YHWH. Inherent in the understanding of Yahweh, is the understanding that God is both male and female. Now, isn't that a revelation? Feminists tell us that God is a male that has no understanding of female.

When I go back to the Bible and spend some time reading and studying, I find that, yes, God created us male and female, man and woman, but He also gave us the gifts we needed to be complementary. We need look no further than Jacob and Esau. We are told that Esau was a man of the earth, and Jacob was a man of the tents. Esau was the epitome of manliness...while Jacob was more domesticated. He liked to cook, and basically hated hunting. He preferred the safety of home, to the freedom of the open road. And guess what? Jacob became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. Now, how can a reasonable person qualify, or quantify, why Jacob would be the "superior" one, and Esau would be in a secondary position? Basically goes against everything we are being taught in these days.

I have found, that my ability to cook, sew, wash clothes, iron, mend and do them domesticated kindsa things, has the propensity to bring out animosity from women. I look back on my most recent marriage and divorce, and realize that life would have been much different if both of us had accepted who we were, and were willing to learn from each other, and to help each other, rather than marginalize each other.
My ex has a beautiful singing voice, she plays musical instruments by reading notes, and "by ear"; and I am told she has perfect pitch. All my life I have wanted to be able to sing, and play an instrument. My father denigrated any effort telling me I was tone deaf. When I was participating in Barbershop quartet singing, I was given the opportunity to listen to the notes, and practice hitting those notes; sometimes pretty time consuming. How much different the relationship between my ex and I might have been, had she been willing to teach me some of the things she taught music students, rather than telling me I was hopeless.

I can see how the relationship might have been different if we had worked together in the kitchen, sharing cooking secrets, rather than feeling animosity because one was different than the other.

Seems to me, that if we will be comfortable with who we are, rather than striving to be someone we can never be, life would be so much better.

My mind has just told me, that what I am trying to say is, if we are willing to live in fellowship with each other; ready to learn from and teach to each other, life will be more copacetic, and livable. And we won't have any reason to demand respect or love from each other.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Priorities

I observed a pickup truck, one day, with a bumper sticker that proclaimed, "When the Church ruled the world they called it the 'dark ages'".

I have been pondering that statement, and though I did not follow the vehicle and talk with the lady that was driving, I want to take a moment to look at that statement.

Today, more than at any time in my life, we are experiencing an all out effort to rewrite Amercian history, to remove any reference to God's involvement, or the involvement of the Christian Church in the founding of our country. For years, now, I have listened to radio announcements regarding graduation that proclaim, "Whenever a small community began to grow, the first public building that was built was a school." I don't think that is true.

When a group of people decided to form a town, the first public building they built was usually a church. It was the church that took on the resonsibility of teaching people to read and write, and do their numbers. The initial textbooks were the Bible. For the most part, the pastor, or parson, was the most educated person in town; and it was understood that he would do the Christian thing to educate everybody.

The first colleges and universities were also started by the Christian church, for the purpose of training clergy to continue the good work.

In the Continental Navy, the chaplain was also the purser, and the person who took care of the administration. Again, not only was he the most educated person onboard, he was also the most trustworthy.

Finally, hospitals in this country were founded by the Christian church, as a means of taking care of sick people, keeping them near the doctor, and isolating them until they could get along on their own again.

If that was the "dark ages", that is the life for me. I am tired of living in the age of enlightenment, where morals and ethics are dependent on each person's interpretation and perception.

At the end of his long life, Moses spoke these words to the Israelites: "See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity;...I call heaven and earth as witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

Today, we would do good to pay heed to the words Moses spoke. Our post-modern world is driving us farther and farther away from "loving the LORD our God, and obeying His voice"; and farther away from life and the length of our days, and especially living in the land which the LORD swore to our Fathers. Those who refuse to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it.

Friday, January 15, 2010

The time has come,for all good men & women to come to the aid of their country

OATH KEEPERS: ORDERS WE WILL NOT OBEY

Click here to read full length version.

1. We will NOT obey orders to disarm the American people.

2. We will NOT obey orders to conduct warrantless searches of the American people

3. We will NOT obey orders to detain American citizens as “unlawful enemy combatants” or to subject them to military tribunal.

4. We will NOT obey orders to impose martial law or a “state of emergency” on a state.

5. We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty.

6. We will NOT obey any order to blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps.

7. We will NOT obey any order to force American citizens into any form of detention camps under any pretext.

8. We will NOT obey orders to assist or support the use of any foreign troops on U.S. soil against the American people to “keep the peace” or to “maintain control."

9. We will NOT obey any orders to confiscate the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies.

10.We will NOT obey any orders which infringe on the right of the people to free speech, to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances.

Click here to read full length version.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Bless = Bliss

My special friend, Sherri, authors periodic thoughts for email, entitled "mind medicine". If anyone is interested in receiving these thought provoking emails, simply send an email to "bahasherri@yahoo.com", subj line: Mind Med, including the email address you would prefer they be sent to.

This morning's thought:
"Bliss. Bless.
Bliss = Bless
Bless = Bliss

These two words seem interchangeable to me."


Got me thinking. To my understanding, to bless is to show approval. Biblical history shows us that when people were where they were supposed to be, doing what they were supposed to be doing, and being who they were supposed to be, they were blessed. Should they be off in any one of these areas, there was a sense of having lost the blessing.

Sadly, today, we talk about encouraging self-esteem in each other; which is consistently difficult to accomplish. Self-esteem, is how we feel about ourself...especially as it relates to others around us. So, we hear platitudes about respect me, I am your equal. Generally, when we are seeking to feel good about our self we have lost the blessing, and we compensate for that by demanding that others recognize us for who we want, or used, to be.

There was a time, when a father would "bless" his children. I don't know if we use the idiom much anymore, but there was a time when a man would ask a woman's father for his blessing on their marriage. You see, in reality, blessing is a blessing; and to our disadvantage we have chosen to not bless our children, and instead seek to encourage their self-esteem building.

Henri JM Nouwen in his book, "Life of the Beloved", Crossroad, New York, 1994, page 56, said: "Let me first tell you what I mean by the word "blessing". In Latin, to bless is benedicere. The word "benediction" that is used in many churches means literally: speaking (dictio) well (bene) or saying good things of someone." On page 57 he continues by saying: "A blessing touches the original goodness of the other and calls forth his or her Belovedness." I am amazed at how close the two words appear to be: blessedness and belovedness; because, you know they are basically the same. Oh, if only we could get each other to again recognize the value of being blessed.

Father Nouwen, then goes on to relate an incident in a home for mentally challenged people, where he was resident priest. At one of the prayer meetings, one of the members asked him if he would give her a blessing. He responded by making the sign of the cross on her forehead with his thumb. The member, exclaimed, "No, that doesn't work. I want a real blessing!" At the close of the prayer service, he invited her to come forward, and offered to give her a hug. As she closed in for the hug, he wrapped his arms around her. Of course he was wearing his sacramental robe, and in the process of enfolding her into a hug, he completely covered her with his robe. That picture still brings tears to my eyes. Yes, that is a blessing! What an affirmation of her blessedness, her belovedness. For me, that presents what I believe about God, that when we go to Him in repentance, He draws us close and enfolds us in His humongous arms, and we are loved like we have never been loved. Yeah! that's what its all about.

And that, conveniently leads me into the second part, the word "bliss". How should we define bliss? Is it not a feeling of extreme well-being? How much more can we possibly have a feeling of well-being, unless we are where we are supposed to be, when we are supposed to be there, and doing what we are supposed to be doing? That definitely sounds like being blessed. On the other side of the coin, we have the angle where we experience the bliss of having blessed someone, of having affirmed them, of having touched their original goodness and bringing to their mind their belovedness. You see, when we are blessing, we are receiving a blessing, and everyone comes out a winner. No need to demand equalness, or respect. We know we are at peace, and the world is copacetic.

Oh, if only we were able to understand and accept this simple bit of information; how much different this world would be. Wanna talk about hope and change? Look at the hope that would be engendered by blessing each other. You wanna talk about change? Just think of the change that would be wrought simply because we are all affirmed of our belovedness, and none of us worry about be shut out.

Thank you, Sherri, you have stimulated my mind. I love you.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Pause for the cause

While traversing the internet this morning, I came across the following post by Cassandra at http://www.villainouscompany.com/vcblog/.


Defining Conservatism

A while back I was asked by a very lovely and intelligent lady to write an essay on conservatism.

I did quite a bit of research and was rather surprised by what I learned. Yes, I do have an opinion on this subject. But I hear so many people say, "He/She isn't a conservative" that I can't quite resist throwing the question back at you all: "OK. Exactly what IS a conservative? Define it for me."

So that's my challenge to you, whether you are a blogger or a reader. Define conservatism for me. Better yet, do it for yourself.

Have at it in the comments section. And if you are a blogger and want to post your reply, let me know and I'll post a roundup of responses.

Should be an interesting discussion.


So, how do I understand conservatism?

I think it is about personal responsibility. I know that is a big umbrella to start out with, however, I must go back to the understanding that the God who created this world, universe, and all living creatures, thought it pertinent to bestow on us, human critters, free will. We have the ability to do what we want to, but we also have an "owner's manual" that tells us what happens when we choose to live a certain way.

The human heart cries out for freedom. All across the history of mankind, we find those in bondage, crying out to be free. And all across this history, we find those whose whole purpose in life appears to be enslaving others, and having power over them to refuse them any opportunity to exercise their free will.

Involved in my idea of being free, is the ability to earn and hold private property. I grew up in the forties and fifties. I well remember watching "Victory at Sea" at the local theater, and watching the news items that showed how people over in Europe lived. I read the Declaration of Independence, and learn that the people most instrumental in beginning this country, left Europe to get away from onerous taxation, and overbearing government. I grew up with the story of Robin Hood...not the Robbing Hood we have today, of the government taxing every aspect of our lives, but the Robin Hood, who battled the oppressive government of the day, to take back what rightfully belonged to the people.

Since I graduated from high school, I have had the privilege to visit places like Seoul, Korea; Manilla and Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, Hong Kong, Guyana, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and parts of Guatemala. I have also had the privilege of being able to live in Quito, Ecuador for nine months. I have been able to see the lifestyle of people who do not have the freedom we have been inherently provided by God. I have watched children take off their clothes to go swimming, because it was the only pair of pants and shirt they owned. I have seen how people live because the government controls everything in the country.

Conservatism, means respecting each other's right to freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I have experienced some moments of hillarity, when I have read the billboards that say: "Respect me". Respect is a two way street, and I find it really hard to respect someone who does not respect me. The hard knocks of the school of life have taught me to give the benefit of the doubt to everyone I meet. I choose to respect every person I meet, or come in contact with; however, when someone disdains my respect, or uses it to gain power over me, I lose respect for them. Sometimes, I can understand the words of Linus from the Peanuts cartoon where he said, "I love humanity, it's people I can't stand.

I guess, respecting each other's right to freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness goes beyond "Live and let live". I believe that God created mankind to be in communion, with each other, and with Him. Being in communion with each other means lending a hand when needed; encouraging someone who is losing courage, helping to raise each other above the level we think we are only capable of reaching. I do not consider government taking hard earned money from earners, and giving it to non earners to be humanitarian. In fact I find it to be humiliating. Again, this goes back to individual responsibility.

Our collective consciousness shows us how beautiful life can be when we all work together, encourage each other, and strive to be the best we can be. I guess in a kind of a nutshell, that would be conservatism for me.

Friday, January 1, 2010

New year, new rant. same ole same ole

January 1st. The first day of the new year. Everyone has been talking about change for over a year now, and this may be the year.

Come September, the end of the federal government's fiscal year, I will be removed from the health care program I have been with since I retired from the military. Which will require me to sign up for Medicare, or whatever that government health care insurance program is. The silly part has to do with whether or not I wish to keep the Tricare program, labled; Tricare for life. That program requires you to be signed up with medicare, and medicare part B.

I know no one has asked me for my two cents worth; but I'm gonna give it anyway, cuz this is my blog, and my opportunity to get it off my chest. I completed 29 years of active duty in the US Naval service. According to the VA, I have less than 5 percent disability. Guess what the VA, the VFW, the American Legion, and all them "service oriented clubs" have in common! Yep, they are all oriented to supporting the disabled. So, since I am not disabled, the better way to go would have been to stay on active duty, and perhaps be in a combat zone, and; well, you know the rest. However, con-gress decided some time ago, that a person could only spend so much time on active duty. I am a firm believer, that someone, at some time, decided young blood flowed better on the battlefield, than old blood.

Yeah! I turn 65 this year. In some ways, I cannot believe this many years have gone by already. George Jones, in a recent record stated: "I ain't ready for the junkyard yet, I still feel like a new corvette; my body's old but it ain't impaired, I don't need your rockin chair." I can't say I feel like a new corvette, but I can say I don't feel like a run down Hudson Hornet either. Yeah, I agree, "I may be slow, but I'll get there, I don't need your rockin chair." All things being considered, my dad died at age 54; his dad died at age 34; his mother was 89 when she chekked out. Some tell me, that based on the mortality figures of my paternal predecessors, I should chekk out at age 74. We'll see. I am not one of those people who hope to live a looooong life. Now, if I knew that I was going to live to be a hundred and twenty years old, and I would be able to say at that time what Moses said, many centuries ago, I would have no qualms living that long of a life.

I am reminded that one of the benefits of dementia, is that you are always meeting new friends...I like that. It is a new year, and I do look forward to meeting new friends. Oh, in about three n a half years, will be my 50th high school reunion...wonder if I will still be around for that; and wonder how many of the 140(?) in our graduating class will still be with us. Have heard it said that, time heals all wounds; and wounds all heels. "One day at a time, Sweet Jesus, is all I'm asking of you, just show me the way to be everyday what I ought to be; yesterday's gone, Dear Jesus, and tomorrow may never be mine, teach me today, show me the way, one day at a time." An email I received some time back said, "Yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, today is a gift; that is why it is called the "present".

With the new year, comes change. There are some in this country who have been hoping for change for a long time. I guess change is good, but it depends on what is being changed. President B Hussein promised that there would be no tax increases for anyone earning less than 250 or 200 thousand dollars a year. Lo and behold...my retired pay doesn't even amount to 50 thousand, and according to the defense finance command, my income tax whitholding is increasing $9.30 a month beginning January 1st. Now, don't that beat all? Reminds me of that joke I heard many years ago..."If you had ten male deer, and ten female pigs, how much money would you have?" Now, that's something to contemplate, ain't it? Of course, you would have "ten sows and bucks". What did you think?

Rush Limbaugh coined the phrase "Hoax and chains" for the administration's logo of hope and change. If you ain't feelin the chains yet, don't worry, they be comin.
I have found it interesting to see the information that was put out by the State Department, identifying what a terrorist is. You see, those who fail to learn from history are doomed to relive it. I just wonder how many of us remember that back in 1994, {Yep, democrat administration} then attorney general Janet Reno informed a reporter from 60 Minutes of what a terrorist looked like. Yah, shure, ubetcha! Almost word for word the same as what just came out. You see, back then, when the firestorm hit, the dutiful minions of the democrat propaganda wing, {spell that mainstream media, or drive-by media} went to general quarters to quash the information, and within a few days there were no more references to be found anywhere on the internet. Including the You Tube clips. Ain't it interesting that when the firestorm hit this time, the democrat propaganda lackeys again went to general quarters to cover and make sure that there could not be any continued argument? Seems to me I heard someone say, that is not the official stance of the government, and any reference to it has surely disappeared. Well, "WTFO"!?! Just one more instance of the "elect" telling us to "bend over and grab our ankles". Sheesh!!! give me a break, and I don't mean a Kit Kat bar, neither.

Well, I think that is prolly enuff of a rant for one day. I want to wish everyone in America a healthy, happy, prosperous new year. Of course, I understand that no one is going to realize all that, unless they have a personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ; may each and everyone of you come to that understanding, so we can turn around the craziness that is going on in this country.