Religion Run Amok

As a child, when I went to church almost every time the doors opened, I remember hearing tales of Catholics in South America killing Protestants.  As an adult, I've been aware of the Christian/Protestant wars say, for instance, in Ireland.


Historically, the Crusades  --  wars perpetrated by European Christians against Middle Eastern Muslims  --  are the most predominant religious wars.  The Europeans were trying to take over Palestine.  This country is considered Christian Holy Land because this was where Jesus ministered.


Today, Jews and Palestinians war over land and statehood.  John Knox was a Protestant who was notorious for killing Catholics. 


We are all aware of the Muslim extremists who perpetrate acts of terrorism all over the world today. 


This fighting of wars over religion are examples of religion run amuck.


Really folks, what is wrong with all of us that we could think for an instant that our God or our gods want us to kill each other to make one religion or another the dominant one?  I don't know enough about the Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu religions to speak with any expertise.  However, I do know that Jews and Christians have been told by Jehovah, "Thou shalt not kill."  If it were so important to God that He made it one of his Ten Commandments, He must have found it crucial.  And, most Muslims say that their religion is one of peace.  They tell us that it is only the extremists that misinterpret their religion to espouse holy wars.


Truth be told, we cannot whitewash wars by labeling them Holy.  War is war  --  and it is usually motivated by selfish purposes, not for religious ones.  For example, it is possibly motivated by a wish to receive many virgins for killing others.  In the case of the most sadistic warmongers, the aim is to incite terror in others, thus making the warriors feel pseudo powerful.


The founders of the United States of America wanted to eliminate some of the more questionable goals of war by "separating church and state."  The constitutional laws of our country dictate that government cannot tell us how to worship and religious leaders cannot tell us how to run the country.  Fresh out of the hands of warring religious nuts such as John Knox, they had a great need to worship as they pleased and to have all the people (men anyway) choose how to govern.


When I was that young girl reading about denominational war, I recall asking God to make us a more ecumenical world.  Where denominations are concerned, I believe that has happened.  The Catholics, Jews and Protestants these days offer each other the dignity and respect and freedom to worship as we please.


But, we still have a long way to go to help each other develop mutual respect throughout the worldwide religions.  All of us need to entertain the concept that there can really be nothing holy about war.  War is about power over each other and land grabbing of acreage that doesn't belong to us anyway.  It is simply on loan to us from the creator of our universe.  And, we have to leave it behind for others when we go to meet our maker.


In the brief period of time we have on this earth to learn and teach and evolve, it would behoove us all to respect each others religions and our rights to govern as we please.


To let religion run amuck like we are prone to do, is to invade each others basic human rights.  We should never find ourselves guilty of trespassing on the rights of others.  This is probably our most basic sin, especially when we kill to do so.

Media Pastimes

SARS, West Nile, H1N1, Autism from vaccinations, ADHD, ADHD in adults, Ebola, Ebola, Ebola.  Media overkill.  Media pastimes.  Sensationalism of the year.  The search for a scary topic to boost readership or increase television audiences. 


Republicans looking for anything to attack Democrats.  Republicans using worldwide health issues as Obama fodder.  Republicans behaving inappropriately to drum up votes.  Democrats siding with Republicans about nonissues in order to distance themselves from a sometimes unpopular President.


It seems on the surface that Republican attacks and toxic campaigning have reached a dangerous peak.  But that's only on the surface.  There are articles surfacing on the internet and in the media accusing both President Richard Nixon and President Ronald Reagan of treason.  And before you start saying that this is Democratic propaganda, read the articles floating around.  Also note the authors.  In the case of President Nixon, the accusation is more of an admission by a conservative Republican columnist, George Will.


Then we remember the infamous Watergate scandal.


The media sensationalism provides the fodder and the fuel which the most amoral Republicans use for political gain.  What is happening to our country?


Granted Ebola could become a threat in the United States.  It is not yet.  In fact it is such a new threat, that it is asinine to begin accusing the President of moving too slowly.  Anything for a vote, folks?

Nobody Plans To Die In Office

When a presidential candidate runs for office, death in office is really not on the agenda.  Setting aside the premonition that some individuals may have concerning their potential demise, most people just don't list "death in office" in their long-range goals.  Why should they?


But politicians do get sick and die -- even President's of the United States.  As recent events have made clear, they can also be made targets of stalkers and malcontents -- even today.  And the Secret Service members can fail at their jobs.


It would behoove us all if each individual candidate would embrace the possibility of death in office due to illness or the hand of others.  Those who do that for us would probably make wiser choices of running mates.  (Mr. President, I am not speaking of Mr. Biden.  I believe he was a good choice).


Through the election campaigns since I have been old enough to vote, candidates have spent too much time evaluating which running mate would bring the most votes and enhance their campaigns.


We need you all to "get real".  These people you choose could potentially be the President of the United States some day.  We need you to examine if they are smart enough for the job.  Are they mature enough?  Are they educated enough?  Do they have the physical stamina?  Will they carry out your political goals?  Are their goals at least similar to yours?  If we elected you and approve your platform, will we want their ideas as well? Is there depth and wisdom to their thinking?  Are they honest?  Will they interact well with foreign leaders?  Are they hawks who will constantly want boots on the ground, nation after nation, or do they exercise good judgment in picking our battles?


And while you are evaluating your potential running mates, turn the spotlight on your own goals, abilities and aspirations.  Are you up to all aspects of the most taxing position of the world today, or is this just some whim you've always nurtured in yourself?


Being President and Vice President of the United States are real jobs, difficult ones.  It is not just an award like becoming an Eagle Scout or Miss Congeniality.  The steps for achieving success as President are not all written out in a guidebook.  They require a lot of knowledge, skill, thought and flexibility.  And they certainly require a lot of prayer.


Then, we the people, need to focus on qualifications more important than political party when we cast our votes.  Are we smart enough for that job?

When Don't They Pounce?

This Week began their show October 5, 2014, with teasers including "what President Obama said that has Republicans pouncing."  So, what does he say that doesn't cause them to pounce?  They're like Sylvester who stands outside Tweety's cage.  They are so obsessed about putting down the President that they stay poised for attack instead of being productive leaders themselves.


Apparently the President caused the attack by stating the obvious truth.  He isn't running for office in November, but his policy is.  I can't determine if it is the staff of the program or the Republicans who are not aware that they pounced before his speech.  There is hardly a Republican ad that doesn't bring up past Obama policy as failed approaches, even the ones that have succeeded.


Too bad Obamacare wasn't the big failure the Republicans had hoped.  Yes, it had a rough start, but have you heard the praise the previously uninsured are giving it?  Have you noticed that unemployment has slipped below six per cent?  What Americans who work for a living don't want to see a minimum wage increase?  What senior citizens would consider giving up their Social Security and Medicare? 


Sorry Republicans, you'd best find another strategy to attack.  Most of your ads that claim politicians support Obama and Democrats get oral thanks for teaching me for whom I should vote.

Insubordination

I cannot imagine there is an American military person alive today who does not know about the relationship between President Harry Truman and General Douglas MacArthur.  Most individuals who have been exposed to American history know the story as well.  On the far out to left field chance that any American is not aware, please permit me to explain.


General Douglas MacArthur was a respected member of the military under President Franklin D. Roosevelt and President Truman relied on him heavily also.  He placed him in charge of the military force that the United Nations sent to defend South Korea after the North invaded the South.  He lead the allies to success against the north and then lead the troops into North Korea.  Chinese communists got in the fray and pushed the allies south again.  MacArthur wanted to go into China and extend the war.  Members of the UN thought it would cause WW III.  This put the President and the Joint Chiefs of staff on one side with MacArthur against them.  MacArthur issued statements criticizing the government's strategy on the war.  But the President had already ordered him not to release policy statements on his own.  MacArthur even sent the Chinese an unauthorized demand for surrender.  Then, a Republican Congressman made public a letter MacArthur had written criticizing official policy.


On April 11, 1951, President Truman relieved MacArthur as head of the U. N. Command, U. S. Far East Command and Occupation of Japan.


Whereas the ordinary citizens of the United States have a constitutional right to speak their minds about politics, military strategy and Presidents, military men, by their job descriptions, have given up their right to speak critically about their Commander In Chief and his military plans.  To do so is an act of insubordination which can, and should, lead to "getting one's behind fired."  And to think, Mr. President that you actually called this one back to take the reins over this further military involvement in the Middle East.


For head in the sand types who may have missed it --  General Martin Dempsey went before Congress this week and committed insubordination.  While the President was traveling around promising there would be no combat troops on the ground, Dempsey was before Congress telling them there might come a time when he would advise the President to put boots on the ground.  Really General, is there no end to the disrespect this country will show this President?

The Black Hats

How Hollywood of me to think in terms of black hats -- bad guys -- and white hats -- good ones.  But have you ever noticed this?  No matter how black hat a person wants to behave, he/she still wants to be seen as a white hat.


So, how are all the black hat behaving people going to like being recognized as black hats when people finally take note?  Probably not very well.  But as they say in many endeavors, "If you do the crime, you do the time."  If we are talking about being morally bankrupt, not a felony committing criminal, then get set to don those black ones because you sure don't deserve the white.


How do we spy the morally bankrupt?  There are a few characteristics.


Among the most recently recognized bad people are the ones moving some or all of their business enterprises to other countries so they won't have to pay as high corporate taxes.  A really recent big event was when Burger King bought out a Canadian company so they could join the crowd of expatriate businesses.  Perhaps our government should decide to cancel citizenship for any company owners who move their corporate headquarters and taxes abroad.  If they act un-American, they should be un-American.  That would give us several less black hat dudes in our country.


But, maybe natural consequences will take care of that for us.  Just as workers in other countries began demanding higher and higher wages, maybe China, India, et. al., will start wanting a bigger tax cut also.  Why wouldn't they?


Oh, and then there is the everlasting outsourcing.  I hope there is a special corner in the hot place for companies that outsource customer services.  Yesterday morning I got hold of someone on my road assistance program who could literally barely speak English.  He apparently understood it less well than he spoke it, or he was deliberately trying to lose his job. I asked specifically not to have a particular tow service sent because they charge several dollars extra if you use a credit card to pay mileage beyond your policy limit (of 5 miles).  They also don't carry change for a ten so they get overpaid anyway.  When asked where I was having the car towed, the mileage came to 9.11 so he said no, the Firestone was only five miles so I should take it there.  I told him the Firestone was twelve miles -- I had just paid $28 extra a month ago.  He said, no it was five. 


Now, dude, if there is a Firestone five miles from my house, it isn't listed in the phone book.  Besides, you don't have a say as to where I get my car fixed.


Once we got it clear that the customer chooses the repair shop, he told me to hang up and he would text me with the ETA of the tow truck.  Every other rep I talked with that day had me stay on the line.  Why do you suppose he did it this way?  Well, he proceeded to set up service with the tow service I told him not to use.  I had to call and cancel his order and start from square one.  At least all the other reps spoke clear, if accented English.


Then we have the black hats who make all kinds of threats to the public if we convince Congress to increase the minimum wage.  They'll cut employees.  They'll cut hours.  They'll raise prices.  So, dudes, we'll eat somewhere that we can get a decent meal, served by adequate staff, at a reasonable price.  Then we'll watch all your employees flock to these restaurants.  And you'll find your restaurants boycotted like Burger King and others.  Then, there is your corner of the hot place waiting for you as well.


We also have the black hats who use their ill gotten gains to buy elections for their good buddies who will continue to support their morally bankrupt business methods.  Although it didn't work out too well for them during the last Presidential election, they are sure of themselves for the midterm elections.  May God grant that they are flushing their hundreds of millions down the drain.  If this keeps happening election after election, maybe they'll  become part of the veritable unwashed someday.  Don't know whom I mean?  Think Koch brothers.  Think Republican.  Think about giving them their comeuppance.


Let's don't forget the obstructionist Congressmen who are against everything others support -- just because it came from others.  Let's not forget the Tea Party reps who can't tell the difference between needed expenditures and general fluff.  Let's especially not forget the Tea Partiers who then request general fluff for their own locales.  What's fluff for the goose is fluff for the gander.


And then let's hold these black hats accountable.  If they act like that they should wear the hat.

To The NTH Degree

One of my sons keeps being drawn back to our old neighborhood in another state.  He goes there to find his jobs, thus exposing himself to the negative changes in the demographics.  A couple of weeks ago he was just outside the place where he was staying with friends.  He says a Mexican man walking past turned on him and beat him up for no apparent reason.  This, plus knifings and shootings, happen a lot in this neighborhood.  It is not at all unusual to see illegal Hispanics as perpetrators of such crimes.


My son, a man of as few words as possible, does not talk much about the situation.  This little amount I have gleaned from what he has told various members of the family.  He nearly died from the incident.  He was in surgery for six hours just getting stitches for the damage to his head and face.  He was at "home" doing nothing to attract attention to himself other than being a white man born in this country.  He says there are two truckloads of Mexicans terrorizing the neighborhood.  He can no longer stay where he was.  And he is afraid.


Of course, immigration is, and for many years has been, a hot button issue for politicians.  We have one side clamoring for stronger fences and more border guards.  We have others yelling for more leniency.  We have Hispanic politicos expecting us to legalize -- did they actually say?  --  over eleven million illegals already living and working in this country.


We have Hispanics in our neighborhood who are really good guys like the man who helped me scrape ice and snow off my car and the young girl who, upon seeing me struggle with a weed eater across one shoulder and a cooler in the other hand, came to help put back the cooler.  Yet, we have many, many who turn glaring and hateful faces  -- strangers, that is  --  in our direction when they happen upon us.


Why in the world would people who hate Caucasian Americans so much want to come to our country?  Because they want to take what is ours, but prefer us not to be here.  They want to steal our lives.  They want to take our land.  They want to acquire our livelihoods. They want to turn our children into punching bags.  They want to knife and shoot and kill our citizens.  They want and expect our politicians to, once again, forgive their crimes of illegal entry, of working without green cards or with fake credentials.  They want to eventually control our governments and elect their own kind to tell us what to do.


Now, our Hispanic leaders thus far are kept a bit in the dark.  They seem to believe that all these eleven million? illegals are like their own relatives and friends.  They are not.


One Hispanic friend of mine sent me to a particular store, run by Hispanic acquaintances of hers.  I needed to buy a used washer and dryer.  When she asked me later what they had said, she was very embarrassed.  They had looked at me with dislike and told me they had nothing for me.  This is not an atypical way for Hispanics to treat white folk who were born here.  Nebraska Furniture Mart was glad to sell the appliances to me.  My money was just fine there.


Of course, these Hispanics, legal or illegal, are not going to treat fellow Hispanics with this type of disdain.  They are also less likely to beat fellow Hispanics senseless simply because they are standing there.  They aren't non-Hispanic whites.


So, Hispanic politicians, don't expect a lot of us  --  Democrat or Republican  --  to offer you much sympathy or support when you expect us to welcome into amnesty the hordes of your people who are criminals simply because they came here illegally.  Some of them are good guys, but a lot of them are very, very bad.


Plus, amnesty, by any form or name, simply encourages eleven million more to come.  We need to strengthen those borders to the NTH degree and to stop reinforcing criminal entry by welcoming them later just because they are already here.


And quite probably, some of your Hispanic politicians are among the Hispanics who want to see control of our country transferred to Hispanic hands.