April 15, 2023

MY Declaration- I am Cory Milligan




















I am Cory Milligan, I am a son of God.
He is my Father and I was born to become like him.

I was born in all his abundance, that I might help others
experience life as it was meant to be.


The seeds of greatness that make my Father who he is
are the same seeds of greatness that make me who I am.

My capacity to love comes from him.
My passions come from him.

My talents and abilities come from him.
My hopes and dreams are born in him.
My faith and strength to do hard things comes from him.

My Father blesses me for no other reason than I am his son.
He has empowered me through Jesus Christ and his atonement 
to overcome adversity in All its forms.

I was born to experience life in all it's abundance, 

with all it's ups and downs, that I might, 
despite my own mistakes and shortcomings, 
fulfill my Father's desire that I succeed, and experience Life 
and the Joy of Creation. 

It is my choice to succeed or not. I choose to succeed.
It is my choice to do good or not. I choose to do good.
It is my choice to learn and to grow. I choose to learn and to grow.


I was born to become a creator, just as my Father is the creator of 
Heaven and Earth. It is part of who I am, and who I am becoming.
He believes in me. And I believe in Him. 

I am Cory Milligan, I am a son of God. He is my Father.
I was born to Win! And by his grace, IT SHALL BE DONE!!





June 27, 2019

Immigration Reform: A Call For Ideas Not Problems


Several years ago I was part of a group project for a class. The class was an Mexican American relations class. I and my two other group members chose to take on a broader subject than what the class was asking for, but the teacher allowed for it.  I do not claim this is the only solution and only offer it as one thought that might work. I encourage any discussion on the subject. I hope this is not taken as anything more than another voice of reason. It is open for criticism, I would hope you might add to the conversation. We need more solutions to the problem, not more criticism for what is being done. We need to stop listening to what New Yorkers, or Washingtonians report to us and take it into our own hands to find out what those who are closest to the problem are dealing with. It is easy for us to sit back in our "Arm Chairs" and call the plays and scream about what they should have done, or what they should do, but for heavens sake and for the sake of our sovereignty lets start giving Washington some of our own ideas, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans who have compassion, but also can understand the responsibilities our our leaders have to protect its citizens from outside invasions whether they be armed, unarmed; whether they have intent to do harm, or don't have intent to do harm.  So here is what we came up with.
Running Head: IMMIGRATION REFORM
  
Immigration Reform
Cory Milligan
Britt Hawke
Anna Sukupova

Salt Lake Community College
Fall Semester 2008

 Abstract
Immigration needs reform. Our paper will focus on the solution to immigration reform, as we have found this must start at the federal level followed up by state policy and enforcement. We will introduce the current law and make suggestions that may further benefit our state and national interest concerning immigration. We will also look at ways to help assimilate immigrants into our society, accepting the good each of our cultures as a positive influence on each other. 
                                                                                     
            Immigration reform has been a concern not only in Utah but in the United States as a whole. In Utah alone there is an estimated 200,000 illegal immigrants.  The largest number of illegal immigrants enter the United States via the southern border, and are Mexican nationals. And while immigration is a key to American economics, it also brings with it financial, educational, and social challenges that must be overcome in order to make our society run in a civil and orderly manner.  While other nationalities can be assumed, for the purpose of this proposal we will refer to illegal immigrant as those coming from over the Mexican border.
            Financially the costs of illegal immigration out weigh the benefits of cheap labor.  Illegal immigrants increase the cost of healthcare by taking advantage of our policy not to turn away anyone in need of care.  One of the greater costs related to health care is the high rate of unwed teen pregnancy among the Latino population who subsequently then use the system to pay for the hospital care.  Many immigrants cross the border for the very purpose of baring children in the United States knowing that we will not turn them away and that their children will gain immediate citizenship into the United States.  The psychological impact of migrating here illegally is not something that is easily measured; however it is obvious that it has an effect, as often they do not report many unscrupulous acts against them. This creates an atmosphere where abuse and disrespect are fostered, especially in the work place, not only toward illegal immigrants but towards legal immigrants as well.  The two greatest of illegal immigration are healthcare and education, despite the fact that many illegal immigrants do not even partake in the education process.  Statistics show a great disparity between legal immigrants and illegal immigrants when it comes to schooling.  Those who come here legally, by and far participate in the education system, even though they have a high rate of drop out, it at least offers them an opportunity to learn English and participate in the greater part of society.
            Socially, illegal immigrants tend to keep to themselves or cling tightly to those within the Latino culture.  This prevents the opportunity of the greater society to get to know them and their culture.  It leaves many suspicious, whether justified or not, of what their intentions are.  It also promotes racism on both sides of the cultural divides.  Also illegal immigration has strong ties to other illegal activities such as drug smuggling, as evidenced in a PBS interview of Arizona’s Governor Janet Napolitano and New Mexico’s Governor Bill Richardson as well as Mexican Ambassador Carlos De Icaza performed by Gwen Ifill (2005), and identification theft as cited in Bob Sullivan’s blog article, Hidden costs of illegal immigration: ID Theft (2006).  
            Educationally, the greatest cost, approximately 12 billion dollars, comes in the creation of bilingual classes. These classes seem to create a major distraction for everyone.  And with a high drop out rate we may question its effectiveness as a culturally effective program.  The other aspect of Education that must be overcome is the Class system which they have come from. Freedom is not something that is given and received immediately. The mental process of freedom requires much more than a “key to the kingdom.” When all your life you have been taught that you are of the lower class and you can’t change that. When you enter a free society where you are expected to progress, it may clash culturally at first. It takes time to comprehend and believe this principle. Many who have been born here understand this principle even less.
Our Proposal
            Because immigration law comes from the federal government we found that anything we did within the State of Utah would do very little good to affect the original problem of illegal immigration. If we create a program to benefit those who are here illegally, we do an injustice to those who are here legally as well as those who are U.S. born here and those who are trying to come legally. It would also encourage further illegal immigration. The current laws being proposed in the Utah legislature would work in conjunction with our plan, but still seems to be a political maneuver rather than an effort to resolve real problems. This possibly is because it would take both aspects of our proposal to work. If both parts are not implemented it would upset the critical balance of justice to those who are trying to be lawful and compassion toward those who are only trying to do what they can to feed their families. Thus, our proposal goes to the heart of the problem, creating a system that would allow for immigrants to come to the state as documented members of our society. They would come here as employers demand more labor. It would also bring immigration levels to a more beneficial level to the whole of society.
            We propose that the State of Utah create a coalition of states to petition the Federal government for property or properties across the southern border for the United States. This property would be used to build one large Campus or several smaller campuses on the border. These campuses could be manned by National Guard units from throughout the United States for the purpose of increasing the ability of INS to process visas, green cards, and naturalization papers. These facilities would act like an “Ellis Island” in the desert, where papers are processed the medical exams are performed. We could set up different opportunities to speed the process of citizenship by offering those who wished to join the military for a minimum of 6 years. This would allow them an opportunity to gain skills and get an education that they might not otherwise receive. While they are in the military their families could be taken care of on a military base where they can learn English, this would also be desirable in that their health care costs would be taken care of through the military.
We could use these locations to teach them the basic dos and don’ts of our society that may conflict with customs they are used to living. Instilling in them the principles of American freedoms and a sense of pride in the journey they are about embark on. We can teach them how to use their culture to help our culture. Promote and encourage them to reach out and participate in society.
To save money on this project, immigrants could provide some of the services required while they go through the process. Such as food services and general house keeping for those who are going through the process. The National Guard and reserve units who are already receiving pay from the government, could man the facilities as part of the Homeland Security. This in conjunction with border patrol could increase our presence for the purpose of slowing the drug smuggling. Where immigrants could enter legitimately for much less or the same money that it would cost to hire a coyote, it could hopefully break the back of the human smuggling business, a practice that is not only illegal but extremely dangerous as well.
These campuses could coordinate with individual states as to the need for more labor or even skilled workers. This would immediately give immigrants a direction and a specific place in society that would give them a foundation to work from. We could provide testing to determine the level of skill and aptitudes to guide them into areas that they may enjoy even if they hadn’t thought of it before. It may also place them in positions that pay better than the bottom labor pool.
Once these campuses are in place then it will be of the utmost benefit to the State to come down on employers who are hiring illegal immigrants. We do not recommend that the illegal immigrants be punished more than a trespass ticket, but fine the business heavily the first offense with a follow up within 90 days and a bigger fine if they continue to work with illegal immigrants. Those fines could go directly to the border campuses to help fund the process.
The purpose of coming down on business, rather than the illegal immigrants, is to save money and discourage illegal immigrants from staying. With out jobs they may return across the border on their own. This in conjunction with the easier access to legal entrance would act like a atmospheric high pressure to low pressure reaction; High pressure leading out of the country being replaced by the low pressure of easy entrance into the country.
By making it easier to get into this country and providing better opportunities for work this may help legitimize the Latino community in the eyes of many, that otherwise equate all Latinos, whether right or wrong, as illegal. Many have been labeled as racist because of this attitude when in reality they are not racist, but they are concerned about the heavy influx of illegal immigration and the problems that come with it. By making it possible for these immigrants to access our communities legally we may see many more people embrace the Latino community and recognize their legitimate contributions to our society.
Many in the community are not against immigration at all, but the concern is that when illegal immigrants come into the country they have not gone through the health screenings, as well as background checks. Many are concerned simply with the potential of terrorists entering the country through this southern border, and for good reason, border patrols have picked up Middle Eastern men entering our country through the southern border (Carter, 2006). Another concern that has been expressed is the illegal documents that are used by illegal immigrants to further the deceit of their trespass. This aspect of illegal immigration should be dealt with harshly. If an illegal immigrant is found using false documents they should be prosecuted and fined according to the law. If it costs more when they get caught using illegal papers, and employers won’t hire them, it will increase the pressure for them to go back across the border.
The costs of this plan would be enormous. However, if we take into consideration the savings we would gain from not deporting individuals who likely would return almost immediately anyways, as well as other expenses related to illegal immigration. We must also take into consideration the immeasurable savings that might come from the psychological effects on the immigrant population as they are legitimized in a just manner. This might also cut down on employer abuse as those who are wronged would feel much freer to express their complaints with law enforcement. As was stated earlier the likelihood of education would increase with legal entrance. We might further increase the likelihood by encouraging the Latino community to create a media campaign promoting education as a means to make a better life for their family. When education is taken advantage of then greater opportunities to enter into the middle and upper class of society will surely follow.   
Another way that we might be able to save money is by providing work assignments to improve our communities in exchange for healthcare. Utah has many resources including the LDS church who has shown an interest in the Latino community by providing many outreach programs. One of those programs has to been to provide an opportunity to learn English for a minimal cost to the participants.
As we talked to the Mexican Consulate, they were unable to give us any opinion on our proposed plan. However, he did tell us that most of those coming up want to just live an average life and take care of their families. From this answer we might surmise that there is not a lot of expectation among those coming up here illegally. This is kind of disappointing, because they have so much to offer. This is obviously not every case, but it seems to be a prevailing attitude. As we have learned that the class system in Mexico is much different than it is here. Here we encourage and hold in high esteem, those who come from the bottom and rise to the top. Whereas, in Mexico they have been taught that they are the bottom and that is what they will always be. To overcome this mentality takes time. Those who do grasp this concept often times end up creating jobs themselves, becoming a part of the solution rather than the problem.
In conclusion, we feel that our approach to this issue is the most compassionate option to reform the immigration policy plaguing American Society today, while remaining just to those who have sacrificed and patiently waited to enter this country legally. The timeliness of this plan may work due to the fact that with our current economic crisis, many illegal immigrants are voluntarily returning to Mexico. As the economy drops the number of illegal immigrants leaving will increase. If we can implement this proposal while numbers are naturally plummeting we can be set in place when the economic situation turns around.  Pressure from within the United States to discourage the hiring of illegal immigrants, combined with a decrease in difficulty of entering legally, will provide for the most natural transition in the legitimizing of a culture that has contributed greatly to the history of the United States.


Our efforts to contact congressional members and Senators have largely been unproductive as the holiday schedule has been somewhat of an obstacle to meeting with aids or members themselves. Currently we do have requests with Congressman elect Jason Chaffetz, and Senator Orrin Hatch to review our proposal for an opinion or further suggestions. 

Bibliography
Ifill, G(Host). (August 18, 2005). U.S.-Mexico border disputes, Border disputes [Television series episode]. In A News Hour with Jim Lehrer. Washington D.C.: PBS, found online http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin_america/july-dec05/borders_8-18.html


Sullivan, B (2006, March 31). [Weblog] Hidden costs of illegal immigration: I.d theft. The Red Tape Chronicles. Retrieved 11/30/08, from http://redtape.msnbc.com/2006/03/hidden_cost_of_.html

Carter, S (2006 December 28). Links between illegal immigration, terrorism, drug trade worry U.S officials. Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Retrieved November 30, 2008, from http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_4917114

January 5, 2018

Be Less Offended and More Forgiving

I was recently asked to speak at senior care facility for their Sunday Services. What kind of a message do you prepare for those who are approaching the end of their mortal experience? I have found that God speaks to me often in my memories. I had three memories that crossed my mind.

First was that of an experience I had with my Grandma. My grandma was a very nice person, very
well loved among her friends, but she was very bitter towards her children and men in general, especially "Milligan", as she bitterly referred to her ex-husband (my grandpa). I was often very uncomfortable visiting with her. One because I was a man, even though she said her remarks were not directed at me. I had to figure out what she meant by that. Am I not a man? Or does she just still see me as a child, not yet reaching the maturity that deserved such brutal remarks? And two, my father was one of her children that she was unhappy with. My father was my hero.

A couple of months after my father passed away, my grandma also passed away. Shortly after that my aunt Linda felt prompted that she should have her mother and father sealed eternally in the temple. She brought it up at a family event and there was some skepticism in her proposal, but everyone agreed to partake in the ceremony. So, as soon as were able to do so, we went to the temple to perform the ordinances to have my grandma and grandpa sealed to each other and to their children. I got to be proxy for my grandpa with my aunt Linda proxy for my grandma...When the sealing was done and we were walking out there were some that were still very skeptical about the whole thing, but I was not. I had it confirmed to me that the sealing was accepted. It was at that moment I realized that many of the things that were important in this life, just wont be important in the next life. And if they are not important in the eternal scheme of things then why make them important in this life?  Why be offended by things that wont matter? What if all of us were not so easily offended by the words that others spoke to us, sometimes in anger, sometimes in love? Offense only poisons our soul, and makes us miserable. Be Less Offended.

The second experience that came to my mind was one I had with my mother-in-law. She was a wonderful woman and we had the opportunity to care for her in our home for the final month of her life. In her final days of mortality I recognized that she was living in three different realms. The first, was the morphine realm, where little dogs ran across the ceiling and she would name them. There were also shelves that didn't exist, but needed dusting so she would proceed to do so while in the comfort of her bed. That was the morphine realm. The second realm was her coherent realm where we could talk to her and she could share here thoughts and feelings with some effort. The third realm was spiritual. This realm is where I happened to walk in on her as she was listening to someone talk and she was nodding in acknowledgement muttering a yes here and there, then she finally said, "I forgive you."... I don't know who she was talking to for sure, but I suspect it was her mother. Her mother was not very kind to her in this life. She was married, I believe, eight times. Some of those husbands and abused my mother-in-law and scarred her for life. She never really said much about it, but it was pretty obvious as we looked back on it. Anyways, when I heard her utter those words, I felt and overwhelming peace enter the room. This was only days before she passed away. It was then that I realized that we need to be More Forgiving.

The third experience that I had was visiting with Sister Ann Dibbs, President Monson's daughter. She occasionally stops in at the clock shop to have us work on her dad's watch. Anyways, we got into a conversation and I asked her how her dad was doing, and she said that it was hard seeing him get old. Somehow I felt impressed to share with her my experience with my mother-law. She said, "that is interesting, I had a friend that came up to me the other day and told me that I needed to forgive my father so he could progress." It made me realize that even our beloved prophet has need for forgiveness to progress.

How much better would we be if we would just learn to be less offended and more forgiving? How much easier would it be for us to learn and to progress in our understanding if we could have people say hard things to us and we didn't take offense. What if we could shake off the bitterness now, and forgive those who have delivered us and injustice as we see it? Don't get me wrong there are things that do matter in this life. There are things that must be dealt with in this life that can not be ignored. But what if we just simply recognized those things dealt with them and forgave the person for offending us?  Forgiving someone does not exempt them from justice. In forgiving someone it simply acknowledges that you do not have the authority to inflict justice and so you hand the matter over to those one who has the authority and ability to see that justice is served.

Be Less offended. Be more forgiving. It is a challenge we would all be better off accepting. Can you imagine the peace we would feel inside as we released all the burdens that we could do nothing about anyways? Imagine the darkness that we carry being lifted from our hearts and minds as we accepted those truths? Imagine the weight being lifted from our shoulders, and the burden of justice being placed upon the shoulders of the only one who already bore that burden in an eternal effort to free us of the burden of guilt, whether that is our own, or that is the guilt of another. Jesus Christ made it possible for us to place those burden upon his shoulders. It is a cross that even He shuddered at. There is no mortal man who could possibly bare that weight which caused even God to bleed from every pore.  Accept his gift and be less offended and more forgiving.  

July 2, 2017

In and Out of a Midlife Crisis


Coming up on my 30 year reunion I am forced to face some issues that I really didn't want to deal with. I was not a huge fan of High School, probably because I developed some pretty stinky thinking that I still battle today. I barely graduated with a 2.0. That made me dumb. I knew I wasn't, but that was the label I gave myself. I find it quite ironic that most of my friends were super scholarly and geared toward academics. The football team just assumed that I was an academic type, and I thought of myself as pretty intelligent, but those damn grades just kept translating into "loser." I promised myself that one day I would write a book. Labeling myself as dumb was a huge mistake. I knew that label meant no good jobs for me, because to be successful you had to get a degree and the thought of going back to school was overwhelmingly painful. The minimum wage mentality was a huge wall and I built it myself brick by horrifying brick, and have battled tearing it down for most of my adult life. It is frustrating to me to see others who I knew were not nearly as capable as myself making far more money than myself. I know it is a mental issue, but it is real, to me, as the ground I walk on and the house I live in.


I went to college for a year after my mission, and failed miserably at the one thing I so desperately
wanted to succeed at, writing. I wanted to learn to express myself so other people could understand what was going through my head. I can relate to so many people, but I struggle connecting with anyone. I have always been a day dreamer and feel great empathy for people. I sometimes feel far more than I wish I did. I seem to be able to feel what others feel, but for some reason I don't feel the same way that others feel. I feel like I lack a normal sense of emotions. I have never been diagnosed, but I would say that my attention span is pretty short, my thoughts are often scattered and to try and concentrate on anything is nearly impossible. I would call myself A.D.D., not having the "hyper" part of attention deficit, which kind of makes me sad, because I wish I had more energy. Anyways, back on track.


I have had several jobs, but I have managed to stay away from any jobs that would fast track me to a comfortable living. And the battle between what I truly feel in my heart and what I think in my head concerning success is a constant battle for supremacy with casualties on both sides of the war. I usually end up taking the position of inferiority. Not healthy I know, but it is the war I am engaged in. And it is not because I don't think I am anything special, I just see everyone else as better than myself. I am prone to depression, which I know tends to darken how I view myself and so I try to counter act it by learning new things, for the past several years it has been through my writing, photography, and as of late I started singing karaoke to get myself over the discomfort of hearing my own voice.


My wife and I have been married 25 years, I don't feel that I have been the husband that she deserves, nor the one I saw myself being when I asked her to marry me. I haven't been the father that I pictured myself being when I dreamed of being a father. I dreamed that I would have a dozen children, but I ended up with 3. And we had to rely upon miracles for each one of them. I guess you could say that I feel like my life is out of my control, and I realize it is my fault. I am responsible for the decisions I made, or didn't make.


Before you think that I am ungrateful I want you to know that I feel blessed beyond measure. I am happy more days than not. I accept that if life were only smiles and sunshine I might not recognize how good my life really is. You see my life is exactly what it needs to be in order for me to become who I am suppose to be. I can look back and see where my lack of money has been a blessing, where not having more children allowed me to have the children I do have, and my A.D.D has given me insights and empathies that I might
not have had otherwise. I would be a completely different person without the baggage I carry. I have been given gifts that I might have ignored had I been given the rosy path. I do dream of more, but I am grateful for what I do have. I have not given up, but sometimes it is hard facing the reality that I am not where I thought I would be, nor where I want to be...except I am.


I love the fact that I live in my old neighborhood. Sure I would like a nicer home, but my children live right down the street from my mother, and I can't think of a better living situation than having my mom's influence on my children. Someday maybe I will have a nicer home, but in all reality I am having a blast creating my world around me where I am.


I guess when it comes down to it, I think that there are more people like me than not. I am an average Joe, who struggles to get out of bed some days and can't wait for the next vacation. I live paycheck to almost paycheck and despite all of the things that may seem to be depressing and unfulfilled in my life. Life is good. I still have many chapters to write.


So, coming up on my 30 year reunion I have struggled with the thoughts that I would have anything to contribute to a reunion celebrating a time in my life that I left behind with mixed emotions. I loved my friends, but left feeling like I was unprepared to face the world. I didn't keep up with my friends. Although I have, on occasion, run into several of them and have enjoyed visiting with them. So, despite the fact that the definition that once was the muscle I sported in high school has given way to the latest fad of the "dad bod," and I feel like my life has not turned out exactly as I have planned it, I am planning on attending my reunion. Not to brag about my accomplishments, but to reconnect with people that I have learned have gone through just as much as I have and have turned out to be pretty dang good people.


November 7, 2016

What Voting My Conscience Got Me That Voting Third Party Couldn't

What did voting my conscience get me that voting third party couldn't?

Here are some of the things that I learned:

First, I learned that you can not turn your conscience on and off without consequences. I already knew this, but I see it much more clearly as our nation has set aside her conscience each election cycle for years choosing rather to vote out of fear or anger. Some have called it voting for the lesser of two evils, but I see clearly now that it didn't really matter which side you chose both parties have been moving in the same direction.

I have learned that every election is either voting for your conscience or against your conscience, period. There are other options than that of the two party system. The two party system is a made up system that has been perpetuated by the big two parties to the masses either scared or angry. It is much easier to control a people that way, and in fear and anger men will seek to give more and more power to their leaders, and they will be willing to buy that power with their freedom, until they finally end up with a tyrant who will save them from the monster. 

I have learned that there is a difference between the #neveracandidate voters, the third party voters, and those who are truly voting their conscience. As #neveracandidate voters are those who are clearly voting against someone and they will find anyone who they think will possibly beat their unchosen candidate. The third party voters are those who have vested themselves in a party outside of the big two, and are voting for their investment. Those who vote their conscience don't want to be controlled by the voices of fear, anger, and the anxiety that comes from the rhetoric of the candidates and their supporters. They simply want to feel at peace with their vote, come win or lose, they can live with the consequences, because they used their head and followed their intuition, or the voice of their God.

I have also learned a lot about the wisdom that our founding fathers had in setting up the foundation of our country in the Constitution. I have especially been fascinated by the Electoral College. Some have said they don't like it at all and would like to get rid of it, but this one principle alone has the potential of saving us, quite frankly from our own emotional decisions. The electoral college does not protect us from a landslide victory of any candidate. However, it makes it possible for us to stop two bad candidates, because it is not about who gets the most individual votes. They have to get a majority of the Electoral votes, which makes it much easier for the people to vote according their conscience if a voice appears to represent them better than the ones the two main parties have given them. This may not bode well with the parties, because it makes it harder for them to control the people, but it was not set up to empower the parties. Most of the rules surrounding the electing of the Electoral college have been set up to favor or encourage a two party system, but it was not created by the Constitution. Each state has set up its own system, most states have adopted and winner takes all, but some have not. Some states can divide their vote. This Electoral College is what keeps us from becoming a democracy despite the desires of the two parties.

The two party system has effectively turned us into a democracy rather than a democratic republic. When we only have two choices then we pick sides and the majority rules. Unfortunately our side might not represent us on the majority of issues, but the other side scares us because of they go against our core principles. So, we will have to ignore a lot of our own core beliefs and either adopt the parties core beliefs or be dissatisfied with our representation. Over time dissatisfaction leads to anxiety, but when we try to jump ship we keep looking at the other side, and it scares us so we stay on board. This leads to anger at our own party for not representing our values and principles and fear of the other party, because they are somehow are worse. Which brings us to where we are today. Today we have people voting out of anger for their own party and against the other party. They don't even like the one they are voting for, but anger and fear motivate their vote and when it comes right down to it in a democracy the party does not care who votes for them only that they do for them.

I have learned that party loyalty, in some cases, is stronger than religious convictions. The first casualty of elections is principles. When our fears become bigger than our principles then we will justify our principles and vote our fears when only two choices are available. This is again the danger of a democracy or a two party system.

I have learned that my voice means something whether my candidate wins or loses. My vote is a witness of my private values and a representation of my principles. If I vote for someone that does not carry my values and or espouse the principles which I hold sacred then I have wasted my vote. There is no such thing as a wasted vote except the one cast on someone you do not feel carries your principles and values. There is a certain peace that you experience when you realize that the only thing you have control over is your vote. You cannot determine the outcome, so when you answer to God I really don't think he is going to ask you if your vote was for a winner, only if you voted in good conscience, and that can only be answered by you.

I have learned that under the influence of fear and anger people cannot be reasoned with. We become irrational and devoid of critical thinking functions. We may feel we are perfectly logical in our thinking, but our mind is closed and we are easily influenced by fear and anger. We accept far reaching accusations without any solid evidence. And in fact if evidence is presented we turn it away and refuse to believe it.

I have learned that if we allow ourselves to belong to a party we likely will only see the best in our candidate and the worst in our opponents. We are more likely to justify the actions of our own candidate and willing to accept even non-factual accusations against anyone else. We cloud our judgment with such loyalty that we are willing to let our own credibility come under question.  I have learned that it really is about who owns the (D) or the (R) by their name and nothing else. Sadly, policies don't matter once you are the candidate. Your past positions don't matter, it is all about the initial next to your name and your ability to collect votes. It is a game with high stakes. This is the hypocrisy of politics.

I have learned that people can be manipulated by a carrot in front of them or a bear on their butt. The master fisherman is a marketing genius, they know their bait and they know their prey. But most of all they know how to hide the hook.

I have learned Faith is a casualty during elections. When we are more concerned about the outcome of an election than we are about protecting the integrity of our vote, we have lost the most precious thing we have in our vote. To place our faith on the alter before politicians seems to be a sacrifice that I am not willing to make. In the end the Lord scatters his people and gathers them in, both are for our blessing. The one to help us see the light, the other to help us enjoy the light. 

Sometimes the Lord scatters his people, sometimes he gathers them, but it always works for our blessing. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, but when things get really bad some of us look to God for deliverance, some of us look to politicians to deliver us. I do not judge anyone with this statement, I don't know your conscience. That is between you and God. 

I learned that even though most people profess to believe that the two party system is corrupt they will fall in line when given two corrupt choices. It is insanity to do the same thing over and over again expecting different results, but it is hard to root out insanity when it comes to elections. We are all sheep being pushed forward by two sheep dogs the one on the right and on the left, both leading us through fear and anger.

Most of all what I have learned is that voting your conscience is more than voting simply because you are against someone or someones, it is more than voting third party. Voting your conscience is about giving your values and your principles a voice whether you win or not, I can tell you that your vote is not wasted. You will be heard, as evidenced in the name calling and bullying that happens even among friends.

The image I will take with me this election is a bucket of crabs nipping at the heals of all the sheeples that are clamoring to try and get out of the bucket. 



October 25, 2016

Momma Pheasant And The Third Party Vote

Honestly I am scared of a Hillary presidency. However, I am more scared that we have already lost our conscience. I believe that the rejection of our conscience is a greater threat than anyone who might be elected. Character does matter. Integrity does matter. Our vote does matter.
Our founding fathers made our vote highly symbolic in a representative government. This symbol being our vote equals our conscience, our character, our integrity. We should seek out honest men of sound character who will represent our own character and integrity as well as the principles that we feel are best in governing under the Constitution.
How have we lost our conscience? We proclaim the virtue of competition in all things but voting. When it comes to elections 2 parties is all that count. If you vote outside that framework you are voting for the evilest of the candidates. Third parties have now taken on the mantle of the vilest of parties. Fear is a powerful motivator, it blocks the effects of conscience, it creates irrational thoughts, and it justifies uncharacteristic treatment of others. Fear causes us to act against our better judgment (conscience). This is how we lose our conscience, we fear the outcome more than we fear the solution.
I call this the pheasant syndrome. In the classic Disney movie Bambi, hunters enter the meadow and a mother pheasant begins to panic. In her panic the logical thing to do is flee from danger as fast as possible, so she takes flight and is shot dead. She would have been better to have stayed calm and not panicked. The real solution was to stay close to the ground. I have walked on top of a pheasant that understood this principle and it got away because I was unprepared to deal with a pheasant between my feet. He flew, but he did not panic, he stayed low and disappeared as quickly as possible.
Voting your conscience is not about voting for another candidate, or against another candidate. It simply means you are voting for the person you feel has the best character and will represent you, your principles, and your values best. Those who would attempt to make you feel otherwise simply are more scared of the outcome than they are of the real solution.

September 8, 2016

The National Anthem, Free Speech, And Honoring The Symbol




I have gone through many thoughts about Kaepernick's refusal to stand for the National Anthem. I first felt a disdain for what he did. I thought that it was absolutely disrepectful. However, I began to think, what if I felt the same way that he did about my country? I love my country and I believe in what it represents to the world. However, I am very fearful that it is becoming something that does not represent me nor what our country was meant to be. So, what if it became the great monster that some would have us believe we are? I began to sympathize with his actions. I myself might not sit, because I understand what the flag represents, but I began to understand where he was coming from, at least I could see myself possibly having a hard time saluting a flag that meant something different than what I know it represents.

I began to ponder this situation and did some soul searching and praying. What could one do that would honor the memory of the flag and those who have fought to preserve the ideals of this country, and still let their voice be known that they were concerned about the things that they did not agree with about our country?

I believe in the right to freely speak, but I also believe that we do not have a right to avoid consequences. It is one of the beauties about our system. You have the right to choose, but you do not have the right to pick your consequences. The power of risk is this, that if you risk and win, you win outright, but if you lose you lose outright and have to start over.

So, as I thought about this situation I began to recite the pledge of allegiance. As I did this it struck me that the greatest thing we can do to protest what we think is wrong with America is to do something bigger that we think represents what America should be. If we think that America should be just then define it. Honestly search inside yourself and decide what justice is. Not based on what anyone else tells you justice is, but what you know justice is. If you think that this nation is immoral, figure out what moral is and live it according to what YOU know is moral. What ever great ideal you think this nation is suppose to represent, define it, and live it in a big way, just like Martin Luther King Jr. did. 



Martin Luther King Jr. was not perfect, but he stood for what he thought America should be, and he lived it in a big way. He did not desecrate the flag. He flew it higher and made everyone else look up at it. He made everyone remember the words, "one nation under God, indivisible..." He did not seek to divide or be divisive. He wanted true equality. He wanted us to realize that truly all men were created equal. It was his dream that we recognize the character of the man not the color of his skin.

This kind of protest is positive and honors the symbol of all those who have fought for our right to speak freely. This kind of protest would give life to our country, and promote unity and justice. This kind of protest would be filled with nothing but love in ones heart toward even those whom they feel wronged by. This kind of protest might display righteous indignation, but would be void of anger. This kind of protest would require more soul searching and personal purification. It would require us to face our own fears of who we are. Because it would force us to recognize that we are all children of God, and that makes us equal. And if we are equal then the only thing that truly does matter is the character of the man.

What Kaepernick did was wrong. He disrespected the memory of those who made it possible for him to become what he is today. He disrespected all those who fought for the symbol of a republic which united, would stand one nation under God, indivisible, with justice for all. Kaepernick was wrong, but I don't believe that he deserves the hatred that he is receiving, I think he simply needs to come up with a better way to make his voice known. He might start by reading How to Win Friends and Influence People. There he will learn that you attract more bees with honey. Reading between the lines he might also realize why the flies of hatred are hanging around.

To protest an injustice is good, but know what injustice is, and don't trample the symbol of justice...Raise it higher! Point to it and remind us that we, as a people, should be better than what we are. Rather than be silent, Yell it from the house tops, "With justice FOR ALL..." And when the National Anthem is sung, remember the bodies of the men who died, holding up that flag, that we as prisoners on the boat, might see the flag over the ramparts and hold fast to hope. 


I truly believe that those who are angry over this have every right to be, although I do not see that it honors the flag any more than Mr. Kaepernick. Honor the flag by not allowing others to divide us. That is how you stand for the National Anthem. Too many of us are sitting for the National Anthem, simply by not seeking unity, and understanding to keep us together.

September 4, 2016

Perfection is a Direction, Not a Destination

We tend to think of perfection as a destination, a place where we can progress no further, where we have no flaws, or no blemishes. I believe that God simply sees perfection as a direction.

Yeah, come unto Christ and be perfected in him...(Moroni 10:32)
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life...(John 14:6)

The more I understand The Sacrament, the more I realize the power of the atonement. The more I understand the power of the atonement the less I fear making a mistake. The less I fear making a mistake the less tempted I am to do what I know is wrong. The less tempted I am to do what is wrong the more I want to do what is right.


Continuing down the path you choose will either take you where you want to go, or it will not. We all know that perfection is what will make us happy, but sometimes we feel helpless and hopeless because we think it is so far out of reach that we will never be able to attain it. Without hope we become miserable and we see perfection as a curse, as something we don't want to attain, because it is simply too hard.

Once we begin to understand the atonement, we can realize that attaining perfection is merely changing the path we are on, because perfection is not a destination which we can never reach, because it is always just around the next bend, over the next hill, or across the next stream that seems to get bigger and bigger. Perfection is simply heading in the right direction. "Come follow me, the Savior said. Then let us in his footsteps tread. For thus alone and we be one, with God's own loved begotten son." ( https://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns/come-follow-me?lang=eng )

August 21, 2016

There Will Come A Day of Judgement, But Today Is Not That Day

There will come a day of Judgement, but today is not that day...

10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. (John 8:10-12)

There will be a time for judgment, but today is not that day. Even Christ put off judgment while he was ministering upon the earth. "...Neither do I condemn thee..." However, he did say, "Go and sin no more." Calling sin a sin is not judging, it is a warning, a second chance, an opportunity to save ourselves from that time when judgment will become necessary. It is not our place to judge others, but it is our responsibility as brothers and sisters to warn each other with all the love that Christ would give in such warnings. No more, no less. Go and sin no more.

Because of Christ, this life became a probationary state, a time to prepare to meet God.(Alma 12:24) Thus, our hope is well placed in Christ for he has given us the gift of learning from our mistakes and removing from us the burden of administering justice. "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors..." (Matthew 6:12) When it comes right down to it, to forgive our debtors may be the hardest lesson we learn before we stand before the judgement seat of Christ. 

I believe the difference between warning and condemning is loving. Remember we did not earn the right to judge. We did not take the stripes, or experience the weight of justice baring down on us. And our capacity to love enough to judge is just not there. We have no authority to condemn our brothers and sisters, that burden was taken from us when Christ atoned for our sins. Impersonating one in authority does not go over well before the judge. 

July 27, 2015

Death is a Refining Process

  Cancer is an ugly word often associated with pain and suffering. I cannot refute that in the least. However, I have learned that suffering, in its own way, can be merciful, and that death is a refining process.
     I learned this from my mother-in-law. “Kids are for goats” or “I am NOT a guy,” she would blast with her big voice that she would use like a fog horn. My mother-in-law’s voice was big; I mean it was quiet-a-crowd-at-the-Marriot-Center-from-the-middle-of-the-arena-no-megaphone-needed big. It took me a long time to figure out that she was using her voice to hide her pain.  
     Her life was filled with emotional turmoil. Her mother had been married and divorced or widowed several times. Along the way, she had endured unspeakable abuses at the hands of the men whom her mother had exposed her to. Because of her dysfunctional childhood, she had promised herself that she would not put her children through the same suffering that she went through. When she married it was eternally, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. She was going to provide a stable foundation for her children.
However, due to the abuse, unresolved emotional issues plagued their marriage. Neither she nor my father-in-law were the type to share these struggles with their children, but as they got older they could observe these things without a lot of words being exchanged. Little Ben, their first child, went full term, but somewhere in the process of childbirth his cord became prolapsed; he suffocated and died in the process of being born. This sent both of my in-laws’ world into a tailspin from which they never fully recovered. It was just too much for my mother-in-law to handle emotionally, and she slipped into a behavioral pattern that isolated her from the broader spectrum of society.
Her stubborn, no guff, say-it-like-she-sees-it personality came over as harsh and sometimes obnoxious to others. She was either loved or despised; she left little room for neutrality. Even among her children there were many hard feelings due to her hardline, old school, literal interpretations of words and phrases. This was especially so when their friends were the recipients of her corrections. Nevertheless, I loved her, probably because I could see the pain and perceive her determination to see things through no matter how tough things got. Looking back, her dry sense of humor was probably a coping mechanism that helped her deal with her physical and emotional pains. For me, it was always good for a smile, an eye roll, or a shake of the head.
For months, even years, we had noticed that her health was in decline, but she was not one to show her pain, or even acknowledge it. In fact, we came to realize that her mind probably did not even compute what pain was because it was such a constant in her life. In January 2013, we became very concerned about her breathing. Each time she took a breath she sounded like a train climbing up a hill. Whenever we mentioned it to her, she would snap back, “It’s just the weather.” Finally, in July of 2013, she couldn’t breathe, she was in pain, and she was scared; a trip to the hospital led to an immediate prognosis that her right lung had collapsed. When the doctors investigated to see how bad it was, they said that they could not even stitch the hole in her lung; the flesh was so thin that it was like trying to sew wet toilet paper.
It took another three weeks for the full diagnosis to come back…Mesothelioma, a horrible form of lung cancer that attacks the inner lining of the lungs. It has no cure and very little treatment options, even if it is caught early. She was already at stage four, so there was nothing they could do. She was given six to eight weeks to live.
      She made it past the eight-week mark, in fact, she made it past Thanksgiving. Her will to live was strong. As she became less and less able to take care of her own needs, we offered my in-laws a room in our home. They agreed, but up until December they wouldn’t commit to coming. It was not until mid-December before she finally decided that she was ready to spend her final days on this earth in our home.
     In my ignorance, I thought that I was being generous by opening up my home to my in-laws. I was impressed with myself and my “righteous” offer. How arrogant I was. How wrong I was. Thank goodness I did eventually recognize that she was giving us her final gift. I am glad that humility is not always a bitter bite.
     I quickly learned that in her suffering, my mother-in-law had humbled herself. She had, without declaring it to the world, begun a process of repentance that was as real as any that I have ever witnessed. Not the kind of repentance you normally think of when it comes to sin, but the kind of repentance that refines one’s soul, and sets one on the path toward perfection-the kind of repentance that prepares one to enter the presence of God.

     The next four weeks would become one spiritual experience followed by another as my mother-in-law completed her transition. It became apparent to us, in those final days, that the veil had become very thin to her. She had several conversations with individuals that we could not see. One particular incident occurred, just days before she slipped into unconsciousness. I was entering her room. Her eyes were closed. She had a very calm yet intense look on her face, as though she was listening carefully to someone. After this conversation I heard her clearly say, “I forgive you.”  It was as if the purifying process of repentance was coming to a close and in forgiving she found forgiveness herself. She was at peace.
      I cannot say for sure who it was that was addressing her that evening, but I had the distinct impression that it was her mother. It was humbling to realize that while my mother-in-law was suffering through this process, she was being refined. The hard edges of her life were sluffing off her ever-shrinking physical frame. As I witnessed her suffering, I found myself being refined in my own way. My own ability to love was increased, and my understanding of the role of forgiveness was solidified. It wasn’t until then that I realized that death can be a refining process; suffering, in its own way, can be merciful. In her final days, she shared with us the peace that she found in that painful transition as her body became too hostile an environment for her spirit and she let go of her imperfect, worn-out body, and entered into the presence of her loving Heavenly Father.

June 28, 2015

Reflections of This Writer's Process

Reflections of This Writer's Process
I hesitate in sharing this paper I wrote as a final Essay in Engish class back in 2008, but I had fun and thought someone might find it amusing.


    Reflecting upon my writing process is an adventure in and of itself. As I at first, find myself somewhat a negative starter. I tend to stew and brew over the subject in the front of my mind. I moan and groan to my wife, my family, and my friends about how mentally anguishing every paper is. But in the back of my mind the wheels are whirling, the gears are churning and questions begin to move back and forth, up and down, like an old movie projector that takes a little bit of time to get up to speed. Most of the time, I have not even written anything down at this point, but thoughts begin to form into ideas. Ideas become a picture in my mind and when the picture is clear enough I begin to write.
    As I write, I try to feel the words as they appear on my screen, if they feel good, I keep them, if they don’t, I delete them. This process can be time consuming, but it is the only way I know how to write. Planning is a weakness for me. I am A.D.D. and easily distracted. Setting up an outline detracts from my flow and often I feel rushed and insincere in my approach to a subject. Outlines are one technique that would cause my phobic tensions to rise beyond healthy levels when I was in High School. So, instead I rely upon voices that speak in my head. Sometimes those voices are teachers, relatives, parents, and friends. I even hear dead people! I know this may sound weird, but I did say that my writing process was an adventure. These voices, memories, thoughts, and ideas give me my “call to write.” I have always struggled to read books, I have had to grasp concepts, and think ahead of others in order to survive. By imagining my mentors antagonists, and protagonist reactions, attitudes, beliefs, and understandings I increased my knowledge through them. In this way I call upon their advice and opinions to help me to express my thoughts on paper.
    I have always had a tendency to try to get into peoples heads, and try to figure out what they are thinking and feeling. This helps me to find the voice which I choose to use in writing my papers. If I know the person I am writing to I will often bring phrases or words that mean something to them that may not mean anything to anyone else. Depending on the purpose, I may even attempt to use their own voice and tones in my own writing. If I don’t know the person or audience that I am writing to I gather as many clues as possible to find out what their opinions and feelings are on the given subject as well as subjects that may indirectly or directly be related to the subject that we are addressing. Once I have determined what they believe I look at what I believe, and I seek some sort of common ground. This often requires some research. Ah, that dreaded reading thing again. However, I found that while researching requires reading, it is a focused reading, and it tends not to intimidate me quite as much as sitting down and reading a novel. If I have no common ground then I call upon the wisdom and expressions of those voices in my head to help me express myself using a logical, non-judgmental voice. And so, the adventure continues.
    When I am writing a research paper my process is very similar to other papers however, I find that in order for me to have confidence in my argument I have to create a picture of a conclusion in my mind. Once I have a conclusion then I hash out why that conclusion would or would not work, using the voices of protagonists and antagonists to help me push the theory along. Once I have created this solution in my mind, I test it on people who may or may not have an interest in the subject. I seek out their opinions or ideas, there concerns, their feelings, or any obstacles that they may see in the conclusion. These become some of the voices that I listen to throughout the writing process. I add these to my thoughts, and at this point I may even change my opinion on a given subject; however, I try to leave myself open to new ideas through out the process. I try not to rely upon theories, or opinions alone. But I have often found that when researching a subject there are more theories and opinions out there than actual facts. The same statistics are often used to prove both sides of an issue, and whenever I think of statistics I hear my statistics teacher say, “… there are lies, damn lies, and then there are statistics!” So, when I do use statistics I try to use them in context, to the best of my ability. I personally feel a responsibility to make my reader a better person for reading what I have researched. I like to do this by simplifying the complex, giving more people an opportunity to share a deeper understanding of the world around them.
    Well, as I said understanding my writing process is an adventure. I actually did not realize what my “call to write” meant, until I began to reflect upon the processes that I use to write my papers. It may not be conventional, but it works for me, and each class that I have taken I have learned a little more how to free the voices that paint my mind with word pictures that bring me and hopefully others valued entertainment, as well as a deeper understanding of issues that drive us as individuals, as a community, and as members of the human race. 

June 7, 2015

A Love Letter

Just a little fun. It has been awhile since I have posted and my son keeps asking me to post something new. This was an assignment that I had in my writing class this semester. I thought that I would write a letter that could have been just as easily given to my wife, but that letter was not an option for the class.
   
  My most beloved Camera, 

     I remember the first time that I saw you. I had searched the technological world from one end to the other, looking and longing for you; and finally I found you. I remember the feeling of excitement that I had as my wife and I drove to the house where I would meet you for the first time. I remember removing you from the box in which you were placed and attaching the lens I had previously selected just for you. That first click of your shutter filled my mind with visions of places we would visit, and things we would see, the memories that we might share…
   
    Since that day, we have become very close, at times inseparable. You have given me great pleasure as we visited the grand panoramas of this state, from the majestic green mountains of Northern Utah, to the royal red cliffs of Zions National Park, Capitol Reef National Monument, Bryce Canyon, and beyond. We have captured many sunsets with their brilliant orange, reds, and pinks. We have inspired many with the wonders of God’s gift to mankind, even the world and its raw beauties.

     We have recorded miracles from our adventure in Capitol Reef. There we learned the power of
God to deliver us from a near “Man vs. Wild” experience, to the morning we took a walk in search of a tender mercy from our Heavenly Father; our prayer was answered with the silhouette of a beautiful buck at sunrise.

     We have also had our fair share of expeditions as well, such as our first time in Yellowstone. Our first “bear jam” was exhilarating; I foolishly leaped from the van and headed in direction of the bear, you in my hand. As the dark chocolate creature with the humped shoulders lumbered closer we scrambled back to the van and jumped in. You captured that magnificent omnivore and kept it safe in your memory card.  You and I have been on many hikes, our latest through the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon. We have recorded many incredible picturesque scenes all in an effort to show others this great creation that our Heavenly Father has given us. I think we make a great team.

     I do have to admit when I walk with you I see others give me that jealous eye. Your lines, your curves, and your accessories are just plain sexy. And it’s not just that I want you for your body; you have beautiful software inside as well. When I take you in my hands and look deep into your view finder…Well, I sometimes get lost in your world of bells and whistles, your fisheye effect, your scene settings, and those special effects settings all enhance my emotional attachment to you. Many have dreamed of holding you, but I have reminded them that you are mine and mine alone to turn on.
   

     You are my beloved camera and though we have established that I love you; you are much more than a camera to me. You are an opportunity to express my testimony. You have brought me closer to God’s creations; you have increased my awareness of the details that enhance this mortal existence. You have helped me to not only see the beauty in every individual, but to capture it in such a manner that they too cannot deny their own beauty.  I look forward to deepening our relationship as we expose the gifts of life and beauty that our Heavenly Father has given us, that others may also recognize the beauties of this world and exclaim, “How great thou art...My God, how great thou art.”
Love,
Your one and Only