Sunday, January 27, 2013
Reflection and Introspection
I drove home with the radio off; an hour by myself with only my thoughts (yeah, that can be dangerous), outside the distraction of the rain and the drivers around me…. I wanted to absorb the emotions of the day. As I sit and try to express my thoughts and emotions now I’m finding it rather difficult, even though I am certain that the day that was this day shall bring plenty of reason and understanding to my life moving forward.
I was honored to receive an invitation to attend the service today as my friend Tammy and her family lay to rest the body of her husband LuvPilot. As I left home this morning it was pouring rain, the kind of rain only seen a few times a year here in The Valley of The Sun… I must say it seemed only appropriate. The service was beautiful, touching, and at times inspirational. The stories told assured me of what I already knew even without having ever met him… the man whose life we celebrated today was a good man. Tammy has two boys of whom I know she is very proud… fine young men, by all accounts... and as she read to us words she had written to her sons earlier this week it brought tears to my eyes, just as it did the day I read it on her blog. She made the decision to speak last minute, she explained, and as she told us this and excused herself for the fact that she would be reading from her phone… and then the way she teased at her boys about the fact that she can’t understand why they don’t read her blog… it was a heartwarming moment.
We proceeded to the gravesite… it’s a natural point of introspection; the times we’re reminded that someday we and those we love shall all be in that place… it can be difficult to accept, but important to understand. It’s what we do with our time here that makes the difference…
As I pulled out of the church parking lot, Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky” came on the radio. It’s a little thing… yet perhaps there are no coincidences.
In the process of attending this service, I was blessed with the opportunity to make human, face-to-face connections with a few people I’ve known for some time now, yet with whom my entire friendship and connection until today had been based only on our writings and comments on our blogs. I can’t say how grateful I am for the time I spent with these ladies today. The feeling of acceptance you all have given me over the past few years, and the opportunity to share time with you and to be there for a friend… our friend… y’all are awesome, and I can’t thank you enough.
So as I drove home, and I thought about my ‘new’ friendships for which I feel so blessed… and I thought of my friend Tammy who has a whole new world to face beginning tomorrow as much as or more than any day perhaps this past week… first I got a little choked up and tears came to my eyes… and then I came to the firm decision that it is time. It is time for me to be the change I want to see, and to truly start living life like I haven’t lived in quite some time.
In my past… a number of years past more than recently… I had allowed myself to be brought down by circumstances… some could have been within my control, and some not so much… but when given the opportunity to make a choice, I didn’t assume control and create my own destiny for the better. Over the past few years, but more specifically within the past few months, I’ve been coming out of my self-created shell, and I’ve been making better decisions… creating my destiny rather than accepting fate. But now it’s time… to break my rusty cage. A change is going to come in my life, and it’s going to be for the better. I’m not quite sure what is to come, but I’m ready… I’ll be watching for signs… little tells that indicate a path, or a reason.
I shall stand by a statement made today in the company of friends… the television needs to be turned off, and the brain needs to be turned on. I am smart enough to know the opinions of the TV personalities on the cable news channels as the news breaks, and I don’t need to have my opinion either validated or discounted by some talking head in New York City or Washington, DC. I stay informed well enough by having the radio on as background noise during the day, and if there’s truly breaking news I can make an exception.
I’ve been playing my guitar again; that’s a great thing, it feels good to strum even a few bars a night… and I need to continue working on it. Before I stopped playing consistently I was getting pretty good, and I’d like to play better. Only I can make that happen… it’s not going to happen by osmosis.
I really enjoy writing. I don’t need to be so political about things… and I don’t need to worry about being the next “big thing” in the blogosphere. A few years ago I thought maybe that was where I was… I tried to be aggressive and boisterous, and I wished and hoped for more and more readers… but if I am to live up to the name I have given this place… The Wisdom of Soloman is really more about sharing the things I learn about life that might help others, rather than shouting my political opinion and expecting everyone to agree with me.
I need to read. Based on my understanding of today’s political climate, I’ve been working on the most important book I can think of… yet for a reason I can’t explain other than the magnet that is the boob-tube, it’s taken me over a year to read Atlas Shrugged. I know exactly what my pattern is… over the Christmas season I pick up a book and read, because I am on an airplane and in airports, and because it helps me wind down when I’m visiting my family. Yet I come home, the book gets put up on a shelf, and doesn’t get picked up until the next year. It’s time for that to change.
I have been given plenty of motivation to travel… the jigsaw puzzle of the state of Arizona given to me by my parents this year offers all kinds of ideas for travel right here in my home state. My employer has been bringing me the travel section of the Arizona Republic and discussing with me some of his favorite places. I have coworkers who want to spend time in the Bradshaw Mountains, panning for gold or doing whatever… I have a 4x4 and plenty of time, a few guns to practice shooting, and an acoustic guitar that would love to travel. And today I received an incredible offer I just might accept sooner than later… I hear there’s a lot of beautiful scenery in Utah, and it’s just a day’s drive away…
Perhaps most important of all, it is time for me to delve into my faith, and to gain a greater understanding of what it is I truly believe and how it shall affect my life. During a conversation today I admitted out loud something I recognized not too long ago; there could be perceived an extreme arrogance on my part, to name my blog as I did. As I have said many times, I am not a churchgoing man, yet I consider myself a person with faith in God. I am by no means a student of The Bible; in fact I would say I am far from it. I understand The Ten Commandments, which are the basic tenants of God’s law, and I make an effort each day to live more within those guidelines than ever before. But to say I have wisdom… hmm.
Psalms 111:10 tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.” I’d say I’m on my way, but there is work to be done.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Prayers For My Friend
This afternoon I learned some very sad news. A friend… someone I have never met personally, but with whom because of blogging and our similar perspectives on life and politics I have developed good rapport and a feeling of confidence… has lost her husband. A heart condition, by her account… similar to something he had experienced a couple years ago.
I know of him only by the nickname she uses for him when she writes on her blog or when she comments here… LuvPilot. He was a pilot for Southwest Airlines, which is the airline I always fly when I go back to Cleveland for Christmas. Of course, I have no idea if he ever piloted one of the planes I was carried on, but it always crossed my mind… each and every time I stepped on a plane, I thought of my friend Tammy and the man she so clearly loves with all her heart, and wondered if he was the pilot keeping my passage safe.
I can’t even begin to understand what Tammy is going through right now. I don’t know what I would do… I have no idea how I might react to the loss of someone close to me. It is nearly inevitable; at some time in our lives, we all will likely lose someone, at some very close level. I always believed it would be me being mourned by others, given the wreck I was for so many years… Maybe I was trying to make it be me, because I was so afraid to feel. I don’t know for sure, and that’s not the point, really… although I can’t help but selfishly think about what I would feel, if I were in her shoes. I guess that’s human nature… all we really have is our understanding of what we experience through our interactions with others. A book can never tell you what only your heart can feel, and no amount of planning can prepare a person for the journey upon which Tammy is about to embark.
As she wrote about this overwhelming event, Tammy said she doesn't feel amazing, and that she doesn't feel strong… yet she had the strength to write about this, just one day after learning the news. I’d probably be curled up in a ball in the corner of my bedroom and losing my mind. And while she likely doesn't believe this today… I think Tammy is going to be just fine. In fact, I’m sure of it. I wish I could take the pain and sorrow from my friend and let her move on as if she never missed a beat, but that’s not the way God meant it to be, as she knows. Her faith, along with the strength and love of her family and friends, will see her through this turbulent time.
Tammy was blessed with the opportunity to have a good conversation with her LuvPilot on Friday, and she had the chance to say “I love you.” I know, somehow, that makes all the difference.
I don’t ask this often… ever, really… but please… say a prayer for my friend Tammy, and for their two sons.
I know of him only by the nickname she uses for him when she writes on her blog or when she comments here… LuvPilot. He was a pilot for Southwest Airlines, which is the airline I always fly when I go back to Cleveland for Christmas. Of course, I have no idea if he ever piloted one of the planes I was carried on, but it always crossed my mind… each and every time I stepped on a plane, I thought of my friend Tammy and the man she so clearly loves with all her heart, and wondered if he was the pilot keeping my passage safe.
I can’t even begin to understand what Tammy is going through right now. I don’t know what I would do… I have no idea how I might react to the loss of someone close to me. It is nearly inevitable; at some time in our lives, we all will likely lose someone, at some very close level. I always believed it would be me being mourned by others, given the wreck I was for so many years… Maybe I was trying to make it be me, because I was so afraid to feel. I don’t know for sure, and that’s not the point, really… although I can’t help but selfishly think about what I would feel, if I were in her shoes. I guess that’s human nature… all we really have is our understanding of what we experience through our interactions with others. A book can never tell you what only your heart can feel, and no amount of planning can prepare a person for the journey upon which Tammy is about to embark.
As she wrote about this overwhelming event, Tammy said she doesn't feel amazing, and that she doesn't feel strong… yet she had the strength to write about this, just one day after learning the news. I’d probably be curled up in a ball in the corner of my bedroom and losing my mind. And while she likely doesn't believe this today… I think Tammy is going to be just fine. In fact, I’m sure of it. I wish I could take the pain and sorrow from my friend and let her move on as if she never missed a beat, but that’s not the way God meant it to be, as she knows. Her faith, along with the strength and love of her family and friends, will see her through this turbulent time.
Tammy was blessed with the opportunity to have a good conversation with her LuvPilot on Friday, and she had the chance to say “I love you.” I know, somehow, that makes all the difference.
I don’t ask this often… ever, really… but please… say a prayer for my friend Tammy, and for their two sons.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
A Pox on Both Houses
On both the left and the right of the Second Amendment discussion there are radicals who come across as nut-jobs, and there are reasonable brokers who deserve and need to be heard. To say nothing needs to be done is ignorant, because there are definitely reasons we continue to experience such tragedies as we have witnessed in recent times. But to create new and broad-sweeping laws in an extremely emotional reaction to recent events is not necessarily the best course of action either. We are a nation of over 300 million free citizens who have a constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms that, as the Second Amendment states, “Shall not be infringed.” We reside in fifty individual States with different political climates, geographical makeup and historical perspectives that make suitable nationwide laws difficult to enact, yet there must surely be some reasonable national agreement about the basics of firearm ownership.
To be completely honest, we need to look not just at firearm ownership and The Second Amendment. In my opinion we need to take a serious look at our mental health system. We should assess the effects of Hollywood and other factors such as video games on the minds and morality of young people. And as difficult as it will be, America should also take an honest look at the number of single parent homes in America today, and the potential lack of support and nurturing that children may receive within such environments. With more than half of children born to American mothers younger than 30 happening outside marriage, our society is changing in ways never before seen and certainly not very well understood.
I have opinions about the “gun control” debate” which I plan to begin expressing over the next few days and perhaps weeks, but tonight I would like to speak out and express my disgust with both the NRA and President Obama for using children as props in a political debate. I have discussed this here before and I’m sure will be pressed to do so again, and it saddens me greatly. In the midst of very important conversations in American politics, politicians, pundits and persons of influence continue to use children to tug at heartstrings or to make points that can very easily be made in rational ways, and it saddens me greatly.
The NRA made a commercial that accuses President Obama of being an elitist hypocrite, because his children are protected at their private school by individuals who carry weapons while everyday Americans watch their children go to school every day to places where they are not protected in the same fashion. While I can say I understand the point being made by the organization at the very surface, it is unfair and out of line to put the children of The President of The United States into the same category as the children of everyday Americans. President Obama’s children are potential targets by no fault of their own in ways that ‘regular’ kids will never be, as any rational thinker should clearly understand with no further explanation needed. We as a nation have provided such security for the families of our Presidents over the course of our history, and to consider President Obama and his children any different than any past leader is simply ridiculous.
On the other side, President Obama today had four youngsters standing alongside his podium today. In an effort to make his actions appear to be all about “the children,” he discussed how these and other children had written letters expressing their dire concern that he please, please, please do all he can to change laws to make it “safer” for all the children. Of course these children have no real understanding of the facts surrounding the tragedies at Sandy Hook Elementary, the Aurora movie theater or any other recent incident. The stories of how these children would hurt so badly were they to lose siblings is certainly heart-wrenching, but we need to be honest; if we take all our actions and make all our decisions related to such extremely difficult issues based on the thoughts and emotions of children, we are destined to fail as a society.
I must admit I am somewhat surprised by the NRA; I had hoped they would take the higher road in this debate and keep the discussion based in facts rather than hyperbole, because I sincerely believe the facts are on the side of those of us who believe in The Second Amendment as the fundamental protection of our right to protect ourselves. Clearly I was wrong, as they sank to the level of their political opposition and disgraced themselves in the process. So while they say they represent the protection of our rights, their actions lead me to believe they are really not much better than many of the other power-brokers and lobbyists on Capitol Hill, saying and doing whatever it takes to advance a cause.
One of the things I disliked most about the 2012 Presidential election was the massive amount of lies and misinformation put forward by the Obama campaign. I have in the past been outspoken about my beliefs regarding team Obama and their nature as propagandists; quite simply, they do it better than any political team in history. I believe today’s press conference is a good example of this, and while it doesn’t surprise me, it does of course disappoint. President Obama had a chance to really catalyze a much needed conversation, and instead he made snarky remarks about Congressional representatives being more concerned about their “A” grade with the “gun lobby” than with the safety of the nation. Sadly many will look right past his immature behavior and treat it as acceptable, because it is, as they say, "the new norm" in the era of Obama. I expect such sarcasm and half-witted comments from Hollywood types and talk radio hosts; I expect much more from The President of The United States of America.
E Pluribus Unum; Out of many, one. It is our nation’s motto, and it represents the best of the political visions held by both sides of the aisle. The individual is strengthened by the community, but there is no community without strong individuals.
It will require parties from both sides to be willing to deal with each other and make concessions, to be sure. But if we are to move in a direction that serves our future best as individuals within the collective population, and as states within this great nation, we desperately need this President to stop campaigning and stop throwing around snide remarks about his political opposition, and start leading as if he is the President of The United States of America.
To be completely honest, we need to look not just at firearm ownership and The Second Amendment. In my opinion we need to take a serious look at our mental health system. We should assess the effects of Hollywood and other factors such as video games on the minds and morality of young people. And as difficult as it will be, America should also take an honest look at the number of single parent homes in America today, and the potential lack of support and nurturing that children may receive within such environments. With more than half of children born to American mothers younger than 30 happening outside marriage, our society is changing in ways never before seen and certainly not very well understood.
I have opinions about the “gun control” debate” which I plan to begin expressing over the next few days and perhaps weeks, but tonight I would like to speak out and express my disgust with both the NRA and President Obama for using children as props in a political debate. I have discussed this here before and I’m sure will be pressed to do so again, and it saddens me greatly. In the midst of very important conversations in American politics, politicians, pundits and persons of influence continue to use children to tug at heartstrings or to make points that can very easily be made in rational ways, and it saddens me greatly.
The NRA made a commercial that accuses President Obama of being an elitist hypocrite, because his children are protected at their private school by individuals who carry weapons while everyday Americans watch their children go to school every day to places where they are not protected in the same fashion. While I can say I understand the point being made by the organization at the very surface, it is unfair and out of line to put the children of The President of The United States into the same category as the children of everyday Americans. President Obama’s children are potential targets by no fault of their own in ways that ‘regular’ kids will never be, as any rational thinker should clearly understand with no further explanation needed. We as a nation have provided such security for the families of our Presidents over the course of our history, and to consider President Obama and his children any different than any past leader is simply ridiculous.
On the other side, President Obama today had four youngsters standing alongside his podium today. In an effort to make his actions appear to be all about “the children,” he discussed how these and other children had written letters expressing their dire concern that he please, please, please do all he can to change laws to make it “safer” for all the children. Of course these children have no real understanding of the facts surrounding the tragedies at Sandy Hook Elementary, the Aurora movie theater or any other recent incident. The stories of how these children would hurt so badly were they to lose siblings is certainly heart-wrenching, but we need to be honest; if we take all our actions and make all our decisions related to such extremely difficult issues based on the thoughts and emotions of children, we are destined to fail as a society.
I must admit I am somewhat surprised by the NRA; I had hoped they would take the higher road in this debate and keep the discussion based in facts rather than hyperbole, because I sincerely believe the facts are on the side of those of us who believe in The Second Amendment as the fundamental protection of our right to protect ourselves. Clearly I was wrong, as they sank to the level of their political opposition and disgraced themselves in the process. So while they say they represent the protection of our rights, their actions lead me to believe they are really not much better than many of the other power-brokers and lobbyists on Capitol Hill, saying and doing whatever it takes to advance a cause.
One of the things I disliked most about the 2012 Presidential election was the massive amount of lies and misinformation put forward by the Obama campaign. I have in the past been outspoken about my beliefs regarding team Obama and their nature as propagandists; quite simply, they do it better than any political team in history. I believe today’s press conference is a good example of this, and while it doesn’t surprise me, it does of course disappoint. President Obama had a chance to really catalyze a much needed conversation, and instead he made snarky remarks about Congressional representatives being more concerned about their “A” grade with the “gun lobby” than with the safety of the nation. Sadly many will look right past his immature behavior and treat it as acceptable, because it is, as they say, "the new norm" in the era of Obama. I expect such sarcasm and half-witted comments from Hollywood types and talk radio hosts; I expect much more from The President of The United States of America.
E Pluribus Unum; Out of many, one. It is our nation’s motto, and it represents the best of the political visions held by both sides of the aisle. The individual is strengthened by the community, but there is no community without strong individuals.
It will require parties from both sides to be willing to deal with each other and make concessions, to be sure. But if we are to move in a direction that serves our future best as individuals within the collective population, and as states within this great nation, we desperately need this President to stop campaigning and stop throwing around snide remarks about his political opposition, and start leading as if he is the President of The United States of America.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Friday Night Videos: Jesus Is Just Alright
Early in their career, back when their fan base was still mostly crowds of bikers and stoners, a band called The Doobie Brothers borrowed a gospel song and turned it into a rock and roll classic. For some reason, this morning when I woke up I was compelled to do a YouTube search for this song… perhaps it had played on the radio yesterday at work and stuck in my head. I really don’t know, but that’s not the important part… what I found fascinating is the video I found. Nearly forty years after they originally performed the song for the first time, the band sounds better than ever as they sing in beautiful harmonies and hit ever note with great precision.
I used to not know that this song was a remake of a gospel tune; I thought it was just a bunch of good ol’ boys singing about how they’re alright with Jesus. But the more I listen, the more I get it… to the writer who sang it as gospel, and to these rock and rollers who have been singing His praises for almost as long as I’ve been alive, Jesus is more than just alright.
Understanding the simplicity of this song is as wonderful as the simplicity of a solid relationship with God, when you just accept His love. It was an interesting discovery, in both respects.
As I wish you and yours Merry Christmas, I hope you all are able to enjoy the season for what is most important during our time here in this life. I am so excited to once again be travelling home to be with my family. Taking a break from my everyday routine will be a wonderful experience as it always is, I am sure… I’ve been truly blessed this year and a lot of good has come my way. I believe strongly we reap what we sow; I have been working hard to live a better life, and to do the right thing… and while I know we must never get too sure of ourselves, I have confidence the recent success I have seen is my reward for my effort to be a better man.
It took me a long time to understand, and I still question it from time to time. The God I have come to trust would want me to question his very existence, because if I am not questioning, then I am not living. So as I question, I sometimes wonder how it could be that a presence that I can’t see, or touch, or literally speak with face to face could have ever put a man on this earth; His Son, no less… and that ultimately that man, the Son of God, would sacrifice himself for the salvation of each individual who would simply accept Him as our Savior.
It is an overwhelming story to comprehend, and even more intimidating to believe… but if you just open your mind and understand that Jesus is just alright…
I used to not know that this song was a remake of a gospel tune; I thought it was just a bunch of good ol’ boys singing about how they’re alright with Jesus. But the more I listen, the more I get it… to the writer who sang it as gospel, and to these rock and rollers who have been singing His praises for almost as long as I’ve been alive, Jesus is more than just alright.
Understanding the simplicity of this song is as wonderful as the simplicity of a solid relationship with God, when you just accept His love. It was an interesting discovery, in both respects.
As I wish you and yours Merry Christmas, I hope you all are able to enjoy the season for what is most important during our time here in this life. I am so excited to once again be travelling home to be with my family. Taking a break from my everyday routine will be a wonderful experience as it always is, I am sure… I’ve been truly blessed this year and a lot of good has come my way. I believe strongly we reap what we sow; I have been working hard to live a better life, and to do the right thing… and while I know we must never get too sure of ourselves, I have confidence the recent success I have seen is my reward for my effort to be a better man.
It took me a long time to understand, and I still question it from time to time. The God I have come to trust would want me to question his very existence, because if I am not questioning, then I am not living. So as I question, I sometimes wonder how it could be that a presence that I can’t see, or touch, or literally speak with face to face could have ever put a man on this earth; His Son, no less… and that ultimately that man, the Son of God, would sacrifice himself for the salvation of each individual who would simply accept Him as our Savior.
It is an overwhelming story to comprehend, and even more intimidating to believe… but if you just open your mind and understand that Jesus is just alright…
Friday Night Videos: 2112
"You don't get something for nothing... You can't have freedom for free."
As the Mayan calendar comes to an end and America is a nation in turmoil, these are the final words of the great "video" I offer today for your enjoyment. A combination of mystical fantasy, science fiction action-adventure, and poetic inspiration, 2112 is, in my opinion, the definitive Rush masterpiece, and if the world by chance were to end on 12/21/12, the irony of the name they gave this musical treasure would be... simply perfect.
If I was going to be stranded on a deserted island and was only able to take ten albums with me, this Rush classic is definitely right up there at the top of the list. The music of Neil Peart, Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee is as majestic today as it was when they first shared this creation with us in 1976, with lyrics perhaps even more meaningful than they ever imagined.
If you've got about 40 minutes you can spare, I promise... this one will not disappoint.
As the Mayan calendar comes to an end and America is a nation in turmoil, these are the final words of the great "video" I offer today for your enjoyment. A combination of mystical fantasy, science fiction action-adventure, and poetic inspiration, 2112 is, in my opinion, the definitive Rush masterpiece, and if the world by chance were to end on 12/21/12, the irony of the name they gave this musical treasure would be... simply perfect.
If I was going to be stranded on a deserted island and was only able to take ten albums with me, this Rush classic is definitely right up there at the top of the list. The music of Neil Peart, Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee is as majestic today as it was when they first shared this creation with us in 1976, with lyrics perhaps even more meaningful than they ever imagined.
If you've got about 40 minutes you can spare, I promise... this one will not disappoint.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
The Human Problem
George Washington once said, “Religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society.”
I am not a church-going person, but I am a man of Faith. I understand right from wrong, and I understand God’s law. In my youth I was taught a value system based on Judeo-Christian values; the same values our Founding Fathers (even the non-believers) all agreed were the moral foundation upon which our Constitution must be based, because laws are created in the essence of morality. The Ten Commandments have always been displayed in The United States Supreme Court, because they are moral laws that all individuals should understand as a code by which we should all live our lives.
In modern culture, Americans have allowed do-nothings such as Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton, Reality TV “stars” like Honey Boo Boo and “The Real Wives” of every city, as well as pop-culture icons like Jay-Z and Beyonce (to name just a few) to become more important than our $16 trillion in national debt. Our soldiers are living in the streets, and our elderly are going hungry, but sadly many people today are more consumed with what someone posted on Facebook than how the government continues to allow itself a higher credit limit at the expense of future generations.
Meanwhile our President and other elected representatives are more concerned about being popular with the celebrity class than they are concerned about performing the duties we elected them to perform, and they’re more worried about one-upmanship and chest thumping because “I won!” than they are interested in cooperation and bi-partisanship in the interest of serving their constituents and fellow Americans.
So why, then, are we so shocked when mentally unstable individuals are not given the love, care, attention and affection every human needs and deserves, and because they feel so lost and alone their reaction is to acquire whatever weapons they can find that allow them to bring great harm quickly to as many people as possible in an act of desperation?
America is losing its morality, Christianity in America is under attack, and we are becoming less civil toward each other with each passing day. Whether it is union thugs fighting with and physically beating their political opposition in Michigan, the media making fun of concerned and patriotic Americans who wear hats with bags of tea strung from them, or politicians and politically motivated pundits insisting that their political opponents and half of all Americans make decisions based upon race and gender, it’s all the same. The Golden Rule of “Do unto others” has been lost and forgotten. In the entitlement and instant gratification society we live within today, “What’s in this for me”” has taken the place of “Ask not what your country can do for you…” Sadly but not surprisingly, evil is beginning to show itself more and more in the face of declining morality.
In learning what causes such devastating events to transpire as that which took the lives of 26 innocent individuals in Connecticut this past Friday, we must first understand that these individuals who act out in such dramatic fashion are not in their right mind, because no person in their right mind would ever do such a thing. For reasons we cannot understand, these individuals want to take out as many people as possible for whatever reason they believe is okay, and it is my opinion that nothing will stop them. If guns were not available, there would be other methods employed by these unstable individuals to carry out their task. If they couldn’t get a gun, they would drive a car through a wall, or build and set off pipe bombs or some other explosive devices, or God knows what else.
I don’t know a lot, but I know this: when a man dresses himself in the camouflage of our military, makes himself appear as one of our real heroes, and then attacks children, the firearm that man used to carry out his crime is not the problem. Guns have been a part of American culture since the founding of America, yet until recently they have never appeared to be such a problem as could be said today. It would be easy to point the finger of blame at the inanimate object, but the firearm can’t be fired without the arm of an individual reaching for the trigger. Therefore in my humble opinion, to begin a discussion about gun laws in the immediate aftermath of such a tragic loss of innocent life is to belittle the memory of the fallen. If we don't solve the human problem, then there is no point in discussing the gun problem, because in the hands of mentally stable and law abiding individuals, firearms are not a problem.
Our nation has been in moral decline for at least fifty years, although it has likely been more like one hundred years or so. Over the past century, “progressive” individuals have gained more and more powerful positions in all levels of government. Through their ongoing efforts to legislate away traditional values and implement their own sense of morality onto the masses, they have slowly chipped away at the moral fiber of America. Led by these “progressive” individuals, our government passes laws that remove God from the public forum and take away individual rights under the guise of “the greater good.” In the process of creating “change” in America, “progressives” have created a moral vacuum, and as a result of that lack of morality, America today witnesses more and more frequent occurrences of senseless acts such as the tragedy we witnessed Friday in Newtown, Connecticut.
This isn’t the debate the media wants to have. Being predominately “progressive,” the media wants to make the debate about gun control, because that fits the agenda of their chosen politicians. Unfortunately there are many good Americans who, rather than looking at the bigger picture and realizing that it is the moral decline of America that is bringing this great nation to her knees, are misled by the media into believing the debate needs to be about gun control. A few mentally unstable individuals who happen to find ways to exploit weaknesses in society such as ”gun-free zones” allow fear to override all other senses, and it is when we feel fear that we allow ourselves to become weak minded and gullible.
Ben Franklin once said, “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
These days it seems every time we turn around, we’re giving up more and more of our liberties. Be it “The Patriot Act” and “Department of Homeland Security” of the Bush administration, or now President Obama’s “health care” law and his thinly veiled promises of firearm restrictions, we are no safer, a lot less free, and sadly therefore getting exactly what we deserve.
I am not a church-going person, but I am a man of Faith. I understand right from wrong, and I understand God’s law. In my youth I was taught a value system based on Judeo-Christian values; the same values our Founding Fathers (even the non-believers) all agreed were the moral foundation upon which our Constitution must be based, because laws are created in the essence of morality. The Ten Commandments have always been displayed in The United States Supreme Court, because they are moral laws that all individuals should understand as a code by which we should all live our lives.
In modern culture, Americans have allowed do-nothings such as Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton, Reality TV “stars” like Honey Boo Boo and “The Real Wives” of every city, as well as pop-culture icons like Jay-Z and Beyonce (to name just a few) to become more important than our $16 trillion in national debt. Our soldiers are living in the streets, and our elderly are going hungry, but sadly many people today are more consumed with what someone posted on Facebook than how the government continues to allow itself a higher credit limit at the expense of future generations.
Meanwhile our President and other elected representatives are more concerned about being popular with the celebrity class than they are concerned about performing the duties we elected them to perform, and they’re more worried about one-upmanship and chest thumping because “I won!” than they are interested in cooperation and bi-partisanship in the interest of serving their constituents and fellow Americans.
So why, then, are we so shocked when mentally unstable individuals are not given the love, care, attention and affection every human needs and deserves, and because they feel so lost and alone their reaction is to acquire whatever weapons they can find that allow them to bring great harm quickly to as many people as possible in an act of desperation?
America is losing its morality, Christianity in America is under attack, and we are becoming less civil toward each other with each passing day. Whether it is union thugs fighting with and physically beating their political opposition in Michigan, the media making fun of concerned and patriotic Americans who wear hats with bags of tea strung from them, or politicians and politically motivated pundits insisting that their political opponents and half of all Americans make decisions based upon race and gender, it’s all the same. The Golden Rule of “Do unto others” has been lost and forgotten. In the entitlement and instant gratification society we live within today, “What’s in this for me”” has taken the place of “Ask not what your country can do for you…” Sadly but not surprisingly, evil is beginning to show itself more and more in the face of declining morality.
In learning what causes such devastating events to transpire as that which took the lives of 26 innocent individuals in Connecticut this past Friday, we must first understand that these individuals who act out in such dramatic fashion are not in their right mind, because no person in their right mind would ever do such a thing. For reasons we cannot understand, these individuals want to take out as many people as possible for whatever reason they believe is okay, and it is my opinion that nothing will stop them. If guns were not available, there would be other methods employed by these unstable individuals to carry out their task. If they couldn’t get a gun, they would drive a car through a wall, or build and set off pipe bombs or some other explosive devices, or God knows what else.
I don’t know a lot, but I know this: when a man dresses himself in the camouflage of our military, makes himself appear as one of our real heroes, and then attacks children, the firearm that man used to carry out his crime is not the problem. Guns have been a part of American culture since the founding of America, yet until recently they have never appeared to be such a problem as could be said today. It would be easy to point the finger of blame at the inanimate object, but the firearm can’t be fired without the arm of an individual reaching for the trigger. Therefore in my humble opinion, to begin a discussion about gun laws in the immediate aftermath of such a tragic loss of innocent life is to belittle the memory of the fallen. If we don't solve the human problem, then there is no point in discussing the gun problem, because in the hands of mentally stable and law abiding individuals, firearms are not a problem.
Our nation has been in moral decline for at least fifty years, although it has likely been more like one hundred years or so. Over the past century, “progressive” individuals have gained more and more powerful positions in all levels of government. Through their ongoing efforts to legislate away traditional values and implement their own sense of morality onto the masses, they have slowly chipped away at the moral fiber of America. Led by these “progressive” individuals, our government passes laws that remove God from the public forum and take away individual rights under the guise of “the greater good.” In the process of creating “change” in America, “progressives” have created a moral vacuum, and as a result of that lack of morality, America today witnesses more and more frequent occurrences of senseless acts such as the tragedy we witnessed Friday in Newtown, Connecticut.
This isn’t the debate the media wants to have. Being predominately “progressive,” the media wants to make the debate about gun control, because that fits the agenda of their chosen politicians. Unfortunately there are many good Americans who, rather than looking at the bigger picture and realizing that it is the moral decline of America that is bringing this great nation to her knees, are misled by the media into believing the debate needs to be about gun control. A few mentally unstable individuals who happen to find ways to exploit weaknesses in society such as ”gun-free zones” allow fear to override all other senses, and it is when we feel fear that we allow ourselves to become weak minded and gullible.
Ben Franklin once said, “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
These days it seems every time we turn around, we’re giving up more and more of our liberties. Be it “The Patriot Act” and “Department of Homeland Security” of the Bush administration, or now President Obama’s “health care” law and his thinly veiled promises of firearm restrictions, we are no safer, a lot less free, and sadly therefore getting exactly what we deserve.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Friday Night Videos: Workin' for a Livin'
Today I saw a video clip of the union-backed Wal-Mart protests. As I watched the news segment I saw a woman holding a sign that said “I make $8.60 an hour.” Given the nature of the protests against Wal-Mart I would figure that woman’s sign was not necessarily displayed to show gratitude for the money she earns.
A little over six years ago I took a job that paid me $8.50 an hour, because I needed work. I had put myself in the place that I needed work, which is different than the position some find themselves in today, but nonetheless I took a job at a place that was willing to employ me and I did the best I could to prove to my new employer that he had made the right decision. I worked hard, and continued to work harder, in the effort to show my value for a couple of reasons; as a way of giving thanks to the man who offered me the opportunity to earn the wages he put before me, and as a display that I was ultimately worth more than the initial wage agreed upon at the time of my hiring.
Today I am a member of the management team at that same company. I am compensated with a salary well above that initial starting wage I received years ago, but my ethic has never changed. Every day when I go to work I strive to prove I am more valuable than the pay I receive, and because I have maintained this standard I have seen my pay raised more than probably any other individual within our company over the past few years. Yet I feel no guilt or shame; instead, I feel pride, gratitude, and a responsibility to be a better member of the team that has accepted me and provided me with the wonderful opportunity to use my skills to the betterment of all around me.
An $8.60 per hour job is not really supposed to be a career. A job at that level is supposed to be a building block; a place where a person can learn work ethics, perhaps find a skill, or get by during difficult times. In my opinion, generally speaking, a person who attempts to make a career of an entry level position in any industry is not expecting enough of his or herself, and needs to aspire for greater achievements.
One of the complaints registered by some of the Wal-Mart protests had to do with stores opening on Thanksgiving Day. While I can sympathize with the sentiment, I cannot in good faith agree with the complaints. For years I worked on nearly every holiday, depending on the industry of my chosen work. Tow truck drivers drive year round, and many restaurants and bars are open during times most people are home relaxing.
Retail is expanding its horizons by opening on Thanksgiving Day, but times are tough all around these days. These places of business are making an effort to serve the interests of two fronts; investors and customers. By offering customers more shopping hours and lower prices, retailers hope to liquidate more of their inventory and add to overall profits, which serve investors who expect a return on their risk. And while this scenario requires hours of work from some that may not necessarily enjoy getting off the couch while the turkey is still digesting, to many individuals it provides an opportunity for more income, a fantastic price on an item otherwise not easily attainable, or a check that says thank you for risking your capital in our business.
Of course we can argue the merits of wanting “things” and whether or not the things sold by these big box retailers are worth the price paid in many ways by many individuals, but in my opinion that is a deeper discussion about the moral decay of society that has led to lines being blurred between needs and wants.
Back in 1982 times were also tough, and an upstart rock band called Huey Lewis and The News wrote a song about what it means to be that person, struggling to make ends meet while not having to borrow from family and friends, yet understanding that it’s always important to be grateful to have the income we have. The song is a mainstay on radio still today, and the message still rings true; whether you’re a bus boy, bartender, grease monkey, or an ex-junkie who has worked hard, been responsible and shown gratitude for an honest day's pay for the work I put in...
I’m taking what they’re giving, ‘cause I’m Workin’ for a Livin’.
A little over six years ago I took a job that paid me $8.50 an hour, because I needed work. I had put myself in the place that I needed work, which is different than the position some find themselves in today, but nonetheless I took a job at a place that was willing to employ me and I did the best I could to prove to my new employer that he had made the right decision. I worked hard, and continued to work harder, in the effort to show my value for a couple of reasons; as a way of giving thanks to the man who offered me the opportunity to earn the wages he put before me, and as a display that I was ultimately worth more than the initial wage agreed upon at the time of my hiring.
Today I am a member of the management team at that same company. I am compensated with a salary well above that initial starting wage I received years ago, but my ethic has never changed. Every day when I go to work I strive to prove I am more valuable than the pay I receive, and because I have maintained this standard I have seen my pay raised more than probably any other individual within our company over the past few years. Yet I feel no guilt or shame; instead, I feel pride, gratitude, and a responsibility to be a better member of the team that has accepted me and provided me with the wonderful opportunity to use my skills to the betterment of all around me.
An $8.60 per hour job is not really supposed to be a career. A job at that level is supposed to be a building block; a place where a person can learn work ethics, perhaps find a skill, or get by during difficult times. In my opinion, generally speaking, a person who attempts to make a career of an entry level position in any industry is not expecting enough of his or herself, and needs to aspire for greater achievements.
One of the complaints registered by some of the Wal-Mart protests had to do with stores opening on Thanksgiving Day. While I can sympathize with the sentiment, I cannot in good faith agree with the complaints. For years I worked on nearly every holiday, depending on the industry of my chosen work. Tow truck drivers drive year round, and many restaurants and bars are open during times most people are home relaxing.
Retail is expanding its horizons by opening on Thanksgiving Day, but times are tough all around these days. These places of business are making an effort to serve the interests of two fronts; investors and customers. By offering customers more shopping hours and lower prices, retailers hope to liquidate more of their inventory and add to overall profits, which serve investors who expect a return on their risk. And while this scenario requires hours of work from some that may not necessarily enjoy getting off the couch while the turkey is still digesting, to many individuals it provides an opportunity for more income, a fantastic price on an item otherwise not easily attainable, or a check that says thank you for risking your capital in our business.
Of course we can argue the merits of wanting “things” and whether or not the things sold by these big box retailers are worth the price paid in many ways by many individuals, but in my opinion that is a deeper discussion about the moral decay of society that has led to lines being blurred between needs and wants.
Back in 1982 times were also tough, and an upstart rock band called Huey Lewis and The News wrote a song about what it means to be that person, struggling to make ends meet while not having to borrow from family and friends, yet understanding that it’s always important to be grateful to have the income we have. The song is a mainstay on radio still today, and the message still rings true; whether you’re a bus boy, bartender, grease monkey, or an ex-junkie who has worked hard, been responsible and shown gratitude for an honest day's pay for the work I put in...
I’m taking what they’re giving, ‘cause I’m Workin’ for a Livin’.
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