Posts
This is something I wrote in response to Loku:
As for my being white, you always try to take away the part of me that wasn't born in Europe, that did not come here on a ship, the part that is connected to this land in a way that you will NEVER understand.
I am not all white.
I will never be all white.
I can never deny who and what I am.
I will never be what you want me to be.
You can't steal my heritage from me, no matter how hard you try.
I really think that his attitude is part of the undercurrent of American society, that if you LOOK white, then you surely can't claim or affirm the REST of your heritage, the part of you that doesn't belong to the predominately white culture, the part of you that is connected to the land, the part that connects you to your Brothers and Sisters of Color.
As Claudine Chiawei O'Hearn said in the introduction of Half + Half, "Skin color and place of birth aren't accurate signifiers of identity. One and one don't necessarily add up to two. Cultural and racial amalgams create a third, wholly indistinguishable category where origin and home are indeterminate... What name do you give someone who is a quarter, an eighth, a half?"
She's right. What name do we have?
In America, we are automatically classified upon the first perception of the masses.
Our culture insists on placing a label on everyone.
Because my skin color is white, my hair is a funny reddish gold, my eyes are teal, I am classified as "white".
Yet, yet, yet, there are those moments when I am recognized as not being all white.
A party where a Latino/Aztec man I'd never seen before walked up to me and asked what kind of Indian I am.
My daughter's [Black] friend who hesitated, and then asked me what ethnicity I was -- because whites don't have the kind of hair I have.
High cheekbones, long coarse hair, there are identifiers for those who wish to see.
And I guess that's the issue, those who wish to see.
White American culture doesn't wish to see.
Individuals, yes, often individuals are willing to step outside of the box. But the inertia pressing us all down the path of assimilation doesn't permit us to be different. America doesn't permit us to be different.
When we self-identify, hold onto that part of our lives, our culture, our heritage that doesn't lead back to Europe, then we set ourselves apart from the mainstream culture.
We are aliens in our own land.
I identify more with Fredi and Isabel Washington, who in the 1930s could have easily passed into white society. Who chose to embrace their African and Native American heritage rather than become white movie stars. Who chose to be and remain who they were, despite their outward appearances of being "white".
I identify more with Julia Alvarez, from the Dominican Republic, yet perceived as white by not just white America, but by other, darker Dominicans.
I identify with my boss, who married into a Latino family, converted to Catholicism, immersed herself in the culture of her husband.
Some of us, despite our skin color, will never fit into white society. So we reach out, join our Brothers and Sisters of Color. We reach out for our heritage that is more, so much more than white America could ever understand.
Yes, we are aliens in our own land.
Yet, I could never trade who and what I am, just so I could fit in.
I would rather be alone than deny myself, deny my grandparents, deny my gggrandmother, a free person of color.
In the words of the immortal cartoon character, Popeye, " I am who I am".
No more, no less.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Some People Shouldn't Be Allowed To Have Kids
No, I'm not talking about eugenics.
Not hardly.
I'm talking about degenerate, evil people like this "mother".
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/11/23/Mother_accused_of_scarring_wimp_daughter/UPI-27681227463372/
This is absolutely horrifying.
To burn "WIMP" into your child's neck, with a cigarette?!?
Thank the Good Lord that a teacher saw the marks and reported it to CPS.
The child is safe now and "mom" is facing charges of felony child abuse.
I pray that this child is taken in by family or a good adoptive family and that the life she's led up to now becomes a faint memory, overlaid by many happy memories in her new home.
God only knows what else she has suffered.
Some people should not be allowed to have children.
All children deserve to be safe.
All children deserve forever homes.
And some people should not be allowed to have children...
Not hardly.
I'm talking about degenerate, evil people like this "mother".
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/11/23/Mother_accused_of_scarring_wimp_daughter/UPI-27681227463372/
This is absolutely horrifying.
To burn "WIMP" into your child's neck, with a cigarette?!?
Thank the Good Lord that a teacher saw the marks and reported it to CPS.
The child is safe now and "mom" is facing charges of felony child abuse.
I pray that this child is taken in by family or a good adoptive family and that the life she's led up to now becomes a faint memory, overlaid by many happy memories in her new home.
God only knows what else she has suffered.
Some people should not be allowed to have children.
All children deserve to be safe.
All children deserve forever homes.
And some people should not be allowed to have children...
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The Homeowner Bail Out
Yes, I am in favor of a homeowner bail out.
I was NOT in favor of the big bank bail out. Why? AIG sending its staff to an expensive retreat, after accepting $150 billion... Need I say more?
However, there are a LOT of ways that the government could help homeowners. Here's some random thoughts:
I was NOT in favor of the big bank bail out. Why? AIG sending its staff to an expensive retreat, after accepting $150 billion... Need I say more?
However, there are a LOT of ways that the government could help homeowners. Here's some random thoughts:
- Lend homeowners enough money to redo their loans. Something like, original lender loan drops to the current value of the house, Feds lend homeowner enough $$ for a 1 to 3% interest second mortgage. And while they're at it, set up automatic payments according to the homeowners' paydays.
- Matching funds, lender does a free refi, loan becomes a 30 - 40 - even 50 year fixed rate loan, Feds give lenders a matching amount of $$ for the amount the lender forgives on the loan. Naturally you would want a cap on this amount.
- Drop interest rates. All mortgages drop off 2% on the interest rate, with the lowest rate being 5%, Feds give some fat tax breaks and incentive $$ to lenders.
- Force lenders to allow homeowners to make bi-monthly payments, so it's easier to make payments according to the homeowners' paydays and budget.
- Lenders forgive up to 3 months payments, get a tax break or incentive $$.
- Don't let lenders do loans without an escrow account. That will stop lenders from playing games with the payment amounts. (I know this one, I was ASSURED that my loan would include the escrow -- well, at the last minute, when I was already committed and really had no choice, oops, that was wrong, didn't include the escrow. So I got screwed. Dude knew I was out of money, I couldn't start the process over with another lender. He got his commission and I got "did"...)
- Freeze foreclosures for up to 6 months to give homeowners a chance to catch up, tack up to 6 months payments onto the end of the mortgage.
Naturally, all of these random thoughts should have limits. Lenders shouldn't have to suck up a 700,000 loan when the house value has dropped to 200,000. But they could refi the original amount into a lower interest rate, longer term, fixed rate loan. Why? Because if the homeowner sits tight for another 3 to 10 years, the house value WILL go up again.
But there are many, many ways that the Feds and the mortgage companies could help homeowners and at the same time, help themselves.
Why? Because if the mortgage market can be stabilized, the rest of the economy will also begin stabilizing.
The house of cards has already tumbled. Let's change the building materials back to brick and mortar and get our economy back on track.
I have to go now, time to get ready for work.
Think about it. In fact, think outside of the box.
This CAN be resolved without people losing their homes and the lenders not losing a lot of money. Stop saying "can't" and start asking "how"...
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
President Obama Represents Hope
While die-hard Republicans are dismayed at the election of a Democrat, I am obviously thrilled at our choice.
I think President Obama's two terms in office will be a bright spot in American history. Yes, two terms. He is going to pull the economy out of the toilet. He is going to get some resolution to our overseas issues, like Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. He is going to be more flexible and is already perceived as a man to work with, not against, in international politics. And in politics, how you are perceived by others is half the battle.
Yes, the Repubs are having fits, but they have only their party to blame. Even my Dad, a die-hard Republican, told me that he has to hold his nose to vote for the lesser of two evils. That is a telling statement. "The lesser of two evils."
The Republican Party has lost touch with its own membership.
I truly believe that most people are moderates with a few wild swings one way or the other. The Party has catered a little too long to the right wing wack jobs that fill the airwaves with dramatic statements, misrepresentations, and flat out lies.
Yes, they have a right to their opinions, but while they've been shouting BS to the winds, the massive silent majority in America spoke with their votes.
President Obama represents hope.
Hope for enough of a change to make a difference.
Now, I'm not deluded enough to think people want big changes. No, no, they absolutely don't.
What people want is to live decent lives, have a good job, a roof over their heads, food to eat, a nice vehicle to drive, an education for their kids. Americans like their toys, yes, but mainly they want to be secure in their lives.
People want to go to work, come home, watch TV, maybe play a sport, enjoy their families. They want to be able to tailgate now and then at the stadium. They want to eat out now and then. They want to be able to go to the doctor when they're sick, so they get better.
They don't want to be sweating over the checkbook trying to figure out how to pay the increasing mortgage (because the broker lied to them about the advantages of that low-rate adjustable mortgage -- believe me, don't blame the victims of fraud!!).
People don't want massive changes in the American system. They just want to live their day-to-day lives and be able to retire someday.
The mortgage meltdown was only one more symptom of the failures of the American economic system. I'd take it back to the Enron debacle. That was the beginning of the meltdown. We just didn't know how big the lies were and how far entrenched into our economic system they'd become.
President Obama isn't going to be able to perform miracles. But he is going to take charge and start working on behalf of the PEOPLE of America. Unlike all too many politicians, he hasn't forgotten where he came from -- middle class working people.
President Obama represents new hope in America.
I think President Obama's two terms in office will be a bright spot in American history. Yes, two terms. He is going to pull the economy out of the toilet. He is going to get some resolution to our overseas issues, like Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. He is going to be more flexible and is already perceived as a man to work with, not against, in international politics. And in politics, how you are perceived by others is half the battle.
Yes, the Repubs are having fits, but they have only their party to blame. Even my Dad, a die-hard Republican, told me that he has to hold his nose to vote for the lesser of two evils. That is a telling statement. "The lesser of two evils."
The Republican Party has lost touch with its own membership.
I truly believe that most people are moderates with a few wild swings one way or the other. The Party has catered a little too long to the right wing wack jobs that fill the airwaves with dramatic statements, misrepresentations, and flat out lies.
Yes, they have a right to their opinions, but while they've been shouting BS to the winds, the massive silent majority in America spoke with their votes.
President Obama represents hope.
Hope for enough of a change to make a difference.
Now, I'm not deluded enough to think people want big changes. No, no, they absolutely don't.
What people want is to live decent lives, have a good job, a roof over their heads, food to eat, a nice vehicle to drive, an education for their kids. Americans like their toys, yes, but mainly they want to be secure in their lives.
People want to go to work, come home, watch TV, maybe play a sport, enjoy their families. They want to be able to tailgate now and then at the stadium. They want to eat out now and then. They want to be able to go to the doctor when they're sick, so they get better.
They don't want to be sweating over the checkbook trying to figure out how to pay the increasing mortgage (because the broker lied to them about the advantages of that low-rate adjustable mortgage -- believe me, don't blame the victims of fraud!!).
People don't want massive changes in the American system. They just want to live their day-to-day lives and be able to retire someday.
The mortgage meltdown was only one more symptom of the failures of the American economic system. I'd take it back to the Enron debacle. That was the beginning of the meltdown. We just didn't know how big the lies were and how far entrenched into our economic system they'd become.
President Obama isn't going to be able to perform miracles. But he is going to take charge and start working on behalf of the PEOPLE of America. Unlike all too many politicians, he hasn't forgotten where he came from -- middle class working people.
President Obama represents new hope in America.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Hope Has Prevailed Over Status Quo
Hope has prevailed over status quo.
Tonight, Barak Obama becomes our next President.
Personally, I'm thrilled.
Obama is a symbol of hope, not just for Black American, but for ALL of America.
Now, the cynic in me is already saying,
Watch this, Obama has won, so the people who voted against him will start justifying and compartmentalizing him. Suddenly, he'll be "different" than the rest of our African-American Brothers and Sisters. His father was African, his mother was white. Somehow, there will be those that will put him into a different category than other Black men.
Yes, I know, it's pretty cynical to say this.
But I know how people are.
My youngest son is very fair. Some "overlook" that his father is Black, Mexican, and Italian. But my sweet child said, "I'm white on the outside and Black on the inside."
He knows who he is, no matter what others think, no matter how fair he is, he knows and embraces his heritage.
Thus is Obama. No matter what people may think and say, he embraces who he is, he embraces his heritage. And no matter what people may think or say, Obama is the President of all Americans.
McCain is speaking as I type, conceding the victory to Obama. He is gracious in defeat. He offers all his support to President Obama to find ways to compromise and bridge our differences. He hushes those who boo, speaking of love for our Country, wishing our new President well, and asking for God's blessings on America.
Yes, we will, once more, have a peaceful transition from one President to the next.
America will stand today, tomorrow, and for many more tomorrows, together as one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
Today, many of our Brothers and Sisters of Color who were disenfranchised in the past have found new hope, new faith, new belief in America.
Hope has prevailed over status quo in America today.
It is a day to be proud to be an American.
Tonight, Barak Obama becomes our next President.
Personally, I'm thrilled.
Obama is a symbol of hope, not just for Black American, but for ALL of America.
Now, the cynic in me is already saying,
Watch this, Obama has won, so the people who voted against him will start justifying and compartmentalizing him. Suddenly, he'll be "different" than the rest of our African-American Brothers and Sisters. His father was African, his mother was white. Somehow, there will be those that will put him into a different category than other Black men.
Yes, I know, it's pretty cynical to say this.
But I know how people are.
My youngest son is very fair. Some "overlook" that his father is Black, Mexican, and Italian. But my sweet child said, "I'm white on the outside and Black on the inside."
He knows who he is, no matter what others think, no matter how fair he is, he knows and embraces his heritage.
Thus is Obama. No matter what people may think and say, he embraces who he is, he embraces his heritage. And no matter what people may think or say, Obama is the President of all Americans.
McCain is speaking as I type, conceding the victory to Obama. He is gracious in defeat. He offers all his support to President Obama to find ways to compromise and bridge our differences. He hushes those who boo, speaking of love for our Country, wishing our new President well, and asking for God's blessings on America.
Yes, we will, once more, have a peaceful transition from one President to the next.
America will stand today, tomorrow, and for many more tomorrows, together as one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
Today, many of our Brothers and Sisters of Color who were disenfranchised in the past have found new hope, new faith, new belief in America.
Hope has prevailed over status quo in America today.
It is a day to be proud to be an American.
Monday, November 3, 2008
History Will Be Made Tomorrow
Yes, it's a historic election in many, many ways.
It's more than electing our first [officially] Black President.
Honestly, whether Obama wins or loses, it will still be historic.
We've already had a huge turnout of voters. People who have never voted in their lives have not only registered to vote, but stood in line for two or three hours to vote.
I know I'm planning on being at my polling site when it opens at 7am. I normally vote after work, but with the anticipated huge turnout of voters, plus bad weather, I don't want to take a chance that I'll miss my chance to vote this year.
Obama is a remarkable man. Grieving his beloved grandmother, who passed on to Heaven today, he has stayed poised and on track throughout this election.
Despite vile lies, misdirection, out and out racism, and then even more lies, Obama is still standing strong and proud.
And let me say again, lies, lies, lies.
It's not like it's the first Presidential campaign that tried to imply that the candidate wasn't a citizen, that he wasn't really a Christian (remember it was a huge thing that JFK was Catholic), that he would bring chaos into the American system of government, that he wasn't white (but of course, Obama is mixed, so he really isn't all white), etc, etc, etc.
PULEEZE people, get a grip.
The United States system of government has been amazingly successful for us. We manage, every four years, to elect or re-elect a President, to maintain a stable government, to avoid chaos in the transition.
IE, life goes on.
I do believe that Obama is the best man for the job.
I'm sure I'll have someone e-mailing me and telling me a bunch of horrible lies that have long been discredited by www.snopes.com (a valuable resource, you should check it out).
Even my own parents, die hard Republicans, told me some of the blathering that's being smeared across the air by too many right wing radio hosts.
For example, did you know that if Obama loses, there will be riots in the streets of America? REALLY??? I'm rolling my eyes and shaking my head over that crazy idea. I haven't heard any such thing over here on the Democratic side of the world. I can't imagine that people would riot over a Presidential election. That just does not happen in America.
(The ONLY way there would be riots would be if some idiot caused harm to our Brother. And my Brothers and Sisters of Color would not be alone, there'd be a boatload of whites up in the mix. Fortunately the Secret Service is on top of security, there won't be any slip ups.)
I must say, the Republican machine must be getting pretty desperate to come up with that kind of bull droppings...
And I'm sure you've heard all the nonsense about Obama's birth certificate, that he's not a native born American, that he's an Arab, that he follows Islam. I even read one comment online, that he's the anti-Christ.
OMfreakinggoodness!!
People, as important as this election is to all of us, get a grip!! And in fact, take a hard look at the sources of all these lies.
Remember, the ends DO NOT justify the means.
Obama has remained poised and gentlemanly, despite all the mudslinging. McCain seems more shrill by the minute.
Yes, Obama is Presidential material. He'll be a fine figure leading our country.
Remember, the President is the leader, but Congress runs the show. Obama can only do so much in our system of checks and balances.
Even Bush could only do so much damage. It was plenty bad enough, but he wasn't able to destroy the country, in spite of all his efforts. Thanks to Powell and Rice and many, many other bright, intelligent staff, even Bush was generally not all bad.
Get a grip, my people!!
The world won't end when Obama wins the election. In fact, neither will the country.
We will have our normal orderly change of the guard, at the last minute Bush will pardon some doofus(s) that don't really deserve it, he'll sign a few more bills into law, he'll give his outgoing speeches, and then Obama will take his oath of office on the Bible -- yes a regular Bible, just like the one you have on your nightstand.
Everything will go on, just like it does every four years.
History will be made tomorrow.
I'm looking forward to it...
It's more than electing our first [officially] Black President.
Honestly, whether Obama wins or loses, it will still be historic.
We've already had a huge turnout of voters. People who have never voted in their lives have not only registered to vote, but stood in line for two or three hours to vote.
I know I'm planning on being at my polling site when it opens at 7am. I normally vote after work, but with the anticipated huge turnout of voters, plus bad weather, I don't want to take a chance that I'll miss my chance to vote this year.
Obama is a remarkable man. Grieving his beloved grandmother, who passed on to Heaven today, he has stayed poised and on track throughout this election.
Despite vile lies, misdirection, out and out racism, and then even more lies, Obama is still standing strong and proud.
And let me say again, lies, lies, lies.
It's not like it's the first Presidential campaign that tried to imply that the candidate wasn't a citizen, that he wasn't really a Christian (remember it was a huge thing that JFK was Catholic), that he would bring chaos into the American system of government, that he wasn't white (but of course, Obama is mixed, so he really isn't all white), etc, etc, etc.
PULEEZE people, get a grip.
The United States system of government has been amazingly successful for us. We manage, every four years, to elect or re-elect a President, to maintain a stable government, to avoid chaos in the transition.
IE, life goes on.
I do believe that Obama is the best man for the job.
I'm sure I'll have someone e-mailing me and telling me a bunch of horrible lies that have long been discredited by www.snopes.com (a valuable resource, you should check it out).
Even my own parents, die hard Republicans, told me some of the blathering that's being smeared across the air by too many right wing radio hosts.
For example, did you know that if Obama loses, there will be riots in the streets of America? REALLY??? I'm rolling my eyes and shaking my head over that crazy idea. I haven't heard any such thing over here on the Democratic side of the world. I can't imagine that people would riot over a Presidential election. That just does not happen in America.
(The ONLY way there would be riots would be if some idiot caused harm to our Brother. And my Brothers and Sisters of Color would not be alone, there'd be a boatload of whites up in the mix. Fortunately the Secret Service is on top of security, there won't be any slip ups.)
I must say, the Republican machine must be getting pretty desperate to come up with that kind of bull droppings...
And I'm sure you've heard all the nonsense about Obama's birth certificate, that he's not a native born American, that he's an Arab, that he follows Islam. I even read one comment online, that he's the anti-Christ.
OMfreakinggoodness!!
People, as important as this election is to all of us, get a grip!! And in fact, take a hard look at the sources of all these lies.
Remember, the ends DO NOT justify the means.
Obama has remained poised and gentlemanly, despite all the mudslinging. McCain seems more shrill by the minute.
Yes, Obama is Presidential material. He'll be a fine figure leading our country.
Remember, the President is the leader, but Congress runs the show. Obama can only do so much in our system of checks and balances.
Even Bush could only do so much damage. It was plenty bad enough, but he wasn't able to destroy the country, in spite of all his efforts. Thanks to Powell and Rice and many, many other bright, intelligent staff, even Bush was generally not all bad.
Get a grip, my people!!
The world won't end when Obama wins the election. In fact, neither will the country.
We will have our normal orderly change of the guard, at the last minute Bush will pardon some doofus(s) that don't really deserve it, he'll sign a few more bills into law, he'll give his outgoing speeches, and then Obama will take his oath of office on the Bible -- yes a regular Bible, just like the one you have on your nightstand.
Everything will go on, just like it does every four years.
History will be made tomorrow.
I'm looking forward to it...
Friday, October 31, 2008
Let The Mudslinging Commence!
Oh, wait, it's been going on for days and weeks already.
Well, these last few days before the election will be filled with dramatic ad campaigns, filled with a lovely selection of misdirection, implied misdeeds, and flat out lies about various propositions and candidates for office.
Oh, yes, the mudslinging and muckraking has definitely commenced.
The funny thing is that most of the people I talk to know EXACTLY how they're going to vote. So all these commercials are just wasting time and money.
Typical, wasting time and money.
Hmmmm, is that just a precursor of things to come? Another politician wasting our time and our money?
Sigh, nothing new here, nothing to see, move along people, move along.
Yet, this whole election is about change.
The real question is, will it be "same games, different faces"? Or is there really a possibility that things can change?
I can say one thing for sure. I have seen more people stepping up to vote than I've ever seen before.
That's a good change.
Now, if we could just convince these guys that throwing mud against the other candidate to see if anything sticks is a pointless exercise, a waste of time and money...
Naw, the mudslinging has commenced, the air time bought and paid for, there's no hope for reasonable minds at this late date.
Maybe next time, folks will remember who did and who did not think it was necessary to dredge up a bunch of lies to make the other guy look bad.
Shoot, why, when he does so well by himself???
Give a politician enough air time, and sooner or later, he'll say something so incredibly stupid that even the most devout follower will cringe.
Of course, that'll be more ammo for the next round of mudslinging...
Well, these last few days before the election will be filled with dramatic ad campaigns, filled with a lovely selection of misdirection, implied misdeeds, and flat out lies about various propositions and candidates for office.
Oh, yes, the mudslinging and muckraking has definitely commenced.
The funny thing is that most of the people I talk to know EXACTLY how they're going to vote. So all these commercials are just wasting time and money.
Typical, wasting time and money.
Hmmmm, is that just a precursor of things to come? Another politician wasting our time and our money?
Sigh, nothing new here, nothing to see, move along people, move along.
Yet, this whole election is about change.
The real question is, will it be "same games, different faces"? Or is there really a possibility that things can change?
I can say one thing for sure. I have seen more people stepping up to vote than I've ever seen before.
That's a good change.
Now, if we could just convince these guys that throwing mud against the other candidate to see if anything sticks is a pointless exercise, a waste of time and money...
Naw, the mudslinging has commenced, the air time bought and paid for, there's no hope for reasonable minds at this late date.
Maybe next time, folks will remember who did and who did not think it was necessary to dredge up a bunch of lies to make the other guy look bad.
Shoot, why, when he does so well by himself???
Give a politician enough air time, and sooner or later, he'll say something so incredibly stupid that even the most devout follower will cringe.
Of course, that'll be more ammo for the next round of mudslinging...
Monday, October 27, 2008
Using Kids In The Yes On 8 Ads? No Way!!
I was shocked this week, when I saw on the boob tube that the Yes on 8 clowns actually had the gall to use images of children at their teacher's wedding in a negative ad campaign. Using kids in the Yes On 8 ads? No way!!
Yes, it was a same sex marriage.
But come on now!! The children were celebrating the wedding of their teacher, they really, really don't care about the stuff you and I worry about.
In any case, these self righteous pretenders to Christianity are defending their use of the images of these children, without the families' permission, without regard to the children's feeling or rights, to promote the Yes On 8 campaign.
As a parent, I am absolutely horrified.
Even though the film was on the news, there's a HUGE difference between the news and a propaganda campaign misusing the images of someone else's kids.
That's like saying because your house can be viewed on Google maps, they can use that image in a political campaign that promotes (for example) eminent domain, even if you're 100% against it.
The idea that they can misuse images of kids!!
I hope that the parents sue the pants off of these special interest groups, most not even located in California, and win. And not just win, but take their assets so they can't pull this kind of underhanded unChristian lying BS again.
And, you know, I'm wondering just how this pack of jackals got the tape to start with. Did the TV news station SELL it to them? Or did they just steal it by taping the news story?
There are just too many groups out there, pretending to be Christians and claiming to speak for all of us, and then turning around and parading with the devil.
Yeah, you heard me.
They're not walking the Path, they're walking an unholy path that leads straight to Satan.
When you're trying to oppose something that you feel is unChristian, you sure as heck don't lie, cheat and steal to get your so-called point across.
The ends do not justify the means.
Not now.
Not ever.
The Word warns us against people who pretend to be something they're not. And that's just what the backers of Yes On 8 are.
Liars.
Cheats.
Thieves.
Yes on 8? Think not.
The ends don't justify the means. And that means my vote must go against the liars, cheats, thieves of this world. Must. I am mandated to oppose the followers of the evil one. And while some of these people may not think they're his followers, they're certainly doing his work for him.
Anyone who tries to justify using images of other people's kids in a vicious lying ad campaign, well, words aren't enough to express my disgust.
As Auntie Em said, "And now... well, being a Christian woman, I can't say it!"
This is Cali -- we don't live in Kansas and Dorothy isn't going to be convinced to be a lesbian if her teacher marries another woman. It doesn't work that way. Anyone who thinks it does is an ignorant fool.
And anyone who thinks it's OK to use images of someone else's kids in an ad campaign and then has the gall to try to justify it, is worse than a fool.
Don't believe everything you see on TV.
Don't believe the hype.
And don't believe that the ends justify the means.
The Golden Rule still applies to this world.
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Hmmmm, are there some folks out there who are missing the point???
Yeah, there are.
But they'd better be aware that this last chunk of lies has backfired. Parents are angry. Angry that their kids have been used. Angry that the backers of Yes On 8 are defying the parents' wishes. Angry that they're trying to justify stealing the images of those kids.
Oh yeah, it's not pretty.
The Light shines and exposes the Dark.
The Truth exposes lies.
And liars always trip themselves up, with just
one
more
lie...
Yes, it was a same sex marriage.
But come on now!! The children were celebrating the wedding of their teacher, they really, really don't care about the stuff you and I worry about.
In any case, these self righteous pretenders to Christianity are defending their use of the images of these children, without the families' permission, without regard to the children's feeling or rights, to promote the Yes On 8 campaign.
As a parent, I am absolutely horrified.
Even though the film was on the news, there's a HUGE difference between the news and a propaganda campaign misusing the images of someone else's kids.
That's like saying because your house can be viewed on Google maps, they can use that image in a political campaign that promotes (for example) eminent domain, even if you're 100% against it.
The idea that they can misuse images of kids!!
I hope that the parents sue the pants off of these special interest groups, most not even located in California, and win. And not just win, but take their assets so they can't pull this kind of underhanded unChristian lying BS again.
And, you know, I'm wondering just how this pack of jackals got the tape to start with. Did the TV news station SELL it to them? Or did they just steal it by taping the news story?
There are just too many groups out there, pretending to be Christians and claiming to speak for all of us, and then turning around and parading with the devil.
Yeah, you heard me.
They're not walking the Path, they're walking an unholy path that leads straight to Satan.
When you're trying to oppose something that you feel is unChristian, you sure as heck don't lie, cheat and steal to get your so-called point across.
The ends do not justify the means.
Not now.
Not ever.
The Word warns us against people who pretend to be something they're not. And that's just what the backers of Yes On 8 are.
Liars.
Cheats.
Thieves.
Yes on 8? Think not.
The ends don't justify the means. And that means my vote must go against the liars, cheats, thieves of this world. Must. I am mandated to oppose the followers of the evil one. And while some of these people may not think they're his followers, they're certainly doing his work for him.
Anyone who tries to justify using images of other people's kids in a vicious lying ad campaign, well, words aren't enough to express my disgust.
As Auntie Em said, "And now... well, being a Christian woman, I can't say it!"
This is Cali -- we don't live in Kansas and Dorothy isn't going to be convinced to be a lesbian if her teacher marries another woman. It doesn't work that way. Anyone who thinks it does is an ignorant fool.
And anyone who thinks it's OK to use images of someone else's kids in an ad campaign and then has the gall to try to justify it, is worse than a fool.
Don't believe everything you see on TV.
Don't believe the hype.
And don't believe that the ends justify the means.
The Golden Rule still applies to this world.
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Hmmmm, are there some folks out there who are missing the point???
Yeah, there are.
But they'd better be aware that this last chunk of lies has backfired. Parents are angry. Angry that their kids have been used. Angry that the backers of Yes On 8 are defying the parents' wishes. Angry that they're trying to justify stealing the images of those kids.
Oh yeah, it's not pretty.
The Light shines and exposes the Dark.
The Truth exposes lies.
And liars always trip themselves up, with just
one
more
lie...
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Self-Fulfilling Prophesies
As the election gets closer and closer, people are getting more and more worried.
Times are tough.
Some of our financial fluctuations are self-fulfilling prophesies.
The stock market is nervous. The media is blathering, The more the talking heads talk about recession, the more likely we are to fall into a recession.
People, stop jumping every time some talking head on TV says "boo!"
Don't be a sheeple.
Listen, I'm not saying to run out and spend your money like you used to. You can't afford it. In fact, you couldn't afford it back then either, but things were booming and you were full of optimism (and yourself) and thought things would be like this forever.
As my Pastor says, "If you don't like what's going on right now -- Change is coming!"
"And if everything is great, get ready -- Change is coming!!"
Our economy is like a huge ocean with tides. Sometimes it's up, sometimes it's down.
The media will doom and gloom you until you believe that things are all bad and they're never going to get better.
At that point, the prophesy fulfills itself.
So, Mom's advice today is to hang on. Tighten your belts, hang on for the ride. I foresee that by this time next year, things will be improving. You may have to make some sacrifices, like cut off the cable or the satellite dish, or go to dial-up instead of DSL, keep the same car for another couple of years, learn to cook, live in a smaller house, perhaps start all over again as a renter*, etc.
Times will get better.
Soon the talking heads will start blathering about how the financial markets are improving, that houses are selling, that the tide is again turning.
Soon the market will go up and the economy will be booming again.
(I hope gas drops below $2 a gallon first!)
Times will be good again.
But during the next swing upward, don't get so caught up in the hype. Don't forget this time. Save your money, plant a garden, buy a smaller house, drive a smaller car. Be frugal.
Don't let the self-fulfilling prophesies drag you down during the next cycle, the next wave of boom and bust.
Don't let the talking heads convince you that your life sucks.
Well, it might, but only you can change it!!
Use these tough times to improve your life.
It's another lesson. Learn from it.
Times are tough, yes, but I already see signs that we're pulling out of it. Houses are selling, gas prices are dropping darn near every day, banks are working with home-owners...
It's going to be OK.
Really.
(*If you lose your house and do a BK, in about three to four years you'll be able to buy again. It's NOT the end of the world to lose a house. You just have to get your financial house back in order, have three good credit lines, like a credit card with your bank, a small loan for a fridge or something, a small auto loan, and be current on everything. Note: I said SMALL!! And start saving your money. You should be able to qualify for an FHA loan. Been there, done that, and struggling right now to make my own mortgage payments, but it's going to be OK!!)
Times are tough.
Some of our financial fluctuations are self-fulfilling prophesies.
The stock market is nervous. The media is blathering, The more the talking heads talk about recession, the more likely we are to fall into a recession.
People, stop jumping every time some talking head on TV says "boo!"
Don't be a sheeple.
Listen, I'm not saying to run out and spend your money like you used to. You can't afford it. In fact, you couldn't afford it back then either, but things were booming and you were full of optimism (and yourself) and thought things would be like this forever.
As my Pastor says, "If you don't like what's going on right now -- Change is coming!"
"And if everything is great, get ready -- Change is coming!!"
Our economy is like a huge ocean with tides. Sometimes it's up, sometimes it's down.
The media will doom and gloom you until you believe that things are all bad and they're never going to get better.
At that point, the prophesy fulfills itself.
So, Mom's advice today is to hang on. Tighten your belts, hang on for the ride. I foresee that by this time next year, things will be improving. You may have to make some sacrifices, like cut off the cable or the satellite dish, or go to dial-up instead of DSL, keep the same car for another couple of years, learn to cook, live in a smaller house, perhaps start all over again as a renter*, etc.
Times will get better.
Soon the talking heads will start blathering about how the financial markets are improving, that houses are selling, that the tide is again turning.
Soon the market will go up and the economy will be booming again.
(I hope gas drops below $2 a gallon first!)
Times will be good again.
But during the next swing upward, don't get so caught up in the hype. Don't forget this time. Save your money, plant a garden, buy a smaller house, drive a smaller car. Be frugal.
Don't let the self-fulfilling prophesies drag you down during the next cycle, the next wave of boom and bust.
Don't let the talking heads convince you that your life sucks.
Well, it might, but only you can change it!!
Use these tough times to improve your life.
It's another lesson. Learn from it.
Times are tough, yes, but I already see signs that we're pulling out of it. Houses are selling, gas prices are dropping darn near every day, banks are working with home-owners...
It's going to be OK.
Really.
(*If you lose your house and do a BK, in about three to four years you'll be able to buy again. It's NOT the end of the world to lose a house. You just have to get your financial house back in order, have three good credit lines, like a credit card with your bank, a small loan for a fridge or something, a small auto loan, and be current on everything. Note: I said SMALL!! And start saving your money. You should be able to qualify for an FHA loan. Been there, done that, and struggling right now to make my own mortgage payments, but it's going to be OK!!)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Yes On 8 Is BUNK!!
I've been listening and watching the latest ad campaigns here in Cali, and I can tell you, that compost pile that we call an ad campaign is growing by the minute.
One of the most egregious is the Yes On 8 campaign.
Flat out lies fill the commercials that claim that children will be taught about gay marriage in schools, that churches will lose their non-profit status, that we will lose our rights as citizens.
Whoever came up with this garbage is LYING!
Do not be fooled by out of state special interests.
First, Cali has very stern rules about teaching certain topics to our kids. I have to sign a form before my son can be taught ANYTHING about family relations or sex education. It's not an opt-out system, I have to opt-in or he doesn't get that class. Period. No exceptions to the rules.
Second, non-profit status is from the Feds, so all that blather about churches is another flat out lie!
Third, regarding rights? What about the rights of our family, friends, co-workers to have a permanent relationship with their loved one? To love and cherish through sickness and in health.
Yes, I know that the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, has Words on homosexuality.
However, I also believe that God NEVER says "oops".
People are born the way they are, including their sexual orientation. Again, God never says "oops". So if people are born that way, and God knit us together in the womb, well, then, hmmmm........?
So who am I to judge and condemn people who love each other and want to make the commitment of marriage? In our country, marriage is a legal and business relationship anyway. And it's better that two people marry than to be fornicating around with every Tom, Dick and Harry (or Tammy, Donisha and Harriet).
Don't believe the overblown BS that this desperate ad campaign is throwing at you. It's FULL of LIES.
Oh, and that stuff about how four judges went against four million voters? Well, some of us did NOT vote for a ban on gay marriage. So don't include us in those fake numbers.
And by that logic, our Brothers and Sisters of Color would not be allowed to marry whites. In fact, like my gggrandmother, a free person of color, I would not be allowed to marry a white man either. Because it was once against the law for a person of color, any color, to marry a white.
I'm not all white.
My parents would not have been allowed to marry.
My grandparents, neither set, would have been allowed to marry.
My great grandparents would not have been allowed to marry (actually, they passed for white so they were able to marry).
Thank God for the judges who rule upon the constitutional rights of the citizens of this country, going against the popular prejudices of the times. Thank God for judges who look above and beyond the rantings of the haters among us, and look to the Constitution first, not last.
And hey, you know, if you insist on voting Yes on 8, voting to ban gay marriage, well it will be a wasted effort on your part. Because even if it passes, the judges will rule again, based on the Constitution, and your ranting and raving and votes will be for nothing.
Don't fall into the trap of believing everything you hear on TV. Especially if the ad is way over the top.
The ad campaign manager isn't underestimating the stupidity of the audience. Do yourself a favor and don't believe the hype.
Yes On 8 is BUNK!!
Don't believe the hype.
NEVER believe the hype!
One of the most egregious is the Yes On 8 campaign.
Flat out lies fill the commercials that claim that children will be taught about gay marriage in schools, that churches will lose their non-profit status, that we will lose our rights as citizens.
Whoever came up with this garbage is LYING!
Do not be fooled by out of state special interests.
First, Cali has very stern rules about teaching certain topics to our kids. I have to sign a form before my son can be taught ANYTHING about family relations or sex education. It's not an opt-out system, I have to opt-in or he doesn't get that class. Period. No exceptions to the rules.
Second, non-profit status is from the Feds, so all that blather about churches is another flat out lie!
Third, regarding rights? What about the rights of our family, friends, co-workers to have a permanent relationship with their loved one? To love and cherish through sickness and in health.
Yes, I know that the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, has Words on homosexuality.
However, I also believe that God NEVER says "oops".
People are born the way they are, including their sexual orientation. Again, God never says "oops". So if people are born that way, and God knit us together in the womb, well, then, hmmmm........?
So who am I to judge and condemn people who love each other and want to make the commitment of marriage? In our country, marriage is a legal and business relationship anyway. And it's better that two people marry than to be fornicating around with every Tom, Dick and Harry (or Tammy, Donisha and Harriet).
Don't believe the overblown BS that this desperate ad campaign is throwing at you. It's FULL of LIES.
Oh, and that stuff about how four judges went against four million voters? Well, some of us did NOT vote for a ban on gay marriage. So don't include us in those fake numbers.
And by that logic, our Brothers and Sisters of Color would not be allowed to marry whites. In fact, like my gggrandmother, a free person of color, I would not be allowed to marry a white man either. Because it was once against the law for a person of color, any color, to marry a white.
I'm not all white.
My parents would not have been allowed to marry.
My grandparents, neither set, would have been allowed to marry.
My great grandparents would not have been allowed to marry (actually, they passed for white so they were able to marry).
Thank God for the judges who rule upon the constitutional rights of the citizens of this country, going against the popular prejudices of the times. Thank God for judges who look above and beyond the rantings of the haters among us, and look to the Constitution first, not last.
And hey, you know, if you insist on voting Yes on 8, voting to ban gay marriage, well it will be a wasted effort on your part. Because even if it passes, the judges will rule again, based on the Constitution, and your ranting and raving and votes will be for nothing.
Don't fall into the trap of believing everything you hear on TV. Especially if the ad is way over the top.
The ad campaign manager isn't underestimating the stupidity of the audience. Do yourself a favor and don't believe the hype.
Yes On 8 is BUNK!!
Don't believe the hype.
NEVER believe the hype!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Borrowing Against Our Future -- AGAIN
OK, great. The Feds are going to give Bush a boatload of money to "bail out" the country.
What's wrong with this picture?
Ummm, guys, isn't this the very thing that everyone is ragging on homeowners about? We borrowed our way out of (and into) debt?
It doesn't work.
You can't borrow money to pay off debt, thereby making more debt that will sink your future.
What we NEED to do is finish our business in Iraq. Yes, I don't think we should abandon the Iraqi peoples, but we need to finish up and get out of their way. At this point, we may well be making things worse, not better.
Once we're out of there, we need to redistribute the monies spent on the war effort. (BTW: the war has been over a LONG time, this is a mopping up/police action.) We need to refurbish our Social Security system, pay down debt, assist families and homeowners with crushing debt, whether it's due to medical bills or fraudulent loans, assist them with proper loans with fixed rates so their lives are back in balance.
We need to assist with childcare costs, so people can afford to work, and childcare providers can afford to stay in business.
We need to do a lot of things in this country.
But borrowing against our future isn't the way to go.
Sorry Bush, you're just perpetuating the problem.
It's not going to work...
What's wrong with this picture?
Ummm, guys, isn't this the very thing that everyone is ragging on homeowners about? We borrowed our way out of (and into) debt?
It doesn't work.
You can't borrow money to pay off debt, thereby making more debt that will sink your future.
What we NEED to do is finish our business in Iraq. Yes, I don't think we should abandon the Iraqi peoples, but we need to finish up and get out of their way. At this point, we may well be making things worse, not better.
Once we're out of there, we need to redistribute the monies spent on the war effort. (BTW: the war has been over a LONG time, this is a mopping up/police action.) We need to refurbish our Social Security system, pay down debt, assist families and homeowners with crushing debt, whether it's due to medical bills or fraudulent loans, assist them with proper loans with fixed rates so their lives are back in balance.
We need to assist with childcare costs, so people can afford to work, and childcare providers can afford to stay in business.
We need to do a lot of things in this country.
But borrowing against our future isn't the way to go.
Sorry Bush, you're just perpetuating the problem.
It's not going to work...
Saturday, September 20, 2008
The Mortgage Meltdown
My neighbor lost his house.
I'm so sad for him.
In his case, he lost his job (oh, I know that one!) and got behind. With the market being the way it is, he couldn't refi and he couldn't get caught up. His ex is waiting, hoping that he can pick up the house later, once the foreclosure is finished and the bank puts the house on the market for a fraction of what my neighbor owed.
Yes, he's hoping to buy the house back. Those guys put so much work into their house, it's a darn shame this happened to them.
I know that I can't refi right now. I'm only about $20,000 upside down right now, so I'm stuck in my loan for a bit. In this market, at this time, it's not as bad as it sounds. Fortunately, I don't have to refi until 2010, so there's time for the market to swing up again.
I'm watching the mortgage meltdown with much cynicism.
You see, the mortgage companies are freaking greedy. They don't WANT to renegotiate loans. They don't WANT to give up a prepayment penalty so the customer can refinance into a better loan product. They don't WANT to work with the customer.
It's all backfired on them!
LOL, now they're paying the price for the misrepresentation of the loan products, of the under and over valuing of properties, for straight up fraud (like manufacturing the numbers without the customer even realizing what was done!).
Yes, sometimes they deliberately undervalued a property, forcing the homeowner into a less desirable but more profitable loan product, knowing that the homeowner had to refi NOW. Taking advantage of the situation doesn't make it right.
Even so, houses are starting to sell again. Prices have dropped enough that many people are starting to look toward buying that first home. Truly over valued house prices have dropped dramatically and people are looking to buy.
So the mortgage meltdown will eventually pass. Again.
Because this isn't the first time it's happened. Nor will it be the last.
The politicians and bankers and mortgage companies will all be on the bandwagon about what they did to help the consumer.
And we'll know they're all full of poop. Because nice guys like my neighbor don't live in this hood anymore.
The market will recover. So will he.
But the mortgage companies' lies, misrepresentation, and out and out fraud have been revealed.
Finally.
I'm looking for more banks and mortgage companies to go under before we completely recover from this mess. More fraud will be revealed. More lies and misrepresentations will appear to haunt these huge companies.
I don't know that I want the government to be all up in the mortgage business, but I do know that I want the rules and regulations, the laws that are already in place, to be enforced.
Make the greedy bastards pay.
And pay.
And pay.
Just like we, the consumers, usually have to pay.
It's nice to see it happen to the big guys for a change. Even though it messes with the economy for a while.
We little guys are used to it. We will survive the mortgage meltdown. It's just once more mess in our lives and we know how to hunker down and hang on.
That's the operative phrase in this mess, "Hang on!"
Hang on, change is coming!
Hang on!
I'm so sad for him.
In his case, he lost his job (oh, I know that one!) and got behind. With the market being the way it is, he couldn't refi and he couldn't get caught up. His ex is waiting, hoping that he can pick up the house later, once the foreclosure is finished and the bank puts the house on the market for a fraction of what my neighbor owed.
Yes, he's hoping to buy the house back. Those guys put so much work into their house, it's a darn shame this happened to them.
I know that I can't refi right now. I'm only about $20,000 upside down right now, so I'm stuck in my loan for a bit. In this market, at this time, it's not as bad as it sounds. Fortunately, I don't have to refi until 2010, so there's time for the market to swing up again.
I'm watching the mortgage meltdown with much cynicism.
You see, the mortgage companies are freaking greedy. They don't WANT to renegotiate loans. They don't WANT to give up a prepayment penalty so the customer can refinance into a better loan product. They don't WANT to work with the customer.
It's all backfired on them!
LOL, now they're paying the price for the misrepresentation of the loan products, of the under and over valuing of properties, for straight up fraud (like manufacturing the numbers without the customer even realizing what was done!).
Yes, sometimes they deliberately undervalued a property, forcing the homeowner into a less desirable but more profitable loan product, knowing that the homeowner had to refi NOW. Taking advantage of the situation doesn't make it right.
Even so, houses are starting to sell again. Prices have dropped enough that many people are starting to look toward buying that first home. Truly over valued house prices have dropped dramatically and people are looking to buy.
So the mortgage meltdown will eventually pass. Again.
Because this isn't the first time it's happened. Nor will it be the last.
The politicians and bankers and mortgage companies will all be on the bandwagon about what they did to help the consumer.
And we'll know they're all full of poop. Because nice guys like my neighbor don't live in this hood anymore.
The market will recover. So will he.
But the mortgage companies' lies, misrepresentation, and out and out fraud have been revealed.
Finally.
I'm looking for more banks and mortgage companies to go under before we completely recover from this mess. More fraud will be revealed. More lies and misrepresentations will appear to haunt these huge companies.
I don't know that I want the government to be all up in the mortgage business, but I do know that I want the rules and regulations, the laws that are already in place, to be enforced.
Make the greedy bastards pay.
And pay.
And pay.
Just like we, the consumers, usually have to pay.
It's nice to see it happen to the big guys for a change. Even though it messes with the economy for a while.
We little guys are used to it. We will survive the mortgage meltdown. It's just once more mess in our lives and we know how to hunker down and hang on.
That's the operative phrase in this mess, "Hang on!"
Hang on, change is coming!
Hang on!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Arnold, The Idiot You Voted In
Don't blame me, I didn't vote for that actor turned politician!
Heck no I didn't.
California's legislators FINALLY get a 2/3 vote to pass the budget, and doofus is threatening to veto it? And if his veto is overturned, he'll veto all the 800 or so bills that the legislators have worked so hard on?
Say what?
It's a DARN good thing I'm not in the legislature.
I would stand up, all five foot two of me, probably as red in the face as my hair, and tell him:
"You just go ahead. And then we'll vote to overturn it, we'll vote our budget in.
"And when you veto every one of our bills, we'll just vote them ALL back in!
"You think you're all that, dude, you aren't worth the bird poop on your windshield.
"So go for it, and see how stupid we can make you look."
I have ZERO patience with this idiot that the people of California were stupid enough to vote in.
Yes, California was stupid.
Actors are paid to put on characters. And politicians will tell you anything you want to hear, just so they get reelected. So actors make even better lying politicians...
Arnold should have stuck to acting. His movies were barely palatable.
He's utterly incompetent as a leader.
Good at being a lying politician, but incompetent at running our state.
Yeah, I know. California voted him in so we're stuck with him and his arrogant attitude toward us working people.
You get what you pay for.
And we'll keep paying...
And paying...
And paying...
Heck no I didn't.
California's legislators FINALLY get a 2/3 vote to pass the budget, and doofus is threatening to veto it? And if his veto is overturned, he'll veto all the 800 or so bills that the legislators have worked so hard on?
Say what?
It's a DARN good thing I'm not in the legislature.
I would stand up, all five foot two of me, probably as red in the face as my hair, and tell him:
"You just go ahead. And then we'll vote to overturn it, we'll vote our budget in.
"And when you veto every one of our bills, we'll just vote them ALL back in!
"You think you're all that, dude, you aren't worth the bird poop on your windshield.
"So go for it, and see how stupid we can make you look."
I have ZERO patience with this idiot that the people of California were stupid enough to vote in.
Yes, California was stupid.
Actors are paid to put on characters. And politicians will tell you anything you want to hear, just so they get reelected. So actors make even better lying politicians...
Arnold should have stuck to acting. His movies were barely palatable.
He's utterly incompetent as a leader.
Good at being a lying politician, but incompetent at running our state.
Yeah, I know. California voted him in so we're stuck with him and his arrogant attitude toward us working people.
You get what you pay for.
And we'll keep paying...
And paying...
And paying...
My Friend Isn't Going To Vote!?!
Oh - my - gosh!!
I can't believe this.
I was just talking to one of my buddies and he told me he isn't going to vote.
WHAT!!!
He isn't going to vote. I seriously can't believe it.
He's so stubborn, I know I won't be able to convince him that he should exercise his right to vote.
Yeah, I already tried...
You knew that didn't you?
I can't believe this.
I was just talking to one of my buddies and he told me he isn't going to vote.
WHAT!!!
He isn't going to vote. I seriously can't believe it.
He's so stubborn, I know I won't be able to convince him that he should exercise his right to vote.
Yeah, I already tried...
You knew that didn't you?
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Obama And The Pastor
Here we go again.
I read about this last week, but honestly, I haven't had a lot of time to write.
So I'll keep this short and blunt.
What the heck does Obama have to do with his FORMER Pastor's apparent affair?
Not a blasted thing!
The Pastor apparently has some moral failings, in the area of marriage and relationships.
But what does this have to do with Presidential candidate Obama?
Not a darn thing!
I would hope that most Americans are smart enough to know that just because someone you know, whether your Pastor, boss, neighbor or friend, cheats on his/her wife or husband, it doesn't have a darn thing to do with your own morality.
Unless, of course, you knew all about it and helped cover it up.
Which is not relevant to the Pastor's latest media uproar.
AND
While I'm ranting about this, yes, Pastor Wright was all wrong if he had an affair.
And so was the woman.
It takes one to sin, but two to tango.
Pastor Wright sinned the minute he conceived the seduction. (Or maybe it was Elizabeth Payne, if she seduced him.) But the other party still had the opportunity to say NO.
Just like Adam and Eve.
Eve sinned not by being deceived but by disobeying God's instructions. She could have been deceived but then chose to obey, just because God said so. She could've chose to wait and ask God what He had to say about Satan's deceptions.
But Adam then quadrupled the problem, because he chose to sin. He CHOSE to take the forbidden fruit. And then he CHOSE to blame Eve for his own failure, even though he was equally guilty of the sin. He disobeyed God. Instead of saying, "hold up here, let's take this back to God and see what He says about this situation" Adam just went ahead and ate that forbidden fruit anyway.
And didn't repent.
Didn't take it right to God and say "We screwed up Lord."
Nope, tried to hide themselves, tried to hide the sin, tried to blame everyone else but themselves.
It took two to get kicked out of the Garden.
The same as Wright and Payne.
Whoever started it, well then, the other STILL had the CHOICE to not participate.
So I return to the question: What the heck does Pastor Wright's alleged affair have to do with Obama?
Not a darn thing.
Oh, yeah, and I have little sympathy for her crying now about her ruined marriage and being banned from her church.
Like, duh!!
The wages of sin are death.
But not all deaths are physical.
Death of a marriage. Death of a relationship. Death of her church membership. A high price to pay for an empty promise.
So what was it I was saying?
Oh, yeah, what does all this have to do with Obama?
Not a darn thing.
It's "just" another failed attempt by the media to make Obama look like he condones bad behavior.
Ummmm, yeah. Right.
Obama led his Pastor to sin? Really?
Ummmm, so do you blame your own bad behavior on the Twinkies you had with lunch? Or on the guy down at 7-11 that sold you the Twinkies? Or the food company that makes Twinkies?
Yeah, it's the same.
Obama doesn't have a thing to do with his FORMER Pastor's inability to follow marriage vows.
So move along now, let's get back to the issues.
Don't be distracted (and yes, this is deliberate distraction) from the issues.
Don't believe the hype. Don't believe everything you read.
A + B does NOT equal Z.
Wright plus Payne does NOT equal Obama.
NOPE, sure doesn't!!
I read about this last week, but honestly, I haven't had a lot of time to write.
So I'll keep this short and blunt.
What the heck does Obama have to do with his FORMER Pastor's apparent affair?
Not a blasted thing!
The Pastor apparently has some moral failings, in the area of marriage and relationships.
But what does this have to do with Presidential candidate Obama?
Not a darn thing!
I would hope that most Americans are smart enough to know that just because someone you know, whether your Pastor, boss, neighbor or friend, cheats on his/her wife or husband, it doesn't have a darn thing to do with your own morality.
Unless, of course, you knew all about it and helped cover it up.
Which is not relevant to the Pastor's latest media uproar.
AND
While I'm ranting about this, yes, Pastor Wright was all wrong if he had an affair.
And so was the woman.
It takes one to sin, but two to tango.
Pastor Wright sinned the minute he conceived the seduction. (Or maybe it was Elizabeth Payne, if she seduced him.) But the other party still had the opportunity to say NO.
Just like Adam and Eve.
Eve sinned not by being deceived but by disobeying God's instructions. She could have been deceived but then chose to obey, just because God said so. She could've chose to wait and ask God what He had to say about Satan's deceptions.
But Adam then quadrupled the problem, because he chose to sin. He CHOSE to take the forbidden fruit. And then he CHOSE to blame Eve for his own failure, even though he was equally guilty of the sin. He disobeyed God. Instead of saying, "hold up here, let's take this back to God and see what He says about this situation" Adam just went ahead and ate that forbidden fruit anyway.
And didn't repent.
Didn't take it right to God and say "We screwed up Lord."
Nope, tried to hide themselves, tried to hide the sin, tried to blame everyone else but themselves.
It took two to get kicked out of the Garden.
The same as Wright and Payne.
Whoever started it, well then, the other STILL had the CHOICE to not participate.
So I return to the question: What the heck does Pastor Wright's alleged affair have to do with Obama?
Not a darn thing.
Oh, yeah, and I have little sympathy for her crying now about her ruined marriage and being banned from her church.
Like, duh!!
The wages of sin are death.
But not all deaths are physical.
Death of a marriage. Death of a relationship. Death of her church membership. A high price to pay for an empty promise.
So what was it I was saying?
Oh, yeah, what does all this have to do with Obama?
Not a darn thing.
It's "just" another failed attempt by the media to make Obama look like he condones bad behavior.
Ummmm, yeah. Right.
Obama led his Pastor to sin? Really?
Ummmm, so do you blame your own bad behavior on the Twinkies you had with lunch? Or on the guy down at 7-11 that sold you the Twinkies? Or the food company that makes Twinkies?
Yeah, it's the same.
Obama doesn't have a thing to do with his FORMER Pastor's inability to follow marriage vows.
So move along now, let's get back to the issues.
Don't be distracted (and yes, this is deliberate distraction) from the issues.
Don't believe the hype. Don't believe everything you read.
A + B does NOT equal Z.
Wright plus Payne does NOT equal Obama.
NOPE, sure doesn't!!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Palin's Daughter Is News?
Let's put today's big news flash in perspective, per my own 17-year-old daughter.
"So she's like every other teen in America?"
Naturally, being a teen, she's a bit over the top with that statement.
However, like all too many teens, whether from intact or broken homes, evangelical Christian or not, political family or not, Palin's daughter has had sex.
OK. And ummm, the point was????
Look, the girl is 17, pregnant, keeping the baby, marrying the father.
Even Christian kids have sex and gasp, get pregnant!
Nothing to see here folks, move along to the issues.
This is not even news. The media needs to get back to the issues, both international and at-home.
Not "just" another teen pregnancy in America.
At least she's going to marry the father. Now THAT might be a small splash in the news. Nothing more.
Palin's daughter is news? Really?
Again, nothing to see here.
It's not news...
"So she's like every other teen in America?"
Naturally, being a teen, she's a bit over the top with that statement.
However, like all too many teens, whether from intact or broken homes, evangelical Christian or not, political family or not, Palin's daughter has had sex.
OK. And ummm, the point was????
Look, the girl is 17, pregnant, keeping the baby, marrying the father.
Even Christian kids have sex and gasp, get pregnant!
Nothing to see here folks, move along to the issues.
This is not even news. The media needs to get back to the issues, both international and at-home.
Not "just" another teen pregnancy in America.
At least she's going to marry the father. Now THAT might be a small splash in the news. Nothing more.
Palin's daughter is news? Really?
Again, nothing to see here.
It's not news...
Downgraded To A Category 2!!
YES!
Gustav has been downgraded to a category 2 hurricane.
That still isn't good for New Orleans, I pray that the levees hold. I heard on the news that they're still expecting torrential rains and seven to ten foot storm surges. That can't be a good thing for those old levees.
I was pleased to see that the Republicans took this hurricane more seriously, delegates went home to handle their business. A convention is NOT as important as human lives. When a hurricane hits, it's not "business as usual".
Glad to see that lesson was learned with Katrina.
Gustav has been downgraded to a category 2 hurricane.
That still isn't good for New Orleans, I pray that the levees hold. I heard on the news that they're still expecting torrential rains and seven to ten foot storm surges. That can't be a good thing for those old levees.
I was pleased to see that the Republicans took this hurricane more seriously, delegates went home to handle their business. A convention is NOT as important as human lives. When a hurricane hits, it's not "business as usual".
Glad to see that lesson was learned with Katrina.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
New Orleans -- Here We Go Again!
As hurricane Gustav is bearing down on the Gulf Coast, Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans and Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, has been ordered.
People are scared and are fleeing inland. Rightly so, Gustav has been called the storm of the century.
But, but, but...
There's a problem that pretty much no one has focused on.
It's the end of the month. Many people don't get paid until the first and it being a holiday, won't get their checks until Tuesday, the day AFTER Gustav is supposed to hit land. In addition, the people on public assistance won't start getting their automatic deposits until the first. And I'm not sure how Louisiana has worked their public assistance program, but if they were in Cali, those deposits are staggered over three days, the first, second and third of the month.
Yes, there was a mile long line of people for buses that will take them out of town. But many people are afraid to leave. They don't have any money right now, no money for gas, no money for food, no money for a hotel and after the Super Dome fiasco, some are afraid to go to a shelter. If they have pets, what will they do with their animals? Are the animals allowed on the buses? (I don't know, but I doubt it.)
And bluntly, as the workers in the link (below) say, if they leave, they'll lose their jobs.
I know, you're saying, "No way, they can't get fired for evacuating!"
Oh yes they can!
Don't underestimate the hard-heartedness of the tourist industry. As long as there's one tourist in town that might spend a nickel, there will be places open for business. And those bosses, all too many of them, will expect their staff to be at work getting that last nickel.
Yes, that's horrible. But that's the reality of being a low-income worker.
I just hope and pray that the people who are staying behind are aware of what areas stayed dry during Katrina and can make their way to those places if the levees fail again. That they've stockpiled supplies and have an emergency plan, just in case.
I pray that the white communities around New Orleans, the ones that turned back fleeing residents at gunpoint, have been SHAMED into helping their Brothers and Sisters of every ethnicity, color, race, if Gustav turns out to be as bad as Katrina.
I pray that our politicians stop politicking and get their behinds in gear to help the residents of affected areas, wherever that may be, providing food, water, shelter within hours, not days and weeks, of Gustav hitting the Gulf Coast.
I pray that anyone who has a vehicle big enough to tow a trailer, even a Katrina trailer (that they aren't supposed to move), has that trailer hitched up and moving it and the family to safety. Better to ask forgiveness later than to let that family lose everything. Again.
I pray that somebody up in the Louisiana Welfare department wakes up this morning, realizes what's going on and gets some overtime going on, releasing the EBT benefits early, so that the participants who are still in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish can buy food and gas and evacuate before Gustav hits the coast. Again, despite the rules and regulations being broken by releasing funds early, better to ask forgiveness later.
And I pray that all these precautions become unnecessary and that somehow Gustav loses some of its strength before it hits land.
In the meantime, New Orleans, here we go again!!
Hang on and people, keep praying for our Brothers and Sisters!!
Link:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/08/30/new.orleans/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/08/31/gustav/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/08/30/gustav.prepare/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
People are scared and are fleeing inland. Rightly so, Gustav has been called the storm of the century.
But, but, but...
There's a problem that pretty much no one has focused on.
It's the end of the month. Many people don't get paid until the first and it being a holiday, won't get their checks until Tuesday, the day AFTER Gustav is supposed to hit land. In addition, the people on public assistance won't start getting their automatic deposits until the first. And I'm not sure how Louisiana has worked their public assistance program, but if they were in Cali, those deposits are staggered over three days, the first, second and third of the month.
Yes, there was a mile long line of people for buses that will take them out of town. But many people are afraid to leave. They don't have any money right now, no money for gas, no money for food, no money for a hotel and after the Super Dome fiasco, some are afraid to go to a shelter. If they have pets, what will they do with their animals? Are the animals allowed on the buses? (I don't know, but I doubt it.)
And bluntly, as the workers in the link (below) say, if they leave, they'll lose their jobs.
I know, you're saying, "No way, they can't get fired for evacuating!"
Oh yes they can!
Don't underestimate the hard-heartedness of the tourist industry. As long as there's one tourist in town that might spend a nickel, there will be places open for business. And those bosses, all too many of them, will expect their staff to be at work getting that last nickel.
Yes, that's horrible. But that's the reality of being a low-income worker.
I just hope and pray that the people who are staying behind are aware of what areas stayed dry during Katrina and can make their way to those places if the levees fail again. That they've stockpiled supplies and have an emergency plan, just in case.
I pray that the white communities around New Orleans, the ones that turned back fleeing residents at gunpoint, have been SHAMED into helping their Brothers and Sisters of every ethnicity, color, race, if Gustav turns out to be as bad as Katrina.
I pray that our politicians stop politicking and get their behinds in gear to help the residents of affected areas, wherever that may be, providing food, water, shelter within hours, not days and weeks, of Gustav hitting the Gulf Coast.
I pray that anyone who has a vehicle big enough to tow a trailer, even a Katrina trailer (that they aren't supposed to move), has that trailer hitched up and moving it and the family to safety. Better to ask forgiveness later than to let that family lose everything. Again.
I pray that somebody up in the Louisiana Welfare department wakes up this morning, realizes what's going on and gets some overtime going on, releasing the EBT benefits early, so that the participants who are still in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish can buy food and gas and evacuate before Gustav hits the coast. Again, despite the rules and regulations being broken by releasing funds early, better to ask forgiveness later.
And I pray that all these precautions become unnecessary and that somehow Gustav loses some of its strength before it hits land.
In the meantime, New Orleans, here we go again!!
Hang on and people, keep praying for our Brothers and Sisters!!
Link:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/08/30/new.orleans/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/08/31/gustav/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/08/30/gustav.prepare/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Hmmm, Interesting Choice For Vice President
McCain's choice of a VP is pretty interesting.
In fact, I think it's brilliant!
As the talking heads were announcing that Sarah Palin was the choice, and started describing her, I felt my heart leap.
Dang, if I were a Republican, I'd vote for her!
Lucky me, I'm not, I'll stick with Obama.
But listen. McCain's choice is a smart one for many, many reasons. Yes, her experience is limited, but her life choices outweigh a lot of that.
What am I talking about?
McCain is going for the marginal (and not so marginal) votes.
Palin is a Christian, hunter, mooseburger eater, NRA member, anti-abortion advocate, anti-gay marriage that still followed her state's court rulings regarding discrimination against gays.
She has a Down Syndrome child that she CHOSE to have, despite the results of the prenatal testing. IE, no lip service here, she walks the walk.
Oh, and she's a white woman, still married to her first husband, with five kids and one is in the military, preparing to be deployed to Iraq.
She's a Moderate Republican's wet dream of an up and coming politician. She leans far enough to the Right to make most Republicans happy, without swinging so far that she's unpalatable to the undecided voters.
And she's quite attractive too. Which rarely hurts a candidate.
Don't underestimate the desirability of this woman to the Republicans and the wobblers. Don't underestimate her desirability to the Christian Right.
If she'd been paired with a better Presidential candidate, she'd be perfect, I might have even considered voting Republican.
McCain made a brilliant choice with his Vice Presidential candidate. She's going to pull in a LOT of votes that might(maybe) have went Democratic -- a lot of traditional, middle-American white votes.
But I don't think I could stand four more years of the Bush brotherhood of Republicans in charge.
I just can't do it.
Link:
http://www.ontheissues.org/Sarah_Palin.htm
In fact, I think it's brilliant!
As the talking heads were announcing that Sarah Palin was the choice, and started describing her, I felt my heart leap.
Dang, if I were a Republican, I'd vote for her!
Lucky me, I'm not, I'll stick with Obama.
But listen. McCain's choice is a smart one for many, many reasons. Yes, her experience is limited, but her life choices outweigh a lot of that.
What am I talking about?
McCain is going for the marginal (and not so marginal) votes.
Palin is a Christian, hunter, mooseburger eater, NRA member, anti-abortion advocate, anti-gay marriage that still followed her state's court rulings regarding discrimination against gays.
She has a Down Syndrome child that she CHOSE to have, despite the results of the prenatal testing. IE, no lip service here, she walks the walk.
Oh, and she's a white woman, still married to her first husband, with five kids and one is in the military, preparing to be deployed to Iraq.
She's a Moderate Republican's wet dream of an up and coming politician. She leans far enough to the Right to make most Republicans happy, without swinging so far that she's unpalatable to the undecided voters.
And she's quite attractive too. Which rarely hurts a candidate.
Don't underestimate the desirability of this woman to the Republicans and the wobblers. Don't underestimate her desirability to the Christian Right.
If she'd been paired with a better Presidential candidate, she'd be perfect, I might have even considered voting Republican.
McCain made a brilliant choice with his Vice Presidential candidate. She's going to pull in a LOT of votes that might(maybe) have went Democratic -- a lot of traditional, middle-American white votes.
But I don't think I could stand four more years of the Bush brotherhood of Republicans in charge.
I just can't do it.
Link:
http://www.ontheissues.org/Sarah_Palin.htm
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Is It Racist?
In a forum I hang out in, there are often whites posting this question:
Is it racist to vote for Obama because he is Black?
I find this pretty ironic, because for many long years, people have voted for candidates from their communities and no one ever thought about it being racist.
However, my response to this common question is:
If you vote for someone just because he's Black, it's not racist.
If you vote against someone just because he's Black, that's racist.
There is a huge difference that doesn't appear to be visible to a lot of people.
Voting for someone because he/she is a Christian, Jewish, Mormon, Black, Native American, Latino, Hispanic, Democratic, Republican, Green, Libertarian, your friend, your neighbor, your cousin, from your state - none of that is racist or wrong. (Perhaps a little unenlightened if they don't support the things you believe in, but that's another topic entirely.)
Why?
Obviously, there is a positive element in voting FOR someone in/of/from your community, whatever community it may be, political, racial, ethnic, spiritual, etc. Supporting someone of your community isn't wrong. (Yes, even if your community is German, Irish, Swedish, French, English, white.)
Voting AGAINST someone because of any of those factors is wrong.
It's not racist to vote for Obama because he's Black.
Again, in my not-at-all-humble opinion, a bit foolish if you're a die-hard Republican who's voting against all you believe in JUST because Obama is Black.
But it's not racist.
Also, in my opinion, if you want to have the right to bitch, moan, whine, and complain about our government over the next four years, you'd better get to the polls and VOTE!
People who don't vote shouldn't be complaining when politicians make decisions on their behalf. They had a chance to vote the buggers in or out. If they didn't vote, they're just stuck in the same old rut with everyone else.
IE, if you choose not to participate in the process, don't be surprised when the process doesn't represent you.
Is it racist to vote for Obama because he is Black?
I find this pretty ironic, because for many long years, people have voted for candidates from their communities and no one ever thought about it being racist.
However, my response to this common question is:
If you vote for someone just because he's Black, it's not racist.
If you vote against someone just because he's Black, that's racist.
There is a huge difference that doesn't appear to be visible to a lot of people.
Voting for someone because he/she is a Christian, Jewish, Mormon, Black, Native American, Latino, Hispanic, Democratic, Republican, Green, Libertarian, your friend, your neighbor, your cousin, from your state - none of that is racist or wrong. (Perhaps a little unenlightened if they don't support the things you believe in, but that's another topic entirely.)
Why?
Obviously, there is a positive element in voting FOR someone in/of/from your community, whatever community it may be, political, racial, ethnic, spiritual, etc. Supporting someone of your community isn't wrong. (Yes, even if your community is German, Irish, Swedish, French, English, white.)
Voting AGAINST someone because of any of those factors is wrong.
It's not racist to vote for Obama because he's Black.
Again, in my not-at-all-humble opinion, a bit foolish if you're a die-hard Republican who's voting against all you believe in JUST because Obama is Black.
But it's not racist.
Also, in my opinion, if you want to have the right to bitch, moan, whine, and complain about our government over the next four years, you'd better get to the polls and VOTE!
People who don't vote shouldn't be complaining when politicians make decisions on their behalf. They had a chance to vote the buggers in or out. If they didn't vote, they're just stuck in the same old rut with everyone else.
IE, if you choose not to participate in the process, don't be surprised when the process doesn't represent you.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Joe Biden?
Joe Biden? Well, OK....
I know on KGO talk radio, the hosts were going off last night. According to several hosts, Obama and Clinton would've been the "Dream Team".
I completely disagree with that evaluation.
Clinton as Vice President might've gotten more Democratic votes, but Obama would've shot himself in the foot. There are just too many potential cross-over votes that he'd lose with a Clinton VP candidate. Too many Republicans absolutely HATE the Clintons.
Joe Biden?
Well, Biden is a safer choice than many of the other prospective candidates.
Let's see who McCain picks.
Then we'll have a better idea of which way the political wind is blowing...
I know on KGO talk radio, the hosts were going off last night. According to several hosts, Obama and Clinton would've been the "Dream Team".
I completely disagree with that evaluation.
Clinton as Vice President might've gotten more Democratic votes, but Obama would've shot himself in the foot. There are just too many potential cross-over votes that he'd lose with a Clinton VP candidate. Too many Republicans absolutely HATE the Clintons.
Joe Biden?
Well, Biden is a safer choice than many of the other prospective candidates.
Let's see who McCain picks.
Then we'll have a better idea of which way the political wind is blowing...
Sunday, August 10, 2008
So Edwards DID Cheat On His Wife!
So the rumors were right, Edwards did cheat on his wife.
You know, what I find more disturbing than his cheating on his terminally ill wife, is the fact that he lied about it.
Unfortunately, men do cheat.
Unfortunately, women are attracted to men who cheat.
There's not enough space in this blog to talk about the psychology of infidelity. There are many reasons and most are pretty complex, far beyond the sexual act.
And honestly, many men don't consider oral sex to be sex.
We already know that, Bill Clinton is a prime example. He really, really didn't think he'd had sex with Monica.
We women generally view this in a difference way. I'm sure Hilary considered it to be cheating. In fact, I'm sure Monica did too.
Edward's wife was furious? I don't blame her.
I also don't blame her for standing by her man. People, the woman is sick and she is going to die. She may be maintaining fairly well right now, but it's already been announced that her condition is terminal. I don't blame her for sticking with him, especially if he really is remorseful for what he's done.
I do have to say, I SURE am glad that Edwards isn't in the Presidential race.
But let me point out to you, Edwards cheated on his sick wife, but he is standing by her.
McCain, on the other hand, left his disabled wife for the rich blonde.
Yes, that was a long time ago.
But I question the morality of the people who are going to jump up and down pointing at Edwards, and ignoring the fact that McCain is no better.
If Edwards is wrong, then McCain was also wrong, and doubly wrong because he left his wife for the other woman. The only good thing is that McCain has provided medical coverage for his first wife, all these years. At least he was man enough to do that.
You know, though, it's commonly said that a cheater is a cheater is a cheater.
I hope that's wrong.
There are worse things than being a cheater.
Being a liar is one of them...
You know, what I find more disturbing than his cheating on his terminally ill wife, is the fact that he lied about it.
Unfortunately, men do cheat.
Unfortunately, women are attracted to men who cheat.
There's not enough space in this blog to talk about the psychology of infidelity. There are many reasons and most are pretty complex, far beyond the sexual act.
And honestly, many men don't consider oral sex to be sex.
We already know that, Bill Clinton is a prime example. He really, really didn't think he'd had sex with Monica.
We women generally view this in a difference way. I'm sure Hilary considered it to be cheating. In fact, I'm sure Monica did too.
Edward's wife was furious? I don't blame her.
I also don't blame her for standing by her man. People, the woman is sick and she is going to die. She may be maintaining fairly well right now, but it's already been announced that her condition is terminal. I don't blame her for sticking with him, especially if he really is remorseful for what he's done.
I do have to say, I SURE am glad that Edwards isn't in the Presidential race.
But let me point out to you, Edwards cheated on his sick wife, but he is standing by her.
McCain, on the other hand, left his disabled wife for the rich blonde.
Yes, that was a long time ago.
But I question the morality of the people who are going to jump up and down pointing at Edwards, and ignoring the fact that McCain is no better.
If Edwards is wrong, then McCain was also wrong, and doubly wrong because he left his wife for the other woman. The only good thing is that McCain has provided medical coverage for his first wife, all these years. At least he was man enough to do that.
You know, though, it's commonly said that a cheater is a cheater is a cheater.
I hope that's wrong.
There are worse things than being a cheater.
Being a liar is one of them...
Friday, August 8, 2008
DWB - Driving While Brown
Yes, I know, I'm not brown.
But I'm not a fool.
I live in Broderick, where there's supposedly a huge gang called the Broderick Boys.
(Hmmm, and yet the DA can't even name most of the members, despite the continued harassment of our local police. Funny how that happens. NOT!)
Broderick was once the "Mexican" side of town. So naturally, many of my neighbors are Latino/Hispanic.
With this BS gang injunction in place, pushed upon the neighborhood by the local DA, many people are being legally harassed by the police department. For example: there's a permanent 10pm curfew on all the Broderick Boys.
What??? Adults aren't allowed to be out in public after 10pm at night? In their own neighborhood?
And who determines who is a Broderick Boy? The local police.
(Talk about having the fox guarding the hen house!)
And how do they determine if you are or aren't a Broderick Boy? Well, let's see, you live in Broderick and you're brown. Basic criteria to deciding that you're a gang member.
Hello?
Can we say "profiling"?
Yes, I've driven down the main street at night and you know, funny how darn near EVERY person pulled over was brown. Even over on the "white" side of town. In fact, ESPECIALLY over on the white side of town.
Bad driving isn't color specific. And in fact, while we're at it, the meth addicts that hang out over on the corner of Jefferson and West Capitol are nearly all white. Why don't I see them being hassled by the local yokels?
Further, I have neighbors whose relatives moved over to the white side, IE the new houses. People have actually stopped and asked their kids if they belong there. Cops have followed them home and hassled them about being in that neighborhood.
Huh?
A brown child can't live over on the expensive side of town?
Dude, listen to me, bigotry and racism are alive and well in America.
I see it darn near every day. Driving while brown, DWB, is a reality in my neighborhood.
Fortunately, my children aren't driving yet. And I plan to be gone from here before my little brown son is on the road. Because the day he comes home and tells me that he's been targeted by the local police is the day that they find out what kind of mom I really am.
Pitbull comes to mind very quickly.
Yes, DWB is not cool.
Too bad the local cops, the DA, and the Yolo County Judge don't comprehend exactly how they've trampled on the rights of American citizens.
Oh, yes, the people being harassed are citizens. American citizens, born and raised right here in Broderick.
Yes, in the eyes of local law enforcement, in West Sacramento being brown is a crime.
Doubt me? Bring a brown cop in civilian clothes over here, let him get stopped a few times. Make sure he's driving a red car with a big Oakland Raider sticker on it, those are also "gang" symbols. See how he's treated by the local po-pos.
After he's been stopped a few times, let him testify about profiling.
DWB, a day in the life of Broderick.
Put the cop on the stand in his Blue uniform and see just how the local yokels harassment plays to the court.
ACLU, are you taking the hint???
But I'm not a fool.
I live in Broderick, where there's supposedly a huge gang called the Broderick Boys.
(Hmmm, and yet the DA can't even name most of the members, despite the continued harassment of our local police. Funny how that happens. NOT!)
Broderick was once the "Mexican" side of town. So naturally, many of my neighbors are Latino/Hispanic.
With this BS gang injunction in place, pushed upon the neighborhood by the local DA, many people are being legally harassed by the police department. For example: there's a permanent 10pm curfew on all the Broderick Boys.
What??? Adults aren't allowed to be out in public after 10pm at night? In their own neighborhood?
And who determines who is a Broderick Boy? The local police.
(Talk about having the fox guarding the hen house!)
And how do they determine if you are or aren't a Broderick Boy? Well, let's see, you live in Broderick and you're brown. Basic criteria to deciding that you're a gang member.
Hello?
Can we say "profiling"?
Yes, I've driven down the main street at night and you know, funny how darn near EVERY person pulled over was brown. Even over on the "white" side of town. In fact, ESPECIALLY over on the white side of town.
Bad driving isn't color specific. And in fact, while we're at it, the meth addicts that hang out over on the corner of Jefferson and West Capitol are nearly all white. Why don't I see them being hassled by the local yokels?
Further, I have neighbors whose relatives moved over to the white side, IE the new houses. People have actually stopped and asked their kids if they belong there. Cops have followed them home and hassled them about being in that neighborhood.
Huh?
A brown child can't live over on the expensive side of town?
Dude, listen to me, bigotry and racism are alive and well in America.
I see it darn near every day. Driving while brown, DWB, is a reality in my neighborhood.
Fortunately, my children aren't driving yet. And I plan to be gone from here before my little brown son is on the road. Because the day he comes home and tells me that he's been targeted by the local police is the day that they find out what kind of mom I really am.
Pitbull comes to mind very quickly.
Yes, DWB is not cool.
Too bad the local cops, the DA, and the Yolo County Judge don't comprehend exactly how they've trampled on the rights of American citizens.
Oh, yes, the people being harassed are citizens. American citizens, born and raised right here in Broderick.
Yes, in the eyes of local law enforcement, in West Sacramento being brown is a crime.
Doubt me? Bring a brown cop in civilian clothes over here, let him get stopped a few times. Make sure he's driving a red car with a big Oakland Raider sticker on it, those are also "gang" symbols. See how he's treated by the local po-pos.
After he's been stopped a few times, let him testify about profiling.
DWB, a day in the life of Broderick.
Put the cop on the stand in his Blue uniform and see just how the local yokels harassment plays to the court.
ACLU, are you taking the hint???
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Arnold Is An Idiot
Yes, I'm saying that straight up, in your face.
Arnold is an idiot.
Oh, yeah, he THINKS he's pulling this great political ploy to get California's legislators to pass a budget. Uh, huh.
He's as stupid as they come.
The State Controller has already said that state employees will be paid like always. There's not going to be a cut to the Federal minimum wage. And even if he was going to allow this, wouldn't CALIFORNIA's minimum wage be more appropriate? I'm not sure it's even legal for Arnie to think that he can lower wages past the California minimum wage law.
In any case, the Controller has this well in hand.
You see, something that isn't being trumpeted on CNN, is that many state employees are in the midst of negotiating new contracts. Oh yes. So by lowering wages, that's considered an unfair labor practice. The union is all over it already. And on top of the union grievances already filed, IF the Controller allowed our illustrious Governor to shoot himself in the foot, the price would be triple damages.
Yes, Arnold would cost the state THREE times the amount of wages not paid.
Plus the overtime down in payroll, figuring out all this mess twice, once to cut, once to reimburse the employees for the lost wages.
Arnold is an idiot.
Don't believe the hype. He thinks he's smarter, faster, better than the rest of us. He's forgotten where he came from -- or, well, maybe not. Austrians are notorious for major control issues. Maybe he's just reflecting his own upbringing.
Who knows, who cares?
The point is that he is an utter idiot who's putting our state's finances in jeopardy, deliberately, with a huge staged political ploy. Dirty politics at its worst.
Arnold, you're an idiot.
Kiss your political career goodbye.
If you ever run for office again, I'm going to be all over this like a fly on poop. I'm quite sure I won't be the only one.
Yup, Arnold is an idiot and now the star struck California voters can see the monster they've created.
Next time, my friends, vote for the guy that may have your best interests at heart. (Maybe.)
Not the guy who huffs and puffs and then tries to blow your house down...
Arnold is an idiot.
Oh, yeah, he THINKS he's pulling this great political ploy to get California's legislators to pass a budget. Uh, huh.
He's as stupid as they come.
The State Controller has already said that state employees will be paid like always. There's not going to be a cut to the Federal minimum wage. And even if he was going to allow this, wouldn't CALIFORNIA's minimum wage be more appropriate? I'm not sure it's even legal for Arnie to think that he can lower wages past the California minimum wage law.
In any case, the Controller has this well in hand.
You see, something that isn't being trumpeted on CNN, is that many state employees are in the midst of negotiating new contracts. Oh yes. So by lowering wages, that's considered an unfair labor practice. The union is all over it already. And on top of the union grievances already filed, IF the Controller allowed our illustrious Governor to shoot himself in the foot, the price would be triple damages.
Yes, Arnold would cost the state THREE times the amount of wages not paid.
Plus the overtime down in payroll, figuring out all this mess twice, once to cut, once to reimburse the employees for the lost wages.
Arnold is an idiot.
Don't believe the hype. He thinks he's smarter, faster, better than the rest of us. He's forgotten where he came from -- or, well, maybe not. Austrians are notorious for major control issues. Maybe he's just reflecting his own upbringing.
Who knows, who cares?
The point is that he is an utter idiot who's putting our state's finances in jeopardy, deliberately, with a huge staged political ploy. Dirty politics at its worst.
Arnold, you're an idiot.
Kiss your political career goodbye.
If you ever run for office again, I'm going to be all over this like a fly on poop. I'm quite sure I won't be the only one.
Yup, Arnold is an idiot and now the star struck California voters can see the monster they've created.
Next time, my friends, vote for the guy that may have your best interests at heart. (Maybe.)
Not the guy who huffs and puffs and then tries to blow your house down...
So McCain Thinks It's OK To Mock Obama?
If McCain thinks his nasty little campaign ads are funny, he's out of his pinhead mind!
Comparing Obama to Brittney Spears and Paris Hilton?
Excuse me?
Let's take this down the low road for just a minute.
What if some Obama supporters started making fun of McCain's disabilities? His withered arm? His bouts with skin cancer (melanoma)? His cheating on his first wife? Abandoning his DISABLED first wife to marry the rich blonde with political connections? Hmmm?
Oh, is that different?
REALLY?
I think not.
I think that the current ad campaign, mocking Obama, is beyond despicable.
I hope that the American voters see through this, and see the face of the man who thinks this kind of negativity and nasty humor is acceptable behavior for a President. I hope that they see that if we vote this man in, America will be represented by a man willing to take the lowest road to the top.
I don't want that.
McCain thinks it's OK to mock Obama?
I think we're seeing the inner character of the man. Ugly from the inside out.
Take off your sunglasses and blinders folks. The mean is shining through.
McCain is showing more and more of his true colors.
Bile is not a good color for a President...
Comparing Obama to Brittney Spears and Paris Hilton?
Excuse me?
Let's take this down the low road for just a minute.
What if some Obama supporters started making fun of McCain's disabilities? His withered arm? His bouts with skin cancer (melanoma)? His cheating on his first wife? Abandoning his DISABLED first wife to marry the rich blonde with political connections? Hmmm?
Oh, is that different?
REALLY?
I think not.
I think that the current ad campaign, mocking Obama, is beyond despicable.
I hope that the American voters see through this, and see the face of the man who thinks this kind of negativity and nasty humor is acceptable behavior for a President. I hope that they see that if we vote this man in, America will be represented by a man willing to take the lowest road to the top.
I don't want that.
McCain thinks it's OK to mock Obama?
I think we're seeing the inner character of the man. Ugly from the inside out.
Take off your sunglasses and blinders folks. The mean is shining through.
McCain is showing more and more of his true colors.
Bile is not a good color for a President...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
