Battle Hymn of the Republic

This rendition of The Battle Hymn of the Republic is absolutely beautiful.
http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/Battle%20Hymn/index.htm

Anna's Response to illegal immigration

This past semester I took a class on Mexican American culture. Through out the semester I really struggled with the message that I thought the teacher was presenting. I am not one to try to please the teacher with answers that I think she wants to here, but I also have a desire to get good grades. So, I am not one to actively seek out a fight either, although I will stand up for what I believe.
During the mid term test I struggled, as it involved a great deal of essay answers. Mentally it was excruciating as I tried to give the answers that I felt in my heart, while not appearing agitated or disgusted with what I was reading in my books.
Later, I found out that the teacher often has classes that want to ban immigration all together, so the approach is more to bring people to the middle, where immigration is positive without condoning illegal immigration.
I watched our message board closely, to see how others were reacting to the class as well and I was pretty discouraged. I saw a movement from prejudice to reverse discrimination. Then I came across these two entries that kind of summed up what I felt was happening one the one hand, and how I felt on the other hand.
Understand that Anna grew up under the Communist regime of Russia, and after Slovenia gained its independence she was able to come here legally on a visa. I have grown to have a very high respect for her. I did not include the name on the question as I did not feel it relevant it was the feeling that I think many had according to the other questions that were asked.
I did not want to edit Anna’s answer as the emotion was absolutely felt in her broken English.
I don’t know what it was, but it made me cry when I realized that she understood the difference between how some Americans treat others and what AMERICA has done for so many.


Racism author's name withheld
When I first started to take this class I was very racist. If I would drive down the street and see rims that cost more than the actual car I would think, Mexican. Most of the time I was right too. I always wanted the Mexicans to go back to Mexico everyone else to go back to their Country. I admit that I was very close minded and this class has opened my eyes and changed my views. After reading about how much Americans have used Mexicans, I feel like we owe them alot. If that means that they work in America illegally, I am fine with that. I feel very guilty for the close minded attitude towards them. Does anyone else feel this way?

Author: Anna Sukupova Posted on: 11-07-08
racism First of all, it is brave you opened up and wrote about your feeling toward immigr. at second, I do not think it is O.K. do anything illegaly, it is not fair to people they DO obey the law, like me . Also , I do not think you owe anything to anyone. Unless you had hired immigrants and did not pay them for work they have done for you. ;) OR you are member of US Congress capable to fix immigration issues. Evidentally, they have not done good job so far. The guilt should go to people they have have power to make changes, - US govern. , state governm. , and first of all Mexican governm to improve living conditions for their own citizens, so they are motivated to live at home. What is happening in US is actually unethical capitalism creating internationalist policies based on greed which destroy America’s domestic manufacturing base for cheap labor ,domestic businesses supporting porous southern border, and threatening national security for collateral retail profits from drug trafficking, all types of border smuggling, cheap illegal wages, foreign criminal investments, and profits from related social problems etc.. I do not feel as I should feel guilty for that . Mexican immigrants can make choice for themselves where and how they want to live. I am really sorry for all illegal immigrants, they have to face some problems in this country. I have some Latino friends, they are just great people and hard workers. But ! have you ever thought , that they are people in the world , they are living much worse life then Mexican immigrants in US. ?? ! But not everybody can come and live in States. USA is not a " dream land "anymore and has to face its own troubles. I came only because US governm. offered me visa for 10 years with permit to work and study . But I learned language before I even came. I do obey each single law of this coountry and pay taxes, just like you. As for me , this class is very interesting, but I really would not make my opinion or attitude based on two books and couple of disscussions. Be honest , If an illegal immigrant pays thousands of $$ for shiny rims on tires, does he really have such as " poor life ?? ;))this is my answer to your question, and I answered as the immigrant . anna.

Time With My Dad: A Foundation Of Goodness

My father was a big man. He stood 6’3” tall and weighed probably between 240 and 270 lbs. depending on the year. His presence commanded respect, not just because of his size but because he earned the respect of all that knew him. He never assumed that he deserved anything that he did not earn. He was true to everyone. He did not respect a man because of the color of skin or the religion he professed. You had his respect until you proved otherwise. My father wore his familiar khaki uniform almost every where except church and other rare occasions. His hands were big and rough from years of hard work, but his heart was just as tender as his hands were rough. I can not say that my father was perfect, and he would have been the first to tell you so. But to me he was close enough.
I was not my father’s only child; actually I had 11 siblings 6 sisters and 5 brothers. My mother and father had both been married once before. My mother had 3 children from her first marriage and my father had 4 from his first marriage. I was the oldest of the 5 children that my mother and father had together. My father never treated any of his kids different; we were all his, even when we were teenagers.
Time with dad was cherished by all. In fact the whole neighborhood loved my dad. He was one of those adults who took time to spend with his kids and their friends. I recall at his viewing several of the neighborhood kids came through the line and reminded us of those days when he would pack as many kids as he could fit in his truck, and they would go to West Jordan Junior High School to go swimming. The older kids remembered this much more than I did. My sister Cindy, at his funeral, reminded us that when we went to the pool several of the kids would try to dunk him, but my dad fought back. Finally, when he had had enough he would take them down with him and swim under water until they all let go. Time with my dad was certainly cherished by all.
When my father became part owner of a farm in Fairview, Utah, I was the one who got to go with him nearly every weekend to work on the farm. Sometimes my brothers, Doug or Mark would come with us, but those trips were my trips with my dad, anyone else was just tagging along. My dad made me feel special, like I was his favorite. I know that it bothered him that he couldn’t spend his time with all his children the same as he did with me. I can still hear him saying, “I hope that the others don’t feel left out. I really wish that I could give them some of same the experiences that you and I have had.” He said that on more than one occasion. I did not realize the sincerity of his words until I was much older. Somehow though, I did know that I was one lucky boy.
I don’t remember the road from Salt Lake City to Springville, but I remember the road between Springville and the farm. To me that is when the trip started. Once we turned off the freeway and headed into Springville I would look for the Top Stop restaurant. The Top Stop’s unique leaning A-frame store front made it a memorable landmark. We would either stop there, or across the street at the Chicken Bucket. Then we would head Southeast on the old Highway to Spanish Fork Canyon. That was back when you had to go through Springville to get to Spanish Fork.
Often by this time the sun was down and most of the ride was in the dark. My view on the way down was from the headlights. In the darkness it is amazing how your other senses kick in and memories of sounds and feelings become more clear. I don’t remember a lot of conversations between my father and I during those drives. I know we talked, but mostly I remember just being with him. I remember listening to the football games on the radio as long as we could before the static overtook the reception.
That was back in the days when BYU was just starting their glory days. I don’t even remember the names of the Players, other than Gary Sheide, Marc Wilson and Tod Christensen. Paul James and his unique brassy voice was the voice of the cougars. He was as much a part of the team as LaVelle Edwards.
“Wilson is back to throw… he’s got time… he throws….It’s caught … on the 40 Christensen breaks one tackle and he’s on his way he’s on the 30, the 20… 15…the 10…5… touchdown BYU!” Paul James had a way of making the radio more colorful than T.V. when we were at home for a game we would often turn off the sound of the T.V. and listen to the radio. His voice was music to a BYU fan’s ears. Someday I dreamed that I would be on that field and my name would be called over the radio. It never happened, but that’s okay, I played High School football and enjoyed it thoroughly.
I remember listening to the rev of the engine in dad’s old ford pick up truck as we ascended Spanish Fork Canyon. As we began our descent from the top of Spanish Fork Canyon we passed through the small town of Thistle. Thistle consisted of a few old wood panel homes and a red brick school house that you could see at the edge of the headlights as we passed by. There were no store fronts or street lights. Beyond Thistle, in the darkness all I could see was the shadows of pinion pines and sagebrush and the occasional glowing eyes of any number of critters wandering near the edge of the road.
I remember looking out the window. I was only 4yrs old at the time, so the dashboard obstructed the view ahead of me. So the only good view that I had was out the side window. My dad was the other source of sensory input as we drove along he would announce any excitement ahead, such as a deer crossing the road at which I could stand on the floor of the cab to catch a glimpse if I was lucky. Sometimes I think he would say things just tease me and get me excited. His sense of humor was sometimes lost on me, especially as we turned down the Milburn Rd about 7-8 miles from Fairview. The Milburn road took us down between a small canyon and into the valley where our farm was. Just as we came out of the canyon my father would hand me a bottle of apple juice.
Now, you need to know that in about 10 seconds from the time he would hand me that bottle we would cross over the railroad tracks. I fell for it almost every time. As I lifted the bottle to my lips he would bounce over the tracks; Juice would slosh up over the sides of my mouth and down the front of me; I would complain, rant and rave, my dad would just smile and try to hold his laughter in. If on the off chance that I caught myself before we hit the tracks, you’d have thought that I won some great feat, but after my brief celebration I would raise the bottle to my lips and he would jerk the clutch on the truck and there I was left with juice running down my shirt. My dad just grinned and laughed his shameless laugh.
While there on the farm I was given my tasks to perform. I learned a lot about farm life, about life and death, about our responsibility to take care of God’s creatures, and about the resources that God has given to us for our benefit. I also happened to learn how to swear, much to the chagrin of my father.
One morning, Betsy the cow kicked over her milk bucket and started running away. My father was mad. He blurted out, “That damn cow!” I realized that my dad was upset and I didn’t know what to say so I said what he said, “Yeah, that damn cow!” With that my father turned to me and gave me one of talks that I will never forget. He said, “Now son, just ‘cause I said it, doesn’t mean you have to.” Somehow my little 4 year old brain realized that my father wanted me to be better than him. He did not want me to make the same mistakes that he did. Now, I can’t say that was the end of my swearing. As anyone can attest when you own a vehicle you are liable to lose your religion a few times. Somehow I never took those words of my father at face value. What he told me was much bigger than that moment. It was a life lesson. “Be better than me and let your children be better than you.” That is what he was saying.
The weekend always ended so quickly and we were back on the road. This time we were headed home. My vision was opened to many of the things I could not see before, the old barns that had once housed horses and cows but had fallen prey to weather and age; small wooden dwellings that had been abandoned long ago replaced by a new generation of homes; And those shadows in the darkness turned into vast forests of pinion pines and sage brush. The mystery of the darkness was gone and my eyes were wide open to the world ahead of me.
This road has changed since my weekends with dad. The old Highway was replaced by a new one. The Top Stop is no longer there, replaced by a parking lot for the grocery store. Thistle, that little town, was flooded when a mudslide blocked the river. All that remains is a skeleton of the old redbrick school house and the roof of an old house that protrudes out of swampy marsh left behind by mother-nature. The road between Thistle and Fairview has increased its population of homes. LaVelle Edwards and Paul James have been replaced by a younger crew. Even that old farm of ours has changed hands.
My Father is gone now. But his example will ever remain with me. I am far from being the man that my father ever was, but there is hope, as I hear my fathers words spill out of my mouth, “Now son, just cause I said it, doesn’t mean you have to.” It is times like these that I realize just how good my father really was and the responsibility I have to pass on his goodness to the next generation.

Do Unions Promote Better Business?

This post is the response that I gave in response to a question I posted on my class message board for Mexican American culture class. The individual who responded is a European immigrant. She let me know that she was a union supporter, and was very emotional as She thought that I was condoning the abuses that early migrant workers recieved under the hands of business owners. I do not, but this was my response.

Maybe I did not make myself clear. I realize that working conditions were bad. I do not condone the practice of neglect on any level. America is made up of immigrants and decendants of immigrants. My ancestors came here with a promise that the government would not prevent them from succeeding. They worked under some fairly inhumane conditions, but somehow they survived the entry level treatment of freedom. It is not always pretty, but they grew from the harsh experience and they moved to the next level of freedom. I grew up with the understanding that government was to promote the general welfare of the nation. Not provide it. We used to be able to take care ourselves, just fine without government interference. It wasn't until the 1930's when we went through the Great Depression that the government began to experiment with our economic system pushing it toward socialism, forming companies such as Fanny and Freddy, that without the government backing would have gone out of business a long time ago. Instead the government kept holding them up until not only did they destroy them selves but our entire economy. I believe there is a difference between a right and a privelege. A right is something that is mine simply because my creator allowed me to live. A privilege is anything that would make my existence a bit more comfortable while I am here. Privileges are nice but they are not gauranteed. Privileges usually have to be paid for. If I can not afford a privilege then I must rely on the mercy of someone to pay that price for me but I have no right to steal someone elses privilege from them. Whether I take it out of his wallet or I elect someone to take it out of his wallet. We have become a society that thinks having things and making money are more important than what we become by earning those things. No one deserves, to retire at the expense of someone else. To assume that all business owners are evil is arogant and an unfortunate effect of a media misrepresentations. The United States of America is the most giving nation on earth. That is not on accident. Business owners are not exempted from their generosities. Many of our greatest institutions benefiting humanity have been created because, these greedy S.O.Bs have created such an enormous financial empire that not only could they take care of thousands of employees, but they have also created foundations that will be self sustaining for many years if not indefinitely. The problem that I have with Unions is not so much what they do, as what they don't do. The unions did improve the lives of the workers, but they don't stop there. You yourself mentioned that your sister recieved great benefits from her work. Did this global crisis just happen? Or is it because governments have been giving us things that they had no right to offer, because they did not have the funds to back up their promises?Have the governments made us so dependent upon them that when they dissappear we will simply shrivel up blow away in the wind because we are incapable of taking care of ourselves? If you knew my heart you would know that I love people and I am fascinated with human relations. It hurts me to see such injustice, but I know that oppression comes in many forms. It is better to lift everyone up from the bottom than to cut off the head of those who have learned the secrets of true wealth.I am not saying that everyone who is rich is good, but if you eliminate the opportunity for good people to become rich then the human potential to do good will be lost. I suppose if I had read what I wrote thinking that I did not care how people treat eachother, I would probably been just as upset as you. I am not questioning the goodness of Ceasar Chavez's intentions. I am not even saying that something did not need to be done. I am just wondering if greed can be experienced from both ends of the financial spectrum? Obviously in the begining justice was enough, but once that was accomplished, we saw that the fight had to be notched up again and again or the unions would loose their cohesiveness. At what point does the cost of labor affect the ability of a business to make enough profit to not only pay it's employees, but also motivate the business owners to stay in business? If you start a business, is it because you see an opportunity to employ people? Or do start a business to make money by providing goods or services to others? I really did not ask this question based on the issue of the treatment of Mexican Americans, so much as the long term effect of the union on the minds and ability of laborers to break out of socio economic lower class. Paying them more does not automatically change the way one thinks about themselves. Is the psychological progress of moving from laborer, to supervisor, to management, to potentially owning their own business and creating more jobs, get interupted by the union and their seniority system? That is more my concern, because, I believe that individuality is swallowed up in unions and I think as much as the business owners should be accountable, so should the laborer. I appologize if you thought that I did not care about how the farm workers where treated. I am just as disgusted as anyone when it comes to the abuse of one people over another. But abuse happens on all levels, and injustice is often followed by revenge. So, are unions seeking equality or do they create hatred and a potential for an atmosphere of revenge?

Unions the foundation of Socialism the Beginning of the End of Freedom

Unions the foundation of Socialism the Beginning of the End of Freedom

Recently I watched a documentary on Ceasar Chavez. Ceasar Chavez was a political activist who helped in organizing the Farm Workers Union in Southern California. He led them in The Great Grape Boycott, which led to much better working conditions and suitable wages. This is all good, right? Yes, I think that Ceasar Chavez was a good man who saw a need to improve the circumstances of migrant workers and believed that creating a union was the best and most effective method.
In this documentary, then Governor Ronald Reagan, condemned the boycott. As President, Ronald Reagan took swift action against the Air Traffic Controllers Union many lost there careers. I began to question why he viewed unions with such harshness. What is the problem with unions? Why was it that when unions were mentioned it was associated with communism? And if unions brought better working wages and conditions, how could that be bad?
Then I realized something. America use to disdain mediocrity, we had a lot of pride, maybe too much pride for our own good. But it worked for us. We looked at races of peoples we saw as mediocre or settled for and we did not feel comfortable with them. We as a people would not accept poverty, and we did not understand how anyone else could either. Racism was rampant. Blacks were not that far removed from slavery and Mexican-Americans were even closer to the Mexican American war.
Freedom is an interesting thing. It is not something that you can just be given, and you experience it right away. It is something that you have to learn how to experience, and once you have experienced it, people will begin trying to take it away.
When the Israelites were freed by the Egyptians, what was the response of the Israelites? They kept looking back to Egypt for security. They knew what it was like to be a slave. They could not remember what it was like to be free. They did not know how to be free. It took many years of walking through the wilderness and getting rid of a generation of people who could not get rid of a “slave mentality.” Now we have Black America who has been given their freedom, and yet they seek the comfort and security of becoming slave to a government. It takes years for a people to experience freedom. At first it is ugly and awkward, but when it takes hold it raises everyone up. What does this have to do with unions?
Freedom has an entry level experience. It is not pretty, but it is there for a purpose. When you are uncomfortable with your position you have the freedom to move on to the next level. It is your choice whether you want to increase your abilities or not, but if you do not make more money for the business then how can you expect to ask for more pay? As you increase the value of your labor then you can improve your situation in life.
Unions can guarantee a good wage and benefits, but they are designed to keep you in place. You do your job and no one else’s job. If you are tempted to reach outside your box to excel you will be penalized. If technology becomes available to do your work the union will see to it that it is not implemented so that you can keep your job. In the mean time they will make sure that your employer can’t save for a rainy day incase his industry falls on hard times. And if the industry falls on hard times then the business goes under. We have witnessed this in the steel industry, as it is all but gone here in the United States. Once and still potentially very lucrative here the unions priced themselves out of the market. The auto industry is even as we speak on the verge of disappearing from the American landscape. And we wonder why companies are fleeing to foreign countries to stay competitive?
Unions have created jobs that pay far beyond the value of their market, creating a financial deficit in the companies that employ them. What may look like greed from the top is actually greed from the bottom. Union bosses are hired to look out for the interest of the union itself and not necessarily for the workforce and they are definitely opposed to the business.
Unions create a working condition where many people do not feel the need to improve their work to be comfortable. They will get their raise not based on their ability to do a good job, but on their ability to come to work, by building seniority instead of being productive. Unions have begun a process of taking the individuality out of America. They take away the responsibility of the individual to perform. This process it taking us backward in time to a place where information and technology where discouraged and banned.
Unions are pushing us toward socialism. Business owners are receiving more and more pressure to take money from the government at the at the same time government is asking them to pay more taxes and threatening to putting them out of business through regulation if they don’t comply; on the other hand they are receiving pressure from the union to pay their members more money or face the threat of a strike. When government redistributes the wealth of the business owners, the business owners are less than motivated to grow a business empire which puts pressure on the government to employ more people. When government employs more people they have to tax more to pay their employees. This becomes a vicious downward spiral for the economy.
Every time socialism is tried it has failed. It creates more opportunity for corruption and greed within the government. And instead of raising the level of income from the bottom to the top it pushes everyone down toward the bottom. Where there is no opportunity to be rich then poor is what everyone will be.
Politics makes unions and socialism sound good, but they lead to communism. And Communism leads to bigotry and “Social Cleansings,” for the “good of society.” Remember the history of Russia? Are you really willing to say, “Not in my country?” Well, we have all pointed fingers at the opposite isle of the political spectrum and claimed that they, the other side, could be the next Hitler, Mussolini, or Stalin. But that person could just as easily be among our own party. We can not afford to point fingers. Men in power should never be given a blank check even if you like them. And government must never be trusted with our freedoms. History has shown that socialism has failed every time it has been tried.
Socialism has never worked, because it suppresses the ability of the individual to express them selves. Once the value of the individual is destroyed it is easy to control the masses. We the people can not be controlled when We are in charge. The goal of the union is to take away that individuality. Once you recognize your self as a “member” and that union is more important than anything else, you have lost your individuality. The next step is to create a common enemy to create cohesiveness and focus. Finally, once one battle is won via boycott or strike then you become assimilated and you will follow your leader to hell if he wishes to lead you there.
Ceasar Chavez was not a bad man, but he was no hero either. He not only ensured the mediocrity of the farm workers, but he spread the roots of socialism throughout America. President Reagan saw this and when he could do something about it, he acted swiftly and promptly to stomp it out. It is clear that social injustices must be addressed, but unions are not the answer.
Unions imply that you should be paid what you are worth. That sounds good and all, but you will never be paid what you are worth. No one will ever be paid what they are worth! That may explain why a study done by Cornel University ILR School (2007), has shown that union members tend to be less satisfied with their work. Despite this they tend not to change jobs. One likely explanation might be that once they are in the union their limited skills are exploited and elsewhere they could not compete for the same pay. In other words if you get paid too much for the work you do you become enslaved to the job for fear of having to find another job for less than you can live on. The market value of your job is what your wages should be. Anything more than this takes away from the natural market and promotes an unnatural burden to the market place. This explains why Americans have such huge credit problems today. Just as their wages are inflated beyond the natural market value, so also is the price of goods made by them. They live a wealthy lifestyle without the wisdom that comes by progressing through the natural market system.
Individuality gives you an opportunity to reach above the crowd, find your place in the natural market and accelerate your position in that market. You can reach your potential by going above and beyond your job description and increasing the value of your service. As an individual you can not create an unnatural market value. If you don’t do a satisfactory job, or in other words fall behind the market value, you loose your job. If you work hard to benefit your employer you will be rewarded accordingly. And if your employer does not reward you, you may seek new employment, or strike out on your own and start your own business. Another option may be to develop the skills you need to increase the value of your labors.
Unions have taken away our ability to compete in the global market; they have taken away our individuality and have taught generations of our children to think it is okay to take what they have not earned. They have stripped many of the opportunity to reach their potential by pushing wages beyond their value making them feel obligated to maintain their station in life.
No, unions are not good; they create an atmosphere of hatred toward business and the business owners, who took the original risk of creating their jobs in the first place. They gave them a livelihood and the union teaches them to hate them. They often use violence and intimidation to scare others willing to enter the work force at entry level conditions. They break the free market system by promoting government interference in the market. And once they take control of a local industry they force you to join them either by law, or by intimidation, or manipulation through monopolization of the industries. In other words, they make it so that you do not have the chance to work in your chosen field unless you join them. Unions sound good on the outside, but the overall outcome of unions are dissatisfaction among their own members, and the destruction of the economic system in which they participate in. Unions have had a reputation of violence and organized crime affiliations. For all the good intentions they represent, they are like a dirty bath towel, you may dry off with it but you are no cleaner after you are done than before you started.

The View From 1776

The View From 1776

Redistribution of Wealth?

Talk about politically correct terminology. Redistribution of Wealth? Stealing is stealing whether you break into a home and take the money yourself or you "elect" someone else to do it for you. The only difference is if the other guy takes the money you can claim innocence. It's alot easier to avoid the guilt that way. Right?

Since when was it our patriotic duty to condemn a man for securing his families financial future. When did it become our right to determine the worthiness of another man's quest to provide vital services to his fellow man? How can you condemn a man who creates wealth for the purpose of solving problems such as finding a cure for cancer or diabetes or ahlziemers. What right do you have to claim to know the heart of a man by condemning him as "greedy?"

Greed comes when risk is taken away. If you have no opportunity to fail you can not succeed. Because success is measured by overcomming your failures. Without that option you you are just going through the motions. If there is no faith required, then God is not needed.

ADD Moment

DeeAnn was talking to me in the car on the way home from Family Home Evening. She was saying that you have to be very specific when you are talking to someone with A.D.D.. She was refering to a conversation that was going on early that evening.
Spencer spoke up and said, "I have ADD."
We were kind of suprised at the confident manner in which he declared this.
We said, "Well, yeah you might." We had discussed the idea that he might have A. D.D., but not in front of him before.
Spencer piped up, "No, I do have ADD."
DeeAnn asked, "How do you know? Did your teacher tell you, or what?" trying to figure this out we asked him, "Do you even know what A.D.D. is?"
Spencer said, "It's that paper that you fill out."
It was then that DeeAnn realized he was refering to paper he had recieved from his teacher. The top of the paper said ADD.... it was a math paper.

Prayer for mommy

Yesterday DeeAnn was layed low with a major migrain headache. The pain was so intense that she began to loose control of her speech and her ability to think so I came home to give her a blessing. When we had finished the blessing DeeAnn, Lauree and I were in our bedroom talking and trying to get DeeAnn relaxed.
Matt came in to the room and said, "Mommy, I didn't know what to do. So I prayed for you to get better, cause Heavenly Father he can heal." He later came up to me and repeated what he had done. The animation he displayed in his voice and on his face were awsome. He was very somber but filled this energy, as he matter of factly told me that he said the prayer because Heavenly Father and Jesus, they knew how to heal and they "raised people up." How could anyone not be healed, when Matt prays for them. He knows the source of true healing.

Politics the Art of Destroying "We The People," But in a Nice Way

My apologies for this continuation of the political rants. However, tis' the season! And as much as I hate politics I know that it is important. Hopefully my voice can be heard even if nowhere else but in this little world I am creating. Anyhoo, this is a paper I wrote for my writing class. I hope you enjoy!

Politics the Art of Destroying "We The People," But in a Nice Way

Wow! This political season has been one heck of a long season. It is not every election year that the peacocks strut their stuff so early. This season has been extremely long due to the fact that the sitting vice president has chosen not to run for president and the current president has served his maximum time, leaving both parties without a clear front runner. This has left us “The People” unprotected from the political fluff. As each side squares off displaying their tail feathers to us and spewing promises left and right, you know that this is a fight to the end… to the end of us, “The People.”
I have never felt so unimpressed with political candidates on both sides. Amidst the melt down of the American economy politicians have managed to turn this country into a consolation prize for the rest of the world. Once this country stood for stability, strength, ingenuity, honor, and just true grit, now she’s on life support. What happened? Politicians promised more than they had the right to promise. Playing the game of Russian roulette each term of “service” holding their breathe all the while pointing the gun at us The people.
The power of this country has always been in its people. We were a strong country because the government had not figured out how to break the will of the people. But sadly, I think they have learned their lesson, and we the people are going to pay the price. We have been hypnotized by the feathers and fluff of skillful politics. They make it sound so good: Free health care, free money for the poor, everyone will love each other, and they will change the world! Blah, blah, blah… I think I saw that last time. In fact I think that I have heard that time and time again. Like an annoying song you can’t get out of your head.

Change? Reform? Which word means that America will come first? Which word means that The People will remain free forever? Which word means we will stop the name calling and the “Politics of Personal Destruction”? Which word means we can be friends with our neighbors without being told that we can’t like them because they think, look, eat, sleep, or speak different than we do? Which one means, “By Damn we will fix this problem and we will do it Now!”?
Instead we get these two parties that couldn’t care less about the people. They will destroy the people if they have to, in order to satisfy their hunger for power. Neither side will back down. They just circle each other around and around looking for the weakness, looking for an opportunity to pounce; all the while we the people stand oblivious to the powers we have given up. Kind of like the spouse who gives up the check book to their shop happy partner. The partner brings home lingerie, and nice furniture, wonderful Entertainment Systems, etc., and the spouse says, “hey, I like this, I am really glad I turned the check book over to my wonderful partner. I can’t believe the benefits of this deal, if you know what I mean.” Then suddenly the bill collectors start calling.
We have allowed our taxes to go to back to Washington, our “shop happy partner.” Who goes out and buys the lipstick and lingerie, and then play their sick little game of Russian roulette. Promising us everything and telling us it is okay because we can just get our money from the rich dude down the street. As the rich dude packs his bags in the middle of the night and leaves the country for safe harbors, such India, Mexico, China, or where ever he can hide from the red sickle of the American Politician.

You know the sickest part of this whole thing is that we the people get excited every time they add a bullet to the revolver. Look how perty she is. Bang! America, “We the People,” are no more. Dead, but at least it was done in a nice way.

Spencerisms

This morning there were quite a few clouds in the sky. As the sun rose over the horizon beams of light streamed through the clouds. It was quite beautiful. Spencer saw this and said, "Look, Jesus is coming!"

Letter to the Editor Divisiveness of Political Corectness

Dear Editor,

When it comes to racism and prejudice, we need to be able to speak our mind. When we are afraid to say what we feel it builds up resentment and anger. This anger and resentment leads to attitudes and acts of racism and prejudice. Under the guise of trying not to offend anyone we offend everyone.
Whether on purpose or on accident political correctness has worked to divide us as human beings. We have been divided by color, religion, socio-economic status, education, political beliefs, etc. We have been taught to hate those who have, and look down on those who have less. We may agree on more than we disagree, but we are taught to listen and obey a few people who “know what is best for us.”
What is the answer? I don’t know for sure, but we can start by opening an honest dialogue void of political correctness. And void of any other motive than getting to know one another. Let’s share our frustrations, our fears, our discomforts. Then maybe we can share our hopes and dreams with each other. Maybe without the divide of political walls between us we can verbally duke it out and walk away friends.

Why Relativity is so important to Progressives

The Progressive belief in relativity stems from the fact that they herald theories over absolute truth. Their reality has become based on the particular theory they embrace. They reject God because if they accepted the premise that God exists they would have to reject their theory until they could find the absolute truth. Because God, being the truth, is the ultimate end of education.
So, maybe you can see their predicament. They have become so forward thinking that they can see the end of the need for thier existence. If it gets out, that God exists, they might lose their jobs.

"Critical Thinking"

What happened to common sense? I started school this past year and they have all these new buzz words. The one that baffles me the most is the term "critical thinking." This is what professors do and what anyone who disagrees with them don't do. This to me seem kind of funny because when ever I have talked to people who actually are doing what the professors only teach, they seem to come to the conclusion that it doesn't work exactly the way they have been taught. In other words professors teach theories that sometimes work in an environment that is not challenged. I speak broadly as there are some professors that truly understand reality and have in many cases lived in the world of doers of the work. I believe that the high and lofty accomplishment of being able to "critically think" pales in comparison to those who can "deductively reason" and actually solve the problems that critical thinkers leave in their wake. It is amazing to me that when confronted with opposition how many professors begin to call names and spew rhetorical garbage, throwing out the accusation that I am unable to think for myself. I find it interesting that you must think like them or you don't know how to think for yourself. It would seem that they should encourage more points of view, wouldn't that be the scholarly thing to do, to study it, to ponder it and have an open mind to accept new information or even more difficult accept old ideas as solid truth?
I think I have figured out one of the great mysteries of the universe.(tongue in cheak) In order to have an open mind it must be closed to anything that does not agree with the politically correct mantra of the day. That means that your mind must be made of jello in order for you to change from moment to moment and it must be like a sponge in order for you to soak up all that your teachers or peers are telling you to think. Your mind must be blind so that you can not see beyond today nor can it look back into the past.
Truly education is important. However, what some professors call education I would call propaganda. I don't believe it is the proper role of education to politically indoctrinate students. This includes Elementary Schools through the University levels. I of course know that it would nearly be impossible to weed out such attitudes due to the lack of practical experience in the general educators realm as well as the ease of "critical thinking"; However, a professor should be up front in letting their students know that they refuse to expand their minds to accept any time proven truths.
Education should be a transfer of knowledge. The ablity to think should be encouraged and promotion of multiple oppinions and perspectives should be the pinnacle of education. The ability to use what we learn is more important than the paper that hangs on our wall.
If I owned my own business I would be hard pressed to hire a professor, they are likely to argue with my success, even if I tried it their way and failed.

Reverence

Behold the footprint of God! I Believe that if God had a favorite place this just might be one of them. I know that I feel his presence when I am there. This place is sacred to me. Some people describe reverence as folding ones arms and remaining quiet. I don't believe this is so. I believe that reverence is in the heart when you feel reverence then you act according to the situation. That may be laughing and enjoying a family outing or it may be a quiet pondering of the greatness of our surroundings. It may be a warmth in our heart for all the blessings we have recieved in our lives. What ever that feeling is reverence inspires respect for God's property as well as our own existence.

Politics

I have never been more disappointed in politics than I have this year. I consider myself very conservative. I am truly unsure why it is that conservatives have been branded as environmental terrorist who are filled with hate toward every living creature. I think that those who lead us decieve us. They maintain their power by dividing and propagandizing. I do not believe that liberals and conservatives have any different goals. I just happen to believe that their is a better way of actually accomplishing the task.
I believe that global warming is a natural phenomenon that man has little to do with. I believe in science and science is rarely good when half the arguement is silenced. I believe that when you start with the premise that man is the fault you are leaving out too many other factors such as the sun's weather cycles, etc. I am not a scientist but I do remember a time in history when people thought the world was flat and when it was questioned the "round earth" theorists where banished, silenced, or put to death. It doesn't make sense to me that if we can only effect global warming by 1/1000 of a percent over the next what ever many years by going green it does not seem to me that we could possibly be the problem. By reversing the process we would have to assume that man would have created the problem long before the combustion engine was even in existence.
This global warming is not just a bad science but when we create a false crisis and then think that man can do anything about it we begin to disrupt the natural order and people become victims of an unneccesary war. The casualties of this war are truly those impoverished countries which can not feed themselves. The United States of America once known as the worlds "bread basket" is now importing wheat instead of exporting wheat to those who need it. If we are importing wheat then not only are we not providing other countries, but we are now taking away even more. So, when people complain about the casualties of war they better look at how many people are starving because of an unneccesary war on global warming.
Anyways I believe that God created this earth for man and it is our responsiblity to take care of it to tend it and make it better, that does not mean that we do not use its resources. I believe that man has the obligation to utilize and create all that he can and he should replenish the earth as he uses it. When the purpose of the earth reaches an end then God's plan will simply continue according as has already been planned. I don't believe that we will be able to stop the master plan already in process. Our purpose is to learn to become better people. Learn to treat each other better, by following the ten commandments we have been given the way to happiness. And that is what God wants us to be.
Funny how God creeps into politics. I think that the problem is not when God creeps into politics but when politics tries to control God.